Note: See Apocalypse Now and ThenThis is the end | Beautiful friend | This is the end | My only friend, the endKILGORE (continuing) ... we do a lot of surfing around here. Like to finish up operations early and fly down to Vung Tau for the evening glass. Have you ever surfed the point at Vung Tau? I liked the beach breaks around Na Trang a lot — good lefts.
He passes a twisted gun emplacement with about five bodies — sprinkles cards all over them.
KILGORE (continuing) ... we keep three boards in my Command Huey at all times. You never can tell when you're gonna run into something good. I got a guy in Cam Rau Bay that can predict a swell two days in advance. We try to work it in.
He stops at a particularly wild-looking Viet Cong who has died with his mouth agape — staring wild-eyed in horror at the sky. KILGORE pauses.
KILGORE (continuing; to himself) Hell, that's an Ace if I ever saw
one.
He puts the card in the gaping mouth.
42 CLOSE VIEW OVER THE VIET CONG
We SEE the Colonel and the others walk off — the dead Viet Cong and card are in the immediate f.g. The card has the shield of the CAV printed beautifully, and above it the motto: DEATH FROM ABOVE.
KILGORE Where've you been riding, Lance?
LANCE I haven't surfed since I got here.
KILGORE That's terrible — we'll change that — I'd like to see you work — I've always liked your cutback; got a hell of a left turn, too.
Click graphic to enlargeOf our elaborate plans, the end | Of everything that stands, the end | No safety or surprise, the end | I'll never look into your eyes...againDISSOLVE TO:
43 EXT. THE HELICOPTER - MED. SHOT
WILLARD is sitting with KILGORE on a couple of chairs by a table set up in front of the command copter. Everywhere we SEE armed men, sandbags, barbed wire, oil drums etc. Hueys are constantly ROARING over. ARTILLERY BOOMS in the far distance. KILGORE looks at the map.
KILGORE Why the hell you wanna go up to Nu Mung Ba for?
WILLARD I got bored in Saigon.
KILGORE What's the furthest you been in?
WILLARD Haiphong.
KILGORE Haiphong? Shit, you jump in ?
WILLARD No. Walked.
Click graphic to enlargeOf our elaborate plans, the end | Of everything that stands, the end | No safety or surprise, the end | I'll never look into your eyes...againKILGORE What'd you do for supplies?
WILLARD (he shrugs) Mercenaries — agents, traitors — they put out caches.
KILGORE Can you trust them?
WILLARD No. They put out two or three for every one I needed. When you get to the one you'll use, you just stake it out. If something feels wrong, you just pass it up. On one mission, I had to pass up three and ended up living on rats and chocolate bars.
KILGORE Nu Mung Ba. Last I heard, Walter Kurtz commanded a Green Beret detachment at Nu Mung Ba.
WILLARD When did you hear?
KILGORE 'Bout a year ago? Is Kurtz still alive?
WILLARD Who knows.
KILGORE Seems to me he got himself fragged. I heard some grunt rolled a grenade in his tent. Maybe a rumor. Helluva man — remarkable officer. Walter Kurtz woulda been a General some day. General of the Army. Shit, Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Did you knew Kurtz?
WILLARD I met him.
KILGORE Don't you agree?
WILLARD He musta changed! (pointing to the map) I got to get into the Nung River, here or here.
KILGORE That village you're pointing at is kinda hairy.
WILLARD Hairy?
KILGORE I mean it's hairy — they got some pretty heavy ordnance, boy — I've lost a few recon ships in there now and again.
WILLARD So? I heard you had a good bunch of killers here.
KILGORE And I don't intend to get some of them chewed up just to get your tub put in the mouth of the goddman Nung River. You say you don't know Kurtz?
WILLARD I met him.
KILGORE You talk like him. I don't mind taking casualties, Captain, but I like to keep my ratio ten to one in this unit — ten Cong to one.
WILLARD You'll find enough Cong up there.
Click graphic to enlargeCan you picture what will be | So limitless and free | Desperately in need...of some...stranger's hand | In a...desperate landKILGORE What about this point here?
