"U.H.F."
Written by
Al Yankovic
and
Jay Levey

Cinecorp
Gene Kirkwood & John Hyde
8125 Lankershim Blvd.
N. Hollywood, CA 91605
(818) 768-8888

2nd Draft
April 13, 1988

1 EXT. DENSE JUNGLE - DAY

Three silhouetted figures are cutting their way through the dense jungle. As the leader and his two guides continue forward, one of the guides drops back and slowly starts to draw his gun. In one quick motion, the leader turns and cracks his whip, sending the gun flying from the guide's hand.

CLOSE ANGLE - GUIDE

Filled with fear, the astonished guide runs off, clutching his injured hand.

CLOSE ANGLE - LEADER IN SILHOUETTE

Our leader steps forward from the shadows. This is GEORGE NEWMAN (our main character, played by Weird Al) looking much like "INDIANA JONES." George continues forward out of the frame as the remaining guide looks at him in amazement..

2 EXT. MOUTH OF CAVE - DAY

As George starts to enter the cave, his guide tries to restrain him. George pulls himself away and motions the guide forward.

3 INT. JUNGLE CAVE

The two men enter the cave and brush their way through the cobwebs. Suddenly they stop, and a look of terror flashes across the guide's face.

GUIDE
(trembling)
Senor...we must not go any farther! Look!

Slowly, the guide points at the wall of the cave, on which we see a mysterious-looking symbol.

GUIDE
(continuing)
It is an ancient, sacred Hovitos symbol. It means certain death to anyone who enters. We must turn back now!

George turns and gives the guide a determined look. Still trembling, the guide takes one last look at his master, then turns and runs out of the cave. The instant he reaches daylight, he is run over by a SPEEDING LOCOMOTIVE.

CLOSE ANGLE - GEORGE

Oblivious to the fate of his guide, George continues forward. He hesitates briefly upon seeing a skull and crossbones embedded in the wall of the cave, but his courage holds firm.

(CONTINUED)


CONTINUED:

After a few more steps, he encounters a freeway "DO NOT ENTER" sign... then a line of highway pylons and several roadblocks with "POLICE LINE - DO NOT CROSS" stenciled on them. Like a man possessed, he plunges forward.

As he moves through the obstacles, we hear the o.s. sound of a TELEPHONE RINGING. He finds a pay telephone on the wall of the cave and lifts the receiver to his ear.

MANIACAL VOICE (V.O.)
(filtered)
No!! Stop!! Don't go in there! Stop! Don't--

He hangs up the phone, turns a corner and then... he finally sees what he has come for.

GEORGE'S P.O.V. - SECRET CHAMBER

We see a room filled with eerie light. At the end of the room is a pedestal on which a beautiful golden statue sits.

ANGLE ON GEORGE

George cautiously approaches the statue, which we now see resembles an OSCAR. Sweating profusely, George takes from his satchel a small bag filled with sand. He carefully begins to pour it out, as he approximates the bag's weight with that of the statue. After a few moments of intense concentration, George decides that is is more trouble than it's worth - he chucks the sandbag on the ground, grabs the statue, and makes a run for it. Suddenly the center of the pedestal begin to sink and a cascade of rocks and dust starts to fall from the ceiling.

He runs frantically through the falling debris, then suddenly stops, almost falling into a deep, cavernous pit. George grabs a nearby vine, hoping to use it to get across. Instead, it falls loose to the ground. Thinking quickly, he takes from his belt a rope with a huge hook attached to it and throws it across the pit. The hook wedges securely into the ground. Then, with super-human strength, George pulls the other side over to where he is, closing the gap.

He hops across and continues to run. Suddenly we hear a loud RUMBLING sound and see a gigantic boulder rolling straight towards him. George makes a mad dash for the mouth of the cave.

4 EXT. MOUTH OF CAVE - DAY

George dives out of the cave and tumbles through the brush. With a sigh of relief, he gets up and brushes himself off. Then... we hear a familiar RUMBLING. George runs out of frame and the giant boulder appears, still rolling after him.

(CONTINUED)


CONTINUED:

In a SERIES OF SHOTS, we see the boulder chasing George through the jungle... through the desert... through a field... across abusy highway as traffic in both directions screeches to a halt... and down an escalator in a crowded department store.

5 EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

George rounds the corner of a large building on a city street. The boulder follows in hot pursuit, rounding the same corner. George runs toward camera at full speed, until his sweating face fills the frame. Finally, he collapses out of exhaustion in the foreground. The huge boulder rolls over George, squishing him flat.

6 INT. BURGER WORLD - CLOSE ANGLE ON BURGER - DAY

A hamburger patty is sizzling away on a hot grill.

ANGLE ON GEORGE

George Newman, wearing a ridiculous Burger World uniform, is staring down at the grill, lost in a daydream. George is a well-meaning but misguided soul whose overactive imagination is constantly getting him into trouble. He is approached by his roommate, best friend and co-worker BOB STECKLER, who has a somewhat more down-to-earth approach to life

BOB
Earth to George... hello...

