AN ANALYSIS OF SEMANTIC CHANGE IN EUPHEMISTIC TERMS IN
THE SCRIPTS “JENNIFER’S BODY”
MOVIE
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for
The Degree of Letters Scholar
RESMITA SISKA
106026000969
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT
ADAB AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
2010
ABSTRACT
Resmita Siska, An Analysis of Semantic Change in Euphemistic Terms in the Script
‘Jennifer’s Body’ movie. Thesis. Jakarta : English Letters Department. Letters and
Humanities Faculty, State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2010.
The aim of this research is to describe the meaning relation and semantic
change that happened in euphemistic terms that found in the script “Jennifer’s Body”
movie. This meaning relation falls under: synonymy, antonym, hyponymy, and
meronymy. While semantic change divided into: semantic broadening, semantic
narrowing, amelioration, pejorative, sinestesia, and association.
The writer applies descriptive- qualitative method to describe the types of
meaning relation and semantic change that happened in euphemistic terms. In the
collecting data the writer applies the documentation method in which the “Jennifer’s
Body”
film
scripts
are
download
from
the
website
http://www.imsdb.com/search.php. The writer analyzed 10 types of euphemism that
found in the scripts. Data analysis continued by using descriptive method.
From all the data analysis taken from film “Jennifer’s Body” the writer found
the types of euphemism like circumlocution, clipping, abbreviation, quasi-omission,
metonymy, hyperbole, understatement, abstraction, but is not found the rhyming slang,
remodeling, acronyms, synecdoche, borrowing, indirectness, mispronunciation, plays
on abbreviation, and phonetic alphabet. The euphemistic terms can replace the words
assumed by taboo because there is semantic change.
APPROVEMENT
AN ANALYSIS OF SEMANTIC CHANGE IN EUPHEMISTICS TERM
IN THE SCRIPT “JENNIFER’S BODY”
MOVIE
A Thesis
Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement
for the Degree of Letters Scholar
Resmita Siska
106026000969
Approved by:
Dr. Frans Sayogie, M.Pd
NIP: 19700310 200003 1002
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTEMENT
LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH
JAKARTA
2010
LEGALIZATION
Name : Resmita Siska
NIM : 106026000969
Title : An Analysis of Semantic Change in Euphemistic Terms in the Script
“Jennifer’s Body” Movie.
The thesis has been defended before the Letters and Humanities Faculty’s
Examination Committee on November 15, 2010. The thesis already been accepted as a
partial fulfillment of requirement for Strata One Degree (S1).
Jakarta, November 15, 2010
The Examining Committee
Name
Signature
Date
1. Dr. H. M. Farkhan, M.Pd
NIP.196509192000031002
(Chair Person)
________
_______
2. Drs. Asep Saefudin, M. Pd
NIP.1640701993031006
(Secretary)
________
_______
3. Dr. Frans Sayogie, M.Pd
NIP. 19700310 200003 1002
(Advisor)
________
_______
4. Drs. Agus Irianto, M.Hum
NIP.195708101994121001
(Examiner I)
________
_______
5. Drs.H. Ramdani, M.Pd
NIP.
(Examiner II)
________
_______
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim…..
In the name of Allah, the most Merciful and the most Beneficent.
Praise is only for Allah SWT, Lord of the world. First, the writer is deeply
grateful to Him who gives her His blessing and opportunity to accomplish this thesis.
The writer would like to thank to her beloved parents Asril and Wasnidar
(alm.) who always give the support, love, attention, pray, and finance for the writer.
The writer is heartily thankful to her beloved sister Elmira Siska who give motivation
and also finance during her study and the process of finishing this thesis. The writer
also wish to thank her brother Ory Syahputra, Devit Rahman Putra , M. Halim
Syahputra and especially for Deni Effendy who never tired to give her motivation.
The writer owes her deepest gratitude to all lecturers who have been their
knowledge and experiences during her study in English Letter Department, State
Islamic University syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.
The writer would like to express her deep and sincere gratitude to her advisor,
Dr. Frans Sayogie, M.Pd who had guided and supported the writer accomplish this
paper until finishing it.
The writer wish to express her warm and sincere thanks to these following
amazing persons who helped her in finishing this thesis Drs. Abdul Wahid Hasyim,
M.Ag the dean of Letters & Humanities faculty, Dr. Muhammad Farkhan.M.Pd the
head of English Letters Department, Drs. Asep Saefuin, M.Pd, the secretary of English
Letters Department.
Finnaly, The writer would like to thank to her best friends Elvina Sanjaya,
Dian rahmawati, Puspa Mega, Eka Hastianta, Nandang, Nanang Septiawan, Reza
Hafids and entire classmates class B and class A linguistics of English Letters
Department.
And many others relations are too numerous to name, but the writer thanks all
of them for sharing their ideas with her. For any mistakes that have not been weeded
out of this thesis, the writer of course remains fully responsible.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER .................................................................................................
i
ABSTRACT ..........................................................................................
ii
APPROVEMENT .................................................................................
iii
LEGALIZATION .................................................................................
iv
DECLARATION ..................................................................................
v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................
vii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION ....................................................
1
A. Background of the study ........................................
1
B. Focus the Study .....................................................
4
C. The Research Question ..........................................
5
D. Objective of the Study ...........................................
5
E. Significance of the Study .......................................
6
F. Research Methodology...........................................
6
1. Method of Research ............................................
6
2. The Instrument ....................................................
6
3. Collecting Data ...................................................
7
4. Technique of Data Analysis.................................
7
5. Unit Analysis ......................................................
8
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .........................
9
CHAPTER II
A. Euphemism
1. Definition of Euphemism .................................
9
2. Types of Euphemism ........................................
11
3. Taboo Word .....................................................
15
B. Semantics .............................................................
17
1. Definition of Semantics ....................................
17
2. Definition of Meaning ......................................
18
3. Types of Meaning ............................................
20
4. The Role of Context Situation in the Meaning
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
of Language .....................................................
24
C. Semantic Field .......................................................
25
D. Componential Analysis .........................................
26
E. Cultural Meaning ..................................................
30
F. Meaning Relation ...................................................
31
G. Semantic Change ...................................................
34
RESEARCH FINDING ...........................................
37
A. Data Description....................................................
37
B. Data Analysis ........................................................
41
1. Metaphor.............................................................
41
2. Circumlocution ...................................................
45
3. Clippings .............................................................
48
4. Abbreviation ......................................................
51
5. Quasi Omission ...................................................
55
6. Full Omission ......................................................
58
7. Metonymy ...........................................................
60
8. Hyperbole ...........................................................
63
9. Understatement ...................................................
66
10. Abstraction ........................................................
69
CONCLUSION and SUGGESTION ......................
72
BIBLIO GRAPHY
APPENDIX
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of Study
As social human being, people couldn’t be separated from the influences of the
others, and almost all of their activities connected to another people. The accepted
from for aspects of behavior through which people influence and react to each other is
Social Interaction. 1 Its one way which could be brought into reality is verbal
communication form. The one of purposes of verbally communication according to
Purwo as cited by Gunarwan is deliver information to another people. Besides that, the
important one of communication purpose also to keep social relationship and this is
universal communication necessity.2
To keep the social relationship, in human life there are rules and norms which
be obeyed by them. If someone wants to speak or say something, he must consider all
of factors which related to the rules and norms that be found in society. Commonly,
the speaker doesn’t speak directly without paying attention to the factors that influence
their speech such as how the situation is going on, who are the interlocutor, where the
place is, and what the subject or topic which is being talked. In this case, the speaker
must speak and deliver his idea in “good way” in order to make the social relationship
getting better.
1
2
Hudson, R. A. 1980. Sociolinguistic. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p.108
Ibid.
One of way to keep the good social relationship in verbally communication is
the speaker must avoid the term or the word which can insulting the listener,
embarrassing the interlocutor, attaching the listener’s self esteem or in another word
make the listener loss his face. The term is known as “dangerous word” or the “Taboo
word” or “dysphemism”. Taboo word is a word known to speakers but avoided in
some, most, or all, forms or contexts of speech, for reason of religion decorum
politeness, etc.3It is clear that when we use the taboo word its mean we attack the
listener or make the listener undergoes loss his face.
According to Allan & Burridge the subject of taboo can vary widely like in sex
area, bodily effluvia, bodily function, death, religious matter, dangerous animal,
political issue even, diseases etc. For example, peoples feel difficult to mention the
specific organ for reproduction because the name of specific organ is taboo to be
mentioned and they choose to change the name of specific organ with another term.
We also can find in our life there are many words that used by people to deliver their
condolence without using the word “die”, because ‘die’ is considered as taboo word.
Because the “taboo word” is forbidden to mention and give the bed effect, so
people create the new word or rename and repackage that word to getting “better
sound” but still have a meaning that related to it. That’s a reason why they apply
“Euphemism”. According to Allan & Burriage, Euphemism is used as an alternative
to a dispreferred expression, in order to avoid possible loss of face: either one’s own
face or, through giving offense, that of the audience, or of some third party.4
3
Pieter, Mathews, The Concise Oxford Dictionary Of Linguistics. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1997. p.371
4
Ibid. p. 11
Rawson said that euphemism are powerful linguistics tools that “are embedded
so deeply in our language that few of us, even those who pride, themselves on being
plainspoken, ever get through a day without using them”. The need for euphemism is
both social and emotional, as it allows discussion of “touchy” or taboo subject ( such
as sex, reproductive processes, personal appearances or religion, etc) without enraging,
outraging, or upsetting other people, and acts as a pressure valve whilst maintaining
the appearance of civility. For example we can take these euphemism word from
“Jennifer’s Body” scripts, the word “womb” for “cunt”, “hot one” for “sexy woman”,
“PMS” for premenstrual syndrome, “J.C” for “Jesus Christ”, “going somewhere or
gone” for “died”, “butt” for ass or arse and so on,
All these euphemism appeared naturally in the process of everyday usage.
People instinctively try to avoid the word not offend or to hurt one’s feelings. So
euphemism is synonym that aims to at producing a deliberately mild effect. When
people use them in proper situations, it means that they care about other people.
Similarly, euphemisms are used to express taboo, as we feel, on some
instinctual level, that the euphemism keeps us at safe distance from the taboo itself.
Another use of euphemism is to elevate the status of something (e.g. using “sanitation
engineer” sound more exalted then does “garbage collector”, “underprivileged” sound
much better than “poor and needy”, as does “senior citizens” rather than “old people”
); but in general, euphemism are used to express what is socially difficult to express in
direct terms.
These euphemisms surely give rise to language change trough the emergence
or loss of some sense of lexemes, or suitable replacement in the higher style. Many
euphemisms are figurative; many have been or are being the cause of “semantic
change”.5 These semantic changes lead the new meaning to be broader, narrower,
more favorable, or less favorable. Besides that, the other meaning may change because
of the exchange of perception or the similarity of characters.6
Although each lexeme undergoes semantics change, it is still tied by meaning
relation. Hence, together with the above explanation, the writer has in mind to bring
about the research An Analysis of Semantic Change in Euphemistic Terms in the
script “Jennifer’s Body” movie. In this thesis, the writer intends to describe in detail
what kind of euphemistic its self, how do meaning relation and semantic change
undergone by euphemism terms that used in that movie based on the theory cited in
theoretical framework.
B.
Focus of the Study
In doing the research, the writer would like to limit the discussion on semantic
issue such as meaning relation and semantic change of euphemism taken from
“Jennifer’s Body” script can be found http://www.imsdb.com/search.php written by
Diablo Cody. In analyzing the data, the writer applies semantic theory proposed by
Leech, Lyons, Jackson, Ogden and Richard, and soon.
The writer applies those theories in order to get all data of euphemism in that
story can be used to analyze completely. The writer also chooses the data from
“Jennifer’s Body” script after considering that these might be the best data for the
5
Keith Allan & Kate Burridge, Euphemism and Dysphemism language Used as Sheild and
Weapon. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. p.14
6
Ibid p. 97
analysis. It is because the story of this movie goes a lot of area of friendship, love and
horror.
C.
The Research Question
To make more convenient and simply in this research, the writer formulates
her research through the following question:
1. What types of euphemism are found from “Jennifer’s Body” scripts?
2. How do the semantic change of euphemistic terms in “Jennifer’s Body”
scripts?
D.
Objective of the Study
The objectives of this study are:
1. Describing and classifying the euphemism terms into types of
euphemism taken from “Jennifer’s body” scripts and giving
explanation what kind of meaning relation give to euphemism terms
on each type of euphemism by applying componential analysis.
2. Giving explanation what kind of semantic changes involved in the
use of euphemism term by applying componential analysis.
E.
Significance of the Study
Basically, the significance of this research is to increase the study about
linguistics especially about euphemism that related to semantic change in order to
know what kind of words in English terms called “Taboo and Euphemism”.
This study hopefully has some benefits for all students, especially at UIN
English Letter Department student. Moreover, in this study, the student can apply their
knowledge and comprehension in the appropriate daily conversation, especially in
formal occasion.
F.
Research Methodology
1. Method of Research
In this research the writer uses a qualitative-descriptive method; the
writer describes the main data which are taken from “Jennifer’s body” scripts
through http://www.imsdb.com/search.php, then the writer analyzed the data
from semantic theory, and also correlating some of theories that are relevant
with the research.
2. The Instrument
The instrument in this research is the writer herself by collecting and
noting the word related to the euphemism. The word will be analyzed carefully
by giving the explanation. Besides analyzing the data, the writer also puts it as
the evidence in this research.
3.
Collecting Data
The data of the study are the scripts “Jennifer’s Body”. The data are
also found from http://www.imsdb.com/search.php. That is movie website
where the writer browsed and got the transcripts of the movie “Jennifer’s
Body” written by Diablo Cody and directed by Karyn Kusuma.
Thus in detail she got through some steps, there are:
a. Watching the movie “Jennifer’s Body”.
b. Reading the movie scripts of “Jennifer’s Body”
c. Searching euphemistic terms from the movie that guided by the movie
scripts.
d. Giving a mark on euphemistic terms which are going to be observed.
e. Using note technique to make a list of euphemism and then classify into
types of speech.
f. Analyzing the euphemistic term and giving explanation what kind of
semantic changes involved in the use of euphemistic term by applying
componential analysis.
4. Technique of Data Analysis
In this study, the main data will be analyzed by some ways. The writer
use method to analyze the data in this study should be outlined in order to the
writer doesn’t find confusion and go out of this study.
Here, the writer applies also descriptive method that is a method used
in order to make a description, an illustration, or a picture systematically,
factually and accurately about the fact. Technique used to verify the semantics
properties is binary semantic features.7 Next the data will be analyzed by using
core meaning analysis. It is used to find the meaning of word, even through the
data is not in a sentence.
In order to succeed in this research, the writer benefited the qualitative
analysis data by implementing the following procedures:
7
Howard, Jackson. Words and Their Meaning. New York: Longman. 1984. p.82
a. Collecting the books that are relevant to semantics change, the
euphemism and
dysphemism
(taboo
word or dispreferred
expression).
b. Reading and understanding some theories of semantic theory,
semantic change, euphemism and dysphemism.
c. Describing taboo and euphemistic term.
d. Substituting the euphemistic term with taboo term.
e. Analyzing the data by using the set of components to compare and
identify the meaning relation and semantic change.
f. Analyzing the data by using core meaning analysis that is a
technique to find out the meaning of the word even though the word
is not in sentence.
5.
Unit of Analysis
The analysis unit of the research is the scripts of “Jennifer’s Body”,
where the scripts take from http://www.imsdb.com/search.php, a website that
full of movie’s scripts.
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Euphemism
1. Definition of Euphemism
The word euphemism comes from the Greek word euphemos, meaning
"auspicious/good/fortunate speech/kind" which in turn is derived from the Greek rootwords eu "good/well" + pheme "speech/speaking". The eupheme was originally a word
or phrase used in place of a religious word or phrase that should not be spoken aloud;
etymologically, the eupheme is the opposite of the blaspheme (evil-speaking). From
the word’s root of euphemism we can conclude that euphemism is speak in good way.
Concise Oxford Dictionary as quoted by Enright explain that euphemism is a
substitution of mild, vague or indirect expression for rude or direct one8, Keith Allan
& Kate Burridge mention that:
A euphemism is used as an alternative to dispreferred expression, in order to
avoid possible los face: either one’s face or trough giving offense, that of the
audience or of some third party.9
The statement above give a comprehension to us that people use the euphemism
term is as an alternative expression to avoid mention the taboo word that will make the
listener loss his face. It is done absolutely to keep the relationship between speaker
and listener.
8
p.13.
9
D.J Enright, Fair of Speech: The use of Euphemism. New York: oxford University Press, 1985.
Keith Allan & Kate Burridge, Euphemism and Dysphemism language Used as Sheild and
Weapon. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. p.11
Whereas, Matthews stated that euphemism is word, etc used in place of one
avoided as e.g. offensive, indecent, or alarming. 10 We can conclude that euphemism is
a substitution of an agreeable or less offensive expression in place of one that may
offend or suggest something unpleasant to the receiver or listener, or to make it less
troublesome for the speaker.
If the “pleasant/polite word” is well known as euphemism, so the contrast words
or the bad one is called dysphemism. People used it to downgrade and show
disapproval of things, as Allan (1991) stated “dysphemism” is an expression with
connotation that are offensive either about the denotatum or to audience, or both.11. It
is clear that taboo word absolutely can hurt the listener or make loss his face, because
of that people try to reduce of the using of dysphemism and change to apply
euphemism.
The purposes of euphemism are to present words of good omen, to avoid
unlucky words with metaphysical harm may befall either speaker or hearer, and to
prevent hearer from losing face by offending his sensibilities. Besides that it may also
substitute a description of something or someone to avoid revealing secret, holy, or
sacred names to the uninitiated, or to obscure the identity of the subject of a
conversation from potential eavesdroppers. Some euphemisms are intended to amuse.
For examples, euphemism words to cited freedom fighter for “terrorist”, firm for
“pig-headed”, life insurance replacing “insurance when you are dead”, toddler for
“idiot”. In short, euphemism is an alternative to unpleasant expression, and is used in
order to avoid possible loss of face.
10
Petter Matthews, The consise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics. New York: oxford University
Press, 1997. p.119.
11
Keith Allan & kate Burriage .1991. opp. cit 13
2.
Types of Euphemism
According to Allan and Burridge in “Euphemism and Dysphemism” mentioned
that many euphemisms that are figurative can be formed through several ways, such
as:
a.
Metaphor used as means of comparing things that are essentially unlike,in
metaphor the comparison is implied-that is, the figurative term is substituted for
or identified with the literal term, for example: miraculous pitcher for “vagina”,
the cavalry’s come replaces “I have got period”, kick the bucker for “die”.
b.
Rhyming slang is a way of talking in which tou use words or phrases that rhyme
with the word you mean, instead of using that word, for example whistle (and
flute) for “suit”, groan and grunt for “cunt”, jimmy-riddle fo “piss”
c.
Remodelling is the way of replacing part of the word like sugar, shoot, and
shucks for “shit”, tarnation for “damnation” darn, dang, and draft for “Damn”,
tidbits for “titbits”, basket for “bastard”, cripes or crumb for “Christ”, usually
end up as one-for-one substitutions in which either the onset or rhyme of the
dispreferred term is matched with that of a semantically word.
d.
Circumlocution is a roundabout way of thinking (often includes in metaphor or
metonymy). It is common in the form of listen (compound or idiom) like little
girl’s room for “toilet” and categorical inaccuracy or Terminology inexactitude
for “lie”, rape become criminal sexual assault or a serious offense against a
woman, feces become solid human waste, etc.
e.
Clippings is the euphemisms starting off with a modifying word then the
modifier is dropped as the phrase ceases to be euphemistic. For instance: Jeeze
for “ Jesus”, bra for “brassiere” (both end-clipped)
f.
Acronyms are written and pronounced as the words in their own right like or
acronym are proper word created from the initial letter or two of the words in
phrase, and they are pronounced like others word, for instance
snafu for
“situation formal, all fucked up” or commfu “complete monumental military
fuck up”, etc.
g.
Abbreviations are written and pronounced as strings of letters like TS for “tough
shit” etc.
h.
Omission fall into:
1. Quasi-omission substitutes some no-lexical expression for the
dispreferred term into dashes and asterisk like mmmm, er-mm, and
soon.
2. Full-omission seems less common than quasi-omissions found/
need to go by omitting “to the lavatory”.
i.
One-for-one substitution is almost synonym and consists of two:
1. Metonymy (general-for-specific): one name of change for another
like the legal term person for “pennies” and region for “genitals”.
2. Synecdoche (part-for-whole euphemism) means to take with
something else demonstrated in spend a penny for “go to the
lavatory” and I’ve got a cough may occasionally ignore the
accompanying “”stuffed up nose, postnasal drip, and running nose”.
j.
Hyperbole is simply exaggeration, but exaggeration in the service of truth, for
example, flight to glory for “death”.
k.
Understatement is saying less than one means, like sleep for “die”, deed for “act
of murder”. It is used to emphasis and to negate the opposite of what we wish to
convey.
l.
Euphemism through borrowing
The use of foreign language (Latin, France, etc) is considered to counteract
taboo terms such as bodily effluvia, sex, and the associated acts and bodily
organs. The used of perspire instead of “sweat” expectorate instead of “spit”
defecate and feces instead of “shit”, genitals instead of “sex organs”, vagina
instead of “cunt”
Then, Enrich (1985)12 classified types of euphemism into: substitution, rhyming
slang, abbreviation, acronyms, circumlocution, litotes (understatement), indirectness,
lightly imaginative language, and synonym.
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphemism#See_also many
euphemisms fall into:
a.
Term of foreign and technical origin such as: copulation, perspire, urinate.
b.
Abbreviation such as: BS for “bullshit”, TS for “tough shit”.
c.
Abstractions such as: it, the situation, go left the company, do it.
d.
Indirectness such as: behind, unmentionable, privates, live together, go to the
bath room, sleep together.
e.
Mispronunciation such as: freakin, goldarnit.
12
D.J Enright, Fair of Speech: The use of Euphemism. New York: oxford University Press,
1985. pp.17-27
f.
Plays on abbreviation such as: barbecue sauce for “bullshit”, Maryland farmer
for “motherfucker, sugar honey ice tea for “shit”.
g.
Phonetic alphabet such as: foxtrot for “fuck”, bravo, sierra for “bullshit”.
From all the explanation above, the writer can describe types of euphemism as
follows:
Metaphor
Rhyming slang
Remodeling
Abbreviation
Acronyms
Omission
Types of Euphemism
Substitution
quasi – omission
Full omission
metonymy
synecdoche
Hyperbole
Understatement
Borrowing
Abstraction
Indirectness
Mispronunciation
Plays on abbreviation
Phonetic alphabet
3.
Taboo Word
Taboo word is a word known to speakers but avoid in some, most, or all forms
or context of speech, for reason of religion, decorum, politeness, etc. 13 The word taboo
derives from the Tongan, an Austronesian language14 was prohibited behavior. It was
prohibited because it was believed to do be dangerous to certain individuals, or to
society as a whole. The dangerous of the taboo word are can insult the listener, its
13
Petter Matthews, The consise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics. New York: oxford
University Press, 1997. p.371
14
Keith Allan & Kate Burridge, Euphemism and Dysphemism language Used as Sheild and
Weapon. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. p.12
means the taboo word will break the good relationship between speaker and hearer,
and if we mention the taboo word some people will consider that we are impious or
impolite.
Akmajian mentioned that what counts as taboo language is something defined by
culture, and not by anything inherent in the language. 15 Taboo or not taboo a language
is depending on their culture. For instance, in Indonesian people especially in Javanese
people to mention the name of the people who passed away is consider as taboo, so the
people use word “almarhum or almarhumah before the name”, and it is not happen in
the other culture or country.
Keith Allan and Kate Burridge, Forbidden Words: Taboo and the Censoring of
Language said in contemporary western society, taboo and euphemism are closely
related to the concepts of politeness and face (basically, a person's self-image).
Generally, social interaction is oriented toward behavior that is gracious and
respectful, or at least inoffensive. Participants have to consider whether what they are
saying will maintain, enhance, or damage their own face, as well as to be considerate
of, and care for, the face needs of others.
Common swear words such as “fuck! Include taboo words. Hence to avoid
words seen as offensive, obscene, or somehow disturbing to listeners or readers, the
taboo words will be euphemized. It is like what Allan stated in Natural Semantics
Language as follows:
A taboo term, a strong dysphemism, is often replaced by more positively
euphemistic words or phrase whose original meaning has been semantically
15
Adrian Akmajian, Richard Demers, Ann Farmer, and Robert Harnish, Linguistics: An
Introduction to Language and Communication. MIT Press, 2001
extended to create a new sense for it. For instance, instead of saying “my
father died” someone may said “my father passed away”16.
Thus taboo words including swear words such as “fuck!” and “hell” have
euphemistic term : “ freak!” and “heck”.
Taboo word comprise three kinds, they are:
1.
Taboo of fear
For example: name of the dead are taboo in some societies, taboos on the name
of God, Names of dangerous animals, etc.
2.
Taboo of delicacy
For examples military –pacify means “be killing”, neutralize means “kill
selected targets”.
3.
Taboo of propriety
This typical taboo goes to sexual acts, bodily effluvia, body-parts function and
curse. For instance: shit, sperm, urine, etc.17
B. Semantics
1. Definition of semantics
Semantic is the study of the meaning of words, phrases, and sentence.18 Lehrer
in his book “Semantic Field and Lexical Structure” cited that semantic, the study of
16
Keith Allan. Natural Semantics New York: Blackwell Publisher, 2001. p.134
Keith Allan & Kate Burridge, Euphemism and Dysphemism language Used as Sheild and
Weapon. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. p.140
18
Yule, George. The Study of Language. Thrid Edition. Cambridge University Press. 2006. p.100
17
meaning is a vast field touching on most of the structure and function of language as
well as problem in psychology, philosophy, and anthropology19.
R. Bauerle cited in his book which titled “Semantic from Different Points of
View” that the word “semantic” refers to a quite peculiar theory of meaning. This
theory assumes that language consists of special (structured) objects, which become
meaningful by their being related to certain other objects to speak “in the world”.
Among these other objects we have to imagine such abstract objects as function,
especially truth function.
We can conclude that semantics is commonly is considered to be the study of
meaning (and related nations) in language or the study of linguistics reference and
truth conditions in language.
2. Definition of meaning
The word ‘meaning’ is quite ambiguous.20 It is commonly used to show
equivalence between expression within a language, such as mother means ‘female
parents’, or between language, such as mere means mother in French.
Besides that, Arrnoff and Janie Ross in ‘The Handbook of Linguistics” cited that
when people talk, they generally talk about things, events, and situations in the world.
They are able to do this because they represent connections between the expression of
their language and extra-linguistic phenomena in a fully systematic way. The meaning
of a sentence is to a large extend, dependent on the ways in which the words and
19
Lehrer, Adrianne. Semantic Field and lexical Srtucture. Amsterdam: north Holland
Publishing. 1974. p.1
20
Lehrer, Adrianne. Semantic Field and lexical Srtucture. Amsterdam: north Holland
Publishing. 1974. p.1
phrases from which it is constructed can be related to situation in the world. Speakers
of a language can speak effectively with each other, because they have internalized the
same rules for pairing the lexical items, and they used the same procedures for
computing the meaning of a syntactically complex phrase from the meanings of its
parts.
Ruth M. Kempson cited there are 3 main ways in which linguists and
philosophers have attempted to construct explanation of meaning in natural language:
(a) by defining nature of word meaning (b) by defining the nature of sentence meaning
(c) by explaining the process of communication. In the first way, word meaning is
taken as the construct in terms of which sentence meaning and communication can be
explained: in the second, it is sentence meaning which is taken a basic, with words
characterized in terms of the systematic contribution they make to sentence meaning;
and the third, both sentence and word meaning are explained in terms of the way in
which sentences and words are used in the act of communication.
According to Saeed meaning must be something that exits in the mind rather
than the word so that it must be more abstract than picture of features.21 When people
say something to another person, they have to make the same what the object which
intended, the object not must be concrete, but the object is abstract. For example when
Indonesian people talk about mystic around in Merapi Mountain, all of the meaning of
the mystic will not be understood by the foreign listener because the concept about
Mystic is not same, otherwise the Eskimos people know more than 9 name of snow or
ice that each term have different meaning.
21
Howard Jackson. Words and Their Meaning. New York: Longman, 1975. p.12
Even Leech in Semantics supported this statement by dividing meaning into:
a. Meaning as reference
It is said that the meaning of linguistics sign is what that sign refer to, what it
stand for in the real word.
b. Meaning as mental concept
It is considered that the meaning of linguistics sign is the mental concept it
stand for, that the meaning of a word is the idea it conveys or arouses in the
mind of the speaker or hearer.
c. Meaning as usage
It is the meaning of a word as the ability to use that word in ways other people
will understand, and to understand it when uttered by other people.22
3. Types of Meaning
According to Geoffrey Leech in his ‘Semantics a Study of meaning’ (1974)
breaks down meaning into seven types or ingredients giving primacy to conceptual
meaning.
The Seven types of meaning according to Leech are as follows.
1. Conceptual or Denotative Meaning:
Conceptual meaning is also called logical or cognitive meaning. It is an
inextricable and essential part of what language is such that one can scarcely define
language without referring to it. Such a meaning is stylistically neutral and objective
as opposed to other kinds of associative meanings. Conceptual meanings are the
22
Geoffry, Leech. Semantics. New Zealand: Penguin Book ltd. 1997. p.12
essential or core meaning while other six types are the peripheral. It is peripheral in as
sense that it is non-essential. They are stylistically marked and subjective kind of
meanings. Leech gives primacy to conceptual meaning because it has sophisticated
organization based on the principle of contrastiveness and hierarchical structure.
