Life Support – Rent

MARK:

  • We begin on Christmas Eve with me, Mark, and my roommate, Roger. We live in an industrial loft on the corner of 11th Street and Avenue B, the top floor of what was once a music publishing factory. Old rock and roll

    posters hang on the walls. They have Roger’s picture advertising gigs at

    CBGB’s and the Pyramid Club. We have an illegal wood burning stove; it’s

    exhaust pipe crawls up to a skylight. All of our electrical appliances are

    plugged into one thick extension cord which snakes its way out a window.

    Outside a small tent city has sprung up in the lot next to our building. Inside

    we are freezing because we have no heat.

    (He turns the camera on Roger)

    Smile!

TUNE UP #1

MARK:

    DECEMBER 24TH, NINE PM, EASTERN STANDARD TIME

  • FROM HERE ON IN I SHOOT WITHOUT A SCRIPT

    SEE IF ANYTHING COMES OF IT INSTEAD OF MY OLD SHIT

    FIRST SHOT-ROGER, TUNING THE FENDER GUITAR

    HE HASN’T PLAYED IN A YEAR

ROGER:

    THIS WON’T TUNE

MARK:

    SO WE HEAR

  • HE’S JUST COMING BACK FROM HALF A YEAR OF WITHDRAWAL

ROGER:

    ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?

MARK:

    NOT AT ALL

  • ARE YOU READY? HOLD THAT FOCUS-STEADY

    TELL THE FOLKS AT HOME WHAT YOU’RE DOING ROGER…

ROGER:

    I’M WRITING ONE GREAT SONG–

MARK:

    The phone rings.

ROGER:

    SAVED!

MARK:

    WE SCREEN

  • ZOOM IN ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE!

VOICE MAIL #1

ROGER AND MARK’S OUTGOING MESSAGE:

    “SPEAK”…(“Beeeep!”)

MOM:

    THAT WAS A VERY LOUD BEEP

  • I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THIS IS WORKING

    MARK, MARK, ARE YOU THERE?

    ARE YOU SCREENING YOUR CALLS?

    IT’S MOM

    WE WANTED TO CALL AND SAY WE LOVE YOU

    AND WE’LL MISS YOU TOMORROW

    CINDY AND THE KIDS ARE HERE–SEND THEIR LOVE

    OH, I HOPE YOU LIKE THE HOT PLATE

    JUST DON’T LEAVE IT ON, DEAR, WHEN YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE

    OH AND MARK

    WE’RE SORRY TO HEAR THAT MAUREEN DUMPED YOU

    I SAY “C’EST LA VIE”

    SO LET HER BE A LESBIAN

    THERE ARE OTHER FISHIES IN THE SEA

    …LOVE MOM

TUNE UP #2

MARK:

    TELL THE FOLKS AT HOME WHAT YOU’RE DOING ROGER…

ROGER:

    I’M WRITING ONE GREAT SONG–

MARK:

    The phone rings.

ROGER:

    YESSS!

MARK:

    WE SCREEN

ROGER AND MARK’S ANSWERING MACHINE:

    “SPEAK”…(“Beeeep!”)

COLLINS:

    “CHESTNUTS ROASTING…”

ROGER & MARK:

    COLLINS!

COLLINS:

    I’M DOWNSTAIRS

MARK:

    HEY!

COLLINS:

    ROGER PICKED UP THE PHONE??

MARK:

    NO, IT’S ME

COLLINS:

    THROW DOWN THE KEY

MARK:

    A WILD NIGHT IS NOW PREORDAINED

COLLINS:

    I MAY BE DETAINED

MARK:

    WHAT DOES HE MEAN?

  • (The phone rings again)

    WHAT DO YOU MEAN, DETAINED?

BENNY:

    HO HO HO

MARK & ROGER:

    BENNY! SHIT

BENNY:

    DUDES, I’M ON MY WAY

MARK & ROGER:

    GREAT! FUCK

BENNY:

    I NEED THE RENT

MARK:

    WHAT RENT?

BENNY:

    THIS PAST YEAR’S RENT WHICH I LET SLIDE

MARK:

    LET SLIDE? YOU SAID WE WERE “GOLDEN”

ROGER:

    WHEN YOU BOUGHT THE BUILDING

MARK:

    WHEN WE WERE ROOMMATES

ROGER:

    REMEMBER–YOU LIVED HERE!?

