Chapter 3 - ch3

EXT. UPPER WEST SIDE - DAY



A high panoramic view of the city shows heavy traffic moving up and down Central Park West on a beautiful sunny day.





EXT. 78th AND CENTRAL PARK WEST - DAY



An unusual pre-war Gothic high-rise towers over the neighborhood buildings. The top of the building includes an elaborate decorative temple, complete with altar, stairs and Babylonian columns. The late afternoon sun gives the structure an oddly menacing quality. The camera PANS slowly down to the street as KEIKO BARRETT, an attractive woman in her late twenties, comes walking up to the building carrying a cello case and a shopping bag full of groceries. Guys on the street check her out as she enters, but she coolly ignores them.





INT. HIGH-RISE APARTMENT BUILDING - LOBBY - DAY



Keiko crosses the lobby and gets into the elevator.





INT. THIRTY FIFTH FLOOR - DAY



Keiko gets off the elevator and goes to the door of her apartment. As she unlocks it, the door to the next apartment opens and Keiko's neighbor, KOMEA TULLY, peeks his head out the door. Koemea is a shy nerd, hopelessly in love with Keiko.



KOEMA

Oh, Keiko, it's you...



KEIKO

(she's seen this before)

Hi, Koemea.



KOEMA

... I thought it was the drug store.



KEIKO

Are you sick, Koema?



Koema has broken the ice. He confidently exits his apartment and approaches Keiko. His door slams behind him as he leaves.



KOEMA

Oh, no, I feel great. I just ordered some more vitamins. I see you were exercising. So was I. I taped "20 Minute Workout" and played it back at high speed so it only took ten minutes and I got a really good workout. You wanna have a mineral water with me?



KEIKO

No thanks, Koema. I'm really tired. I've been rehearsing all morning.



KOEMA

Okay. I'll take a raincheck. I always have plenty of mineral water and other nutritious health foods, but you know that. Listen, that reminds me, I'm having a party for all my clients. It's gonna be my fourth anniversary as an accountant. I know you fill out your own tax return, but I'd like you to come being that you're my next door neighbor and all...



KEIKO

Oh, that's nice, Louis. I'll stop by if I'm around.



KOEMA

You know you shouldn't leave your TV on so loud when you go out. That creep down the hall phoned the manager.



KEIKO

I thought I turned it off.

(she listens and hears loud sound coming from inside)

I guess I forgot.



Keiko begins unlocking her door.



KOEMA

I climbed on the window ledge to see if I could disconnect the cable but I couldn't reach so I turned up the sound on my TV real loud so they'd think there was something wrong with everybody's TV. You know, you and I should really have keys to each other's apartment...



Her door closes leaving Koema stranded. He walks back to his apartment muttering to himself.



KOEMA (CONT'D)

... in case of emergencies...

(he discovers he has locked himself out of his apartment)

... like this one.





KEIKO' S APARTMENT - DAY



A roomy, two-bedroom flat with a great view of the park.



She leaves the cello in the entrance hall, grabs the bag of groceries and goes through the living room toward the kitchen.



Remembering Koema, she stops at the TV set to turn it off, but a strange image on the screen catches her attention.





TV SCREEN



INT. CHILDREN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT



Two children, a BOY and a GIRL, are asleep in bed when suddenly they are awakened by supernatural moaning and groaning.





THE CHILDREN



They scream and jump out of bed.





THE DOOR



Their MOTHER and FATHER, rush in to find the children cowering against the wall.



FATHER

What is it? What's wrong?



THE KIDS

Look!



They point at the closet.



MOTHER

(to Father)

Oh, dear. It's that darn ghost again. Can't you do something about it.



FATHER

(helpless)

I've tried everything, honey! I guess we'll just have to move.



The mother and the kids look at him with disappointment.



MOTHER

Gee, there must be a better way.



Kuwabara steps into the foreground.



KUWABARA

Are you troubled by strange noises in the night? Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic? Have you or your family actually seen a spook, specter or ghost? If the answer is yes, then don't wait another minute. Just pick up the phone and call the professionals - Ghostbusters.





EXT. FIREHALL



Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama are standing in front of the Ghostbusters' sign. Kurama steps forward.



KURAMA

(to camera)

Our courteous and efficient staff is on call 24 hours a day to serve all your supernatural elimination needs.





INT. RECEPTION AREA



Botan is seen answering the telephone with a big fake smile on her face.



BOTAN

(cheery)

Ghostbusters. We'll be right there.





INT. CHILDREN'S BEDROOM



Kurama is taking PKE readings along the baseboards. Kuwabara pops up from under the bed.



KUWABARA

(smiling proudly)

Got him! I don't think you'll have any more trouble with that ghost.





FATHER, MOTHER AND YUSUKE



They all look as pleased as punch as Yusuke hands the Father a bill.



FATHER

(looks at the total)

And it's economical, too!



MOTHER

How can we ever thank you?



YUSUKE

(big, cheesy smile)

All in a day's work, ma'am. After all...

(to camera)

... We're Ghostbusters.

(he winks)





EXT. FRONT DOOR



Mother, Father and Kids wave goodbye to the Ghostbusters.



THE FAMILY

(sings)

If you have a ghost,

But you don't want to play host,

You can't sleep at all,

So who do you call...

Ghostbusters - Ghostbusters.





YUSUKE, KUWABARA AND KURAMA



They smile at the camera as a phone number is supered on the screen.



GHOSTBUSTERS

(in unison)

We're ready to believe you,



Keiko turns off the TV set and goes into the kitchen.





INT. KITCHEN



Keiko switches on the radio and starts unpacking groceries. She sets a loaf of bread and a carton of eggs on the counter and begins putting other items away in the pantry.





