EXT. FIREHALL -- DAY
The garage bay door is open. Two painters on scaffolding are completing a
paint job on the front of the structure in flat black paint. A carpenter
finishes hanging a sign over the door. It reads: GHOSTBUSTERS.
Then Stantz comes driving up in a very long, gold 1959 Cadillac ambulance
and turns into the garage bay of the firehall. The car has a battered look
to it and rumbles noisily due to a broken muffler.
INT. GARAGE BAY -- DAY
Stantz hits the siren and flashes the emergency lights as he drives in.
Venkman crosses to the car as Stantz jumps out enthusiastically.
STANTZ
Everybody can relax. I found the car. How
do you like it?
VENKMAN
(not terribly pleased)
Do you think it's wide enough? How much?
STANTZ
Fourteen hundred.
Venkman steps on the front bumper and rocks it. It wallows badly.
STANTZ
Just needs a little suspension work ... And
a muffler ... And maybe brakes.
RECEPTION AREA -- DAY
A bored-looking red-headed young woman, JANINE MELNITZ, sits in a swivel
chair behind the reception desk, putting another coat of red polish on her
heavily lacquered nails. Spengler is on his hands and knees wiring up the
telephone system.
JANINE
(with a definitive Queens
accent)
You're very handy, I can tell. I bet you
like to read a lot, too.
SPENGLER
(looks up)
Print is dead.
JANINE
That's very fascinating to me. I read a
lot myself. Some people think I'm too
intellectual. But I think reading is a
fabulous way to spend your spare time.
(he doesn't answer)
I also play racketball. Do you ever play?
SPENGLER
Is that a game?
JANINE
It's a great game! You should play
sometime. I bet you'd be good. You seem
very athletic. Do you have any hobbies?
SPENGLER
I collect spores, molds and fungus.
JANINE
Oh, that's very - unusual.
SPENGLER
I think it's the food of the future.
JANINE
Remind me not to go to lunch with you.
THE DOOR
Dana Barrett enters ance looks around hesitantly,
VENKMAN
He springs into action.
VENKMAN
(all charm)
Hello. I'm Peter Venkman. May I help you?
DANA
Yes ... well ... I'm not sure. What I have
to say may sound a little ... unusual.
VENKMAN
We're all professionals here, Miss ...
DANA
Barrett. Dana Barrett.
They walk toward the inner office.
VENKMAN
Why don't you step into the office and we'll
talk about it.
(to Janine)
Hold all my calls, Janine.
JANINE
What calls?
Venkman frowns and exits with Dana.
INSERT -- TV MONITOR -- LATER
Dana is seen in close-up on a TV screen as she finishes telling about her
experience.
DANA
... and then I opened the door again but it
was gone. There was nothing there.
VENKMAN
(off-camera)
So what do you think it was?
INT. OFFICE -- SAME TIME
Dana is hooked up to a lie detector. Spengler is monitoring the readout
and videotaping the interview. Venkman and Stantz are listening intently,
waiting for Dana's assessment of her experience.
DANA
(after a long pause)
I think something in my refrigerator is
trying to get me.
Venkman stares at her, trying to make sense of her last statement.
VENKMAN
Generally, you don't see that kind of
behavior in a major appliance. What do you
think, Egon?
SPENGLER
(checking the polygraph)
She's telling the truth -- or at least she
thinks she is.
DANA
(defensive)
Why would anyone make up a thing like that?
VENKMAN
Some people like the attention. Some people
are just crazy.
STANTZ
(muses)
You know, Peter, this could be a past life
experience intruding on the present.
SPENGLER
Or even a race memory, stored in the
collective unconscious. And I wouldn't rule
out clairvoyance or telepathic contact either.
Dana starts laughing. They all regard her curiously.
DANA
(trying to be serious)
I'm sorry. It's just that I don't believe
in any of these things. I don't even know
my sign.
SPENGLER
(checks his notes)
You're a Scorpio with your moon in Leo and
Aquarius rising.
DANA
Is that good?
VENKMAN
It means you're bright, ambitious, outgoing
and very, very sexy,
Dana looks at Venkman, flattered by the remark but more than a little
suspicious of his motives.
DANA
Is that your professional opinion?
VENKMAN
It's in the stars.
