Anonymous - 10-1-2003 at 02:51 PM
http://www.moviecitynews.com/notepad/2003/030930_sp.html
by David Poland
Timing is everything.
I made the trek to Troy just two weeks ago. Much of the talk around the Cabo San Lucas set was about the hurricane that missed a few months earlier.
As explained by various crew, "If that thing had hit, it would have torn up the wall and just blown it away." The sense of relief that it had not
happened was palpable.
The road to Cabo has been a long one. Troy came together in a hurry after years of simmering interest, when the power of David Benioff's screenplay
pulled both director Wolfgang Petersen and star Brad Pitt off of other greenlit projects in order to make this film. As Petersen describes it, they
saw the script in May 2002 and were in pre-production by September.
Production started in London in April of this year, where the interiors were shot. From there, it was on to Malta, where the city of Troy was built
and filmed. A massive undeveloped part of Cabo, about 20 minutes out of downtown, took over the role of the outside of Troy, offering a wide open
beach for the 1000 ships to land on and for the wall of Troy, where a massive battle takes place before someone thinks of building a horse of a
different color.
In a stroke of luck, principle photography wrapped on Friday, a little later than the original schedule, but in line with the most reason estimates of
a wrap date, leaving only a week or two of second unit photography due to be done after the Hurricane Marty blew through town on Sunday.
The biggest problem caused by the Marty was on the beach sets, where the few real ships the show was using were already dramatically burned? and are
now apparently destroyed. Also damaged badly was a stone castle that sat on the beach, looking invulnerable to any weather conditions?. except that in
reality, it too was plaster.
"The Wall" was built 500 feet across and 73 feet high; creating an imposing landmark that was set for destruction as soon as production was over. Made
out of plaster & fiberglass and secured by sturdy rigging, you would never guess how vulnerable the wall is by looking at it.
There was some damage to The Wall and there will be some reconstruction for some of the 2nd Unit production shots that have to be done in front of The
Wall. But you can rest your hearts from worries about Brad or Eric or Orlando? they are fine. In fact, there were no humans killed or injured When
Marty Met Troy. There was some broken Plaster of Paris, but Paris himself (Orlando Bloom) actually left Mexico weeks before.
The delay to production should be minimal. And there will be no effect on the release date of the film, scheduled for May 14.
Some Troy Chisme
Stephanie Jackter - 10-1-2003 at 06:49 PM
It might pay to pay the crew next time!-Stephanie
Brad Pitt's crew accused of stealing ATV, tools
Associated Press
Sept. 29, 2003 08:50 AM
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico - Police arrested six security guards hired to protect the set of the Brad Pitt's movie "Troy" and charged them with stealing
an all-terrain motorcycle and tools belonging to the production crew, police said.
Producers built a replica of ancient Troy in Baja California Sur, not far from the Pacific Coast resort city of Cabo San Lucas. The set, which is
closed to the media and visitors, sustained minor damage when Hurricane Marty blew through the area last week, said Cabo San Lucas police captain
Francisco Solis.
Solis said Saturday six Mexicans hired as part of the set's private security team had complained for several days that they hadn't been paid since
before the hurricane arrived. On Friday, police said they stole a 2003 Honda four-wheel motorcycle designed for use on sand dunes, a chain saw and an
air compressor from the set.
Directed by Wolfgang Peterson and starting Pitt, Peter O'Toole and Orlando Bloom, "Troy" is scheduled to hit theaters next year. It retells the tale
of Paris, a prince of Troy, who steals Helen, queen of Sparta, from her husband, prompting an army of Greeks to lay siege to Troy.