thestarlighttheater

[thestarlighttheater]

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Messiah of Evil (1973)

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INT. AUDITORIUM 1

A slow pan right begins; first over empty chairs behind a metal bar, temporarily lit by action onscreen. Then the bodies of a group seated together, in an otherwise empty movie theater, enter the frame.

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EMMETT has sprawled out over two chairs. He laughs a few times but mostly seems preoccupied with his phone. Then GABE appears, legs over the metal rail and arms across his body with tension.

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SKREE! CRASH!

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He reacts to what's on screen by falling back into his chair. JULES is mirroring his posture next to ASH, both lean to each other and share a whispered exchange.

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BANG! BANG! BANG!

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A bunch of bullets can't dissuade CARRIE from her popcorn. She has managed to sit cross legged and was at a full tilt forward. She drizzles hot sauce over half the bucket before refilling her empty paw. RILEY next door crosses one leg over the other and picks around what she considers hazardous waste. CORDY, on her left, sits listlessly- still energized from the soccer game she played on break. Her legs twitch and fingers beat rapidly on the chair's arm.

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A woman SCREAMS. There's a THUD.

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LUKE appears, taking the seat next to her. He produces a gallon sized container of dark sugary liquid and Cordelia quietly celebrates. They both wave at someone as the camera continues past empty chairs to the person standing on illuminated stairs.

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The shot follows their walk upward. EVELYN stopped to wave at the group but continues on, passing row after row of plush red chairs. Once she reaches the top she sees MALCOLM and BLAKE already leaning against the wall with the door open to projections' hallway. TYLER stands just inside it's boundaries, mainly paying attention to an open textbook in his hands.

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A swell of music overtakes their ears and the screen brightens enough to show their varied reactions. Evelyn pulls Malcolm's arm around her shoulders and pokes his other to put around Blake as well. To her credit, Blake accepts her friends' affection but doesn't hold back the face she pulls for whatever version is onscreen at the moment. Out of the corner of his eye, Tyler catches something that makes him smile.

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Evelyn offers the group fresh popcorn. They all grab a handful, popping a bunch in their mouths and choking immediately when-

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BANG! BANG- BANG- BANG!

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Evelyn almost drops the popcorn and Blake catches it as Malcolm transfers both arms around the traumatized girl. Blake just shakes her head thinking about how bleak life can be sometimes. Tyler tosses popcorn into her face, attempting to interrupt her existential crisis.

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This begins a miniature food fight. Malcolm swats away stray buttered snacks but Evelyn is smiling again too. Soon Tyler and Blake band together and target their friends below. As the puffy missiles travel down the rows so the camera goes.

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The shot again faces Luke and Cordelia who look up as the puffs rain down. They each aim their swiftest, stiffest finger and frown. Cordelia was already folded into Luke with, evidently, a similar reaction as Evelyn.

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Another slow pan, this time left past the same group. After the popcorn parade ended, Luke and Cordelia settled in while the main characters onscreen launched into a dramatic dialogue with each other.

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WOMAN

Why now? Why? After we'd finally-

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MAN

At least we did, at all! Think of all the time we wasted- being stubborn, ah!

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The man gives a loud, painful grunt. There's a sickening squelch as a wound is checked and the Woman demands cloth to cover it. The Man makes a displeased noise causing Luke and Cordy to laugh, next to them Riley has a finger down her throat at someone seemingly removing their shirt. Carrie had a much more excited reaction, elbowing Riley's ribs and grinning wide.

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MAN

Is that, urgh- necessary?

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The Woman LAUGHS.

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WOMAN

Aw c’mon, don’t be insecure in your last breathes.

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MAN

No, I'm- ugh, blergh- that wasn't directed at you, that was directed at the Grand Canyon, where my chest should be.

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The Man took great gasping breaths between long stretches of speaking. Riley even started looking sentimental as the camera passes over to Carrie and a touched Ash. Jules looks at the girls worried, then turns to the side and wipes a tear below his eye.

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MAN cont'd

No, I'm impressed.

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He finally finished, with some effort. The Woman laughs again.

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WOMAN

Why?

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She asked, unbelieving. The question was echoed on the faces of Jules and Gabe. They even mouthed the word after she said it.

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MAN

Because you're still here trying revive me-

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Jules, Gabe, Ash, and Carrie lean forward.

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MAN

While that guy, ugh, over there- looks like the Captain America part of a Magic Mike show- I mean really man, when I'm dying? Ergh, put a shirt on- take this one, I just got it.

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He choked at the end on blood rather than laugh like he'd probably hoped and the four adults started to tear up.

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MAN

I'm just saying if you move on, I don't mind. And my ghost would be supportive if it's him.

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The Woman laughs but a light hit is heard.

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WOMAN

You think so little of my character?

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MAN

I just think highly- ugh, of Hugh's huge arms. My dying wish, now- ergh, you have to listen, wrap me up in those tree trunks.

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WOMAN

Shut up, you're not making sense anymore.

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The Woman sounds confused and near tears.

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MAN

He's just, he's so hot

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WOMAN

Famous last words?

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Jules and Gabe hold each other, Ash looking on in amusement as their eyes well up. They shake their heads denying an end to the character.

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Suddenly a tapping noise is made along a floor and Gabe releases his friend to lean forward at the new entrance.

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MYSTERIOUS STRANGER

What would you do-

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There's a dramatic pause; Gabe stays in the same position while Jules and Ash jump around in their seats. They hit each other and those next to them. Carrie absorbs the blows quietly as she waits in her seat, tense. Next to these four Emmett has fallen asleep.

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MYSTERIOUS STRANGER cont'd

-to save this man's life?