Contrastive features underline the classification of sound in phonology, for example,
in that any label we apply to a sound defines it positively, by what features it possesses
and also by implication negatively, by what features it does not possess.
2. Connotative Meaning
Connotative meaning is the communicative value an expression has by virtue
of what it refers to, over and above its purely conceptual content. It is something that
goes beyond mere referent of a word and hints at its attributes in the real world. It is
something more than the dictionary meaning. For example the conceptual content of
‘woman’ is +human + female+ adult but the psychosocial connotations could be
‘gregarious’ or easy to break the ice with the new people, ‘having maternal instinct’
attributes of womanhood like ‘babbling’,’ experienced in cookery’, instinct for
develop the child.
3. Social Meaning (Stylistic Meaning)
Stylistic meaning is that which a piece of language conveys about the social
circumstances of its use. The decoding of a text is dependent on our knowledge of
stylistics and other variations of language. We recognize some words or pronunciation
as being dialectical i.e. as telling us something about the regional or social origin of
the speaker. Social meaning is related to the situation in which an utterance is used.
It is concerned with the social circumstances of the use of a linguistic expression.
For example, some dialectic words inform us about the regional and social background
of the speaker. When we listen the Javanese speak we can quest directly that the
speaker is a Javanese. We know that through the stylist which used the Javanese
generally. The sound is more lower than other language and there are so much word
choice that have to be used in proper situation and proper hearer.
4. Affective or Emotive Meaning
Affective meaning is refers to emotive association or effects of words evoked in
the reader, listener. It is what is carried about the personal feelings or attitude to the
listener.
For Leech affective meaning refers to what is convey about the feeling and
attitude of the speaker through use of language (attitude to listener as well as attitude
to what he is saying). For example (A) ‘you are a vicious tyrant and a villainous
reprobate, and I hate you for it! It is show the feeling of the speaker that hate the
speaker very much. Sentence (B) I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but I wonder if you
would be so kind as to lower your voices a little. The speaker shows his attitude by
scaling remarks according to politeness.
5. Reflected Meaning
Reflected meaning is the meaning which arises in cases of multiple conceptual
meaning, when one sense of a word forms part of our response to another sense. Leech
says that in church service ‘the Holy Ghost and the comforter’ refer to the third in
Trinity. The comfort sounds warm and ‘comforting although in the religious context, it
means ‘the strengthener or supporter, while The Holy Ghost sounds awesome or
wonderful. Although they are similar but unconsciously there is a response to their
non-religious meanings too. Therefore the ‘comforter’ sounds warm and comforting
while the ‘Ghost’ sounds ‘awesome/ wonderful’ or even ‘dreadful’.
6. Collocative Meaning
Collocative meaning consist of the associations a word acquires on account of
the meanings of words which tend to occur in its environment. Words collocate or cooccur with certain words only for example pretty and handsome share common ground
in the meaning ‘good looking’, but may be distinguished by the range of nouns with
which they are likely to co-occur. However, they little differrent from each other
because of collocation or co-occurrence. The word ‘pretty’ collocates with girls,
woman, village, gardens, flowers, etc, and handsome collocates with boy, man, car,
vessel, overcoat, etc.
7. Thematic Meaning
Thematic meaning refers to what is communicated by the way in which a
speaker or a writer organizes the message in terms of ordering focus and emphasis. We
can see in the active and passive sentence, though its conceptual meaning is the same.
For example (A) Mr. Adam donated the first prize to the church and (B) the first prize
was donated by Mr. Adam. Various parts of the sentence also can be used as subject,
object or complement to show prominence. It is done through focus, theme (topic) or
emotive emphasis. Thematic meaning helps us to understand the message and its
implications properly.
4.
The Role of Context Situation in the Meaning of Language
The term of context situation is revealed by the two anthropologists, they are
Malinowski and Firth. Both experts agreed that the meaning of language is influenced
by the context situation of language using.23 Malinowski, see that language is a form
of community action that depends on the situation of language use in society. Because
of that language is inseparable from the larger context of language, that is culture.
That's why he suggested that the study of language meaning refers to the functional
analysis of language in cultural context that the language user.
To explain the dependence of meaning in the context situation, Malinowski did
not give details of how studying it. Therefore, the following categories proposed by
Firth as quoted by Malmkjaer (1991) were quite helpful in order to explain the
meaning of language study in relation to the context situation as follows:
(1)
The Participants in the situation.
(2)
The Action of the participants
(3)
Other Relevant Features of the situation
(4)
The Effects of the verbal action
Base on formulas above, it shows that it is more likely to examine the theory of
meaning with related between element outside of languages and language elements,
they are (a) speakers, (b) place, (c) the object which is talking (d) and influence from
what is uttered by the speakers. This specific analysis is refer towards the study of
meaning is called pragmatics.
23
Sundayana, Wahyu and Aziz.E Aminudin. Semantik. Penerbit: Universitas
Terbuka.2007.p.2.13
C. Semantic Field
If we examine something of the nature of the relations words may enter into with
other words of the same language that is sense relation: here we are concerned with so
called semantic field.24
Lehrer cited that theories of semantic fields that the vocabulary of a language is
structured, just as the grammar and phonology of language are structured – the words
of language can be classified into sets which are related to conceptual field and divide
up the semantic space or the semantic domain in certain ways. Nida explained that a
semantic domain consist essentially of a group of meanings (by no means restricted to
those reflected in single words) which share certain semantic components. For
example when talking about a house, we can refer to the building and all of component
itself such as window, door, floor, wall, root and ect. All of the component/ features of
a house, we call as semantic field or semantic domain of house.
Lehrer as quoted by Akmajian et noted that words belonging to the same
semantic field undergo similar semantic change.25 Semantic field analysis uses feature
to show the relationship of lexical items within a field or domain26. For example, if we
studied the word iron, we would also look at toaster, vacuum cleaner, and the other
items in the household tools domain. The features or components help us index the
meaning of words, separate the various meanings of individual words, and analyze
relationship between similar words.
24
Simpson, J.M.Y. A First Course in Linguistics. Edinburg: Edinburg University Press.
1962.p188
25
Akmajian, et al, Linguistics : An Introduction to Language nad Communacation. London: the
MIT Press, 1988. pp.238-252
26
Hatch, Evelyn and Cherly Brown. Vocabulary, Semantics and Language Education. London:
Cambridge University Press. p.33
Matthews stated that semantics field is a distinct part of the lexicon defied by
some general term or concept. E.g in English the semantics field of color included
words such as black, and red that distinguished colors, or are *hyponyms of the more
general term color.27
Semantics field plays a role in semantic change. The words hot and cold are
antonym describing physical temperature. With pair of antonyms, if one number
undergoes a metaphorical extension, the other tends to change in a parallel position. In
colloquial styles, we can speak of a hot car (stolen car), hence we would refer the
phrase cold car to one that is not stolen, on the ground that semantic field in a parallel
position, and not just single members of the field28
D.
Componential Analysis
The assumption of systematic relationships of meaning between words is
however independent of the problem of explaining the basis of these relationships: and
considerable amount of detailed work on the structure of the vocabulary has been done
in recent years. Many linguists have turned to what has been called componential
analysis to give an explicit representation of the semantics relations between words.29
Kempson added that in this theory words are analyzed not as unitary concepts
but as complexes made up of components of meaning which are themselves semantic
primitives. In this vein, spinster might be analyzed as a semantic complex made up of
the features (equivalently called components or marker) [FEMALE], [NEVER
27
Petter Matthews, The consise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics. New York: oxford University
Press, 1997. p.334
28
Akmajian, et.al op cit. 1989.p.367
29
Kempton, Ruth. M. Semantic Theory. Syney: Cambridge University Press. 1980.p.18
MARRIED], [ADULT], [HUMAN]. This form of analysis was used in particular by
anthropologist seeking to give an account of kinship terminology in various cultures.
Lehrer mentioned that semantic components (or features) are theoretical
constructs lexical item will be defined in terms of components. In a sense, a dictionary
definition is an informal componential analysis, in which each part of the definition is
a component.
O’Grady cited another approach to meaning to represent a word’s intention it
down into smaller semantic components known as componential analysis or semantics
decomposition. Many linguists have turned to componential analysis to give an
explicit representation of the semantic relations between words.30 Then Lyon31 looked
upon componential analysis is the broadening of the semantic field theory.
Componential analysis is a technique for describing interrelation of meaning
by breaking concept down into minimal components, or features, which are
distinctive in terms of a semantic opposition or dimension of contrast.32
Meanwhile Allan et al in Euphemism and Dysphemism: language used as
Shield and Weapon (1991:16) did support the usage the componential analysis to
analyze euphemistic term by revealing that “the process involved here is a kind of
componential analysis, the sense of the taboo terms are unpacked and each of the
meaning components are listed… using this method, a new euphemism can easily be
created”.
30
Wlliam O’Grady, Contemporary Linguistics. London: Longman Pearson Education.1996.
31
John, Lyon. Semantics. Melbourne- Cambridge University Press, 1977. p.326
Geoffry, Leech. Semantics. New Zealand: Penguin Book ltd. 1997. p.124
p.78
32
There are there kind of component of meaning:
1. Generic / Common component is one or more of components which are judged
to be most significant factor. This component describes to which these lexem
belong to as to differentiate it from other semantic domain. For instance: the
lexemes man, woman, boy, and girl have the common component [HUMAN].
2. Diagnostic component is components that are important and sufficient to
distinguish the sense of one lexeme from the sense of another lexeme. This
diagnostic component is a core part that dictionary makers incorporate into
their definition of words.
For example” [ADULT] and [MALE] are the
diagnostic components for man, woman, boy and girl.
3. Supplementary or incidental component is non-diagnostics components to
identify the sense of the word. For instance: [MARRIED] is the incidental or
supplementary components for spinster, bachelor and wife.
Meanwhile, Jackson in Word in Their Meaning cited that are only 2 broad types
of component. Those serve to identify a semantic domain, and to distinguish lexemes
from each other within semantic domain. They are also shared by all the lexemes in
the domain. Therefore, in this research, the writer is going to discuss only 2 types of
components, common and diagnostic component.33
Such as componential analysis can be applied many areas of the vocabularies.
For example, the distinction between murder and kill can be stated explicitly and
economically, if murder is analyzed as having a meaning which are components
representing intention, causation, and death. Whereas kill as having the components
33
Howard, Jackson. Word and Their Meaning. New York: longman. 1975. P 89.
that representing only causation and death. Using the method of componential
analysis, we can then formally define synonymy, hyponymy, incompatibility etc. On
the basis, a set of features follows that spinster is a hyponymy of woman because it
contains all the features of woman as part of its specification, and that spinster is
incompatible with bachelor by virtue of the contrast of sex specification and with wife
by virtue of the material specification.
Another interpretation of lexical item of semantic components using a binary
feature is conventionally written in capital letters and placed in square brackets, which
is able to take only three values, either it is present [+], or it is absent [-], or it may be
present or absent [+/-] and also could be marked [0]. Accordingly spinster might be
characterized as having for its meaning.
-
[MALE] + [HUMAN] + [ADULT] - [MARRIED]
bachelor, an item incompatible with spinster, as having
+ [MALE] + [HUMAN]
+ [ADULT] - [MARRIED]
Wife, another incompatible item, as having
-
[MALE] + [HUMAN] + [ADULT] +[MARRIED]
E. Cultural Meaning
The exact nature of the relationship between language and culture has fascinated,
and continues to fascinate, people from a wide variety of background. That there
should be some kind of relationship between the sounds, words, and syntax of
language and the ways in which speakers of that language experience the world and
behave in seems so obvious as to be a truism.
Culture of societies consist of whatever it is one has to know or believe in order to
operate in manner acceptable to its member, and to do so in any role that they accept
for any one of themselves34. Cultures involve the way of the society daily living,
music, literature, customs, language, values, and arts.
Linguist mentioned that culture of a people finds reflection in the language they
employ, because the value certain things and do them in certain way, its means they
come to use their language in way that reflect what the value and what the do.
A cultural meaning is the typical (frequently requiring and widely shared aspect of
the) interpretation of some type of object or event evoked in people as a result of their
similar life experiences (Spiro 1987a:163). To call it a cultural meaning is to imply
that a different interpretation would be evoked in people with different characteristic
life experiences. For example, “the cultural of X” contains or cause the meaning of
the X people. It is because cultures are sets of beliefs or values that give meaning to ways of
life and produce and are reproduced through material and symbolic forms.
F.
Meaning Relation
Meaning relation is thus the most significant factor in semantic field and the
componential analysis is a device to identify the meaning relation. When a word
contains various relation of the meaning to one another, they may be related
semantically. Words are connected by virtue of meaning from subgroups within the
lexicon of the language. Words have a multiple sense, namely the primary and
secondary meaning. The meaning relation is possibly derived by a variety of processes
34
Ronald Wardhaugh. Sociolinguistics Fourth Edition.Blackwell Publisher.2002.p.219
of semantic change. Semantic relations comprise synonymy, antonym or incompatible,
hyponymy and meronymy defined by semantic field.
Lyon and Geckeler are of the opinion that there is a close relationship among
semantic field, component analysis, and meaning relation.35 We should know that
componential analysis is the broadening of semantic field theory. The subset from all
lexemes may create and blend the meaning relation of one element to the other.
Leech looked upon meaning relation under36:
1. Synonymy is a relation in which words have same meaning. Yule added that
we should keep in mind that the idea of ‘sameness’ of meaning in used in
discussing synonymy is not necessarily ‘total sameness’. There are many
occasions when one word is appropriate in a sentence but its synonymy would
be odd. For example, whereas the word answer fits in the sentence Sandy had
only one answer correct on the test, the word replay would sound odd. Hatch
and Brown (1995:19) revealed that synonym refers to the similar entity so that
the words might be interchangeable if all features are the same. Then Akmajian
(1988:284) added that “synonym is relation that structures the lexicon of a
language into sets of words of sharing a meaning. For instance automobile is
synonymous with car.
Nevertheless synonyms do not always share their entire feature. It is
called looser synonym when X is synonym for Y but not vise versa. A typical
example is murder is synonym for kill but kill not a synonym for murder.37
35
John Lyons. Semantics.Melbourne:Cambridge University Press.1997.p.45
Geoffrey Leech, Semantics. New Zealand: Penguin Press Ltd. 1997. p.99-102
37
Evelyn Hatch and Cheryl Brown. Vocabulary, Samantics and Language Education. London:
Cambridge University Press
36
2. Antonym is relation where words have opposite meaning. Akmajian added that
“words can share an aspect of meaning but be ‘opposite’ in some other aspect
of meaning called antonym”.38 Whereas Parera added there 2 kinds of
antonym:
a. Contradiction or true antonym: the opposite meanings of 2 items or
lexemes are absolute. It consists of only 2 terms; the one is the opposite of
the other.
For example: Alive X dead that were visualized by Leech (1978:106) in
diagram below:
‘alive'
(+live)
‘dead’
(-live)
b. Gradable antonym ‘kontrer’: the meaning relation of items / words may
consist of a number of dimensions at once.
For instance: hot and cold share the notion of temperature dimension. Here
they are defined as follows:
II
Cold
cool
lukewarm
warm hot
Whereas, Leech proposed incompatible instead of antonym. It is because
antonym contrasts only on a single dimension. In fact, the word may contrast
on a number of dimensions at once. It is supported by Leech’s theory that two
38
Akmajian,et al. An Introduction to Language and Communication. London: The MIT Press,
1988.p.294
componential formulae may be incompatible if the one has at least one feature
contrasting with a feature in the other.39
3. Hyponym is a relation which is termed meaning inclusion of one meaning in
another. Cruse reported that “the lexical relation corresponding to the inclusion
of one class in another is hyponym”.
40
For instance: in the sense of crow,
hawk, and duck are included in bird. These typical terms mentioned that super
ordinates as the upper term and hyponym as the lower term. Again a diagram
will help:
bird
crow
hawk
duck
etc
4. Meronymy is relation which has hierarchical concept. Saeed pointed out
meronymy is a concept used to explain a part – whole relationship between
lexical items. To differentiate it from another hierarchical concept, meronymy
can be identified by using “part of relationship. For instance: B is part of A,
and A has B.41 this concept might be as follows:
car
wheel
39
seat
engine
door window etc
Geoffrey Leech, Semantics. New Zealand: Penguin Press Ltd. 1997.p.100
D.A Cruse. Lexical Semantics. New York: Blackwell Publisher. 2001.p.88
41
John Saed. Semantics. London: Blackwell Publisher.2004.p.70.
40
F.
Semantic Change
Semantic change happens along with the time and the development of its
society. According to Allan euphemism and dysphemism motivate language change.
They do it by promoting new expression or new meanings for old expression and
causing existing vocabulary to be abounded.42
Fromkin and Rodman stated that “there are three ways in which a lexical item
may change semantically, its meaning may become broader, meaning may its meaning
may become narrower, its meaning become shift”.43
O’Grady et al stated that the changes involve one of the phenomena:
1. Semantic broadening is the process in which the meaning of a word turns into
more general or more inclusive than the earlier form, such as: the word aunt
used to mean “father’s sister” become father or mother’s sister”.
2. Semantic narrowing is process in which the meaning of a word turns into less
general or less inclusive than the earlier meaning. Such as: the term fowl used
to mean “any bird” becomes “a domestical bird”
3. Amelioration is the change of meaning in which the new meaning becomes
more positive or favorable, such as: pretty used to mean “tricky, sly, cunning”
has a better meaning “attractive”.
4. Pejorative is the change of meaning in which the new meaning becomes more
negative or unfavorable, such as: Wench means “girl”, but it is regarded worse
with meaning” wanton woman, prostitute”.
42
Keith Allan, Natural Language Semantic. New York: Blackwell Publisher. 2001. pp.164-165
Victoria Fromkin & Robert Rodman. An Introduction to Language, sixth Edition. New York:
Blackwell Publisher,1997.p.26
43
5. Semantic shift is a process in which a word loses some aspect of its former
meaning, taking on a partially new, but related meaning. Such as: immoral
used to mean “not customary” becomes “unethical”.44
While Djajasudarma divides the semantic change into generalization,
amelioration, pejorative, sinestesia, and association.45 The meanings of generalization,
specialization, amelioration, and pejorative in Djajasudarma’s theory are similar to
those of O’Grady theory. Djajasudarma adds two more, i.e. sinestesia (the change of
meaning because of the similarity of character).
44
45
p.63
William O’Grady. Contemporary Linguistic. London: Longman Person Education. 1996.p.334
T.Fatimah Djajasudarma. Semantic 2: Pemahaman Ilmu Makna. Bandung: PT Eresco.1993.
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH FINDING
A. Data Description
In this chapter, the writer analyzes the data is taken from movie scripts which
titled Jennifer’s Body. The writer chose the movie because they related to teenager’s
life and there is a friendship relation so that the actors / actresses try to use the
euphemistic term in order to keep someone’s sensibility or avoid losing somebody’s
face. The euphemistic terms then categorized into types of euphemism which
classified into the euphemistic application. After that, the writer goes to the next steps
by analyzing the meaning relation and the semantic change the euphemistic terms
undergo.
Base on the types of euphemism, the writer found that there are no euphemistic
terms in classification of rhyming slang, remodeling, acronyms, synecdoche,
borrowing, indirectness, mispronunciation, plays on abbreviation, and phonetic
alphabet as described at the following table:
Table 1
The Table of the Types of Euphemism that Found in Scripts of Jennifer’s Body movie
No
Utterances
Situation of utterance: Needy wiggles her jeans a
bit lower, exposing her childishly round tummy.
She walks out of the bathroom into her bedroom, a
frilly pink hell complete with canopy bed. Neddy’s
boy friend Chip is sitting on the bed, looking lost in
all that pink. He raises an eyebrow at Needy's
abdomen.
Types of
Euphemism
Data
1
The participant: Needy.
Metaphor
Speaker » Chip : I can see, like, your womb.
( Needy sighs and hoists up her pants )
Situation of utterance: Needy enters to Jennifer’s
bad room in way plunge through the window of
Jennifer’s bad room. Before the utterance is uttered
by Needy, there is quarrel between Needy and
Jennifer. Needy is very angry because Jennifer have
killed her boy friend. Needy came to Jennifer’s
bedroom to revenge for her death boyfriend. Needy
pull a box cutter out of her waistband and flick it
Data open like a switchblade to Jennifer.
Circumlocution
2
Participant : Jennifer
(Needy pulls a box cutter out of her waistband and
flicks it open like a switchblade)
Speaker » Needy: know what this is for? Cutting
boxes
Situation of Utterance: Needy stands in front of a
full-length mirror, wearing a big `80s-style magenta
prom dress. It sags on her flat chest and looks
ridiculous. Her mother (Tony) was curling her hear
and making up her face. It all was done by her
mother because she wanted to see Needy as a
beautiful and fashionable girl to go to the party.
Needy who is as simple girl or not as modish girl
felt shocked when her mother made her hair like
Hooker Helmet. Although her mother said that she
looked beautiful but Needy said she looked like
Data pork stupid.
3
Clippings
Participant : Toni ( Needy’s mother)
(Tony takes a section of Needy's hair and wraps it
around the curling iron. Smoke rises.)
Needy: What are you doing to my hair?
Tony : Hooker helmet.
Speaker » Needy: Aw, jeez Mom!
Situation of Utterance: Mr. Wroblewski stands
solemnly in front of the class, his mechanical hand
tensing and releasing nervously. Mr. Wrolewski
wants to give an announcement to his students.
Needy and the rest of the class fidget. There was
Data Jenifer sat beside Needy and Jennifer looked Abbreviations
4
haggard, thin, and cranky.
Participant: Jennifer
(Needy smooth her own hair self-consciously.)
Speaker » Needy: Are you PMS-ing or something?
Situation of Utterance: Needy is seated at the
kitchen table. She accidentally dropps the remains
of her sandwich on the floor, where the ferret
quickly pillaged it. Needy's Mom, Antonia "Toni"
Lesnicki, has quietly enters the kitchen in her
pajamas. She is pale and sweaty, as if she's been
Data spooked. Then Tony told to her daughter that she Quasi- Omission
5
(Toni) got nightmare last night. In Toni’s night
mare, there were some bad people tried to kill and
nail Tony to a tree and they also wanted to kill
Needy. But in the conversation between Tony and
Needy, Tony didn’t said the word “kill” directly
because she worried that Needy would be hurt or
felt something like frightened.
Participant : Needy
Speaker » Tony: They were trying to get to you
too, but I wouldn’t let ‘em..
Situation of utterance: It's a busy night and the bar
is teeming with locals. A bartender sells a case of
beer to a customer and passes it over the bar. Needy
and Jennifer enter the bar. Every guy in the joint
stares at Jennifer, who snaps her "minor" wristband
distastefully. Roman Duda saunters up to Jennifer,
Data swigging a bottle of beer. He snatches the pack of
6
cigarettes away from her. There was some Full-Omission
conversation between Roman and Jennifer, and
finally Jennifer paws Roman's crotch discreetly,
then Roman said the utterance to Jennifer as a
respond.
Participant : Jennifer
(Jennifer paws Roman's crotch discreetly)
Speaker » Roman : Not here, babe
Situation of Utterance: Needy wiggled her jeans a
bit lower, exposing her childishly round tummy.
She walked out of the bathroom into her bedroom, a
frilly pink hell complete with canopy bed. Chip
Dove was sitting on the bed, looking lost in all that
pink. He raised an eyebrow at Needy's abdomen.
Data Chip was Needy’s boy friend.
Metonymy
7
Participant: Needy
Speaker » Chip: Those jeans are hella low. I can
almost see your front butt
Situation of utterance: It's a busy night and the bar
is teeming with locals. A bartender sells a case of
beer to a customer and passes it over the bar. Needy
and Jennifer enter the bar. Every guy in the joint
stares at Jennifer, who snaps her "minor" wristband
distastefully. Roman Duda saunters up to Jennifer,
Data swigging a bottle of beer. He snatches the pack of
8
cigarettes away from her. There was some Hyperbole
conversation between Roman and Jennifer, and
finally Jennifer paws Roman's crotch discreetly,
then Roman said the utterance to Jennifer as a
respond.
Participant : Jennifer
(Jennifer paws Roman's crotch discreetly)
Speaker » Roman : Not here, babe
Situation of utterance: It was gray, overcast day
and the wind whistles through the trees. Jonas was
standing in the football’s field, it is a good distance
from the school. Jonas was very sad because his
best friends Craig was pass away. Then, Jennifer
come to Jonas and tried to entertain him.
Data
9
The participant: Jennifer
Understatement
(Jonas's lip trembles as he unsuccessfully fights
back tears. Jennifer cuddles closer to him.)
Speaker » Jonas: I just can’t believe he’s gone.
Situation of utterance: A hysterical scream
pierced the twilight. The sun has begun to set. An
ambulance and four police cars have pulled up near
the woods, which were cordoned off with yellow
police tape. Near the woods, Jonas’s Parent was
crying because they didn’t suppose that their son
Data was died. Jonas’s mother screamed and begun
10 beating the ground with her fists. A stretcher was Abstraction
being loaded into the ambulance. Officer Warzak
exits one of the police cruisers. She rushed to
comfort Jonas's bereaved mother.
The Participant: Jonas’ parent.
Speaker » Officer Warzak: We will get the man
that did this to your son.
B. Data Analysis
1. Metaphor.
Data example:
(a) Chip: I can see like your womb
This sentence was uttered by Chip to Neddy. Chip is Needy’s boy friend. The
utterance above happened in Needy’s bed room when Chip saw Needy wiggled her
jeans a bit lower. Chip also saw Needy exposing her round tummy with her jeans, then
she said that above utterance as a respond form.
The word ‘womb’ is euphemism for ‘cunt’. Cunt is considered as taboo in the
connection of bodily effluvia. It is because in several reasons such as:
1. Cunt as sexual object and it disgraceful if it is mentioned directly.
2. Cunt locates at the lower abdomen that is so private.
3. Cunt connotes a sexually attractive of woman.
4. Cunt principally means unpleasant and shameful.
Base on the several reasons above, the speaker tends not to mention the taboo
word ‘cunt’ but change it to euphemistic term ‘womb’. It is done to keep the listener’s
sensibility, preventing people or partner from losing face.
The exchange of taboo term ‘cunt’ to ‘euphemistic term ‘womb’, it is applies a
kind of euphemistic metaphor. It is because metaphor is a figure of speech concisely
expressed by comparing two things, saying that one is the other or an implied
comparison between two unlike things that actually have something important in
common. The lexical meaning of ‘womb’ is the organ in woman and female animal in
which babies develop before they are born. Meanwhile, the literal meaning goes to
‘cunt or vagina’ because ‘womb’ may not be able to be seen directly although the
woman used a bit lower jeans. Hence, ‘womb’ become the figurative form for ‘cunt or
vagina’.
To support that utterance: I can see like your womb includes euphemism, the
writer break down the term ‘womb’ as follow:
Womb: [BODY’S ORGAN] [IN ABDOMEN] [FEMALE] [UTERUS] [ORGAN
USED TO DEVELOP BABY].
Here, the word ‘womb’ has no sensitive feature, the components of ‘womb’ will be
different, if ‘womb’ is replaced with the intended term.
(b)
Chip: I can see like your cunt.
Sentence (b) is acceptable, but the sentence does not euphemism expression. It
is because the meaning of the utterance is shown explicitly. We can catch the reference
directly. Hence, the word ‘cunt’ be changed to euphemistic term ‘womb’ because the
word ‘womb’ sounds more polite, pleasant, and prudent by blurring the real intention
referring to somebody else’s private part. While the word ‘cunt’ has semantic
components like:
Cunt: [BODY ORGAN] [PRIVATE PLACE] [FEMALE] [OUTER SEXUAL
ORGANS] [EXCREMENT] [CONTEMPTOUS].
For further information, the writer will identify the meaning relation by using
the semantic components of both words:
Womb
+
+
+
+
-
Body’s Organ
Female
Private Part
Uterus
In Abdomen
Outer sexual organ
Excrement
Contemptuous
Cunt
+
+
+
+
+
+
In description of above semantic component, the writer finds out some
components in common such as [BODY’S ORGAN] and [FEMALE]. These similar
components surely allow them replace each other (‘cunt’ can be replace by ‘womb’)
especially in the sentence: I can see like your womb
The proofs also appear in the semantic components. The word ‘womb’ that is
judged nicer because it has no sensitive feature, while the word ‘cunt’ comprises
sensitive feature, they are [OUTER SEXUAL ORGANS] [EXCREMENT] and
[CONTEMPTOUS]. Hence, people used term ‘womb’ to avoid a vulgar one and to
keep somebody’s sensibility.
Then, the writer goes to analyze the meaning relation of both word ‘womb’
and ‘cunt’. According the semantic components, the writer supposes that these words
apply meronymy relation. It is relation which has hierarchical concept. The word
‘womb’ and ‘cunt’ are included female body’s organ in which they share with it the
semantic component [BODY’S ORGAN] and [FEMALE]. ‘Womb’ is body’s organ
located in abdomen woman or female animals. It has also [FEMALE] feature because
‘womb’ is just available in female and it is impossible available in male. Cunt is also
body’s organ but it located in above abdomen. Cunt has [FEMALE] features because
the reason is same with womb, cunt just exists in female and it may not available in
male.