BENNY:

    HOW COULD I FORGET? YOU, ME, COLLINS AND MAUREEN

  • HOW IS THE DRAMA QUEEN?

MARK:

    SHE’S PERFORMING TONIGHT

BENNY:

    I KNOW

  • STILL HER PRODUCTION MANAGER?

MARK:

    TWO DAYS AGO I WAS BUMPED

BENNY:

    YOU STILL DATING HER?

MARK:

    LAST MONTH I WAS DUMPED

ROGER:

    SHE’S IN LOVE

BENNY:

    SHE’S GOT A NEW MAN?

MARK:

    WELL–NO

BENNY:

    WHAT’S HIS NAME?

MARK & ROGER:

    JOANNE

BENNY:

    RENT, MY AMIGOS, IS DUE

  • OR I WILL HAVE TO EVICT YOU

    BE THERE IN A FEW

MARK:

    The power blows…

RENT

MARK:

    HOW DO YOU DOCUMENT REAL LIFE

  • WHEN REAL LIFE’S GETTING MORE LIKE FICTION EACH DAY?

    HEADLINES–BREAD-LINES–BLOW MY MIND

    AND NOW THIS DEADLINE “EVICTION–OR PAY”

    RENT

ROGER:

    HOW DO YOU WRITE A SONG

  • WHEN ALL THE CHORDS SOUND WRONG

    THOUGH THEY ONCE SOUNDED RIGHT AND RARE?

    WHEN THE NOTES ARE SOUR, WHERE IS THE POWER

    YOU ONCE HAD TO IGNITE THE AIR?

MARK:

    AND WE’RE HUNGRY AND FROZEN

ROGER:

    SOME LIFE THAT WE’VE CHOSEN

BOTH:

    HOW WE GONNA PAY

  • HOW WE GONNA PAY

    HOW WE GONNA PAY

    LAST YEAR’S RENT

MARK:

    WE LIGHT CANDLES

ROGER:

    HOW DO YOU START A FIRE WHEN THERE’S NOTHING TO BURN

  • AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING’S STUCK IN YOUR FLUE

MARK:

    HOW CAN YOU GENERATE HEAT WHEN YOU CAN’T FEEL YOUR FEET

BOTH:

    AND THEY’RE TURNING BLUE

MARK:

    YOU LIGHT UP A MEAN BLAZE

ROGER:

    WITH POSTERS

MARK:

    AND SCREENPLAYS

BOTH:

    HOW WE GONNA PAY

  • HOW WE GONNA PAY

    HOW WE GONNA PAY

    LAST YEAR’S RENT

JOANNE: (on phone)

    DON’T SCREEN, MAUREEN, IT’S ME –JOANNE

  • YOUR SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTION MANAGER

    HEY HEY HEY! DID YOU EAT?

    DON’T CHANGE THE SUBJECT MAUREEN

    BUT DARLING, YOU HAVEN’T EATEN ALL DAY

    YOU WON’T THROW UP

    YOU WON’T THROW UP

    THE DIGITAL DELAY DIDN’T BLOW UP (EXACTLY)

    THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE TEENY TINY SPARK

    YOU’RE NOT CALLING MARK!

COLLINS:

    HOW DO YOU STAY ON YOUR FEET WHEN ON EVERY STREET

  • IT’S “TRICK OR TREAT” AND TONIGHT IT’S “TRICK”

    “WELCOME BACK TO TOWN!”

    I SHOULD LIE DOWN

    EVERYTHING’S BROWN AND UH-OH, I FEEL SICK

MARK:

    WHERE IS HE?

COLLINS:

    GETTING DIZZY

BOTH:

    HOW WE GONNA PAY

  • HOW WE GONNA PAY

    HOW WE GONNA PAY

    LAST YEAR’S RENT

BENNY: (on cellular phone)

    ALLISON BABY–YOU SOUND SAD

  • I DON’T BELIEVE THOSE TWO AFTER EVERYTHING I’VE DONE

    EVER SINCE OUR WEDDING I’M DIRT–THEY’LL SEE

    I CAN HELP THEM ALL OUT IN THE LONG RUN

    FORCES ARE GATHERING

    FORCES ARE GATHERING

    CAN’T TURN AWAY

    FORCES ARE GATHERING

COLLINS:

    UGHHHHHH

  • UGHHHHHH

    UGHHHHHH–I CAN’T THINK

    UGHHHHHH

    UGHHHHHH

    UGHHHHHH–I NEED A DRINK

MARK:

    “THE MUSIC IGNITES THE NIGHT WITH PASSIONATE FIRE”

JOANNE:

    MAUREEN–I’M NOT A THEATRE PERSON

ROGER:

    “THE NARRATION CRACKLES AND POPS WITH INCENDIARY WIT”

JOANNE:

    COULD NEVER BE A THEATRE PERSON

MARK:

    ZOOM IN AS THEY BURN THE PAST TO THE GROUND

JOANNE:

    HELLO?

