EXT.

SKID ROW - NEW YORK CITY - 1986 - NIGHT

Flickering street lights. Old masonry buildings align the
sidewalks like prison fortress walls. We hear a distant
sound of A FALLING TRASH CAN and A SHRIEKING CAT.
Down the middle of the street wanders,
FORREST GUMP (early 40s) holding a tiny flannel LUNCH BOX.

FORREST GUMP
One night accidentally. I found
myself in a strange part of town.
I was scared. There were these three
creepy ladies, following me, singing
about how ... I should watch my back,
'cause there's something out to get
me? I just wanted to go home.
Directly behind him walk --
THE THREE SISTERS, all dressed in identical BLUE GOWNS,
snapping their fingers and singing in perfect harmony.
THE THREE SISTERS
Bop she bop. Little Shop of Horrors.
Sha-la-la-la. Little Shop of Terror.

Forrest escapes into a --

A LONG NARROW ALLEYWAY

Knocking over trashcans. Stepping on another SHRIEKING CAT.
At a dead end, he sees a shadow form on a brick wall. A MAN
WIELDING A GIANT AXE. STRIKING DOWN WITH MURDEROUS FORCE.
Forrest leers through the cracks of a wooden fence.

FORREST GUMP
Now I didn't know what this man was
doing, but something told me ... he
was up to no good.
(pause)
So ... I followed him.
He watches A NERDY-LOOKING MAN (early 20s) drag a BODY-
SHAPED TRASH BAG into --
 2.

INT. MUSHNIK'S FLOWER SHOP

FORREST GUMP
And when I got up to the window, and
peaked through the glass. There
inside... was a plant!

A GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT towers over the NERDY-LOOKING-MAN.

It's vines cover the whole room. It's head hits the ceiling.

FORREST GUMP (cont'd)

I had never seen anything like it in
my entire life... and what was most
scary of all ... it was talking.
The Nerdy-Looking-Man cuts opens up the trash bag.
FORREST GUMP (cont'd)
It was saying Feed me, Seymour, Feed
me!
THE PLANT
Feed me, Seymour, Feed me!
FORREST GUMP
But that man, the man that with him,
well... I don't think he liked him
very much. He was shouting and
yelling at him, telling him how, if
he wanted to keep eating, he'd have
to find somebody else?
NERDY-LOOKING-MAN
Now look here you fowl beast! You
want to keep eating! Well... you
better find somebody else!

FORREST GUMP
And what happened next... is
something I'll never forget.
The nerdy-looking-man shouts BLOODY MURDER as the gigantic
green plant SWALLOWS HIM WHOLE.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Yeah that's right motha fucka!
What'chu gonna say now! I don't need
you! I don't need anybody! All I need
is Audrey II baby. Yeah.
It sits in silence.
 3.

GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT (cont'd)

Aw shit ... I didn't think this
through! Now what am I gonna do? I'm
all alone. On my own. Stuck in this
motha fuckin' pot...
(crying)
I'm gonna.... I'm gonna... die!
Forrest steps into the door frame.

FORREST GUMP
Hello.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Who the hell are you?

FORREST GUMP
I'm Forrest. Forrest Gump. I saw you
through the window. I heard you
crying. And I watched you...
(gulp)
Eat that man.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Oh... oh shit... well come on in!
FORREST GUMP
I am fine right where I am.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Oh common now I ain't gonna eat you
if that's what you're thinking. I'm
very hungry -- I mean friendly.

Forrest stares unconvinced.

GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT (cont'd)
You uh...
(sniff)
You here with anyone else?
FORREST GUMP
No I am alone.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Yeah... yeah me too.
(fake crying)
Oh I'm so lonely! Why does
everyone have to leave me?! Why
is the world so cruel! I'm just
a talking plant?! I'm not a
monster!
 4.

It weeps and bellows in sadness.

FORREST GUMP (V.O.)
Now even though I didn't believe him,
and blood was dripping down his mouth
onto the checkerboard floor.
Something told me to stay.
(pause)
I told him that he didn't have to be
sad... for being alone.
Forrest steps forward.

FORREST GUMP
You don't have to be sad... for being
alone... My momma always said... the
further you get from everybody else.
The closer you get to yourself.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
You're momma sounds like a very
beautiful woman.
FORREST GUMP
She was the best mamma I ever had.
Forrest steps in, fully, cautiously.

