January 2012 - Section 2

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Two recent

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produce a

feature-length film worthy of the world stage

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January 2013 | thewcpress.com

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the wc press | voice of the borough

Director Graham Nolte speaks with actor Robb Stech on the set of “Parallax”

G

raham Nolte has the sort of confidence that borders on vanity, the sort of pride in his own work that borders on arrogance. But he never crosses the line into egotism or conceit–he’s just really certain that Parallax is an excellent movie. The film, written and directed by Nolte and produced by Tommy Stackhouse, was shot here in their hometown of West Chester this past summer. And, while this isn’t the first time a movie’s been filmed in town, this one is particularly interesting because its writer/director and producer are barely a year out of college. At a time when their peers are puttering around doing menial, nine-to-five work and collecting a paycheck, Nolte and Stackhouse decided to produce a feature-length film intended for Cannes Film Festival.

For his part, Stackhouse ditched the idea of pursuing a career with his marketing degree in order to help make the film, knowing he brought an entirely different perspective to the project. “It’s like left brain and right brain,” says Tommy when explaining his relationship with Graham. For the outside observer, that seems like a very accurate description. According to some theories of brain dominance, the right side of the brain is associated with intuition, creativity and expressing emotions, and tends to look at the problem as a whole. That’s Graham.

On the other hand, the left side of the brain is the logical thinker, the number cruncher, the part we trust to break down the over-

all problem and sort it out bit by bit. That’s been Tommy’s job.

Graham sees nothing strange about diving head first into an enormous project. “I know that I want to make narrative, feature-length films that are built upon themes in my life. I want to do that until the day I die, so I saw no reason not to get started on it right away,” he says. His passion for the project wasn’t something he picked up in college. It wasn’t a whim that caught hold after a particularly moving experience with a film. For Graham, filmmaking has been his goal for quite some time. “I have known since eighth grade that this is what I wanted to do with my life. I made a conscious decision to focus on filmmaking, even all the way back then. Because I was dyslexic I knew I’d never be as good at math or English as someone who even put in the slightest effort, but I knew I was good at making movies.”

To many, it may seem like an audacious undertaking for someone so young. It may seem rushed, forced even, for someone to jump straight into writing and directing a feature-length film right out of school, but the way Graham sees it, this isn’t something he’s put a year into. He’s been preparing for this film for most his life. “I’ve put the better half of a decade into this first endeavor, and the past five years I’ve worked compulsively at it. Through college, I had no life. I knew I wasn’t a great writer, so I made myself write

every single day. I must have read 80 books on filmmaking outside of class, beyond the books that were assigned.”

Tommy has also been preparing for his role for the better part of the last decade– he just didn’t know it. “Graham actually came to a large benefit concert I threw for my fraternity. Seeing the magnitude of the event made him think I could fully handle producing a film.” In Tommy’s eyes, whether running a fraternity or running a fundraiser, you’re producing.

“Producing is a vague term,” he says. “Really, it’s just getting the job done, doing what you have to do to get the job done. With any project, it’s about making sure you can create what you want with the budget you have available.” And, when it comes to working with someone who’s all about the big picture, (in other words, someone like Graham) it takes Tommy a whole lot of work to make the vision match the budget.

Graham first found his inspiration ten years ago, at a time when it would have been impossible for a young director on a budget to make a film worthy of the world’s most prestigious festivals. But with a decade’s worth of advancements in technology, that goal might be within his grasp. Not only have we reached the point where independent filmmakers can realistically afford the equipment to make movies that look like multi-million-dollar studio gems, but their path to distributing that content has also radically changed.

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“I saw that, with the ability to share videos online, anyone could make movies,” says Graham. “There was no longer this monetary barrier; the internet had democratized filmmaking. It didn’t matter as much who made the film, or how much they spent on it.

If it was worth being seen, it would be seen.”

So, that’s exactly what he set out to do with Parallax: be seen. “I knew that I didn’t just want to make a film,” he says, “I wanted to explode onto the scene.”

Tommy understands the way his partner thinks. “Graham had these huge ideas and they would have cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It’s my job to make his focus more realistic.” As the chief fundraiser for the pair’s production group, it’s also his job to

community, I’m not sure how we could have done this.”