MARK & ROGER:

    AND FEEL THE HEAT OF THE FUTURE’S GLOW

JOANNE:

    HELLO?

MARK: (on phone)

    HELLO? MAUREEN? YOUR EQUIPMENT WON’T WORK?

  • OKAY, ALL RIGHT, I’LL GO!

MARK & HALF THE COMPANY:

    HOW DO YOU LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND

  • WHEN IT KEEPS FINDING WAYS TO GET TO YOUR HEART?

    IT REACHES WAY DOWN DEEP AND TEARS YOU INSIDE OUT

    TILL YOU’RE TORN APART

    RENT

ROGER & OTHER HALF OF COMPANY:

    HOW CAN YOU CONNECT IN AN AGE

  • WHERE STRANGERS, LANDLORDS, LOVERS,

    YOUR OWN BLOOD CELLS BETRAY

ALL:

    WHAT BINDS THE FABRIC TOGETHER

  • WHEN THE RAGING, SHIFTING WINDS OF CHANGE KEEP RIPPING AWAY

BENNY:

    DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND

  • AND THEN MAKE A STAND

ROGER:

    USE YOUR CAMERA TO SPAR

MARK:

    USE YOUR GUITAR

ALL:

    WHEN THEY ACT TOUGH, YOU CALL THEIR BLUFF

MARK & ROGER:

    WE’RE NOT GONNA PAY

MARK & ROGER W/ HALF THE COMPANY:

    WE’RE NOT GONNA PAY

MARK & ROGER W/ OTHER HALF OF COMPANY:

    WE’RE NOT GONNA PAY

ALL:

    LAST YEAR’S RENT

  • THIS YEAR’S RENT

    NEXT YEAR’S RENT

    RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT

    WE’RE NOT GONNA PAY RENT

MARK & ROGER:

    CAUSE EVERYTHING IS RENT

YOU OKAY, HONEY? (The street)

HOMELESS MAN:

    CHRISTMAS BELLS ARE RINGING

  • CHRISTMAS BELLS ARE RINGING

    CHRISTMAS BELLS ARE RINGING

    SOMEWHERE ELSE! NOT HERE

ANGEL:

    YOU OKAY HONEY?

COLLINS:

    I’M AFRAID SO

ANGEL:

    THEY GET ANY MONEY?

COLLINS:

    NO! HAD NONE TO GET

  • BUT THEY PURLOINED MY COAT

    WELL, YOU MISSED A SLEEVE! — THANKS

ANGEL:

    HELL, IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE

  • I’M ANGEL

COLLINS:

    ANGEL…? INDEED

  • AN ANGEL OF THE FIRST DEGREE…

    FRIENDS CALL ME COLLINS — TOM COLLINS

    NICE TREE…

ANGEL:

    LET’S GET A BAND-AID FOR YOUR KNEE

  • I’LL CHANGE, THERE’S A “LIFE SUPPORT” MEETING AT NINE THIRTY

    YES, THIS BODY PROVIDES A COMFORTABLE HOME

    FOR THE ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME

COLLINS:

    AS DOES MINE

ANGEL:

    WE’LL GET ALONG FINE

  • GET YOU A COAT, HAVE A BITE

    MAKE A NIGHT–I’M FLUSH

COLLINS:

    MY FRIENDS ARE WAITING–

ANGEL:

    YOU’RE CUTE WHEN YOU BLUSH

  • THE MORE THE MERRY– HO HO HO

    AND I DO NOT TAKE NO

TUNE UP #3 (The loft)

MARK:

    I don’t suppose you’d like to see Maureen’s show in the lot tonight?

  • Or come to dinner?

ROGER:

    Zoom in on my empty wallet.

