Several scenes from one of my favourite screenplays. I’m sure I never quite got it right – and there’s a bit of a preamble tacked onto the front. By all means skip it and go to the scenes!
Author: Geale Peter
The Outlaw. the Lady and the Matabele King
This is the opening scene of a screenplay Chris Hubbell and I wrote some years ago. It’s based on the life of Bill Miner, allegedly the first outlaw to coin the order ‘Hands Up!’ But he was much more than a bank- and train robber – much more than even the excellent Richard Farnsworth movie The Grey Fox recounts. Hunted relentlessly by the man who eventually captured him many years later, Bill decamped to London (England) where he became a High Society fixture and a successful gambler. Later he travelled to South Africa and planned to rob the gold trains which carried billions (in today’s currency) of dollars worth of gold from the Witwatersrand mines to Johannesberg. A relatively sane man, he saw that he stood no chance against the machine-gun armed guards. He returned to the USA where he resumed his train- and bank-robbing career at an age when most men are long retired. Inevitably he was captured and lived the rest of his life under remarkably comfortable prison conditions and sharing almost daily reminiscences with the veteran lawman who had hunted him all his outlaw life. Our movie ends before his capture, with his last train robbery – the locomotive’s boiler exploded by Bill’s infamous .500 Elephant Gun, a gift from Lord Smallwood whose daughter Bill was about to marry before he had so hastily to flee England. Much of the South African material is based on my book
Flash Chord Extract
Chris and I have always been fascinated by London’s Soho, particularly in its pre-chic days when it starred clubs of every type from low down strip to high class cocktails, dinner and dance; when our pal the homicidal Greek barber shared his building with ‘French models’ and a soon to be famous graphic designer. It was exciting, a bit out on the edge and a universe away from today’s Soho of slick advertising execs and monstrously expensive restaurants.
We set Flash Chord in this world which we knew so well – just as we also knew and had been involved in the music business, the fringes of show business and a couple of other more-or-less dodgy doings.
KNIFE – title sequence
Here’s the opening scene of a screenplay based on the life of Jim Bowie and featuring both the making of the legendary knife and the events leading up to The Alamo. I’ve learned so much more about Bowie since I wrote this, not least through living in New Orleans. One of these days I ought to drastically rewrite it. The legend justifies it.
Buddha McKeone – Today’s ThunderCat!
Buddha and I first ‘met’ years ago, a few email exchanges about the show – and how quaint email now seems. Mumm-ra’s cauldron technology. I don’t think either of us had any idea how long-lived the ThunderCats ‘aura’ would be. At the time, various movie ideas were being mooted, some apparently developed by Warners. Nothing came of them and that seemed to me to be about ‘peak ThunderCat.’ Far from it! As any fan, myriad former websites and now social media accounts will attest, ThunderCats are still on the move, still loose. Uncountable fans still feeling the magic and hearing the roar.
(In fact, I don’t like to think of y’all as ‘fans.’ I suppose lot all depends on how you define that word but for me it doesn’t capture the spirit of the following, its loyalty and the sheer fun of it all. Kinda family.)
When Buddha first mooted Hall Of Omens, we continued to exchange messages but this time with a greater objective in view.
Then the book appeared. How spectacular and what a work of dedication and persistence. It deserves all its success. Now he’s moving on to a similar book about SilverHawks, which may also include the TigerSharks quartet of shows. The SilverHawks following is not as humongous and widespread as the ThunderCats following but I dare say – as befits an extremely eccentric show – crazier!
For my money, Buddha has earned a kinda #1 ThunderCat status. No doubt we’ll continue with what is turning into a valued friendship for me. Among other things, we’re figuring out how we can get Hall Of Omens into the South American market, which boasts a huge ThunderCat – and SilverHawk – following.
And if I can find them and they’re willing, I’d like to feature others like Buddha on this site. Well, probably not exactly like Buddha because he’s obviously a one-off; but I’ll be happy to tell some followers’ stories here. It’s the least I can do for these shows that have been so good to me. Such a big part of my professional and personal lives. Considering the cavalier manner in which I entered the ThunderCats world, it’s all very humbling.
Mr God This Is Anna
One of the most interesting book-to-screenplay adaptations I’ve worked on and all-around a great experience. As I’ve written elsewhere, I’ve greatly enjoyed working with German producers.
