ANDRE:
Damn the opera.
And it’s ghost.
Another murder,
Our gala host,
These blasted murders
We’ll have no crew...
FIRMIN:
...Don’t look at me,
What can I do?
ANDRE:
It’s all over the town,
our phantom’s tales...
FIRMIN:
But it’s free,
and boosts the sales...
ANDRE:
Damn the sales,
If we keep losing men,
We’ll have no cast,
FIRMIN:
Please, Andre, not again.
ANDRE:
Dear Firmin, I do hope you see,
If our cast keeps dying,
FIRMIN:
We’ll lose the company...
But sales continue as every yet,
Word hasn’t got around, I’ll bet,
Dear Andre, have you see the line?
Our opera house is doing fine.
ANDRE:
How long? How long, before the phantom strikes,
Misery! Misery, this Mystery.
This Opera Ghost, too bad to be true,
(noticing FIRMIN is holding an envelope)
Oh, it seems you got one too.
FIRMIN:
“Dear Firmin,
The show was great,
Just a brief comment to be had,
The musicians’ fate,
However, was really quite sad.”
ANDRE:
Who sends this drivel,
that before me I find?
It’s ghostly author,
no doubt unsoundly of mind.
FRIMIN:
My opinion exactly,
he is insane,
My dear Andre
Open up yours,
What does it say?
ANDRE:
“Dear Andre,
Just a small request,
Do not hold the masquerade,
Give Firmin my best.
O.G”
FIRMIN: O.G?
BOTH: Opera Ghost!
ANDRE:
Never! Never, have I seen before.
Such display of gall, I really do deplore.
FIRMIN:
Close the masquerade?
It cannot be!
This ghost is mad,
ANDRE:
Evidently, I see.
To expect us to close,
right before the show,
he is clearly quite insane!
CUT to VELMA and FRED searching around the stage.
VELMA: I'm suprised at Mr. Firmin. If I were him, I would give in to the Phantom now. He's not kidding.
FRED: Well, he's not. I sure hope we find Daph soon. There's no telling what's going to happen next, but I've got a feeling it's not going to be good.
The lightning lances down, ripping the sky. It shines through the roof, shining light on a scrap of paper ripped in half.
VELMA: Jinkies! A clue!
VELMA scrambles forward, but her glasses fall off in the excitement.
FRED: A clue? Where?
VELMA: Oh no, not now! Freddy, help me find my glasses.
VELMA fumbles around, and accidentley knocks one half of the paper into the cracks in the floorboards. FRED finally finds her glasses, and hands them back to her.
VELMA: Thanks, Freddy. This must have been dropped by the Phantom. Let's see what it says...
The half of the note reads:
COOL
OPE
HO
25
DO
FRED: Hmmm...
VELMA: Hmmm... is right. I think this is an important clue. Let's go see how Shaggy and Scooby are doing.
CUT to SHAGGY and SCOOBY searching the basement. SHAGGY leans against a barrel of wine.
SHAGGY: Tired, Scoob?
SCOOBY: Reah. (pants)
SHAGGY: It's no good. Like, we don't find anything down here.
The side of the barrel opens, and reveals a secret door.
SHAGGY: Zoinks! A secret door!
SCOOBY: Rooks reepy, Raggy.
SHAGGY: Oooh, I don't like it either, Scoob, but you know how mad Velma will be... Come on. We'll go together.
SHAGGY and SCOOBY step into the secret door. The camera stays there, right after they enter, the PHANTOM moves out from behind another barrel.
PHANTOM: Not nearly as mad as I'll get (laughs).
The PHANTOMS follows them in.
CUT to SHAGGY and SCOOBY creepying along the sewers under the theatre.
SHAGGY: Hey! (spots gondolas tied to a wharf) A gondola! Remember that time we were in Venice with the Ghostly Gondolier, Scoob?
SCOOBY: Reah!
SHAGGY: No other way, Scoob. Let's take a ride.
Suddenly, the PHANTOM leaps up from behind them.
SCOOBY: Rhipes!
SHAGGY: Take us out of here, Scoob!
