Oh, I can't wait to see it. 
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St. Charles County farmer will star in new reality TV show
By Susan Weich
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
07/23/2007
PORTAGE DES SIOUX — Local farmer and bachelor Matt Neustadt never thought the path to true love would take a detour through Hollywood.
Neustadt will star in a new reality TV show, "Farmer Wants a Wife," due to air this fall on the CW Network, Channel 11 locally. He beat out dozens of other guys in a nationwide search.
The producers say the series is designed to help one farm boy find the city girl of his dreams, a marriage of the current reality TV show "The Bachelor" and the 1960s comedy series "Green Acres." Through a series of challenges, group activities and cozy dates, "10 fast-lane women will see how they match up with a back-roads guy," the promotional material says.
Neustadt, 29, a soybean and corn farmer, said he couldn't talk about the show or taping, which started early this month. Neustadt and other locals who will appear on the show said they had to sign confidentiality agreements.
Local producer Cara Tapper and the spokesman for Fremantle Media North America, Manfred Westphal, also declined to comment about any aspect of the show, including how Neustadt was selected. Local producers hired security guards at the site, and sheriff's deputies kept the press away.
But Neustadt was free to assess the pitfalls of romance: "You go out and tell a gal you're a farmer, and you've got three strikes against you pretty much," he said. "People don't think farmers make any money or are educated or are sophisticated."
Neustadt's father, Melvin Neustadt Jr., who farms acreage with his son near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, said he didn't know anything about the show and wouldn't say if he approved of the program's plot.
"No comment," he said, then quickly laughed.
Matt Neustadt's neighbors are keeping their sense of humor about the show, too, but a few worry about how Hollywood plans to portray them.
Bob Knowles and Alberta "Bert" Claywell were at KJ's, a bar and grill, on a recent afternoon. Both said they felt sure the impression of their town wouldn't be positive.
"We're going to look like a bunch of country bumpkins," Knowles said.
But Claywell said, "We'll be laughing all the way to the bank."
Actually, the town is not being compensated for the taping, but Mayor Mark Warner said the influx of more than 100 production people had brought a surge of income to the community of 450 residents.
"We're not looking at it as a chance to promote the town," he said. "I tell people they need to go with it and have some fun."
Claywell planned to take the mayor's advice and attend a square dance, just one of a series of events staged by the production crew. The production company also paid for a barbecue to meet the locals and put on a carnival with games and free food.
Other townspeople skeptical of reality TV find the location of the taping a little hard to swallow: It's not Neustadt's farm. The land, farmhouse and barns on Highway H are being leased. Cows and pigs were brought in to give the farm an authentic look, locals said.
Also, even though they admit they are country folk, it's not like their community is in the middle of the sticks. Portage des Sioux is 15 minutes from Alton or St. Charles and about 25 minutes from downtown St. Louis.
Still, they plan to watch the show.
"I never paid attention to any of that before, but I guess I'll try to watch this one to see how it pans out," said Rick Pender, fire chief of the Rivers Pointe Fire Protection District. He attended high school with Neustadt.
The production company wouldn't release a recent photograph of Neustadt nor would he, but Claywell said, "I think he's good-looking. He's 6-foot-1."
Knowles added, "But it's his personality that makes him. He's a super nice guy."
Neustadt played varsity baseball and football in high school. He was voted "Most Desired" by his senior class and was prom king. In 2002, he got a bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences at the University of Missouri.
If nothing else, Neustadt is hoping to wipe out the stereotype he says he encounters when trying to meet women.
"People think of overalls and plowing or milking cows or something like that, and that's really not at all what we're about — it's a business," he said.
Taping on the program should wrap up by the end of the month, but already, Neustadt seems a little overwhelmed by the experience.
"I'm not sure how all of this Hollywood stuff goes," he said. "I'm just a farm boy, but I guess I'm neck-deep in it now."
By Susan Weich
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
07/23/2007
PORTAGE DES SIOUX — Local farmer and bachelor Matt Neustadt never thought the path to true love would take a detour through Hollywood.
