But Let Him Go, with Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, is a movie that I was in. It was released in November 2020, pretty much when our provincial government decided that movie theatres had to shut down (Covid, of course), so I didn’t get the chance to look at the movie until it was recently released on DVD.
And I’m pleased to say that I did not end up on the cutting room floor. I’m way out of focus, but that’s me, heading down the street towards Costner and Lane, while they are having a discussion. Hooray, I’m in a real, honest-to-God movie!
I have seen Let Him Go and quite enjoyed it. In fact I liked the story so much that I read Larry Watson’s Montana 1948 soon after. He’s a gloomy fellow. There are links to it and several other of his books, at archive.org, on his wikipedia page.
I have to say that I thought that you were terrific Spoons. Costner and Lane were equally professional.
Congratulations, Spoons! I haven’t even seen the movie, and I already know that you’re the best thing about it. Just don’t let the Hollywood whirl go to your head, kiddo.
Yes, it was filmed here in Alberta, which stood in for the states of Montana and North Dakota. Plenty of mountains in the background, and badlands. The town of Fort Macleod (about 30 miles east of me) stood in for a Montana town, and did they ever do a job on it. The film takes place in 1963, and it was like stepping back in time, just walking on set. Classic cars, redesigned storefronts, and even the town’s movie theatre was displaying posters for a Gregory Peck film.
The proximity of the filming location was kind of how I got involved. It was on our local news that they were looking for extras, and all you had to do was show up for an open audition one Sunday in Fort Macleod. Having nothing else to do that day, I thought, “Why not?” and off I went. It was a couple of hours of forms and lines and measurements and photos, and no guarantees–about a thousand people showed up, and they only needed 90. So I was quite surprised when I got a call a week or so later telling me that if I was still interested, they could use me.
No, they thought that was too 1940s ( ), so they gave me nondescript pants and shirt, and a beige cardigan, into the pockets of which I jammed my hands for my walk down the street (it was a chilly day). And a brown felt hat; maybe a trilby style?
I think you can rest assured that that won’t be happening any time soon. But it was a fun experience, and I’m glad I went to the audition.
I was a professional extra/audience member for 3 or 4 yrs back in the early 2000s. Nothing sucks worse than sitting at a bar with judge Judy on the TV and some jackass recognizing you from the bored audience in the background.
I was an extra in Dallas once. And I was almost an extra in Oliver Stone’s JFK. I made all the cuts and got to wardrobe and they wanted to cut my then long hair. I passed.
Interesting story, years later I ran into Stone and a couple of his location scouts in the middle of absolutely nowhere. I was lost and pulled over to ask him for directions.
), so they gave me nondescript pants and shirt, and a beige cardigan, into the pockets of which I jammed my hands for my walk down the street (it was a chilly day). And a brown felt hat; maybe a trilby style?