Creative Notes:
This is based on one of the stories Karl tells in the script.
Karl
Karl is a retired World War two veteran who is given a call to action, due to an abusive relationship within his family. At first the character seems like an ornery old man, but as we reveal more of his character, his actions are motivated by propose, reason and logic.
Project collaboration:
By Permission
Synopsis:
This the story about a man and a gun, both named Karl.
The man is an eighty year old World War Two veteran, who leads a seemingly peaceful life and spends a lot of time in his garden literally burying his troubled past. He is fiercely loyal to his daughter and her family. One day a family dinner sparks a dispute about Karl's granddaughters new boyfriend. Karl seems to be a keen judge of character and he develops an instant dislike for Will, an auto shop and detailing owner who seems to have a lack of respect for the older generation.
Karl has an interesting way of qualifying people, he likes to spin long yarns either about his childhood or the war, then gauge the listeners reaction. The initial dinner triggers a series of events that forces Karl to encounter the boyfriend in a very revealing yet tragic way. Karl opens up to the abusive boyfriend and admits that he can relate to his violent tendencies. Karl's own family history is peppered by sociopathic and abusive behavior, which was taken with “a grain of salt” back in the day.
Karl's escape from a life of prosecution and violence was the the second World War, where killing legions of men was rewarded with medals and honor. Yet now he conforms to society standards and lives a normal life. He encourages the boyfriend to do the same. In the sum of it all Karl is the protector of his family. He is slight and unassuming and to most he is the typical grumpy old man, but with purpose.
The gun is a standard issue .45, which was kept by the platoons medic, back in the second World War. The gun was only used for humanitarian proposes, to relieve the pain of a dying soldier on the field, hundreds of miles away from and proper medical treatment, or to relieve a captured allies from torture, interrogation and eventual death. Karl was a form of euthanasia, used for the cause of humanity.
Karl the gun existed within the platoon named the “Dark Angels”, and their objective was to relieve the pain of war. It just happens to be a coincidence that Karl the solider was the main user of Karl the gun. He was voted by his men to be the main handler, due to his indifference and precision for killing.
Sixty years later both the man and gun are summoned back into commission, to settle a family dispute.
The man is an eighty year old World War Two veteran, who leads a seemingly peaceful life and spends a lot of time in his garden literally burying his troubled past. He is fiercely loyal to his daughter and her family. One day a family dinner sparks a dispute about Karl's granddaughters new boyfriend. Karl seems to be a keen judge of character and he develops an instant dislike for Will, an auto shop and detailing owner who seems to have a lack of respect for the older generation.
Karl has an interesting way of qualifying people, he likes to spin long yarns either about his childhood or the war, then gauge the listeners reaction. The initial dinner triggers a series of events that forces Karl to encounter the boyfriend in a very revealing yet tragic way. Karl opens up to the abusive boyfriend and admits that he can relate to his violent tendencies. Karl's own family history is peppered by sociopathic and abusive behavior, which was taken with “a grain of salt” back in the day.
Karl's escape from a life of prosecution and violence was the the second World War, where killing legions of men was rewarded with medals and honor. Yet now he conforms to society standards and lives a normal life. He encourages the boyfriend to do the same. In the sum of it all Karl is the protector of his family. He is slight and unassuming and to most he is the typical grumpy old man, but with purpose.
The gun is a standard issue .45, which was kept by the platoons medic, back in the second World War. The gun was only used for humanitarian proposes, to relieve the pain of a dying soldier on the field, hundreds of miles away from and proper medical treatment, or to relieve a captured allies from torture, interrogation and eventual death. Karl was a form of euthanasia, used for the cause of humanity.
Karl the gun existed within the platoon named the “Dark Angels”, and their objective was to relieve the pain of war. It just happens to be a coincidence that Karl the solider was the main user of Karl the gun. He was voted by his men to be the main handler, due to his indifference and precision for killing.
Sixty years later both the man and gun are summoned back into commission, to settle a family dispute.
Latest Work
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Trailer 1 - Karl talks about cabbage05/31/12
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Script 1 - Mark's Original Draft04/15/12
Creative Notes:Originally written as a Clint Eastwood spec script, the character of Karl has been stuck in my head for about 13 years. He is a combination of personalities and influences that have been infused into my subconscious through out the years. Mainly my old boss who was a World War Two veteran and would entertain us with horrifying, yet personal accounts of his tours of duty, during the great war.