American Shaolin

EXT. SHAOLIN TEMPLE – DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF TRAINING AREA.

The entire group is gathered in a sort of pit, on a hard concrete floor. D.S. stands in the middle.

D.S.

I want to go over some takedowns before we end for the day. I'll need a partner...

He scans the group, and then points to Drew. Drew smiles ruefully, walks to the front and bows to D.S.

D.S.

Watch carefully as I take him down, using techniques from shwai jyau, Chinese wrestling.

DREW

(looking at ground)

Excuse me, Master, but there aren't any mats here.

D.S.

Do they always use mats in America?

The group laughs a little at that, and Drew's manhood is now challenged.

D.S. (CONT'D)

If you are scared, I'll get someone else. Perhaps Gao would assist me...

ANGLE ON GAO

Who is already getting up, ready and willing.

This changes Drew's mind right away.

ANGLE ON DREW AND D.S.

DREW

Let's do it.

D.S.

Attack me straight on...

Drew attacks, and is taken down brutally, smashed into the hard concrete floor. No attempt is made to cushion or soften the blow.

Drew gets up right away, and attacks again. Again he is driven to the ground. This continues from all angles and all methods of attack.

ANGLE ON THE GROUP

Who can barely watch the destruction.

ANGLE ON THE FIGHT

The D.S. does not let up at all, taking

Drew down hard each time. Every time, regardless of the impact, Drew gets right back up. His eyes are dazed, there is a little blood coming out of his nose, but he keeps coming back for more.

Finally, after a high arcing back throw, a real thumper, the worst of all of them, the D.S. calls it a day.

D.S.

Any questions? Good, that's all for today.

Before anyone can move, however, Drew raises his hand as high as he can, obviously in pain.

DREW (CONT'D)

I'm not sure I got that last throw clear in my mind.

The group gasps, knowing how much Drew must be hurting, admiring him for his guts. Even Gao is impressed.

D.S.

I said that's enough.

DREW (CONT'D)

If you're getting too old for this kind of training, I understand.

D.S.

Attack!

Drew attacks, and the D.S. executes the manuever perfectly, crashing Drew down almost on his head. Luckily, Drew is able to twist at the last moment and take the impact on his already bruised shoulder. He moans and groans and lies there.

DREW (CONT'D)

I think I've got it now. Xie Xie!

The group disburses, shaking their heads in wonder. Li comes up to Drew, who is still lying on the ground.

LI

Are you trying to kill yourself?

DREW

He hurts more than me, he's just not bleeding, that's all.

He tries to get up, but moans in pain and falls back down.

Li helps him up and takes him to the showers.

ANGLE ON D.S.

Watching them go. There is a slight smile on his face.

EXT. DORMITORY – SAME DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF LI RUBBING THE BRUISE ON DREW'S SHOULDER WITH TIGER BALM.

It is huge, and looks really painful.

LI

If you go to San De, he can send you to a doctor...

Drew pulls away and stands up. He backs up to the wall of the dormitory, right underneath a window.

DREW

I appreciate your concern, Li, but it's not that serious. I'm all right.

Just as he is talking, Gao comes to the window with a pan of dirty water (from washing the floor of the dorm).

GAO LOOKS DOWN (GAO POV) AND SEES DREW

Hhe smiles, then pours the huge bucket over the edge, dousing Drew.

ANGLE ON DREW

As the dirty water hits him, drenching him.

EXT. WATERFALL – DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF WATERFALL.

It is huge, and the water is crashing down from high above.

ANGLE ON A MONK, INSIDE THE WATERFALL

He is going through martial arts techniques as the water thunders onto him.

ANGLE ON D.S. AND GROUP

As they stand on the bank.

D.S.

Concentrate on your stance. All I want you to do is try to hold your stance. Li, you're first.

Li smiles and walks into the waterfall, using a walkway that goes behind the thundering water.

He moves into the water a little, and gets into a deep horse stance. He stand there, immovable. After a moment, he turns to look at D.S.

ANGLE ON D.S.

Who motions him farther into the water.

