House on Haunted Hill


                                  By

                              Dick Beebe

                               Story by

                      Dick Beebe & William Malone

                    Adapted from the screenplay by

                              Robb White










                                    Blue Revisions: 13 Jan 1999
                                    Production Draft: 2 December 1998









     NOTE: THE HARD COPY OF THIS SCRIPTS CONTAINED SCENE NUMBERS.
     THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR THIS SOFT COPY.










     FADE IN:

     BLACK SCREEN

     And in the darkness, a TICKING sound is heard. Soft and
     steady -- soothing -- and then a BANG!

                                                       SMASH UP ON:

     INT. HOSPITAL - BASEMENT NURSE'S STATION - NIGHT

     A HAND punching a CARD into the huge, ticking TIME CLOCK on
     the wall: 7:00 a.m.

     PULL BACK TO REVEAL - A bleary-eyed MALE NURSE beginning
     his day. Alone inside a small wood and glass cubicle, he
     rips off yesterday's day-at-a-time calendar page, revealing
     today's date: October 11, 1931.

     Goes to the Victrola inside the cubicle. Cranks the turntable
     up to speed. Puts the huge needle down on a spinning 78: we
     hear the song crackling through the empty halls of the
     hospital -- depression-era Muzak: Horace Heidt & His Musical
     Knight's "Keep Your Sunny Side Up"

     The Nurse sharpens the last of a half-dozen pencils to needle-
     points, sits down at his desk, and begins the tedium of
     jotting entries into a tall stack of Patient Records.

     Beat. And then he hears a soft, almost paw-like tapping on
     the glass. He looks up: a PATIENT with a heavily bandaged
     head is standing there, his eyes as dull and lifeless as
     marbles.

     The Nurse waves the Patient away. Goes back to his work.
     Beat. And then the tapping is heard again. The Nurse snaps
     his head up, about to bark at the man -- but the words stop
     dead on his tongue:

     Standing on the other side of the glass are now two dozen
     patients. Likewise bandaged, staring silent and dead-eyed at
     him.

     Unnerved, the Nurse's finger slowly stretches towards a
     buzzer-button just below the desk-top. It never makes it.
     Because --

     A HAND - lashes into frame and grabs the Nurse's fingers. The
     Nurse looks up.

     In addition to the mass of Patients outside the cubicle,
     there are now six of them inside it, surrounding him. The
     Nurse's eyes shoot to the still-locked doors of the cubicle,
     and he utters one confused word --

                           MALE NURSE
                 -- how -- ?

      -- and then someone rams all six of his needle-sharp pencils
     eraser-deep into his throat.

     The Nurse gurgles and staggers -- falls back against the
     Victrola, hitting the turntable crank as he goes down,
     causing it to start spinning like a pinwheel.

     "Keep Your Sunny Side Up" now blares through the halls triple-
     time, sounding like a thousand manic chipmunks. And to the
     beat of that tune, the Patients smash the CONTROL PANEL
     inside the cubicle until it shorts-out and explodes! Which
     pops open

     INT. PATIENT CELLS -

     - and sends dozens more wild, raving Humans rampaging through
     the hospital, while EVERY ELECTRIC LIGHT in the place strobes
     maniacally, and ORDERLIES & OTHER NURSES are chased down like
     rabbits by Patients and beaten to pulp, and

     INT. "THERAPY" ROOMS -

     - filled with devices that look straight out of the Spanish
     Inquisition are trashed to toothpicks, and some of the STAFF
     are forced into devices and tortured as PATIENT RECORDS are
     spindled and ignited -- flaming torches used to set
     everything in the place ablaze, and A WOLFPACK OF PATIENTS
     kamikaze down-

     INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

      -- fling open a set of double doors marked "Cerebral
     Hygiene," shouting: "Vannacutt!" And we see --

     INT. CEREBRAL HYGIENE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

      -- two people in surgical scrubs: the moustached Doctor
     named VANNACUTT and a FEMALE NURSE wielding a 16mm camera. As
     the two whip around, startled by the shouts, we see the
     object of their ministrations: A PATIENT on a gurney being
     filmed as his internal organs are slowly and methodically
     extracted -- while still alive.

     And then all hell breaks loose as the WOLF PACK descends:

     DR. VANNACUTT manages to yank down a LEVER on the wall
     labeled "Lockdown" before he's swallowed by the Mob;

     From somewhere in the house, we hear heavy gear, cables and
     doors loudly shutting down the house.

     The NURSE is clubbed to the floor with her own camera. And
     amidst all the vengeful shouts and wails, a curious thing
     happens:

     As one of the Patients picks up the Nurse's blood-spattered
     camera and puts it to his eye, the image on screen abruptly

                                                      SMASHES TO:

     INT. CEREBRAL HYGIENE ROOM - CONTINUED - GRAINY BLACK & WHITE

      -- and dead silence -- and we find ourselves watching old
     soundless 16mm footage of what happened next: a blur of
     scalpels and saws as the Patients viciously vivisect
     Vannacutt and Nurse, who've been crammed together on that
     same gurney. The B&W CAMERA PUSHES IN TIGHT on Vannacutt's
     screaming maw -- and suddenly we hear SOUND AGAIN --

      -- but, for some reason, it's not a human cry, but the
     CROWING OF A ROOSTER -- and when we PULL BACK OUT we see that
     what we're now watching is the Crowing Rooster and four
     blazing camera lenses that was the logo of the old PATHE
     NEWSREEL. The stentorian VOICE OF PATHE booms OVER:

                           VOICE OF PATHE
                October 11, 1931: Los Angeles!

     Dithering, Bernard Herrmann-like strings swell up.

                                                       CUT TO (B&W)

     A PATHE NEWS HEADLINE CARD: "HOSPITAL OF HORROR!"

                                                       CUT TO (B&W)

     EXT. THE HOUSE - NIGHT - NEWSREEL FOOTAGE

     A WHIPLASH PAN from the ocean to a GRANITE BUILDING high atop
     the Pacific Palisades. Smoke and flames shoot from every
     window and door as Firemen look on helplessly.

                           VOICE OF PATHE
                A conflagration of Biblical
                proportions incinerates nearly
                everything and every one inside
                what was once Tinsel Town's most
                celebrated psychiatric facility:
                The Vannacutt Neuropathic
                Institute. But the secret this
                inferno burned free was far more
                frlghtening than any picture that
                Hollywood could ever produce!

                                                      CUT TO (B&W):

     EXT. THE HOUSE - MORNING - NEWSREEL FOOTAGE

     L.A. Sheriff's and Coroner's Investigators poking through the
     Institute....

     INT. THE HOUSE - VARIOUS ROOMS - MORNING - NEWSREEL FOOTAGE

     QUICK CUTS OF GRUESOME IMAGES:

      -- BODIES manacled to walls; rows of SKULLS riddled with
     drill-holes; a huge VAT filled with blood

                           VOICE OF PATHE
                 -- a Sanitarium of Slaughter supervised
                by a surgeon gone mad --

                                                       CUT TO (B&W)

     ECU -- a formal PHOTOGRAPH of the man himself, mustache
     waxed, eyes intense as a mesmerist's, seeming to stare a hole
     right through us --

                           VOICE OF PATHE
                 -- Richard Benjamin Vannacutt --

     and --

     INT. LIMBO SET -

      -- suddenly, stepping right through VANNACUTT'S FACE and
     strolling solemnly towards us in bright video-taped color is:

     CHRISTOPHER LEE. He addresses the CAMERA:

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE
                 -- murdered by his own patients before
                every one of them perished in the
                blaze. Ironically, the only humans
                to escape the conflagration --

      -- behind him, we see SILENT NEWSREEL FOOTAGE of five
     people.

     EXT. THE HOUSE - MORNING (CHYRON INERT)

      -- three ORDERLIES, two NURSES -- clothes and faces sooty
     and singed, each coughing up a storm as they're treated at
     the scene --

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE
                 -- were five of Vannacutt's equally
                sadistic Staff, all of whom, until the
                day they died, insisting that they were
                only following "Doctor's Orders."

     BACK TO SCENE

     The SCREEN behind him goes black.

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE
                But our story doesn't end there. For,
                some years later, the gutted interior
                of the Institute was refurbished as a
                private residence. It has yet to be
                inhabited. Many say because the spirits
                of the vile Vannacutt and his Victims
                still walk the long corridors inside
                this place now known, simply, as: "The
                House On Haunted Hill."

     A sudden SMASH of shrill, discordant HORNS scares us out of
     our skin -- and behind Mr. Lee, an IMAGE is seen again:

     EXT. THE HOUSE - NIGHT (TO BE SHOT AS PART OF A LATER SCENE)

     ...high atop a bluff, swaddled in shadows cast by a full moon
     that seems to have one of Vannacutt's eyes piercing down on
     it.

                           WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
                Charming.

     INT. ROLLS ROYCE LIMOUSINE - TRAVELING - DAY

     CAMERA PULLS BACK FROM A SMALL WALNUT SHROUDED TELEVISION
     SET... revealing a savagely beautiful young woman, EVELYN
     STOCKARD-PRICE, sitting like the queen of fucking-England in
     the back of her limousine. She's been watching all this on
     the 12" TV set inside the limousine, a look of perverse
     amusement on her face.

     ON THE TV: Mr. Lee smiles for the CAMERA.

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE
                I'm Christopher Lee. More of
                "Terrifying, But True" in just a
                moment --

                           EVELYN
                No need, baby.

     She zaps the TV dead with a button on the armrest.

                           EVELYN
                You just gave me exactly what I needed.

     She reaches for the phone.

     EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DAY

     A beeping CELL PHONE is retrieved from a coat pocket, punched
     to life, and brought up to the lips of

     STEVEN PRICE - a 30ish bespectacled man.

     While not handsome in the classical sense, he still exudes an
     incredible appeal -- the kind that comes from incredible self-
     confidence, more money than God, and the most maniacal
     imagination in recorded history.

                           PRICE
                     (into phone)
                Price.
                     (listens; sarcastic)
                Evelyn, how nice...
                     (beat, listens)
                Well, that is fascinating -- but I'm
                gonna have to get back to you -- they're
                trying to shoot me here.

     PULL BACK TO REVEAL - Price buttoning the phone dead as a
     NEWS CREW of two videotapes him: an ENG Cameraman named
     BENNY and a 20-something Katie Couric wannabe with a
     microphone in Price's face -- KIRSTEN SAVAGE.

     They're all standing amidst a sprawling landscape of
     futuristic-looking buildings and rides: a spanking new theme
     park. We see the great steel arch that bears the place's
     name:

                              TERROR-INCOGNITA
                     A New Adventure From Steven Price

                           KIRSTEN
                Business or pleasure, Mr. Price?

                           PRICE
                My wife. Where were we?

                           KIRSTEN
                Your roller coaster that is, quote:
                "unlike any that has ever come before
                it."

                           PRICE
                Absolutely. No cheap thrills. A genuine
                Journey To The Brink Of Madness.

     He gestures grandly towards the huge and extremely tall
     expanse of steel girders and tracks in front of them.

                           KIRSTEN
                Sorry, but it just looks like a generic
                roller coaster to me. What's the
                gimmick?

     Price beckons them to an elevator at the base of the ride.

                           PRICE
                Ever seen one that starts at the
                top? 20 stories worth of top?

                           KIRSTEN
                And then what happens?

                           PRICE
                     (smiles)
                I think it's something better
                experienced then described.

     The Elevator door whooshes open. He bids them enter.

                           PRICE
                After you.

     INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS

     The DOORS CLOSE and the elevator starts up. Through small
     ports in the sides they see the beams of the roller coaster's
     superstructure dropping down past them as the cabin rises.

                           KIRSTEN
                Sources have told this reporter that the
                real reason your Park's opening has been
                delayed was a near-fatal accident on one
                of the rides here. Comment?

                           PRICE
                I wouldn't be opening this place
                tomorrow if every single thing down to
                the beheaded Beanie Babies hadn't tested
                100% safe.

      -- he's cut off by a loud GROANING sound like metal under
     stress.

                           BENNY
                What the hell was that?

                           PRICE
                     (all confidence)
                Growing pains: new steel's gotta bend
                and stretch a little before finally
                settling in.

     Another GROAN. A yelp escapes from Kirsten's mouth.

                           PRICE
                Don't worry. In the fifteen year history
                of Price Amusements we've yet to lose a
                single customer.

     The GROANING stops. But Kirsten and Benny remain nervous.

                           KIRSTEN
                First time for everything.

                           PRICE
                I've designed and built six of these
                places -- take my word for it,
                everything's fine.

                           BENNY
                     (nervous)
                How long 'til we're out of this thing?

                           PRICE
                Five, ten seconds, we're almost to
                the top --

      -- the elevator LURCHES to a DEAD STOP.

     Kirsten and Benny look at each other -- anxiety on overdrive.
     Price tries to reassure them, but he's not looking real
     relaxed anymore, either.

                           PRICE
                Look: even if, God forbid, something
                ...unexpected...should happen, there's
                always the safety cable --

      -- and now the cabin is rocking: sharp and nasty spasms that
     are buffeting them into each other --

                           BENNY
                 -- that does what?

                           PRICE
                Keeps the cab from just --

     -- he sees something out the window --

                           PRICE
                 -- oh, shit --

     A loud CRACK! The cabin starts dropping -- fast. All three of
     them scream.

     OUT THE WINDOW: we see the SUPERSTRUCTURE of the roller
     coaster flying by. The sound of cables screeching free of
     pulleys.

     Benny's camera is wrenched from his hands and bounces around
     the cabin. Kirsten's eyes are crazed with terror.

                           KIRSTEN
                Do something!

                           PRICE
                Like what?? This isn't supposed
                to be happening!!

     The scenery outside the window is a blur.

                           BENNY
                OhJesusohChrist!

     The ground is coming up to meet them; the noise inside the
     cabin is deafening.

     Benny starts jumping up and down; Kirsten is pounded to the
     floor. Price braces himself for impact.

                           KIRSTEN
                Please! Something! Oh-God!

                           PRICE
                Maybe if I --

     With all his strength, Price throws himself across the cabin
     and stabs an unmarked button on the elevator control panel --

      -- the cabin suddenly stabilizes --

      -- the elevator door opens --

     EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY

      -- revealing the cabin to be just where it should be: high
     atop the roller coaster, right across from the dock where the
     cars depart. They never fell so much as an inch -- all an
     illusion.

     The expression on Price's face has changed to a wicked grin.
     He looks at the two terrified souls on the elevator floor:

                           PRICE
                From here on, it gets really scary.

     A MAN IN OVERALLS (SCHECTER) stands on the dock, waves the
     News Crew towards a rear car.

                           SCHECTER
                Room for two more.

     The front car is already full with People strapped in so
     tight they're immobile.

                                                      TIME CUT TO:

     INT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY

     Price still on the departure dock, punching up a number on
     his cell phone. In the b.g. we can see the cars containing
     Kirsten, Benny and the others, zooming at incredible speeds
     on 45 degree banks, upside-down loop-de-loops, the works. All
     with screams of sheer pleasure accompanying.

                           PRICE
                     (into phone)
                Alright, Princess: now what were
                you babbling?

     He listens for a moment -- then his eyes crimp shut with
     disgust.

                           PRICE
                     (into phone)
                Congratulations: on a scale of one-to-
                ten, you just hit a 73 on the Perversity
                Meter. I don't suppose for once we could
                just celebrate at some nice, quiet
                little restaurant --

     Schecter taps Price on the shoulder.

                           SCHECTER
                Houston, I think we may have a problem.

                           PRICE
                     (into phone)
                Evelyn, go stir your cauldron or
                something for a sec.

     Price turns and watches in the distance as the coaster car
     takes a screaming hair pin turn.

     EXT. ROLLER COASTER - MOVING - DAY

     Kirsten and Benny in the rear car, wild with delight --

      -- until they see the front car derail, snap free from
     theirs, and go hurtling into mid-air. Screams of panic heard
     from the People in that car as they plummet to their deaths.

     Kirsten screams with horror, Benny retches, as their car
     continues to zip along the track and out of our sight.

     EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY

                           PRICE
                Problem where? Looked good to me.

                           SCHECTER
                "Dummy 6" keeps losing his arm.

                           PRICE
                So disengage his Flail Arm Mechanism
                and just make him a screamer.

                           VOICE ON PHONE (EVELYN)
                Steven!!

                           PRICE
                     (back into phone)
                Here, dear -- with a suggestion --

     INT. ROLLS ROYCE LIMOUSINE - TRAVELING - SIMULTANEOUS

     Evelyn is livid, as she listens to Price on the phone:

                           PRICE (V.O.)
                 -- forget it. Last birthday the Manson
                Family Ranch, the year before that:
                Jonestown.

                           EVELYN
                Oh. You think this is a request. Well,
                think again. I'm telling you: "Haunted
                Hill" is exactly where we're having my
                party this year. You'll find the guest
                list on your desk by the time you get
                back --

     INT. PRICE'S OFFICE - NIGHT

     CLOSE ON a two-page document with the title "Guest List."

     It's being turned into spaghettini by a large document
     shredder.

     PAN OVER TO - Steven Price typing mile-a-minute on a
     computer, talking to himself as he inputs his own Guest
     List.

                           PRICE
                You want it, Precious, you got
                it: the party of your very short
                goddamn life.

     A tentative DOOR-KNOCK heard O.S. behind him:

                           WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
                Uh, Mr. Price? The Dreamworks people
                are getting a little...antsy.

                           PRICE
                Tell 'em I'm right there.

