At this point in my Second Battle, I have just completed Part 1: Surgical removal of the tumor, recovery from surgery, and evaluation and planning for Part 2: Chemotherapy and Radiation. So, this would be as good a time as any to review --- through the cinematic device of the MONTAGE! For this project I would want Quentin Tarentino as my director --- I like his style, extreme close ups, use of black and white, choice of music.
NOTE: this post is 'interactive' - click the links to enhance your experience!
NOTE: THERE IS SOME SPICY LANGUAGE IN THIS POST
Here is the script....
ACT 1: THE PROBLEM
NOTE: This film would be shot in fast-motion, kind of like 'Thirty Second Bunny Theatre' (if you don't know what this is, google it... the films are quite funny.)
ESTABLISHING SHOT: fade up to the exterior of a bathroom door, a man behind the door making those all too comforting noises that we all make (think Robin Williams in 'Fisher-King').
MIRROR IN THE BATHROOM
SCENE 1: close up of man buckling up trousers. He turns looks back at the toilet.
SCENE 2: close up of man's face, eyebrow raised quizzically.
SCENE 3 & 4: repeat SCENE 1 & 2 using different doors/stalls.
SCENE 5: close up of man looking up phone number of Doctor in phonebook.
SCENE 6: close up of hand dialing phone
SCENE 7: close up of mouth talking on phone
MAN: "Doctor, I have a problem." [spoken with Apollo 13 intonations - hey, Maybe TOM HANKS could play the man?]
DOCTOR: "Well, I can see you in....."
SCENE 8: close up of hand turning calendar pages
DOCTOR: ".... three weeks."
SCENE 9: close up of furrowed forehead/eyes
MAN: "What the hell? I'm bleeding out my ass and I have to wait three weeks..."
SCENE 10: close up of clock spinning, passing time/calendar pages flipping by.
SCENE 11: high speed footage through the windshield of a car driving to and arriving at a Dr.s Office.
SCENE 12: close up of man signing in on a clipboard, handing over ID and Insurance card.
SCENE 13: close up of frustrated face
SCENE 14: close up of spinning hands on clock, or wrist watch
SCENE 15: medium shot (no face) of doctor (person with stethoscope over the neck), flips through charts.
DOCTOR: "Hmmm...you need tests to see what is going on."
MAN: [under his breath] "Duh, I coulda figured that one out."
I DON'T NEED NO DOCTOR
SCENES 16 thru 19 [repeat SCENES 11- 14 using a different medical destination.]
SCENE 20: close up of man changing from street clothes into hospital gown.
SCENE 21: shot of man laying on hospital gurney.
NURSE ENTERS: "Hello, we will be with you in a moment."
SCENE 22: close up of spinning hands on clock, or wrist watch
SCENE 23: close up of frustrated face
-FADE TO BLACK-
< Go get a cup of coffee and come back for the second part!!! >
ACT 2: THE ANALYSIS
-FADE UP FROM BLACK-
SCENE 1: high speed footage through the windshield of a car driving to and arriving at a Dr.s Office.
SCENE 2: close up of man signing in on a clipboard, handing over ID and Insurance card.
SCENE 3: close up of frustrated face
SCENE 4: close up of spinning hands on clock, or wrist watch
SCENE 5: medium shot (no face) of doctor (person with stethoscope over the neck), flips through charts.
SCENE 6: [flash footage of various panic faces, people screaming, wetting their pants]
MAN: "What the fuck?"
MAN: "What the hell did I DO to get THAT?"
DOCTOR: [close up of more chart flipping] "Hmmm... I don't know. It seems to be genetic."
SCENE 7: [insert video clip from Zombieland, 'It's amazing how fast the world can go from bad to total shit storm."]
DOCTOR: [more chart flipping] "Well, the tumor has to come out. We need to schedule the surgery."
MAN: [close up of big sigh] "O.K., when?"
SCENE 1: close up of man's hands packing a suitcase.DOCTOR: [more chart flipping] "Well, the tumor has to come out. We need to schedule the surgery."
MAN: [close up of big sigh] "O.K., when?"
DOCTOR: "Well, I can see you in....."
