An Interesting Tidbit on Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln”

Unfortunately, due to other projects and events we have been covering on this blog, Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film titled Lincoln has gone largely ignored. This was not by design, of course, and I am looking forward to it immensely, given some of my favorite actors, Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones, are starring in it. I have been in contact with one of the cast-members, who wanted to pass along this little tidbit, after we discussed some of the scenes that will be included, “People have reported we filmed the assassination but we did not. Just the deathbed scene.” This would be very interesting to note, because the one scene that everyone would be geared up for in a film about Abraham Lincoln would be how his assassination is handled. When I pressed him further and asked if he was sure, he responded, “We wrapped on December 20. [There was no assassination filmed] unless they filmed it in California after they left here. The word on set was that Daniel [Day-Lewis] told them he was leaving after December 20 to go home and not coming back for re-shoots.” He promised to stay in touch with other little factoids as we get closer to a release. That’s all for now.

Book Review: “A World Lit Only by Fire”, by William Manchester

Wanting to both learn more about the Middle Ages and Renaissance, as well as take a short break from Civil War and WWII studies, I picked up William Manchester’s A World Lit Only by Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance (Back Bay Books; 1992) at a recent book sale. Having a bad habit of starting books, getting engrossed and breezing through the first half, before getting preoccupied with something else and never completing it, I was not sure if I would ever end up reading this. However, one day, as I pondered something to do in my free time, I just decided to flip it open and read a random page, which had to do with the Inquisition, therefore it intrigued me (anything involving Church corruption is more often than not going to alert and keep my attention). I started reading it that day, and I do not think I have ever been so into a historical narrative, not from any other subject. This book had me in its grip the entire time and would not let go until I was finished. I will be quick to say that this is the best narrative I have ever read, hands down.

“Around the NHL”: Tortorella vs. the Beat Writers, Off-Season Speculation, Devils & Kings Game One

Hello there again! It’s time to take a look at what’s going on in the wide world of hockey. From a coach at war with the writers who cover his team, to already ridiculous off-season speculation involving the New York Rangers, it’s all here, in Around the NHL! (Oh yeah, and there was a Stanley Cup Finals game played last night too.)

• It’s no secret that I cannot stand the New Jersey Devils; well, actually, it’s their fans more than the actual team. Anyway, I gave them the benefit of the doubt heading into these Stanley Cup Finals. All we heard from them during the series against the Rangers is how they, as a fan base, are growing more now than ever before, how they are finally solidifying themselves. If that’s the case, then how come Game One of the biggest series in this sport was not sold out? Not just empty seats appearing in view of the TV cameras, but a laughable amount of available seats. Example: my friend (who is a Rangers fan wanting to see some Finals action with a group of people) buying eight tickets just a few hours before puck drop, then other people posting screenshots of Ticketmaster a half hour before the game, with plenty of seats still empty. I guess this should not really be a surprise—they could not sell out against the Rangers just weeks ago, and that was with the Blueshirts buying up roughly 20% of the seats in the arena. It’s a shame for them that there aren’t more Los Angeles Kings fans living in the Garden State.

“Copperhead” IMDB Page is Up and Running

Just a quick note to all readers: the IMDB page for Copperhead is now up and running, though with limited details thus far. As you know, there are message boards associated with all films and actors/actresses, so this could be a  good time for fans to start discussing the project. IMDB pages are a very important part of a film’s success, as those with PRO accounts can access ratings and which pages have the most popularity. Please check it out and make sure you send the link around to all those interested in the film. You can access the page by clicking here.

The Rise and Fall of the 2011/12 New York Rangers Part III: Guest Bloggers Chime In

This will be the final installment of the three-part series here on FNYTSF detailing the rise and fall of our beloved New York Rangers this past season. Each person may have had a different take, but the recurring themes are of hope and pride, given what was accomplished this season. The first part today is written by Brian Harris, my former newspaper editor over at The Stall, when I attended Brookdale Community College. The second is by David Zohn, who has contributed to us before for some articles about the Federal Hockey League, as he works for the New Jersey Outlaws.

“Youth Gone Wild”

by Brian Harris

The 2011/12 New York Rangers season was one that saw the youth movement that the Blueshirts have undergone over the past few seasons begin to truly take form. Ultimately, the loss to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Finals is a bitter pill to swallow, but if this is beginning of what we as Ranger fans will see from our prized young guns, the sky’s the limit for the next few years.

The thing that should excite every Blueshirt fan is the thought of the team’s nucleus for the next few years with captain Ryan Callahan, defensive cornerstones Dan Girardi, Michael Del Zotto and Marc Staal, Derek Stepan and playoff spark-plug Chris Kreider, who, while doesn’t have a full NHL season under his belt yet, showed the skills and the moxie it takes to be an impact player for the Rangers. Players like Carl Hagelin, Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky, Anton Stralman, Ryan McDonagh and Stu Bickel further added to the team’s success with the youthful aggression and timely play to supplement Marian Gaborik and Brad Richards, who was brought in over the off-season to be that veteran steadfastness that a team like this needs.

