'Temple Of Ruins' Shooting Script

Here is the Temple of Ruins scene as it appears in the film's shooting script. All that differs from this and the scene that it becomes in the film are lengthy pieces of dialogue, the witch's final execution and the location which became the castle.

164 EXT. TEMPLE RUINS - LONG SHOT - NIGHT 164

A massive grouping of freestanding rectangular stones, each twenty feet tall. The remains of an ancient temple. In the center of the ruins there burns a roaring bonfire. As old Woman stirs a cauldron atop the flames. Nearby, Arthur converses with his four Lieutenants.

165 EXT. WITHIN THE RUINS - NIGHT 165

CLOSE UP - ASH

opens his mouth to allow a spoonful of food to enter. No sooner has he swallowed then a piece of fruit is offered. He waves it away with a satisfied burp and turns to drink from a goblet on wine, brought to his lips by a female hand.

166 ASH AND SHEILA 166

sits across the flames from Arthur and his men. She bandages Ash's wounds.

167 SHEILA 167

dresses in a revealing tunic. She looks good.

SHEILA
I pray thee to forgive me. I believed thee one of Henry's men.

She touches Ash's hand. Ash turns away.

ASH
First you wanta kill me, now ya wanna kiss me.

He spits out a mouthful of grape seeds.

ASH
Lady, just leave me alone.

SHEILA
I'm sorry m'lord. Please understand... T'is a cruel time for us. The Wisemen say you are the promised one. Our only hope against the darkness that has descended on this land.

ASH
They're mistaken.

She stares deeply into his eyes.

SHEILA
I think not. I feel that there is reason for your being here.It is no accident.

166 WISEMAN JOHN AND TWO OTHER CLOAKED WISEMEN 167

approach. They sit in tall stone chairs across the fire from Ash.

ASH
Well what is it? Can you send me back or not?

WISEMAN JOHN
Only the Necronomicon has the power. A power which we both require. It contains passages that can dispel the Evil from this place and return you to your time.

ASH
The Necronomicon. Yeah, that's the thing that got me here.

WISEMAN JOHN
It is in a place far from here. It can only be retrieved by the Promised one. Other Warriors have tried. Their widows grieve still. We have waited long years for you. Our only hope is the Necronomicon. Thou must undertake to quest for it. Alone must thou travel to a distant cemetery. There thou shalt find it.

ASH
Me? No way, no day. Only place I'm goin' is home.

A sudden gust of wind whips up the flames of the fire.

169 DOGS 169

around the fire begin to snarl and fight.

170 ASH AND SHEILA 170

turn to see...

171 THE OLD WOMAN 171

now standing too close to the fire. Her robes ignites. She does not respond as flames sweep up her body. She continues to stir the caldron

172 ASH 172

His jaw drops. He slowly stands as...

173 THE BURNING WOMAN 173

spins sharply to him. Her voice changes as she SHRIEKS;

POSSESSED WOMAN
YOU SHALL DIE!

Her eyes are bone white. She is POSSESSED by the dark spirit.Her burning body is violently jerked about in the air by invisible hands. Her blackened lips pull back in a wild animal snarl.

With two voices at once;

POSSESSED WOMAN
YOU SHALL NEVER WIN THE NECRONOMICON. WE SHALL FEAST UPON YOUR SOUL, AND THEN THE SOUL OF MAN!

174 THE POSSESSED WOMAN 174

collapses. Her face turned away from the Wisemen as it lays in the dust.

175 CLOSE ON POSSESSED WOMAN'S FACE - GROUND LEVEL CAMERA 175

Unseen by all, her bone white eyes flare open! A nasty grin forms on her face as she lies in the dust. Behind her, the Wisemen approach

176 WISEMAN JOHN 176

kneels and reaches for her.

177 ASH'S HAND 177

clutches Wiseman John, not allowing him to touch her.

ASH
It's a trick. Get an axe.

178 THE POSSESSED WOMAN 178

awakens from her false slumber with a terrible BARK. In a frenzy she hurls WISEMAN JOHN into the bonfire. He SCREAMS and rolls in the dust, extinguishing the flames.

179 PAPER MACHE STONE ARCHWAY 179

With her great strength, the Possessed Woman pushes upon one of the giant stone archways. It topples over, crushing two warriors beneath it.

180 A GIGANTIC STONE 180

topples the next stone.BOOM! Which topples the next, which sets off a chain reaction. BOOM! BOOM!Like giant dominoes, they fall.

181 ASH 181

watches the spectacle in horror as he sees...

182 ANGLE ON 182

The gigantic falling stones coming right at SHEILA!

183 THE FALLING STONE'S P.O.V. - SHEILA 183

She SCREAMS!

184 SHEILA'S P.O.V. - THE FALLING STONES 184

coming toward CAMERA. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

185 ASH 185

does a flying leap and tackles SHEILA, knocking her out of the stone's deadly path.

186 ASH AND SHEILA 186

rolls across the dusty stone courtyard.

87 CLOSE SHOT - ASH 187

rolls into frame and glances up to see...

188 THE POSSESSED AND BURNING WOMAN 188\

rushing through the air at him with a SHRIEK!

189 WIDE SHOT - THE POSSESSED AND BURNING WOMAN 189

attaches onto Ash like an iron trap, knocking them both to the ground.

190 ASH 190

rolls the Possessed Woman over, and into the path of...

191 ANGLE ON 191

The falling, gigantic domino-like stones. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

192 EXT. WITHIN THE TEMPLE RUINS - PAPER MACHE STONE 192

THE POSSESSES WOMAN SHRIEKS in agony as... SMASH! The multi-ton stone crushes her legs to paste. Her legs are pinned but still she battles on, clutching Ash about his throat!

193 ASH 193

gasps for breath as he reaches behind him, into the flames of the fire, his fingers groping for a weapon.

194 ED WOMAN - STOP MOTION ANIMATION 194

Her blackened lips pull back and her mouth opens to an impossibly large size, like a snake about to eat an egg.

195 ASH 195

grasps a flaming log with his bare hands and rams it down the monster's oversized throat. She chokes.

196 GOLD TOOTH AND THREE OTHER WARRIORS 196

grab the beast and pulls it off of Ash. Arthur comes to meet them. He carries a double-bladed battle axe.

197 THE POSSESSED WOMAN 197

vomits out the flaming log, taking off a man's head.

POSSESSED WOMAN
The Evil lives. Slay me and ten will rise to take my place. All will die. ALL WILL -

CHOP!

198 IN SILHOUETTE, THE AXE 198

is brought down upon her throat. The possessed body flails and spasm beneath the Warrior's grip.

199 THE HEAD 199

rolls, and comes to a halt at Ash's feet. It's eyes pop open!

POSSESSED WOMAN'S HEAD
---DIE!

200 ARTHUR 200

grabs the laughing head and tosses it into the darkness. The head sails away as the laughter receded.

WISEMAN JOHN
Now. Will thou quest for the Necronomicon?

201 CLOSE ON ASH 201

He considers.}