state of mind complete[1]

8/14/2019 State of Mind Complete[1]

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'STATE OF MIND'

written by Baz Taylor

Final revised draft 5/7/2007

OPENING SHOT:

INT DAY:

(Court room. Defendant in the dock. Focus on the defendant.Richard is standing in the dock in a courtroom flanked bytwo police officers. Camera slow pans into Richard as theverdict is read out.)


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Judge: (V.O.) Richard Andrew Fraser. You have been foundguilty of murder....

(V.O. over footage of Richard being escorted out by the twoofficers.)

Judge: (V.O.) You are sentenced to life imprisonment. It isthe judgement of this court, that due to the nature of theattack and state of the victim....

(Shot of mutilated body.)

Judge: (V.O.) You require extensive mental rehabilitationand reconditioning before being moved to a secure prison.You are therefore sentenced to two years in a high securitypsychiatric hospital....

(Shot of Richard being put in his cell.)

Judge: (V.O.) This court is adjurned.

Richard: (V.O.) I didn't kill anybody!

(Door slams shut on Richard's cell. Richard crumples to thefloor with his head in his hands.)

Richard: (to himself) I am innocent.... I AM innocent. Icouldn't do it. I wouldn't have done it. I didn't do it.....

(Slow pan out from Richard.)

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(Interview room. Richard is sitting opposite a doctor and acousellor.)

Counsellor: (slowly, gently) Richard. We'd like to try tohelp you.

Richard: (matter of fact) I'm innocent. I haven't killedanyone. You have to believe that.

Counsellor: I do believe you. But the court didn't. Like I


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said, I'd like to help you.

Richard: Then let me out of here. I'm surrounded bymurderers and psychos, I'm not one of those. If you believeme, then you'd recognise that.

Doctor: Let me show you something. (takes out photos) Thisis the victim who was killed. Do you recognise him?

Richard: No. I've never seen him before in my life.

Doctor: Are you sure. Look again. Look closely. (takes outmore photos) Any better for you?

Richard: Absolutely not. I've never seen him.

Doctor: Then how were your fingerprints found on him? How

were your fingerprints found all over the murder weapon?We'd love to believe you, but all the evidence points thefinger at you.

Richard: (shaking his head) I can't believe this. I can'twin. I've not killed anybody!

Counsellor: Richard, calm down.

Richard: Leave me alone! Do I look like a murderer?!

Doctor: Richard. If you continue to delude yourself, we'llhave to induce a different method of therapy to help you.

Richard: I am not deluding myself! I'll do a lie detectortest for you if you want that much proof, but I'm tellingyou I haven't done anything!

Counsellor: I can see we have a long way to go.

Richard: I don't! I shouldn't even be in this dungeon!

Doctor: Richard, try to see it from our point of view.You're here because the law believes you have done wrong. Aterrible wrong. We're here to help you. Wether you'reinnocent as you say you are or guilty, we'd like to helpyou. Why don't you think about that between now and ournext session together?

(The doctor and counsellor get up to leave)


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Richard: Narrow minded bastards!

(They leave the room as a guard arrives to take Richardback to his cell. The guard goes to haul Richard up)

Richard: Don't you touch me. You're just like the rest ofthem.

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(Interior of cell. Richard is put back in it)

Guard: Get in, freak.

(Slams door behind him)

Richard: (to himself pacing around) How am I supposed toget out of here?

(He sits in the corner and then starts to write a note onthe wall.)

''DO NOT TRUST ANYONE BUT YOURSELF. THEY'RE ALL LIARS ANDCHEATS''

(Slow pan into the cell door peephole)

(Slow pan out from the other side. The doctor andcounsellor are watching Richard)

Counsellor: What should we do?

Doctor: Observe him for now. If he becomes dangerous, youknow what to do.

Counsellor: Yes doctor. (he takes out a syringe and a stungun)

CUT TO:

INT DAY:


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(Canteen. Richard is sitting eating. Another inmate sitsnearby.)

(Richard picks at his food, keeping himself to himself. Heis joined by the other inmate.)

Richard: (distant) Hello.

Inmate: How are you coping?

Richard: (slowly) Why do you ask?

Inmate: You look stressed.

Richard: Did you need a shring to work that one out?

Inmate: Hey, don't get touchy. I'm only asking.

Richard: Sorry.

Inmate: That's alright.

Richard: (looking at the inmate. a beat) Why are you inhere? You seem perfectly normal.

Inmate: Me? Normal? Nah! What about you?

Richard: Long story.

