Page 5
EXT. MANHATTAN SKYLINE -- NIGHT
A mysterious cloud takes shape and hovers over Dana's apartment building.
Then a strange glow starts to radiate from the temple-like structure on
the
roof.
EXT. THE TEMPLE -- NIGHT
The moon shines through the odd cloud configuration, illuminating the ornate
temple door with its two stone Terror Dogs posed rampant on either side
of
the portal.
TERROR DOG
Its hideous stone features are bathed in moonlight. The camera PANS down
its grotesque body to one of its claws. Suddenly there is a hiss and an
audible
crack of disintegrating mortar as one of its stone talons comes to life.
ITS HEAD
The stone figure opens its eyes, revealing glowing red pupils beneath the
scaly
lids.
INT. HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Dana gets off the elevator and immediately hears loud music blasting from
Louis' apartment as his party hits full swing. She tiptoes past his door
but
despite the loudness of the music, Louis somehow senses her presence and
comes rushing out into the hall.
LOUIS
Oh, Dana, it's you.
DANA
Hi, Louis.
LOUIS
Hey, it's crazy in here. You're missing a classic party.
DANA
Well, actually Louis I have a friend coming by.
LOUIS
Great! Bring her, too. But you better hurry. I made nachos with non-fat
cheese and they're almost gone. I'll make some more though.
DANA (entering her apartment)
Fine, Louis. We'll stop in for a drink.
LOUIS
I got the Twister game for later ...
Dana closes the door leaving Louis alone in the hall, once again locked
out of
his own apartment.
LOUIS (CONT'D) (knocking on his door)
Hey. Lemme in ...
INT. DANA'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
She enters and takes off her coat. She's wearing dance clothes and appears
to
be really tired. She sits down in an overstuffed chair and takes off her
leg
warmers. Then leans back and closes her eyes. It is very quiet. Something
dreadful is about to happen. Then it happens. The phone rings so loudly
it
makes Dana jump. She picks it up.
DANA
Hello ... Oh, hi Mom. Yes ... yes. Everything's fine. No ... nothing. Just
that
one time ... I am ... I will ... I won't ... Mother! I'm all right. I told
you.
Everything's fine ...! All right. I'll talk to you tomorrow ... I promise.
'Bye.
She hangs up the phone, leans her head back and closes her eyes again.
We
hold on her for a long beat.
INT. THE KITCHEN DOOR NIGHT
An eerie light is seen coming through the cracks around the door.
DANA
She sits up in surprise and looks at the kitchen door.
DANA
Oh, shit!
She starts to get up but suddenly a pair of scaly, inhuman hands rip out
of the
chair cushion on either side of her and clutch her around the waist. She
screams and tries to break their grip, but another pair of claws tears
through
the upholstery and grabs her around the chest and neck, pinning her to
the
chair.
THE CHAIR
As if drawn by a powerful force, the chair with Dana in it slides across
the
living room floor toward the kitchen door.
THE KITCHEN DOOR
The whole door is now pulsing.
DANA
She is horrified.
THE KITCHEN DOOR
It swings open, revealing a fiery chamber where the kitchen used to be.
One
of the Terror Dog creatures seen earlier in the fridge is standing there
waiting
for Dana with outstretched claws.
DANA
She screams as the chair propels her into the kitchen. Then the door swings
shut behind her.
EXT. DANA'S ROOFTOP -- NIGHT
A bright flash shoots out from the center of the pyramid, lighting up the
roof of
Dana's building.
ROOF TEMPLE
All is as before except that both stone Terror Dogs are ominously missing
from the structure.
INT. LOUIS' APARTMENT -- SAME TIME
Louis is playing the perfect host to his clients, a general cross-section
of nerds
and nerdettes, The music is much too loud and the guests are scattered
about
the living room in small groups making dull conversation.
LOUIS
He is emptying ashtrays and cleaning them with Windex. A TALL WOMAN
approaches him.
TALL WOMAN
Louis, do you have any Excedrin or Extra Strength Tylenol?
LOUIS
I have acetacylasilic acid but generic from Walgreens cause I can get 600
tables for 35% less than the cost of 300 name brand. Is it a headache?
