MVD Entertainment Group announced its latest Blu-ray addition to its popular “Rewind Collection” this past week. Heading home on Oct. 25 will be director James Foley’s 1986 crime drama, At Close Range.
Beginning in the late 1960s/early 70s, Bruce A. Johnston Sr. formed something of a criminal enterprise in and around Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County. Robbery, break-ins, drug-dealing, you name it and the “Johnson Gang” was busy doing bad stuff… very busy. By 1972 things had escalated when the gang murdered two cops, but the investigation went nowhere.
In 1978 — all true — Johnston decided to tie up loose ends and began murdering any potential witnesses, including members of his own family (his son in particular). Eventually he was arrested, tried, convicted and finally died in prison sometime in the early part of this century. The aftermath is not the focus, but the headlines that inspired producer Elliott Lewitt to try and bring the story to the screen in the first place.
At one point, both the late Bob Rafelson was to direct and Jack Nicholson was to play the murderous Johnston (Rafelson and Nicholson had worked together on Five Easy Pieces), but production financing could not be put together.
It is a little fuzzy on timeframes, but Lewitt send his script to Bruce Springsteen (Lewitt was a fan) and asked if he’d be interested in writing music for the proposed film.
Remember Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) from Fast Times at Ridgemont High? Sure you do! Well, Penn was dating a young woman that he had met during the filming of Fast Times at Ridgemont High … her name was Pamela Springsteen, Bruce’s sister, and Penn found out about the script.
Hemdale Films (and later Orion) came up with the financing, James Foley, who was busy doing Madonna videos (remember Penn and Madonna), hooks up with Penn and the two basically hijack Lewitt’s labor of love (he did get producing and writing credits).
Christopher Walken (fresh from Brainstorm and The Dead Zone) was recruited to play the role of Johnston Sr. and Sean was his son … Chris Penn was even a part of the gang.
And that’s how movies get made. A script is sent to a rock star, whose sister is dating a young actor, who will soon be dating Madonna, whose music videos are being put together by a guy named Foley. Easy-peasy!
Springsteen didn’t do the music after all, but Madonna delivers “Live to Tell” as part of the film’s soundtrack!!
No comments:
Post a Comment