TO:
56 INT. HEROT - MEAD HALL - SUNSET
56
Beowulf clambers onto a table. He raises the goblet highâ¦
BEOWULF
When we crossed the rolling sea to come to you, we knew, my men and I, that we would either triumph over evil, or we should perish in Grendelâs grasp. Tonight, here in this very hall, we shall live forever in greatness and courage, or, forgotten and despised, we shall die!
WIGLAF
(sotto voce)
Well that pretty much covers all our options, doesnât it?
CUT TO:
57 EXT. THE SEA - SUNSET
57
The red ball of the sun falls in the Western sea, and goes out, with an almost imperceptibly green flash. It is now night.
CUT TO:
58 INT. HEROT - MEAD HALL - NIGHT
58
And now, Hrothgar leans back in his throne. He yawns, ostentatiously.
HROTHGAR
Well, this old man needs his sleep. Shall we pound the pillow?
He claps his hand, and the four thanes lift his throne and carry it, and him, out of the room. Wealthow follows, and looks back at Beowulf.
UNFERTH
Good night, Beowulf. Watch out for sea monsters. Iâm sure your imagination must be teeming with them.
BEOWULF
I will. Watch out for brothers.
CUT TO:
59 EXT. HEROT - NIGHT
59
The sun set half an hour ago. Hondshew and the plum girl are arguing outside the mead hall, in the shadows. While the conversation is going on, DANES are SLIPPING OUT OF THE HALL and going to their homes, looking about nervouslyâ¦
HONDSHEW
Oh, go on.
YRSA
I said no
HONDSHEW
Oh go on, pleaseâ¦
YRSA
I said no and I meant no
HONDSHEW
Why not?
YRSA
Because itâs too late . Sorry.
HONDSHEW
I could transport you to paradise, Take you to ecstasy and back with my magic spear. No other man will be able to satisfy you again.
YRSA
I donât think so.
HONDSHEW
Well how about a quick blowjob?
CUT TO:
60 INT. HEROT - MEAD HALL - NIGHT
60
Beowulf and his men are sitting around a table, drinking, SINGING and generally having a party.
Â
PULL BACK TO REVEAL: No one else there.
Â
Itâs just Beowulf and his men. Hondshew comes back in. The thanes HOOT AND JEER him:
THANES
Oy, Hondshew. Did you get any? How was she?
HONDSHEW
Nah. Not my type.
The rest of the thanes laugh at him.
OLAF
Yeah? Whatâs your type? A sheep that runs slow enough for you to catch her? Baaa!
Hondshew throws himself at Olaf, and they roll around on the floor, fighting -- or mock fighting, anyway. The otherthanes are laughing, cheering for Olaf or for Hondshew, chanting.
THANES
(chanting in unison, two teams)
Hondshew! Hondshew! Hondshew! Olaf! Olaf! Olaf!
CUT TO:
61 INT. THE GREAT CAVE - GRENDELâS LAIR - NIGHT
61
Long shot. The mouth of the cave. We can hear, Grendel-style, the CHANTING of âOlafâ and âHondshewâ, but we can only see the mouth of the cave. We are waiting for something to happen, and thenâ¦
Â
Grendel SCREAMS. Itâs a scream that tears at our hearts and guts, a noise as animal as it is human.
DISSOLVE TO:
62 INT. HEROT - MEAD HALL - NIGHT
62
The fight between Olaf and Hondshew is pretty much over. We hear, from a distance, GRENDEL SCREAMING. The men stop what theyâre doing and look around.
WIGLAF
What was that?
BEOWULF
A wolf. Or an owl.
OLAF
Maybe it wasâ¦Grendelâ¦
(then he laughs to show us he was only joking)
Someone cuffs him in the head. Beowulf stands up and walks across the hall, to the fire. Then, almost like a strip-tease, with the firelight behind him, he begins to take off his clothes, starting with his wolf-bear fur cloak.
WIGLAF
My lord Beowulfâ¦What are you doing?
BEOWULF
(continuing to undress, taking off his armor)
When Grendel comes, we will fight as equals. The creature has no sword, no (more)
BEOWULF (CONTâD)
armor, no boots. I shall fight him on equal terms. Fate shall decide.
WIGLAF
Oh.
BEOWULF
Wake me when the monster comes.
He lies down on the floor, his head pillowed by his rolled-up clothes.