Inmate: I'm not going anywhere.

Richard: (sighs) Alright. Well, everyone seems to thinkthat I've committed some sort of horrific, brutal murder.

Inmate: I've heard that one before. You stick to your gunsmate.

Richard: Yeah, right. And get further treatment.

Inmate: Further treatment huh? Priveledged person.

Richard: (annoyed) Look. What is it you want?

Inmate: Fine mate. If you want some peace I'll leave you toit.

Richard: Please do. You're incredibly irritating.


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Inmate: Probably one of the reasons I ended up in thisplace. Oh well. See you son.

(He gets up to leave, and starts talking to his watch andrunnign around the room. He becomes increasingly agitatedand starts shouting and yelling as if having a fit.)

Inmate: (screaming) I'm going to kill you!! I'm going tokill you!!

(Doctor enters and hits a panic button.)

Inmate: Do you want a piece as well Dr Death?! Come onthen, let's have you. Let's have the lot of you!

Doctor: Just calm down. Have you been skipping your

medication again?

Inmate: Yeah! What you gonna do about it?! I won't beconstrained by you anymore! You want to torture me? Let'shave it here!

(Guards arrive and grab him holding him down)

Inmate: Come on then you slags! Can't you take me on yourown?!

(Doctor withdraws needle)

Inmate: Get that bloody thing away from me! I'll ram it upyour arse sideways! I won't be drugged up by anyone!

(Doctor injects him)

(Inmate screams)

Inmate: You won't keep me locked up forever! You won't win.I'll kill the lot of you!!

(Doctor punches him several times. The guard join in andviciously beat the man into submission but not without afight as the inmate continues screaming.)

Richard: Hold on, this isn't on...

Doctor: Shut the fuck up!


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(Doctor continues savagely beating the inmate before theguards drag him away as he still screams and startslaughing hysterically.)

(Richard is visibly shaken, and tries to finish his meal)

Richard: (to himself) I've got to get out of here.....

Doctor: Get out of here? Long time before that happens, youheap of scum.

Richard: Heap of scum? Heap of scum? I'm not the one whojust beat the crap out of someone for no reason...

Doctor: (interrupting) The report will say I assisted himto the ground and needed help as he was armed. Got anything

to say to that?

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(Richard is sitting in his cell, drumming his fingers andwaiting for whatever is to happen next to happen.)

Richard: (to himself) I'm not gonna need a bunch of doctorswith headfuls of bad wiring to drive me crazy, I'm probably

gonna end up doing it to myself.

(He gets up and starts pacing around the cell, beforeleaning against the nearest wall. He starts to repeatedlybang his head against the wall. He stops eventually andbreathes deeply.)

(Bang on the cell door)

Guard: Hey you. They want you.

Richard: What for? More brainwashing?

Guard: How should I know? Look pal, hurry up I haven't gotall day.

Richard: (tired) Alright.


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CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(Interview room)

(Richard sitting waiting to be joined be Doctor &Counsellor, he sits drumming his fingers and becomingagitated. He is eventually joined by the Doctor andCounsellor.)

Counsellor: Richard, how are you feeling?

Richard: (offhand) Same as last time, really.

Doctor: No change then?

Richard: To what?

Doctor: To how you feel about what you've done.

Richard: Haven't we done this before?

Doctor: We'll go through it until we find out why you didit.

Counsellor: Now then. (a beat. takes the photos out again)How do you feel about your actions?

Richard: Considering I'm as clean as the preacher's sheets,no different.

Doctor: We feel that it's time for you to take someresponsibility for your actions. The first step is for youto admit your guilt.

Richard: What guilt? I've not done anything wrong.

Doctor: We've been through this time and time again Richard.

Richard: I'm not sure who's more delusional. Me forlistening to this crap or you for trying to put words in mymouth.

Counsellor: We're only trying to help. Let us help you dealwith this.


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Richard: (to himself) Got to wake up.... (a beat) I'drather eat my own leg frankly.

Doctor: That's further proof of your mental state.

Richard: It was a figure of speech. Can't you take a joke?

(Doctor stares at him icily)

Richard: I was wondering if I was ready for parole actually.

Counsellor: What makes you say that?

Richard: Well, I feel fine. I don't feel aggressive orangry. I certainly don't feel like I'm a threat to anyone.

Doctor: Your last psychiatric evaluation doesn't agree with

that.

Richard: What are you talking about?

(Doctor pulls out a file and takes out several papers.)

Doctor: You mean to say you don't remember this?

