Let's Kill Santa Claus - a short scene

[deftdelivery]

Hey Schmoes, I thought I'd post a script my friend and I have recently completed. It's going to be a 10-11 minute short filmed in the end of January out in LA...all feedback appreciated. Thanks!


BLACK SCREEN
CHATTER.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - CHRISTMAS EVE
An expensive home filled with Christmas cheer and LOTS OF GUESTS.
MIDDLE-AGED DAUGHTER calming, walks over to GRANDMOTHERLY WOMAN, anxious, worried.
DAUGHTER
Everything will be just fine. Pappa’s just being himself.
Grandma looks at her watch.
SUPER: Big and little hand show 9:27 pm
GRANDMOTHERLY WOMAN
He’s an hour and a half late. That’s not like my Mackenzie.
Daughter consoles.
DAUGHTER
Look at all Pappa’s friends. Do you really think he would invite all his friends and not show up for all this?
(beat)
Look, where’s Matthew? Go check the office. Have him call again.
Grandma clears away from the party to a bedroom door--QUIETLY KNOCKS, she peeks her nose in.
MATHEW, a very well to do young man, intense, inquisitive, looks up.
CUT TO:
BLACK SCREEN
EXT. CAR - LOS ANGELES - CHRISTMAS EVE
Mercedes Benz drives city streets.

JAZZ RAPPA (O.S.)
(unth time)
Don’t sit behind me!
Back Passenger SLIDES across back seat.
RADIO STATION’S scan from one to the next.
INT. CAR
JAZZ RAPPA mid-twenties, dressed in coat and hat, brash and rough on the outside but internally somber, driver, watches the road-- continues to search for the right RADIO STATION--peers into his rear view mirror at
BUCKO mid-forties, dressed in coat and hat, sits in the back seat, struggles to maintain attention, quietly cradles back and forth to himself.
JAZZ RAPPA
(Cool)
You are getting me blistering mad, Bucko.
Bucko continues to cradle, CLANKS his teeth together in a closed mouth.4
Jazz opens center console pulls out an UNMARKED CD--enters it into the dash.
LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM plays in the speakers.
Jazz looks into his rear mirror.
Bucko is more calm.
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
The Benz comes to a SCREECHING HALT.
JAZZ RAPPA (O.S.)
GET IN THE FRONT!
Bucko quickly SLIDES back across the backseat and exits out the back driver side door--SLAMS IT-- races around the front side of the car and enters at the front passenger door.
INT. CAR - LOS ANGELES
Bucko sits down and looks directly at Jazz.
DOOR SLAMS!
Jazz winces--Bucko nervous.
JAZZ RAPPA
What have I told you about slamming the doors?
BUCKO
Don’t.
JAZZ RAPPA
How many doors did you slam?
BUCKO
(pointing to back door)
Just that one.
(pointing to front door)
And that one.
JAZZ RAPPA
How many is that?
BUCKO
(counts in his head)
TWO.
JAZZ RAPPA
Why did you slam the doors if you know you know you are not supposed to slam the doors?
BUCKO
I’m nervous.
Jazz closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
JAZZ RAPPA
This isn’t going to cut it.
Jazz stares at Bucko, Bucko shy’s away--looks out window straight ahead.
The CD of Little Town of Bethlehem begins to SKIP.
Jazz CRASHES his hand over the EJECT button... Grabs the cd--presses his window down button and atempts to toss it out his window. The window descends to slow, he shoves the door open with his shoulder and pitches the cd on ground--jumps out of the car and STOMPS the cd into a million pieces.
Jazz gets back in the car.

