Fade to
The suspended animation chamber. Its transparent top is open. It resembles those used in Planet of the Apes by Taylor and his crew. Gen. Brody closes it over Hasslein, already inside, his face blocked by the general's body from the camera p.o.v.
Gen. Brody
Pleasant dreams. I just hope when you wake up, the human race hasn't gotten so dependent on the apes that you cannot turn us aside from that future.
Oh, that secret weapon thing. Use your discretion. I know you are reluctant because of the environmental impact it may have, but don't completely dismiss it out of hand. You know what happens if you don't succeed.
There is a hiss from the chamber.
The Title, SAVING THE PLANET OF THE APES, and the credits flow, while the chamber lies in quiet and solitude. And this scene is intercut with scenes from CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, showing how the apes take over.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
After the Battle...
This is what happened between Battle for the Planet of the Apes and the first Planet of the Apes. This is a lost script I just found!!! Ha ha, okay, kidding. Later I will append some comments to the entries.
I don't know who owns the copyrights to the Planet of the Apes series. I think it belongs to Arthur P Jacobs estate, or to Twentieth Century Fox. Perhaps someone can enlighten me how to write that up. Based, of course, upon Pierre Boulle's characters in his novel.
Of course this is all just fan fiction. N0 intrusion of copyrights meant.
I don't know who owns the copyrights to the Planet of the Apes series. I think it belongs to Arthur P Jacobs estate, or to Twentieth Century Fox. Perhaps someone can enlighten me how to write that up. Based, of course, upon Pierre Boulle's characters in his novel.
Of course this is all just fan fiction. N0 intrusion of copyrights meant.
PROLOGUE
1973
Inside a dark hospital room. The tv's screen gives the only light. On tv screen a news caster covers recent events.
Newscaster
Today the funeral services were held for Dr. Otto Hasslein, who was killed four days ago while he murdered the apes from the future.
A fuzzy, blurry clip shows the doctor on the old oil ship shooting Zira. The p.o.v. of the camera is much further from the action than when shown in Escape from the Planet of the Apes.
Newscaster
This is what happened that day. The footage is from a local station whose news team managed to get to the scene in time to catch the action.
Then, on the tv screen, Hasslein is shot from above, twice, and he falls into the water. The camera angle swings up to show Cornelius as he, in turn, is shot. The chimpanzee male falls to the deck below.
Next, the tv screen shows a solemn ceremony as a casket is officiated over.
Newscaster (os of tv)
A closed casket ceremony was held because Dr. Hasslein's face had been damaged beyond repair in the fall.
The newscaster's face came back onscreen.
Newscaster
Although authorities are still sorting out the details, it is believed Dr. Hasslein wanted to save the future from a world taken over by intelligent apes. He supposed the offspring of the two chimps from tomorrow could lead the apes to power, to crush the human race.
Pull back from the tv to show a military man watching the tv as he stands beside a bed with a patient with a bandaged head.
Newscaster
There is also a theory going around that the obsessed doctor feared the apes of the future from which came Zira and Cornelius somehow set off a Doomsday device, which destroyed- will destroy- the entire Earth. And, supposedly, one built by us!
The man in the bed looked over at the military man, neither making comment.
Now the tv screen showed a reporter talking to a military man, the same one standing in front of the tv.
Newscaster
When we asked U.S. Army General Brody about the United States ever making such a device, here's what he had to say-
Gen Brody (on tv, shaking his head)
Tjhe whole idea is absurd! Nobody has that kind of technology. Believe me, I know.
Patient
Turn it off, please, Gen. Brody.
Gen. Brody obliges.
Gen. Brody
You know, your face isn't really damaged. We just did that so nobody knows you are here.
Patient
Where is here? And why am I here? Why did the government go to the trouble to save my life?
Your people scrambled to save my life, and yet kept it all secret. No doubt this is a secret army hospital. And even a phoney funeral. Why?
Gen. Brody
We have a special mission for you, Dr. Hasslein. That is, only if you want to accept it. Purley voluntary. I think you will accept. I saw your dedication to your task. As for the secrecy, we don't want the public to know of the urgency of the mission. Otherwise, they might think we really have a Doomsday Weapon, heh, heh.
Hasslein
I assume "we" do. I heard rumors, of course, since I am- was the science advisor to the President.
Gen. Brody
Let's just say only those who need to know know. Why worry the public?
Hasslein
So it's true?! What kind of insanity is that??