The woman moves away.
THE BUFFET TABLE
Two stiff men are helping themselves. One is about to bite into some lox
when
Louis joins them.
LOUIS
That's Nova Scotia salmon. The real thing. It costs $24.95 a pound but
really
$12.48 a pound net after tax. I'm writing this whole party off as a promotional
expense. That's why I invited clients instead of friends. Try that Brie,
it's
dynamite at room temperature. Maybe I should turn the heat up a bit ...
A SECOND WOMAN moves up to Louis.
WOMAN #2
C'mon Louis, maybe if we dance other people will start.
They start to dance.
The doorbell rings. Louis bolts for the door hoping if's Dana. It's another
couple. Louis escorts them in and take, their coats.
LOUIS
Everybody, this is Ted and Annette Fleming. Ted has a small carpet cleaning
business in receivership, but Annette is drawing a salary from a deferred
bonus
from two years ago and the house has $15,000 left at eight percent.
He goes to the bedroom door with their coats and opens it.
INT. BEDROOM -- NIGHT
On the bed, standing up on all four legs, is a bristling, panting, live
Terror Dog.
Too preoccupied to notice it, Louis reflexively tosses the coats onto the
bed.
They both land on the Terror Dog's head.
INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
Louis comes out of the bedroom and closes the door. Then from within there
issues forth a tremendous roar that freezes the quest.
LOUIS
Okay. Who brought the dog?
BEDROOM DOOR
An instant later, the Terror Dog bursts right through the door. Wood chips
and
splinters shower the guests.
THE GUESTS
They drop their drinks and canapes as the Terror Dog lands in the center
of
the room, snarling hellishly.
It quickly scans the room, looking for Louis.
LOUIS
He yelps and runs for the door.
TERROR DOG
He lunges after Louis, but Louis gets out just in time and slams the door
behind him.
INT. HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Louis tears off down the hall, bellowing. The Terror Dog bursts through
the
door, lands in the hall and runs after him.
Louis ducks into the elevator.
EXT, DANA'S BUILDING NIGHT
A DOORMAN stands at his post near the revolving door, Two elegantly
dressed visitors wait as he phones to announce them to one of the building
residents. Suddenly Louis comes running out of the door.
LOUIS
Help! Help! There's a bear loose in my apartment.
He runs across the street and disappears in the park.
THE DOORMAN
DOORMAN (mutters)
How he's got animals up there.
The Doorman turns just in time to see the Terror Dog before it runs right
over
him and bounds across the street.
EXT. CENTRAL PARK
TWO BUMS stroll casually along discussing current events.
FIRST BUM
I think you're right about Central America but I
completely disagree about the other thing. A
good heavyweight boxer could take a Karate
guy every time.
Louis runs by them, almost knocking them
over.
LOUIS (screaming)
Run! Run!
They turn to watch him go.
SECOND BUM (shaking his head)
Rush, rush, rush.
They turn back just as the Terror Dog streaks
past them in hot pursuit. They recoil in fear and
watch as the creature sprints after Louis.
SECOND BUM (CONT'D)
That is one speedy mutt.
FIRST BUM
He's a big one. You don't want to mess with
that particular breed.
SECOND BUM
Definitely some sort of fighting Spaniel, I think.
EXT. CENTRAL PARK - NIGHT
Louis runs for his life, afraid to look back. He races through a tunnel
then sees
the twinkling lights of the Tavern on the Green restaurant and heads straight
for
it.
EXT. TAVERN ON THE GREEN -- NIGHT
Louis comes tearing into the courtyard of the restaurant. Through the large
picture windows he can see well-dressed people sitting in the elegant dining
room. He goes for a door into the dining room but finds it locked. Then
he
tries another door but it, too, is locked. Suddenly, he hears a low rumbling
growl from the bushes. Desperate now, he starts pounding on the glass.
INT. TAVERN ON THE GREEN -- SAME TIME
The wealthy patrons look up and see Louis pounding on the glass, screaming
unintelligibly.
LOUIS (muffled)
Help! Help!
They ignore his pleas and return to their salmon croute.