SCOOBY rows like a maniac, but The PHANTOM is right behind him in another Gondola. Slowly FADE in the chase scene music.
Haunted houses of evil ghosts,
some of the places I fear most,
take me away, far, far away,
to a place where I'm goin',
Far, far away,
there's a place where I'll be.
A place with no phantoms,
A place where I'm free.
CHROUS:
Yes, take me away, far, far away
to a place far away, a place to lay.
That's where I'm goin', a place I can see,
Yes, I can see, a place for me.
To a place far away,
A place where I'd stay,
and I'd like to you be,
in that place with me.
Yes, a place where I'm headin',
Far away from here,
Take me away,
no, nowhere near.
REPEAT CHORUS
To a magic place,
far, far, away,
A place far from here,
let me show you the way.
The strange and the wierd,
brave but afeared.
No, take me away,
from this place,
to a place, a place far away.
REPEAT CHORUS
Yes, a wonderous place,
where no demons roam.
a place far away,
a place I... call... home...
SHAGGY and SCOOBY have arrived at the end of the river. There is a wharf on this side too. The PHANTOM is close behind, but they have enough time to jump out on this side.
SHAGGY: Wow! Like, this must be the Phantom's secret lair.
SCOOBY: Rit's rot rery rell recorated.
SHAGGY: (laughs) You got that one right.
DAPHNE's voice is heard, somewhere nearby.
DAPHNE: Shaggy! Is that you?
SHAGGY: Hey! It's Daphne!
SCOOBY: Raphne?
DAPHNE: Get me out of here, Shaggy!
SHAGGY looks around, all he can see is a small area with various switches, some furniture, and an old organ.
SHAGGY: You try the switches, Scoob. I'll try the organ.
SCOOBY: (moves over to the switches and begins pulling them at random) Rokay, Raggy.
CUT to a clip of VELMA and FRED on the stage, surrounded suddenly by bursts of fire, explosions of smoke, and blasting wind effects.
CUT back to SHAGGY, who is tapping the keys at random.
SCOOBY: Rit's ro rood, Raggy.
SCOOBY runs over and tries to help SHAGGY.
The PHANTOM has caught up, and is now standing on the wharf. SCOOBY hits the right key, and the organ slides aside. DAPHNE comes out of the alcove behind the organ, coughing.
DAPHNE: Thanks, Shaggy. It was so dark and dusty in there.
SCOOBY: Rand re!
DAPHNE: (laughs) Of course, Scooby.
SHAGGY: Don't party just yet. The Phantom's looking for us.
DAPHNE: Hurry! behind the organ!
SHAGGY and DAPHNE hide behind the organ. SCOOBY dives behind the clothes rack. The PHANTOM runs in, and begins searching. SCOOBY pulls a hat over the PHANTOM's head, pushes the secret key to release SHAGGY and DAPHNE, and all three run towards the wharf.
PHANTOM: Grrr...! You are all gone now!
SHAGGY: Like, good idea! Let's get going while the going's still good!
DAPHNE: (laughs) Right now, the rowing sounds pretty good to me. Come on!
SHAGGY: Hey, I make the jokes around here, Ok?
Everyone runs to the gondolas, leaving the PHANTOM, who has managed to pull the hat off.
PHANTOM: This isn't over! You haven't heard the last of me!
CUT to ANDRE's office. SHAGGY, DAPHNE, and SCOOBY walk in.
SHAGGY: Are we, like, late?
FRED: Daphne! You're back!
DAPHNE: Thanks to Shaggy and Scooby.
FIRMIN: Glad to see you kids back. I'd like to invite you to the masquerade tonight. We’ve just received another letter from the Phantom, telling us not to proceed. I’m positive that’s where he’ll turn up next.
VELMA: Don’t worry, Mr. Firmin. This time, we’ve got a plan.
