PARTMENT -- EVENING
Cramer, armed with his laser device, is outside Blast's apartment.
He approaches and jimmies a backdoor.
He climbs the steps to "Floor 3".
He walks to "Apartment C".
He scans the doorframe with the laser. It lights up orange.
Cramer hits a key and de-activates the light.
He forces the lock and enters the room.
He scans it.
PICTURE, WALL SAFE AND VENUS OF WILLENDORF
Across the room the orange light flickers on a picture.
Cramer walks to the picture and removes it.
He uses the laser device to break-into the wall safe.
From inside, Cramer removes the Venus of Willendorf.
He exchanges it for an duplicate Venus.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BLAST'S WASATCH BUNKER
Blast and two assistants are at their consoles.
In b.g. one assistant is scrolling through the same list of women's faces, names and addresses as Aren saw back on O'Brien's console.
In b.g. on the other side of room the other assistant is talking through a head-set as he types information into a computer program.
FLASHING RED LIGHT AND SIREN
SFX Blast is startled by a red flashing light on the console and the BLAST of a siren.
In response, Blast rushes to a console and starts rapidly typing.
He hits the "ENTER" key and then says, anxiously,
BLAST
Secured. Come in O-B.
O'Brien comes into view on the screen.
His beard is completely shaved off, as is his head. He is in clerical dress.
Over O'Brien shoulder is Father John, who had left the room just before Aren appeared to O'Brien.
Blast and his two assistants are shocked and speechless.
Blast recovers.
BLAST (CONT'D)
For God's sake, man, what are you doing?
O'Brien begins to CRY.
BLAST (CONT'D)
(angrily)
What is it? Have you been chewing those magic mushrooms again?
(slams his fist)
I've forgiven you how many times!
SFX O'Brien's SOBBING intensifies.
Father John, standing behind O'Brien, gestures to Blast
conveying that he doesn't know what's going on.
Father John indicates that he thinks O'Brien is nuts.
Blast looks at his two assistants. Then he drops his head onto his chest, and SIGHS.
SIGN OF THE CROSS
Blast recovers and says, most authoritatively, as he traces the sign of the cross on the screen over O'Brien's face.
BLAST (CONT'D)
Your sins are forgiven.
Blast regroups.
BLAST (CONT'D)
Speak to me O-B.
O'Brien blesses himself.
O'BRIEN
She's been here.
BLAST
Who?
O'BRIEN
The one.
Blast shakes his head in disbelief.
BLAST
Do you have it on tape?
O'BRIEN
No. But it's true. I swear it. She came here.
(points off screen)
Right there. And she talked with me.
BLAST
(concerned)
What did you say?
As O'Brien starts to speak, the screen jams with static and interference. His words cannot be understood.
Blast turns to one assistant and says,
BLAST (CONT'D)
Goddam it! He was one of Castro's best. He must've stayed too long in those Guatemalan jungles with the goddam Sandinistas.
(to the other assistant)
Get O'Brien to the Trappists. Bury him deep in sacred silence.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. IN A VALLEY OF THE WASATCH -- AFTERNOON
AERIAL VIEW
of hundreds of people, mostly young, walking through a valley in the Wasatch Mountains.
FLAGS AND SIGNS
They are heading towards a hillside which is bedecked by all types of flags and signs. They are colorful and zany and traditional and far-out, etc. Among them are:
United States Flag
United Nation's Flag
Flags of Other Countries
Greenpeace's Flag
Flag of the Red Cross
"The End Is Now!"
"Rejoice! Rejoice!"
"Jesus Rules!"
"Christians Triumphal!"
"Sin And Be Saved!"
EXT. TENT CITY -- CONTINUOUS
The throng reaches and passes through a cluster of tents which have been raised on the footstep of the hillside.
People are in all types of dress. From casual to cowboy to hippie to oriental to clowns and so forth.
Various musical sounds and songs are heard.
Rock and Roll.
Blues.
Country.
Classical, and so forth.
As the throng surges towards the hillside, a cascade of hand DRUMMING is heard. This becomes the dominant beat.
