Dance of the Damned (1989) Movie Script

[tense music]

[heartbeat thumping]

[upbeat music]

[people chattering]

[tense music]

[dramatic music]

[door closes]

[heels clacking]

[upbeat music]

[audience clapping]

- Okay, so I screwed up.

Give me another

chance, I'm his mother.

- [Man On Phone]

Forget it, Jodi.

- Isn't a year long

enough punishment?

- [Man] [indistinct]

too late [indistinct].

- No, it's not too late.

[man on phone

talking indistinctly]

Don't talk to me about

that court order.

It's his birthday.

God dammit.

Please put him on the phone.

[line hangs up]

[dial tone humming]

[upbeat music]

[dial tone humming]

[coins clacking]

[phone buttons beeping]

[phone line ringing]

- Jodi.

- Don't hang up.

I know I haven't been a good...

[tense music]

[Jodi talking indistinctly]

Come on!

Don't want any more money.

[man on phone

talking indistinctly]

Put your dick in a splint, man.

Can't you just put

him on this phone?

Just once, please.

Don't...

[dial tone humming]

[Jodi grunts]

[upbeat music]

[Jodi gasps]

- [Waitress] Excuse me sir, but

there's a two drink minimum.

[tense music]

- [laughs] I guess I

fucked this up too.

- This shit's gotta stop.

What do you think

we're gonna do,

step around you for

the next few hours?

Who you fooling?

Pills is chicken.

Everybody knows you just

want somebody to come around

and save you and then they

gotta save you every other week.

You wanna do it?

Don't be half-ass.

- La Donna, you're nuts.

- I'm nuts?

You're the suicide.

Come on, I know you're

not gonna use it.

Tomorrow I want this

back and I don't wanna

hear about this shit anymore.

- Oh, excuse me.

I gotta get ready, you guys.

- Who ripped out the phone?

- Now what?

- You wanna look?

- It's not coming

outta my salary.

- I can't go on again.

- Somebody will come for you.

- [Woman] Nobody's on the floor.

- Hey, that table

of dykes is mine.

- You always get the girls.

- They tip good.

Oh yeah, Jodi, Sunday,

your night to lock up.

- Can you handle it?

- What else do I gotta do?

[mysterious music]

[upbeat music]

[music stops]

[tense music]

[mysterious music]

[tense music]

[Jodi gasps]

[mysterious music]

[heartbeat thumping]

- You don't have to hurt me.

You don't even have

to rip my dress.

- It's not what I want.

- Good.

- I have money.

- I'm not a hooker.

Do you think I'd work my

butt off for 500 bucks a week

if I can make it in a night?

- I think you're lonely

and it's been a bad night.

I wanna talk to you.

I haven't talked to

anybody in a long time.

[mysterious music]

What's your name?

- Jodi.

I don't usually hide

out to meet women.

I was waiting for you to

leave, and when you didn't-

- Why me?

- Because you've been crying.

This place is warm, you're cold.

You're still here

listening to me.

- I don't go out with customers.

- I think you need a friend.

So do I.

Until dawn.

We'll talk, share

something of who we are.

- A thousand bucks?

- For the sleep

you're gonna miss.

- I don't have a

thousand dollars worth

of things to talk about.

You must be pretty lonely.

- Is that a yes?

- It means I don't give a shit.

[neon sign buzzing]

- I don't drive.

- You're kidding.

You sure you can afford this?

- Oh, I have a pass.

- Come on, I'm rich,

I'll spring for a cab.

- Bus will be here in a minute.

- Listen, you're a nice guy.

I can't take your green.

Guys that come see you

dance think you're gonna

be something, so you go out

with them and they get bored

because you turn out

to be a regular person.

Come on.

[bus rumbling]

Hey, stop!

Thanks.

[people talking indistinctly]

So what kind of business

you in, big spender?

- I've never had a guest

in my house before.

- Your house?

I never told you I was

going home with you.

