"RAMPAGE - Episode One"

Version: First Draft

Author: DarkForce

FADE IN:

INT - BLANK SCREEN - 

WORDS ON SCREEN:  THE CITY OF BIGTOWN - THE NEAR FUTURE

EXT - BIGTOWN - DAY

Just another day in BIGTOWN.  Crowds of people go about their daily lives.  Everybody is happy and everybody is smiling.

LIZZIE (O.S.)
(Shouting)
RAAALPH!

INT - THE APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

A young woman in her early twenties with short blonde hair and wearing a waitress uniform stands knee deep in garbage, this is Lizzie.  She is glaring at a young man of a similar age with spiky red hair, Ralph.  Ralph pretends not to notice her as he flicks through the TV channels happily scoffing a pizza 

LIZZIE (CONT'D)
I thought I told you to clean up this mess!

RALPH
(playing dumb)
Ya did?  Jeez, I guess I mustn't of heard ya.

LIZZIE
Well you can start right now.  

RALPH
Can't it wait till after I finish watching the telly?

LIZZIE
No it can't!  Besides how can you live like this? The place is a pig sty!

RALPH
Lots and lots of practice.

We see clips of Ralph at different stages of his life, all showing him sitting in front of the television as  piles and piles of mess grow all around him.

Lizzie turns to the door.

LIZZIE
Well you are going to do some cleaning and I want it done before I get out of my bath!

RALPH
Yeah sure.

LIZZIE
I mean it

Lizzie leaves the room.

Ralph looks at the rubbish around him and sighs.  

Naturally he decides against tidying and turns his attention to the television.  He frowns at the show  that is on and reaches for the remote.

RALPH
(Screaming)
WHERE IS IT?

Lizzie bursts into the room, this makes Ralph jump out of his chair.

LIZZIE
What's the matter?

Ralph looks very very worried

RALPH
The remote's gone

Lizzie just shakes her head and sighs.

LIZZIE
Yeah well you know the only way to find it!

Ralph looks at the mess all around him and gulps.

RALPH
Do I have to?

LIZZIE
Yes you do.  I'm sick of clearing up your messes!  Just for once I would like to come home to a clean  apartment.  Is that too much to ask?

RALPH
(Mumbling)
I suppose not.

Lizzie turns and leaves again, leaving Ralph with the mess

RALPH (CONT'D)
(Thinking)
With all that nagging it's no wonder she doesn't have a boyfriend!

LIZZIE (O.S.)
I heard that!

INT - MIKE'S DINER  - DAY

This is one of the most popular fast food establishments in BIGTOWN.  There are a large number of customers waiting in the queue eagerly looking up at the sign and deciding what to order.

Mike the owner of the joint is serving today.  A middle aged, slightly balding man who seems to enjoy eating his own products.  But beneath all the grease he has a nice smile and a heart of gold.

A toddler pulls at his mother's arm and points furiously at the picture of the ATOMIC BURGER! She  smiles weakly and nods her head.

WOMAN
Two Atomic Burgers please and two diet colas!

MIKE
Sure.  Would you like fries with your order?

WOMAN
Small please!

MIKE
Okay!

Mike turns to a small hatch behind him.

MIKE (CONT'D)
Hey George, two atomics and fries

GEORGE (O.S.)
Got it.

INT - MIKE'S DINER - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

George, a young man in his early twenties, short brown hair and wearing a grease stained overall  on top of his faded blue jeans and black shirt works feverishly in the kitchen filling the orders. 

With great skill he slaps the two burgers together and scoops the fries into their packets.  He shoves  them on a tray and pushes them through the hatch.

GEORGE (CONT'D)
Order Up!

Mike grabs the order and hands it to the woman before turning his attention to the next customer.

INT - MIKE'S DINER - NIGHT

George casually pulls his coat on as Mike gives the tables one quick wipe with his cloth.

MIKE
You off?

GEORGE
Yeah. That's me done for the night!

Mike notices George is carrying a small bag

MIKE
What you got?

GEORGE
Just a little something for me and the guys.

Mike just smiles.  

MIKE
Well better let you out then!

GEORGE
Yeah, I don't fancy another lock in.

MIKE
Hey I apologized for that and I did come straight over to let you out.

GEORGE
Yeah, when the bar was closed!

Mike smiles but says nothing.  He walks over to the door and holds it open.

George exits, giving Mike a small nod.

When George is gone mike shuts the door and locks it.

EXT - THE APARTMENT - NIGHT

Ralph walks towards a skip, a large bag of rubbish in each hand.  He is looking at his feet, mumbling  to himself.

Ralph doesn't notice the mysterious, trench coat wearing man until it is too late.  