Gen. Brody
That's a discussion for another time, doctor.
Hasslein
I... see. Okay, then what about why you saved me? Why me? What is this mission all about?
Gen. Brody
We want you to travel to the future via suspended animation. We have a date selected for when you will awaken, several centuries from now. If you remember the testimony of those two simians, the human population of the future will begin to rely on the apes for slave labor. Slaves that eventually revolt, and by the year 3955 start a war with someone that ends with the destruction of the planet. We want you to go to the beginning of that future, so that you can prevent the people from making that mistake of making ape slaves. Nip it in the bud, so to speak. Prevent that Earth future where humans can't even think, but the apes ran the show. We want you to assure that such a future will never come into existence.
Hasslein
Why not just dismantle the bomb, then? So that it doesn't destroy our world. The bomb that doesn't exist?
Gen. Brody
What kind of deterrent is that for an aggressive enemy?But this way, who would be crazy enough to attack us, knowing we might be crazy enough to attack back by detonating the Doomsday weapon.
Hasslein (shaking his head in disbelief)
Even making such a bomb proves insanity, in my opinion. So if one country leader is crazy eoungh to make it, what is to stop another leader from being crazy enough to dare the other crazy leader to launch it?
Gen. Brody
I leave that to the experts to worry about, and so should you. But what about this proposition, Doctor? Can we count on you to accept it?
Hasslein (with a sigh)
I suppose it must be done. I have already done so much to keep that future from happening. I have put my soul at risk- I've killed, or as the newscaster says, murdered two innocents. Three, including the baby. Their only crime was to threaten our future. But it had to be done. I had no choice. I would do it again.
Gen. Brody
One gets used to making the hard decisions that must be made in order to protect the people.
Hasslein
I hope not.
Tell me how is it I can be kept alive for such an extended period of time in suspended animation. The astronauts could do, what, a year or two at the most.
Gen. Brody
Great advances have been made since Col. Taylor left. Your capsule's air will contain nutrients. Your age will be slowed, but not stopped. You will be an old man, even so, when you awaken. You will have slept away the prime of your life.
Hasslein
You ask a lot. And I am willing to give it, as you already figured. Indeed, I would be dead already if not for your quick acting. If you think there is still a danger- and I concur- again I have no choice in the matter.
Gen. Brody
You have all the choice your dedication to changing the future will allow you. You are an intelligent man who can persuade others you are right, nevermind that ANSA didn't listen to you about Col. Taylor and his crew passing through a curve in time. Maybe you can convince our descendants to avoid their folly, to avoid provoking the apes to rebellion. Maybe when Col. Taylor's ship for some unknown reason returns to Earth in the future- maybe a failsafe when the ship got in trouble, caught in the time curve, the rocket returned- maybe he will, thanks to your efforts, land on a better world.
Hasslein
And what if I fail?
Gen. Brody
Don't. Plan B is even worse. We let the apes and the humans blow up the world, all gone in a puff of smoke. So don't fail. Plan A must succeed.
Hasslein
How comforting.
Inside a dark hospital room. The tv's screen gives the only light. On tv screen a news caster covers recent events.
Newscaster
Today the funeral services were held for Dr. Otto Hasslein, who was killed four days ago while he murdered the apes from the future.
A fuzzy, blurry clip shows the doctor on the old oil ship shooting Zira. The p.o.v. of the camera is much further from the action than when shown in Escape from the Planet of the Apes.
Newscaster
This is what happened that day. The footage is from a local station whose news team managed to get to the scene in time to catch the action.
Then, on the tv screen, Hasslein is shot from above, twice, and he falls into the water. The camera angle swings up to show Cornelius as he, in turn, is shot. The chimpanzee male falls to the deck below.
Next, the tv screen shows a solemn ceremony as a casket is officiated over.
Newscaster (os of tv)
A closed casket ceremony was held because Dr. Hasslein's face had been damaged beyond repair in the fall.
The newscaster's face came back onscreen.
Newscaster
Although authorities are still sorting out the details, it is believed Dr. Hasslein wanted to save the future from a world taken over by intelligent apes. He supposed the offspring of the two chimps from tomorrow could lead the apes to power, to crush the human race.
Pull back from the tv to show a military man watching the tv as he stands beside a bed with a patient with a bandaged head.
Newscaster
There is also a theory going around that the obsessed doctor feared the apes of the future from which came Zira and Cornelius somehow set off a Doomsday device, which destroyed- will destroy- the entire Earth. And, supposedly, one built by us!
