Ken Russell's Dracula (14 page)

The cacophony reaches a crescendo
just as Dracula’s teeth are about to make contact with his latest victim. Then
Renfield is being pulled back by FOUR ORDERLIES as Doberman Pinchers tear at
his limbs and DR. SEWARD and VAN HELSING wrestle Quincey from his grasp.
Thwarted, Dracula’s smile turns to a sneer of hatred and then to one of triumph
as Quincey empties a colt revolver harmlessly into his levitating body. A
moment later, Dracula is drawn into the whirling incandescent dust until, with
a mighty beating of oily black wings, he flies forth through the shattered,
gaping windows into the darkening night, like a creature from Dante’s Inferno.
All faces watch his triumphant flight in complete awe.

INT. SANATORIUM. DR.
SEWARD’S DRAWING ROOM. NIGHT.

While VAN HELSING studies a pile of
tomes from London, DR. SEWARD paces restlessly up and down under a heavy burden
of guilt. QUINCEY is slumped in a chair near the fire sipping a brandy, his
hatred for Dracula bowing only to his grief for Lucy.

DR. SEWARD

... of course I am

responsible, if Renfield

had been adequately

supervised ...

VAN HELSING

(
interrupting
)

Those iron bars were

adequate enough for ten

madmen!

DR. SEWARD

I have two deaths on my

hands, Professor.

VAN HELSING

They were victims of occult

powers, not medical

negligence. Don’t reproach

yourself.

But Quincey is reluctant to believe
that Lucy was associated with the creature in the chapel in any way.

QUINCEY

How can you be certain

Lucy didn’t die from natural

causes? We all know she was

a sick lady ...

VAN HELSING

Because the wound on her

throat was deeper than

before, and the skin more

bruised.

DR. SEWARD

And despite the transfusion,

her death was caused by a

massive loss of blood.

VAN HELSING

Of which there is no sign.

Still, Quincey is reluctant to
accept the idea.

QUINCEY

And nobody saw anything

strange at all?

DR. SEWARD

Except for a brief period

when there were no visitors

or callers, Nurse Danvers

was with her the whole time.

VAN HELSING

My theory is Renfield

admitted him.

DR. SEWARD

He says not.

Van Helsing brushes his objection
aside.

VAN HELSING

All the signs point to it.

DR. SEWARD

But Renfield didn’t break

out until this afternoon.

VAN HELSING

The cell has a window –

our vampire can adopt any shape or
substance he desires; he is the highest form of Nosferatu.

Both men look at him quizzically.

VAN HELSING

The Undead. Cursed with

immortality they cannot die

but must go on from age to

age seeking new victims;

for all that die from the

bite of the Undead become

themselves Undead and must

drink of human blood

forever.

DR. SEWARD

(
interrupting
)

What we saw was a mass

hallucination. Vampires

are creatures of folklore

and superstition.

VAN HELSING

(
exploding
)

Superstition is the name we

scientists give to matters

beyond the limitations of

our factual minds. Unless

you can prove it by science

you do not accept the proof

of your own eyes. What

greater scientific argument

for death than six bullets

fired into a human body?

Poof! When science fails we

must turn to superstition

or, as I prefer to call it,

tradition. And tradition

knew vampires in old Greece,

ancient Rome, also the

Balkans where the peoples

fear him to this day. They

know the vampire lives on,

and cannot die by mere

passage of time.

Fired by the Professor’s rhetoric,
Quincey adopts a more positive attitude.

QUINCEY

Okay, Professor, so how

do we kill this vampire –

by tradition?

Van Helsing is delighted he has a
convert.

VAN HELSING

Tradition says that if your

Bullet had been sacred he

would be dead evermore.

A wooden stake hammered

through the heart and the

severing of the head will

also turn the Undead into

true dead.

QUINCEY

So what’s our first move,

Professor?

VAN HELSING

We must first sterilize the

poisoned earth in each of

his boxes wherein he can

rest in safety in the hours

of daylight. Then he can

have no refuge from dawn to

sunset when he is most weak,

for like all evil things,

his power ceases at the

coming of day. Only his

earth can save him.

QUINCEY

But why does he need so

much, Professor? There’s

enough dirt there for a

whole swarm of vampires.

VAN HELSING

His empire he plans to

spread wide. Soon to every

corner of the realm he will

despatch his caskets of

earth so he may rest in

safety in the day and prey

on his victims at night

until the Undead will run

amok throughout the kingdom.

QUINCEY

When we exterminate rats

we burn the critters out.

VAN HELSING

To purge evil with fire

is not enough. With prayers

and holy water it must also

be driven out of the very

ashes hissing like a dying

serpent.

DR. SEWARD who has been listening
with scepticism begins to catch the enthusiasm of the others.

DR. SEWARD

We’ve paraffin in plenty

And there’s holy water in

the chapel.

VAN HELSING

Our plan must be accomplished before
sunrise;

now make a go of it!

QUINCEY

(
quietly
)

Before we start, I’d like

to pay my last respects to

Lucy.

Lucy’s death has done nothing to
draw the ex-rivals closer together and it is only after a moment’s hesitation
that Dr. Seward nods in acquiescence and leads the way from the room.

INT. MORGUE. NIGHT.

White tiles, caged lights and
marble slabs on one of which lies the GARDENER’S BOY. LUCY is stretched out on
another surrounded by THREE MEN - lost in their private thoughts until the
ringing of a telephone calls Dr. Seward to a darkened corner.

DR. SEWARD

(
brusquely
)

Hello, Seward speaking.

MINA’S VOICE

Hello, Doctor, this is

Mina Murray.

DR. SEWARD

(
frowning
)

Oh, hello, er look, I’m

Terribly pressed for time,

can I call you back

tomorrow?

MINA’S VOICE

(
desperately
)

Oh, Doctor, please! I must

see you! It’s urgent!

My fiancé Jonathan Harker

has some important

information for you.

It might prove vital in

your treatment of Lucy.

DR. SEWARD wants the conversation,
which is becoming increasingly awkward, over and done with.

DR. SEWARD

Look, I have to leave now

on an urgent call. I may

not be back until dawn.

MINA’S VOICE

(
urgently
)

Then we’ll wait up for you,

please.

Seeing the battle is lost, Dr.
Seward submits gracefully.

DR. SEWARD

Of course! I shall have a

room set aside for you.

And now if you have a pencil

I will give you directions.

As he prepares to do so we return
to the TWO MEN contemplating the beautiful corpse.

QUINCEY

She looks so innocent

Professor, so pure.

VAN HELSING

And by the grace of God

she will remain so ...

He reverently touches the crucifix
hanging round Lucy’s neck.

VAN HELSING

... so long as this crucifix

hangs about her neck she

will never be Nosferatu.

And she will be buried thus

in a sealed coffin.

QUINCEY

(
doubtfully
)

That little trinket is

enough to keep her soul

at peace?

VAN HELSING

(
nodding
)

It places her beyond the

reach of all evil.

QUINCEY

Even from our friend?

VAN HELSING

He may not enter anywhere

Unless someone of the

household bids him come.

QUINCEY

How about Renfield, couldn’t

He do the inviting?

VAN HELSING

Renfield is in a padded cell

Deep in the cellars. In a

strait-jacket.

The sound of the bell as Dr. Seward
rings off acts as a signal for the night’s work to begin. Quincey tenderly
kisses the dead sweetheart on the forehead then hurries after his friends. The
light is extinguished, the door closes.