This is topic Was anyone here working in Atlanta in 1996? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 08-20-2000, 06:03 AM:
 
In 26 days from today, Sydney will be hosting the Olympics (in case you didn't know ).

I hear all these tales about not being able to get from one place to another while they are on and we've just found out that our little car park behind the theatre here will also be taken from us during this time. We have been told we should get public transport or take a cab to work. Neither of these options appeal to me as everyone says these also will be rare as hens teeth to catch. Management are looking into this...

So I was wondering if anyone else has had the 'working during the Olympics' experience and could let me know exactly what to expect.


26 days to the Olympics...help us...please, please help us...


 


Posted by Oscar Neundorfer (Member # 458) on 08-20-2000, 07:02 AM:
 
John,

I live in the Atlanta area, and I drove from one side of Atlanta to the other, through downtown Atlanta, every day, twice a day, during the Olympics. I found no sigificant problems, but then I was not driving in the immediate area of many olympic venues, and I was driving on the freeways (I don't know what you call them in Australia, but I am talking about multi-lane limited access highways). I am sure there were problems, but I didn't experience any myself. I think it was not as bad as had been predicted, although others may have different stories.

I suppose it depends greatly on how the local authorities have decided to handle things. Are they banning driving on certain streets, for example. I hope all goes well for you in this olympic endurance test.

Best regards,

------------------
Oscar Neundorfer
Chief Engineer
SMART Devices, Inc.

oscar@smartdev.com
 


Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 08-20-2000, 07:09 AM:
 
Hi Oscar! You live there? You must remember the 'Bandit' then

They are closing some roads/ stopping deliveries except after hours etc.

I hope it's not too bad...


 


Posted by Oscar Neundorfer (Member # 458) on 08-20-2000, 08:58 PM:
 
The "Bandit" was filmed in the town I used to live in, Jonesboro, Georgia, the same town as I was living in during the Olympics. The river that the Bandit jumped was less than a mile from my house. The house that Jerry Reed lived in(in the movie)was about three miles from my house. The town in Texas where they got the Coors beer was downtown Jonesboro, Georgia also about three miles from my house. I no longer live there. I have moved out east of Atlanta. I used to live south of Atlanta.

------------------
Oscar Neundorfer
Chief Engineer
SMART Devices, Inc.

oscar@smartdev.com
 


Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 08-21-2000, 12:24 PM:
 
I was visiting friends in Atlanta in '96 when the Olympics were in town. There was no more traffic than usual, really.

We were within ear-shot of the explosion. Talk about clearing an area....

I hope that nothing happens in Sydney.

I was in Atlanta when Invasion USA was filmed in '86. I watched them blow up the neighborhood with the fire cannon. Fun stuff.

Besides Smokey and the Bandit, lots of things have been filmed in and around Atlanta. By the way, we all talk and act just like they did in the Bandit movies.

They are currently filming the sequil to Silence Of The Lambs here in western NC on the Biltmore Estate. I have had to deal with the roads being rerouted through the estate. I do alot of work there.

The film 'My Fellow Americans' with James Garner, was shot here too. The big "Gay Pride" parade was shot in downtown Asheville on a Sunday morning. The locals had a fit over this bit of the movie, and certain churches boycotted it when it played here. All this did was promote the movie, and lots of people saw it just for that bit.

I'll stop being off topic now.
 


Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 08-21-2000, 03:28 PM:
 
"By the way, we all talk and act just like they did in the Bandit movies."

Yes, Bruce, but do you *drive* like they did in the movie!? Then I'll really be inpressed!

You are right about when people protest a film, it only promotes it. There was a demostration at our theater about "Life of Brian." When it opened, very few people came to see it. After a week, we were actually going to get rid of it, until a local church group got several people to protest out front. Business went up about ten times, so we keep it longer (still didn't do that great with it, though.)

I saw one of the protestors going in to see it about 2 weeks later!
 


Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 08-21-2000, 09:43 PM:
 
Let me put it this way, John...

Until the purchase of my present car, I had a CB radio in all others. My truck still has one. My 'handle' is "Movie Man"

I drive like a maniac. I learned how while living in Nashville from 1976-1982, and I've probably passed Oscar on I-85 in Atlanta! Oscar: Did you ever notice a rust-bucket truck with an orange stripe blowing by? Probably me!!

I dont suck beer like it is mothers milk, though I have friends that do...

Heard enough?



