THE IRON GIANT
Screenplay by TIM MCCANLIES and BRAD BIRD July 11, 1997 Draft by BRENT FORRESTER and BRAD BIRD Screen Story by BRAD BIRD Inspired by the book by TED HUGHESFADE IN: DEEP SPACE Stars blaze against the blackness of deep space. One star begins to move, coming closer, moving toward... EARTH, in space: blue seas, fleecy white clouds. BEEP-BEEP- BEEP: a retro-satellite, Sputnik, tumbles past. Below, near New England, black storm clouds swirl in silence. Flashes, LIGHTNING FLICKERS. A SHIP ON A STORM-TOSSED SEA - NIGHT The wind HOWLS, the storm RAGES in the chill waters off the rocky coast of Maine. Giant waves tower overhead, then CRASH over the decks of a fishing ship where desperate FISHERMEN fight to stay alive. The CAPTAIN YELLS orders no one can hear in the deafening ROAR. INT. SHIP'S MAIN CABIN - NIGHT The FIRST MATE yells into the radio, their only hope: FIRST MATE Mayday! Mayday! This is fishing ship "Annabelle"! We're floundering and taking on water! Mayday! Mayday! An enormous WAVE smashes against the bow of the ship, throwing everyone in the cabin off balance. A glass shatters. The Captain enters, the two lock eyes: it looks bad. CAPTAIN What's our position? SAILOR #1 (grim) I don't know. CAPTAIN If you don't know where we are then you don't know where we're going!! You could be running us right into the rocks!! Then: a VOICE breaks through the static on the radio. RADIO Coast Guard Portland Station to Annabelle: Do you read me? As the mate starts to answer, lightning STRIKES the huge mast. It CRASHES through the pilothouse window, SMASHING the radio. Glass, radio parts FLY. The Captain's shoulders slump: now they're done for. ON THE DECK - NIGHT The Captain comes out on deck: his men stare at him, eyes full of fear, desperation. Then, impossibly... the WINDS TRAIL OFF. In seconds, the sea flattens into a sheet of glass. All is DEAD CALM. It's eerie. Ropes CREAK. The men ERUPT in celebration, CHEERING, hugging each other: it's over! The angry Captain YELLS: CAPTAIN It's not over, you idiots! It's just the eye of the storm! The men look around: far off on the horizon, the raging storm still surrounds the ship... but overhead, stars appear. It's eerie, strange. FISHERMAN Look! Overhead, a new, brilliant star appears... and it's quickly growing larger. The blazing light speeds toward the startled sailors, impossibly fast, intensely bright, blinding, all goes white... KAWHOOSH! The light CRASHES into the sea. Water flies, the sea BOILS, CHURNING, ROARING, the water green-lit from below. Great clouds of steam BILLOW and HISS. Then, without warning, the raging storm ROARS back with a vengeance, a huge wave SLAMS into the ship. Again the fishermen fight for their lives. But then a dim light appears, far off in the rain: a barely visible beam sweeps back and forth in the storm. CAPTAIN The lighthouse! Head for it! The desperate men struggle to steer their limping ship toward the light. Then, CLANG! The ship shudders, stops instantly: the ship has SLAMMED into... a wall! A solid wall, a wall made of... iron? The sailors freeze, speechless: they look up the wall, up, up... flashes of lightning illuminate: a face! Twin beams of light comes from what look to be... eyes, in an enormous face. A giant?! Made of metal! THUNDER BOOMS. The impossible face seems to turn downward... and looks at the men. The men quake. A HUGE WAVE CRASHES over the ship and throws the men overboard, into the sea. The ship begins sinking fast. IN THE WATER, NEAR THE CLIFFS - NIGHT Men surface, cling to ship debris. Two men in a lifeboat pull their comrades from the chill waters. A wave WASHES over rocks, leaves behind a limp fisherman, clinging to the rocks. Barely alive, whipped by wind and rain, he sees lightning-brief glimpses of the giant thing as it moves off in the HOWLING storm and dissapears. The VIEW MOVES up, up the rocky cliff to the lighthouse perched atop the cliff. The brilliant beam tries in vain to penetrate the RAGING storm... EXT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - THAT NIGHT - ESTABLISHING We push through the storm towards an upstairs window, and into... INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS A flashlight beam illustrates the STORM SMASHING against a window. A WIDE-EYED NINE-YEAR-OLD BOY, HOGARTH, GRIPS THE FLASHLIGHT. AS THE STORM RAGES, HOGARTH EXPLORES HIS ROOM BY FLASHLIGHT. THE MOVING BEAM GIVES LIFE TO THE ROOM FULL OF TOYS AND MEMORABILIA, THE WINDS HOWL GROWS LOUDER. GLASS SHATTERS and a cold wind whips into the room. VOICE (O.S.) Hogarth....?!! The door flies open and Hogarth's mother ANNIE is there. Late twenties, attractive. ANNIE Are you alright, honey? HOGARTH Yeah, Mom, I'm okay... Annie turns to the shattered window pane, then pushes Hogarth's bookshelf in front of it to block the wind. Hogarth stares at his monther. She looks spooked. HOGARTH ... are you? ANNIE I hate when the power goes out. But... yes, I'm fine. Outside, the wind howls. HOGARTH Wanna stay up with me for a while? (coaxing) I could tell you a story... Annie smiles, touched. ANNIE A story, huh? What have you got for me this time? HOGARTH Well, it's a story about... Hogarth scans the toys and souvenirs on his bedside table. With a sudden flash of inspiration, he grabs a baseball card. HOGARTH Mickey Mantle. He had a magic bat, Mom. Everybody says so. As Annie watches Hogarth with motherly adoration, Hogarth picks up a plastic dinosaur. HOGARTH Anyway, this is the story of Mickey's adventures with the stegosaurus. It's got action and romance. And the best part is, it's all true. Annie laughs and touches a fingertip on Hogarth's forehead. ANNIE You've got a lot going on in there, don't you, Hogarth? (wistfully) Just like your father... For a moment Hogarth beams. He looks over at a framed photo that sits on his nightstand, that shows a handsome man dressed in an army uniform. And as he stares at the photo, a sad, pensive look comes over Hogarth's face. Annie sees it. HOGARTH I can't wait 'til he comes back. ANNIE (gently) We've been through this before, honey... HOGARTH They found his plane, mom. They didn't find him. He's gonna come back. Annie sees the resolute look in her son's eyes and decides to change tack. ANNIE So what could he do with that magic bat of his? HOGARTH (lost in thought) Huh? ANNIE Mickey Mantle. Could he cast spells with it, like a magician? HOGARTH Oh... (brightening) Yeah. Yeah that's exactly what he could do. And that's why he was known as the Wizard of Sherwood Forest. ANNIE (amused) Sherwood Forest, huh? HOGARTH Right. And then one day, this Stegosaurus shows up. And he says-- (deep voice) "Who thinks he is mightier than me, the mighty thunder lizard?" ANNIE And this is all true, now? HOGARTH Every word, Mom -- I wouldn't make this up. So Mickey says, "I'm the two time American League batting champ. I was MVP of the All-Star game three times running. I go anywhere I please in this forest..." We DRIFT BACK from mother and son, hunkered down in a pool of warm flashlight, surrounded by darkness... EXT. ROCKWELL - THE NEXT MORNING The sun has risen on a beautiful Maine morning. The camera starts HIGH in a tall tree, where a bird is repairing its storm-damaged nest, and pans down from this literal bird's-eye view to the streets of Rockwell, where stoic New Englanders are doing repairs of their own. Down the middle of the street comes Hogarth, on a bike. In the wire bike-basket in front of him is a shoebox with holes punched in the lid. A couple of LOCALS are clearing a felled tree. We hear their conversation as they drift across the screen in Hogarth's travelling POV. FIRST LOCAL Strangest storm I ever seen. Swept away my best iron wheelbarrow. But left the handles behind... Now Hogarth passes a pair of WOMEN who gossip as they rake up leaves and branches. FIRST WOMAN My husband spoke to one of those fishermen this morning. Fellow wouldn't talk about the shipwreck at all. Said we'd all think he was mad. SECOND WOMAN Now what do you think he meant by that? FIRST WOMAN Well, I'm sure I don't know. (lowers her voice) But it wouldn't surprise me if the communists are involved. EXT. THE "CHAT `Nī CHEW" DINER - DAY The "Chat `nī Chew" diner sits near the docks and the town square: the center of all social life in the village. Hogarth arrives, at last, and parks his bike. He takes the shoebox out of his bike basket, opens it a little and speaks to whatever is inside. HOGARTH Remember -- be charming. INT. DINER - DAY The diner is packed. EVERYBODY is here--FARMERS, FISHERMEN -- all swapping storm-stories. It's LOUD. And there's no empty table, no place to sit. Hogarth enters and looks around. He spots Annie, now dressed as a waitress and serving coffee from behind the counter. Hogarth puts on a big smile and waves at her. HOGARTH Hey, Mom! You won't believe our good luck! Look what I found... He makes his way through the coffee shop to the counter. As he passes by, various local ladies -- THE BUSYBODIES -- look up from their breakfasts, mouths downcast and eyes half- lidded -- ever ready to cast judgement, should the precious opportunity arise. Hogarth arrives at the counter opens the shoebox for Annie. A baby squirrel pokes its head out. Annie rolls her eyes. HOGARTH His tree musta gotten knocked down in the storm! Can I keep him? ANNIE Hogarth, we've been through this. No pets... HOGARTH But he's not a pet, Mom. He's a friend. You're always saying I should have more friends come over, right? Well now I've got one. (selling it) You gotta admit I'm making sense here. ANNIE Hogarth, if there's one thing we've learned from your many pets, it's that claws and furniture do not mix. HOGARTH I know but-- ANNIE No "buts." We have got to rent a room this year if we're going to make ends meet... Nearby a Busybody perks up her ears, elbows her neighbor, and raises her eyebrows significantly. ANNIE (cont'd) ...and no one wants to live in a place with shredded upholstery. HOGARTH You'll never know he's there. I'll keep him in a cage-- ANNIE -until you feel sorry for him and "set him free" in the house. Remember the raccoon, Hogarth? God, I remember the raccoon... HOGARTH Please, mom. At least look at him... ANNIE (softening) Alright, where is this guy...? Hogarth grins and reaches down for his box... then notices there's nothing inside it. The squirrel has escaped. Hogarth looks back at Annie, hiding his desperation. HOGARTH I... will go get him... okay? Hogarth turns, his eyes darting around frantically. Finally he spies a FURRY TAIL disappearing under a four-person table with a single occupant, hidden behind a newspaper. HOGARTH Excuse me...? Excuse me... No response. Behind the paper, smoke rises. HOGARTH Sir? Still no response. Hogarth is getting exasperated. HOGARTH Sir...? Sir? Sir! EXCUSE ME, S-- Hogarth STOPS with sudden realization. He slowly pushes down the top of the paper, revealing that the person he's talking to ... ...is ASLEEP. A lit cigarette with an impossibly long ash dangles precariously from his lips. This is DEAN McCOPPEN. 35, sporting sunglasses, handsome in a rumpled sort of way. Unshaved, uncombed, unusual. A beatnik. Here. Hogarth's heard of them, but this is the first one he's seen up close. The beatnik's head lolls... ...and his cigarette drops in his lap. He WAKES. DEAN I was snoring, right? Sorry, man. I'm just not a morning person... HOGARTH Please don't move, sir. My pet's under your table--don't look--if you make a scene my mom won't let me keep him. DEAN Don't worry sonny, I'm cool as a cucumb- (SHRIEK OF PAIN) He LEAPS up, HOLLERING, SLAPPING at his smoking pants. ON ANNIE as she turns to watch the COMMOTION from across the room. The busybodies are all abuzz. Who is the weird guy with Hogarth? RESUME DEAN & HOGARTH as Dean finally gets under control. He looks around. The whole joint is staring at him. He picks up his cigarette butt and holds it as he addresses the other diners. DEAN Had a little cigarette mishap. It's under control. Show's over. Cool yourselves and resume breakfasting, people. (sitting, to Hogarth) What kind of pet, kid? HOGARTH A squirrel. Don't worry, he's friendly. ANNIE Is my son bothering you, sir? Dean stares at Annie, smiling strangely. DEAN Yes. No. Call me Dean. As Dean and Annie size each other up, the three Busybodies whisper cattily back and forth. FIRST BUSYBODY Oh! I don't know why they let such people in here. SECOND BUSYBODY She ought to ignore him. THIRD BUSYBODY You forget how single she is, dear. The busybodies exchange smug, catty grins. EXT. ROCKWELL STREET - DAY The camera is very low, as an official-looking car pulls up, and comes to a stop in front of us, its front grille filling the screen. The words "U.S. GOVERNMENT" are printed boldly across the top of the license plate. THE CAMERA PULLS OUT And the driver's side car door opens. A well dressed man in his mid-thirties, KENT MANSLEY, steps out, puffs on his pipe and surveys his surroundings with a steely-eyed, square-jawed gaze. Now a troubled look comes over him, as he notices the US COVERNMENT decal on his car door is peeling off. He presses it flat -- it curls up again. He presses it flat -- it curls. He licks his fingers, rubs it on the decal and presses it hard -- and it holds. Kent's look of confidence returns. He slams