Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Blackthorne--Scene Thirteen



image borrowed from bing


Blackthorne

Cinemagenic Thirteen

Gates of Gomorrah

“In the vineyards of Gomorrah, the grapes taste of gall,
their clusters are bitter, their wine the poison of dragons.”
--Bible verse.

1(sound cue) piano plinking with a saloon singer warbling a sad
ballad.
2(wide-shot) set up across the street from Wallace’s GENERAL
STORE, the street fairly busy with riders, wagons, & pedestrians.
3(hold the wide shot) as Buck emerges from the store, then stands
for a moment with his hands on his hips. 
4(sound cue) bullwhip cracking, horse’s hooves.
5(cut to medium wide-shot) a stagecoach is rushing toward the camera.
6(sound cue) banjo, harmonica, & guitar with busy chords.
7(several jump cut insert-shots)
--the snorting jet-black pair of lead horses,
--(pan over them) to a pair of twin silver mares, stepping like angels,
--(travel the shot up) to the driver, holding four reins in one hand as
he slipped the long whip into a seat bracket--a large man wearing an
old Cavalry hat, with the wide brim pushed flat-back, cut off sleeves
on a sweat-stained buckskin shirt, his thick arms rippling with muscle. 
8(sound cues) horse hooves rapping, loud brakes on the steel-rimmed
wooden wheels, the clang of harness & yoke.
9(voice-over) stage driver: Whooahh, my beauties--ease up black
leaders--slow down white lovelies. 
10(cut to medium wide-shot) Buck on the boardwalk, center frame, with
his back to the camera, his POV as the bright red & yellow stagecoach
rolled from the right side of the frame passing him 
11(cut to a close-up) the side of the stagecoach, with the words
BRONSON STAGE LINES painted on it. 
12(sound cue) juice harp thwacking over crowd noise.
13(cut to a medium wide--shot) on the opposite side of the street as we
witness Buck & his dog walk toward the camera, weaving in & out of
traffic.
14(sound cue) a dog barking, a cat screeching & hissing.
15(medium wide-shot) Buck pausing in the middle of the street.
16(medium close-up) the black dog flushing a tabby-cat out from under
a porch, and the feline racing swiftly into an alley.
17((close-up) Buck: give it hell, Cheewa!
18(cut to medium close-up) back to the dog, stopping after hearing its
Indian name. cocking one ear. 
19(cut to a wide crane shot) behind Buck, traveling with him as he finishes
crossing the street, & moves up onto the Saloon steps. Two of the ever-
present loafers ( the fat man & the bean pole) sat on a bench to the left
of the door. A large ornate sign that read THE CHINA DOLL hung over
the standard swinging doors. Buck enters the establishment, followed 
by the dog.
20(sound cues) crowd noise, saloon piano, rough laughter, & a deck of
cards shuffling.
21(cut to medium wide-shot) inside the saloon, facing the door; Buck is
just inside, with the dog right beside him--showing a splendid contrast
between the smoke-filled shadowy interior & the bright clear mid-morning
outside in the street. 
22(camera dollys backward) to reveal how large & well decorated the Saloon
is, a dozen felt-covered poker tables-more than half of them already busy
with games, wild-eyed dealers puffing on short stogies, assorted saloon girls
on laps, hanging around necks, at shoulders--some at a long well-shined
oak bar girded with a brass rail, several tall copper spittoons lined up along
it, colorful bowls of pickles, rolls, boiled eggs, ham & peanuts dotting the
top of it, a wide stairway over on the right, with two fancy chandeliers on
each side of slow-turning wide fans.
23(medium close-up) a burly saloon guard perched eight feet off the floor
on a bully platform against the wall.
24(close-up) saloon guard: hey, Mister--get that fucking dog out of here!
25(medium shot) Buck noticing the dog, and motioning for it to wait outside.
the dog obeys, and as it exits, its tail strikes open the swinging doors. 
26(medium close-up) the saloon guard grunts, and nods his approval, 
sitting with a long-barreled twin chambered shotgun across his knees.
27(cut to medium wide shot) Buck standing for a moment.
28(sound cue) blues guitar slide.
29(close up) his angry face looking up at the guard.
30(medium shot) Buck measuring the morning menagerie spread out
in front of him, then shrugging & smiling, he began to make his way over
to the bar. 


Glenn Buttkus

Posted over on dVerse Poets OLN121

Would you like to hear the author read this Cinemagenic poem to you?

13 comments:

Brian Miller said...

ha. nice tension and release there in the end...its a cool relationship between man and pups....BRONSON...nice nod there sir...i think it would be cool to have those surly saloons around still...just saying...

Mary said...

You certainly have left us in suspense at the end of this episode, Glenn!! Wondering what's going to take place at the bar........

Claudia said...

again great story telling glenn... love how you always manage to paint such visible scenes... one day you should really make a movie..

Glenn Buttkus said...

Thanks, Claudia; have had the talent, incentive, will to do just that for decades; but alas, it is a simple matter of funding. Maybe some producer loves poetry, haunts the dVerse Pub, & will contact me with an offer soon.

Grace said...

I specially admire the details fo the saloon, makes it come alive ~

Buck measuring the morning menagerie - I like this, then what (suspense)~ Smiles ~

Happy Tuesday Glenn ~

brudberg said...

Wow.. that dog seems to be in great control.. but I get the feeling things are about to explode... a joy to read every week.

Anonymous said...

Glenn I hope you shot this thing some time, I'd love to see it.>KB

Anonymous said...

Really interesting. Again, I loved the slide of images you presented through your vivid words. Definitely enjoyed the ending. :-)
You are a great story-teller. :-)

-HA

Anonymous said...

Glenn your style is intriguing and very vivid. These should be set to a Movie ~ alas I'm not the one with the big bucks who can help. Nice bit of suspense at the ending.

Linda M said...

Wonderfully creative piece! I just love the dusty old coots in this.

Anonymous said...

Makes me want to turn on an old western movie or something. You sure have a way with words, my friend.

Mystic_Mom said...

Very good. Very very good.

vb holmes said...

Your detailed set descriptions, cues and production directions activate your words and add to the enjoyment of your story line.