     He mouses his cursor up to a box marked "SEND", the list
     disappears, his hard drive starts chugging, and he gets up
     from his chair and exits. CAMERA remains on the working
     screen.

     Beat. And then a SHADOW flashes across the screen for a
     moment.

     Another beat. And the sound of clicking computer keys is
     heard. A "message box" appears on screen:

          ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DELETE guestlist.doc?

     The Cursor clicks on YES. ZAP! A blank screen. And then the
     keys start clicking again, and we see a new Guest List being
     typed in.

     Starting with the name:

                           Ms. Jennifer Jenzen
                  Executive Vice-President of Marketing
                            Paragon Pictures

                                                      MATCH CUT TO:

     EXT. FILM SET - DAY (WE NEED TO RE-WORK THIS SCENE FOR
     LOCATION)

     The name "Ms. Jennifer Jenzen" etched in gold-leaf cursive on
     the top of a small CHROME AND ONYX-INLAID CUBE.

                           WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
                Gorgeous.

     PULL BACK - and we see MS. JENZEN -- a rodent-eyed, thin
     lipped 30-something Exec who only needs "Screaming Bitch"
     stamped on her forehead to complete the picture. She's
     sitting staring at the Cube, the elegant paper it came in
     torn to shreds on her desk.

                           JENZEN
                So what the fuck is it?

     She's addressing her "assistant," a lovely, but harried-
     looking young Woman of 19, SARA WOLFE.

                           SARA
                I don't know, Ms. Jenzen.

                           JENZEN
                Well, who's the damn thing from?

                           SARA
                     (shrugs)
                Messenger just dropped it off.
                No return address.

                           JENZEN
                You didn't think to ask?

                           SARA
                I was in the middle of --

                           JENZEN
                 -- being utterly fucking useless,
                what else is new.

     Sara's face flushes with anger, but she keeps her cool.

                           SARA
                There's something there on the side --

     She's pointing to a small, SILVER CRANK jutting out of one of
     the Cube's sides. A legend is etched beneath it:

          Rotate Once To Operate

                           JENZEN
                I'm aware of that.

     Well, she is now, anyway. She twists the crank and a tinkling
     music box-like TUNE begins to play: Lennon/ McCartney's
     "Birthday," but in 3/4 time, like some schizoid Viennese
     waltz.

                           JENZEN
                It's not my goddamn birth --

      -- and she stops herself in mid-word as, suddenly: the top
     of the Cube pops open like a jack-in-the-box! And, slowly,
     like it's on some mini-hydraulic lift, ANOTHER CUBE,
     identical to this one, starts to inch up into view --

      -- which has its own tiny SILVER CRANK in its side. But
     etched beneath this one is a warning:

          Do Not Rotate Under Any Circumstances!

     Without a nanosecond's hesitation, Jenzen reaches out her
     hand --

                           SARA
                 -- I wouldn't --

      -- and turns the smaller crank. Beat. Nothing happens.

                           JENZEN
                 -- no kidding: that's why you're
                making ten bucks an hour and I'm --

      -- and BANG! A SKELETAL ARM comes FLASHING OUT from the
     smaller cube and SLASHES HER FINGER with a RAZOR!

                           JENZEN
                Jesus!!

      -- it's no more than a paper cut, but it's bleeding and it
     hurts -- and then they both see written on the tiny razor:

         Learn To Follow Instructions!

     Sara can't help herself -- lets loose a little snort of
     laughter. Jenzen goes ballistic, smashes the lid shut on the
     Cube.

                           JENZEN
                You think this is fucking funny??

                           SARA
                No, no, it's just --

                           JENZEN
                 -- well, here's a better one: you're
                fired.

                           SARA
                What?

                           JENZEN
                And here's your goddamn severance!

     She slams the Cube hard into Sara's hands.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. SARA'S CUBICLE - JUST AFTER (WE NEED TO RE-WORK THIS
     SCENE FOR LOCATION)

     The Cube sits in a wastebasket next to the desk that Sara's
     angrily cleaning out. She's SLAMS her entire blotter into the
     trash -- which hits the Cube's crank and starts the music
     playing again. Sara, startled, looks over -- and sees:

     AN ORNATE IVORY-COLORED CARD - begin to ascend from the
     Cube. It starts with the words:

         Now Try And Follow These:

     And then all we see are Sara's wide, growing-wider, eyes as
     she reads the rest.

                           SARA
                ...wow....WOW! Hey, Ms. Jenzen -- ?

                           JENZEN (O.S.)
                Are you still fucking here??

     Sara starts to flush with anger again -- and then stops, a
     small smile coming to her lips as she continues to stare at
     the card.

                           SARA
                On my way out. Thanks for the
                valuable parting gift.

     She snatches the ivory card and stuffs it in her purse.

                                                          SMASH TO:

     INT. HEARSE #1 - MOVING - NIGHT

     Where Sara Wolfe sits, decked out in near-dead-ringers
     clothes and hair-do as we last saw on Jennifer Jenzen: black
     silk suit, stiletco heels and an up-sweep -- holding that
     same ivory-colored card in her hand:

                           Steven K. Price
                        COMMANDS YOU TO ATTEND
                A Very Unique Birthday Celebration For
                      Mrs. Evelyn Stockard-Price

     And then the CAMERA WHIPLASH CRANES BACK from Sara and the
     vehicle in which she's sitting, to reveal the grand vista of:

     EXT. WINDING ROAD - NIGHT

     which snakes crazily up the Pacific Palisades, the crashing
     waves of the ocean seen in the background. We see that the
     vehicle Sara is riding in is the lead car of a MOTORCADE
     comprised of four '50's vintage HEARSES.

                           MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
                The man's insane.

     And we whip back towards the source of this voice:

     INT. HEARSE #2 - MOVING - NIGHT

     where we see this Man's well-tanned hand holding the same
     ivory card, which continues:

                  Terror, Humiliation, Perhaps Even
                               MURDER
                      Will Be The Entertainment

                           WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
                Don't get much better than that.

     INT. HEARSE #3 - MOVING - NIGHT

     where we see the well-manicured hands of this Woman, her left
     holding an 8mm Camcorder; her right, the same card:

                    With ONE MILLION DOLLARS Paid
                To Those That Survive The Entire Night

                           YOUNG MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
                Terrific: what's the catch?

     INT. HEARSE #4 - MOVING - NIGHT

     where we see hands of a Man barely out of his teens, his
     muscular right hand holding that same card as well:

                        Inside the Walls Of
                     THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL

     Suddenly the screech of brakes is heard -- Hearse #4 jolts to
     a halt. The invitation flies from the Young Man's hand and to
     the floor, the rest of its text unread.

     EXT. "THE HOUSE" - NIGHT

     We see the reason for the sudden stop of the cortege. An
     ancient CHRYSLER K CAR is parked clear across the road,
     barring the entrance to the gate of a razor-wire security
     fence that encircles the premises. Beat. And then a short,
     slight MAN steps out of the vehicle. In the glare of the
     Hearses' headlights his features look cadaverous. Between
     that and the fact he's jittering like a hummingbird on speed,
     he makes a pretty unsettling presence.

     The Man walks slowly towards the hearses, beckoning the
     riders out.

                           MAN (PRITCHETT)
                This is the end...by car anyway.
                What with the '94 quake and El Nino,
                the driveway's been pretty much
                destroyed. 'Shame. Have to hoof it
                from here.

     The well-tanned Man from Hearse #2 steps out: DR. DONALD W.
     BLACKBURN -- he could be anywhere from 19 to 90. The only
     thing that's clear is all the cosmetic surgery he's had makes
     him look like George Hamilton, circa 1962. He asks the
     obvious:

                           BLACKBURN
                If you don't mind me asking... Who are
                you?

                           PRITCHETT
                Name's Pritchett. Watson Pritchett.
                I own the house, my father built it.
                And now I just need to get you into
                it. So...

     The Camcorder Woman steps out of Hearse #3: a Jenny Jones-
     clone named MELISSA MARR, 27.

                           MELISSA
                Where's Steven Price and his huge,
                throbbing checkbook?

                           PRITCHETT
                Not with you, is he? Well, I'm sure
                he'll turn up any second now... If
                you'll just come along...

     The Muscular Young Man from Hearse #4 steps out: a good-
     looking specimen named EDDIE MOSES, 23.

                           EDDIE
                I wanna know first: to what do I
                owe this honor? I mean, I never
                even heard of this guy.

                           PRITCHETT
                I'm just the Greeter -- and
                in that capacity, I now urge you
                all strongly to --

     And then Sara-as-Jenzen regally alights from Hearse #1.

                           SARA
                But the million bucks each, that's
                for real?

                           PRITCHETT
                     (a forced chuckle)
                It better be -- he still owes me
                $25 grand for renting the place
                for the night! Here, let's get
                you some illumination so you
                can make your way safely!

     He grabs a flashlight from his car and shoves it in Sara's
     hand.

                           PRITCHETT
                Just point and walk, sis -- the
                place is right up --

      -- and as if on cue, a battery of magnesium floods suddenly
     light up the night like high noon, revealing the House in all
     its glory.

                           PRITCHETT
                     (startled)
                ...there.

     Sitting high atop a bluff over the Pacific, a sprawling
     grey-stone structure. One-third Eames, to one-third Wright,
     to one-third Bauhaus.

     It might look innocuous in the daylight, but right now it
     looks like Albert Speer's Playhouse. And underscoring the
     creepy ambience is MUSIC now blaring from speakers perched
     atop the gate: Marilyn Manson's screeching Goth-metal cover
     of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These)".

                           BLACKBURN
                Nice touch, Pritchett: subtle.

                           EDDIE
                As a tumor.

                           PRITCHETT
                Wish I could take the credit, but --

                           SARA
                 -- guess we know where Mr. Price is
                now.

                           PRITCHETT
                He must've beaten us all here!

                           EDDIE
                'Less the place really is haunted.

                           PRITCHETT
                Nonsense! Just bad press. All the
                deaths that occurred inside --
                my own father's included -- all
                perfectly normal fatal accidents.

                           MELISSA
                You better be wrong. I didn't
                come all this way for "normal."

     She starts making her way up the disaster of a driveway. Dr.
     Blackburn and Sara look at each other and shrug.

     They start likewise walking towards the house. The only one
     left is Eddie. He stares at the little man.

                           EDDIE
                You're totally full of shit, aren't you?

                           PRITCHETT
                     (brightly)
                You'll never know 'til you walk
                through that door!

     Eddie dismisses him with a flap of his hand and sprints to
     catch up with the others. Pritchett yells after him:

                           PRITCHETT
                You wouldn't consider getting my check
                and running it back down here?

     No response. Beat. Pritchett gets out of his car.

                           PRITCHETT
                Didn't think so. Asshole.

     He starts jittering his way up the drive.

     INT. GRAND FOYER - SOON AFTER

     Cold. Flinty. Two stories high and domed, with a stained
     glass skylight topping it. Despite their varied states of
     confusion, the four Guests stop in their tracks as they
     enter, struck dumb with awe.

                           EDDIE
                ...Jesus H. Christ.

                           MELISSA
                So where's the party?

                           SARA
                Looks like we're it.

                           BLACKBURN
                More to the point. Where's our host?

                           MELISSA
                More to the point: what in the
                name of fuck is that?

     She's pointing up at the stained glass skylight. It seems to
     depict a Man with dozens of hideous creatures hovering round
     his head. And above them all looms a huge something with
     wings and flaming claws.

                           BLACKBURN
                More of Price's spook-house bullshit.

                           PRITCHETT (O.S.)
                Not at all!

     They turn to see Pritchett's head poking through the doorway
     -- putting as little of himself as possible inside the house
     proper.

                           PRITCHETT
                Part of the original structure. When it
                was still an asylum. Guy who ran the
                place -- Dr. Vannacutt -- found it
                "inspirational." From some German
                cathedral a million years ago: "Driving
                the Demons From the Mind."

                           BLACKBURN
                I'm moved beyond words.

                           MELISSA
                The hint of still weirder shit
                to come, I can only hope.

     She whips the Camcorder to her eye and starts recording every
     detail of the skylight. Dr. Blackburn rolls his eyes.
     Pritchett starts calling loudly:

                           PRITCHETT
                Mr. Price? Mrs. Price? Somebody? Hello??

                           BLACKBURN
                Pritchett, take it down a couple
                hundred decibels, what is your
                problem?

                           PRITCHETT
                Problem? No problem -- just want to get
                my money and get on home -- you know,
                things to see, people to do?

     He laughs weakly; starts shouting again:

                           PRITCHETT
                Mr. Price?? Mrs. Price??

     Melissa Marr continues to shoot up a storm of tape in the
     room, as overexcited as a five-year-old who's lost her
     Ritalin.

                           MELISSA
                I knew this whole place'd be pure gold!
                Pritchett, point me in the direction of
                the goddamn ghosts! If I can get
                something bizarre enough on tape, I
                think I can parlay it into getting me
                some kind'a Robert Stack "Unsolved Most-
                Wacked-Out Home Videos" gig. No more
                five afternoons a week of sex-change-
                Nazis-and-the-lesbos-that-love-'em.

                           EDDIE
                You've got your own TV show?

                           MELISSA
                The guy whose hair I do has his own TV
                show. All I've got is a blow-dryer and a
                dream.

     Sara's staring at something that's making her more nervous by
     the second:

                           SARA
                Uh, excuse me -- but does anybody know
                any logical reason why those little
                demons would be moving?

     She's pointing to the skylight.

                           MELISSA
                Where?

     She whips her camera up at the stained glass. Zooms in. Tense
     beat. And then lowers the camera, sighing in disappointment:

                           MELISSA
                ...birds. Just seagulls or something
                walking on the glass, goddammit.

                           EDDIE
                Cheer up: before the night's through,
                I'm sure one of us'll get hacked to
                pieces by somebody or something.

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                I may start right now.

     All heads turn again -- standing in the open front doorway,
     dressed absolutely to kill is a not-terribly-pleased-looking
     EVELYN STOCKARD-PRICE.

                           EVELYN
                Who the fuck are all of you??

      -- and right on that beat: the huge dome of STAINED GLASS
     above them all EXPLODES!

     All heads whip up -- as time seems to stand still -- and it
     begins raining COLORED SHARDS in the foyer.

                           MELISSA
                Oh...my...God....

     IN SLOW MOTION -- We see the rest of the Guests
     instinctively start to duck and cover against the deluge --
     all except EVELYN who's staring up at the descending
     projectiles with a profound look of annoyance on her face.

     EDDIE - notices that a huge DEMON-HEADED GLASS SHARD is
     hurtling, razor-point-down, for Evelyn's head! With an
     athlete's reflexes, he hurls his body at hers --

                           EDDIE
                 -- Jesus, lady! --

      -- tackling her to the floor, the giant SHARD missing her
     skull by literally a hair. It plunges six inches deep into
     the parquet, THWANGS like an arrow into a target.

     Beat of absolute sheer STUNNED SILENCE. And then:

                           MELISSA
                Wow.

     Everyone else stares at Evelyn, who's not moving.

                           SARA
                Is she...alright?

                           EDDIE
                I thought she was dead. For sure.

                           EVELYN
                Not even fucking close.
                     (seething; to Eddie)
                Get...off...of...me.

     It's like being spit at by a cobra; Eddie doesn't have to be
     told twice. Leaps off her, and Evelyn slowly, angrily gets to
     her feet, a trickle of blood coming down her cheek from a
     small cut there. A VOICE is heard from somewhere O.S.

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                Not dead now, but soon.

     All eyes look up to see: STEVEN PRICE perched on the balcony
     rail above them in formal wear, legs crossed, cigar in hand,
     blowing out smoke through highly bemused lips.

                           PRICE
                She's been marked for it. The House does
                that. Happened to Pritchett's father.
                Likely happen to you all. Isn't that
                what you told me, Mr. Pritchett?

                           PRITCHETT
                     (looking away)
                I can't remember at the moment.

     Blackburn applies his handkerchief to Evelyn's bleeding
     cheek. She recoils:

                           EVELYN
                Don't touch me!

                           PRICE
                I'm impressed: I don't think Evelyn's
                ever said those words to anything with
                genitalia.

                           EVELYN
                I'm not laughing, Steven.

                           PRICE
                You shouldn't be -- you were nearly just
                killed, sweetheart.
                     (to the guests)
                And now that our birthday girl is
                finally here, let the games begin!

                           EVELYN
                Haven't they already?

     Price just smiles.

                           PRICE
                Sure is a funky old house, ain't it?

     She glares back at him, steaming.

                           EVELYN
                Could we have a word?

                           PRICE
                Oh, I think we're going to have several.

     Evelyn doesn't have to be invited, she's already stomping
     halfway up the stairs. Price smiles down at the Guests:

                           PRICE
                This'll just take a moment -- you'll
                find food and booze in the main salon,
                knock yourselves out.

     Evelyn grabs him hard by the arm and yanks him back into the
     shadows; they disappear from sight. The Guests just stand
     there.

                           EDDIE
                So, what? The thing with the glass?
                Price did that?

                           MELISSA
                I hope not.

                           SARA
                Of course he did, for God's sake.
                     (beat)
                Didn't he, Mr. Pritchett?

                           PRITCHETT
                I can't comment until I get paid.

                           BLACKBURN
                I'm surrounded by idiots.

     Blackburn walks off into the Main Salon near the Foyer. The
     others shrug and follow him, except for Pritchett, who shouts
     upstairs:

                           PRITCHETT
                Mr. Price???

