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EXT. AIRPORT LOS ANGELES (LAX) 11:45 NIGHT.
Total darkness. One can hear a plane far away... the noise becomes stronger... strong thunder like noise of airplane engines... Airplane Boeing 757 on line Los Angeles - New York takes off from the runway. The camera is at the end of the runway below the plane and follows it. Unlimited lights of Los Angeles...
INT. AIRPLANE BOEING 757 NIGHT
The airplane is almost empty. Al travels alone. He is a middle-aged man. Wears an expensive suit, white shirt and tie. Looks elegant.
Stewardess is a young, attractive looking woman. She serves refreshing drinks. Approaches Al.
STEWARDESS Would you like coffee or tea?
AL Coffee please.
STEWARDESS Sugar, milk?
AL Yes please.
The stewardess pours coffee in a plastic cup on the tray which she holds with another hand. She hands it to Al with a smile.
STEWARDESS Here you go.
AL Thank you.
Brandon sits two rows behind Al. Young, athletically built man. Dressed sportily. Frances, a beautiful brunette naps on his shoulder. Dressed casually.
Kevin sits on the opposite side of the aisle of Brandon. He is a man in his best years. Wears a cheap grey suit. Travels alone. Talks to Brandon.
KEVIN (proudly emphasizes) ...I have never charged a
Brandon half interested approves such behaviour by nodding his head. In this moment Al passes beside them. Kevin opens his eyes widely from surprise.
KEVIN (says to Brandon confidently covering his mouth) That is Al... (emphasizes) He is a mafia boss...
Brandon nods his head still not very interested.
John sits two rows behind Kevin. Late fifties. Extremely modern cloth. Armani. Rolex. He speaks to Diane, an attractive dressed up blond woman, half his age.
Behind him sits Jack. By his looks one would guess he is a retiree. Wears wrinkled grey clothing.
Jack heard what John said. It revolted him. Jack interrupts him with a lot of malice.
Spouse Kathy sits beside him and gives him a sign to be silent.
John has a short fuse. He tries to respond calmly and well mannered but his vanity is hurt.
JOHN I contributed a lot to society...
JACK (cannot resist to say) Yah, yah. I can only think it...
John slowly loses his temper and reacts with more tension.
JOHN I am the one who reduced crime in Washington DC! (gives more passion) I am the one who brought help to New Orleans after Katrina!! (continues almost in the manner of Adolf Hitler.) I am the one who told Bush not to leave Iraq before winning!!! I am the one...
John stop, what’s wrong with you?
JOHN Huh?
John brings himself together. Disapproved by shaking his head.
JACK (interrupts) What the heck...
Kathy grabs Jack’s sleeve and stops him by putting her finger on her lips.
JACK (says to Kathy) Why are you telling me to shut up? Is this what we
KATHY (calms him) You don’t know the man.
Jack mumbles disapprovingly to himself.
Behind them sits a well-dressed couple in their mature years. Danny is short and chubby. He talks to his wife Bette who reads a journal.
DANNY ...it should be bought for the bedroom.
DANNY I can’t wait to get home...
Camera moves into the cockpit. The pilot and co-pilot sit there. Both look young. They routinely take on their duties.
PILOT Delta 704 calling flight control New York, do you copy. Delta 704 calling flight control New York, do you copy.
FLIGHT CONTROL Delta 704, here is flight control New York.
CO-PILOT (says to pilot) We have excellent weather for landing...
In the plane one hears murmur, and noise of the engine. One can hear through speakers that the weather in New York is clear. The temperature is 77 degrees Fahrenheit. SUDDENLY ABSOLUTE SILENCE AND DARKNESS. It lasts for about 10 seconds so that the movie viewers become a little bit upset. After about 10 seconds everything appears back the same way it was before. However, it is not night any more, it is day. The passengers are confused. Most of them feel something happened but do not know what. Comments are heard...
KATHY (looks at Jack) What happened?
Something very strange happened...
BRANDON (looks around) Everything looks fine...
The pilot, doesn’t understand what happened either. He inspects the commands. Everything looks normal, but the sun shines brightly. The pilot looks at the co-pilot with a questioning look. The co-pilot shrugs his shoulders.
PILOT Wasn’t it just night?
CO-PILOT It was...
PILOT And now it’s not?
Tries again to communicate with flight control.
PILOT Delta 704 calling flight control New York. Delta 704 calling flight control New York.
Radio whizzes, static, but there is no response. Pilot tries again...
PILOT Delta 704 calling flight control New York. Do you copy? Roger.
The pilot looks at the co-pilot surprised. The co-pilot responds by shrugging his shoulders.
The airplane flies over rocky mountains. One can see beautiful lakes, woods and meadows in the mountains. It decreases in altitude reaching the beautiful blue sea. Frances looks through the window.