The closer he gets, the more the plant sprouts up. It now
completely towers over him with a malicious grin.

GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT

See? That wasn't so hard now was it?
FORREST GUMP
What are you?

GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT

What am I..? WHAT AM I?!

It breaks out into a MUSICAL DANCE.

GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT (cont'd)
(singing)
I'm a mean green protein eating
machine -- and I'm bad!
THE THREE SISTERS
♫ He's so bad! ♫
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
I'm a mean green space been eating
machine and I'm MAD!
 5.

THE THREE SISTERS

♫ He's so mad! ♫
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Betta' watch your head, or you'll be
dead! Cause I'mma eat your soul and
spit out your bones! Ah-ha-ha-ha!
THE MUSIC DIMS

FORREST GUMP (V.O.)

This went on for about fifteen
minutes. I could tell he was really
hungry. He kept talking about how ...
he was gonna break out of his pot...
and consume the whole world. He
talked about eating so much I was
getting hungry too. But I think deep
down inside ... he just needed a
friend.
THE MUSIC BLASTS BACK UP -- THE BIG FINALE
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
I'm a mean green SPACE BEEN eating
machine and it's SUPPA TIME!
I'm a mean green obscene eating
machine... and it's TIME....
THE THREE SISTERS
♫ Time! ♫
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
To...
THE THREE SISTERS
♫ To! ♫
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
DIIIIINE!!!!!!!
IT OPENS HIS MOUTH AND LEANS FORWARD TO CONSUME FORREST.

FORREST GUMP
I could give you my sandwich.

It pulls back.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Say what now?
Forrest pops open his lunch box.
 6.

FORREST GUMP
If you're hungry. I could split my
sandwich. In my lunch box. We could
share it.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Damn, that’s like... the nicest thing
anyone's ever said to me. But there's
a tiny little problem, Forrest. You
see... I don't eat sandwiches. I only
eat one thing... Blood!
IT ERUPTS INTO EVIL LAUGHTER AND OPENS HIS MOUTH TOWARDS --
FORREST GUMP
People can change.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Say who now?
It pulls back.

FORREST GUMP
You can change if you want to. My
momma always says ... everything can
change. You can change your shoes,
you can change a dollar, shoot -- you
can even change your own name.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
Not me baby, I'm from OUTTA' SPACE!
It's my evolution! People eat plants.
Plants eat people. It's the circle of
life! So I need to eat! Otherwise
I'll... I'll... die!
(beat)
That's a Catch-22, baby.
Forrest closes the lunchbox, now puzzled.

FORREST GUMP (V.O.)

In that moment -- for some strange
reason -- even though it made no real
sense at all -- something was telling
me I needed to help him... there was
only one thing I could do.
Forrest straightens his suit with a large gulp.

FORREST GUMP
You can eat me if you'd like.
 7.

GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT

Oh Forrest! You're killing me with
kindness! You're really gonna' let me
eat ya'?
FORREST GUMP
If it makes you happy.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT
OH HOW IT WOULD!
With a large smile the plants opens his mouth. Forrest
hesitates but climbs in. Hugging his legs in the fetal
position.
His mouth slowly closes shut. The plant swallows him whole.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT (cont'd)
Mmmmm tasty! A Southern tang.
The plant begins coughing and radiating A HEAVENLY GLOW.

GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT (cont'd)

What the -- what the hell is
happening! OH SHIT! OH SHIT! I think
I'm allergic to... LOVE!
The plant is now completely consumed by a WHITE BRIGHT GLOW.
GIGANTIC GREEN PLANT (cont'd)
Motha' fucka!
IT EXPLODES INTO A MILLION PIECES. Revealing Forrest and the
NERDY-LOOKING-MAN on the ground, covered in plant guts.
Forrest extends his hand.

FORREST
Hello. I'm Forrest. Forrest Gump.

NERDY-LOOKING-MAN
Rick Moranis. I mean Seymour
Krelborn. Nice to meet you.
(beat)
Thanks ... for saving my life.

Forrest takes out a crumbled letter from his pocket.

FORREST
Do you know how I find the Number
Nine bus to Richmond Street. I have
to get off go one block left to 1-9-
4-7 Henry Street, Apartment 4.
 8.

NERDY-LOOKING-MAN
I think you're in the wrong movie.
FORREST
Oh.
(beat)
Okay.
CUT TO BLACK