He puts his finger on the map.
KILGORE (continuing) What's the name of that goddamn village — Vin Drin Dop or Lop; damn gook names all sound the same.
He motions to one of his surfers.
KILGORE (continuing) Mike, you know anything about the point at Vin Drip Drop?
MIKE Boss left.
KILGORE What do you mean?
MIKE It's really long left slide, breaks on the short side of the point — catches a south swell.
LANCE Nice.
WILLARD looks at LANCE — then at KILGORE.
KILGORE Why the hell didn't you tell me about that place — a good left. (to WILLARD) There aren't any good left slides in this whole, shitty country. It's all goddamn beach break.
MIKE It's hairy,though. That's where we lost McDonnel — they shot the hell out of us. It's Charlie's point.
KILGORE How big it is?
MIKE Six to eight feet.
KILGORE gazes out across the parked helicopters.
KILGORE (to himself) A six-foot left.
WILLARD nudges LANCE — who gets the idea.
LANCE Boss. What's the wind like.
MIKE Light off shore — really hollow.
WILLARD We could go in tomorrow at dawn — there's always off-shore wind in the morning.
CHIEFThe draft of that river might be too shallow on the point.
KILGORE Hell, we'll pick your boat up and lay it down like a baby, right where you want it. This is the Cav boy — airmobile. I can take that point and hold it as long as I like — and you can get anywhere you want up that river that suits you, Captain. Hell, a six foot left. (he turns to an advisor) You take a gunship back to division — Mike, take LANCE with you — let him pick out a board, and bring me my Yater Spoon — the eight six.
TOM I don't know, sir — it's — it's —
KILGORE (hard) What is it?
TOM Well, I mean it's hairy in there — it's Charlie's point.
KILGORE turns and looks to WILLARD, exasperated.
WILLARD Charlie don't surf.
Click graphic to enlargeLost in a Roman...wilderness of pain | And all the children are insane | All the children are insane | Waiting for the summer rain, yeah44 FULL SHOT - HELICOPTERS – DAWN
What seems like hundreds of Hueys standing, their rotors churning a great wind — Inside, the men of the 1st Cavalry Airmobile — toughest unit in Vietnam. KILGORE's helicopter is being loaded with ammunition and has surfboards strapped underneath.
45 MED. VIEW
KILGORE strides up to the side door, dressed for battle. He looks out, around. He turns to his door GUNNER.
KILGORE How do you feel, boy?
GUNNER Like a mean motherfucker, sir.
He turns to his R.T. man.
KILGORE Let's go.
46 FULL VIEW
Helicopter rotors build up speed — gas turbines belching fire from their jet pipes — dust flying as fifty helicopters rise; ROAR OVER CAMERA and deploy into attack formation.
47 NEW VIEW
Helicopters moving THROUGH the FRAME: almost a dance of dragonflies.
48 INT. COMMAND COPTER - MED. SHOT - KILGORE, WILLARD, OTHERS
WILLARD looks ahead — KILGORE sits near the door. Below they see the jungle whisk by and they are suddenly over the ocean, low and fast.
49 MONTAGE
CLOSE SHOTS of rocket pods — mini-guns in bizarre looking mounts.
CLOSE SHOTS of the three surfboards strapped below the command helicopter, next to the fearsome weaponry.
And finally, CLOSE SHOTS of the men — nervous, excited very few of them really scared — they fondle their rifles, grenade launchers, anti-personnel grenades, claymore mines; plastic explosives cord; flame-throwers; M-60 machine guns; expandable rocket launchers; mortars and bayonets.
50 INT. COMMAND COPTER
KILGORE cranes his neck and almost leans out to watch the waves — then he sits back relaxed.
Click graphic to enlargeThere's danger on the edge of town | Ride the King's highway, baby | Weird scenes inside the gold mine | Ride the highway west, babyKILGORE (to WILLARD) We'll come in low out of the rising sun — We'll put on the music about a mile out.
