Apartment tower becomes movie set with "Blue Velvet"

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Apartment tower becomes movie set with "Blue Velvet"

White, Gina

Steelman, Ben

1985-08-21

Things have gotten off to a relatively smooth start for David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet”. Production for the movie began Monday with no more than “normal problems,” according to producer Fred Caruso. “Blue Velvet” is a murder mystery starring Kyle Maclachlan (Dune) and model Isabella Rossellini. Maclachlan has reported to the set, while Miss Rossellini is expected to arrive next month. The film’s projected 10-week production schedule began at the Carolina Apartments at Fifth Avenue and Market Street, with both interior and exterior shots of the building. “We’re supposed to be an old, run down slum building,” said Elizabeth Evans, a resident of the apartments. Props- including a ragged awning, trash cans and a smudged mailbox give the Carolina the right look. “We’re happy to have them here,” Ms. Evans said. “there has been just a little bit of inconvenience – when they were shooting, they asked us not to come out – but they have been very nice and polite and gracious.” Residents had been sent notices about the filming Monday, Tuesday and an as-yet-unscheduled date. Hope Lange is Wilmington-bound. The Emmy award-winning actress will arrive in the Port City next month to film David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet”. In “Velvet”, Miss Lange will play Mrs. Williams, the wife of Detective Williams (George Dickerson) and mother of Sandy (Laura Dern). Miss Lange turned down the role a year ago, when “Velvet” was originally scheduled to begin production. According to movie columnist Marilyn Beck, Miss Lange is now accepting the role because David Lynch is directing and because she “could wait forever for the right thing to come along.” “I can’t tell you I’ve been enthusiastic about the things I’ve been asked to do,” Miss Lange told Miss Beck. “Very little is being made today that interests me either as a performer or a viewer.” “But I realize now that the only way to even have a shot at something special is to do some things of which you might not be particularly fond so the industry remembers you’re around.” As for “Velvet”, Miss Lange says it has a well-written script “but a lot of violence.” She is also pleased with her upcoming role in PBS’ “Survival Guide”. Miss Lange rose to fame in films in the 1950s and earned two consecutive Emmys for “The Ghost” and “Mrs. Muir” series in the late ‘60s. Frank Capra Jr. should have plenty to do after “Arsenic and Old Lace”, the play he’s directing for Opera House Productions in Thalian Hall, closes in September. The producer of “Firestarter” currently has several projects in the negotiation stage. Capra said he is “Interested” in working with David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams – the trio who created “Airplane!” – on “Ruthless People”, a comedy with pop singer Madonna under Walt Disney Productions Touchstone label. “I think “Airplane!” was a terrific movie,” Capra said. “I’d like to work with them.” “Ruthless People” steals a leaf from O’ Henry’s “Ransom of Red Chief” as hoodlums kidnap an obnoxious woman only to find that her family and friends don’t really want her back. On his own, Capri’s production company is developing a project “as a TV movie or miniseries” about the German author E.F.S “Putzi” Hanfstaengel. Educated in America and a friend of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hanfstaengel also became an early supporter of Adolf Hitler. At the start of WWII, outraged by the German dictator’s excesses, Hanfstaengel fled to America, where he was held as a “prisoner of state” – “the only one in our history,” Capra said – under Roosevelt’s personal protection. In this capacity, Hanfstaengel worked with the OSS and other Allied intelligence services, providing information on Hitler and trying to predict his actions. “Hanftstaengel was a fascinating character,” said Capra, adding that his life story could help show “how Hitler ever got hold of Germany.” Fincannon and Associates held casting call for extras and featured extras for “Blue Velvet” and “Red Dragon” from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday August 24, 1985 and Sunday August 25, 1985 at the old Carol Knit Building, 1519 N. 23rd St., next to the N.C. Film Corp. “We will be searching for hundreds of extras for these two features and to accommodate several new features scheduled to start by year’s end,” Mack Bass said. “After having compiled extras during “Firestarter, Cat’s Eye, Silver Bullet,” and various other productions, many faces address and phone numbers have changed, so we’re attempting to update all our files,” Bass said. “We’ll be looking for all ages and types. No matter what your age, sex, color or nationality, we need you. Our immediate needs are for high school age boys and girls.” Applicants should bring a recent Polaroid photograph of themselves to the call. Those needing photographs may have the take for $2.

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Filming locations

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Movies

Wilmington, NC

North Carolina Digital Heritage Center

text

http://cdm16072.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16072coll3/id/325

Sets

Filming locations

Actors

Actresses

Films

Movies

Wilmington, NC