“Copperhead” Behind the Scenes Video (Week 2)

Here is the next installment of the weekly Copperhead video update, this one talking to some of the local New Brunswick actors involved in the filming. What interested me the most, though, was a brief look at both Angus Macfadyen and Francois Arnaud in one of their scenes, as well as an expanded view at Ron and the crew behind the camera. Enjoy!

And of course, please visit the special page we have dedicated on the blog for this film, and always remember to check it out for the latest Copperhead information!

ANNOUNCEMENT: “Copperhead” Soundtrack to be Scored by Laurent Eyquem

Laurent Eyquem (right) with music supervisor David Franco, working on the soundtrack of a 2011 film titled “Winnie”.

With every film comes the person that will compose its soundtrack, something I consider to be absolutely essential to a movie’s success, because it sets the tone and establishes the mood we are in throughout. There are only a select few movies that I consider my favorites that do not have a memorable score, so you can see how important the music is to me. The man who will be responsible for scoring Copperhead is Bordeaux, France-native Laurent Eyquem, who has 13 film credits as a composer to his name, all since 2008 (he has five that are in production as we speak, one of which is a WWII film about the USS Indianapolis). Finished works include Winnie (2011), where he worked with Copperhead Music Supervisor David Franco, and the popular French-Canadian film Three Seasons (2009). A classical pianist since the age of six, Eyquem has also been nominated for two awards, the Genie and Jutra, for best music for a film titled Mommy is at the Hairdresser’s (2008).

On the Rink with Gootz: The Rise and Fall of the 2011/12 New York Rangers Part II

This second installment comes from our “On the Rink with Gootz” columnist Chris Hoeler, who I thank for helping me out with some additional hockey coverage this season. This article is titled, “A Step in the Right Direction”. Enjoy.

There was a scramble in front of the net as the puck bounced around, and it disappeared under Henrik Lundqvist and then reappeared on the stick of Adam Henrique. Just like that, the 2011/12 season for the New York Rangers ended as the New Jersey Devils and their fans celebrated their ticket being punched to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Los Angeles Kings. On the other side of the spectrum, the Rangers and their fans sat feeling like they had been punched in the stomach. That is the feeling you always get when your team’s season ends.

But while the pain slowly ebbs away there was so much this team did that fans can look back on. While the trip to Europe to start the season was only a few months ago, it seems like years considering how much this team developed together. One example is Ryan McDonagh, who went from a young player looking to solidify his position on the team to a top defenseman going up against the best players. Another is Dan Girardi who went from having to fill a concussed Marc Staal’s shoes to making the All-Star Team.

The Copperhead Chronicles: Ron Maxwell Talks to the Hollywood Reporter

It’s great to see Copperhead getting some exposure on a website such as the Hollywood Reporter, where they recently spoke to director Ron Maxwell about his film project. There, he discussed the parallels people may find between the Civil War and our present conflicts in the middle east:

But as much as the director of Gettysburg and Gods and Generals is keeping his focus on events in 1862 and telling a compelling story, Maxwell insists his latest Civil War costume drama will inevitably be seen by cinema-goers as an echo of America’s reaction to current events in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I keep it (Copperhead) with as much integrity as I can in 1862, but people will watch this film and leave the theatre and say, ‘Wow, it was like a 150 years ago, and it’s like now,’” the director said from King’s Landing, New Brunswick, where he’s shooting the Jason Patric and Angus MacFadyen-starrer set in 19th century upstate New York.

“We’re living through similar times. There’s these great causes articulated — we’re liberating and we’re freeing people, we’re changing the world, we’re defending liberty – and it’s the same rhetoric with the same consequences,” Maxwell insisted about the cost of war, then and now.

Unlike his earlier Civil War-era epics set on bloody battle fields, Copperhead has a central focus on families back on the home front, burying their dead and feuding amid widespread fear and political panic.

“People die, and it’s mostly young people, it’s mostly the people who have no say in the politics, who have voice in it and who bravely, and with great courage and patriotism, put themselves in harm’s way and pay the price,” Maxwell added.

The Copperhead Chronicles: What is the Price of Dissent?

Dissent: often scorned, sometimes praised, always misunderstood. The American Civil War is sometimes called the Second American Revolution or the Second War of Independence, yet the American Revolution is never referred to as our country’s first Civil War. And why not? One could argue that the situation is exactly the same, and that is the people wanting to remove themselves from a ruler they deemed as tyrannical. Don’t think Abraham Lincoln was a tyrant? Well, there were plenty of people that didn’t think King George III was either.