PSYCHODALEK - THE WILD, THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE DAMNED E-Book

James Ray

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Psychodalek is the companion novella to the James Rays Gangwar album of the same name. Each chapter of the book parallels a single track on the album.

The book itself travels alongside a schizophrenic murderer with dwells in near future London. Much of the visual imagery is derived from the complex emotional circumstances behind each violent twist of the protagonists psyche. The plot, while extremely violent and disturbing, poses an monumental question. Are we truly products of our environment, and if so, then are we ultimately to blame for our actions which society implicitly has given to us? The book humbly suggest that this is the case and that even the most perverse criminal offenders only commit those crimes that society has breed them to perform. In essence that the downfall of civilization can be directly linked to our own self-imposed destructive tendencies. What we choose to take away from this message is perhaps the reason why the author has chosen to write this crude parable. If only a single person, such as the book's lead, can annihilate a menagerie of victims, that maybe a single person can work to rebuild our perverse society from it's suicidal cinders.

This new e-book edition includes the original Psychodalek novella plus the Screenplay The Wild, The Beautiful And The Damned, illustrated by Christian Dörge.

Leseprobe

JAMES RAY

Psychodalek

The Wild, The Beautiful And The Damned.

One Screenplay. One Novel

Apex-Verlag

Inhaltsverzeichnis

The Book 

The Author 

The Wild, The Beautiful And The Damned, PART ONE A Screenplay. 

The Wild, The Beautiful And The Damned, PART TWO: PSYCHODALEK - A NOVEL. 

The Book

Psychodalek is the companion novella to the James Rays Gangwar album of the same name. Each chapter of the book parallels a single track on the album.

The book itself travels alongside a schizophrenic murderer with dwells in near future London. Much of the visual imagery is derived from the complex emotional circumstances behind each violent twist of the protagonists psyche. The plot, while extremely violent and disturbing, poses an monumental question. Are we truly products of our environment, and if so, then are we ultimately to blame for our actions which society implicitly has given to us? The book humbly suggest that this is the case and that even the most perverse criminal offenders only commit those crimes that society has breed them to perform. In essence that the downfall of civilization can be directly linked to our own self-imposed destructive tendencies. What we choose to take away from this message is perhaps the reason why the author has chosen to write this crude parable. If only a single person, such as the book's lead, can annihilate a menagerie of victims, that maybe a single person can work to rebuild our perverse society from it's suicidal cinders.

This new e-book edition includes the original Psychodalek novella plus the Screenplay The Wild, The Beautiful And The Damned, illustrated by Christian Dörge.

The Author

James Ray is a British musician, singer and writer.

Early in his career, James Ray became a singer on The Sisterhood's single Giving Ground and on the accompanying album Gift - both side projects of The Sisters Of Mercy's mastermind Andrew Eldritch.

In 1984 he founded (together with Keyboarder Carl Harrison) his band James Ray And The Performance, which released the maxi-singles Mexico Sundown Blues, Texas and Dust Boat between 1986 and 1989 as well as the compilation album A New Kind of Assassin.

In 1989, he founded James Rays Gangwar (with Damon Vingoe, Travis Earl, and J.B. Ridge), writing and recording a much more guitar-oriented, more aggressive sound. The same year the debut-maxi Another Million Dollars was released, followed by a second maxi-single, Without Conscience, in 1991. The outstanding album Dios Esta Nuestro Lado (and another single, Rev Rev Lowrider) was released in 1992.

After a change of the record company, the much more electronic-based single Fuel and album Third Generation were released in 1993, followed by the album Psychodalek and the associated novel of  the same title in 1997.

In 1994 and 1995, James Ray recorded his ambient solo albums This Is This and Beluga Pop (as The MK Ultra).

James Ray and the Black Hearted Riders, his most recent project, released the brilliant singer-songwriter albums Last Train From Woody Creek (2015) and Dawn Death Zephyr (2016).

James Ray's back catalogue was re-released through the German label Black October-Records in 2015: Another Million Dollars (8 tracks) and Spanish Cadillac Selected (84 tracks), the British label Cherry Red released the The Merciful Release Recordings 1989-1992 (29 tracks) and the double album CD Destination Assassination: The Merciful Release Recordings, 1986-1989 (14 tracks); the live album James Rays Gangwar: Before And After The Storm (12 tracks) was released by the French label D-Monic.

James Ray lives and works in North Lincolnshire (GB).

The Wild, The Beautiful And The Damned,

PART ONE

A Screenplay.

INT. TRANSIT VAN (MOVING) - NIGHT:

Two large men are sitting opposite each other in the rear of the van as it bounces across rough ground. Between them lies a hooded and bound male.

The van stops and the back doors are opened - the man is dragged out into a field, next to a make shift stable block - his legs drag beneath him.