- Are we supposed to go

someplace else first?

[man groaning]

- Ooh.

Spare change?

Nice outfit.

- Don't.

- He already has.

- [Man] Wanna touch my karma?

- [Jodi] You wanna

get it outta my face?

- [Man] I wanna

suck on your shoes.

- Aren't you gonna do anything?

- Hmm?

- Say yes.

- Yes.

- Just don't hit me

with your flower.

[suspenseful music]

[man groaning]

Boo.

- Stop the bus!

Stop the fucking bus!

- Where have you

been all my life?

No thanks.

Are you sure you

live around here?

Are we getting close?

I'm getting cold.

Shit.

You said you wanted

to talk, remember?

- Tell me about the

daylight, how the sun

feels on your skin.

- How would I know?

I work nights.

- I know about the nights.

- Yeah, well you

tell me about it.

- All right

Listen.

The scream of a mouse

caught in a trap.

Humans making love

with the television on.

A cat watching us from

that bush over there.

Kite is caught in the

top branch of that tree.

- Come on, you're kidding.

What tree?

- That one.

- Hey.

[Jodi laughing]

[mysterious music]

- Can't stand the

smell of cigarettes.

It's the smoke.

- What are you, a magician?

Listen, this is not gonna work.

Give me my bag.

- What did I do?

- It's just that I'm not

in the mood, all right?

Hand it over.

- This is my house.

- Yeah right.

[insects chirping]

[birds chirping]

[door opens]

[mysterious music]

[door closes]

- Would you like a drink?

- Beer?

- I have wine.

- Okay.

You really are rich.

- Long-term investments.

- Are you gay?

It's just that you really

have great taste, you know.

I don't have a problem

with it at all.

Lot of girls...

[vampire laughing]

- I'm not even human.

- So long.

Move.

- Please.

You called me.

There's a dark

space in your soul.

A little piece of death.

[glass shatters]

[mysterious music]

[Jodi gasps]

- Please!

I just wanna go!

- Tell me about your

world, and at sunrise,

I'll end your pain.

[Jodi shouts]

[gunshots banging]

[mysterious music]

[tense music]

[Jodi grunting]

- Oh god.

[dial tone humming]

[phone buttons beeping]

[phone line ringing]

- [Operator] You have

reached emergency services.

All lines are busy, please hold.

[speaking foreign language]

[dial tone humming]

[phone buttons beeping]

[phone line ringing]

- You have just

reached the residence

of La Donna Duke.

If this is Brian,

kiss my fat ass.

If this is Mom, I'll

see you Saturday.

And if this is Wally,

tell them it'll be

50 for the Polaroids,

not penny more.

[phone beeps]

[Jodi gasping]

[tense music]

[Jodi screams]

- What are you?

- You know.

[Jodi crying]

- Let me go.

I won't tell anyone.

- That's not what you want.

- What do you know about me?

- That you don't want to live.

And if I don't feed

tonight, I'll die.

Change your clothes.

[mysterious music]

[clock chiming]

Six.

- [Jodi] What?

- The dawn.

It's at six o'clock.

- Can't you take some animal?

A dog or a horse?

Why me?

- The blood of

animals is incomplete.

It lacks your spirit, your soul.

Look, I rarely

feed, and when I do,

I only take the ones

that have given up.

I want to talk about the day.

- What do you wanna know?

- How it feels.

- It doesn't feel like anything.

- The sunlight on your skin.

- Hot.

- That's not what I'm asking!

[mysterious music]

What does it look like?

- What?

- The sun.

- You can't look at

it, it's too bright.

- You're of the sun, you

felt it a thousand times.

I've never felt it!

Tell me.

- I was in Palm Springs

and the air felt thick,

and I laid out on the

grass, and it felt so hot

that I thought the

sun was hugging me.

[vampire groans]

- Go ahead.

[mysterious music]

The rain.

- It rains at night.