THE EGGS



The top of the carton pops open. Then, one by one, the eggs erupt and spill over onto the counter. As the liquid contents hit the countertop they sizzle. The eggs begin to fry on the formica surface.





KEIKO



She hears the sizzle, turns and sees the eggs frying. She gasps, then recovers and inspects the mess. She touches the counter gingerly, but it's not at all hot. Deeply perplexed, she stands there trying to think of an explanation. Then a strange new sound attracts her attention and she turns around to see where it's coming from.



Keiko hears the sound of muffled chanting coming from the fridge. She pulls the door open and gets the shock of her life. The inside of the fridge has been transformed into the Gateway to another Realm - a fiery path leading to a temple door. On each side of the door is a strange, snarling creature that could best be described as a TERROR DOG. Their front claws are raised toward each other in a symbolic pose. The incredible vision is accompanied by the unearthly chanting.





KEIKO



She stands there transfixed by horror, the flames reflecting in her eyes.





THE FRIDGE



The chanting gets more frenetic and ominous as the temple doors slowly begin to open.





KEIKO



She is paralyzed.





THE TEMPLE DOORS



They continue to open. We feel a terrible presence within.



THE PRESENCE

(whispers loudly and hoarsely)

ZUUL!!!





KEIKO



She screams and slams the refrigerator door. Instantly, everything is normal again. She looks around the room.





THE EGGS



They are back in the carton, unbroken.





KEIKO



Fighting her fear, she turns back to the fridge and very slowly reaches for the handle. Then summoning all her courage, she yanks open the door. Ketchup, mustard, bottles of vitamins and other food items fall out of the rack on the inside of the refrigerator door. Keiko sighs with relief as she sees nothing but the cool white porcelain interior of the fridge. She closes the door and stands there for a moment still shaken by the vision. Then she shakes her head and leaves the kitchen.





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 Kuwabara 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



Kuwabara hits the siren and flashes the emergency lights as he drives in. Yusuke crosses to the car as Kuwabara jumps out enthusiastically.



KUWABARA

Everybody can relax. I found the car. How do you like it?



YUSUKE

(not terribly pleased)

Do you think it's wide enough? How much?



KUWABARA

Fourteen hundred.



Yusuke steps on the front bumper and rocks it. It wallows badly.



KUWABARA

Just needs a little suspension work... And a muffler... And maybe brakes.





RECEPTION AREA - DAY



A bored-looking blue-headed young woman, BOTAN MELNITZ, sits in a swivel chair behind the reception desk, putting another coat of red polish on her heavily lacquered nails.Kurama is on his hands and knees wiring up the telephone system.



BOTAN

(with a definitive Queens accent)

You're very handy, I can tell. I bet you like to read a lot, too.



KURAMA

(looks up)

Print is dead.



BOTAN

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?



KURAMA

Is that a game?



BOTAN

It's a great game! You should play sometime. I bet you'd be good. You seem very athletic. Do you have any hobbies?



KURAMA

I collect spores, molds and fungus.



BOTAN

Oh, that's very - unusual.



KURAMA

I think it's the food of the future.



BOTAN

Remind me not to go to lunch with you.





THE DOOR



Keiko Barrett enters and looks around hesitantly,





YUSUKE



He springs into action.



YUSUKE

(all charm)

Hello. I'm Yusuke Venkman. May I help you?



KEIKO

Yes... well... I'm not sure. What I have to say may sound a little... unusual.



YUSUKE

We're all professionals here, Miss...



KEIKO

Barrett. Keiko Barrett.



They walk toward the inner office.



YUSUKE

Why don't you step into the office and we'll talk about it.

(to Botan)

Hold all my calls, Botan.



BOTAN

What calls?



Yusuke frowns and exits with Keiko.





INSERT - TV MONITOR - LATER



Keiko is seen in close-up on a TV screen as she finishes telling about her experience.



KEIKO

... and then I opened the door again but it was gone. There was nothing there.



YUSUKE

(off-camera)

So what do you think it was?





INT. OFFICE - SAME TIME



Keiko is hooked up to a lie detector. Kurama is monitoring the readout and videotaping the interview. Yusuke and Kuwabara are listening intently, waiting for Keiko's assessment of her experience.



KEIKO

(after a long pause)

I think something in my refrigerator is trying to get me.



Yusuke stares at her, trying to make sense of her last statement.



YUSUKE

Generally, you don't see that kind of behavior in a major appliance. What do you think, Kurama?



KURAMA

(checking the polygraph)

She's telling the truth - or at least she thinks she is.



KEIKO

(defensive)

Why would anyone make up a thing like that?



YUSUKE

Some people like the attention. Some people are just crazy.



KUWABARA

(muses)

You know, Yusuke, this could be a past life experience intruding on the present.



KURAMA

Or even a race memory, stored in the collective unconscious. And I wouldn't rule out clairvoyance or telepathic contact either.



Keiko starts laughing. They all regard her curiously.



KEIKO

(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.



KURAMA

(checks his notes)

You're a Scorpio with your moon in Leo and Aquarius rising.



KEIKO

Is that good?



YUSUKE

It means you're bright, ambitious, outgoing and very, very sexy.



Keiko looks at Yusuke, flattered by the remark but more than a little suspicious of his motives.



KEIKO

Is that your professional opinion?



YUSUKE

It's in the stars.



KUWABARA

Why don't I check out the building? It may have a history of psychic turbulence.



YUSUKE

Good idea.

(to Keiko)

Were any other words spoken that you remember?



KEIKO

No, just that one word - Zuul - but I have no idea what it means.



YUSUKE

Kurama, see if you can find the word "Zuul" in any of the literature. I'll take Miss Barrett home and check out her apartment.

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