The Man in the
Black Top Hat
A Screenplay by
Jamie Shaw
Copyright (c) 2010 This screenplay may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the author
INT: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OFFICE
NIGHT
There are three computers lined up against a very large window. The night sky is clear and there are stars everywhere. The odd radio wave flies by and noise is heard from the many planes out in the sky. After a few moments a man walks in through a door to the right with a plastic cup of coffee. He sits back down on the computer to the left and flips a switch. A radar screen pops up. He then places his headphones over his ears and speaks into a microphone.
TOM
Red One, I’ve got an unidentified aircraft in your area can you please confirm?
There is a long pause.
TOM
Air traffic to Red One do you copy?
He waits again.
TOM
Air traffic to Red One do you copy?
After another pause he wheels himself in his chair to the other computer and picks up the phone.
TOM
Dave, I’ve got an unidentified object on my radar IN Red One’s flight path but they’re not responding, can you come down here?
He puts down the phone and wheels back to his computer looking at the radar screen.
TOM
Red One, do you copy?
Tom brings up a wider map on the screen and looks for other aircraft in the area.
TOM
Green Seventeen, do you have a visual on Red One?
G17
Air traffic, I’ll check it out.
There is a pause.
G17
We have a visual, air traffic.
TOME
What’s their status?
G17
They’re moving slowly…cant see the pilot.
TOM
Can you get any closer?
G17
I’ll attempt.
There is a long pause.
TOM
Red One, do you copy?
G17
I have a visual on the pilot, looks alive and well.
TOM
Can you try and communicate.
There is a pause.
G17
Red One is not responding.
TOM
Must have a problem with their radio, can you try…
G17
He disappeared!
TOM
What? Can you repeat?
G17
Air traffic, Red One just vanished!
TOM
Has he crashed!
Dave comes in and strides over to the computer that Tom is sitting on.
DAVE
What’s happened?
TOM
We found Red One but G seventeen says he just disappeared.
Dave puts on the headphone gear.
DAVE
Green Seventeen, do you copy?
G17
Dave?
DAVE
Yeah, look. Can you explain what you saw?
G17
We had a clear visual on R1 and its pilot but I had to check my altitude and when I turned back he was gone.
DAVE
What’s the state of the object?
TOM
It’s about one hundred yards behind green seventeen.
DAVE
Ok, we have an unidentified object on our radar and its about one hundred yards behind you, can you turn around and try and attempt a visual?
G17
Ok, I’ll try, what a few seconds.
There is a pause as they wait.
DAVE
Have you turned?
G17
Yes.
DAVE
And?
G17
I can see it…its amazing.
TOM
What is it?
G17
Its, it’s a box, a big rusty metal box. There are pinhole widows. There is no light except for the front and bottom.
TOM
Oh my God.
DAVE
Any engine noise?
G17
Buzzing…like a bee…it’s beautiful.
TOM
This is too much.
DAVE
Hang tight, Tom, hang tight.
TOM
Oh, man.
DAVE
G17, do you want to file a report on this event?
There is no answer.
DAVE
G17, do you copy?
A pause.
DAVE
G17, do you copy?
They wait. On the radar screen the three objects disappear off the radar.
EXT: SUBURBAN STREET
DAY
It is one month later.
A police car pulls over at a house on the left side of the street and a policeman gets out of the car and walks towards the house.
INT: MAIN HALL
DAY
The door bell rings and a little girl answers the door.
POLICEMAN
Hello, what’s your name?
HALEY
Haley, what’s you name?
POLICEMAN
My name is Hawkins, Policeman Hawkins. Is your mother home?
HALEY
Yes
POLICEMAN
Can you get her for me?
HALEY
You have to say please.
PLICEMAN
Please, will you go and get your mother for me?
HALEY
Mum!
Haley walks away and a woman walks through one of the doors to the right.
POLICEMAN
Mrs. Ramsey?
CATHARINE
Catherine, its Catharine.
POLICEMAN
Hawkins, we haven’t met but you met the chief.
They shake hands
CATHARINE
Have you found him?
POLICEMAN
You might want to sit down.
CATHARINE
Oh my God.