The pair collide knocking both of them to the ground. Nobody notices a vial carrying a strange red  powder roll out of the mysterious man's pocket.

MYSTERIOUS MAN
(Mumbling)
What where you're going hey!

The mysterious man gets up and walks away into the darkness.

RALPH
(Sarcastically)
Well excuse me too!

He hoists his garbage into the skip.  He is about to turn and go back inside when something catches  his attention.  He looks closer.

It is the vial with the powder in it.

RALPH (CONT'D)
Wonder what this is.

He picks up the vial and examines it casually.  

Ralph shrugs his shoulders and takes it inside with him.

INT - THE APARTMENT - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Ralph places the vial on the kitchen table.

LIZZIE (O.S.)
Did you take out the garbage?

Ralph turns his attention away from the vial and moves towards the kitchen door, sticking his head  out of it.

RALPH
Yes, I just did it.

LIZZIE (O.S.)
Good. Then you can give me a hand with cleaning this bathroom.

RALPH
If I must.

He exits the room.

The vial is all alone on the table, it sits there looking harmless

George walks into the room.  He looks at the vial and sighs.

GEORGE
(To himself)
I'm sick of telling Ralph, spices go in the spice jar.

He opens a cupboard and grabs an empty jar.

He pours the contents of the vial into the jar and closes the lid.

George looks closely at the powder.

GEORGE (CONT'D)
I wonder what kind of spice it is!

George shrugs his shoulders and places the 'spice' inside the cupboard

LIZZIE (O.S.)
George is that you?

GEORGE
Yes!

LIZZIE
Good, then you can give us a hand with the cleaning!

GEORGE
No problem.

INT - BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

Lizzie and Ralph are busy scrubbing the bath clean. At least Ralph is.  Lizzie stands over him  watching every move with a disapproving glare.

They turn when George enters the room.

Ralph notices that George is carrying a bag.

RALPH
What you got?

GEORGE
Nothing (beat) Just three super-sized 'Atomic Burgers'

A large beaming smile spreads across Ralph's face. He races over to the bag in George's hand,  carelessly throwing his sponge at Lizzie's face. Lizzie frowns as the soapy sponge slides squeakily  down her face and flops to the floor.

LIZZIE
I suppose a break won't hurt.

RALPH
(Happy)
Great

He grabs the bag and races out the bathroom

RALPH (CONT'D) (O.S.)
I'll warm them up in the microwave!

INT - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

Ralph places the bag on the table and takes out the three 'Atomic Burgers' 

He studies them for a moment.

RALPH (CONT'D)
I wonder if there is anything that will make them taste even better!

he begins to search through the cupboards.  Everything that is no good (basically everything he  grabs) is thrown over his shoulder.

He grabs the 'spice' and is about to throw that when he stops.

RALPH (CONT'D)
Yep, this should do.

He sprinkles a small amount of the powder onto each of the burgers.  

Ralph throws the burgers into the microwave and then hits the button.

INT - DEATH SHIP - 

The command center of the Korrilian Death Ship.

Lord Argale of the Korrilian System sits on his throne looking at the monitor in front of him. He a large  imposing looking guy with reptilian features, including shiny red eyes and a long forked tongue. 

There are other Korrilians busy all around him watching monitors and manning their stations.

Stood right next to him is his greatest warrior and chief advisor, Grendel.

LORD ARGALE
(Hissing)
Isss the mega ray ready?

GRENDEL
(Hissing)
Yesss my lord ! All that isss needed now isss for you to choossssse a tessst target.

LORD ARGALE
Good.  Now letsss ssssee !

He presses a few buttons on the arm of his throne.  The image on the monitor changes to show the  earth.  It zooms further and further in until we see

BIGTOWN

LORD ARGALE (CONT'D)
Yesss that place will do nicely.  But firssst we mussst get rid of thosse buildingssss.  We need nice flat ground.

GRENDEL
Very good my lord !

A smaller Korrilian approaches Argale, a glass of green liquid balanced precariously on a tray.

LORD ARGALE
Ha my mid-morning drink hasss arrived.  About time to.

The Korrilian stumbles.  the glass flies through the air and lands on Argale's head. 

Argale frowns as the liquid trickles down his face.  he turns to Grendel.

LORD ARGALE (CONT'D)
Take thissss infidel away to the correction facility.

Grendel bows.

GRENDEL
Yesss my lord.

Grendel approaches the small Korrilian who is shaking in fear.

Grendel grabs him by the collar and drags him unceremoniously backwards.

KORRILIAN
(Pleading)
No pleassse it wassss an accident.

LORD ARGALE
(To Grendel)
And get me a towel.

The other Korrilians watch in fear as the small one is dragged away.  Lord Argale turns to them.

LORD ARGALE (CONT'D)
(Angry)
BACK TO WORK!