Graham knows they need to shift some of their focus to promoting the film, now that they’re a good way into editing the feature and they’re beginning to see the project come together. “The goal is to get it out there to as many people as possible,” says Graham. For first-time filmmakers, the best place to be seen is at film festivals. Of course, Graham’s aspirations for the film’s critical success are just as big as everything else. Parallax won’t play at just any festival–they’re aiming to enter their movie in the first-time filmmaker category of many of the world’s oldest, most prominent and most highly attended festivals: Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto,

thing in pursuit of a new technology he believes will revolutionize the world in the days of the pre-commercialized internet.

He’s lost his job, his home and the woman of his dreams, and that’s just where we begin. The story draws you into his world, and you watch as the not-entirely-likeable character makes sacrifice after sacrifice in vain. Allen’s confident he’s the next big thing, and while there’s a chance he is, he’s a fatally flawed character you’re unwilling to invest your hopes in.

Graham describes the plot as a biting satire. For the viewer that means sensing that you’re going to watch a man spiral into despair and isolation, and you end up reassuring yourself that you’re nothing like him.

Although the film’s not yet finished, the few available stills have a gritty, grainy feel that really takes you to the 1980s

track down the $67,000 they’ve amassed to date to create the film. Contributions have come in many forms, be it in single donations of as much as $15,000–from individuals Tommy describes as “seeing the potential in our team and our film,”–and as little as $10 from friends and businesses.

The community of West Chester also came together in a big way to help see the film to fruition, with many businesses and individuals volunteering the use of their properties for filming. “Tony Stancato made his warehouse on Market Street available for us to act as our studio for the entirety of the production. We also filmed at Barnaby’s, Chester County Historical Society, and on the roof of Kaly. Zukin Realty let us on the roof of one of their properties as well. Really, without the support of this

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the wc press | voice of the borough

Sundance, Slamdance, Tribeca–the list goes on. “All it takes is one programmer at one of these festivals to believe in your film, and you can get in, you can play,” says Graham.

That’s why he doesn’t think these goals are too lofty…and neither does Tommy. It’s one of the few places where both sides of the brain are on the same wavelength.

Parallax is not a first date movie. It’s not a feel-good movie, or a movie meant to make you realize how good you’ve got it. In the words of the movie’s creator, the film “leaves you wondering, ‘Where’s the catharsis?’

But the catharsis never comes.”

The movie very quickly makes it apparent that the protagonist, computer scientist Abbot Allen, has given up every-

“The idea is that often technology that is meant to connect people can also isolate them from real human connection,” says Graham.

“When people sit in a chair for hours a day staring at a screen, they are literally giving up on life and every process that got our species to where we are today. Parallax is meant to force people to think, compel them to consider the implications of technology’s influence on our society, and call them to action.”

But when you think about it, film seems like the most hypocritical medium with which to make that point, and when you bring that up to Graham, he laughs and says, “That’s the point.”

You can keep up with Graham and Tommy’s work and find out more about the film at parallaxtheproduction.com and facebook.com/parallaxthefilm. WCP

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Local Talent Showcasing the World-Class Artists of West Chester

B

eing that they’re the brains behind the West Chester Film Festival, we thought there was nobody in the borough better to consult about the local film talent than WCFF Board President Carol Jean Quigley, Secretary Kevin Fitzpatrick, Treasurer David Hoopes and board member Renee Flack.

Why is West Chester a good setting for a film festival? WC is a fabulous setting for a film festival because the town is set up to support and entertain visitors from all over in the context of a thriving pedestrian community. Our patrons are able to catch a set of films, grab a bite, shop a little, and catch another set of films, all within a few blocks.

What prompted the decision to create a film festival? Back in 2003 the Business Improvement District formed a committee called the Theater Attraction Committee. Laura Barton-Vely and Carol Jean Quigley were on that committee. Although a new theater for West Chester did not come to fruition through that committee, BartonVely proposed the idea of starting with a Film Festival to determine if there was an interest in independent film in the area. So she took the bull by the horns and started the West Chester Film Festival in 2004.

Why have you focused on shorts? It felt like an easier “sell” to a market of new festival goers. The film blocks are made up of several different short films of varying genre and length. If someone’s concerned they might not care for a film, they only have to wait about 15 minutes until the next one begins.

Has there been a lot of talent to come out of West Chester?

