Bambi: Evolution

BAMBI: EVOLUTION FIRST DRAFT SCREENPLAY

Things are about to get really, really f**king violent.

ACT 1. FADE IN. TRANQUIL FOREST CLEARING. MORNING. NARRATOR (V.O) The Woodland Kingdom. Home to the hundreds of forest creatures who live in peace and harmony with mother nature. A gentle folk, whose only desire was to live the easy life, bask in the sun, and collect enough supplies for Autumn. But Autumn was far from the minds of the two friends who found themselves by the old watering-hole one summer’s day, and little did they know, but they were about to embark on an adventure greater than anything the forest had ever seen before... THUMPER and FLOWER sit by a woodland pool, basking in the first golden rays of summer. Butterflies dance over the still water. Birds tweet and flit between the branches of the tree overlooking the clearing and THUMPER snores gently on his back while FLOWER makes a daisy chain. FLOWER I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to be a low-level member of the food-chain. THUMPER snoozes. FLOWER begins to hum to himself. Yet something populated the naïve humming FLOWER ceases source of the

is wrong: one by one, the sounds that have so far peaceful scene die out until only the sound of FLOWER’s remains. Suddenly, becoming aware of the silence, humming and stares into the trees looking for the disruption.

Silence. FLOWER (Whispering) Thumper. Snores, no response. FLOWER Thumper, wake up! FLOWER hits at THUMPER in frustration. THUMPER wakes. THUMPER What is it, Flower? FLOWER The forest, Thumper... can’t you hear it? THUMPER I don’t hear anything. FLOWER I know, don’t you think that’s a little strange? THUMPER doesn’t respond but instead rises, and paces round the edge of the pool toward the bank of thick trees on the other side. The little rabbit gazes intently into the gloom of the forest. FLOWER What is it? THUMPER shushes him impatiently and resumes his intense gaze into the now deathly-still forest wall.

A screech shatters the silence, a deer bursts from the trees in an explosion of leaves and branches. It leaps over THUMPER’s head before landing noisily in the shallow pool. THUMPER What the hell-?! Another screech from the trees, different this time; alien-sounding and menacing, much higher than the deer’s. It is followed by a low, reptilian growl and then something else bursts from the cover of the trees, landing heavily in the pool alongside the stricken deer. FLOWER shrieks girlishly, scampering backwards. THUMPER turns and gasps in horror. A VELOCIRAPTOR stands before them, crouched and threatening, its claws and teeth bared at the terror-frozen deer. THUMPER Sweet Jesus! THE VELOCIRAPTOR circles its prey for a moment and then, with appalling speed, lunges forward, sinking claws into the deer which slice easily through skin and muscle. The deer lets out a horrible wail, and then stands for a second before a rent opens in its underbelly and its intestines, heart, liver, lungs and kidneys, in that order, drop from the tear. The hollowed-out deer topples sideways into the pool. The RAPTOR turns to face THUMPER. THUMPER Flower get away, climb the tree! FLOWER hesitates and then scampers towards the tree. THE RAPTOR jumps at THUMPER, who leaps nimbly to the side, the RAPTOR crashing onto empty ground. FLOWER Thumper! THUMPER Get up that tree! The RAPTOR leaps again, claws flashing in the sun. This time THUMPER is not quick enough. Claws tear into his leg, and he screams in pain. The RAPTOR squeals an alien scream of triumph and slashes again, catching THUMPER’s ear and slicing off the tip. THUMPER grunts in pain, but retains his balance. THUMPER Now I’m angry. THUMPER flies at the RAPTOR, and lands squarely on its head. THE RAPTOR shrieks and lashes its neck in every direction, trying to dislodge the brave little rabbit. THUMPER clings on for dear life. THUMPER EYE don’t think so! THUMPER bares his claws and begins ripping at the RAPTOR’s eyes, cutting them to wet ribbons above the squeals of the enraged monster. Finally THUMPER is thrown loose. The RAPTOR thrashes on the ground, legs kicking and clawing in the dust, bloody trails streaming from the ruined sockets of its eyes. THUMPER lies gasping on the ground, blood from various cuts seeping into his fur.

