|
|
|
Northampton ready for its close-up
Thursday, October 02, 2008
By FRED CONTRADA
fcontrada@repub.com
NORTHAMPTON - Northampton, or at least parts of it, will be transformed into a Hollywood set next week as Mel Gibson literally comes riding into town for the filming of his new movie "Edge of Darkness."
In fact, police plan to interrupt traffic on Main Street on Tuesday as crews film a scene in which Gibson drives down the street. Police anticipate that this shot will be repeated several times as director Martin Campbell tries to get it right, although they expect any inconvenience to motorists to be minor. Whether Gibson will emote in public remains unclear.
"They didn't say anything about him getting out of the car," said Police Capt. Kenneth A. Patenaude.
Advertisement
Both Monday and Tuesday promise to be busy days for GK Films as it shoots several scenes in the area. On Monday, the older part of the Hampshire County Courthouse will be the setting for a scene in which Gibson storms out of the courtroom, has a confrontation with another character, and leaves the building.
Pennington Geis, the administrator for the Hampshire County Council of Governments, said the film company has reserved the building for the day and hired security guards. The scene will take place in the old courtroom, which is rarely used, and will not disrupt the proceedings in district and superior court in the adjacent wing. Geis said GK Films is paying $10,000 to rent the space for the day.
According to Patenaude, the filming on Monday will temporarily interrupt traffic, as well. The company will pay the $35-per-hour outside-duty cost for police officers on traffic control. The company also plans to use four Northampton police officers and four state police troopers as extras in a scene in which police attempt to control a demonstration, Patenaude said.
Other local scenes will be shot in Tully O'Reilly's Pub on Pleasant Street, at the Northampton Athletic Club on King Street and on a section of Elm Street. Perry J. Messer, who owns the Northampton Athletic Club, said the filming there is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 11 and involves a yoga class for seniors. The club will be closed on the day of filming.
Gibson and company will take full advantage of the fall foliage as they roam far and wide in the valley.
Another site scheduled for filming is a former Strategic Air Command bunker in the bowels of the Holyoke Range. Once used as a Cold War command center, the bunker is now owned by Amherst College and has been converted into an archive for the Five Colleges. Caroline J. Hanna, the director of media relations for Amherst College, said filming will take place in the parking lot. Last week, Amherst police responded to telephone calls about a mysterious red beacon in the area and learned that it will be part of the movie.
"Edge of Darkness" will move to Sugarloaf State Park in Deerfield on Oct. 8-10, where crew members have been building some sort of structure near the summit. The park will be closed to visitors on those days.
Suzanne L. Beck, the executive director of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, said the movie will be an economic boon for Northampton. According to Beck, 180 employees of GK Films have rented rooms at the Clarion Hotel and the Hotel Northampton and will be in the area for about three weeks. "There's no question bringing 180 people here is going to have an impact," she said.
The move has also hired about 700 local people as extras and is compensating the city for lost parking revenues.
"Edge of Darkness" features Gibson as a Boston police officer who witnesses his daughter's murder. His investigation takes him into a world of government cover-ups and corporate intrigue. The movie is based on a British television series of the same name. Robert De Niro had been scheduled for a role in the film, but withdrew because of "creative differences," according to industry reports. Ray Winstone, who had a part in "The Departed" has been hired to take his place.
 Never Ask Dante · Fri Oct 03, 2008 @ 02:45am · 1 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