Over the last eight festivals we’ve had a good number of submissions from West Chester and the region in general. Some are from local filmmakers, while others have local actors. Of particular note is the

PHOTO ADAM JONES

Youth Filmmaker category. Most of the youth submissions screened at the Festival are from local filmmakers. We have a special screening of these young filmmakers and we don’t charge a submission fee for these films because it has always been part of our mission to support the artistic endeavors of students. The quality of film that has been produced by many of these students is really amazing. Many of our Young Filmmakers have gone on to prestigious film schools, including Andrew Tsoules, who is now pursuing a degree in film at the University of Southern California.

For you, what have been some of the most memorable moments from West Chester artists? Two years ago Courtney Baxter starred in and co-produced a short film that was in the Festival. The Baxter family was so incredibly supportive of the Festival, and they were so excited to have a local screening of the film. At the Closing Night Award Ceremony, we all found out together that the film had won the People’s Choice Award over the weekend, and it was such a thrill to have Courtney present to receive the “Chester” surrounded by all of her family and friends.

What’s the biggest name to come out of West Chester, be it a film or an individual? Charlie McDermott is currently starring as Axl Heck in the ABC series The Middle. Before moving to LA, Charlie worked on one of the youth submissions to the festival, and has generously supported the Festival by offering his time and professional experience. At the most recent Film Fest, Charlie was able to join us at the Closing Night Party because he was in town getting ready to shoot his own new film Imagi-GARY. Is there anyone out there now from West Chester who you think has potential to make it big in the industry? From what we’ve witnessed, it’s easy to see that Charlie, Andrew and Courtney all have the potential to become household names. WCP

January 2013 | thewcpress.com

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Children In Tow Jennifer Ozgur is a mother, wife and teacher who still finds time to get out and about with the family

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the wc press | voice of the borough

I admit it: it feels good to get the frenzy of the holidays over with and move on to the New Year. While I can’t deny I love the beautiful decorations and the other sights and sounds of the season, I’m glad to put the consumerism behind me and once again become a person instead of just another target demographic.

Black Friday is ubiquitous, but this was the first time I heard of Small Business Saturday. Being the perennial student, my curiosity got the best of me. In a quest for instant enlightenment, I turned to Wikipedia and learned that the “holiday” was invented and promoted aggressively by American Express in 2010. Apparently, it worked; it took only two years to pop on my mediachallenged radar.

The anti-commercialism part of me rolls my eyes at yet another attempt to seduce us away from our hard-earned money, but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea behind it. Big-box stores have been insidiously encroaching upon local mom-and-pop retailers for generations. Yes, they may save you a few dollars and minutes here and there, but the cost in the long run is a lot dearer. Spending your money at a Mart or Club means keeping revenue out of our small town’s economy, all the while helping the faceless giants of industry squeeze out the little guy and contribute to suburban sprawl, pockmarking our once agrarian county.

The antidote to this plight is to demonstrate to your children the fiscal dedication of helping our borough’s commerce by patronizing businesses in town. Instead of herding the clan to the mall on autopilot, you could easily make a day out of strolling down Market and Gay streets. There’s a certain romantic charm in parking along a brick-paved sidewalk instead of a macadam lot. (It’s free on Saturday until 5pm and all day on Sunday).

You could start off by sharing a giant pancake from The Market Street Grill or some classic S.O.S. at DeStarr’s. Or if you’re not an early riser, swing by Penn’s Table for an old-school cheeseburger.

Once your bellies are full, there are ways you can scratch a variety of things off your “To Do” list that are far superior to spending money at one-stop-shopping venues. Father/son bonding at one of the many real barber shops; expert suggestions for music for any taste at The Mad Platter; high-end fashion at low prices at Christine’s Consignment... there are so many more I could list, but part of the magic is finding your own favorites. When you do, you’ll feel like an explorer who just discovered uncharted land.

Taking your kids on such an outing teaches them social awareness. Money spent locally benefits our neighborhoods. And when your family can meet the owner of the shop where you purchase merchandise, the exchange becomes more of a community experience, instead of a fluorescent-lit lament at those zombie stores.

Shopping in the borough: that’s a resolution I’m going to enjoy keeping. jozgur@thewcpress.com

The Makeshift Chef Chelsea Durning is a cook by trade, and she knows how to scrape together last-minute treats for the holidays This month it was difficult for me to come up with recipes.

I felt like Julie Powell writing about following Julia Childs’ recipes–there’s just so much to do! There are hundreds of movies and television programs that are related to food, but in the end I could only choose the two favorite movies that always spark my love for food.

