Django Unchained: Opening Scene

EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - BROILING HOT DAY

As the film's OPENING CREDIT SEQUENCE plays, complete with its own SPAGHETTI WESTERN THEME SONG, we see SEVEN shirtless and shoeless BLACK MALE SLAVES connected together with LEG IRONS, being run, by TWO: WHITE MALE HILLBILLIES on HORSEBACK.

The location is somewhere in Texas. The Black Men (ROY, BIG SID, BENJAMIN, DJANGO, PUDGY RALPH, FRANKLYN, and BLUEBERRY) are slaves just recently purchased at The Greenville Slave Auction in Greenville Mississippi. The White Hillbillies are two Slave Traders called, The SPECK BROTHERS (ACE and DICKY).

One of the seven slaves is our hero DJANGO... . he's fourth in the leg iron line. We may or may not notice a tiny small "r" burned into his cheek ("r" for runaway), but we can't help but notice his back which has been SLASHED TO RIBBONS by Bull Whip Beatings.

As the Operatic Opening Theme Song plays, we see a MONTAGE of misery and pain, as Django and the Other Men are walked through blistering sun, pounding rain, and moved along by the end of a whip. Bare feet step on hard rock, and slosh through mud puddles. Leg Irons take the skin off ankles.

AS The CREDITS play, DJANGO has a SPAGHETTI WESTERN FLASHBACK.Now Spaghetti Western Flashbacks are never pretty, it's usually the time in the film when the lead character thinks back to the most painful memory inflicted on him or his loved ones from evil characters from his past. In this instance we see Django in a SLAVE PEN at the Greenville Auction.

DJANGO
Amongst many other shoulders and heads, sees through the bars of the cell door, his wife BROOMHILDA being led to the auction block.

He fights his way to the door, and far off and obscure in the distance, he can see Broomhilda up on the auction block, and in the distance he hears the Auctioneer yell; "Sold." Then she's taken away to whereabouts unknown, never to be seen again.

As the sun continues to beat down on Django's head, he remembers;

DJANGO in the SLAVE PEN with what seems like a one hundred and fifty Slaves in a cell designed for forty.

WHITE MEN yank him out. of the cell, shirtless, shoeless, and lead him down a hallway, into a giant round pen, an audience viewing area circles the round pen floor on three different stories of the
structure.

The ground floor is covered by the BIG MONEY BUYERS who stand in front of the auction block.

DJANGO
is moved into a line of SLAVES (The Black Men), and their MASTERS (their White Owners), and their SELLERS (the White Man actually doing the sales pitch on the auction block), as they wait for their turn on the block. A SLAVE (ROBBIE), stand on the auction block in view of the room full of Buyers, The SELLER sells, and the OWNERS stand off to the side.

DJANGO
takes in the environment around him. Django has never cared for white folks, but these white folks are in particularly ugly.

It's DJANGO's turn ON THE AUCTION BLOCK as the THEME SONG wails its tragic crescendo, Django is brought up on the auction block. He looks down at all the WHITE PEOPLE who want to buy Niggers, who look up to him. His heart fills with poison.

BACK TO DJANGO
walking in Leg Irons with his six Other Companions, walking across the blistering Texas panhandle... .remembering.. .thinking - hating.

THE OPENING CREDIT SEQUENCE end.

EXT. WOODS -- NIGHT

It's night time and The Speck Brothers, astride HORSES, keep pushing their black skinned cargo forward.

It's a very pitch black night, with only a few stars in the sky to create a little top light. It's so dark, the Slavers use the creek bed to keep from getting lost. Both Speck Brothers carry a lantern up on their horse, as does Roy, the Slave in lead position on the chain gang.

It's also a bitterly cold night, with the breath of the seven slaves, two slavers, and two horses creating clouds in the air. In fact the seven chained together Slaves, with the lead one holding a lantern, and all of them chugging out smoky breath, and. slightly moving in unison, resemble a human locomotive.

The Slaves shiver from the cold on their shirtless backs, both Speck Brothers wear rawhide winter coats with white fur linings, and white fur collars.

WHEN...
*A SOUND and a SMALL LIGHT appears ahead of them on the road. This makes the Slave Traders stop their human live stock, and ready their rifles for possible trouble.*

A BLACK HORSE
*carrying a dressed in grey Rider, CLIP-CLOPS from the background to the foreground, illuminated by a glowing lantern that the Rider carries.*

THE RIDER
*appears to be a tenderfoot, due to his style of dress. A long grey
winter'coat, over a grey three piece business suit, and a grey bowler hat on his head.*

DICKY SPECK: Who's that stumblin around in the dark? State your business, or prepare to get winged!

THE RIDER: Calm yourselves gentlemen, I mean you no harm. I'm simply a fellow weary traveler.