EXT. COURTYARD -- NIGHT
Louis' heart is pounding, his breath coming in compulsive gasps as he turns
to
face the relentless Terror Dog.
THE TERROR DOG
It stands there silhouetted in the dark. Then it starts advancing toward
Louis,
casting giant shadows on the walls.
LOUIS
He is paralyzed with fear.
LOUIS (trembling)
Nice doggie. Nice.
THE TERROR DOG
It pounces with a tremendous roar.
INT. TAVERN ON THE GREEN -- NIGHT
The roar echoes through the restaurant. There is the sound of a violent
struggle, then all is quiet. Nobody notices.
COLUMBUS CIRCLE LATER
Louis walks out of the park, walking stiffly with a glazed look in his
eyes. He
sees a horse and carriage parked at the curb. He goes right up to the horse
and speaks to it, obviously possessed by the Terror Dog.
LOUIS (to the horse)
I am Vinz Clortho. Keymaster of Gozer, Volguus Zildrohar, Lord of the
Sebouillia. Are you the Gatekeeper?
The COACHMAN sees Louis talking to his horse.
COACHMAN
Hey! He pulls the wagon. I make the deals. You wanna ride?
LOUIS (to Coachman)
Are you the Gatekeeper?
COACHMAN
No, I'm the Governor of New Jersey. Now get outta here.
Louis glares at the Coachman. His eyes begin to glow, magically.
LOUIS (to Coachman)
You will perish in flames, subcreature! Gozer will destroy you and your
kind!
(he whispers to the horse) Wait for the sign. Then all prisoners will be
released.
Louis lopes off across the street. The cars come screeching to a halt to
avoid
hitting him.
THE STREET
TWO MOUNTED POLICEMEN notice his strange behavior and follow him
down the street.
EXT. DANA'S APARTMENT BUILDING -- NIGHT
Venkman enters dressed neatly in a suit, holding a bouquet of flowers for
Dana. He sees two COPS talking to dishevelled party guests. He sidles up
to
one of the cops.
VENKMAN
What's going on?
THE COP
Some moron brought a cougar to a party and it went berserk,
VENKMAN
Oh.
He goes to the elevators.
INT. HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Venkman walks past Louis' apartment and curiously notes the splintered
door.
Then he rings Dana's bell, waits, rings again and knocks.
VENKMAN (calls out)
Dana?
The door opens and Dana is standing there, but she has changed radically
from the woman we met earlier. Her hair is down, flowing loosely over her
naked shoulders, her eyes are wide open, filled with a kind of love-slave
longing, her lips are parted and wet and her clothes are seductively tattered.
She stares at Venkman.
VENKMAN (CONT'D)
Hi. (he notes the change in her) What happened to you? The cop downstairs
said an animal got loose up here. What's the story? Are you all right?
She stares at him as if she hasn't heard a word he said.
DANA
Are you the Keymaster?
Venkman realizes that something bizarre has happened.
VENKMAN
Not that I know of.
She starts to close the door but Venkman slides past her into the apartment.
VENKMAN (CONT'D) (worried now)
Hey, Dana. What is it? What happened?
DANA
I am Zuul. I am the Gatekeeper.
He looks around the apartment and notices the
holes ripped in the chair. Then he sees the
kitchen doorframe charred and blackened with
soot.
VENKMAN
I think we better get out of here.
DANA
She crosses to the window and gazes at the sky as if waiting for something.
DANA
We must prepare for the coming of Gozer.
VENKMAN (humoring her)
Okay, I'll help you. Should we make some dip or something?
DANA
He is the Destructor.
VENKMAN
Really? Can't wait to meet him. (he has an idea) As long as we're waiting
for
him, I'd really like to try something with you -- in the bedroom.
He takes her hand and she yields. They enter the bedroom.
INT. DANA'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT
They enter and Venkman steers her onto the bed.
DANA (wantonly)
Do you want this body?
VENKMAN (taking her pulse)
Well, I'll just use it for a while and get it right back to you.
DANA
Take me now.
He checks her pupil dilation with a penlight.
VENKMAN
Well, I make it a rule never to sleep with possessed people.