the car door with authority; one side of the license plate unhinges and hangs at an angle. Kent sighs with defeat, and walks away. INT. DINER - DAY Annie speaks gently to Hogarth. ANNIE Hogarth. I thought you were getting your pet, honey. HOGARTH I will, mom. After I finish talking to- DEAN (still smiling strangely) Dean. HOGARTH (CONT'D) --Dean. Annie shrugs, exits. Hogarth looks at Dean curiously. DEAN I found your pet. HOGARTH Where? DEAN (maintaining clenched smile) Up my leg, man. Squirrel's in my pants, Hogarth. I'm tryin' not to wig out here. HOGARTH Don't wig out. DEAN (quietly, skin crawling) Okay... he's heading north. (finally) I'm sorry, kid... Dean stands spastically, again addresses the room. DEAN I'd like to apologize to everyone in advance for this. He unzips his fly and out pops the squirrel. There is a collective GASP, then a series of shrieks as the squirrel scampers around the diner. Dean zips up and sits back down. DEAN Check, please. Annie GLARES at a sheepish Hogarth. EXT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY Kent now holds a clipboard, taking notes as he talks to an OLD FARMER. Nearby stands a tractor with a bite taken out of it. KENT And did you see any strange lights in the sky last night? Any saucer-shaped flying objects? FARMER No... KENT Were any of your live stock disoriented this morning? Did your cows appear anxious or depressed? FARMER No... (getting suspicious) ...who did you say you worked for again? Kent puffs himself up a little bit. KENT Frankly I'm not at liberty to reveal the particulars of the agency I work for. He leans in confidentially. KENT But between you and me, I represent the United States Government. U.P.D. The Unexplained Phenomena Department. The Farmer also leans in confidentially. FARMER C.I.A.? KENT Huh? Oh, uh... no. Our scope is less limited than the CIA. Unexplained Phenomena, my friend -- that could be anything. FARMER You work out of the Pentagon, then? KENT Well, sure, we work near the Pentagon, yes. You know Radcliffe Street? FARMER No. KENT Well, trust me, it's pretty much Pentagon adjacent. And all that that implies. FARMER So, what do you think got to my tractor? Something the commies built? Some kind of monster? Something from outer space? Kent thinks for a moment, then deflates a little. KENT No, it's probably something else. (sighs wearily) It's always something else. He makes a note on his clipboard. In the background, Dean approaches and hooks up the tractor to his tow truck and hauls it away. INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - THAT NIGHT Hogarth comes home. The phone RINGS, and he picks it up. HOGARTH (automatic, without inflection) Hello this is Hogarth Hughes speaking who's calling please. ANNIE Hogarth, honey... I'm really sorry, but I need to work late tonight. There's some cold chicken in the ice box. You can have that and some carrots-- HOGARTH I'm already on it, Mom. He pulls a box of twinkies from a cupboard. ANNIE Good. I'll make it up to you, okay? HOGARTH Okay. ANNIE I love you honey. And Hogarth? No scary movies, no late snacks, in bed by eight. Got it? HOGARTH Got it. CUT TO: THE CLOCK is at 8:47... lit up by the ghostly flickering light of the television. We hear CREEPY MUSIC filtered through the tinny t.v. speaker. CAMERA DRIFTS to: HOGARTH ... taking a TWINKIE from a package. He SHAKES up a can of whipped cream, jams it into the flat side of the Twinkie, INFLATING it with additional whipped cream. He CRAMS the twinkie in into his mouth, never taking his eyes off the screen. INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Lit by the light of a black and white TV, Hogarth has moved furniture and piled up cushions, making a TV watching fortress. There's a NOISE OUTSIDE. Hogarth jumps. Listens. Must have been the TV. ON the TV, a scientist and his assistant are involved in some kind of drama that includes a murderous brain. ANOTHER NOISE OUTSIDE, louder this time. Hogarth freezes: that didn't come from the TV.... ROAR! The TV screen goes white with DEAFENING STATIC. HOGARTH No! Not now! He SMACKS the TV: no effect. He cranks the big channel knob: THUNK-THUNK-THUNK. All channels are static. HOGARTH Stupid antenna...! Hogarth stares at the screen, gathers his nerve. He hefts his flashlight and warily heads upstairs. EXT. THE ROOF - A LOFT WINDOW - NIGHT Hogarth peers out. All quiet, just a WHISPER of wind. He crawls out onto the roof, his flashlight beam follows the flat TV wire up the roof toward its peak... and stops: the antenna is gone, literally torn off the roof! HOGARTH Gone. Now Hogarth pauses and cocks his head, listening. In the distance he hears a heavy "BOOM." And then another. He peers off into the woods. In the distance he seems to see something moving, just above the level of the trees. Something enormous. HOGARTH Whoa... INT. HOGARTH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Hogarth hurriedly equips himself: he tapes a flashlight onto a toy BB-gun; puts on a football helmet. Finally, he looks in the mirror and salutes himself. HOGARTH Hogarth Hughes. Ready for action. EXT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - NIGHT Hogarth hurries out, runs up to the first massive depression in the grass. Hogarth places his tiny foot beside the car- size depression, and very nearly loses his nerve. He takes a deep breath and hurries into the woods. INT. THE WOODS - NIGHT A dark night, fog drifts through trees. Spooky. At the forest's edge, Hogarth looks up, sees broken branches where something entered the woods... something big. Hogarth darts from bush to bush, follows the trail. TIME DISSOLVE: Hogarth creeps on, the forest is now dense. More and more, the tree-damage begins to take shape, a tall tunnel formed by broken limbs, until... Hogarth GASPS: the tunnel forms a perfect outline of a HUGE man-shaped THING. He SHIVERS, considers turning back... but he can't. He creeps on. Hogarth hears a deep RHYTMIC HUMMING that VIBRATES the ground. It sounds strange... alien. He creeps on. EXT. BUSHES NEAR THE POWER STATION - NIGHT The HUMMING is LOUD. Hogarth slowly parts bushes to see... a power station: "DANGER - HIGH VOLTAGE". Tall power lines towers march through the woods. SPARKS SNAP. THUMP! A giant metal foot SLAMS into the ground right in front of Hogarth, he YELPS. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! Two huge feet become two huge legs. Hogarth looks up, up... A GIANT. Made of metal! Forty feet tall, maybe fifty! Hogarth can't believe his eyes... The giant stares at the metal towers, makes a METALLIC GRUNT that sounds... hungry. It reaches out and SNAPS off a thick piece of metal, pops it in his mouth, CHEWS NOISILY, and SWALLOWS. BURP. Mmmm good! HOGARTH Wow... it eats metal. Cool. Hogarth sits, hidden in the bushes, and watches, fascinated, as the giant "grazes" the metal towers. SPARKS fly from now- loose flailing powerlines. The giant's eaten all the tower arms: he TUGS at a solid metal base: it's stuck. So the giant bends down to EAT his way down the tall metal tower: CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP. Hogarth realizes the giant is CHOMPING toward a mass of thick power cables that HUMM and SPARK. QUICK INTERCUTS: EXT./INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE AND POWER STATION - NIGHT Annie grabs a flashlight by the door, illuminates the living room... what a mess! And... no Hogarth. KA-ZAPPP! Electricity races up and down the giant's metal, it jerks, flies backward, trailing SPARKING POWERLINES that wrap around him as he stumbles into a tangle of more power- lines: KA-ZAP! It panics, flailing, SCREECHING, tries to free itself, gets more entangled. Annie searches through the house by flashlight, for her son, becoming more and more frantic. ANNIE Hogarth...? Hogarth! HOGARTH!! SPARKS SNAP AND FLY as the giant SHRIEKS in agony. A tower totters and falls... smashing into the ground just as Hogarth jumps clear. Electricity arcs up and down the Giant's body. The giant ROARS, an AWFUL METAL SOUND, falls to its knees, eyes SPARKING, SHORTING OUT. Hogarth looks around, desperate: he's got to save him! He sees a panel: "EMERGENCY CUT-OFF SWITCH". Hogarth runs toward it, sparks raining all around him. He grabs the panel... locked. He swings his BB-gun like a club: CRASH! The gun breaks, the panel door pops open. Hogarth grabs the huge switch and throws all his weight against it. CLUNK. The SPARKS slowly die away. EXT. THE DEEP, DARK WOODS - NIGHT The dazed giant, looks around, dizzy... he stands, sways, easily SNAPS free of the wires holding him. His eyes focus down (way down) on Hogarth. The boy and the Giant stare at each other for a long time. Now what? ANNIE (O.S.) (CALLING) Hogarth! Hogarth turns: down the hill, through the fog, he sees a light floating through the trees. HOGARTH Mom! Hogarth runs down the hill towards the light... then stops, turns back toward the giant.... ...but back where the giant stood, seconds before, is now only dangling SPARKLING power lines. He's gone. Hogarth stares: baffled. Annie rushes up. ANNIE Hogarth! She grabs him by his shoulders, tightly, more out of fear than anger. ANNIE (cont'd) What do you think you're doing?!! Don't you know better than to wander off at night, alone?? What if something happened to you??? HOGARTH I'm sorry, mom... Annie throws her arms around him, hugging him tight, desperately happy to know that her boy is safe. ANNIE Don't ever do that to me again, Hogarth. I was so scared, I thought I'd lost you... A long moment passes with Annie just holding him and rocking... then-- HOGARTH (softly) Mom, you won't believe it. Some-thing ate our t.v. antenna. ANNIE Oh, Hogarth... HOGARTH No, I'm serious! And I went out to see what it was-- ANNIE (losing patience) Hogarth... please... HOGARTH --and it was a Giant metal-- ANNIE HOGARTH! Stop it! I'm not in the mood. (gentle, but firm) Come on. Let's go home. INT. ANNIE'S TRUCK - MOMENTS LATER Hogarth sits in silence as Annie starts the ignition. As they drive away, Hogarth can't help but look back over his shoulder. Backlit by the moon, he can just make out the outline of the Giant, half-hidden by the trees... watching them go... DISSOLVE TO: EXT. THE FOREST TREES - THE NEXT MORNING The North Maine woods, the trees sway, holding their secret deep within. INT. ELEMENTARY SCOOL - DAY The TEACHER is quizzing her students. Hogarth is the smallest one in the class. On the chalkboard are written the words "RUSSIA" and "POLAND." TEACHER And who can name another country that is part of the U.S.S.R.? Hogarth raises his hand. TEACHER Anyone besides Hogarth? Hogarth lowers his hand. No response from the others. TEACHER Anyone actually listening to me other than Hogarth? Hogarth, are we going to have to move you up another grade? Or should we move the rest of the class down? Alright, that's it. Everyone in the class except Hogarth can write me a five page essay. Call it "Allies and Enemies of the United States of America." It's due tomorrow. The class groans. A big kid turns around to Hogarth, points at him, and gives him the "slit throat" sign. Hogarth WILTS. EXT. POWER STATION - DAY Workers swarm over the towers, repairing the damage. Kent is there, smoking a pipe as he talks to a foreman. FOREMAN Yeah, sometimes a line'll snap if the weather's bad, sure. But for a whole tower to get twisted up like that? (SCRATCHES HIS HEAD) I tell you, it's got me beat. KENT And not a single witness... FOREMAN 'Fraid not, sir. KENT Could this have been caused by a giant metal monster, perhaps? FOREMAN Pardon me, sir? KENT Nothing. Just repeating a yarn I heard from some fishermen... Just then, something catches Kent's eye. KENT Excuse me. He walks a few steps away, and hunkers down beside a portion of the rubble. A trapezoidal piece of wood is sticking out from beneath it. Kent pulls it out. It's the handle of a B.B. gun. On Kent's look we cut to... EXT. CLASSROOM - DAY Students pour out of Hogarth's classroom, followed at last by Hogarth, who is a full head smaller than any of them. Now Hogarth's face brightens, as a few kids his size pass by. Hogarth hurries to catch up with them. HOGARTH Hey guys! The kids turn to Hogarth without much enthusiasm. FIRST KID Hey, Hogarth. HOGARTH Listen, you're not going to believe what happened to me last night. I went walking into the forest, and I saw this... giant! The kids exchange glances. HOGARTH (cont'd) It was made out of metal! And it tore apart the power station. For a moment, the kids stare at Hogarth blankly. Finally, one of them speaks. FIRST KID You know what I just remembered? I'm suppose to help some people do some stuff way over in some other place right now. SECOND KID Oh those people? Yeah, I'm suppose to do that too. FIRST KID Nice seeing you, Hogarth. As the kids walk away, Hogarth hears one of them speak quietly to the other. FIRST KID Boy, I hope they never skip me a grade. SECOND KID He's gotten really desperate. A determined look comes over Hogarth's face we cut to... THE WOODS - THAT DAY Hogarth marches purposefully into the forest with a camera slung over his shoulder, and a sheet of metal in one hand. HOGARTH Hellllllooo! Come ouuut! DISSOLVE TO: DEEPER INTO THE WOODS - A LITTLE LATER The woods are denser now, with shafts of autumn sun