*The Rider dressed in business grey pulls his horse to a stop in front of the two Slavers, and their Slaves, lifting the lantern up to his face. He speaks with a slight German accent.*

THE RIDER: (to the Slaves) Good, cold evening gentlemen.(To the shivering Slavers)Good evening-I'm looking for a pair of slave traders that go by the'name of The Speck Brothers. Might that be you?

ACE SPECK: Who wants to know?

THE RIDER: I do. I'm Dr. King Schultz, and this is my horse, Fritz.

*Fritz, does a little bow with his head, a neat trick the doctor taught
him.*

DICKY SPECK: You a doctor?

DR. SCHULTZ: Affirmative.

DICKY SPECK: What kinda doctor?

DR.SCHULTZ: Dentist. Are you The Speck Brothers, and did you purchase those men at The Greenville Slave Auction?

ACE SPECK: So what?

DR.SCHULTZ: So, I wish to parley with you.

ACE SPECK: Speak English!

DR.SCHULTZ: Oh, I'm sorry. Please forgive me, it is a second language. Amongst your inventory, I've been led to believe, is a specimen I'm keen to acquire. (To the slaves) Hello you poor devils, is there one among you, who was formerly a resident of The Carrucan Plantation?

*Since Roy in lead position is the one holding the lantern, the second half of the slave centipede falls off into darkness. In the darkness a-*

*VOICE rings out:*

DJANGO'S VOICE (OS): I'm from The Carrucan Plantation.

*Dr.Schultz moves Fritz forward towards the darkness, raises his
lantern, illuminating our hero Django.*

DR.SCHULTZ: Splendid! And what's your name young, man?

DJANGO: Django.

DR.SCHULTZ: Wunderbar! You're exactly the one I'm lookingfor. So tell me Django - by the way that's a amazing name - during your time at the Carrucan Plantation, did you come to know three overseers by the name of The Brittle Brothers?

*Django nods his head, yes.*
*Dr.Schultz is delighted.*

DR.SCHULTZ: Big John, Ellis, and little brother Raj?

DJANGO: Dem da Brittle Brothers.

DR.SCHULTZ: So Django, do you think you could recognize The Speck Brothers have been watching this tenderfoot engage their Slave in polite conversation...with a touch of disbelief.

ACE SPECK: Hey, stop talkin' to him like that!

DR.SCHULTZ: Like what?

ACE SPEC: Like THAT!

DR.SCHULTZ: My good man, I'm simply trying to ascertain

ACE SPECK: Speak English, goddamit!

DR.SCHULTZ: Everybody calm down! I'm simply a customer trying to conduct a transaction.

ACE SPECK: I don't care, no sale. Now off wit ya!

DR.SCHULTZ: Don't be ridiculous, of course they're for sale.

*Ace raises his rifle towards the German.*

ACE SPECK: Move it!

*Ace cocks back the rifle hammer.*

DR.SCHULTZ: My good man, did you simply get carried away with your dramatic gesture, or are you pointing that weapon at me with lethal intention...?

ACE SPECK: Last chance, fancy pants

DR.SCHULTZ: Very well -

*The doctor, throws his lantern to the ground, enveloping him in darkness.*

*The next FLASH OF LIGHT we see is the good doctors PISTOL out of his holster, and FIRING point blank into Ace Specks face...BLOWING the dumber dumb brother off his horse, dead in the dirt.*

*Before Dicky can maneuver either his rifle or his horse in the German's direction...*

BAM...
*Dr.SCHULTZ SHOOTS his HORSE in the head... The Steed goes down taking Dicky with him... When the dead weight horse lands on Dicky's slightly twisted leg, we hear TWO DISTINCT CRACKING SOUNDS... Dicky lets out a bitch like scream.*

*The Slaves watch all this.*

*They've never seen a white man kill another white man before. Dicky is pinned down under his ole paint. Django watches in the dark, the German climb down off his horse, pick up Ace's discarded lantern, and walk over to the remaining Speck.*

DR.SCHULTZ: Sorry about putting a bullet in your beast. But I didn't want you to do anything rash before you had a moment to come to your senses.

*Dr.Schultz LIGHTS the lantern, illuminating himself, as he stands overDicky's body.*

DICKY SPECK: You goddamn son of a bitch, you killed Ace!

DR.SCHULTZ: I only shot your brother, once he threatened
to shoot me. And I do believe I have:

*Counting out the slaves*

DR. SCHULTZ (CONT’D): …one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven witnesses who can attest to that fact.

DICKY SPECK: My damn legs busted!

DR.SCHULTZ: No doubt. Now, if you can keep your caterwauling down to a minimum, I'd like to finish my line of inquiry with young Django.
(TO DJANGO) As I was saying, if you were to see the Brittle Brothers again, would you recognize them?

DJANGO: Yes.

DR.SCHULTZ: Now I'm sure. to you, all unshaven white men look alike. So Django, in a crowd of unshaven white men, can you honestly and positively point out The Brittle Brothers?

