SUPERMAN IV

SUPERMAN IV   

By

Mark Rosenthal

and

Lawrence Konner

Revised 30th October, 1986

1            EARTH
 

Rolls into FRAME. A bauble of green and blue and white swirls of cloud cover. The eerie clip and whistle of cosmic rays is drowned out by static and someone singing ‘MY WAY’ – in Russian.

2            MOVING INTO FRAME  -  A SOVIET CAPSULE

Gleaming white. Black letters on its side, CCCP. A Russian COSMONAUGHT in his space suit is outside, repairing radio antenna. He’s the one singing.

3            INSIDE THE CAPSULE

            Three COSMONAUGHTS, two men and a woman, in gym shorts and red T-shirts, are busy

floating to their stations. The CAPTAIN, teases his space walker.

                                                CAPTAIN

                                         (Russian with subtitles)

                                 Spare us the serenade, Comrade
                                                                Sinatra. You’re not at home.

4            OUTSIDE THE CAPSULE

                                                            COSMONAUGHT

                                                                (subtitled)

                                                At home my kids tell me to save my

                                                singing for outer space…

5            RACING INTO VIEW

            A piece of spare debris! The discarded chunk of a failed satellite.

6            INSIDE THE CAPSULE

The COSMONAUGHTS notice the debris on its deadly course toward the COSMONAUGHT outside. Looks of consternation are exchanged.

7            OUTSIDE THE CAPSULE

            The COSMONAUGHT sees the debris moving toward him. He tries to react, moving first

right then left.

8            CONTACT

            The debris hits the ship sending the COSMONAUGHT into space.

                                                            COSMONAUGHT

                                                                 (Subtitled)

                                                I’m lost! Goodbye!

9          THE CAPSULE

            Tumbles helplessly out of orbit, head over heels, out of control. The door hatch is clearly

damaged.

10            INSIDE  -  THE CREW

Trying desperately to regain control of the ship. They are tossed about like clothes in a spin dryer.

11            SUDDENLY

            The spinning stops! The COSMONAUGHTS exchange startled looks.

                                                            CAPTAIN

                                                          (subtitled)

                                                What the…

12            OUTSIDE

The SPACE SHIP moves slowly through the FRAME, now upright and in control, gliding through space.

13        TILT ANGLE  -  JUST BELOW  -  SUPERMAN!

            Carrying the SHIP gently.

14            CLOSE ON SUPERMAN

            His face shines with the same familiar resolve, the same steady strength, the same calm in the

            heat of crisis the world expects. He turns and sees the lost COSMONAUGHT moving away

in space.

15            SUPERMAN

            Flies off towards him.

16        BACK TO SPACE

            The COSMONAUGHT is losing consciousness.

17        P.O.V. -  MOVING TO THE COSMONAUGHT

            Something overtakes him. He stops tumbling! Through his helmet, we can see his             surprise.

SUPERMAN carries the COSMONAUGHT to the capsule. He maneuvers the COSMONAUGHT to the airlock. Eases him through the hatch, then repairs the damaged door.

                                                SUPERMAN

                                            (in perfect Russian – subtitled)

                                    I think you’ll be safer in here, Sir.

18            INSIDE THE CAPSULE

            The COSMONAUGHTS strain to look out their porthole. SUPERMAN slides by the

window. The CREW clasps hands in thanks. SUPERMAN smiles humbly and then

dives backward toward Earth.

ROLL OPENING CREDITS as . . .

19            SUPERMAN HEADS FOR HOME

            Daylight comes with a new dawn from the east. SUPERMAN shoots over the horizon.

            (IMAX footage of Earth taken by the space shuttle.)

20        THE EARTH BELOW

            The warm sunlight highlights recognizable landmasses. This is home. Africa rolls

            slowly by. Then we see SUPERMAN float above Europe. Over the Atlantic, the ocean

sparkles in shades of blue.

21        THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

            The continental states appear as precisely detailed as every map in every school room in
            America. SUPERMAN hovers for a moment as if to admire the view. He arcs TOWARD us

and then disappears below.

