KING KONG Written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson Based on a Story by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace 1. EXT. CENTRAL PARK - DAY CLOSE ON: A scrawny MONKEY scratches. ANGLES ON: Defeated, listless ANIMALS, in the bleak environs of a dilapidated ZOO. WIDER: It is CENTRAL PARK ZOO in depression era NEW YORK. The PARK itself is like a GARBAGE DUMP, dotted with squalid SHANTY TOWNS. Against these BLEAK IMAGES, the SOUND of a BRIGHT, BRASSY SONG fades up: Al Jolson, singing Im Sitting on Top of the World. The sky line of MANHATTAN rises in the background, a grim steaming jungle on this cold FALL day. I EXT. NY STREETS - DAY LONG continues over: IMAGES: The CROWDED STREETS of NEW YORK . beneath the bustle is a sense of despair. LONG SOUP LINES snake along the STREETS. The HUNGRY search through RUBBISH BINS for FOOD. SKYSCRAPERS rise steadily upwards as more people are evicted from their homes. HOMELESS sleep amid steaming VENTS and GARBAGE STREWN GUTTERS. Intercut: INT. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE - NIGHT SONG continues over: I SANNY, an old-time VAUDEVILLIAN, hurriedly fixes a large DROOPY MOUSTACHE on to a YOUNG WOMANS TOP LIP . this is ANN DARROW. IMAGES: Weird and wonderful snatches of VAUDEVILLE ACTS follow . singers, jugglers, boxing ladies. E Intercut with: EXT. NY STREETS - DAY The COLOR and MUSIC contrast with the SOUP LINES and SLUMPED SHOULDERS of the REAL WORLD. INT. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE - NIGHT ANGLE ON: ANN on STAGE . dressed as an ELEGANT GENT, she launches into Im Just Wild About Harry with HARRY, a larger- than-life PERFORMER dressed in a FRILLY DRESS, BRASSY RED WIG and FALSIES. 2. MANNYs CHARACTER joins in . SNEEZING LOUDLY and causing ANN to take a SUDDEN PRAT FALL. nd so the ROUTINE BUILDS . ANN and HARRY singing and dancing . MANNY SNEEZING . ANN falling. The AUDIENCE look on with bored expressions on their faces. All except ONE MAN at the BACK, who is LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY. CLOSE ON: ANN throwing everything into her ACT . SWEAT rolls down her face . she tries not to get distracted by the LAUGHING, WHEEZING MAN. WIDER: A SMATTERING of APPLAUSE from the TINY AUDIENCE. 40 PEOPLE in a THEATRE designed for 500. Crash cut: INT. DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT CLOSE ON: MANNY in the NOISY, CROWDED DRESSING ROOM, which is full of VAUDEVILLE PERFORMERS in various stages of undress. MANNY fires off a loud comical SNEEZE. He looks around at the others. ANNY Thats a funny one! Isnt that funnier? HARRY Its hysterical, Manny. As long as were laughing we wont be crying over the box office. Talk about depressing. ANGLE ON: ANN sitting down at a MIRROR, starting to take off her VEST . a book entitled ISOLATION by Jack Driscoll lies half open on the counter top nearby. ANN Twenty girls in feather boas prancing around like circus ponies! Thats depressing! ANGLE ON: MAUDE, a BLOWSY SINGER, lighting up a cigarette. MAUDE (fondly) I love a good chorus l