 


Posted by Oscar Neundorfer (Member # 458) on 08-22-2000, 06:47 AM:
 
Bruce wrote:

>I drive like a maniac. I learned how while living in Nashville from 1976-1982, and I've probably passed Oscar on I-85 in Atlanta! Oscar: Did you ever notice a rust-bucket truck with an orange stripe blowing by? Probably me!!<

Actually, I probably blew by you one day on I-285. For those who don't know, I-285 is the loop road that encircles Atlanta and is about 65 miles in length. It is better known as Atlanta International Raceway. No..., wait a minute..., that's the race track south of Atlanta. Oh well, same thing in terms of speed. EXCEPT during rush hour when it becomes the world's longest parking lot.

For all of you who do not live here in Atlanta, please remember that MOST of the people here are from somewhere else. I am one of the very few actual Atlanta natives. SO, it is all the YANKEES who have moved here who don't know how to drive. Us good old southern boys do just fine.

Oscar


 


Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 08-22-2000, 03:52 PM:
 
>>The town in Texas where they got the Coors beer was downtown Jonesboro, Georgia also about three miles from my house.<<

Damn! And it took them 28hours to get there and back?? I thought you said the traffic wasn't too bad!

Talk about ruining the illusion
 


Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 08-22-2000, 05:14 PM:
 
I dont know. One night I drove from Midtown Atlanta to Jonesboro, and it seemed to take 28 hours. It usually took 35 minutes. This was when they were just starting the widening of I-85 in the city. Can you believe that only 18 years ago Atlanta had 2 lanes in each direction for an interstate. What is it now? 5 each way? And solid traffic jams during rush hours... I'm a bit glad that I dont live there anymore. Asheville NC is only 3 hours from there. Thats close enough.
 
Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 08-27-2000, 06:48 PM:
 
I live in Atlanta (Stone Mountain), and was here durring 1996. It was weard, there was no traffic durring the games (except near the events). I think everyone was so afraid of problems that they stayed home.

Bruce Hansen
 


Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 09-15-2000, 01:38 AM:
 
Well...it all starts tonight...it's about 25 minutes to the opening ceremony, actually.

So far there is little traffic congestion but time will tell.

Tonight coming to work at IMAX was bizarre...Imax is located at Darling Harbour which is right next to the city and is the second venue to the Olympic site so there's an awful lot going on here. But walking up to get some dinner before my shift...thousands of people but it was oh! so quiet...just like something out of a movie. It was like the calm before the storm I guess would be the best way to describe it as if everyone is just anticipating what is about to happen.

Saw the torch relay yesterday which was pretty cool. The torch ended up at the Town Hall last night and estimated crowd was over one million people along the route from the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

That's a lot of people...

Well...hold on to your ass folks! IT'S SHOWTIME!


 


Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 09-15-2000, 12:59 PM:
 
I have heared somwhere that the Austrailians think they are 30 years behind the Americans. Probably not true. But if you can learn from our fuck-ups, more power to ya.

Actually America is 18 hours behind Austrailia. The Olymics have started there. I am still waiting for tonight to see the taped recap on NBC. Oh Well!
 


Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 09-16-2000, 04:36 AM:
 
30 years behind America?

Take a look at the Olympic coverage and you will see that is not true.

What an odd thing to say.


 


Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 09-16-2000, 01:34 PM:
 
So there I was, sitting down to watch the opening of the Olympics when my cell phone rang. My theatre had dropped the print of Big Blue while trying to move it. It took me 4 hours to put it back together again and I missed some of the Olymipic coverage.

Oh Joy!
 


Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-16-2000, 02:03 PM:
 
I remember back in I think 86 or 87 running a 70mm film called Big Blue is it the same one?
 
Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 09-16-2000, 04:32 PM:
 
Yes it is, but in the US they butchered it and gave it new music. You being Canadian, ran the origional version. That is what we are running now. Thank God for Film-Guard to get rid of most of the dirt it collected being on the floor.
 
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 09-16-2000, 05:16 PM:
 
Last time I checked they had a 70mm print in Toronto still
 
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 09-17-2000, 01:41 AM:
 
Ian...

...and you say someone said we're 30 years behind you?

Geez man...we dropped that print at least 12 years ago.

Who did the music for the different versions? The only one I've ever heard was the one by Eric Serra.


 


Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 09-17-2000, 01:46 AM:
 
Ack!

I just looked up the IMDB and it was Bill Conti!!!

I can't imagine that film with anything but the Serra score...it's magical.


 






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