     No response from anyone. Pritchett's eyes jitterbug all
     around him -- he sees he's standing there alone. As
     nonchalantly as he can, he quick -- steps towards the Salon
     and the others -- passing right by a barely perceptible
     black dot in the wall, no larger than a dime --

     TRAVELING THROUGH WALLS

      -- and we PUSH IN on this DOT, until we're inside it, on
     the OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL and see that's it's connected to a
     COAXIAL CABLE, which we FOLLOW past ancient, decaying beams
     and mortar, past VERMIN -- rodent and insect, both -- that
     skitter maniacally right in our faces -- and then right
     into the innards of the multi-wired CABLE itself -- emerging
     out near...

     A VIDEO MONITOR

      -- that's atop a table with several other monitors and a
     literal Circuit City's worth of electronic and computer
     equipment, all of it inside a --

     INT. SMALL GRIMY ROOM

      -- in which sits Steven Price's engineer SCHECTER, in his
     coveralls, eating a sandwich, as he mans Haunted House
     Central Control. He hits a combination of keys on the
     computer. On one of the Monitors we see a door somewhere
     inside the House rapidly open-and-shut, open-and-shut.

     Nods with satisfaction, then YELPS! as he spots a MILLIPEDE
     wriggling out of his tuna salad, straight into his mouth.

                           SCHECTER
                Jesus!

     He flicks the insect away, nearly gagging. It lands on
     another VIDEO MONITOR that is trained on a room on the upper
     floor of the place. Some space that looks like it was going
     to be a bedroom, once upon a time: a lot of strange, ultra-
     modern furniture: all of it metal and of bizarre angles and
     shapes. And then into that room storms Evelyn and Price.

     PUSH IN on that video screen and suddenly we're there:

     INT. EVELYN'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

     As Evelyn slams the door behind her.

                           EVELYN
                I gave you a goddamn guest list two
                pages long -- where the hell are they?

                           PRICE
                Shredded. Sorry. Decided to whip up one
                of my own: a group so hungry for money
                that they'd be willing to do anything. I
                thought you'd be more comfortable with
                your peers.

                           EVELYN
                I guess it was stupid of me not to
                expect something this twisted from you.
                Well, congratu-fucking-lations, Steven:
                Round One, you win.

                           PRICE
                Well, not quite. See, those people down
                there: they aren't the ones I invited.

                           EVELYN
                Then who are they?

                           PRICE
                You tell me. I don't know how you
                managed to hack into my Mac, but: bravo.

                           EVELYN
                What are you talking about? You
                think I invited them?

                           PRICE
                Sure know it wasn't me. And if you say
                it wasn't you -- then who the hell did,
                Evelyn?

                           EVELYN
                It you really loved me, Steven, you'd
                find a way to drop dead in the next
                three seconds.

                           PRICE
                Finding ways for me to die at these
                things is really your deal, isn't it?
                The "O.J." knife with the not-quite-
                retractable blade? Your "Jim Jones Kool-
                Aid" that was exactly that?

                           EVELYN
                All accidents until proven otherwise.

     He goes to her and begins brushing her hair with his
     fingers.

                           PRICE
                You know how happy I'd be if that was
                really true, Evelyn? And how positively
                goddamn delirious if you weren't fucking
                every living thing in our area code at
                the same goddamn time!

                           EVELYN
                Which part of that fantasy turns you on
                most: me with other men -- or just the
                other men?

                           PRICE
                You know everything you do gets me hot.

     His grip on her hair suddenly tightens and twists.

                           PRICE
                 -- just not always in the sexual sense.

                           EVELYN
                You're hurting me.

                           PRICE
                I know.

     She jabs his hand with a plasma-red, Dragon Lady-length
     thumbnail. He lets her go and sucks on a knuckle -- she's
     drawn blood.

                           PRICE
                Now, there's the simple country gal I
                married. Let's go back down and greet
                your guests -- show them the real you:
                corny as Kansas on the Fourth of July.

                           EVELYN
                My guests were shredded. It's your sick
                little scene now, Steven: enjoy. I'm
                going to go run scalding water on the
                places you just touched me, and then I'm
                calling a cab.

     She storms into the bathroom adjoining and slams that door.

                                                          CUT TO:

     INT. MAIN SALON - JUST AFTER

     Just off the foyer. The furniture, though dust-caked and
     rotting is antique Deco and sumptuous. Liquor and a lavish
     buffet have been set out on a sideboard that looks like one
     of Dali's limp pocket-watches. As Price enters the room
     grimly, he's descended upon by an angry Pritchett:

                           PRITCHETT
                Mr. Price: I've done everything we
                agreed on, your guests are all here and
                in one piece -- my 25 thousand now,
                please.

     Price produces an envelope froa his jacket and taps it.

                           PRICE
                Right here, Mr. Pritchett. As well as
                five other bona fide, bank drafts for
                one million dollars each. Made out to
                cash.

                           EDDIE
                And we get this money when?

                           PRICE
                The second the sun hits tomorrow
                morning. Assuming you have stayed the
                entire night - and you're still alive,
                of course. Any other questions?

                           SARA
                Yeah. Why's there five checks?
                There's only four of us.

                           PRICE
                You're forgetting my lovely wife; she's
                part of the same winner-take-all as the
                rest of you.

                           SARA
                What're you talking about?

                           PRICE
                Oh, sorry. Detail I guess I forgot to
                mention. You die, you lose. Your check
                gets divvied-up by those still amongst
                the living.

                           BLACKBURN
                What are you playing here, Price?

                           PRICE
                A very, very scary game. But then look
                at the bright side: if there's only one
                of you still upright at dawn, you'll be
                leaving here with five million dollars
                in your pocket.

                           EDDIE
                This is nuts.

                           PRICE
                Yeah. But, hey, anybody who's not
                "comfortable" with the rules, you're
                free to walk, anytime. Seven digits
                poorer, goes without saying.

                           PRITCHETT
                I'm ready now.

                           PRICE
                Alright, Mr. Pritchett, let me just
                sign the damn thing.

     Price sits at a rusting octagonal wire-and-steel desk, knifes
     open his envelope, and produces a pen.

                           PRITCHETT
                Two "T"s at the end of the name.

     Price looks up, puts the pen down.

                           PRICE
                Just for the record: what are the rest
                of your names?

                           BLACKBURN
                Donald W. Blackburn, M.D.

                           MELISSA
                Melissa Margaret Marr, Celebrity.

                           EDDIE
                Eddie Moses, Communications Attache --
                which translated from ancient bullshit
                means: I work for a Messenger service.

     Beat. All eyes have now turned to Sara, who's just standing
     there nervously.

                           PRICE
                And you, young lady?

     She blurts out the lie as one word:

                           SARA
                Jennifer-Jenzen-Executive-V.P.-
                Paragon-Pictures.

                           PRICE
                Very good. Well, I think I can say with
                complete honesty: I've never heard of
                any of you.

                           EDDIE
                Then what the hell are we doing here?

                           MELISSA
                How'd you make your guest list, Price:
                throw darts at a phone book?

                           PRICE
                You're not my list.

                           BLACKBURN
                I got an engraved -- literally --
                invitation -- with my name --

                           PRICE
                 -- I'm sure you did.

                           SARA
                This is all maybe getting a little
                too strange --

                           PRICE
                 -- I wouldn't worry, Ms. Jenzen: the
                unexplainable will probably explain
                herself before too long. In the
                meantime, let's all relax, have a drink,
                the evening's young --

                           PRITCHETT
                 -- it's getting older by the second.
                Mr. Price, if I could just please have --

                           PRICE
                Sorry, Pritchett, here you go.

     He signs the check and hands it to Pritchett who spins on his
     heels and starts quickly for the foyer.

                           PRICE
                I think you're gonna miss the bash of
                a lifetime --

                           PRITCHETT
                 -- my loss --

                           PRICE
                 -- even if I give you a million as
                well?

                           PRITCHETT
                Wouldn't know what to do with it all --

      -- and then, suddenly, we hear the distant sound of heavy
     MACHINES at work. Pritchett freezes for a moment.

                           PRITCHETT
                Oh, no.

                           SARA
                What's going on?

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. GEAR ROOM -

     Heavy rusted GEARS somewhere in the house, CRUNCHING as
     they begin to turn.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. GRAND FOYER -

     Where Pritchett is sprinting like a madman to the exit.

                           PRITCHETT
                Please -- God-in-Heaven, no --

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. MAIN SALON

     The NOISE inside the room, inside the entire house, is
     deafening. Price senses something:

                           PRICE
                The windows --

     Pritchett makes the long run across the huge room towards:

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. GEAR ROOM

     The ancient LEVERS snapping down like punches.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. MAIN SALON

     BAM! The windows being sealed off by heavy IRON PLATES
     slamming into place.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. GRAND FOYER

     BAM! The front door being likewise sealed by a descending
     IRON PLATE -- nearly decapitating Pritchett.

                           PRITCHETT
                You can't do this to me!

     INT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS (NOTE: TBA)

     BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Every window, door, and portal of
     any kind in the house likewise being slammed-sealed shut.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. MAIN SALON

      -- where everybody stands silent, breathless, and not a
     little afraid, as the sound of SLAMMING IRON is heard echoing
     everywhere in the distance.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. GRAND FOYER

     Pritchett making a literal last dive for the one window in
     the foyer that is still partially unsealed, its iron plate
     closing fast --

                           PRITCHETT
                 -- NOOOOOOOO!!! --

      -- BAM! The ancient LEVERS smashing down all the way to the
     concrete floor: mission completed.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. MAIN SALON

     That final BAM! resounding in the Main Salon. And then
     silence.

                           MELISSA
                Now that is enter-fucking-
                tainment!

     Eddie Moses tries to yank up one of the plates -- all he gets
     for his efforts is two handfuls of rust.

                           EDDIE
                This thing's going nowhere.

                           BLACKBURN
                If this is someone's idea of a
                joke --

      -- an agonized SCREAM in response; it's coming from the
     Foyer --

                           PRICE
                 -- Pritchett's not laughing.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. GRAND FOYER

     Price & Guests entering and greeted by the sight of:

     Watson Pritchett - Hair wild, clothes torn, SCREAMING as he
     tries to pry the cast-iron plate off the Foyer window with
     his bare hands --

                           PRITCHETT
                 -- NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! --

      -- he's ripping his fingernails off, blood coursing down his
     arms. PRICE runs to him, yanks him from the window and to the
     floor.

                           PRICE
                Pritchett!!

     Pritchett stops screaming, looks up at Price in utter terror.

                           PRICE
                Blackburn! His hands, do something!

     Blackburn races over, takes one look. Yells to Sara:

                           BLACKBURN
                Bottle of vodka on the sideboard:
                get it!

     She races into the other room. Blackburn takes his
     handkerchief and puts it on Pritchett's wounds. Pritchett
     doesn't so much as whimper, keeps staring at Price. In a
     daze:

                           PRICE
                Pritchett, what the hell just
                happened here?

     Pritchett looks up at him, eyes not quite focused.

                           PRITCHETT
                Lockdown.

     Sara dashes back in with the bottle of vodka.

                           SARA
                What does that mean?

     Blackburn takes the liquor and begins cleaning/disinfecting
     Pritchett's wounds.

                           PRITCHETT
                A mechanism. From the old Asylum. For
                Emergencies. Sealed the whole place
                shut. Top to bottom. That's how come
                they all burned to death in '31. Dr.
                Vannacutt threw the switch. If he was
                gonna die, they all were gonna die,
                and so they were toast.

                           MELISSA
                No wonder they're still pissed off.

                           PRITCHETT
                The only ones who survived were five of
                Vannacutt's staff butchers.

                           BLACKBURN
                Why in God's name wasn't this thing
                removed years ago??

                           PRITCHETT
                It was on my Dad's list of "things
                to do." But the House did him first.

                           EDDIE
                You said that was an accident.

                           PRITCHETT
                I lied. The House is alive and
                we're all gonna die.

                           BLACKBURN
                Oh, for chrissake --

                           SARA
                 -- uh, excuse me, just one quick
                question? How long before this damn
                thing unseals itself?

                           PRITCHETT
                Don't know that it does.

                           SARA
                Well, then, how 'bout maybe we
                call someone?

                           PRITCHETT
                Hasn't been a telephone in this
                House in over 60 years.

     Blackburn, Price and Melissa Marr all chime in unintentional
     unison:

                           BLACKBURN/PRICE/MELISSA
                I've got my cellular.

                           SARA
                Well, flip a coin and somebody dial 911!

                           PRITCHETT
                Won't do any good.

                           SARA
                Why not?

     And then, simultaneously, we hear the same beep-beep-beep
     from the three cellular phones and see the same flashing
     message on their LED screens: "No Service - No Service - No
     Service."

                           PRICE
                Must be those plates -- interfering
                with the signal somehow.

                           PRITCHETT
                Not the plates: the House. Why is no one
                listening to me?? It's alive!  And once
                it's made up its mind, it won't let
                anything out.

                           EDDIE
                So, what? You're saying we're stuck
                here the rest of our lives?

                           PRITCHETT
                A cleaning crew's supposed to arrive
                at 9:30 tomorrow morning -- I think
                the power of the house fades at dawn.

                           EDDIE
                 -- well, let's hear it for small
                miracles --

                           PRITCHETT
                 -- but I imagine we'll all be mutilated
                beyond recognition by then.

                           MELISSA
                Goodbye, bad times -- hello, Prime Time!

     She starts shooting tape again -- everything and everybody.

                           SARA
                There is something seriously screwed-up
                going on here, and I don't believe it's
                about ghosts --

                           WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
                 -- oh, it sure ain't, sweetheart.

     Heads turn: walking slow, smug and regal down the great
     staircase into the foyer is EVELYN STOCKARD-PRICE, her coat
     discarded, her neckline loosened -- she realizes she's here
     for the night.

                           EVELYN
                Take a bow, Steven, you've outdone
                yourself tonight -- scared holy hell
                out of even me.

                           BLACKBURN
                If that's the fact, Price, okay, you've
                had your fun -- now open the goddamn --

                           PRICE
                 -- asking the wrong guy -- wasn't me
                who closed it.

                           EVELYN
                Sure it wasn't. Hey, anybody else here
                make their living with thrills'n'chills
                for the kiddies? Don't raise your hands
                all at once.

                           PRICE
                Huh. And here I had a completely
                different theory.

                           EVELYN
                Really? Well, let it rip.

                           PRICE
                Oh, no-no-no -- much more bang for
                everyone's buck to nail the bitch --

                           EVELYN
                 -- the sadistic prick --

                           PRICE
                 -- in the act.

                           SARA
                Uh, excuse me? Don't think I'm not
                having the time of my life watching
                this train wreck that's your marriage --
                but this isn't what I had in mind... I
                want to know that we can get out of here
                if we need to.

                           PRITCHETT
                Believe me, we need to.

                           SARA
                Pritchett, this "lockdown" thing --
                it's gotta have like a master control
                -- you know machinery, gears, whatever --
                somewhere in this place?

                           PRITCHETT
                The basement -- but, believe me,
                you don't want to go down there.

                           SARA
                No, you don't want to go down there. I
                am going down there. And I'm going to
                find reverse on this thing and floor it.

                           PRITCHETT
                You'll never find it, it's a maze down
                there.

                           SARA
                Well, that leaves you with two options
                then, doesn't it: either show me where
                and maybe we get out of here -- or it's
                spend-the-night-sleep-tight.

     Pritchett leaps to his feet.

                           PRITCHETT
                It's actually very easy when you
                know the way.

                           EVELYN
                A word of advice, honey? God knows what
                kind of freak-outs Steven's got set to
                spring in this place. If I were you, I'd
                bring something to protect yourself
                with. Baby, don't you think now's the
                time to I break out your "party favors?"

     Price suddenly looks uneasy.

                           PRICE
                What are you talking about?

                           EVELYN
                Must be getting old, Stevie -- you're
                repeating yourself -- this is the exact
                same set-up you used for the Son-Of-Sam
                Hunt back in '94.
                     (to Sara)
                Girlie, open up that casket there
                and see what you find.

     Sara glares at her, but does as she's told: goes to the large
     ebony casket that supports Evelyn's BIRTHDAY CAKE. Sara looks
     back at Evelyn suspiciously... then sets the cake aside and
     lifts the lid.

     Inside that, seemingly free floating in space, are SIX MINI-
     COFFINS -- no more than eight inches long, their doors
     likewise propped open, revealing inside each a gleaming new
     GLOCK 9mm AUTOMATIC. Each pistol black gunmetal in color, of
     course.

                           EVELYN
                Ooooh, nice: firearms this time.

                           MELISSA
                The warped factor here just gets
                bigger and bigger.

                           EVELYN
                Steven's sense of humor just makes you
                want to bust a gut, don't it?

                           SARA
                I'm in stitches.

     Sara takes one of the guns and attempts to eject the
     magazine. Nothing happens. She looks:

                           SARA
                The clip's been welded shut.

                           EVELYN
                On all of them, probably.

     Evelyn takes one of the pistols and points it at her husband.

                           EVELYN
                So how's a girl to know if these
                things are loaded, baby?

                           PRICE
                Only one way I can think of, Sweetheart.

     Tense beat, ala Eastwood and Hackman staring each other down
     at the end of "Unforgiven." Then Evelyn lowers the gun.

                           EVELYN
                No. I think we'll let the young
                lady have first crack.

                           SARA
                I don't want a gun, I just want
                out. Let's go, for God's sake.

                           PRICE
                I'll meet you down there.

                           EDDIE
                     (to Sara)
                Take the gun.