FRANCES (tells Brandon) Look how beautiful it is here…
Pilot informs the passengers through the P. A. System: “It seems we have small technical problems. We will land in the emergency airport. We are planning to continue the flight to New York soon.” The stewardess continues: “Please fasten your seatbelts and put your seat back in an upright position...”
Passengers look at each other questioningly...
EXT. AIRPORT DAY
The airplane Boeing 757 lands on a small airport. The camera is at the beginning of the runway and follows the plane landing. The main building is small. There is a board there and on it is the name “Heaven”. It is not a busy airport. Light, clearness, and beauty everywhere.
At the airport a brass band plays “Imagine” by John Lennon. The passengers get out of the plane...
BETTE (frowns her face) What kind of music is that?
FRANCES Where are we?
At the airport domestic officials, a middle aged married couple Miki and Mirjana greet them. They are very friendly and hospitable....
Miki is a former high official of the communist party, seducer, cheater. Now almost an exemplary man. He wears a light linen sport suit. It fits him well.
Mirjana is somewhat younger than Miki. One would say she is a pretty beautiful woman. Her turquoise dress is waving, emphasizing her elegant look.
The passengers protest loudly.
JACK What stay? What are you talking about...
JOHN It's out of question...
BRANDON Brandon has a final soccer cup in Milan...
I have a concert in Paris!
Al is very surprised and watches what happens there.
Commotion rises.
Miki tries to calm down the situation but he is not very skilful in it...
KEVIN I am the police! What is this?
Miki finally gets a chance to respond to them in peace.
MIKI This is Heaven.
JACK What heaven?
MIKI
Now protests culminate into revolt. Mirjana raises her arms in order to calm down the situation.
MIRJANA Please people...
Newcomers calm down. They are curious what she has to say...
DANNY (relaxingly says) Uh, I thought I was in prison...
JACK What paradise?
MIRJANA Now we will take you to the Welcome houses where you will be explained where you are and what you might expect here.
They look oddly at each other but get on the two buses and go to the welcome houses.
EXT. WELCOME HOUSE DAY
One welcome house is located in a small town on a beautiful small island. It is connected with a coast by a pebbled path. The little town has about thirty houses. A very nicely arranged island.
One bus comes to the Welcome center. Newcomers take off the bus and walk to the island.
Bette looks along the pedestrian path towards an unusual island. Talks to her husband Danny.
BETTE Isn’t it wonderful here! ...like in fairy tale...
DANNY Nothing is clear to me...
INT. WELCOME HOUSE DAY
The Welcome center is a contemporarily adapted old rock house. An unusual combination of old and new. New comers enter a big room which looks like a modern classroom. Each table has a computer. Instead of a blackboard there is a huge monitor. The chairs are upholstered. The room is bright and comfortable for staying in.
New comers all sit like students in classroom. Miki and Mirjana speak....
MIRJANA You have come to another world, in Paradise.
Their faces reflect surprise and confusion. Absolute silence in the room. Frances breaks the silence with a silent and fearful question...
FRANCES Are we alive?
Massive refusal steps in...
JOHN Me too...
DIANE I haven't even gotten a face lift yet...
The newcomers are disgusted and horrified. Murmur is heard. Mirjana looks at the newcomers. Waits a little bit in order to get attention and continues.
Mirjana looks above and says nothing... Danny takes a probing glance at her but asks nothing...
She shows a hat. This is a simple knitted hat with a knitted ball on the top
MIRJANA (continues) Those who get a blue hat... (shows a blue hat) ...deserve to stay here.
Silent and very tense atmosphere in the room.
But, there is an escape! (she stresses and continues)
DANNY (curiously) How does the evaluation works?
DIANE It will mess up my hairstyle. (touches the hair indulgently)
Mirjana now talks slowly in order to be taken seriously and understood better.
MIRJANA Are you ready for the hat distribution?
Al shrinks himself and does not say anything.
BRANDON Brandon is ready. Everyone likes Brandon!
MIRJANA Let's go then...
Ghostly silence in room, fear of distribution...
She takes a red hat out of the desk. John does not care much about it and takes the hat.
Gives her a small red hat.
DIANE (watches the hat) It's cute... (but she is not confident)
He crosses himself and fearfully approaches her. Mirjana takes out a blue hat for him. Relaxing smile immediately illuminates his face, but...
MIRJANA Oops, my mistake...
Mirjana returns a blue hat and pulls out a red hat five feet long for him. Al closes his eyes in pain because of the sudden inconvenience and sighs deeply.
AL They could knit a sweater with this wool... (takes the hat)
Kevin!
He approaches confidently thinking he is supposed to receive a blue hat.
MIRJANA (continues) Your hat...
Mirjana takes out a smaller red hat for him. &nbs |