punctuating the darkened light. Hogarth bangs the metal loudly as he walks. HOGARTH Hey, big metal guy!! It's me, the kid who turned off the power for ya! DISSOLVE TO: A CLEARING IN THE FOREST Hogarth sets the metal down, then retreats a safe distance... HOGARTH Metal! Delicious metal! Come and get it! ...and settles in behind a large log. He aims the camera, and waits. And waits. And waits. This is clearly not as exciting as Hogarth expected. He rubs his eyes, yawns, and lays his head on his arm. And the next thing he knows, he's waking up. The afternoon light has given way to the long shadows of early evening. Hogarth looks towards the clearing -- the piece of metal is gone. He gasps. He reaches behind him for the camera, as he scans the forest, left and right. Suddenly he pauses. His hand is not finding the camera. He turns and looks for it. It's gone. Above him a flashbulb pops. A moment later, a roll of film drops from the sky and lands at his feet. Hogarth picks up the film, and swallows hard. He looks up, a long way up, and sees the Giant standing over him, its jaw moving, and a crunching sound coming from its mouth. HOGARTH Aaaaagh! Hogarth runs as fast as his legs will carry him. He covers twenty feet or so, when -- BOOM! An enormous metal foot touches down in front of him. He runs faster, faster, but with a single step, the Giant covers all the distance between them. Suddenly -- WHACK! Hogarth catches a tree limb across the chin, and is sent sprawling to the ground. The Giant looms over him. Hogarth sits up, his eyes wide with fear, and shouts at the fifty-foot metal monster. HOGARTH What do you want from me?!! The Giant sits down with a thud. Then he reaches toward Hogarth with a closed fist, turns it palm-upward and opens his fingers. There, in his hand, is the four-foot metal handle with "EMERGENCY SHUT-OFF" printed along its length. HOGARTH The shut-off switch... Hogarth looks from the handle to the Giant, in awe. HOGARTH You saw me save you. As boy and Giant stare into each other's eyes, we cut to... INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY Some of the BUSYBODIES sit around sipping coffee and gossiping. FIRST BUSYBODY Well, in my opinion, it's a woman's obligation to re-marry. If not for herself, than for her child. The Busybodies murmur their assent. SECOND BUSYBODY Do you know she left her little boy all alone last night? My son heard he went wandering around all by himself. Near the power plant... At the mention of this word, a figure at a nearby booth lowers his newspaper, and narrows his eyes. It's Kent. THIRD BUSYBODY Tsk-tsk. On the very night those power lines came down? The poor child could have been killed. The Busybodies gasp in shock and disapproval. FIRST BUSYBODY It just goes to prove my point. She ought to provide him with a father figure, if she cares about the boy. ANNIE (O.S.) She does care about her boy, for your information. Annie enters, tying on an apron. The Busybodies blush and fan themselves nervously. ANNIE (cont'd) And she thanks you so much for your concern. (then wearily) More coffee, anyone? KENT (O.S.) I'd love some. Annie turns. Kent gives her his best smile. Annie pours coffee, we see Kent studying her with a thoughtful, almost sinister look. He glances at her name tag. KENT Annie. What a very lovely name... Annie smiles. INT. WOODS - DAY The Giant and Hogarth sit facing each other, each staring at the other with curiosity. HOGARTH So... what are you? The Giant tilts his head curiously but says nothing. HOGARTH Do you talk? The Giant continues staring, puzzled. HOGARTH (cont'd) "Talk." You know, words? "Blah-blah- blah," like that. Can you do that -- "Blah-blah-blah?" The Giant opens and closes his mouth in imitation of Hogarth. A series of deep metallic rumblings and clangings come out of his mouth. HOGARTH Well, you get the concept, anyway. But we need to work on your vocabulary. Let's see. Hogarth looks around, sees a rock, and picks it up. HOGARTH See this? This is called a rock. "Rock." Try it. "Rooock." GIANT Kraaan-chunk. HOGARTH "Rooock." GIANT Kroooonk. HOGARTH (patiently) Rock. GIANT Rog. HOGARTH Good! See? This is a... rock. A look of dawning understanding comes over the Giant. He looks at the rock in Hogarth's hand. GIANT Rog. He picks up a nearby boulder. GIANT Rog? HOGARTH Yes! The Giant pulls a tree out of the ground. GIANT Rog! HOGARTH No, no. That is a tree. Tree. (POINTS AT ROCK) Rock. (POINTS AT TREE) Treeeee. The Giant's mouth hangs open in awe. GIANT Rog... Treeee-(SOUND OF A TRUCK BEEING CRUSHED IN A METAL COMPACTOR) HOGARTH Get it? Everything has a different name. Rock. Tree... The giant's mouth hangs open in awe... DISSOLVE TO: SAME SHOT - HOURS LATER A very tired Hogarth is still seated (uncomfortably now) in front of a still awe-struck Giant. The Giant picks up a piece of wood. HOGARTH (tired) Branch. GIANT Braaannch. The Giant picks up another piece of wood. HOGARTH Yeah, that's a branch, too. GIANT Braaannch. (picks up a rock) Rog? HOGARTH Look, we've pretty much covered everything in the forest. And if I don't get home soon, mom's gonna wonder where I am. (gets on his feet) You stay here, okay? I'll come back tomorrow. Hogarth waves to the Giant and EXITS. Now Hogarth hears a BOOM behind him. He turns to see the Giant following him. HOGARTH And don't follow me, either. The Giant continues following, happily. HOGARTH (CONT'D) I said don't. Don't follow me. Stay. Go home. I mean it! EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS NEAR HOGARTH'S HOME - DAY A fog is settling in, as Hogarth leaves the forest and crosses a set of railroad tracks. He points to the house at the bottom of the hill. HOGARTH Look. That's where I live, okay? I'm going there, and you're not, understand? So goodbye. Hey... He turns to see the Giant kneeling curiously beside the railroad tracks. He pokes at them. GIANT (HUNGRY SOUND) HOGARTH Hey, wait a minute-- Too late. The Giant bites down on the twin strands of railroad track and rips them loose like spaghetti. HOGARTH WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!! The Giant freezes, puzzled, long strings of railroad track dangling from his month. HOGARTH (cont'd) Put them back! Now the Giant looks confused and guilty. DING DING DING! The crossing signal blares, red lights flash. The Giant stares at the pretty lights, entranced. Hogarth GASPS, looks down the tracks. He hears a distant whistle blow: WOO-WOOO. HOGARTH (cont'd) Oh no... .(HE RUNS TO THE GIANT) Put them back RIGHT NOW!!! The Giant stares, puzzled. Hogarth GROANS, runs to a piece of track sticking up and pushes down on it with all his weight... it doesn't budge. HOGARTH (cont'd) Like this. Help me! The Giant sees Hogarth struggling with the curled tracks, takes one index finger, and helpfully pushes on them: KA- BLAM! They're down. HOGARTH (cont'd) Good! That's it! The Giant grunts, pleased with himself... Hogarth HEARS the train, close now. And then he sees-- the pieces of track don't meet up. HOGARTH (cont'd) Put them together! Like this! Hogarth pantomimes. The Giant lines up one track-- HOGARTH Now the other one... hurry! -- then tries to line up the other side, but it's tricky, the two chewed-on rails stubbornly resist lining up. Finally, the giant gets them close. HOGARTH Good enough! Come on! Hogarth takes off, racing like the wind to get out of there. He STOPS, looks back... THE GIANT is still fussing with the tracks, trying to get them perfect. HOGARTH No! Come on! The train's coming! The Giant is intent on his puzzle: CLICK. CLICK. Almost. Now we see the headlight of a big freight train coming out of the fog. The Giant continues to fuss. HOGARTH The train! The Giant finally SNAPS the track into place. CLICK. He grins. A train whistle SHRIEKS! The startled Giant looks up as Hogarth hits the dirt and-- KA-BLOOM! EXT. FOREST NEAR POWER STATION - CONTINUOUS Kent examines the broken branches. Hears the BOOM of the train wreck. RESUME TRAIN CROSSING - CONTINUOUS Steam flies. The EXPLOSION dies away. Hogarth looks up. The Giant is gone. The train, its front end smashed, coasts down the track, breaks squealing. Hogarth looks around... Then, THUMP! The Giant's head lands beside him. An arm falls here, a leg there. A hand flies down the hill, toward Hogarth's house. HOGARTH Oh no... Hogarth sees the giant lying around in big pieces. He touches the Giant's hand gently, a look of pain and sadness on his face. HOGARTH (WHIMPERS) And then, behind him, the Giant's head, still attached to its torso, sits up. Hogarth YELPS. The Giant's eyes spark, flash and click on. He looks around, dazed, at his scattered parts. HOGARTH You're alive! The torso has one leg and most of one arm attached. The other pieces seem to come alive and scamper around as if confused. An antenna rises out of the top of the Giant's head and begins to "signal". All the pieces SNAP to attention. They crawl toward the Giant, who gathers them up in his arm and looks at Hogarth, confused. Just then we hear voices coming from the fog. VOICE Hello? Is anyone out there? Are you alright? Hogarth squints into the fog. HOGARTH The train Conductor. Oh, we're in trouble now... HOGARTH (turns to Giant) Okay, look. I've changed my mind. You can follow me home. He hurries off down the hill, with the one-legged Giant hopping along behind him. INT. HOGARTH'S BARN - DAY Hogarth enters the barn, with the hopping Giant behind him. HOGARTH You can stay here for now. The Giant takes a seat and sets his body parts down beside him. The Giant's arm parts dutifully line up, the arm first. He picks it up and jams it into its socket. HOGARTH And try to keep it quiet okay? My mom's not too big on me having any pets right now. "Shhhh" -- get it? EXT. TRAIN TRACKS - CONTINUOUS The train ENGINEER and a CONDUCTOR are examining the tracks in the swirling fog. CONDUCTOR Whatever we hit, it was something big. A tractor, maybe. ENGINEER More like a tank, I'd say. CONDUCTOR So where the heck did it go? Out of the fog comes Kent, pipe in hand. He casts a glance at the Conductor and the Engineer, then turns and looks down the hill towards Hogarth's house. INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Annie enters from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. ANNIE Dinner's been on the table for twenty minutes now. Where have you been all afternoon? HOGARTH I could tell you, Mom. But I really don't think you'd believe me. ANNIE Somehow, I don't doubt that. INT. BARN - CONTINUOUS The Giant finishes attaching his leg, and is now all together save for a missing HAND. He looks around the barn for it. INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - THAT NIGHT Annie and Hogarth sit at the dinner table. ANNIE Would you say grace, please? Hogarth folds his hands together, and starts to bow his head when he STOPS: behind Annie, the Giant's hand crawls across the kitchen floor like a tarantula. HOGARTH OH MY GOD! Annie looks up. Hogarth rolls his eyes to heaven. HOGARTH (cont'd) Oh my God, we thank you for the... uh, food that Mom has put in front of us and-- STOP!!! Hogarth jumps up. The curious hand-- now standing up on two fingers and reaching for an antique vase-- reacts to Hogarth's tone and shrinks back. Hogarth sees Annie staring at him. Again, he covers -- HOGARTH (cont'd) -the Devil from doing bad things... and-- (TO HAND) GET OUTTA HERE!...uh, Satan. GO! GO! So that we may live in peace. Amen. ANNIE Amen. That was... (words fail her) ...really unusual, Hogarth. HOGARTH (leaps to his feet) Gotta use the bathroom. ANNIE Well... (HE'S ALREADY GONE) Okay. LIVING ROOM - FRONT ENTRANCE Hogarth runs up to the hand, blocking it from going to the cellar. He takes one of the enormous fingers with both hands, and leads it like a baby elephant to the front door. He opens the door revealing-- --KENT, startled, about to knock. He smiles his most charming smile. Hogarth GASPS, SLAMS the door. He breathes hard, panicking. But when he turns around, the hand is GONE. The doorbell RINGS. Not knowing what to do, Hogarth opens it. Kent's still there, smiling, as before. KENT Hey there, Scout... Kent Mansley. I work for the government. Your parents home? HOGARTH We're eating. KENT What's wrong, Scout? You seem a little jumpy. ANNIE Who is it, Hogarth? Annie has entered the living room. Kent REACTS. KENT Why, hello there! Annie, isn't it? From the diner? ANNIE That's right! Mr. Mansley? KENT Please. Call me Kent. (wheels turning) So this is your house... (to Hogarth) ...then you must be Hobo! HOGARTH Hogarth. KENT Hobart. HOGARTH & ANNIE HOGARTH. KENT Yes indeed. I'm terribly sorry to bother you at this hour, but I'm looking into a little train accident that happened nearby and-- my goodness! Is there a blue- ribbon pie in the oven, or have I died and gone to Heaven? ANNIE (smiles) We've just sat down to dinner, Mr. Mansley. Would you care to join us? KENT If it's not too much trouble, I'd be delighted! He flashes her a thousand-dollar smile. As Annie turns her back to lead them into the dining room, Kent's smile fades into a calculating look. Hogarth sees it all, and glares as Kent walks past him. Kent doffs his hat, places it over Hogarth's head as he advances into the living room. KENT Here. Pretend you're a gangster. The hat covers Hogarth's