Hence, the term ‘womb’ and ‘cunt’ have meronymy relation. It is describe as follow:
Body’s Organ
Cunt
Womb
It support by Saeed theory that pointed out meronymy is a concept used to
explain a part – whole relationship between lexical items. To differentiate it from
another hierarchical concept, meronymy can be identified by using “part of
relationship. For instance: B is part of A, and A has B. in this study, cunt and womb is
part of body’s organ, and body’s organ has womb and cunt.
The word ‘womb’ as euphemism used to mean body’s organ in which babies
develop before they are born. It is available in abdomen of female. While, in the
sentence I can see like your womb, ‘womb’ refers to cunt because in literally cunt can
be seen from outside. As a private part, people change it to the polite term, that is
womb.
The word ‘womb’ here undergoes semantic broadening in which the new
meaning gets broader than the previous one. The proof is shown in the number of
semantic component of both words. Womb jus has 4 [+] features, while ‘cunt’ has 6
[+] features.
Secondly, ‘womb’ applies semantic change in pejorative process in which the
new meaning is regarded more negative than the previous one. The word ‘womb’ is
only used to mean the organ in woman and female animal in which babies develop
before they are born. Meanwhile, ‘cunt’ is outer sexual organ referring to genitals
having function to copulate. In this sentence, the new meaning ‘womb’ is cunt as outer
sexual organ and genitals of human. It is then clear that the new meaning ‘womb’ gets
worse than earlier one.
2. Circumlocution
Data example:
(a). Needy : know what this is for? Cutting boxes.
This utterance came from Needy to Jennifer. The conversation happened in
Jennifer’s bad room. Needy entered to Jennifer’s bad room in way plunged through the
window of Jennifer’s bad room. Before the utterance is uttered by Needy, there was
quarrel between Needy and Jennifer. Needy was very angry because Jennifer have
killed her boy friend. Needy came to Jennifer’s bad room to revenge for her death
boyfriend. Needy pulled a box cutter out of her waistband and flicked it opened like a
switchblade to Jennifer.
The euphemism for that context is the word ‘cutting boxes’. This word actually
doesn’t refer to the activity of the speaker. It’s different from that reference, the word
‘cutting boxes’ is a roundabout way to mention ‘to kill you’. To kill you is absolutely
taboo because of the reasons such as:
1. Killing is usually constituted criminal action or the lethal act.
2. Killing cause the people lost their lovely family and give the hug sadness
3. Killing indicates persecution to somebody.
4. Killing indicates the horrible act and leave out the human life.
Base on those reasons, speaker was fear to say ‘to kill you’, besides that, the
target which speaker wanted to kill is her friend. Speaker hid the truth although the
target knew about that.
The word ‘cutting boxes’ also gets through euphemistic Circumlocution. It is a
roundabout way of talking and it is common in the form of compound or idiom. In this
sentence, the ‘cutting of boxes’ show the implicit meaning namely ‘to kill you’.
Supporting the above explanation, the writer would break down the semantic
components of ‘cutting boxes’ like below:
Cutting boxes: [ACTIVITY] [PHYSICAL] [DIVIDE]. This term has no sensitive
feature so that it can be euphemistic term. To make clear, the writer will replace
‘cutting boxes’ with the intended meaning:
(b) Needy: Know what this is for? To kill you.
Sentence (b) is acceptable, but it is not euphemism expression because the meaning is
shown explicitly. ‘To kill you’ consist of the components like:
To kill you: [ACTIVITY] [PHYSICAL] [DEPRIVE OF LIFE] [TO DEFEAT]. ‘To
kill you have’ the sensitive feature such as: [DEPRIVE OF LIFE]. This feature
motivated ‘to kill you’ to be taboo term.
To get more information about the meaning relation and semantic change, the
writer then describe the distinction between ‘cutting boxes’ and ‘to kill you’ like
below:
Cutting Boxes
+
+
+
-
Activity
Physical
Divide
Deprive of live
To defeat
To kill you
+
+
+
+
From the semantic components above, the term ‘cutting boxes’ can be replaced
by ‘to kill you’, because they have the similar components such as: [ACTIVITY] and
[PHYSICAL]. ‘To kill you’ can be taboo term because it has sensitive feature like
[DEPRIVE OF LIFE] and it show directly. In the euphemistic term does so to obscure
the dispreferred term. It is even supported by the components itself. As mentioned
above ‘cutting boxes’ has general and neutral feature, while the word ‘to kill you’
consist of the sensitive feature like [DEPRIVE OF LIFE].
Base on above semantics components, the writer conclude that there is no
exact meaning relation between ‘cutting boxes’ and ‘to kill you’. They have only 2
identical feature and contrast in [DIVIDE] [DEPRIVE OF LIFE] and [TO DEFEAT]
features.
The new meaning ‘to kill you’ applies semantic broadening in which the new
meaning becomes more general than the earlier one. It can be proved by semantic
component. ‘Cutting boxes’ just has 3 [+] features falling under [ACTIVITY]
[PHYSICAL] [DIVIDE]. Meanwhile, ‘to kill you’ has 4 [+] features comprising
ACTIVITY] [PHYSICAL] [DEPRIVE OF LIFE] [TO DEFEAT].
3. Clippings
Data example:
(a)
Aw, jeez Mom !
This sentence was uttered by Needy in her bed room when her mother (Tony)
was curling her hear and making up her face. It all was done by her mother because
she wanted to see Needy as a beautiful and fashionable girl to go to the party. Needy
who is as simple girl or not as modish girl felt shocking when her mother made her
hair like Hooker Helmet. Although her mother said that she looked beautiful but
Needy said she looked like pork stupid.
‘Jeez’ is a euphemistic term in sentence above. The taboo one replacing that
sentence is ‘God’. God becomes taboo since it relates to metaphysical subject or object
so that it evokes not to mention the names of God explicitly. God is categorized as
taboo word because some reasons such as:
1. God is the only one worshiped by all human being around the world and He
is very respect indeed.
2. God is the most powerful ruler.
3. For some folk in their religion, for example Jews and his cohorts, mentioning
‘God’ are taboo because it is regarded as blasphemous.
4. Mentioning ‘God’ is considered as impious and irreverence.
The most important reason that makes God becomes a taboo word because there is
belief in some folk that mentioning ‘God’ is considered as profanity and blasphemous.
God's name can be used righteously to identify God to others, to address Him, or
praise Him. His name is holy and sacred. That means, set apart for a special purpose.
When we take anything that is holy and use it for ordinary, common purposes, we
profane that thing. Hence, people try to change the word ‘God’ into the euphemistic
term because the societies are fearful if they are considered as impious people in their
religion.
In this case, the word ‘jeez’ replaced ‘God’ that has been avoided in euphemistic
expletive. ‘Jeez’ is a euphemism in addressing and naming of God. In the example of
above phrase, the word ‘jeez’ become euphemism gained through clippings. It is kind
of euphemism ending up – clipped. In this example Aw, jeez Mom ! the lexical
meaning of ‘jeez’ is an expression of surprise, shock, and anger in the form of
expletive or exclamation. Meanwhile, ‘God’ is the creator or ruler of the universe
worshipped as having power, so that it be profanity to addressing the word ‘God’ in
verbal abuse or curse.
To support that explanation, the writer would like to unpack the word ‘jeez’ in
Aw, jeez Mom! into smaller features:
Jeez: [EXCLAMATION] [SURPRISE] [SHOCK].
Those features show that ‘jeez’ has neutral feature, it is be reason why jeez be
euphemistic term. Next, the writer then replaces ‘jeez’ with the hidden meaning to get
any difference:
(b) Aw, God Mom !
Phrase (b) is acceptable, but it does not include the euphemism, it because the
word ‘God’ have components like:
God: [CREATOR] [SPIRIT] [RULER] [SOUL] [WORSHIPPED].These components
refer God to the only creator over the universe.
To get the meaning relation between ‘jeez’ and ‘God’, the writer will compare
the semantic component as follow:
Jeez
+
+
+
-
Exclamation
Shock
Surprise
Creator
Spirit
Ruler
Being Worshipped
God
+
+
+
+
After see the comparison between ‘jeez’ and ‘God’, the writer concludes that
‘jeez’ and ‘God’ share no semantic components. Those opposite components do not let
‘jeez’ and ‘God’ have a meaning relation. In this case, ‘jeez’ only refers to
exclamation or interjection of irritation without the specific meaning. Meanwhile,
‘God’ is the powerful creator and ruler over the world and He is worshipped by all
human. ‘Jeez’ can stand for ‘God’ because ‘Jeez’ come from the name of God that
apply clipped from Jesus. Jesus is Christians God. This type puts the euphemism terms
in end-clipped way and matched either the rhyme, no matter semantically related or
unrelated the words are. It is truly that there is no semantic change between ‘Jeez’ and
‘God’.
The new meaning ‘jeez’ applies the semantic broadening in which the new
meaning becomes more general than earlier. It is proved by the semantic components.
‘Jeez’ is a kind of exclamation which expresses surprise and shock. ‘Jeez’ has 3 [+]
features; they are [EXCLAMATION], [SURPRISE] and [SHOCK]. Meanwhile,
‘God’ has 5 [+] features comprising [CREATOR] [SPIRIT] [RULER] [SOUL]
[WORSHIPPED]. The meaning of ‘jeez’ become broader because the previous
meaning has no exact meaning but the new meaning refers to the creator over the
world and he is worshipped by all human.
4. Abbreviation
Data example:
(a) Needy : Are you PMS-ing or something?
The utterance derived from “Jennifer’s body” script movie. It happens at school.
The utterance came from Needy to Jennifer because Needy wanted to know why
Jennifer looked like haggard, cranky and limp.
‘PMS’ is a euphemism term in above utterance. PMS is abbreviation for
|
premenstrual syndrome’. Premenstrual turns into taboo because the core of the vulgar
term ‘menstrual’. The taboo often inconveniences men too, as well as women; and it is
most likely that a menstruating woman set apart for a combination of some or all of
the following reasons:
1. Menstruating is typically induced by hormonal changes associated with
unfertilized ovum; these changes lead to the break down of the endometrium,
in which blood soaked regions of it crumble away and are discharge along with
mucous and cellular debris (including unfertilized ovom): thus, in a very real
sense, catamenia (menstrual discharge) is the discharge through the vagina.
2. There is pollution taboo of any discharge through the vagina.
3. Menstrual discharge renders the vagina comparatively messy and unpleasant
smelling (and tasting), consequently a menstruous woman is regarded as
unclean.
4. Loss of blood is otherwise correlated with injury and loss of strength.
5. Unlike other blood, menstrual blood does not coagulate.
6. In many woman menstruation is accompanied by cramps or similar discomfort
(dysmenorrheal).
7. Some woman have reduced libido during the first days of menstruation.
8. Some woman suffers a brief period of premenstrual tension that makes them
cranky or worse.
9. On some occasions, menstruation is counterevidence to a desire pregnancy.
The functions of using the euphemism word replacing ‘premenstrual syndrome’
are that avoid mentioning vulgar profane expression, prevent the listener or the
interlocutor from getting hurt, and to keep the term from the men because menstrual
blood tabooed by men too. The menstrual also connects directly to the sex organ
vagina, as the private part of body. It surely motivates embarrassment to the
interlocutor. Besides that, ‘menstrual’ goes to discomfort feeling, and
menstrual
discharge renders the vagina comparatively messy and unpleasant smelling and also
make some women be cranky and worse.
In consideration of that, the word
‘menstrual’ is interdicted to mention.
The word ‘PMS’ is a euphemism getting through Abbreviation process. It is a
way from the initial letter of words in phrase, and it will pronounce as strings of
letters. Thus ‘PMS’ becomes euphemism by taking the initial letter of ‘Pre-menstrual
Syndrome’.
To back up the above description, the writer will break down the word ‘PMS’ in
utterance (a) as follow:
(a) Needy: Are you PMS-ing or something?
In utterance (a), we can see the abbreviation ‘PMS’ is euphemistic term because
‘PMS’ took the initial letter of ‘Pre-menstrual Syndrome’. Thus, if the term ‘PMS’ is
sentence (a) is replaced with intended reference, it will be:
(a) Needy: Are you pre-menstrual syndrome-ing or something?
Sentence (b) is acceptable, yet it is not euphemism expression because the
meaning is shown clearly. In addition, ‘Premenstrual syndrome’ falls under
components like:
Premenstrual
Syndrome:
[FEMALE]
[DISCOMFORT]
[IRRITABILITY]
[EMOTIONAL CHANGE]
Having those features, ‘Premenstrual Syndrome’ is regarded taboo and vulgar.
The writer then identifies the semantic component of these words in the hope to get
further information.
PMS
+
+
+
+
Female
Discomfort
Irritability
Emotional Change
Premenstrual Syndrome
+
+
+
+
According to above semantic components, we can see that the term ‘PMS’ can
be replaced by ‘Premenstrual Syndrome’. ‘PMS’ may stand for ‘Premenstrual
Syndrome’ and vice versa. It is because they have identical components such as
[FEMALE] [DISCOMFORT] [IRRITABILITY] [EMOTIONAL CHANGE]. ‘PMS’
and ‘Premenstrual Syndrome’ share the similar entities so that ‘PMS’ is synonymous
for ‘Premenstrual Syndrome’ and ‘Premenstrual syndrome’ is synonymous for ‘PMS’.
Nevertheless ‘PMS’ is categorized as euphemistic term with the consideration that it is
not vulgar and the meaning is implicitly.
For the semantic change, we can conclude that the word ‘PMS’ undergoes no
semantic change. It is that there is no change in meaning occurring to these words. It is
because ‘PMS’ is abbreviation from ‘Premenstrual Syndrome’ and still refers to what
the normal women gets in every month commonly, except the pregnancy woman. The
other evidence is ‘PMS’ and ‘Premenstrual Syndrome’ share the semantic components
that are similar in number and lexeme. They are [QUESTION] [FEMALE]
[DISCOMFORT] [IRRITABILITY] [EMOTIONAL CHANGE]. The evidence is
clearly shown by the componential analysis in which ‘PMS’ and ‘Premenstrual
Syndrome’ fall under all same components. In this case, to get the polite and blur the
true meaning, the word ‘Premenstrual Syndrome’ is being abbreviation.
5. Quasi-Omission
Data Example:
(a)
Tony: They were trying to get to you too, but I wouldn’t let ‘em..
I’m a hard-assed, Ford-tough mama bear.
It was said by Needy’s Mother (Tony). Tony told to her daughter that she (Tony)
got nightmare last night. In Tony’s night mare, there were some bad people tried to
kill and nail Tony to a tree and they also wanted to kill Needy. But in the conversation
between Tony and Needy, Tony didn’t said the word “kill” directly because she
worried that Needy would be hurt or felt something like frightened.
The euphemism of the above utterance does not occur in word but in the form of
silence like ‘em.... The word ‘em..’ is the euphemism for word ‘kill’. The speaker
would like to hide the truth because ‘kill’ is still categorized as taboo for next reason:
1. Killing is usually constituted criminal action or the lethal act.
2. Killing indicates persecution to somebody.
3. Killing indicates the horrible act and leave out the human life.
According to the explanation above, kill is forbidden to say because can hurt the
interlocutor’s feeling and make she/he be afraid. These terms include quasi-omission
because the speaker hides and stop the intended word by omitting offence and change
intended word to ‘em…’. The speaker is worried and afraid of saying it explicitly.
Hence, the speaker tried to cover the truth. It is because the missing word is supposed
as taboo, it is ‘kill’. The uses of euphemistic omission of ‘kill’ are to guard against
other’s feeling and not to mention of unlucky or sensitive matters.
Supporting this idea, the writer would like to unload the semantic components
of the term ‘em..’, yet the writer finds out nothing since the speaker just says nothing.
If the writer replaces ‘em..’ with the hidden meaning, it will be:
(b) Tony: They were trying to get to you too, but I wouldn’t let they kill you
This sentence is acceptable but it is not euphemism expression because the
meaning is shown directly and can make the interlocutor feel afraid and be
apprehensive. By mentioning ‘kill’ comprises components like:
Kill: [ACTIVITY] [DONE BY PEOPLE] [DESTROY] [LEAVE OUT THE HUMAN
LIFE]
To get more information, the writer is going to identify the semantic
components of both words as follow:
Em
-
Activity
Done by people
Destroy
Leave out the human life
Kill
+
+
+
+
From above explanation, the writer find out that ‘em’ and ‘kill’ share no
semantic components at all. The euphemism ‘em’ has no feature, but the word ‘kill’
fall under [ACTIVITY] [DONE BY PEOPLE] [LETHAL ACT] and [LEAVE OUT
HUMAN LIFE]. Those lexemes are regarded so sensitive and can hurt listener’s
feeling, so that word ‘kill’ turns into taboo.
The writer concludes that ‘em’ and ‘kill’ have no meaning relation in replacing
each other. The acceptable reason of the utterance ‘em’ substituted ‘kill’ is that
euphemistic quasi-omission used to neutralize the taboo one. To neutralize the taboo
term, the speaker will hide or stop uttering the intended word. It is a way of talking by
omitting the unlucky or sensitive matter. Although the word ‘em’ has no clear
meaning, but it is surely acceptable to purify the word ‘kill’.
The euphemism ‘em’ can be considered as spoken counterpart like said
monosyllable. It can become like that because the speaker may has no alternative idea
to cover the distasteful term. Nevertheless, the new meaning ‘em’ applies Semantic
broadening. It can be proved by the semantic component of the words. The earlier
meaning of ‘em’ falls under no feature, while the new meaning refers to lethal act that
consist of 5 [+] features. They are [ACTIVITY] [DONE BY PEOPLE] [LETHAL
ACT] and [LEAVE OUT HUMAN LIFE]. Therefore, it is regarded broader in
meaning since the previous meaning is more general than the earlier one.
6. Full Omission
Data example :
(a)
Roman : Not here, babe
The datum is derived from ‘Jennifer body’ scripts movie. It is uttered by Roman
to Jennifer in the club when Jennifer pawed Roman’s crotch discreetly.
In that utterance, euphemism comes from the word ‘not here’. ‘Not here’ refines
the taboo words ‘have sex’. It is strongly taboo to mention. To cover the real meaning
and to neutralize the taboo word of ‘have sexual intercourse’, the speaker changed the
taboo term to the euphemistic term, and the word is ‘not here’.
Some reasons evoke ‘having sex’ be high taboo are as follows:
1. Many couple supposed that sexual intercourse is private matters so that
it should be for the record of only both parties.
2. Having sex is an activity centering and leading copolation.
3. It is sexual activity involving both female and male genitals
Thus, ‘have sex’ is neutralized with the word ‘not here’ in this phrase. The
speaker said like that in order to keep someone’s feeling or avoid losing interlocutor’s
face and attracting someone’s sensibility.
The word ‘not here’ even gets trough euphemistic of full- omission because the
speaker does not mention the complete sentence. Speaker omit the dispreferred term.
Full-omission and quasi-omission are often difficult to be differentiated but it can be
understood that full-omission is not shown any kind of spoken counterparts to dashes
or thing like er-mm, or mhm.
To back up the above explanation, the writer then unpacks the word “not here”
into smaller features like:
Not here: [PHYSICAL] [PLACE]
From these components, not here refers to physical place. Components will be
different, if the word ‘not here’ is added with the omitting utterance.
(c) Roman : Not here to have sex, babe
Sentence (b) is acceptable. ‘Have sex’ is what is being hided because it is taboo
term. Therefore, sentence (b) is not euphemism expression because the real meaning is
shown explicitly. ‘Having sex’ has components as follow:
Have sex: [PHYSICAL] [ACTIVITY] [COITUS] [PEOPLE].
To get meaning relation between ‘no here’ and ‘having sex’, the writer will
identify the semantic components as follow:
Not here
+
+
-
Physical
Activity
Place
Coitus
People
Having sex
+
+
+
+
+
From above description, the writer finds out that ‘not here’ and ‘have sex’ only
has a component in common, it is [PHYSICAL]. If ‘not here’ refers to physical place,
so ‘have sex’ will refer to physical activity. In sentence not here, babe, ‘not here’
neutralized the taboo terms by omitting “having sex”. “Not here” may replace “having
sex” because it is conversation between couple ( Roman and Jennifer) in the club
supported the act which is done by Jennifer that pawed Roman’s crotch discreetly.
Thus, the experience let people refer “not here” to “have sex”.
Base on the opposite feature and above explanation, the writer summarizes that
there is no exact meaning relation between ‘not here’ and “having sex”. They have
only two identical feature and contrast in [ACTIVITY] [COITUS] [PEOPLE] features.
The word ‘not here’ replaces ‘have sex’, it undergoes semantic broadening in
which the meaning change is regarded broader than the previous one. ‘Not here’
describes the physical place especially here (base on the setting where the utterance is
uttered is club) of place that is crowded, noisy, and full music. The noise atmosphere
and the area which full music let us do enjoy the music together with many people.
While, ‘having sex’ is physical activity done by couple who are in love. Thus the
references of ‘not here’ changes the broader as well. The other evidence is the number
of semantic components, the word ‘not here’ has 2 [+] features and ‘having sex’ has 5
[+] features.
7. Metonymy
Data example:
(a)
Chip: those jeans are hella low. I can almost see your front butt.
This utterance was uttered by Chip in Needy’s bed rom. Chip is Needy’s Boy
friend. At that time, Needy used a bit lower jeans and she wiggled, exposed her
tummy. Chip was sitting on the bed. He raised an eyebrow at Needy abdomen, then He
said the above utterance.
The word ‘butt’ is euphemism for ‘ass or arse’. Arse or ass is considered as
taboo in the connection of bodily effluvia. It is so for the following reasons such as:
1. This part of the anatomy is blunt and the opposite end from head, which
renders it appropriate for the seat of stupidity.
2. The part contains the orifices and passages that expel waste product from the
body.
3. Those passages are used, respectively, in anal and straight sexual intercourse.
4. Ass and arse have, since the least the sixteenth century, been used to describe
someone stupid.
Hence, ‘ass or arse’ is a kind of taboo part. To keep the good relationship and
keep someone’s face so the euphemistic term must be used. In this case, the word
‘butt’ is also a kind of bodily effluvia euphemism for ‘ass or arse’. Although, in the
lexically meaning the word ‘butt’ and ‘ass or arse are almost same but there is the
distinction between them. The word ‘ass or arse leaves the lexical meaning are a stupid
person, the part of body that you sit on; your bottom and in old English ‘ass’ used as a
donkey’s name. Meanwhile, the word ‘butt’ leaves lexical meaning is the part of the
body that you sit on.
‘Butt’ becomes euphemism because it has positive meaning sense. It is contrast
with ‘ass or arse’. Then ‘butt’ is also a euphemistic metonymy. It is an associated
concept making up for the one being referred to. It puts the words one–for-onesubstitutions.
Backing up the description, the writer then unpacks the term ‘butt’ into semantic
features:
Butt: [PART OF BODY] [PHYSICAL] [HUMAN].
The term of ‘butt’ comprises no sensitive feature that refers the part of the body that
human sit on. The word ‘butt’ is regarded as euphemism expression. If ‘butt’ is
replaced by the intended reference, it will be:
(b) Chip: those jeans are hella low. I can almost see your front ass.
Sentence (b) is acceptable, but is not euphemism term expression because ass consists
of the components like:
Ass: [PART OF BODY] [PHYSICAL] [IRRITATION] [HUMAN]. To get the
meaning relation between ‘butt’ and ‘ass or arse’ the writer then identifies the
semantic components of the word as follow:
Butt
+
+
+
-
Part of body
Physical
Human
Irritation
Ass or Arse
+
+
+
+
According to those semantic components, there are similar components such as
[PART OF BODY] [PHYSICAL] [HUMAN]. Those components let ‘butt’ stand for
‘ass or arse’. This is because they have something is common. The word ‘ass or arse’
be taboo term since it falls under a sensitive components like [IRRITATION]. It
support by explanation in dictionary and linguist’s research explain that ass and arse
since the least the sixteenth century, been used to describe someone stupid.
Base on the description of semantic components, the writer conclude that they
have synonym relation, because those similar components allow ‘butt’ to replace ‘ass
or arse’, although the word ‘ass or arse’ has additional component [IRRITATION] in
which it used to refer despicable person.
The new meaning ‘butt’ becomes broader than the previous one. It means that
the new meaning is considered more general than the earlier one. According the above
semantic components, ‘butt’ and ‘ass or arse’ has identical components, except
[STUPIT PERSON]. The word ‘but’ has 3 [+] features and ‘ass or arse’ has 4 [+]. It is
clearly shown that the meaning gets broader than the previous one.
8. Hyperbole
Data example:
(a)
Roman : Not here, babe
The datum derives from ‘Jennifer body’ scripts movie. It is uttered by Roman to
Jennifer in the night club. Base on the story in the script movie of “Jennifer’s Body”,
Roman fell in love to Jennifer because Jennifer is very beautiful and sexy woman.
In above utterance, the euphemism goes to the word ‘babe’, this is kind of
euphemistic hyperbole. The word ‘babe’ is a euphemism for ‘Jennifer’. Address name
is neutralized by the euphemistic term for some reasons:
1. Personal names are taboo among some peoples on all the inhabited
continents and on many of the island between them. It is a fear-based
taboo: just as malevolent magic can be wrought with one’s bodily effluvia
(feces, spittle, nail parings, blood, etc)
2. It could be taboo to address someone’s name in maintaining social
harmony.
3. There is high appreciation or respect if someone loves a man / woman and
she/he call a special man/woman with the expression of affection.
In this typical sentence, the word ‘babe’ feels nicer to address the woman which
he was loved. Therefore, the speaker euphemized the original name of the woman
which he was loved by addressing ‘babe’.
To address someone with the euphemistic term is in order to give high
appreciation. In this case, it happens to couple, best friend, close friends or relatives.
To address girl friend by using ‘babe’ fell nicer and more romantic than call her name
directly.
‘Babe’ is a euphemism in addressing or naming getting through euphemism
exaggeration or hyperbole. It is in order to emphasize the affection form.
Supporting the explanation above, the writer then unpacks the term ‘babe’ into
smaller components:
Babe: [OBJECT] [COMMON] [HUMANITY] [BABY].
Base on the components, ‘babe’ is affection form, therefore it is used as
euphemism expression. If the term ‘babe’ is replaced by the intended meaning, the
sentence will be changed like this:
(b)
Roman : Not here, Jennifer
This sentence is acceptable, but it not euphemism expression because addressing her
name directly and this sentence has components:
Jennifer: [OBJECT] [COMMON] [HUMANITY] [GIVEN NAME].
These features let ‘Jennifer’ be name of somebody which is taboo for some reasons
that have been mentioned.
To get the meaning relations between ‘babe’ and ‘Jennifer’, the writer would like to
identify semantic component like below:
Babe
+
+
+
+
Those
Jennifer
+
+
+
+
-
Object
Common
Humanity
Given Name
Baby
words
share
similar
components:
[OBJECT]
[COMMON]
[HUMANITY]. ‘Babe’ and “Jennifer’ are common object but they have
[HUMANITY] feature that let them deal with human. Therefore, ‘babe’ is able to
replace ‘Jennifer’. ‘Babe’ is regarded more polite and pleasant to hear. It is shown
from semantic components which differentiate it from that of ‘Jennifer’ like: [BABY].
The [BABY] and has a good sense and broad like nice, funny, attractive, pleasant, etc.
hence, ‘babe’ can be used as euphemistic term.
Finally, the writer shall conclude that the meaning of ‘babe’ is incompatible with
‘Jennifer’. It is because they share three components in common but clash in the
feature such: [±BABY] [±GIVEN NAME]. This relationship is also supported by
Leech theory. He cited that two words are incompatible if the one has at least one
feature contrasting with a feature in the other
The new meaning ‘babe’ undergoes semantic meaning in association process.
The meaning change is motivated by the similarity of characters. Babe used to mean a
very young child, attractive, pleasant. While, Jennifer is a female name with pretty
face and attractive. The word ‘babe’ may make up for ‘Jennifer’ because they share
identical feature [HUMANITY].
9. Understatement
Data example:
(a)
Jonas: I just can’t believe he’s gone.
It was said by Jonas to Jennifer after Craig (Jonas’s friend) was died. Jonas and
Craig was best friend and Jones was really sad with lost his friend.
In this utterance, the euphemism occurs in the word ‘gone’. It is the negation
form for the word “died”. Died or death is judged taboo evoked by following reasons:
1. Fear of the loss of loved one.
2. Fear of the corruption and disintegration of the body- the body with which one
has long been familiar in life is suddenly to become abhorrent.
3. Death is the end of life, and there is fear of what follows.
4.
Fear of malevolent spirit, or of the souls of the dead.
5. The fear of meaningless death.
Therefore, the speaker tends not to mention this distasteful term in order to avoid
keep his and interlocutor’s feeling and try to leave out the sadness. ‘Died’ is
considered as rude and may hurt one’s feeling. Besides that, the practice of using
euphemisms for death is likely to have originated with the magical belief that to speak
the word "death/died" was to invite death; where to "draw Death's attention" is the
ultimate bad fortune — a common theory holds that death is a taboo subject in most
English-speaking cultures for precisely this reason.
For those reason, the use of euphemistic term is important in order to avoid the
unpleasant word along with the bad effect caused by this taboo term.
The word ‘gone’ is euphemistic even gets trough euphemistic understatement,
because the word ‘gone’ have the real meaning in this study is ‘died’, but in this case
the speaker use the word ‘gone’ so that can keep the his feeling self and interlocutor. It
refers to a type of euphemism commonly well-known as litotes whose primary is to
abolish what we are going to convey.