INT. TACKROOM - NIGHT:

The man is dragged into the tackroom and up to one of the panelled walls.

A panel is lifted in the wall to reveal a head sized hole.

His hooded head is put through the hole and secured in position.

INT. STABLE - NIGHT:

C.U. on his head as the hood is removed.

He slowly lifts his head - his face is suddenly frozen in fear.

Man's P.O.V. - a large horse is being led into the stable.

MAN

(screaming)

No no no, Jesus no!

MALE VOICE (O.S.)

Too fuckin' late for God, sunshine!

The stable door is bolted shut.

CUT TO BLACK:

The horse is jeered into a panic by the shouting of three men.

MAN (O.S.)

Aaaaaagggghhh!

We hear the stable walls being kicked by the animal.

EXT. CEMETERY - DAY:

A FLY'S EYE VIEW -

The Slo Mo sound of a Dragonfly in flight can be heard as we fly low-level across the graveyard up to where a burial is in progress.

JAMES RAY - a handsome twenty year old, and NICK TARANT - a large 50 year old are at the grave side with the priest - they are looking down into the grave.

We look in - a wreath reading MOTHER lies on top of the coffin.

We look back up and see JAMES looking straight into camera. The shot lifts above and over him as he watches us back off across the cemetery towards two men.

JAMES'S P.O.V. - Two men in black overcoats are standing in his line of vision - they look like well-dressed gangsters. The larger (55) balding one slowly sways from side to side. The other, smaller, suave one, stares back at James - they both have the appearance of having been embalmed.

CUT TO:

Soil is dumped onto the wreath and coffin.

INT. ABATTOIR - DAY:

We follow NICK through the length of the abattoir where we see the whole process of animal slaughter.

At the end of the line he exits the building through a back door.

EXT. BACK YARD - DAY:

JAMES is standing in a small, brick-walled yard, in the rain - he has been vomiting.

NICK enters through the door from the abattoir.

NICK

Get around to the offal tanks, they've got a blockage

and it's backing up the line.

JAMES

Gimme a minute Nick.

NICK

Not at eight dollars an hour, now get up. And make

sure you clean that fuckin' mess up before you leave.

Nick goes back inside.

James takes a note book and pencil from his pocket, squats down in the corner of the small yard and starts to write.

DISSOLVE INTO:

ARIEL SHOT  of the small back yard.

INT. PRISON CELL - DAY:

JOE BURNS - 35 years old - is sitting naked, on the edge of a stripped bed frame. His upper torso is alive with a multitude of tattooed snakes. His long, lank red hair hangs down past his face.

Bed sheets and blankets are folded neatly into a bed pack and sit on the folded back mattress.

C.U. on his tired face as he rests it in his hands - his thumb nails are long and sharp.

VOICE (O.S.)

(shouting)

Stand up Burns!

JOE stands to attention.

The heavy cell door is unlocked and opened.

RON MALLOY - a powerful looking guard is standing in the doorway staring at Joe's naked body.

RON steps back from the doorway and allows a smaller guard to enter carrying a box containing clothes for Joe - he places in on the floor next to the plimsolls then leaves.

RON steps into the cell.

RON

Put them on.

Joe takes the clothes out carefully - a black roll-neck top and a tailored black two-piece suit.

JOE

Where're my boots?

RON

Well if they're not there then they must be missing.

Put them on! (points at plimsolls)

JOE

The shit stays in here.

RON

Your choice.

He leaves and the cell door crashes shut.

INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - DAY:

Ron and the smaller guard are walking along the corridor approaching a locked gate.

P.O.V. Ron puts his key in the lock then looks up - the two weird gangster types from the funeral are standing beyond the gate, staring at Ron.

We hear the cell door crash closed again.

INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - DAY:

Ron and the smaller guard walk Joe along the corridor.

Joe is in his new clothes and boots. His hair is neatly greased and tied back.

They pass through the locked gate - Joe smiles to himself.

The corridor on the other side of the second gate is carpeted and decorated like an exclusive hotel. Framed black and white photographs of various executions adorn the walls - hanging, electric chair, beheading's etc.

At the end of the corridor is a large gothic church door.

Joe stands still as Ron knocks.

INT. GOVERNOR'S OFFICE - DAY:

REYNOLDS, the prison governor - an elderly, studious looking gentleman is sitting behind a large oak desk in a tastefully and ornately decorated office in the style of a 19th century study. On his desk is a labelled plastic bag containing Joe's valuables - watch, wallet, rings.

Ron manhandles Joe into the centre of the room.

Reynolds looks up from a framed photograph he is admiring.

C.U. on a photo of a good looking woman in her late twenties.

REYNOLDS(O.S.)