JAZZ RAPPA (CONT'D)
There, that’s better.
EXT. ROAD
Benz ZOOMS away.
INT. CAR
Silence.
BUCKO
Jazz?
JAZZ RAPPA
What?
BUCKO
Do you believe in baby Jesus?
JAZZ RAPPA
(sighs)
What do you think?
BUCKO
I don’t know?
RALPH
Do you think if there were a baby Jesus, he would have let you come out the way you did?
BUCKO
No.
JAZZ RAPPA
Well there’s your answer.
BUCKO
What about God?
JAZZ RAPPA
What do you want to know Bucko, Hmmm? What is it?
BUCKO
What if he takes away Christmas?
JAZZ RAPPA
Takes away Christmas?
BUCKO
He needs to make it back to the North pole?
Jazz brings the car to a sudden stop and puts it into park.
EXT. SECLUDED AREA
Benz sits parked with headlights on.
INT. CAR
JAZZ RAPPA
Santa Clause and God are not the same people. Okay?
BUCKO
Why do we gotta kill him, Jazz?
JAZZ RAPPA
His son did something very, very bad against Mr. Louie. So you and I have to take care of our job so we can get paid and I can feed you and buy you neat things. Like for Christmas.
PETEY
You always say you’re gonna buy me things, but you never buy me anything.
JAZZ RAPPA
Are you still alive! Huh?!
BUCKO
Yeah.
JAZZ RAPPA
What’s that?
BUCKO
YEAH.
JAZZ RAPPA
What did I tell you about answering people politely?
BUCKO
To say yes.
JAZZ RAPPA
Then why aren’t you saying YES?
BUCKO
Yes.
JAZZ RAPPA
Let me put it mildly. If it weren’t for me they would have put you to sleep along time ago! So for one God Damn minute tonight I need you to be on the same page as me. You got that!
BUCKO
(shakes his head)
Yeah.
Jazz VENTS reaches into his pocket pulls out a piece of gum hands it to Bucko.
JAZZ RAPPA
Here. Don’t pop.
BUCKO
Yum. My favorite.
JAZZ RAPPA
Don’t pop.
Bucko is delighted, quickly unwraps gum puts it into his mouth.
A cell phone CHIRPS in the back ground.
Jazz startled.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT'D)
What’s that?
BUCKO
A cell phone.
JAZZ RAPPA
You don’t have a cell phone.
It’s not mine.
I thought you checked him?
BUCKO
I did.
Jazz pops the trunk and races out of the car, Bucko does the same.
EXT. CAR
In trunk of the car is a deer caught in headlights PAPPA, 60ish, larger man, homely, white hair, roughed up, dressed in Santa gear.
RING RING RING...
PAPPA
Please don’t hurt me.
JAZZ RAPPA
Shut up if you want to live and I mean that!
Jazz fishes around all the coat pockets--grabs the cell it’s RINGING in his hand--he press a button--RINGS silence.
Jazz holds up phone to Bucko.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT’D)
If you’re not working for us. You’re working against us.
BUCKO
Sorry, Jazz.
Jazz looks around the area.
JAZZ RAPPA
This is just as good a place as any. Get him out. We’ll bring him over there.
Bucko just looks at Santa hesitant.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT'D)
What are you waiting for? Huh? Christmas Day?
Take a good look at this man. He is not Santa Claus and he’s not God.
Jazz grabs the fake beard from around Santa’s neck and yanks it off.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT'D)
This is fake. It’s a fake beard. These red clothes are fake. It’s all a hoax. It’s a costume. You can buy it for Halloween. He rented it from some costume store for Christmas so he can prance around being Jolly pretending to be someone he wishes he could be that he’s not. Now tape him up good and take Santa Clause out of the fucking trunk and bring him over there against the wall.
Bucko grabs a bag from the back seat, with duct tape and a dirty cloth.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT'D)
I’m gonna take a piss.
Tell him not to try anything stupid.
Jazz walks off.
BUCKO
(to Santa)
Don’t try anything stupid.
Buck hoists Santa out of the trunk and walks him over the a darkened area.
EXT. ALLEY
Santa is on his rump back against a wall, the palms of his hands rest on the concrete.
Bucko chews his gum.
PAPPA
(quietly)
Mr. Bucko. You’re... You’re not a killer.
BUCKO
Yes I am.
Pappa running out of time.
PAPPA
Listen I promise if you...
BUCKO
I’m not allowed to talk to the bad guys.
PAPPA
I’m not a bad guy. Please, I’ll buy you games, toys, anything you want and for your friend too.
BUCKO
He’s my brother.
PAPPA
And for your brother.
BUCKO
You’re not Santa.
PAPPA
Yes I am. Look at me.
Bucko looks at him surprised, Believes him.
JAZZ RAPPA (O.S.)
Stop chattering to him!
Bucko stuffs the dirty cloth in Santa’s mouth and duct tapes it in.
BUCKO
I taped his mouth Mr. Rappa.
JAZZ RAPPA
Why did you just call me that?
BUCKO
(chewing louder)
What?
Jazz glares at Bucko.
Bucko stops in mid-chew.
Jazz takes a long look at Santa.
JAZZ RAPPA
Sorry old man. Should have raised an honest son.
Jazz reveals a bowie knife.
BUCKO
I thought we were gonna let’em have it?
JAZZ RAPPA
We are. We’re gonna do this one nice and quiet. Per Mr. Louie’s request.
Jazz leans in for the kill.
POP!
Jazz’s attention turns to Bucko.
Bucko has a his face covered in a bubble gum.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT'D)
What did I tell you about...
A weighted metal object BOUNCES on the ground.
Bucko’s eyes gesture toward Santa.
Jazz’s expression changes-- turns slowly to Santa.
Santa has the small silver hand gun pointed directly at Jazz.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT’D)
(under his breath)
(looking at his chest coat pocket)
Oh shit.
CRACK!
CRACK!
Jazz holds his chest in shock, keeps his balance.
Santa points the gun at Bucko.
Bucko is frozen still.
Santa drops the gun, gathers to his feet and staggers away into the shadows into the distance.
BUCKO
Are you okay?
JAZZ RAPPA
(breathy)
Yeah I’m fine Bucko. I need to sit down over there okay.
BUCKO
Okay.
Jazz is slow to reflex, Bucko helps him over to a wall.
BUCKO (CONT’D)
Is that blood.
JAZZ RAPPA
Just a little bit. We need to sit down over there an... And talk real quick okay.
BUCKO
Yes.
Jazz smiles.
JAZZ RAPPA
Yes is right.
Jazz stops places hands on Bucko’s shoulders, face to face.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT’D)
Remember that special box in the closet.
Bucko shakes head YES.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT’D)
It’s okay to open it now.
BUCKO
Really?
JAZZ RAPPA
Yes.
It’s your Christmas present from me. Do exactly what the letter says to do. EXACTLY. You got that?
BUCKO
Yes.
JAZZ RAPPA
And no matter what never talk to Mr. Louie again. Okay?
BUCKO
Why?
JAZZ RAPPA
He’s a bad guy.
Bucko Shakes head YES.
Jazz sits himself down against the wall.
JAZZ RAPPA (CONT’D)
Scene One, Take one-hundred and thirty-five.
Jazz dies.
Bucko stands quietly isn’t sure what to do.
BUCKO
Jazz?
(beat)
Are you coming with me or are you gonna wait here?
CUT TO:
BLACKSCREEN
DOOR SLAMS.
The song plays Little Town of Bethlehem.
THE END.

[deftdelivery]

Bah...thought it would transfer from final draft a bit cleaner.

Anyone know how to format the script in the post or at least make it more readable?

[adamjohnson]

export function?

Great title.

[inglourious basterd]

Can you tell us a little more about your project?

[deftdelivery]

This will be filmed in the Los Angeles area in late January and will be directed by Curtis Harrington (known primarily for his work in the 60's). It's going to be about a 10-12 minute short and we'll hope to send it to several film festivals.