Beowulf
Page 22
Wiglaf takes a breath and collects himself. Beowulf stares in stunned silence.
OLD WIGLAF (CONT’D)
Now, do you want me to go in with you?
Beowulf, who is speechless, shakes his head.
OLD WIGLAF (CONT’D)
Good. I’ll wait there.
76 INT. THE GREAT CAVE - GRENDEL’S MOTHER’S LAIR
76
King Beowulf emerges from the water, as he did when he was young. It seems bigger and emptier than before. Everything seems further away. We can hear WATER DRIPPING SLOWLY. He looks to the golden horn he’s holding in his hand.
He SHOUTS something, mouths “Come forth. Show yourself!” But NO SOUND COMES OUT. Then, delayed we hear…
KING BEOWULF
(echoing)
Come forth. Show yourself!
Suddenly, he’s walking in EXTREME SLOW-MOTION: His feet hit the water and throw up showers of slow droplets…
He looks down. The reflection in the water is that of Young Beowulf. He drops a rock into the water: It ECHOES and BOOMS. When the ripples have stopped, it’s his old face staring up at him from the water.
Now behind him stand a number of DEAD THANES…men we saw killed earlier. They stand there, pale and bloody corpses, some of them missing limbs. They speak in a ghostly SLOW-MOTION…
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 98.
HONDSHEW
Hail Beowulf, who killed the monster Grendel.
THANE #2
Hail Beowulf, who slew Grendel’s mother.
THANE #3
Hail mighty Beowulf, the wisest king, and the mightiest.
THANE #4
Hail Beowulf, who left us for dead.
OLAF
Hail the Great King Beowulf, liar and m-m-monster, lecher and f…f…fool.
THE THANES TOGETHER
Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail!
King Beowulf stares at them, speechless, as they tell him the things he would rather not think.
He turns to shout at them, but they’ve vanished.
Now, from above, there’s a LOUD FLAPPING SOUND…an enormous GUST OF WIND hits Beowulf, almost knocking him down. Then, from inside a dark tunnel…A SOFT MALE VOICE ECHOES…
VOICE (O.S.)
How strange. When I listened at windows and from rooftops to the talk of the mighty King Beowulf, all the talk was of a hero, valiant and wise, courageous and noble. But…you’re nothing…an empty nothing.
KING BEOWULF
I am Beowulf.
A TORCH FLAMES in the tunnel, showing us…a thin, beautiful, GOLDEN YOUNG MAN. Average in size, not at all physically imposing, with curled leather and gold straps all over his naked skin. He looks very much like Young Beowulf.
Beowulf recognizes the likeness…and shudders, he knows whose son this is.
GOLDEN MAN
You are shit.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 99.
KING BEOWULF
What are you?
GOLDEN MAN
I’m something you left behind…Father!
King Beowulf reacts to this.
KING BEOWULF
Here. Take your damned horn back. Leave my land in peace.
Beowulf throws the horn into the tunnel. It lands at the Golden Man’s feet. The Golden Man shakes his head.
GOLDEN MAN
It’s too late for that.
The Golden Man slowly presses his naked foot on top of the horn…instantly, the horn begins to melt, forming a pool of golden liquid on the stone floor…then, the molten gold MELDS INTO THE GOLDEN-MAN’S FOOT like mercury.
GOLDEN MAN (CONT’D)
How will you hurt me father? With your fingers, your teeth…your bare hands?
KING BEOWULF
Where’s your mother. Where is she? Show yourself, bitch!
GOLDEN MAN
Nobody sees my mother unless she wishes…not even me.
KING BEOWULF
This is madness.
GOLDEN MAN
You have a wonderful land, my father. A beautiful home. And women. When I listened at windows, they spoke of your women. Your wise queen. Your pretty bedwarmer. I wonder -- which one do you think I should kill first?
KING BEOWULF
Why? Why are you doing this?
GOLDEN MAN
Because…I hate you, father.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 100.