MARK:

    Touché. Take your AZT

  • CLOSE ON ROGER

    HIS GIRLFRIEND APRIL LEFT A NOTE SAYING, “WE’VE GOT AIDS”

    BEFORE SLITTING HER WRISTS IN THE BATHROOM

    I’ll check up on you later. Change your mind. You have to get out of the house.

ONE SONG GLORY

ROGER:

    (I’M WRITING ONE GREAT SONG BEFORE…)

  • ONE SONG — GLORY

    ONE SONG — BEFORE I GO

    GLORY

    ONE SONG TO LEAVE BEHIND

    FIND ONE SONG — ONE LAST REFRAIN

    GLORY

    FROM THE PRETTY BOY FRONT MAN

    WHO WASTED OPPORTUNITY

    ONE SONG — HE HAD THE WORLD AT HIS FEET

    GLORY

    IN THE EYES OF A YOUNG GIRL

    A YOUNG GIRL

    FIND GLORY

    BEYOND THE CHEAP COLORED LIGHTS

    ONE SONG — BEFORE THE SUN SETS

    GLORY — ON ANOTHER EMPTY LIFE

    TIME FLIES — TIME DIES

    GLORY

    ONE BLAZE OF GLORY

    ONE BLAZE OF GLORY — GLORY

    FIND GLORY

    IN A SONG THAT RINGS TRUE

    TRUTH LIKE A BLAZING FIRE

    AN ETERNAL FLAME

    FIND ONE SONG — A SONG ABOUT LOVE

    GLORY

    FROM THE SOUL OF A YOUNG MAN

    A YOUNG MAN

    FIND THE ONE SONG — BEFORE THE VIRUS TAKES HOLD

    GLORY

    LIKE A SUNSET

    ONE SONG — TO REDEEM THIS EMPTY LIFE

    TIME FLIES

    AND THEN — NO NEED TO ENDURE ANYMORE

    TIME DIES

    (A knock at the door)

    The door.

LIGHT MY CANDLE

ROGER:

    WHAT’D YOU FORGET?

MIMI:

    GOT A LIGHT?

ROGER:

    I KNOW YOU? — YOU’RE…YOU’RE SHIVERING

MIMI:

    IT’S NOTHING — THEY TURNED OFF MY HEAT

  • AND I’M JUST A LITTLE WEAK ON MY FEET

    WOULD YOU LIGHT MY CANDLE?

    WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?

ROGER:

    NOTHING

  • YOUR HAIR IN THE MOONLIGHT

    YOU LOOK FAMILIAR

    CAN YOU MAKE IT?

MIMI:

    JUST HAVEN’T EATEN MUCH TODAY

  • AT LEAST THE ROOM STOPPED SPINNING ANYWAY. WHAT?

ROGER:

    NOTHING

  • YOUR SMILE REMINDED ME OF…

MIMI:

    I ALWAYS REMIND PEOPLE OF — WHO IS SHE?

ROGER:

    SHE DIED. HER NAME WAS APRIL

MIMI:

    IT’S OUT AGAIN

  • SORRY ABOUT YOUR FRIEND

    WOULD YOU LIGHT MY CANDLE?

ROGER:

    WELL…

MIMI:

    YEAH. OW!

ROGER:

    OH, THE WAX. IT’S…

MIMI:

    …DRIPPING. I LIKE IT, BETWEEN MY…

ROGER:

    …FINGERS. I FIGURED…

  • OH, WELL. GOOD NIGHT.

    (Mimi exits, then knocks again)

    IT BLEW OUT AGAIN?

MIMI:

    NO — I THINK THAT I DROPPED MY STASH

ROGER:

    I KNOW I’VE SEEN YOU OUT AND ABOUT

  • WHEN I USED TO GO OUT

    YOUR CANDLE’S OUT

MIMI:

    I’M ILLIN’ — I HAD IT WHEN I WALKED IN THE DOOR

  • IT WAS PURE — IS IT ON THE FLOOR?

ROGER:

    THE FLOOR?

MIMI:

    THEY SAY THAT I HAVE THE BEST ASS BELOW 14TH STREET — IS IT TRUE?

ROGER:

    WHAT?

MIMI:

    YOU’RE STARING AGAIN

ROGER:

    OH NO. I MEAN YOU DO — HAVE A NICE… I MEAN…

  • YOU LOOK FAMILIAR

MIMI:

    LIKE YOUR DEAD GIRLFRIEND?