head. He stands there, looking ridiculous. INT. HOGARTH'S DINING ROOM - A LITTLE LATER Hogarth, Annie and Kent are seated at the dinner table. Kent is pouring on the charm to Annie, as Hogarth continues to eye him suspiciously. Kent pats his stomach. KENT Well! It certainly is true what they say; the hospitality in these parts is second to none. HOGARTH Which parts would those be, sir? KENT Well, you know, uh... Maine. HOGARTH I never heard anyone say that about Maine. Have you, Mom? ANNIE Hogarth... KENT Oh, it's alright. He's a bright boy. I like bright boys... He lights his pipe and studies Hogarth closely. KENT (cont'd) So tell me, Hogarth. What do you think of all the goings-on around here lately? Hogarth plays innocent. HOGARTH Goings-on? KENT You know, the power plant being destroyed and all. ANNIE Careful, Mr. Mansley... he's got a powerful imagination. KENT Please. Call me Kent. I like to be on a first-name basis with first-class chefs. Annie smiles. Hogarth rolls his eyes. HOGARTH If it's alright with everybody, I think I'll be excused now. KENT But you haven't answered my question, Hogarth. Kent leans in toward Hogarth menacingly. KENT The powerplant. (leans closer) The train. (even closer) Surely you must have a theory, Hogarth. A bright boy like you. Surely you must have an inkling -- HOGARTH (blurting it out) There's a monster out there! KENT What??? HOGARTH It's a hideous creature, five stories tall, and if you go out looking for it you won't come back alive! There's a moment of stunned silence. Then... KENT You're... kidding. ANNIE Of course he's kidding. HOGARTH (shrugs) I'm a kid. That's what we do. Suddenly, a toilet flushes upstairs. A puzzled expression comes over Hogarth's face, then Annie's, then Kent's. KENT Do you have a guest? ANNIE No... Hogarth leaps from his seat and dashes out of the room. Kent raises an eyebrow. Annie looks puzzled. INT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM Hogarth yanks open the door, revealing: The giant hand, which crouches on the sink as it unrolls a pile of toilet paper into a pile on the floor. Hogarth shuts the door behind him, startling the hand, which leaps to the floor with a THUD! BACK TO THE DINNER TABLE Kent and Annie react to the sound, and stare at the ceiling. ANNIE Excuse me. She exits. INT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM Hogarth labors as he pulls the giant hand toward the open window. The hand resists mildly, like a distracted child-- INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE BATHROOM Annie stands outside the door. She knocks. ANNIE Hogarth? Are you alright? INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS Kent turns his attention to the sounds coming from upstairs. He exits. INT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM Using his whole body, Hogarth tries to shove the giant hand out the open window. HOGARTH (GRUNTING SOUNDS) INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE BATHROOM Kent has joined Annie, and the two of them listen together. HOGARTH (LOUDER GRUNTING) KENT This sort of thing is why it's so important to really chew your food... Annie shoots Kent a disapproving look. INT. UPSTAIRS BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS With a mighty shove, he finally manages to get the hand out the window. HOGARTH --rrrrrgggggghhhhh! The hand lands with a terrific crash, Hogarth tumbles to the ground, and Annie and Kent burst in through the door to REVEAL-- Hogarth... sheepishly standing there in a large PILE of unrolled toilet paper. ANNIE Good lord, you've been acting strange lately. Kent looks from Hogarth to the open window. In the darkness outside, he seems to see a shadowy figure moving in the dark. He turns to Annie, and gives her his patented smile. KENT Do you have a telephone I could use? INT. HOGARTH'S LIVING ROOM - A LITTLE LATER Kent, hunkered into a corner in an attempt at privacy, speaks into a telephone in a loud whisper. Kent peers around cautiously, making sure he's not observed. KENT --let me put it bluntly, sir. I'm onto something big in Rockwell, Maine. CHIEF (tired) What is it this time, Kent? KENT This time -- well, this time it's a giant, that's roaming around the town destroying things. CHIEF Uh-huh. Well, you be sure to file us a report, and we'll be sure to process it. KENT Excellent, sir. And in the meantime, I'd like to call in my team. CHIEF Your... team? KENT My backup, my support squad. Half a dozen men are all I need to start... CHIEF Kent, I know this will come as a shock to you, but we can't just give a team to anyone who asks. KENT (puffing himself up) Forgive my saying so, sir, but I'm not just anyone, and I've never asked. Before. Until now. (there is a long silence) Sir? CHIEF You haven't really found something, have you? KENT I think I have, sir, yes. CHIEF You think. Do you have proof? KENT Sir, I've got a feeling about this one, a gut feeling... CHIEF That's lovely, Kent. But let me try to explain how this works. If you called to tell me you'd found, say, a giant footprint, I might send over an expert to make a plaster cast of it. If you saw an (MORE) CHIEF (cont'd) actual giant with your own eyes, I might even send you the team you're asking for. Heck, you go so far as to get me a photograph, I could probably get the U.S. Army over there to Rockwell, Maine. But you tell me you've got a feeling-- KENT (temper rising) Alright then, fine. You want evidence? I'll get your evidence... CHIEF (TIRED) That sounds swell, Kent. KENT And when I do, I'm going to want a memo distributed! And I'm going to want that memo carbon copied and -- and re-distributed and -- The Chief hangs up. As Kent stands with the phone receiver in his hand, a look of dark determination comes over his face. And then we pan up through the ceiling above Kent, into Hogarth's room. Hogarth also holds a phone receiver, with one hand cupped over the mouthpiece. He looks worried. EXT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - THE NEXT MORNING Annie says goodbye to Hogarth at the front door. ANNIE Bye, Honey! Have a good day at school. HOGARTH (WAVING) Bye, Mom. Hogarth pedals his bike away until he's out of sight of the front house, then zips around the side of the house, ditches his bike and grabs a little red wagon. IN A QUICK MONTAGE: Hogarth pulls the wagon around, collecting metal. He finds some cans, an old car muffler, a fallen street sign, etc. INT. HOGARTH'S BARN - A LITTLE LATER Hogarth enters and finds the Giant sleeping. HOGARTH Ahem... The Giant opens his eyes. He sees the wagon full of metal and looks delighted. GIANT (HUNGRY SOUND) HOGARTH It wasn't easy to fill this wagon. So try to not to eat it all at once-- The Giant picks the wagon up, and dumps its entire contents into his mouth. Hogarth is speechless. HOGARTH Do you have any idea what it took to find that metal??? I scoured the neighborhood! I had to ditch school! I've never done that before, I-- The Giant picks up the wagon and eats that too. Hogarth sighs and takes a seat. HOGARTH So... now that we've eaten, how shall we spend the rest of our day? The Giant looks at him, not understanding. HOGARTH Okay. I'll teach you more words. Hogarth stands up and points at his house. HOGARTH That is my "home." That's where I come from . My... (points at himself) home... Hogarth points to his house. The Giant looks at it. GIANT (METALLIC CLANKING THAT SOUNDS SOMETHING LIKE "HOME") HOGARTH Right. Now where is... (points at giant) ...your home? The Giant looks at Hogarth's house, then follows Hogarth's pointing hand, and looks at himself. Then a look of deep sadness comes over his face. His shoulders shrug, and his hands turn palm-upward in a puzzled gesture. GIANT (PUZZLED, ANGUISHED SOUND) HOGARTH You mean... you don't know where you came from? GIANT (ANGUISHED, INARTICULATE GIANT SOUNDS) HOGARTH Wow. You poor guy... Now we hear a deep rumbling sound. The Giant looks down at his stomach hungrily. HOGARTH I know, I know. (thinks for a moment) Okay, I know a place where it's all you can eat. But not until after dark. The Giant stares at him, uncomprehending. HOGARTH Let me put it this way. He points at through the window at the sun. HOGARTH "Sun." GIANT "Suuughn." HOGARTH When the sun goes down... Hogarth mimes the sun arcing down the sky to sunset. The he taps on the Giant's iron belly. HOGARTH Feeding time. Get it? GIANT (COMPREHENDING SOUND) HOGARTH Good! Hogarth starts to leave, then pauses and turns back to look at the Giant. HOGARTH You're smarter than you look, aren't you? GIANT (puzzled sound) HOGARTH (exiting) Never mind. EXT. ROCKWELL In a time-lapse, we see the sun arc across the sky and set over picturesque Rockwell, Maine. EXT. HOGARTH'S BARN - NIGHT Two silhouettes creep into the night -- one small, one enormous. EXT. OPEN COUNTRY - NIGHT A ways off, Hogarth relaxes. HOGARTH Come on. Let's go! Hogarth starts walking. The Giant moves past him- BOOM BOOM BOOM! -and with a half dozen strides, is almost out of sight. HOGARTH STOP! On the horizon, the giant turns, looks puzzled: now what? HOGARTH Not that fast! Sheesh! Come back here! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! In two seconds, the giant stands at Hogarth's side and looks down at him, confused. HOGARTH Pick me up, OK? The giant does as he's told, lowers his huge hand to the ground. Hogarth climbs up on it. The giant carefully raises up his hand, with Hogarth on it. Hogarth grabs onto a finger, and points toward the northwest. HOGARTH Okay, now. March! Hogarth hangs on for dear life as the giant quickly accelerates. Hogarth looks down, and GASPS: they're really moving! EXT. POWER PLANT - NIGHT Kent is hunting around the power plant with a flashlight, muttering to himself. KENT (scornful) "Evidence". I'll get your evidence... He scans the vast expanse of forest with his flashlight, and sags hopelessly. KENT ...somewhere... EXT. HILLS OUTSIDE ROCKWELL - LATER Hogarth and the Giant are marching along a back road on the hills outside town. FROM HOGARTH'S POV It's like a magic carpet ride, as the moon-lit countryside below sails past his vantage point, fifty feet above the ground. Hogarth points at a church steeple. HOGARTH Church. Churrrch. GIANT Churrr-(CRUNCH) HOGARTH Yes. People pray there. (points at another building) School. Can you say that? Schooool... GIANT Skooo... HOGARTH Schooool suuuucks... GIANT Skoooo saauuugz... HOGARTH Very good. And that's all you need to know about school. EXT. WOODS Kent has wandered some distance from the power plant now. His flashlight beam sweeps across the ground. KENT Nothing. Nothing... Just then, he hears a noise behind him. He stops. Wheels around -- and the beam of his flashlight catches-- --a MOOSE. Huge. Enormous antlers. Looking right at him. The moose SNORTS. Kent backpedals, stumbles backward into a ditch- KENT Whooooa! --loudly enough to scare off the moose. He gets up, dusts himself off, shines his flashlight around and discovers what he's standing in is not a ditch at all, but a-- GIANT FOOTPRINT, perfectly preserved in a patch of dried mud. Kent GASPS. The gasp becomes a sound of delight. He begins to laugh... And then a single rain drop falls on head. Kent looks up. Another drop falls. The laughter ceases. EXT. WOODS Hogarth is still riding on the Giant's shoulder. Rain has begun to drizzle down now. HOGARTH And that building there is the coffee shop. GIANT Kau-(CLANG) shawww... HOGARTH That's where my mom works. Sometimes she has to stay late, to make extra money 'cause... well, my Dad's away. You know what a "dad" is? A "father?" GIANT "Fa-grrr?" HOGARTH Yeah. It's like me... (points at himself) Only bigger. He raises a hand indicating somone taller. HOGARTH He used to take me to baseball games. This one time, we brought binoculars, and we tried to figure out what pitch the catcher was calling! One year we want to go to every home game! I mean-- we wanted to... The Giant stops walking and swivels his enormous head to face Hogarth. For a moment, they stare at each other in silence, with the rain pouring down around them. Then Hogarth bursts out, almost angrily. HOGARTH Aw, what am I even talking to you for? You can't understand a word I'm saying! The Giant continues staring. HOGARTH Can you? The Giant speaks --and somewhere within the metal clanging of his voice, there seems to be a note of sympathetic sadness. GIANT "Fa-grrrr." Hogarth sighs, and pats the Giant on the side of the head. HOGARTH Well, I guess it's better than talking to myself. The Giant looks pleased by this. They continue on their way. EXT. WOODS Kent, soaked to the bone, is sitting on the edge of the Giant footprint, which has become a soggy, nondescript mess. KENT God hates me... He pulls out his pipe, and tries to light it, but his soggy matches won't strike. KENT Damnation! (shouting heavenward) Can't a guy get a break around here?!! Suddenly the rain lets up. Kent looks surprised. Then pleased. He lights his pipe. Then turns to heaven again. KENT Thank you. Waaagh! He does a huge double take as he looks up to see the Giant's smiling head looming above him. The Giant picks up Kent's metal flashlight, eats it, and in three strides is gone from sight, leaving the terrified and exhilarated Kent behind. UNDER THE GIANT'S CHIN... ...Hogarth