FLOWER (pointing to the thrashing monster) Thumper do something! Grunting, THUMPER gets to his feet and picks a huge rock from the ground. He approaches the stricken RAPTOR cautiously. FLOWER Be careful Thumper! THUMPER inches forward. Raising the rock over his head, carefully avoiding the lashing claws and snapping teeth. THUMPER Go back to the stone-age. THUMPER smashes the rock down onto the RAPTOR’s head, pulverising it bloodily. The RAPTOR thrashes for a few more seconds, then is still. Blood seeps heavily from beneath THUMPER’s murder-rock, pooling at the exhausted rabbit’s feet before trickling into the once pure forest pool - turning it into a crimson parody of its idyllic formerself. THUMPER turns to FLOWER. THUMPER Turns out you can get blood from a stone. FLOWER looks out over the forest, the calm, summer tranquillity shattered, the skies grey and foreboding. FLOWER A storm is coming. THUMPER staggers over neck. It is wearing a technological-looking blood, is the logo of

to the dead RAPTOR and looks closely at its collar. He crouches and inspects the collar; unmistakeable through stains of smeared the forest’s most hated enemy; VEALCORP.

THUMPER May God help us all. We must warn King Bambi.

EXT. THE MOUTH OF AN ENORMOUS CAVE. AFTERNOON. Hundreds of cute forest-animals stand at the mouth of the cave staring up at the animal poised on a large rock in the middle of the entrance. It is the FOREST KING, KING BAMBI THE DESTROYER, hero to the forest-folk he rules. A patchwork of scars criss-cross his features and, for a deer, he’s pretty ripped. He casts an eye over his assembled subjects. BAMBI My friends, I have grave news. It saddens me to have to tell you thisJACKDAW Worse than the time Mr Owl got stuck in his own hollow-tree? BAMBI (Sighing) Yes. RACCOON Worse... worse than the time the beehive almost fell on Rabbit’s head?

BAMBI Yes, worse than the beehive thing. DOORMOUSE Worse than the time an acorn got stuck in Squirrel’s nostril and we had to spend hours finding the right sort of twig to pry it out? BAMBI Yes, worse even than the acorn/nostril thing. A threat so great that it eclipses even that time when Mr Fox stole all the elderberries from the bushes and hid them around the forest. Against this new threat, those things are probably just going to seem... slightly annoying. A collective gasp rolls over the crowd. Some animals visibly shake in fear while others defecate involuntarily. BAMBI An army of vicious, genetically-engineered dinosaurs has entered the forest. They are under the control of our old enemy, Vealcorp. Many of you may think Vealcorp is just a myth. Some of you are too young to have experienced the horrors this organisation perpetrates against woodland critters. But I stand witness to their terror; they murdered my parents and I did battle with them once before. I thought I had dealt with the problem. I was wrong. JACKDAW What are we to do? BAMBI What we woodland pals do best, Jackdaw: we fight. RABBIT But this is Vealcorp! They have weapons! Technology beyond any of us! BAMBI No one said it would be easy, Rabbit. We all knew the time would come when we would have to earn this woodland glade. Earn it with the flesh and blood of all of our woodland pals. RABBIT But, they’ve got dinosaurs! All we have is our cute paws! BAMBI casts a stern eye over the assembled animal chums. BAMBI Then I guess we’re all about to find out what survival of the fittest really means.

