Genre: Adventure/Action.
Studio:
Universal Pictures.
Production Company:
Joseph M. Singer Productions/Universal Pictures.
Project Phase: Greenlighted.
Who's In It:
Pierce Brosnan (Harry Dalton); Linda Hamilton (Rachel Wando); Charles Hallohan; Kirk Trutner (Terry).
Who's Making It:
Roger Donaldson (Director); Les Bohen (Screenwriter); Joseph M. Singer,
Gale Anne Hurd (Producers); Ilona Herzberg (Executive Producers); Dennis
Washington (Production Designer); Digital Domain (Special Visual Effects);
James Newton Howard, John Frizell (Musical Score).
Premise:
US Geological Survey volcanologist Harry Dalton warns of an imminent volcanic explosion to soon occur to the ominously-labelled Dante's Peak. When the mountain explodes, raining down ash, superheated gas and lava, a nearby (formerly idyllic) small town and its residents fight to survive.
Release Date: February 7, 1997.
Comments: GoldenEye has made Brosnan a certified star; Donaldson had a profitable film called Species - combined together, the studio is hoping that some of that will rub off onto this project, which already sounds like it's being shaped for entry into the summer/Christmas film sweepstakes.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
March 25, 1996... The film's budget is slated for $70 million. [Scoop heard by Christian.]
April 18, 1996... The film has a very tentative release date scheduled for May 22, 1997. [Scoop info comes from 'Sylvester']
April 24, 1996... The film's budget has apparently been given the go-ahead at $100 million. Brosnan plays a 'volcanologist' who tries to save a town in the Pacific Northwest from being covered by lava. [Scoop submitted by 'SuperNova'; originally taken from Variety]
April 25, 1996... Dante's Peak was given the thumbs up by Universal on Monday April 22nd. The budget for the film has now escalated to $100 million. However, Roger Donaldson may have a previous commitment before shooting is scheduled to commence: his son is representing New Zealand in the Olympic Games this summer, and his contract with Universal allows for time off to watch his son compete in the games. A temporary shutdown may occur. Producer Joseph Singer says that second unit photography will be underway while Donaldson is off. [Scoop submitted by Christian.]
May 13, 1996... A resident in Wallace, Idaho is happy to report that the film is being currently shot there. Locals have spotted Brosnan and his girlfriend about town, and word is Brosnan is a friendly fellow. [Scoop provided anonymously.]
May 21, 1996... It looks like filming hasn't begun yet, so the above scoop is wrong. An extra informs us that filming in Wallace, Idaho is set to begin June 5, and sets have been under construction for weeks (a usual practice in films). [Scoop info sent in by Greg Ray of Act III Theatres.]
May 25, 1996... One of the people who own a guest house currently being "rented out by an executive" confirms that the crew has practically rented out the entire town. From what he's heard Pierce Brosnan will be staying in a home at the top of nearby Silver Mountain. There's also a "huge" mining town called Smelterville nearby, and the scoop has heard rumors that the story will feature a group of miners being trapped underground. [Scoop sent in anonymously.]
May 31, 1996... A resident of Wallace, Idaho informs us that Linda Hamilton has been cast to star as the town's mayor. [Scoop reported anonymously and by 'hansolo'; later validated.]
June 1, 1996... Perhaps some more info on that chateau Brosnan is reportedly renting while filming occurs. It's located near the edge of a lake outside of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and rumor has it that it's costing a cool $10,000 per month to rent. Man, I knew I should have stuck to real estate! [Scoop handed in anonymously.]
June 4, 1996... Hamilton initially couldn't commit to the film due to her involvement with an ABC contract...but some leeway was given. Shooting will take about 100 days. [Scoop info handed in by 'Sylvester'.]
June 16, 1996... The ABC problem involved the television network threatening to sue Universal, but all was worked out in the end. The film is set to have six different types of special effects (computer effects being one of them). ILM is providing the special visual effects. [Scoop mailed in by 'The Phantom'.]
June 25, 1996... One of the key action scenes was shot in the evening of the 24th in Wallace. The steeple of a church built especially for the movie was toppled onto a strategically placed school bus as a large number of extras "escaped" from the Dante's Peak H.S. into the nearby street. In the words of the scooper, "Exciting action. Highlighted in the film is the beautiful scenery of North Idaho...this looks to be a first class film!" [Scoop reported by an anonymous source.]
July 6, 1996... Brosnan's role was originally offered to Michael Douglas for $20 million. [Scoop provided by 'Sylvester'.]
July 6, 1996... Kirk Trutner, a cast member of the NBC series Earth 2, has been cast in the show as a vulcanologist named Terry. [Scoop sent in anonymously.]
July 10, 1996... The film is proceeding in Wallace. On Saturday, July 6th a building was scheduled to be blown up in Wallace, but it didn't come off as planned. On Monday, July 8th the building came down to an exicted and relieved crew, cast, and assembled extras. The stars have moved to Sandpoint, Idaho for a week to use a mountain lodge for filming. [Scoop sent in by an anonymous Wallace resident.]
July 11, 1996... 'Hunter' tells us that Pierce Brosnan has been pulled over for speeding in his light blue BMW four times but hasn't received a ticket yet (but, he adds, the rumors about Mr. Brosnan being as polite as mentioned are completely true.) [Scoops reported by 'Hunter'.]
July 25, 1996... Dante's Peak is set for a March 7, 1997 release. Universal Pictures must be feeling secure in releasing their event picture in the springtime because of the mega-success of Twister (which was released in early May.) [Scoop reported by 'klast'.]
