FIRST DRAFT   PLANET OF THE APES   "ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW"   by   ART WALLACE   B-540     "Escape From Tomorrow"   ACT ONE   FADE IN   1  EXT. WOODED AREA - NIGHT   An apparently deserted wooded area…trees, shrubs, the sound of crickets and tree frogs. In the distance, the yelping of a dog, sounding like the cry of a hunting dog on a trail. (The SOUND of the dog yelping will come closer and closer.) We PAN along through the woods until we reach the figure of a man fast asleep, leaning his back against a tree. His name is FARROW, he is in his late sixties, has an unkempt beard, wears the typical tattered homespun shirt and pants of the area. Farrow is thin, but far from feeble. In fact, he is in quite good physical condition for a man his age. Beside him, a crude pail, partly filled with the berries he had been gathering. We HOLD on him as the YELPING of the dog continues to come closer. Gradually the sound penetrates and he opens his eyes, lies there listening, unmoving. The YELPING is closer and closer. Farrow gradually sits up, to listen more carefully. We can sense a growing tension. The YELPING is quite close now, and now we also hear the sound of a boy’s voice.   ARNO’S VOICE  Get him, dog!  Go get him!   Farrow scrambles quickly to his feet, looks around him for safety, his lethargy supplanted with terror. The yelping is almost upon him now. No time. Suddenly, he rushes for a tree, starts to scramble up it.   2  ANOTHER ANGLE - FEATURING DOG   As a dog rushes out of the woods, yelping loudly, rushing directly for Farrow.   ARNO’S VOICE  Get him! Go get him!   The dog charges the tree, but Farrow is safely up in its branches. The dog yelps and barks at the treed old man.   3  UP ANGLE - FARROW   In the tree, terrified, crouched on a branch, holding onto another branch, looking not much different than a monkey in a tree. He glances off to one side.   4  DOWN ANGLE - FARROW’S POV   As another figure rushes out of the woods towards the barking dog. This is ARNO, a young chimpanzee, probably about ten or eleven years old.   ARNO  What did you find, dog?! What is it?!   5  ANOTHER ANGLE - ARNO   As he reaches the tree, looks up.   ARNO  (excitedly)  Did you get a…   He breaks off, dismayed, at what he sees.   6  FARROW - ARNO’S POV   Crouched on the branch, looking down fearfully towards Arno.   7  ARNO   Looking up with disappointment towards Farrow.   ARNO  All right, dog. That’s enough.  (the dog still barks)  That’s enough, I said!!  (the dog stops barking)  I thought you were tracking something. It’s only a human.  (he sighs deeply)  Well, we might as well…   He breaks off, startled, at the approach of a ROARING SOUND. He looks up, wonderingly and fearfully, as the sound comes closer. We HOLD on him, looking up, startled, and we see the reflection of a flash of light on his face as it passes overhead, lighting the wooded area with its glow. Almost immediately afterwards, there is the sound of a CRASH, a glow lights the area momentarily, and then all is still. Arno is immobilized for an instant, and then reacts.   ARNO  Come on, dog! Let’s go see!   He charges off in the direction of the crash, the dog at his heels.   8  FARROW   Hesitates a moment, and then starts to scramble down the tree.   9  EXT. ANOTHER SECTION OF WOODS - NIGHT   Arno and his dog charging through the woods towards the crash.   10  EXT. EDGE OF WOODS NEAR SANDPIT - NIGHT   Arno and the dog rushing up to the edge of the woods, Arno looks out at the sandpit, fascinated and a little frightened.   11  REVERSE ANGLE - SANDPIT   A spaceship is half buried in the sandpit, the vapour still rising around it from the heat of its descent.   12  ARNO   Staring at the spaceship, makes a decision.   ARNO  Come on, dog.   He turns and runs back into the woods. We HOLD for a beat on the area where he had been standing, then PAN along the edge of the woods to another area, and HOLD for a beat. Then a head cautiously pokes out of the woods. Farrow.   