Tommy Bruno Live!
To reclaim the spotlight, a one-hit rock wonder fakes his death to boost sales - his producer likes it so much, he wants to make the arrangement permanent.
TOMMY BRUNO LIVE!
by
Douglas Stark
There's chanting -- "Deuces Wild! Deuces Wild!" -- from the biggest crowd at the Dayton Town Mall since last year's "Little Miss Buckeye" pageant. It's not because it's Casino Night at the Food Court, but because TOMMY BRUNO is performing with his new band. After years out of the spotlight, Tommy's comeback has begun.
Tommy was once Rock's savior -- "Deuces Wild" was THE anthem of yesteryear. Even then, Tommy was a throwback with a horn section that rattled dental fillings and songwriting that evoked the Boss, the Stones, and Zeppelin. Tommy's vocals announced a talent without limits and his rock star persona seemed destined to shine forever.
And then the second album landed with a thud. After splitting with girlfriend/muse CHARISMA, Tommy hit bottom. He became a one-hit wonder on "Where Are They Now?" shows, while Charisma evolved into pop idol, film star, fashion diva, and cultural icon. Now, as suburban Moms and Dads scream for "Dueces Wild," Tommy refuses to play. He's got new songs, a new act, a new sound. Tommy vows never to play "Deuces Wild" again.
JJ HOYT, lead guitarist and the only holdover from the glory days, scolds Tommy -- he's stayed through thick and thin, but walking out on a gig is unforgiveable. If Tommy really wants to erase the flash-in-the-pan image, JJ says, he'll have to see DWIGHT DOOLING, head of Bump & Grind Records, the man who dumped Tommy's last record.
Bump & Grind is a bubblegum pop idol factory. So an over-the-hill rocker with a "new" sound isn't sitting well with Dooling. Until he has an idea -- "John Lennon, Tupac, Selena -- what do they have in common?" asks Dooling "They forgot to duck?" offers Tommy. "They sold more records AFTER they died," says Dooling. He details a plan to fake Tommy's death, re-issue his first album, and cash in big.
Tommy is shocked -- and hurt. His sound is fresh, new, alive. "But your career is dead, so who cares if people think you're dead?" asks Dooling. If Tommy agrees to the plan, Dooling promises to 'discover' the real Tommy alive and release his new music -- AFTER they've made a mint.
Tommy agrees to the scheme and swears JJ to secrecy -- but still needs to win over one important person: SUMMER, 20, Tommy and Charisma's love child. Growing up, Summer saw what mega-fame did to Charisma and is disgusted Tommy now wants the same. She believed in her Dad's over-the-hill style of music. "So I should tour the boonies and stay forgotten?" says Tommy. Summer won't blow his plan, but she doesn't stick around when Tommy's death is faked.
The unexpected outpouring of global grief leads to huge sales of his old albums. Tommy realizes he wasn't just a one hit wonder. Charisma cancels her world tour to attend the celebrity funeral. Tommy surprises Charisma in cognito and is disappointed to find she's there for her own p.r. Charisma knows of Dooling's plan and wants to play herself in the movie version of Tommy's life.
In death, Tommy couldn't be hotter. In life, he couldn't be more miserable. He's ready to be "discovered" alive. But Dooling is making bank with old Tommy Bruno albums. Who needs new Tommy Bruno music? Dooling decides Tommy dead is worth more than Tommy fake-dead and sends a hit man to kill him.
Tommy and JJ seek refuge with old band members who put aside long-held grudges, inspired by Tommy's new music. Summer finds her father and threatens to expose his scheme, but is touched by his love of making music with old friends. At a climactic benefit concert toplined by Charisma, Tommy shows up, Dooling's men at his heels.
Desperate, Tommy takes the stage with the Tommy Bruno Tribute Band. The crowd is amazed by the Tommy "lookalike." So is Charisma, who is wooed by his new music ("newly-discovered classics" written by the late legend) and his heartfelt rendition of "Deuces Wild." Suddenly, Tommy's throwback music is all the rage again.
by
Douglas Stark
There's chanting -- "Deuces Wild! Deuces Wild!" -- from the biggest crowd at the Dayton Town Mall since last year's "Little Miss Buckeye" pageant. It's not because it's Casino Night at the Food Court, but because TOMMY BRUNO is performing with his new band. After years out of the spotlight, Tommy's comeback has begun.
Tommy was once Rock's savior -- "Deuces Wild" was THE anthem of yesteryear. Even then, Tommy was a throwback with a horn section that rattled dental fillings and songwriting that evoked the Boss, the Stones, and Zeppelin. Tommy's vocals announced a talent without limits and his rock star persona seemed destined to shine forever.