STANTZ
Why don't I check out the building? It may
have a history of psychic turbulence.
VENKMAN
Good idea.
(to Dana)
Were any other words spoken that you
remember?
DANA
No, just that one word -- Zuul -- but I have
no idea what it means.
VENKMAN
Spengler, see if you can find the word
"Zuul" in any of the literature. I'll take
Miss Barrett home and check out her apartment.
INT. DANA'S APARTMENT -- LATER THAT AFTERNOON
The door opens and Dana enters the darkened flat with Venkman. She
switches on the light and leads him to the living room.
VENKMAN
Have you ever thought of moving out -- at
least until this disturbance blows over?
DANA
No. If I moved out now I'd be acknowledging
that what happened was real. I'm not ready
to do that.
Venkman sees the cello leaning up against the wall.
VENKMAN
You play the cello! It's my favorite
instrument.
DANA
Really? Do you have a favorite piece?
VENKMAN
(thinks)
I'd have to say Prokofiev's third concerto.
DANA
That's a violin concerto.
VENKMAN
Yeah, but it's got a great cello break.
He grabs the cello and starts playing it like a stand-up base. Dana takes
the instrument out of his hands and gently puts it back in the case.
DANA
You really don't act like a scientist.
VENKMAN
No? What do I act like?
DANA
Like a used car salesman.
VENKMAN
Thanks.
(he gets down to business
and starts looking around
the apartment)
What's in there?
He points to a door.
DANA
That's the bedroom, but nothing ever
happened in there.
She takes off her jacket.
VENKMAN
(noticing her body)
That's too bad.
DANA
What?
VENKMAN
Nothing. Is that the kitchen?
He points to another door.
DANA
(nods)
Uh-huh.
VENKMAN
Well, let's check it out.
DANA
I'll wait here if you don't mind.
He enters the kitchen.
INT. THE KITCHEN -- DAY
The room is a real mess. Utensils are lying all over the floor. The
cabinets and walls are splattered with food.
VENKMAN
(calls out)
You're quite a housekeeper.
DANA
(off-camera)
I told you, I ...
VENKMAN
I know. It happened by itself.
He scans the room with his monitoring device.
VENKMAN (CONT'D)
Nothing.
He looks in a couple of cabinets, then confronts the refrigerator. With
mild trepidation he grasps the door handle, then suddenly jerks it open.
The handle comes off in his hand.
VENKMAN (CONT'D)
Damn!
DANA
(off-camera)
Are you all right?
VENKMAN
Yeah, yeah.
He grips the side of the fridge door and pulls it open.
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
Dana stands there nervously watching the kitchen door. Finally, it opens
and Venkman comes out munching an apple.
VENKMAN
There's nothing there now and I don't get
any significant readings.
DANA
This is terrible. Either there's a monster
in my kitchen or I'm completely crazy.
VENKMAN
If it's any comfort to you, I don't think
you're crazy.
DANA
(laughs ironically)
Thanks. Coming from you that really means
a lot to me.
VENKMAN
I'm a qualified psychologist. I've got a
degree and everything. I believe that
something happened here and I want to do
something about it.
DANA
All right. What do you want to do?
VENKMAN
I think I should spend the night here.
DANA
(she's had enough)
That's it. Get out.
VENKMAN
On a purely scientific basis.
DANA
Out!
VENKMAN
I want to help you.
DANA
I'll scream.
VENKMAN
Don't scream.
DANA
(urging him to the door)
Then leave.
VENKMAN
Okay, okay. But if anything else happens,
you have to promise you'll call me.
DANA
(opening the door)
All right.
VENKMAN
Okay. Then I'll go.
DANA
Goodbye.
VENKMAN
(in the hall)
No kiss?
She closes the door in his face and triple locks it.
EXT. HALLWAY -- DAY
Venkman stands there with his nose flattened against Dana's door. He
starts to leave just as Louis Tully pokes his head out the door hoping to
see Dana. He jealously eyes Venkman. Venkman ignores Louis and gets on
the elevator.
Louis spots his newspaper lying on the floor across the hall. Holding the
door open with one foot, he reaches for the paper but can't quite stretch
far enough. Trying another approach, he swings the door open, leaps for
the paper and darts back to the door just as it slams shut in his face,
locking him out again.
|