PEEKS OUT, breathing hard. HOGARTH That can't be good. EXT. DEAN'S JUNKARD - NIGHT A metal graveyard, sprawling as far as the eye can see. HOGARTH (O.S.) This is it. The Giant's metal hand sets Hogarth down into frame. HOGARTH All you can eat. The Giant surveys the metal in all directions: MOANING happily as he spies a huge stack of cars. He selects one, and slowly... carefully... bites into it... GIANT (DELIGHTED SOUND) He selects another car, picks it up and bites into it like a gourmand tasting a fine chocolate. GIANT (cont'd) Mmmm... He tastes another. GIANT (cont'd) Ooooooh... --causing the CAR HORN TO BLAST! HOGARTH SHHHH!! Turn it off, turn it OFF!!! The giant looks around nervously, helplessly, beginning to PANIC. He tries shaking it, then sitting on it... but nothing works; the horn is STUCK. Hogarth looks back toward the house-- AT THE FAR END OF THE JUNKYARD A light goes on in a little house. Finally, the Giant takes a monster chomp and snaps the car in half. The horn strangles into silence. EXT. JUNKYARD HOUSE Dean reaches the door, opens it: a GASPING, out-of-breath Hogarth stands on his doorstep. Dean studies Hogarth for a moment. Then breaks into a smile. DEAN Hey, I know you. Squirrel boy. HOGARTH Hogarth. DEAN By night known as Hogarth. Got it. Well, come inside kid. Hell, it's raining out there, isn't it? INT. DEAN'S HOUSE Jazz is playing on the hi-fi of this distinctly bohemian pad. Dean presses an espresso. HOGARTH Listen, you're not going to call my mom are you? She doesn't know I'm out. I could get in trouble. DEAN Don't worry, kid. It's not my style to report a guy to the authorities. He brings over two espresso cups and hands one to Hogarth. DEAN Espresso for me, Bosco for you. But I thought you'd dig the little cup. Hogarth looks pleased. HOGARTH Thanks. DEAN My name's Dean. I'm a nobody. And you are...? HOGARTH Hogarth. I'm... kind of a nobody, too. DEAN So what brings you all the way up here, Hogarth? You riding some kind of crazy inspiration? HOGARTH I've been riding something alright... The record finishes, and in the silence: LOUD CRUNCHING NOISES from outside. Dean jumps up. DEAN Did you hear that??? He grabs a crowbar, runs to the door; Hogarth jumps up. HOGARTH No, wait! Stop! EXT. DEAN'S HOME - NIGHT The door flies open, Dean leaps out, YELLS: DEAN Who's out there?! He hears a metallic GASP. He looks up, up, up and sees the gargantuan Giant, tailpipes sticking out of his mouth, frozen, a guilty "caught!" look on its face. Dean YELPS... DEAN --my god! RUN KID, RUN!!!! HOGARTH (rolls his eyes) It's OK...! But the heroic Dean seizes Hogarth and turns to duck inside-- --which the giant immediately interprets as a threat and-- --SLAMS his massive hand in front of the door, blocking it as Hogarth tries to break free of Dean, to explain-- HOGARTH The giant isn't--let GO! as the giant GRABS DEAN, hoisting him high in the air. HOGARTH DON'T SQUASH HIM!! DO NOT SQ-- The giant STOPS--looks down at Hogarth, puzzled. HOGARTH ...squash.... him. Good boy. (beat, heavy sigh, then-) His name is Dean. We like Dean. Dean good. Put him down. THE GIANT Dean. The giant grins at Dean; he sways, shocked, overwhelmed. HOGARTH Dean, meet a friend of mine. Dean, giant. Giant, Dean. The giant grins, and kind of "waves". Dean stands there, pale, completely overwhelmed. HOGARTH More coffee...? EXT. DEANS HOUSE - SOME TIME LATER Dean stares, stunned, at the huge, impassive giant. DEAN So... where'd he come from? HOGARTH He doesn't remember. He's like a little kid... DEAN Little. (mirthless laugh) Yeah. Huh. HOGARTH He needs food. And shelter. Dean stares at Hogarth in expressionless shock. Then slowly stands, pours out his coffee, goes inside, locking the door behind him. SAME SHOT - 37 MINUTES LATER The blinds have been pulled. Hogarth stands at the Dean's front door, pleading. HOGARTH You got plenty of room here! This place is perfect! DEAN (from inside, muffled) Go away. HOGARTH I can have him push the door down. You know I can. Pause. The door opens and there's Dean, looking annoyed. DEAN Hogarth! I can't hide it here! HOGARTH Him. Not it. Him. DEAN Whatever! You don't even know where he came from! Or what the hell he is! HOGARTH (stubbornly) He's ...my friend. Dean stares at immovable Hogarth. Behind him, dawn breaks. DEAN (low mutter) Yeah. What am I, am I your friend? Bring some frankenbot with out of state plates over here and make me change my tune... don't like that jazz... God, I'm tired... Dean gives up, stands, worn-out, exhausted. HOGARTH So! He can stay?! DEAN Tonight. Tomorrow, I don't know... (wanders inside, muttering) ...figure something out.... Dean stumbles toward his home. Hogarth grins, and looks at the now-tired giant, YAWNING. HOGARTH Let's get you tucked in.... EXT. DEAN'S JUNKYARD - NIGHT Hogarth smiles to himself, as he watches the giant sleep, now covered with a layer of junk, a camouflage-comforter. And then he hears a BEEPING NOISE. Hogarth looks up and sees an ARMY PLANE, flying towards him. The BEEPING gets louder. Hogarth realizes it's coming from the Giant. Suddenly: WHIR, a panel on the giant's arm slides open. A strange device pops out and starts tracking the plane overhead. Hogarth panics: as the plane comes nearer the BEEPING becomes more insistent, the strange device tracks the plane: it looks very retro-advanced and scary. The giant starts MOANING, thrashing in his sleep as if caught in a bad dream. Suddenly he wakes up and ka-CHUK!--the device withdraws. The plane disappears over the trees. Hogarth looks at the giant, stunned. The giant, unaware, looks at Hogarth, puzzled. HOGARTH It's okay. Go back to sleep. It was just a bad dream. The giant nods, comforted, and drops off into sleep. Hogarth walks away, deeply troubled. INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE Hogarth creeps upstairs to his room, pulls back the covers, and is just about to dive in... when Annie enters; spies Hogarth up and dressed. ANNIE You're up already? Hogarth tiredly replaces the bedcovers. HOGARTH ...just making the bed.... ANNIE That's nice. Come downstairs. I have a surprise for you... INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE LIVING ROOM - LIVING ROOM An exhausted Hogarth shuffles downstairs, and into the kitchen. INT. KITCHEN He sits down sleepily at the breakfast table and then GASPS: sitting across from him, reading the paper and looking quite at home in a fatherly way is -- HOGARTH Kent...? KENT Morning, sport. Sleep well? He feels Kent's knowing eyes boring into him. HOGARTH Moooooooom! Annie appears, carrying a plate of waffles. She sets a plate down and leans in towards Hogarth, beaming. ANNIE Isn't it wonderful, Hogarth? We finally got a border! HOGARTH (PANICKED) Oh no... Kent looks at his watch. KENT You know, I meant to wake up bright and early this morning. But from the look of those waffles, I'm still in bed dreaming! ANNIE Oh, Mr. Mansley-- (Kent wags a finger) -- Kent. Kent and Annie share a meaningful look. Hogarth looks ill. HOGARTH Uh... I'm not very hungry. He exits. Kent watches him go, then picks up the fork that Hogarth was holding, and surreptitiously drops it in a little plastic evidence bag. INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY Hogarth strolls in and takes a seat at the counter next to a man reading a newspaper. A bored waitress approaches. HOGARTH Chocolate malted, please. (she exits) I've never been in here. Mom says the coffee's weak and they put meat extender in the hamburger. MAN BEHIND NEWSPAPER It ain't the diner, sparky. But it's more private. The man lowers the paper to reveal his face. It's Dean. He glances around cautiously to make sure they're not being watched. DEAN So. Your friend's got quite an appetite. HOGARTH Yeah. When I found him, he was trying to eat the power station. DEAN So where does he come from? HOGARTH (shrugs) He doesn't know. DEAN You can talk to him??? HOGARTH Kinda. He can't say a lot of words yet, but he understands things pretty good. DEAN I wonder if he had something to do with the meteorite that splashed down here the other day. Then again, maybe he was the meteorite... HOGARTH That's what I was thinking! He came from outer space!! DEAN Maybe. Or maybe he was launched into space from earth. HOGARTH Hey, maybe the commies made him! You know, in one of their secret labs. DEAN Or maybe we built him in one of ours. Our government has secrets, too you know. HOGARTH (getting into it) Or maybe he comes from underground, you know? Like, he's this undiscovered species, that evolved from minerals or something, while we were evolving out of monkeys. DEAN Maybe, kid. And then, again, maybe the monkeys evolved from us. Dean laughs and puts his hands behind his head, and strikes a philosophical pose. HOGARTH I wish we knew why he was here. DEAN Hey, I wish I knew why I was here. Hogarth puts his hands behind his head and strikes a philosophical pose, too. He seems to be enjoying the adult conversation. HOGARTH Yeah. DEAN I mean if you think about it, nobody really knows where they came from, why they're here, or where they're going. We believe. We hope. But we don't know. HOGARTH Right, right... DEAN And some cats, that scares 'em, you know? HOGARTH You're telling me. DEAN They race around, play the game, chase money, chase power... HOGARTH Just so they won't have to wonder what life's all about. DEAN Exactly. (beat, suddenly impressed) Hey... Dean lifts his coffee cup, saluting Hogarth. They sit in silence for a moment, happily contemplating the universe. INT. DARK LABORATORY As Kent looks on, an AGENT in a lab coat studies a spoon -- now dusted with white powder -- under a microscope. After a moment, he looks up, and gestures at the BB-gun, also dusted with powder, which lies on the table nearby. The Agent turns to the man in shadow standing over him. LAB-COAT AGENT It's the same fingerprint. A match is struck. We follow it up to the man's pipe, already in his mouth. As the match flares it lights up Kent's face. He smiles diabolically. INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY Hogarth contentedly slurps the last of his malted through a plastic straw. Dean works on a slab of apple pie. HOGARTH Hey, Dean? DEAN Yeah? HOGARTH What is life all about? For you, I mean. DEAN For me? Well... (shrugs) I guess I'd like to prove there's something pure in me, you know? They say the soul is part angel and part monster. Sometimes I think life is a chance to set the angel free. HOGARTH The Giant looks like a monster. But inside he's good. I can tell. DEAN I hope you're right, kid. The world could use an angel that size. HOGARTH You won't tell anybody about him, will you? DEAN Nah. He's an outsider. I've got a soft spot for outsiders. EXT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - DAY Hogarth comes riding home on his bike. He parks it at the side of the house, and starts to go inside, then hesitates. He holds out a hand, and feels a drop of rain, looks up at the clouds... then takes his bike and wheels it toward the barn instead. EXT. BARN - DAY Hogarth opens the barn door, and GASPS. HOGARTH'S POV: Kent and the labcoat AGENT sit at a small, improvised lab table. Nearby are four OTHER AGENTS in suits and ties; studying maps, monitoring listening equipment, generating artist conceptions of the giant. They look up, aghast. HOGARTH Moooom! INT. KITCHEN - A LITTLE LATER Kent and the agents sit stoically at the breakfast table. Annie stands facing them with folded arms. Hogarth stands nearby, scowling. ANNIE So you work for the government? KENT That's right. A long PAUSE... ANNIE Our government? KENT Of course. Annie, please, let me explain. Every once in a while things happen to people that just can't be rationalized in a conventional way. The Unexplained Phenomena Department was created to respond to the bizarre, the strange, the--well, unexplainable events that happen every day all across this great land. From the mountains to the prairies, to the oceans-- ANNIE (interrupts) Do you actually work in Washington? KENT Yes indeed. Washington D.C... As Kent begins to wax on about his work, we CUT TO: FLASHBACK: WASHINGTON D.C. - MORNING Kent strides briskly through the crisp morning air, making his way through many equally ambitous go-getters on their way to do the nations work. Familiar Washington monuments fill the background. KENT (V.O., CONT'D) ...if you're of a mind to be a mover and a shaker, it's the only place to be. FLASHBACK: GOVERNMENT BUILDING - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS Kent enters an impressive government building. While most of the workforce heads up the massive marble stairs, Kent heads down the narrow stairs off to the side. KENT (V.O., CONT'D) A place where an individual with pluck and ambition can really get ahead... FLASHBACK: GOVERNMENT BUILDING SUBLEVEL - NARROW HALLWAY Kent walks down the endless row of identical doors, stopping in front of one labeled "UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENA DEPT." Kent unlocks the door and enters a sparse, windowless office not much larger than the desk in the center of it. KENT (V.O., CONT'D) ...safe in the knowledge that the vast resources of the U.S. Government are at ones disposal. FLASHBACK: KENT'S OFFICE Kent sits idly at his desk, evenly