Once More With Feeling

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In Chapter 28 of BLUE HOTEL, the shit hits the fan when the cops start going door to door at the dive motel on the Venice Beach boardwalk, and Alona, Beggar, Gill and Holly have to scramble to find a place to hide ...


INT. ALONA’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Beggar looks at Alona. Then Holly.

Gills sits on the floor
with his head in his hands.

BEGGAR
Okay, think, think -- what do we do?

ALONA
Stash Lief under the bed with Oscar.
Then, after the cops leave,
I’ll go down to the desk and
to Jerry Garcia about a hacksaw.

Holly sits on the bed.
Looks spooked. Haunted.

HOLLY
What about the fire escape?
We could always go up on the roof.

GILL
And what do we do once we’re up there?
My god, are you stupid.

HOLLY
Shut up, asshole.

ALONA
Keep your voices down.
They might be coming upstairs.

Beggar goes to the door.
Looks through the peephole.

BEGGAR
(whispers)
Shit, they’re here.

IN THE CORRIDOR
Danette and Bernie stand
in front of Gill’s door.

Danette KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCKS.

DANETTE
(loud)
Gill Shelly, this is the police.
Open the door.
We need to talk to you.

They listen. No answer.

BERNIE
POLICE. OPEN THE DOOR, NOW.

Pause.

DANETTE
Kick it open?

BERNIE
Probably cause?

DANETTE
Got that fucking right.

Bernie steps back.
Then KICKS the door.

The old, shitty wood CRACKS in half.
They CHARGE IN.

INT. ALONA’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Beggar stands at the door.
Watching through the keyhole.

BEGGAR
(loud whisper)
Jesus fucking Christ.
They just kicked down the door
next to Holly’s room.

Alona and Holly are down
on their hands and knees,
pushing Lief’s body under the bed.
looks at Beggar. Freaking.

GILL
Shit. That’s MY room. I gotta hide.

ALONA
Go out on the fire escape.
But be careful.
Be sure no one can see you.

GILL
Yeah, okay, good idea --

Gill walks over to the side window
overlooking the side alley. Opens it.
starts to climb out.

INT. GILL’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Bernie and Danette search the room.
Under the bed. In the bathroom. Nothing.

DANETTE
Goddammit.

BERNIE
Well, at least we know where he’s staying.

DANETTE
Maybe he’s in Holly’s room.

INT. ALONA’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Beggar looks through the keyhole.

BEGGAR
Shit.
Now they’re knocking on Holly’s door.
They must know something.

HOLLY
Ohmigod, this is like a bad dream.

Alona goes to the bed. Comforts Holly.

ALONA
Shhhh, it’s gonna be okay.

IN THE CORRIDOR
Bernie KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCKS on Holly’s door.

BERNIE
Ms. Land, this is the police, OPEN THE DOOR.

Silence.
DANETTE
HOLLY LAND, THIS IS THE POLICE.
OPEN THIS DOOR, RIGHT NOW.

BERNIE
(steps back)
Once more with feeling.

DANETTE
Wait a sec.

She puts her hand on the knob.
Opens the door.

DANETTE
C’mon.

INT. ALONA’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
Beggar watches through the keyhole.

BEGGAR
They went in. Shit.
(looks at Holly)
You don’t have anything
incriminating in there, do you?

HOLLY
Just my laptop -- and a bottle of vodka.

ALONA
They must know something.
First Gill’s room, then Holly’s.
We gotta hide.

BEGGAR
Where? We’re trapped in this room.

HOLLY
We could get in bed --
and pretend to be asleep.

ALONA
Wait, no -- I’ve got a better idea.
What if I meet them head-on?
Divert suspicion.

BEGGAR
But it’s four in the morning.
Where would you say you’re going?

ALONA
I heard the commotion, and I
wanted to know what was going on.
I mean, it would be weird
if I WASN’T curious, right?

BEGGAR
Yeah, yeah. Great. Go for it.

PUSH IN ON Alona’s face.
Gathering her courage.

ALONA
Here goes nothing --