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Joe Blevins 
"Don't I look handsome?"
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 Posted - 04/18/2007 : 20:34:10
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It looks like The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins is also being partially filmed in Chicago. In fact, they're filming right out my window, so to speak. I work in Chicago's business district, the Loop, and there's a film crew shooting right now at the post office across the street. The post office is doubling as the Gotham National Bank, and they've added the words "GOTHAM NATIONAL BANK" to the side of the building.
So far, it's a whole lot of nothing. They've been constructing a false front that add a few extra feet to the side of the post office building. (We didn't know what that was being built for until today.) They've set up a lot of lights next to the building, too, but so far that's the extent of what I've seen. Ho hum. I can say with some certainty that the plot of the next film will involve a bank, but that's hardly news in a Batman movie. Was there even an episode of "Batman" which didn't involve the Gotham National Bank? It must be the most-robbed fictional bank in history.
Oh, well. Still kind of exciting to have a real live movie filming next door to my job. |
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Chris C 
"Four words, never backwards."
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Posted - 04/18/2007 : 23:00:47
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| Any chance of photos?? |
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Koli
"Striving lackadaisically for perfection."
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Posted - 04/18/2007 : 23:13:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Chris C
Any chance of photos??
Like it. We could have a whole new gallery: behind the scenes on film sets.
Unfortunately Telford in Shropshire is not a popular film location, so I'm unlikely to be contributing. |
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Tori 
"I don't get it...."
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 00:42:07
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| OMGz Christian Bale |
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GHcool
"Forever a curious character."
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 06:16:51
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I'm always seeing movies and tv shows being filmed right outside the my window where I work.
(I work at Universal Studios).
Actually, I won't be working there for that much longer. Production on the show will be finished in about a month and so I won't be working there until next season. Oh well. |
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 07:08:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Chris C
Any chance of photos??
If he visits the area on a Sunday he might get a few pictures in. When they were doing Blues Brothers they shot almost only on Sundays in town.
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redPen
"Because I said so!"
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 07:09:12
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I lived in the Chicago 'burbs from '94 to '99, and I recall being downtown once when signs indicated that part of a major thoroughfare would be shut down in the middle of the night for the filming of one of Bruce Willis' big movies (sorry I don't recall real details. The name of the film was listed on the signs, as well as the dates and times drivers would be detoured).
Not a real "brush with fame," but a bit exciting at the time . . . |
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Joe Blevins
"Don't I look handsome?"
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 20:29:17
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| Photos (hopefully) coming soon. Stay tuned! |
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Downtown
"Welcome back, Billy Buck"
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 21:21:46
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| When I lived in NYC I once lit Richard Belzer's cigarette for him while he was standing around between shoots on Law & Order: SVU. |
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Joe Blevins
"Don't I look handsome?"
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 23:43:25
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Okay here are some photos, with commentary.
http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m315/JoeBlevins/
Image 1: (A) From half a block away, you can barely tell a movie is being filmed at this post office. (B) Up close, you start to see the film equipment and trucks.
Image 2: (A) Pretty good view of that false front added to the side of the building. (B) Right in front of the building, you can see the lights.
Image 3: (A) More equipment in front of the building. (B) They've added the words "GOTHAM NATIONAL BANK" on the side of the building.
Image 4: (A) A pretty good view of the word "GOTHAM" on the building. (B) Some odd-looking vehicles parked in front of the post office.
Image 5: (A) One of the many cherry-pickers at this location. (B) Security guards shooing away the gawkers. As I shot this picture, they were yelling, "NO PICTURES!"
Image 6: (A) The first of two long views of the location, this one from my office window. (B) The view from our building's back door. |
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randall 
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 23:44:47
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When I first moved to Manhattan, I stumbled upon the crew for SEA OF LOVE, doing many nights only one street under. And I was so jazzed that I was living just a few blocks short of the opening gang convocation for THE WARRIORS...
On the East Side, one Saturday we tried to walk to our local greasy spoon but were met by dozens of police cars set up for RANSOM, and we got to see Rene Russo jump out and fire a fake gun a few times before we were allowed to cross the street.
Then there was some Danielle Steel TV movie shot on our very own block, which [was, we've since moved] just across the street from a major NYC synagogue [the one used in FIRST WIVES CLUB]. Overnight, the crew had dressed the street for the 1940s, with cars, costumes, everything. We watched from our 7th-floor window, along with anyone in our lobby who wanted to go out -- only when the A.D. allowed.
As we've discovered, NYC is a big movie set. As we've also discovered, if they really bother you, they'll let you scrounge from the craft services table!
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thefoxboy
"Four your eyes only."
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 23:50:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Joe Blevins
Okay here are some photos, with commentary.
Thanks for the pics. |
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Joe Blevins
"Don't I look handsome?"
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Posted - 04/19/2007 : 23:59:08
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This post office in Chicago, by the way, is right near Union Station where they shot the "baby carriage rolling down the stairs" scene for The Untouchables. In fact, I eat my lunch at the Union Station food court only a few steps away from those stairs (part of the station's Great Hall). While I was shooting those Dark Knight pictures, I also snapped a few shots of that Great Hall, and I also dug up some photos from when I lived in Joliet and visited the prison from the beginning of The Blues Brothers.
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ChocolateLady
"500 Chocolate Delights"
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Posted - 04/20/2007 : 07:24:38
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It is a great location, and if I recall correctly, they won't have to do too much blocking out of overly modern buildings when they CGI the city in. If they do any interiors then we're all in for a treat. Again, if I recall correctly (and if they didn't renovate the life out of it since I was in Chicago), the interior is absolutely perfect for a Batman movie.
(Ah, the memories.) |
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Joe Blevins
"Don't I look handsome?"
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Posted - 04/21/2007 : 21:13:22
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| UPDATE: The film crew seems to have wrapped up its work. They've taken down the GOTHAM NATIONAL BANK sign. The post office is, once again, a post office. |
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Joe Blevins
"Don't I look handsome?"
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Posted - 04/24/2007 : 16:01:38
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Update to the update: THEY'RE BACK.
If you've seen my original photo gallery, Image 2(A) shows a false front added to the side of the building. Now I know what it's REALLY for. They've put doors in it. It's supposed to be a double for the front door. And... they've run a fake school bus through it. Plus there's a line of real school buses parked in front. I'm trying to get some pictures for y'all, but it's difficult. They've got cops and security guards everywhere, and they're NOT cool about people taking pictures. |
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"Batman Begins 2": filming right outside my window