Supporting the description above, the writer would like to unpack the semantic
components of the term ‘gone’: [MOVE] [LEAVE] [VISIT] [REAL PLACE]
[REPEATED ACTIVITY]. If the term ‘died’ in sentence (a) I just can’t believe he’s
gone is replaced with the hidden reference, the sentence will be:
(a)
I just can’t believe he’s died
This sentence is acceptable, but it is not a euphemism expression because the
real meaning is shown clearly. The term ‘died’ let us catching the meaning directly.
That is also shown from the components like:
Died: [MOVE] [LEAVE] [STOP LIVING] [CEASE THE FUNCTION]
To find the meaning relation and more information, the writer would break down
the components of ‘gone’ and ‘died’ as follow:
Gone
+
+
+
+
Leave
Visit
Real Place
Stop living
Cease the function
Repeated Activity
Died
+
+
+
-
According to those semantic components, the term ‘died’ can be replaced by
‘gone’ although having different sense. It may so because they have same features
such as:[LEAVE], although they have too the different components like ‘died’ have
features such as: [STOP LIVING] [CEASE THE FUNCTION] and the word ‘gone’
have features such as: [VISIT] [REAL PLACE] [REPEATED ACTIVITY].
Base on the componential analysis, the writer conclude that ‘gone’ and ‘died’
actually has no exact meaning relation. The opposite components do not let ‘gone’
and ‘died’ have a meaning relation. Here, ‘gone’ is applied to reduce sense of sadness.
The new meaning ‘gone’ in sentence I just can’t believe he’s gone undergoes
Semantic Narrowing. It is because the new meaning refers to narrower
field than
previous one. It can be proved by the semantic components of both terms. ‘Gone’ has
4 [+] features, they are: [LEAVE] [VISIT] [REAL PLACE] [REPEATED
ACTIVITY], whereas ‘died just has 3 [+] features, they are: [LEAVE] [STOP
LIVING] [CEASE THE FUNCTION]. Its mean in the new meaning is loss 1 [+]
feature. Hence, in this case, the new meaning has semantic narrowing process.
10. Abstraction
Data example:
(a) Officer Warzak: We will get the man that did this to your son.
This datum is taken from Jennifer’s Body movie scripts. The conversation is
between Officer Warzak and Jonas’ Dad. Officer Warzak was one of the police who
came to the place where the Jonas’ corpse was found in woods.
From the above, the word ‘did this’ is a euphemism. ‘Did this’ stands for the
taboo term ‘kill’. ‘Kill’ might be taboo for the reasons follow:
1. Killing is usually constituted criminal action or the lethal act.
2. Killing cause the people lost their lovely family and give the huge sadness
3. Killing indicates persecution to somebody.
4. Killing indicates the horrible act and leave out the human life.
Hence, ‘kill’ is interdicted to mention, so the word ‘kill’ must be change to
euphemistic term to get the favorable term, in this study namely ‘Did this’. ‘Did this’
be euphemism because can blur the truth meaning and avoid causing offence In this
case, ‘did this’ be euphemistic abstraction. It is a roundabout way separating from
what is the fact or concrete. It is very general word that is able to many activities like
working, walking, shooting, reading, kicking, painting and still many others example.
But in this case, ‘did this’ specifically refers to criminal act (kill).
Supporting the above explanation, the writer unpack the term ‘did this’ into
smaller unit.
Did this: [ACTIVITY] [PHYSICAL] [COMMON]
The word ‘did this’ be euphemistic term because have no sensitive feature. If the
term ‘did this’ is replaced with the intended meaning, the sentence will be:
(b) Officer Warzak: We will get the man that kill your son.
Sentence (b) is acceptable, but it is not euphemism expression. Kill make us
get the real meaning explicitly. Kill is regarded as taboo that is also supported by the
components below:
Kill: [ACTIVITY] [PHYSICAL] [PEOPLE] [LEAVE OUT HUMAN LIFE]
To get more information about the meaning relation and semantic change, the
writer then identifies the components of these words.
Did This
+
+
+
+
Activity
Physical
People
Leave out human life
Common
Killed
+
+
+
+
-
According those semantic components above, there are similar components such as
[ACTIVITY] [PHYSICAL] [PEOPLE]. Those components allow ‘did this’ stand for
‘kill’. This is because they have something in common. The words ‘did this’ and ‘kill’
refers to human physical activity. Although there are the opposite components
[COMMON] and [LEAVE OUT HUMAN LIFE] are needed to differentiate one to
another. ‘Did this’ as euphemism because it is more polite, hide the truth to keep the
listener’s feeling. Besides that ‘did this’ have the neutral components [±COMMON]
and [±LEAVE OUT HUMAN LIFE]. It may be concluded that ‘did this’ refers to
people doing general activity, whereas ‘kill’ refers to people’s act especially lose the
human life. In this case, ‘did this’ can be classified as a part of general activity like
description below:
Did this
Painted Swept Wrote
Killed
Worked Kicked Watched
(Figure: Meaning Relation)
The term ‘did this’ is a euphemistic term for ‘kill’. ‘Did this’ used to mean
having activity but in general matters. It is proved because ‘did this’ consists of
[COMMON] that may go to all activities without any specification act or limitation.
Hence, the new meaning ‘did this’ in sentence We will get the man that did this to your
son goes to ‘kill’ by virtue of the component [LEAVE OUT HUMAN LIFE]
undergoes semantic narrowing process in which the new meaning becomes less
general that earlier. It can be proved by the component analysis, the new meaning has
no the [COMMON] feature.
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION and SUGGESTION
A. Conclusion
Base on the previous analysis, the writer take some conclusions from this study
of semantic change in euphemistic terms that all of data sample taken from ‘Jennifer’s
Body’ script’s movie. People apply euphemisms in their life is to protect themselves
and others from the loss of face, to cover up or prettify motives and events or to avoid
direct reference to topics they find unpleasant. Euphemisms are motivated by different
taboos in society. Every culture has its own topics that are forbidden and should not be
talked directly such as, death, disease, physical and mental defects, criminal actions,
sex, certain body parts, etc. The important thing of the using euphemism and avoiding
the taboo word is to keep good relationship between speaker and hearer. In the whole
of countries, all people try to create the good relationship with do not using the taboo
word and change it to euphemism term, this case is universal necessities.
From all of the data analysis taken from this movie, the writer found
10
kinds of classification euphemistic terms; they are metaphor, circumlocution, clipping,
abbreviations, quasi-Omission, full-Omission, metonymy, hyperbole, Understatement,
and abstraction. Its means in that script movie, the writer no found 9 types of
euphemism. They are rhyming slang, remodeling, acronyms, synecdoche, borrowing,
indirectness, mispronunciation, plays on abbreviation, and phonetic alphabet.
The writer then analyzed 10 types of euphemism. In there, the writer found that
4 euphemistic terms out of 10 data are refining the dispreffered terms referring to sex ,
bodily effluvia, and bodily function, they are not here, womb, butt and PMS , 2
euphemistic term referring to addressing and naming they are jeez and babe, 3
euphemistic term referring to fear of killing they are cutting boxes, em…. and did this,
and 1 euphemistic term referring to fear of death that is gone.
The actors / actresses used the euphemistic term is in order to keep the
relationship between them, they try to not embarrassing the interlocutors, keep the
listeners from losing face, and conserve the somebody’s self-esteem.
B. Suggestion
The research discusses types and semantic change in euphemistic terms in the
film ‘Jennifers’s Body. The writer hopes the paper can contribute a supporting
reference in analyzing works of linguistic through semantic and sociolinguistic
framework.
Base on the analysis above, the writer would like to suggest to the readers or
future researches more concern to analyzed the euphemistic terms on other media and
topics such as politic issue, social issue or terms in economic field etc. For the further
researcher, the writer suggest to pay attention in kind of types euphemism in order to
can distinguish clearly between one type with the others, because there are some types
that make us confusion.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Adrian Akmajian, Richard Demers, Ann Farmer, and Robert Harnish, Linguistics: An
Introduction to Language and Communication. MIT Press, 2001
Allan, Keith and Kate Burridge. Euphemism and Dysphemism : Language Used as
Sheild and Weapon. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Allan, Keith. Natural Language Semantics. New York: Blackwell Publishers, 2001.
Cruse, D.A. Lexical Semantics. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1987.
Djayasudarma, T. Fatimah. Semantik 2: Pemahaman Ilmu Makna. Bandung: PT.
Eresco, 1993.
Farkhan, Muhammad. Proposal penelitian bahasa & Sastra. Jakarta: Cella Press, 2006
Fromkin, Victoria, and Robert Rodman. An Introduction to Language sixt Edition.
New York: Blackwell Publisher, 1997.
Hatch, Evelyn, and Cheryl Brown. Vocabulary, Semantics and Language Education.
London: Cambrigde University Press, 1995.
Hornby, As. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English. London:
Cambridge University Press, 1974.
Jackson, Howard. Word and Their Meaning. New York: Longman, 1975.
Kempton, Ryth. M. Semantic Theory. Sydney: Cambridge University Press, 1980.
Leech, Geoffrey. Semantics. New Zealand: Penguin Books Ltd, 1997.
Lyons, john. Semantics. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1977
O’Grady, William. Contemporary Linguistics. United Kingdom: Longman Person
Education, 1996.
Odgen. C.K. and I.A. Richard. The Meaning of Meaning. London: Routledge and
Kegan Paul Ltd. 1952.
Palmer, F. R. Semantics A new Outline. London: Cambridge University Press. 1979.
Saeed, John. Semantics. London: Blackwell Publishers, 2004.
Sundayana, Wahyu and Aziz.E Aminudin. Semantik. Penerbit: Universitas
Terbuka.2007.
Wardhough, Rorald. An Introduction to Linguistics (fouth Edition). Blackwell
Publisher. 2002.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphemism#See_also
http://www.imsdb.com/search.php.
APPENDIX
JENNIFER'S BODY
Written by
Diablo Cody
9/20/2007
INT. LEECH LAKE WOMEN'S CORRECTIONAL HOSPITAL - DAY
ANITA "NEEDY" LESNICKI, 17, sits on her hospital bed in
pajamas. She's a plain-faced girl with a haunted
expression. As she stares out the window, she winds
colored yarn around a pair of Popsicle sticks to create a
"god's eye."
Out a single window, we see an imposing nine-foot
SECURITY FENCE.
Next to Needy, we see a pile of unopened mail scattered
casually on the floor. There are letters, packages, even
creepy little gifts and totems sent by admiring "fans."
NEEDY V.O.
Every day, I get letters. I think
I get more letters than Santa
Claus, Zac Efron and Dr. Phil
combined. I'm kind of the shit.
RAYMUNDO, a counselor raps on the door and sticks his
head in cautiously.
RAYMUNDO
Rec time in five minutes, Needy.
NEEDY
Grassy-ass, Raymundo.
Needy stands up and begins changing into an institutional
gym uniform. As she slips off her pajamas, we can see a
series of puffy, slash-like SCARS on her body.
NEEDY V.O.
Sometimes the letters are from
people who say they're praying for
me. They tell me everything will
be okay if I just accept Jesus
Christ into my heart. I say the
words, but nothing ever happens.
Nobody comes back. Nobody gets off
the cross.
She glances sadly at a PHOTO OF A BOY on her dresser. She
touches the frame wistfully, her eyes full of remorse.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Occasionally I get presents from
starfuckers who saw my picture in
the paper and want to marry me or
something. They think they can
take me away from all this.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
2.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Like I'd really date some
perverted Chester with a hard-on
for jailbait. I might be insane,
but I'm not desperate.
We see a morbid "hall of fame" of creepy photos sent in
from guys. They line the mirror, grinning at us. There's
even a DICK SHOT tucked in there.
Needy pulls on her threadbare uniform T-shirt. It hangs
down to her knees, covering her shorts.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
A lot of people ask me if I'm
sorry I did it.
Needy picks up a paper cup of COLORFUL PILLS on her
dresser, dumps the meds into her mouth, and dry-swallows
them.
NEEDY
(ALOUD)
I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner.
She saunters out of the room in her GYM UNIFORM and BUNNY
SLIPPERS.
INT. LEECH LAKE HOSPITAL GYMNASIUM - MORNING
Several badminton courts are set up in the gym. As an
intense OPERATIC ARIA plays over the public address
system, the FEMALE PATIENTS enthusiastically--almost
violently--whack at the flying shuttlecocks.
The patients appear to be varying levels of crazy. A
TOOTHLESS WOMAN grins as she dives with her racket,
clipping her partner in the leg. In the corner, one
forlorn patient nurses her injured arm while another
hurls her racket against the wall again and again.
Counselors look on approvingly, despite how miserable
their charges appear. In the background, a few sulking
patients jump rope.
Needy enters the gym unnoticed, padding along in her
bunny slippers.
NEEDY V.O.
Welcome to the Mental Olympics.
They're big on recreation here.
Supposedly it helps us vent our
aggressions. We've traded in our
hatchets for rackets, our Drain-O
bombs for double dutch.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
3.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Even the cutters get in on the
action when they're fully
conscious.
We see a GIRL swinging a jump rope who has a ladder of
fresh bandages on her arms and legs.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Me? I'm just trying to stay
invisible.
Nelly shuffles over to a tetherball and takes a furious
WHACK at it.
INT. LEECH LAKE CAFETERIA - ONE HOUR LATER
The freshly showered PATIENTS assemble for breakfast.
They grab trays and settle into noisy cliques. Needy
selects a single toaster pastry from the breakfast line
and sits down, alone.
NEEDY V.O.
Personally, I think they're trying
to wear us out. Keep us sluggish
so there won't be an uprising.
Well, those J.V. tactics won't
work against me. I'm a kicker. K-I-
C-K-E-R. It even says so on my
chart.
We briefly cut to Needy's chart, on some doctor's
clipboard. We see her name: ANITA "NEEDY" LESNICKI and a
few brief details about FIRST DEGREE MURDER and GRANDIOSE
NOTIONS. Beneath that, we see a triple-highlighted
warning in bright ink: KICKER.
A NUTRITIONIST with a clipboard approaches Needy casually
and eyes her breakfast plate.
NUTRITIONIST
Just one Toastem, huh?
NEEDY
(QUIETLY)
I like Toastems.
NUTRITIONIST
That's good. But I'm not sure a
Toastem can provide you with
sufficient energy for your day.
I'd recommend more complex
carbohydrates...
(CONTINUED)
4.
CONTINUED:
Needy scrambles to her feet and delivers a sudden,
powerful ROUNDHOUSE KICK to the nutritionist's face.
NEEDY
I'D RECOMMEND THAT YOU SHUT THE
FUCK UP!
The nutritionist is KNOCKED OFF HER FEET-- as if she's
been kicked by a far mightier creature than Needy-- and
collapses, clutching her bleeding nose. We see that the
bone has SNAPPED.
The patients shriek. Chaos. As Needy is restrained by
staff members, she thrashes like a trapped fish.
Needy snorts up a killer LOOGIE and hocks it at the prone
nutritionist. The glob nails her in the eye.
It takes four STAFF MEMBERS to haul Needy away as she
hollers in protest.
The nutritionist curls up on the floor, cupping her
bleeding nose as a ring of curious patients surrounds
her. She spits out a TOOTH.
INT. "THE HOLE" - SAME
Needy is tossed into seclusion. Her hair is wild and her
face is wet with tears. The heavy door slams behind her,
leaving only a shaft of light.
NEEDY V.O.
I wasn't always this cracked. I
used to be normal-- well, as
normal as any girl under the
influence of teenage hormones. But
after the killings began, I
started to feel, I don't know...
loose around the edges or
something. I was coming undone
like those jeans I made in Home
Ec. Falling to pieces like Patsy
Cline. Shredded like moo-shu pork.
Dead inside.
Needy cringes as she briefly hallucinates abstract SHAPES
in the darkness. Grinning skulls. Faces drained of life,
half eaten. Grimaces of terror.
Suddenly, soft music
is piped into "the hole," ostensibly
to calm the patients
in solitary. Needy shudders and
recoils at the sound
of it. It's a CHEESY ROCK BALLAD
that we'll soon hear
again...
(CONTINUED)
5.
CONTINUED:
CHEESY SONG LYRICS
"Through the trees, I will find
you. Heal the ruins left inside
you. And the stars will remind
you, we'll meet again..."
NEEDY V.O.
God, I hate this fucking song.
Needy plugs her ears as if it physically hurts her to
listen to the song. She curls up in the corner and steels
herself for solitary confinement.
DISSOLVE
TO:
TITLE: TWO MONTHS EARLIER
EXT. DEVIL'S KETTLE, MN - NIGHT (TO ESTABLISH)
Devil's Kettle is a quiet farming community, surrounded
by dense woods and mirrored lakes. It's the kind of town
that has one high school, one pizza joint, and one
stoplight.
On an overgrown rural route we see a rustic sign that
reads "WELCOME TO DEVIL'S KETTLE- Pop. 7,036. Come See
What's Cookin'!"
NEEDY
This is where it all went down.
"Devil's Kettle" sounds twisted, I
know, but the place just is named
after a dumb waterfall.
EXT. THE FALLS - NIGHT (TO ESTABLISH)
We see the titular falls, surprisingly powerful, gushing
over a rock face.
NEEDY V.O.
Well technically, it's two
waterfalls. One of them is normal-it empties into a river basin. But
the other one goes into a hole.
And it doesn't come out. The
scientist guys can't explain it.
They've dropped all kinds of
things down there--bouncy balls,
red dye, radioactive slime-- but
nothing ever surfaces.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
6.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Maybe it's another dimension. Or,
you know, just really deep.
EXT. JENNIFER'S HOUSE (TO ESTABLISH) - MIDNIGHT
The sprawling ranch house is dark from the outside except
for a single FIRST FLOOR WINDOW-- Jennifer's-- still
illuminated.
There's a chicken coop and a wire livestock pen in the
backyard. We're definitely in deep north country.
NEEDY V.O.
I've probably spent years of my
life in this house. Hundreds of
sleepovers, thousands of aimless
homework sessions, a million phone
calls. I've climbed through
Jennifer's window so many times.
But tonight, only one of us is
going to come out.
INT. JENNIFER'S BEDROOM - SAME
JENNIFER CHECK lies on her bed, fidgeting as she watches
TV. She's a girl of 16 with LONG, MATTED HAIR and a thin,
frail body. Her features are gorgeous, but she looks sick
and haggard. She picks at her skin with yellowed,
Nosferatu-like fingernails and chews idly on a limp lock
of hair.
Jennifer wears a tight T-shirt that says KETTLE HIGH
FLAGS and underwear.
An `80s HORROR MOVIE flickers on the TV. Jennifer halfwatches, distracted.
NEEDY V.O.
Jennifer didn't always look this
rough. Actually, she was the
prettiest girl in Devil's Kettle
when she wasn't so...hungry.
Some recent photos on a corkboard reveal that Jennifer
was indeed BEAUTIFUL AND CURVY.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
She hadn't fed in weeks.
Jennifer rolls over and glances at the window briefly.
We see the OUTSIDE of the house again. It's dark and
silent, but for the nearly inaudible snapping of twigs.
(CONTINUED)
7.
CONTINUED:
Jennifer turns her attention back to the TV.
Suddenly, we see NEEDY'S FACE pop up against the window,
white and startling. Before Jennifer notices, the face
disappears.
Outside the house, the bushes rustle. Needy is crouched
below the window. We hear the pulsing of her HEART as if
via ultrasound. It's a wet, rhythmic sound: Sploish,
sploish, sploish.
Inside, Jennifer stretches and shuts off the TV. She
turns out the light. A beat of silence.
Then, the sound of cracking near the window.
JENNIFER
Huh?
Needy PLUNGES through the window, screaming and
brandishing a HAMMER. She takes a SWING at Jennifer's
head, but misses and BURIES IT IN THE WALL, specifically
in Jennifer's Fall Out Boy poster.
Needy throws herself on top of Jennifer. She STRADDLES
Jennifer and grips her throat, throttling her.
NEEDY
You'll throw me a bone, huh? Huh?
You killed Chip! You goddamned
monster! You...ZOMBITCH!
Jennifer struggles to fight off Needy in the darkness.
Her clawlike fingernails rake Needy's back and arms.
Needy pulls a BOX CUTTER out of her waistband and flicks
it open like a switchblade. Kshink!
JENNIFER
(GAGGING)
Do you buy all your murder weapons
at Home Depot? God, you're butch.
NEEDY
Know what this is for? Cutting
boxes.
She takes a swipe at Jennifer's CROTCH. Jennifer
instinctively CLUTCHES herself and rears up in defense.
We see Jennifer's mouth come down on Needy's neck. Needy
shrieks as if BITTEN, but continues to strangle Jennifer,
straddling her and bearing down.
(CONTINUED)
8.
CONTINUED: (2)
Jennifer's T-shirt slides up to her armpits, exposing her
breasts. For a moment, her eyes meet Needy's and she
grins. It's as if she has control over Needy for a split
second, sexual control...
Needy recoils and SLASHES Jennifer's body left and right
with the box-cutter, marking a gory, oozing "X" on her
torso.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
(HYSTERICAL)
CROSS OUT JENNIFER!
Jennifer gasps, staring at her wounds in shock and
disbelief. She looks back up at Needy. A beat of silence.
Suddenly, THE GIRLS' BODIES LEVITATE RAPIDLY TOWARD THE
CEILING. They wrestle in a bloody, screaming airborne
heap, their figures entwined. Their bodies FALL,
collapsing back onto the bed with a thud.
Needy raises the box-cutter and plunges it into
Jennifer's HEART. Blood GEYSERS from the wound.
JENNIFER
(CHOKING)
My tit!
Suddenly, the room is flooded with BRIGHT LIGHT,
revealing a Needy straddling Jennifer's MUTLIATED BODY.
Jennifer's breathing is a raspy death rattle.
MRS. CHECK, a middle-aged woman in bad sleepwear and a
worse perm rushes into the bedroom.
MRS. CHECK
Jennifer! What is it, baby? Oh my
God! Oh my God!
She pulls Needy off her daughter. Jennifer rolls over,
gasping and bleeding.
MRS. CHECK (CONT'D)
(SHOCKED)
Needy?
Needy drops the boxcutter. It lands on Jennifer's copy of
Flag Team Quarterly, splashing the model with fresh gore.
NEEDY
Is she dead, Mrs. Check? Did I get
her?
(CONTINUED)
9.
CONTINUED: (3)
Mrs. Check cradles her maimed daughter on the floor like
a white-trash Pieta. Jennifer takes one last breath,
vomits blood, and DIES.
Mrs. Check SCREAMS. Needy SMILES.
EXT. JENNIFER CHECK'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
Three police cars squeal up to the curb with sirens and
lights engaged. OFFICER ROMAN DUDA, 22, a muscular young
COP, jogs authoritatively toward the house. He shakes his
head, dumbfounded.
ROMAN
Christ, Needy, what have you done?
INT. POLICE SQUAD CAR - DAWN
Needy, innocent-looking in PIGTAILS, is hustled into the
back of the squad car. Her clothes and face are smeared
with blood.
Officer Duda starts the ignition. His partner, a hardfaced FEMALE COP, slides into the front seat. Her cap is
pushed back to accommodate a huge round pouf of
shellacked MALL BANGS.
NEEDY
Hi, Roman! How's the Force
treating you? I like that jaunty
cap. Blue like your balls.
ROMAN
How could you do this, Needy?
(EMOTIONAL)
You killed Jen-- Jennifer-- I
mean, the victim. Are you on
something?
NEEDY
Everything's going to be okay now.
I rule.
FEMALE COP
Shut your mouth back there!
NEEDY
Hey. Didn't you used to baby-sit
me in like 1998? When my mom
worked the overnight at Hormel?
The female cop fidgets uncomfortably.
(CONTINUED)
10.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY (CONT'D)
Yeah. Gracie, right? Gracie. I
really like your hair, Gracie. How
many cans of Salon Selectives did
it take to erect that monument?
The cop reaches into the backseat and SLAPS Needy, who
hiccups with laughter.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
Watch it, Puffy Combs. That's
police brutality!
FEMALE COP
You're one to talk about
brutality, Ms. Lesnicki. You're
looking at attempted murder.
NEEDY
Ugh, don't say attempted. That
sounds so JV. Small time. Teenyweeny, just like Officer Duda up
there. And trust me-- I'd know.
Roman swallows nervously, eyes on the road. Officer
Warzak glances at him.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
Let's get our facts straight: I
successfully committed a hard
core, fully premeditated murder
back there. I fucking destroyed
that brat, OK? I, Needy Lesnicki,
put a stop-payment on Jennifer
Check.
She slumps down in the backseat.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
Why am I even in these cuffs? I
just saved every guy in this town
from becoming Satan Chow. I'm a
hero.
FEMALE COP
She's delirious.
ROMAN
(MUTTERING)
This is going to be a circus.
(CONTINUED)
11.
CONTINUED: (2)
FEMALE COP
At least we've already got a
confession.
NEEDY
Confessions are for pussies.
You've got a declaration, Grace.
She giggles maniacally.
Roman turns on the radio, violating protocol. It's a
soaring rock anthem-- the SAME SONG we heard being piped
into solitary confinement.
Both cops BRIGHTEN when they hear the song.
Roman cranks the volume.
ROMAN
God, I love this song.
FEMALE COP
I know. And they've done so much
for this town.
ROMAN
They're way more than a band,
really. They're heroes.
FEMALE COP
Wait, this is my favorite part...
Roman and the female cop begin to sing along with the
uplifting, corny song:
FEMALE COP AND ROMAN
(in unison)
"Through the trees, I will find
you. Heal the ruins left inside
you. And the stars will remind
you, that you are home..."
Needy stares out the window at the sun creeping up over
the forest on the horizon.
NEEDY V.O.
So I killed her. Whatever. It
won't undo anything. Three pulses-three lives-- all stopped cold by
adolescent bloodlust. It's hard to
believe that just two months ago,
me, Jennifer and my boyfriend Chip
were completely normal people.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
12.
CONTINUED: (3)
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
We were our yearbook pictures.
Nothing more, nothing less.
We see a brief montage of black-and-white yearbook
stills: JENNIFER executing the splits on a football
field, her smile bright. NEEDY inspecting a school
newspaper layout, pen in hand, glasses on her nose. And
finally, CHIP DOVE, playing a strap-on snare drum at a
school pep rally, his head bent in concentration....
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Jesus, Chip..
The photo fades into the pep rally itself. CHIP is
animated, drumming in full color...
INT. KETTLE HIGH - DAY
CHIP drums on the sidelines of the Devil's Kettle High
basketball court. The stands are packed with BORED
STUDENTS for a pep rally. Chip is 16, clean cut, and an
awful drummer.
NEEDY V.O.
Chip couldn't drum for shit. He
only knew "Land of a Thousand
Dances" and the solo from
"Wipeout." Lucky for him, the pep
band gig wasn't too demanding.
Sure enough, the band is playing "Land of a Thousand
Dances." Nearby, the FLAG TEAM claps with gloved hands,
picking up their flags for a choreographed stunt.
Jennifer steps forward in her flag team uniform,
breathtakingly beautiful. She hoists her flag aloft,
twirling it. Time FREEZES as the flag unfurls.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
If you can believe it, that's
Jennifer. Yeah, the same girl I
iced with the box-cutter. Only
back then, we were tight. Sisters,
practically. People found it hard
to believe that a babe like
Jennifer would associate with a
dork like me. But we'd been the
Wonder Twins since we were
practically preverbal. Sandbox
love never dies.
Jennifer finishes her maneuver and WAVES to the stands.
Needy waves back at her excitedly from the bleachers,
small and owlish with glasses and lank hair.
(CONTINUED)
13.
CONTINUED:
CHASTITY, a similarly geeky-looking girl standing next to
Needy, rolls her eyes at this display of affection.
CHASTITY
You're totally lesbigay.
NEEDY
What? She's my best friend.
The geeky girl mockingly imitates Needy's excited wave.
CHASTITY
You stare at her like you want to
dry hump her.
Needy ignores her.
CHASTITY (CONT'D)
Like, hump her through pants.
NEEDY
(INTERRUPTING)
Are you jealous?
CHASTITY
Of what? That rich bitch?
NEEDY
She's not rich.
INT. KETTLE HIGH HALLWAY - AFTER SCHOOL
Needy digs through her locker, carefully selecting
textbooks to take home. Jennifer skips up to her,
smiling.
JENNIFER
Hey, Monistat.
NEEDY
What's up, Vagisil?
JENNIFER
You and me are going out tonight.
She checks herself out in Needy's locker mirror.
NEEDY
Tonight? Why?
JENNIFER
Soft Shoulder are playing at the
Carousel.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
14.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
And it's all-ages, for once, which
means I won't have to play Hello
Titty with the door guy.
NEEDY
What's Soft Shoulder?
JENNIFER
They're this indie band from the
city. I saw their MySpace and the
singer is extra salty. And there
will be lots of other salty
morsels there for you. Come on
Needy, it's the weekend!
NEEDY
It's Thursday.
JENNIFER
Thursday counts as the weekend in
college. And we're going to be in
college twenty-three months from
now. University of Northern
Minnesota Duluth- woo!
Needy continues loading her backpack.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Please, please you're a social
disease?
NEEDY
I have to study.
Jennifer pouts. With an outstretched finger, she draws a
dramatic X in the air over Needy and boos loudly.
JENNIFER
(SHOUTING)
Boo! Cross out Needy!
Needy blushes, shrinking self-consciously. She obviously
hates to displease Jennifer.
NEEDY
Fine. What time is the show?
JENNIFER
I'll pick you up at 8:30. My mom
has a date with that guy who owns
the ham store.
NEEDY
He seems nice.
(CONTINUED)
15.
CONTINUED: (2)
JENNIFER
(SMIRKING)
Yeah, Mom says he's got a huge...
heart. So huge he gave her a
recurring bladder infection. Wear
something cool, okay?
