AN EXCERPT FROM
MULHOLLAND DRIVE
INT. DENNY'S RESTAURANT, HOLLYWOOD
- MORNING
Two well - dressed men HERB and DAN (mid 30's)
are sitting at a table drinking coffee. Herb has finished
eating his breakfast, but Dan hasn't touched his bacon and eggs - he
appears too nervous to eat. A blonde waitress with a nameplate saying "DIANE"
lays the check on their table - smiles, then walks off.
HERB
Why did
you want to go to breakfast if
you're
not hungry?
DAN
I just
wanted to come here.
HERB
To Denny's?...
I wasn't going to say
anything,
but why Denny's?
DAN
This Denny's.
HERB
Okay, why
this Denny's?
DAN
It's kind
of embarrassing... but,
HERB
Go ahead.
DAN
I had a
dream about this place.
HERB
Oh boy.
DAN
You see
what I mean...
HERB
Okay, so
you had a dream about this
place.
Tell me.
DAN
Well...
it's the second one I've had, but
they were
both the same..... they start
out that
I'm in here but it's not day or
night.
It's kinda half night, but it
looks just
like this except for the
light,
but I'm scared like I can't tell
ya. Of
all people you're standing right
over there
by the counter. You're in
both dreams
and you're scared. I get
even more
frightened when I see how
afraid
you are and then I realize what it
is - there's
a man. . . in back of this
place.
He's the one . . . he's the one
that's
doing it. I can see him through
the wall.
I can see his face and I hope
I never
see that face ever outside a
dream.
Herb stares at Dan to see if he will continue. Dan looks around nervously,
then stares at his uneaten food.
DAN
That's
it.
HERB
So you
came to see it he's out there?
DAN
To get
rid of this god-awful feeling.
HERB
Right
then.
Herb gets up, picks up the bill and goes to the cashier to pay. Dan just
sits.
As Herb is paying the bill he looks over at Dan just as Dan is turning
to look at him.
From Dan's point of view Herb is standing in exactly the
same spot as he stood in the dream. Herb gets a strange feeling, turns back and finishes up with the cashier. He motions for Dan to follow him. Dan rises reluctantly and he and Herb make their way outside.
CUT TO:
Now Herb waits for Dan to lead the way.
DAN
Around
here.
Dan takes Herb across the front of Denny's to a narrow sidewalk that leads
down the side towards the back.
They begin walking down the narrow sidewalk - past a payphone.
Dan begins to sweat the nearer he gets to the rear corner of the building.
Red bricks glide by slowly.
CLOSER ON DAN
Beads of sweat cover his face. He finds it difficult to breathe.
Herb is just behind him unable to see the fear overtaking his friend, but Herb can feel something
himself.
The red bricks moving by now are coming to an end - the corner is coming
closer - the corner is now very close.
Suddenly a man - a face... a face dark and bum-like- moves quickly out
from behind the corner and stops - freezes - staring into Dan's eyes.
Dan lurches back. All his breath is suddenly gone. He falls back into
Herb who tries to catch him as he's falling.
Dan hits the ground unable to breathe - his eyes wide with horror.
Herb looks up - the man is gone. He looks down to Dan.
HERB
Dan!...
Dan! You all right?... Dan!
He kneels down and studies his friend. He feels for a pulse in the neck.
He listens for breathing. His friend is dead.
HERB
My God!
DISSOLVE...
(C) DAVID LYNCH, 1/5/99.
.........................
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