Page 21
Spoilers May Be Below!
Page 21
Spoilers May Be Below!
From the Wisconson State Journal
Dear Johnny Depp ...
Jay Rath
For the State JournalWelcome to Wisconsin! We want you to feel at home. We're really not so different from Hollywood after all, and -- who knows? Maybe we can get you to stay.
Sure, Los Angeles and the West Coast offer a fair life. But, Johnny, you just need to get to know Wisconsin and our fabulous North Coast!
We're sure you'll be phoning a Realtor as soon as you learn how much we're just like you. We're already working on a big sign with 50-foot white letters spelling out "DEPPWOOD" overlooking the Madison Water Utility's poisoned well No. 3. Johnny, we have everything you're used to and so much more, all of it deep-fried and sprinkled with cheese:
"Lights! Camera! Action!" We speak your film lingo here, Johnny! For example, when we go to the movies we know that "butter" really means "butter-flavored topping." And we know how it is to have a big project "in the can." At least, Great Uncle Henry always did. That's why he would take so many magazines in there with him.
Did you know that Madison has its own Oscar? (Mayer)
Limos: You must be used to riding in those big, long cars, right? Well, how about a 6.5 ton, 31-foot, chauffeured Wisconsin Dells Duck? Ooh-la-la! Talk about exclusive!
Earthquakes: Sure, California's undulating scenery makes life interesting, but why settle for boring old earthquakes when you can have hip, exciting ice quakes? We had one Jan. 31. It was caused by a pressure ridge on frozen Lake Mendota, which brings us to ...
Smog: A true Los Angeleno would not feel at home without smog. It's true that we don't really have it here, but we know all about not being able to breathe. At least, our fish do. We keep our smog in the lakes. It's green. (Idea for sequel: "Pirate's Curse: Swimmer's Itch.")
Palm trees: It's a little-known fact that Wisconsin has many "palm" trees. We tap them for syrup. No? Well then, we already once renamed the holiday tree in our Capitol Rotunda. We 're just a single legislative act away from renaming all balsam firs as coconut palms -- with fresh pine scent!
Hand prints in concrete: We don't have a Grauman's Chinese Theater, but see all the Madison construction? Roll up your sleeves and feel free!
Celebrities, celebrities, celebrities: Wisconsin has been home to many stars -- who then moved away. Jerks. Anyway, you name the city, and we have a celebrity to match! Porn star Brittany Andrews is from Milwaukee. One of those dumpy guys from "The West Wing" is from Madison. TV 's "Mr. Wizard," Don Herbert, learned his science at UW-La Crosse. And of course, I heard that Kenosha is the birthplace of "Citizen Kane" filmmaker Orson Bean! Heck, why not move all of Hollywood here right now?
Traffic jams: Just so you feel at home, Johnny, we do have traffic jams, notably on that stretch of Highway 14 on the other side of Cross Plains when the farmer is towing his manure spreader. Speaking of which ...
Road rage: Oh, we got road rage! The other day I was so mad I shot a pothole. Which leads us to ...
Handguns: We've heard all about L.A.'s maniac drivers reaching for their pistols. It's true that we seldom carry guns in our cars. But thanks to our far-seeing state Legislature, it is a fact that in Wisconsin the legally blind are allowed to shoot deer with rifles from parked vehicles.
We got ghouls: Johnny, we know of your penchant for playing spooky bizarros. Well, howdy, good neighbor! Wisconsin has cannibal necrophiliac mass-murderers Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer. We also have red-scare witch hunter Sen. Joseph McCarthy, and we're the home of the John Birch Society. And to make the deal sweeter, Green Bay was the location where horror star Lon Chaney shot his last silent film, "Thunder."
Walk of Fame: Sure, Hollywood Boulevard has its own famed walk, but fun-loving Wisconsin does, too! (It involves touching your nose and walking a straight line.)
Gangs: We have a little gang activity here, though nothing like Los Angeles' Bloods and Crips. Still, we host The Sons of Norway and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Look out! They are bad ass.