13  THE SPACESHIP - POV   The vapour is almost dissipated from around it.   14  FARROW   Overcome by curiosity, he moves cautiously from the protection of the woods and approaches the spaceship. He moves close to it very warily, reaches out a hand to touch its hull, but fearfully pulls the hand back at the last instant. He gather [sic.] his courage again, and once again reaches out, and this time does touch it. No heat. Smiling with excitement now, he moves along the hull, running his hand along it, passing over a small hinged compartment on the hull. He glances back at it, returns to it, examines it, and then lifts the hinged area, revealing a small lever in the recess. Farrow looks at the lever for a long moment, then pulls it. He immediately hears a CRACKLING SOUND. Terrified, he turns and runs.   15  ANOTHER ANGLE   As Farrow runs from the spaceship. He only runs a short distance, when his curiosity overcomes his fear, and he stops, glances back at the ship.   16  SPACESHIP - POV   The CRACKLING SOUND continues, and gradually a hinged section of the hull slowly comes down, a doorway to the inside of the ship, the hinged section forming a runway into the ship.   17  FARROW   Overwhelmed with curiosity now, he moves slowly towards the ramp, climbs it, and with great caution, starts into the ship.   18  INT SPACESHIP - NIGHT   As Farrow appears in the doorway, stops for an instant, looking around, awed and fascinated.   19  POV   The mass of dials and instruments that form the controls. The power has not totally dissipated, and some indicator lights are occasionally blinking on and off…red and green…giving an eerie aura to the atmosphere. There are three control contour seats, heavily padded and an astronaut is strapped into each of them with webbing…JONES, VIRDON, KOVAK. Virdon and Kovak are slumped in their webbing, unconscious. Jones lies in his webbing, his head at an odd angle, his eyes wide open in death.   20  FARROW   He moves slowly and cautiously into the ship, eying the astronauts and the blinking panel lights. He moves closer to one of the panels, studies it. With a monkey’s curiosity, he reaches out, moves one of the levers. A spark flies with a crackling sound, and Farrow jumps back in fear. Then  he approaches Jones, examines him, tries to listen to a heartbeat. There is no doubt but that Jones is dead. He looks at Jones sadly, then crosses to Virdon, listens to his heartbeat. Farrow smiles.   21  EXT. VESKA’S HOUSE - NIGHT   This is the house of the Prefect of the village of Chalo. Front steps go up to a small railed landing, which leads to the front door. A banner on a nearby staff reads: PREFECT. A group of villagers…all humans…men, women, children…are gathered outside the house, murmuring to each other, occasionally glancing fearfully up at the sky. A GORILLA stands before the house, rifle in hand, keeping the crowd from moving forward.   22  INT. VESKA’S HOUSE - NIGHT   VESKA is a chimpanzee, and Prefect of the village. He is talking to Arno, who is still excited. Veska is quite tense, but trying to control his tension.   VESKA  We saw it, too. You sure you know where it landed?   ARNO  Yes, father. In the woods. I can take you there.   VESKA  Good. We’ll take some soldiers with us.   He starts for the door.   ARNO  It looked like a ship, father.   VESKA  (at the door)  We’ll see.   ARNO  Do you think it was run by humans?   Veska stops short, glances at him.   VESKA  Why do you say that?   ARNO  Because I heard a story once. That before I was born, a ship came out of the sky. And it was run by humans.   VESKA  That’s impossible, and you know it.   ARNO  But I heard…   VESKA  (interrupting sharply)  Those are humans out there. You grew up with them. Pleasant, ordinary animals. Do you think any one of them could have the intelligence to build or run a machine that travels through the sky?   ARNO  No, but…   VESKA  What you heard was a story. Nothing more. -- Now let’s go.   He opens the door and exits. Arno follows.   23  INT. SPACESHIP - NIGHT   Jones is still inert in his webbing. Kovak is no longer in sight, the webbing around his body lying loose where it had been untied. Farrow is just finishing untying the last bit of webbing from Virdon, who is still unconscious, Struggling mightily, he manages to get Virdon over his shoulder. Staggering under the weight, Farrow crosses to the open doorway.   24  EXT. SPACESHIP - NIGHT   As Farrow emerges from the ship and comes down from the ramp with Virdon over his shoulder. He reaches the ground when we hear, from some distance away, the SOUND of GALLOPING HORSES. They will come closer and closer. Farrow doesn’t hear it at first. Then he does, reacts in fear, and rushes with his burden towards the shelter of the woods, as the GALLOPING comes ever closer.   