“Killin’ me Smalls” S’mores Bars from The Sandlot 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup Graham cracker crumbs 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 2 king-sized milk chocolate bars 1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, Graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough in a single layer. Spread marshmallow fluff over the chocolate. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely.

“Okay, I Make Lamb” from My Big Fat Greek Wedding For the marinade: 3 cloves garlic, sliced 3 shallots, sliced 2 sprigs rosemary 2 sprigs thyme 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon salt For the lamb: 8 lamb loin chops 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon pepper 2 lemons Combine the marinade ingredients and the lamb in a Ziploc bag and marinate overnight. Remove any garlic, shallots, rosemary, pepper flakes or excess oil off of the meat. Preheat broiler and allow the lamb to come to room temperature. Broil for three minutes on each side. Remove from heat and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes. This allows the meat to redistribute the juices and prevents the meat from drying out. Return to heat for 2 minutes for medium rare. Garnish with lemon juice and a rosemary sprigs. cdurning@thewcpress.com

Irish stew, or “stobhach gaelach” as it is called in Gaelic, is traditionally made of lamb, potatoes, onions, and parsley. When the Irish came to America, sheep were not as plentiful, so beef was often substituted. The recipe has evolved to often include Guinness stout; with some variations exalting this original peasant dish to gourmet status. Whatever your tradition or taste, here are 4 of our versions of Irish stew for you to try. Try one or try them all!

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Fresh vegetables, northern and garbanzo beans, potatoes & herbs in a rich vegetable stock over mashed potatoes.

Seafood Stew

Shrimp, clams and salmon with fresh vegetables in an herbed tomato broth over mashed potatoes.

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the wc press | voice of the borough

GRAHAM ROGERS We chat with Danny Matheson from NBC’s Revolution Interview DAN MATHERS Photo ADAM JONES

Why did you move to LA? For me it was weird–it was never a definitive thought of, “I’m gonna do this.” I thought I was gonna go out for two months and come back, but it was naïve to think I could get a job in two months. I was lucky to land an agent and a manager in two months and, after talking to them and talking to my parents, I decided to pursue the opportunity and move out there.

What prompted you to go? I just didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. College was coming up, and I wasn’t excited about any colleges; I wasn’t excited about playing soccer anymore. Everyone else I talked to out here, they wanted to be actors since they were little kids, but me? I never knew I wanted to be an actor until I was doing it.

What was the draw? It’s the connection, I think. You’re in an intense connection with the other actor, and it becomes like a drug almost. There’s a feeling of being very vulnerable but also being really safe. Sometimes you’ll lose yourself in a scene, and you don’t even know you’re acting; you’re just living another life. For me that’s really freeing.

How long did you work before you got a break? I was working at it for eight months before my mom made her first visit.

In the week she visited I booked a movie, a music video and a commercial. The commercial was for State Farm, one where people sing the jingle and an agent appears to grant wishes. However, that music video and the movie will both remain unnamed. [Laughs] The commercial has become almost iconic, and your line, “Can I get a hot tub!” has been repeated many times. Was the line scripted? It was. The black guy in the commercial originally had the line, but he wasn’t really saying it with a lot of passion.

So, at the end of the day the director turned to me and said, “Here’s your shot. Say the line with a good bit of soul,” and I decided to go with Lutheran preacher’s voice. I got two takes on it. The second take they couldn’t use because I ripped my shirt, so my first try is the one you see in the commercial.

How often do you get recognized as The Hot Tub Guy? When I have long hair, I get recognized pretty often. It’s funny because, whenever I’m on the set of Revolution, people come up and they’re not as excited about my character on that show as they are about the Can I Get a Hot Tub kid.

What was it like to land a big role on a network drama? That was the best feeling

of my life. There’s such a build-up to booking it, and it’s really stressful. First, everything was really secretive working with JJ Abrams.

I got two callbacks, then you find out Jon Favreau is gonna be there for another callback, then I met with the studio, then the network, and then waited a week to hear back. By that point, I was just desperate to hear anything, good or bad.

What is it about the character that made you the right choice to play Danny Matheson? The most important thing with Danny is his relationship with his sister, and I’m really close with my family. I drew from the very strong relationships I have with my sister and my brothers. This year will be exciting because Danny unleashes his badass side–he gets some retribution.