WILLARD Music?
KILGORE Yeah. Classical stuff – scares the hell out of the slopes – the boys love it.
51 MED. SHOT
POV behind the PILOT and CO-PILOT — the ocean rushes below.
PILOT Big Duke six to Eagle Thrust — turn on coordinates 1-0 — niner, assume attack formation.
The helicopter banks into a tight turn and bears toward the coast.
RADIO (V.O.) Eagle Thrust formation target 2800 yards — begin psch-war operations.
52 CLOSE SHOT - LOUDSPEAKERS
The ocean rushes below as suddenly the LOUDSPEAKERS BLARE out Wagner's "
Ride of the Valkyries."
53 FULL SHOT - HELICOPTERS
From the water we SEE the massive grouping of Hueys — gun- ships — troop carriers — medevac and recon — ROAR over low in battle formation BLARING out "Ride of the Valkyries."
54 INT. HELICOPTER - MED. SHOT -CREW
POV behind pilot —
PILOT 700 — 600 yards — 500 — Commence firing.
The whole copter shakes.
Click graphic to enlargeRide the snake, ride the snake | To the lake, the ancient lake, baby | The snake is long, seven miles | Ride the snake...he's old, and his skin is cold55 EXT. VIET CONG FISHING VILLAGE - FULL SHOT
A Vietnamese coastal fishing village built along the beach and palm trees — with rice paddies behind. This village commands a delta where ocean and river merge. Sampans are pulled into a cover where they are being unloaded. We SEE bunkers with N.V.A. regulars ambling about. Suddenly we HEAR the distant MUSIC — Everyone stops; they stare out to sea. Men scream orders — women run from huts bearing ammunition and rifles – Everywhere there is activity to prepare for the defense of the village. Camouflage is removed from anti-aircraft emplacements. People feverishly unlimber weapons of all types and run to tunnels and trenches.
The MUSIC GROWS LOUDER with the FAINT SOUND of ROTORS
56 EXT. THE HELICOPTER FORMATION - AERIAL VIEW coming directly at us; WAGNER BLARING.
57 HIGH ANGLE looking down through the helicopters as they approach the village.
58 INT. HELICOPTER - MED. SHOT – CREW
POV behind pilot
PILOT 700 yards — 600 — 500 — commence firing.
The whole copter shakes.
59 EXT. HELICOPTERS - MONTAGE
We SEE rockets ROAR from pods — MACHINE GUNS RATTLE — grenade launchers POUND away — and MINI-GUNS pour streams of lead and tracers with the SOUND of a DIESEL HORN.
60 FULL SHOT - HELICOPTERS
POV behind lead gunship. They ROAR in over the beach streaming FIRE from doors, pods and nose — The ground is alive with smoke and fire — a hut EXPLODES. The leads ship banks sharply up over the trees — men run below SHOOTING back.
61 MED. SHOT - ANTI-AIRCRAFT EMPLACEMENT
EXPLOSIONS crash around — the MUSIC and SOUND of the COPTERS almost drown them out. The gunner FIRES frantically — COPTERS are ROARING over – GUNFIRE rips around. The gunner is blown away.
62 MED. CLOSE ON WILLARD as the ship he is in swoops down, its MACHINE GUNS FIRING into the village.
63 MED. SHOT - SWOOPING COPTER
The Pilot leans out and SHOOTS a charging V.C. in the head with his .38, then ducks back in.
Click graphic to enlargeThe west is the best | The west is the best | Get here, and we'll do the restCO-PILOT We're down, Eagle Thrust — we're hit. We got a hot L.Z. here.
BULLETS RIP through the plexiglass. The Pilot FIRES back.
CO-PILOT (continuing) Hell of a hot L.Z. Need immediate air strike on the tree line, Eagle Thrust.
64 INT. COMMAND COPTER - MED. SHOT - WILLARD, KILGORE, OTHERS
KILGORE has R.T. equipment — he leans out near the door gunner.
KILGORE Big Duke Six to Hell's Angels Four — bring it in on along tree line and huts.