As the Golden Man walks toward Beowulf…he begins to GROW LARGER, just like Grendel…
GOLDEN MAN (CONT’D)
You have your kingdom and your treasure…your glory and your women. But where was I in your grand plan?
Before Beowulf opens his mouth to answer…
GOLDEN MAN (CONT’D)
If you engraved my hate on every star in the sky, on every grain of sand on every beach from now until the end of time, you would still not have the smallest inkling just how much I HATE YOU!
The Golden Man starts to TRANSFORM…MORPH INTO A GOLDEN DRAGON!!! As his mouth becomes more reptile-like, his/its lips no longer move…this last sentence BELCHES from its throat…
DRAGON-MAN
WATCH AS I BURN YOUR WORLD!!!
HOT, ORANGE FIRE SPEWS FROM ITS MOUTH…but…
KING BEOWULF dives into the pool, as flames roil the water…
CUT TO:
77 EXT. THE GREAT CAVE ENTRANCE DAY
77
King Beowulf dives out of the cave! A ball of fire singeing his ass!
EVERYTHING RUMBLES, like an earthquake, and then…
THE DRAGON ERUPTS out of the earth, scattering rocks.
Now we see THE DRAGON. The knotwork that covered the man becomes the scale-patterns of the creature. It’s the size of a whale. With huge, golden scales and teeth the size of a man’s forearm. Utterly beautiful, utterly terrifying…
Wiglaf’s jaw drops as he reins his frightened horse…
OLD WIGLAF
Odin’s swifan balls!!!!
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 101.
Beowulf leaps on his horse…
KING BEOWULF
It’s headed for Herot!!!
THE DRAGON, SCREECHING AND GROWLING, beats its wings with tremendous force…AND BEGINS FLYING…toward a clearing, slowly rising above the treetops…
78 EXT. FORREST
78
BEOWULF rides right beneath the dragon’s talon. Ducking and bobbing to avoid getting hit by the its barbed tail, he reaches for the dragon’s claw…
THE DRAGON climbs above a growth of tall trees…
BEOWULF stands on his horse…pulls the bearded ax from his belt and hooks the dragon’s talon with its spiked blade. Beowulf quickly unravels the leather strapping and holds it with all his strength as…
THE DRAGON rises…lifting Beowulf off his horse…the dragon’s razor sharp tail gaffs Beowulf’s horse in the belly and sends it tumbling into Wiglaf’s horse…Wiglaf goes down…
BEOWULF dangles just below the treetops…swinging and flailing from side to side to avoid hitting the trees. He pulls his sword with his free hand and uses it like a machete to hack away the tree limbs…
OLD WIGLAF jumps back on his horse and gallops toward the castle…
79 EXT. ABOVE FORREST
79
THE DRAGON ROARS and BELCHES fire as it flies along, incinerating the trees…
BEOWULF looks up and sees the “soft spot” in the dragon’s neck…every time the dragon breaths fire, this area of thin membrane GLOWS…
80 EXT. ABOVE CLEARING
80
THE DRAGON reaches a clearing and Beowulf can see the gorge in the distance, and the great wood bridge spanning it. The dragon SWOOPS DOWN toward the gorge. Beowulf HEARS a commander SHOUT…
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 102.
COMMANDER (O.C.)
Archer’s ready!!!!
BEOWULF’S army of ARCHERS rise-up from the tall grass…their bows charged…aimed at the dragon!!!
COMMANDER (O.C.) (CONT’D)
…NOW!!!!!
THE ARCHERS
release a volley of arrows…
THE DRAGON SCREAMS, then SPITS a line of fire into the arrows…incinerating most of them…
THE ARCHERS let-go with another hail…but this time…
THE DRAGON climbs…just above the arc of the WHIZZING arrows…lifting the suspended Beowulf directly into the line of fire…
81 EXT. GORGE - GREAT WOOD BRIDGE
81
Having no choice, Beowulf lets go and drops into the gorge, right inside its ledge…he miraculously grabs hold of a protruding root…breaking his fall. His sword CLATTERS onto the rocks below…
HUGE CROSS-BOWS, mounted on wagons, are rolled out from behind hay-stacks…they unleash their giant spears…
THE DRAGON ROARS an angry bellow as it dives into the gorge…right over Beowulf, almost slicing him with it’s tail…
82 EXT. OLD KING’S ROAD
82
OLD WIGLAF gallops full out, down the king’s road…
83 EXT. GORGE - GREAT WOOD BRIDGE
83
BEOWULF claws himself out of the gorge and runs toward the massive wooden bridge…
GIANT CATAPULTS are triggered, throwing huge nets over the gorge in an attempt to ensnare the dragon…the huge net lands on top of Beowulf, knocking him to the ground…he curses.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 103.