Richard: No. I've never had a psychiatric evaluation.

Doctor: (reading) Yes you have, and I have the results

right here. ''Displays feelings of perscution andaggression. Violent mood swings and manic behaviour.Suggests subject is extremely unstable.''

Richard: That's bollocks! I've never had a psychiatrictest, so shove it up your arse!

Doctor: Add selective amnesia to that list.

Counsellor: Richard. Look at the facts.

Richard: It's all a load of bloody rubbish. You're justmaking up a load of crap to keep me here.

(He grabs the report from across the table. Before theDoctor can respond, Richard looks at the paper)

(Close up: Blank piece of paper)


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Richard: What the? What is this?

Doctor: Your report. Hand it back please.

Richard: There's now writing on it. Don't arse me around!What's your game, eh? What's the hell's going on here? Whothe hell are you people?! You have no right to make peoplecrazy!

Doctor: The writing is there. You're becoming delusionalagain.

Counsellor: You're starting to sound angry again.

Richard: (shouting) You're damn right I'm angry! I will notbe patronised, intimidated, victimised or put upon. Let meout of here! Now!

Counsellor: Richard. Sit down and calm down. Please.

Richard: Are you trying to control me? Is that it?

Doctor: No we aren't....

Richard: (interrupting) You're trying to control me. Youtell me what to say, tell me what to think, tell me what toeat, tell me when to sleep... And when I show the firstsigns of thinking for myself you slap me down! (shouting) I

DIDN'T KILL THAT MAN! (softly) And that's what's making youcrazy!

Docotr: Alright. Take him back to his cell. This isn'tgetting us anywhere.

Richard: Nothing you can say or do can change the fact thatI'm innocent! I'm not crazy!

(Guards come in)

Richard: Oh you need the heavy mob do you? Come on then, dome in like you did to that guy.

Doctor: Richard, I thought you said you were keeping yourcalm? Doesn't seem very calm to me...

(Richards hurls the table over, the guards attempt to grabhim, but he beats them off)


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Richard: (shouting) I'M NOT CRAZY! I DIN'T KILL ANYONE! WHYWON'T YOU LISTEN TO ME?

Doctor: Grab him!

(Richard and guards struggle before Doctor begins attackinghim, trying to beat him to the ground. Richard won't submitand tries to fight on)

Doctor: You'll regret this, Richard! Innocent are you? Idon't think so! I'm gonna break you!

Richard: Fuck off! Fuck the lot of you, you pigs!

(FADE TO BLACK)

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(Cell)

(Guard throws him in)

Guard: Get in there, sicko. Crazy bastard.

Richard: (to the peephole) Nothing you can say or do, youhear?! I'm not crazy. (sinks to the floor) I'm not crazy...I'm not crazy.... (to himself) I'm not crazy.....

(He stands up and starts to beat his head against the cellwall, softly then harder and harder)

Richard: I'M NOT CRAZY!

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(Outside Richard's cell)

Doctor: Nothing is working. We can't break him.


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Counsellor: What do you want to do?

Doctor: Nothing we can do but prepare the drug. Tomorrow.

Counsellor: Are you sure that's the way to go?

Doctor: Nothing else has worked.

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(Clinic)

(Richard is sitting in a chair with a guard behind him.Doctor enters)

Doctor: Richard, you've been brought here because therapyhasn't gotten us anywhere. As such, we've decided we haveto pursue a different course as a way to help you.

Richard: I do not want therapy, I do not want cousellingand I do not want to be treated with kid gloves. All I wantis my life back.

Doctor: So you keep saying. We believe the best way to helpyou is a different approach since our sessions have not

done anything to your mental state.

Richard: And you know best, eh? Lying bastard.

Doctor: Observation of the subject is standard practice.

Richard: You mean you've been spying on me. What? You'veseen me getting even more aggrivated because I've beenbanged up in a crummy little cell surrounded by nutterslike you?

Doctor: We have observed you closely.

Richard: How comforting.

Doctor: I want you to relax your body. This won't take amoment.

Richard: What are you going to do to me?


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Counsellor: Just relax, Richard. It's for your own good.

Doctor: Nurse. Give him 1cc of sodium pentathol.

(Richard recoils in horror)

Richard: You're not sticking needles in me and drugging meup! No way!

Counsellor: Just relax.

(Nurse advances with the needle)

(Richard starts having a panic attack)

Doctor: Restrain him

(The guard goes to grab Richard, who gets up and puncheshim hard, he then attacks the doctor and violently pummelshim to the ground. The guard and the counsellor grab himand restrain him)

(Guard and Counsellor hold Richard down whilst the nurseinjects him)

Nurse: Calm down. It'll be over in a moment.