What’s your state of mind while filming?

Usually I’m not in the best mood because my character is captive, and the stakes are so high; it’s life or death. Other actors are able to mess around on set and then jump into character, but I don’t, so I leave the set pretty angry. I don’t want it to seem like I’m pissed off all the time, because we do have fun, but I have to put myself in the mindset of staring into the eyes of the man who killed my father, and that can take away a good mood pretty easily.

What do you have coming up this year? Other than Revolution, which starts up again in February, I have two films, Struck

by Lightning and Crazy Kind of Love, both due out early this year. Struck by Lightning reminds me of a modern day Breakfast Club.

I got to work with a lot of great people: Chris Colfer, Sarah Hyland, Alison Janney, Rebel

Wilson, Dermot Mulroney, Christina Hendricks–it’s a great cast. And what originally drew me to Crazy Kind of Love is that it’s an accurate depiction of a dysfunctional family.

Do you still feel connected to West Chester? My best friends are still there, much of my family is still there, and a lot of the bonds I’ve built over the years are in West Chester. It’s where I grew up, and it’ll always January 2013 | thewcpress.com 43 hold a place in my heart.

HOLIDAY HOME TOURS Photos by Lexi DiGiovanni

The West Chester Public Library organizes this tour offering a peek inside some lovely holiday homes

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HOLIDAY HOME TOURS Photos by Lexi DiGiovanni

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The West Chester Public Library organizes this tour offering a peek inside some lovely holiday homes

Ann Beal, Mary Ann Twarog, Dick Coyle, Martha Coyle, Marilyn DePhillips

Joseph and Rita Spishock

Lynda Matsinger, Robin Ritchie, Donna Aron

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the wc press | voice of the borough

Kathy Kilker, Debbie Foley

Mary Ann Twarog, Marilyn DePhillips, Ann Beal

Bill and Linda Price

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A short history of the people and productions that trace their roots to West Chester Story LEXI DIGIOVANNI

W

est Chester may be a small town, but it has managed to be a rather big player in the world of film and screen. Between the movies and television shows filmed here, and the number of actors to come out of our community, here are some of the biggest names to come out of this town.

People

Matthew McGrory was born in West

Chester in 1973 and raised here. He quickly became known for his immense height, standing more than five feet tall when he graduated kindergarten and eventually topping out at 7ft 6in. After studying pre-law at Widener and Criminal Justice at West

McGrory alongside Ewan McGregor in the feature film “Big Fish”

Chester University, McGrory pursued an acting career where he was often cast as a giant. His best-known movie roles include performances in Bubble Boy, Big Fish, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Devil’s Rejects.

His television roles include performances on Malcom in the Middle, Charmed, and Carnivàle. Never diagnosed with gigantism or any related disorder, McGrrory died of natural causes in 2005. At the time of his death, he was playing the role of Andre the Giant in a film about the wrestler’s life.

ible Flash in the sci-fi drama Smallville.

Beginning in 2006, Kyle gained more attention for his role portraying Reed Garrett, Mac Taylor’s stepson, on CSI: NY. Gallner has also taken his talents to the big screen, with starring roles in many top-grossing horror films like The Haunting in Connecticut, Jennifer’s Body and the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street.

FUN FACT: The Guinness Book of World Records awarded McGrory the titles of tallest actor, largest toe, and world’s largest feet not caused by Elephantiasis–he wore a size 29.5!

Charlie McDermott was born in West Chester in 1990 and remained in the area until he moved to Los Angles at age 16. He is currently known for his role as Axl Heck on ABC’s The Middle. Since 2004, Charlie has worked on numerous television series such as The Office and Private Practice. His biggest film roles thus far are Wild Bill in the movie Disappearances and T.J. Eddy in Frozen River.

Kyle Gallner was also born and raised

in West Chester, and would have graduated from East High School in 2005 had he not moved to LA shortly before his intended graduation. His best-known role was that of Cassidy “Beaver” Casablancas in the UPN television series Veronica Mars starting in 2005. He also gueststarred as the superhero The Incred-

Gallner locking lips with Megan Fox in “Jennifer’s Body”

Fun fact: Gallner’s career started by following his sister to acting auditions.

FUN FACT: In 2008, McDermott received a nomination for an Independent Spirit Award as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Frozen River. 

