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LAST OF THE MOHICANS

The Last of the Mohicans ...

Twenty Years Ago - June, 1991

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[quote][i]Originally posted by James N.[/i]
[br]After enduring four weeks of "boot camp" in the heat and humidity of the French Broad River bottoms at the Firefighters' training camp, Monday, June 17, 1991 was the red-letter day our filming was to begin!  At least, according to the [i]Master Shooting Schedule[/i] which is the plan or outline of what's intended; the copy I have is dated Wed. Jun 5, 1991.  ( Actual filming began for the principals sometime earlier with the Elk Hunt scenes filmed in the National Forest in Tennessee.  Notice that as usual in most productions filming is out-of-sequence, based on locations and availability of certain cast members. )  I looked forward to leaving the despised firefighters camp behind for the cooler, higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Parkway; unfortunately Mother Nature had somewhat different ideas!

[b]Image Insert:[/b][br][img]http://www.mohicanpress.com/messageboard/../uploads/James N/2011621135836_Linville Falls, 1991.JPG[/img][br][size=1] 76.9KB[/size=1]

Linville Falls seen on a good, clear-weather day; strangely, it wasn't used at all as a setting for the movie!

We spent the balance of June at the Linville Falls Unit shooting the [i]Ambush[/i] scene: ominously enough for the production the very first day was in fact RAINED OUT!  It rained on-and-off for the eight days we spent in this location.  It's not evident from the finished scene, but much of it was shot in a dripping wood looking like something out of an Indiana Jones rainforest.  The ambush was sited on a park trail along a ravine and under a leaning pine tree for visual effect.  Due to the narrow space, a scaffold akin to that used on construction sites was erected for use by Mann and his camera crew, studded with artificial lighting to overcome the gloom of the overcast skies and tight forest canopy overhead.  Electrical power for all this was provided through thick cables running from generator trucks that were parked in the several Forest Service parking areas.  Other lots held the large trucks carrying props, equipment, catering services, makeup and actor's trailers, etc., etc. - all the impedimenta of filming.  As I have observed elsewhere, this coincided with a financial crisis for the Federal Government and Park Service in particular, opening these areas for lease for formerly unthinkable projects such as this.

[b]Image Insert:[/b][br][img]http://www.mohicanpress.com/messageboard/../uploads/James N/201162114230_Linville Falls Gorge, 1991.JPG[/img][br][size=1] 52.32KB[/size=1]

Linville Gorge shrouded in the ever-present fog and mist.

Since both Dale Fetzer and I had been effectively omitted from participating in filming this particular scene, I spent my time with the prop crew, whose undemanding job mainly consisted of issuing guns, hatchets, accouterments, etc. to the cast prior to actual filming, then recovering them at the end of the day.  This made for a very boring time spent mainly visiting with each other and observing the filming at a distance.  I could at least be grateful that unlike the rest of the Military Core, I didn't have to lay endless hours in the cold mud playing dead!   For the first time I was able to observe the cast and crew and was satisfied overall.  Since I had little to do during this time, I was able to take a number of good photographs during breaks between takes:

[b]Image Insert:[/b][br][img]http://www.mohicanpress.com/messageboard/../uploads/James N/2011621144914_Wes Studi as Magua crop.JPG[/img][br][size=1] 76.46KB[/size=1]

My favorite photo taken at this time - Magua the "Mohawk"; Wes even straightened up for me when he saw my camera!

One of the members of the prop crew was Dr. Ray Giron, a college professor from Kissimmee, Fla. with whom I'd worked previously on both [i]Alamo - The Price of Freedom[/i] and [i]Glory[/i].  He was "slumming" on [i]Mohicans[/i], since he'd been a costume maker/costumer and extra on those projects in addition to working props as here.  For years he was known in the reenacting community for staging the annual Civil War event at Olustee, Fla.

[b]Image Insert:[/b][br][img]http://www.mohicanpress.com/messageboard/../uploads/James N/2011621141035_scan0028crop.JPG[/img][br][size=1] 77.14KB[/size=1]

Dr. Ray Giron ( left ) and James Permaine in a carriage on a cold, windy night on the set of [i]Glory[/i] doing what we do best - waiting interminably between takes!

It was during this filming that the production company, aware of time being lost to the weather, decided to move us all to a small tourist court nearby called the Pixie Inn in order to cut down on the commute time from Asheville; we were there during the entire shoot.  Due to its location further north I took advantage of it on my weekend off to travel to Blowing Rock and Boone, N.C., where I saw the hoary old outdoor drama [i]Horn in the West[/i] which was surprisingly awful, playing fast and loose with Revolutionary-era history!  When we finally wrapped at Linville, along with several others was suffering from an intestinal ailment that forced me to lay out two days recuperating from stomach cramps and diarrhea.  Ah, the Glamour of the Film Industry!

[b]Image Insert:[/b][br][img]http://www.mohicanpress.com/messageboard/../uploads/James N/2011621145340_Mohicans Ambush Scene.JPG[/img][br][size=1] 89.9KB[/size=1]

You can see the mist hanging in the air in this scene along the soggy trail; Cora and Alice are in the background!