ACT 2. EXT. VEALCORP CAMP, AT THE PERIMETER OF THE FOREST. MIDDAY. BAMBI, THUMPER and FLOWER sneak stealthily through the undergrowth until they find a position from which they can spy on the assembled army. Amongst the tents and huts are cages containing vicious-looking RAPTORS, each with electrified control-collars fastened around their necks. Occasionally an unruly RAPTOR receives a sharp shock from its collar, whenever it strays out of line. BAMBI This is the third-weirdest thing that has ever happened in this forest. THUMPER Yeah, it’s getting a little tired, don’t you think? FLOWER And, don’t you think it’s strange that all our adventures conform so readily into a sort of ‘three-act structure’... BAMBI and THUMPER look at him. FLOWER You know, first something really strange happens, like dinosaurs or whatever, and we establish that there’s a problem in the forest. Second, we three all go off to try and do something about it leading to a relatively boring period where there’s lots of talking, and explaining, lots of expository thingsBAMBI Like how we travelled here using the secret network of underground woodland tunnels because of the danger posed by the Raptors patrolling the woods? FLOWER -yeah, like that. And then finally there’s a predictable but admittedly exciting period, where we kinda sort everything out, for better or worse. Normally there’s an explosion and quite a few people die. The last two times it involved robots. I’m just saying, it’s interesting that’s how things go down. THUMPER pulls on a pair of sunglasses. THUMPER That’s just how we roll. BAMBI We ride together; we die together. FLOWER shrugs ambivalently. BAMBI We need to get closer. THUMPER But how? We can’t get anywhere near the compound without being spotted? BAMBI Or can we...? THUMPER and FLOWER look at BAMBI curiously. Several silent moments pass. THUMPER Well, no, that was my point; I think it’ll be difficult.

There is another uncomfortable period of silence. BAMBI stares into space and THUMPER and FLOWER avoid each other’s gaze. Suddenly FLOWER jumps up. FLOWER Hold on a second! I think I’ve got just the thing to confuse those dim-witted, knuckleheaded, nincompoops down there...! CUT TO: EXT. VEALCORP COMPOUND. MIDDAY. Wearing an oversized trenchcoat, hat and dark glasses, and balanced on each other’s shoulders, Thumper on top, the three pals totter unsteadily towards the VEALCORP guardhouse. The guards see through the disguise almost immediately, and before THUMPER has chance to squeal, pull the woodland chums to ground, kicking and beating them savagely with batons and rifle butts. Beaten senseless, the three friends are dragged to a VEALCORP holding cell and fitted with electrified collars. Hours pass. Finally the door to the cell creaks open and a menacing but familiar figure steps in. BAMBI’s eyes widen. BAMBI You! But how...? The figure resembles none other than the FACELESS HUNTER! He wears a white labcoat and spectacles, apart from that he is identical to the man BAMBI shot with a tomahawk missile all those years ago. FACELESS HUNTER You are right to be confused, Forest King. For I am not the same man with whom you did battle all those years ago! BAMBI What? FACELESS HUNTER The man you so readily destroyed was my brother! He was so shortsighted, so blinded by power. He believed he could rule the meatindustry with little more than physical power and an army of highlytrained ninjas! The Fool! The arrogant, naïve fool! THUMPER blinks and rubs his eyes in disbelief. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER But not I. I chose to dedicate myself to science, through knowledge I will rule the meat-industry. Ninjas can only take you so far in the cutthroat world of meattrading, my brother never understood that. If you truly want to rule, the only way is to develop an army of genetically-engineered, cyborg dinosaurs! FLOWER Of course! You truly are a monster. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER Yes! Ostensibly I’m the same person as my brother but with a slightly different methodology to what is effectively the same motivation! BAMBI The woodland creatures will fight back!

FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER No-one can stand against my army of dinosaurs. I will enslave the animals and turn the entire forest into the largest meat-factory the world has ever seen! BAMBI You’re sick! FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER Yes, I am. I’m even going to sell Hedgehog meat! BAMBI hurls himself at the FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER who presses a button on a hidden control sending an electric shock through BAMBI’s collar! BAMBI drops to the floor convulsing in pain. THUMPER You bastard! FLOWER I’ll kill you! The FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER laughs, wielding the control threateningly. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER That really is shocking behaviour from you cute woodland critters. The electricity around BAMBI’s collar dies away. BAMBI gets up, coughing and spitting. BAMBI This isn’t over ‘Hunter! FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER I quite agree, Forest King, I wouldn’t let such a valuable set of prisoners go to waste... seize them! VEALCORP GUARDS march forward and seize the woodland companions before dragging them out of the room to the sound of the FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER’s manic laughter. EXT. VEALCORP GLADIATORIAL ARENA. EVENING. Their collars removed, BAMBI, THUMPER and FLOWER stand alone in the middle of a huge amphitheatre. They each clasp hefty looking swords. Surrounding them, the stands are filled with hundreds of off-duty VEALCORP employees each cheering wildly at the prospect of the bloody spectacle to come. The FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER stands on a podium. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER Welcome friends! Today we will witness the destruction of our most hated enemy, the Forest King, Bambi! Ecstatic cheering erupts from the stands. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER Bambi! I’m sure you will provide us with some interesting sport, my only request of you is that you do not die quickly! BAMBI The time for honouring yourself will soon be at an end, ‘Hunter. The FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER scowls in anger.

FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER When you are no more, Vealcorp will march on your precious forest and raze it to the ground! Let the entertainment begin! Another cheer erupts and at one side of the arena a huge iron gate lifts. From it emerges a gigantic, snarling TYRANOSAURUS REX! The TREX thunders into the arena, bellowing a deep reptilian roar. BAMBI Thumper, Flower freeze! THUMPER What?! BAMBI T-Rex’s vision is based on movement; if we stay still he can’t see us! The three friends stay still on the spot. The ground shakes as the lizard stomps over to them... and stops, peering down quizzically at the three motionless shapes. The frenzied crowd roar in anticipation. FLOWER It’s working. The T-REX shifts position, bringing a massive, three-metre long foot down on flower, squashing the skunk beneath it with a sound like dry leaves crunching underfoot. FLOWER Aaaargh! BAMBI Flower, stay still! FLOWER is pinned grotesquely under the T-REX’s foot, arms and legs poking out at horrible angles. FLOWER Oh god! I think every bone in my body is broken! BAMBI Don’t move! FLOWER My spine is scraping against my knees! BAMBI Just a little longer, old friend! FLOWER It feels like my lungs are going to force themselves out of my nostrils! With another wet, cracking sound, and cries of dismay from the crowd, the T-REX begins to move on, but FLOWER remains stuck to the underside of the dinosaur’s foot and is lifted, squealing, up into the air with the beast’s every step, then ground back into the dust as the foot descends. Eventually the T-REX realises it has something stuck to its foot and ambles over to the wall of the amphitheatre where it begins to scrape off the twitching mess. BAMBI Now’s our chance!

BAMBI and THUMPER rush over to the distracted dinosaur and clamber up its tail. They scamper up its back to its head where they both raise their swords, each hovering above a reptilian eye-socket. BAMBI thrusts his sword deep into the creature’s eye – the crowd roar in outrage. A fountain of blood squirts horribly up at him and the TREX utters a terrible scream! BAMBI What do you call a dinosaur with one eye?! The T-REX rears back violently and the two friends cling on for dear life. THUMPER Dythinkhesaurus? THUMPER plunges his sword into the T-REX’s one remaining eye, eliciting another cream of agony from the tormented beast. BAMBI Nope! The VEALCORP crowd roar in anger. The T-REX swings its head, blinded by pain, and careens wildly into the stand, sending VELACORP GUARDS flying through the air and dislodging the stricken FLOWER. BAMBI and THUMPER cling desperately to the creature’s head as it begins to stagger left and right, smashing into the stands, crumbling stone work and flattening huge sections of the arena. Picking their moment, THUMPER and BAMBI leap from the T-REX and land heavily in the chaotic arena. FLOWER is at their feet. The poor skunk is almost completely flattened. BAMBI Hold on Flower! FLOWER (Fighting for breath) Not this time Bambi, this is where I punch out. THUMPER That’s crazy talk! Don’t you die on us! FLOWER (Coughs) I’d always hoped I’d go out fighting, Bambi, side by side with you, like old times. I just... I never thought it’d be stuck to the underside of a Tyrannosaurus’ foot with my brains dripping out of my ears... FLOWER coughs again. BAMBI There’s no better way to go, old friend. FLOWER Promise... promise me one thing, Bambi. BAMBI What is it, Flower? FLOWER Bury me in the forest, near the stream where the butterflies dance amongst the foxgloves... bury me with dignity... d’you think you can do that for me? BAMBI I swear it.