He's not getting through. Bob brings his mouth to within an inch of George's ear.

BOB
(continuing)
GEORGE!!

George screams as he snaps back to reality.

BOB
(continuing)
Are you daydreaming again? Come on, George, we're busy here.

GEORGE
No, no, I was, uh... admiring how clean and shiny this grill is...

BOB
Yeah. Listen, I really stuck my neck out getting this job for you. If you screw things up here, Big Edna's gonna have both our hides.

(CONTINUED)


CONTINUED:

VOICE (O.S.)
Medium coke!

George starts filling a cup with coke.

GEORGE
Take it easy, Bob. If you don't stop worrying about everything, pretty soon you're gonna get an ulcer the size of a pumpkin, and then the veins will bulge out of your neck, and then your head will explode.

George overfills the cup, takes a sip, puts the cap on and hands it o.s.

BOB
You know, George, I can't help but notice that your heart just doesn't seem to be in your work.

GEORGE
Why, Bob, that's just not true. Charring the dead flesh of harmless animals is my life.

Terrified of getting hit with splattering grease, Geroge turns his head away as he tries to flip a burger. The burger lands up on the ceiling, where several other burgers are already stuck. Bob shakes his head and starts flipping burgers like an expert.

BOB
Look, I'll show you one more time. It's easy. See? The grill is your friend.

GEORGE
Hey, you're really good at this.

BOB
"Fast Food" is my middle name.

GEORGE
Wow, you must have had really cruel parents

BOB
Just try to keep your mind on your work, okay?

George carefully tries to flip the burgers.

(CONTINUED)


CONTINUED: (2)

GEORGE
I mean, what's the big deal anyway? Look at some of the greatest thinkers in history. Einstein... Socrates... Schwartzenegger... they used to daydream all the time. You know what the problem with this town is? Nobody here appreciates a guy with a good imagination.

BOB
At least not the people at the lumber yard or the miniature golf course or the bicycle shop or Floyd's Fish Market... or any of the other places you've worked at in the last month, right?

George places the burgers on buns and proceeds to drown them in mustard. In the b.g., one or two burgers fall from the ceiling.

GEORGE
Yea, well some day... some day they'll all be sorry. They'll be eating breakfast or something and all of a sudden they'll say, "Hey! We screwed up! We never should have fired George Newman because he's got imagination!"

George lifts a tray of fries out of the grease. They are burned beyond recognition.

GEORGE
(continuing)
Well... I think the fries are just about done.

BOB
Oh, geez. Better not let Big Edna see that. She'll have a fit.

GEORGE
Big Edna, Big Edna... You sound like a broken record. Why are you so afraid of that pathetic tub of lard?

George turns around and finds himself face-to-face with Big Edna, the meanest, most intimidating hulk of a woman on the planet. She is not happy.

GEORGE
(continuing, meekly)
I hope you didn't take that the wrong way...


7 EXT. FRONT DOOR OF BURGER WORLD - DAY

As the door opens, George and Bob are hurled across the length of the parking lot.

8 EXT. BRICK BUILDING - DAY - WIDE ANGLE

George and Bob pull up in a 1958 Metropolitain and park in front of a brick building on a city street. They approach the building. On the second floor is a window with a sign that reads "KUNI'S KARATE SCHOOL." We hear the GRUNTS AND GROANS of Kuni's class in action.

ANGLE ON GEORGE & BOB

BOB
I can't believe you did this to me. I knew this would happen.

GEORGE
You're right, Bob. I'm sorry. What can I say? I'm a miserable, worthless hunk of slime. Here, I want you to take this brick and... just bash my head right in. Really, go ahead, please, just bash it right in.

BOB
George, you know I couldn't do that... you still owe me five bucks

GEORGE
Good thinking.

Suddenly we hear the o.s. sound of a WINDOW SMASHING, and a body in white karate garb falls through frame. George nonchalantly looks down, and then up at the window.

GEORGE
(continuing)
Hey, Kuni!

GEORGE'S P.O.V.

Kuni is peering down through the broken window. He speaks with a heavy Japanese accent, and always through a big, cheery smile.

KUNI
Hiya, boys!

GEORGE
Beginner's class again today, huh?

KUNI
Yeah! They're so stupid!

(CONTINUED)


CONTINUED:

GEORGE
Hey, Kuni-san, we just had another minor career setback, so we might be a little late with the rent this month.

KUNI
Don't sweat it, George. I know you'll be good for it someday... ha ha ha ha ha.

GEORGE
Thanks, Kuni. You're a pal.

As George and Bob enter the building, we hear more o.s. GLASS BREAKING and another body falls through frame.

KUNI (V.O.)
Stupid!!

