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Astral Crisis

A female Sheriff searching for a pompous astronomy nerd and a dyslexic mortuary clerk races North Korean agents to the re-entry site of an old satellite holding images of the USS Pueblo boarding and enable reparations for the crew. 

A seasoned Sheriff, Maria Cortez pulls up to the Mount Elden lookout station where rangers claim that two interns are missing, John Tharp, a summer hire at the Lowell Observatory and Carol Owens, NAU junior whose family runs a mortuary. Maria assembles a search team and the hunt gets underway. When a severed female finger is found, Maria tries to console Carol's overbearing mother, the two lock horns souring their relation.

After North Korean agents are spotted in the wilderness, the Sheriff consults CIA liaison, Richard Lee and learns that an old reconnaissance satellite is about to return to earth carrying images of the USS Pueblo boarding back in 1968. If those pictures show that the seizure took place within international waters, reparations may finally be awarded to the crew.

As the time for satellite impact approaches, UFO sightings abound, casualties mount . Maria has another vicious encounter with Carol's mother, and she is fired by the Mayor. Nevertheless, Maria persists and at the crash site, she discovers that nothing is what it seemed.

Script Excerpt
Written by:
Format:
Screenplay
Starring Roles For:
Riley Keough
Haley Richardson
Josh Hutchenson
In the Vein Of:
X-Files, Altered

Posted:
07/24/2024
Updated:
01/11/2025
Author Bio:
Thomas Thorpe experienced many events of this screenplay's history, having served as an intern during his college years at the Lowell Observatory, reconnaisance work at Eastman Kodak followed by a career at the Jet Propulsion Lab, most recently as Project Manager of the Mars Global Surveyor Mission. Currently, he is the science advisor and contributor to the Project: Antarctica at Panic Attack Films. As Adjunct Professor of Astronomy, he has taught astronomy at Gendale college (Extended day program).

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Contest Results:
Golden Gateway (First Place, Golden Earth Film Festival) [2024]
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