EXT. PROPHETS AND PROPHECY -- CONTINUOUS
Peter Smith is at the center of a small stage built slightly up the hillside. He is dressed like a shaman. He wears a deer antler head-dress and he holds a bullhorn.
The DRUMMING stops.
Peter waves and calls to the crowd.
PETER SMITH
Come all ye lusty bucks and winsome maidens!
A riff of DRUMMING punctuates his call.
HOOTS and HOLLERS rise from the crowd. A HALF-NAKED MAN shouts.
HOOT #1
Fuck me, bucks!
A MIDDLE-AGE WOMAN rushes towards Peter's platform and bares her breasts.
Peter smiles and gives a wolf's HOWL.
PETER SMITH
Yahoooo!
Then, another shouts,
HOOT #2
Grace comes only to sinners. Let the sinning begin!
BONG
A heavily TATTOOED MAN tokes a bong, and then passes it on. He shouts,
HOOT #3
See the Angels! Talk with God!
There is a swell of music and shouting. Folks dance and whirl wildly like festive drunks and whirling dervishes.
SFX Peter points toward a man who strikes a humongous GONG.
As the sound lessens so does the crowd quiet.
PETER SMITH
This is the celebration of All Saints and All Souls. It is the ancient celebration of All Hallows Eve -- Halloween!
We are to be merry. We are to be free from all restraint.
He stretches his right hand over the crowd in benediction,
PETER SMITH (CONT'D)
We are to be transformed!
SFX the GONG is struck, again.
EXT. WITCHES -- CONTINUOUS
SFX a wild, high-pitched whirling SOUND is heard.
A chorus of CACKLES and SHRIEKS accompanies the increasing WINDY whirling of the air.
The crowds is stunned and fascinated by the strange event.
SIX WITCHES FLYING ON BROOMS -- SPF
Ethereal images of six traditional WITCHES appear. They are broad-brimmed and flying on brooms.
The Witches' faces range from young to old.
EXT. AREN APPEARS -- CONTINUOUS
As the Witches fly above and about the crowd, Aren appears.
She is standing on a hillside not far from the main stage.
EXT. WITCHCRAFT -- CONTINUOUS
The six Witches fully materialize and alight on the stage with Peter Smith.
An ancient faced witches speaks to the crowd.
ANCIENT
Deep within your soul is an ancient power.
BLACK MAGIC -- SPF
She CACKLES and TITTERS as she speaks, but she is hypnotic.
She points to a dog.
ANCIENT (CONT'D)
What
is, is not!
With a CLAP of her hands the dog turns into a chicken.
The crowds GASPS.
She calls a YOUNG GIRL, about twelve, up to the stage. The Girl is wearing a short skirt.
The Ancient Witch runs her right hand down the Girl's bodice and grasps at her pubic area. The Witch screams in wicked delight as she exposes the Girl's penis.
ANCIENT (CONT'D)
She is he!
The crowd is stunned. MURMURS and RUMBLINGS are heard.
The Witch raises her hand and quiets the crowd.
She runs her hand back down over the Girl's bodice and triumphantly shouts,
ANCIENT (CONT'D)
He is she!
The Witch steps away from the Girl.
She points to the Girl and proclaims,
ANCIENT (CONT'D)
For this knowledge have we been burned!
Flames shoot up and consume the Witch, but she Laughs from within the flames. She is unharmed.
ANCIENT (CONT'D)
Suffer not a sorceress to live! Hee. Hee.
EXT. PETER SMITH -- CONTINUOUS
SFX the gong BOOMS.
Attention returns to Peter Smith.
PETER SMITH
Great knowledge. New knowledge. Knowledge and power. This awaits you when you sin freely. Live without the law. Free yourself!
The DRUMMING resumes.
SFX the Witches start to rise and WHIRL about.
EXT. AREN'S CALL -- CONTINUOUS
Aren steps forward and in a loud commanding voice shouts,
AREN
No!
The authoritative power of her voice STILLS the crowd.
