A Film on Your Milk
If you haven't been following the news, you might be confused by some of the recent construction on businesses in the Castro. The Castro Theatre is undergoing a decidedly retro restyling, numerous businesses have traded in modern signage for hand-painted psychodelica, and Given, your glam-chic source for plushy excreta, has transformed into an A/V storage room from your junior high school.
All of the extra make-up on the old girl can only mean one thing -- it's time for our close-up, Mr. Van Sant!
Gus Van Sant's production entitled Milk about the life and assassination of civil rights leader Harvey Milk is preparing for filming on the streets and in the businesses around the neighborhood. There have already been the mass casting calls and rumors of who will-be-or-won't-be in the flick. (Matt Damon? Out. Josh Brolin? In. Tom Ammiano. In. As himself. Wha-a-a? Sean Hayes wasn't free?)
According to the Castro Courier filming was set to start either January 21 or 22, depending on whether you read the headline or the body of the article. Neither seems likely, though, since a lot of work is still being done on the local store fronts. The GayCities site's Travel Blog posted a few good photos last week, and here are a few more showing the continuing changes:
- The Castro Theatre is having its sign fully refurbished, including a garish paint job and repairs to its oft-collided-with front marquee.
- Given's interior has been transformed into a drab, industrial space. Really, it's remarkable how quickly it went from slick to slack.
I discussed in my column that they recently commissioned a fantastic mural to commemorate Milk, and it really is a fantastic, moving piece of art. Here's a photo which I took of Given's owner Nick Romero which didn't make the column:The artwork features an eerily prophetic quote by Milk: "If a bullet should enter my brain, let the bullet destroy every closet door." The quote spills out of the bullet of a gun, into a riot of color around Milk's figure. It really is a fantastic piece, paying homage to the man, the business that was in this spot, and the history of the entire neighborhood. I really applaud Romero for commissioning this artwork.
I worried that the movie work would damage this piece, and it seems that they've created a false wall to protect the mural. At least the artist is local, so he can repair any minor damage, I suppose.When I talked with Romero for the B.A.R. article it was still months before the filming was finalized. He mentioned that Van Sant had come by to scout the location, and he told me that he and the staff were gung-ho to support using the store as the set. He indicated that he was going to be compensated for the weeks (months?) of lost business, but that he thought it was important for the movie to be made where Milk had actually lived and worked. I hope that the movie brings publicity to Given (and to all of the neighborhood businesses), and that they come out well-compensated for their inconvenience. - Businesses around Given are also being made over. Clobba still didn't have its sign up, so I'm not sure what it is going to be, but the National Fidelity Title has become Aquarius Records and Thai Express has become China Court.
China Court actually didn't disappear from this site that long ago. I think it only shut down maybe 2 or 3 years ago. When it closed people mourned the funky booths that they had, but I have to say that I didn't miss it. As a matter of fact, when I first saw this sign my first reaction was, "Oh no! It's back!!"
- Across the street a number of businesses are also taking a trip on the Wayback Machine. Swirl is transforming back into an urban liquor store, complete with the old newspaper stands that Bevan Dufty tried to banish.
The eyeglass shop Eye Gotcha is undergoing one of the roughest transitions, as it gets boarded up like the simple garage that it used to be. If any business needs a sandwich board sign out front reminding us that its open during filming, it's this one!
- I talked with Paul, the owner of P.O.Plus and he mentioned that the production crew had asked him to take down his signs. They are concerned that the shots out the window of the camera store (i.e. Given) look period appropriate. He told them no, and so they were entering into a negotiation of sorts. I wonder how many of the stores who agreed to the refacing are being compensated, and how many just said "yes" the first time. Here is the look that you see out the window of Given:
- Around the corner on 19th, the HRC Store and the Castro Village Cleaners are both getting a little work done, but it still in progress so it is hard to say how far this will go.
- Across the street from the Castro Theatre, the 440 Castro bar is being reborn as Toad Hall.
- More updates to come as the construction progresses!
Comments
Wow. Its gonna be so cool seeing the Castro that way. I wonder if any of the places ( like the former Daddys) will remain being called Toad Hall or the like.
Same w/ the Castro theatre!