FLOWER smiles, a single tear rolls down his cheek, and he turns his face to the sky. He moves no more. THUMPER is sobbing. BAMBI I swear it. BAMBI rolls the flattened skunk up into a neat package and shoves him into his pocket. BAMBI Let’s get out of here, while we still can! The deer and the rabbit sprint from the crumbling arena, as masonry falls all around them.

ACT 3. EXT. FOREST. MORNING. Amidst the trees, BAMBI stands at the front of an army of woodland creatures; foxes, squirrels, mice, birds, bears - every species has turned out. Across from them, beyond the tree line, are the assembled forces of VEALCORP; hundreds of troops armed with machine guns, rocket-launchers and grenades and accompanied by dozens of trained dinosaurs. The woodland folk are not defenceless; they carry pointy-looking sticks, pebbles and hundreds of rounds of acorns and chestnuts. BAMBI makes his way up the line, riding a bear. BAMBI I stand before you today, on the eve of what will be the biggest battle ever fought by animal-kind. ‘Animal-kind’... that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty-differences anymore; like ‘who-ate-who’, or ‘who’s-urine-is-that-in-my-territory?’... We must be united in our common-interest. For today we fight, not against tyranny or oppression, but against annihilation. The animals watch him in awestruck silence. BAMBI Perhaps it’s fate that we’re facing an army of geneticallyengineered, cyborg dinosaurs... These creatures had their time, and mother-nature decided it was up, and if there’s one thing I’ve learnt about mother-nature it is that you do not fuck with her! BAMBI’s bear-mount roars as if in response. BAMBI And yet here they are, top of the food chain again and it’s up to us to send them back down. It’s time to finish the job that evolution started all those years ago. BAMBI stops, gazing into the eyes of his soldiers. BAMBI It’s time to get really, really fucking violent. The woodland army cheers ecstatically, whooping and howling in exhilaration. A low blast from a horn sounds over the VEALCORP line and, as-one, the VEALCORP army begins to advance. THUMPER at his side, BAMBI takes up position within the ranks of the woodland army. The VEALCORP forces halt before the treeline. For several moments there is only silence. The animals wait nervously for something to happen. Suddenly another horn-blast sounds from the VEALCORP lines and the dinosaurs charge! RAPTORS sprint for the trees, backed-up by angry Triceratops and other cool dinosaurs, like Pachycephalosaurus and a couple of Brachiosaurus - which are massive, by the way. BAMBI Hold the line! The dinosaurs close in, the ground shakes with the thunder of their advance. The squirrel-contingent of the army begins to look at each other nervously; the dinosaurs are significantly bigger than them.

BAMBI Steady... steady... The dinosaurs reach the trees and begin to shriek in triumph. BAMBI Now! The woodland army unleash volley after volley of ripe chestnuts, which strike the dinosaur frontline with embarrassing ineffectiveness. HEDGEHOG Our nut-and-berry ammunition is ineffective! They must have some sort of deflector shield! The first line of RAPTORS charge through the hail of nuts and berries and break towards the animal’s frontline... battle is joined. BAMBI and THUMPER duck and dodge through the mass of entangled, fighting bodies. Everywhere they look, the horror of war prevails; a gang of RAPTORS surround a FIELDMOUSE and, although the brave creature squeaks defiantly, the RAPTORS tear the MOUSE to scarlet ribbons with their teeth. A family of SQUIRRELS swarm and bring down a TRICERATOPS while elsewhere, SPARROWS, against all reason, suicide-bomb a BRACHIOSAUR; the tiny birds exploding in puffs of feathers and entrails against the massive creature’s neck. Explosion from VEALCORP artillery churn the ground into a cauldron of blood and death. The loss of life is breathtaking and only occasionally amusing. Amidst the chaos and explosions, BAMBI and THUMPER duck and weave, stopping only to assist in some pocket of mortal combat or to avoid the debris from an earth-shattering explosion. BAMBI Thumper, watch out! A RAPTOR leaps through the smoke and bundles THUMPER to the ground. The rabbit is on his feet in seconds, sizing up to the creature. THUMPER Keep going! Find the ‘Hunter, I can look after myself! BAMBI hesitates for a second and then sprints off into the melee. The RAPTOR leaps at THUMPER slashing the rabbit’s chest, THUMPER screams in pain and aims a kick at the RAPTOR’s head; it screams and launches itself at THUMPER again. The two roll through the dirt and blood and mud, kicking and clawing, trying to find an advantage. They tumble into a pile of dead animals, lizard and mammal alike and fight ceaselessly through the bloody carnage until RAPTOR and rabbit collapse against the corpse of a dead RAPTOR. But the RAPTOR has pinned THUMPER with its razor sharp claws and widens its jaws to open the rabbit’s throat. THUMPER glances up and seizes on a lifeline. Reaching up to the carcass, he grasps a lifeless, clawed-foot, and with lightning speed, whips it across the RAPTOR’s exposed stomach.

