Lois Bernard at 2014-12-28 12:51:49:
Midnight Cowboy Waldo Salt 1969
INT. MACALBERTSONS' LOFT - NIGHT
A bank of lights blinds Joe and Ratso as they enter --
electronic rock blasts their ears -- a bearded cameraman on a
step-ladder photographs them as they stand confused -- facing
a monstrous collage of tabloid photos blown up, showing the
murder of a hippie known as Groovy -- in-huge black letters,
LOVE WAS GROOVY -- GROOVY IS DEAD. Joe shouts over the
amplified music.
JOE
Better get a hold of someone and
tell them I'm here.
Ratso points to his ear -- he can't hear -- following Joe
across the room. The huge loft is crowded with a random
selection, gathered to serve as dress extras in an
underground film. The party is the scene. The MacAlbertsons
merely supply the ingredients and allow it to happen, with
cameras strategically placed to record the happening...
... Hansel with tape recorder, Gretel with hand-held camera
drifting through the crowd -- catching words and images in a
detached, whimsical fashion. Gretel turns her camera on Joe
and Ratso as they approach.
JOE (CONT'D)
Well, I made it. This here is Ratso
Rizzo and I...
RATSO
Rico. Rico Rizzo.
Gretel smiles without recognition. Hansel gestures vaguely.
HANSEL
Do you need anything? I mean
there's beer and so forth. Whatever
your thing is...
The twins move away together, pausing to confer with the
operator of a tripod camera -- focused on an emaciated flower
girl with long hair and dirty feet, stretched in a
sarcophagus, clutching a dead daffodil, her eyes glazed.
Scrawled in huge letters on the wall over her head -- LOVE!
RATSO
If you want the word on that
brother and sister act, I'll give
you the word. That Hansel's a fag
and Gretel's got the hots for
herself. So who cares, right? Load
up on the salami...
Ratso heads for the refreshment table. Joe starts after him
but pauses, intrigued by an alcove under the balcony where a
light show is in progress -- surreal images of naked bodies
projected against abstract currents of color and strobe
light...
... a bored fat lady in a muu-muu, squatted like a Buddha at
a low table, rolling joints for the guests.
She lights a joint and offers it to Joe as he wanders in to
watch the show. Joe laughs delightedly when he realizes what
it is...
JOE
Shee-it, this is one helluva party!
... glancing around at the others, imitating their techniques
-- the quick inhaler, who follows with sharp gulps of air -
the deep inhalers who draw air as they inhale -- the stylist
who lets the smoke drift out and inhales through the nostrils
-- Joe puffing himself slightly dizzy, starting to laugh at
the silent flick effect of the strobe light -- the action
around him slowing almost imperceptibly, overcranked -- a
veil of smoke hanging over the fat woman's face, transforming
her into a laughing witch -- a similar veil around Joe's
head, relaxing the self-conscious tension of his face,
spontaneously curious about the play of light on his hand,
grinning at...
... a serious young technician handling the light show,
scattering psychedelic stars across a sky of magenta flesh...
... Joe reaching for the stars as he rises and wanders back
to the crowded loft, fascinated to see...
... a crew with cameras and lights, on the balcony at one end
of the loft, photographing the scene below...
... a dark-haired lady by the name of SHIRLEY -- chic in the
style of a gangster's moll -- drinking beer from the bottle,
predatory eyes searching the crowd...
... Ratso surreptitiously stuffing his pockets from the
buffet table, glancing nervously over his shoulder, unaware
of Gretel and her hand-held camera, photographing Ratso as he
steals, turning away casually, disinterested...
... Joe laughing as he dances for a moment with a tall black
girl -- the lights swinging around them -- faces swimming...
... Shirley in fleeting close-up, gone in an instant,
reappearing...
INT. MACALBERTSON BATHROOM - NIGHT
... her face in the mirror smiling in a dark, provocative way
-- Joe standing at the bathroom door, forgetting to be
embarrassed as Shirley turns away from the mirror,
unhurriedly, running her fingers through her hair, boldly
meeting Joe's eyes.
SHIRLEY
I can tell, can't you?
JOE
Yeah, oh yeah.
SHIRLEY
What'll we do? Leave now or what?
Your place or mine? Oh God, the
second I looked at you I knew. Did
you?
Joe grins, watching Shirley's lips move, unable to keep her
in sync, startled to hear Ratso's voice.
RATSO'S VOICE
She's hooked...
INT. MACALBERTSONS' LOFT - NIGHT
Joe realizes he is back at the party, Ratso whispering
hoarsely.
RATSO
... I'd say she was good for ten
bucks, but I'll ask for twenty...
But Joe is watching with terrible fascination as Hansel and
Gretel lift the flower girl from her sarcophagus.
SHIRLEY'S VOICE
Did you know? We were going to make
it?
Joe glances down to see himself flanked by Ratso and Shirley.
RATSO
You really want to do business?
SHIRLEY
Who's he? Oh God! Don't tell me you
two are a couple -- ?
The flower girl, hypnotically dazed, accepts a broom dipped
in black paint and smears a huge X across LOVE. Joe laughs.
HANSEL'S VOICE
Why are you laughing, Joe?
Hansel holds a microphone toward Joe, who shrugs, grinning at
Ratso and Shirley. Gretel's camera moves down Joe's body.
HANSEL
Are you for real, Joe?
JOE
Well, I ain't a real cowboy, but
I'm one hell of a stud!
Shirley glances at Ratso, who nods, whispering in her ear.
RATSO
A very expensive stud. And I happen
to be his manager.
The scene -- from Joe's viewpoint -- becomes increasingly
confusing and fragmented, dialogue and image moving in and
out of focus, cameras and lights surrounding him, keeping the
center of attention in his own blown mind...
... Shirley's eyes unnaturally bright, inspecting his body,
lingering on his thighs, moistening her lips...
Not much dialogue but what there is "Uh, well sir, I ain’t a real cowboy, but I’m one helluva stud!” does define character pretty much totally.
Guess you either love or hate this movie, not to everyone's taste, pretty out there. Just sayin.
http://youtu.be/MQSdi-UfGrU