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9 War - Riverboat Justice 

INT. ZIGLER'S OFFICE - DAY 

Zigler is going over figures in a ledger. Adrian arrives, stands in the doorway and watches Zigler. After a moment, Zigler notices Adrian and looks at him with a puzzled expression.

ZIGLER 
Who are you?
ADRIAN 
You predicted my death.
ZIGLER 
Are you one of Caliano's men?
ADRIAN 
I'm the one they were supposed to kill. 
Adrian walks in, showing he is unharmed.
ZIGLER 
The guy on the motorcycle. My God, 
what are you doing here? You'll bring 
Caliano on us like the plague.
ADRIAN 
It's time to stop playing games. I want 
your help to stop Caliano.
Zigler drops his pen on the desk, looks sour, and gets up.
ZIGLER 
Who is playing games?
ADRIAN 
You are. You want out of Caliano's 
reach, but you are still playing his game.
ZIGLER 
I don't have a choice.
Lora enters.
ZIGLER 
Did you bring him here?
LORA 
No. No way. What are you doing here? 
ADRIAN 
I'm giving Zigler an option.
ZIGLER 
You're playing with fire.
ADRIAN 
How would you say your business is 
doing? 
ZIGLER 
Not good.
ADRIAN 
Would you say it's going down the 
tubes? 
ZIGLER 
Close. You've done that to us. Happy? 
ADRIAN 
I want you to call Caliano and tell him 
the business is going down the tubes. 
There isn't enough business to launder 
his money. 
Zigler laughs. 
ZIGLER 
You're insane. Caliano will have me 
killed and run the business himself.
ADRIAN 
Caliano doesn't have the time or 
manpower. I'll make sure he stays too busy.
ZIGLER 
I have a wife and kids.
ADRIAN 
A wife and kids who live under threat 
that Caliano will kill them. I can keep 
them safe.
ZIGLER 
Who's going to keep me safe?
ADRIAN 
Look, Zigler. Caliano took away your 
choice to lead a good, decent life. I'm 
giving the choice back to you. Do you 
choose to kowtow to Caliano and 
continue living a life of crime and maybe 
get killed or go to jail? Or do you break 
free from this? 
Adrian picks up the telephone receiver and holds it out to Zigler. Zigler looks at it, but makes no move toward it.
ADRIAN 
What kind of man are you, Zigler?
Zigler goes back and forth emotionally for a moment, first reaching for the phone, then hesitating, and finally taking it. He begins to shake, sits down and wipes his brow. He dials the phone, then hangs up, getting nauseated. He looks up at Adrian and Lora, who are looking at him expectantly. He picks the up receiver and dials.
JULIO (V.O.) 
Hello.
ZIGLER 
This is Zigler. I have a message for 
Caliano. 
Adrian shakes his head no. 
ZIGLER 
Er... No. I need to talk to him directly. 
JULIO 
One moment.
Beat. 
CALIANO (V.O.) 
What do you want, Zigler? And it had 
better be good news because I'm looking 
to wring some idiot's neck with my bare 
hands.
ZIGLER 
It's about the business... We're... going 
under.
CALIANO (V.O.) 
(Angrily) 
Not now, Zigler, hang in there. If you 
lose a few bucks, we'll make it up later.
ZIGLER 
Uh... well... not this time.
CALIANO (V.O.) 
What are you saying?
ZIGLER 
The business is gone. We can't do it 
anymore.
CALIANO (V.O.) 
Cut the crap, Zigler, you just keep 
supplying. You want me to send two men 
down there to help you stand up, you 
weak ass wimp? 
Zigler turns angry. 
ZIGLER 
Now you listen to me, you slimy little 
leach. I said the business is done. That 
means finished. You and I are finished. 
I've had all I can take of your miserable 
business and your threats and... and ... 
I'm closing the doors. We're through, 
understand, through!
CALIANO (V.O.) 
Why you...
Zigler slams down the phone. 
ZIGLER 
Come on, let's get the doors closed and 
get out of here before he can send his 
goons.
ADRIAN 
Let's get your wife and kids out now. 
Lora, you come, too. And your roommate.
Zigler pauses just a moment, gaze fixed on Adrian. He smiles broadly and extends his hand, and they shake hands.
ZIGLER 
Thanks.
INT. CALIANO BEDROOM - NIGHT 

Adrian is tickling Caliano's feet, trying to wake him up. Caliano puts his feet under the cover and turns on his side. Adrian gets behind him and tickles his nose, but keeps out of view. Finally Caliano turns over and is staring straight at Adrian. He sits bolt upright in bed.