The RAPTOR squeals in pain, as the wound opens up horribly and entrails begin to spill out over THUMPER... yet the RAPTOR doesn’t die, and rears for a killing blow on the rabbit. Thinking quickly THUMPER grabs a handful of bloody, still-warm intestinal coil and throws it around the RAPTOR’s neck. THUMPER I never knew you had it in you! Pulling the intestines tight, THUMPER throttles the creature. The RAPTOR begins to thrash violently, gurgling and gasping, intestinal blood spattering the two fighters as the dinosaur is strangled with its own innards. After an eternity, the RAPTOR shudders and falls limp. THUMPER Well I’m glad one of us had the stomach for it. THUMPER throws down the bloody entrails and collapses in exhaustion. EXT. BATTLEFIELD. DAY. With the battle for the forest raging around him, BAMBI spots the FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER riding a BRACHIOSAUR, high above the battlefield. Dodging a RAPTOR, BAMBI lowers his head and sprints through a throng of fighting woodlanders and VEALCORP troops. Jumping high into the air, BAMBI lands on the BRACHIOSAUR’s moving leg and scrambles up deftly. He swings himself onto the massive creatures back, and alights on the control platform the FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER has attached to the dinosaur’s wide shoulders; a technological hub, with lots of complicated machinery used to control the dinosaurs. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER You! BAMBI You always knew it would come to this. The FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER surveys the battle. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER You are just like my brother, so short-sighted. This is the future Bambi! Genetically engineered cyborgs are not just going to go away, they’re part of the world! BAMBI And what of the woodland folk? What happens to us? FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER The woodland pals are the past, Bambi. Just another pothole in the evolutionary highway! BAMBI You’re insane. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER Very. BAMBI rushes the HUNTER. They crash together and bounce into the equipment on the control platform. The combat is vicious, both fighters trading nasty-looking blows; BAMBI fights with his hindlegs, kicking the HUNTER in the face, rapidly. The HUNTER reaches for a device, and punches a button. PTERODACTYLS swoop from the sky, without warning, their control collars blinking. They dive-bomb BAMBI who ducks, but not fast