DJANGO, SPAGHETTI WESTERN FLASHBACK
*We're in his little shack at the Carrucan Plantation. It's PISSING RAIN outside. Django is making love to his wife Broomhilda, when she stops letting out a shout. The three overseers known as THE BRITTLE BROTHERS are outside peeking in through the window. They BURST in through the front door. Soaked to the bone, they rodeo bull their way into the shack, and make the two slaves continue fucking for their amusement. As Django and Broomhilda are forced to copulate, they run their wet white hands down her chocolate leg…they fondle his ass...they squeeze her tit…they bring a belt across Django's backside to make him fuck faster…then they yank him off, as BIG JOHN climbs on top of Broomhilda…the other Brittle brothers whip Django with their belts, and make him sit in the corner, while they finish with his wife.*

BACK TO DJANGO

DJANGO: I can point 'em out.

DR.SCHULTZ: Sold American! So Mr.Speck, how much for Django?

DICKY SPECK: I'm gonna lose this leg!

DR.SCHULTZ: Yes, unless you find a talented physician very quickly, I'm afraid that will be the end result. But back to business, how much do you want for Django?

DICKY SPECK: You go to hell!

DR.SCHULTZ: Don't be silly. How much for Django?

DICKY SPECK: 800 dollars!

DR.SCHULTZ: Oh come now, I may not have the experience in the slave trade that you and your family does, but neither was I born yesterday.

*The good doctor removes a pamphlet from his grey suit coat pocket.*

DR.SCHULTZ: In this most helpful pamphlet that I picked up at The Greenville Slave Auction, it says that the going rate for African flesh' - in particularly a field nigger -is sixty to eighty dollars. Now handsome no doubt as Django is, technically, a field nigger. Which according to this pamphlet here – and why would they lie - puts his price at eighty dollars. So in light of that, how about a hundred and twenty five dollars for young Django here?

*Dr.Schultz removes his long billfold from his pocket, and takes out a one hundred dollar bill, two tens and a fiver.*

Dr.SCHULTZ: And since your late brother won't be using it anymore, I'd like to purchase his nag.

*He removes a twenty dollar gold piece from his. pocket, and tosses it on
Dicky's body. He bends down and, puts the paper money in the saddle bags on Dicky's dead horse. With his hands in there, he roots around and finds the keys to-the leg irons. He unlocks Django's leg irons.*

*Django is free.*

DR.SCHULTZ: There you go Django. Give your ankles a good rubbing, then get up on that horse. Also, if I was you, I'd take that winter coat the dear departed Speck left behind.

*Django removes the coat from the dead slaver. Puts on the warm jacket
over his bare back, and climbs up on Ace Specks horse.*

*Dr. Schultz turns to Dicky on the ground.*

Dr.SCHULTZ: Mr.Speck, I am afraid I will require a bill of sale. Do you have one?

*Dicky just curses him.*

*He says, removing a notebook from his pocket:*

Dr.SCHULTZ: I thought not. No worries, I come prepared. (as he writes) This will serve nicely as a bill of sale. (he stops, then says to Django) Django is spelled with a silent "D", is it not?

DJANGO: Huh?

DR.SCHULTZ: Why not…

*He writes it in his book with a silent "D", then stops to admire the
way it looks.*

DR.SCHULTZ: Yes, that does add a little character.

*The German dentist lowers himself by the Speck brother pinned down
under his horse, and hands him the notebook and pen.*

DR.SCHULTZ: If you'd be so kind Speck, as to make you mark here.

*The Hillbilly spits in the German gentleman's face. The good doctor wipes his face with a handkerchief. Then takes out a pocket knife. And whispers something that can't be heard in the slavers ear. He signs the bill of sale.*

DR.SCHULTZ: Mr. Speck, I would like to say it was a pleasure doing business with you, but your customer service leaves a lot to be desired.

*The good doctor climbs back up on Fritz, and looks to the six Slaves, in leg irons.*

DR.SCHULTZ: Now as to you poor devils-
*He tosses to Pudgy Ralph the keys to the shackles.*

DR.SCHULTZ: So as I see it, when it comes to the subject of what to do next, you gentlemen have two choices. One, once I'm gone, you lift that beast off the remaining Speck, then carry him to the nearest town. Which would be at least thirty-seven miles back the way you came. Or ... Two, you unshackle yourselves, take that rifle over there. . .put a bullet in his head, bury the two of them deep, and make your way to a more enlightened area of the country. The choice is yours. He's just about ready to ride off, when the good doctor adds;

DR.SCHULTZ: Oh, and on the off chance that there's any astronomy aficionados amongst you, the North Star is THAT ONE. Tata.

*He looks to Django, who doesn't know how to start his horse.*

DR.SCHULTZ: Just give him a little kick.

*Django does, and the horse responds by moving.*

DR.SCHULTZ:See, it's not so difficult