Except You
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Nov 5, 2020
- 3 min read
FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. STUDY - DAY
The TV is on, reporting the death of Sean Connery and showing clips of Dr No, the first of the James Bond movie series.
PETER: (V.O.): He died at the age of 90. When he first appeared in Dr No in 1962, he was 32, and I was 6.
Recalling.
PETER: (V.O.) (Cont'd): I got hooked to the character of James Bond for his wit and action.
Recalling.
PETER: (V.O.) (Cont'd): The audio-visuals of the main title sequence is highly stylised. I love the introduction of character through the gun barrel.
Recalling.
PETER: (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's captivating, it arouses the audience's imagination from the beginning.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And the scene when Ursula Andress emerges from the water in a white bikini is unforgettable.
Art 2
INT. SLEEPING ROOM - NIGHT
Sitting in bed, Peter is listening to radio music. We hear the DJ Uncle Ray announcing: Tribute to Sean Connery, another James Bond song...
PETER (V.O.): Uncle Ray is at age 95 and is still working. He regularly plays songs by Matt Monro.
Peter surfs the web with his phone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, Matt Monro first appeared in Uncle Ray's show in 1953 - a year before I was born.
Reading.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I like his number Softly as I Leave You.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In the 1970s, my friends and I would rehearse the song, but there wasn't any performing opportunity.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Ever since I reintroduced myself to Uncle Ray, he has played Charlie Chaplin's Smile many times.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Not only that, he also plays songs by Peter, Paul & Mary and Peter & Gordon. I believe that has got something to do with my first name.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And I've been joining his radio show every night.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But he may not know if I've been listening.
We hear from the radio Uncle Ray saying: Give me a call at 233 88 266.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): His hotline is now open. Let me try my luck to get in touch with him again.
UNCLE RAY (From phone): Hello! Hello!
PETER (To phone): Uncle Ray, this is Peter Cheung calling.
UNCLE RAY (From phone): Peter Cheung!
PETER (To phone): Thank you very much for playing regularly Charlie Chaplin's Smile, and songs by Peter, Paul & Mary, and by Peter & Gordon.
We hear Uncle Ray smiling in the phone.
PETER (Cont'd) (To phone): Could you please play the Mystics' Song of the Wind for me?
UNCLE RAY: The Mystics' ...Song of the Wind?
We hear Uncle Ray hesitating.
UNCLE RAY: Do you have any other number in mind?
PETER (V.O.): I just want to let him know that I'm appreciative of the songs he played, implicitly for me. Let me think...
PETER (To phone): How about any song by the Mod East?
UNCLE RAY (From phone): What?
PETER (To phone): MOD EAST...another local band.
UNCLE RAY (From phone): Oh, yes! The Mod East!
PETER (To phone): Bye-bye.
We hear the radio playing easy-listening music: A Summer's Place.
PETER (V.O.): This is my favourite too... I'll have to wait for Uncle Ray's follow-up of my request.
Peter continues to read the text on his phone screen about Matt Monro.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, Matt Monro died in 1985 at the age of 54...He was a heavy smoker and an alcoholic.
Act 3.
INT. SLEEPING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
We hear from the radio a distinct guitar chord strumming and then Uncle Ray remarking: Except You - Who would remember the Mod East?
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh yes, Except You is the title of the band's la-la song.
FLASHBACK
INT. CLASSROOM - DAY (1968)
Recess. A girl CLASSMATE (14) speaks to PETER (14).
CLASSMATE: Do you know how to play the guitar chords of Except You?
PETER: Except You?
CLASSMATE (Sings): All I want to do, is to fall in love with you...
RETURN TO PRESENT
Peter smiles.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Peter is working before his laptop.
.PETER (V.O.): I must document my yesterday night's encounter with Uncle Ray. He's a living legend, evidencing the magical correlation between song lovers and longevity.
FADE OUT.
THE END
Comments