25  FARROW   In the woods, stumbling, falling to the ground, with Virdon’s body falling to the ground beside him. We can see Kovak’s unconscious body nearby. Farrow scrabbles around so he can see towards the direction of the spaceship.   26  AREA OF SPACESHIP - POV   Four horses ride into the area, and pull to a halt not far from the Spaceship. Veska is on one of the horses, Arno up on the horse, holding his father around the waist. A Gorilla soldier is on each of the other three horses. Each Gorilla armed with a rifle.   27  FARROW   Watching fearfully. Quickly he turns now, hurries to Kovak, grabs his body under the arms and starts tugging it away from the area.   28  AREA OF SPACESHIP   They have all dismounted.   VESKA  (to First and Second Gorilla)  You two stay out here, and cover us.  (to Third Gorilla)  You come with me.   ARNO  Can I go, too, father?   VESKA  No.   ARNO  But I found it, didn’t I?!   VESKA  I said no!!  (to Third Gorilla)  Come on.   He moves towards the entrance, followed by Third Gorilla. The other two Gorillas hold their weapons ready, while Arno stands by, sulking. Veska and Third Gorilla exit up the ramp and into the spaceship.   29  VIRDON   Lying in the underbrush alone, still unconscious. After a beat, Farrow scuttles up to him, breathing heavily, grabs Virdon under the arms, starts to tug him away.   30  INT. SPACESHIP - NIGHT - CLOSE ON JONES   Jones is still in his webbing. ANGLE WIDENS to include Veska examining his body. The Third Gorilla standing by.   VESKA  He’s dead.   ARNO’S VOICE  I was right.   31  ANOTHER ANGLE   as Veska and Third Gorilla turn towards the entrance, where Arno is standing excitedly.   ARNO  It is a human.   VESKA  I thought I told you to stay outside.   ARNO  (ignoring that, crossing excitedly to the other two contour seats)  And look. There were two more of them.  Where do you think they are?   VESKA  We’ll find them. But you’re not to say a word about this. Especially to any human.   ARNO  Why not, father? It’s so exciting. It’s so…   VESKA  (overriding sharply)  It’s dangerous! Humans know their place, and that mustn’t change! If they ever learn that other humans were able to build and fly a machine like this, they’ll begin to think they’re as good as we are.   ARNO  But, father…look at this ship. They must be better than we are.   Veska slaps him hard across the face.   VESKA  Don’t you ever say that again! Don’t you ever think it!  (to Third Gorilla)  I want this body buried at once.   32  EXT. BOMB SHELTER - NIGHT   This is a wooded area, overgrown with shrubbery. Lying on the ground, unconscious, near a particularly overgrown spot, is Virdon. After a beat, the shrubbery stirs, then is parted by Farrow, who emerges, grabs Farrow, starts to drag him towards the shrubbery. Farrow pulls the shrubbery aside, revealing a rotting but still serviceable door, which is ajar. He drags Virdon towards the door.   33  INT. BOMB SHELTER - NIGHT   As Farrow enters, dragging Virdon. On the floor, stretched out, is Kovak. The bomb shelter is very old, a survival of many hundreds of years ago…the concrete walls cracked, patched here and there with rocks and bricks. A straw mat on the floor, a container with water, and a few pieces of fruit. A couple of candles provide the light. Farrow places Virdon’s body gently beside that of Kovak. Then he goes to the water container, picks up a piece of cloth, dips it into the water, returns to the Astronauts, starts gently to cool their faces with the wet cloth. There is a great sense of concern and gentleness about Farrow as he does this.   34  EXT. AREA NEAR SPACESHIP - NIGHT   The Second Gorilla is mounted on his horse. Veska is just handing him a note. The First and Third Gorillas, as well as Arno, stand nearby.   VESKA  If you ride fast, you should reach Central City by noon tomorrow. Give this message to Councillor Zaius. No one else. -- Now hurry.   The Second Gorilla wheels his horse around, gallops off.   VESKA    (watching him go)  We’ll find the other two humans in the morning.   