enough. Serrated teeth tear at his fur and leave bloody tracks across his back. BAMBI staggers backwards until another PTERODACTYL swoops in colliding with him and propelling them both over the edge of the platform. BAMBI’s scream fades into silence. The HUNTER rushes to the edge of the platform surveying the ground below; there is no sign of BAMBI. The drop was huge; no creature could have survived it. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER The King is dead. But something catches his eye. He glances up into the sun; a silhouette emerges from the glare. At first it looks like a lone PTERODACTYL but then, growing clearer, the HUNTER sees BAMBI, clinging to the dinosaur, plummeting the PTERODACTYL straight at him. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER Deer... me. Dinosaur and deer crash spectacularly into the HUNTER. Computers explode in a shower of sparks and circuit-boards. Without any electronic instruction, the dinosaurs halt their attack, standing motionless amidst the trees. BAMBI lies groaning in the wreckage. The FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER picks himself up unsteadily; the BRACHIOSAUR on which they ride is lumbering in confused circles. With an enraged scream, the HUNTER hefts a jagged, broken piece of steel piping above his head, but BAMBI lunges forward to grapple with him. The HUNTER hits BAMBI with the piping and the DEER falls away feebly, clutching the HUNTER’s control device for his army of dinosaurs. BAMBI It’s over Hunter! Call off your attack or I’ll fry your cyborg army! FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER What do I care? I can make more, I’ll be back... that’s the beauty of cyborg technology! Now stand still while I kill you! He poises to strike BAMBI but before he can stab with the pipe, a shrill cry cuts through the air. THUMPER, using all his surfing-skills, is sliding down the thirty foot neck of the BRACHIOSAUR, clutching something; the control collar from the dead RAPTOR. Springing into the air THUMPER slams into the HUNTER’s head and locks the collar around his neck before landing heavily. The HUNTER blinks in disbelief at his neck, and then lunges with murderous speed at BAMBI, bringing the piping up to skewer the deer. FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER Grraaargh! BAMBI punches the device and an electric burst explodes from the HUNTER’s collar. The HUNTER screams in pain but continues forward, crashing into BAMBI who only just manages to grab the HUNTER’s wrists, preventing the spear piercing his chest. Freeing one hand, BAMBI reaches desperately for the control device, lying inches from him. His hoof scrapes tantalisingly at it. The HUNTER presses down hard on the jagged steel pipe, but BAMBI seizes the device. BAMBI Get out of my forest!

BAMBI, kicks the HUNTER backwards and hits the control again; the HUNTER rears back in agony, sparks shooting from the collar. BAMBI And if you don’t know the way... BAMBI turns the control dial from ‘LOW’ to ‘OVERLOAD’. BAMBI ...HEAD in that direction! The collar explodes, decapitating the HUNTER in a burst of electricity and a geyser of crimson blood. The HUNTER’s head arcs gracefully into the air, spinning slightly in the light breeze. Eventually it disappears from sight. The BRACHIOSAUR groans deeply and collapses forward, jarring the control platform loose and sending it crashing to the ground. All around the battlefield, the dinosaurs are in a similar state of defeat; their collars forcing them into submission while the vicious woodland critters heroically gang-up on them and savagely beat them to death. Seeing their dinosaur army beaten, the VEALCORP soliders drop their weapons and flee. The cheer goes up from the woodland army. In the wreckage of the control platform, THUMPER crawls over to BAMBI who lies bruised and battered... but alive. THUMPER Looks like he’s HEADing inBAMBI winces and shifts a bruised leg. BAMBI No I did that one. THUMPER Right, sorry. THUMPER sits back heavily next to BAMBI. BAMBI It’s ok, I had a HEAD start on you, anyway. THUMPER (Chuckling) You come up with that by yourself? BAMBI (Shrugs) Off the top of my HEAD. THUMPER (Laughing) I almost didn’t make it, you know? BAMBI Sorry; I tried to give you a HEADS up. THUMPER rolls backwards, his blood-stained body shaking with laughter. BAMBI joins him and the puns continue for some time. The two woodland chums laughing ceaselessly as the sun makes its way over the now-peaceful forest meadow.

There is a sudden crash as The FACELESS HUNTER’S BROTHER’s head lands beside BAMBI and THUMPER, and the two leap to their feet, ready to fight. THUMPER spots the cause of their alarm. THUMPER Guess he just didn’t have a HEAD for heights! BAMBI I think it was Kipling who said; If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs while trying to control their army of cyborgdinosaurs, Then yours is the Earth, my son. They collapse back into laughter atop the wreckage of the downed control platform. Around them birds flit and sing and families of SQUIRRELS and MICE play amongst the carcasses of hundreds of dead dinosaurs. NARRATOR (V.O) And so it was the forest was saved. All was well again and the gentle-folk of the woodland kingdom could rest safe in the knowledge that no matter how technologically-advanced, no matter how ruthless; any intruder to their peaceful land would meet a bloody and violent end at the hands of some of the meanest, cruellest warriors the forest-glade had ever known. And leading them always would be the meanest motherfucker of them all, King Bambi. THE END.