CALIANO 
What do you want?
ADRIAN 
The man you smashed with a semi. I 
want you to bring him back to life.
CALIANO 
I suppose you're here for revenge.
ADRIAN 
I'm here to help you finalize your plans 
for leaving St. Louis.
CALIANO 
What are you this time, a mirror image? 
Where's the smoke?
ADRIAN 
Maybe I've filled the house with bombs. 
Maybe I've rigged your car to explode. 
Who knows what I might do for... 
revenge.
CALIANO 
(Angrily) 
What do you want?
ADRIAN 
I want you to close up your organization 
and get out of town.
Caliano reaches for the gun in his night-stand. He aims and pulls the trigger, but it isn't loaded. Adrian pulls the bed blanket over Caliano, who begins to yell for help. Adrian puts a pillow over his head and holds it there with his knee, then picks Caliano's socks from the floor, removes the pillow, and when Caliano opens his mouth to yell, he stuffs the socks into his mouth. He then wraps the blanket firmly around Caliano, takes some ties he has previously laid out and ties the blanket around him in several locations. He pulls Caliano's feet from the blanket, ties a sheet around them, pulls Caliano to the balcony, ties the sheet to the balcony rail, and lowers Caliano over the side, leaving him hanging there upside down like a moth cocoon. He takes a plastic bag from his pocket. It is full of FIRE ANTS. He opens it and dumps it into the blanket.
ADRIAN 
Sweet dreams. 
INT. CALIANO'S DRAWING ROOM - DAY 

Caliano is swollen all over. He pours himself a drink. Julio and Joey are watching. He downs the first shot, then calmly pours a drink for each of them. He smiles and hands each a drink.

CALIANO 
This.... is.... it. This is war. I'm going to 
get him if it's the last thing I do. 
I'm bringing in an army. 
EXT. CALIANO ESTATE - DAY 

ADRIAN watches through binoculars as cars and motorcycles enter the estate. Through the gate are visible several cars, a large number of men, seventeen motorcycles and Caliano. As three more motorcycles enter, Adrian smiles. He starts the turbine engine and moves quietly down the street, riding close to the estate wall to avoid being seen. At the gate he pauses long enough to throw in some smoke bombs and wave.

CALIANO 
That's him! Get that guy!
The gate area has filled with smoke. Five motorcycles start toward the gate, and four men jump into two cars and go toward the gate. As the motorcycles go through the gate and exit the smoke, they see the front end of a truck coming straight at them. The motorcycles turn sharply away, lose control and wreck with each other. The first car exits the smoke, sees the truck, and slams on it's brakes while cutting to one side. The second car rear ends the first, blocking the gate. The men from the car and motorcycles leave their vehicles and find the truck is only a stand-up poster with a picture of a truck. Caliano rushes out and sees the poster. He kicks it over. 
CALIANO 
Idiots! A whole army of idiots! If you 
were cats you'd catch pictures of mice!
INT. LORA'S APARTMENT IN HIDING - DAY 

Lora is sitting at a table playing cards. 

PHONE RINGS.

LORA 
Hello.
JULIO (V.O.) 
We have your mother. You want her 
free, bring us the motorcycle guy.
Lora hangs up the phone looking very distressed.

INT. NELSON'S LIVING ROOM - DAY 

Adrian and Dino are seated.

DINO 
It's kidnapping. They went across state 
lines - we can get the FBI involved.
ADRIAN 
These guys aren't amateurs. They might 
kill her and dump the body where it can't 
be found. There is no way to trace it to 
them.
DINO 
There has to be an alternative.
ADRIAN 
The only thing they're going to settle for 
is me.
DINO 
That's what I tried to tell you it would 
come to when you started this war.
ADRIAN 
I have to find a way to escape.
DINO 
So you escape! They kidnap someone 
else and it goes on and on. 
ADRIAN 
No, we have to make them think I am 
dead. Then they get the final blow.
DINO 
Give it up. You can't possibly make the 
Mafia leave St. Louis.
ADRIAN 
Sure I can. Do you remember that slow 
oxygen releasing agent you invented for 
safe fuel?
DINO 
The one that can't blow up on impact? 
Sure.
ADRIAN 
It will keep a rabbit alive for four hours 
with no air, won't it?
DINO 
Yes, fully lab tested. Can't hurt human 
beings or the environment.
ADRIAN 
I'm going to inject myself with some.
DINO 
You're insane! You want to blow up like 
a balloon? 
INT. NELSON'S GARAGE - DAY 

Adrian and Dino are looking at items on the bench. 