She pulls him down on top of her and kisses him with supernatural lust.
VENKMAN (coming up for air)
Actually, it's more of a policy than a rule.
DANA (stroking him)
I want you inside me.
VENKMAN (reluctant)
I don't know. You've got two people in there already. It could get a little
crowded. (he gently pushes her back down on the bed) I want you to close
your eyes and relax. (she complies) Now I'm going to speak to Dana and
I
want Dana to answer.
DANA
I am Zuul. I am ...
VENKMAN
Right ... You're the Gatekeeper. But I want Dana. Dana, speak to me ...
DANA (in a low, horrible unearthly voice)
There is no Dana. I am Zuul.
VENKMAN (recoils)
Whoa!! Nice voice.
She starts to sit up, but he restrains her with a light touch on the shoulder.
VENKMAN (CONT'D) (trying another approach)
All right -- Zuul. Listen carefully. I don't know where you came from or
why,
but I want you to get out of here and leave Dana alone. I'm going to count
to
ten and when I'm finished, you better be gone. Okay? Here goes. One ...
Two
... Three ...
A shudder runs through Dana's body, then she slowly starts to levitate,
rising a
full three feet off the bed.
VENKMAN (CONT'D) (aghast)
Wow!
He stands up and circles around the bed looking for some sort of explanation.
He passes his hands over her, then under her, looking for wires or a force
field. Then he makes a few theatrical moves like a cheap magician.
EXT. HUDSON PARKWAY -- SAME NIGHT
Ecto One speeds northward, strobes lit.
INT. ECTOMOBILE -- NIGHT
Winston is at the wheel.
STANTZ pops open a beer and lights a smoke. They both look completely
wasted. Stantz is looking over some blueprints.
WINSTON
Hey man. What is it you're so involved with there?
STANTZ
Uh ... Oh these are blueprints of the structural ironwork in Dana Barrett's
apartment building ... And they're most unusual.
WINSTON (changing the subject)
Are you a Christian, Ray?
STANTZ (examining documents)
Mmmhmmm.
WINSTON
Me, too.
STANTZ (reacting to something in the blueprint)
Boy! Solid cores of shielded Selenium .325.
WINSTON
Do you believe in God?
STANTZ
No. But I liked Jesus' style.
WINSTON
Me, too. Parts of the Bible are great.
STANTZ (hardly listening)
The whole roof cap was fabricated with a magnesium-tungsten alloy.
WINSTON
Ray, do you remember something in the Bible about a day when the dead
would rise up from their graves?
STANTZ (still absorbed by the blueprint)
And the seas would boil ...
WINSTON
Right. And the sky would fall ...
STANTZ
Judgement Day ...
WINSTON
Yeah, Judgement Day.
STANTZ
Every ancient religion had its own myth about the end of the world.
WINSTON
Well, has it ever occurred to you that the reason you've been so busy lately
is
because the dead have been rising from their graves?
They exchange a look of puzzlement and concern.
EXT.. FORT DETMERRING -- NIGHT -- SAME TIME
Ecto One pulls up to a pair of massive parapets and a hewn timber gate
set in
a thick redoubt on an escarpment high above the river. Two figures approach
them from the shadows. As they draw closer, Stantz and Winston see their
Stetson hats and uniforms.
PARK RANGER
Evening. We've had a problem here for quite some time. I called your outfit
a
couple of weeks ago.
WINSTON
Busy time of year.
PARK RANGER
Nobody likes to talk about this sort of thing.
STANTZ
You don't have to worry about that with us, sir.
WINSTON
Right. We'll believe anything.
INT. FORT -- GUNNER'S CORRIDOR -- NIGHT
STANTZ and Winston walk past a long line of cannon. Their visors are down.
They wear the usual equipment.
STANTZ
You check the armory. I'll go down to the officers' barracks.
They split up. Winston takes a long, low passageway. Stantz descends a
set of
stone stairs. They both leave frame. The sound of their separate footsteps
fades O.S.
EXT. FIREHALL -- NIGHT -- SAME TIME
A police van pulls up, the garage door opens and Spengler comes out of
the
building. He meets a POLICE SERGEANT. They walk around to the back
door of the van.