Neustadt will star in a new reality TV show, "Farmer Wants a Wife," due to air this fall on the CW Network, Channel 11 locally. He beat out dozens of other guys in a nationwide search.
The producers say the series is designed to help one farm boy find the city girl of his dreams, a marriage of the current reality TV show "The Bachelor" and the 1960s comedy series "Green Acres." Through a series of challenges, group activities and cozy dates, "10 fast-lane women will see how they match up with a back-roads guy," the promotional material says.
Neustadt, 29, a soybean and corn farmer, said he couldn't talk about the show or taping, which started early this month. Neustadt and other locals who will appear on the show said they had to sign confidentiality agreements.
Local producer Cara Tapper and the spokesman for Fremantle Media North America, Manfred Westphal, also declined to comment about any aspect of the show, including how Neustadt was selected. Local producers hired security guards at the site, and sheriff's deputies kept the press away.
But Neustadt was free to assess the pitfalls of romance: "You go out and tell a gal you're a farmer, and you've got three strikes against you pretty much," he said. "People don't think farmers make any money or are educated or are sophisticated."
Neustadt's father, Melvin Neustadt Jr., who farms acreage with his son near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, said he didn't know anything about the show and wouldn't say if he approved of the program's plot.
"No comment," he said, then quickly laughed.
Matt Neustadt's neighbors are keeping their sense of humor about the show, too, but a few worry about how Hollywood plans to portray them.
Bob Knowles and Alberta "Bert" Claywell were at KJ's, a bar and grill, on a recent afternoon. Both said they felt sure the impression of their town wouldn't be positive.
"We're going to look like a bunch of country bumpkins," Knowles said.
But Claywell said, "We'll be laughing all the way to the bank."
Actually, the town is not being compensated for the taping, but Mayor Mark Warner said the influx of more than 100 production people had brought a surge of income to the community of 450 residents.
"We're not looking at it as a chance to promote the town," he said. "I tell people they need to go with it and have some fun."
Claywell planned to take the mayor's advice and attend a square dance, just one of a series of events staged by the production crew. The production company also paid for a barbecue to meet the locals and put on a carnival with games and free food.
Other townspeople skeptical of reality TV find the location of the taping a little hard to swallow: It's not Neustadt's farm. The land, farmhouse and barns on Highway H are being leased. Cows and pigs were brought in to give the farm an authentic look, locals said.
Also, even though they admit they are country folk, it's not like their community is in the middle of the sticks. Portage des Sioux is 15 minutes from Alton or St. Charles and about 25 minutes from downtown St. Louis.
Still, they plan to watch the show.
"I never paid attention to any of that before, but I guess I'll try to watch this one to see how it pans out," said Rick Pender, fire chief of the Rivers Pointe Fire Protection District. He attended high school with Neustadt.
The production company wouldn't release a recent photograph of Neustadt nor would he, but Claywell said, "I think he's good-looking. He's 6-foot-1."
Knowles added, "But it's his personality that makes him. He's a super nice guy."
Neustadt played varsity baseball and football in high school. He was voted "Most Desired" by his senior class and was prom king. In 2002, he got a bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences at the University of Missouri.
If nothing else, Neustadt is hoping to wipe out the stereotype he says he encounters when trying to meet women.
"People think of overalls and plowing or milking cows or something like that, and that's really not at all what we're about — it's a business," he said.
Taping on the program should wrap up by the end of the month, but already, Neustadt seems a little overwhelmed by the experience.
"I'm not sure how all of this Hollywood stuff goes," he said. "I'm just a farm boy, but I guess I'm neck-deep in it now."
