image borrowed from bing
Blackthorne
Cinemagenic Nine
Eulogy
“Death in itself is nothing; but we fear to be we know not
what, & we know not where.”--John Dryden
1(cut to a medium wide shot) the past: a family cemetery, with
a tall white picket fence surrounding it, with one fresh grave.
2(sound cue) sad strings, violin & cello.
3(wide shot) the throng of mourners, with the late afternoon sun
on their backs--Bear Woman holding the newborn infant; young
Roddy Buck standing close to her, one hand clutching her leather
skirt & the other stroking the collie sitting by his side; a tall minister
holding his bible, saying a prayer; a half dozen ranch hands holding
their hats, their work shirts starched in the sun, their hair plastered
down with rose oil; several rancher neighbors & their wives, and
William Buck on his knees, his red-rimmed eyes matching the
crushed red flowers held to his heaving chest.
4(sound cue) soft wind, flute & clarinet, an infant crying, the minister
speaking low.
5(close-up) young Roddy, face stained with tear trails, mop of
dark hair partially in his face, silent, staring at the grave.
6(medium close-up) the minister: almighty God, take the hand of this
fine woman, wife, & mother, as you love everything you have made,
and judge us with infinite mercy & justice.
7(close-up) Bear Woman, eyes glassy, staring into the sky.
8(sound cue) piano, cello, & harmonica.
9the minister: we rejoice in your promise of joy & peace to all
that love you, that worship you.
10(medium close-up) William Buck, weeping copiously, devastated,
lost, heart torn from his chest.
11the minister: in your mercy turn the darkness of death into the
dawn of a new life.
12(close-up) William Buck: Sarah, Sarah, noooooo, too soon, love
is gone too soon!
13the minister: and the sorrow of parting must turn into the joy of
heaven, the peace of forever.
14(sound cue) cello & accordian.
15(medium wide shot) the present, the stranger dismounts, ties off his
spirited steed, and stands spread-legged, his hands folded on his chest.
16(sound cue) young boy’s voice: Mama, Mama.
17(close-up) the stranger’s eyes moist, then closing.
18(cut to wide shot, the ranch house dining room) the past:
Bear Woman is feeding porridge to infant Jack, age 9 months.
young Roddy is picking at his plate of ham & eggs, mostly
staring at his father, who is sitting at the head of the table
with a plate of untouched vittles in front of him, eyes fixed
on a half-empty whisky bottle by his elbow, at yesterday,
at nothing.
19(two-shot) the Indian woman & the infant. the little one
looks up, reaching toward the woman, & mutters:
Ma-ma, ma-ma.
20(sound cue) a broken man’s growl of pain.
21(medium wide-shot) the father striking the table with the
bottom on one wide fist, making his plate & silverware jump--
then grabs his bottle of whiskey & storms out of the back door.
22(sound cue) saloon player piano roll.
23(hold on the wide-shot) as the boy grabs a thick slice of ham
off his plate, stuffs it in his mouth, & traipses after his father.
24(medium close-up) Bear Woman closing her dark eyes
25(sound cue) infant: ma-ma, ma-ma
26(cut to medium wide-shot) the present: the stranger looking
down at his clenched fists
27(crane shot) pulling back until we see the panorama of the
abandoned ranch, the stranger a small figure.
28the stranger: coward.
Glenn Buttkus
October 2013
Posted over on dVerse Poets Poetics
Would you like to hear the author read this poem to you?
15 comments:
mmm...so is he the father...what makes him a coward...you have me full of questions at this point man...really the plot is driving this nicely...enjoying the theatrics too, but def the story is solid
this is chock full with emotional turns.. and def. you leave me with some questions as well..
Gleen I'm up for any film that has a cello on the soundtrack.>KB
The drama, as well as your sound effects, come through loud and clear!
The atmosphere is thick with portend here, Glenn. And, as always, I'm a sucker for a good Western yarn.
Oh, and that is indeed a Remington Army Model 1858 pistol. What a great pairing!
Great reading and a rare treat Glenn! It certainly provokes lots of lingering questions!
Hank
How sad Glenn but I had to pause at the ending word, coward ~ why?
Happy Tuesday & Cheers for a wonderful week ahead ~
To those who wonder why Buck remembers his father as a "coward" realize that old Bill never recovered, just degenerated into a useless alcoholic; giving up being a parent, leaving young Roddy and Jack to be raised by the Indian woman who worked for them. I do not defend Rod's feelings towards his father, just reflect them.
This is really a wonderful story going on here! I look forward to reading more. :-)
Hi Glenn, I am impressed by your ability to write in a screen play like form--this would be very hard for me--to stay somewhat on the outside of all these events--And yet on the inside too Such an interesting technique You are very wide-ranging. K. (Manicddaily)
Oh the sadness and bitterness in this - devastating and wonder how a childhood like that will make a man. Coward - that was an interesting turn
So heartbreaking when loss turns a man inside out, this one was hard, great work.
You are weaving something there that is on a scale with the work of my favorite writers - L'Amour and McMurtry when it comes to the west and western people. Yes the coward. The code then was hard core and brutally necessary. There was room for heart, for tenderness but you stuck by family, by the brand, by community and, with my Grandpa's gruff voice in my ear - THE CODE! THE CODE.
GREAT stuff my friend.
Your posts in clear detail of script always bring to mind for me what is lost in modern cinema..the times so far past where voices were commanding..and expression of emotion was strong enough to elicit primal emotions even among the stone cold hardest of hearts...
What is replaced is stimulation and energy..leading some away from heart of human..if one wills..
But @least the stories are still alive in digital recordings and scripts of poetry as you so beautifully present...
good i will check it out at.
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