Reviews
Charming, vivid and poignant. This charming, vivid and poignant tale… an incredible journey across a still wild continent that leads to an entirely unexpected and dangerous encounter, all add up to a touching tale of remembrance and, finally, of redemption. (Amazon) (Fishing For Crocodiles)
A must read. In the vogue of realistic African story writing made popular by Alexandra Fuller, this is a must read for all who are drawn to the now enlightening continent. (Amazon) (Fishing For Crocodiles)
In this admirably well-researched historical novel by Peter Lawrence the central character, ashamed and ostracized runaway Hampshire farmer’s boy, Ben Jonson, finds himself unwittingly part of a small British army unit bound for South Africa… draws a dynamic and frequently action-packed narrative setting the fictional character’s adventurous life neatly within the veracity of the historical facts of the final decade of the 19th and early 20th century…. I would not hesitate in recommending ‘Smoke and Dust’… (Amazon) (Smoke and Dust)
A cool and intimate story about the dodgy and dangerous underworld of early ’60s English strip clubs, used car hustling and the simmering, about-to-explode pop music scene in London and Hamburg as the transition from blues to Beatles takes place… a stunning but too-young actress/ model/stripper/escort and her on-again off-again struggling musician boyfriend… charming car thieves, underworld characters with a capital C and scamming band managers abound. The details convinced me the author was there. I loved it. (Amazon) (Flash Chord)
Hissing with cinematic steam fuelled action plus an occasional smokey backfire of female dominated sex. (Amazon) (Frankenstein Vigilante series)
A rollicking ride through sci-fi, fantasy… adult porn, gang warfare, and a dozen or so other genres… all presented with crackling energy and a bawdy sense of humor.” (Amazon) (Frankenstein Vigilante series)
What a ride! The characters are well written, the plot is excellent. (Amazon) (Frankenstein Vigilante)
Loved it! WOW! What a Crazy, Wild Ride by those Two Madmen, Lawrence & Trengove!
Head Spinner, Page Turner and Brain Burner. (Amazon) (Frankenstein Vigilante)
What a launch! This is obviously the first in a series, and a debut with terrific promise.
Lawrence and Trengove have pinned their ears back and thrust us on a rollicking ride through
sci-fi, fantasy, civic responsibility, adult porn, gang warfare, and a dozen or so other genres. (Amazon) (Frankenstein Vigilante)
Please, somebody, a movie! (Amazon) (Frankenstein Vigilante)
A thoroughly enjoyable continuation of the first book… (Amazon). (Frankenstein Vigilante)
… an interesting and exciting turn in this latest story… comes with its own brand of hilarious satire… gratifying and horrifying violence and keen sex… a thoroughly satisfying and, yes, FUN read… (Amazon) (Frankenstein Vigilante)
A very successful attempt to do something different. It has humour, horror and action in equal measure… A true page turner. (Scriptshop.co.uk) (Blood Ranch – Blood, Fangs and Claws)
I couldn’t put it down. The book is well written with great descriptions of the vampire like creatures…” (Amazon) (Blood, Fangs and Claws)
Flesh-eating zombies on a remote Orkney island… sounds like a recipe for a bit of roller coaster ride and it was! Looking forward to the writers’ next one in the series. (Amazon UK) (Blood, Fangs and Claws)
the story races along in dark clubs, with strippers, humor and a seediness that I found hilarious… There were many points where I laughed out loud, so if you like the odd comedy, this one is an unexpected treasure. (Amazon) (London Chronicles)
Well-observed and often funny. (Sunday Times) (London Chronicles)
Very funny without ever being contemptuous. (The Times.) (London Chronicles)
Outrageously and wickedly honest. Full of finger-lickin’ good digs at distasteful modern horrors. (Men Only) (London Chronicles)
It’s very unlikely, almost like a fantasy, but very funny. (Amazon) (London Chronicles)
An absolute joy! (Amazon) (London Chronicles)
… well-observed… unmistakably the start of an irresistible composite talent.” (The Times) (London Chronicles)
“… incredible verve, panache and fun…” (Girl About Town) (London Chronicles)
Packed with delicious recipes. What an incredible value! … may persuade me to make the journey across the Santa Barbara Channel. It’s certainly persuaded me to make every one of these wonderful meals. (Amazon) (10 Favourite Menus… )
So fun to read. 10 Favourite Menus is such a great cookbook!!! (Amazon) (10 Favourite Menus… )
Full of excitement and love This journal of recipes, stories, and pictures is a perfect introduction to what I hope will be more books of recipes to come from Linda and John Andreotti. (Amazon) (10 Favourite Menus… )
I would highly recommend this book. Linda’s recipes are stellar. I appreciated being able to travel to the different anchorages along the way. (Amazon) (10 Favourite Menus… )