     Sara takes the pistol from Evelyn, and Pritchett
     unenthusiastically beckons Eddie and Sara towards a hallway
     leading to the basement. Price trots towards another door off
     the Salon.

                           EVELYN
                And where are we off to, Mr. Price?
                Check the wiring on the animatronic
                Mummies?

                           PRICE
                A simple leak, if it's okay with you.

     And he disappears down the hall. Melissa Marr jams a
     cigarette in her mouth.

                           MELISSA
                Wow...

     She flicks her lighter, sparking a flame to life --

                                                          SMASH TO:

     INT. BASEMENT STAIRWAY - JUST AFTER

      -- a flurry of crackling SPARKS showers Watson Pritchett as
     he twists the '20's vintage knob light switch. He leaps back
     with a frightened yelp.

     We see a brief BURST OF LIGHT from the ancient sconces on the
     walls, revealing a series of moldy, cobwebbed and rubble-
     strewn basement gallery, and a series of five glass cases
     filled with the mummified remains of human bodies... One very
     odd human figure rides upon a mummified horse.

     INT. BASEMENT GALLERY

     An odd multi-walled gallery from which five corridors lead
     out, extending like the spokes of a wagon wheel --

      -- and then every LIGHT down there SHORTS OUT with one loud
     SIZZLING POP! Total darkness. Beat.

                           PRITCHETT'S VOICE
                Y'know, this'd actually be funny -- if I
                didn't know for a fact I'd be pleading
                for a quick, painless death in the next
                few seconds.

                           SARA'S VOICE
                Could somebody please just gag him
                or something?

     Sara reaches into her bag and pulls out the flashlight
     Pritchett gave her earlier.

                           EDDIE
                You're a handy little thing to have
                around.

     Suddenly, a terrible cracking sound is heard above Sara's
     head. She aims her light at the large beam overhead. Just
     then, the beam gives way. Eddie pulls her away just in
     time.

                           SARA
                And you're not really as large and
                useless as you seem.

                           EDDIE
                I'm better than that.

                           SARA
                Don't push it.

     She thrusts the flashlight into Pritchett's hand.

                           SARA
                Now take us where this damn thing's at.

     INT. SMALL GRIMY ROOM - SIMULTANEOUS

     Price bursts through a hinged panel and whisper-shouts to
     Schechter behind the computer/video console.

                           PRICE
                 -- hey! Next time give me a couple
                seconds notice before you wing a gag
                like that!

                           SCHECTER
                The lockdown thing.

                           PRICE
                I mean, not that it didn't give Evelyn
                the kind of coronary I had in mind,
                just...

                           SCHECTER
                 -- it wasn't me.

                           PRICE
                Rewind that.

                           SCHECTER
                I was just sitting here -- it happened.
                I had nothing to do with it.

                           PRICE
                Then who did??

                           SCHECTER
                No idea. I didn't even know the damn
                thing still worked!

                           PRICE
                It works.

                           SCHECTER
                Maybe it was just its time to finally
                fall apart.

                           PRICE
                No. Somehow -- I don't know how --
                she did it.

                           SCHECTER
                Pretty amazing feat: all that shit
                down the basement and your wife's
                up in the bedroom the whole time.

                           PRICE
                Don't take your eyes off her for a
                second. I think she just declared War.

     INT. MAIN SALON - SIMULTANEOUS

     Evelyn, a huge drink in her hand, holding forth to a not
     terribly interested Dr. Blackburn. Melissa Marr's oblivious,
     Camcorder to her eye, slowly dollying herself out of the
     room.

                           EVELYN
                We'd've been splitsville years ago, with
                me the richest single woman in recorded
                history -- but Steven doesn't "believe"
                in divorce.

                           BLACKBURN
                Not too big on it myself -- but then
                again, not on marriage either.

                           EVELYN
                Oh, he's got no problem with that:
                I'm his fourth.

                           BLACKBURN
                I'm confused.

                           EVELYN
                No need for divorce and that messy
                division-of-assets thing when they kick
                before you do.

                           MELISSA
                All three of his previous wives
                just up and died?

                           EVELYN
                Damnedest thing: each one, freaky little
                "accidents" --

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS

     Sara, Eddie and Pritchett continue searching.

                           SARA
                You should really open this place to the
                public, Pritchett -- a spa for people
                without enough stress in their lives.

                           PRITCHETT
                I said we shouldn't come down here. Very
                treacherous -- physical and metaphysical
                levels, both. There've been no
                refurbishments to this part of the house
                -- it's exactly as it was in 1931.

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                Is that a fact, Mr. Pritchett?

     They all whip around -- spooked to the max. Pritchett shakily
     trains the flashlight on who or what's behind them: Price.

                           PRICE
                Sorry.

                           SARA
                Good way to get your head blown off.

                           PRICE
                I'll try not to remember to warn Evelyn.

     They soon pass a broken wall. Rubble and debris litters the
     floor. Pritchett moves them quickly past the spot. This
     doesn't go unnoticed.

                           EDDIE
                What's in there?

                           PRITCHETT
                     (too quickly)
                Nothing.

     Sara takes the flashlight from Pritchett's hand and aims it,
     into the dark hole beyond.

     ANGLE ON THE DOOR

     The light glints on a HUGE STEEL DOOR. A grime-covered
     WINDOW is set at eye-level. A black mold corrodes away the
     edges.

                           SARA
                Nothing? That seems like quite a door
                to hold back "nothing".

     Pritchett just stares at the door for an uncomfortably long
     moment...

                           EDDIE
                What is it? What's in there?

                           PRITCHETT
                     (finally)
                The Soul of the House. Everything that's
                corrupt about it... My father trapped it
                in there just before he died. You see,
                he purchased the house to restore it...
                We were going to live here... Nothing
                can live here. I was just a kid... The
                first time I saw it, I thought it was
                beautiful... It was just a dark mist
                turning into the corner of the room...
                then it started to move... then death
                started to happen... First the workers..
                six in all... then my father...

                           SARA
                Ghosts killed your father?

                           PRITCHETT
                Not ghosts... at least not what you're
                thinking... Vannacutt used to dump the
                bodies of his failed experiments
                somewhere in the house...

                           SARA
                And you think it's in there?

                           PRITCHETT
                Accumulated evil... festering for
                decades...
                     (switching gears)
                But I'm a drunk... so don't listen to
                me.

                           EDDIE
                So you're saying as long as that door
                stays locked, we're okay?

                           PRITCHETT
                Hell NO!! The House will kill ya!

     Pritchett's oblivious: he's shining his light back down the
     corridor -- at its terminus it splits into four new
     corridors.

                           PRITCHETT
                I think we go down there and take a
                right.

     The trio follow Pritchett. WE remain staring at the STEEL
     DOOR. Almost imperceptibly -- or is it the darkness playing
     tricks on us? One of the streaks of mold seems to have grown
     longer.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Pritchett leading the three others down a new corridor,
     clearly clueless as to where the hell they are. Shines the
     flashlight up to find they're in --

     INT. ELECTRO-SHOCK ROOM

     a small room containing a large leather table with a myriad
     of mildewed buckle-straps attached. Behind the table: a
     monolithic brass and wood DYNAMO that looks powerful enough
     to keep Orange County lit for a year.

                           PRITCHETT
                Electro-shock therapy. There's several
                of them hooked together... Dr. Vannacutt
                liked to zap his patients in multiples
                of ten. More enerqy-efficient or
                something. Let's try a left.

     They turn left. A small, barely noticeable arc of electricity
     zaps from a dangling, half-severed wire.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. SATURATION CHAMBER ROOM

     Pritchett dead-ended in another room.

                           PRITCHETT
                Damn-it-all! This is the Saturation
                Chamber! Left again!

     He all but yanks Price along with him, Price blurting as he
     disappears from frame:

                           PRICE
                What's a "Saturation Chamber"?

     EDDIE and SARA linger, staring at the big, cast-iron capsule-
     shaped contraption. We hear Pritchett's Voice in the
     distance, explaining:

                           PRITCHETT (O.S.)
                New wrinkle on an old theory for
                treating schizophrenia. 19th Century, I
                think: what would drive a sane man mad
                should make a madman sane. The Vannacutt
                version was: bombard the patient with
                aural and visual stimuli far more
                frightening than any hallucination they
                could ever produce, it'd traumatize 'em
                back to "normalcy."

                           EDDIE
                Did it work?

     Eddie looks up: Pritchett and Price are nowhere to be seen.

                           EDDIE
                Hey! Where'd you guys go?

                           PRITCHETT (O.S.)
                Left, goddamnit!

                           SARA
                     (grabbing Eddie's arm)
                C'mon -- I've got like zero interest
                in getting lost down here.

     He guides her out of the room and down --

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

      -- to his left.

     PULL BACK -- And we see, simultaneously, Pritchett, Price
     and flashlight walking down the corridor that was to their
     left -- Eddie and Sara walking down the one that was to
     their left: a long, snaking passage going in the completely
     opposite direction.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Eddie and Sara navigating the various twists and turns in the
     darkness.

                           EDDIE
                Hey, Price! Pritchett!

     Sara's gaze falls on: A RAGGED HOLE above their heads,
     broken into the wall of the corridor. CABLES and WIRES can
     be seen inside the hole.

                           SARA
                Lemme try something. Gimme a boost.

     Eddie grabs her by her butt. She bristles.

                           SARA
                 -- hey, pal, that wasn't code for --

      -- and with his considerable strength, lifts Sara in the air
     so she's sitting on his hands like a chair --

                           EDDIE
                 -- where you need to go?

     As much as she tries to stifle it, Sara lets loose a giggle.

                           SARA
                Three steps forward -- I want to get up
                there.

                           EDDIE
                Why?

                           SARA
                This whole place can't be wired
                to just one circuit --

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Pritchett and Price taking a hard right into --

     INT. GEAR ROOM

     We recognize the rusted gears from the "lockdown" sequence.

                           PRITCHETT
                Bingo!

     He shines the light through the cavernous space: an immense
     mechanism of cams, pulleys and counterweights. Price stares
     in absolute awe -- this is something straight out of the
     Industrial Revolution.

     He eyes the bank of long-handled, mother-of-pearl tipped
     levers.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. WALL - CONTINUOUS

     Sara with her hands deep in the recess behind the wall
     sconce, yanking and re-connecting wires until -- she gets
     a spark.

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS

     It burns her fingers and she yelps -- but the lights in the
     corridor FLICKER ON for a moment. And then again. And again.
     It's a lousy source of illumination, but...

                           SARA
                 -- better than nothing. Down, big
                fella'.

     Eddie lowers her back down to earth -- his hand lingering for
     a moment on her bottom. Their eyes meet for a nanosecond.

                           SARA
                Thanks.

                           EDDIE
                Most fun I've had all day.

                           SARA
                You need to get out more.

     They start walking down the weirdly pulsing corridor.

                           EDDIE
                So, who are you really?

     Sara stiffens for a second. Then, calmly:

                           SARA
                What? Deep down inside?

                           EDDIE
                Start with the name you were born with,
                and we'll work forward from there.

                           SARA
                I told you already: Jennifer Jenzen,
                Executive V.P. of --

                           EDDIE
                I don't think so...

                           SARA
                Why not?

                           EDDIE
                Most of my business is making deliveries
                to high rollers. And I have yet to meet
                one Executive who could tie their own
                shoes -- let alone rewire an entire
                house. You don't fit the bill -- not
                even close.

                           SARA
                     (grinning)
                There's always exceptions.

                           EDDIE
                Not in the movie biz. So, c'mon,
                gimme the truth.

     Ahead of them, Sara sees the corridor splits into two.

                           SARA
                The truth is, if we keep taking rights,
                we're going to have to end up where we
                started.

     She beckons him to follow her, starts walking down the
     corridor to the right.

                           SARA
                Look, we're all gonna be out of here in
                a little while and go our separate ways,
                all a million bucks richer. What's it
                matter who I am or who I'm not?

     There's no response from Eddie.

                           SARA
                Okay... So let's say, hypothetically,
                I'm not exactly who I should be -- okay,
                so you're right, you're a genius, I
                don't know anybody who could've ever
                seen right through me like that --
                does that end the discussion?

     No response from Eddie.

                           SARA
                Alright, look: my real name is Sara,
                and I'm a secretary -- was, anyway -- to
                the real Jennifer Bitch who was invited
                here, and now you know and I'm begging
                you don't tell anybody, 'cuz I'm out of
                a job and could really use even a tenth
                of that money, okay?

     No response from Eddie.

                           SARA
                Can I just get a "yes" or a "no"??

     She turns: Eddie's nowhere to be seen.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. GEAR ROOM - CONTINUOUS

     Pritchett and Price stand in the "Lockdown" control room,
     staring at a rusted lever that Price has snapped off.

                           PRICE
                We may have to...look for other
                means to get out of here.

     Price looks around the room.

                           PRITCHETT
                What happened to what's-their-names?

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Sara trotting down one CORRIDOR --

                           SARA
                Eddie...?

     INT. BASEMENT - ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Sara moving and picking up speed:

                           SARA
                If this is your idea of funny, think
                again!

     INT. BASEMENT - ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Sara moves even faster:

                           SARA
                In fact, you're really starting to
                piss me off!

     INT. BASEMENT - ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     And suddenly, she slams on the brakes -- because at the far
     end of this Corridor, she spots:

     EDDIE - quick-stepping right-to-left through the
     intersection ahead.

                           SARA
                Hey, pal: game called on account
                of boredom, let's go --

     And then she sees: in the strobe-flicker of light, his EYES
     look devoid of pupils, as though replaced by something
     METALLIC.

                           SARA
                Eddie...??

     Eddie keeps walking, turns into another corridor and
     disappears from sight.

                           SARA
                What is your problem?

     She runs after him.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. BASEMENT - ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Sara again spots Eddie at the other end.

                           SARA
                Hey!

     He keeps on walking, turns into a room, disappears from
     sight.

                           SARA
                You know, I was actually starting to
                like you, you creep!

     Nonetheless, she chases after him into --

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. MORGUE ROOM

     Sara stops, scared. God-knows what this room's purpose was
     long ago, now it's just a space filled with enormous glass
     tanks, vat-like things filled with BLOOD. But no Eddie. She
     shouts to the air:

                           SARA
                Okay, you win. You've successfully
                creeped me out.

      -- and then her EYES GO WIDE as she spots

     EDDIE -- perched above a Vat -- he's teetering, his
     equilibrium like a marionette's -- in danger of dropping
     right into the Vat!

                           SARA
                What are you doing --

      -- Eddie drops like a stone into the Vat.

                           SARA
                 -- Eddie!!

     She scrambles up to the top of the Vat, looks down into it:
     nothing but that thick opaque muck -- but there's SOMETHING
     ROILING beneath it. Sara plunges her arms down into it --

                           SARA
                 -- Eddie! Eddie! Oh my god!

      -- BAM! Something does -- yanking her down hard into the Vat
     -- and continuing to pull -- she's to her shoulders in it --
     and her head's about to go in --

                           SARA
                 -- Eddie!!

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                Over here.

     Sara darts the one eye still above the muck-line behind her.

     EDDIE MOSES -- is standing in the doorway, a completely
     baffled expression on his face.

                           EDDIE
                What's going on, you lose something
                down there?

     SARA -- looks back down into the Vat in horror. Lets out
     a scream. Whatever's in there releases her arms and she
     goes tumbling ass-over-teakettle down to the floor, her
     arms released.

     Eddie runs to her, takes her in his arms, sopping himself in
     the same blood.

                           EDDIE
                What are you doing? Are you okay?

     Sara has no answer.

     INT. THE MAIN SALON - SHORTLY AFTER

     Pritchett enters the room. The blood-caked Eddie and Sara
     stumble in, right behind them. Pritchett grimaces...

                           PRITCHETT
                Now it's marked the two of you.

                           EVELYN
                I suppose it's too much to hope that
                all that blood means --

     A grim-faced Price enters.

                           EVELYN
                     (disappointed)
                 -- nope, he's still alive.

     She pours herself another huge drink.

                           PRICE
                Evelyn, could you just zip it for a
                moment? It looks like we're stuck here
                'til morning -- let's make the best of
                it.

                           EDDIE
                Best of a nightmare.

                           SARA
                There is something very not
                normal going on here!

                           PRITCHETT
                This? This is nothing. You've only been
                dealing with the House itself. You have
                no idea what you're tinkering with.
                Sooner or later, the darkness that is at
                the core will get out... One of you
                will release it... Not meaning to, of
                course... then...
                     (singing)
                ...Bye, bye, Miss American Pie...

                           SARA
                Pritchett, what is this "core of
                darkness"?

                           PRITCHETT
                I thought you understood.... It's the
                souls of Vannacutt's dead... The
                insanity... The horror... Victims burned
                alive... All that pain percolating
                somewhere in the house for seventy-some
                years...
                     (singing)
                ...singing this will be the day that I
                die... This will be the day that I....

     He makes a beeline for the sideboard.

                           BLACKBURN
                There must be some other way out.

                           PRICE
                Well, until that's found, I think it's a
                good idea we all stick together.
                     (turns to his wife)
                Or wouldn't that fit into your plans,
                baby?

                           EVELYN
                Fine with me. Just somebody then better
                go and round up Melissa Marr.

                           PRICE
                Where is she?

                           EVELYN
                Stalking the wild poltergeist.

     INT. HALLWAY - SIMULTANEOUS

     VIDEO IMAGE: A DARKENED HALLWAY rife with grainy shadows.
     The image cruises down the corridor, peering into the
     twisting passageways that intersect our path as we drift
     like some Flying Dutchman.

