PROTRUDING BELLY. The Duchess is also there with her pig baby.
Whereas the moat was horrific, this sight is bizarre, even
grotesque-
The Queen swings her pink mallet. There’s the small
cry again.
Alice looks around, unsure of the source. The Queen’s ball
rolls a few feet in Alice’s direction. It lays, furry and
gasping, in the grass. Alice realizes that the ball is a small
animal, a HEDGEHOG tied by its four legs into an awkward ball.
Its fur is matted and filthy, its face buried in the grass.
THWACK! The hedgehog cries out as its hit by the mallet again
which Alice sees is a miserable FLAMINGO tied by its feet. The
hedgehog rolls directly toward Alice’s hiding place and stops.
The two make direct eye contact. But there is no hope in its
eyes, only pain and the expectation of more to come. Alice
steps out and attempts to untie it. It cries again, trembling
with terror.
ALICE
Shhh. I want to help you.
She works at the encrusted knot.
RED QUEEN (0.5.)
Where’s it gone to? Who stole
my ball? Pagel Where’s he
gone to? PAGE! My ball!
Alice manages to work the knot free. The hedgehog staggers to
its feet, staring mutely at her before it stumbles into the
foliage. She turns to see two large white furry feet. Her gaze
travels up…
…to the White Rabbit, dressed in court page attire. He blinks
at her.
WHITE RABBIT
Oh dear.
RED QUEEN
Have you found it?
His eyes dart nervously in her direction.
WHITE RABBIT
Looking, Majesty!
RED QUEEN
I’m not a patient monarchl
WHITE RABBIT
It must have rolled into the
bushes I
He pretends to look in the bushes, beckoning Alice.
IN THE BUSHES
He looks down at Tiny Alice.
WHITE RABBIT
Why are you the size of a
gerbil?
ALICE
Why are you working for the
Red Queen?
WHITE RABBIT
I most certainly am not.
ALICE
(accusing)
Then why did you leave in such
a convenient hurry just before
the Bandersnatch arrived. You
knew what was coming.
WHITE RABBIT
I never did.
ALICE
You did!
WHITE RABBIT
My! Haven’t we become the
the suspicious one?
ALICE
And there’s something else.
She beckons him closer. He bends down to her level. She hits
him. Even at her size, it’s a solid punch which knocks him
down.
ALICE (cont.)
That’s for dragging me down
here against my will!
WHITE RABBIT
(sulky)
I’m beginning to think you’re
not the right Alice, after all.
Now there’s going to be a bruise.
Is there?
He shows her his chin. She looks, indulging him.
ALICE
No.
RED QUEEN
PAGE 1
WHITE RABBIT
Still looking, Majestyl
(to Alice)
What are we going to do with
you? Wait, I might have some
upelkuchen left.
He digs in his garments and comes up with some of the cake she
ate to grow larger.
WHITE RABBIT (cont.)
Take a nibble.
She shakes her head, suspicious still.
ALICE
Not likely.
WHITE RABBIT
You must trust me. I’m loyal to
the White Queen.
ALICE
(still skeptical)
So you say.
WHITE RABBIT
The Red Queen set the Jubjub
Bird on my nieces and nephews…
for sport.
(angrily)
Downa] wyth Bluddy Behg Hid.
Hearing the now-familiar Outlandish, Alice takes the
upelkuchen. She has a nibble.
WHITE RABBIT (cont.)
When you meet the Queen…don’t
mention anything about her head.
ALICE
I didn’t come to meet the Queen.
I came to rescue the Hatter. Mmm.
I hadn’t realized how hungry I am.
WHITE RABBIT
Not all of it!
Too late. She’s downed all the cake. WHOOSH! Alice suddenly
shoots upward, growing at a tremendous pace. Buttons fly off
her torn garments, seams strain and give way.
WHITE RABBIT (cont.)
Oh no, stop, don’t do that!
She grows and keeps growing out of the shreds of her remaining
clothes until she bursts through the bushes…stark raving nude.
EXT. THE GREAT LAWN – DAY – CONT.
Alice finds herself looking at the Red Queen and her
courtiers. Fortunately, the tall bushes hide all but her head
and shoulders. Everyone stares at her in stunned silence.
RED QUEEN
And WHAT is this?
The White Rabbit emerges, improvizing like mad.
WHITE RABBIT
It’s a “who”, Majesty. This is…uh
um…
RED QUEEN
Urn?
WHITE RABBIT
From Urnbradge.
RED QUEEN
Uum from tJmbradge.
ALICE
Yes, your Majesty.
RED QUEEN
What happened to your garments?
ALICE
I outgrew them. I’ve been growing
very fast lately. Now I tower over
everyone in Umbradge. And so I
came here, hoping you will grant
me a place in your court.
RED QUEEN
My dear girl. Anyone with a
head that large is welcome here!
The courtiers with their equally out-size body parts laugh.
RED QUEEN (cont.)
SOMEONE FIND HER SOME CLOTHES!
USE THE DRAPERIES IF YOU MUST
BUT CLOTHE THIS ENORMOUS GIRL!
She smiles up at Alice.
RED QUEEN (cont.)
You’ll be my new favorite.
The Courtiers exchange nervous, competitive glances,
especially the LADY with the very long ears.
CUT TO:
INT. THE QUEEN’S CASTLE – THE GREAT HALL
Big Alice, clothed in a hastily constructed garments, walks
next to the Queen as she proceeds down the great hall which is
filled with more Courtiers. Like the others, each Courtiers
has an outsized body part: chins (double, triple, quadruple),
derrieres, lips, feet, breasts, etc. Their appendages seem
oddly disproportional and they allwear strained, forced
smiles as if this thin veneer of elegance covers some greater
pain.
Along with the Footfrogs, DUCKS serve as waiters, their beaks
bound tightly and used as serving platters for drinks and
tidbits. Alice is shocked to see the DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS
among them. At the sight of her, his eyes indicate his
recognition, but his beak is tied shut. MONKEYS hold up tables
and chairs with their arms and heads. GUINEA PIGS serve as
doorstops, some piled one on top of the other. Exhausted BIRDS
hover, flapping their wings to stay aloft with lamps hung from
their beaks. There are humans too, thin, bedraggled SCULLERY
MAIDS and FLOOR SWEEPERS. There is a pervasive sense of the
bizarre and grotesque in the Red Queens’ court and everyone
seems to be suffering, animal and human.
RED QUEEN
We’ll take tea in the parlor.
She goes into the parlor followed by Alice and the Rabbit.
Alice has to duck to fit through. The whole court attempts to
follow, led by LADY LONG-EARS. The Queen turns on them.
RED QUEEN (cont.)
Just me and my new favorite.
She kicks the guinea pig doorstop away and the door closes in
their faces. LADY LONG-EARS is very upset by the rejection.
INT. THE PARLOR – DAY – CONT.