Paparazzi: Johnny, our photojournalists are chaste and respectful. However, we do have bratarazzi, who ambush cheap bratwurst all summer long, notably at Madison 's annual World 's Biggest Brat Fest. And it's purely my own editorial view, but we also have the Naderazzi, who insist on voting for Ralph Nader no matter what. If you stay, we'll let you punch some. Maybe even if you don't stay.
Winona Ryder. You used to date her, right? She's from, and named for, the Minnesota city just across our Mississippi River border! I only bring it up because, um, like, could you introduce me?
Hollywood and Vine: We know you'll miss that illustrious intersection, home to the Brown Derby, NBC's fabulous art deco Radio City West and the famous Hollywood Plaza Hotel. Unfortunately, they 've all been demolished. Weep not, Johnny! Here in Madison we keep their spirit alive, by demolishing our own historic buildings.
Finally, where could you live in Wisconsin? We don't want you to miss your Beverly -- Hills, that is. Swimmin' pools, movie stars. Our big celebrities tend to be University of Wisconsin coaches and faculty, so you might like their community in Shorewood -- Hills, that is. Football pools, learning stars.
Oh, wait. You live in France and not Los Angeles, don't you?
Mon Dieu, Monsieur Depp! Did you know that Wisconsin is home to many historic French communities, with Frenchy names such as Prairie du Chien, La Crosse, Beloit, Fond du Lac ...
(P.S. Do let me know about Winona!)
From Celebrity Gossip
Johnny Depp: Clean Shaven!
We haven’t seen him this clean cut since his days as “Ed Wood” way back in the day. And Johnny Depp seems to be embracing the cleaned-up look.The “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor was spotted on the set of his new movie “Public Enemies” on Wednesday in full period costume. He graciously waved to fans in between takes, and looked to be enjoying himself.
Then, yesterday Depp took some time out of his busy shooting schedule in Columbus, Wisconsin to shake a few hands and pose for a few pictures. And we must say, he’s really committed to looking as close to American gangster John Dillinger as possible.
Johnny is starring alongside Christian Bale, Channing Tatum, and Marion Cotillard in a flick about the Feds trying to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s.
From the Chippewa Falls News
A local car is a Hollywood starBy ELIZABETH HOCHSTEDLER elizabeth.hochstedler@lee.net
Friday, March 21, 2008 9:23 PM CDTJohn and Pauline Spiegel didn’t know what they had signed up for when they walked onto the set of “Public Enemies” Monday.
They knew they had to bring their 1931 Ford Model A coupe, and they had to be in Columbus at 5 a.m., but they didn’t know what the experience would be like.
Click to enlarge image
John and Pauline Spiegel sit inside their 1931 Ford Model A, which was used in the filming of the movie "Public Enemies." Photo by Elizabeth Hochstedler
“We did not have an idea what to expect,” Pauline said.
The movie stars Johnny Depp. It is being filmed in Columbus, Darlington, Madison, Oshkosh, Milwaukee and also in Indiana and Illinois.
It is an adaptation of “Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34,” a 2004 Bryan Burough book about how the FBI handled crime sprees by John Dillinger, Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd and Lester “Baby Face Nelson” Gillis. Depp plays Dillinger.
In January, there was an open cast call made by Universal Studios for classic vehicles. John’s nephew saw an advertisement for the call in a newspaper, so John’s brother Bernie sent in photos of his own classic car and John’s.
Both were notified soon after that the studio was interested in using their cars.
On March 13, John and Pauline found out that their car would be needed in Columbus Monday, so on Sunday night, they trailered the car from their Jim Falls home to Oregon, Wis., where Bernie lives. On Monday morning John, Pauline, Bernie and his wife Judy set out for Columbus.
The arrived on set at 5 a.m. The cars were sent in to be prepared for the scene. They were dirtied up to make them look authentic for the scene.
Meanwhile, John and Pauline were rushed around, going through wardrobe and make-up themselves, as they would be sitting or standing in the scene at any time.
John was rushed out of breakfast to go park his car.
“Our car got put on the street, the main street,” John said.
“Everything’s planned and staged out.”