     INT. HALLWAY - SIMULTANEOUS

     and we see that we've been watching from the POV of Melissa
     Marr's CAMCORDER. She's gliding up and down the hallway,
     eye glued to the viewfinder, taking in every square inch of
     the place.

     POV CAMCORDER

     The bumps and pits in the carved-stone CORRIDOR walls are
     becoming more vivid.

     ANOTHER ANGLE

     Melissa seen taking a left into ANOTHER HALLWAY.

     POV CAMCORDER

     an ODD SHADOW plays in the corner at the end of this new
     hallway. The CORRIDOR appears to grow smaller, more
     claustrophobic.

     ANOTHER ANGLE

     Melissa letting loose a half-uneasy, half-exhilarated gulp.
     She stops walking. Slowly lowers the Camcorder, scans the
     end of the hall with her naked eye:

     Other than having the creepy ambience as the rest of the
     house, the hall appears normal again: large and long without
     a trace of anything extraordinary. She returns her eye to the
     viewfinder.

     POV CAMCORDER

     the SHIFTING SHADOW she saw before disappears into an OPEN
     DOOR at the end of the hall.

                           MELISSA (O.S.)
                Curiouser and curiouser. We're talking a
                fifty share, minimum.

      -- just then: a murmur of MANY VOICES heard around her.

     ANOTHER ANGLE

     Melissa lowers the CAMCORDER, eyes darting everywhere,
     scared -- but she sees nothing. CAMERA back up to her eye.
     She moves to the doorway. As she turns the corner, we see
     the PATTERN ON THE WALL. It is really a painting done in
     ANAMORPHOSIS - it has now become a terrible Gothic demon,
     ready to strike.

     POV CAMCORDER

     We reach the vault-like door and peer down the steps that
     disappear into a pool of darkness. The VOICES heard again.
     Indistinct basso. Emanating from somewhere below. We
     descend down the stairs.

     INT. BASEMENT - CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     MELISSA comes to a stop at the bottom of the stairs: her eyes
     go wide at the sight before her.

     WILD IMAGES painted by some long-dead madman, start on the
     floor, sweep up across the wall and onto the ceiling.

     SHE PEERS CLOSER, sees: that they're images of torture and
     death painted in blood. MELISSA stares at them, wide-eyed.
     She puts the camera back up to her eye.

     POV CAMCORDER

     the IMAGES come alive: WRITHING in AGONY, what passes for
     their mouths open wide in silent screams. Melissa is awe-
     struck:

                           MELISSA (O.S.)
                Fuck me bald.

     She moves down the corridor to a room at the end. A sign
     proclaims "CEREBRAL HYGIENE". As she nears, the voices grow
     louder. And now mixed in with them are terrible MOANS.

     INT. CEREBRAL HYGIENE ROOM -

     Melissa enters --

     POV CAMCORDER

     A strange room filled with odd devices is laid out before us.
     Clearly left over from another era, quack electric machines
     and bizarre instruments line the walls.

     In the middle of the room, a small group of PEOPLE in white
     stand huddling urgently around something, their backs to us.
     A MAN in white, off to the side, is filming whatever it is
     going on with a spring-wound 16mm CAMERA.

                           MELISSA (O.S.)
                Jesus...

     And then the Huddled Group whips around, revealing the
     objects of their-activity:

     TWO HUMANS -- crammed together on one gurney: a Woman in
     a savaged Nurse's uniform; a Man, in what little is left of
     his surgical scrubs, a name plate pinned right into his
     flesh: "Vannacutt."

     Both SCREAMING like banshees as they're being VIVISECTED.

     It is the identical image we saw on the B&W footage from 1931
     at the beginning of the movie.

     ANOTHER ANGLE

     With a GASP, MELISSA pulls the camera from her eye.

     She looks at the room: the equipment is all there but the
     room is completely EMPTY of anything living.

     She lets out a small sigh of relief and TURNS to leave --

      -- and suddenly in front of her is... THE PATIENT... that
     Vannacutt and Nurse had originally been dissecting. He's
     jittering so fast he's a blur. And then he lunges at her.

     INT. MAIN SALON - SIMULTANEOUS

     The SCREAMS of Melissa Marr echo wildly in the room -- long,
     agonized HOWLS that just grow louder and louder. Everyone
     looks up in alarm -- with the exception of Evelyn, whose sole
     focus is on pouring herself a new drink.

                           EVELYN
                Could be old Melissa found what she was
                looking for.

     As the SCREAMS grow even more hideous, Price and Guests dash
     out of the room. Pritchett downs the rest of his huge tumbler
     of Scotch, then proceeds very halfheartedly after them --
     and then the SCREAMS stop. Pritchett sits back down in his
     chair, pours another drink.

                           PRITCHETT
                She's dead. Chalk up one for the House.

     INT. HALLWAY

     Price and Blackburn striding down a long hallway, eyes
     darting everywhere, shouting:

                           PRICE
                Melissa!

                           BLACKBURN
                Ms. Marr!

     And then hearing from down in the basement:

                           EDDIE (O.S.)
                Oh, Jesus: down here!

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Price and Blackburn arrive to see Eddie and Sara standing
     outside the door labeled "Cerebral Hygiene."

                           PRICE
                What?

                           BLACKBURN
                Is she alright?

                           SARA
                ....I don't...know.

     The two men follow their gaze. To the FLOOR. Lying there is
     MARY'S CAMCORDER the lens shattered, the hand-grip broken
     off.

                           BLACKBURN
                Something just must've...frightened
                her, that's all.

                           SARA
                Yeah...something.

     Sara holds up her finger: it's drenched with fresh blood. And
     with it, she points into the empty room. On the tile is a
     wide, red and glistening DRAG MARK leading from the doorway
     to the foot of the half-rotted... OPERATING TABLE.

                           PRICE
                Jesus.

     Price and Blackburn run into the room. Blackburn kneels down,
     examines the drag mark. Utterly baffled and not a little
     unnerved:

                           BLACKBURN
                It just...stops here.

     Sara sticks her head in the door, nervously:

                           SARA
                Maybe....maybe she went up on the table.

     Price runs a finger along the table bed; he's able to dig a
     trench the entire length of it through the three-inches-deep
     worth of dust.

                           PRICE
                Nobody, nothing's been on this in...67
                years.

     Eddie stomps into the room, frightened and frustrated, trying
     to make sense of it all:

                           EDDIE
                Well, she went somewhere! She didn't
                just up and disappear into thin air!

                           SARA
                No...not air --

     The three men turn to look at her -- Sara's staring at
     something above them: a spot on the... CEILING directly over
     the Operating Table, where the bloody DRAG MARKS resume,
     continuing all the way to the point where concrete ceiling
     meets equally solid wall, and then vanish altogether.

                           SARA
                 -- into the House.

     They just stare at the sight in dead, scared-shitless
     silence.

                                                        HEARD OVER:

                           EDDIE (V.O.)
                There's gotta be some way out --

     INT. MAIN SALON - SOON AFTER

     Eddie seen haranguing a near-dead drunk Pritchett:

                           EDDIE
                 -- of this place, goddamnit, Pritchett!

                           PRITCHETT
                Yes.

     Pritchett drains the last drops of his tumbler of Scotch.

                           PRITCHETT
                Alcoholic coma, if you hurry.

     He starts to pour another --

      -- Eddie swats both glass and bottle out of his hand; they
     SHATTER on the floor. In this tension-packed room, the sound
     is magnified a hundred-fold. Blackburn all but jumps out of
     his skin.

                           BLACKBURN
                Jesus H. Christ!

                           PRITCHETT
                Oh dear.

                           BLACKBURN
                     (to Eddie)
                If you don't calm the hell down I'm
                gonna strap you in for electro-shock!

                           EDDIE
                     (waving his pistol)
                How you gonna manage that with a new
                blow-hole in your dome?

                           SARA
                Hey, if everybody's gonna kill each
                other, could you do it in another room?
                I'm trying to get something accomplished
                here.

     We see that Sara's sitting at a desk in the room, fiddling
     with the innards of Melissa Marr's camcorder.

                           EDDIE
                What the hell good is fixing that
                gonna get us?

                           SARA
                An answer, I hope: exactly what -- or
                who -- Melissa was taping.

                           EDDIE
                And then where are we?

                           BLACKBURN
                Put it this way: if it's your face on
                that tape, Mr. Moses, we're one gunshot
                away from solving all our problems --

                           EDDIE
                 -- fuck you!

                           SARA
                I got it! Something, anyway...

     The room goes silent -- on the PLAYBACK SCREEN on the side of
     the CAMCORDER, an erratic, wildly rolling IMAGE can be seen.

     Everyone present, Pritchett included, starts gravitating
     towards Sara and the desk. She hits the STOP button on the
     Camcorder.

                           SARA
                The motor's working, but the tape's
                pretty much D.O.A. -- I could only
                rewind it back a couple of feet. Don't
                blink, this is probably the first and
                only showing.

     She punches PLAY. And we see on the

     CAMCORDER'S PLAYBACK

     soundless: a vision of free flight -- the lens capturing
     what it saw as it dropped to the ground: a wild, herky-
     jerky, ass-over-teakettle melange of --

     WALL/CEILING/MARY'S HAIR -- and, finally: FLOOR as the
     lens smacks TILE, fractures into a starburst of cracks,
     topples onto its side. And through this veil of JAGGED,
     SPIDERY LINES, we see:

     MARY'S HAND drop into frame -- lie still for a moment --
     and then start VIOLENTLY SPASMING, as a BLOODSTORM starts
     spattering it from O.S. Until the color of her flesh can
     no longer be seen --

     A METAL CRUNCH is heard from inside the CAMCORDER, and the
     image on the screen goes to BLACK.

     INT. MAIN SALON - CONTINUOUS

     No one moves -- they're all frozen there, staring at the dead
     screen. Beat. And then: the sound of light APPLAUSE is heard.

     Heads turn towards its source, and we see:

     EVELYN STOCKARD-PRICE leaning against one of the walls, her
     hands slowly, almost angrily CLAPPING. She doesn't speak,
     she seethes:

                           EVELYN
                Game, set and match, Steven. You've
                outdone yourself. And I know it's not
                good manners to ask the magician how he
                did it, but inquiring minds are
                desperate to know: just what did really
                happen to Ms. Marr?

                           PRICE
                Asking the wrong person again.

                           EVELYN
                I mean, did she stage it all for you and
                then go hide -- or did you just flat out
                kill the little bitch --

                           PRICE
                 -- I pose you the same question --

                           EVELYN
                 -- and who's next on your list?

                           PRICE
                If I had one, Evelyn, I think you know
                who'd be first and last --

                           EVELYN
                 -- oh, for chrissake, that's a given;
                we all know that knocking me off is the
                bottom line here --

                           PRICE
                 -- that wasn't my original plan, but it
                is starting to look more attractive --

                           EVELYN
                 -- thank you! All the cards finally
                on the goddamn table!

     She produces one of the Glocks and points it at him.

                           EVELYN
                Just know I'm not gonna make it
                easy for you. We still don't know the
                answer to the Million Dollar Question --

      -- Evelyn fires the gun into the wall just to the left of
     Price's head. It smashes a hole there the size of a fist.

                           PRICE
                Jesus!

                           EVELYN
                Question answered.

                           PRICE
                They weren't loaded when I put
                them in there!

                           EVELYN
                Funky little house, ain't it?
                     (turns to the Guests)
                Friends, your hostess is now going to
                retire for what's left of the night. If
                you need me, I'll be in the bedroom
                upstairs -- but try and fight that need:
                the door'll be locked, I'll be trying to
                sleep, and if anyone so much as breathes
                in the keyhole, I'm gonna empty this
                thing into their fucking head. Thank you
                all for the bestest birthday a girl
                could have.

     She walks away and begins climbing the stairs. Price turns to
     the guests to see that every eye in the room is staring at
     him -- and not without fear. Price is astonished, then just
     shakes his head with disgust.

                           PRICE
                Even if I were inclined, I've had better
                -- and a lot safer -- opportunities to
                kill off a wife.

                           BLACKBURN
                Three times, to be exact.

                           PRICE
                Excuse me?

                           BLACKBURN
                Accidents. Fatal. Each of your
                prior wives, so we've been informed.

                           PRICE
                Can't imagine by who. I don't suppose
                the truth would interest you: that I've
                never had another wife but Evelyn.

     No response, just looks of confusion.

                           PRICE
                Married. Once. Same woman. All these
                years. She just slithered up the stairs.

                           EDDIE
                Prove it.

                           PRICE
                Prove it how?

     Sara strides to the coffin-cabinet and withdraws one of the
     Glocks.

                           PRICE
                And what are you planning on doing
                with that?

     She cocks it.

                           SARA
                I just decided a million bucks is
                worthless if you ain't around to spend
                it. There is a way out of this place,
                and I'm gonna either find it or create
                it.
                     (to Eddie)
                Coming or staying?

     Eddie looks at his options: Price, Blackburn & Pritchett --
     or Sara.

                           EDDIE
                Yeah, what the hell, I'll go.

                           BLACKBURN
                Yeah, me too.

     Blackburn takes a gun from the coffin and cocks it.

                           SARA
                More the merrier.

                           BLACKBURN
                No. I'm going back to try and find Ms.
                Marr. If she's hurt, I'll tend to her.
                Dead, then I'm coming back for him.

     He glares at Price and exits in the opposite direction.

     Long beat. Price stares at the befuddled Pritchett who seems
     to be having a quiet conversation with himself.

                           PRITCHETT
                I think...I may have the answer.

                           PRICE
                What?

                           PRITCHETT
                I remember...it was a long time ago...my
                father said: when the House was finally
                completed, make sure...we-christen-it-
                with-this-bottle-of-dirt-cheap-champagne-
                that-should-still-be-in a cupboard
                somewhere!

     Pritchett is out of his chair extremely fast for someone with
     a near-lethal blood alcohol level. As he makes his exit, he
     grabs one of the last Glocks. Turns sheepishly to Price:

                           PRITCHETT
                Nothing personal.

     He chambers a shell and exits. Beat. Price is alone in the
     room.

                           PRICE
                Evelyn, goddamnit -- !

     INT. SMALL GRIMY ROOM - JUST AFTER

      -- and bursts through the hinged panel into computer
     central, shouting:

                           PRICE
                 -- Schecter, how is she pulling
                this off!?

     Schecter doesn't turn, all his attention focused on the
     computer screen, his fingers stopped dead in the their tracks
     upon the keys as though suddenly terrified by something.

     Price looks at the computer screen. Two words typed there:

        Someone Else

                           PRICE
                What does that mean?

     Schecter stays frozen. Price is beside himself:

                           PRICE
                Schecter, what the hell does it mean??

     He whips Schecter around in his swivel chair -- and comes
     literally face-to-face with -- a Man who no longer has a
     face! It's like someone took a giant melon-baller to
     Schecter's head, scooping out everything -- just leaving the
     rind that's the interior wall of his skull. Well, mostly
     everything: there's still bits of bloody brain pulp hanging
     from the bone. Needless to say: he's dead.

     Price turns away, gagging in horror -- and his eye is
     caught by a flash of motion in a --

     VIDEO MONITOR -- the one trained on the Main Salon

     A FIGURE (VANNACUTT) DRESSED ALL IN WHITE standing by the
     sideboard, looking up into the CAMERA -- a strange
     stainless-steel device in his hands that looks half-
     surgical saw/half-speculum. Something dark and wet dripping
     from its knife-sharp edges.

                           PRICE
                Someone else. Not Evelyn --

     Price's Eyes jump to --

     VIDEO MONITOR - THE ONE TRAINED ON THE BEDROOM

      -- plain as day, there's Evelyn under the covers.

     Price's eyes dart back to the SALON MONITOR -- the Figure in
     White is no longer there. But Price catches a flash: the door
     to the corridor just swinging shut! Price jumps to his feet
     and tears-ass out of the small room, screeching:

                           PRICE
                There's someone else in the House!

     INT. CORRIDOR - MAIN FLOOR - SIMULTANEOUS

     Eddie and Sara pulling with all their might on the iron grate
     to one of the windows. Eddie stops.

                           EDDIE
                You hear somebody?

                           SARA
                No -- keep pulling, it's moving!

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS

     Dr. Blackburn, armed with Sara's flashlight and his medical
     bag, strides with determination through the labyrinth. Then
     stops when he hears a faint VOICE in the distance:

                           DISTANT VOICE (O.S.)
                Blackburn!

     Blackburn finds he's stopped right by the door to the
     "Cerebral Hygiene" room.

                           BLACKBURN
                     (suddenly nervous)
                Ms. Marr...?

     INT. EVELYN'S BEDROOM - SIMULTANEOUS

     We see the locks on the door, deadbolt and knob-lock both,
     SNAP OPEN simultaneously. Beat. In the distance, a VOICE:

                           DISTANT VOICE (O.S.)
                Someone else -- !

     The door SLAMS. WHIP-PAN to Evelyn's bed: clearly it's been
     slept in -- but now it's completely empty.

     INT. VANNACUTT'S STUDY - SIMULTANEOUS

     Pritchett on his hands and knees going through a large
     cabinet, tossing books and papers over his shoulder in a
     frenzy of frustration.

                           DISTANT VOICE (O.S.)
                 -- in the House!

                           PRITCHETT
                     (to himself)
                I know, I know -- it's gotta be
                here somewhere!

     INT. GRAND FOYER - CONTINUOUS

     Price tearing down the stairs:

                           PRICE
                You sonovabitch, where are you,
                I saw you!!