July 28, 1996.. "Downtown Wallace is a mess. Streets closed down and couvered with ash. The volcano has erupted." Film at 11? [Scoop reported anonymously.]
July 29, 1996... We've been told a piece of gossip that 'slightly' conflicts with the scoop posted on July 11th. According to this scooper, the state patrol has told Pierce Brosnan that he will perform some community service or he will be ticketed for all prior offenses. In the words of this anonymous poster, "As I have gotten to know Pierce better, he isn't the charming angel he personifies. His outward and public appearance of the perfect gentleman is fairly correct and true, but...we all must remember what these people do...they act professionally, and it isn't only on the set." [Scoop submitted from an anonynmous source.]
August 1, 1996... We've been told that the location filming is expected to wrap up in Wallace by August 4th or 5th. It will take a week or so to clean up town as there is ash all over. A member of the crew also reports that filming at Universal studio will continue thru October, followed-up by the special effects people. [Scoop submitted by an anonymous Wallace resident.]
August 2, 1996... "No "scoop" - just a comment. In regards to the post of July 29: I thought this was a forum for film information - not character assassination. Personally, I think this gutless anonymous attack on Mr. Brosnan's integrity by someone who supposedly "knows" him says more about "Anonymous" than it does about Pierce. Maybe you ought to put more thought into this kind of "information" you include on your website."
And truth be told, perhaps we should. This anonymous letter writes makes a extremely valid point - in the field of information collating and reporting CA resides in, gossip-mongering and dragging someone's name through the mud serves little purpose, and it is rarely ever confirmed; nevertheless, today's entertainment reporting seems to exist symbiotically with it. Whether or not Brosnan chooses to speed around Wallace, or what he 'really' is like matters little to the film. However, when we receive letters like the one from July 29th, a judgement call is made as to whether or not the information is relevant to the film, or of related interest to the film. While everyone loves to hear gossip, I also wanted to include this sender's email response for the readers to consider. You cannot get a fair moral representation of a person based upon their acting performance, a news blurb you've read in your local paper or the daily 'hot' gossip that pertains to that individual. Something to keep in mind, dear reader, before you think you know what the star really is like. Remember - when these people get up, their hair looks just as bad - if not worse, thanks to all that hair goop - than yours.
As to the posting itself, I stand by my decision to include it on this film's page. It's written in a fashion where you should stop and consider whether or not you can trust this information - the letter writer is anonymous, and doesn't include much in the way of proof or additional incidents.
It's a fine line between trying to present interesting reading material and maintaining some level of neutrality, especially in such the case as the material presented on CA. Overall, we hope we're doing just that. - Patrick Sauriol, Director, Coming Attractions. [Thanks to the anonymous letter writer.]
To show you another side to this, here's a scoop we received on July 18th: "Why is there no dirt on the stars on this page? It's because they have been pleasant and accessable during the filming. Both Ms. Hamilton and Mr. Brosnan have been willing to stop and talk to all of the local people who have been watching the filming. Mr. Brosnan recently went over to the local Elks club where a bridal party was coming out (at the mother of the bride's invitation) and shook hands with the groom and kissed the bride. If all stars and celebrities acted this way, the tabloids would be out of business." Now you see the mess we find ourselves in, kiddies? [Scoop sent in anonymously as well.]
And the final word on the matter goes to this fellow, who writes us to say that Brosnan told local Wallace TV the other day that he hasn't received any speeding tickets. [Scoop sent in by 'idspuds'.]
August 12, 1996... This poster writes to tell us that they aren't too happy with some of the scenes. Apparently, one involves a family floating across an acid lake, singing 'Row, Row Your Boat'. With the acid eating away at the motor and hull of the small craft, they are rescued by the ultimate sacrifice of a 'Grandma' character. The scooper compared it as "...a Twister rip-off." Of course, Twister has made enough to spawn a sub-genre now... [Scoop submitted by the 'Lumiere'.]
And the 'Phantom' tells us some figures from the film's budget. Digital Domain is getting $20.3 million for special effects work, Brosnan $7.5 million, and Hamilton $1.3 mil. The volcano is doing it for scale, we hear. [Scoop info submitted by 'The Phantom'.]
November 30, 1996... Universal has pulled the rug out from under Twentieth Century Fox in annoucing a new release date of February 7th for Dante's Peak. Apparently the March 7th release was a ruse all along, as it already has a trailer with completed special effects awaiting release. The volcano wars are now getting white-hot. [Scoop info furnished by Brent Lynch.]
December 9, 1996... James Newton Howard and John Frizell provide the musical score to set the tone of destruction. [Scoop supplied by James Furlong.]
January 21, 1997... Michael Shaw is a writer living in Kellogg, close to the town of Wallace. When a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster came to town, Shaw determined there was only one proper way to get at the real story: become an extra for Dante's Peak. His experiences appeared in the form of an article for the local Kellogg paper, the Silver Valley Voice, in October 1996. Michael Shaw gave permission to post his article on Coming Attractions for those readers interested in getting a closer look 'behind the scenes' - or at least, behind the curtain of falling ash and superheated gas.
Click here to read Michael Shaw's article.
After Its Release:
Week of February 9, 1997... Dante's Peak opens in 2600 theatres, resulting in a molten $18.6 million in weekend ticket sales.
Official Web Site: www.dantespeak.com.
|
Copyrights and trademarks for the film and related entertainment properties mentioned
herein are held by their respective owners and are used with
permission or solely for the promotional purposes of said properties.
All other text and images copyright © 1995-98 Corona Productions. Last updated: Sunday, 12-Jul-1998 17:31:08 PDT. webmaster@corona.bc.ca |