Sunday, July 5, 2015

Counterattack! Redux!

Nearly a year ago, TOF mentioned a high school project; viz., a 16mm B&W movie set in WWII entitled Counterattack! We made uniforms, borrowed souvenirs from our parents, obtained M1's and ammunition from a nearby gun shop -- it's amazing what kids could buy in them thar days -- as well as dynamite and C4 for special effects. No students were harmed in the making of this film. We wrote a script -- more or less -- in German as well as English and did all the directing and cinematography ourselves. Gary Armitage deserves much of the blame credit for the film, he being the producer and kept the whole enterprise on an even keel. We sold stock in "Keystone Films" to the students at Notre Dame, as well as to parents, for a dollar apiece. Jim Reilly, our director, also deserves great credit for the fact that the final product is actually coherent. It was filmed on his family's Christmas Tree farm, and he knew how to handle the dynamite. Gary was Range Safety Officer.

You can read more about it at the link above, should you wish.

In any event, our 50th class reunion was a couple weeks ago, not too far from the fields where the filming took place. Gary was there along with several of the stars -- Red Scannell, Tony Ingraffea, and TOF himself -- and TOF was inspired to upload the file onto YouTube for the delight and edification of the TOFheads out there.

Be aware that this is a DVD file made from a VHS tape shot off a screen showing of the 16mm B&W original. Consequently, there is at the beginning some out-of-focus, sprocket jumping, and other difficulties that we must all endure unless and until the original film is rediscovered and a better version is made directly therefrom. 

And now, without further ado:

1 comment:

  1. I have no possibility of watching it in this library, but when I get a chance to watch it, I will. In another library.

    I will however not put off thanking you for the magnificent idea of doing so!

    ReplyDelete

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