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THE CONFRONTATION Now! Read an excerpt from Kevin M. Kraft's original and controversial screenplay!
FADE IN: INT. At the entrance to a caverns, several sweaty French men, grimy and wearing dirty, soiled khaki outfits stand. The early morning daylight illuminates their anxious faces, and they JABBER excitedly among themselves, intently looking out the opening as someone approaches. A shadow falls upon them and in enters an imposing looking well-dressed man, tall and powerful and yet somehow elegant in presence. This is the Professor, 60-70. His sheer aura and presence lets us know he requires no other name. PROFESSOR Bonjour, gentlemen. The workers greet him quickly, then JABBER IN FRENCH and gesture toward whatever rests within the cave. PROFESSOR Slow down, slow down, please. Now then, where’s the man who made the find? INT. FURTHER Armed with high-intensity flashlights, workers lead the Professor into the claustrophobic confines of the ancient cave, around the corner of a narrow passage, which opens into a small “room.” Excavation tool rest against its walls and along the wider opening, chunks of stone and rubble attest to the back-breaking work that made this site accessible in the first place. Near the far wall of the cell stands yet another man, foreman LACOMBE, 40s, who examines something on the wall in the light of his hand torch, when the group and the Professor enter. The workers stand aside to allow the Professor to join. The Professor greetS Lacombe with a kind smile, extends a large hand. PROFESSOR I see you’ve been waiting for me. LACOMBE Oui! Yes, monsieur. It is here! Lacombe lifts his torch and indicates the rock wall. The Professor removes his eyeglasses from his breast pocket and peers closely at the wall. LACOMBE (to the workers) More light! More light! Come! Three of his workers approach and shine their torches on the wall. PROFESSOR Not too much light, please. The reflection. LACOMBE I’ve worked with these caves for fifteen year, sir. I’ve seen paintings like this before, but... not like that. On the wall is a crude rock carving, partially painted with a red substance. PROFESSOR Mm-hm...ahhhh, there it is... using some of the...natural configurations of the limestone as part of the anatomy... The Professor examines what is unmistakably a carving of an elephant-like figure. He plays his light over it, touches it gently. PROFESSOR Yes! Unmistakable to the unjaundiced eye...painted with red ochre, just like the others—very nice, indeed. The Professor moves slightly to the left of the mammoth, where another shape: this one is clearly not a mammoth. Rather, head-to-head with the mammoth is a reptilian figure comparable in size to the mammoth. Lacombe swallows nervously. PROFESSOR And there is that. LACOMBE Oui, monsieur. PROFESSOR Oui, oui. The Professor seems to freeze, examines the dinosaur carving at length without comment. LACOMBE One thing I remember from my school- ing, monsieur, is that dinosaurs and mammals are millions of years apart from one another. How is such a painting even conceivable? The Professor throws a surprised look at the foreman, then he smiles broadly. PROFESSOR Aren’t you overlooking the greater question, monsieur? The Professor takes another look at the carving. PROFESSOR Simply incredible. Perhaps the find of the century indeed. The Professor relaxes a bit. PROFESSOR This portion of the caves has not been opened to the public yet, correct? LACOMBE No, monsieur. In fact, we are finishing clearing it even now. PROFESSOR You could find yourself a very famous man, my friend, once word of this gets out. I would like you to take some time and write a report of just how you found this artifact in as much detail as you can. Would you do that for me? LACOMBE But sir, my employers want this cave cleared, catalogued and opened to the public in five days. We two days behind schedule—three days now with this delay. The Professor lays a becalming hand upon Lacombe’s dirty shoulder. PROFESSOR I’ve already spoken with your employers. (beat) After today, I don’t think employment is something you’ll need to concern yourself with. Lacombe looks pleased, even excited. LACOMBE Very well, monsieur. PROFESSOR Excellent! Excellent. Now, if you and your men will see to your report, I’ll continue with my investigation. Then we’ll speak again. Lacombe barks and order to his men, and they all file out, their torch lights fading as they leave the way they came. The Professor examines the carving against, chuckles incredulously. Then he sets his flashlight down on it’s bottom underneath the carving, steps back, still smiles, as picks up a sledgehammer that leans against the wall and proceeds to bash the limestone and the limestone carving, obliterating any trace of it forever.
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