The Witches halt their exit and re-materialize.
AREN (CONT'D)
This is trickery! Only trickery. It is the black magic of Satan, the lawless one, the fallen angel. It leads only to eternal darkness.
Peter rouses the crowd and leads them in a chant of negative response.
SFX the DRUMS beat thunderously.
PETER SMITH
No! No!
OTHERS
Boo! Die bitch!
The crowd NOISE is overwhelming and deafening.
Those standing around Aren move away from her.
She stands alone.
FULL SHOT
of Aren closing her eyes and going deep into prayer.
When she opens her eyes, she is shrouded in an aura of light.
BACK TO SCENE
As her aura appears, the crowd becomes agitated.
Some "ooh" and "ahh".
Others curse her.
CURSE #1
Be damned, daughter of the devil.
CURSE #2
Go to hell, you ugly bitch!
WIDER VIEW
shows the Witches gathering around Peter and turning towards Aren as in a gunfighter's stand-off.
The Ancient Witch points at Aren and Aren's hair turns into a thicket of Medusa-like snakes.
The crowd screams, laughs, and yells.
Some feint.
As Aren raises her hand to touch the snakes, she says,
AREN
Illusion.
The snakes disappear.
Aren speaks to the crowd as she points at the Witches.
AREN (CONT'D)
So that you know the true power of the goddess, of our Mother-in-Heaven, of the Mother in all of us.
DISMEMBERED BODIES -- SPF
The Witches scream and howl as their bodies are dismembered. There is no blood and gore, just the physical separation of arms and limbs and heads -- all which float about.
The floating head of the Ancient Witch screams,
ANCIENT
Cursed be all of yee! Curse be your wombs. May your women give birth to beasts and your men shrivel up into dry seed!
Aren CLAPS her hands and all the Witches disappear.
PETER SMITH AND AREN
Peter jumps off the stage and runs up to Aren.
As he approaches, Aren's aura disappears.
Peter confronts Aren.
PETER SMITH
I know you! You're Cramer's little virgin bitch!
Peter turns towards the crowd while pointing at Aren.
PETER SMITH (CONT'D)
We know this woman. She claims to be pure!
Raucous laughter rises from the crowd laugh.
PETER SMITH (CONT'D)
What is true is that no man will have her!
More sneering laughter.
PETER SMITH (CONT'D)
The power she claims is the power of deceit. Of the old gods who would keep us in bondage, keep us bound in fear. For it is fear that keeps this "pure maiden" from being a lusty woman.
He turns to her and gestures towards his crotch.
PETER SMITH (CONT'D)
Overcome your fear and be free.
The crowd goes wild and screams encouragingly,
SCREAM #1
Fuck the bitch!
SCREAM #2
Make her one of us!
Aren is visibly shaken.
Peter grabs her, pulls her to himself and kisses her.
The crowd goes wild, again.
Aren pushes Peter away.
AREN
You don't want to free me! You want to rape me. You want to strip me and use me and fuck me, just make me your cocksucker, not your lover!
Peter is turned on by her rant. He starts to unzip his fly,
PETER SMITH
Suck me, baby, and be free!
But as his left arm reaches out to grab her, Aren disappears.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. AREN'S POWER
The screen is DARK.
Aren's voice is plaintive.
AREN (V.O.)
Why me? Please help me. I am not pure!
The screen bursts into LIGHT.
Slowly, Aren is seen. She is surrounded by the light. She is in an ethereal space.
ANGELS speak, but Aren cannot see them.
ANGELS (O.S.)
Be at peace. You are not alone.
Aren looks around, searching for a face.
ANGELS (O.S.)
We are always with you. Always.
Aren is distraught.
AREN
How can I know that you're not from Satan?
One Angel materializes. It is SARAH. She is grand-motherly.
SARAH
Are you willing to die for another?
Aren gives a hesitant,
AREN
Yes.
INT. SARAH, ABRAHAM AND ISAAC -- CONTINUOUS
Aren and Sarah materialize atop a mountain.
There is a pyre set.