What do you want, rainbows?

You picked the wrong girl.

I'm like you, I sleep all day.

If I happen to get

up, it's because

the gardener's running

his goddamn blower.

- I want to hear about

something I can't see.

I want to touch it

through your words.

- Do you want me to

give you the day?

I can't.

I don't think about it.

I don't give a shit about it.

Just trying to get

through with it.

So do you do this often?

Kidnap someone?

- [Vampire] Humans are chattel.

I could take you right now.

- Six o'clock, you

said six o'clock.

You want me to talk,

I'll talk to you.

What do you wanna know?

Come on!

Ask me something I

know the answer to!

- What does it feel

like to have a friend?

- I don't have any.

[mysterious music]

I don't get close to people.

The only person I hang out

with is this girl La Donna.

She's crazy.

It's not like a real friendship.

Sometimes she's there

when I need a hug.

What do you want?

I'm afraid to die.

- There won't be any pain.

Our hearts beat.

Yours strong and mine weak,

yours fighting, beating harder,

pulling mine faster,

until for a moment,

they're synchronized.

And as your life

begins to fill mine,

you'll know peace,

while I begin to hunger

again and again, forever.

[Jodi gasps]

- Why'd you let me shoot you?

- So you could see

how hopeless it is.

[exercise bike whirring]

Look at this.

You have all these different

buttons telling you

a hundred different things,

you do all this work,

and when you're finished, you're

exactly where you started.

Quite an interesting metaphor

of your civilization.

- Stop it!

You said you chose me

because I wanted to die.

Well, you're right.

Do it.

Do it, kill me!

- Human life is a spark.

You die like insects.

Don't you see, that's your gift.

The adventure of not knowing.

The danger's what

makes it worthwhile.

Fear is what gives

your life meaning.

My life is endless.

I can't get sick.

If I'm hurt, I heal.

I mean, I'll live to

see constellations

change in the sky.

I envy your mortality.

- Are you trying

to tell me this is

the best night of my life?

- No, I'm asking you

to share with me.

- Fuck you.

- Look at this.

$1500 and I don't

know how to work it.

[Jodi shouts]

[table crashing]

- What are you gonna do?

Show me your teeth,

your claws maybe?

Fine night together.

You do Bella Lugosi

and I get terrified

and that's your idea of a date!

- Forgot to break this.

Why do you care?

- I don't even like this Barbie.

This is the new version.

I had the old one.

It wasn't wholesome

like this one.

She wore a lot of makeup.

You wanted to know

about my friends?

When I was a kid,

she was my friend.

She was tough.

No one messed with her.

I wanted to be just like her.

At least I have nipples.

[mysterious music]

Do you touch your victims?

Look at them?

Pose them?

Do you ever take a man?

That's what I thought.

[gentle music]

[mysterious music]

[clock ticking]

- What's this?

- For cleaning cassettes.

- You're lying.

I can feel the heat off your

body, catch in your voice.

- It's my son.

Okay?

- You're a mother.

- Surprised?

Couldn't you sense

my stretch marks?

He was born a couple

months after my marriage.

His father's family

is very rich,

and their lawyer told me what

a burden a child would be.

And he didn't even say,

"to someone like you."

So I listened.

They even gave me

liberal visitation.

But he wasn't mine anymore.

Then one weekend, I took him.

They found me.

And now I'm not allowed

to talk to him or see him.

- That's the way you want it.

Your voice is hollow

and your body's cool.

- What could you possibly

know of families of children?

- My mother was destroyed

when I was a child.

- You were never a child.

- I'm not supernatural.

I'm a separate species.

Not like your fiction.

I was born, not made.

The only things humans

have right is that

fire and sunlight can kill us.

We were starving.

There was this coach by

the side of the road.

Had a broken axle.

We killed more

than we should've.

Drunk on blood, we

ignored the graying sky.

Felt the dawn, but

we couldn't stop.

