Free Ken Russell's Dracula by Ken Russell Page A

see
    him. His mother telephoned
    early this morning - most
    upset, she wouldn’t say
    what was wrong, but ...
     
    The rest of Mina’s shouted message
is lost in the cacophony of her departing train. Dr. Seward turns on hearing
Van Helsing’s voice.
     
    VAN HELSING
    Is this how you diagnose
    all your patients, my boy;
    from a moving train?
     
    And now their train is moving.
     
    DR. SEWARD
    ( apologetically )
    Oh Professor, forgive me,
    please. Are these yours?
     
    STATION PLATFORM. DAY.
     
    VAN HELSING staggers a little as he
lands, but is saved from falling by DR. SEWARD who is becoming increasingly
embarrassed by the indignity he is causing his esteemed Professor.
     
    DR. SEWARD
    I am sorry. She’s gone
    Completely scatty.
     
    VAN HELSING
    Pretty all the same.
    ( archly )
    Pity her Jonathan’s come
    back so soon.
     
    DR. SEWARD
    Professor, I hardly know
    the girl.
     
    VAN HELSING
    Aha! One of those brief
    encounters. What’s her name?
     
    DR. SEWARD
    Mina! I was at a party last
    Night given by a friend.
     
    VAN HELSING
    And you were seeing them
    off. The friend, I did not
    see ...
     
    DR. SEWARD
    By now Lucy should be in
    bed at the sanatorium.
     
    He bites his lip, seeing that he is
getting into deep water and being totally misunderstood by the Professor who
starts acting like a Dutch Uncle.
     
    VAN HELSING
    Pretty girls, parties in
    the sanatorium all night
    long. You invited your old
    Professor all the way over
    from Amsterdam to play
    nursemaid to your madman,
    this Renfield, while you
    have a good time, ya?
     
    DR. SEWARD
    Lucy is one of my patients,
    Professor, and as for
    parties on the premises,
    it’s simply ...
     
    VAN HELSING
    (interrupting with
    a chuckle )
    I know, I know. Whatever
    else, you could never be
    guilty of misconduct.
    Not only were you my
    brightest pupil, Martin,
    you were also the least
    frivolous, ya?
     
    A little deflated by Van Helsing’s
remark, Dr. Seward nevertheless replies with a wry smile.
     
    DR. SEWARD
    Yes, I’m afraid it’s still
    the same old “serious
    Seward”. It was very good
    of you to come, Professor.
     
    VAN HELSING
    Not at all. Your Popsy
    Interests me as much as
    your madmen.
     
    Laughing, Van Helsing takes his arm
and hurries him toward the station exit.
     
    INT. SANATORIUM CORRIDOR.
DAY.
     
    Quiet, except for the voice of
Renfield singing a hymn, and deserted save for a MALE NURSE pushing a trolley
containing a corpse covered with a sheet towards a pair of swing doors at the
end of the corridor. As they bump through and disappear from view one of the
ward doors opens a little revealing a patient gazing surreptitiously about her.
It is LUCY looking very pale and feverish in a nightdress with a chiffon scarf
around her throat. Convinced the coast is clear, she walks unsteadily towards
the sound of Renfield’s voice. Pausing for breath at his door she whispers
urgently through the grill.
     
    LUCY
    Renfield, Renfield, quickly,
    I want to speak to you.
     
    CLOSE SHOT: Peephole: Renfield’s
eye staring at Lucy.
     
    RENFIELD’S VOICE
    ( accusingly )
    You are the Doctor’s girl.
     
    LUCY
    ( protesting )
    I am nobody’s girl. But you
    and I; we share something
    in common.
     
    RENFIELD
    Yes, we are patients of
    Doctor Seward.
     
    LUCY
    No, Renfield, we owe our
    allegiance to another
    master. He who brings the
    kiss of peace which is life
    eternal... Where is he,
    Renfield? ( urgently )
    I must see him, I must.
     
    There is an ominous pause followed
by Renfield ranting and raving at the top of his voice.
     
    RENFIELD
    All over! All over! He has
    deserted me. There is no
    hope for me, Master. Master,
    why hast thou forsaken me?
    I am doomed. Without the
    blood there is no life.
    The blood is life, etc.
     
    As Renfield’s cries echo down the
corridor, Lucy looks around in alarm and not without reason, for already a
female NURSE is hurrying around the corner towards her. Lucy panics, and starts
running back to her room only to collapse