One of the screenwriting field's living legends passed away today, and it instantly brought me back to a year ago when I had the fortune of attending the San Francisco International Film Festival's Master Class that Pierson gave on his classic film script for Dog Day Afternon. He also co-wrote Cool Hand Luke, and several other important screenplays, and directed some very intelligent theatrical and television films. More recently he consulted on Mad Men. In his honor, I found a draft of his Dog Day script online, and consider this your opportunity to read it (assuming you've seen the film; if not, get on that, immediately).
Dog Day Afternoon screenplay >>
FADE IN:
EXT. ELECTRIC SIGN
It FILLS THE SCREEN (designed to exactly FILL THE FRAME size
of whatever ratio we're shooting in). It says:
2:51
This message will be a little cryptic to the movie audience
on an essentially BLACK SCREEN. HOLD for a beat, then it
changes: the lights flash this sign, which should explain it
to everyone:
94°
And a slow distant ROLL OF THUNDER in the far distance; now
the SOUND of media begin to come up loud, under:
EXT. FLATBUSH AVENUE - DAY
LONG SHOT down the Avenue, 400 mm lens, heat waves shimmering,
thousands of old people, and people with children in strollers
moving restlessly about in the heat on those endless miles
of benches.
The SHOT is ON SCREEN only for a beat or two, then gone...
SOUND TRACK COMES FROM A THOUSAND TRANSISTOR RADIOS, TV SETS,
AUTO RADIOS, BLENDED IN THE OPEN AIR...
RADIO ANNOUNCER 1 (V.O.)
...the situation continued tense in
the Middle East today, as...
EXT. SHEA STADIUM (TV CLIP) - DAY
An unnamed player swings and hits a high pop up...
ANNOUNCER 2 (V.O.)
...hits a high inside pitch foul
into the upper stands...
ANGLE ON CROWD
as the ball comes down they scramble and fight for it...
A touch of viciousness...
ANNOUNCER 3 (V.O.)
...B-52's meanwhile, unleashed the
heaviest bombing of the war...
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