PsychoKiller
The Hunt for the Zodiac.
by
Charles Proser
BLACKNESS
MUSIC - PSYCHO-KILLER
GRAYSMITH
(V.O.)
What follows is true. Names have been changed... There is a
killer out there. He has killed at least twenty people in twenty years,
possibly more. Possibly many more. He has never been caught. He has eluded the
police. He is lucky. He is brilliant. And he
is insane. He calls himself...
A SLASH RIPS THE DARKNESS, TOP TO BOTTOM. ANOTHER SLASH CROSSES
IT, LEFT TO RIGHT. PULL BACK TO REVEAL A CIRCLE SUPERIMPOSED. THE ENDS OF THIS
CROSS STICK OUT FROM THE CIRCLE. THIS IS THE SIGN FOR...
GRAYSMITH (V.O.)
...Zodiac.
EXT. SAN FRANCISCO SKYLINE - TODAY - STREET NOISE UNDER.
GRAYSMITH
(V.O.)
At one time this city lived in fear. And if we don't fear
now, it is not because we are
safer, it is simply because we have
forgotten...
+MONTAGE - THE CITY - THE
PEOPLE
We live in a rational universe, a society of laws...at least we
think we do. But every so often that fabric is ripped apart, and from below we
glimpse the feral eyes of the beast.
+DEAD EYES - STARE PSYCHOTICALLY OUT AT US
They asked me if I fear him.
I do.
I believe I have seen him
up close.
+A ROOM - ROBERT
GRAYSMITH, THE NARRATOR.
He is thin, with dark circles under sunken eyes. He is sallow,
disheveled, obsessed, perhaps, in his own way...mad.
GRAYSMITH
(V.O.)
I believe I have looked into
those eyes. I believe I have seen there what his victims have seen. And
now I fear weakness. I fear circumstance.
SERIES OF DISSOLVES - LOCKED CAMERA - GRAYSMITH
Sitting on bed, staring out the window, brooding, staring at
papers covered with weird symbols tacked on the wall.
I fear the bad luck to find myself at his mercy for he has none.
I fear his fear, for his victims are the weak, the isolated, the trusting. He
is a coward and a thief of life. I don't want to glamorize this killer, because
the fear and pain he has caused others reflects what he has caused himself. He
must deny those dark impulses and keep them in check. He must deny himself
those pleasures. He must contain the beast. He must hide. We are looking for
him.
THE SKYLINE AGAIN -
DISSOLVE TO:
+MATCH ANGLE - 1969 - STOCK - THE MODERN BUILDINGS FADE AWAY
MUSIC SEGUES to something from era: Sympathy
for the Devil.
GRAYSMITH (V.O.)
We have not heard from him for some time. But that means
nothing...
PAN OUT OVER THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AS NIGHT FALLS.
GRAYSMITH (V.O.)
There are unsolved murders in every city, in every state. And no
one knows... It could be him, it could be others like him. Nobody knows.
+SERIES OF SHOTS ENDING ON THE ROLLING HILLS OVER VALLEJO
GRAYSMITH
(V.O.)
If you know anything about him...if anything you see now could
possibly help...please ...contact the police.
EXT. LAKE HERMAN ROAD - NIGHT - A COUNTRY LOVER'S LANE.
GRAYSMITH
(V.O.)
It started...we think it started twenty years ago..on a
lonely lover's lane...
VALLEJO,
CALIFORNIA
DECEMBER 1968
A car's headlights illuminate the trees as it moves slowly down
the lane. It crests a hill. In the distance a Rambler stationwagon is parked near
a fence.
RAMBLER
David and Betty Lou neck. David is a high-school student, Betty
Lou is a pretty, sixteen year-old. Headlights bounce off the mirror and into
their faces. They break and come up for air. Betty giggles and straightens her
dress. She kisses him. He puts his hands on the wheel and waits for the car to
pass. But the car moves slowly. David is impatient.
DAVID
Come
on, come on. We haven't got all night
She laughs.
PARKING LOT
The car doesn't pass. It pulls up next to them on the right, ten
feet away. The dark figure hunched over the wheel is stocky. He turns his head... a glint of light off glasses.
RAMBLER
Betty Lou turns in alarm.
BETTY
LOU
What is it?
DAVID
I don't know.
BETTY
LOU
A cop.
DAVID
I don't know.
BETTY
LOU
What's he want?
A car passes, lights sweeping over the scene. The figure turns,
avoiding the light. He doesn't look like a cop.