     INT. CORRIDOR - MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUOUS

     Eddie and Sara drop their arms from the window, exhausted.
     But there is now a space about two inches wide between IRON
     GRATE and OPEN WINDOW.

                           SARA
                We can do it...

                           EDDIE
                Sure, with three days and a
                blowtorch.

                           SARA
                It's a thousand years old -- we just
                need a crowbar or something to get
                leverage -- the sucker'll pop!

                           EDDIE
                No prob: I'll just hop down the
                hardware store --

                           SARA
                 -- no. The basement -- the room with
                all the controls to this thing: big long
                iron levers just lying there --

                           EDDIE
                 -- not a chance -- there's too much
                weirdness down there I don't think even
                bullets are gonna stop.

                           SARA
                You're starting to sound like Pritchett.

      -- and then the LIGHTS zap to BLACK and Sara SHRIEKS --

     INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

      -- Pritchett shrieks as the LIGHTS ZAP BACK ON -- blinding --
     then OFF AGAIN -- then ON --

     INT. BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

      -- the lights in the wall sconces are strobing like an
     epileptic's worst nightmare. The sheer schizo-psychedelia of
     it all has Dr. Blackburn frozen in his tracks --

     INT. BASEMENT STAIRWAY - CONTINUOUS

      -- as is Price.

      -- then the SOUND starts. Price is first to hear it -- it
     puts an expression on his face like someone is ramming both
     eardrums with icepicks over and over again:

     A LOUD CRACKLING ELECTRIC SURGE -- on-again, off-again,
     in direct sync with the dimming of the lights. What makes
     it so especially unsettling is the noise that accompanies
     each Sledgehammer Surge: a straining, strangulating CRY. A
     noise like a calf would make as its throat is slit.

     The light-show be damned, Price leaps down the stairs,
     sprinting towards the Noise.

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

      -- likewise Dr. Blackburn --

     INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

      -- likewise Sara and Eddie, running as fast as they can --

     INT. BASEMENT GALLERY - CONTINUOUS

     Price spies Blackburn at the other end of a Corridor, shouts
     over the Noise to him:

                           PRICE
                Where is it??

                           BLACKBURN
                I don't know!!

     Sara and Eddie appear, spot them; Sara shouts:

                           SARA
                What is it??

                           PRICE
                Something with the power, I don't know!!

     And then Pritchett is seen at the far end of another
     Corridor.

                           PRITCHETT
                It's down there!

     He's pointing to a long corridor - a light strobes at the
     end.

                           EDDIE
                What's down there?

                           PRITCHETT
                     (awe-struck)
                The...Fourth of July.

                           BLACKBURN
                What are you babbling, you lunatic??

     And then clarity comes to Price's eyes.

                           PRICE
                Electro-shock.

     INT. HALLWAY/ELECTRO-SHOCK THERAPY ROOM - BASEMENT

      -- and the Noise suddenly stops. The lights stop pulsing.
     Pitch dark and dead quiet.

     Eddie squints and points at something deeper in the room.

                           EDDIE
                There's something --

      -- MOVING inside the Room. Blackburn lashes his arm out,
     stopping anyone from going any further into the room. He
     whispers:

                           BLACKBURN
                Don't move, don't make a sound...

     In the darkness, in the distance, they can make out

     AN ANIMATE PRESENCE at waist level. Pale. With something
     flowing from its sides, almost wing-like. And it's
     squirming, undulating like a snake -- and then, softly
     this time, that calf-like cry. High-pitched, almost female-
     sounding.

     Price ducks under Blackburn's arm and starts walking slowly
     into the room, towards it. No one tries to stop him.

     ON PRICE as he gets closer, and can see that whatever it
     is, it's perched atop one of the TABLES --

      -- the CRY -- and Price steps closer, and he can make out
     to the side of the table, something that looks like....a
     hand?

      -- the CRY -- closer now: a hand discerned -- human -- with
     rings on the fingers, polish on the nails --

                           PRICE
                ...Ms. Marr...?

      -- no response -- just the CRY -- Price reaches out to
     touch that hand --

                           SARA
                Is it Melissa??

      -- a look of horror comes to Price's face:

                           PRICE
                OH JESUS NO!!

      -- and then lights flash BLINDING WHITE -- and the bug-eyed
     face of EVELYN STOCKARD-PRICE is seen -- screaming that CRY
     through the RUBBER BITE-DOWN that's been taped tight to her
     teeth --

      -- her head, her torso, her limbs BUCKING like they're jet-
     propelled against the leather straps restraining her --

      -- as the MASSIVE VOLTS of electricity from the DYNAMO she's
     wired to punch into her like ten thousand razors at once --

      -- and Price reaches for her instinctively --

      -- only to have Blackburn lunge in and yank his hand away --

                           BLACKBURN
                 -- are you crazy!?!

      -- and for a moment all anyone can do is watch as Evelyn
     gets jolted and slammed again and again and again -- and
     sparks fly from the electrodes on her head and smoke starts
     to billow --

                           PRICE
                Turn it off!! Somebody turn
                the damn thing off!!

     En masse, the Guests charge into the room, scrabbling
     everywhere around the DYNAMO, looking for a wire, anything
     they can use to stop the current ripping through her body --

      -- and Price is near-insane, smashing buttons, yanking
     switches off their moorings as he watches the pupils
     disappear from the eyes of his bucking, jerking wife --

      -- and Sara pulls a cord from a socket in the wall and
     nothing happens --

      -- and Blackburn spies something running down the table
     leg --

      -- and Price is literally SCREAMING --

      -- and Blackburn yanks the table-leg wire with all his
     might --

      -- and everything stops. The light show. The screaming. The
     smoke.

      -- and Evelyn, too. Her body drops back down on the table
     with a horrible THUD. Her eyes stare sightlessly. Blackburn
     leans over her. Head to her chest, a finger to her neck.
     Beat. And then he stands back up straight.

                           BLACKBURN
                I'm sorry --

                           PRICE
                 -- she's not dead! Just have to
                get her heart pumping aqain!

                           SARA
                Mouth-to-mouth!

     Price yanks the bite-piece from Evelyn's mouth -- a plume of
     purple ARTERIAL BLOOD spews from her lips and cascades all
     over her face.

                           EDDIE
                Oh, Jesus....

                           PRICE
                Adrenaline -- in your bag, Blackburn,
                you must have --

                           BLACKBURN
                 -- even it we were in the E.R.,
                Price: it's too late -- her heart's
                burst!

     Price puts his ear on Evelyn's chest -- listens -- his face
     falls.

                           PRICE
                No...

     Sara puts two fingers to Evelyn's wrist pulse. Feels.

                           SARA
                She's gone.

     Even Pritchett gets into the act, taking the flashlight and
     shining it into Evelyn's fixed pupils.

                           PRITCHETT
                They don't get any deader.

     Price strokes his wife's hair, tears begin to form in his
     eyes.

                           PRICE
                No.

     With his other hand, Price begins to unbuckle the restraints.

                           SARA
                I...don't think...anybody should be
                touching the body.

                           PRICE
                I think I'll do what I damn well please.

                           BLACKBURN
                She's right, Price. It's a matter
                for the police.

     He takes Price's hands firmly and removes them from Evelyn.

                           PRICE
                It is in-fucking-deed. At the risk of
                stating the obvious: this wasn't exactly
                a goddamn suicide.

     He smacks the now-loose steel-and-leather restraint with his
     hand -- in the tense silence of the room, the buckle BANGS
     like a GUNSHOT against the table, over and over again.

                           PRITCHETT
                House 2, Guests 0.

                           PRICE
                I think, Pritchett, we've got a
                situation here that even you can't
                explain away as "ghosts." This is ice-
                cold homicide by person -- or persons --

     He glares furiously at his Guests.

                           SARA
                 -- not entirely unknown.

     She cocks her pistol and aims it at Price.

                           PRICE
                Convenient place to point blame, hon',
                but this time, the only wrong one: for
                all I know, somebody should be pointing
                that gun at you.

     She shakes her head and keeps the gun where it is.

                           SARA
                I was upstairs with Eddie --

                           EDDIE
                 -- that's the fact, bud --

                           SARA
                 -- where the hell were you?

                           PRICE
                Upstairs, too. Come with me, I'll show
                you another body, a friend of mine named
                Schecter --

                           BLACKBURN
                 -- what was he doing here?

                           PRICE
                Running all the bells and whistles we
                set up to scare hell out of everybody --

                           EDDIE
                 -- the stained glass --

                           PRICE
                 -- yeah, we did that --

                           SARA
                 -- the window and door grates --

                           PRICE
                 -- no -- that's when everything went
                ragtime -- whoever else is in this house
                has been doing everything since -- I
                thought it was Evelyn --

                           BLACKBURN
                 -- which is why you killed her.

     And now he takes his pistol and cocks it at Price.

                           PRICE
                I was upstairs!

                           SARA
                I never saw you --

                           BLACKBURN
                 -- I did: down here.

                           EDDIE
                And I think that's case --

      -- likewise producing his gun and chambering a shell.

                           EDDIE
                 -- closed.

                           PRICE
                Pritchett, you're not joining
                this necktie party?

                           PRITCHETT
                I was upstairs looking for... well,
                uh... moral support. I don't know
                what's going on down here, but I like
                you, and if you say the house didn't
                kill your wife --

     Pritchett fumbles out his pistol.

                           PRITCHETT
                 -- then I guess then it had to be
                you. Sorry.

                           PRICE
                Thank God -- I was afraid I'd be
                lynched without a quorum.

                           SARA
                If you've got a gun on you, Price,
                I'd hand it over now.

                           PRICE
                Not just yet. Would any of you be
                interested in knowing exactly why I
                ended up here in the basement?

                           SARA
                Fascinated.

                           PRICE
                I was chasing after somebody I saw
                in the salon.

                           BLACKBURN
                Oh, really: who?

                           PRICE
                Didn't catch his or her name, just
                followed them down here. Somebody all in
                white surgical gown.

                           PRITCHETT
                     (suddenly terrified)
                Vannacutt!!

                           PRICE
                Or somebody wanting me to believe that.

                           SARA
                Well, I don't.

                           PRICE
                Then just wait -- maybe this whoever's
                got you next on the Asylum's equipment-
                test list. Maybe a literal mind-blow
                inside the "Saturation Chamber."

                           SARA
                I'll take my chances.

                           PRICE
                Well, I can't, sweetheart.

     And now Price produces his gun.

                           BLACKBURN
                If there really is someone else in this
                house, I think the four of us can handle
                the situation.

                           PRICE
                I think one of you has been part and
                parcel of making this situation!

                           SARA
                The gun, Price; hand it over: now.

     Price cocks his pistol.

                           PRICE
                Don't test me, I'm real prepared to
                use this to stay alive --

                           SARA
                 -- confirming everything we already
                know --

                           PRICE
                 -- I'll take the chance, come morning
                and cops, I'll be proved right --

      -- Sara advances --

                           EDDIE
                 -- you lose either way, Price --

                           SARA
                 -- listen to the man --

                           PRICE
                 -- listen to me, goddamnit --

                           SARA
                 -- no more --

                 -- she reaches for his gun --

                           PRICE
                 -- no!

     And Price pulls the trigger right in her face!

                           SARA
                NO!!

     Only...there's no explosive report, no whine of bullets --
     just this CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! from Price's gun.

     The room freezes for a moment -- wide-eyed shock all around.
     Price looks down at his Glock: the weld on the clip's been
     broken.

                           PRICE
                Who fucked with my gun??

     Freeze broken: Eddie lunges for him.

                           EDDIE
                You sonovabitch!!

     And he tackles Price to the floor, punching the gun from
     Price's grasp and nailing him in the face a few times for
     good measure. Price is down for the count.

     Pritchett walks towards the stairs. Blackburn looks to Sara:

                           BLACKBURN
                Now what do we do? We've got to
                hold him somewhere 'til the police --

                           SARA
                 -- the "Saturation Chamber." Where
                he wanted to put me.

     Pritchett stops in his tracks on the stairs, alarmed.

                           PRITCHETT
                What would drive a madman sane would
                drive a sane man mad.
                     (pauses)
                I need a drink. Anyone wants me, I'll
                either be upstairs or dismembered.

     INT. SATURATION CHAMBER ROOM - JUST AFTER

     Price lets out a scream as Eddie SLAMS the door to the
     "Saturation Chamber". Price's face appears in the small
     porthole.

     Sara twists the WHEEL that seals tight the cast-iron, capsule-
     shaped device. Asks Blackburn:

                           SARA
                Pretty old and rusted out -- you sure
                this thing'll hold him?

     Through the single small window on the side, we can see a
     furious, panicked Price slam his full weight against the
     inside of the door. It doesn't budge a millimeter.

                           BLACKBURN
                Don't think it'll be a problem.

                           SARA
                     (to Eddie)
                C'mon.

     Through the Chamber window, we see Price make another futile
     CRASH against the door.

                           EDDIE
                Shouldn't somebody like, stand guard
                or something -- just in case?

                           BLACKBURN
                I'll stay, if it'll ease your mind.

                           EDDIE
                You sure? You'll be alright by yourself?

     Blackburn pats the gun in his jacket pocket.

                           BLACKBURN
                I'm not worried.

     Sara nods, takes Eddie's hand and disappears up the stairs.

     Blackburn and Price stare at each other on opposite sides of
     the tiny window. Price is screeching something at him, but we
     can't hear a word through all that iron.

                           BLACKBURN
                Can't quite make that out -- what?

     Price silently bellows.

                           BLACKBURN
                You want to see how this thing
                works? Weird request, but okay...

     Blackburn leans over and starts twisting dials and flipping
     every switch he can find on the CONTROL PANEL of the capsule.

     We see Price look up in alarm: a CIRCLE OF PULSING LIGHTS is
     dappling down on him. It looks almost quaint: like a
     Victorian carousel at night.

                           BLACKBURN
                You've got to let me know how it all
                turns out. Professional courtesy and all
                that.

     And with Price seen yelling and pounding through the window,
     BLACKBURN walks away and disappears into the dark of the
     basement. He passes right by the huge, sealed STEEL DOOR
     where Vannacutt stashed his corpses. The tendrils of mold on
     the metal have expanded to the length of a man's arm.

     INT. SATURATION CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS

     Price is down on the floor of the capsule, a look both of
     fear and an engineer's curiosity on his face, as he stares up
     at the CIRCLE OF LIGHT that has begun to spin faster and
     faster --

      -- and then whatever anxiety he has abruptly drops from his
     face. Aside from a little eye-strain, absolutely nothing's
     happening to him. He stands and examines the source of the
     light. Sees on the ceiling of the capsule: it's nothing more
     than a spinning mirror ball-like apparatus flecked with
     colored glass. He's unimpressed:

                           PRICE
                Technology by Fred Flintstone.

     He turns away from it, braces himself against a wall,

     SEE STORYBOARDS FOR THIS SEQUENCE - WHICH SHOWS STEVEN PRICE
     BEING TORMENTED BY LIGHT, SOUND, FURY AND HALLUCINATIONS.

                                                          SMASH TO:

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

     Where we view Price from outside the Capsule. Through its
     tiny window we see him silently jerk, spasm and scream -- all
     while standing inside the utterly empty Saturation Chamber.

     OVER we hear almost bestial-sounding grunts.

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS

     Sara and Eddie move through the corridor - stopping at
     every junction. They're hopelessly lost.

                           EDDIE
                I think we should have taken a right
                back there.

                           SARA
                Back where?

     They scan the maze of interconnecting passageways behind
     them.

                           EDDIE
                Good point.

                           SARA
                     (pointing to another hallway)
                Let's try down here...

     They move in that direction, turning a corner and passing
     several doorways. Eddie glances at the door they're about
     to pass and stops.

                           EDDIE
                Hey, check it out.

     Sara stops and looks at the wire glass door. A nameplate
     reads: DR. RICHARD B. VANNACUTT

                           SARA
                Vannacutt's office.

     She tries the door handle. It's unlocked. They move inside,
     slowly.

     INT. VANNACUTT'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

     Inside is an amazing collection of debris, partially
     ransacked.

     File cabinets are open and the floor is littered with
     papers. On shelves are bottles of specimens of body parts
     and dead sea life, floating in formaldehyde.

     Sara moves over to Vannacutt's desk and begins going
     through the drawers. Eddie stares at the specimens.

                           EDDIE
                What are you looking for?

                           SARA
                Maybe there are notes or drawings of
                this place, showing how those plates
                work.

     Eddie pulls a picture from the wall... The glass is
     cracked. Sara looks back at Eddie and moves to him.

                           SARA (cont'd)
                What've you got?

                           EDDIE
                Class of 1931.

     ECU - THE PICTURE shows the various doctors and nurses in
     resident. The banner above the corroding image states:
     THE VANNACUTT INSTITUTE STAFF FOR 1931. Below each face is
     a name and position.

                           SARA
                Cheery looking bunch.

                           EDDIE
                Better living through electricity.

     Sara notices something about the photo.

                           SARA
                Holy shit! Now we know how the guest
                list was made up. Look, these names...
                Head Nurse, Ruth-Ann Stockard... Bjorn
                Jensen, Electro Therapy... Jasper Marr,
                Thomas Steven Price... They're all here!

                           EDDIE
                Wait a minute... What are you saying?

                           SARA
                Everyone that was invited is related to
                one of the staff who was here when the
                place burned. There are five of us...

     Suddenly, another voice is heard...

                           PRITCHETT
                And five that didn't die.

     Sara and Eddie just about jump out of their skins!
     Pritchett is standing in the doorway in his usual sloshed
     condition.

                           EDDIE
                Shit, Pritchett!!!