McDermott, who is, inexplicably, almost always shirtless in January 2013 | thewcpress.com 49 photos from sitcom “The Middle”

Productions

Chambers turned down the potential deal when Disney wanted to turn it into a PG movie. It was later released, rated G, by indie film label Freestyle Releasing. Directed, produced, and written by Tim Chambers, the film also stars Ellen Burstyn, Marley Shelton, and David Boreanaz. Most scenes were shot in and around West Chester, including at Jimmy John’s sandwich shop, the Armory Building on High Street, and of course, West Chester University, the team eventually upset in the championship game.

QVC is an internationally televised home shopping corporation founded by Ben Mecher in 1986 right here in West Chester. The 80-acre, $100 million QVC Studio Park, which serves as the base for all broadcasts and operations in America, is still here today. QVC broadcasts in five countries and receives orders from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Italy. This amounts to broadcasts in more than 200 million households. Back in 1986, the first item ever sold was a “Windsor Shower Companion” shower radio, presented by host John Eastman. Today, QVC is supported by 27 program hosts and broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is not only the largest home shopping network, but the number two network in terms of revenue.

Fun fact: The corporation strives for Quality, Value, and Convenience, hence the name QVC.

Marley & Me, starring Jennifer Aniston

and Owen Wilson, was released on December 25, 2008 and set a record for the largest Christmas Day box office ever with $14.75 million in ticket sales. This tear-jerking comedy was based on the memoir of John Grogan, a former newspaper reporter who frequently wrote about his lovable but mischievous Labrador Retriever, Marley, and was shot on location in Florida’s West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miami, Philadelphia and, of course, West Chester. The movie includes many scenes filmed in West Chester, and for one scene in particular, hundreds of locals crowded around as Gay Street was painted with pretend snow in the middle of May. Aniston and Wilson were seen frolicking through our borough later that evening while shooting their wedding night. In the film, when John’s growing family relocates to the Philadelphia area, they move into a house

Fun fact: Seven members of the original 1972 Immaculata championship team appear as nuns in a church scene.

Much of this blockbuster was set in town located on the 1000 block of Meetinghouse Road, about five minutes outside of the borough. The property, which was built in 1831 on 16 acres of property, went up for sale shortly after the film wrapped. The asking price was a hefty $1.2 million, partly because of its tie to the movie.

Fun fact: During filming, most of the original owner’s furniture, quilts and artwork remained in the house in addition to other items brought in from the movie’s Florida set.

The Might Macs, originally titled Our Lady Of Victory, was later released under its current title in 2011. It tells the story of the Immaculata University women’s basketball team as they set out to record their first ever women’s NCAA Championship. It stars Carla Guino, in the lead role of Cathy Rush, a Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach.

Cathy became head basketball coach in 1971 where she struggled against constant powerhouses. Although Disney originally offered to produce The Mighty Macs, director Tim

Jackass sports a tagline that sums up the entire franchise: “Do not attempt this at home.” If you’re unfamiliar with the Jackass MTV television series, it was a censored version of the later production of Jackass: The Movie. The film was produced by MTV Films and Dickhouse Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. It features the original cast of the television show, including West Chester’s own Bam Margera, Brandon DiCamillo, Raab Himself, and the late Ryan Dunn among others. The MTV series and movie were both filmed in and around the West Chester borough. The film had a budget of $5 million and quickly became the number one film in the United States and grossed nearly $80 million worldwide.

Fun fact: Since some scenes of the film were shot in Tokyo, Japan, a special edited version was created and screened for Japanese audiences.

Parallax was shot in the borough of West

Chester and was written, directed and produced by Henderson High School graduates Graham Nolte and Tommy Stackhouse.

Fun fact: There is a lot more information on this film in our feature story on page 32. WCP

Immaculata University sets the scene for a great sports movie

The world’s largest home shopping network has its headquarters here in West Chester

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Many members of the Jackass crew are from West Chester

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Baroque Ensemble Photos by Paul Imburgia

12/2 The Chester County Historical Society hosted an evening of beautiful music taken straight from 17th-Century Italy

Lois Hope Linton, Bonnie Von Duyke, Scott Hensil, Joseph Barry, Amanda Bewley, Natalie Dietterich, Sara Gill, Laura Raffaele, Genevieve Brogdon, Attila Szas, Emily Bullock, Sylvia Ahramjian