We couldn't make it home,

so we hid in this barn

and buried ourselves

under alfalfa.

I remember tiny

purple and red flowers

mixed in my mother's hair.

I guess someone followed us,

and they lit the barn on fire.

My mother tried to protect me.

She covered me with her body.

Her hair was on fire.

She told me to dig

into the ground.

I wanted to stay with

her, but she started

pushing me so hard

into the earth

that I thought she

was gonna crush me,

so I had to keep digging.

For a while, I could hear...

Her cries.

And then...

The darkness took her.

When I woke up, I

was suffocating.

The dirt was like cement

in my nose and my mouth.

I broke through the earth.

Nothing was there.

Just an empty field.

A hundred years had passed.

Scars on my body

didn't fade for almost

a hundred more, some never did.

You see, my people

only appreciate beauty.

They shunned me.

I sickened them.

They didn't want to be reminded

that living forever is a curse.

So I grew up living on

the edge of your society,

taking dogs, rats, your dead.

But it wasn't enough.

It was never enough.

Finally, when I did get

strong enough to hunt again,

that first taste of real blood

began to heal me in ways

the years never could.

So I grew up living

in the kind of places

where a child alone is ignored,

and if someone

disappears, nobody cares.

- That's why you

picked me, isn't it?

I'm the kind of person

no one will miss.

Got any aspirin?

- I use them to keep the

flowers alive longer.

- They're not really alive.

They're dead, they

only look alive.

Some guy wants to

go to bed with you

and he brings you a

bunch of dead things.

Never understood flowers.

Christmas trees,

butterfly collections.

So where's your coffin?

- I don't sleep in a coffin.

- You're really disappointing.

You can't turn into

smoke, be a bat.

You can't fly.

You drink and you certainly

haven't hypnotized me.

Stop staring at my legs.

[Jodi yelps]

- I wanted this to be different.

When I saw you on stage,

I thought you understood.

- Everybody thinks

I'm dancing for them.

It's an act.

[Jodi exhaling]

Surprised you couldn't

sense the lie.

I don't even remember you.

[vampire quivering]

I don't care about the

people watching me.

- Not true.

- It's their needs.

Get off on their energy flowing

inside of me, all right?

That's what you sense.

[Jodi gasps]

- You use men.

- You're hurting me.

- We're the same.

We both live off the

energy of other people,

and we can't change who we are.

- You're just mad

because you were fooled.

I didn't mean to do it.

I didn't even know

you were there.

[mysterious music]

[Jodi squeals]

- I'm sorry.

- Oh god.

[Jodi coughs]

Oh.

- Let's have a drink.

- When I was 14, my

mother's boyfriend raped me.

I told her.

Of course, he said

it never happened.

Mm.

Got anything to eat?

So the next time he

came into my room,

I nearly cut his twinkie off.

Figured that ought to

prove my point. [giggles]

Of course, he said that I

attacked him though, you know?

Anyways, then I

found myself like,

in this like really

mental funny farm

with all these way-out people.

All you had to do is turn it on.

Anyways, the whole place smelled

like dirty socks and piss.

It was really disgusting.

The guards, oh

excuse me, the aides,

they had a field day cause

I was the only thing there

under 160 pounds

and 400 years old.

No offense.

Where's the key?

Anyways, you learn

how to turn off,

function on automatic, and

cry when no one's looking.

There was this ventilation

hole in the bathroom.

I thought if I starved myself

I could squeeze on through.

It only lasted about a week.

See, I told you, I

have no willpower.

Anyways, I ended up making

a lot of copper enameling.

Still got some nice ash

trays in my apartment.

Think fast.

You got a lady vampire?

How old are you?

Let me guess.

300.

A thousand.

And you're still a virgin.

- I'm an outcast!

- You wanna hurt me again?

Come on, chicken.

Is this what you want?

- No.

The way I look is

evolutionary camouflage.

I appear to be human so

you won't believe in me.