NEEDY
Okay.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE - 8:45 A.M.
Needy is standing in a small, dingy bathroom, trying on
different configurations of clothing.
NEEDY V.O.
"Wear something cool" meant
something very specific in
Jennifer-speak. It meant I
couldn't look like a nerd, but I
couldn't upstage her either. I
could expose my stomach, but never
cleavage. Tits were her trademark.
Needy wiggles her jeans a bit lower, exposing her
childishly round tummy. She walks out of the bathroom
into her bedroom, a frilly pink hell complete with canopy
bed.
CHIP DOVE is sitting on the bed, looking lost in all that
pink. He raises an eyebrow at Needy's abdomen.
CHIP
Those jeans are hella low. I can
almost see your front butt.
NEEDY
Chip, it's a rock show. This is my
rock look.
CHIP
I can see, like, your womb.
Needy sighs and hoists up her pants.
CHIP (CONT'D)
Why are you blowing me off for
some dumb concert, anyway? We were
supposed to have Movie Night. I
even rented Orca. It's like Jaws,
except with a harmless whale.
(CONTINUED)
16.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
Jennifer needs me. She really
wants to go see this band. It's
extremely important to her.
CHIP
I've never even heard of Soft
Shoulder. Which one is Jennifer
stalking?
NEEDY
The lead singer, of course. Girls
like her don't go out with
drummers.
CHIP
Thanks a lot!
NEEDY
No offense. I mean, she'd probably
make an exception for a drummer
who was also the lead singer.
CHIP
Like Phil Collins.
NEEDY
Who's Phil Collins?
CHIP
Forget it. He's seminal, but
whatever...
NEEDY
Anyway, this singer guy is like
22, so he could get locked up in
the state pen if he actually dated
her. But Jennifer says he's extra
salty, so...
CHIP
Salty. You guys ever going to stop
using that secret language?
NEEDY
"Salty" means beautiful.
CHIP
Then you must be soy sauce, babe.
Needy and CHIP start MAKING OUT. CHIP unbuckles his belt
eagerly even though they've barely begun. Needy stops.
(CONTINUED)
17.
CONTINUED: (2)
NEEDY
Jennifer's here.
CHIP
How do you know?
Needy shrugs. A beat of silence. Then we hear the door
swing open. JENNIFER'S VOICE floats up from downstairs.
JENNIFER
(O.S.)
Needy, quit tampooning yourself
and get down here!
CHIP
That's fucking weird.
NEEDY
(straightening her
CLOTHES)
I'd better hurry.
CHIP
You always do what Jennifer tells
you to do.
Needy pulls her NECKLACE out from beneath her shirt and
flashes a heart-shaped "B.F.F." charm at Chip.
NEEDY
She's my best friend, Chip.
Remember? This necklace is no
joke.
CHIP sighs, resigned. They head downstairs.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE (LIVING ROOM) - SAME
Jennifer is waiting in the front hallway. She's heavily
made-up and dressed in a predictably sexy outfit. She
dangles a set of car keys in front of Needy and CHIP.
JENNIFER
(GLOATING)
Guess who's got the whip `til
11:30? A 2003 Chrysler Sebring and
it's all mine.
NEEDY
Wow.
(CONTINUED)
18.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
You're lucky you get to ride with
me to the club in style!
She does a sexy little dance in the doorway, then notices
CHIP.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Oh, hi Chip. Do you like puppies?
She grabs her boobs and thrusts her chest outward at him,
giggling. Needy watches jealously and MANEUVERS HER WAY
IN FRONT OF JENNIFER.
CHIP
I think you forgot, like, two
buttons.
NEEDY
I think she remembered two
buttons.
Jennifer sniffs the air.
JENNIFER
It smells like Thai food in here.
(BEAT)
Have you guys been fucking?
NEEDY
You're gross!
She shoves Jennifer and they begin wrestling playfully.
CHIP slumps against the wall, staring awestruck at
Jennifer's cleavage.
JENNIFER
Okay, let's go to the club.
The three of them shuffle onto the porch. Needy locks the
door.
CHIP
The Carousel is not a club.
JENNIFER
Eat my ass, Chip. You're just
jello `cause you're not invited.
CHIP
I'm not jello! That place is
gross. Everyone there has a
mustache.
(CONTINUED)
19.
CONTINUED: (2)
JENNIFER
You're totally jello! You're lime
green jello and you can't even
admit it.
The girls scamper toward the car.
CHIP
(calling after them)
Stop kidnapping my girlfriend!
INT. THE CAROUSEL - NIGHT
THE CAROUSEL is a run-down tavern at the edge of town,
the kind with NASCAR posters, wobbly chairs and strands
of plastic pennants crisscrossing the ceiling. It's a
busy night and the bar is teeming with locals.
A bartender sells a CASE OF BEER to a customer and passes
it over the bar.
NEEDY V.O.
Chip was right. The Carousel is
definitely not a club. Clubs are
for attractive people in populous
urban areas. Clubs have DJs and
champagne and separate bathrooms
for guys and girls. All we have is
a broken jukebox, a few domestic
taps and the Sticker Toilet.
SMASH CUT
TO:
INT. BATHROOM - SAME
We see a lone, nasty-looking TOILET covered in BAND
STICKERS.
BACK ON NEEDY:
Needy and Jennifer enter the bar. Every guy in the joint
stares at Jennifer, who snaps her "MINOR" wristband
distastefully.
JENNIFER
God, I can't wait until I'm old
enough to get wasted. Have you
ever had peach schnapps?
NEEDY
I don't think so.
(CONTINUED)
20.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
Peach schnapps are excellent. They
even taste good when they come out
of your nose mid-puke.
A teenage guy, CRAIG, passes by and waves.
CRAIG
Hi Jennifer. You look nice.
JENNIFER
(without enthusiasm)
What up, Craig.
She elbows Needy and makes a GAGGING GESTURE.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
He thinks he's cute enough for me.
No wonder he's in retard math.
Jennifer pulls out a pack of Camel Wides and lights one
awkwardly. Needy notices AHMET FROM INDIA, a FOREIGN
EXCHANGE STUDENT, standing by himself away from the
crowd.
NEEDY
Hey, it's Ahmet from India. The
foreign exchange guy. He's all by
himself.
JENNIFER
I can't believe we traded a cute
hockey player for that.
NEEDY
He seems okay. He's got that cool
elephant statue in his locker.
JENNIFER
Do you think he's circumcised? I
always wanted to try sea cucumber.
NEEDY
Ew!
ROMAN DUDA saunters up to Jennifer, swigging a bottle of
beer. He snatches the pack of cigarettes away from her.
ROMAN
You're smoking dicks now, Jen?
JENNIFER
What? I like the Wides.
(CONTINUED)
21.
CONTINUED: (2)
She sticks the fat cigarette between her lips and inhales
pointedly.
ROMAN
I just bet you do. I should arrest(menangkap)
you for possession under the legal
age.
JENNIFER
Arrest me, pfft! You're not even
out of the academy yet, Roman!
ROMAN
Two more months and I'm on the
force for real. Then I'll be able
to cuff you whenever the hell I
want.
He grips her wrist and twists it behind her back.
JENNIFER
How will I wait that long?
She paws Roman's crotch discreetly. Needy winces.
ROMAN
Not here, babe. I gotta keep my
nose clean.
NEEDY
(POINTING)
Look, there's the band!
A group of skinny INDIE ROCK BOYS are setting up their
equipment on a pathetically tiny stage-- it's more like a
dais. The LEAD SINGER has intense, spooky eyes, nearly
obscured by a shock of hair. The locals, mostly good ol'
boys, eye the band suspiciously.
JENNIFER
You can tell they're from the
city.
ROMAN
Yeah, `cause they look like a
bunch of faygos.
JENNIFER
You would think that. You're such
a small-time Gomer. I wish we had
more guys like that in Devil's
Kettle. All stylish and shit.
Needy nods dumbly. She stares at the band, awestruck.
(CONTINUED)
22.
CONTINUED: (3)
NEEDY
They look so-- so cool.
She gazes at the stage, hearing only the whistling rush
of ARCTIC AIR. In SLOW MOTION, the GUITARIST unsheathes
his Fender Jaguar from its gig bag. He notices her
staring and runs the tip of his tongue over his lips.
Needy swallows hard.
JENNIFER
Hey, I think they need two
groupies. Come on! It'll be like
Almost Famous! I'll be Penny Lane
and you can be the other girl.
She grabs Needy's hand and enthusiastically tries to drag
her toward the stage.
NEEDY
No!
JENNIFER
Don't be J.V., Needy. They're just
boys. Morsels. We have all the
power, don't you know that?
She plants her hands on Needy's CHEST.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
These things are like smart bombs.
Point `em in the right direction
and shit gets real.
Needy shrugs free of Jennifer's grasp and follows her
reluctantly across the room.
The lead singer of Soft Shoulder, NIKOLAI WOLF, is
already striding forward to meet them at the lip of the
stage. His gait is as smooth as his shock of dyed-black
hair.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Hi. Um, we just really wanted to
meet you or something? I'm
Jennifer Check and this is my
friend.
NIKOLAI
I'm Nikolai Wolf, and this is my
band.
He reaches down and pumps Jennifer's outstretched hand.
(CONTINUED)
23.
CONTINUED: (4)
JENNIFER
(AWKWARD)
Yeah! Soft Shoulder, right? I've
heard you guys are super, super
good at playing your instruments.
NIKOLAI
I hope we can live up to
such...high praise.
NEEDY
Hey, if you don't mind me asking,
why did you want to play all the
way out here in Devil's Kettle?
You live in the city, right?
NIKOLAI
Yeah. But I think it's so
important to connect with our fans
in rural areas. Plus, the
audiences in small towns really
appreciate us.
JENNIFER
Can I show you my appreciation
right now?
Needy looks at the floor, embarrassed.
Jennifer's voice scales up nervously.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Like, I'll buy you a drink? I
mean, I'll see if I can get you a
drink. They make this great 9/11
tribute shooter? It's red, white
and blue, but you have to drink it
fast or it gets all brownish.
NIKOLAI
(GRIMACING)
Mmm.
Jennifer hurries off toward the bar.
Needy moves self-consciously into a nearby corner, not
wanting to continue the conversation with Nikolai alone.
A LOCAL plugs a Loretta Lynn tune into the jukebox, with
a challenging stare at the band. A DRUNK COUPLE begins
two-stepping in front of the stage.
Nikolai walks up to the guitar player, DIRK, and pulls
him aside. Needy pricks up her ears and listens.
(CONTINUED)
24.
CONTINUED: (5)
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
Dirk, what about her?
DIRK
(gesturing to Needy)
Who, Training Bra Jones?
Needy looks offended.
NIKOLAI
No, the hot one. The one who just
walked away. She's it, man. She's
exactly what we're looking for.
DIRK
You're sure she's...
NIKOLAI
She's a kid. We're in God's
country, man. Everyone out here's
a fundie bible-banger. Of course
she's a virgin.
Dirk hesitates.
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
Dirk, we didn't haul our asses out
to this corn palace for nothing!
DIRK
Fine. Okay. You know, I know I'm
not "just the bassist." I'm a
person who happens to play the
bass guitar. And I would like some
respect...
Nikolai is already ignoring him.
Needy, alarmed, emerges from her hiding place and
discreetly rushes over to the bar where Jennifer is
arguing with a jealous-looking Roman. He shakes his head
in disgust and leaves the bar.
Jennifer walks over holding an ostentatious PATRIOTIC
THEMED DRINK. She laughs when she sees Needy's concerned
expression.
JENNIFER
What? Are you scared of rock stars
too?
NEEDY
Those guys are rank, Jen. Just
forget about it.
(CONTINUED)
25.
CONTINUED: (6)
JENNIFER
I think the singer wants me.
NEEDY
Only because he thinks you're a
virgin. I heard them talking.
JENNIFER
Yeah, right! I'm not even a
backdoor-virgin anymore, thanks to
Roman. By the way, that hurts. I
couldn't even go to flags the next
day. I had to stay home and sit on
a bag of frozen peas.
NEEDY
Oh my God.
JENNIFER
Well, if Nikolai wants innocent, I
can do innocent. I'll be Little
Miss Fucking Sunshine.
NEEDY
He's way too old for you.
JENNIFER
Don't cock-block me, Needy.
Piercing FEEDBACK signals the beginning of the set.
Nikolai takes the mic and smiles broadly.
NIKOLAI
Good evening, Devil's Lake.
Someone in the back shouts "Devil's Kettle!"
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
Sorry. Anyway, we're Soft
Shoulder. And we just want to make
you happy.
He WINKS at Jennifer.
The band launch into the same intense, soaring song we
heard in the COP CAR and the HOLE. Jennifer's eyes never
leave Nikolai's. She's hypnotized, clinging to Needy's
arm. Even the locals look charmed.
Suddenly, a lick of FLAME appears on the wood paneling
next to the stage. Needy is the first to notice. As she
watches in horror, the fire is reflected in her glasses.
(CONTINUED)
26.
CONTINUED: (7)
The flames quickly climbs up to the ceiling and begin to
blaze uncontrollably. People SCREAM and scatter. Someone
ineffectually tries to throw a pitcher of beer on the
fire.
Nikolai turns and sees the fire spreading. He and Chas
exchange glances. The BASS PLAYER pitches his guitar
aside and jumps off the stage, and the drummer abandons
his kit. Nikolai seems perfectly cool and composed as he
watches from the stage...is he smiling?
CHAOS. Everyone is trying to get out of the bar at once,
causing a stampede. A woman's clothes and hair CATCH FIRE
and she falls to her knees. We see a BEAM fall from the
roof, nearly killing AHMET FROM INDIA.
Jennifer stands still in a dreamlike state.
NEEDY
(to Jennifer)
I know where to go!
Needy grabs Jennifer by the elbow and pulls her into the
tiny BATHROOM. Choking on smoke, they climb onto the
Sticker Toilet (which now sports a giant SOFT SHOULDER
sticker on the tank) and boost each other out the
BATHROOM WINDOW. Hundreds are still trapped inside,
screaming.
EXT. THE CAROUSEL- CONTINUOUS
Jennifer collapses in Needy's arms, coughing. Needy hugs
her fiercely, almost romantically. She cups Jennifer's
flushed face and looks into her eyes.
JENNIFER
(DAZED)
It's so hot, Needy. I think I'm on
fire. Oh God, I'm burning!
NEEDY
You're okay, I promise. You got
burned worse when you wore that
tin-foil bikini to the beach.
Everything's fine.
Suddenly, a HAND clamps onto Jennifer's shoulder. Both
girls jump. It's Nikolai, his forehead creased with false
concern.
NIKOLAI
Are you girls all right?
(CONTINUED)
27.
CONTINUED:
Needy is less than thrilled to see him.
NEEDY
We're great. Maybe you should try
to find your band?
NIKOLAI
Those guys? They were the first
ones out the door. Ran for the van
like a bunch of Marys. Frankly,
I'm ashamed of them.
Needy narrows her eyes suspiciously.
Muffled SCREAMS rise up from the flame-engulfed building.
Jennifer covers her ears and cowers, sweat rolling down
her face.
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
God, it feels like hell out here.
Come and hang with us in the van
for a while, just until they hose
this place down.
JENNIFER
Okay...okay...
She slumps against Nikolai's chest.
NIKOLAI
You're in shock. Here, drink this.
You'll feel better.
He smoothly retrieves a plastic bottle of PEACH SCHNAPPS
from his coat and holds it to Jennifer's lips. She swigs
it cooperatively, dribbling down her chin.
Needy blinks in disbelief at the coincidence.
NEEDY
Aren't you a little freaked out
about this? What about all your
stuff? It's probably melting, and
when you get to the next stop
you'll have to do like, a crappy
acoustic set! Nobody likes that.
NIKOLAI
We'll be able to afford new gear
soon enough. I have a feeling
we're gonna blow up.
(CONTINUED)
28.
CONTINUED: (2)
JENNIFER
(SLURRING)
I want to see your van. C'mon
Needy, let's go to the van.
NEEDY
Why? Why should we? We have the
Malibu. Let's just get out of
here. We can go to El Ojo and get
Northwoods Nachos with extra
Badger Sauce! Please? I'm
starving.
JENNIFER
Needy, stop it. Just stop it!
She defiantly follows Nikolai toward the WHITE VAN, which
is parked a suspiciously safe distance from the bar.
Needy staggers after them slowly, watching.
Behind Needy, the bar EXPLODES. Screams. Flames. Silence.
Needy doesn't even look back as she watches Jennifer get
into the van. Ash drifts into her hair like snowflakes.
Nikolai takes off his shirt as he enters the van,
revealing his slick, muscled white torso.
NEEDY V.O.
I watched her get into that van
and I knew something awful was
going to happen. But for some
reason, I felt drawn toward them.
Toward him. He was pale and
twisted and evil, like this
petrified tree I saw when I was a
kid.
EXT. PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK - (FLASHBACK)
We see LITTLE NEEDY, about five years old, staring up at
a petrified tree in the darkness, horrified yet
compelled. The tree seems to stoop forward, cracking...
BACK ON NEEDY:
Needy's face is fixed in the same haunted expression.
Nikolai turns to look at her, his teeth bared in a
vicious smile.
Needy turns and sprints off in the opposite direction,
away from the van and the fire.
29.
INT. NEEDY'S BEDROOM - 11:00 P.M.
Needy stumbles into her bedroom, overwhelmed. Her clothes
are smoke damaged and her cheeks are sooty.
She grabs her cheap, taped-up cell phone and dials CHIP's
number shakily.
CROSS CUT
PHONE CALL:
INT. CHIP'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Chip's bedroom is pitch black until a cheap cell phone
lights up under the covers illuminating his sleeping
form, clad only in jockey shorts.
CHIP
(SLEEPILY)
Hey, Niedermeyer.
NEEDY
Thank God you're there. I hoped
you were sleeping with your phone.
CHIP
What's wrong?
NEEDY
Jennifer's gone. She ran off with
that rock band. And the Carousel
burned down.
CHIP sits bolt upright
CHIP
Like, burned down? To the ground?
Is everyone okay?
NEEDY
No. I think they're mostly dead.
CHIP
Shit. You're okay, right?
NEEDY
We went out the bathroom window.
Everyone else was trying to use
the door. It was like a stampede.
The people who fainted got run
over and you could hear their
bones breaking.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
30.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY (CONT'D)
There was all this screaming and
popping, like a million Black Cats
all going off at once. And the
smell...
CHIP
This is real, right? This isn't
just, like, some crazy dream like
last time?
NEEDY
No! Anyway, it took me like an
hour to walk home. But Jennifer's
still with those creeps! They had
one of those white molester vans
with no windows. The back was all
blacked out.
CHIP
Who cares about Jennifer and those
douchebags with douchebag
haircuts? People just burned to
death. In our town!
The DOORBELL chimes.
NEEDY
(FRANTIC)
Oh cheese and fries! Someone's
here. I'm alone, Chip. I'm freaked
out!
CHIP
Where's your mom?
NEEDY
Swing shift. Listen, I'll call you
in a minute. Stay awake.
CHIP
(SLEEPILY)
Holla back.
Needy hangs up the phone and rushes downstairs. As she
passes through the shadowy kitchen, appliances HUM all
around her. The silence is menacing.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE (FRONT ENTRY) - CONTINUOUS
Needy opens the door. Nobody there.
She slams the door, turns around and SCREAMS.
(CONTINUED)
31.
CONTINUED:
Jennifer is standing in the dark hallway, looking ghostly
pale and smiling. Her clothes are tattered and stained-her entire front is soaked in blood. Her makeup is
smeared, and her eyes are bruised and sunken like a
zombie's. She looks HORRIFYING, especially with that
ghastly, clownish grin.
NEEDY
Um, Jennifer?
Jennifer says nothing and continues to smile with bloodtinged teeth.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
What happened?
Utter silence. Then a dripping sound. Needy looks down
and sees large drops of blood spattering the linoleum.
Jennifer continues to smile, staring directly at Needy.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
(TREMBLING)
J-Jen?
Jennifer lets out a horrifying banshee SCREAM, wailing at
the top of her lungs. She vomits a torrent of evillooking black bile all over herself and Needy and
staggers wildly down the hallway.
The bloody black bile hits the wall, splashing a framed
school portrait of Needy. Needy screams and watches in
horror as it slides down the wall.
The bile has hundred of tiny SPINES sticking out of it,
like little porcupine needles, and it appears to move by
itself, oozing across the linoleum, creeping into the
corners. It's truly revolting.
Needy grabs Jennifer blindly and claps a hand over her
mouth.
Jennifer falls to her knees, her screams turning to
jagged, insane laughter.
Needy tries to run, but Jennifer grabs her and THROWS her
against the wall with superhuman force, pinning her.
Jennifer slowly, tantalizingly brushes her face against
Needy's hair, her earlobe. Needy doesn't move a muscle.
Jennifer's hand slides up Needy's ribcage. She presses
her lips against Needy's carotid artery.
We hear Needy's blood pumping, swishing.
(CONTINUED)
32.
CONTINUED: (2)
JENNIFER
(WHISPERING)
Are you scared?
Needy nods.
Jennifer parts her lips. Then suddenly, she stops and
PULLS AWAY, pushing Needy to the floor. Jennifer bolts
out the front door and takes off running down the street.
Needy is motionless for a moment, then stumbles toward
the doorway.
NEEDY
(screaming after her)
Jennifer!
But she's long gone.
INT. KETTLE HIGH - THE NEXT MORNING
Moments before the first morning bell. Needy is sitting
at her desk in English class, still visibly bruised from
her scuffle with Jennifer the night before. She looks
like she hasn't slept a wink.
The mood is quiet and somber-- kids whisper about the
fire and gather in groups.
GOSSIPING GIRL
(WHISPERING)
I heard Needy and Jennifer were
there and they had to fight their
way out with a machete.
OTHER GIRL
Look, she's not even moving.
GOSSIPING GIRL
It's called Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder...
Suddenly, a figure steps in front of Needy. It's
JENNIFER, looking absolutely gorgeous-- and remarkably
unscathed. She smiles brightly at Needy as if nothing
happened the night before.
JENNIFER
Happy Friday!, D-bag!
NEEDY
You-- you're all right!
(CONTINUED)
33.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?
NEEDY
Last night. At my house. You were
hurt. You had two black eyes and
blood everywhere and...
JENNIFER
Needy, you're delusional. I got a
little banged up when you made me
go out that window, but I'm fine.
NEEDY
(DUMBFOUNDED)
We had to go out that window. The
bar was like, engulfed in flames!
JENNIFER
You do have a tendency to
overreact. Remember at Girl Scout
camp when you thought there was an
earthquake and it was really just
two guys with a ghetto blaster?
NEEDY
A lot of people died, Jennifer.
They burned to death, or they
choked, or they just got trampled.
More than half of the people there
didn't make it out. It's like, all
over the news. National news. Kids
are dead. Parents are dead.
JENNIFER
Anyone we know?
NEEDY
We know everyone!
JENNIFER
Sucks to be them, I guess.
She giggles and reaches for her knockoff designer purse.
NEEDY
I don't get it. What's wrong with
you?
Jennifer applies lip gloss and smacks her lips together.
JENNIFER
What's wrong with you? I mean,
besides the obvious surface flaws.
(CONTINUED)
34.
CONTINUED: (2)
Needy rubs her eyes, stunned.
NEEDY
(to herself)
There's no way I dreamed it. No
way.
She looks down at her hands. There's DRIED BLOOD under
her fingernails.
NEEDY V.O.
Her blood was still under my
nails. See, I'd been up all night
scrubbing the carnage off the
linoleum.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE (FRONT ENTRY) - DAWN (FLASHBACK)
We see Needy on her hands and knees in the eerie blue
light of dawn, sobbing as she diligently scrubs blood and
bile off the floor with a dirty sponge. The black, spiny
vomit repulses her, and she gags.
She reaches for a Swiffer WetJet mop and pulls the
trigger. No solution comes out. She curses, hysterical
and sleep-deprived.
NEEDY
Work, you...twat! Swiff, darn it!
Swiff! Swiff!
She collapses in tears on the floor.
BACK ON NEEDY- PRESENT DAY
NEEDY (CONT'D)
(softly, to herself)
Shoot.
JENNIFER
Don't talk to yourself. It's one
of your more freakish Needy
behaviors and it makes us both
look like total gaylords.
Needy raises her hands desperately to Jennifer, spreading
her fingers to display her filthy fingernails.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Eww, you need a mani bad. You'd
better find a Chinese chick to
buff your situation!
(CONTINUED)
35.
CONTINUED:
MR. WROBLEWSKI, a middle-aged teacher, enters the room.
He has a gnarly-looking robotic hand and moves awkwardly.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
(SMIRKING)
Here comes Handi-Snack.
Mr. Wroblewski clears his throat. His voice quavers.
MR. WROBLEWSKI
I'm sure those of you who made it
here today have all heard the
news. It's a dark day for Devil's
Kettle, a day we can never, ever
forget.
A single, stifled sob rises from the class. Needy glances
around the room and sees students fighting back tears. A
huge JOCK weeps openly, tears spattering his swimsuitmodel decorated notebook. Jennifer smirks, barely able to
contain her laughter.
MR. WROBLEWSKI (CONT'D)
The administration here has
decided that today will be a
unstructured day of support and
remembrance. We've lost nine
precious students-- including
Ahmet from India-- several
parents, and a teacher, Ms.
Parrish.
He fights back tears.
JENNIFER
No way! Parrish ate shit?
Needy shushes her, appalled.
MR. WROBLEWSKI
This tragedy is obviously beyond
anything we can measure. More than
ever, we need to band together and
draw strength from each other.
Mr. Wroblewski painstakingly retrieves a tissue from his
pocket with his robotic hand and dabs at his face.
MR. WROBLEWSKI (CONT'D)
(his voice cracking)
We can rise up. We can overcome
death.
Needy eyes Jennifer warily.
(CONTINUED)
36.
CONTINUED: (2)
The jock collapses in sobs. A tiny, acne-scarred GEEK
leans over and folds the jock into an unlikely hug.
JENNIFER
(DRY)
Oh look, they're united in grief.
That'll last.
INT. KETTLE HIGH HALLWAY - AFTER SCHOOL
The automated bell rings. Needy slings on her backpack
and hurries over to CHIP's locker. He's packing up a pair
of drum mallets.
CHIP
No band practice today.
NEEDY
No anything today.
CHIP
It's surreal, right? I mean, when
just one guy dies in Devil's
Kettle, it's like time stops. And
now so many people are dead,
nobody knows when it's okay to
start again.
NEEDY
I feel guilty just breathing.
CHIP
Word.
NEEDY
Chip, I need to tell you something
kind of weird. It's about
Jennifer.
CHIP
What?
NEEDY
You know last night when we were
talking and someone came to my
door? That was Jennifer. But she
didn't talk. She just stood there,
smiling at me, but a bad kind of
smile. She looked like she'd been
beat up or shot or something. She
was all bloody.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
37.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY (CONT'D)
And then she barfed up this
disgusting prickly stuff that was
like roadkill and sewing needles
all mixed together.
She shudders at the memory
CHIP
Yuck. Like those porcupine
meatballs my mom makes with the
rice sticking out?
NEEDY
Yeah, like almost that bad!
CHIP and Needy ponder the grotesque image in silence.
CHIP
It was probably because she
inhaled a whole bunch of smoke.
NEEDY
No. It was something evil.
You might want
school shrink,
saying that to
actually kinda
CHIP
to talk to the
Needy. I'm not
be a dillhole. I'm
concerned.
NEEDY
Chip, I'm a National Merit
Scholar. I don't tell whoppers and
I'm not crazy.
CHIP
I didn't say you were crazy. It's
just that everyone's a little
messed up about this. It's okay to
feel...
NEEDY
Discombobulated?
CHIP
Yeah, you know. Fucked up.
As they prepare to leave, COLIN GRAY approaches Needy.
He's a cute PUNK/GOTH guy wearing black nail polish, a
lip ring, and full wardrobe by Hot Topic.
COLIN
Hi Needy.
(CONTINUED)
38.
CONTINUED: (2)
Chip blatantly scoots closer to Needy, eyeing Colin
suspiciously.
NEEDY
Oh. Hi, Colin.
COLIN
(DRAMATIC)
I heard you were there last night.
In the fiery trenches.
NEEDY
Uh-huh.
COLIN
Well, I'm glad you made it out.
Really.
NEEDY
Thanks.
Colin walks away. Chip looks jealous.
CHIP
How are you friends with Colin
Gray? I thought Colin Gray only
talked to the Dead Girls.
We see a group of GOTH GIRLS splayed against their
lockers in full regalia. One wears an ACCORDION for no
reason.
NEEDY
I just am. We have Composition
together. He's a really good
writer. You know-- he's so dark
and emotional and all.
CHIP
Oh. I can relate. I'm also like
that, even if I'm not all obvious
about it like a poseur.
NEEDY
Walk me home?
CHIP
You know it.
EXT. KETTLE HIGH FOOTBALL FIELD - CONTINUOUS
JONAS KOZELLE, the JOCK we saw sobbing earlier, is
standing at the deserted football field.
(CONTINUED)
39.
CONTINUED:
It's a gray, overcast fall day and the wind whistles
eerily through the trees. The football is set back a good
a distance from the school, and Jonas is all alone.
In the distance, a tiny figure slowly approaches, It
starts a dot on the horizon. As it draws closer, we see
it's JENNIFER. Her bright, lipsticked grin is eerie and
unmistakable.
Jonas glances briefly over his right shoulder,
indifferent.