ADRIAN 
How long will this keep me unconscious? 
DINO 
It won't! If you are unconscious, it has a 
time release stimulant that will wake you 
up after two hours. If you're not dead!
ADRIAN 
That should be long enough. They will 
either throw me in a car trunk, or dump 
me in the river with chains on.
DINO 
As soon as you're awake, you have less 
than a minute to start breathing again. If 
you don't, you lose consciousness - YOU 
WILL DIE.
ADRIAN 
How long will the muscle relaxants 
work? 
DINO 
An hour. Suppresses your pulse and 
everything. After that you come right 
back. 
   I can't believe you found a doctor who 
would get you this stuff.
ADRIAN 
Anesthesiologist. He works for the CIA. 
DINO 
Caliano could.... drown you while you're 
not breathing.
ADRIAN 
People don't die from water, they die 
from lack of air. 
DINO 
What if Caliano blows your brains out, or 
pours you a cement casket?
ADRIAN 
Then Lora has her mother back and the 
locator transmitter will lead you to my 
grave - and that should convict Caliano 
of murder.
DINO 
You're a lunatic! 
ADRIAN 
The injection didn't kill me.
DINO 
Neither does jumping off a cliff. It's the 
sudden stop.
EXT. CORNER NEAR CALIANO ESTATE - DAY 

A car pulls off the road onto the shoulder, carrying Adrian, Dino, and Lora. Caliano's limo drives out of the estate and pulls off at the same location. Caliano gets out, then Julio exits with LORA'S MOTHER at his side. Adrian and Lora get out. Lora kisses him. 

SHOT: BORDEN WATCHING FROM THE WOODS

LORA 
(Softly) 
Bye.... for now. Good luck.
Adrian walks toward Caliano. When he reaches the front of the limo, Julio points a gun at him and releases Lora's Mother. As she walks to Lora, Julio puts Adrian in the car and sits beside him, keeping the gun on him. Caliano gets in the limo and it pulls away.

INT. CALIANO'S LIMO - DAY 

Caliano turns around to face Adrian and opens the security window. 

CALIANO 
I win.
ADRIAN 
Sorry, I wasn't entered in the most 
terrible person contest. Everyone knew 
who would win that one.
CALIANO 
I'm going to enjoy killing you. It's going 
to be a slow painful death.
INT. CALIANO'S HOUSE - DAY 

Julio enters the house, holding a gun to Adrian's head. Caliano follows.

CALIANO 
Put him in cold storage and guard the 
door. I want to have a little dinner before 
we have our evening's entertainment.
Julio ushers Adrian into the basement. Caliano follows. Julio puts Adrian in a small room with a cot, no windows and no exits. He closes the door and locks it, then sits on a chair beside the door. Caliano checks the door. Satisfied, he leaves. 
DISSOLVE 
Julio is reading a magazine. He hears a sound from inside the small room and listens. 

WATER RUNNING ONTO A FLOOR.

JULIO 
(Yells) 
Boss! Mr. Caliano! Get down here 
quick, something is going on.
Caliano noisily comes down the stairs into the room. Julio stands back and points a gun at the door. Caliano stands to the side of the door then quickly swings it open. Adrian has hanged himself with his belt. 
CALIANO 
It's probably a trick.
Caliano looks at the floor where urine has pooled. He sniffs and makes a face.
CALIANO 
He really did hang himself.
JULIO 
Must have been all that talk about a 
slow painful death.
CALIANO 
I'm going to check his pulse. You keep 
that gun on him. 
Caliano checks for a pulse at Adrian's wrist. He shakes his head. He steps back and takes the gun from Julio.
CALIANO 
You son of a bitch!
Caliano fires six shots at Adrian's chest.
JULIO 
Hey, Mr. Caliano, how come there isn't 
any blood?
CALIANO 
Dead men don't bleed. Their heart isn't 
pumping. Cut him down. 
JULIO 
What do you want me to do with the 
body? He doesn't have a car trunk - he rides a 
motorcycle.
CALIANO 
Use the boat. Take him down the 
Mississippi, throw him in. Chain two 
cement blocks to his hands and two to 
his feet. Use locks so there's no chance 
of them coming off. It's dark now, so get 
going.
EXT. RIVER - NIGHT 

Julio and Joey are in a boat. They shove Adrian's body over the side. 