Richard: You couldn't brainwash me, so you're turning meinto a junkie is that it?

Doctor: Take him back to his cell, guard.

Richard: You'll never crack me! You'll never be able tobreak me!

(Richard grabs the guard and struggles to the floor withhim. Loud crack, and the guard slumps down dead. Otherguards grab him and restrain him)

Richard: (quietly) Oh fuck... Oh shit...

(Doctor slowly looks up at Richard)

Doctor: I hope you realise now just how dangerous youreally are. And you say you're a peaceful man? I didn't seemuch peace on display there....


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Richard: (softly) It was an accident...

CUT TO:

INT EVENING:

(Richard's cell)

(Richard is thrown in by the guards)

Richard: Bunch of mind-warping bastards! Hope you all rot!

(Kicks the wall violently)

Doctor: (through the peephole) Did you kill this man?

Richard: (bellowing) NO I DID NOT!!

(Fade out on Richard's face)

(Fade in)

(Richard sitting on his bunk. It is sometime later, he isshaking)

(Doctor sits across from him)

Doctor: Richard. How are you feeling?

Richard: (slurred) Go away. Leave me alone.

Doctor: Why did you kill him? (shows the picture)

Richard: (shaking head) I didn't... No...

Doctor: (to nurse) Prepare another dose.

(Nurse shoots up the syringe)

Doctor: Richard. You will feel a little prick and atingling sensation. Then I'm going to ask you somequestions. Do you understand?

Richard: No!


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(Struggles and writhes)

(close up of needle injecting him. He howls, then subsides)

Doctor: (to nurse) I will find out what I want to know. I'mgonna break this bastard.

(Gets a light and shines it in Richard's face)

Doctor: OK. Same as yesterday. (shows the picture) Do yourecognise him?

Richard: (squinting.) No...

Doctor: Are you sure? Take a closer look.

Richard: (shouting) NO I DON'T RECOGNISE HIM!

(Lashes out at the doctor. Catches him with a lairy punch,which, knocks the doctor down.)

(Doctor gets up in disgust.)

Doctor: (to nurse) Don't leave him alone

(He leaves the cell)

Counsellor: Well?

Doctor: I can't believe this. Three days of drugging him,and he still isn't breaking.

Counsellor: What do you suggest?

Doctor: Give him half an hour for the drugs to startworking properly, then we'll see what happens. Increase thedosage if necessary.

Counsellor: That could kill him.

Doctor: So? I'll be filling my quota for the month.

(Nurse at the door)

Nurse: Doctor. This is wrong. The man is innocent.

Doctor: If I wanted a second opinion I'd have said. Half an


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hour. Do not let him out of your sight.

CUT TO:

INT EVENING:

(Richard's cell)

(He is crumpled in the corner shivering)

Richard: Don't give up. Don't lose faith.

(He looks at the message he wrote earlier)

(Dream-like state. Camera P.O.V. A man being brutallyattacked.)

(The man's corpse on the floor with blood oozing from him.)

Richard: Don't lose faith. Never lose faith.

(He bangs his head on the wall)

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(exam room)

Doctor: We can't break him even with drugs. I think there'sonly one choice left.

Nurse: (taken aback) What do you have in mind?

Doctor: Synaptic therapy.

Nurse: Are you sure? That's very risky.

Counsellor: That could cause irreparable damage to himmentally and psychologically.

Doctor: I want him to tell me what I want to know. Andsince he hasn't cracked so far, desperate times call fordesperate measures.


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Counsellor: This.. this is too much. It's almost like youhave a personal vendetta against him.

Doctor: Damn right I do. I can't stand his type. The typeof man like that. Bring him.

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(exam room)

(Richard held down on the exam table whilst the Doctor andNurse attach electrodes to his head, chest and neck.)

Richard: What's the matter doc? Couldn't brainwash me even

by drugging me?

Doctor: You will feel a tingling sensation once theprocedure has started. Don't be alarmed.

Richard: (struggling) Take these bloody things off me.

Counsellor: Try to keep calm.

Doctor: (showing picture) Did you kill this man?

Richard: Are you deaf or something? Got an I.Q. in singlefigures? No i bleeding didn't.

Doctor: I'm afraid this has gone on long enough. We'vetried being supportive and patient and nothing has worked.The procedure is called synaptic therapy. The aim is tobring you into a calmer and more appreciative state of mind.