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Suddenly their faces are no longer visible. The screen must have cut to black!

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GROANS and YELLS are heard. Multiple people are CURSING and someone has definitely thrown something in the dark making a loud CRASH!

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DISAPPOINTED CAST MEMBER

Motherf-

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CUT TO BLACK.

#excerpt from a book i'll never write #free write #movie #movie theater #movie theater employee #movie theater problems #movies #write #writeaway #writeblr #short story #let's all go to the movies #movie theater life

[thestarlighttheater]

The Breakfast Club, 1985

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[thestarlighttheater]

[thestarlighttheater]

love this movie

[thestarlighttheater]

[thestarlighttheater]

[thestarlighttheater]

INT. ARCADE

A sneaker comes down hard on plastic making it light neon pink.

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STOMP! STOMP! CRASH!

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From another angle the floor buttons take multiple, quick hits. The color changed with each touch: blue, purple, red. Each hit to the machine sounds destructive, but the hunk of metal has occupied that space before their careers even began. 

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STOMP! CLACK! STOMP!

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We see from behind the player, who is bracing himself against the bar provided at his back, a colorful screen with arrows moving at breakfeet speed. From this view, with most of their legs hidden, their body looks less lawless. Heaving a little from exertion but otherwise in place. The loud hitting and plastic clicking continues.

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STOMP!

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The overly cheery song ends and the mystery dancer fist pumps at his resulting grade before walking away. After he exits the frame the camera moves backwards, magically, through a two way mirror into a room where three notepads are in the air.

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Facing the paper one can see three 6's written very differently. They lower out of the shot.

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We are behind the sitting figures of three managers, in their hands they ply through their pages and beyond them is an empty dance game.

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CRYSTAL

Obviously, he hit all the right notes.

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BLAKE turned her pages and reset them to the 10 before replying.

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BLAKE

Yes, obviously but-

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MALCOLM's notepad showed 0 since he had written his the opposite as his friend, he waved it around as he interrupted the girls.

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MALCOLM

But, he was basically river dancing! Without the discipline or grace of actual Irish dancing.

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BLAKE

Agreed.

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CRYSTAL

I care less about grace and more about content. Where was the improvisation? The interpretation?

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MALCOLM

They're arrows on a screen?

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BLAKE

No, she's right. He could've thrown in a spin or a jump; it was kind of stiff.

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As they discuss, paperwork and tills sat forgotten at their side. Through the window they see someone set a cup of tokens on the machine and take off their jacket.

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Crystal's silhouette stands up and crosses to a microwave in the corner. From a drawer above she pulls out microwavable popcorn that promises movie theater quality.

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CRYSTAL

I'm going to get sodas, anyone else want?

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Malcolm and Blake raise their hands but don't move their heads from the master dancer killing the game and stealing their hearts.

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MALCOLM

Bring back jalapeños!

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The two left behind lean back, checking their phones occasionally, as a majestic man spins and wins at their dancing game. Crystal crosses in front of the window miming a 10 to the two inside before walking away. As she crosses past, the screen WIPES LEFT to the next scene.

#excerpt from a book i'll never write #free write #movie #movie theater #movie theater employee #movie theater problems #movies #write #writeaway #writeblr #short story #let's all go to the movies #movie theater life

[thestarlighttheater]

EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT

Sitting on the curb, with their back to us, a person sways. A headphone cord appears to be in one ear while the other keeps track of heavy kicking back and forth.

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THWACK!

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Beyond their silhouette and an airborne soccer ball, a hedge barely conceals a neighboring freeway. Car lights zoom past, red and white blurs in the darkening night.

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THWACK! 

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JULES, EMMETT, and RILEY come together in a chaotic tornado of limbs- a little too close to the sitting CARRIE who shifts further down the curb. 

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THWACK!

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The streetlights lit the scene in an orange hue. Carrie felt the side of her phone and turned the volume up with practiced ease. She turned from the violent three to a lounging TYLER. She noticed he preferred to play a passive defense.

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BRRIIIING BRRRIIIIING

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Someone's phone interrupts the gameplay. It sounded like an old timey ring. Tyler jogs inside past Carrie, waving goodbye to the three still busy with the ball and another body runs out from her other side. Looks like STELLA was getting a much needed physical outlet from her concession shift.

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THWACK! 

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Suddenly Emmett is no longer struggling against the other two on his lonesome. It's still the same shot, but the black is deeper and the lights seem brighter. Bodies continue to move back and forth across their concrete field. Carrie has since walked inside. ASH plops down in her place. 

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THWACK!

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Emmett high fives GABE whose turn it was to escape the popcorn prison. Riley and Jules head past Ash, Riley ruffling her friend's hair. EVELYN has made her way outside to play and mingle; she's surprisingly, ferociously competitive. Ash leans back as she watches the new players, joined soon by CORDY; the two compare popper burns on their arms. They can't decide who has the worst and agree on a tie.

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The shot starts moving further from the scene until it's backed through the doors. They swing shut slowly and quietly so as not to disturb ongoing films- or soccer games- or burn competitions.

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IRIS WIPE

#excerpt from a book i'll never write #free write #movie #movie theater #movie theater employee #movie theater problems #movies #write #writeaway #writeblr #short story #movie theater life #let's all go to the movies

[thestarlighttheater]

[thestarlighttheater]

Time Out Arcade Interior, 1980s

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*watches intently for the next 3 hours*

[thestarlighttheater]

[thestarlighttheater]

♫    Let’s all go to the lobby    ♪

Let’s all go to the lobby

Let’s all go to the lobby….

and have ourselves a snack!

[thestarlighttheater]

Mauricio Duarte Arratia