JULIO 
Glad to see that pest go.
JOEY 
He didn't know how close he came to 
pushing Mr. Caliano over the edge. I've 
never seen him so frazzled.
EXT. RIVER, UNDERWATER - NIGHT 

Adrian reaches into his waste band for a lock pick. He undoes the lock on his wrists then undoes the lock on his feet and propels himself toward the surface. When he reaches the surface he turns on his back and breathes fresh air with the sound of Julio's retreating boat in the background.

INT. CALIANO'S DRAWING ROOM - DAY 

Caliano is sitting and reading a newspaper. Julio enters.

JULIO 
You wanted to see me, Mr. Caliano?
CALIANO 
Yes, you handled things very well last 
night. 
   Go out and tell that Army they can 
leave, then come back and we'll share a 
drink.
PHONE RINGS. 
Julio answers the phone. 
JULIO 
Hello.
ADRIAN (V.O.) 
Is Caliano in?
JULIO 
I'm an associate. Can I help you?
ADRIAN (V.O.) 
Just tell him it's a man about a 
motorcycle. 
JOEY 
(Pushes mute) 
Mr. Caliano, you had better take this. 
He says it's about a motorcycle.
Caliano comes to the phone.
CALIANO 
I don't want to hear anything about 
motorcycles. What do you want?
ADRIAN 
It's me. Just thought you would like to 
know I enjoyed my bath in the 
Mississippi. I'll be by later today to pay 
my respects. 
   Catch me if you can.
CALIANO 
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
EXT. CALIANO ESTATE - DAY 

Adrian speeds past the gate, going by quickly on the grass near the wall so they can't shoot at him. On the next pass, he tosses tear-gas in the gate. They follow in order, twelve motorcycles then two cars, then a limo with Caliano. 

Adrian drops several tear-gas bombs in the street for them to drive through. The drivers can hardly see for their tears. At an intersection, one car pulls in front of an intersecting car and collides. The driver gets out, tears streaming down his face. The driver of the other car gets out, looks and him:

DRIVER 2 
Don't take it so hard. It was just a 
minor accident.
The road leads up through a less populated area, onto a blacktop road that goes into a canyon. Four of the cyclists, with fast bikes, try to catch Adrian, but he stays ahead of them, using the turbine as a booster. He swings off the road and up a hillside. He zooms over the top, and the four follow. When Adrian lands, he turns sharply. The other three aren't prepared for a sharp turn and go straight ahead, over a thirty foot drop, landing in a mangled heap. The fourth has lagged far enough behind to see the other's fate and turns in time. Adrian rides across a culvert on a twelve inch sewer pipe that goes across. The fourth cycle falls off and the guy doesn't get up. 

From his lofty perch, Adrian surveys the group on the road below and waves. One of the group fires a rifle at him. He follows the path forward and returns to the highway about an eighth of a mile ahead of them. They see him and pursue. 

One motorcyclist pulls a sawed off shotgun into position. He aims and Adrian moves just as he fires. Adrian brakes sharply and gets behind the guy, then rams him with his cycle. The guy slows; Adrian slows; the guy tries to aim behind himself, but Adrian swerves from side to side, coming near enough to hit the guy's cycle. The guy finally moves too sharply, moves the handlebars, and loses control, sliding along a cement retaining wall that rips his clothes off. 

The blacktop ends at a highway. Adrian rides straight down the center of the highway, obstructing the view. Ahead is a cement road divider curb. One of the motorcycles is getting close to Adrian and is intent on catching him. At the last moment, Adrian swerves to avoid the curb. The other cycle hasn't seen it, hits the curb, loses control and wrecks. 

A metal barrier comes up, dividing the highway. At a break in the barrier, Adrian crosses over like in a slalom, but the next cycle can't change that quickly and hits the end of the barrier. Three cycles continue to pursue on Adrian's side, and four on the other. They chase Adrian at high speed, gaining on him. Speedometer says 115 MPH, then 120. Adrian is about to kick in the turbine when they all see two semis coming up the hill, side by side, taking both lanes. Adrian sees an overpass coming, with cement supports in the middle, and followed by a ditch running downhill. But as they approach, the ditch is invisible. Adrian rides toward the center supports, kicks on the turbine for boost, and at the far end of the cement support platform he jumps off the end and over the ditch. Two of the cycles try and fail, wrecking in the ditch. The other is slowed to a stop, comes back, and crosses. 