spacing a row of sharpened pencils across the desktop. Clearly there's no action here. KENT (V.O., CONT'D) Although we're simply inundated with calls, we limit ourselves to only the most demanding cases. It's a challenge, I won't deny it. The phone finally RINGS and Kent SEIZES it hungrily... FLASHBACK: APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS - DAY A couple of slack-jawed yokels gape as Kent pulls a large deflated baloon down from a tree, "U.S. WEATHER SERVICE" stenciled on its side. Kent displays it to them, glaring. They grin sheepishly. KENT (V.O., CONT'D) I could tell you many strange stories, but unfortunately, all of them are classified. RESUME ANNIE'S KITCHEN - KENT & COMPANY Kent leans back in his chair, his story told. KENT I hope that helps to calm some of your worries, Annie. And you, too, Hogarth. Hogarth? The Agents all look around. Hogarth is nowhere to be seen. KENT You're supposed to be watching him! The Agents hustle out of the room. KENT (then smiling, to Annie) For his own good, of course. EXT. ENORMOUS GATES OF IRON - DAY HOGARTH Open the blast doors! The massive gates open: Hogarth, wearing a space helmet and carrying a plastic ray gun, walks through. WIDEN TO REVEAL: the gates are actually the giant's two hands. HOGARTH (cont'd) Level two. Commander Thruster to base... I have found the escape vehicle. The giant's hand takes him up, up... to a junk car atop a big junk pile. Hogarth climbs in, grabs the wheel. HOGARTH (cont'd) Main engines: 1, 2, and 3! Blast off! The giant grabs the car and "flies" it around. ANGLE ON - DEAN'S HOUSE Dean sits on his porch, watching. BACK TO - THE GIANT Hogarth's face compresses from the G-forces. He looks green. HOGARTH We're landing... we're landing! From his porch Dean watches, grins. The car "lands", Hogarth stumbles out, dizzy. The giant CHORTLES. HOGARTH (CONT'D) Only one creature could create such destruction. The hideous, man-eating killing machine... ROBOTRON! Hogarth waits. The Giant just stands there, staring at him. HOGARTH (impatienly) Robotron... GIANT Roarrrr.... HOGARTH No, no, no. Bigger...! GIANT ROOAARRRR!!!!! HOGARTH Good! Okay, Robotron... take THIS!!! He whips his toy gun out, aims it at the Giant and pulls the trigger. It WHINES and sparks. Suddenly the Giant freezes. His eyes lock on the gun, and a reddish glow comes into his eyes. HOGARTH (cont'd) When I zap you, you're supposed to fall down. Remember? Like I told you... With his eyes still glowing, the Giant reaches out both hands, zombie-like, towards Hogarth. HOGARTH (cont'd) Hey... The hands begin closing around Hogarth, who is beginning to panic. HOGARTH (cont'd) Wait a minute! It's me, Hogarth... He sees that the Giant is staring at his gun, and quickly slips it behind his back. HOGARTH (cont'd) Your friend! The Giant freezes. The red fades from his eyes. Then he looks at his hands which are closed threateningly around Hogarth. GIANT (GASP OF SHOCK) HOGARTH (cont'd) Hey, it's okay. I know you didn't mean it. But, uh, maybe that's enough playing for now. Hogarth gets up and heads for Dean's house. As he turns away from the Giant, we see that he wears a look of deep concern. EXT. DEAN'S HOUSE Hogarth takes a seat on the porch beside Dean, who is scanning the hills with binoculars. DEAN You're sure you weren't followed? HOGARTH Yeah. It's not too hard to lose those guys. DEAN Don't get cocky. Even guys in suits can learn. HOGARTH Why do they want to get him, anyway? Just because he's different? DEAN That's generally all it takes. HOGARTH They don't even know him, and they just assume he's dangerous. They stare out at the Giant, as he opens a car hood, plucks out the engine, eats it, and throws away the "shell." DEAN Yeah. I just hope they're wrong. HOGARTH (suspicious) What do you mean? DEAN Look, I saw what happened out there just now. When you drew a gun on him, he got a look in his eye... HOGARTH It's not his fault! He can't help it. DEAN That's what worries me. We don't know what he's capable of. On the surface he may be gentle, but on the inside he could be a killer. The Giant looks up curiously. Hogarth shushes Dean. HOGARTH (whispering) Don't use that word around him! DEAN Why not? HOGARTH Because he cares. I can't explain it, but... he cares about what he is. He's getting so he can understand all kinds of stuff now. If he hears you use that word around him... DEAN Okay, okay. I'm just saying, be careful. (pause) So... have we got a plan here? I mean, he can't stay here forever. HOGARTH (sadly) I know... DEAN The longer he stays, the better their chance of finding him. We've got to get him out of here, Hogarth. HOGARTH How? He's a little too big to smuggle out in a suitcase. DEAN We could do it in pieces. HOGARTH You mean take him apart? DEAN You think he'd go for that? I've got a junk-truck -- I'm always hauling scrap. In half a dozen trips, we could get him to Canada. There are places in the Yukon, old mining sites, no one around, plenty of metal. He could roam the earth and live off the land... sounds pretty good, actually. Hogarth thinks about it. HOGARTH When? DEAN The sooner the better. Tonight if possible. HOGARTH Tonight??? But I only just met him a couple days ago! (pleading) At least wait until tomorrow... Dean looks at the Giant, lounging peacefully in the junkyard. DEAN Alright, I guess one more day won't make a difference. INT. HOGARTH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT R&B BLARES: Little Richard. Hogarth draws pictures of the giant, they're good. He hides the pictures from view, carefully covering them with a book before EXITING the room. INT. KITCHEN Hogarth sharpens some pencils with the sharpener mounted on the inside of the broom closet. INT. HOGARTH'S BEDROOM Hogarth returns, goes to his desk, stops stunned: the giant drawings are uncovered. Eyes wide, Hogarth looks around his room: everything looks slightly askew, as if it's been... searched. Hogarth's neck-hair tingles. He stares at the his bedroom door, slowly pulls it toward him... REVEALING: KENT standing behind it... smiling. KENT Surprise. HOGARTH Kent. What are you doing in my room? He holds up a 45 RPM record, still in its sleeve. KENT Just being friendly. And all that that implies. I know how you kids like rocky roll, so- He goes to the phonograph, and puts it on the platter... HOGARTH Pat Boone...? KENT Yeah, baby. It's got that jungle rhythm, but you can understand the words... HOGARTH Uh.... thanks. Kent starts to undulate awkwardly to the music... KENT Come on, Hogarth. Let's do the happy monkey. You know the one I mean... Hogarth edges toward the door, Kent follows, still dancing... KENT (cont'd) Friends, Hogarth, that's what we ought to be. But friends don't keep secrets from each other. HOGARTH I don't know what you're talking about... KENT You don't. Well, let me tell you a little story. Your mom says you like 'em. Kent steps in front of the doorway, his smile now chilling. KENT Once there was a boy who walked into a forest. He wanted to take a picture of a metal-eating giant -- but lo and behold, the giant ate his camera alllll up!! Hogarth looks baffled. HOGARTH How did you -- ? KENT Because in the process, the Giant snapped a picture of himself. (holds up a roll of film) And the little boy brought the film home. Hogarth lunges for the roll of film. HOGARTH Give it back! Kent dangles the film over Hogarth's head for a moment, then drops it into Hogarth's hands. Hogarth looks at it. HOGARTH Empty... Kent slips a black-and-white photo from his coat, and hands it to Hogarth. It shows the Giant's face, its mouth wide open. KENT The Army arrives in twenty-four hours, Hogarth. Just thought you'd like to know. Kent dances out of the room. Hogarth stares, helpless. INT. HOGARTH'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Kent puffs on his pipe, as Annie knits. Hogarth sits in a chair studying them. Kent breaks the silence. KENT Well, isn't this a fine way to spend an evening? We're like one big happy family... Hogarth looks up, staring darkly at Kent. HOGARTH You're not family. And when my Dad finds out you sat in his chair, he'll hunt you down like a dog-- ANNIE Hogarth! Kent turns to Annie. He makes a half-hearted gesture of getting out of his chair. KENT (starting to rise) I'm sorry, should I...? ANNIE No, no, don't get up. My husband -- Hogarth's father -- he's... he was an Air Force Pilot in Korea. A casualty. HOGARTH He's coming back. Ignoring Hogarth, Kent puts on a look of deep sympathy, and turns to Annie. KENT I'm so sorry. HOGARTH No you're not! ANNIE Hogarth! HOGARTH But, Mom, this guy doesn't care about anything -- cats like him race around, play the game, chase money, chase power...but he keeps buttering you up so you won't see that! ANNIE Hogarth, that is enough! I think you owe our guest an apology. KENT (chuckling) Oh, now, there's no need for that. Hogarth is right in a way. I'm certainly ambitious. Yes... (looks pointedly at Annie) Ambitious, career-minded, stable -- HOGARTH He's doing it again! Kent gives Hogarth a patronizing smile. KENT Hogarth. I would have thought a good American boy like yourself would have more respect for the work I do. The world has become a dangerous place, you know. The balance of power is delicate. I gather information. And the side that has the information is the side that will win. Hogarth fixes his eyes on Kent with an intensity that's unnerving. HOGARTH They say the soul is part angel and part monster. One look at you and I know the monster is gonna win. ANNIE That's it. You either apologize or go right up to bed right now! Hogarth throws up his hands and marches out of the room. ANNIE Honestly, I don't know where he's getting these wild ideas. He's starting to talk like that beatnik... KENT Beatnik...? INT. HOGARTH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Hogarth is in bed, the lights are out. Annie appears in his doorway, silhouetted by the light in the hall. She lingers for a moment, thoughtful... ANNIE Have you been out at the junkyard, Hogarth? HOGARTH (after a long pause) Which junkyard? ANNIE The only junkyard. Dean's junkyard. HOGARTH (another pause) If I had ...would you be mad at me? ANNIE No... (more quietly) ...no. (sad smile) Tell him "hi" for me. She EXITS. Hogarth stares at the ceiling... and sighs. EXT. TOWN - NEXT DAY A convoy of Army vehicles is pouring into town. Kent watches them enter, euphoric. He glances at his watch, and remembering an appointment, rushes off. INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY An Army General sits at a booth, studying a map. Kent sits across from his, positively glowing with pride. GENERAL Hills, valleys, woods, ravines. Lot of places to hide, around here. KENT Yes, it's remarkable isn't it, sir? Kent looks around at the various coffee-shop Busybodies, and speaks loudly, for their benefit. KENT (CONT'D) That one man, working alone, could have single-handedly found a monster in a place like this? The Busybodies coo and murmum amongst themselves. GENERAL (still studying map) Hard to know where to start, really... KENT Well, sir, perhaps I can be of some help in that regard. You see, I've had my eye on an odd little boy who seems to be connected to the creature in question. And I have reason to believe he's been spending some time at a local scarpyard. From behind the counter, Annie looks sharply at Kent, finally understanding his attentions. GENERAL Can you take me there? KENT But of course, sir. (loudly, for the busybodies) When a five-star general needs my help, I'm only too eager to oblige. Annie comes by and refills their coffee. ANNIE I'm the mother of that "odd" little boy. KENT (uncomfortable) Oh yes, ahem. ANNIE And if you're going up to the junkyard, I'm coming along. INT. DEAN'S STUDIO - DAY Dean is welding a sculpture of a hooded executioner. Instead of an axe, the executioner wields a flag -- part Hammer and Sickle, part Stars and Stripes. There's a knock at his door. DEAN Come in. In walks the General and Kent followed by a few soldiers. Annie comes in last. Dean takes off his welding goggles, and studies all the uniforms. DEAN I assume you're here for the Lenny Bruce albums. KENT Watch the wise cracks, Beatnik. We represent America. DEAN We all represent America, man. GENERAL Sir, my name is General Shannon Rogard. We have reason to believe you are harboring a large... (finding this hard to swallow) ... creature whose interest run counter to those of the United States. Do you deny it? DEAN (shrugs) Hey, man, if a cat needs to flop, my pad springs eternal. The General and the Soldiers exchange puzzled glances. One of them leans towards the General and speaks in hushed tones. SOLDIER As I understand it, sir, a "cat" is a member of the counter-culture. GENERAL What rank? SOLDIER Well... As the General and the Soldiers continue to confer, Annie steps forward and speaks to Dean. ANNIE Is Hogarth here? Is he alright? These people say he may be in some kind of trouble. DEAN He's not here, Annie. But he is alright. (then, gently) Believe me, I would never let anything happen to that little guy. Annie and Dean share a look. Kent sees this and loses his cool. KENT Alright, I've had enough! He turns to the soldiers. KENT (CONT'D) You and you! Start rummaging around! Tip some