My daughter. It's her birthday today. She Holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Oxford. What you see there Burns is a picture of someone who has made a success of her life. Someone with a place in society. And today is the time to find your place.

JOE

I know my place.

Ron delivers Joe a felling kidney punch.

REYNOLDS

Get up Burns.

Joe gets up.

Do you think you've learned anything since being here?

JOE

I think so. Sir.

REYNOLDS

(sarcastically)

Please enlighten us. My inturn's rehabilitation courses

are of great interest to me.

JOE

I've learned that solitude in magnitude can take your

dreams away. Sir.

REYNOLDS

You think you're quite smart don't you Burns.

JOE

I have my philosophies, Sir. Right or wrong.

REYNOLDS

(points to bag on the desk) Pick them up and sign there.

Joe signs for his possessions. As he picks up the bag he drops a brown envelope onto the desk with GOVERNOR REYNOLDS typed across it.

JOE

(whispering)

Some new pictures for your walls. Sir!

EXT. EXERCISE YARD - DAY:

Ron and Joe are heading for the main gate.

INT. GOVERNORS OFFICE - DAY:

C.U. on the envelope being opened.

EXT. EXERCISE YARD - DAY:

Ron and Joe reach the main gate.

C.U. on Joe as he grins.

JOE

How's you wife's photography course coming on Ron?

Ron looks at him distastefully.

INT. GOVERNOR'S OFFICE - DAY:

C.U. as Reynolds takes out the photographs. Each one depicts his daughter in various sexual acts with Joe in his cell.

EXT. PARK - DAY:

James is sitting by a tree watching the world go by on a beautiful summer's day.

C.U. as he takes out a cigarette and lights it with a brass Zippo in his bloody hands.

He takes out his notebook and pencil and starts to write.

P.O.V. James looks across the green park.

JAMES

(voice over)

The evening was warm and sunny. Flowering Laburnum, Acacia and Fire trees lined the way across the high ground with their lower branches adorned with colourful ribbons and trinkets. Beyond the grove, across a hundred descending miles, the land sloped steeply away into the distance. A soft breeze, laden with the fragrance  of distant deserts and burning sandlewood, blew among the tawny canyons beneath him, circled amongst the ravines and foothills, and soared on eagle's wings across the escarpment.

DISSOLVE INTO:

INT. CANTEEN - DAY:

The smoky canteen is full of employees from the abattoir.

Nick is sitting at a table eating his large lunch - Spaghetti and fries with ketchup.

James sits next to him with a can of Coke and a sandwich.

NICK

Where have you been?

JAMES

Outside, getting some fresh air.

NICK

What d'you think that is? (Nods to the top corner of the

room)

C.U. on a huge, noisy, industrial air conditioning fan blowing air into the building. A dead pigeon is hanging from the duct.

A short, fat man sits down next to Nick and slaps a bundle of cash down on the table.

Nick stares at the cash.

What the fuck's that?

FAT MAN

Rent?

NICK

You’re a hundred dollars short.

FAT MAN

It's the pig man again, Nick. Says he lost a couple of

sows last week.

NICK  

I haven't seen any pigs running round the streets, have

you James?

JAMES

(uninterested)

What?

NICK

Tell him he's got till the end of the week or I'll send the

Butcher round for the rest of his fuckin' family.

FAT MAN

Well I'm not sure if . . . . .

NICK

Did you here me?

FAT MAN

Yes.

NICK

Well go and fuckin' tell him then.

The Fat Man slopes off.

I want you t'do something for me James.

JAMES

What?

NICK

I want you to take something to your Michael.

James looks at Nick - confused and suspicious.

Nick brings out a hand sized package, neatly wrapped in brown paper, from his jacket pocket. He hands it to James with two twenty dollar notes.

JAMES

Do you know where he is?

NICK

He's got a club down town. The Dragonfly. D'you know it?

JAMES

I don't even know what he looks like.

NICK

Well now's your chance to find out isn't it.

JAMES

Why now?

NICK

Why not.

JAMES

Because my mother's dead?

NICK

It wouldn't have made any difference.

JAMES

Well why then?

NICK

I thought you wanted to see him.

JAMES

I do.

NICK

So stop asking questions and take what's on offer.

JAMES

But why now? Why not last year or the year before?

NICK

Because the now is right.

EXT. THE DRAGONFLY - NIGHT:

Loud, heavy music can be heard coming from within the club.

James approaches a large doorman at the entrance to the club.

JAMES

I'm here to see Michael.

DOORMAN

Michael who?

JAMES

Michael Ray.

DOORMAN

Who are you?

JAMES

His brother.

DOORMAN

Stay there.

The doorman goes inside for a short while, then returns.

This way.

INT. DRAGONFLY - NIGHT:

James is lead into the club foyer and up two flights if stairs to a door marked  ‘Private' - the doorman knocks.