35  INT. BOMB SHELTER - NIGHT   Kovak and Virdon lying as before. Farrow is sitting against the opposite wall, watching them always. He is very tired. Slowly, his eyes close. Virdon stirs and moans. Farrow awakens immediately, crosses quickly to him, bends down beside him to listen.   VIRDON  (moaning, eyes still closed)  Quickly…Emergency Homing…quickly…Watch out…  (sits up suddenly, eyes wide open but unseeing, almost a scream)  Watch out!!!  (subsiding back down, eyes closing again)  …watch…out…   He lies quietly. Farrow watches him.   36   EXT. ROAD - NIGHT   The Second Gorilla on his horse, galloping along the deserted road on his way to Central City.   DISSOLVE TO:   37  EXT. WOODED AREA - DAY   A few Gorillas moving through the woods, part of a search party looking for the Astronauts. We PAN with them as they pass a thicket in the foreground, HOLD on the thicket as they move o.s. The thicket moves slightly and now we see Farrow, cradling some strange looking fruits in his arms, as he emerges cautiously from the thicket, watches the Gorillas move off, then quickly scurries away in the opposite direction.   38  INT. BOMB SHELTER - CLOSE ON KOVAK - DAY   Kovak is lying where he had been, eyes closed. His eyes flicker, then open slowly, unfocussed.   39  VIRDON - KOVAK’S POV   Virdon is kneeling down beside Kovak, smiling at him, although this shot is blurred, out of focus, indistinguishable.   40  KOVAK   His vision clears.   41  VIRDON - POV   The image clears, and now we see that it is Virdon, smiling down at Kovak.   VIRDON  No bones broken. I checked.   42  ANOTHER ANGLE   As Kovak tries to sit up, puts his hand to his head and moans in sudden pain.   VIRDON  You have to take it slowly.   KOVAK  (sinking back down again)  Oh, do I.  (glances around blearily)  What is this place? How did we get here?   VIRDON  I don’t know.   KOVAK  Where’s Jonesy?   VIRDON  Don’t know that either.  (puts an arm behind Kovak’s shoulder)  Okay, let’s try it again. But slowly.   Slowly and painfully, aided by Virdon, Kovak sits up.   KOVAK  (wincing with the pain)  Like a hangover without the pleasure of the booze. -- You know I can’t even remember what happened.   VIRDON  We were approaching Alpha Centauri. Radioactive turbulence. We lost control. I told Jonesy to activate the Automatic Homing Device.   KOVAK  Did he do it?   VIRDON  (shrugs)  I don’t know. I passed out.   KOVAK  (flatly)  You’re just loaded with information, aren’t you.   VIRDON  Well, we landed somewhere. It could be Earth.   KOVAK  Or any one of a thousand other planets in the…   VIRDON  (hears something outside, interrupts)  Hold it.  (listens for a beat)  Something’s coming. Stay put.   Virdon glances around, finds a piece of broken masonry, picks it up to use as a weapon, then moves quickly to the entrance, stations himself against the wall alongside the door and waits. Kovak stays where he is, watching tensely. The door starts to open. Virdon raises the piece of masonry, ready to strike, then lowers it in amazement as Farrow enters, carrying the fruit he had gathered. He glances from Kovak to Virdon.   FARROW  I brought you something to eat.   FLIP TO:   43  INT. BOMB SHELTER - DAY   Virdon and Kovak are eating the fruit, while Farrow squats nearby, watching them.   VIRDON  You’re sure he was dead?   FARROW  Yes.   Virdon glances at Kovak, shakes his head sadly.   VIRDON  Poor Jonesy. He had a wife and kid.   KOVAK  So do you. And you’re just about as far from them as he is.   VIRDON  Maybe not.   KOVAK  Come on, Alan. Look at this fruit. Ever see anything like this on Earth? And this place. Know what it looks like to me? A bomb shelter. Maybe a couple hundred years old. Well, they didn’t have bomb shelters on Earth a couple of hundred years ago.   VIRDON  I know, but…   He falters. There isn’t much he can say. Farrow has been watching this discussion, looking from one to the other.   FARROW  What is “Earth”?   VIRDON  Home.   KOVAK  A planet. A long way off.   VIRDON  (tensely)  We don’t know that.  (to Farrow)  Is our ship far from here?   FARROW  No. -- What is a planet?   VIRDON  Can you take us there? To the ship?   FARROW  It wouldn’t be safe, dressed like that. They’ll know who you are, and they’ll take you prisoner.   KOVAK  Who will?   FARROW  They make fun of me. They think I’m stupid. You won’t make fun of me, will you?   VIRDON  (glancing at Kovak)  Of course not.   