actually, ignore the above..... here's an ammended version. 2nd draft i guess.
INT. BANGOR MULTIPLEX - SHOP - DAY
Two shop assistants, SMURF and JOHN, are standing in the shop. Smurf is cleaning the work top and John is counting the cups.
SMURF
Tell ye what... I'm bored stiff.
JOHN
Same here.
SMURF
You workin' tamorra?
JOHN
Aye. You?
SMURF
Aye, I asked for it off, but. See when Ronan gets upstairs, I'll buckin' give him some.
JOHN
All talk, mate.
SMURF
You wait an' see. I'll not take this any more —
Ronan walks upstairs and John notices him.
JOHN
Alright?
RONAN
Alright, John... Alright Smurf.
SMURF
Alright, Ronan. How ya keepin'?
John sniggers at Smurf.
SMURF
Shut up. I'll tell him later!
John goes over to the back of the shop to put some cups away.
(Various cutaways of actions - cups being put in place, worktop being scrubbed)
SMURF
Ye wouldn't stick us a bit o' popcorn in a wee cup would ye?
JOHN
Sweet or salted?
SMURF
Sweet ... Salted's disgustin'.
John brings Smurf his popcorn in a small cup.
JOHN
Y'know you shouldn't be eatin' that shite.
Smurf stops mid-munch and looks up at John.
SMURF
Why nat?
JOHN
It's full of... stuff.
Pause for a beat.
SMURF
You gonna tell me what stuff??
JOHN
Y'know ... secret government stuff.
(Cutaway to B+W shot of barrels of stuff, labelled CHEMICAL X)
SMURF
Secret government arse. I'll slap yer face.
JOHN
Fine ... If you don't wanna hear it ...
Silence for a moment. Smurf is far too curious, though he doesn't want John to know that. He has stopped eating the popcorn.
SMURF
Ach, for bollock sake, give us it then.
John stops what he's doing and explains his secret to Smurf.
JOHN
Well ... I've heard that the government has been using secret ingredients involved in popcorn making, to control the population for years. They're basically using popcorn to turns us all into mindless zombies, by pacifying us.
(While John speaks, we see shots of zombies in the cinema, munching popcorn, drooling etc.)
SMURF
(trying not to sound unintelligent)
Pacify? Right ... Isn't that when — — ?
He's waiting for John to fill in the blank. John just looks at him.
JOHN
You're a dough-head.
SMURF
Just tell me!
JOHN
It means....
A customer approaches the shop.
Smurf is still waiting for the definition.
CUSTOMER
Give us a medium diet cola and a bag of Fruitos.
JOHN
No popcorn with your drink?
(Western style showdown shots in B+W/Sepia, between customer and John. Smurf looking between popcorn and customer, distraught.)
Back to reality.
CUSTOMER
Nah.
The customer gives John his money and leaves.
SMURF
Well then, smartarse?
JOHN
It's quite simple. To pacify means 'to cause to be more favorably inclined, thereby creating in the subject an unquestioning nature.'
SMURF
Stop takin' the piss.
JOHN
Right. It means they put stuff into the salt an' sugar we put in the popcorn, that makes us calm and easygoing, so that we won't question anything they do.
SMURF
(pointing outside)
Nah, that's ballicks. Bernard was in last night an' bought popcorn... and he knocked someone out after.
(Cutaway to B+W shot of BERNARD, punching someone)
Smurf starts eating the popcorn again.
JOHN
Was that not 'cus he was eyein' up his bird?
SMURF
So what? You said it makes ye calm.
JOHN
Aye, well. Different circumstances isn't it?
Pause.
SMURF
Wot d'ye mean?
JOHN
Well. Not everyone's like Bernard.
SMURF
Well, I am. So I'll just keep eatin' it, ta very much.
JOHN
How are you like Bernard?
SMURF
(quietly defensive)
Y'know ... hard an' that.
JOHN
You're not hard! You're a wee wuss!
SMURF
Didn't I tell ye I'd give ye a smack?!
JOHN
Ah, yer all talk.
SMURF
I dunno who you think you are ... but yer not.
JOHN
I'm just tellin' ye wot I've heard.
Pause.
JOHN
In fact, I read... that last year, there was 13 cases of death by popcorn in Northern Ireland alone.
SMURF
That's ballicks, mate. Woulda been on the news.
JOHN
Not if the government had made the news companies keep quiet. Think about it.
Smurf thinks.
(Cutaway to a guy in a suit wrapping tape around the mouth of a newsreader)
Smurf stops eating the popcorn again. He looks at it cautiously.
SMURF
(looking at the popcorn)
Are you bein' serious?
Pause.
JOHN
Nah, I'm just havin ye on.
Smurf raises his hand like he's going to slap John. Then he goes back to eating his popcorn.
FADE TO BLACK.
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