INT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

George and Lizzie sit impatiently as Ralph walks in with the burgers.  

Ralph tosses one burger to each of them, while keeping one for himself.

All three open their mouths wide and together take a large bite out of their burgers.

LIZZIE
Mmmmm! Tastes better than normal.

RALPH
Yeah I just added some spices to it before I nuked it.

George looks slightly intrigued

GEORGE
Yeah? What kind?

RALPH
I dunno. Just something out of the cupboard.

GEORGE
Oh! 

There is no more talking.  The three friends quickly finish off their burgers, licking their fingers clean.

Ralph suddenly puts his hands to his head and closes his eyes.

RALPH
Whoa I feel weird!

GEORGE
What's up Ralph you don't look so...

George also looks like he is about to faint at any minute.  Lizzie looks at them, unsure what to do,  that is until this strange feeling takes hold of her as well.

Slowly at first and then gradually getting quicker the transformation begins.  Their bodies begin to  grown is size, doubling every five seconds.  

George begins to take on the appearance of a giant GORILLA

Lizzie slowly looks more and more like a giant LIZARD

RALPH becomes more and more WOLF like.

Their apartment building crumbles to dust all around them.  Soon three fifty foot tall monsters stand in  the spot where a building once proudly stood.

People look up at the trio and begin to scream.  They all start to run.

GEORGE (CONT'D)
Jesus Ralph, what kind of spice did you put on the burger?

RALPH
Don't know, some red stuff I found in a jar.

Ralph looks down at his new body.

RALPH (CONT'D)
This feels weird.

LIZZIE
No duh!

Ralph turns quickly to retaliate and accidentally kicks a luckily empty bus into a petrol station causing it  to burst into flames.

RALPH
Erm sorry about that!

Lizzie doesn't look very pleased with him.

LIZZIE
Everywhere you go you have to make a mess!

She goes to rest her hand/claw on a nearby building and accidentally rips the corner off, almost falling  in the process.  Tons of debris fall to the floor below.

RALPH
(Smug)
Well if you think I'm cleaning that mess up you have another 'think' coming.

INT - DEATH SHIP - 

Lord Argale rubs his face with a towel.  There is a fresh drink on the arm of his throne.  He is  watching the central monitor.

KORRILIAN NAVIGATOR (O.S.)
Approaching Planet 20229, coordinates 456, 279, 04

Lord Argale smiles.

LORD ARGALE
Good.  When we arrive deploy the troopsss to level that pathetic city to the ground.

KORRILIAN NAVIGATOR (O.S.)
Yesss my lord.

EXT - BIGTOWN - NIGHT

Ralph and Lizzie glare at each other, they look like they have been having one mother of an  argument.  

GEORGE
Hey enough of this you two.

RALPH AND LIZZIE
(Together)
He/She started it!

GEORGE
Look I don't really care about that.  All I care about is the fact we seem to have gone through a strange  transformation and I want to know why!

LIZZIE
Well I think it must have had something to do with those Atomic Burgers and that strange spice RALPH put on  it.

RALPH
Hey don't blame me for this.

LIZZIE
(Angry)
Well who else should I blame.  Where did you get that stuff anyway?

RALPH
Like I said I found it in a jar.  George must have put it there!

Ralph and Lizzie turn to George.

LIZZIE
(To George)
So where did you get the 'spice' from?

GEORGE
(Thinking)
Well the only red spice I can think of, I found in a small glass bottle on the table when I came in.

Ralph looks shocked.

RALPH
I don't think that was 'spice' after all !

LIZZIE
What do you mean ?

RALPH
Well I found that powder after I bumped into a mysterious man when I was taking the garbage out.  It must  have fell out of his pocket or something. I guess George mistook it for some spice and put it in a jar.

LIZZIE
(To George)
Is this true?

GEORGE
Yeah kind of. I ... whoa what was that.

There is a large whooshing noise coming from above them.  The trio looks up to see

SEVERAL large FLYING SAUCERS, fly through the clouds towards them.

GEORGE (CONT'D)
What on earth?

INT - SAUCER ONE - 

A small room with loads of buttons and levers.  There is only room for one Korrilian fighter pilot. 

Through the screen we can see clouds move swiftly by as we appear to be in some kind of  loop-de-loop.

Suddenly Ralph's enormous Wolf-like face comes into view.

EXT - BIGTOWN, SKY - NIGHT

The Korrilian fighter ships all come to a halt when they see the enormous trio.

INT - SAUCER ONE - 

The pilot stares dumbfounded at Ralph.

KORRILIAN PILOT ONE
Whooo thessse people are huge! Well no matter.

He presses a button on his control deck.

