Army of Darkness

THE FIRST SKELETON HAND

Digs into Ash's mouth. It jerks his face sideways to show him...

A GROUP OF SIX ROTTED ARMS

That rip from the ground!

THE SKELETAL HANDS

Toss Ash to...

THE ROTTED ARMS

Grab Ash's head and bang it on a rock. Two of the six arms try to shake and slap some sense into him. A rotted fist is waved at him. Another rotted arm backhands him. The arms thrust his face toward the skeleton hands.

THE SKELETON HANDS

Curl bony fingers, clenching them into fists.

ASH

No.. no more...

The skeletal fists pepper Ash's face with punches.

ASH

Leave me alone! Leave me aHUUU!

THE SKELETAL FINGERS

Last out and snag Ash's tongue between their bony pincers, shutting Ash up. With his tongue held, he tries to speak again, but the other skeletal hand slaps him, shutting him up. Both hands work double-time at slapping him.

UNDERCRANKED – ASH

His face has become a punching bag for the skeletal hands. They pull his ears and gouge his eyes.

ASH

Open his mouth wide with in a SCREAM!

SIDE SHOT – COLLAPSIBLE SKELETON ARM

The bony fist is thrust into Ash's screaming mouth up to the skeleton's bony elbow.

EXTREME CLOSE SHOT – ASH'S EYES

They bulge as he swallow the arm.

STOP MOTION ANIMATION

A ROTTED ARM rips through the ground, punching Ash in the stomach.

SIDE SHOT – COLLAPSIBLE SKELETAL ARM

Ash jerks backward, vomiting out the skeletal arm. He tumbles to the ground.

THE ARMS

Reach for him, but he is too fast. He stamps on one of the skeletal arms, pinning it to the ground.

ASH

(in a snarl)

Keep you damn filthy bones outta my mouth.

SNAP! He breaks the bony arm in two and runs away from the sea of limbs. A bone arm rips from the grave and reaches for the Book of the Dead but Ash scoops it up first. He leaps over another set of groping arms that rip from the ground!

ASH CLIMBS

Atop the horse. He glances back in fear to see...

EXT. CEMETARY – OLD OAK TREE

The burial site of Evil Ash. A bolt of lightning strikes the grave marker.

EVIL ASH'S BURIAL MARKER

Is thrust from the ground. A hand breaks the surface of the earth.

EVIL ASH'S BODY PARTS

fly up from the grave and assemble themselves into a lopsided, decayed version of EVIL ASH!

EXT. MILL – NIGHT

ASH stares in horror at his evil self. All around, skeletons rip from the earth and shriek as they come back to life!

A FEARFULASH

Kicks the horse and rides off.

EXT. MILL – LONG SHOT – NIGHT

ASH ON HORSEBACK galloping back the way he came. In the distance we see the cemetery. More bodies arise from the ground.

EXT. WOODS – ASH – NIGHT

Now far from the danger but still he rides hard.

ASH

I'm through bein' their garbage boy. I did my part of the bargain.

He pats the saddlebag, where the book is and grins.

Now they owe me. Like in the deal. I want back.

He whips his horse...

ASH
HA! GIIDDUP NOW!!

... and rides off into the darkness.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CASTLE – LONG SHOT – NIGHT

ASH. A tiny figure, rides toward the castle.

EXT. CASTLE WALL – NIGHT

Gold Tooth and two guards stand atop a tower and shout down to the gatekeeper.

GOLD TOOTH

Open the gates. The Promised one has returned!

EXT. CASTLE – NIGHT

THE DRAWBRIDGE swings down.

ASH

Rides across the lowered bridge and into the torchlight of the castle.

INT. CASTLE COURTYARD – NIGHT

TWO WARRIORS hold Ash's horse as he dismounts. There are excited shouts from the villagers

VILLAGERS

The stranger has returned! He's brought the book!

INT. CASTLE COURTYARD – NIGHT

Ash is led to the three Wisemen.

WISEMAN JOHN

The Necronomicon. Quickly.

ASH

Pours a bucket of water over his head and begins drinking.

WISEMAN JOHN

Did you bring the Necronomicon!

ASH

Slurps down more of the water, averting his eyes from the Wiseman.

ASH

Yes. It's just that...

WISEMAN JOHN

Just what? !

ASH

Nothing. Here

Ash produces the Necronomicon.

ASH

Now send be back. Like in the deal.

WISEMAN JOHN

Takes the book and suddenly goes pale.

WISEMAN JOHN

No... I sensed something had gone awry. The book's power. It's gone.

THE CROWD

Murmurs at this bad news.

ASH

Suddenly looks very guilty. Wiseman John turns to him.

WISEMAN JOHN

When you removed the Necronomicon from it's cradle, did you speak the words?

ASH

Yeah, basically.

WISEMAN JOHN

Did you speak the exact words?!

ASH

Well, maybe not every single syllable, no. But basically I said them. Yes.

WISEMAN JOHN

Bows his head, stung by this information.

WISEMAN JOHN

Dung eating fool! Thou hast doomed us. When thou misspoke the words the Army of the Dead was awoke.

ASH

Hey. We had a deal. You told me, you could clean this thing up, once I got you the book. You said there was a passage in there that could get rid of this thing and send me back.

WISEMAN JOHN

The passage is useless to us as long as these evil dead walk. They have a terrible desire for this book. And they shall come here to get it. Once in their possession, the Evil shall rule the Earth for one thousand years... because of you... we are doomed.

ASH

You wanted the damn book. You got yer book. I did my part of the deal.

WISEMAN JOHN

We did strike a bargain. I will return you to your own time as promised.

ASH

Yeah. Well good. That was the deal. So uh... when do you think we can...

ASH

Looks about at the condemned faces.

ASH'S POV – THE VILLAGERS

CAMERA PANS past the doomed faces in the crowd.

ASH

I mean... when can you send me...

ASH

Sees Sheila, but looks away, consumed with the guilt that he's doomed her.

ARTHUR

The Wisemen were fools to believe that you were the Promised one. That one such as you could have saved us!

ASH

Is solemn.

ARTHUR

And the others turn away in contempt.

SHEILA

Moves closer.

SHEILA

I still believe that thou wilt help us.

ASH

No... They're right. I screwed up. I didn't come through for you, and... I'm sorry for it.

SHEILA

I still have faith in thee. In my heart I know thou wilt still succeed.