Patrick Read Johnson starts production in late August on his autobiographical coming of age story “5-25-77,” set on the day “Star Wars” was released.
Joe Pantoliano and Carrie Fisher will play the parents of the main character, who has not yet been cast, according to line producer Leigh Jones. Also attached are Christopher Lloyd as a theater owner and Sara Tanaka (“Rushmore”) as the love interest.
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| “5-25-77” director Patrick Read Johnson |
“5-25-77” is a production of Johnson’s Moonwatcher, Inc., based in his far-North Suburban hometown of Wadsworth outside Waukegan. The picture will shoot in the Waukegan area for four to six weeks, depending on financing. Jones said the film is “low budget” but declined to give details. “We’ll go with what we’ve got,” she said.
Johnson, then an aspiring sci-fi filmmaker, visited the sets of “Star Wars” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” as a teenager. “It was a life-changing experience for him,” Jones said.
“5-25-77” follows its teenage hero, back home after his Hollywood trip, racing against comic obstacles to make it to the “Star Wars” premiere and see his dream vindicated. “‘Star Wars’ is a catalyst for his life change from boyhood to manhood,” said Jones.
Johnson started his career in visual effects in the 1980’s and went on to direct the features “Spaced Invaders” (1990), “Baby’s Day Out” featuring Pantoliano (1994), “Angus” (1995) and the TV movie “When Good Ghouls Go Bad” for Fox Family.
“5-25-77” producers are Fred Roos (“Lost in Translation”) and Gary Kurtz (“The Empire Strikes Back”). Music by Alan Parsons. Production designer is Dawn Ferry (“Smoke Signals”).
Visual effects by Richard Yuricich (“Mission: Impossible II”), John Knoll and Queens-based Photon. Executive producers are Stefan Kaleta, Thomas Nairne and Johnson. Co-producers are William Holmes and John Lau.
Moonwatcher is at PO Box 430, Wadsworth. Call 847/244-5861 or see www.moonwatcher.com .
– by Ed M. Koziarski, edk@homesickblues.com