tables over! Kick open doors! Break stuff! You know the drill! Kent claps his hands. The soldiers don't move. DEAN (to Kent) We all hear you yacking, daddy-o, but no one's listening. Kent seethes. KENT (under his breath) Not yet. Not yet. Annie looks from one to the other, comparing. INT. WOODS - DAY The Giant strolls through the forest, with Hogarth on his shoulder. HOGARTH I know this is hard for you to understand, but...well, it might be a real long time before we get to hang out like this again. The Giant is oblivious to anything but the beauty of the day. He turns his face up towards the sun as it ours through the trees. Birds are singing. All is peaceful. GIANT (CONTENTED SOUND) HOGARTH Yeah, it is beautiful, isn't it? Through a patch in the trees, they spot a deer. GIANT (CURIOUS SOUND) HOGARTH It's a deer. "Deeeer." GIANT Deeeer... The Giant takes a step towards it. It darts away. Hogarth points. HOGARTH That way! Full of childlike curiosity, the Giant follows, and a game of hide and seek begins. Hogarth laughs happily, as they dart in and out of the trees. At last he finds the deer grazing in a clearing. The Giant is FASCINATED. HOGARTH (whisper) Shhhhh... let's get closer... The Giant tries to sneak nearer, leaning on a pair of tall trees, which begin to teeter. He grabs one, and as he quietly pushes it back into place... the other crashes to the ground. The treetop lands near the deer, who bolts away from it and directly toward the Giant--almost into the Giant's foot. The deer STOPS, puzzled by the strange metal obstacle. He looks up... right to the Giant's face. The Giant SMILES-- --which SPOOKS the deer, who darts off in the other direction. The Giant reaches out and catches it, in one huge hand, like a kid trapping a butterfly. HOGARTH You caught it! The Giant laughs and opens his hand. The deer lies motionless. The Giant and Hogarth look stunned. The Giant tenderly lays the deer down on the ground, kneels, and nudges the deer with a big finger. Nothing. It doesn't move. HOGARTH It's... dead. GIANT Deh...? There is a long silence. The Giant nudges the deer again. HOGARTH (suddenly vehement) Don't do that! It's dead. Okay?? That means it's not going to move! It's gone! And it's not coming back, understand?? (softly, tears flowing) It's not ever going to come back... It begins to snow, softly. From high above, through the trees, the boy and the giant stare down at the lifeless deer. They bow their heads in sorrow. EXT. JUNKYARD - LATER The snow falls harder now. The depressed giant sits on a hillside, snow piling up on his motionless bulk, staring out into the forest. Dean and Hogarth watch him, worried. DEAN This is bad. This is very bad. The Army's on it's way. We've got to get him out of here! HOGARTH He doesn't know how to think about it. DEAN You've got talk to him. You've got to get through to him. HOGARTH Me? I don't know about this stuff... DEAN You know as much as anyone does, kid. And he trusts you. Speak from your heart. It's the only chance we've got. Hogarth looks at the Giant. HOGARTH Alright. I'll try. He walks over to the Giant, climbs up his leg, and sits on his knee. The Giant turns and looks at Hogarth, with weary eyes. Hogarth sighs. HOGARTH It wasn't your fault. No response from the Giant. HOGARTH Things die. It's part of life. Hogarth reaches for the overhanging branch of a nearby tree and picks two leaves -- a brown on and a green one. He holds up the green leaf. HOGARTH (cont'd) Life... He holds up the brown leaf. HOGARTH (cont'd) ...and death... He gestures at the forest around him. HOGARTH (cont'd) ...they're part of the way things are. He points at the Giant and shakes his head. HOGARTH (cont'd) You didn't make it that way. Do you understand? It's not your fault. The Giant gazes at Hogarth for a beat, then takes the leaves from the boy's hands and studies them. Hogarth hops down and stands by Dean. DEAN What's he doing? HOGARTH He's thinking. It's not an easy thing to understand. Dean looks at Hogarth with empathy. INT. THE ARMY'S TEMPORARY COMMAND CENTER - DAY Kent is on the phone with the chief. He's visably PALE. (INTERCUT the following with the CHIEF in Washington, D.C.) KENT But Sir... you're making a big mistake! We're close... I have a real gut fee-- CHIEF (CUTTING HIM OFF) Mansley, if I hear about your gut feelings one more time I'm going to vomit through the phone lines!! The press has got ahold of this thing and now I'm a laughing stock for spending tax dollars on your IDIOTIC plan! I'm pulling those troops out THIS MINUTE! Before MY career is as dead as YOURS!! The Chief SLAMS the receiver down so hard, it hurts Kent's hand in Maine. EXT. DEAN'S JUNKYARD - DAY The Giant still ponders. Just then, a pair of Army planes comes into view. We hear a beeping sound. HOGARTH Oh no... DEAN What is it? The panels on the Giant's arms slide open, and the strange tracking device pops out again. HOGARTH I was going to tell you... The Giant looks confused as another panel opens, and what appears to be a rocket launcher pokes out, tracking the planes. As they pass, the weapons recede and the panels close. The Giant looks distressed. DEAN Good God, Hogarth he's armed??! How could you keep this from me? HOGARTH Would you have let him stay? DEAN No! HOGARTH That's why. DEAN Oh, man. Oh man, Hogarth! This is serious! What are we doing?? He's not some lost puppy...he's a weapon!! Dean is pointing at the Giant now. Hogarth sees the Giant watching Dean with eyes wide. HOGARTH Dean, shh-- DEAN He's a machine, Hogarth! He was made, designed--to kill! The Giant stands up. He looks at himself, and then at Dean. And then, with a terrible roar, he runs away. Dean and Hogarth share a look of panic. DEAN This is bad. HOGARTH We gotta find him! DEAN Come on! They run for his house. EXT. ROCKWELL - SAME TIME Kent watches in despair as the ARMY pulls out of Rockwell, taking his credibility, and hopes for the future, with them. EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY The Giant wanders through the falling snow, deeply disturbed and depressed, not knowing, or caring, where he's going. INT. DEAN'S GARAGE He wheels a motorcycle out. Hogarth jumps in the sidecar. EXT. THE DEEP WOODS - DAY The Giant blindly marches on, agitated, grieving. EXT. DEAN'S MOTORCYCLE - MOVING - DAY Dean and Hogarth speed into the driving snow, following the Giant's quickly filling footprints. DEAN He's headed right toward town. EXT. THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN - EVENING FILLING THE SCREEN: a woman SCREAMS. LOUD. REVERSE: the Giant peers down at a tiny woman, her TINY SCREAM barely heard from his viewpoint. He waves meekly. BACK TO: the woman SCREAMS... runs in, SLAMS the door. The Giant wonders... He looks behind him, is something back there...? Nope.... He shrugs. He wanders on, the streets largely deserted, the snow falls heavily. LOOKING IN A SECOND-STORY WINDOW A TODDLER watches a TV monster movie. Bored, he looks out the window... and sees a real monster. He blinks, isn't sure whether to be scared or not. The Giant sees the kid staring at him. The Giant smiles, and waves. The kid grins, waves back. The kid HOLLERS, in silence. TWO OLDER KIDS join him at the window, look out, see a waving giant. They look stunned, and wave back. One YELLS a silent "MOM!". MOM appears at the window. The Giant waves. She turns white, SCREAMS silently, YANKS down the window shade. The Giant blinks, disturbed. BOW-WOW-WOW! He looks down: a tiny TERRIER BARKS ferociously at him, then NIPS at his foot... and YELPS in pain. GIANT Rock. The giant reaches down for the terrier: it YIPES and runs away. The giant looks disappointed. He looks up: nearby, several VILLAGERS stand in the falling snow, staring up at him. He waves. The villagers run inside, SLAM their doors. The giant MOANS, depressed. WITH DEAN AND HOGARTH - MOVING In the snow, Dean drives flat-out. In the side-car, Hogarth hangs on for dear life. They blow past-- KENT... going the other way. Kent SLAMS on his breaks, his suspicions aroused, and hangs a U-TURN, almost colliding with the last of the TROOPS. Their truck screeches to a stop. Kent jumps out, waving his arms as he runs up to the driver. KENT STOP! I know this'll sound crazy, but-- THE MIDDLE OF TOWN A scene out of a 50's horror movie: a dozen VILLAGERS run SCREAMING from a huge giant behind them.... But this giant just stands there, his shoulders droop, heartsick. He realizes that everyone is terrified of him... and he doesn't understand why. If the Iron Giant could cry, he would. SIRENS sound in the distance, getting closer. The giant turns around and heads back out of town, toward the junkyard and home. SHREEEEEK! Right in front of him, A WOMAN SCREAMS, her hands fly up... releasing her baby carriage which rolls right up against the giant's feet. The giant looks down... sees an INFANT inside. The baby COOS and waves at the giant, who grins and waves back. At last, a friendly face! Two police cars SCREECH up, TWO COPS leap out and fumble out their guns. The mother SCREAMS. MOTHER It's got my baby! The cops stare, stunned, at the Giant towering over the baby. One cop RADIOS for help. Annie exits the diner, sees the scene, joins the crowd, terrified, watching: The Giant seems to be... making faces at the baby. The fascinated giant CHORTLES and leans way down to look closer at the GIGGLING infant: which looks threatening to onlookers. The mother SCREAMS. MOTHER Shoot it! Alarmed, the cops raise their guns. Dean and Hogarth SCREECH up on Dean's motorcycle.... HOGARTH No! The cops FIRE. The bullets bounce off the Giant's sides. The Giant turns: what was that? His eyes zero in on the cop's guns--and turn BRIGHT RED. With a heavy machinery WHIRR ... ... a FUTURISTIC WEAPON springs up out of the Giant's right arm, which he instinctively swings toward the police car. Cops and soldiers leap aside as a GREEN RAY shoots and-- KA-THOOOOOOM! --the police car EXPLODES in an unearthly blast that sends a blue fireball roiling into the sky. The Giant's arm jerks round, catching the helpless cops and soldiers in its cross- hairs... ...but the Giant's eyes suddenly clear: alarmed, he knocks his arm aside before it FIRES: KA-THOOOOOOM! The RAY rips through the air, destroying a grove of trees on the far side of town. The Giant RECOILS, horrified by his own destructive power. He forces the gun back into his arm and rushes away, vanishing into the night. Dean and Hogarth exchange glances. They turn to go and--- --run straight into KENT and a group of SOLDIERS. They've seen the whole thing, and Kent has never looked more SMUG. KENT (to soldiers) Seize them. The soldiers do as they're told, grabbing Dean and Hogarth. HOGARTH Hey! Get your hands off! Let go of me! You're hurting me! Help!! As they pass through frame we see that KENT is holding a MICROPHONE, and recording Hogarth's protestations on a tape recorder. He SMILES. EXT. FOREST - DUSK The Giant hides, anxious and watchful. Then he hears a distant sound echoing through the trees, a voice... HOGARTH Let go of me! You're hurting me! Help!! That's all the Giant needs to hear. He's off... moving swiftly through the dark forest in the sounds direction. EXT. ROCKWELL - DUSK The Giant moves to the edge of the forest, and pauses distrustfully. The town is oddly still. Hogarth's voice can still be heard calling for help. Then the Giant spies-- HOGARTH-- gagged and tied to the top of a radio tower on the roof of the five story Cross building, the tallest in Rockwell. He squirms. The moment the Giant starts to move toward the building the Army (camouflaged) OPENS FIRE. Suddenly the Giant is being hit from all sides (rifles, machine guns, bazookas): ARMOR (which we haven't seen before) slides out of his body and locks into a covering around him. A stray shot takes out of chunk of the base of the tower that Hogarth is tied to, and it starts to TOPPLE. The Giant SEES THIS and rushes directly into the line of fire to SHIELD Hogarth from being crushed by the tower. The Giant pulls the tower loose, sliding Hogarth into his metal hand. GENERAL He's got the boy!! HOLD YOUR FIRE! KENT It's KILLED the boy!! Don't let it get away!! A wall of artillery closes the entrance to town... and begins to fire away at Giant. The Giant looks toward the sea--but sees armed ships out there, their guns pointed toward land. Once again, various weapons begin to pop out of the Giant's arms. He presses them back in. He turns, and RUNS straight at the wall of Artillery. And JUMPS OVER IT. Everyone stares gape-jawed, then quickly tries to swivel their guns in the opposite direction. But the GIANT is already GONE. The general calls to the AIR FORCE. GENERAL This is General Rogard! Code red! Repeat-- code red! COUNTRYSIDE - MOVING WITH THE GIANT The Giant, carrying Hogarth, hustles through the snow, slipping occassionally, but moving with surprising swiftness. Behind them, JET FIGHTERS appear on the far horizon. And in a moment they're on top of them... strafing the ground with machine gun fire, launching rockets, etc... The Giant bursts through the trees, and suddenly finds himself on a two-lane highway--about to step on cars and the terrified people driving them! The Giant SIDESTEPS to avoid them, losing his balance at full run and SLAMMING into