Dead Men Tell Tall Tales

Hey all. Just thought I'd share a little something with you. Dead Men Tell Tall Tales is now complete, like I talked about in my previous post. I've sort of half started marketing, but haven't had a whole lot of time to get into it lately. For anyone interested here you'll find the logline as well as a quick teaser synopsis. If you're a producer and would like to read the feature script, drop me a line; shawn@horizonparkmedia.com

LOG
All the bad liars are already dead. At least Detective Draken thought so. As if a drug addiction aquired on the job weren't enough, Draken no longer knows which former partner to trust; the serial killer or the drug dealer.

SYNOPSIS
Ethan Draken is a former homicide detective turned undercover vice agent ingrained deep within Deacon Delgado’s drug empire. Delgado, known to law enforcement agencies and the press as “El Tiburón,” has taken Ethan under his wing and dubbed him “Dark Man” for his unheralded dedication.

A botched sting results in the death of an undercover agent and renders the capture of Delgado a bittersweet success. Worn down and struggling with his own personal demons, Ethan vows to leave his career behind and spend time with his family. But a serial killer resurfaces and sends him a personal message; unable to retire with the prospect of capturing the killer staring him in the face, Ethan convinces Captain Palmer to grant him provisional status as a homicide detective in order to bring in Janis Barnum, a one time masterful forensic scientist.

Ethan, obsessive and self destructive, mortgages his personal life against his efforts to find Janis, knowing well that Janis is toying with him and his partner, Ryan Chambers. During their investigation they realize that Delgado, a self-confessed serial killer historian, might have contacted Janis long ago and the entire ordeal may have been predetermined.

Chambers is killed while visiting Ethan’s home, and his wife and daughter are abducted by someone posing as Ethan. Using the wig and prosthetic material left behind by the impostor, Ethan uncovers Janis’ base of operations. Ethan, Palmer and Janis head out to the swamp, where Janis is set to meet with Delgado. Ethan drags Palmer into the field to search for the cabin by themselves, with no backup, despite Palmer’s objections. Later Palmer reveals that not only has Janis been working with Delgado, Palmer, too, is on the inside. They believe that Ethan and Chambers stole the drugs and money and are using it to leverage themselves a better bargaining position. Ethan affirms him innocence, citing his ignorance and pleads for the release of his daughter. Quizzically, they assure him that they have no knowledge of his daughter’s disappearance. Ethan, more determined to find his daughter than save himself, escapes, but not before purposely killing Palmer and accidentally killing Delgado.

Meanwhile Janis has escaped. While Deacon and Palmer thought they were using Janis as an insurance policy, it was he who was manipulating them. He has been systematically murdering corrupt cops, sparing Ethan because he believed that he was one of the few who were honest and could be trusted. Ethan is charged with one final task before Janis returns his daughter. Ethan discovers the money and the drugs and meets with Janis once again in his laboratory. Here Janis transforms Ethan into Delgado and sends him on his final mission.

Ethan meets with officers from his own precinct, men also on Delgado’s payroll. Unable to simply make the deal and move on, Ethan blows his cover. He destroys the drugs and is shot, but also reveals the corruption of his coworkers in the process, and vindicates Janis’ mission in an ironic way. As promised, Janis delivers his daughter to him free of harm, along with a little surprise; Janis gives Ethan all the dirty money as a retirement present.

LENGTH: 119 Pages
FEATURE
CRIME/THRILLER