Tombstone's Shadow

 
On May 4th, L received a phone call from our good friend Tino Luciano requesting a favor.

"Laureen, do you know a scroungy, smelly, no good side-winder who wouldn't mind being killed in front of a lot of tourists at Calico Ghost Town on the tenth. Someone despicable and irrational enough to go against the Earp brothers and Doc Holiday? I mean there will be name calling, taunting and lots of shooting and he will die."

"I'll tell John not to shave for a week."

So, that is how J ended up in a fracas with the Earp Brothers and Doc Holiday (whom he actually greatly admires) on May 10th, 2014 at Calico ready to shoot it out with these renowned pistol wielding experts belonging to the Law Dogs 'N Ladies re-enactment group.

While donning his period outfit all J could say is: "I'm used to dressing up as a dandy during shoot 'em ups but today I'm unshaven, smelly and am going to die."

No sympathy from L who was dolled up in her 1880's get up looking beautiful as ever and knew before the car left the driveway that she would be the center of attention for the tourists at Calico while her husband scruffy to the point of having a Brillo pad on his face wouldn't get the slightest bit of attention.

Was J correct? The whole town of Calico seemed to stop when a group of French tourists surrounded Laureen as she prattled away in French while posing for photographs with their children, grandchildren, mothers, fathers, and strangers. The town Sheriff had to come and break the crowd up away from the parasol twirling woman.

Laureen was shameless.

But as the day drew on tempers started to build between the Cowboys and the Earps and  the town folk (tourists) knew there was a battle brewing close by.

Loud and ugly verbal taunts from Ike Clanton, the Cowboys and from J, aka Billy Clanton, were thrown at the Earps, Doc Holiday and the tourists whenever they had the chance, but it did nothing but ignite the hatred these groups had for each other (only two groups since the tourists were not armed).

Blood would be spilled in Tombstone this day - oops, Calico.


Not like a Hollywood movie set where everything is controlled, today's actions were choreographed by the wind gods with gusts of nearly fifty miles per hour at times with hats, skirts, and red sashes blowing all over the place.


Speaking of red sashes - J was wearing one (loaned by Tino Luciano) which was actually used in the film 'Tombstone' starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer back in 1993. Quite an honor to die during a gun battle with historic figures wearing a red sash that another actor died wearing while fighting other actors. Not even sure that makes sense but felt sort of cool to get bullet riddled with a piece of cloth another actor wore while getting bullet riddled.

 The shoot out went as all shoot outs do - some die and some live. In the Tombstone version (even in Calico) the Earp group killed pretty much all of the Cowboy group and as J laid in the wicked wind and hard dirt after receiving his third or fourth bullet from the Earps the only thing on his mind was: hoping the beer was cold at Lil's - the saloon not fifty yards from where he laid dead.

The beer was cold and not even Doc Holiday or Wyatt Earp could keep him from his eternal goal.

The Giant's Causeway

Cliffs of the Causeway

The Irish are some of the world's most prolific story tellers hands down. Any doubt with this statement will be put to rest with the readings of Oscar Wilde, C.S. Lewis, James Joyce and countless other scribes. The stories these and other writers put to the paper also brought tears, laughter, and remorse which seems to be a standby for the Irish.

Around the Causeway bend

One particular Irish myth is the story of Fionn MacCumhail (Finn MacCool) who built a basalt causeway from Northern Ireland to Scotland across the North Channel.

A myth because there are a number of variations concerning why Finn actually built the causeway in the first place. The one consistent theme was Finn accepted a physical confrontation with the Scottish giant Benandonner to see who was the strongest. The differences in the story occur with numerous endings with Finn losing, winning, running away from the Scotsman and other versions.

A bit of perspective

Can this be natural?

The bottom line of the myth is a great and entertaining fictional piece. And isn't that what a tall tale is supposed to be?



This World Heritage site, dedicated by UNESCO in 1986, is located in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland.

Fifty million or more years in the past this area was under a constant and destructive bombardment from volcanic activity. Molten basalt flowed through chalk beds which resulted in a very large lava plateau leaving behind tens of thousands of pillar like structures all lined up together to form what looks likes steps into the blue sea.

Laureen adds perspective

The various heights of the basalt columns are the result of how quickly the lava cooled.

Fast = shorter. Slow = taller.

Then again this is just science talking since there are not many of us around since the Paleogene Period. We will stick with science at this point for the explanation of the Giants Causeway.

The coastal area where this phenomena occurred is the number one tourist attraction in all of Northern Ireland. And this is probably true since 1693 when a paper was presented to the Royal Society by Sir Richard Bulkeley, a fellow at Trinity College in Dublin. And who is going to argue with a knighted personage?




Then again, this scenic and historical location is only three miles from the village of Bushmills. Yes, the one and only world famous distillery of whiskey.

J and L taking a break on the Causeway

Perhaps this is another reason for the popularity of the area and we'll drink to that.

Slippery when wet

But don't try maneuvering those slippery pillars of basalt after a few snorts of Bushmills - there's a need for steady footing there, Laddie.

Behind the Scenes of Soft Target

Terrorists on the scene

With the release of John's latest novel, 'Soft Target', just around the corner (May 17th) the idea of a trailer seemed appropriate. After all, the filming of 'Hunted' was not only fun but sent a quick message to viewers of what the book was all about. So on Saturday the 19th of April, a trailer for 'Soft Target' was shot on location at a nearby middle school in the Victor Valley of Southern California.

The photographer and the mayhem

Director at work

A group of Islamic Terrorists endeavor to repeat the school takeover their counterparts conducted in the small Russian village of Beslan in 2004 where hundreds of innocent youngsters and adults were murdered. This time their target is an American middle school to spread terror and mayhem from misguided beliefs and point out to the citizens of the United States that no one, is safe from the perverted homicidal thoughts they harbor in their black hearts. But they did not count on Yuri Sharikov, an ex-special purposes commander who was there in Beslan and saw the slaughter first hand. It's the one man they wanted to taunt but not face.

Sounds exciting - well, back to the trailer.

A simple task this filming business?

Not so much.

This is how you hold the hostage

Twenty middle school students and numerous adults as extras, two video photographers, a 'behind the scenes' photography professional (Justin Barr), and the students parents. Not at all intimidating for John's first role as 'Director'.

Make-up, director, and more

Acting lessons from a pro

Wrong - very stressful for the author to direct an advertisement for his new novel. Thankfully he had on hand two extremely accomplished and experienced people to guide him through the process. Old friend Terry Kurtz (who had shot the trailer for 'Hunted' back in 2013) and James Fuentez who can read a script and pinpoint where the camera needs to be at every shot with the precision of a drone strike. The novelist breathed easier with these two guys by his side.

Three opinions -- one great shoot!

Fun was had by all with the director yelling directions (that's what they do) and children running in fear for their lives from would-be terrorists.


Running, screaming, more running, more screaming, terrorists barking orders while waving guns (not loaded and triple checked) more terrorists barking orders and more yelling by the director.

It was a blast!



 
Parents smiling, students believing they are now worthy of a star in Hollywood (not mentioning some of the adults who took part), and finally those wonderful words; "It's a wrap - let's go home."

The trailer's a wrap!

Will the trailer be successful? That's a question only the sales of the novel will answer but from an inside point of view it was certainly a success for all those who participated on that warm and sunny day.








We had fun.