                           PRITCHETT
                Price didn't make the guest list... The
                house did. It wants vengeance.

                           EDDIE
                How's a goddamn building gonna send out
                invitations?

                           PRITCHETT
                What's life, anyway? Waves...? Sound...?
                Light...? Electricity...? I don't
                know... Phone lines...?

                           SARA
                Or an on-line computer.

                           EDDIE
                That's crazy!

                           SARA
                What about that other guy?

                           PRITCHETT
                Schechter? Wrong place at the wrong
                time... like you.

     Eddie stares at the photo.

                           EDDIE
                I don't see Blackburn's name on here...

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. ELECTRO-SHOCK ROOM - SIMULTANEOUS

     Dr. Blackburn opens the door to the room and walks grimly
     into it, staring at Evelyn's dead body, still strapped to the
     table.

                           BLACKBURN
                The late Mrs. Steven Price.

     From his medical-bag, he removes a scalpel.

                           BLACKBURN
                Tragic, tortured Mrs. Steven Price.

     With a blur of quick slashes, he cuts her limbs and torso
     free of their moldy restraints.

                           BLACKBURN
                Lovely Mrs. Steven Price.

     Now accessible, he parts the top of her nightgown. Runs a
     finger slowwwwly from the tip of her chin down to her bare
     breasts.

                           BLACKBURN
                Creamy, cool...and now very
                cooperative Mrs. Steven Price.

     His tongue darts from his lips and he begins planting long,
     lingering kisses all over her neck --

      -- FLASH: of a hypodermic being pulled from Blackburn's bag --

      -- Blackburn kissing everywhere around her breasts --

      -- FLASH: of the air bubbles in the needle being plunged out
     of the tip: squirt! --

      -- bubbles of Blackburn's saliva dampening her nipples, his
     tongue swabbing concentric circles within her aureole --

      -- FLASH: the needle into the crook of Evelyn's elbow --

      -- Blackburn's mouth dancing down to her belly -- he's begun
     to hyperventilate with excitement -- and

     A HAND comes languidly into frame, begins stroking his lush
     dyed locks --

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                I've missed you.

                           BLACKBURN
                I've missed this.

     And Dr. Blackburn tosses the hypo away and hoists himself to
     meet the eager, waiting mouth of the now very alive EVELYN
     STOCKARD-PRICE -- who starts to vigorously respond to
     Blackburn's touch. He reluctantly pulls himself away.

                           BLACKBURN
                Easy. You've got to keep still for a
                bit, the last thing we need is a
                coronary.

                           EVELYN
                You're the Doctor, sweetheart. 'Guess
                the atropine worked, then.

                           BLACKBURN
                Convinced all those that needed
                convincing: you're an official dead
                lady.

                           EVELYN
                And what's Steven's status?

                           BLACKBURN
                Still alive, but it's just a matter
                of time. And then will come your
                miraculous resurrection --

                           EVELYN
                 -- "oh, no, Officer, I'm very much
                alive -- just a joke to beat my
                husband at his own clever game --
                What? What do you mean he's dead?
                It's all my fault, I may as well
                have killed him myself!"

                           BLACKBURN
                "But you didn't, Ma'am. We have all
                these witnesses that saw..." well,
                whoever it ends up being that finally
                shoots him --

                           EVELYN
                 -- the James Dean wannabe with the hair
                trigger --

                           BLACKBURN
                 -- or might turn out to be -- very big
                surprise -- that Jenzen girl. The little
                bitch has the right stuff. She nearly
                put a bullet in Price right after your
                "demise."

                           EVELYN
                So what stopped her?

                           BLACKBURN
                It's complicated. But don't worry --

                           EVELYN
                 -- there's already been way too many
                complications for a very simple plan.
                You ever find out what happened to
                Melissa Marr?

                           BLACKBURN
                Not yet.

                           EVELYN
                So we don't even know if she's
                alive or dead --

                           BLACKBURN
                 -- Price killed her, there's no
                other explanation --

                           EVELYN
                 -- there's plenty: for all we know,
                Steven's got her spying on us right
                now --

                           BLACKBURN
                 -- bullshit --

                           EVELYN
                 -- the whole thing is falling apart!

     Blackburn starts stroking her, trying to calm her.

                           BLACKBURN
                It's not, baby. Just a matter of
                minutes now, before somebody
                pulls the trigger --

                           EVELYN
                 -- but nobody has yet, Donald. They
                just haven't been brought to that
                breaking point. They have to believe
                proof-positive that their lives
                are in danger.

                           BLACKBURN
                How much more do they need than
                your death at his hands?

                           EVELYN
                But they didn't see it happen, they
                still have doubts. What we need is
                another body, and Steven's bloody
                hands right next to it!

                           BLACKBURN
                And how the hell are we going
                to do that?

                           EVELYN
                Okay: this may sound crazy, but --

      -- and in one savage blur of motion, Evelyn drives
     Blackburn's scalpel right into his chest!

     Blackburn just stands there motionless, looking at her
     confused. She clears up any gray areas: thrusting deep and
     yanking down, gutting him like he's a trout.

     INT. MAIN SALON - UPSTAIRS - CONTINUOUS

     Eddie trots into the room, carrying the thick base of a
     wrought-iron floor lamp. To Sara:

                           EDDIE
                This is the best we're gonna do.

                           SARA
                It'll have to do.

     They start out of the room. Watson Pritchett remains morosely
     sitting in his chair.

                           SARA
                You coming, or are you waiting
                for Blackburn?

                           PRITCHETT
                Blackburn's dead.

                           SARA
                Excuse me?

                           PRITCHETT
                He would have been back by now.

     Beat. Eddie and Sara look at each other: nahhhh. And then:

                           SARA
                Hey: Dr. Blackburn...?

     Nothing in response. Sara grabs Pritchett and they head for
     the basement.

     INT. BASEMENT - CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS

      -- the beautiful blood-caked FEET of Evelyn Stockard-Price
     seen walking across the concrete.

     Her gore-sopped HAND seen, traveling upwards -- we follow it --

      -- as it undoes the lock on the door of the now pitch-dark --

     INT. SATURATION CHAMBER ROOM

     Beat. And then the inert body of STEVEN PRICE slumps out.
     Evelyn walks out of frame. Beat. Then a WHIMPER is heard.
     It seems to be coming from the throat of Steven Price.

     INT. BASEMENT - CORRIDORS - SIMULTANEOUS

     The lights have begun strobing again. Sara, Eddie and
     Pritchett move quickly down corridor after corridor --

                           SARA
                Dr. Blackburn??

      -- finally stumbling into:

     INT. SATURATION CHAMBER ROOM - CONTINUOUS

      -- where the circle of pulsing lights inside the Chamber
     itself are as bold and blinding as looking into the sun.
     Lighting up the entire room, they can barely make out a thing
     -- except:

     A FACE -- frozen in a scream that's pressed against the
     capsule's window.

                           EDDIE
                Well, at least Price is still
                under wraps.

     Sara squints. And then her eyes grow wide --

                           SARA
                It's Blackburn.

      -- the FACE in the window comes into focus:

     DR. DONALD W. BLACKBURN

     The trio moves to the Chamber amidst the blinding lights,
     shield their eyes and throw the door open -- A BODY --
     comes tumbling out, the door closing shut behind it.

     The three of them are in shock. Blackburn's face is still
     pressed against the window. And then Sara re-opens the door.

     And they see: there's nothing attached to Blackburn's head,
     it's just propped in the small sill of the window. And the
     body on the floor just happens to be missing same.

     And then Sara sets her teeth, and pulls out her gun.

     INT. BASEMENT - CORRIDORS - JUST AFTER

     Sara and Eddie on a mission, Glocks in hand and ready,
     stalking like cats through the maze of corridors.

                           EDDIE
                Price!!

                           SARA
                He's gotta still be down here.

     Pritchett is less enthused.

                           PRITCHETT
                You know, that crowbar, that window?
                Maybe we should just call it a --

                           SARA/EDDIE
                 -- Pritchett, shut the fuck up.

                           PRITCHETT
                Oh, dear.

                           SARA
                Price!

                           PRITCHETT
                Oh, dear.

                           EDDIE
                Pritchett -- !

     And then he sees that Pritchett's staring slack-jawed into
     the:

     INT. MORGUE ROOM

      -- the table where the body of Evelyn Stockard-Price once
     lay is now empty and blood-soaked.

                           EDDIE
                Price, what the fuck did you do?

     Eddie turns, enraged, to Sara. She's nowhere to be seen.

     INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS

     Sara is wending her way down a passage, gun now lowered
     slightly. For what she's in pursuit of is something that
     seems not only non-threatening, but familiar: a soft, high-
     pitched VOICE that sounds in pain, crying:

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                Please.....anyone....help me?

                           SARA
                Melissa...?

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                For the love of God....please...?

                           SARA
                Melissa, it's Sara -- is that you?

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                Sara...?

                           SARA
                Keep talking, I'll find you!

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                Something....happened --

                           SARA
                 -- I'm coming --

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                 -- something horrible...I don't
                understand --

     The Voice is somewhere close now -- within just a few feet of
     her -- but Sara can see no one.

                           SARA
                If you can stand, if you can just
                raise your arm --

      -- and then, from behind a tall pile of stone and mortar
     rubble, rises a bloody and absolutely terrified

     STEVEN PRICE -- so freaked-out his Voice is just a squeak.

                           PRICE
                I woke up on the floor....there
                was Dr. Blackburn...I don't know
                what happened!

     Sara's surprise quickly fades -- replaced by cold, stone
     anger.

                           SARA
                I do.

     Price rises and starts to slowly approach her, hands in front
     of him, stretched in supplication.

                           PRICE
                Then tell me, please -- help me...!

                           SARA
                Don't think so. Stay the fuck back.

                           PRICE
                Please! I need your help.

                           SARA
                Not even for a million dollars, Mr.
                Price.

      -- and Sara squeezes the trigger --

                           PRICE
                 -- no!! --

      -- the first shot splits a brick right next to his ear --
     pieces flying everywhere --

      -- the next six are all right on torso-target. .45 caliber
     slugs that make a nice round black hole as they hit him --
     huge ragged explosions of blood and meat as they exit.
     Hideous. Bonnie and Clyde died in their sleep in comparison.
     Pritchett and Eddie enter on the run.

                           EDDIE
                What the hell are you shooting --

      -- and then he sees the riddled Price on the ground.

                           EDDIE
                Oh. Jesus.

                           PRITCHETT
                Poor Mr. Price --

                           SARA
                 -- fuck Mr. Price! --

     He takes the shaking, wild-eyed Sara in his arms. She doesn't
     weep, just stands there spasming with shock.

                           EDDIE
                It's okay, everything's okay now.

                           SARA
                He's dead...?

     Eddie takes one more look at the carnage...

                           EDDIE
                Don't think it's even an issue.

                           SARA
                We're safe?

                           PRITCHETT
                Uhhhh...

                           EDDIE
                What?

                           PRITCHETT
                Okay -- I'll admit it: I'm totally,
                clinically insane. But I'm still the
                only one who actually got a check
                tonight. It's yours -- if you just get
                me the hell out of here now.

                           EDDIE/SARA
                You got yourself a deal.

     They exit the room, heading for the stairs, not looking back
     at Price's corpse for a second. Beat. And then, emerging from
     the shadows, strolls EVELYN who walks over to her husband's
     body, talking to it:

                           EVELYN
                Steven, you poor, absolutely clueless
                geek. All it would've taken was a simple
                divorce -- and ripping our pre-nup to
                little pieces.

     She kneels down next to the bioody corpse, whispers:

                           EVELYN
                But no matter how it ended, please know
                just one thing: from that first moment I
                set eyes on you, I've always loved...
                your money. You, personally -- well,
                frankly just the sight of you has always
                turned my stomach.

     A HAND suddenly lashes out and grabs her hard by the
     throat.

                           VOICE
                Is that a fact, Princess?

     EVELYN'S EYES widen in horror as she chokes out a GASP: The
     hand belongs to STEVEN PRICE, and he literally picks her up
     by her neck and brings her to her feet.

                           PRICE
                Well, you could have saved us all a
                great deal of time, not to mention
                money, if you'd just let me in on it
                years ago.

     With his free hand, he rips off his shirt -- and the blood-
     squibbed Kevlar vest underneath it.

                           PRICE
                This kind of special effects crap
                doesn't come cheap -- and I had to pay
                out of pocket! No write-offs here!

     He begins moving toward her. She instinctively backs away,
     slowly being cornered in an alcove.

                           EVELYN
                How --

     In the alcove is a door -- a very familiar door -- the sealed
     steel portal leading to Vannacutt's body dump. The metal is
     so corroded its surface is misshapen with rust.

                           PRICE
                 -- you must be kidding. You're talking
                to Steven Price -- every place you've
                gone, every person you've seen, every
                word you and Blackburn ever said to each
                other: bugged, taped, seen and heard as
                it happened!

     He squeezes tighter, now with both hands; she can barely
     breathe.

                           EVELYN
                Steven --

                           PRICE
                 -- anything, sweetheart, you need only
                speak --

                           EVELYN
                 -- what...are...you...going...to --

                           PRICE
                 -- just what you wanted everyone here
                to believe in the first place: I'm going
                to murder you, Evelyn, with the greatest
                of pleasure --

                           EVELYN
                 -- wit...nesses --

                           PRICE
                 -- witnesses to what? You're already
                dead, Evelyn! Happy Birthday, baby --

      -- and before Evelyn can even let out a gasp, he's SLAMS her
     up against a door.

     Her body smacks against the rusted metal with a rotted CRACK!
     The "solid" door EXPLODES inward in a shower of rust. The
     rest of the door drops with a thud from its moldy hinges,
     sending Price and Evelyn hurtling down with it, into the
     room.

     INT. DECAYING ROOM

     Stunned for a moment Evelyn and Price suddenly become aware
     that there is another presence in the room:

     something DARK -- CHURNING -- TERRIBLE.

     EVELYN'S EYES look across the floorboards: the DUST on the
     floor stands up on end and starts to move like metal filings
     being pulled by a magnet.

                           EVELYN
                Steven...? Are you doing that?

     A dazed Price pulls himself to his feet, he can only hold the
     cut that the fall has opened on his forehead and stare at the
     movement on the floor.

                           PRICE
                No...

                           EVELYN
                No. OhmyGod, Pritchett was right --
                The house IS haunted.

     EVELYN tries to right herself. Price's EYES fix on the wall
     behind her, trembling.

                           PRICE
                Evelyn... Get up... NOW!

                           EVELYN
                Steven??

     She turns and follows his gaze:

     A CREEPING DARKNESS is gathering on the wall behind her.

                           PRICE
                It's the Patients -- the Evil -- we've
                released it --

     Price tries to move, but he can't -- just stands there,
     paralyzed with the surreal horror of it all.

     EVELYN scrambles to her feet. Price backs up in horror.

                           EVELYN
                NO -- !!

     Evelyn BOLTS for the door. She doesn't get far. Because,
     suddenly THE CHURNING SHADOWY MASS springs forward! Grabbing
     Evelyn and SLAMMING her back against the wall.

     She tries to cry out -- but the dark shape on the wall has
     begun to ENGULF her, literally corroding her flesh!

     BLACK TENDRILS like acid-tipped vines, scuttle all over
     her, eating every inch of her body: Her TEETH drop from
     their gums, her EYES rot out of their sockets, her RIBS
     sizzle from her chest -- until she no longer has solid
     human form --

     She's just a flat, silent-screaming image burnt/etched flush
     into the wall -- just like the gruesome images Melissa Marr
     saw through her Camcorder, "painted" on the corridor walls
     outside Vannacutt's operating room.

     Price, every limb shaking, backs out of the room into the --

     INT. BASEMENT - CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

      -- his eyes shooting every which way in fear of God-knows-
     what new nightmare -- it doesn't take long. Subtle at first
     -- glimpses caught out of the corner of his eye -- of SHADOWS
     in the room seeming to move:

      -- PHFT! -- on the ceiling -- Price whips his head up --

      -- PHFT! -- did he see something on the rear wall -- ?

      -- PHFT! -- motion from a corner of the floor --

     THEN all the SHADOWS IN THE ROOM - begin to move together
     toward the center of the room -- coalescing into one huge
     MASS OF DARKNESS.

     Price doesn't hang around to see what happens next -- he
     bolts from the room -- only to smack right into: AN OLD
     RUSTED MEDICAL CABINET that swings open to reveal inside one
     of its doors: a 1920's vintage ANATOMICAL CHART with all the
     human organs and parts cut up and re-arranged so that they
     are displayed alphabetically, viewing top-to-bottom.

     And then Price's whole face goes fright-white: on the inside
     of THE OTHER DOOR are the organs and parts of MELISSA MARR
     likewise cut up and alphabetized -- her decapitated head near
     the bottom, labeled "skull."

     Price GASPS and dashes back down the corridor to find that
     the Mass of Darkness has evolved into a HUGE, constantly
     morphing THREE-DIHENSIONAL BEING that lets out a nails-on-
     blackboard SCREECH and charges right for him.

     INT. UPSTAIRS - HALLWAY

     Where Sara, Eddie and Pritchett are trying with all their
     might to pry open the slightly-ajar window -- when they hear:

                           PRICE (O.S.)
                He was right! Pritchett was right!

                           PRITCHETT
                I am.

     Sara and Eddie dash further down the...

     INT. UPSTAIRS KALLWAY

     ... where Price staggers into the doorway that leads to the
     basement stairs -- frenzied, nearly all his strength gone:

                           PRICE
                It's...the House!