[/quote]

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T O P I C R E V I E W
James N.	Posted - June 21 2011 : 2:15:09 PM After enduring four weeks of "boot camp" in the heat and humidity of the French Broad River bottoms at the Firefighters' training camp, Monday, June 17, 1991 was the red-letter day our filming was to begin! At least, according to the Master Shooting Schedule which is the plan or outline of what's intended; the copy I have is dated Wed. Jun 5, 1991. ( Actual filming began for the principals sometime earlier with the Elk Hunt scenes filmed in the National Forest in Tennessee. Notice that as usual in most productions filming is out-of-sequence, based on locations and availability of certain cast members. ) I looked forward to leaving the despised firefighters camp behind for the cooler, higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Parkway; unfortunately Mother Nature had somewhat different ideas! Image Insert: 76.9KB Linville Falls seen on a good, clear-weather day; strangely, it wasn't used at all as a setting for the movie! We spent the balance of June at the Linville Falls Unit shooting the Ambush scene: ominously enough for the production the very first day was in fact RAINED OUT! It rained on-and-off for the eight days we spent in this location. It's not evident from the finished scene, but much of it was shot in a dripping wood looking like something out of an Indiana Jones rainforest. The ambush was sited on a park trail along a ravine and under a leaning pine tree for visual effect. Due to the narrow space, a scaffold akin to that used on construction sites was erected for use by Mann and his camera crew, studded with artificial lighting to overcome the gloom of the overcast skies and tight forest canopy overhead. Electrical power for all this was provided through thick cables running from generator trucks that were parked in the several Forest Service parking areas. Other lots held the large trucks carrying props, equipment, catering services, makeup and actor's trailers, etc., etc. - all the impedimenta of filming. As I have observed elsewhere, this coincided with a financial crisis for the Federal Government and Park Service in particular, opening these areas for lease for formerly unthinkable projects such as this. Image Insert: 52.32KB Linville Gorge shrouded in the ever-present fog and mist. Since both Dale Fetzer and I had been effectively omitted from participating in filming this particular scene, I spent my time with the prop crew, whose undemanding job mainly consisted of issuing guns, hatchets, accouterments, etc. to the cast prior to actual filming, then recovering them at the end of the day. This made for a very boring time spent mainly visiting with each other and observing the filming at a distance. I could at least be grateful that unlike the rest of the Military Core, I didn't have to lay endless hours in the cold mud playing dead! For the first time I was able to observe the cast and crew and was satisfied overall. Since I had little to do during this time, I was able to take a number of good photographs during breaks between takes: Image Insert: 76.46KB My favorite photo taken at this time - Magua the "Mohawk"; Wes even straightened up for me when he saw my camera! One of the members of the prop crew was Dr. Ray Giron, a college professor from Kissimmee, Fla. with whom I'd worked previously on both Alamo - The Price of Freedom and Glory. He was "slumming" on Mohicans, since he'd been a costume maker/costumer and extra on those projects in addition to working props as here. For years he was known in the reenacting community for staging the annual Civil War event at Olustee, Fla. Image Insert: 77.14KB Dr. Ray Giron ( left ) and James Permaine in a carriage on a cold, windy night on the set of Glory doing what we do best - waiting interminably between takes! It was during this filming that the production company, aware of time being lost to the weather, decided to move us all to a small tourist court nearby called the Pixie Inn in order to cut down on the commute time from Asheville; we were there during the entire shoot. Due to its location further north I took advantage of it on my weekend off to travel to Blowing Rock and Boone, N.C., where I saw the hoary old outdoor drama Horn in the West which was surprisingly awful, playing fast and loose with Revolutionary-era history! When we finally wrapped at Linville, along with several others was suffering from an intestinal ailment that forced me to lay out two days recuperating from stomach cramps and diarrhea. Ah, the Glamour of the Film Industry! Image Insert: 89.9KB You can see the mist hanging in the air in this scene along the soggy trail; Cora and Alice are in the background!
6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Light of the Moon	Posted - June 28 2011 : 3:06:56 PM James, you have totally live my dream!! I would love to have been there during the filming of LOTM. I would have happily played any part...even a tree...just to be there!! Love the pictures and thanks for sharing your experience with us! It was all very interesting to read!
James N.	Posted - June 26 2011 : 12:15:57 PM Flammable, I have commented somewhat on Mann's directing, at least what I could judge of it, in my longer account here on the board; if you haven't seen it here's a link to the second page dealing with the negative aspect his penchant for retakes had on one scene I DID witness "up close". ( It's in the first chapter here - my comments overall on cost overruns are on the first page. ) http://www.mohicanpress.com/jim_neels_mohicanland_2.html
Flammable	Posted - June 26 2011 : 11:49:22 AM Thank you James! Very interesting to read your posts, keep 'em coming :) As you saw director Mann in action can you recall whether this trivia info from imdb entry for LOTM about Mann and his filming style has any truth behind it: "By most accounts, there were on average at least 20 takes for each set-up. Such lengthy shootings (and the ensuing costs) would account for 20th Century Fox sending a Rep to do nothing except stand behind Mann and say, "That's enough Michael, move on"." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104691/trivia?tr=tr0625256 I have no idea what is the original source for this info for imdb unfortunately does not list sources.
richfed	Posted - June 25 2011 : 11:47:31 AM Joyce Kilmer was considered, but never used. All the Elk Hunt scenes were filmed up in the vicinity of the Corner Rock picnic area and sections off of Forest Service Rd. 74 ... With the exception of the actual live elk who was housed at Biltmore.
James N.	Posted - June 22 2011 : 11:42:08 AM Fitz, Since I wasn't involved in that scene in ANY way, I'll defer to the Satchem since he's made the study of the locations. I thought I'd read that it was filmed in the Joyce Kilmer Unit of the National Forest in Tennessee; maybe that was wrong or that area was used for something else.
Fitzhugh Williams	Posted - June 22 2011 : 10:00:15 AM quote: Originally posted by James N. ( Actual filming began for the principals sometime earlier with the Elk Hunt scenes filmed in the National Forest in Tennessee. Notice that as usual in most productions filming is out-of-sequence, based on locations and availability of certain cast members. ) Please correct me if I am wrong, but I was under the impression that the Elk Hunt was filmed on Pisgah National Forest land just outside of Barnardsville, NC.

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