FIRST BLOOD IN THE NEWS PART II
BRIAN DENNEHY - DECEMBER 2/1981
BEHIND THE MOVIE SCENES - "First Blood" cast and crew have been warmly welcomed to Hope, according to actor Brian Dennehy - Sheriff Teasle in the Hollywood production currently being filmed downtown. " It's very much appreciated!" Chatting with Fraser-Cheam Regional Directors last week, Dennehy described the behind the scenes action in putting together a major motion picture.
Film making remains one of the last professions in the world where a true entrepreneur can still exist, he said. You get an idea, find a producer and director, for an ad hoc production company for the project, hire a cast and make your movie. The average cost for a full length feature film these days is around $15 million, he added, personally estimating that "First Blood" would cost between $12 and $15 million to complete.
However, there are no secrets, said Dennehy, who owns a production company himself. Even though he's playing a character role here, it pays to be able to assess the way things are going. Publicist Bert Elias added that in this line of work, information come by osmosis. It is like a combination of politics, business and the arts, it's to your advantage to know more than just what you're paid to do.
You learn how it works agreed Dennehy. What about curfews asked one director. When the camera goes on, you have to be ready, replied Dennehy, It's a hard enough business to get anywhere in. Less than one percent of the screen actors guild make the money I make after 20 years. To take the chance of throwing it all away and be non-professional would be incredibly stupid! The people in Hollywood are among the most professional I have ever known. We play hard but we also work real hard.
As an aside, the American actor, who owns property in Atlin, B.C. noted that Canadian crews are the best he's ever worked with. They have the same sense of commitment to the project as the actors, producer and director do. In Hollywood, sometimes the guys seem to be going through the motions. What guarantee of success is there? asked another director. None, replied Dennehy, it's like drilling for oil, there are a lot of dry holes.
With TV and Cable sales sometimes business costs are taken care of upfront, he explained. This reduces the risk to the company. However, he was not sure what arrangements had been made for First Blood. Among the things going for the movie are its director Ted Kotcheff and star actors Sylvester Stallone and Kirk Douglas, he said.
Kotcheff is a great director: he puts together a fast paced action film, said Dennehy. He's the right guy for this movie. As for audience appeal, It's Sly and Kirk who sell the picture. People don't come to see me, I'm just a professional actor. Producing a movie remains a long time consuming process. There are 12,000 feet of film. Each shot takes 3 hours to set up, with about 700 hours of actual shooting. In total about 70 10-12 hrs days including editing and adding music are needed to finish the film.
With a cast and crew of 75 to 125 people, costs quickly add up. In Hope alone, Dennehy estimated that close to $1 million would be left in the local economy. Why Hope? asked a director. Apparently Mexico and Texas were looked at but Sylvester Stallone, who had a lot to say about location choice, felt Hope was more geographically and physically correct. The choice of location has not been without its problems though, particularly at the Othello Tunnels, he said. If they had known how difficult the terrain there would be to work in, another site would have been chosen.
For instance, lighting conditions could go only between 8am and 3:30pm before the sun was gone. This meant the production company was losing four to five working hours a day, he said. As a result the film fell behind schedule. Moreover, the site is very narrow and difficult to manoeuver in, making the already dangerous stunts even trickier. What that Canadian pilot did in the Coquihalla Canyon was extraordinary, said Dennehy
Among the stunts were a 150 foot drop from the helicopter to an air bag and jump off a cliff and down a fir tree. Stuntmen are the elite of Hollywood and without them there would be no movie "he praised".
From the Othello Tunnels, the production moved into Hope on Monday, "It's here we expected to test your patience," said Dennehy, with street closures and traffic stoppages. However, so far the friendliness and co-operation has been exceptional, he emphasised.
We've been charmed by your welcome and the beautiful attitude of the people he continued. It's always a pleasant surprise for me, coming to a small town from New York and finding people who are friendly, open, nice and concerned about you as an individual. Dennehy said he found a great dentist in town. Bob Erickson, he's great!
All of us are very grateful and apologize for all the American flags. Hope Mayor Keith Gergner inturn thanked Dennehy for extending himself to local people. Many people have seen you in the movies, but never thought they would see an actor of your calibre in Hope. I know it has meant a lot to people to have you just shake their hand or even smile at them on the streets.
Filming is expected to continue through December 17/1981