A few seconds later, he glances again. Strangely,
Jennifer ISN'T THERE.
Jennifer suddenly appears on Jonas's left side, startling
him.
JENNIFER
Hi!
JONAS
(ALARMED)
Oh. Hey, Jennifer.
JENNIFER
I'm crazy-sorry about your
profound loss. You are crying
about Craig, right?
JONAS
He was my best friend.
Jennifer puts her arm around him sympathetically.
JENNIFER
I know. I was close to him too.
You know, I was there last night
in that horrible place. I saw
Craig a few minutes before the
fire broke out.
JONAS
You-- you did?
JENNIFER
Yeah. I was probably the last
person to talk to him. Like, ever.
Literally.
JONAS
Wow. What did he say?
(CONTINUED)
40.
CONTINUED: (2)
JENNIFER
Well, we got to talking about you,
actually. And do you know what he
said? He said you were like a
brother to him. Not a bro. An
actual brother.
Jonas's lip trembles as he unsuccessfully fights back
tears. Jennifer cuddles closer to him.
JONAS
(choking up)
I just can't believe he's gone.
JENNIFER
I know, I know.
(BEAT)
Hey, you know what else Craig
said?
JONAS
What?
JENNIFER
Forget it. It's too intense.
JONAS
What? Please, Jen, you've gotta
tell me!
JENNIFER
Well, he said he always thought
you and me would make a totally
bangin' couple. Isn't that so
weird?
JONAS
He said bangin'?
Jennifer reaches for Jonas's hand and slides it slowly up
her shirt, placing it on her left breast.
JENNIFER
(WHISPERING)
Feel my heart, Jonas. I think it's
broken.
JONAS
(choking up)
Mine too.
(CONTINUED)
41.
CONTINUED: (3)
JENNIFER
Come with me. Just for a while.
We'll help each other get through
this nightmare. It's what Craig
would have wanted.
Jonas nods dumbly, brainwashed. Jennifer leads him away
from the field, toward the WOODS bordering the school
campus. They vanish into the woods. In the distance, we
see the FALLS rushing into the lake.
EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET - CONTINUOUS
Needy and Chip are walking home from school, still deep
in discussion.
CHIP
The whole night must be a total
blur, right?
NEEDY
That's the thing, it's not a blur
at all! I remember everything, in
like ultra-high-def detail. The
band, the fire, everything.
Especially what happened after.
CHIP
"After" is the part I don't really
get, to be honest.
NEEDY
Please, I need someone to believe
me. Jennifer was-- she was
destroyed. She was dying in my
hallway, Chip. I saw. I used my
CPR training to check her pulse.
And I felt her dying, on the
inside, I mean. I've known her so
long that it's like sometimes I
can feel what she feels. We're
like E.T. and Elliot Ness.
CHIP
I believe you.
Chip takes Needy's hand and squeezes it.
NEEDY
Thanks, Chipper.
42.
INT. WOODS SURROUNDING SCHOOL - CONTINUOUS
Jennifer and Jonas are in the woods. Jennifer efficiently
whips off her top and bra and begins kissing Jonas
hungrily. As Jonas touches her, he recoils.
JONAS
You feel so warm. Why are you so
warm?
JENNIFER
(firmly covering his
MOUTH)
Shutties!
She pulls off Jonas' shirt and digs her nails into his
arms, kissing him with renewed ferocity.
The woods are dead silent. A few squirrels approach the
clearing, and Jonas watches them warily with one open eye
as Jennifer kisses him. Then a deer wanders into the
clearing. Then a fox. The animals pause in their tracks
and watch, motionless. It's an eerie, unnatural tableau.
Animals continue to gather.
JONAS
(MUFFLED)
Jennifer! Jen...
Jennifer is annoyed.
JENNIFER
What?
JONAS
Look!
He gestures to the ANIMALS, who are watching, still as
statues. A few crows alight on a nearby tree.
JENNIFER
Mm-hmm. They're waiting.
JONAS
Uh, okay...
Jennifer unzips Jonas's jeans and smiles, reaching down
and working him with her hand. Jonas moans, still eyeing
the animals.
JENNIFER
Do you miss Craig?
(CONTINUED)
43.
CONTINUED:
JONAS
(STARTLED)
Of course.
JENNIFER
Don't worry. You're going to see
your buddy again.
JONAS
You mean like in heaven someday?
JENNIFER
No.
She smiles and shakes her head.
Jonas jerks back, creeped out. He tries to pull away from
Jennifer, but she's too strong. She PINS him to the tree.
We see her jaw begin to UNHINGE, like some horrible
snake. Her eyes cloud over with blood...
EXT. KETTLE HIGH CAMPUS - CONTINUOUS
A horrible SCREAM of agony rises from the woods. Mr.
Wroblewski is exiting the school, briefcase in hand. He
stops in his tracks when he hears the scream. He shakes
his head sadly.
MR. WROBLEWSKI
(to himself)
God, they're feeling so much pain.
Another scream, this time weaker.
MR. WROBLEWSKI (CONT'D)
Let it all out, kids.
He heads for his Ford Festiva, then pauses as if thinking
better of it. Something isn't right. He puts his keys
back in his pocket and walks toward the woods to
investigate.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Needy is preparing herself a fried bologna sandwich in
the kitchen. Needy's ALBINO FERRET chases a ball across
the cracked floor.
Needy scrapes the sandwich out of the skillet and takes a
bite.
(CONTINUED)
44.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
Fried bologna is the bomb!
(to ferret)
You want some, Greedo?
She tuns on the kitchen radio and is surprised to hear a
very familiar song: "Through the Trees," by Soft
Shoulder.
Suddenly, she pauses, a look of UNEASE and even FEAR
crossing her face. She stops and braces herself against
the counter, her KNEES SHAKING. Something isn't right.
She drops the sandwich. Greedo goes straight for it.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
Something's wrong...
As Needy sinks to her knees, she stares straight ahead at
the REFRIGERATOR. A photo magnet of JENNIFER leers back
at her.
She closes her eyes. A brief, near-subliminal FLASH of
the carnage in the woods...
The song ends, snapping Needy out of her reverie.
RADIO DJ
That was Soft Shoulder, the local
band who became the unlikely
heroes of the tragedy in Devil's
Kettle last night. Eyewitnesses
say the boys helped numerous
people escape the inferno, risking
their own lives in the process.
That's rock n' roll with a
conscience, ladies and gentlemen.
Had a lot of requests for that
one...
EXT. KETTLE HIGH CAMPUS - SAME
Mr. Wroblewski ventures into the woods, heading toward
the clearing. At first, we can only hear mysterious
sounds-- scratching and smacking. Birds and animals are
closely gathered in a circle.
Suddenly, Mr. Wroblewski clutches his arm and gags,
realizing the animals are feeding on a huge CARCASS.
A BADGER looks up, its snout soaked in blood.
Mr. Wroblewski begins to scream. The animals scatter.
(CONTINUED)
45.
CONTINUED:
A glimpse of the CORPSE: It's Jonas, of course. His
entire torso has been torn open, exposing his ribs and
guts. Blood and viscera everywhere, INTESTINES strewn
about the forest floor like party streamers.
MR. WROBLEWSKI
Virgin Mother!
Mr. Wroblewski falls to his knees, hollering.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE (KITCHEN) - CONTINUOUS
Needy is seated at the kitchen table. She accidentally
drops the remains of her sandwich on the floor, where the
ferret quickly pillages it.
NEEDY
Crap!
Needy's mom, ANTONIA "TONI" LESNICKI, has quietly entered
the kitchen in her pajamas. She's pale and sweaty, as if
she's been spooked.
TONI
You said it.
NEEDY
Oh, hi, Mom. I didn't know you
were awake.
TONI
I just had one of my night
terrors.
NEEDY
It's four o' clock, so technically
you had a day terror.
TONI
Right, right. I'm all mixed up
since I started working swing
again.
NEEDY
What did you dream about?
TONI
I dreamed some bad people were
trying to nail me to a tree with
hammers and big stakes and shit.
Just like J.C.
She crosses herself piously.
(CONTINUED)
46.
CONTINUED:
TONI (CONT'D)
They were trying to get to you
too, but I wouldn't let `em. I'm a
hard-assed, Ford-tough mama bear.
NEEDY
(SMILING)
Yes you are.
TONI
It's like, don't y'all touch my
daughter. I'll piss on you like
Calvin.
NEEDY
You know, I can take care of
myself, Mom.
TONI
That's what you think. One of
these days you're gonna be crying
out for me and I might not be
there.
NEEDY
Hey Mom? Did you get a chance to
catch the news after you clocked
out this morning?
TONI
No. I just did my scratch tickets,
snorted a few Lunesta and went
straight to bed. Is something
going on?
NEEDY
Nothing. Forget it.
TONI
Don't nothing happen in Devil's
Kettle.
She watches the FERRET skitter across the kitchen floor.
TONI (CONT'D)
Anita, that ferret stinks. He
needs to be washed from craw to
cornhole.
NEEDY
Yes ma'am.
Toni shakes her head and heads upstairs.
47.
EXT. KETTLE HIGH CAMPUS - EARLY EVENING
A hysterical SCREAM pierces the twilight.
The sun has begun to set. An ambulance and four police
cars have pulled up near the woods, which are cordoned
off with yellow police tape. Near the woods, JONAS'S
PARENTS are crying. His MOTHER screams and begins beating
the ground with her fists.
A stretcher is being loaded into the ambulance.
OFFICER WARZAK exits one of the police cruisers. Her
signature giant poofy bangs are in full effect.
She rushes to comfort Jonas's bereaved mother.
OFFICER WARZAK
We will get the man that did this
to your son. You hear me? We'll
get that sick M.F.
JONAS'S DAD
I'll get him myself! I will! You
hear me, you bastard? I'll cut off
your nutsack and nail it to my
door! Like one of those lion
doorknockers rich folks got!
That'll be your balls!
EXT. ACROSS THE LAKE - CONTINUOUS
The sound of Jonas's parents screaming carries across the
lake. The water is eerily calm.
Suddenly, a HEAD breaks the surface of the lake. It's
Jennifer, gliding through the water. She looks calm and
serene.
The SCREAMING continues across the lake. The sirens,
shouting and chaos contrast sharply with this peaceful
scene.
Jennifer paddles to the shore and hoists herself onto the
pier, naked and dripping wet. She runs her tongue over
her teeth briefly and nonchalantly picks something out
from between her two front teeth, like she's just
finished a delicious rib dinner.
Jennifer wrings out her sopping hair and reaches for her
clothes, which are neatly folded on the pier.
(CONTINUED)
48.
CONTINUED:
Once she's dressed, she walks off into the woods, as if
nothing out of the ordinary has happened.
INT. NEEDY'S ROOM - EVENING
Needy is sitting at her lamp-lit desk, reading an old
E.C. horror comic and eating a banana.
The phone rings. Needy picks it up.
NEEDY
Needy speaking.
CROSS CUT
PHONE CALL:
INT. JENNIFER'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jennifer's hair is still wet from the lake, but she's
changed into shorts and a tank top. Music blasts from her
stereo. She admires herself in the mirror, popping her
ass.
JENNIFER
I feel sooo scrumptious!
She picks up a Soft Shoulder button and POKES her arm
hard with the pin without flinching. Blood spurts from
the wound.
NEEDY
Good for you.
JENNIFER
You know, like when you kiss a hot
guy for the first time and your
whole body feels like it's on
vibrate.
NEEDY
Yeah.
JENNIFER
It's that good.
Jennifer gazes at her arm, transfixed. She wipes the
blood away-- the wound has magically DISAPPEARED.
(CONTINUED)
49.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
Lucky you. See, I'm still kind of
depressed about, you know, the
giant smoldering funeral pyre in
the middle of town?
JENNIFER
Move-on dot org, Needy! It's over.
Life's too short to mope over some
white-trash pig roast.
She flicks a Zippo lighter and touches the FLAME to her
tongue-- first tentatively, then confidently.
NEEDY
That's really nice.
JENNIFER
I tell it like it is. Besides, you
should be happy for me. I'm having
the best day since, like Jesus
invented the calendar.
NEEDY
Jesus didn't invent the calendar.
Jennifer giggles maniacally and sighs with happiness.
Needy's call-waiting beeps.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
That's my other line.
JENNIFER
So blow it off.
She casually lights her HAIR on fire. The flames leap up,
then die down, leaving her entirely untouched.
NEEDY
It'll just be a second.
JENNIFER
Pooh. I'm crossing you out.
She draws a mini-X in the air.
Needy clicks over. It's CHIP. We get a nice trifold piechart illustrating the intersecting calls. CHIP is
panicked and sweaty in his living room. In the
background, Chip's little sister CAMILLE bangs on a
piano. Red police lights flash outside the picture
window.
(CONTINUED)
50.
CONTINUED: (2)
CHIP
I need to see you right now.
NEEDY
I can barely hear you.
CHIP
Camille is playing piano. Knock it
off, Camille!
CAMILLE
You knock it off!
CHIP
Can you meet me at McCullum in
ten?
CAMILLE
You knock it off, Chip! You're
penis cheese!
NEEDY
Fifteen.
Back on JENNIFER:
Jennifer is impatiently dragging a razor down her arm.
Blood drips onto the rug. She smiles, in awe of herself.
Needy clicks back over.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
I have to go.
JENNIFER
What could possibly be more
important than me and my godlike
powers?
NEEDY
I have to meet Chip at McCullum
Park.
JENNIFER
Chip is looking cute to me lately.
So tell me, is he packing some
serious pubic inches? What's the
story down there?
NEEDY
(QUICKLY)
I gotta go.
(CONTINUED)
51.
CONTINUED: (3)
Needy hangs up the phone abruptly and grabs one of her
many cardigan sweaters, heading for the door.
EXT. MC CULLUM PARK - FOURTEEN MINUTES LATER
The park is dark and tree-lined and appears to be a
popular clandestine meeting spot for the youth of Devil's
Kettle. The abandoned sand volleyball pits are full of
couples making out. Needy runs past them skittishly.
As she ascends a grassy hill, CHIP is revealed,
silhouetted against a backdrop of twirling police lights.
Needy squints at the lights, sees CHIP's house in the
distance.
NEEDY
Why are the cops at your house?
CHIP
They're not. They're at Jonas
Kozelle's house. He got murdered.
NEEDY
What?! Like, he was shot by
gangbangers?
CHIP
(EXASPERATED)
No, Needy! Do you see anyone
rollin' on dubs around here?
(BEAT)
Someone ripped Jonas limb from
limb in the woods behind the
school. Ate parts of him. They
found teethmarks on him-- on the
body.
His voice cracks. We see a brief, terrifying FLASH of
Jonas's mutilated body and pain-stricken face.
Needy doesn't want to believe it.
NEEDY
Some animals must've got to him.
CHIP
Human teethmarks.
NEEDY
Who would do that?
(CONTINUED)
52.
CONTINUED:
CHIP
I don't know. It just happened
after school. No one's supposed to
know yet, but my dad went over
there and talked to the cops.
Jonas's mom is catatonic. She's
just staring out the front window
like a zombie mannequin robot
statue.
NEEDY
This can't be a coincidence.
CHIP
What do you mean, Needy?
NEEDY
A fiery death trap last night, and
now a cannibal eats our starting
tight-end? Come on!
CHIP
Don't get spooky on me, babe.
NEEDY
Seriously Chip. Most small towns
only have something gruesome
happen like, once every decade
maybe. Devil's Kettle gets two
nightmares in 24 hours? It's
freaktarded. It's not right.
CHIP
What, do you think it's, like
supernatural?
NEEDY
I don't know. I'm extremely
intelligent but I obviously don't
know everything.
CHIP
Well, the bad luck's gotta be over
now, right? It can't get any
worse, right? Obviously it can't.
It can't. I mean, you agree,
right? There won't be another
victim.
NEEDY
You're shaking.
CHIP
I'm cold. It's very cold out here.
(CONTINUED)
53.
CONTINUED: (2)
NEEDY
Want my sweater?
CHIP
It's pink.
NEEDY
Pink is cool. Rap guys wear pink.
She's shaking now, too. Chip leans forward and kisses
her. She closes her eyes.
In the chaste space between CHIP and Needy's bodies, the
volleyball-pit couple fuck like rabbits.
DISSOLVE TO:
A SERIES OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
The familiar Soft Shoulder ballad plays as we see a
dreamy montage of headlines.
The headline of the Devil's Kettle Sun-Post simply reads:
"WHY?"
The headline of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reads:
"'BUTCHERED': Devil's Kettle youth brutally murdered in
wake of devastating fire."
A smaller headline on the front page of the New York
Times reads: "Minnesota town rocked by grisly murder,
blaze."
NEEDY V.O.
We were famous. We were saints.
Our town's only bar had burned to
the ground and our star
quarterback was somebody's Quarter
Pounder. The whole country got a
huge tragedy boner for Devil's
Kettle. And the press-- God, they
couldn't get enough of our little
world of shit.
We see Devil's Kettle citizens holding a tearful
candlelight vigil by the former Carousel site. They
softly sing along with the Soft Shoulder song.
MOURNERS
(SINGING)
Through the trees, I will find
you...
(CONTINUED)
54.
CONTINUED:
We see weeping students shoving flowers through the slats
of Jonas' abandoned locker. The hallway floor is covered
with teddy bears and bouquets.
We see the PASSING OF TIME as the bouquets wilt and the
blooms droop.
The pile of discarded scratch-off tickets next to Needy's
mother's bed grows steadily as the days go by.
Another Star Tribune headline. This one reads: "Two weeks
later, cannibal killer still at large." A smaller subhead
reads "ARTS: Local band Soft Shoulder sign to major."
NEEDY V.O.
The days marched on as usual, but
most of us were too numb to enjoy
ourselves. Most of us.
We see Jennifer cheerfully skipping down the school
hallway in a sleazy Technicolor outfit. The rest of the
kids look grey, ashen and depressed, but Jennifer pops
like a Roman candle.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Still, we were healing. Like CHIP,
we figured things could only get
better. We had faith.
We see clusters of cautiously optimistic kids in the
school courtyard. They smile, then laugh, as if they're
re-learning how to be happy.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
We were fucking idiots.
EXT. KETTLE HIGH CAMPUS - TO ESTABLISH
It's late September. Leaves are beginning to drift off
trees. The surrounding woods are still blocked off with
yellow police tape.
INT. KETTLE HIGH - MORNING
Mr. Wroblewski stands solemnly in front of the class, his
mechanical hand tensing and releasing nervously.
Needy and the rest of the class fidget.
MR. WROBLEWSKI
Before the period ends, I have an
announcement.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
55.
CONTINUED:
MR. WROBLEWSKI (CONT'D)
As you know, this is the one month
anniversary of the Carousel fire
and also the murder of Jonas
Kozelle...
JENNIFER
Bo-ring!
We see Jennifer. She looks haggard, thin, and cranky.
NEEDY
(WHISPERING)
Are you okay?
JENNIFER
No. I feel like boo-boo. My skin
is breaking out. My hair is dull
and lifeless. God, it's like I'm
one of the normal girls!
Needy smooths her own hair self-consciously.
NEEDY
Are you PMS-ing or something?
JENNIFER
PMS isn't real, Needy. It was
invented by the boy-run media to
make us seem crazy.
NEEDY
Oh.
Mr. Wroblewski clears his throat, annoyed by their
talking.
MR. WROBLEWSKI
...As I was saying, Needy and
Jennifer, I finally have some good
news to share with all of you. The
members of the rock group Soft
Shoulder have decided to extend a
helping hand to our community.
A ripple of excitement in the room. A girl seated in the
front row is wearing a Soft Shoulder T-SHIRT.
MR. WROBLEWSKI (CONT'D)
As you know, their song "Through
the Trees" has become our
unofficial anthem of unity and
healing. So, they've decided to
release it as a benefit single.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
56.
CONTINUED: (2)
MR. WROBLEWSKI (CONT'D)
3% of the profits will go to local
families who have been affected by
loss.
The class is happily abuzz-- except Needy, who looks
appalled.
NEEDY
What about the other 97%?
MR. WROBLEWSKI
Excuse me?
NEEDY
The other 97%. I mean, that's just
crass. Right?
She looks around for support, finding none.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
Crass. It means scummy. Greedy. Am
I the only one who actually does
the vocab drills?
CHASTITY, the girl in the Soft Shoulder T-shirt, turns to
face Needy angrily.
CHASTITY
Soft Shoulder are American heroes.
NEEDY
No, they're not. I was there,
Chastity. They didn't actually
help anyone escape the fire. I
don't even know how that rumor got
started.
CHASTITY
Rumor?! RUMOR? It's true! It's on
their Wikipedia page!
NEEDY
Oh, that's crap...
MR. WROBLEWSKI
GIRLS-NEEDY
They've milked our pain-- our loss- to get a stupid record deal! No
one would even know who they were
if they hadn't been playing here
that night. They used us.
(CONTINUED)
57.
CONTINUED: (3)
CHASTITY
(growling, almost
POSSESSED)
You take that back, Needy
Lesnicki! We need them now more
then ever!
MR. WROBLEWSKI
That's enough.
The BELL rings. Students get up and gather their books
for the next period.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - SAME
Needy and Jennifer slowly head toward their respective
lockers.
NEEDY
I'm already sick of that song.
JENNIFER
Yeah. It's poorly produced. Could
the bass be any lower in the mix?
NEEDY
No offense, but you look kind of
drained. Is everything all right?
JENNIFER
I'm fine. It's just, like, wearing
off or something.
NEEDY
What's wearing off?
(ALARMED)
Are you on pot?
JENNIFER
No, dick ridge! Just forget I said
anything.
COLIN GRAY, the punk/goth boy we met earlier, approaches
Jennifer nervously as she exits the classroom.
Needy drops behind them, eavesdropping.
COLIN
(to Needy)
Hi.
(to Jennifer, more
NERVOUSLY)
Hi, Jennifer.
(CONTINUED)
58.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
Oh, hey Colin. Listen, can I copy
your bio lab again? I never got
around to dissecting that kitten
fetus.
COLIN
Sure. Actually, I sort of wanted
to ask you something.
JENNIFER
Oh. You want to know if I'll go
out with you.
COLIN
No! Well-- yeah.
(BEAT)
How did you know?
JENNIFER
Just go ahead with the pitch.
Colin fidgets awkwardly.
COLIN
Well, we've been having a lot of
fun in class, you and I, and I
just thought maybe we could go to
a movie or something. There's a
midnight showing of Rocky Horror
at the Bijou next weekend...
JENNIFER
I don't like boxing movies.
COLIN
It's not...fuck it. Never mind.
He turns to walk down the hallway, dejected. Jennifer
watches him leave.
JENNIFER
Wait!
Colin turns around.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Why don't you just come by my
place tonight? I just got
Aquamarine on DVD. It's about this
girl who's like, half-sushi. I
guess she has sex through her
blowhole or something.
(CONTINUED)
59.
CONTINUED: (2)
COLIN
Oh. Great! Okay.
JENNIFER
I'll text you my address.
Colin walks away, grinning triumphantly.
NEEDY
That was random.
JENNIFER
I'm used to guys asking me out.
NEEDY
Colin's a really nice guy.
JENNIFER
He's into maggot-rock. He wears
nail polish.
Chip appears behind Needy and drapes his arm over her
shoulder. Needy jumps, startled.
CHIP
Hi.
JENNIFER
(FLIRTATIOUS)
Hi Chip.
Needy puts her arm around Chip protectively.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
I gotta go parlez French. Slam you
later.
Jennifer walks away.
CHIP
(to Needy)
Talking to your good pal Colin
Gray again?
NEEDY
No. He was just asking Jennifer
out on a date.
Chip looks relieved.
CHIP
Can I come over tonight?
(CONTINUED)
60.
CONTINUED: (3)
NEEDY
Sure. I'd like that.
CHIP
I went to Super Target and bought
more condoms.
NEEDY
Thanks.
CHIP
Not that that has anything to do
with my coming over.
NEEDY
I didn't assume that.
CHIP
Well, I'll see you tonight.
Needy waves as Chip walks away.
EXT. CAMERFORD STREET - NIGHT
Colin Gray drives down the street in a big old boat of a
classic car. He's blasting punk music on an iPod that's
been rigged to the ancient AM radio.
Colin holds up his CELL PHONE to re-read the directions
Jennifer texted him.
The street is extremely dark and silent, occupied only by
a new townhouse development. The identical units still
appear to be under construction. There aren't even any
streetlights. The plastic sheeting over the windows flaps
eerily in the breeze.
Colin's brow furrows in confusion-- it doesn't even look
like anyone lives here yet. He checks the phone display
again.
CLOSE ON PHONE:
The TEXT MESSAGE reads:
"trn lft on camerford and your there. first house on rt.
1004 camerford. C-ya! xoxo jen"
Sure enough, the house number is 1004. Colin throws the
car into park and walks up to the porch. He looks up and
notices a glow coming from an upstairs window,
(CONTINUED)
61.
CONTINUED:
Colin presses the doorbell. Nothing happens-- the house
isn't wired for electricity yet.
INT. CHIP'S BEDROOM - SAME
Needy and CHIP are kissing on Chip's water bed.
Chip fumbles for one of those "fragrance plug-ins" and
PLUGS it into the wall. Needy looks over.
CHIP
For ambiance. It's Jammin'
Jasmine.
NEEDY
Mmm.
CHIP
My mom has Holiday Scents too, if
you're interested.
NEEDY
No, this is nice.
INT. 1004 CAMERFORD - SAME
Colin enters the house tentatively. It's dark, vacant,
and very creepy. There's a very faint glow and soft music
coming from upstairs.
COLIN
Yo?
He stumbles over a stray 2 x 4. There are piles of
sawdust and building materials everywhere-- the house is
definitely still under construction. Colin looks
confused.
A MOUSE skitters over his sneakers.
COLIN (CONT'D)
Jennifer? Anyone there?
The music upstairs grows slightly louder in response.
Colin squares his shoulders and heads slowly up the
creaking stairs.
62.
INT. CHIP'S BEDROOM - SAME
Needy has eased off her top to reveal an endearingly
plain white bra, complete with center bow. CHIP, also
shirtless, cops a feel.
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a fluorescent
orange CONDOM. Needy looks at the wrapper.
NEEDY
(READING)
"Sensual Swirl?"
CHIP
It's supposed to make it feel good
for the girl.
NEEDY
Oh. Cool.
INT. 1004 CAMERFORD - CONTINUOUS
Colin follows the music into an empty bedroom. The dark
room is filled with blazing candles melting and pooling
into bizarre shapes. A single BLANKET is spread out on
the floor. Colin shivers.
Behind him, in the doorway, Jennifer appears, her smiling
face hellishly aglow.
JENNIFER
You made it.
COLIN
What's going on? This isn't really
your house, is it?
JENNIFER
No baby. This is our house, just
for you and me. We can play Mommy
and Daddy.
Colin is totally dumbstruck.
COLIN
Do you even know my last name?
JENNIFER
Silly. I've been sending you
signals all year. Couldn't you
tell? You give me such a wettie.
(CONTINUED)
63.
CONTINUED:
She starts KISSING Colin on the neck. We can see
confusion-- and fear-- in his eyes.
INT. CHIP'S BEDROOM - SAME
Chip fumbles below his waist, obviously struggling with
the condom. Needy leans forward for a closer look.
NEEDY
Oh. It's got little bumps on it. I
can hardly wait.
INT. 1004 CAMERFORD - SAME
Jennifer grips Colin's face in her hands and forcibly
kisses him on the mouth. Colin succumbs, but stiffly.
We hear a SCRATCHING noise. Colin pulls away
instinctively and sees MICE and ROACHES emerging from the
walls, skittering over surfaces.
COLIN
Jennifer...
Jennifer looks over her shoulder and giggles.
JENNIFER
You scared? I thought boys like
you were into vermin.
She unbuttons his jeans. They fall noisily to the floor-they're the baggy Hot Topic kind with chains and buckles
galore.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Nice hardware, Ace.
Colin into Jennifer's eyes. There's something horrible
about her face...like she's become almost corpselike.
COLIN
(FAINTLY)
No way...
JENNIFER
Oh, don't you dare pass out! I
need you to be conscious.
COLIN
I gotta go...
(CONTINUED)
64.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
I need you frightened.
Colin tries to jerk away, but Jennifer easily disengages
his arm from its socket. A sickeningly moist SNAP. Colin
cries out in pain.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
I need you hopeless.
She slams him to the ground and mounts him. Her jaw
unhinges, opening her mouth to a horrifying, inhuman
degree. Her teeth are razor-sharp and grotesquely
crowded, like they belong to some horribly deformed dog.
She descends on him, feeding ravenously.
We see their shadows against the wall: Jennifer lunging
hungrily, blood spraying up from Colin's jugular. We can
hear him screaming and gargling on his own blood.
INT. CHIP'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
CHIP is doggedly pumping away on top of Needy, his eyes
closed in concentration. Needy's vacant eyes are suddenly
brimming with tears.
NEEDY
(SOFTLY)
Hopeless..hopeless...
CHIP opens his eyes.
CHIP
What? Am I hurting you?
Needy starts weeping.
CHIP (CONT'D)
Am I too big?
Tears roll down Needy's cheeks. She begins moaning, then
SCREAMING at that top of her lungs.
She hallucinates liquid seeping through the walls, blood
and lymph oozing in at the corners and windows. Then the
infamous spiny black bile...
Pixelated nightmares emerge from the darkness. Skulls,
jesters, demons, death. It's the worst acid trip
imaginable.
Needy rubs her eyes frantically and continues to scream.
(CONTINUED)
65.
CONTINUED:
CHIP immediately rolls off Needy, concerned. He grabs her
and tries to shake some sense into her.