POLICEMAN
Oh, no, no, no. It’s not as bad as that.
They walk into one of the other rooms.
INT: LIVIG ROOM
DAY
Catharine and the policeman enter.
CATHARINE
Please, sit down.
POLICEMAN
Thank you.
He sits down.
CATHARINE
Would you like a drink or something to eat?
POICEMAN
Oh, no, no thank you.
Catharine sits down on chair opposite.
POLICEMAN
Well you’ll be glad to know that we have found your husband’s truck.
Catharine looks slightly unchanged by the news.
POLICEMAN
I’m guessing that is not the news you’ve been waiting to hear.
CATHARINE
Have you found anything that could help you?
POLICEMAN
Well the thing that struck us when we first found it was that it looked brand new like it had just been made in a factory. All the fuel, oil and water gages were dry and the engine had just been applied.
CATHARINE
And what does that tell you?
POLICEMAN
Well the theory is that if he has been kidnapped or taken then obviously the abductors believe that he will use it again. This gives us hope that you will see him again.
Catharine smiles.
CATHARINE
That’s good, that has made things a little better, it gives us hope.
POLICEMAN
Good.
EXT: RURAL ROAD
NIGHT
It is during the night and all is quiet. The suddenly there is a huge flash of white light but with no sound. When the light disappears a naked man is lying face down on the ground unconscious. He lies there for a few moments until he wakes up with a jolt and a scream. He attempts to lift himself off the ground but feels a numbing pain near the bottom of his back and he cannot get up. He lies there for a while in pain and shock until a car comes speeding towards him on the road. The person inside sees him lying there and stops beside him. He rolls down the window to get a better look.
MAN
Hey, are you alright.
INT: MAIN HALL
NIGHT
The door is knocked loudly and Catharine goes to the door and opens it. Outside waiting for her is Hawkins.
CATHARINE
Hawkins, what are you doing…
POLICEMAN
We’ve found him.
INT: HOSPITAL CORRIDOR
NGHT
Catharine, who is holding Haley, is walking up the corridor with the doctor.
CATHARINE
Is he ok?
DOCTOR
He’s fine, he just needs to rest and clear his head for a while here.
CATHARINE
Can you tell what happened?
DOCTOR
There is one thing that puzzles us.
CATHARINE
What?
DOCTOR
When we where examining his body we noticed on his lower back he has an inscription.
The doctor takes out a few bits of paper and hands them to Catharine. She looks at the pictures of his lower back and sees that there is a red triangle with a circle in the middle of it.
CATHARINE
Well that proves someone kidnapped him.
DOCTOR
Actually no.
CATHARINE
What do you mean?
DOCTOR
Our studies show that these marking where made by a high power laser. One that in today’s world we do not have.
INT: HOSPITAL PRIVATE ROOM
NIGHT
Catharine and Haley enter. Haley runs to the bed.
HALEY
Daddy!
Adam is lying in bed awake. He looks very weak and tired.
ADAM
Hey, how are you?
HALEY
Are you ok, Dad? You seem tired.
ADAM
I am, I really am.
Adam looks up at Catharine who is standing looking at him in awe.
ADAM
Hi.
Catharine breaks into tears as she realizes what has just happened.
ADAM
What are you crying about?
CATHARINE
I though I lost you, you’ve been gone so long.
ADAM
What are you talking about…I haven’t gone anywhere.
Catharine stops crying and Haley stares at Adam in a strange way.
ADAM
What?
CATHARINE
Adam…you’ve been missing a month.
ADAM
Oh my God.
CATHARINE
But its ok…you’re home now.
Adam takes a breath and lies there silently.
INT: DOCTOR’S OFFICE
DAY
It is one week later.
The doctor is sitting at his desk working on some forms when his intercom rings.
INTERCOM
A Professor Derek Abraham to see you, doctor.
DOCTOR
Good, send him in will you.
He stacks his papers and puts them in a shelf behind him. At that point a man in a long brown coat walks in. The doctor then sees him and gets up to greet him.
DOCTOR
Ah, Derek, is it?
DEREK
Yes, I am and you are Dr. Lawrence.
DOCTOR
Yes, come in sit down. Would you like a drink?