WIGLAF
(repeating to himself -- not
56 INT. HEROT - MEAD HALL - SUNSET
56
Beowulf clambers onto a table. He raises the goblet highâ¦
BEOWULF
When we crossed the rolling sea to come to you, we knew, my men and I, that we would either triumph over evil, or we should perish in Grendelâs grasp. Tonight, here in this very hall, we shall live forever in greatness and courage, or, forgotten and despised, we shall die!
WIGLAF
(sotto voce)
Well that pretty much covers all our options, doesnât it?
CUT TO:
57 EXT. THE SEA - SUNSET
57
The red ball of the sun falls in the Western sea, and goes out, with an almost imperceptibly green flash. It is now night.
CUT TO:
58 INT. HEROT - MEAD HALL - NIGHT
58
And now, Hrothgar leans back in his throne. He yawns, ostentatiously.
HROTHGAR
Well, this old man needs his sleep. Shall we pound the pillow?
He claps his hand, and the four thanes lift his throne and carry it, and him, out of the room. Wealthow follows, and looks back at Beowulf.
UNFERTH
Good night, Beowulf. Watch out for sea monsters. Iâm sure your imagination must be teeming with them.
BEOWULF
I will. Watch out for brothers.
CUT TO:
59 EXT. HEROT - NIGHT
59
The sun set half an hour ago. Hondshew and the plum girl are arguing outside the mead hall, in the shadows. While the conversation is going on, DANES are SLIPPING OUT OF THE HALL and going to their homes, looking about nervouslyâ¦
HONDSHEW
Oh, go on.
YRSA
I said no
HONDSHEW
Oh go on, pleaseâ¦
YRSA
I said no and I meant no
HONDSHEW
Why not?
YRSA
Because itâs too late . Sorry.
HONDSHEW
I could transport you to paradise, Take you to ecstasy and back with my magic spear. No other man will be able to satisfy you again.
YRSA
I donât think so.
HONDSHEW
Well how about a quick blowjob?
CUT TO:
60 INT. HEROT - MEAD HALL - NIGHT
60
Beowulf and his men are sitting around a table, drinking, SINGING and generally having a party.
Â
PULL BACK TO REVEAL: No one else there.
Â
Itâs just Beowulf and his men. Hondshew comes back in. The thanes HOOT AND JEER him:
THANES
Oy, Hondshew. Did you get any? How was she?
HONDSHEW
Nah. Not my type.
The rest of the thanes laugh at him.
OLAF
Yeah? Whatâs your type? A sheep that runs slow enough for you to catch her? Baaa!
Hondshew throws himself at Olaf, and they roll around on the floor, fighting -- or mock fighting, anyway. The otherthanes are laughing, cheering for Olaf or for Hondshew, chanting.
THANES
(chanting in unison, two teams)
Hondshew! Hondshew! Hondshew! Olaf! Olaf! Olaf!
CUT TO:
61 INT. THE GREAT CAVE - GRENDELâS LAIR - NIGHT
61
Long shot. The mouth of the cave. We can hear, Grendel-style, the CHANTING of âOlafâ and âHondshewâ, but we can only see the mouth of the cave. We are waiting for something to happen, and thenâ¦
Â
Grendel SCREAMS. Itâs a scream that tears at our hearts and guts, a noise as animal as it is human.
DISSOLVE TO:
62 INT. HEROT - MEAD HALL - NIGHT
62
The fight between Olaf and Hondshew is pretty much over. We hear, from a distance, GRENDEL SCREAMING. The men stop what theyâre doing and look around.
WIGLAF
What was that?
BEOWULF
A wolf. Or an owl.
OLAF
Maybe it wasâ¦Grendelâ¦
(then he laughs to show us he was only joking)
Someone cuffs him in the head. Beowulf stands up and walks across the hall, to the fire. Then, almost like a strip-tease, with the firelight behind him, he begins to take off his clothes, starting with his wolf-bear fur cloak.
WIGLAF
My lord Beowulfâ¦What are you doing?
BEOWULF
(continuing to undress, taking off his armor)
When Grendel comes, we will fight as equals. The creature has no sword, no (more)
BEOWULF (CONTâD)
armor, no boots. I shall fight him on equal terms. Fate shall decide.
WIGLAF
Oh.
BEOWULF
Wake me when the monster comes.
He lies down on the floor, his head pillowed by his rolled-up clothes.
WIGLAF
(repeating to himself -- not
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