Adaptation of the Bad Beginning

Because I love the books but hate the film.

Scene 1

 

EXT -- Day. Briny Beach, City, Mansion.

 

 

Fade in

 

M.O.S

 

A look over the busy city

 

Fade Out

Fade in

 

Violet Baudelaire, her hair tied back neatly into a ribbon. She’s skipping rocks in her right hand.

Klaus Baudelaire, moonlike glasses sitting on his nose. He’s examining a rock pool of slimy animals.

Sunny Baudelaire, sitting on the pebbles �" making baby noises to an up coming figure.

 

CUT TO

 

A large figure emerging from behind the thick mist.

 

    KLAUS

    Look at that (.)

 

Klaus Points towards the up-coming figure.

 

    VIOLET

    What do you think it is, maybe a person?

 

    KLAUS

    I don’t know(…)it seems to be moving towards us           whatever it is. Looks like a person (…) as it gets         closer (.)

 

Klaus squints to see clearly, violet becomes nervous.

 

    VIOLET

    We’re alone on the beach…there’s nobody else it

    could be moving towards. Stay close just in case(.)

 

    KLAUS

    In case of what?

 

    VIOLET

    In case who or whatever it is wants to harm us, I’m       the oldest so if anything happens to you it would be       my responsibility (.) Not to mention I would never         forgive myself (.)

 

    KLAUS

    It(…)only seems scary(…)because of the mist. If we         could see clearly there would probably be nothing to       worry about (.)

 

Klaus pushes his glasses closer on his face and Violet picks up Sunny in protection. The figure stands in front of them.

 

     VIOLET

    Oh thank god (.) we assumed you’d be some sort of         villain after us.

 

    MR POE

(coughing violently)

    Good afternoon children (0.5) I’m sorry to have given     you a fright, I should’ve called out but then I           suppose it would’ve added to terror. Please don’t be       frightened (.)

 

    VIOLET

    How do you do sir?

 

Steps forward to shake his hand

 

    KLAUS

    How do you do?

 

Steps forward to shake his hand

 

    SUNNY

    Odo yow!

 

    MR POE

    Fine, thank you (.)

 

A sudden silence hits them, Mr Poe looks very sad.

 

    VIOLET

    It’s a nice day �" bit misty but it’s warm enough to go     out,don’t you think?

 

    MR POE

    Yes, it is a nice day(…) I’m afraid I have some

    very bad news for you children(…)your parents(…)have

    perished(…)in a terrible fire(…)

 

A sudden silence

 

    MR POE

    They perished(…)in a fire that destroyed the entire

    house…I’m very, very sorry to tell you this 

    dears(.)

 

Violet stares out into the ocean silently

 

    MR POE

    Perished(…)means(…)

 

    KLAUS

(crossly)

    We know what it means (.)And the thought of imagining     that word (…)

 

    MR POE

    The fire department arrived, of course(…)but they 

    were to late(.) The entire house was engulfed in 

    fire(.) It burned to the ground(.)

 

Close up of Klaus’s eyes. A reflection of fire is seen in his glasses, his eyes damp and his mouth open in shock.

 

    

     MR POE

     I was sent to retrieve you here, and to take you

     to my own home, where you can stay for a while

     as we figure things out. I am the executor of

     your parents’ estate. So I’ll be handling their

     enormous fortune and deciding on where to place

     you. Violet, when you come of age the fortune

     will be yours, but the bank will take charge of

     it until then.

 

Violet takes her eyes off him.

 

     MR POE

     Come along children, everything will be fine(.) But        for now try to think happy thoughts, your parents          wouldn’t want you to cry in terrible upset but to          remember them in happy times, don’t you agree?

 

Mr Poe holds out his hand. Violet held Klaus’s hand and Klaus carried Sonny.

 

Author's Note

School work! :D