A Horror Story Worth Mentioning

Since it's October and Halloween is fast approaching I thought I'd reminisce about a time long ago when I co-wrote a little Horror film called "THINGS."  It was the first screenplay I'd ever finished, and it was meant to be sort of a spec script for John Carpenter, writer/director of Halloween, Escape to New York and my all time favorite horror film, The Thing.  I'm sure it was a big old stink-fest, filled with cliches, bad dialogue, the works.  We did although have a few original concepts that hadn't been done before.  John Carpenter never read it of course, but it did make the rounds for a half second.  It was meant to be a sequel to his classic 80's horror extravaganza, but I don't think it quite measured up.  I wrote it right after I dropped out of college to become of all things a "Rock Star" which of course is an entirely different story which I may divulge at a later date, but right now... writing.

I was living in LA at the time, and I had had a writing partner, a make-up and FX artist by the name of David Barrett.  David was a really great guy, a hard core Treker and sci-fi nut.  We got along swimmingly.  David was a much better artist than he was a screenwriter.  In fact he was an excellent artist, self taught, and he actually went on to have a small career in Hollywood for a few years doing make up and effects for Roger Corman and several others.  He worked on Carnosaur, a Corman classic. 

We've since lost touch, but I think about our time together often, writing feverishly into the night while chugging down on good wine and devouring fresh baguettes as we slaved away.  I enjoyed my time writing with a partner and I haven't had a connection with another writer like that since.  It's funny because his work ethic was completely different than mine.  He wanted nothing more than to quickly move forward and get finished, whereas I wanted to go back and refine and refine.  We'd battle back and forth with each other moving slowly along until we finally reached the end.  It was a huge accomplishment for us and we had imagined great things for our collective future as writers, but of course it was not to be. It sure was fun while it lasted though.

After 6 tough years in LA I had begun to grow homesick and finally I decided to pack up my bags and move on.  I left behind a huge investment of music and writing, contacts and friends who went on to do great things in their prospective businesses.  I don't think David really understood why I was leaving, but 6 years was enough for me, and I'd only know him for 2 of those years.  I was spent and I'd had enough.  The City of Angels had chewed me up and spit me out like an old ball point pen top.  I don't know... maybe David and I could have become something with a little work and dedication,... maybe?  But everything happens for a reason, and I have absolutely no regrets.  About a month after I returned to my home town, I met my future wife and love of my life.  So yeah... I'm okay with it.  But that screenplay we wrote is still floating out there somewhere, but by now its most likely been shredded, recycled and turned into a coffee cup for Starbucks.  But we did it.  We finished a feature length screenplay.  And it was a great time of my life.

It's funny, but years later I saw some of the same original concepts of our screenplay reflected in the film "Slither."  That happens to me a lot because I get so many ideas I really don't know what to do with them all.  I drive my wife crazy with all the ideas I constantly throw at her, what about this, what about that!  She listens politely, probably wondering when I'm going to shut up and turn one of these potential goldmines into a reality.  I actually believe there are no original ideas and everything is just floating up there in the atmosphere to grab and write down.  You just have to be tuned in to the right channel to get it.  However with "Slither", it was almost the entire third act and climax which were similar to my old script.  I'm not saying anything was plagiarized our stolen or anything like that.  All I'm saying is hmmmm, what a coincidence.

Since then I've seen at least 5 more ideas of mine made into Reality Shows, Films, TV programs, you name it.  When it comes to ideas, I just have this to say.  Just because you write it down doesn't mean it's yours.  Finish it whatever it is and get it out there.  If you wait, someone will grab that idea from the atmosphere and make it their own.  And all you'll be left with is a great idea on a piece of paper.  And they'll be the ones getting paid for it.  Now ain't that a horror story worth mentioning.