Scene2

2 ANIMATION/LIVE ACTION SEQUENCE - DEATH AND DEVASTATION



CUT TO Terry Gilliam's sequence of Brueghel prints. Sounds of

strange medieval music. Discordant and sparse. Wailings and

groanings. The last picture mixes through into live action.

BIG CLOSE UP of contorted face upside down. A leg falls across

it. Creaking noise. The bodies lurch away from CAMERA to

reveal they are amongst a huge pile of bodies on a swaying cart

that is lumbering away from CAMERA. It is pulled by a couple of

ragged, dirty emaciated WRETCHES. Behind the cart walks another

MAN who looks slightly more prosperous, but only on the scale

of complete and utter impoverishment. He wears a black hood and

looks sinister.



CART DRIVER

Bring out your dead!



We follow the cart through a wretched, impoverished plague-ridden

village. A few starved mongrels run about in the mud scavenging.

In the open doorway of one house perhaps we jug glimpse a pair of

legs dangling from the ceiling. In another doorway an OLD WOMAN

is beating a cat against a wall rather like one does with a mat.

The cart passes round a dead donkey or cow in the mud. And a MAN

tied to a cart is being hammered to death by four NUNS with

huge mallets.



CART DRIVER



Bring out your dead!



There are legs stick out of windows and doors. Two MEN are fighting

in the mud - covered from head to foot in it. Another MAN is on his

hands in knees shovelling mud into his mouth. We just catch

sight of a MAN falling into a well.



CART DRIVER

Bring out your dead!



LARGE MAN

Here's one!



CART DRIVER

Ninepence.



BODY

I'm not dead!



CART DRIVER

What?



LARGE MAN

Nothing... There's your ninepence.



BODY

I'm not dead!



CART DRIVER

'Ere. He says he's not dead.



LARGE MAN

Yes he is.



BODY

I'm not!



CART DRIVER

He isn't.



LARGE MAN

He will be soon. He's very ill.



BODY

I'm getting better!



LARGE MAN

You're not. You'll be stone dead in a few minutes.



CART DRIVER

I can't take him like this. It's against regulations.



BODY

I don't want to go on the cart.



LARGE MAN

Don't be such a baby.



CART DRIVER

I can't take him.



BODY

I feel fine.



LARGE MAN

Do me a favour.



CART DRIVER

I can't.



LARGE MAN

Well, can you hang around a couple of minutes. He won't

be long.



CART DRIVER

I promised I'd be at the Robinson's. They've lost nine

today.



LARGE MAN

When's your next round?



CART DRIVER

Thursday.



BODY

I think I'll go for a walk.



LARGE MAN

You're not fooling anyone you know.

(to CART DRIVER)

Isn't there anything you could do?



BODY

(singing unrecognisably)

I feel happy... I feel happy.



The CART DRIVER looks at the LARGE MAN for a moment. Then they both

do a quick furtive look up and down the street. The CART DRIVER

very swiftly brings up a club and hits the OLD MAN. (Out of shot

but the singing stops after a loud bonk noise.)



LARGE MAN

(handing over the money at last)

Thanks very much.



CART DRIVER

That's all right. See you on Thursday.



They turn ... Suddenly all the village fall to their knees, touching

forelocks etc. ARTHUR and PATSY ride into SHOT, slightly nose to

the air, they ride through without acknowledging anybody. After

they pass, the LARGE MAN turns to the CART DRIVER.



LARGE MAN

Who's that then?



CART DRIVER

(Grudgingly)

I dunno, Must be a king.



LARGE MAN

Why?



CART DRIVER

He hasn't got shit all over him.