RADIO (V.O.) Hell's Angels Four to Big Duke Six — we'll need green smoke — suggest you have the FAC mark it.
KILGORE Haven't got time, Hell's Angels — lay it right up the tree line.
65 FULL SHOT - JET SQUADRON
Four F-4H Phantoms peel off and streak toward the coast.
66 INT. COMMAND COPTER - VIEW ON WILLARD AND KILGORE
KILGORE Fucking savages.
WILLARD Who?
KILGORE The enemy. Who else?
67 HELICOPTER'S POV - THE JETS
The jets streak by below laying in huge gobs of orange napalm along the trees.
KILGORE (O.S.) (on radio) Very good, Hell's Angels – suggest you follow with cannon fire.
68 INT. COMMAND COPTER - MED. SHOT
They circle the battle.
RADIO (V.O.) This is Baker Delta Four — Captain hit bad — need dust-off. Receiving heavy automatic weapons fire from huts about thirty yards to our left.
KILGORE Big Duke Six to Baker Delta Four — hold — we're right over you.
He turns to door gunner.
KILGORE (continuing) Right along the doors, boy.
The gunner FIRES leaning out –
KILGORE (continuing) Fine... fine... little higher. Through the roof; yeah, that's good.
He leans back in.
Click graphic to enlargeThe blue bus is callin' us | The blue bus is callin' us | Driver, where you taken' usKILGORE (continuing) Didn't anybody bring me any bombs, grenades, claymores or anything?
LIEUTENANT You didn't tell me to, sir.
KILGORE (grumbling) You shoulda known.
Suddenly, BULLETS SMASH through the copter – Plexiglass SHATTERS; the copter vibrates and turns sharply. KILGORE is thrown down where he hangs on.
KILGORE (continuing) Sonuvabitch — anybody hurt?
WILLARD Automatic weapons flashes along those trees — probably eleven millimeter guns and AK-47's.
KILGORE The trees, eh...
He grabs the R.T.
KILGORE (continuing) Eagle Thrust Four — Big Duke Six. Join me in spraying some trees.
RADIO (V.O.) Affirmative, Big Duke Six — We're even got some rockets left.
KILGORE Take her in low, Lieutenant.
69 FULL SHOT - THE TREES, HELICOPTERS
The two helicopters swoop up out of the smoke and blast the trees with ROCKETS, MACHINE GUNS and GRENADE LAUNCHERS. Other copters join — The V.C. break and run through the rice paddies in the f.g. — BULLETS EXPLODING around them — they scream and fall FIRING back.
70 INT. COMMAND COPTER - MED. SHOT - KILGORE, WILLARD
KILGORE looks out as three V.C. break and run through the rice paddies — the helicopter turns and follows them — the door gunner swings out and BLASTS two of them into the mud. He takes a bead on the third.
KILGORE Hold it, boy.
He puts his arms across the sights — the gunner swings back inside.
Click graphic to enlargeThe killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on | He took a face from the ancient gallery | And he walked on down the hall | He went into the room where his sister lived, and...then he | Paid a visit to his brother, and then he | He walked on down the hall, and | And he came to a door...and he looked inside | Father, yes son, I want to kill you | Mother...I want to...fuck youKILGORE (continuing) Take her up to 300 feet, Lieutenant.
They rise above the paddy — the man below runs for all he's worth. KILGORE motions to the door gunner who steps aside. KILGORE buckles himself into the gunner's harness.
KILGORE (continuing) Rifle.
A hand passes him a M-16.
KILGORE (continuing; hard) My rifle, soldier.
There is some fumbling and then a hand passes him a 300 Weatherby Magnum with a zebra wood stock — mother of pearl inlays and a variable power scope. KILGORE takes it and opens the bolt.
71 VIEW ON WILLARD
Amazed at these proceedings.
72 VIEW ON KILGORE
as he loads the rifle with huge cartridges. He gets into the sling and slams the bolt shut.