THE DRAGON, really pissed now, lets out a tremendous BELLOW, as it flames the hemp netting…however, the burning nets continue to force the dragon down into the gorge…
BEOWULF makes it to the bridge and runs to the center of the span…he sees…
THE DRAGON barrels down the gorge, toward the bridge…spitting fire at the attacking warriors, raking the troops and setting them ablaze…
BEOWULF pulls his dagger and leaps up on the bridge railing…
THE DRAGON swoops beneath the bridge…headed for the sea…
84 EXT. ABOVE GORGE - GREAT WOOD BRIDGE
84
BEOWULF JUMPS and lands on the dragon’s back, stabbing his dagger into it for traction.
THE DRAGON growls and looks back with its golden eyes at the man on its back -- BEOWULF.
BEOWULF
(screams maniacally)
ARE YOU READY TO DIE?! YOU FILTHY PIECE OF…
THE DRAGON SCREECHES A HELLISH WAIL as it swoops down in a great arc…picking up speed…breathing a heavy plume of burning hydrogen, the dragon sprays the timber bridge with liquid fire, igniting it like it was made of matchsticks.
MEN ARE ON FIRE and running…some drop and flop around in the snow…some die where they stand…
A RETREATING SQUAD OF THANES running along the cliff ledge, suddenly find themselves in the path of the Dragon’s shadow…
THE DRAGON dives down and drops on top of RUNNING THANES, CRUSHING some with its belly, IMPALING others in its talons, and RAMMING the rest off the cliffs like rag dolls…knocking them into the sea and rocks below.
THE DRAGON turns back to Beowulf, giving him a “howd’ya like them apples” smile…
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 104.
BEOWULF (CONT’D)
Damn you!! I’ll have your lizard head on a spike!!!
THE DRAGON pitches and rolls…then it flies inverted, attempting to knock Beowulf off its back…
But Beowulf still holds.
85 EXT. KING’S ROAD
85
OLD WIGLAF, on his horse, THUNDERS for the burning bridge…
86 EXT. ABOVE KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE
86
BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON soar up alongside Castel Herot…
URSULA runs out onto the arch-bridge…she gasps in horror at the sight of the monstrous dragon…
BEOWULF is now climbing behind the dragon’s head. It twists madly trying to spit fire at him, but Beowulf is just out of reach…
THE DRAGON arches around and plummets down…down toward the sea…It tucks its wings and hits the water…
87 EXT. UNDER THE SEA
87
BEOWULF is dragged deep into the dark water…his face twisted into a grimace, he holds on to the Dragon’s braided scales by sheer strength of will…the force of the rushing water tears off his armor and his tunic, leaving him wearing only his chain-mail.
THE DRAGON dives deeper and deeper, all the way down to the sea-floor…the dragon continues to SPIT FIRE underwater, causing large plumes of noxious gas and steam to lash Beowulf’s face…suddenly, the dragon’s fire-breath LIGHTS-UP…
88 EXT. UNDER THE SEA - A SHIP WRECK
88
A Viking vessel manned by skeletons. One side of it is a mass of broken and sharpened SPARS…. the Dragon twists in the water and heads right for it…
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 105.