He was instructed to park his Model A at the end of the block as the last car on that end of the set. Then he waited.
“It was a lot of hurry up and wait,” John said.
Much of the time John was instructed to just sit in his parked car, while Pauline stayed in one of the on-set bars with her sister-in-law to keep warm.
John periodically checked on Pauline and walked around the set when there was no filming occurring on his end of the set.
“I kind of got out and met actors and met the production crew,” John said.
Pauline even had her photo taken with actor Stephen Dorff, who plays Homer Van Meter in the film.
John also had a few sightings of Depp, once long enough to take a photo.
“I could have shook his hand and got an autograph, but I wouldn’t have a photo,” John said.
Pauline and John said Depp was respectful to his fans and gave many autographs.
“Johnny Depp went to this bar we parked next to and met the fans,” John said.
Pauline said as long as people were respectful of each other and didn’t push and shove, Depp was willing to stop for a few minutes and meet with them.
The Spiegels also got a little star treatment while on the set. They said onlookers would watch when they got in and out of their car, sometimes even taking photos of the couple. Pauline said many people asked them if they were actors.
John and Pauline spent all day Monday on set. When the crew began setting up for the last scene someone asked John to participate.
The crew couldn’t find the man who was needed for the scene, so they called on John.
“I got chosen as a fill-in,” John said.
John’s job was to follow the vehicle Depp was in, so the crew could get shots of another car behind Depp’s.
“We drove through the countryside about 10 minutes,” John said.
There was a member of the crew riding with him. That person had an earpiece on, so he could communicate with the people filming in Depp’s vehicle. The crew member would tell John when to slow down and speed up.
The couple ended up having to stay until Tuesday as the scenes from Monday hadn’t been finished
“They change their minds a lot,” Pauline said. “I think they get behind schedule.”
Overall, the couple said they learned a lot about the film making process.
“I wouldn’t call it fun,” Pauline said. “It was a unique and interesting experience.”
“It was just fascinating,” John said. “It was a once-in-a lifetime experience.”
John and Pauline don’t know if any of the shots of their car will make it into the final cut.
“It will be interesting to watch the movie to see,” Pauline said.
The movie is scheduled to be filmed until June and will come out sometime next year.
From WEAU
Jim Falls' Couple has Antique Car in Movie Save Email Print
Mar 21, 2008
Reporter: Breann BiermanThe new law giving tax breaks to movie companies that film in Wisconsin seems to be bringing more to the state and gives locals a chance to get in on the fun.
A Jim Falls’ couple whose 1931 car was chosen to be in the Johnny Depp movie "Public Enemies" got a surprise when they got to star on screen.
John says, "We submitted the photo and a lot of cars, you know, submitted and our 1931 Model A Ford was selected.
Just one picture, started the ball rolling -- and the movie cameras, too, on the Spiegels.
"Even at that time when we were parked on the street and I didn't realize they'd be doing the shooting right near where we were and then as time progressed, I put it together ‘wow, I’m in the movie’ -- that's pretty exciting," John said.
Then John got to drive his car -- following the bank robber, John Dillinger.
John said, "They said this is your lucky day your going to be part of the scene."
Moments after the scene wrapped...
"This guy comes up to me and asked if I was the guy in the last scene and I said yes and he said I was supposed to be in that scene, so it was just by luck that I got to be in it."
During down-time they explored the set.
Pauline said, "I took in all that was going around in the town and walked around and it was interesting to see how they took what was already historical town and made it even more historical with the store front and the streets."
And were seeing stars…
"He did talk to the woman standing next to me and he said "God Bless" and she started crying, she couldn't believe it."
"We walked into a restaurant and saw actor, he was in the movie “Blade,’” Pauline said, “we got to meet him and get our picture with him, so that was an adventure there.”
For the Spiegels, the trip was an adventure they say they'll never forget.
"And even if our car doesn't make the final cut, its nice to say we were there and were part of it and got to experience it."
John says there is a chance the car could be called on again before filming ends in June.
The movie is expected out the summer of '09
Daily Blog of the "Public Enemies" author Brian Burrough
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