Miss Madison, the MOVIE!

[LaserModVee]

Check it out~

www.madisonthemovie.com

[BK]

And even more... :D Enjoy!

http://www.apba-racing.com/cgi-bin/News.php

[MN4V]

This movie may be released this year.
Is the APBA going to take advantage of this. This could be a stepping stone for more membership. But APBA needs to work it right. Any ideas?
Mark N

[BK]

Well, the movie was supposed to be released this month -- but the latest I heard was that the Movie promoter was strapped financially -- so look for "Madison" to come out either at the end of this year or even next year - only if they can find a new distributor.

http://www.roundaboutmadison.com/madison/Inside%20Pages/madisonmovie/movie.html


Madison’ dead in the water

Distributor's financial woes puts movie's release on indefinite hold. Producers seeking another deal with a new distributor.

By Don Ward, Editor
(January 2003)

MADISON, Ind. – Hydroplane racing fans in Madison, Ind., waited 21 years to see their hometown boat win the Madison Regatta. They may have to wait even longer to see the movie about it.

Race fans have been anxiously awaiting the premier of the movie, which was filmed on location in Madison during the summer and fall 1999. Just this past year, officials announced release dates of Aug. 23, then Oct. 25, then Jan. 31, 2003.

But a report in film industry journals in November revealed financial problems at Premiere Marketing and Distribution Group, the California-based company that planned to distribute the film nationally to more than 2,000 theaters in an arrangement with Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

In fact, “Madison” was second on a long list of movies slated for release by the Premiere Group, starting with “Slap Her She’s French,” a teen comedy due for release in November. That movie did not come out, as planned.

New reports in the Film Journal and Box Office Magazine said the company had laid off half of its staff and postponed indefinitely any movie releases. The company had secured $120 million in financing from JPMorgan Chase and had arranged a lucrative deal with pay TV showings, the report said. Those plans did not materialize, and the company apparently lost its funding.

But a source close to the production team said in late December that three other distributors are considering picking up “Madison” for a national release “sometime in 2003.” The producers have selected one of the distributors and hope to move the project forward. “All studios interested in ‘Madison’ are saying it could be next year’s ‘Big Fat Greek Wedding,’ “ according to a production team member. The latter movie was the surprise independent film hit of 2002.

Founded less than two years ago by former New Line Cinema executive Mitchell Goldman, Premiere Marketing in February 2002 announced an ambitious plan to release 10 movie titles. Those films included such stars as Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver and Kim Basinger. For a set distribution fee, the company would distribute films on 2,000 U.S. screens, plus spend a minimum $16 million in marketing. The benefit for financiers is that they could keep the film copyrights. The distributor made money by avoiding the cost of overhead and production.

“Producers can retain ownership of their films, which is something they’d never get at a studio,” Goldman told Variety magazine at the time. “We have a deal with Sony for video and DVD and with Showtime for cable, and the combination makes our fees competitive to studios.’’
Meanwhile, actor Jim Caviezel’s star is getting brighter. He is playing Jesus in Mel Gibson’s new movie, and he is reportedly being considered for the lead role in the upcoming movie ‘Superman.”

Caviezel played the late Jim McCormick in “Madison.” McCormick piloted the Miss Madison to victory in the 1971 Gold Cup race in Madison, Ind.

[BK]

Hi all ~
My friend Fred Farley (APBA and Hydro-PROP Unlimited Historian) just sent this in regarding the movie 'Madison'. Good news! Looks like they got a new distributor!:


The following is a quote from an e-mail to Mike McCormick from MADISON movie director Bill Bindley:

"I will know something soon on the movie. It looks like late summer, with Artisan Releasing as the distributor. (They did the BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and VEGGIE TALES). They will know for sure soon."

The feeling is that MADISON is a "summer movie." Summer movies generally don't do well in the winter time.

As I've said before, Jim Caviezel is now a major player in Hollywood. He wasn't in 1999 when he made MADISON. The man has four or five box office successes in a row--THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO in particular.

MADISON has too much star power for it not to be released.

--FF

[H2Onut]

THe trailer is awesome, cant wait to see the stealing of the motor from city hall.

[H2Onut]

IS This EVER going to be released ????

[BK]

Labor Day was the last projected release date. But of course, that didn't happen either. :(

And it gets worse -- The star of Madison (James Caviezel) is also the star in Mel Gibson's upcoming "The Passion" Jesus movie. This means he'll soon be a major player in Hollywood and by then, nobody is going to pay to see this 'stars' lower budget films.

And the child star in "Madison" was Anakin Skywalker in the last Star Wars movie. He's got to be about 15 by now, but in "Madison" he was only 9 or 10. So when the movie finally does come out, (if ever) it's going to look odd at the movie premier seeing a 6' tall teenager who is supposed to be representing Jim Caviezel's 9 year old son.

Since the release dates have been pushed back so long, I'm losing my optimism. Star power is good, but not when filming is over 3 years old. Things aren't looking good for this movie to be released at all. IMO It may end up going straight to video -- or maybe a TV movie.