CHIP (CONT'D)
Needy! What's wrong?
Needy continues to shriek hysterically, her voice growing
ragged.
INT. 1004 CAMERFORD - SAME
We can still hear Colin making inhuman sounds of pain. We
can only see the carnage in shadow, but it's clearly
unspeakable.
INT. CHIP'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Needy clutches her throat, hyperventilating. She stands
up and struggles to get dressed. Her breath rasps. Chip
is freaking out.
CHIP
Is it something I did?
NEEDY
(GAGGING)
It's her.
CHIP
Do you need more foreplay?
INT. 1004 CAMERFORD - SAME
Colin's thrashing limbs finally go limp. Jennifer is
hunched over his remains like a jackal scooping blood
into her mouth with cupped hands.
We see his eyes, flecked with blood, pupils dilated. A
white MOUSE crawls over his face.
INT. CHIP'S HOUSE - SAME
Needy races toward the door with Chip in pursuit.
CHIP
Needy!
(CONTINUED)
66.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
I have to go. I'm sorry. I just...
feel like something...something
terrible...
CHIP
You feel-- What does that even
mean? I'm worried about you.
NEEDY
I'm so sorry, Chip. I'm so sorry.
Everything is just wrong.
She bolts out the room, leaving Chip naked and alone. He
pulls his knees up to his chest, vulnerable.
EXT. CHIP'S STREET - SAME
Needy runs toward her mom's CAR, a beat-up Kia parked on
the curb.
She climbs into the car and starts the ignition,
trembling and crying.
She pulls out onto the street and guns it. She swings a
hard left. The streets are all almost identical, lined by
working-class homes.
She turns on the radio. The song is, of course, "Through
the Trees" by Soft Shoulder. She pounds the dashboard,
hysterical.
NEEDY
Fudge! Fudge! Maple fudge!
Needy seizes the wheel drives recklessly down a dark,
tree-lined street. Then, she sees something bright emerge
from the shadows. Her eyes widen...
It's JENNIFER, creeping toward the curb like an animal.
She's pale in the moonlight. The entire lower half of her
face is covered in blood, like a ghoulish beard of gore.
She flashes a huge, deranged, toothy SMILE at Needy.
Needy screams and SWERVES. The car fishtails out of
control and slides into a ditch.
Needy slams her foot onto the accelerator, trying to get
out of the trench. She glances desperately out the side
window. Jennifer is gone.
Panting, Needy tries to accelerate again.
(CONTINUED)
67.
CONTINUED:
Suddenly, Jennifer appears from out of nowhere and SLAMS
her body against the windshield, her long limbs splayed
like an insect's. The windshield SHATTERS. Jennifer grins
at Needy through the cracking glass.
Needy screams again, puts the pedal to the floor, and
manages to rear up out of the ditch. Jennifer's body
tumbles off the car as Needy goes roaring down the
street.
RADIO DJ
That was, of course, Soft
Shoulder. They're going to be
playing a benefit concert in
Devil's Kettle next month. Talk
about giving back to the
community! Generous guys, I tell
ya...
EXT. NEEDY'S HOUSE - MINUTES LATER
Needy throws the car into park and races up the front
walk. She unlocks the door, shaking and fumbling. She
bursts into the darkened house.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
NEEDY
Mommy! Mommy? Please be home!
No reply. Needy braces herself against the kitchen
counter and bawls. She falls to her knees and curls up on
the floor, exhausted.
Her eyes drift shut.
NEEDY V.O.
I've always been able to feel what
she feels. Just not like this.
EXT. SUNNY SUBURBAN YARD - FLASHBACK - DAY
Little Needy and Little Jennifer are playing Barbies in a
sandbox. Needy holds a brand new, immaculate Barbie doll.
LITTLE JENNIFER
I'll be Perfect Prom Barbie and
you be her.
She tosses Needy a naked brunette doll with its hair
chopped off and an arm missing.
(CONTINUED)
68.
CONTINUED:
LITTLE NEEDY
Why do I have to be Ugly Ashley?
LITTLE JENNIFER
You can be Ugly Ashley or Ken.
Choose.
She puts her hand down in the sand emphatically and
suddenly HOWLS in pain.
LITTLE NEEDY
What's wrong, Jennifer?
Jennifer lifts her hand. There's a TACK stuck in her palm
and it's bleeding.
LITTLE JENNIFER
OWWWWWW!
(trying to swear like
a grown-up)
Damn! Ass!
Needy grabs Jennifer's hand, pulls out the tack and wipes
away the blood. It's still bleeding. Panicking, she leans
forward and instinctively puts her mouth to the wound.
Jennifer watches quietly. Needy pulls away.
LITTLE NEEDY
Better. We should get a Band-Aid
though.
LITTLE JENNIFER
We're sisters now, you know.
Needy nods.
LITTLE JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Don't tell my mom about this.
She'll make me get a shot.
NEEDY
I never tell on you.
INT. KITCHEN - (BACK TO REALITY)
Needy WAKES UP in a cold sweat, gasping. She's still on
the kitchen floor. She peels herself up off the floor,
disoriented.
69.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE (BEDROOM) - CONTINUOUS
Needy trudges into her dark bedroom. She strips off her
clothes and stumbles into bed.
JENNIFER'S VOICE
What's up, Monistat?
Needy flicks on her bedside lamp, petrified. Jennifer is
curled up in bed
freshly showered
shirts.
Needy screams at
bed, pulling the
beside her, reclining casually. She's
and wearing one of Needy's dorky T-
the top of her lungs and leaps out of
covers with her.
JENNIFER
God, enough screaming already.
You're such a cliche.
NEEDY
Get out!
JENNIFER
But we always share your bed when
we have slumber parties.
She winks conspiratorially at Needy.
NEEDY
What the fuck is happening?
JENNIFER
Whoa. I have never heard you drop
the F-bomb before. What's buggin'?
NEEDY
I saw you! I saw you! The
car...the...I...
JENNIFER
(MIMICKING)
Buh-buh-buh. Slow down, tardy
slip. You sound like a sped.
NEEDY
I'm calling the police.
JENNIFER
Go ahead, narc me out. I've got
the cops in my back pocket. I'm
fucking a cadet, remember?
(CONTINUED)
70.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
What do you want?
JENNIFER
I want to explain some things to
you. You've already seen too much
and besides-- best friends don't
keep secrets. Right?
Needy nods, terrified.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Remember the night of the fire?
NEEDY
Yeah, it rings a bell.
JENNIFER
Well, I got pretty messed up. I
almost died. You know those guys
in Soft Shoulder? Totally evil.
They're basically agents of Satan
with awesome haircuts. I figured
that out as soon as I got into
their molester van.
INT. SOFT SHOULDER'S VAN (FLASHBACK) - NIGHT
Jennifer is crouched in the back of the van. None of the
band members are speaking. Nikolai Wolf drives down a
gravel road, away from the fire site and deep into the
woods.
JENNIFER
Guys? Where are we going?
NIKOLAI
Shut your mouth, object.
DIRK
(NERVOUSLY)
Nikolai...
Jennifer looks around the van, wide-eyed. There's glow-inthe-dark Satanic imagery painted all over the walls:
goats heads, pentagrams, and strange coded writing. She
sees a few books sliding around on the floor: "Spells and
Incantations," "Summoning the Beast," and a copy of the
Black Mass.
Jennifer springs to her feet and tries to escape out the
side door. MICK, the drummer, grabs her ankles, taking
her down.
(CONTINUED)
71.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
Are you guys rapists?!
NIKOLAI
You wish.
Jennifer struggles again, but Mick holds her down.
MICK
(to band members)
Hey guys? Do we even know if she's
a virgin?
A GLINT OF HOPE in Jennifer's eyes. Maybe if she lies she
can save herself.
JENNIFER
Yes...yes! Of course I'm a virgin!
I've never done sex ever. I don't
even know how. So maybe you should
find some other girl who does.
Know how.
NIKOLAI
Told you, Dirk. You owe me a beer.
DIRK
(PREOCCUPIED)
Sure, man.
EXT. FOREST CLEARING (FLASHBACK) - NIGHT
The van rumbles down an uneven forest path, deep into the
woods. They arrive at the real Devil's Kettle-- roaring,
ominous waterfalls. There's a crude stone altar
illuminated by moonlight.
INT. NEEDY'S BEDROOM (PRESENT DAY) - NIGHT
Needy is still cowering on her bedroom floor, captivated
by the tale in progress. Jennifer is reclining in the bed
with a relaxed, supernatural glow.
NEEDY
What did they do to you?
JENNIFER
Just let me finish. So they drove
all the way out to the falls. I
tried to figure out an escape, but
it was so dark out there...
72.
EXT. THE FALLS (FLASHBACK) - NIGHT
The door of the van slides open. Nikolai pulls Jennifer
out of the van and hustles her into the clearing. He
looks up into the sky.
NIKOLAI
We got a waxing moon. Perfection.
MICK
You're the man, Wolf.
The four band members surround Jennifer, looking
statuesque in their sexy rock n' roll ensembles.
Without warning, Nikolai hauls off and KICKS Jennifer.
She yelps and falls onto her back on the dirt.
Dirk looks apprehensive.
DIRK
I don't know if we should go
through with this.
NIKOLAI
(ANGRILY)
Do you want to be rich and famous
like the guy from Maroon 5? Or do
you want to be a huge suicidal
loser?
DIRK
(SADLY)
Maroon 5.
NIKOLAI
Then grow a pair and fetch me the
ritual! God.
Dirk obediently heads over to the van. He pushes the
intimidating-looking magical books aside and retrieves a
single folded piece of computer paper.
MICK
That's it?
NIKOLAI
What? I found it on Google.
He unfolds the piece of paper and clears his throat.
(CONTINUED)
73.
CONTINUED:
The guys have dragged Jennifer onto the makeshift altar
and are holding her down. She struggles and screams, but
Dirk slaps her again.
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
We come here tonight to sacrifice
the body of...
He tries to remember Jennifer's name and fails.
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
...this chick from Devil's Kettle.
JENNIFER
(WHISPERING)
My name is Jennifer.
NIKOLAI
That's fascinating.
Dirk and Mick exchange nervous glances.
JENNIFER
Please let me go. I'll do
anything. Anything you want.
Nikolai examines her with an appraising eye.
NIKOLAI
I only hump nines and tens. You're
a seven at best, even with the
chicken cutlets.
He reaches into Jennifer's bra and casually pulls out a
GEL BREAST ENHANCER, tossing it aside.
Jennifer rears up and SPITS in his artfully rumpled hair.
Nikolai smooths his `do, enraged.
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
I'm gonna carve you like a
pumpkin, bitch. Don't you know
that me and my boys are in league
with the Beast himself?
He wiggles his menacingly pointy fingers in her face.
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
We've spent months making
offerings to the "man downstairs,"
and whaddya know? Satan delivered!
We went from college radio to
being courted by the majors in two
months.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
74.
CONTINUED: (2)
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
But that's not enough, Jenny. We
want designer drugs. We want
groupies that have their own
groupies. We want speedballs and
stadium tours and Skittles sorted
by color. In short, we want more.
And to get more, we have to
butcher you. And bleed you.
JENNIFER
(DESPERATE)
Maybe you could just hire a
publicist. Make some T-shirts or
something. Hey, I could be on your
street team!
NIKOLAI
Sorry, darling.
JENNIFER
Please...
NIKOLAI
(LOUDLY)
Start chanting, boys.
The group begins chanting jibberish in unison. Jennifer
struggles, watching as their eyes go hollow and black.
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
With deepest malice, we deliver
this virgin unto thee.
He unsheathes a huge, gleaming knife and raises it Psychostyle, admiring his reflection in the blade.
DIRK
Dude, that is a hot murder weapon!
NIKOLAI
It's a bowie knife.
DIRK
Bowie. Nice.
Snickering, Nikolai begins to sing "Starman" by David
Bowie. The group joins in merrily.
NIKOLAI
"There's a starman waiting in the
sky..."
BAND
"He'd really like to meet us, but
he thinks he'd blow our minds..."
(CONTINUED)
75.
CONTINUED: (3)
As the group sings, Nikolai brings the knife down with a
grin. We hear Jennifer SCREAMING, sounds of violence and
clothes ripping as Nikolai relentlessly beats her and
stabs her, his face contorting demonically. The band
continues to sing, their voices carrying over the trees.
Nikolai walks over to where the "devil side" of the falls
rushes into a black hole. He drops the murder weapon
into the churning water, smiling.
INT. NEEDY'S BEDROOM (PRESENT DAY) - CONTINUOUS
Needy's expression is both incredulous and horrified.
Jennifer is totally matter-of-fact. She picks at her
nails with a wooden cuticle stick from Needy's night
stand.
JENNIFER
Being tortured would make most
girls black out or something. But
I'm so hard core, I was with them
the whole time. I could feel them
gutting me Under my ribs, up into
my belly, then right through my
heart.
NEEDY
They...killed you.
JENNIFER
I'm here, aren't I?
She shakes her head, annoyed with Needy.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
I mean, yeah. They went Benihana
on my ass. It should have killed
me. But for some reason, it
didn't.
NEEDY
(SOTTO)
Maybe it did.
JENNIFER
Whatever. Anyway, I don't really
remember what happened after that.
I just-- woke up a few hours later
and found my way back, somehow.
76.
EXT. NEEDY'S STREET (FLASHBACK) - NIGHT
We see Jennifer staggering down the street, battered,
mutilated and bloody. She spits a few TEETH onto the
curb, clutching her chest. We see her wander toward
Needy's house...
INT. NEEDY'S BEDROOM (PRESENT DAY) - CONTINUOUS
NEEDY
I remember.
JENNIFER
I couldn't bring myself to hurt
you. I mean, I'm a really good
friend. But I felt so hungry. I
had to do something.
EXT. SECLUDED STREET (FLASHBACK) - NIGHT
Jennifer is wandering down a rural road in a daze. She
hears a faint COUGH. Jennifer stops and sees a hunched
FIGURE walking down the opposite side of the street. It's
AHMET FROM INDIA, the foreign student. He's covered in
soot and looks traumatized.
Jennifer takes a step. Ahmet takes a step. Jennifer
stops. Ahmet stops.
Their eyes meet. Jennifer crosses the street. Ahmet
stares at her, frightened. Jennifer addresses him in a
quiet, gravelly voice.
JENNIFER
Ahmet. You made it out.
Ahmet coughs.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Are you lost?
Ahmet NODS.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Does your host family know you're
alive?
Ahmet shakes his head.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Does anyone know you're alive?
(CONTINUED)
77.
CONTINUED:
Ahmet shakes his head again.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Come with me. We'll sort this out.
She takes Ahmet's hand. As her BLOODY NAILS dig into his
wrist, his eyes widen.
INT. NEEDY'S BEDROOM (PRESENT DAY) - NIGHT
JENNIFER
Ever since then, I just somehow
knew what I needed to do to be
strong. And when I'm full--like I
am right now--I'm like, immortal!
I can do stuff like this.
Jennifer jams the CUTICLE STICK into her own forearm and
drags it through her flesh. Needy screams and covers her
mouth.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
No biggie. Watch.
She pulls out the stick. The wound seals over instantly.
Needy gasps and touches Jennifer's unmarked arm.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
That's some X-Men shit, right?
NEEDY
What do you mean, "when you're
full"?
JENNIFER
You know. Full. Like full of tasty
morsels.
Needy shakes her head, not comprehending.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Forget it. You'd probably tell on
me anyway. Not that anyone would
believe you. You always think the
world is coming to an end.
NEEDY
What about my mom's Kia? Why did
you attack me out there? Why were
you covered in blood? You didn't
even look human.
Jennifer rolls her eyes.
(CONTINUED)
78.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
You should talk to someone about
these disturbing thoughts you're
having. We're all concerned.
Especially Chip. I think he's
having second thoughts about you.
NEEDY
(FORCEFUL)
Leave!
JENNIFER
My, aren't we a C-U-Next-Tuesday?
NEEDY
GET OUT!
JENNIFER
Come on. Let me stay the night.
We can play "boyfriend/girlfriend"
like we used to.
She smiles seductively.
Needy crawls further away from her, shivering.
Jennifer rolls her eyes and gets out of bed. She walks
over to the second-story window and cranks it open.
NEEDY
What are you doing?
JENNIFER
You said to leave. So I'm outtie5000.
She climbs onto the windowsill. Needy watches, confused.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
See you at school.
She LEAPS gracefully out the window.
Needy watches in stunned silence for a few moments. Then
she creeps over to the window and looks out. Nothing
there but the wind. Jennifer's gone.
EXT. OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL BLOOD CEMETERY - DAY
We're in a small Catholic cemetery. A small, neat gravel
path runs through the stately old monuments into a small
valley where a funeral is taking place.
(CONTINUED)
79.
CONTINUED:
Faint moaning and sobbing can be heard. Then, a
procession of 6 or 7 GOTH/EMO KIDS appears on the crest
of the hill. They move forward into the cemetery,
flamboyantly dressed in black capes, chains, cloaks, neon
hairpieces, fishnets, mesh, 18-hole combat boots, etc.
These are Colin Gray's friends.
One girl scatters blood-red rose petals dramatically on
the path as she stumbles along, weeping.
At the bottom of the hill, Colin Gray's very conservativelooking family stands next to the fresh grave, surrounded
by sympathetic mourners. NEEDY stands near the back,
looking shell-shocked. There are also a few press
photographers snapping photos, and of course, a Catholic
priest.
PRIEST
We gather here today to celebrate
the life of Colin Gray, who was
plucked from the prime of...
The priest and family are momentarily distracted by the
motley crew of Goths descending on the funeral. The
priest clears his throat disapprovingly.
PRIEST (CONT'D)
What is this disturbance?
MR. GRAY
These are Colin's friends.
A GOTH BOY runs up to the grave and drops to his belly.
GOTH BOY
Colin! Take me with you! I belong
down there! In the DAAAARKNESS!
GOTH GIRL
No, Kevin. Those are just his
fleshly remains. He's among the
dark angels of the realm now. Fly,
Colin. Fly into the firmament.
She lights a bundle of SAGE and waves it in the air.
Colin's father gags, appalled.
GOTH BOY
Is it cool if we camp here for a
few days? We want to commune with
his corpse. He was our spooky
homeboy.
(CONTINUED)
80.
CONTINUED: (2)
PRIEST
Children, this is a private
service for family only.
GOTH GIRL
(to Colin's mother)
Oh, right. I need to ask you
something, Mrs. Gray. It's really
important for me to have closure.
PRIEST
Young lady, have some respect for
this family...
MRS. GRAY
(waving him off)
No. It's fine.
GOTH GIRL
Is it true that Colin had a date
with Jennifer Check the night he
was killed?
She says "Jennifer Check" as if it were the most
disgusting name imaginable. Needy covers her face.
GOTH GIRL (CONT'D)
Because Jennifer Check is a social
disease. She's not like us. She
thinks she's so special just
because she's popular and and is
what "society" considers
"attractive." But she's not
sincere. She's about as emo as a
breast implant! And she listens to
Jessica Simpson and shops at
Hollister. And I just know Colin
would never go out with someone
like that, and I just need
confirmation. From you. So did he?
MR. GRAY
Did he...?
GOTH GIRL
Have a date with Jennifer Check.
Colin's parents stare at the ground.
GOTH GIRL (CONT'D)
Oh God. Oh God. I knew it! That
BITCH! I will erase her! I'll put
a freaky Druid spell on her!
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
81.
CONTINUED: (3)
GOTH GIRL (CONT'D)
I'll spell her preppy ass right
into the ground!
The parents flinch.
GOTH BOY
Um, Chloe? Maybe you should be mad
at the person who murdered Colin.
All Jennifer Check did was invite
him over to watch Aquamarine.
GOTH GIRL
That's WORSE!
She throws herself to the ground, crying and pounding the
dirt like a toddler.
Colin Gray's mother buries her head in her hands and
begins weeping. Mr. Gray attempts to comfort her.
GOTH BOY
Colin wouldn't have liked this.
MRS. GRAY
(losing it)
Oh, you think so, Powder? Yeah,
you're right! I'm pretty sure my
son wouldn't have liked being
eaten by a fucking CANNIBAL and
buried before his eighteenth
birthday! Wow, you must have known
him so well!
MR. GRAY
Jill...
The goth boy looks terrified. But Mrs. Gray's not done
ranting yet.
MRS. GRAY
By the time they found Colin in
that godforsaken house, he looked
like lasagna with teeth. I'd know-I had to identify the remains. My
boy's not in the realm of the
undead. He's not flying around in
the firmament with magical wings
of flame. He's in an overpriced
rosewood box that's headed six
feet downtown.
She kicks the coffin to illustrate.
(CONTINUED)
82.
CONTINUED: (4)
MRS. GRAY (CONT'D)
So you can take your pain and
shove it up your asses, kids.
I got the monopoly on pain!
The kids stare at her in awe. Needy watches as Mrs. Gray
collapses into Mr. Gray's arms.
EXT. KETTLE HIGH CAMPUS - DAY
Two girls are hanging an homemade banner on the fence
surrounding the football field. It says "TURNABOUT DANCE
OCTOBER 5 -- TICKETS ON SALE."
Needy walks briskly toward school, huddled in her parka.
She looks totally fucked up, like she hasn't slept in
days. There are hollows beneath her eyes.
NEEDY V.O.
They did a big memorial assembly
for Colin at school, and we had to
watch another presentation about
curfews and the buddy system and
how to deal with grief. But nobody
seemed to care anymore. Sorrow was
last week's emotion.
We see Jennifer a few yards away, talking and laughing
with some other flag team members.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Jennifer and I hadn't spoken since
our encounter in my room.
Actually, I hadn't really spoken
to anyone. I was busy with
research. Paranormal research.
Needy gazes off into the distance with bloodshot eyes. As
she stares at Jennifer, she see has a series of brief,
gruesome HALLUCINATIONS:
Jennifer as a grinning death mask. Jennifer as a corpse,
the lower half of her face rotted away. Jennifer as a
harlequin monster. Needy hears the rush of her own blood,
the barely audible buzzing of flies...
Chip jogs up next to her, jolting her out of her reverie.
CHIP
Hey. Did you buy Turnabout tickets
yet? I don't get paid until next
week.
(CONTINUED)
83.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
I gotta show you something.
CHIP
What is it?
NEEDY
Not here. Behind the school.
CHIP
What is it?
NEEDY
Evidence.
CHIP
(WEARILY)
Is this about Jennifer?
NEEDY
Yes, but I promise you this is the
last thing I need to show y-CHIP
(INTERRUPTING)
Needy, I care about you. A lot. As
a person, not just a girl I made
love to for four minutes the other
night. And I'm scared of what's
happening to you. You're acting
really fucked up.
NEEDY
Please just let me show you.
Her gaze is so intense and crazed that Chip has no option
but to submit. He nods reluctantly.
EXT. KETTLE HIGH CAMPUS - CONTINUOUS
Needy and Chip walk to an alley behind the school.
Melting snow drips off the eaves.
Needy pulls out a large black binder and opens it. It's
full of copies from the library and Internet printouts.
The spine reads "JENNIFER RESEARCH"
NEEDY
Look at this.
She thrusts a piece of paper into CHIP's hands.
(CONTINUED)
84.
CONTINUED:
CHIP
(CONFUSED)
Demon...demonic...
NEEDY
Demonic transference. It's
something that happens when you
try to sacrifice a virgin to Satan
without using an actual virgin!
CHIP stares at her.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
I think that's what happened to
Jennifer. Those guys from that
band were trying to sacrifice her
in the woods. But what they didn't
realize is that she hasn't been a
virgin since junior high!
Jennifer's a total cum-dumpster!
It all makes sense now! Read
this...
She grabs the piece of paper from him.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
(READING)
"If the human sacrifice is impure,
the result may still be attained,
but a demon will forever reside
the soul of the victim. She must
forever feed on flesh to sustain
the demon." See?
CHIP looks more dubious than ever.
CHIP
Uh-huh.
NEEDY
She's eating boys! They make her
strong. Really strong. And when
she's hungry, she gets weak and
cranky and her hair is all full of
split ends. And look at this...
She holds up one of the printouts.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
It says that before the demon
feeds, it vomits a gruesome
substance on its prey. Like I saw!
(CONTINUED)
85.
CONTINUED: (2)
CHIP
You--you really think Jennifer
killed Jonas and Colin?
NEEDY
And possibly Ahmet from India.
Needy is silent for a moment. She realizes CHIP will
never believe her and that she'll lose him forever if she
continues babbling.
CHIP
Really? You think she ate those
guys?
NEEDY
No. No! Of course not!
CHIP
Is that what you think?
NEEDY
No...Listen, I'll make an
appointment with Mr. Feely. I'm
real sorry about this sudden onset
of teenage paranoia.
(ROBOTIC)
My hormones and emotions are
aswirl, and my moods are
erratic...
CHIP isn't totally convinced, but his face softens.
CHIP
It's all right, Needy.
NEEDY
This has been a crummy school
year, Chip.
CHIP
No shit.
Needy turns and pitches the black binder into a Dumpster.
NEEDY
Listen, I'm done with all that
devil stuff. Do you know what
you're wearing to Turnabout?
CHIP
I was thinking a suit with black
shoes and a boutonniere, right
here.
(CONTINUED)
86.
CONTINUED: (3)
He taps his chest. Needy laughs.
NEEDY V.O.
I was so in love with him. I
didn't want to mess it up with my
infectious crazy. Only I wasn't
actually crazy. Everyone else was
crazy. But when you're the only
sane one, you might as well be
crazy. It's subjective, you know?
CHIP
What color dress are you gonna
wear? I need to order your wrist
corsage.
NEEDY
I don't know yet.
CHIP
How about magenta? You're
definitely a winter. My mom says
winters should wear regal jewel
tones like magenta. Or possibly
teal.
NEEDY
Oh yeah, your mom's an Avon lady.
CHIP
Well, they call them "sales reps"
now.
NEEDY
Right. Well, I'll try to find
something magenta.
CHIP
That'll look dope.
INT. DEVIL'S KETTLE HIGH GYMNASIUM (TO ESTABLISH) EVENING
A group of student council kids are putting the finishing
touches on the dance decorations. The theme is "Through
the Trees" and there are papier mache trees everywhere.
INT. NEEDY'S BEDROOM - EVENING
Needy stands in front of a full-length mirror, wearing a
big `80s-style magenta prom dress. It sags on her flat
chest and looks ridiculous.
(CONTINUED)
87.
CONTINUED:
Greedo the ferret circles her ankles.
Toni, Needy's mom, appears behind her with a curling
iron.
TONI
You look beautiful.
NEEDY
I look pork stupid.
TONI
No, you've got that tiny waist,
like a fashion model. I always
thought you looked like Cindy
Crawford.
She gently takes off Needy's glasses.
NEEDY
Who's Cindy Crawford?
TONI
One of the great beauties of our
time. She's even got a mole like
you, except hers is on her face.
She takes a section of Needy's hair and wraps it around
the curling iron. Smoke rises.
NEEDY
Ow! You're too close to my neck.
TONI
Well, if Chip gives you a hickey,
you can just tell everyone I
burned you.
NEEDY
Gross, Mom. Chip isn't that
ostentatious.
TONI
Now that's a word you don't hear
every day. Hold still.
NEEDY
What are you doing to my hair?
TONI
Hooker helmet.
(CONTINUED)
88.
CONTINUED: (2)
NEEDY
(GROANING)
Aw, jeez Mom!
TONI
If you can't have big what-nots,
you might as well have big hair!
Needy stares at herself in the mirror. Despite Toni's
best efforts, Needy looks like the walking dead.
INT. CHIP'S HOUSE - EVENING
Chip is standing in underwear and black dress socks,
taking his suit out of the closet. Suddenly, there's a
loud KNOCK on the door.
CHIP
I'm in underpants, Mom!
We hear the voice of CHIP'S MOM through the door.
CHIP'S MOM
I need to give you something.
CHIP
Hang on.
Chip puts on a robe and opens the door.
Chip's mom is holding a SMALL PINK AEROSOL CAN.
CHIP (CONT'D)
Ladies' pepper spray?
CHIP'S MOM
I've been thinking about it for a
while, and I think you need to be
carrying this. There's obviously a
sicko out there who likes boys.
Boys your age. And I don't want
you going out there unarmed.
CHIP
I can take care of myself. I've
been using the Bowflex.
In the background, we can see the BOWFLEX with clothes
hanging off it.
CHIP'S MOM
Did you hear what Colin Gray
looked like when they found him?
(CONTINUED)
89.
CONTINUED:
CHIP
Lasagna with teeth?
CHIP'S MOM
You heard. So unless you want to
wind up looking like another
exotic Eye-talian dish, take
Mommy's rape spray.
Chip reluctantly accepts the spray.
CHIP'S MOM (CONT'D)
Are you picking Needy up at her
house?
CHIP
Meeting her at the dance. I'm
gonna walk. It's so warm outside.
It's like 40.
CHIP'S MOM
I want pictures with your sister
before you go.
CHIP
Yes, ma'am.
INT. NEEDY'S HOUSE (LIVING ROOM) - EVENING
Needy is fully dressed and garishly made up. Toni holds a
digital camera at arm's length and takes a shot of the
two of them together.
The mother/daughter photo looks ghastly. Toni's eyes are
closed and Needy pouts miserably.
INT. CHIP'S HOUSE (LIVING ROOM) - EVENING
Chip's mother snaps a series of stiffly posed photos of
Chip and his little sister, Camille.
We can see the PEPPER SPRAY tucked into the interior of
Chip's jacket.