ROGER:

    ONLY WHEN YOU SMILE

  • BUT I’M SURE I’VE SEEN YOU SOMEWHERE ELSE…

MIMI:

    DO YOU GO TO THE CAT SCRATCH CLUB?

  • THAT’S WHERE I WORK — I DANCE — HELP ME LOOK!

ROGER:

    YES! THEY USED TO TIE YOU UP

MIMI:

    IT’S A LIVING

ROGER:

    I DIDN’T RECOGNIZE YOU WITHOUT THE HANDCUFFS

MIMI:

    WE COULD LIGHT THE CANDLE

  • OH WON’T YOU LIGHT THE CANDLE

ROGER:

    WHY DON’T YOU FORGET THAT STUFF?

  • YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’RE SIXTEEN

MIMI:

    I’M NINETEEN — BUT I’M OLD FOR MY AGE

  • I’M JUST BORN TO BE BAD

ROGER:

    I ONCE WAS BORN TO BE BAD

  • I USED TO SHIVER LIKE THAT

MIMI:

    I HAVE NO HEAT — I TOLD YOU

ROGER:

    I USED TO SWEAT

MIMI:

    I GOT A COLD

ROGER:

    UH-HUH

  • I USED TO BE A JUNKIE

MIMI:

    BUT NOW AND THEN I LIKE TO…

ROGER:

    UH HUH

MIMI:

    FEEL GOOD

ROGER:

    HERE IT — UM —

MIMI:

    WHAT’S THAT?

ROGER:

    IT’S A CANDY BAR WRAPPER

MIMI:

    WE COULD LIGHT THE CANDLE

  • WHAT’D YOU DO WITH MY CANDLE?

ROGER:

    THAT WAS MY LAST MATCH

MIMI:

    OUR EYES’LL ADJUST. THANK GOD FOR THE MOON

ROGER:

    MAYBE IT’S NOT THE MOON AT ALL

  • I HEAR SPIKE LEE’S SHOOTING DOWN THE STREET

MIMI:

    BAH HUMBUG — BAH HUMBUG

ROGER:

    COLD HANDS

MIMI:

    YOURS TOO

  • BIG, LIKE MY FATHER’S

    YOU WANNA DANCE?

ROGER:

    WITH YOU?

MIMI:

    NO — WITH MY FATHER

ROGER:

    I’M ROGER

MIMI:

    THEY CALL ME

  • THEY CALL ME MIMI

VOICE MAIL #2

MAUREEN:

    Hi. You’ve reached Maureen and Joanne. Leave a message and don’t forget

    “Over the Moon” — my performance, protesting the eviction of the Homeless

    (and artists) from the Eleventh Street Lot. Tonight at midnight in the lot between

    A and B. Party at Life Café to follow. (BEEP)

MR. JEFFERSON:

    WELL, JOANNE, WE’RE OFF. I TRIED YOU AT THE OFFICE

  • AND THEY SAID YOU’RE STAGE MANAGING OR SOMETHING

MRS. JEFFERSON:

    REMIND HER THAT THOSE UNWED MOTHERS IN HARLEM

  • NEED HER LEGAL HELP TOO

MR. JEFFERSON:

    CALL DAISY FOR OUR ITINERARY OR ALFRED AT POUND RIDGE

  • OR EILEEN AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT IN A PINCH

    WE’LL BE AT THE SPA FOR NEW YEAR’S

    UNLESS THE SENATOR CHANGES HIS MIND

MRS. JEFFERSON:

    THE HEARINGS

MR. JEFFERSON:

    OH YES — KITTEN

  • MUMMY’S CONFIRMATION HEARING BEGINS ON THE TENTH

    WE’LL NEED YOU — ALONE — BY THE SIXTH

MRS. JEFFERSON:

    HAROLD!

MR. JEFFERSON:

    YOU HEAR THAT?

  • IT’S THREE WEEKS AWAY AND SHE’S ALREADY NERVOUS

MRS. JEFFERSON:

    I AM NOT!

MR. JEFFERSON:

    FOR MUMMY’S SAKE KITTEN

  • NO DOC MARTENS THIS TIME AND AND WEAR A DRESS…

    OH, AND KITTEN — HAVE A MERRY…

MRS. JEFFERSON:

    AND A BRA!!

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