Coming up the mountain is ABRAHAM and ISAAC.
Abraham sets-about tying his son onto the pyre.
He pauses to pray.
He turns and raises his sword and is about to slay his son, when Sarah speaks. She paraphrases Genesis 22:11-12.
SARAH
Abraham! Abraham!
ABRAHAM
Here am I.
SARAH
Do not lay your hand on your son or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.
Then, Abraham and Isaac disappear.
Aren looks at Sarah and falls to her knees.
AREN
It is you, Mother?
SARAH
Yes, I am your mother and your sister and
(with joy)
your daughter!
Aren's face is quizzical.
Sarah laughs and then reaches for Aren's hand.
Aren rises.
SARAH (CONT'D)
I am within you, part of your soul. This is your power. The power to create, give birth, to laugh and cry in the midst of joy.
Aren is still perplexed.
SARAH (CONT'D)
The old witch, she is right. The male lives within you.
SARAH INTO ABRAHAM -- SPF
Sarah steps backwards and is transformed into Abraham as she says,
SARAH (CONT'D)
I am Abraham.
She touches Aren's face.
SARAH (CONT'D)
And you are Isaac.
She steps towards and places a hand upon Aren's head. Her words reference Genesis 1:27 ff.
SARAH (CONT'D)
In the image of God, so were male and female created. This is spiritual power. The power created when male and female couple and so, together, create new images of God.
She draws Aren closer and kisses her.
SARAH (CONT'D)
This is what Abraham had to learn. That his son, our son, is God's power manifest. That Death is transitory, a state of transformation. That we live forever as The Holy Family.
Aren brightens.
AREN
So, the old witch does have Satan's power. But only the power to kill, not to transform.
Sarah fixes on Aren's eyes and challenges.
SARAH
Or be transformed.
Sarah begins to fade away. Aren becomes anxious, fearful.
AREN
But how do I become transformed?
Sarah has disappeared.
SARAH (O.S.)
Become Isaac.
Aren is bewildered.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ALL SOULS MASS AT THE VATICAN -- EVENING
A long procession of priests, altar boys, and nuns, followed by a seemingly endless line of the faithful, moves from the BASILICA OF ST. PETER'S outside plaza, up a long flight of stairs and into the vestibule.
Everyone is dressed in black -- priests and laity.
All carry some form of candle or torch.
INT. ALL SOUL'S MASS AT THE VATICAN -- CONTINUOUS
Inside St. Peter's cathedral a traditional Catholic mass is being conducted.
In side-pews flanking the main altar are MONKS chanting.
Cramer stands, surrounded by priests, in one of the first pews. He wears black robes.
His eyes show that he is watching and recording every event. And that he is uncomfortable.
SFX in b.g. Mass is being INTONED in Latin.
Cramer glances at himself dressed in black. He fingers his robe and issues a distressed SIGH.
INCENSE, A SEA OF CANDLES, MONK'S CHANTING
This is the Roman liturgy at its most dramatic.
Altar boys are swinging incense crucibles.
Hundreds of candles strike out like stars in the night.
The chanting is hypnotic.
SFX a BRASS BELL is struck. All drops into SILENCE.
The celebrant of the Mass, Cardinal Bonifaci, enters, genuflects, and turns towards the congregation.
PRIEST
Oremus!
INT. THE CONSECRATION -- LATER
The Catholic ritual of consecration occurs.
Cardinal Bonifaci washes his fingers.
He blesses and raises the Host.
He blesses and raises the Chalice.
He intones, in Latin, the first words of a short prayer which the congregation picks-up en masse. His words appears SUB-TITLED as:
PRIEST
Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.
Cramer seats himself as the others in his pew stand and start moving towards the altar to receive Holy Communion.
He is praying, to himself, the last phrase,
CRAMER
Christ will come again.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CRAMER'S CLASSROOM -- MORNING
In the b.g. on the blackboard are scribbled notes. Circled many times and standing out are:
ALL SOULS
with "ALL" underlined three times, and
DESCENT INTO HELL.
Cramer halts and turns to his students.