DAVID
Uh oh..!
David locks all doors. Now Betty Lou is scared.
BETTY
LOU
David...Let's go.
David fumbles with keys. SQUEAK. Man rolls his window down.
MAN
Please?
DAVID
What?
MAN
Get out of the car.
Betty Lou is frozen with fear.
DAVID
Roll up your window.
BETTY
LOU
What? Oh.
Her window, nearest the stranger is open, but she is too
terrified to move. David tries to start the car. It grinds.
DAVID
Darn...come on..come on!
The man opens his door. As he gets out, something catches the
light. A gun. The man glares at Betty Lou. She's rigid. The man stalks towards
David. He pauses, takes aim.
INSIDE CAR
They cower. Window implodes, showering glass. They scream.
OUTSIDE CAR
The man fires into the left rear wheel housing. Both teenagers
scramble to the passenger side. He races around to meet them. Betty Lou is out,
David sliding across the seat. The man reaches through the open window, puts
the gun to David's head and fires. Betty Lou screams and runs up the road. The
man races after her, gun extended. On the run, he fires five times. The bullets
hit in a tight pattern and drive her forward into the dirt, dead.
INT. ARLENE'S HOUSE - VALLEJO February 26, 1969
KAREN, 14, goes to front window, looks out on the street.
HER POV
A white sedan sits at the curb. A glow flickers as a man lights a
cigarette. He is heavyset, with curly dark brown hair; possibly middle aged. He
starts the car, pulls away.
GRAYSMITH (V.O.)
His next victim may have
known him.
BATHROOM - DARLENE
She is twenty-two but looks seventeen. She has a cute,
kewpie-doll look, braces, short light brown hair. She's a dead ringer for Betty
Lou. She is putting on makeup, listening to loud Rock music. KAREN has just
said something. DARLENE pauses, turns to her, concerned.
DARLENE
What did the car look like?
KAREN
Light colored, maybe white... A sedan. I couldn't see the license plate. It was too dark.
DARLENE
He's checking up on me again. I heard he was back. He doesn't
want anyone to know what I saw him do.
Karen is confused. Darlene turns back to the mirror, mutters
something... one syllable ...a name. We can't hear it.
KAREN
Who?
Darlene turns back to her makeup, doesn't answer.
INT. FERRIS HOUSE - NEXT DAY - FEBRUARY 27, 1969
Darlene's younger sister, PAM, hears something at the door. She
puts down a magazine, crosses and opens it. A stocky man, curly haired, with
glasses is putting a package on the step. He sees her and straightens up. His
face is obscured by daylight on the screen.
MAN
...For Darlene...
PAM
Who are you? Did you
leave the other packages too?
MAN
This is for Darlene. Under no circumstances are you to open this.
Understand?
He stares at her, his manner menacing. She closes door, puts
package down, returns to window. He is sitting in his car.
OUTSIDE HOUSE - LATER
Darlene pulls up. The white car is gone. She goes inside.
INSIDE HOUSE
DARLENE walks in.
DARLENE
Anything come for me?
Pam gives her the package, waits for her to open it.
PAM
I saw him. Same guy.
Darlene takes the package into the back room. Pam follows.
PAM
What is it?
Darlene doesn't answer. She grabs the phone, closes the
door on Pam. Pam listens at door, worried, mystified. Phone is dialed. A low
murmur. The door slams open, startling
Pam.
DARLENE
Come on, get your things!
PAM
Where we going?
DARLENE
I'm taking you home.
EXT. HOUSE - WEEKS LATER
Another sister, LINDA, arrives with bags of beer and chips.
INSIDE HOUSE - A FEW
GUYS, PAM, KAREN AND ANOTHER WOMAN.
A painting party is going on.
Karen is leaving in a hurry.
LINDA
Where are you going?
KAREN
Away from here!
LINDA
What's the matter.
KAREN
Some of these guys are weird.
They
give me the creeps.
Karen leaves. Linda turns. Guys paint and screw around in
spattered clothes. But over on the couch, three guys sit who are
strange. Linda looks them over. One is heavyset, older, with dark-rimmed glasses. Linda pushes
through.
+BEDROOM
Darlene sits on bed, sipping beer, looking haggard. She sees Linda, gets up and hugs her hard. She's
near tears.
LINDA
Hey Sis. How are you?
DARLENE
(distractedly)
Oh...fine.
LINDA
What's the matter?
DARLENE
Just go, Linda. Just go.
LINDA
What is it?
DARLENE