CUT to the masquerade party, the next night, in the main hall of the Opera House. Many masked and party-dressed higher-class citizens are present. In fact, everyone previously mentioned in the story is present. It looks like the entire town is attending, and the place is so crowded that it is impossible to find anyone through the noise and crowd. The gang for once is dressed formal. SHAGGY is dressed in a suit, but still manages to look untidy. DAPHNE and VELMA are dressed in evening dresses. FRED is dressed in a very neat dinner suit, which is in stark contrast to SHAGGY, who is eating everything he can reach with SCOOBY. ANDRE and FIRMIN spot the gang from the top of the stairs, and hurry through the crowd towards them. Outside, the rain continues.
ANDRE: I hope you know what you’re doing. There are so many people here. Everyone from the higher classes, rich businessmen, actors from all over the country...
FIRMIN: What he means is that any one of them could be the Phantom.
FRED: Don’t worry. We’ll...
Suddenly, at the top of the broad marble stairs, there is a flare of smoke, and the Phantom appears. He is ressed in an exquisite costume.
PHANTOM: The Show Stops Here, My Friends!
The PHANTOM removes his mask, revealing another one underneath.
The party guests are in panic, and the party is in turmoil. Guests run in all directions, knocking furniture and other guests over. Only the gang, Mr. SULLIVAN, ANDRE, and FIRMIN seem to have retained self control, although SHAGGY certainly looks like he’s thinking about running.
FRED: Come on! We can still catch him!
Mr. SULLIVAN and the owners run up the stairs, following the the gang.
The PHANTOM laughs, and seems to jump right up into the rafters. He shatters the glass roof, and jumps through. Everyone ducks under cover to avoid being lacerated.
SULLIVAN: That’s it. We’ll never catch him now.
VELMA: Yes we can. He can’t have gone far, unless he can survive a three story fall off the roof. We’ll search in the grounds, you check the roof.
SHAGGY: Well, if he can, like, jump three storeys... give the guy some credit.
The gang run out into the storm.
DAPHNE: (pointing) Look!
On the roof, the PHANTOM can be seen. The managers run up the attic stairs, but the PHANTOM jumps, and slides down the gutter.
FRED: Don’t let him get away!
The gang charges the PHANTOM, but he has disappeared.
FRED: It looks like he got away.
SHAGGY: Like, got away nothing, I’ll bet he vanished.
VELMA: Shaggy, it’s a scientific fact that people don’t just vanish.
SHAGGY: No? Well, like, explain this.
VELMA: It’s simple. All he had to do is duck into the basement through the airing window.
VELMA points to a dark, forbidding looking opening in the wall.
SHAGGY: You mean we should, like, go in after him?
SCOOBY: Ruh-ruh!
FRED: Not us, Scooby. You.
SCOOBY: Rhy re?
VELMA: Because you’re the smallest, and you can tell us if he’s in there or not.
SHAGGY: Like, I’m right behind you, pal.
SCOOBY: (sarcastic) Rhanks ra rot.
SCOOBY creeps into the basement, and hides behind a large trunk. He can see the Phantom look around, and run upstairs. SCOOBY gives the signal, and the gang climbs down.
VELMA: Those footprints...
DAPHNE: They’re our footprints, Velma.
VELMA: I know... but it gives me an idea.
CUT to the hall, where some of the braver guests have stuck around. Among them, are LINDWALL, TROY, and most of the actors. LINDWALL is speaking to the managers.
LINDWALL: I warned you about the Phantom!
SULLIVAN: Phantom or not, the show must go on!
ANDRE: My sentiments exactly. The show goes on, but my bank account doesn't. If we don’t get rid of him soon...
LINDWALL shakes his head, and walks off.
The gang rush up. VELMA looks around like she’s looking for something, and then brightens up, like she’s found it.
FIRMIN: Looking for something, kids?
VELMA: Yes, and we’ve found it. Now all that’s left to do is catch the Phantom.
FRED: And I have just the plan...
SHAGGY: Like, This doesn’t sound good.
SCOOBY: Ruh-uh.
DAPHNE: Would you do it for... say... a box of Scooby snacks?
SHAGGY: Like, that DOES sound good!
SCOOBY: Ruh-huh! Reah!
CUT to the basement, and the large trunk. SHAGGY can be heard complaining loudly from inside. The PHANTOM appears out of his secret door in the barrel.
SHAGGY: I don’t want to be locked up in here. It’s dark. And dusty. And cramped. Get your foot out of my face, Scoob.