ANGLE ON LI

Who nods his head and walks into the thundering water. As soon as he gets into the main stream of water, he is forced off the ledge and he falls about 20 feet into the pool below.

D.S.

Next...

Each of them try it in turn. Everyone fails.

Gao goes in, and he manages to stand under the impact of the water for a moment, before he too succumbs and goes down into the pool.

ANGLE ON DREW

It's his turn. He walks to the waterfall and goes in. He picks up an umbrella he stashed behind the waterfall (imprinted with a "NEW YORK GIANTS NFL" logo on it – unmistakably American).

He walks into the waterfall, and the umbrella works for a moment. Drew is holding it with both hands, and he gets into a deep horse stance.

He turns to smile at the D.S., and then waves at the others. As soon as he takes a hand off the handle of the umbrella, the water slams him and off he goes into the pool.

He lands with a huge splash, doing a painful bellow flop. Drew comes to the surface, still clutching the now- destroyed umbrella. He smiles at the other disciples, who are still swimming, sheepishly.

DREW

Thought I'd join you guys.

INT. TEMPLE TRAINING HALL – DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF GROUPS WORKING OUT.

Drew is in with the group. Gao and Drew are chosen to do a training exercise together.

D.S.

In this exercise, you try to touch your partner's chest lightly, and your partner tries to block.

The group gets started doing the drill, and Gao is almost caving Drew's chest in with his blows. He is so close to Drew that Drew doesn't have a chance to block it. On the last strike, Drew falls back to the ground.

The D.S. is there immediately.

D.S.

Something wrong?

Drew shakes his head and gets back up.

D.S.

Switch!

Now it's Drew's turn to strike, and he tries to hit Gao with the same amount of force as he did, but Gao avoids his attack, throwing him off balance. He throws another punch out, and Gao grabs it and pulls.

Drew falls to the floor again. A monk who was watching walks over.

MONK

The goal of this drill is not to hurt your partner. Just try to tap his chest.

DREW

I know, but...

MONK

Then do it that way...

The Monk walks away, shaking his head.

EXT. SHAOLIN TEMPLE – EVENING

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF TEMPLE COURTYARD, EMPTY EXCEPT FOR DREW AND LI PLAYING CATCH WITH A FRISBEE.

Drew is flipping it in a bunch of different ways, and Li is enjoying watching him.

To the side of the courtyard are two brooms leaning against the wall.

DREW

This sure beats sweeping...

ANGLE ON FRISBEE

Floating past temple statues and ancient Chinese decorations, barely missing them.

Drew makes an acrobatic catch and then flicks it back to Li, harder than he should have. It heads for an ancient statue and smacks it dead center, right in the face.

The statue starts to tip!

Drew and Li rush for the statue and catch it, just before it tips over and smashes on the ground.

They look at each other, thanking their lucky stars the statue didn't fall. They start to throw the frisbee again, when Drew spots the D.S. coming towards them.

Drew stashes the frisbee in his shirt and grabs the brooms.

He tosses one to Li and they just begin sweeping again when the D.S. rounds the corner.

The D.S. knows something is going on, but they look so innocent.

D.S.

Sweep the main chamber, Drew.

DREW (CONT'D)

Yes, master.

He bows and smiles goodbye to Li. He walks into the main training chamber.

INT. CHAMBER – SAME EVENING

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DREW WALKING INTO THE CHAMBER.

This is the chamber where they had their first workout, and Drew just stands there for a moment, soaking up the tradition of it.

He walks to an area of the chamber under the famous painting and stands staring at it.

QUICK CUTS to different ANGLES of the painting.

ANGLE ON DREW

Who begins to sweep.

His broom is going over the depressions where the monks train, and soon he loses his desire to sweep. He takes the broom in his hand as a weapon and starts to spin it, going through a martial arts form, his feet moving naturally into the depressions in the floor.

He finishes with a flourish, having moved into a shadowy area in a corner, and then bows to an imaginary crowd, using the broom as a microphone.

DREW

(imitating an announcer)

Presenting, the greatest fighter in the history of the Shaolin temple... Drew Carson!