CREDITS END

22        EXT. SMALLVILLE – THE KENT FARM – DAY

            The old wooden farmhouse is now weathered and shuttered. A ‘FOR SALE’ sign in front.

23        TWO HEADSTONES – GEORGE AND MARTHA KENT

            Fresh wildflowers adorn the graves.

24            CLARK KENT

            Shares a silent moment with the good people who raised him. Hands in his old jeans. Sleeves
rolled up on his workshirt. He’s for now just an orphan boy from the Midwest.
 

25            CLARK’S X-RAY VISION P.O.V.  -  FAR DOWN THE ROAD

He can see the dirt cloud of a car heading his way. CLARK turns and hurries toward the barn.

26        INT. THE BARN

            In the middle of the barn, CLARK has excavated a deep hole. He jumps out and hurries

under the hayloft, reaching for…

27        A HAY-COVERED TARP

            CLARK brushes off the hay, removes the canvas cover.

28        PUSH IN TO REVEAL – KAL-EL'S ROCKET

            The metallic carcass of the space vessel that carried the young KAL-EL from KRYPTON to

Earth.

29            CLARK DRAGS THE SHELL ACROSS THE BARN

            He maneuvers it deep into its new hiding place.

30            CLOSEUP CLARK'S HAND BRUSHES INTERIOR OF THE SHIP

            A soot-covered CONTROL PANEL begins to glow with a soft GREEN LIGHT.

31        AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIT

            Startled, CLARK crouches inside the space vessel. A VOICE, at first distorted, is familiar.

CLARK

    (whispers)

Father!

Now we HEAR what is an old message from JOR-EL.

JOR-EL

                                                ... by now Kal-El you are entering the

atmosphere of the planet known as earth ...

CLARK is overwhelmed by JOR-EL'S voice.

CONTINUED

31            CONTINUED

JOR-EL (Cont.)

                                                ... I pray you have made a safe journey. The

yellow sun of your new home will give you

great physical powers ... but it cannot console

your spirit. Placed aboard this vessel is an energy

module ... all that remains of a once powerful

civilisation -- Krypton, your mother planet. It is

my last gift to you. Once removed, the ship will

grow cold and silent, and you will be finally

alone. The power in the module can be used

but once. Use it wisely . . . my son.

The message whirrs slowly down and is finally drowned in static. For a moment the vessel glows then fades out. CLARK reaches under the "dashboard'. and carefully retrieves the module.

32        A WHIRLWIND

Small, but strong, starts to envelop CLARK as he climbs from the ship. His hair blows as the wind and dust increase in intensity.

33            OUTSIDE THE PIT

CLARK reaches the top as the whir1wind peaks and then, as quickly as it appeared, it's gone. All is silent and calm.

34        THE BARN FLOOR

As the last of the dust settles' we see the pit has been filled in. CLARK, carefully crad1inq the module, stares, saying a final, silent farewell to his past, his childhood, his innocence.

35            OUTSIDE THE BARN - A CAR HORN BLARES

CLARK quickly stashes the module under a tarp.

36        THE BARN

A big OLDS is parked by the barn door. LEVON HORNSBY, a grey-haired banker, is about to enter the barn.

                                                            HORNSBY

                                                Clark! You in there?

CLARK pops out of the shadows.

                                                                                                                        CONTINUED

36            CONTINUED

CLARK

                                                Hello, Mr. Hornsby. It's been a

long time.

HORNSBY tries to peer over CLARK'S shoulder into barn. CLARK distracts him with a handshake.

CLARK(Cont.)

    (smiles)

I've just been tidying up for when

you show the place.

HORNSBY

     (slyly)

Didn't I mention that there was an offer

to buy ... sight unseen?

CLARK

(politely)

                                                I'm sorry, but I don't want to sell the farm to

a big developer. Whoever buys it has to want

to keep a working farm. I don't think we need

another shopping center.

HORNSBY frowns like he's heard it too many times.

HORNSBY

                                                Darn it, Clark Kent, why are you so stubborn? Today

nobody wants a farm. Blink your eye and they'll all be

gone. That's progress!

            HORNSBY catches CLARK off-guard and the barn. strolls into the barn.

