Working on a movie about the Fitz

[Auburn Annie]

Plans afloat for Edmund Fitzgerald film

BY CHRIS HEWITT

ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS


When you hear "wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," you probably think "disaster" and then "Gordon Lightfoot," in that order. Soon, you may be able to add "Hollywood" to the list.

Michigan native Christian Chabot is the screenwriter for "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," a project that is shopping for investors at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, Calif. Chabot was a high school student in White Pine, Mich., in November 1975, when the freighter sank during a Lake Superior storm, killing everyone on board.

"I've been following the story ever since," says Chabot, who completed his screenplay, which recreates that fateful night, in 1994. Since then, the script has made the rounds in Hollywood. Once, when Chabot introduced himself to "Titanic" writer/director James Cameron at an awards dinner, Cameron said, "Yeah. 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' script, right? I want to see some footage." That will have to wait, though, until there is some footage. Chabot is working with a company called Movie Ventures, which would like to have the movie in production by next year's 30th anniversary of the tragedy.

"They have some Canadian money, but there has been no interest from American companies. It's a story about 29 men on a ship, there's no rescue at the end, and it's a story where everyone already knows the ending. So we'll probably shoot it in Canada," says Chabot.

[vlmagee]

Yet again. This story talks about the original screenplay and another effort by the screenwriter to get the film made. The most recent effort obviously failed (a kid with an EF web site was working with the "director" of the previous attempt - he had taken claim to being the screenwriter, so I presume he had heavily rewritten it because it was based on this same original screenplay).

Let's hope that Chris Chabot has more luck this time. I emailed with him several years ago, and he was kind enough to send me a copy of the screenplay.

I know that attempts have been made (each time) to get Lightfoot's permission to use the song; obviously, to all of us (and a few million other people) a movie about the EF just won't be "authentic" if it doesn't use THE song. At last reports, Lightfoot hadn't ruled it out.

From this fan, here's hoping that the film is made and that the "right" music can be used.

------------------
Valerie Magee

Visit my business site at mageenet.biz, Hamilton Camp's Offical Web Site at hamiltoncamp.com , and Cathy Cowette's web site at cathycowette.com. Also visit Dr. Jack's Lightfoot page.

[LSH]

well, if can handle them using Beautiful for Brown Bunny, I suppose he could handle someone using EF for a movie about the same as long as it's true to life....

[rockin mike d]

quote:Originally posted by Auburn Annie:
Plans afloat for Edmund Fitzgerald film

BY CHRIS HEWITT

ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS


When you hear "wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," you probably think "disaster" and then "Gordon Lightfoot," in that order. Soon, you may be able to add "Hollywood" to the list.

Michigan native Christian Chabot is the screenwriter for "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," a project that is shopping for investors at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, Calif. Chabot was a high school student in White Pine, Mich., in November 1975, when the freighter sank during a Lake Superior storm, killing everyone on board.

"I've been following the story ever since," says Chabot, who completed his screenplay, which recreates that fateful night, in 1994. Since then, the script has made the rounds in Hollywood. Once, when Chabot introduced himself to "Titanic" writer/director James Cameron at an awards dinner, Cameron said, "Yeah. 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' script, right? I want to see some footage." That will have to wait, though, until there is some footage. Chabot is working with a company called Movie Ventures, which would like to have the movie in production by next year's 30th anniversary of the tragedy.

"They have some Canadian money, but there has been no interest from American companies. It's a story about 29 men on a ship, there's no rescue at the end, and it's a story where everyone already knows the ending. So we'll probably shoot it in Canada," says Chabot.

[rockin mike d]

Ok. Number one, I don't believe in hocus pocus or anything like that. I am a level minded person.

Long story made short. I lost a friend last February. His loss still affects me to this day. Anyway, he was a history nut. On occasion, we would talk about the Edmund Fitzgerald song. He loved the song-and he liked punk music.

Follow me here--A sports talk show in Dallas was recently talking about the song. I think because it was either the anniversary of the sinking or Gordon's birthday.

I am a very unsuccessful part-time screenwriter and I wondered if there had been a screenplay about the EF so I searched the word "screenplay" on this website.

A post came up by a person about a possible movie coming out about the EF.

The post was by Chris Hewitt. That was the name of my friend who died in February. He is the reason why I recognized the subject when the radio guys were talking about it.

I think that this movie should be made.

Just a thought

Mike D.
Euless, TX

[SilverHeels]

<<Biographer Michael Schumacher's THE EDMUND
FITZGERALD, about a 729-foot ore carrier that went
down mysteriously in Lake Superior with all 29 men aboard 30 years ago, and the lake-bottom investigations that have been carried out since>>

This came in from one of my writer sites this morning. Thought you Fitz.fanatics might find it interesting.

[stationmaster]

I would like to see Paramount do the movie with James Cameron directing. They did a wonderful job with "Titanic". I watched it at least 10 times!

[jj]

i'm very sorry for your loss, Mike