EXT - BIGTOWN, SKY - NIGHT

A plasma beam fires out of a very large cannon and hits Ralph right in the face, the ensuing  explosion totally covers Ralph's head.

INSIDE THE SHIP

The pilot is smiling. As the explosion and its cloud begin to disappear so does the smile. 

Ralph is completely unharmed.

THE STREETS

Ralph rubs the dust out of his eyes. George and Lizzie look concerned.

GEORGE
You all right mate?

RALPH
Yeah fine I guess.

Ralph looks directly at the Saucer.

RALPH (CONT'D)
(To Saucer)
That wasn't very nice.

He slaps the saucer sending it hurtling into a nearby building.  The saucer impacts hard and blows  up.

RALPH (CONT'D)
(To Lizzie)
Yeah, yeah I know ! I'll have to clean that up !

Lizzie says nothing.

The other ships surround the trio.  The ships begin to blast them  with their plasma cannons. 

Soon the trio are lost in a cloud of dust.

Soon the dust settles and the trio are still standing there, none the worse fo wear.

Lizzie roars and uses one of her tails to whip one of the saucers.  Her tail slices the saucer in half.   Both halves fall to the street and burst into flames.

Two saucers are blasting George but to no avail.

George grabs hold of both of them and slams them together.  They collide with a massive BANG.

George rubs his hands together in victory causing a lot of debris to fall to the streets below.

GEORGE
This is kind of fun.

RALPH
You can say that again.

Ralph has hold of another saucer which he is in the process of crushing with his claws.

LIZZIE
You guys have a weird idea of fun.

Lizzie jumps at a building and rebounds off it.  She uses the momentum to fly feet first into three more  saucers, each of them exploding on impact.

She lands on her knees and springs to her feet.

George grabs a steel girder off a building currently under construction and uses it like a baseball bat  to knock one saucer into another.

Ralph grabs a saucer out of the air and gets ready like a baseball pitcher.

RALPH
(To George)
Hey George.

George turns towards Ralph

RALPH (CONT'D)
PLAY BALL

Ralph aims and throws the saucer with all his might.

INSIDE SAUCER

The Korrilian pilot screams as he hurtles towards George and his waiting 'bat'

George hits the saucer with an almighty whack.  The saucer flies past Ralph's head and heads into  outer space,

RALPH (CONT'D)
Good hit man.

GEORGE
Thank you, thank you, you're too kind.

RALPH
Hey man it wasn't that good.

The trio look around.  There are no more saucers in sight. 

RALPH (CONT'D)
Aww, just when it was getting fun.

Ralph looks up towards the heavens

RALPH (CONT'D)
(Shouting)
Come on isn't there any more of you alien scumbags.

LIZZIE
I think we got them all !

RALPH
Aww I was enjoying myself.

GEORGE
Yeah well I think we should be glad that they're gone.  I don't think I could have kept that up for ever.

Lizzie sits on the floor.  Her tail takes out a small bridge over the road.

LIZZIE
I'm just wondering why they deiced to invade our city.

RALPH
Who cares?

LIZZIE
I do for one.

RALPH
Well if they come back we'll just send them packing again.

LIZZIE
Yeah and what if they come back with more and bigger ships.  And what if we are back to our normal selves.

George is looking up. He looks worried

GEORGE
Hey guys!

LIZZIE
And further more.  When are we going to be changing back?  I don't want to be a giant Lizard forever.

RALPH
Well I don't know.  Besides you always wanted people to look up to you. Now they will.

LIZZIE
This isn't what I had in mind.

GEORGE
Hey guys.

RALPH
(To Lizzie)
Yeah.  This is much better.

GEORGE
HEY GUYS !

Ralph and Lizzie turn to George.

RALPH AND LIZZIE
(Together)
YEAH WHAT ?

George points straight up.

GEORGE
Look.

Ralph and Lizzie follow his finger with their eyes.  Soon they see it.  There in the sky is

THE DEATH SHIP

The Death Ship is two hundred times larger than the saucers.

RALPH
(Impressed)
Whoa. Now that's a big ship !

LIZZIE
(Smug)
Still having fun eh?

INT - DEATH SHIP - 

Lord Argale's and Grendel's mouth are wide open in shock as they look at the enormous trio.

LORD ARGALE
I didn't know the people of thissss planet were sssso big!

GRENDEL
Mosssst of them aren't.  Thessse three are freakissssh abomonations.

LORD ARGALE
Well whatever they are they mussst be destroyed.  Nobody takessss out my glorioussss fightersss and getsss  away wth it.

Grendel salutes

GRENDEL
Yesss my lord.

LORD ARGALE
Prepare to attack.

FADE TO BLACK.

WORDS ON SCREEN: TO BE CONTINUED...

END CREDITS.