"TAPS" , from the TV show "Ghost Hunters," is coming to the St Louis public library, Oct 22 6-8pm
. I don't know much more than that. It's listed on their website. Whether it's for a show, investigation, book signing... I don't know.
http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/
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. I don't know much more than that. It's listed on their website. Whether it's for a show, investigation, book signing... I don't know.
http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/
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Xing wrote:"TAPS" , from the TV show "Ghost Hunters," is coming to the St Louis public library, Oct 22 6-8pm
. I don't know much more than that. It's listed on their website. Whether it's for a show, investigation, book signing... I don't know.
http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/
Damn. That's the night I have to sort my sock drawer.
Bill is premiering at the Toronto Int. Film Festival, this Sunday, Sept 9th. Wide release will likely occur later.
http://tiff07.ca/filmsandschedules/film ... 1100501293
http://tiff07.ca/filmsandschedules/film ... 1100501293
'Bill' sees dollar signs in Toronto
By Gregg Goldstein and Borys Kit
The Hollywood Reporter
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 51857c475e
TORONTO -- As the curtain fell on the Toronto International Film Festival during the weekend, a final flurry of activity saw First Look Studios pick up the GreeneStreet Films comedy "Bill" in the heftiest sale of the fest.
The Weinstein Co. acquired North American rights to the music documentary "Joy Division" for a price in the low- to mid-six figures. And IFC Films acquired U.S. rights to Guy Madden's "My Winnipeg," which earned the fest's award for best Canadian feature film.
First Look paid more than $3 million late Thursday for U.S. rights to "Bill," starring Aaron Eckhart and Jessica Alba. Maple Pictures snapped up Canadian rights in a mid-six-figure deal.
There was a widespread perception at this year's 32nd festival that sales weren't as robust as those of the past two years. These saw multi-million deals for movies such as "Thank You for Smoking" and "El Cantante." But festival Sales and Industry Office head Giulia Filippelli said she's tracked more than $50 million in business this year, around the same amount as last year. "A lot of films were sold for many countries, not just North America," she said.
The "Bill" deal marks First Look's biggest sale under a new management structure headed by First Look Holdings co-chairs Avi Lerner and Henry Winterstern. The pair, joined by First Look executive vp acquisitions Gary Hirsch, negotiated with filmmaker reps Endeavor Independent and Cinetic Media.
Bernie Goldmann and Melisa Wallack directed the feature, which stars Eckhart as a disillusioned man who, after finding his wife (Elizabeth Banks) is cheating on him with a local news anchor (Timothy Olyphant), begins mentoring a rebellious teen (newcomer Logan Lerman). He starts getting his life back on track with the help of a lingerie salesgirl (Alba).
The film was produced by GreeneStreet's John Penotti, Fisher Stevens and Matthew Rowland and executive produced by Tim Williams and Eckhart. Wallack wrote the original screenplay.
"Bill" was widely considered to be one of the few available titles with wide commercial appeal, which made it an attractive buy for distributors faced with fest pickings many saw as tough sells due to their harsh subject matter or political nature. Instead of following the pattern typical at January's Sundance, where the biggest buys were usually the result of a frenzied overnight bidding war, Cinetic, Endeavor and GreeneStreet kept sales interest in the film percolating long after its Sunday night premiere.
cont...
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 51857c475e
By Gregg Goldstein and Borys Kit
The Hollywood Reporter
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 51857c475e
TORONTO -- As the curtain fell on the Toronto International Film Festival during the weekend, a final flurry of activity saw First Look Studios pick up the GreeneStreet Films comedy "Bill" in the heftiest sale of the fest.
The Weinstein Co. acquired North American rights to the music documentary "Joy Division" for a price in the low- to mid-six figures. And IFC Films acquired U.S. rights to Guy Madden's "My Winnipeg," which earned the fest's award for best Canadian feature film.
First Look paid more than $3 million late Thursday for U.S. rights to "Bill," starring Aaron Eckhart and Jessica Alba. Maple Pictures snapped up Canadian rights in a mid-six-figure deal.
There was a widespread perception at this year's 32nd festival that sales weren't as robust as those of the past two years. These saw multi-million deals for movies such as "Thank You for Smoking" and "El Cantante." But festival Sales and Industry Office head Giulia Filippelli said she's tracked more than $50 million in business this year, around the same amount as last year. "A lot of films were sold for many countries, not just North America," she said.