DEREK
No thank you. To be honest I would rather get down to business.
DOCTOR
Of course.
DEREK
Now, when the man finally woke up did he recall any experiences during his disappearance?
DOCTOR
He says he can’t remember a thing, the only point he can remember was leaving his house and then he woke up here.
DEREK
Did he show any physical anomalies?
DOCTOR
They’re where a few scratches, bruises but on his lower back he exhibited a strange mark.
DEREK
What was it?
The doctor hands him a sheet of paper and Derek takes a look.
DEREK
Oh, my.
DOCTOR
Yes, strange isn’t it.
Derek puts the paper down.
DEREK
Is it still there?
DOCTOR
Yes.
DEREK
What was it made with?
DOCTOR
It’s a very high power laser, something that we have never seen before.
DEREK
I would like to see him.
INT: HOSPITLA PRIVATE ROOM
DAY
Catharine is sitting beside Adam’s bed reading a book while Adam sleeps. After a few moments there is a knock on the door. Catharine puts her book down.
CATHARINE
Come in.
The doctor and Derek enter with the doctor in front. When they enter Catharine walks up to them.
CATHARINE
Hello, doctor.
DOCTOR
Hello Catharine. How are you today?
CATHARINE
Fine, thank you.
DOCTOR
How’s Adam.
CATHARINE
He’s slept all day today.
DOCTOR
Good, that’s what he needs. Catharine, I would like you to meet Professor Derek Abraham, he’s a hypnotic therapist.
They shake hands.
DEREK
Hello Catharine.
CATHARINE
Hello Professor.
DEREK
Please, call me Derek.
CATHARINE
Are you here to help my husband, Derek?
DEREK
If I can I will, repressed memories can be hard to retrieve, especially in cases like your husband’s.
CATHARINE
Would you like to speak with him?
DEREK
If he wouldn’t mind.
Catharine walks over to the bed and wakes Adam up.
CATHARINE
Adam, can you wake up, there’s someone who needs to see you.
Adam farts and groans. The doctor and Derek look at each other in an awkward way
CATHARINE
He’s always doing that, Adam, come on get up.
ADAM
What is it?
He sits up slowly on the bed AND Derek walks over to meet him.
DEREK
Hello, Adam. My name is Derek Abraham.
They shake hands.
ADAM
Hey, what’s up?
Derek sits in the chair.
DEREK
I’m a hypnotic therapist. I’m here to find out what happened to you.
ADAM
That would be great if you could, I don’t remember a thing from leaving the house a month ago.
DEREK
Well with the best of luck we will be able to find out.
ADAM
Can we start today?
Derek looks at the doctor.
EXT: OUTSIDE HOSAPITAL
DAY
There is a film crew outside the hospital with a reporter talking.
REPORTER
Breaking news today. Adam Ramsey has been found alive and well but the final question is what happened to Adam one month ago.
Behind the reporter, Derek, Catharine, the doctor, Hawkins and Adam in a wheelchair walk out the doors and down the ramp. The reporter notices them and runs over to them.
REPORTER
Excuse me…
DOCTOR
Adam is not available for questions at the moment.
They try to move foreword but the reporter moves in front of them.
REPORTER
Can we get a statement from any of you.
DEREK
No, get…
Catharine jumps ahead of Derek.
CATHARINE
I do.
REPORTER
Yes.
The reporter puts the microphone towards Catharine.
CATHARINE
I want to here from anyone who may have seen Adam on the night he disappeared. If you have anything to report please call the local police department and talk to Mr. Hawkins, here. We need answers!
REPORTER
Thank you…
DEREK
We have to move on.
The group begins to move again.
INT: DEREK’S OFFICE
DAY
Adam is lying down on a sofa with his eyes closed with Derek siting beside him. The doctor and Catharine are sitting on chairs behind him. After a few moments Derek presses play on a tape recorder.
DEREK
Alright Adam…Imagine you are at the end of a long corridor. And at the end of this corridor there is a door. Behind this door lies all your repressed memories of the night that you disappeared. Now, I want you to slowly start to walk down this long corridor and as you get closer to the door I want you to get faster until you are running at it. And when you get there I want you to beat the door down. Can you do that?