SERGEANT
We picked up this guy and now we don't know what to do with him, Bellevue
doesn't want him and I'm afraid to put him in the lock-up. I'm telling
you,
there's something weird about him. And I know you guys are into this stuff
so
we figured we'd check with you.
The Sergeant unlocks the door and pulls it open.
INT. THE POLICE VAN -- NIGHT
Louis is on the floor wearing a strait jacket. He is tied to the bench
with leather
restraint straps and ankle cuffs.
LOUIS (forlorn)
Are you the Gatekeeper?
Spengler notes the strange glow in Louis' eyes,
SPENGLER
Bring him inside, Officer.
INT. BASEMENT -- LATER
Louis is hooked up to a variety of strange contraptions including something
on
his head that looks like an aluminum mixing bowl wired with hundreds of
electrodes. Spengler monitors Louis' reactions as he questions him. Janine
watches.
LOUIS
I am Vinz Clortho - Keymaster of Gozer.
SPENGLER (reacts to the name Gozer)
I am Egon Spengler, Creature of Earth, Doctor of Physics, Graduate of
M.I.T.
JANINE (looking through Louis' wallet)
According to this his name is Louis Tully.
LOUIS
Oh, no. Tully is the fleshbag I'm using. I must wait inside for the sign.
JANINE
Do you want some coffee while you're waiting?
LOUIS (to Spengler)
Do I?
SPENGLER
Yes, have some. (Janine goes to the table and puts some water up to boil)
Vinz, what sign are you waiting for?
LOUIS
Gozer the Traveller will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the
rectification of the Vuldronaii the Traveller came as a very large and
moving
Torb. Then of course in the third reconciliation of the last of the Meketrex
supplicants they chose a new form for him, that of a Sloar. Many Shubs
and
Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar that day
I can
tell you.
Spengler stares at Louis for a moment then looks over at Janine.
JANINE
She rolls her eyes at Spengler and mimes the traditional sign for lunacy
by
pointing to her temple and tracing a circle with her index finger. Then
the
phone rings and Spengler answers it.
SPENGLER
Hello?
INT. DANA'S BEDROOM -- SAME TIME
Venkman is lying on the bed with the phone. Dana is asleep next to him,
still
floating three feet in the air with a blanket over her.
VENKMAN
It's Peter, Egon. I've got a problem. INTERCUT SPENGLER AND
VENKMAN
SPENGLER
What is it?
VENKMAN
I'm with Dana Barrett and she's floating three feet off the bed.
SPENGLER
Does she want to be?
VENKMAN
I don't think so. It's more of that Gozer thing. She says she's the Gatekeeper.
Does that make any sense to you?
SPENGLER
Some. I just met the Keymaster. He's here with me now. (there's a long
silence on the other end) Venkman? Are you there?
VENKMAN
Yeah, yeah. I was just thinking. It probably wouldn't be a good idea for
them
to get together at this point.
SPENGLER
I agree.
VENKMAN
You have to keep him there. Do whatever you have to, but don't let him
leave,
He could be very dangerous.
SPENGLER
He looks nervously at Louis.
LOUIS
He pours some instant coffee crystals into his mouth and chews them up,
then
he drinks a beaker of boiling water that's been heating over a Bunsen Burner.
SPENGLER (into the phone)
All right. I'll try.
VENKMAN
I'll spend the night here and get back first thing in the morning.
SPENGLER
All right, Peter. Good night.
They hang up.
JANINE
She crosses to Spengler.
JANINE (worried)
Egon, there's something very strange about that man. (she indicates Louis)
I'm
very psychic usually and right now I have this terrible feeling that something
awful is going to happen to you. I'm afraid you're going to die.
SPENGLER
Die in what sense?
JANINE
In the physical sense.
SPENGLER
I don't care. I see us as tiny parts of a vast organism, like two bacteria
living
on a rotting speck of dust floating in an infinite void.
JANINE
That's so romantic.
She hugs him, Spengler responds awkwardly, not sure where to put his hands.
SPENGLER (nervous)
You have nice clavicles. (he gulps) I wonder where Stantz is. I think we're
going to need him.
