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When I was a first year graduate student at the University of Minnesota Physics Department, I had the chance to watch a movie being made. A local film student was shooting a script about a a woman who confronts her religious doubts and her scientific beliefs when her experiments open a gateway to Hell. He wanted to use the Physics Department's van de Graaf accelerator as a shooting location. The department agreed, provided that they hire a graduate student to stay on site while they filmed to keep everything within U.S. Department of Energy regulations.
The film student was Chris Macgowan, the movie was "Four Days", and now, three years later, the film is complete. It is showing 5:30 pm this Saturday, September 13th, at the Oak Street Cinema.
I plan to go see it, not only because I met the people who made it, and saw the work that goes into making a movie, but because I am also in it. They shot Saturday and Sunday, for two weekends, at the facility. On the last day an extra who was to play a tortured victim of Hell failed to show. I boldly stepped into the role, undergoing hours of makeup, with tubes sticking into me, and blood spilling out of me. At the director's instruction, I twitched for the camera just before the set manager drenched me in fake blood. Great stuff.
This is more of a short film, but I do not know for sure how long it runs. I hope it is well received, because I did see the effort everyone put into making it. At least we can be sure Mr. Cranky won't be there to review it. But you should be if you can make it.
Steve Grantz on the big screen this weekend. Outstanding.
Last Updated: 9 September 1997
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