Charlie’s Angels producer to direct film on Marshall

I heard this morning on WV Public Radio a brief story on the Marshall movie. The director, McG, was the producer on the Charlie’s Angels movies. (The first one was pretty good, I thought, but the second felt like it was missing something – probably Bill Murray).

I guess the filmmaker was in Huntington last night for Marshall’s last basketball game of the season and lead the crown in chanting “We are…Marshall!” he hadn’t heard it before and wanted to experience it. The MU equivalent of “Let’s Go Mountaineers!” was, I have to admit, something that gives you goosebumps to hear. I’ve never been to a Marshall game, so I hadn’t heard it before either.

I think this article in today’s Herald-Dispatch really tells more about the movie than I’ve read to this point. Roar of Herd spirit greets filmmakers

I am encouraged that this guy is going to direct it, because I have liked his work in the past. I am not sure how his producing experience will translate to directing and this is a LOT different than his other work. He says he’s aiming for human tragedy story in the vein of Terms of Endearment or Ordinary People.

Also what I did not get from the previous stories on the film was made a little more clear and I think makes the project that much more interesting. The film is not just about the team and the crash, but about the football program and the school AFTER the crash.

All of the outside shots will be filmed in Huntington, which is really great, but the inside soundstage stuff will be filmed in Atlanta. I think that goes to show that the state needs to offer equivalent facilities so these types of productions could actually be filmed entirely in WV.

I also learned that in addition to McConaughey, Matthew Fox (Jack from “Lost”) and best actor Oscar nominee David Strathairn, will also be int he film and will come to Huntington.

Strathairn also played Sid Hatfield in Matewan (filmed in Thurmond) – and was incidintally my favorite character.

I don’t want to get my hopes up, but this is sounding like it might end up being a pretty good flick. Fingers crossed!

Water as a Metaphor: McG, director of the upcoming movie about the Marshall University plane crash and its aftermath, said water will be used as a metaphor in the film. He said the Ohio River will be prominently utilized, as well as the fountain behind Marshall’s Memorial Student Center, which is turned off each Nov. 14 and restarted during spring.