     And then the MASS OF DARKNESS swirls into sight from below --
     envelops Price -- and sucks him back downstairs, screaming.

     The door slams shut!

     Beat. The three of them just stand there speechless. Then:

                           EDDIE
                What --

                           SARA
                 -- was that??

                           PRITCHETT
                Something...that should probably
                be...avoided --

      -- they turn tail and tear from the room, back to

     INT. HALLWAY

     where they rush toward the partially pried-open window.

                           SARA
                The opening's still too small,
                we'll never get through!

                           EDDIE
                For chrissake give me a hand!

     Three pairs of HANDS grab onto the pry-bar and throw all
     their weight behind it. As they strain and the metal shrieks:

                           SARA
                Pritchett: what is going on?

                           PRITCHETT
                He must've unsealed the room!

                           SARA
                How, he's supposed to be dead!

     A POWERFUL GROAN reverberates through the house: the sound of
     timbers bending and twisting.

     EDDIE'S HEAD whips right - out of the corner of his eye,
     something seen MOVING:

     THE DOOR TO THE BASEMENT - it's turning BLACK -- GANGRENOUS
     -- it's PUTREFYING before their eyes -- bowing in and
     collapsing as it ROTS.

                           SARA
                I think...it's time...to go.

     They whip around and run down the hall toward the living
     room. As they near the end they are stopped dead in their
     track.

     THEIR POV:

     A WALL nearby TWISTS and BENDS into a new and different
     WALL -- one with DOORS that now swing open -- leading to
     some dark oblivion.

     INT. HALLWAY

     They stare at the sight before them.

                           PRITCHETT
                Hail Mary, full of grace -- the house is
                growing!

                           EDDIE
                It's not going to let us out!

                           SARA
                     (sensing something)
                No. It's just trying to frighten us.

                           EDDIE
                It's succeeding!

                           SARA
                All the plates sealing the windows and
                doors -- there's got to be some way of
                raising them manually. They didn't just
                appear out of thin air -- there's got
                to be pulleys, cables or something, that
                make them go up and down.

                           PRITCHETT
                In the attic?

     The WALL at the end of the corridor is bending and twisting,
     taking on a new, hideous shape.

                           EDDIE
                If you know where it is, get there!

                           PRITCHETT
                Me? You've gotta be kidding.

     The SHADOW THING rounds the bend at the end of the corridor --
     it's enveloped the entire CEILING.

     Pritchett looks at Sara and Eddie plaintively --

                           SARA
                Move!

      -- then BOLTS reluctantly down the hall. Just as THE THING
     OF SHADOWS drops down from the ceiling; begins spreading out
     across the floor and sinking into the floorboards.
     Disappearing. And then a terrible SILENCE.

                           EDDIE
                Where did it go?

                           SARA
                Run.

                           EDDIE
                What --

      -- and then the FLOORBOARDS of the corridor start EXPLODING
     in a path toward Sara and Eddie.

                           SARA
                I said run!

     They race down the corridor. Behind them the floor is ripping
     up, sending debris into the air.

     Sara and Eddie dash into another corridor. Shit! A cul-de-
     sac, terminating with nothing but solid wall. They whip back
     around, only to see:

     THE EXPLODING FLOOR banging a hard right and hurtling
     straight down the cul-de-sac right for them!

     Trapped, they just stare terrified and helpless - and then
     Eddie looks up and spots:

     An ORNATE CHANDELIER hanging above them.

     The EXPLODING FLOORBOARDS are nearly upon them.

     EDDIE LEAPS up grabbing the bottom on the fixture. He begins
     pulling himself up.

     A FLOORBOARD next to Sara's foot detonates -- she screams:

                           SARA
                EDDIE!

     He grabs her and pulls her up -- just as every floorboard
     she's standing on ERUPTS AND GOES FLYING, opening a HUGE
     CHASM below them!

     The two of them exchange a glance that is simultaneously I'm
     okay/you're okay/are we both going nuts? That's when they
     hear a METALLIC SCREECH above them:

     THE CHANDELIER is ripping out of the ceiling. PING! BAM! Two
     of the three remaining screws pop free and go flying -- the
     chandelier's mount takes a 90-degree screech'n'jolt - and
     Sara's already tenuous grip is lost. She crashes helplessly
     down into the CHASM, disappearing into the black void below.

     INT. DECAYING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

     Sara lands with a THUD, buried knee-deep in the rotted floor
     of the room below. The Room -- where Evelyn met her demise.

     INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

     Eddie manages to swing the chandelier over to the side where
     the floor is still intact.

     INT. DECAYING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

     Sara's just about cleared her head from the fall -- when her
     eyes go wide. Looks down: she's SINKING INTO THE FLOOR.

     She cries out -- and suddenly everything beneath her just
     lets go. And she's hurtling like a rock down into:

     INT. SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS

     SARA lands on her face in some pitch-black space.

     When her eyes adjust, she sees she's in a vault-like room
     that is filled with stalaqmite-like MOUNDS OF DIRT AND ROCK.
     Bizarre geological formations, each one unique in its own
     skewed way, it appears for a moment as though Sara has fallen
     across time and space and onto the surface of a planet we
     don't even have a name for yet.

     INT. THE HOUSE - VARIOUS ROOMS - SIMULTANEOUS

     The full ANGER of this place is now manifesting:

      -- WALLS writhe and twist in fury, forming

      -- STAIRWAYS that shake themselves into splinters of frenzy;

      -- CARVINGS in the wainscotted paneling that become animate
     and turn upon themselves, cannibalizing the writhing,
     screaming walls that spawned them.

     INT. HALLWAY - SIMULTANEOUS

     EDDIE PEERS into the hole in the floor: there is only
     darkness that seems to go on forever.

                           EDDIE
                Sara...? Sara...?

     INT. SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER - SIMULTANEOUS

     As Sara tries to pull herself to her feet she sees: DIRT and
     ROCK beginning to FALL from the strange FORMATIONS
     surrounding her. And then all becomes clear as to where and
     who she's with:

     Beneath all that effluence are the REMAINS of Vannacutt's
     VICTIMS. Some are missing body parts. Some are only body
     parts. Some are bound with leather straps as if they were
     just dumped there after dying on the electro-shock or
     dissection table.

     SARA, lets out the SCREAM of her life.

     INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

     Eddie hears her and bolts madly down the hall.

                           EDDIE
                Sara!

     He races toward the stairwell leading to the basement.

     INT. SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS

     Sara leaps to her feet and tries to reach for the hole in the
     ceiling - it's just out of reach.

     Then she senses something else in there with her.
     Reluctantly, she turns around:

     The Shadow Thing appears, festering on the wall. It quickly
     splits into parts and disappears into the rotted corpses. AND
     THEY START TO MOVE.

     Rising to life, foul breath bellowing into them, slowly
     starting to come towards her in a dance macabre --

                           VOICE (O.S.)
                     (a whisper)
                Sara.

     Sara looks up to see EDDIE in the opening above.

                           EDDIE
                Grab my hand.

     He bends down to grab for her, but she's just out of reach.

     DECAYING HANDS AND ARMS are suddenly grabbing at Sara,
     tearing at her clothes, shredding the flesh beneath them
     bloody with their long, post-mortem nails.

                           SARA
                Eddie!!!

     Eddie takes his jacket off and lowers it down to Sara. She
     grabs hold, and Eddie begins pulling her up.

     INT. ATTIC - SIMULTANEOUS

     Pritchett finds himself in the cavernous attic, standing
     before the massive pulley and counterweight system that's the
     upper half of the lockdown mechanism.

     Through the grooved channel that one of the iron plates
     slides up and down on, Pritchett can look down and see the
     Foyer and the plate blocking the front door.

     There's a hand crank attached to a series of block-and-
     tackles that ultimately connect to the massive counterweight
     to the front door's plate.

     With all his effort, he turns the crank, but can only manage
     a half revolution --

      -- creak-crunch -- but something moved down there! You can
     hear it! How much, how high, he can't see, but maybe it's
     enough.

                           PRITCHETT
                If there is a God...

     He puts his full weight behind him and grabs the crank again
     -- pushes down -- and the thing breaks off in his hand.

                           PRITCHETT
                No-no-no!!!! Why me, why me, you
                sonovabitch!

     In hysterical frustration, he throws the broken flange of
     metal as hard as he can at the wall. He misses the wall
     entirely and the crank just pinballs impotently between
     cables and counter-weights with a series of mocking CLANKS!
     and PINGS!

                           PRITCHETT
                Whyyyyyyy??????

     As he tears at his hair, screeching, suddenly he notices
     light on his hands. He turns, and the:

     DIM GLOW from a soon-to-rise sun falls on his face. He SEES:

     that, somehow, all that caroming that his errant crank did
     has caused one of the IRON PLATES to raise slightly. There is
     now a THREE FOOT OPENING in the attic dormer window.

     PRITCHETT'S EYES glance nervously upward.

                           PRITCHETT
                Is it too late to take back a
                couple of things I said?

     INT. DECAYING ROOM - SIMULTANEOUS

     Eddie pulls Sara all the way up and out of the subterranean
     chamber. They slump back on the fetid floor, exhausted.

                           EDDIE
                You okay?

                           SARA
                Yeah. And under other abnormal
                circumstances, I think this would be the
                time to seriously jump your bones.

                           EDDIE
                Better put it on hold 'til we find
                Pritchett.

                           SARA
                I don't do groups.

     Eddie laughs -- and then his mouth stays open with no sound
     coming out. He's staring as:

     The area around the hole in the floor begins to turn a
     familiar black. And is creeping fast towards Sara's shoe.

                           SARA
                What?

                           EDDIE
                Jesus!

     She rips her shoes off.

                           EDDIE
                Pritchett??

     They both bolt and head for the basement stairs.

     INT. ATTIC - SIMULTANEOUS

     Pritchett moves to the window and freedom. He is about to
     make it outside when he stops.

                           PRITCHETT
                Oh, c'mon -- don't grow a conscience
                now, f'chrissake!

     He continues out the window -- stops again. Looks heavenward,
     angry and guilty at the same time. Yells to his deity:

                           PRITCHETT
                Alright, alright! I won't leave 'em here
                to die!

     He crabs himself back into the attic, runs over to the
     grooved channel that the front door's iron plate slides on.
     Shouts down through the slit to the Foyer:

                           PRITCHETT
                I found the way out!

     INT. MAIN SALON - CONTINUOUS

     Sara and Eddie hear the Voice coming from the Foyer:

                           PRITCHETT (O.S.)
                Anybody still alive? I'm giving you ten
                seconds! Two-four-six-eight --

     Sara and Eddie dash into the Foyer.

                           SARA
                 -- hey! --

                           PRITCHETT (O.S.)
                     (slightly disappointed)
                 -- ten.

                           EDDIE
                Pritchett, is that you?

                           PRITCHETT (O.S.)
                Up here --

     INT. ATTIC - CONTINUOUS

     A metallic POP! and PING! is heard. Pritchett's eyes dart to
     the machinery: a strand of the rusted cable holding the
     window open has snapped free, and the rest are in an advanced
     state of fray.

                           PRITCHETT
                 -- I think you better hurry -- there's
                something of a time issue here.

     INT. GRAND FOYER - CONTINUOUS

     Sara and Eddie start up the stairs - behind them the hallway
     is turning black with decay.

                           SARA
                Move!!

     They race up the stairs --

     INT. ATTIC - CONTINUOUS

      -- arriving in another part of the attic.

     Sara looks around, trying to get her bearings.

                           EDDIE
                Pritchett!

     A DISTANT VOICE

                           PRITCHETT (O.S.)
                Over here!

     The attic is a labyrinth of dangling cables, counterweights
     and their often neck-high metal moorings. Sara moves toward
     the sound of his voice, Eddie hangs back, sensing something.

     SARA slowly wends her way through all the mishigas.

     UNSEEN by her, down by her carefully treading feet, the
     Shadow Mass is filtering up through the slits in the attic's
     floor.

     SARA edges her way around a tall iron fly-rail --

      -- and something grabs at her hand. She's had enough, she
     reaches back to slug it -- then stops:

     It's Pritchett.

                           PRITCHETT
                Please. It's been a bad enough day --

      -- and now the SHADOW MASS has re-assembled to its new, full
     enormity. It begins to barrel across the attic towards
     Pritchett and Sara, who don't have a clue -- Eddie does...

                           EDDIE
                Get out ot the way!

     Sara turns back toward him. Eddie rushes and pushes her to
     the side as the Shadow Mass is just about to envelop her.

     And EDDIE is STRUCK full-force -- he instantaneously turns to
     a blackened mass.

                           SARA
                Eddie!!

     And then the wind from outside kicks up, blowing EDDIE AWAY
     like so much powder. And Sara just crumples.

     At the other end of the attic, the Shadow Mass is TURNING
     back toward them.

     Pritchett rushes in -- GRABS SARA -- and pulls her towards
     the small dormer window -- the CABLE holding the plate snaps
     three of its last four strands --

      -- Pritchett pushes Sara through the window -- just as the
     CABLE holding the plate finally breaks, trapping Pritchett
     inside!

     It's now back to near pitch-black again in there. Pritchett
     turns to see:

     The FACES of all of Vannacutt's VICTIMS taking form in the
     immense Shadow Mass -- all with that revenge-on-the-living
     look in their empty-socket eyes.

     Suddenly from the swirling dark center of the mass... THE
     FLAMING HEAD OF DR. RICHARD VANNACUTT appears... BLASTING a
     HOT BREATH at Pritchett, who is freaking out.

                           PRITCHETT
                I'm just the contractor's son! I
                had nothing to do with your current
                condition!

     The words seem to have little impact on the steadily
     approaching Mass of Faces.

      -- and then suddenly SUNLIGHT POURS in behind him. Sara has
     pried the plate up with a LIGHTNING ROD -- one that's in the
     process of bending in two under all the weigh

                           SARA
                I think if you're coming, Mr.
                Pritchett, it's now or never.

     The Mass of Faces starts to creep up Pritchett's shoe. With a
     screech, he flings himself backwards, literally diving
     through the open window --

                                                            CUT TO:

     EXT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

      -- as the LIGHTNING ROD SNAPS -- and the IRON PLATE comes
     guillotine-slamming back down -- right onto Pritchett's foot!

     He screams and hysterically yanks at his ankle --

      -- his foot emerging safe-and-sound and whole, the shredded
     remnants of a white sock blowing in the morning sea-breeze.

     Sara and Pritchett exchange looks. They're both missing
     shoes. They shrug. The sunliqht warms their faces.

                                                      FADE TO BLACK

     And in the darkness, we hear a familiar Voice:

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE (V.O.)
                The Police and Coroner arrived at
                the House on Haunted Hill at 7:30
                a.m. Pacific Standard Time.

                                                   FADE BACK UP ON:

     EXT. "HOUSE" - MORNING

     A fleet of milling Cops, Paramedics, Fire Officials,
     Ambulances, the works. Sara seen getting her legs treated. A
     blank-faced Pritchett being grilled by L.A. Sheriffs.

     Gurneys toting very full body bags from the house. One gurney
     carrying a half dozen vary small bags: Melissa Marr, most
     likely.

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE (V.O.)
                Watson Pritchett told the Police
                that they need a Sherman tank to
                get into the house. But when the
                first officer on the scene tried
                the front door knob, it opened
                without so much as a squeak.

                                                            CUT TO:

     INT. HOUSE - (NEWSREEL FOOTAGE) - VARIOUS SHOTS

      -- Grand Foyer

      -- Main Salon

      -- Basement

      -- Corridors

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE (V.O.)
                And for all the horror that Pritchett
                described, the House was found to be
                utterly unexceptional and undisturbed
                -- even the dust still in place.

     We see that what he's saying is true: there's no evidence
     that anything ever happened here. Even the basement -- the
     Electro-shock and Saturation Chamber -- appear exactly as
     when we first saw them. Even the restraints that were cut
     have been made whole aqain.

     INT. LIMBO SET - NIGHT

     SLOW PULL BACK to Christopher Lee on the "Terrifying, But
     True!" set, talking to us, as the footage continues to play
     on a screen behind him.

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE
                And not one sign of the party's
                hosts, Steven and Evelyn Price.
                The only person not surprised
                by this was Watson Pritchett.

     ON THE SCREEN BEHIND HIM

     EXT. HOUSE - MORNING

     A close-up of Pritchett seen, talking:

                           PRITCHETT
                They're part ot the House now.
                That's the way it works.

     BACK TO SCENE

                           CHRISTOPHER LEE
                The truth will likely be never
                known. Unless on some strange
                whim, you decide to spend the
                evening inside the House on
                Haunted Hill.
                     (he smiles)
                Good night.

     And walks O.S. The TV CAMERA pans back to the projection
     screen.

     As the "Terrifying, But True" credits crawl, underneath them
     we see the old silent black & white footage we've seen
     before:

     INT. CEREBRAL HYGIENE ROOM (B&W)

     1931. The "Cerebral Hygiene Room." The rampaging Patients
     huddling around an operating table. A blur of scalpels and
     saws as they viciously vivisect Dr. Vannacutt and his Nurse,
     crammed together on the same gurney.

     THE IMAGE FREEZES

     as the TV show credits end.

     But before it fades out, we see that something has changed in
     this footage:

     The two Humans being vivisected on that gurney are different:

     The Doctor in surgical scrubs has Steven Price's face.

     His nurse is Evelyn.

     Pritchett's Voice heard as the image starts to fade:

                           PRITCHETT (V.O.)
                It won't stop until it's got
                every one --


                                THE END