I'm not like you.

- [Jodi] Oh god.

[smooth jazz music]

[Jodi gasping]

- You fraud.

"Evolutionary camouflage."

And watch pornos

of cows fucking.

I'm just food to you, right.

- You'll never understand the

emptiness of living forever.

[clock chiming]

- It's the first time I

missed my son's birthday.

- Today?

- Yesterday.

I blew it.

[Jodi sighs]

- No, you didn't.

- What do you mean?

- The night belongs to

the day it followed.

See?

The next day starts at

five in the morning.

Look, if you stay up

late Saturday night,

fall asleep at two

a.m., you don't say

you went to bed

early Sunday morning,

you say you went to bed

very late Saturday night.

- So what?

- So tonight's still yesterday.

It's still your son's birthday.

Put your jacket

on, I'll get mine.

- Why?

- Where does he live?

- Don't do this to me.

- No, I can give this to

you if you'll just let me.

[upbeat music]

[man talking

indistinctly on radio]

- You must be married.

Usually about this time of

night, you only get the hoes.

You partying?

I mean, want some shit?

Pretty ritzy neighborhood.

What the hell?

- Just drive.

Bulletproof.

[tense music]

[mysterious music]

- Wait.

This is it?

- Yeah.

- Come on.

- That one.

- Come here, come here.

Come here.

Hold on, hold on.

Don't let go

[mysterious music]

[Jodi laughs]

Let go of my hand.

Look, I only got two,

I need one of 'em

to open the damn window, now

let go or I'm gonna drop you,

and your son and I

can have a nice talk.

- Daniel.

It's me, Mommy.

Don't you remember?

- Mommy.

- I missed you so much.

I love you so much.

I want you to always remember

whenever you think of me.

Always know how much

I love you, okay?

Know something else?

This isn't a dream.

- Mommy, you're weird.

I love you, Mommy.

- Oh, I love you too, Daniel.

[tense music]

- Jodi.

- [Jodi] Happy birthday.

- [Man] Daniel?

You all right?

[door closes]

- Santa Monica Pier, please.

- Very bad neighborhood

this time of night.

Okay.

- Why?

- I owe you one.

[keys jangling]

Hey, does that blanket

got crabs or anything?

- Oh, lady, please,

not my blankie.

All right, but try not to...

Nevermind.

[Jodi laughing]

- Haven't you ever been

to the beach before?

- I didn't want to, not

without the sunlight.

I can't find my balance.

- Now you know how I

feel most of the time.

[cab driver exhales]

Wait here.

I'll be right back.

- Where you going?

- Well, if they

haven't fixed it yet,

it's something I used

to do when I was a kid,

to the neckers.

- Your fastest movement

is like slow motion to me.

I can hear your

heartbeat a block away.

- You gave me my son, now

I'm gonna give you yours.

Damn.

[tense music]

[vampire groaning]

- Oh no.

- This is the sun.

You aren't not supposed

to be on the sand yet.

Take off your clothes.

Trust me.

- Do I leave on my underwear?

- Would I take you to a nude

beach your first time out?

Kinky.

Now lay down and

close your eyes.

Will you face the sun?

- Hmm?

- Okay.

Now pretend it's almost

noon and you feel

the warm salt air

all over your body.

You smell something

coconuty and you realize

it's the sun tan

lotion in the wind.

Million different radios

are all playing at once.

"California Dreaming," some

Bach, a little rap, Miles Davis.

Cool spray of water hits your

body, and it surprises you.

It feels real good 'cause it

just cooled you right off.

A cry of gulls.

They just sound

like another song.

And you're getting

really thirsty.

Someone hands you a cold

beer, tastes real good.

Tingles all the way down.

Little kids with ice cream cones

melting all over their hands.

Sand sticking to their bodies

where the ice cream dripped.

The mothers are,

they're trying to

clean off their kids

in the ocean waves.

Above all is the sun.