Adrian takes a side road that says closed. The five cycles, car and limo follow. He crosses a bridge over a dry creek bed with barricades at each end saying closed, cautiously selecting a path across broken cement. One cycle's wheel drops through and he is thrown over his handlebars. 

After crossing, Adrian turns into the dry creek bed and the four cycles, car and limo follow, but the autos fall behind looking for a place to enter, then go slowly to negotiate the obstacles. 

Adrian races ahead and one cycle tries to keep up. Around a curve, Adrian suddenly stops and reverses direction, the other cycle swerves to avoid a head on. Adrian rounds the curve again just before the other two cycles hit it from the other direction. The cycle following him hits the curve at the same moment as the other two from the opposite direction, wrecking all three cycles. A fourth cycle has lagged behind, and three more previously wrecked cycles catch up. Adrian disappears again around the curve and signals Dino on the hillside above. As the four pursue, the Shadow Hawk swoops down and gases them in the stream bed. 

Adrian exits the creek bed, out onto the valley floor. The four motorcycles don't pursue, but continue down the creek bed and finally slow to a stop. The drivers get off and begin retching. Adrian waits a distance away while car 1 and the limo find places to get out of the creek bed. Car 1 spots him and moves slowly toward him, then turns a side toward him. Two rifles, long range with scopes, come out the window and fire at him. The poster falls over. 

Julio, Car 1 driver, looks around and sees three more motorcycles with Adrian riding.

JULIO 
(Tense) 
Which one is he?
Adrian races out of a blind from Julio's rear and passes him. Shots are fired and miss. Car 1 follows. A man leans out the window with the rifle and scope, but Adrian is riding zig- zag and the ride on the open terrain is very bumpy. The man falls out, but Julio continues. The limo stays put, watching for an opportunity. 

The creek bed has disappeared as Adrian travels away from it. Adrian is heading for a small rise a quarter of a mile away. He allows car 1 to get within several feet of him, letting them try to ram him. As he nears the rise, he teases them closer, then gives a sudden burst of speed. Car 1 gives the same burst to catch him. The men inside the car see the lines of a hidden creek bank and begin to yell at Julio to look out, but it is too late. Julio swerves the car and brakes hard. Adrian bursts over the rise and jumps the creek. The car fails to turn and rolls sideways into the creek bed, smashing against the opposite creek bank. The Shadow Hawk swoops down and gases it. 

The limo begins to move cautiously forward, looking to see what has happened. Adrian's motorcycle appears ahead of them from out of the creek bed. 

CUT TO: 
INT. LIMO - DAY 

Caliano is sitting rear passenger side, holding a rifle. Another man with a rifle is sitting in the rear driver side and another with a rifle is in the front passenger. Joey is driving. 

CALIANO 
Damn fools. 
Caliano speaks into a transceiver. 
CALIANO 
Have you found my location?
VOICE (V.O.) 
We're on the road just beyond the bridge.
CALIANO 
Move in! Kill him - I don't want a piece 
of his body left.
Another dozen motorcycles begin coming toward the bridge. Dino pushes a remote control button and brush melts away from six police cars located near the entrance, visible to the riders.
POLICE BULL HORN (V.O.) 

This is the police. Get off your 
motorcycles and lay down your weapons.

The motorcycle riders immediately turn tale and race back down the road. A volley of shots - remote control guns - fire as they leave. Caliano pushes the intercom button. 
CALIANO 
Good! I'm going to rip his heart out with 
my bare hands. 
  Don't chase him. Get us in a position 
where we can get clear shots at him.
The limo moves slowly toward Adrian. When it gets within firing range, Adrian disappears behind a blind. The limo stops. After a moment, Adrian is seen several hundred feet to the right of the limo. Shots are fired from two passenger windows. The prop falls over. 
CALIANO 
Why doesn't he stop playing games.
Another motorcycle appears to the left of the limo. They disregard it, then it begins moving. It moves forward at an intersecting angle and the limo moves forward. After a moment, the limo is following along behind Adrian. Both vehicles are moving slowly. The man in the front passenger side leans out the window and aims the rifle at Adrian. About the time he gets the crosshairs lined up, the limo disappears into the ground. The limo has crossed a camouflage net stretched over a pit. 

Before the men can crawl out of the car windows, Adrian has returned and pulls a canopy over the pit. He lays several sheets of plywood over that, then lays several four by fours over that for tracks, then Dino drives a pickup truck on top of it to hold it in place. 