The man in the bed looked over at the military man, neither making comment.
Now the tv screen showed a reporter talking to a military man, the same one standing in front of the tv.
Newscaster
When we asked U.S. Army General Brody about the United States ever making such a device, here's what he had to say-
Gen Brody (on tv, shaking his head)
Tjhe whole idea is absurd! Nobody has that kind of technology. Believe me, I know.
Patient
Turn it off, please, Gen. Brody.
Gen. Brody obliges.
Gen. Brody
You know, your face isn't really damaged. We just did that so nobody knows you are here.
Patient
Where is here? And why am I here? Why did the government go to the trouble to save my life?
Your people scrambled to save my life, and yet kept it all secret. No doubt this is a secret army hospital. And even a phoney funeral. Why?
Gen. Brody
We have a special mission for you, Dr. Hasslein. That is, only if you want to accept it. Purley voluntary. I think you will accept. I saw your dedication to your task. As for the secrecy, we don't want the public to know of the urgency of the mission. Otherwise, they might think we really have a Doomsday Weapon, heh, heh.
Hasslein
I assume "we" do. I heard rumors, of course, since I am- was the science advisor to the President.
Gen. Brody
Let's just say only those who need to know know. Why worry the public?
Hasslein
So it's true?! What kind of insanity is that??
Gen. Brody
That's a discussion for another time, doctor.
Hasslein
I... see. Okay, then what about why you saved me? Why me? What is this mission all about?
Gen. Brody
We want you to travel to the future via suspended animation. We have a date selected for when you will awaken, several centuries from now. If you remember the testimony of those two simians, the human population of the future will begin to rely on the apes for slave labor. Slaves that eventually revolt, and by the year 3955 start a war with someone that ends with the destruction of the planet. We want you to go to the beginning of that future, so that you can prevent the people from making that mistake of making ape slaves. Nip it in the bud, so to speak. Prevent that Earth future where humans can't even think, but the apes ran the show. We want you to assure that such a future will never come into existence.
Hasslein
Why not just dismantle the bomb, then? So that it doesn't destroy our world. The bomb that doesn't exist?
Gen. Brody
What kind of deterrent is that for an aggressive enemy?But this way, who would be crazy enough to attack us, knowing we might be crazy enough to attack back by detonating the Doomsday weapon.
Hasslein (shaking his head in disbelief)
Even making such a bomb proves insanity, in my opinion. So if one country leader is crazy eoungh to make it, what is to stop another leader from being crazy enough to dare the other crazy leader to launch it?
Gen. Brody
I leave that to the experts to worry about, and so should you. But what about this proposition, Doctor? Can we count on you to accept it?
Hasslein (with a sigh)
I suppose it must be done. I have already done so much to keep that future from happening. I have put my soul at risk- I've killed, or as the newscaster says, murdered two innocents. Three, including the baby. Their only crime was to threaten our future. But it had to be done. I had no choice. I would do it again.
Gen. Brody
One gets used to making the hard decisions that must be made in order to protect the people.
Hasslein
I hope not.
Tell me how is it I can be kept alive for such an extended period of time in suspended animation. The astronauts could do, what, a year or two at the most.
Gen. Brody
Great advances have been made since Col. Taylor left. Your capsule's air will contain nutrients. Your age will be slowed, but not stopped. You will be an old man, even so, when you awaken. You will have slept away the prime of your life.
Hasslein
You ask a lot. And I am willing to give it, as you already figured. Indeed, I would be dead already if not for your quick acting. If you think there is still a danger- and I concur- again I have no choice in the matter.
Gen. Brody
You have all the choice your dedication to changing the future will allow you. You are an intelligent man who can persuade others you are right, nevermind that ANSA didn't listen to you about Col. Taylor and his crew passing through a curve in time. Maybe you can convince our descendants to avoid their folly, to avoid provoking the apes to rebellion. Maybe when Col. Taylor's ship for some unknown reason returns to Earth in the future- maybe a failsafe when the ship got in trouble, caught in the time curve, the rocket returned- maybe he will, thanks to your efforts, land on a better world.
Hasslein
And what if I fail?
Gen. Brody
Don't. Plan B is even worse. We let the apes and the humans blow up the world, all gone in a puff of smoke. So don't fail. Plan A must succeed.
Hasslein
How comforting.
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