CRAMER
It's insanity! No matter how many times I try to understand this transubstantiation stuff, well, it all seems like such non-sense.
One student raises his hand. Cramer waves him off.
CRAMER (CONT'D)
It's like black magic.
He attempts a comic parody by holding up an imaginary Host and Chalice.
CRAMER
This bread is flesh?! This wine is blood?! Am I a cannibal?!
No one laughs. The room is leaden with dead SILENCE.
Cramer flushes with embarrassment. He steps back and sits down in his chair.
STUDENT #A
Is it any crazier to believe, as you Mormons do, that God is not a spirit but has a body like mine?
Cramer is silent; pensive.
STUDENT #B
Do Mormons believe that God has
(embarrassed)
has, has "private parts"?
The class erupts into laughter and short ejaculations.
STUDENT #C
God have mercy!
Cramer leans forward. His eyes are poisonously serious. It is like he is talking to the Devil, himself.
CRAMER
Isn't that what you Catholics fear? That God has a true son. Not a symbolic son. Not a make-believe son. But one of His own flesh.
Cramer stands. He is testifying.
CRAMER (CONT'D)
All souls. You believe in ghosts and spirits. That is why you fear witches. Yes, my ancient uncle, he knew how to make you hate being a man.
Cramer picks-up a book from his desk. It's title is clearly seen.
MALLEUS MALEFICARUM
Cramer holds the book above his head as he says,
CRAMER (CONT'D)
He told you that witches are after your cocks. Let me tell you that that is the message of Satan. The denial of God's sexuality.
Cramer starts pacing in front of the class.
CRAMER (CONT'D)
That is why you dress in black and live as if you are dead. Dead to the world. Dead to the flesh. Dead to your cocks.
But know, true spirituality is not grounded in a life of celibacy. No. No. If we Mormons have received any new revelation it is this, that we humans are gods.
The students erupt into shouting and condemnation.
STUDENT #D
Blasphemy! Paganism!
STUDENT #E
Go back and drown in that great Salt Lake!
Cramer pauses. The room settles. He continues.
CRAMER
And the way you die for another is through laying down your body as a lover.
The classroom bell RINGS.
The students file out in silence. They do not look at Cramer.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. AREN BEGINS HER WORLD TOUR
Aren is speaking in a large auditorium before a packed house.
BANNER reads: "National Conference of Christians and Jews."
She concludes her talk.
AREN
The End Time is the end of the isolation of God our Father and the return of the goddess, God our Mother. Our call is to be like Isaac ... and the way you die for another is through laying down your body as a lover. God is present as we all are one as The Holy Family.
Her words receive an ovation of CHEERS and CONDEMNATIONS.
CHEER #A
Yes! Yes! The Holy Family!
CONDEMN
No! Never! Blasphemer.
A SERIES OF SHOTS
show Aren speaking to a wide range of groups around the world. At the beginning, the crowd reactions are the same: cheers and condemnations.
At these spots she needs police protection.
Later, the crowd is supportive and festive.
The locations include:
A) at the United Nations.
B) in St. Peter's Square.
C) in Red Square where a riot ensues,
D) at the Great Wall of China where she needs to be lifted off to safety by a helicopter,
E) in front of the Taj Mahal in Indi
a where a massive line of non-violent supporters protect her,
F) at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro where the crowd is deliriously happy and there are no police,
G) at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem where the crowd dances and sings,
H) at Stonehenge where the crowd prays silently before the Moon.
MALE AND FEMALE PRIESTS/OFFICIALS
In each spot, as she finishes her speech, Aren is approached by male and female priests/officials of each major religion. She receives a symbol from each. Among them:
a) Rabbis -- a Torah scroll
b) Catholic priest and nun -- Chalice
c) Protestant ministers -- Cross
d) Muslim mullah and woman -- prayer rug
e) Aboriginal couple -- sacred staff
f) Buddhist monks -- gong and rattle
g) Native Americans -- peace pipe
h) Druids -- sheaf of wheat
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CRAMER'S A