Laura Raffaele, Bonnie Von Duyke

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Ovidiu Marinescu, Sylvia Ahramjian

Karen George, Alison Linton, Beatrice Linton, Gary Nelb

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Wild & Scenic Film Festival

“The Denali Expedition” and the three films below are likely to screen at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival’s West Chester showing

F

ebruary tends to be a very slow month (especially for those who loathe Valentine’s Day), so in order to spice up the month, we suggest you purchase tickets to the Wild & Scenic Film Festival before they sell out. Each year, the Wild & Scenic Film Festival draws top filmmakers, celebrities, leading activists, social innovators and well-known world adventurers to the historic downtown of Nevada City, California. The nationally acclaimed festival then hits the road, stopping at destinations all across the US, including here in West

attendees can expect some epic outdoors films on skiing, snowboarding, and kayaking, among others, as well as informative shorts and documentaries. The doors to the event open at 6:30pm for a cocktail hour with local food, beer, and wine. Get together with your friends, bring a date, or come out and meet new people at this great event. You will have the opportunity to watch award-winning films and interact with a great crowd.

Proceeds from ticket sales will help support local preservation and conservation efforts, like Stroud Water Research Center and

(TLC) was founded in 1995 by a group of concerned citizens to ensure the perpetual preservation and stewardship of open space, natural resources, historic sites, and working agricultural lands throughout southern Chester County. Operating through a Board of Trustees and a small but fiercely dedicated staff, they seek to work with landowners who voluntarily wish to preserve the resources inherent in their lands through conservation and stewardship practices. If you’re interested in learning more, visit www.tlcforscc.org.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is pre-

Facing Climate Change

The Summit

Huck Chester, where Trail Creek Outfitters will be hosting a showing on Wednesday, February 27 and Thursday, February 28 at the Chester County Historical Society. This is the sixth year for the film festival, which is designed to educate, entertain, and inspire through a compilation of award-winning animations, documentaries and independent films focused on the environment.

A different group of short films will be shown each night and tickets can be purchased for one or both nights. And, although the final list of films is still being assembled,

The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County. The Stroud Water Research Center seeks to advance knowledge and stewardship of fresh water through research, education and global outreach and to help businesses, landowners, policy makers and individuals make informed decisions that affect water quality and availability around the world.

Stroud Water Research Center is an independent, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. You can find more information on the group at www.stroudcenter.org. The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County

sented nationally by Patagonia, Inc. and locally sponsored by Dogfish Head Brewery, Triple Fresh Market, and Farm Table Gathering, and is grateful for the support of Trail Creek Outfitters. Local sponsorship opportunities remain and information can be found by contacting Jessica Provinski at 610-347-0347 or Kristine Lisi at 610-268-2153 ext. 304. You can also find out more about the festival at wildandscenicfilmfestival.org. Tickets are $25 for one evening or $40 for both and can be purchased through the event’s sponsor at trailcreekoutfitters.com. WCP

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The Soundtrack DJ Romeo catalogues the songs that have come to define the films that they were used in.

Some songs were written specifically for the movies you hear them in. You’re supposed to hear Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose” and think of the movie by the same name. But there are plenty of other songs out there that have become inextricably linked to iconic films.

I don’t know about you, but every time I hear Queen’s iconic rock opera, I don’t think Freddy Mercury–I think Wayne Campbell. The following list represents a few of the songs that have unintentionally become tied to their movies.

Wayne’s World Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody” Ferris Bueller’s Day Off The Beatles – “Twist and Shout” Almost Famous Elton John – “Tiny Dancer” Risky Business Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – “Old Time Rock and Roll” Dirty Dancing Jennifer Warnes & Bill Medley – “The Time of My Life” 8 Mile Eminem – “Lose Yourself” Titanic Celine Dion – “My Heart Will Go On” Ghost The Righteous Brothers – “Unchained Melody” Saturday Night Fever The Bee Gees – “You Should Be Dancin’’ Top Gun Berlin – “Take My Breath Away” The Breakfast Club Simple Minds – “Don’t You Forget About Me” Napolean Dynamite Jamiroquai – “Canned Heat” Beetlejuice Harry Belafonte – “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” The Bodyguard Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You” Rocky III Survivor – “Eye of the Tiger” Animal House The Isley Brothers – “Shout” Fight Club Pixies – “Where is My Mind” The Departed Dropkick Murphys – “Shippin’ Off to Boston” Blow Ram Jam – “Black Betty” romeo@thewcpress.com

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Three-Letter Word Dr. Jill McDevitt is the proprietor of Feminique and is the only person in the world with three degrees in sex With movies being the central theme of this issue, I’d like to showcase sex education on the big screen. Moreover, as a movie lover and sexologist, I’ll be giving my reviews based on how close the film comes to accurately portraying sex education as it happens in the real world.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin 2005  The Scene: Carell’s character visits a health clinic where a sex educator asks if there are any questions. Three people ask questions, including the famous, “Is it true that if you don’t use it, you lose it?”

