Recently I picked up the screenplay of "True Romance" written by Quentin Tarantino. I must confess, I am not a movie freak. In this day & age, I don't own a VCD / DVD player. For that matter, I don't even own a PC of my own. My current & ex-roommates have been kind enough to let me use their laptops to satisfy my cyber needs. That way, I am quite blessed to have shared roof with 8 truly domesticated & kind roomies in last 5 years. I wish I had few "roommate from hell" kind of stories to share. Unfortunately, I have none. Amongst that bunch of 8, I would single out "K" for a special mention. We have been staying together for 5 years now. Wonder if this could qualify for a mention in the Limca Book Of Records. These days, even marriages don't last this long. The secret of finding roommates who won't ditch you (mostly by getting married) is quite simple, hook them young. K is 5 years younger than me. Perhaps, in near future, I might get married, dump "K" & move out. But the last time I checked with my mum & sis, there aren't many (or rather any) takers for me in the marriage market. Well let’s not digress into depressing matters.
Where was I ? Yep, True Romance.
Where was I ? Yep, True Romance.
This was Tarantino's debut screenplay. He wrote it while he was still working as video store clerk.By the time I was on the 2nd page of the script, I was well & truly hooked. Racy dialogues, colorful characters, gripping storyline. It has it all. I got sucked into the deranged and wickedly funny world of Clarence Worley (a comic books & kung-fu movies freak) & his girlfriend Alabama (a newbie whore). A series of unfortunate events involving the girls pimp, a bunch of hard-hitting-fast-talking drug traffickers, & a bag filled with cocaine sets off a mad-cap cat & mouse game between the bad guys, the ill-fated couple, and the cops. The bits n pieces eventually lead up to a tragi-comic climax where nobody is sure who is after who's ass.
I had a blast reading it. Without further ado I am copy pasting the opening scene of the movie. Hope it tickles your funny bone, as much as it tickled mine.
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Movie : True Romance
Screenplay : Quentin Tarantino
Director : Tony Scot
Release Year : 1993
INT. BAR - NIGHT
A smoky bar in downtown Detroit.
Clarence Worley, a young hipster hepcat, is trying to pick up an older lady named Lucy. She isn't bothered by him, in fact, she's a little charmed. But you can tell that she isn't going to leave her barstool.
[ CLARENCE ]
In "Jailhouse Rock" he's everything rockabilly's about. I mean he is rockabilly: mean, surly, nasty, rude. In that movie he couldn't give a fuck about anything except rockin' and rollin', livin' fast, dyin' young, and leaving a good-looking corpse. I love that scene where after he's made it big he's throwing a big cocktail party, and all these highbrows are there, and he's singing, "Baby You're So Square... Baby, I Don't Care". Now, they got him dressed like a dick. He's wearing these stupid-lookin' pants, this horrible sweater. Elvis ain't no sweater boy. I even think they got him wearin' penny loafers. Despite all that shit, all the highbrows at the party, big house, the stupid clothes, he's still a rude-lookin' motherfucker. I'd watch that hillbilly and I'd want to be him so bad. Elvis looked good. I'm no fag, but Elvis was good-lookin'. He was fuckin' prettier than most women. I always said if I ever had to fuck a guy... I mean had too 'cause my life depended on it... I'd fuck Elvis.
(Lucy takes a drag from her cigarette.)
(Lucy takes a drag from her cigarette.)
[ LUCY ]
I'd fuck Elvis.
[ CLARENCE ]
Really?
Really?
[ LUCY ]
When he was alive. I wouldn't fuck him now.
[ CLARENCE ]
I don't blame you.
(they both laugh)
So we'd both fuck Elvis. It's nice to meet people with common interests, isn't it?
(Lucy laughs.)
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If the curtain raiser sounds juicy enough, then I would encourage you guys to go to the nearest Public Library & get hold of the printed copy to read the full script. For the rest of you lazy bums who don’t want to budge from your recliners, I am giving below a link to its online draft. (I noticed few typos & omissions in the online version, but I guess its good enough).
FRIENDLY WARNING : The script contains hardcore profanity & mind numbing violence.
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/scripts/trueromance.shtml