FARROW  Just because I’m an old man.  (grins suddenly)  But we’ll fool them all, won’t we? I’ll go to Chalo and get you some different clothes.   He rises and starts towards the door.   KOVAK  What’s Chalo?   FARROW  (looking at him as though Kovak ought to know)  Chalo. The village where humans are supposed to live.   Virdon and Kovak glance at each other, really puzzled now.   FARROW  But I don’t like the new Prefect, so I stay here most of the time.  (with a touch of pride)  I found this cave two years ago. I never told anyone. You’ll be safe here.   He opens the door.   KOVAK  (frustrated now)  Safe? From what?   FARROW  The apes, of course. I’ll be back as soon as I can.   He exits quickly. Kovak and Virdon glance at each other, totally confused now.   VIRDON  Apes…????   KOVAK  (flatly)  That’s what the man said.   44  EXT. PREFECT’S HOUSE - DAY   Veska is on the landing in front of his house, addressing a group of humans gathered below.   VESKA  For your own protection, we will find these two humans. They are strangers and they are insane. And they are very dangerous to all of you.   45  ANOTHER ANGLE - FEATURING FARROW   Farrow is in the crowd of humans, carrying a bundle of clothing under his arm.   VESKA  They will try to confuse you with their foolish stories, so tell us if you see them, and we will save you from their poison.   46  INT. BOMB SHELTER - DAY   Virdon and Kovak, both seated on the floor, backs against a wall, each lost in his own thoughts.   KOVAK  (after a beat; bitterly)  Stars…   VIRDON  Hm?   KOVAK  I was thinking. When I was a kid on my father’s farm, I used to look up at the stars at night. They seemed so close. And I used to dream of being up there with them.  (ruefully)  Well, I sure got my dream, didn’t I? Stan Kovak, marooned in an ancient bomb shelter.   VIRDON  We’ll get home. Somehow.   KOVAK  (sudden grin)  Well, I can think of a few gals who’ll miss me anyhow.   VIRDON  (tightly)  I said we’ll get home.   KOVAK  Come of it, Alan. This is home from now on, and you know it.  (gets to his feet)  And I think I want to see what it looks like.   He crosses towards the door.   VIRDON  (scrambling to his feet)  Stan, don’t. You heard the old man.   KOVAK  (grins at him)  Sure. Apes.   He opens the door and exits. Virdon has no choice but to follow.   47  EXT. BOMB SHELTER - DAY   As Kovak emerges from the bushes hiding the entrance to the shelter. Virdon follows. They both look around, fascinated.   KOVAK  Amazing, isn’t it?   VIRDON  (nods)  Just like Earth.   Kovak walks off. Virdon follows.   48  EXT. WOODED AREA - DAY   As Kovak pushes through the wooded area, looking around. There is a bird sound. He stops and listens as Virdon comes up beside him.   KOVAK  Listen. A wood thrush.  (listens for a beat)  We could’ve landed on a worse place, I’ll tell you that.   VIRDON  I wonder which way to the ship.   KOVAK  You don’t give up, do you?   VIRDON  I don’t intend to.   Suddenly a SHOT rings out, and a bullet hits into a tree near them. Startled, they turn towards the sound.   49  POV   Some distance away, a couple of GORILLAS, armed with rifles. One of them has just fired.   50  KOVAK AND VIRDON   Started, they turn and run, as the Gorillas fire again.   GORILLA’S VOICE  Stop! Stop!   51  THE CHASE   Kovak and Virdon running, running…the Gorillas in pursuit. Depending upon terrain, they dodge in and out of trees, up and down gullies, constantly widening the distance between them and the Gorillas.   52  KOVAK AND VIRDON   As in desperation they dive into a thicket, hug the ground, lying still.   53  THE GORILLAS   Rifles in hand, moving towards them.   54  KOVAK AND VIRDON   Hugging the ground, almost holding their breath, as we see the legs of the Gorillas walking by, pausing nearby.   GORILLA’S VOICE  They won’t get far.   We see the Gorillas’ legs as they move off. HOLD on Virdon and Kovak. They wait until the Gorillas are gone, then they move cautiously out of the thicket…then run.   55  INT. BOMB SHELTER - DAY   As the door is opened and Virdon and Kovak rush in, out of breath, close the door quickly behind them.   KOVAK  (breathing heavily)  They were apes, weren’t they?   VIRDON  (nods)  Gorillas.   KOVAK  What kind of planet is this?   They stare at each other.   FADE OUT   END OF ACT ONE