INSTALLMENT III
CHRISTINE awakens in the phoenix bed and rises. Her hair is unnaturally tidy, her dress unnaturally unwrinkled, her makeup unnaturally intact. She wanders out to where PHANTOM is composing a tune that has a strangely John Williams-y flavour.
CHRISTINE
I remember there was mist ... swirling mist upon a vast, glassy lake ...
PHANTOM glances up and looks back at her over his shoulder.
CHRISTINE (Cont.)
There was swordplay all around, and in the lake there was a beast, and by the beast there was a man ... Who was that shape in the shadows? Whose is the face in the mask?
ANAKIN looks up sharply from the floor where he is still lying. He puts his remaining hand to his face with an odd expression, then shakes his head as if to clear it. CHRISTINE steps over Anakin and crosses to PHANTOM. She touches his face gently, then removes the mask. We hear DARTH VADER BREATHING and another very odd expression crosses ANAKIN’S face. He shakes his head again and DARTH VADER’S BREATHING stops.
PHANTOM
D*** you! You little prying Pandora! –
(quietly, musingly)
Pandora. . .
Pandora. . .
(glances across his lair to where Pandora’s Box from Tomb Raider II lies open on his desk. He shakes his head.)
PHANTOM (Cont.)
(loud again)You little demon - is this what you wanted to see?
ANAKIN
(looks around)
Where’s my lightsaber? Oh no, Obi-Wan is going to KILL me!
PHANTOM
(to CHRISTINE)
Come, those two fools who run my theatre will be missing you.
ANAKIN
(making a Force hand movement)
I need transportation.
PHANTOM
Fool! That only works on the weak-minded.
CHRISTINE
(monotone)
He needs transportation. . .
ANAKIN
(waving his arm stump)
Have some compassion.
PHANTOM
(drawing his sword and setting the tip at ANAKIN’S throat)
The world had no compassion for ME!
ANAKIN
OK, fine! I’ll just make myself at home here.
PHANTOM
Ah. . . Into the dinghy, Flyboy!
CHRISTINE hops in beside ANAKIN and looks coyly at him. She’s reaching up to touch his hair when PHANTOM, grinding his teeth, shoves the boat away from shore with more force than necessary. CHRISTINE falls to the bottom of the boat.
ANAKIN
(looking strangely at a striped bag on the seat next to him)
Popcorn?
(He throws it into the lake, which starts bubbling around the bag. A tentacle grabs the bag and pulls it under.)
CUT TO OPERA HOUSE – INT, DAY
OBI-WAN and C3PO are comparing NOTES.
C3PO
Oh dear! It seems I’ve got one, too. . .
OBI-WAN
(reading/singing)
Dear Obi, what a charming gala
Christine is far beyond all price
But you Jedi must go
As you ought to know
Bodyguards aren’t needed
‘Twould be better if you heeded my advice!
C3PO
(reading his own note)
Dear Threepie just a brief reminder
My salary has not been paid
Send the Jedi away
Or you’ll REALLY pay
P.T.O.
No one likes a debtor
So it’s better if my orders are obeyed!
RAOUL
(rushing in)
Where IS she?
OBI-WAN
You mean Chewbacca?
RAOUL
I mean Miss Daae.
(enunciating more clearly)
Where IS she?
C3PO
Well how should we know?
RAOUL
I want an answer. I take it that you sent me this note.
OBI-WAN
What’s all this nonsense?
(Force hand gesture)
Of course not!
RAOUL
She’s not with you then?
OBI-WAN
(Force hand gesture)
Of course not!
CHEWBACCA enters.
CHEWBACCA
(sort of singing)
ARRRRRglegarglegargledygar!
RAOUL jumps back, astonished. OBI-WAN looks at CHEWBACCA and nods his head knowingly while pointing at RAOUL. CHEWBACCA flaps his note threateningly at RAOUL, roaring. OBI-WAN steps forward and takes the note.
OBI-WAN
(reading/singing)
"Gentlemen, I have now sent you several notes of the most amiable nature, detailing how my theatre is to be run. You have not followed my instructions.I shall give you one last chance . . ." Christine Daae has returned to you, and I am anxious her career should progress. In the new production of "Il Moulin", you will therefore cast Chewbacca as the Pageboy, and put Miss Daae in the role of Countess. The role which Miss Daae plays calls for charm and appeal. The role of the Pageboy is silent - which makes my casting, in a word, ideal.
CHEWBACCA roars angrily
CUT TO OPERA HOUSE – INT, NIGHT
The performance of Il Moulin is underway. CHEWBACCA is roaring away onstage. The audience all has their hands over their ears.
PHANTOM
(interrupting, and magically loud enough to drown out Chewbacca)
Did I not instruct that box 5 was to be kept empty?
5 DROIDEKAS roll out onto the stage and unfold, aiming at various actors and actresses. There is a DEADLY SILENCE.
CHRISTINE
He’s here: The Phantom of the Opera! (runs offstage)
CUT TO STAIRWELL – INT, NIGHT
CHRISTINE and RAOUL are running up the stairs. ANAKIN leaps out from the shadows, barring their way.
CHRISTINE
Anakin! Is it true that you’ve gone to the Dark Side? Obi-Wan has been telling me terrible things about you.
ANAKIN
I’m doing it all for you, my love – to save you.
CHRISTINE
Don’t you see that you’re going down a path that I can’t follow? (sobbing) Anakin, you’re breaking my heart. I love you!
RAOUL looks at her, appalled.
ANAKIN
Then what is HE doing here? (jabs roughly at RAOUL) Liar!
(starts to use the Force to choke CHRISTINE, but RAOUL leaps at him with his sword, breaking his concentration. RAOUL whips his sword around a bit and then slices the right side of ANAKIN’S face above and below his eye. This will leave a permanent scar.)
CUT TO THE ROOF – EXT, NIGHT
RAOUL
No more talk of Dark Side,
Forget these wide-eyed fears.
I'm here,nothing can harm you
my words will warm and calm you.(etc.)
ANAKIN staggers out onto the rooftop unnoticed. He approaches R2-D2 who is waiting patiently beside their ship.
ANAKIN
(to Artoo)
Then say you'll share with me
one goal, one mission . . .
Let me lead you on a Jedi quest . . .
Say you'll fix my hyperdrive
This moment
You alone can make this ship take flight
Artoo, that’s all I ask of yoooooouuuuuu!
R2-D2
(whistles back his part of the tune)
R2-D2 and ANAKIN board their ship and blast off.
* * *
Click here for Part IV
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