Sparkle of it hitting the water.

Holding you.

Warming you.

Healing you.

- Thank you.

- You're right.

I am full of shit.

I didn't want him.

Couldn't handle him.

All this talk about my child

and being a mother and stuff.

Even when I had him, did

I take 'em up to Canada?

No, I ended up in Ventura.

Took them exactly

three weeks to find me.

I wanted them to.

I knew they would.

Just needed to tell

myself that I'd tried.

I don't wanna die.

I wish I could start over.

[vehicle approaching]

[man talking

indistinctly on radio]

- All right, who's been

messing around with the light?

- I think you gave me whiplash.

- Where to, boss?

- Paradise Cafe.

- Why?

- One more dance for me.

- Wait here.

[tense music]

[upbeat music]

- No!

[Jodi shouts]

[table crashing]

[solemn music]

- Make love to me.

You have to.

- Bye.

[glass shatters]

- You will drive home,

destroy tonight's logs,

sleep, and when you

awaken, you will remember

nothing about me,

her, this house.

You will remember a

rich man who forgot

his wallet in your car.

You threw it in the trash

after removing the money.

Understand?

- What happened to my blankie?

- You ate it.

[cab driver coughing]

Drive.

- You could've done that to me.

- I wanted tonight

to be your choice.

- Some choice.

[door closes]

[clock chiming and ticking]

- It's not like your mythology.

My bite can't turn

you into what I am,

or the Earth would be

overrun by my kind.

- What are you talking about?

- I can give you something.

[mysterious music]

This is too much for

me when I haven't fed.

[tense music]

I want you to know.

[Jodi grunting]

[Jodi whimpering]

No!

[mysterious music]

It's temporary, like a drug.

It will fade in a few minutes.

But you'll know what I am.

Forgive me.

- I wanna go outside.

What's the matter?

You afraid of me now?

[mysterious music]

[birds chirping]

[tense music]

- You want me to take

him, let you live?

- Run!

[clock chiming and ticking]

[door closes]

- I need you now.

- [Jodi] I can't!

- Don't fight me.

Your power's fading.

[Jodi shouting]

[glass shatters]

[suspenseful music]

[tense music]

[vampire shouting]

[Jodi grunts]

- Oh!

Oh!

[vampire groaning]

[Jodi shouting]

Oh...

Oh.

- You can't escape.

Every moment leaves

you more human.

- [Jodi] Thank God!

[Jodi grunting]

[vampire groans]

[tense music]

Oh, oh.

Oh...

[Jodi whimpering]

[Jodi shouting]

[shutters clicking]

[camera clicks]

[vampire shouts]

Oh!

Oh, god.

[tense music]

[Jodi groaning]

Please don't come in!

No.

- It is beautiful.

[solemn music]

♪ I was captured by the

music from the start ♪

♪ Driven by the

pulsing of your heart ♪

♪ We were prisoners

of our needs ♪

♪ Trapped by what we see

♪ We could die 100

times but we can ♪

♪ Never leave

♪ The dance

♪ Goes on

♪ And on

♪ Through the dark

♪ Before

♪ The dawn

♪ Oh, the dance

♪ Goes on

♪ And on

♪ But tonight

♪ I dance

♪ With you

♪ Oh

♪ Could there be some

truth inside your lies ♪

♪ Now I see the distant

danger in your eyes ♪

♪ Is it me or is it you

♪ Who hunts and who hurts who

♪ And who will be the first

to pull the other through ♪

♪ The dance

♪ Goes on

♪ And on

♪ Through the dark

♪ Before

♪ The dawn

♪ Oh, the dance

♪ Goes on

♪ And on

♪ But tonight

♪ I dance with you

♪ The dance

♪ Goes on

♪ And on

♪ Through the dark

♪ Before

♪ The dawn

♪ Oh, the dance

♪ Goes on

♪ And on

Dance of the Damned (1989) - full transcript