EXT. VALLEY - DAY 
Adrian returns. He walks to the truck and opens the door. As he climbs into the seat, he sees Borden pointing a gun at him through the passenger window. 
BORDEN 
I've been watching you. Tricky. Very 
deceptive person.
Adrian bows his head in recognition. 
BORDEN 
Get out. Slowly. Make a fast move and 
I'll shoot.
   Adrian exits the truck. They meet at the 
front of the truck. 
ADRIAN 
Revenge?
Borden nods and smiles. 
ADRIAN 
Can we talk about this? Apologize?
Borden shakes his head, still smiling.
BORDEN 
I told you, I never fail a mission.
ADRIAN 
Admirable trait.
Borden points to the hole in the ground.
                   BORDEN 

You do nice work. Admirable trait.

Borden holds his handgun in his left hand. He moves forward so that he is inches from Adrian, holding the gun against his temple while looking him steady in the eyes. 
BORDEN 
But you drug me through the water. 

(Beat) 

Bang, you're dead.

He punches him in the gut and Adrian doubles over. Then he walks away to a motorcycle lying in the grass. Borden salutes with his gun.

Borden rides off. Adrian removes the canopy, leaving an opening big enough for a man to squeeze through. 

ADRIAN 
Take off your clothes and push your 
guns and clothes through the opening. 
Several sets of clothes and guns are thrown out. Adrian kicks them out of the way. 
ADRIAN 
Now get on the limo hood and climb out 
of there - except for Caliano.
As their arms appear above ground, he chains them together, has them lay on the ground, wearing briefs, and puts chains on their legs.
ADRIAN 
Head for town.
When the men are out of sight, Adrian lets Caliano out.
ADRIAN 
Caliano, come out of there.
Caliano climbs out, in briefs, but as his foot nears the top of the opening, he reaches for a gun from a holster he has suspended from his foot. As he bends to get it, Adrian kicks him back down into the hole. Caliano fires several times through the hole and through the plywood, hitting nothing. Adrian drops a tear-gas bomb into the hole and Caliano comes out, gun first, trying to see Adrian and fire at him. Adrian kicks the gun out of his hand, grabs him by the hair and assists him out. Caliano is limping on one leg. He swings at Adrian, but doesn't connect. Adrian just laughs. Caliano sees the rifles and clothes and tries to maneuver toward them. Adrian smiles.
ADRIAN 
Go for it. 
Caliano can see he is no match for Adrian. 
CALIANO 
So you have me. Now what? Are you 
going to kill me, finally?
ADRIAN 
Worse.
CALIANO 
You're going to torture me.
ADRIAN 
Worse. I'm going to let you live. 
Defeated. Pathetic. No respect from 
your organization. No value to anyone. 
CALIANO 
I built this organization. I can do it again.
ADRIAN 
Think about this on the way back to 
town. Every time you see a man on a 
motorcycle, you're going to wonder if 
that man is me. You're going to 
remember just how vulnerable you are. 
I'll cost you more money than you can 
ever make and I'm never going to leave 
you alone.
SHOT FOLLOWS Anthony as he walks back toward town, throwing fits as he walks, hurting himself. 

FADE OUT

If you enjoyed reading this story, or didn't, please tell the author Primary Contact.
Magic tricks explained

First magic act trick: After Marlin pulls the scarlet curtain around Heckler, Heckler steps out the back of it and erects a curtain the same color (black) as the curtains behind them using pieces from the frame and curtain. The new curtain forms a semicircle, hiding Heckler from the audience. He moves it back toward the curtain at the rear. The curtain has a slit at the front with overlapping edges, and the rear side of the curtain edges are coated with silver luminescent paint with wavy lines through it. Fluorescent lights strobe the act, reflecting off fluorescent spots and lines in the stage and triangular curtains, disrupting clear vision. As Marlin reaches inside the curtain, the luminescent surface shows and gives the seam an ethereal appearance. As Heckler is pulled through the slit, he appears to come through a shimmering opening from nowhere.

Second magic trick: Marlin actually removes few of his clothes. He removes his shoes and socks, rolls up a sleeve and pant leg, and pulls his shirt off his arm and shoulder. After showing a portion of himself from around the barrier, he immediately reclothes himself. The clothes that are thrown out are in the a hidden compartment in the bottom of the partition, whose thickness is disguised by the thick supporting legs. The bra is put on prior to the act.

Other distribution restrictions: None

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