The "Bill" deal marks First Look's biggest sale under a new management structure headed by First Look Holdings co-chairs Avi Lerner and Henry Winterstern. The pair, joined by First Look executive vp acquisitions Gary Hirsch, negotiated with filmmaker reps Endeavor Independent and Cinetic Media.
Bernie Goldmann and Melisa Wallack directed the feature, which stars Eckhart as a disillusioned man who, after finding his wife (Elizabeth Banks) is cheating on him with a local news anchor (Timothy Olyphant), begins mentoring a rebellious teen (newcomer Logan Lerman). He starts getting his life back on track with the help of a lingerie salesgirl (Alba).
The film was produced by GreeneStreet's John Penotti, Fisher Stevens and Matthew Rowland and executive produced by Tim Williams and Eckhart. Wallack wrote the original screenplay.
"Bill" was widely considered to be one of the few available titles with wide commercial appeal, which made it an attractive buy for distributors faced with fest pickings many saw as tough sells due to their harsh subject matter or political nature. Instead of following the pattern typical at January's Sundance, where the biggest buys were usually the result of a frenzied overnight bidding war, Cinetic, Endeavor and GreeneStreet kept sales interest in the film percolating long after its Sunday night premiere.
cont...
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 51857c475e
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back on the black hole thing, i caught sight of the STL skyline while flipping through channels and just HAD to watch it. Wost sci-fi movie ever. Although funny, it was so cheesy mainly when they show the OLD ballpark in 2006
I was told by someone in the industry that Bill screened terribly and that it may not be released even on DVD.
TB1000 wrote:I was told by someone in the industry that Bill screened terribly and that it may not be released even on DVD.
It's my fault. I'm a jinx. I was an extra on Bill. I've worked on at least a half dozen films that have never seen the light of day. Some have had decent sized stars too. I thought the jinx left when I left LA. Apparently it hasn't. That doesn't bode well for "Alice" either.
From the James Gunn blog on MySpace:
James Gunn wrote:If you're in the St. Louis area, I'll be back home at the St. Louis Film Festival November 9th to 11th. Come and hang out with me. I'll be receiving the Cinema St. Louis Award, which is an award I've always, always wanted, ever since I heard of its existence three weeks ago when they asked me if I wanted to receive it.
On Friday, November 9, at 7:30 pm, I'll be doing a screening of SLiTHER at Webster University, Moore Auditorium, 470 East Lockwood Avenue.
On Saturday, November 10, at 7:30 pm, I'll be hosting a screening and discussion of one of my all-time favorite films, Sam Fuller's THE NAKED KISS, also at Webster University.
And, to wrap it up, on Sunday, November 11, at 12:45 pm, I'll be doing a Q & A and career retrospective at the Tivoli Theater, 6350 Delmar Blvd.
For more info about the festival go to http://www.cinemastlouis.org
let's hope is real acceptance speech isn't quite so snarky ...stellar wrote:From the James Gunn blog on MySpace:
James Gunn wrote:I'll be receiving the Cinema St. Louis Award, which is an award I've always, always wanted, ever since I heard of its existence three weeks ago when they asked me if I wanted to receive it.
I think if you follow his career or read his blog you'll see that he's all about comedic anti-establishmentarianism. He's written the Scooby Doo movie and Tromeo and Juliet as well as horror films like Slither. He doesn't take himself too seriously. Not that it's my job to defend him, but it's not like he's receiving a lifetime achievement Oscar.matches wrote:let's hope is real acceptance speech isn't quite so snarky ...stellar wrote:From the James Gunn blog on MySpace:
James Gunn wrote:I'll be receiving the Cinema St. Louis Award, which is an award I've always, always wanted, ever since I heard of its existence three weeks ago when they asked me if I wanted to receive it.