Richard: What the hell are you...

Doctor: Nurse. Activate on two volts.

(Richard yells out)

Richard: Jesus Christ!

Doctor; That was two volts through your heart andbrainstem. I don't want to increase the power. Sixteenvolts will cause heart faliure or extensive brain damage...


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or both. Now. You can stop this by answering the question.Tell me what I want to know, and this will be over.

Richard: You won't break me. You'll never break me.

Doctor: I think we should try six volts. Sustain for fiveseconds.

(Richard yells out again)

Doctor: I will continue increasing the voltage unless youtell me what I want to know.

Richard: I'll tell you to take a long walk off a short pierif you like!

Doctor: (through gritted teeth) Ten volts.

(Richard yells out again. Deep ragged breaths)

Nurse: Heart palpitation, Doctor. His heartbeat isincreasing rapidly. Brain activity is near critical.Doctor, stop the treatment.

Richard: Stick it up your arse, doc.

Doctor: Ten volts again. Ten seconds.

(Richard screams)

Nurse: This isnt right doctor. You're torturing him!

Doctor: Yes I know. Richard. Tell me now. Did you kill him?

Richard: (bellowing) NO!

Nurse: His heartbeat is wildly eccentric. He could go intocardiac arrest at any moment.

Counsellor: Doctor. If you kill him, you're as bad as he is.

Doctor: Never will I be as bad as someone like that! I'lljust be making the world a better place by getting rid ofone more murdering scumbag.

Richard: I AM NOT A KILLER!


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Doctor: Nurse. Fourteen volts.

Nurse: Doctor....

Doctor: (interrupting) NOW!

(Richard screams louder than ever)

Doctor: (in Richard's face) WHY DID YOU KILL HIM?!

Richard: BUGGER OFF! BOLLOCKS!

Nurse: Doctor, he's close to heart faliure and totalcerebral faliure.

Doctor: Sixteen volts!

Nurse: No Doctor. I can't do that. My oath to not do harm...

Doctor: (shoves her aside) To hell with it!

(Richard howls)

Richard: I will not give in to you! Not to you! Not toanyone!

(Counsellor and Nurse deactivate the voltage machine anddrag the doctor away)

(Richard is close to passing out. High shot slowly zoomingin on him on the table)

(P.O.V. shot from Richard as he starts to hallucinate)

(A bloodied, mutilated corpse with an axe in the hand thatis dripping blood)

Richard: No.....

CUT TO:

INT DAY:

(Richard's cell)

(It is some time later)


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(He is lying on his bunk in a drug induced stupour. Thedoctor is leaning over him)

Doctor: Did you kill this man?

Richard: (quietly) No...

Doctor: (insistent) Look at him. You stabbed him 15 timesin the chest and then bludgeoned his head. And you mean totell me you don't remember? You're a heartless twistedmurderer. I hate to even look at people like you.

Richard: (murmoring) I'm not... That's not me...

Doctor: Yes it is you. Oh yes it is. You killed him in coldblood. You butchered him. (he stands) You know he had three

children. Three children who will grow up without a father.Because of you.

Richard: I don't believe...

Doctor: (interrupting) These are his children (showspictures). These boys will never know their father becauseof what you did to him.

(Close up of Richard.)

(Dream like state as we saw earlier. Visions of thestabbing and then P.O.V. of the victim haveing his headsmashed in with a baseball bat.)

Richard: Because of me?

Doctor: Yes. You killed him. Slaughtered him.

Richard: I did?

Doctor: Yes. You are a brutal, deliberate, vicious murderer.

(Richard is silent, taking it in)

(Doctor gets up)

Doctor: You think about that, and consider yourself luckyhis family can't see you or get at you.


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(Doctor turns around. Richard roars in rage and grabs theDoctor from behind, viciously beating him to the ground andstamping on him. Grabs him by the throat and begins tostrange and throttle him. Doctor chokes. Frantic banging onthe door as guards try to get in but cell door is locked.)

Richard: I DIDN'T KILL THAT MAN!

(Doctor turns blue and falls down dead)

(Richard slowly gets up from his bunk and looks at himselfin the mirror. Slowly raises his fist and smashes themirror with it.)

Richard: (yelling) I AM NOT A MURDERER!

(He takes a shard of the glass from the mirror and slashes

himself with it repeatedly. Blood gushing from him. He laysdown as the blood starts to pool.)

(Slow pan out from him)

FADE OUT

THE END

state of mind complete[1]

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