Emails #11: Letters From Soldiers

1-21-09

Cap feels the blood pouring from his shoulder, the uniform is ripped open there. His gaze follows the path of the bullet through the silver dollar-sized hole in the shield that was meant to protect him. Smoke wafts from the hot edges. A few inches to the left and it would have been his head. He shrugs and the shield falls to the earth, still smoking. Cap stands without cover against his foe, the Red Skull. This will be a fight to the finish, good and evil.......

Ben,

Saw an American flag flying upside down and at half mast yesterday (20th). Sore losers who are now expressing themselves by being extremely loserly and insulting. Democracy in action. Today, Obama moved to close Gitmo. The toughest lobbying restrictions were put on his incoming staff. Transparency rather than secrecy was given as the the guiding principle of his administration. The emphasis was on service, serving the public good rather than their own interests.

Now is the best time for a Cap movie. Or series. Think Rambo: First Blood Part II.....

Hope all is well,
RICK

Emails #10: Biggest Fire You Can

12-12-08

EXT. FOREST - DAY

1944. France.

We pan back to reveal Cap: He launches an ax over his head and brings it down neatly splitting the block of wood before him. He lifts the ax many more times and brings it down with precision. Wood cracks open.

There is a foot of snow on the ground. He stands in a clearing surrounded by log piles. Steam is rising from his body as he works. The air is frosty puffing from his mouth. He works smoothly and efficiently. He piles wood on his shield and drags it back to camp. Soldiers, half dead are huddled around a tiny fire drinking coffee and looking absolutely frozen.

A GI looks down at wood:

GI
We need the heat Cap but we can't afford to alert the enemy...
A big fire will give us away.

Cap hands the soldier a block of wood.

CAPTAIN AMERICA
Build a fire. Build the biggest fire you can. Let the whole world know that you are American soldiers. When the enemy comes, we will be warm and ready. We must prevail. Evil must be defeated. The light of humanity must never be allowed to flicker and perish. Today we face the cold, tonight the entire Germany army. Give yourselves hope. Give the world hope. What you do here today will be remembered as long as people live in freedom. Should your blood be spilled today on this frozen soil you will be mourned as heroes and inspire countless others to rise up. Let the cry of battle give strength to your hearts. This evil will not grow and we have a duty to oppose it even if our own lives are forfeit. This tyranny shall not stand.

Cap brings the ax down splitting a piece of wood with utter finality. The men erupt in cheers.

Logs are thrown pell mell onto the growing fire. Orange sparks trail up into the bleak sky.

Emails #9: My shield...bring it to me...

11-5-08

MISTER ALPI-

Thank you for the Cap/Red Skull material you have sent. I feel as though we have gotten off to a great start. There are many issues to explore. What happens to a man when he is catipaulted in time 65 years?

Rick

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11-5-08

My friend,

Thanks much, I agree, a great start!

I got this crazy idea over lunch. I was thinking, wouldn't it be funny if we were to send a letter, a 1-sheet description and a treatment for our film to President Elect Obama asking for a written endorsement of our concept so when we go to Marvel, they'll listen to us:) The letter would state that we think it is simply THAT important to America that this symbol is treated with respect and that he exemplifies the struggle we all face to keep freedom ringing.

If not that, I also wondered if we should post a treatment online for people to read and sign a petition of support or something. With the inter-connectedness of the net, it could go "viral." That of course could get the whole concept "gacked," (stolen) but it would be a risk we'd be taking in any case. Also, it would be a spec script on a licensed property so, we'd have to decide how much time we're willing to invest into something that may never see light. For some reason though, I don't think it would take us long to write. Maybe we should do it?

Emails #8: Don't go! They'll cut you to pieces!

11-4-08

Rickster,

Howdy! How was your Hallowzeeve? I hope it was good. Interesting wee story here. This scenario with Red Skull sounds a little Mafia-like, but if it's surrounded in Gestapo-themes, it would work. I don't know if you'd like it, if the VO in the beginning was one of his scientists and he started out rolling up his sleeves and then picks up the gun, I think that would establish he's more Hitler-like - less likely to get his hands dirty. You'd have to tell me though, because I don't know The Skull very well at all. Interesting to think of Red Skull walking around with a gun with bullets like that. Like Lex Luthor and packing Kryptonite.

So why is Cap in prison? :) Did you really dream this? I'd believe it!

Working on keeping above water here. I'm doing better now, but could always use more moola. Film things are moving along.

Rock on,
Ben

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11-5-08

Dear Mr. Rock On....

Cap in prison. Obviously, he is there to meet an inside contact for the Red Skull. Geez, Ben. Actually I don't know why. There is just some strong statement about liberty here. I am not 100% sure about the Red Skull except that he is a bad ass. I just wanted the Cap shield to be left in a smoking tangle, totally Swiss cheesed.

Emails #7: Red Skull. Yeah Baby.

10-5-08

Ben-

I just rewatched a portion of Unbreakable. Bruce Willis is in the house with the killer and the curtains are fluttering so that the characters are obscured. I am thinking along the lines of that.

As for "hero". This is a good touch but soften it.

"You Joes are heroes. No hot food or water, no sleep, under constant attack and still you fight on. I won't let you down...." Steve Rogers as Captain America grabs the standard and plants himself on top of the hill for all to see, even the enemy who begin using him as a target. The American soldiers pop to readiness. They are being lead by someone more than human who fights for the cause of liberty and justice for all. Weariness is forgotten, petty gripes are forgotten, fears are forgotten. There only remains Captain America standing flag in hand as a steady shining example calling them to charge.

Sort of a cross between the opening of Dances with Wolves and Braveheart.

The image dissolves.

Emails #6: A Golden Eagle Screams

9-30-08

Ben-

Maybe a horribly disfigured Robert Deniro can play Loki?

Okay, back to Cap....

Start with the ultra cool establishing shot.

Blackness. Yeah. Blackness.

Fade in to the ripple and wave of gigantic American flags, intertwined.

Cue the sound. Flapping, soft at first then growing deafeningly loud and crisp.

As the flags move, the figure of Cap is partially, tantalizingly revealed walking in slow motion toward the camera. At first you are not even sure he is really there.

Cue sounds of battle, gunfire and explosions.

Close-up of a red gloved hand gripping the wood of the flag pole.

Close-up of the top of the flag being hoisted up into the sky. A golden eagle, perched on top screams.

Cut to full shot of Cap on the top of a hill standing proudly with the flag. The sound of explosions and gunfire are loud. He is calm, steady.

"For freedom! For liberty! For justice!"

Emails #5: Thank You For Your Interest In Captain America

9-15-08

In case of emergency, break glass.

The technology to revive the frozen Captain American did not exist for over fifty years.

Until now.

The world he awakens to is a vastly different one than when he left. The cold war is over. The Berlin Wall is fallen. The threat of terrorism has pushed the government to trample the constitution, taking away liberties that he has always fought to protect. Yet, one threat remains all too familiar. An evil so deadly and violent that nothing but the taste of pure anarchy will satisfy him. The Red Skull! Cap races time to uncover and foil the plot the Red Skull has woven. Real allies step forward and traitors lurk in the shadows as Cap fights corruption, complacency, and cowardice in his quest to save the republic which now treats him as a quaint relic from a bygone age. queue organ music dun dun dunnnnnnnn

-Rick