My Review: Fairly unrealistic. The sex educator responds with an annoyed, “Is that a serious question?” and is generally condescending. No real sex educator in a professional health setting would get so flustered over an innocent inquiry. On a daily basis they’re asked the most off-the-wall, absurd, and sometimes vulgar questions. In real life, that educator wouldn’t have lasted a week in the job.

Milk Money 1994  The Scene: A 10-year-old boy locks his sex ed teacher out of the classroom, then hires a prostitute to sneak in through the window and give a live lesson in front of the 6th grade students using her own body.

My Review: If I could give zero stars, I would. This would never happen, lest there be all sorts of lawsuits against the school, the teacher, and the prostitute, who I’m sure would have to register as a sex offender. And if such a thing ever were to happen, the children in the classroom would be rightly horrified, not laughing and flirting with the teacher/prostitute as was depicted in this film.

Varsity Blues 1999  The Scene: A high school sex education teacher asks students to list slang terms for genitals. James Van Der Beek’s character rattles off a long list, the most memorable being “purple-headed yogurt slinger.”

My Review: Pretty good. In fact, I’ve used the slang word activity before in classrooms. The only unrealistic part is that in all of my years I’ve never had a student so boldly use such language. Usually it takes some prodding, which is why it’s a good ice breaker. Never has it happened that a student raises their hand and starts listing “schlong, pecker, dick, willie…” in my college classes, let alone in a high school.

Mean Girls 2004 1/2 The Scene: The physical education teacher, wearing a jogging suit and a whistle, says to the students in health class, “Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant, and DIE! Don’t have sex in the missionary position, don’t have sex standing up. Just don’t do it, promise? Ok now everybody take some rubbers.”

My Review: Realistic. Tine Fey, who graduated from my alma mater, wrote the script based on her experiences in our high school. I absolutely sat in on that 11th-grade health class. The film loses half a point for offering the students condoms–that would never happen in an American public school. jmcdevitt@thewcpress.com

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ST. AGNES DAY ROOM LUNCH Photos by Lexi Digiovanni

12/15 Saint Agnes Day Room, founded to serve the needs of the poor in our community, hosted a lunch at Barnaby’s

Alexander and Shanel Salgado

Rogelio and Jorge Estrada

Matt and Kim McGonigle, Norton Seaman

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Kevin Garcia

Thane Wentworth

Carmen Herrera, Justin Nieves

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We are Insurance. We are Farmers.

Brandt van Naerssen agency owner Business 610-386-7326 Fax 610-441-7583 Cell 610-745-3276 bvannaerssen@famersagent.com

1000 Continental Drive, Suite 500 King of Prussia, PA 19406-2820 www.farmersagent.com/bvannaerssen

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Who’s That?

Below are eight Miis (You know, the characters on Nintendo Wii?) of famous folks you’ve seen in television and in the movies.

Think you can name them all? If so, email your answers to contests@thewcpress.com for your chance to win prizes.

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We are proud to offer up a print version of everyone’s favorite bar game... and you won’t have to pay 50 cents. You can actually WIN money.

Compare the two photos at right.

They may look the same, but there are seven subtle differences between the two.

Find those seven differences and identify the items that have been changed. Then send an email to contests@thewcpress.com listing those items. You’ll be entered to win a $25 gift card to a local business.

Winners will be chosen at random, and their name will be posted to Facebook along with the solution at the end of the month. So make sure to like us and follow along if you want to play. Enjoy!

We changed this screenshot taken from the film “Parallax.” Spot seven differences, then read our feature about the film on page 32.

Facebook.com/thewcpress

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Sunday, January 27, 7PM-12Am At The Chester County Historical Society

The charity gala that feels more like a party

For more information or To purchase tickets

wcbartendersball.com