And then the second album landed with a thud. After splitting with girlfriend/muse CHARISMA, Tommy hit bottom. He became a one-hit wonder on "Where Are They Now?" shows, while Charisma evolved into pop idol, film star, fashion diva, and cultural icon. Now, as suburban Moms and Dads scream for "Dueces Wild," Tommy refuses to play. He's got new songs, a new act, a new sound. Tommy vows never to play "Deuces Wild" again.
JJ HOYT, lead guitarist and the only holdover from the glory days, scolds Tommy -- he's stayed through thick and thin, but walking out on a gig is unforgiveable. If Tommy really wants to erase the flash-in-the-pan image, JJ says, he'll have to see DWIGHT DOOLING, head of Bump & Grind Records, the man who dumped Tommy's last record.
Bump & Grind is a bubblegum pop idol factory. So an over-the-hill rocker with a "new" sound isn't sitting well with Dooling. Until he has an idea -- "John Lennon, Tupac, Selena -- what do they have in common?" asks Dooling "They forgot to duck?" offers Tommy. "They sold more records AFTER they died," says Dooling. He details a plan to fake Tommy's death, re-issue his first album, and cash in big.
Tommy is shocked -- and hurt. His sound is fresh, new, alive. "But your career is dead, so who cares if people think you're dead?" asks Dooling. If Tommy agrees to the plan, Dooling promises to 'discover' the real Tommy alive and release his new music -- AFTER they've made a mint.
Tommy agrees to the scheme and swears JJ to secrecy -- but still needs to win over one important person: SUMMER, 20, Tommy and Charisma's love child. Growing up, Summer saw what mega-fame did to Charisma and is disgusted Tommy now wants the same. She believed in her Dad's over-the-hill style of music. "So I should tour the boonies and stay forgotten?" says Tommy. Summer won't blow his plan, but she doesn't stick around when Tommy's death is faked.
The unexpected outpouring of global grief leads to huge sales of his old albums. Tommy realizes he wasn't just a one hit wonder. Charisma cancels her world tour to attend the celebrity funeral. Tommy surprises Charisma in cognito and is disappointed to find she's there for her own p.r. Charisma knows of Dooling's plan and wants to play herself in the movie version of Tommy's life.
In death, Tommy couldn't be hotter. In life, he couldn't be more miserable. He's ready to be "discovered" alive. But Dooling is making bank with old Tommy Bruno albums. Who needs new Tommy Bruno music? Dooling decides Tommy dead is worth more than Tommy fake-dead and sends a hit man to kill him.
Tommy and JJ seek refuge with old band members who put aside long-held grudges, inspired by Tommy's new music. Summer finds her father and threatens to expose his scheme, but is touched by his love of making music with old friends. At a climactic benefit concert toplined by Charisma, Tommy shows up, Dooling's men at his heels.
Desperate, Tommy takes the stage with the Tommy Bruno Tribute Band. The crowd is amazed by the Tommy "lookalike." So is Charisma, who is wooed by his new music ("newly-discovered classics" written by the late legend) and his heartfelt rendition of "Deuces Wild." Suddenly, Tommy's throwback music is all the rage again.
Comments (9)
James Hereth Like the concept a lot, and the scene is funny and slickly written. With all the "where are they now?" articles on the internet and flashback shows on VH1 and the like, this story is dead center in the zeitgeist bullseye.
March 21, 2010Making faux "hit" songs can be a bit tricky, but with the right collaborator, the soundtrack can be as a big a success am I'm sure the movie will be. I look forward to seeing it.
Christopher Hewitson Overall, I think it's a decent piece. I have seen the "fake your death" scheme a number of times, but "the producer putting out a hit on the guy", gives it a fresh look. But how could Tommy be worth more "real dead than fake dead?" Either way he's dead to the public and that's what matters. What SHOULD happen is that Tommy becomes sick of the whole situation, for whatever reason, and decides that he's gonna come clean to the public. So afraid of losing all that money, the producer THEN puts the hit out.
March 14, 2010Also, Tommy being on the run from hitmen should be the main conflict, as it is that idea that makes this high concept. It should be the main event and not used for just the climax of the piece. Something else should be used at the end to up the stakes. Like maybe the producer hires hitmen to kill his daughter, as well as him, to turn this into a family tragedy.
The sample itself doesn't stand out to me. I can tell you're a good writer, because the dialogue and pacing is well done. I just didn't laugh all that much. But that's just a matter of preference.
It's a solid idea. I like it. Hope I helped in some way. Good luck!
Jason Meyers Definitely high concept. Title conveys the high concept. Logline gets across the high concept. I think the major conflict might work a bit better if the faked death is moved up to earlier in the story and the rest is the problems the rocker faces as he deals with pretending to be dead. I think the ending needs something-is he going to be someone else for the rest of his life?
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