73 MOVING POV. ON THE V.C.
He is running hard, but starting to sink into the mud. The Huey DRONES overhead, its huge shadow behind him on the mud. He turns and FIRES with a pistol.
74 INT. COPTER - MED. SHOT - KILGORE, WILLARD
KILGORE leans out; pulls the gun in tight – takes careful aim and the Cong is BLASTED flat into the paddy. KILGORE leans back, opens the bolt, ejecting the spent cartridge out the door. He hands Weatherby back into the copter.
75 VIEW ON WILLARD
The gaudy rifle passed by him.
SOLDIER (O.S.) That's 27, sir.
WILLARD Anyone got a card?
Somebody hands WILLARD the deck. He takes a card and flips it out of the copter, never lifting his gaze from KILGORE.
DISSOLVE TO :
76 FULL SHOT - BATTLEFIELD - THE CAV, V.C.
Americans run through the hooches FIRING and throwing GRENADES. Helicopters swoop overhead — JETS ROAR by — Uniformed N.V.A. regulars burst from a tunnel entrance and charge the Americans. The SHOOTING is at point blank range — automatic, as the V.C. are cut down.
77 INT. COMMAND COPTER - KILGORE, WILLARD, LANCE, ETC.
KILGORE leans out carefully, looking over the battlefield. He has the R.T. He leans back, deliberately avoiding WILLARD to speak to LANCE.
KILGORE The L.Z.'s cooling off fast — we'll move in another company an' then we'll own it. (he laughs to himself) Charlie's point.
He looks out toward the ocean.
KILGORE (continuing) Good swell.
LANCE What, sir?
KILGORE I said it's a good swell – hell of a good swell 'bout six feet. Let's get a look at it.
LANCE looks at WILLARD and then agrees.
78 FULL SHOT - COPTER, SURF
The pilots are used to this — they bank sharply and swoop in on the lineup of waves, coming in low over the point and streaking down a long, lined-up green wall as if surfing it. They tip up over and up at the last minute as the wave breaks.
Click graphic to enlargeC'mon baby, take a chance with us | C'mon baby, take a chance with us | C'mon baby, take a chance with us | And meet me at the back of the blue bus | Doin' a blue rock | On a blue bus | Doin' a blue rock | C'mon, yeahDISSOLVE TO :
79 FULL SHOT - BEACH HUTS, SOLDIERS
Americans line up blindfolded Viet Cong and N.V.A. regular troops outside a burning hut. GUNFIRE is DISTANT and sporadic — an occasional MORTAR round SCREAMS in. A soldier yells in Vietnamese in a southern accent and the prisoners are marched away. Other soldiers are already setting up heavy weapons emplacements — 50 cal machine guns etc. Three Hueys ROAR in, fanning the smoke with their wind. The center one, the command ship, lands. JETS SCREAM over and the two gunships pull up at 200 feet. Another Huey zooms in low and lands behind the Colonel's. The doors open, guards jump out, check the situation, and out steps KILGORE and LANCE. From the other copter are more guards, KILGORE's surfers and others of the P.B.R. crew. WILLARD follows.
80 FULL SHOT - THE POINT
They stride out across the debris-strewn beach. KILGORE stands majestically on the point watching the waves. A SHELL SCREAMS overhead.
SOLDIER Incoming !
They all dive, except KILGORE. He is watching a big set — the SHELL EXPLODES in the water about a hundred yards away, sending up a huge geyser of spray. KILGORE is unmoved.
KILGORE Look at that.
They look.
LANCE This L.Z. is still pretty hot, sir, maybe we oughta stand somewhere else.
KILGORE pays him no mention.
WILLARD I'm waiting for the fucking boat, Colonel.
KILGORE (without looking) It'll get here, soldier.
He turns to Mike and Johnny who have their faces in the sand.
KILGORE (continuing) Change.
MIKE Wh — what?
KILGORE Change — get out there – I want'a see if it's ridable — change.
MIKE It's still pretty hairy, sir.
KILGORE (bellowing) You want'a surf, soldier?
He nods yes meekly.