Just an observation, but there are a lot of indy horror films being shot in St. Louis. Sounds to me like St. Louis is developing a niche. I think that's pretty cool.
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How did I miss that!?! I'm a tremendous fan of the horror genre, and I get Rue Morgue and Fangoria magazines every month. I also have a huge collection of horror figures and dolls. Do you know the titles of any of the horror films shot in the St. Louis area?Xing wrote:Just an observation, but there are a lot of indy horror films being shot in St. Louis. Sounds to me like St. Louis is developing a niche. I think that's pretty cool.
What is going on at the Magic Chef Mansion (3400 Russell)? Lots of film trucks on Russell tonight.
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^I'm assuming they had to do some re-shooting of the scenes they shot there earlier this year for Kingshighway.
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They are also set up outside the Ivory Theater in Carondelet this morning. What is the film they are doing?
The Film, originally called "The Return," is now called, "The Lucky Ones." It does, in fact, have some connection to St. Louis. While I originally thought the film was merely shot here, Tim Robin's character is actually from St. Louis. Here's a recent description of the film.
http://www.aceshowbiz.com/movie/lucky_ones_the/
http://www.aceshowbiz.com/movie/lucky_ones_the/
A timely drama about life in America today, Lionsgate's The Lucky Ones stars Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins and Michael Pena as three soldiers on leave trying to make sense of their lives during an unexpected road trip across the United States. A humorous, moving portrayal about the challenges of coming home, The Lucky Ones is directed by Neil Burger (The Illusionist) from a script by Burger and Dirk Wittenborn.
After suffering an injury during a routine patrol, hardened sergeant TK Poole (Michael Pena) is granted a one-month leave to visit his fiancé. But when an unexpected blackout cancels all flights out of New York, TK agrees to share a ride to Pittsburgh with two similarly stranded servicemen: Cheever (Tim Robbins), an older family man who longs to return to his wife in St. Louis, and Colee (Rachel McAdams), a naive private who's pinned her hopes on connecting with a dead fellow soldier's family. What begins as a short trip unexpectedly evolves into a longer journey. Forced to grapple with old relationships, broken hopes and a country divided over the war, TK, Cheever and Colee discover that home is not quite what they remembered, and that the unlikely companionship they've found might be what matters the most.
It looks like someone has been using Nectar this week to film something. Whatever it is; the production is small: just a few trucks.
Nothing like when I was in Chicago this summer and they had most of The Loop blocked off filming a chase for "The Dark Knight" (the next Batman movie).
Nothing like when I was in Chicago this summer and they had most of The Loop blocked off filming a chase for "The Dark Knight" (the next Batman movie).
You guys are all talking about Ligeia. That trucks near Nectar were spread out, and not all in the same place. The film is obviously not as big as Dark Night, but it does have actors you will recognize.
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They were filming in the the building above Red last night. I was going up the steps and Wes Bentley popped his head in. He was the creepy cool dude videotaping things in American Beauty. Prolly my favorite movie ever after Taxi Driver. Based on a Poe short.
There were prolly 500 cigarette butts in the stairwell. There was supposedly a bottle of absinthe floating around. I was looking for it but it never emerged. Some guy was ripping into a catering fellow rather harshly. Movie sets are weird.
I was an extra in Legally Blonde 2. I got 72 dollars and a chicken sandwich. Reese Witherspoon looked at me. Sally Field was around. That guy who drove the motorcycle up the stairs in Animal House was cool. Bruce Whats his Face.
There were prolly 500 cigarette butts in the stairwell. There was supposedly a bottle of absinthe floating around. I was looking for it but it never emerged. Some guy was ripping into a catering fellow rather harshly. Movie sets are weird.
I was an extra in Legally Blonde 2. I got 72 dollars and a chicken sandwich. Reese Witherspoon looked at me. Sally Field was around. That guy who drove the motorcycle up the stairs in Animal House was cool. Bruce Whats his Face.
A horror film called "Shiver" will be shooting here in January.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0775535/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0775535/