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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1) WHY DON'T YOU HAVE THE COMPLETE LISTING AS YOU DO IN YOUR BOOK? For those of you who did not read the first page of this website, my book has comprehensive data on each film: including technical information - date of release, run time, camera (Panavision), color (Technicolor), sound (Dolby) and the film's rating (PG-13); crew listings including - director, producer, screenwriter, director of photography, film editor, etc.; cast listing (along with the character they portrayed); film genre and plot synopsis; filmming location; and finally any interesting stories associated with the production of the film. The book also contains indexes listing alternate film titles (the film may have been produced under a different name), location index, and cast and crew indices. I would love to be able to post all that information on this website, unfortunately, my site is limited to the free MBs provided by my ISP. I have included as much information as I could on this site and hope it helps anyone who is searching for a particular Nevada film. 2) WHAT IS A NEVADA MOVIE? When I started this project 14 years ago I asked myself the same question. With input from Robin Holabird of the Nevada State Film Office and Professor Howard Rosenberg at the University of Nevada, Reno I created two criteria to validate a movie.
The first criteria eliminates movies that used stock footage or footage shot for another film. However, it allows inclusion of pictures that filmed second unit footage for use in rear-projection scenes or as an adjunct to a scene. For example, for safety reasons the cast of Boulder Dam (1936) was not allowed to film at the construction site (of what is now known as Hoover Dam). A second unit crew was dispatched to capture all the needed footage which was then used in rear-projection to create dangerous and dramatic scenes. More recently, the television version of In Cold Blood (1996) wished to include Las Vegas scenes, but the producers quickly realized that the city had changed drastically since the 1950s. A call to the Nevada State Film Office led the producers to Reno where a second unit team filmed the Virginian Hotel with vintage automobiles parked in front. I must point out that although the scene is in the picture, if you blink you will miss it - it lasts a mere five seconds on the screen. While researching films made at Lake Tahoe (which straddles the Nevada-California border), I was unable to confirm precise locations for many very early films. In addition, I discovered that some scenes were shot within feet of the Nevada border, but never entered the state. I was in a quandry - should I exclude these films since the companies never entered the state or make an exception to the rule? Since any scenes of the lake from the California side would show the mountains on the Nevada side, I made the first exception to Rule #1 - to include any films made within one mile of the state line. This exception serves well for movies made at Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead as well as Wendover which sits on the Utah stateline. The Wendover airport, which is in Utah, was the locale for Wind (1992). The state line is just past the runway, so every time the camera panned across the tarmac you were looking directly into the Nevada desert. The second criteria - a public showing - eliminates those films that were produced but never released (you would be surprised at how many I have uncovered in my research). This does allow me, however, to include locally produced films that never received regional or national distribution. In the early years of motion pictures small motion picture companies sprouted up in many major cities and Reno and Las Vegas were no exception. Films like First Honeymoon (1928) and The Pot Of Gold (1929) were made by these companies using local talent. Bob Ray, manager of Reno's Wigwam Theater, filmed First Honeymoon in and around Reno and at Bower's Mansion in Washoe Valley south of Reno. Its week-long showing at the Wigwam Theater was completely sold out. Ray followed up with Reno Loves (1928) and even entered into negotiations with a California theater agency to arrange regional distribution of the films. They failed to reach an agreement and a few years later Bob Ray moved out of Reno. What became of the two films is unknown. In Las Vegas production began on The Pot Of Gold starring Alta Ham, wife of a well-known Las Vegas lawyer. The plot centered around the newly authorized Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam) and how it would benefit local agricultural interests with irrigation water and plentiful electricity. Although the film no longer exists, the Special Collections Library of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas has a number of still photographs of the production under the alternate titles of Water or Water and Sand. 3) I have seen several movies that were filmed in Nevada, but could not find them in your lists in the Location section. The answer to this question is either I have not been able to confirm that the production company entered Nevada to film or the picture merely used Nevada in their plot and never came to the state to shoot. If you are unable to find a movie in the Location section, try the Nevada Themed Films page. 4) I recently saw an old television show that had filmed in Las Vegas. Why don't you have it listed? When I first began my research, I
collected information on all types of production
including episodic television shows, made-for-television
movies, television specials, newsreels, short subjects,
feature films, documentaries, commercials, music videos
and industrial films. As the work progressed, it became
clear that to include every type of filmmaking in the
book would be an overwhelming task. Therefore, I decided
to concentrate on motion pictures which are much easier
to track and confirm. If anyone is interested in writing
a book on the wealth of television production that has
taken place in Nevada, I would be happy to provide them
with the research I have concerning the subject. |