KILGORE (continuing) That's good, boy, because it's either surf or fight.
They turn and hurry off — KILGORE grabs an M-1 from one of the guards. They all think he's going to shoot the surfers or someone. They move back uneasy.
KILGORE (continuing) I'm gonna cover for 'em — that's all.
He cocks the weapon. LANCE looks around uneasily. The Colonel walks over.
KILGORE (continuing) You think that section on the point is ridable, Lance?
LANCE I think we ought to wait for the tide to come in.
A SHELL SCREAMS OVER — they all hit the dirt except for KILGORE. It EXPLODES throwing sand through the air. KILGORE leans down yelling over the NOISE.
KILGORE Doesn't happen for six hours.
LANCE looks up at him terrified, holding onto his helmet.
KILGORE (continuing) The tide — doesn't come in for six hours.
Click graphic to enlargeKill, kill, kill, kill, kill, killDISSOLVE TO :
81 FULL SHOT - SURF - MIKE AND JOHNNY
They walk through shallows carrying brightly colored boards. They look very scared. JETS SCREAM overhead, FIRING CANNONS. Helicopters wheel by carrying out wounded. They wear olive drab surfing trunks with the Cav's shield on the left leg. The same shield is emblazoned on the boards along the word "Airmobile". They edge into the water and paddle through the mild shorebreak.
82 FULL SHOT - THE POINT - SURFERS
They paddle up the point in the calm channel – the beautiful waves breaking beyond them.
83 CLOSE SHOT ON JOHNNY, MIKE
They paddle on their stomachs, keeping low – breathing hard and constantly looking around scared out of their minds.
84 MED. SHOT - KILGORE AND LANCE
KILGORE looks at them with his field glasses. LANCE kind of sits below taking cover in a shell hole.
KILGORE They far enough?
LANCE Sure — fine —
KILGORE turns and takes a giant electric megaphone from a waiting lackey.
KILGORE (through megaphone) That's far enough — pick one up and come on in —
85 FULL SHOT - THE POINT, SURFERS
They line themselves up on the point. A good set is building. Mike turns strokes into it — takes off — drops to the bottom and turns — trims up into a tight section — everything right except he keeps looking around frantically.
86 CLOSE SHOT ON LANCE AND KILGORE
Another SHELL SCREAMS over and EXPLODES down the beach. LANCE looks over at WILLARD.
LANCE (to himself) Maybe he'll get tubed.
WILLARD What?
LANCE Maybe he'll get inside the tube — where — where they can't see him.
A SERIES of SHELLS ROAR in.
WILLARD Incoming !
LANCE ducks — puts his hands over his head. The SHELLS SCREAM over KILGORE and out towards the point. KILGORE looks through his glasses — two EXPLOSIONS in the water are HEARD.
KILGORE Son of a bitch.
LANCE looks up and out toward the point in horror.
87 FULL SHOT - THE POINT
Two surfboards float in the channel bobbing up and down on the waves.
88 MED. SHOT - LANCE AND KILGORE
LANCE (to himself) The tragedy of this war is a dead surfer.
Click graphic to enlargeThis is the end | Beautiful friend | This is the end | My only friend, the endWILLARD looks over, beginning to think LANCE is crazy, too.
WILLARD What's that?
LANCE Just something I read in the Free Press.
KILGORE They just missed a good set — the chicken shits !
LANCE looks up.
89 FULL SHOT - THE POINT, SURFERS
They come up near their boards and climb on – smoke hangs over the water.
KILGORE (O.S.) (megaphone) Try it again, you little bastards.
90 BACK TO SCENE
He turns to WILLARD.
KILGORE (continuing) I'm not afraid to surf this place. I'll surf this place.
91 CLOSE SHOT ON KILGORE
He turns, glowering to his lackeys.
KILGORE Bring that R.T., soldier.
He grabs it.
KILGORE (continuing) Big Duke Six to Hell's Angels — Goddamit, I want that treeline bombed — yeah — napalm — gimme some napalm — son of a bitch — yeah, I'll take H.Z. or C.B.U.'s if you got any of them — just bomb 'em into the Stone Age, boy.