SCENE 8: close up of hand turning calendar pages
DOCTOR: "How about a month from now?"
SCENE 9: close up of furrowed forehead/eyes
MAN: "What the hell? I have CANCER and you tell me I have to wait a MONTH for surgery?"
SCENE 10: close up of doctor hands tapping a pen on a calendar date
DOCTOR: "Sorry, that is as soon as they can get you in."
SCENE 11: man walks out the door to the parking lot, leans against his car.
SCENE 12: close up of hands fumbling for and dialing a cell phone.
MAN: [with phone at his ear] "Hello, honey..... I have cancer."
-FADE TO BLACK-
ACT 3: THE OPERATION
SCENE 2: close up of man walking with suitcase, tossing it into the trunk of a vehicle.
SCENE 3: footage of highway driving, lane lines, mile markers, sings for the Cleveland Clinic
SCENE 4: close up of feet walking up to desk
SCENE 5: close up of signing in at desk
SCENE 6: close up of frustrated face
SCENE 7: close up of spinning hands on clock, or wrist watch
SCENE 8: close up of man changing from street clothes into hospital gown.
SCENE 9: shot of man laying on hospital gurney.
NURSE ENTERS: "Hello, we will be with you in a moment."
SCENE 10: close up of spinning hands on clock, or wrist watch
SCENE 11: close up of frustrated face
SCENE 12: shot up from gurney being pushed down hall, into room, doctors and nurses around
NURSE: "O.K. Mr. Lightfoot. Count backward from 10."
MAN: "Ten, Nine, Eig....
-FADE TO BLACK-
ACT 4: RECOVERY
-FADE UP FROM BLACK-
SCENE 1: opening eyes, from blurry to focus. Nurses and WIFE around bed.
WIFE: "Good, you're awake. The surgery went fine...."
WIFE: "....but they couldn't save the sphincter."
MAN: "Wh -, What? Why not?"
WIFE: "The cancer was too involved."
MAN: "Shit. Wonderful."
SCENE 2: eyes fade back into sleep.
SCENE 3: eyes open from blurry to focus. Looking at tubes coming from arms, bags hanging from IV pole, monitors beeping.
SCENE 4: clock spinning
SCENE 5: calendar flipping
SCENES 6,7,8,9,10,11: loop SCENES 3 thru 5
SCENE 12: doctor comes in and shakes the hand of MAN
DOCTOR: "Congratulations, you get to go home!"
MAN: "Really? Finally? No more delays? No more tests? Great."
SCENE 13: man changes from gown to street clothes.
SCENE 14: close up of man being pushed in wheel chair.
SCENE 15: close up of man getting into vehicle.
SCENE 16: shots of traveling down the high way.
SCENE 17: shots of Toledo sign.
SCENE 18: shots of street level driving.
SCENE 19: close up of walking into house, settling down into chair.
-FADE TO BLACK-
< Go to the restroom, refill your coffee and come back for the conclusion!!! >
ACT 5: HOUSE ARREST
SCENE 1: sun comes in window, man gets up dresses, goes downstairs.
SCENE 2: man makes a pot of coffee, goes to chair, sits down.
SCENE 3: close up of man drinking coffee, then hand pressing buttons on TV remote.
SCENE 4: man stares at TV
SCENE 5: spinning clock face / fast forward through TV show
SCENE 6: man getting up from chair, moving to another one.
SCENE 7: WIFE or KID bring man bowl of food / beverage placing them on table next to him.
SCENE 8: man stares out window
SCENE 9: man gets up from chair, moves to bathroom, closes door.
SCENE 10: man brushes teeth, goes to bed.
REPEAT SCENES 1-10 at least 4 times...playing the images faster each time
-CROSS FADE TO CALENDAR FLIPPING, then transition TO-
SCENE 11: driving to doctors office.
SCENE 12: walking in
SCENE 13: doctor walks in with chart
DOCTOR: "Well, Mr. Lightfoot, it has been nearly two months since your surgery."
SCENE 14: doctor flips/taps on charts
DOCTOR: "You seem to be healing well. So let's begin Radiation and Chemotherapy. I think you are ready."
MAN: "Thanks..... a lot."
- FADE TO BLACK -
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