CHIP'S MOM
One more. Back to back. Big
smiles. Camille, we don't touch
ourselves down there. That's our
lady garden.
90.
INT. KETTLE HIGH GYMNASIUM (TO ESTABLISH) - NIGHT
The gym is decorated to look like an enchanted forest. A
large banner reads "Through the Trees- Turnabout Dance"
There are streamers and balloons everywhere in sickly
shades of green and purple.
A DJ plays badly-mixed pop music.
Couples drift into the gym. The GOTH KIDS who were at
Colin Gray's grave travel in a pack, sulking.
The goth girl who loved Colin wanders through the
decorations and pops every balloon she passes with a pin.
As she pops them, she narrates dramatically.
GOTH GIRL
(popping balloon)
This is my heart.
GOTH GIRL (CONT'D)
(popping balloon)
My soul.
GOTH GIRL (CONT'D)
(popping balloon)
Everything I once believed in.
Another GOTH GIRL, looking exasperated, grabs a balloon,
shoves it under her babydoll dress and pops it.
GOTH GIRL #2
(MOCKINGLY)
Your abortion.
She rapidly shoves another one under her dress and pops
it again, smirking.
GOTH GIRL #2 (CONT'D)
Your other abortion.
GOTH GIRL
I hate your guts, Madison.
The girls glare at each other.
Needy walks in, looking small and apprehensive in her bad
`80s dress. She looks around for Chip, but he's not there
yet. A few mean kids point at her dress and snicker.
Needy ladles some juice into a paper cup and leans
against the wall, waiting anxiously for her Prince
Charming.
91.
EXT. MC CULLUM PARK - CONTINUOUS
Chip is cutting through the park on his way to the dance.
He whistles to himself.
Across the park, he sees a STRAY DOG trotting toward him.
The dog pants aggressively. CHIP tries to smile, but
looks uncomfortable.
A few SQUIRRELS emerge from the trees, gazing curiously
at him.
INT. DEVIL'S KETTLE HIGH GYMNASIUM - CONTINUOUS
Couples are beginning to grind against each other on the
dance floor. Needy watches them longingly. She checks her
Mickey Mouse watch.
EXT. MC CULLUM PARK - CONTINUOUS
Chip picks up the pace, jogging down the path. In the
distance behind him we can barely make out Jennifer's
form. She looks more spectral then we've ever seen her.
Chip speeds up instinctively.
Suddenly, Jennifer's about ten paces closer.
Then she's closer again, as if she can fold space and
time. She's ethereal, flickering.
CHIP turns to look over his shoulder.
INT. DEVIL'S KETTLE HIGH GYMNASIUM - CONTINUOUS
The music fades out and there's a squeal of feedback from
the sound system. Mr. Wroblewski walks onto the stage in
a bad suit. He awkwardly picks up the mic with his one
good hand and pats it with his robotic one.
MR. WROBLEWSKI
Can I have everyone's attention
please?
The students turn to look at him, annoyed by the
distraction.
(CONTINUED)
92.
CONTINUED:
MR. WROBLEWSKI (CONT'D)
Welcome to the Turnabout Dance. I
hope you've all had an opportunity
to consume the Pecan Sandies and
Cran-Grape that were so generously
donated by the Parents Club.
Murmuring and applause.
MR. WROBLEWSKI (CONT'D)
But the real treat is yet to come.
It's happening right about now,
this treat of which I speak. We
have some very special guests
tonight. They were kind enough to
take a break from their sold-out
national tour and play our dance
for free.
Needy gags on her juice.
EXT. MC CULLUM PARK - CONTINUOUS
Chip continues to hurry briskly along through the park.
JENNIFER
CHIP!
CHIP makes an incoherent noise and jumps as Jennifer
appears, improbably, right in front of him. She's wearing
a gorgeous white formal gown and looks perfect.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Didn't you hear me calling your
name?
CHIP
You weren't calling my name.
JENNIFER
Yes, I was.
CHIP
I couldn't hear it.
JENNIFER
I think you were maybe spacing
out. You were like this: Derrrrr.
She mimics a blank, drooling expression.
CHIP
I was?
(CONTINUED)
93.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
Yes, exactly like that. Listen, I
need to talk to you about you-knowwho. Our little Needy.
CHIP
I know.
JENNIFER
Are you worried? `Cause I'm superstressed about her. God knows how
I even sleep at night.
CHIP
She hasn't been the same for
weeks.
JENNIFER
I think I know what's wrong with
her. In fact, I know I know what's
wrong with her.
CHIP
Then tell me.
JENNIFER
I feel bad telling you this.
(SIGHING)
Okay, you know Needy's been a
total Lithium candidate since the
night Colin Gray died. But that's
not just because he was brutally
murdered and stuff. It's
because....I don't wanna say this.
CHIP
Say it!
JENNIFER
Needy and Colin were intimate. By
that I mean he was poking her
donut on a semi-regular basis.
CHIP looks astonished and hurt.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
I know this must be hard for you
to hear.
CHIP
Needy's not like that.
(CONTINUED)
94.
CONTINUED: (2)
JENNIFER
That's what she wants you to
believe. But trust me, her and
Colin were doing stuff you haven't
even heard of. Total varsity
moves.
CHIP
But you were with Colin the night
he was killed.
JENNIFER
Well, apparently he had a thing
for me-- no surprise there. And I
figured Needy was busy jumping
your jock that night, so I agreed
to a little pity date. Colin
brought me to that empty house so
we could have some privacy. But he
wanted to go too far, so I left
after a few minutes. Next thing I
knew, they'd found...
She sniffles, wiping her eye.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
...what was left of him.
CHIP
(to himself)
Eye-talian.
JENNIFER
Huh?
CHIP
Never mind.
JENNIFER
I'm sorry you had to hear this
from me. I'm just so worried about
Needy. She's losing her shit.
Colin was her everything.
CHIP looks miserable.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
I wouldn't be surprised if she
winds up in the nuthouse.
CHIP
I just can't believe this.
(CONTINUED)
95.
CONTINUED: (3)
JENNIFER
Well, you've been talking to her
more than I have. How bad is it?
CHIP
It's bad, man. It's bad.
JENNIFER
I can only imagine the paranoid
theories she's come up with.
CHIP
Oh, you have no idea.
JENNIFER
I just can't believe she would do
this to you. I care so much about
you, Chip.
CHIP glances up at her. She's earnest, beautiful.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
More than I've ever had the guts
to admit.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYM - CONTINUOUS
Mr. Wroblewski pauses dramatically for effect.
MR. WROBLEWSKI
Boys and girls, please
welcome...Soft Shoulder!
The heavy stage curtains part to reveal SOFT SHOULDER in
all their glory. Success has treated them well-- they're
glowing and wearing designer rock n' roll couture. They
look like the young Rolling Stones.
Needy drops her cup. Juice splatters onto the ground.
NIKOLAI
Good evening, babies. Are you
ready for some bad vibrations?
The students rush the stage, shrieking. Nikolai raises
his fist and the band launches into a heavy, uptempo
version of "Through the Trees."
Needy looks as though she's had a revelation. A look of
pure horror crosses her face.
NEEDY
Chip!
(CONTINUED)
96.
CONTINUED:
She rushes toward the gym exit, tripping in her high
heels.
EXT. MC CULLUM PARK - CONTINUOUS
CHIP is hypnotized in the glow of the streetlights.
Jennifer leans forward and kisses him on the neck
JENNIFER
Needy didn't deserve a boy like
you.
EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS
Needy is running toward the park in her gown. She takes
off her shoes and tosses them aside, her arms and legs
pumping furiously.
NEEDY V.O.
One thing people don't know about
me is that I'm fast. I just never
went out for track because I look
bad in shorts. Also, Jennifer told
me track was for lezzies. But I
am. Fast, I mean. Even in that
fucking afterbirth of a dress, I
could really tear up the asphalt.
She picks up the pace, cheeks puffing.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
I had to. I was running for his
life.
INT. MC CULLUM PARK - CONTINUOUS
Jennifer is kissing Chip. She pulls him down onto the
damp, muddy grass.
JENNIFER
Ooh, you're so salty!
CHIP
Yeah, you too.
JENNIFER
Say it like you mean it.
CHIP
You're so salty. I need water. It
burns. The salty burns my mouth.
(CONTINUED)
97.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
Say I'm better than Needy.
CHIP
What? Why?
JENNIFER
We really shouldn't be doing this.
She pulls away from him, feigning a guilty conscience.
CHIP
(QUICKLY)
You're better than Needy.
Jennifer smiles, satisfied.
JENNIFER
Natch.
She resumes kissing him enthusiastically.
CHIP
This feels weird. Can we go
somewhere else?
JENNIFER
I have just the place.
She stands up and starts to lead Chip toward an
abandoned, fenced-off COMMUNITY POOL. It's drained and
spooky and looks dangerous.
CHIP
Murphy Pool? I don't think we can
go in there. I knew some skater
guys who went in there. They got
in big trouble and now they have
to pick up garbage for 100 hours.
Jennifer giggles and pulls him along.
JENNIFER
You're in big trouble anyway. Come
on.
She begins to climb the chain link fence.
EXT. CHIP'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Needy jogs toward CHIP's house. Exhausted and sweaty, she
presses the doorbell. She falls to her knees on the front
stoop, panting and wheezing.
(CONTINUED)
98.
CONTINUED:
Camille answers the door.
NEEDY
(STRAINED)
Well, hi there Camille! Is Chipper
home?
Camille has no reply. She eyes Needy suspiciously and
licks a Popsicle.
CHIP's mother appears and shoves Camille aside.
CHIP'S MOM
Needy? Is something wrong?
NEEDY
Where's Chip?
CHIP'S MOM
(CONFUSED)
He left for the dance at least
twenty minutes ago. He certainly
should have been there by now.
NEEDY
He walked? Mrs. Dove, you mean to
only tell me that in these
dangerous, godless times-- you let
your only son walk alone at night?
CHIP'S MOM
Well, it's only five blocks. My
God, your hair is...
NEEDY
Which way did he go?
CHIP'S MOM
He usually cuts across the park.
She turns to scold Camille.
CHIP'S MOM (CONT'D)
Camille, let's sit like a lady! No
one wants to see your kiki.
She turns back to address Needy.
CHIP'S MOM (CONT'D)
Why don't you try...
But Needy's gone.
(CONTINUED)
99.
CONTINUED: (2)
CHIP'S MOM (CONT'D)
Anita?
EXT. MURPHY POOL - SAME
Murphy Pool is even eerier from the inside. The fenced-in
deck area is littered with garbage, abandoned pool
furniture and graffiti. Someone has spray painted the
word "HOPELESS" on a wall.
CHIP shivers and looks around nervously.
Jennifer nonchalantly unzips her dress and shimmies out
of it, revealing her bra and panties.
CHIP
Aren't you cold?
JENNIFER
Never, Trevor. I'm hot like magma.
She prances over to the abandoned pool and begins to
climb down the ladder on the side. The pool is full of
filthy, freezing water.
CHIP
What are you doing?
JENNIFER
Swimming.
CHIP
Ha ha.
JENNIFER
Come on in, Chip. Show me your
breast stroke.
CHIP
The water looks disgusting.
JENNIFER
It's not so bad.
CHIP
Are you kidding? It's totally
bubonic in there. I think I see a
dead possum with a Doritos bag in
its pouch. And that looks like a
used syringe over there...
He slaps away a FLY.
(CONTINUED)
100.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
I'm sorry. I was just trying to
make you laugh. I think now, more
than ever, we need laughter. We've
both lost a close friend.
CHIP nods sadly.
CHIP
I know.
JENNIFER
I feel so empty.
CHIP
Me too.
JENNIFER
Please come here and kiss me
again. Make all this madness go
away.
Chip tiptoes forward tentatively and sinks to his knees.
He leans in and kisses Jennifer, who's still clinging to
the ladder.
The sound of buzzing flies grows louder.
Suddenly, Jennifer opens her eyes. She hooks her arm
around Chip's neck and lunges backward. They tumble off
the ladder, into the pool. Chip SCREAMS.
INT. MC CULLUM PARK - CONTINUOUS
Needy runs into the park and scans the dark horizon. Her
bare feet are bloody from running and her face is shiny
with sweat.
NEEDY
(YELLING)
Chip!
A terrified SCREAM in the distance.
Needy whips around, hikes up her skirt and starts running
toward Murphy Pool.
She reaches the fence and starts climbing it. She slips
and cuts her hand on a broken link.
CHIP screams again on the other side of the fence.
(CONTINUED)
101.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY (CONT'D)
I'm coming!
She flings herself over the top of the fence, her body
slamming against the concrete pool deck. Her ARM snaps.
It's a compound fracture, the bone thrusting through the
flesh of her arm as she screams.
INT. MURPHY POOL - CONTINUOUS
Needy staggers toward the pool, which is surrounded by an
extraterrestrial glow. Chip's moaning is almost
unbearable. Needy stares into the abyss and claps her
hands over her mouth.
Jennifer is waist deep in the DIRTY WATER, flinging Chip
against the wall like a rag doll. He's still conscious,
but his skin on his chest has been RIPPED OFF to expose
his ribs. Jennifer is CHEWING happily.
Chip looks at Needy, his face a mask of agony.
CHIP
(MOUTHING)
Needy!
NEEDY
Holy crap!
Jennifer begins gnawing on Chip's neck, so engaged in the
task that she doesn't notice Needy.
Needy climbs up on the diving board and crosses herself.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
Saint Jude, patron saint of
hopeless causes: Please give me
the power to crush this bitch.
Jennifer looks up with demonic, bloodshot eyes just as
Needy leaps off the diving board.
Needy lands on Jennifer's shoulders, taking her out. She
wraps her legs around Jennifer's neck and drags her under
the water.
Jennifer emerges. Needy grabs her by the hair and girlyslaps her furiously across the face. Then she spots the
PEPPER SPRAY lying by the side of the pool. She grabs it
and sprays it in Jennifer's eyes. Jennifer shrieks and
vomits NASTY, SPINY GORE all over Needy and Chip.
(CONTINUED)
102.
CONTINUED:
JENNIFER
Fuck this J.V. shit!
Jennifer ROCKETS straight up into the air like a goddess,
hovering ten feet above the pool. Her eyes burn. Her skin
is corpselike. She's drenched from head to toe in the
prickly ooze.
CHIP
(CROAKING)
She can fly?
NEEDY
She's just hovering, CHIP. It's
not that impressive.
Jennifer speaks in a metallic, demonic-sounding voice.
JENNIFER
God, do you have to undermine
everything I do? You're such a
player-hater.
Needy glares at Jennifer, surprisingly fearless.
NEEDY
You're a jerk.
JENNIFER
Nice insult, Lizzie McGuire. Got
any more harsh digs?
NEEDY
You know what? You were never a
good friend. Ever. Even when we
were little. You used to steal my
toys and pour lemonade on my bed
and make me be Ugly Ashley when we
played Barbies!
JENNIFER
And now I'm eating your boyfriend!
See? At least I'm consistent.
NEEDY
Why do you need him? Huh?
She begins to weep.
NEEDY (CONT'D)
(SOBBING)
Why do you need the one guy who's
ever liked me? You can have
anyone, Jennifer!
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
103.
CONTINUED: (2)
NEEDY (CONT'D)
The cutest guy in school. The
mailman. A teacher. You could
probably even have a huge star
like Chad Michael Murray. So why
Chip? Why him? Is it just to piss
me off? Or is it because you're
insecure?
Jennifer floats in midair toward the pool deck and drifts
down, landing on her feet. Needy crawls out of the pool
and faces her down.
JENNIFER
I am not insecure. God, what a
joke! How could I be insecure? I
was the Snowflake Queen!
NEEDY
Yeah, two years ago. When you were
socially relevant.
JENNIFER
I AM STILL SOCIALLY RELEVANT!
NEEDY
You were skinny then, too!
A look of ABJECT HORROR on Jennifer's face. She reels
back against the chain link fence, her eyes blazing.
JENNIFER
I'm gonna eat your soul and shit
it out, Lesnicki.
Her voice is now an unearthly growl. In the background,
Chip is slowly, painfully pulling a POOL SKIMMER with an
eight-foot handle off the pool deck.
NEEDY
(TREMBLING)
I thought you only murdered boys.
JENNIFER
I go both ways.
She HURTLES herself toward Needy, roaring, her eyes whitehot, her jaws agape. She's monstrous.
Chip suddenly stumbles in front of Needy and holds the
HANDLE of the POOL SKIMMER in front of them like a spear.
As Jennifer flies forward at demonic speed, she IMPALES
HER ENTIRE TORSO on the handle.
Needy screams. There's a beat of deafening silence.
(CONTINUED)
104.
CONTINUED: (3)
Chip collapses on the pool
Jennifer rises uncertainly
on the giant skimmer. With
out of her body in several
deck.
to her feet, "shishkebabbed"
effort, she pulls the handle
stages.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Ow-Ow-Ow.
Needy watches, and realizes Jennifer is injured. Blood
drips onto the pool deck.
NEEDY
(SURPRISED)
We hurt you...
Blood trickles out of Jennifer's wound. She tries to plug
the hole with her hand.
JENNIFER
Got a tampon?
Needy shakes her head mutely.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Thought I'd ask. You seemed like
you might be pluggin'.
She begins to climb the fence, wincing in pain, then
glances over her shoulder at Needy and Chip.
NEEDY
Where are you going?
JENNIFER
Fuck this noise. I'm out. You
losers are more trouble then
you're worth.
She continues climbing.
NEEDY
(EMOTIONAL)
Why give up now? He's almost dead!
Get your bulimic ass back here and
kill us both!
JENNIFER
Nah. I mean, you say I've been a
bad friend all these years. I
might as well throw you a bone.
(CONTINUED)
105.
CONTINUED: (4)
She smirks and jumps over the fence, stumbling off into
the distance. Needy watches her, her eyes narrowing with
hate.
Once Jennifer has disappeared, Needy turns her attention
to Chip, who is barely alive. She stares in horror at his
torn arm and exposed ribs, then falls to her knees over
his body.
NEEDY
Oh, Chip!
CHIP
Needy. You saved me.
NEEDY
I'm gonna call for help.
She reaches into Chip's pocket and pulls out his beat-up
cell phone. She wipes off the prickly ooze with her hand.
CHIP
Oh no, I'm out of minutes!
NEEDY
I think 911 is always a free call.
CHIP
Oh yeah. You're right.
Needy dials to no avail. The phone is hopelessly clogged
with ooze. She knocks it against the deck.
NEEDY
It's not working. It's full of
Jennifer-goo.
Chip begins gagging and coughing. He rolls onto his back,
his eyelids fluttering.
CHIP
(FAINTLY)
Hey, I'm going somewhere...
NEEDY
No! You're not going anywhere!
CHIP
I'm toast, Needy. I'm definitely
gonna die. I think I already died
before you were here, but I woke
up when I heard your voice.
(CONTINUED)
106.
CONTINUED: (5)
NEEDY
I love you.
CHIP
Yeah me too. And you look hot in
that dress.
NEEDY
You're clearly delirious.
CHIP
No. When you're dying, you can see
everything a lot clearer. You can
see what's true and what's not.
The things that are true have this
glowing halo of light around them,
like a picture of the Baby Jesus,
or Barbara Walters when they use
the special lens. And I know for
sure that you're totally hot.
Needy begins to sob hoarsely.
CHIP (CONT'D)
You'd better get out of here. The
police are going to come and I
don't want them to, you know, make
a mistake.
NEEDY
I'm never leaving.
CHIP
But I have to go.
NEEDY
No!
Chip's eyes close. His face relaxes. He's gone.
Needy wails at the top of her lungs. She rests her head
against his mutilated chest, oblivious to the blood and
bone.
INT. DEVIL'S KETTLE HIGH GYMNASIUM - NIGHT
The dance is in full swing and students are slow-dancing.
Girls rest their heads against boys' chests, only under
far less macabre circumstances than Needy and CHIP's
deathbed tableau.
Soft Shoulder are still playing onstage, their guitars
chiming melodically.
(CONTINUED)
107.
CONTINUED:
The bass player, Dirk, turns toward Nikolai Wolf.
DIRK
This sucks old-man balls.
NIKOLAI
Shut up. It's good PR.
He accidentally speaks into the mic, attracting unwanted
stares from the kids.
NIKOLAI (CONT'D)
(to audience)
I said, it's so good to be here!
The students cheer approvingly, their faces bright and
hopeful.
Nikolai bares his teeth in a frighteningly fake smile.
EXT. C0RVALLIS HIGH CAMPUS- CONTINUOUS
Illuminated by lamp light, Needy limps toward the gym
entrance. She's completely covered in demon-goo. Her face
is bloody, her hair is full of blood and guts, and her
BROKEN ARM looks gruesome.
In the background, yet another oblivious COUPLE are
making out.
Needy stops to stare at them, her gaze calm but obviously
insane. They break apart and stare back at her.
GIRL
What are you looking at, Clumpy?
NEEDY
(QUIETLY)
Just watching your old man try to
suck the ugly off your face.
GUY
What did you say?
Needy bends over, casually holds one nostril closed, and
does a "farmer blow." A bloody clot flies out of her
nose.
The guy takes a good look at Needy and blinks, startled.
GUY (CONT'D)
Are you supposed to be Goth or
something?
(CONTINUED)
108.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
Did you know the original Goths
were a Germanic tribe that settled
in Rome? They didn't wear black.
They wore regular linen tunics. I
don't know why nobody else knows
that.
The couple have already resumed making out.
Needy rolls her eyes, turns away, and continues limping
into the gym.
INT. GYM - CONTINUOUS
Needy enters the gym and slams the door shut behind her.
People ignore her as she slowly walks toward the stage.
They're too busy slow dancing and laughing in their
respective cliques.
She looks up at the stage, where Soft Shoulder are
playing an insufferably long coda.
Nikolai noodles through a guitar solo, then looks up and
sees Needy looking directly at him, her eyes full of
hate.
Nikolai gulps nervously and elbows Dirk.
Needy points to her eyes with two fingers, then points at
Nikolai, as if to say, Gotcha. She looks completely
possessed.
NIKOLAI
(to Dirk)
We gotta get out of here.
DIRK
Why?
NIKOLAI
I think this girl's flipping out.
DIRK
What could she do to us?
NIKOLAI
Look at her.
Dirk takes one look at Needy's face and takes off his
guitar. Nikolai motions for the rest of the band to leave
the stage. The music stops abruptly. The kids in the gym
murmur and complain, confused.
(CONTINUED)
109.
CONTINUED:
Needy tries to follow them. She limps blindly toward the
stage and climbs up. Everyone watches, gasping in horror.
By now the band is disappearing out the side door of the
gym.
NEEDY
(into the mic)
You didn't play your hit yet.
But they're gone.
Needy looks out at her classmates. They stare back. She
PASSES OUT COLD.
INT. CHIP'S STREET - MORNING (TO ESTABLISH)
NEEDY V.O.
They found Chip the following
morning. The police couldn't find
an explanation for the "substance"
in the pool, so they chose not to
mention it to the press. In fact,
they treated the whole incident
like a bad dream.
INT. CHIP'S HOUSE (LIVING ROOM) - MORNING
We see the POLICE (including newly minted officer ROMAN
DUDA) informing Chip's mother that his body has been
found. She collapses onto the floor, curling up into the
fetal position.
NEEDY
Trouble was, some of us would
never wake up.
INT. NEEDY'S BEDROOM - DAY
Needy is lying in bed, shaking, her arm in a cast. Her
mother tries to rouse her.
NEEDY V.O.
I never went back to school after
that. Didn't talk much either. My
mom bought some books so she could
teach me at home like crazy
Christians with 14 kids do. But I
wasn't a very cooperative student.
Needy pulls the covers over her head.
(CONTINUED)
110.
CONTINUED:
Toni shrugs, resigned, and tosses the book on the floor.
EXT. JENNIFER'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Needy is crouched outside Jennifer's window, hiding in
the shrubbery. She looks almost feral, with wide eyes and
a hungry expression.
Through the window, we see Jennifer sitting at a vanity
and combing her hair, oblivious to the intruder in her
yard.
NEEDY V.O.
What nobody realized was that I
was doing a different kind of
homework. I was watching her every
night. Waiting.
We see Jennifer putting the comb down and examining her
hair with a appraising eye.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
Waiting for her to get weak and
dull. Waiting for her to burn
through the life-force she'd
stolen from Chip.
Needy creeps away from the window.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
It took weeks, but I finally made
my move. Remember?
EXT. JENNIFER'S HOUSE - NIGHT
We're seeing a FLASHBACK of the night Needy slaughtered
Jennifer.
Needy plunging through the window. Jennifer thrashing.
The blood. The struggle. The levitation. The arrival of
the police.
NEEDY V.O.
Even in her last moments of life,
she somehow managed to be cooler
than me.
We see, for a moment, Jennifer's sly, challenging smile
as Needy raises the boxcutter to slash her. That
signature look of mastery and control.
(CONTINUED)
111.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
She left an insanely hot corpse.
We see Jennifer's mother holding her again, screaming,
though all we hear is SILENCE and STATIC. Sure enough,
Jennifer's bleeding body seems to be artfully, sensually
draped in her mother's arms. She almost seems to be
SMIRKING at us.
INT. "THE HOLE" - NIGHT
We're back in solitary confinement, where Needy has been
narrating the whole sordid tale. She hasn't moved a
muscle since beginning her story. Only a single shaft of
moonlight illuminates the room.
An orderly shoves DINNER through a slot in the door. It's
a pile of mystery meat. Needy wrinkes her nose.
NEEDY V.O.
I don't even know who Needy
Lesnicki is anymore. I'm a
different person now. A person who
uses curse words and kicks
orderlies and and sees things that
aren't there. A very bad, very
damaged person.
Needy reaches up and distractedly pulls back the neckline
of her shirt...
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
But sometimes, change can be good.
For instance, most occult scholars
don't know this, but if you're
bitten by a demon--and you live-you just might absorb some of the
demon's abilities.
In the moonlight, we see Needy still has a infectedlooking BITEMARK near her shoulder. She scratches it,
wincing.
NEEDY V.O. (CONT'D)
You just might get lucky for once
in your miserable life.
PULL BACK to reveal that Needy, still cross-legged is
HOVERING five feet off the floor. Effortlessly.
With visible concentration, she slowly flies up toward a
narrow WINDOW positioned up near the ceiling. To anyone
with normal abilities, it would be impossible to access.
(CONTINUED)
112.
CONTINUED:
Needy reaches the window, gazes at it for a moment, then
SMASHES it with surprising strength.
EXT. LEECH LAKE HOSPITAL - FIVE MINUTES LATER
Needy strolls across the grounds in her bunny slippers.
She heads confidently toward the SECURITY FENCE and
passes through it after casually mangling the bars. Only
a Needy-shaped hole remains.
EXT. COUNTY ROAD 9 - TEN MINUTES LATER
Needy is striding purposefully down a dark country road.
The hospital recedes in the background.
A few RACCOONS gather by the side of the road, watching
Needy as she walks past.
A PICKUP TRUCK whizzes by with its windows rolled down.
"Through the Trees" blasts from the radio.
Needy begins to sing, a lopsided grin on her face.
NEEDY
(SINGING)
"Through the trees, I will find
you. Heal the ruins left inside
you..."
EXT. MURPHY POOL - NIGHT
Devil's Kettle citizens are gathered around Murphy Pool,
crying. It's a CANDLELIGHT MEMORIAL for Chip. Their faces
are weary and sorrowful. Photos of Chip have been
arranged around the edge of the fence. We see a picture
of CHIP AND NEEDY on the end.
Someone has brought a CD player, and the mourners sing
along, their voices soaring.
VIGIL ATTENDEES
(SINGING)
"...And the stars will remind you,
we'll meet again..."
EXT. COUNTY ROAD 9 - CONTINUOUS
Needy holds her thumb aloft as she walks down the remote
country highway.
(CONTINUED)
113.
CONTINUED:
NEEDY
(SINGING)
"...We'll meet again."
A small creek emptying into a stream
runs parallel to the
road. Needy seems something glinting
at the mouth of the
creek and stoops to pick it up. It's
Nikolai's BOWIE
KNIFE, the one he threw into Devil's
Kettle, never to be
seen again.
Needy picks it up and tucks it into her waistband.
A STATION WAGON comes rattling up the road. Needy sticks
her thumb out again.
The wagon pulls over to the side of the road. The driver,
a grizzled older man, rolls down the window. He eyes
Needy lasciviously.
OLD MAN
Where you looking to go, young
lady?
NEEDY
East, toward Madison.
OLD MAN
East, huh? Guess I'm headed that
way. But I'm gonna need you to pay
me in ass, gas or grass. Got that?
No free rides in this wagon.
NEEDY
I don't have any money or drugs,
so you'll have to settle for ass.
OLD MAN
Fair enough. Hop in my chariot.
Needy gratefully hurries into the driver's seat.
OLD MAN (CONT'D)
So why you headed East?
NEEDY
I'm following this rock band.
OLD MAN
Huh. Must be a hell of a group.
NEEDY
Tonight's gonna be their last
show.
(CONTINUED)
114.
CONTINUED: (2)
Needy smiles blithely and pops the clear Lifesaver into
her mouth.
The station wagon pulls off. As it sputters off into the
distance, we see a road sign that reads, ironically, SOFT
SHOULDER.
We hear the song on the radio end, segueing into the DJ's
bumper.
RADIO DJ
What a song. Thought we'd play
that one in honor of Soft
Shoulder. They're playing in
Madison tonight. Should be a night
to remember...
The DJ's voice fades out as the car vanishes into the
horizon.
THE END
Jennifer's Body
Writers : Diablo Cody
Genres : Comedy Horror Thriller
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