He throws the R.T. back to a soldier — another SALVO WHISTLES over — everyone drops.
KILGORE (continuing; to himself) Son of a bitch.
As the SHELLS EXPLODES on the beach behind him, KILGORE raises his M-16 and EMPTIES it full automatic in the general direction of the trees. He mumbles a few un-
intelligible swear words and jams a new clip into his rifle turning to LANCE —
KILGORE (continuing) We'll have this place cleaned up and ready for us in a jiffy, boy. Don't you worry.
He FIRES another clip as the JETS SCREAM overhead.
92 FULL SHOT - RIVER - COPTERS
A sky-crane without pod descends slowly toward us — The P.B.R. hangs below it.
The Chief, Mr. Clean and Chef stand watching this sight along with other soldiers. A man guides the descending copter till the boat settles carefully in the shallows. The Chief and others leap aboard; unshackle the hoists — load on ammunition and fuel. The battle is still going on around them. They all look up as a wadge of PHANTOMS streak over low and peel off one by one to begin their bombing run.
93 FULL SHOT - PHANTOMS - MONTAGE
Phantoms RAKE the trees with 20 mm CANNONS — FIRE five inch ROCKETS in salvo — "Bull Pup" MISSILES – drop H.E. (high explosives) and C.B.U's (Cluster Bomb Units) and finally an immense amount of NAPALM.
94 FULL SHOT ON THE P.B.R.
The Chief is at the helm —the engine starts; Clean and Chef work feverishly, ducking for cover every-so- often when an EXPLOSION hits nearby. The boat begins to back out of the shallows. The EXPLOSIONS of NAPALM are reflected on their faces; the ROAR of the FIRE drowns out almost everything.
CHIEFForget that extra drum — it's too damn hot.
CLEAN Clear on starboard — Where's Lance an' the Captain?
CHIEF I saw that Colonel's Huey on the point —
Two HELICOPTERS SCREAM over FIRING ROCKETS.
CHIEF (continuing) Let's just get outta here.
Click graphic to enlargeIt hurts to set you free | But you'll never follow me | The end of laughter and soft lies | The end of nights we tried to die95 FULL SHOT - THE POINT - KILGORE, WILLARD, LANCE, OTHERS
KILGORE watches the waves with his field glasses — smoke drifts over. LANCE crouches below. WILLARD is up looking off in another direction. SHELLS SCREAM over, but even their noise is drowned out by the fierce SHRIEK of the PHANTOMS and the deafening BLAST of HIGH EXPLOSIVES. WILLARD stares at the tree line where it comes down to the river. The JETS are making a hell of the tree line; a hell of fire and bustling steam that nothing could live in. WILLARD's glance goes further downriver through the black smoke and there merging in the river — small and vulnerable, is his boat.
WILLARD (to LANCE) Look. There it is; the boat.
LANCE looks over — a tremendous relief on his face. But still there remains the threat of KILGORE, standing stark against the sky. WILLARD silently motions LANCE toward the boat.
LANCE (whispers) He'll kill us.
WILLARD He can't kill us. (realizing as he says it) We're on his side.
KILGORE FIRES another clip at the tree line, and then strides back without looking at them.
KILGORE (almost to himself) You smell that. (louder) You smell that?
LANCE What?
KILGORE Napalm, boy — nothing else in the world smells like that –
They reflect the glow from the burning trees.
KILGORE (continuing; nostalgically) I love the smell of napalm in the morning. One time we had a hill bombed for 12 hours. I walked up it when it was all over; we didn't find one of 'em ... not one stinking gook body. They slipped out in the night -- but the smell -- that gasoline smell -- the whole hill -- it smelled like ... (pause) victory...
He looks off nostalgically.
WILLARD You know, some day this war's gonna end..
KILGORE (sadly) Yes, I know.
IMSDb |
Apocalypse Now
Click graphic to enlargeThis is the endThe Doors |
The End