MICHAEL (O.S.)

Come in James.

James enters.

INT. OFFICE - NIGHT:

The office is very lavish - MICHAEL RAY - the suave one from the funeral, is sitting behind a large oak desk.

His associate FRANKY - the larger one from the funeral - is sitting in a large leather sofa. He never speaks.

Both Michael and Franky are wearing a black two piece suit with a black roll neck top and lace up boots.

MICHAEL

(smiling)

James. Nice to see you.

James walks up to the desk whilst studying Michael's face.

JAMES

You were at my mother's funeral.

MICHAEL

Our mother.

JAMES

You were standing with him. (points to Franky)

MICHAEL

In spirit.

JAMES

You were there. I saw you.

MICHAEL

Perhaps you wanted to see me.

JAMES

And why would I want to do that?

MICHAEL

Who knows? (pause) Perhaps you've got something

for me.

James passes Michael the parcel.

Michael takes a long thin letter opener from the desk and carefully cuts it open below desk level. He smiles as he takes out a horse shoe from the paper.

He opens a desk draw -

Michael's P.O.V. - the draw contains a dozen horse shoes. He throws the new one in with them then closes the draw - saying nothing about it.

MICHAEL

What do you think of the club then?

JAMES

Why have I never seen you before?

MICHAEL

You just said that you saw me at the cemetery.

JAMES

Why now?

MICHAEL

It's your birthday on Saturday.

JAMES

I've had twenty other birthdays.

MICHAEL

And now you're going to be twenty one.

JAMES

And next year I'll be twenty two.

MICHAEL

(grinning) Oh my, and a, boo hoo.

JAMES

I've been thinking about trying to find my dad.

MICHAEL

I thought we'd have party for you, here.

JAMES

Do you know where he is?

MICHAEL

He's dead.

JAMES

You know that?

MICHAEL

The last time I saw him was almost twenty one years

ago and he didn't look like he was going to out live

mother then. How's Nick? Is he looking after you okay?

JAMES

What do you mean looking after me?

MICHAEL

You know. Is he showing you the ropes.

JAMES

Well, I learnt how to unblock the offal tank today.

MICHAEL

One day you'll learn how to fill it up. I want you to come and work for me.

JAMES

I've told you I'm thinking about going looking for

my dad.

MICHAEL

And I've told you're wasting your time.

JAMES

What about Nick? Does he know where he is?

MICHAEL

Fuck Nick!

JAMES

Why? Why right now!?

MICHAEL

Because the now is right James.

JAMES

Nick said that.

MICHAEL

That's because Nick does as he's told.

JAMES

And what about you?

MICHAEL

What about me?

JAMES

What have you been doing?

MICHAEL

Waiting.

JAMES

Waiting for what?

MICHAEL

Time.

JAMES

To do what?

MICHAEL

Catch up. (pause) Do you still dream of being a writer?

JAMES

How do you know?

MICHAEL

I know lots of things about you James.

JAMES

How?

MICHAEL

I could help you realise your dream.

JAMES

Why would you do that?

MICHAEL

Because I can. Because I want to.

Knock on the door.

James turns and looks at the door - it opens and Joe Burns enters arms wide and wearing a large arrogant smile.

Michael stands up and walks from behind the desk, arms wide and smiling - they are identically dressed.

MICHAEL

(compassionately)

Joe!

When they embrace they appear to sink to each other's skin.

MICHAEL

(whispering)

I want you to meet someone.

They both turn toward James.

Suddenly they're like a double act.

Joe. I'd like you to meet James. My mother's other

son.

JOE

Well. A family affair. And what do you do James?

MICHAEL

James here is going to be a famous writer.

JOE

Well what a fortunate turn of events to have Michael

as a brother.

MICHAEL

Would you believe it, that's exactly what I was saying

to him just now.

JOE

What Michael can't get, you don't want. Pleased to meet

you James.

James shakes Joe's hand cautiously.

MICHAEL

Why don't we go downstairs and have a drink.

INT. NIGHTCLUB  - NIGHT:

The place is packed with clubbers dancing in various states of near undress and/or fetish wear - silver clad space goddesses, male ‘slaves’ in bondage etc.

Michael, Frank, Joe and James are sitting at a table on a small, private balcony overlooking the dance floor - they all drink champagne except for Frank.

James looks quietly excited about his new environment.

MICHAEL

(to James) So how about it?

JAMES

How about what?

MICHAEL

You coming to work for me.

JAMES

And do what?

MICHAEL

Whatever needs to be done. It'll be good for you. You

work for me and I'll see what I can do about getting you

published. How about that Joe? It's a fair offer don't

you think?

JOE

What ever you want James. You can have it all.

JAMES

What do you do?

MICHAEL