Once More With Feeling in Norwich

Posted by chainsaw under ct film industry

“Once More With Feeling,” an idie film starring indie film darlings Chazz “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” Palminteri, Linda “The Last Seduction” Fiorentino and Drea “The Sopranos” De Matteo, is filming this week in Norwich, according to an article in the Norwich Bulletin.

From the article:

“Filming for the movie “Once More with Feeling” is expected to cause traffic delays Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 395 and on Thursday afternoon along Route 12.”

The plot, according to a blurb on the Connecticut Film Division Web site:

“When a grandfather and respected psychiatrist grabs hold of a microphone, he can’t let go. When his daughter – a sarcastic, cell phone-abusing, stay-at-home mom, grabs hold of her love handles, she can’t let go. It takes three generations of Italian-Americans to set them straight, in this dramatic comedy about family, love, and chance encounters.”

The movie has been filming all over the state since mid-July.

New York Observer Defends This Blog

Posted by chainsaw under ct film industry, this blog

(Robert Durst)

Back in June this here little blog had an item on “All Good Things,” a drama starring Ryan Reynolds and Kirsten Dunst that was filming in New Milford and Waterbury.

I reported that the movie was based on the life of troubled real estate heir Robert Durst.

From the original post, which I later revised (tell me this won’t make a great movie):

“. . . the movie is apparently about the early 80s disappearance of Kathleen McCormack, wife of Robert Durst, of the Manhattan real estate dynasty.

Her disappearance and the ensuing investigations took more turns than a James Ellroy novel. Among the highlights:

A New York City detective (after retiring I believe) looked into the case, as did the New York State Troopers over in Somers, N.Y. who poked around a lake in Lewisboro in the late 90s, if I remember correctly.

(The troopers’ press clippings allegedly set off an internal struggle for the spotlight with then Westchester D.A./former media darling Jeanine Pirro)

A person with (potential) information about the cold case was murdered in 2000, just before investigators were scheduled to chat with her.

Durst, never charged in connection to his wife’s disappearance, was charged with killing his elderly neighbor and chopping him up into pieces.

He was on the run from authorities for a short time and was taken into custody after being spotted disguised as a woman.

Durst was found innocent.”

That post got me into hot water with the “All Good Things” publicist, who called me a few times and sent me a few e-mails saying my information was 100 percent dead wrong, and that “All Good Things” was not, NOT about the Durst saga.

I revised my first post and then posted the publicist’s statement.

Well, The New York Observer just came to my defense.

“Sources confirmed that the film is indeed based on the Durst family, despite earlier assertions to the contrary. In June, the movie industry blog, Hollywood Chainsaw, was reprimanded by a publicist for the film:”

Amy, a publicist from “All Good Things,” (which filmed recently in New Milford and Waterbury) sent me an e-mail Monday explaining the film’s plot. She said that info previously posted on this here blog, which said the movie is based on the Robert Durst saga (obtained from the CT Film Division Web site), is incorrect.

 

“Amy is the one who appears to have been incorrect. The next day, a little-noticed post on The New York Times City Room blog reported that the film is indeed based on the Robert Durst story . . .”

Score one for me! Where you at, publicist Amy?!?!?!?

And waht????

Rabbit Tales Films in Tarrywile Park

Posted by chainsaw under ct film industry, local productions

Aside from my dear old mom, Susanna Raeven (above) is the toughest lady with red-hair I’ve ever seen.

Raeven was in Tarrywile Park last week crawling in the dirt, having repeated buckets of cold water dumped on her and enduring the “Spiritual Slip n’ Slide,” whatever that is.

Her assailant?

Kirsten Russell, the writer and director of “Rabbit Tales.” 

Russell and her crew were in Tarrywile Park in Danbury last week to film “In the Backyard of His Holi Vrindavin,” on of three short films comprising ”Rabbit Tales.”

Raeven was “In the Backyard’s” lead actor, playing Dr. Nadine Weinstein, a woman who discovers her long-lost father is now a cult leader.

I was invited to check out the filming by Bethel’s Dave Bonan, who acted as location scout for the micro-budget dark comedy.

The dark comedy of the script came through in the one scene I witnessed being shot on the lawn next to the Tarrywile Mansion last Wednesday.

The scene involved Raeven lying unconscious on the ground. A frizzy-haired dude wearing what looked like a Girl Scout’s dress dumped a bucket of water on her, causing a rainbow of expletives to flow from her mouth.

“What are your intentions?” the frizzy-haired cult member asked coldly. At some point he may have offered her a towel.

Russell, who looked like Sophie Marceau’s sister, is a New Yorker by way of Miami.

I asked the director how Raeven is dealing with the grueling physical demands of the low-budget shoot.

“She’s been through hell already. All of yesterday we shot way back up in the marshes,” Russell said, gesturing toward the trails in Tarrywile Park. “I made sure that I cast an actor who was athletic. I wouldn’t have chosen an actress who was frail. I knew Susanna is a tough cookie and she’s really in shape. She rides horses, she’s a runner and she’s a karate expert. We’ve worked together as actresses many times before.”