the snowy ground --SLIDING thunderously for the better part of a mile, and cutting a very large swath through whatever happens to be in the way. EXT. ROCKWELL STREET - DAY Annie struggles with two Agents, who hustle her into a car. ANNIE Let me go! I have to get to my son! What is going on? AGENT #1 I'm afraid that's classified, ma'am. ANNIE Classified? What do you mean? She tries the door. It won't open. She pounds on the window. ANNIE Open this door! Hey! And then she notices that she's not alone in the car. Beside her is Dean, who sits with his head in his hands. EXT. COUNTRYSIDE The Giant tries to swat at the fighter planes as they fly overhead, but they are just out of his reach. He grabs a fallen tree, swinging it like a club, clipping off most of one fighters' WINGS. The pilot EJECTS just before the jet plows into the earth, bursting into a fireball. More and more fighters appear --too many-- BLASTING away at the Giant. He veers toward a high cliff--and JUMPS--- --INTO THE SEA UNDERWATER - CONTINUOUS Imagine a five story building smashing into the sea and you might conjure the explosion of bubbles caused by the Giant... only moments before the fighters swoop the waters surface, strafing it with machine gun fire. The bullets pull-up short, impotently. The Giant feels safe. Then he looks to his hand-- Hogarth is drowning. The Giant is stuck; he can't surface because of the jets, but he can't let Hogarth drown. He reaches up with his other hand, cupping it above the waters surface, and pulls it down below, allowing Hogarth to breathe in the pocket of air. Just then-- A SUB catch the Giant in their sights. They launch torpedoes. The Giant dodges them, but they explode into the base of the cliffs not far away--causing an avalanche of rock to splash into the ocean--which the Giant has to dodge while still holding Hogarth in his pocket of air. More ships appear and they launch DEPTH CHARGES, which explode around the fleeing giant, convincing him he'd best take his chances above water. INT. AGENT'S CAR Annie stares out the window. Dean slumps in his seat. DEAN It's my fault. I should've done something... something different... ANNIE I know the feeling. DEAN I just thought the kid could use a friend. ANNIE You were right, Dean. You were right. THE CLIFFS With great difficulty, the Iron Giant climbs the rocky, crumbling cliff face one-handed as the military keeps the heat on. Finally, unable to find purchase on the cliff face, the Giant stays on a small outcropping, turning to face the onslaught. Military helicopters descend into view, shining blindingly bright spotlights on the Giant, who is now showing a lot of wear and tear. Weapons break out like hives all over the Giant's body; it's clear that the Army is about to get the worst end of the deal. CLOSE - THE GIANT'S FACE Something changes in the Giant; he WILLS the weapons to retreat back into his body, and--haltingly--they DO. INSIDE CHOPPER The pilot trains his weapons on the Giant and shouts into his radio. PILOT We have him in our sights sir! EXT. TOWN STREET Kent is rabid. KENT (to General) What're you waiting for?? FIRE!! THE CLIFF FACE The Giant turns-- but he's surrounded. It looks bad. Then... ... a low RUMBLING SOUND BEGINS... and BUILDS to a ROAR... HOGARTH What's happening...? THE GIANT (PUZZLED SOUND) Both look down; the Giant's feet begin to flame like rockets as he BLASTS OFF INTO THE NIGHT SKY! EXT. THE GIANT FLYING THROUGH THE AIR - NIGHT The Giant and HOGARTH are FLYING... kind of. They BLAST along, out of control, the Giant's arms flailing. HOGARTH Steer that way! THE GIANT (MORE PUZZLED SOUNDS) HOGARTH I don't know!! Point your arms, maybe-- like Superman! The Giant does as he's told... and they fly (more or less) in that direction. The Giant grins. HOGARTH OK! Now land! (Giant looks blank) Uh... drop your arms! The Giant lowers his arms to his sides... and the ROCKETS SPUTTER out. The two PLUMMET to the ground. KA-THUMP! EXT. THE WOODS - DAY HOGARTH and the Giant, dazed from their "landing", collect their wits. And here come the spotter planes. EXT. CLIFF - DAY Hogarth and the Giant stand together, and watch the Army close in. HOGARTH It's no good. There's too many of them. We'll never get away. He sits down in despair. The Giant sits down too. HOGARTH They're going to take you away, Giant. There's nothing we can do. For a long moment they sit in silence. Finally the Giant speaks. GIANT Rock. HOGARTH (looks up) Huh? GIANT Roooock. Treeee... Hogarth smiles. HOGARTH Yeah. Remember when I taught you that? GIANT Churrrrch. Skoooo saauuugz. HOGARTH (laughs) That was a great night, too. GIANT (quietly) Faa-grrrr... HOGARTH Yeah... GIANT Deeer. HOGARTH (tearfully) I know. We've been through a lot together, haven't we? He puts his hand in the Giant's hand. HOGARTH (cont'd) I'm going to miss you so much. SUBMARINE PERISCOPE POV Through a long periscope lens, as the sub rounds the point, we see the cliff and the Giant come into view. INT. SUBMARINE The first mate looks up from the periscope-- FIRST MATE I've got a visual on the monster, sir! CAPTAIN Do we have a clear shot? FIRST MATE Not yet, sir. CAPTAIN Get closer! Don't surface until the last minute! INT. NAVAL CRUISER - BRIDGE - SAME TIME SPOTTER Monster sighted off the port bow! CAPTAIN We'll only get one shot!! Full speed ahead! UNDERWATER - THE BAY - CONTINUOUS The sub begins to RISE to the surface, unaware that the cruiser is speeding toward the same position. The cruiser SWERVES to avoid collision, but it's too late; the cruiser CLIPS the submarine aft, causing a fatal BREACH that splits the sub. INSIDE THE SUB CHAOS! The ocean RUSHES IN, as electricity ARCS up the severed wiring of the sub's MISSLE SYSTEM. It FIRES--!! EXT. ROCKWELL - MAIN STREET - CONTINUOUS THREE POLARIS MISSILES break the water surface, one of which sports a large GASH in its side, its circuitry sparking; clearly malfunctioning. Their second stage rockets fire, causing several clusters of townsfolk to turn to watch, mouths agape, as the missiles climb up into the night sky. EXT. CLIFF - DAY Hogarth and the Giant watch the missiles streak into the sky. HOGARTH What's happening-- ? Hogarth looks out at the sea. On the decks of one of the warships, he can see people panicking. HOGARTH There must be some mistake. He looks up at the sky again. A look of fear comes over him. He begins to pace. HOGARTH Oh no... oh no... In his voice is a note of desperation we've never heard before. The Giant seems to notice. He looks at Hogarth puzzled, trying to understand. Hogarth points at the sky. HOGARTH The missiles. Missiles! They're nuclear. Nu-cle-ar. When they come down... He mimes a missile coming down and exploding. HOGARTH (cont'd) Death... The Giant reacts. Hogarth gestures at the town around him. HOGARTH ...everything... The Giant looks at the sky, then at the town, and after a moment, back at Hogarth. He picks up two leaves, one green and one brown. He gives Hogarth the green leaf, keeping the brown one for himself. HOGARTH What? What do you mean? I don't understand! The Giant looks at Hogarth, gently touching the side of his face with a massive finger. And with that, the Giant blasts off into the sky. Hogarth looks at his leaf again, and a look of dawning comprehension comes over him EXT. SPACE - UPPER ATMOSPHERE OVER EASTERN U.S. COAST The Giant BLASTS ALONG at full power to catch up. His radar tracking, the giant spots the missiles. Suddenly TWO of the missles' rockets fire, sending them off toward separate targets on the earth's surface... ...while the DAMAGED MISSLE just FIZZLES, and slowly starts to drop straight down toward Maine far below. INT. AGENT'S CAR Annie and Dean look out the back window. ANNIE What is it? DEAN Polaris missile, I think. ANNIE Shouldn't we get to a shelter? DEAN It wouldn't matter. They look at each for a long, silent beat. Then he reaches out and takes her hand. EXT. ROCKWELL A deathly HUSH has fallen over all assembled. Kent, looking ASHEN, starts slowly backing toward the jeep, and escape. Without turning around, the General barks loudly at Kent. GENERAL This is your party, Mansley. Don't even think about leaving early. Lieutenant?? The Lieutenant pulls his sidearm and levels it at Kent. Kent WINCES, caught. EXT. SPACE - UPPER ATMOSPHERE The Giant takes off after the first missile. He concentrates, and the panel on his arm opens up, revealing the now familiar weapon. He FIRES at the distant glare of the missile rockets ... igniting the warhead on the second shot. There is a blinding FLASH, followed by a shockwave, but the Giant remains intact. He doubles back in pursuit of the second missle. Sighting it, he FIRES --and MISSES repeatedly, losing valuable time as he moves closer and closer to the missile. Finally he hits it. It EXPLODES too near him, pummeling him, throwing him back. The Giant recovers and tries to shoot the remaining missile. EXT. CLIFF Several jeeps pull up beside Hogarth who is staring at the sky. The General and a group of soldiers jump out. Kent, flanked by soldiers with pistols on him, sits silently in the back of the jeep. The Captain scoops up Hogarth in his arms and stares at the sky as well. IN SPACE - ABOVE THE ATLANTIC OCEAN The Giant spots the third missile arcing down toward Maine and his beloved Rockwell. He CUTS IN HIS AFTERBURNERS, zooms toward it. The giant catches up to the third missile, but his weapons are CHARRED, unable to fire. There's only one option left... WITH THE GIANT The ROAR of his engines fades into silence as a look of peace falls over his iron face. He wraps his arms around the nose of the missile, closing his eyes... ...and slams his fist into the tip of the bomb-- FROM EARTH The blackness of the night sky goes brilliant WHITE. EXT. ROCKWELL - NIGHT Lining the streets, the town people see the brilliant white sky darken, turn back into night... as one, the crowd CHEERS. EXT. OUTER SPACE OVER ASIA - NIGHT Pieces of the giant rain all over the Eastern Hemisphere, in a spectacular display. EXT. CLIFF The General gets the word over his headset: GENERAL He did it! The soldiers cheer. The General approaches Kent, still flanked by military officers. GENERAL As you for you, Mansley. You're under arrest... "and all that that implies". Kent visably WITHERS. HOGARTH But... the giant... The General looks at Hogarth with great sadness... and shakes his head. Hogarth hides his face and SOBS. The CHEERS TRAIL OFF, as the soldiers, realize the great sacrifice that the big metal monster has made for them... and mankind. The General looks at his men. GENERAL Let's go home. The General carries Hogarth to the Jeep. Hogarth stares at the GREEN LEAF in his hand. We CLOSE ON on the leaf and... MATCH CUT TO: THE SAME LEAF It is now brown. We pull out to reveal that we're in... HOGARTH'S BEDROOM Where the leaf sits on Hogarth's bookshelf beside the picture of his father. We pan out the window to Rockwell itself. It's springtime. And everything old is new again. EXT. ROCKWELL STREETS - DAY Dean and Annie walk hand in hand with Hogarth alongside. Everyone smiles and waves. All three are now celebrities, and even Dean seems well-liked and respected. The busybodies spot the trio, and whisper to each other. MYRTLE Why, don't they make a lovely family! Dean and Annie exchange a smile. This time Hogarth smiles and nods, too. Then something on the ground catches his eye: A scorched piece of iron. Hogarth picks it up, examines it, a bittersweet expression on his face. Hogarth carefully puts the piece in his pocket, and looks up into the sky.... EXT. NORTHERN INDIA - NIGHT A lonely kid from India, SASHI, a tinkerer, sits in his room working on an electronics project. It's a poor but well-kept home. Out a window, a METEOR plows into their field: KABOOM! THE METEOR CRATER Ropes lead down into the crater; PULL BACK TO REVEAL Sashi has an elephant pulling out the meteor. SASHI Pull! The elephant strains, pulls: it's the head of the Giant. The boy leaps into the air, shouting, overjoyed. INT. A "BARN" IN INDIA - EVENING In an India-version of Hogarth's barn, Sashi cleans the giant head. But it looks dead. INDIA MOTHER Shashi! Dinner! SHASI Coming! Sashi walks out... then CRACKLE! Lights flicker in the Giant's eyes... and the eyes light up. The Giant looks around, comes to his senses, sees his predicament... and the antenna rises up out of his head. ANGLES: ALL OVER THE WORLD --giant parts, wherever they've fallen, suddenly snap to attention. Several NUTS and BOLTS dig themselves up out of sand. The pieces start hopping away. Part of a FINGER surfaces in the sea and WORMS toward shore. A sign by an ocean liner reads "India". Several parts sneak up the gangplank. INT. HOGARTH'S ROOM - NIGHT Hogarth is awakened by a RATTLING SOUND. He looks to see the scorched PIECE OF IRON on his dresser as it drops to the floor and starts moving toward his window. Hogarth BEAMS... ...and opens his window to release it. MUSIC SOARS as the boy watches the piece of metal GO, his mind swimming with new possibilities. ABOVE THE PLANET The Giant's scorched HAND orbits listlessly. Suddenly it WAKENS... and slowly turns away from us. Burning as it hits the atmosphere, the hand reaches toward earth... FADE EVERYTHING TO BLACK... except the tiny flaming dot... THE END