FROM HELL: 11/22

Another favourite from the pages of Alan Moore's FROM HELL scripts. I like this one because it's the opposite of a typical page of Alan Moore script. There is very little detail (534 words compared to the 1448, 1572 and 1009 of three of the peviously shown pages). In fact, by the end of it, when he makes the crack about the (famous) bridge, we get the impression that Alan might have been feeling a bit irritable that day. If it was time for tax-accounting I could usually detect a rumble of aggravation in the scripts.



Chapter 11
PAGE 22.
PANEL 1.
NOW A SEVEN PANEL PAGE, WITH THREE PANELS ON EACH OF THE UPPER TIERS AND ONE BIG WIDE ONE ON THE BOTTOM. IN THIS FIRST PANEL WE SEE DRUITT DRIFT AIMLESSLY PAST US IN THE FOREGROUND, EYES DARTING ABOUT HIM FOR A GLIMPSE OF SOMEONE HE KNOWS. HE LOOKS TERRIBLY OUT OF PLACE. BEHIND DRUITT AND UNOBSERVED BY HIM HERE WE SEE A MAN LEANING AGAINST THE WALL IN THE IMMEDIATE BACKGROUND AND SIPPING A DRINK. HE IS GAZING SPECULATIVELY AT THE UNAWARE DRUITT, AND WE CAN SEE THAT IT IS MELVILLE MACNAGHTON, WHO WE MET EARLIER AT THE SUMMIT CONFERENCE WITH ANDERSON AND MONRO.
No Dialogue

PANEL 2.
SAME SHOT, BUT HERE MACNAGHTON SPEAKS TO DRUITT, CAUSING THE YOUNG BARRISTER/TEACHER TO TURN AND LOOK AT THE SMART LOOKING EX-MILITARY MAN. MACNAGHTON SMILES ENGAGINGLY AS HE SPEAKS, MAYBE EXTENDING HIS HAND FOR DRUITT TO SHAKE.
MACNAGHTON: Hello, there. You look as if you feel the way I always do at these
affairs: Fish out of water, eh?
MACNAGHTON: Name’s MacNaghton. Live across the street at number nine.



PANEL 3.
LONGSHOT OF THE TWO MEN NOW, FULL FIGURE AS THEY BOTH SHAKE HANDS. DRUITT STILLS LOOKS A LITTLE UNCERTAIN.
DRUITT: My name’s Druitt. Do you like it? Chelsea, I mean.
DRUITT: Not my name.
MACNAGHTON: Chelsea? It’s alright, I suppose. Too many art-wallahs for my
liking. What do YOU do?

PANEL 4.
CLOSE IN ON THE TWO OF THEM NOW, PERHAPS IN A SIMILAR SHOT TO PANELS ONE AND TWO. DRUITT IS STILL GLANCING ABOUT HIM NERVOUSLY EVEN AS HE SPEAKS TO MACNAGHTON. MACNAGHTON REGARDS DRUITT COOLY AND SCHREWDLY, WEIGHING THE MAN UP.
DRUITT: I’m uh, I’m a teacher. And a barrister.
DRUITT: I don’t really socialize a lot, as a rule. O-Other than through
cricket, I don’t suppose I have that many friends.
MACNAGHTON: Lone wolf, eh?

PANEL 5.
SAME SHOT, STILL LOOKING UNCOMFORTABLE, DRUITT MAKES HIS APOLOGIES WHILE MACNAGHTON DOES HIS BEST TO LOOK UNDERSTANDING.
DRUITT: I suppose I am. I’m afraid I don’t really feel at ease here. Perhaps
I should be going.
DRUITT: Please don’t think me rude. I’m very glad I met you.
MACNAGHTON: Mutual, dear chap, I assure you.

PANEL 6.
SAME SHOT, BUT NOW DRUITT HAS GONE, LEAVING MACNAGHTON STANDING THERE BY THE WALL. MACNAGHTON TUGS HIS MOUSTACHE AND GAZES WITH A FROWN OF INTEREST AND CONSIDERATION IN THE DIRECTION THAT DRUITT HAS DEPARTED IN. HE LOOKS PENSIVE AS HE CONSIDERS WHETHER DRUITT ISN’T JUST THE MAN HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES ARE LOOKING FOR.
No Dialogue

PANEL 7.
NOW, IN THIS FINAL WIDE PANEL, WE HAVE A SHOT OF DRUITT WALKING HOME, SOUTH ACROSS ONE OF THE BRIDGES. I’M NOT GOING TO SPECIFY WHICH ONE INCASE YOU GET ALL SMART ON ME AGAIN AND DIG UP REFERENCE TO PROVE THAT IT WAS BEING PAINTED AND VARNISHED THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT OR SOMETHING. IT CAN BE ANY BLOODY BRIDGE YOU WANT. WE ARE DOWN AROUND THE LEVEL OF WATER, LOOKING UP TOWARDS THE BRIDGE AS DRUITT’S LONELY FIGURE WALKS ACROSS IT, ALL ALONE. HE GAZES DOWN MOURNFULLY INTO THE WATER, LITTLE DREAMING HE’LL BE BENEATH IT BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT.
No Dialogue