CLARK

                                                         (running after)

Mr. Hornsby!

37            INSIDE THE BARN

HORNSBY

      (spotting something)

My, oh my! Look at this!

CLARK is relieved to see it's not the module, which barely protrudes from under the tarp but a baby's CRIB off to the side. Its wooden headboard has been cracked perfectly in two.

                                                                                                                        CONTINUED

37            CONTINUED

                                                            HORNSBY (Cont.)

       (laughs)

What a joker old George Kent was.

       (fingering the crack)

I asked your dad what happened to the

baby's crib.

         (mimics)

"Oh, Clark must have kicked it."

CLARK

                                                Dad liked a good joke.

HORNSBY indulges himself with a laugh. CLARK chuckles politely. But changes the subject. CLARK grabs an old mitt, a ball and a bat.

                                                CLARK (Cont.)

                                    Maybe your grandchildren would like these,

Mr. Hornsby.

HORNSBY

         (taking them)

Hey, thanks, Clark.

CLARK ushers MR HORNSBY out of the barn.

38        BACK OUTSIDE

HORNSBY rolls the ball in his hand.

HORNSBY

Hey! Batter up!

He tosses CLARK the bat, then jogs several yards away. He makes a dramatic wind-up.

CLARK sights, then assumes a batter's position. HORNSBY throws. For a minute CLARK

looks like he'd love to take a mighty cut. Instead he misses completely.

                                                HORNSBY

                                            (remembering)

                                    Oh, yeah, you never could hit a

                                    curve ball.

CLARK

       (polite, but resolute)

I think I'll hold out for a real farmer, Mr.

Hornsby.

CONTINUED

38            CONTINUED

                                                            HORNSBY

                                                       (walking back)

                                                . . . and you were just as obstinate as your

father.

            CLARK walks HORNSBY back to his car. HOLDS the door for him.

HORNSBY

                                                        (after he starts it up)

                                                Be careful in that big City, Clark. You're a long,

long way from where you were born.

CLARK

                                                I never forget that, Sir.

HORNSBY guns his car and disappears down the road. CLARK smiles and picks up the ball

and bat. A naughty young boy's smile creeps over his face. He throws up the ball, takes an easy swing. CRACK! The ball sails endlessly way, way, up into the sky.

39        A YOUNG CHILD

            Swaddled in red and blue cloth is carried through a smoky hall. Explosions thunder outside.

40            CHILD'S P.O.V.

The VOICES are distorted, the noises terrifying. The child is placed lovingly into a cradle-like capsule. Around him, bright flashes of fire. A glass canopy is gently lowered.

41        THE PLANET KRYPTON

            Against the blackness of space. Silent for a moment. The planet erupts in fire. Exploding in a

hellish apocalypse. A streak of white escaping from the dying planet marks the child's rocket.

42        INT. CLARK KENT'S APARTMENT MORNING

            The ringing of the telephone blends with the roar of the dream.

43        AN ANSWERING MACHINE

Clicks on. CLARK'S voice on the tape. He was clearly uncomfortable when he recorded the

message.

CLARK (V.O.)

                                                Uh, Hi, this is Clark ... Kent. Please leave a

message at the beep.

 BEEP

43            CONTINUED

LOIS (V.O.)

                                                Clark ... it’s Lois. I hope you're up. Perry wants

us in the office on time. Something big is going

on. . . Au Revoir.

            CLARK Jumps up and reaches for the phone.

CLARK

                                                Hi, Lois. I'm up. Gee, I wonder what Perry's

got in mind ...

It takes a moment for CLARK to realise that he is talking to himself. LOIS has clicked off and all that's left is the dial tone.

CLARK

Oh well, bye Lois.

44            BREAKFAST TABLE  -  MINUTES LATER

CLARK rushes to pour a bowl of Wheaties, but realises too late the milk has turned sour. Now he scrambles for his briefcase. The radio is on.

                                                D.J. (V.O. )

                                    And ... in the news, we have word that the East-West

arms control talks have broken down. The President

is scheduled to address the nation later ... and that is

the good news - just kidding ...

            CLARK grabs his jacket, checks the time and flies out the door.