levious said:
Isn't it a short story though? I can understand someone being leary of that sort of conversion. And when it was first green lit, there was a flood of vampire movies, and still is to an extent. And Wil Smith probably dropped out.
Ridley Scott and Arnold didn't think so....
Until the studio cut £20 million from the budget just as it was about to go into production.
It's one of the best scripts out there. But yeah it's been ripped off for wholesale over the last few years with all the vampire & Zombies stuff. Still if Will Smith and Jerry Buckhimer were involved, I'd rather it went unmade.
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/scripts/legend.txt
INT. KRIPPEN CENTER - ANIMAL LAB - DAY
Empty cages. Surgical tables. Microscopes. A VCR and TV an A/V CART sit in the corner. Neville pops in a cassette labeled TEST RESULTS/DOMESTIC ANIMALS/KRIPPEN 5/12/98. Sits in a chair, elevates his legs, and watches as the TV plays...
ON THE TV SCREEN, we see the face of DR. JOHN KRIPPEN. An intelligent, passionate face now panicked and deadened. His eyes have seen great disappointments. And even greater horrors. He speaks to a CAMERA which he runs himself.
KRIPPEN
... The viragene appears to have no discernible
impact an birds. When injected into subjects, no
matter the size of the dosage, the result was death.
No mutation. The same results with fish and reptiles.
(gravely) We had no such luck with the feline, canine,
and rodent hosts. All accepted the viragene, all mutated.
The mice and rats exhibited no hostility when infected,
nor did the cats, not really. Their predatory instincts were
elevated, yes, but they maintained a more calculated,
cunning approach to... feeding. The dogs... sadly,
they... We saw the most alarming results with the dogs.
The viragene seems to bring out a savage instinct,
a primal brutality that goes beyond mere survival. (beat)
Just like the humans.
The LARGE IMAGE shows us video footage of a GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG in a strong metal CAGE. The SMALL IMAGE is footage taken through a MICROSCOPE of the dog's BLOOD CELLS.
An LED READ-OUT at the bottom of the screen shows date and time (5/4/98/6:20 a.m.) . Krippen's VOICE provides commentary on one AUDIO TRACK, the SOUNDS from the dog in the cage on the other. There will be abrupt cuts and jumps, the tape having been hastily prepared.
LARGE IMAGE: SCIENTISTS inject the dog. SMALL IMAGE: STRANGE NEW CELLS mix with the others. (5/4/98/6:25 a.m.).
KRIPPEN
Hemocyte viral genetic agent introduced
into normal canine circulatory system.
ABRUPT CUT. LARGE IMAGE: the Shepherd is happy and playful. SMALL IMAGE: the strange cells appear to be gobbling up select others. (5/4/98/7:02 p.m.).
KRIPPEN
Just over twelve hours. The viragene has
eliminated any diseased or unhealthy cells
in the host.
ABRUPT CUT. LARGE IMAGE: the Shepherd is lethargic, depressed. SMALL IMAGE: the strange cells are eating healthy red blood cells. (5/4/98/11:10 p.m.).
KRIPPEN
Sixteen hours. The viragene turns to
healthy blood cells for fuel.
ABRUPT CUT. LARGE IMAGE: the SHEPHERD is magnificently healthy. Very active. Hyper-alert. He glows with remarkable strength. An eerie blue-greyness in its eyes. Its fangs appear sharper, more savage. SMALL IMAGE: fresh blood is introduced and we see the strange cells GROW AND MULTIPLY. (5/5/98/l:38 a.m.).
KRIPPEN
One liter of transfused blood introduced into
canine system. The viragene feeds and
multiplies at a rate of .25 percent per minute.
Multiplication rate increases exponentially to
amount of blood injected into host. Note
increases in muscle strength, bone mass, pulse,
adrenaline flow.
ABRUPT CUT. LARGE IMAGE: the Shepard is weak, emaciated, irritable and hostile. He barks and lunges at the scientists near his Cage. SMALL IMAGE: The strange cells are desperately searching for blood cells, devouring them like candy. (5/7/98/2:00 a.m.).
KRIPPEN
Viragene consumes blood at an
astonishing rate. If more blood is not
introduced, subject will perish.
ABRUPT CUT. LARGE IMAGE: the Shepard is dying. An awful blackness in its eyes. SMALL IMAGE: the strange cells have eliminated all healthy blood cells. They move anxiously, searching, desperate to survive. They lose momentum and cease movement. (5/7/98/3:33 p.m.).
KRIPPEN
No additional blood has been given to the
host. Subject terminates.
ABRUPT CUT. LARGE IMAGE: The dog's dead form lies motionless. A scientist carefully injects it with blood. SMALL IMAGE: fresh blood cells swim past the dead cells.
They flicker to life. (5/9/98/4:24 p.m.).
KRIPPEN
No heart, respiratory, or brain function in
forty-eight hours. Fifty cc's of blood
injected into expired host.
LARGE IMAGE: the Shepherd's limbs TWITCH with life. The bluegreyness returns to its formerly lifeless eyes.
KRIPPEN
Reanimation occurs in 15.6 seconds.
