4 posts tagged “harvey milk”
This week the production of Milk, Gus Van Sant's biofilm about Harvey Milk (you may have heard about it) moved north a block toward Market Street. The first of the march scenes was filmed tonight (February 4) and they'll be closing up the street again this Friday to wrap it up. (For a copy of the funny clothing guidelines for march extras, head over to this post on Towleroad. In case you were going to pull out your Disco Stu costume, think again!)
Down toward 19th Street, the location of Given which had been transformed into Milk's old Castro Camera has begun its return to the 21st century. The outside signs have come down, and the interior has begun to be disassembled.
In the window they've displayed a photo of the original store interior which they apparently used to guide the set dressing. The Gaycities.com travel blog has a great shot of the photo propped up against the set during the construction, and this really shows how the crew was shooting for historical accuracy. Now the photo is in the window and easier to inspect closely.
Across the street, Swirl is already back to normal and open for business (although the old sign is still up). It's actually stunning how quickly they were able to transform this place with shelving, moved walls, exterior work, etc. and then just as quickly put it back to normal. As someone who has struggled through a monster renovation which has overtaken our lives completely for the last 4 years of our lives, I'm actually incredibly bitter about this, but I'm trying to work through this. My partner also reminds me that the Swirl renovation was all for show and wouldn't pass code, but still, I want my shower back!
The newly-opened Lisa's Hair Design has lost its awning and has been made over into Alda Yarn. Nothing says the 70's like knit vests.
Quickly, the bubble-tea purveyor made infamous by our dearly-departed supervisor Ed Jew, is made up as a real estate agent's office. If you want to be depressed, go check out the posted listings closely.
Also on that side of the street, The Bead Store had its awning taken down, but is otherwise unchanged. I guess it has retained enough of its woo-woo, 70's, earth-mother styling that it fit into the movie just fine. Likewise, Twin Peaks looks untouched since the 70's -- and coincidentally the same thing could be said about many of its customers. (Hey-oh! These are the jokes people! I'll be here all week!)
Finally, this isn't a business, but the Muni stop has been shielded by wooden structures. I guess it would be hard to explain the presence of a "Harvey Milk Plaza" in the background of the movie. It would kind of give away the ending.
I called the paint job gaudy and garish before, but I have to admit that it looks pretty nice now that it's done. Thanks Gus!
(Go ahead to the next paragraph if you don't want to hear a little horn-tooting...)
So I'm pleased to say that my last entry about the changed storefronts for the Milk movie received a bit of attention around the intertubes. I received linked coverage from a number of blogs, including:
- Towleroad: Milk: The Transformation of Castro Street
- Boing Boing: Castro Street transformed for Harvey Milk movie
- Curbed SF: MilkWatch: Time Warp in the Castro
- SFist: More, More, More: Milk's Castro in the 70's
- SF Weekly's The Snitch: Milk Production: Back In Time On Castro
- Valleywag
If you found me via one of these links, welcome!
And just so this post isn't completely content-free, here are some more links to articles covering the Castro transformation:
- Bay Area Reporter: Castro merchants bank on movie magic
- I'm just saying' ...: Retro-fitting
- Gaycities.com: MILK: Sean Penn & Emile Hirsch (with photos of the actors in costume!)
- Flick'r groups: Milk: Castro vintage makeover
- San Francisco Chronicle: Picturing Harvey Milk: Filming of movie evokes memories, emotions in the Castro
This last article in particular has lots of interesting details about the filming. From the point of view of the businesses in particular, the article underscores how the movie is set at the moment when the Castro reaches its tipping point from a working-class background to its rebirth as a gay Mecca. The article quotes a production assistant coaching an extra by saying, "It's a good old Irish neighborhood, and now it's changing." The friction between old and new businesses mirrors the friction between old and new residents, and eventually the business conflicts give birth to the Castro Street Fair and Harvey's political life.
As much as I roll my eyes at the porn stores and bar culture, I'm still amazed to think about the history that these overtly gay establishments represent. And for not-a-small-number of our yearly visitors, seeing these gay-themed businesses out and open and happy and tacky is a wonderful revelation, and a reaffirmation of Harvey Milk's triumph and his legacy.
The devolution of Castro businesses back into the 70's continues. I actually stumbled away from my sickbed on Friday long enough to run some errands, and found myself right in the middle of the outdoor filming that was going on that day. From about midway between 18th and 19th all the way up to 19th, both sides of Castro Street were lined with retro cars, and extras in period garb were out in clusters on the sidewalks. There may have been actual heaven-sent stars present too, but I was too Nyquil-addled to tell.
At right are two crappy photos I was able to snap before security told me to put away my camera. The SFist blog has a similar picture without all the extras, so they probably took it during a break in filming.
A friend of mine who is a car-enthusiast surmised that some of these vehicles were from the local Freewheelers auto club. Does anyone know if this is true? I have my doubts since many of the antique cars were a little banged up and didn't look like anyone's babies. I loved the cranberry-colored VW bug that putted by at regular intervals, and I also loved seeing the old black and yellow California license plates from my youth.
Here's how some other businesses have transformed since my last update:
- Swirl has completely transformed inside and out, and it joins Given as being the only two stores which seem to be dislocated by the filming. The Gaycities.com blog has an interior shot which gives a better idea of the extent of the transformation. Here's an exterior shot of the finished storefront, along with a shot of the inside shelves taken through the front window. Like those prices?
The photo below is a sign which sits in the Swirl window. Apparently one significant story from Harvey Milk's life was that the Eureka Valley Merchants Association refused to cooperate with gay-owned businesses, so Milk started the rival Castro Village Association which eventually spawned the Castro Street Fair. The sign says "Eureka Valley Merchants Society" instead of "Association," so I wonder if the name was changed for legal reasons.
- Clobba's sign is now up, and the store has been renamed "The Valet" with windows full of too-hip clothing.
A helpful reader (who might be enticed to post to share her historical knowledge--please?) pointed out that this was not actually a clothing store in this spot, but rather a hair salon. I guess it wasn't in the budget for a total makeover on this store.
- Here is a slightly closer picture of the retro-looking mimeographed fliers that they have stapled over the former First American Title Company.
- Best in Show has now branched out to "shoe repairing."
- Further up the street between 18th and Market, the Toad Hall is now complete.
- But next door, the Citibank facade is undergoing a much more extensive makeover. There is a faint suggestion of a Victorian-ish overlay being built, but I can't say for sure. This will be interesting to watch develop.
- Hot Cookie is now Double Rainbow Ice Cream, and the other shops along here are getting ready for some changes. The bus shelter was removed from the sidewalk.
- Louie's removed its spiffy neon rings, and Marcello's has taken down its awning to reveal that retro-looking sign. (Yes, that was always there. It wasn't created for the filming.)
- US Bank is now Eureka Federal Savings.
- Castro Nail Salon is now taking in laundry.
- The big rainbow flag is down at Castro and Market, and all of the smaller rainbow banners are off the light poles. The MUMC president, Steve Adams, told the B.A.R. that new flags and banners will go up after the filming.
- The Castro Theatre sign is near completion, and they are lighting up the neon at night.
- Random oddity: They brought in new trash cans as set dressing. I've heard that they also disguised the parking meters to make them look era-appropriate, but I didn't see that firsthand.
- Finally, the production has taken over the old Tower space. The lower floor looks like it is being readied as the holding pen and feeding trough for the large crowds of extras that they are collecting for the march scenes.
The upper floor seems to be filled with a thrift-store of clothing racks and shoe bins, so this seems to be their costuming area.
- Film crew descends on Castro, and
- Harvey County, USA, an interview with two of the producers.
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!