BEOWULF is about to slam into the Spars!! Holding his breath with full cheeks, Beowulf pulls his dagger out of the dragon’s back and PUSHES OFF…
THE DRAGON smashes into the ship wreck, destroying it…sending debris and flotsam swirling…
BEOWULF, now in his element, clamps his dagger between his teeth and dives into the roiling wreckage and comes up with an IRON CHAIN, twenty feet long with a primitive ANCHOR-HOOK on one end…
THE DRAGON thrashes around in the wreckage…
89 EXT. UNDER THE SEA
89
BEOWULF swims for the surface…
THE DRAGON spots Beowulf, then with a mighty thrust of its wings, rockets toward him…
BEOWULF PUMPS and strokes like the hero that he is, but the dragon is closing in…
THE DRAGON bullets through the water…hatred glowing in its eyes…
BEOWULF nears the surface, swimming with all he’s got…
THE DRAGON opens its massive jaws.. fire and bubbles of heated hydrogen streaming from the corners of its mouth…now, right on Beowulf’s heels, THE DRAGON chomps-down…but BEOWULF lunges to the side and swings the anchor into the demon’s mouth…hooking the anchor in its jaw!!!
SEAWATER EXPLODES as the Dragon breaks the surface and rises…
INTO THE AIR ABOVE THE SEA
90 EXT. ABOVE SEA
90
BEOWULF, dangling from the chain attached to the anchor, sucks in oxygen.
THE DRAGON keeps climbing…BEOWULF wraps the bottom length of chain around his lower left arm…
THE DRAGON sees Ursula on the castle bridge-way…its eyes narrow.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 106.
91 EXT. GREAT WOOD BRIDGE
91
WIGLAF gallops up to the burning bridge…just as its chard timbers give way…and an entire side of the bridge collapses into the gorge…
92 EXT. ABOVE KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE
92
BEOWULF, the chain wrapped around his left wrist, clambers along the Dragon’s spine…like a dark-age’s wing-walker…
THE DRAGON AND BEOWULF soar high above the Castle Herot…
URSULA stands in the center of the bridge, stunned by the scene of carnage below.
THE DRAGON reaches the apex of its climb, for what seems like an eternal second, then dives toward Ursula!!!
BEOWULF holds on to the chain with all his strength, his cheeks and beard blown back by the wind…
Below us, Castle Herot…growing fast as we drop toward it at astonishing speed!! THE WIND SCREAMING through the dragon’s wings…
URSULA is still on the bridge, paralyzed with fear, helplessly watching the dragon dive toward her…
THE DRAGON dives at Ursula…its mouth opens wide…deep in its throat the dragon’s igniters (formed from precious metal) start sparking, and…
THE DRAGON VOMITS AN ENORMOUS FIRE-BALL AS IT ROARS toward Ursula…
BEOWULF, barely holding on, ripped by the wind, watches helplessly…
BEOWULF
(screams)
Noooooo!!!!!
THE DRAGON reacts: Is that son-of-a-bitch still on my back?
Just as the wall of flame is about to hit Ursula…she’s knocked down, out of harms way…BY QUEEN WEALTHOW!!!!
BLUE Rev. 200
5-09-11 107.
The fire splatters across the stone bridge like Napalm…Wealthow quickly helps Ursula up…they run toward the opposite side of the bridge.
93 EXT. GREAT WOOD BRIDGE
93
WIGLAF
Reacts to the fire in the distance…and as the dragon swoops around to take another shot at the women, he sees BEOWULF, HEROICALLY RIDING THE DRAGON’S BACK!!!
Wiglaf looks at the remains of the burning bridge…a section of path, maybe three feet wide, and a railing are still standing…but on fire!!
Wiglaf spurs his horse and gallops across the burning ledge, as timbers and planks fall away behind him!
Then, suddenly, with only a few yards to go, the section in front of him collapses!! leaving a gaping hole!!!
Wiglaf drives his heels into the horse…his mighty steed jumps for the far edge of the gorge…but isn’t going to make it…
So, Wiglaf leaps from the stirrups, flips over the horse’s head…and lands on the cliff ledge…the horse bellies into the ledge, kicking and flailing…
Using all his strength, Wiglaf pulls the horse by the reins, up over the ledge to safety. He leaps into the saddle and speeds away…