PHANTOM: Aha!
The PHANTOM opens the chest. SHAGGY leaps out from behind the barrel, from where he was projecting his voice, and both him and SCOOBY try to push the PHANTOM into the chest. However, the PHANTOM sidesteps, and SCOOBY and SHAGGY jump right into the chest. The PHANTOM snaps the lid closed and locks the chest.
PHANTOM: Two down, three to go.
SHAGGY: (knocking against the side of the chest) Hey! Like, let us out!
SCOOBY: Ret re rout! Ret re rout!
The rest of the gang look on from the top of the stairs.
VELMA: Oh no! Shaggy and Scooby goofed!
FRED: Time for the backup plan.
DAPHNE: What backup plan?
FRED: I’ll think of something. You two keep the phantom busy.
CUT to the PHANTOM in the basement, VELMA and DAPHNE appear at the top of the stairs.
PHANTOM: More meddling kids!
The PHANTOM chases them up.
FRED: Yikes!
FRED, VELMA, and DAPHNE run out of the basement, followed closely by the PHANTOM.
CUT to the chest. SCOOBY and SHAGGY are still trapped inside.
SHAGGY: Scooby, get us out of here!
SCOOBY unlocks the chest, and they get out.
SHAGGY: Like, why didn’t you tell me you had a key, Scoob?
SCOOBY: Rou ridn’t rask, Raggy.
SHAGGY: Oh boy. I should have known. Come on, we have to help Fred and the Girls.
The PHANTOM has the gang trapped at the end of the stage, when the heavy curtain falls on him. SHAGGY and SCOOBY run down from the rafters.
FRED: (laughs) Offhand, I’d say it’s curtains for the Phantom.
The rest of the gang groan.
CUT to the hall, at the top of the stairs. The gang is assembled, with the captured PHANTOM, Mr. Andre and Mr. Firmin, and a police OFFICER,
FRED: And now, to see who the Phantom of the Opera really is!
FRED demasks the PHANTOM, revealing Mr. LINDWALL.
ANDRE: Mr. Lindwall!
VELMA: Just as I thought. Lindwall wanted to make you sell the theatre, so he could buy it back at an even cheaper price. He caused as much trouble as he could, and tried to put the blame on other people. All the Phantom’s magic was done with the special effects equpiment on the stage, and controlled by his hired hands from his base in the sewers.
FIRMIN: But how did you know it was him?
FRED: Our first clue was the account chart. We saw that before you bought the theatre, things immediatley started going downhill. That was when we saw someone was trying to put you out of business.
DAPHNE: Then, at the masquerade, we saw Mr. Lindwall wear the same mask as the Phantom does, and realised that he would be the only person that it fits. Also, when the Phantom began escaping, only us, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Andre, and Mr. Firmin went outside. As a result, we had muddy shoes. Everyone else stayed inside, but Mr. Lindwall still had muddy shoes.
SHAGGY: The last clue was, like, this piece of paper. (SHAGGY pulls out the peice of paper)
SULLIVAN:
COOL
OPE
HO
25
DO
?
I’d assume that says "Coolsville Opera House, 251. Dolan Street." It’s our address.
VELMA: Half right, Mr. Sullivan. It does indeed say Coolsville Opera House, but the bottom part says “2500000 Dollars”. It’s a reciept for the Opera house, and it belonged to the Phantom. Since Mr. Lindwall, Mr. Andre, and Mr. Firmin were the only ones with receipts, ands Mr. Andre and Mr. Firmin were present when the Phantom appeared, that left only Mr. Lindwall, right?
LINDWALL: And I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for you meddling kids!
SHAGGY: Good. Now that’s over with, we can talk about the matter of my pizza...
FRED: Well, we did have a pizza...
SHAGGY: Oh... no... Scooby, you didn’t... like, you couldn’t have...
SCOOBY: (burps, and laughs) Scooby Dooby Doo!
SHAGGY: Scooby Dooby Doo to you too, Scoob, I want my pizza!
Slow FADE as SCOOBY is chased around by SHAGGY.
END