9 INT. GEORGE AND BOB'S APARTMENT - DAY

George and Bob enter their apartment, a semi-funky bachelor pad. Bob dejectedly makes his way to the couch while George heads for the kitchen. Throughout this scene we hear LOUD BANGING and MUFFLED SCREAMS from the adjacent karate school.

GEORGE
Hey, Bob-o, I think you're developing a bad attitude here. Look at me. My doctor told me I only had sixty-three years left to live, but am I upset? Am I letting it get to me? No way! you see, Bob, you gotta look at the bigger picture. You gotta grab life by the lips and YANK as hard as you can! Want some coffee?

BOB
No thanks.

George pours himself a cup of coffee and begins to add sugar. We hear a LOUD THUD from next door, causing several dishes to rattle and a bowl to fall out of the cupboard. George is unfazed. He looks over and sees Bob picking up the classifieds.

GEORGE
See anything in the want ads?

BOB
Well, there's a couple jobs here we might be suited for, but nothing with the prestige of working at Burger World... So you still going to your Uncle Harvey's going-away party?

(CONTINUED)


CONTINUED:

GEORGE
Yeah, I guess so.

BOB
Imagine, a guy like that winning the state lottery...

GEORGE
Kinda brings tears to your eyes, doesn't it?

George finishes pouring what is now an enormous amount of sugar. He takes a sip, grimaces and proceeds to add more sugar.

BOB
So what do you think Teri's gonna say when she hears you got fired again?

GEORGE
Teri! Oh no... what time is it?

Suddenly an arm sporting a wristwatch smashes through the wall with a karate punch. George grabs it and looks at the watch.

GEORGE
(continuing)
Seven-thirty? Oh boy, I gotta go. I'll see ya later, Bob.

10 INT. TERI'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

TERI CAMPBELL, a bright, perky woman in her early twenties, is impatiently thumbing through a magazine at her dining table.

Suddenly we hear a low o.s. "CH-CH-CH-CH-CH..." sound, staight out of "FRIDAY THE 13TH." Teri looks up from her magazine with a puzzled expression. We hear the sound again - this time accompanied by an ominous musical DRONE. The sound seems to be coming from behind the front door.

Teri cautiously crosses the room and approaches the door. We hear the sound again - this time slightly louder. She hesitates briefly, then swings the door open wide. A menacing figure wearing a hocky mask is standing in the hallway.

TERI
Hi, George. You're late.

George enters the apartment and takes off his mask. He puts it on a nearby bust of Beethoven.

(CONTINUED)


CONTINUED:

GEORGE
Yeah, sorry, but I was out committing random acts of mindless violence, and you know how time-consuming that can be... Here, this is for you.

George presents Teri with a cute stuffed animal. She smiles weakly, opens her bedroom door, and tosses it inside. The entire room is filled with stuffed animals. They continue into the kitchen.

TERI
Okay, what's your excuse this time?

GEORGE
Well, Bob and I were having a serious discussion about our... various career options. Boy, I really like what you've done with you hair. It's really kinda--

TERI
George... did you get fired again?

GEORGE
Well... in a word... it's a matter of opinion.

TERI
You were daydreaming again, weren't you?

GEORGE
(mock hysterical)
Yes! Yes! It's all true! I confess! I just don't know what's wrong with me!
(suddenly conversational)
So, what's for dinner?

George takes the lid off of one of the pots and examines its contents.

GEORGE
(continuing)
Mashed potatoes? My favorite! Teri, you shouldn't have!

George and Teri bring the food to the table. They sit down and George immediately starts scooping giant spoonfuls of mashed potatoes onto his plate. Teri is busy dishing out her own food, and doesn't notice what George is doing.

(CONTINUED)


CONTINUED: (2)

TERI
George, when are you going to start taking things a little more seriously? You know, you've been wandering aimlessly from job to job ever since I've known you. If only you could get that overactive imagination of yours to work for you instead of against you. Maybe you could... what are you doing?

George now has an enormous mound of mashed potatoes on his plate, and is sculpting it into a replica of "DEVIL'S TOWER" from "CLOSE ENCOUNTERS." He is staring intensely at his creation.

GEORGE
This means something... this is important.

TERI
Have you listened to anything I've said?

GEORGE
(quietly)
Yeah, I guess so.

TERI
(feeling sorry)
Come here.

George gets up, walks over to Teri, and sits on her lap. He stares "meaningfully" into her eyes.

TERI
(continuing)
You know, you really have a lot of potential. If you'd just learn to keep your feet on the ground, maybe you could make a future for yourself. And what about us? What about our future? Don't you care about that?

They are now nose to nose as George nods quietly with a sad, puppy-dog expression.

TERI
(continuing)
Well? Don't you have anything to say?

George slowly leans over as if he's about to kiss her neck and instead delivers a loud neck raspberry. She is exasperated but somehow charmed.

(CONTINUED)


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