Gods And Generals

scottb@herald-mail.com TRI-STATE - As the Feb. 21 release date for the Civil War movie "Gods and Generals" approaches, several movie tie-in products, including a video game, a compact disc and books are scheduled to come out, Director Ronald Maxwell said Monday. Meanwhile, the film continues to undergo slight alterations, Maxwell said. He is not going to deliver the movie to Warner Brothers until Jan. 24 because he is still making last-minute changes, he said. One question left unresolved is whether to cut or keep scenes in the movie portraying the Battle of Antietam, he said.

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - After more than a year in delays to secure financing and make distribution deals, filmmaker Ronald F. Maxwell said he is within weeks of making a major announcement on the local filming of the movie, "Gods and Generals. " [cont. from front page ] "It should make everyone very happy," Maxwell said about the announcement, following his poetry reading Sunday night at Shepherd College. Maxwell would not elaborate on specifics of the announcement but said it would include detailed time lines on when filming will begin in Washington County.

The Washington County Commissioners voted Tuesday to extend loan guarantees to the makers of a planned movie based on the Civil War. Antietam Filmworks, a company set up by filmmaker Ronald Maxwell to produce "Gods and Generals," has borrowed about $355,000 from Farmers & Merchants Bank and Trust. The county has guaranteed $250,000 of that amount and the City of Hagerstown has guaranteed $50,000. Maxwell had promised county and city officials a draft of the script based on the book "Gods and Generals" by today.

The producers of the planned Civil War movie "Gods and Generals" are close to finalizing a deal with a major motion picture company, Jeff Shaara, the author of the book of the same name, said Thursday. The name of the company that will fund the project probably will not be made for two to three months, said Shaara, associate producer of the film. Shaara, who wrote the book "Gods and Generals" upon which the movie will be based, said the motion picture company's name probably won't be made public until after the major cast members have been hired.

It seemed like a good deal at the time, loaning $300,000 to a film-maker who wanted to do the third leg of his Civil War trilogy here, It was October 2002 and director Ron Maxwell had finally completed filming of his epic Civil War film, "Gods and Generals. " With the help of a previous county loan, that production brought plenty of money into Washington County, as services were purchased, vacant buildings were leased to build sets and hotel rooms were filled with cast and crew members.

Civil war movie loan extended By SCOTT BUTKI scottb@herald-mail.com Loans amounting to $300,000 for the movie "Gods and Generals" will be repaid within 90 days, Washington County's assistant county attorney told the Washington County Commissioners Tuesday. Representatives of the movie will soon make an announcement about permanent financing and distribution arrangements, Assistant County Attorney John Martirano said. The County Commissioners agreed Tuesday to extend for six months loan guarantees for the producers of the movie based on the Civil War novel "Gods and Generals.

laurae@herald-mail.com Seven weeks after it opened, "Gods and Generals" has grossed $12.8 million, a fraction of what the movie cost. The Civil War epic filmed largely in Washington County debuted Feb. 21 in 1,500 theaters nationwide, according to Box Office Mojo, which tracks movie turnout. As of Tuesday, it was still showing in 19 theaters, none of them in the Tri-State area. Ted Turner Pictures spent nearly $90 million making and promoting the movie that has grossed $12.8 million so far. As a comparison, "Anger Management" starring Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler made $42 million when it opened last weekend, according to Box Office Mojo.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Call it a cruel twist. The West Virginia premiere of the Civil War movie "Gods and Generals" was held Wednesday night before a sold-out crowd of 550 at the Apollo Civic Theatre, but scenes that had been shot inside the building were cut. A block away at the reception in the Gateway Inn, 350 men and women in gowns and ties mingled, ate and asked for autographs. Scenes shot there also were edited out of the movie. Both the theater and Gateway Inn were used to film a subplot involving John Wilkes Booth.

Hagerstown and Washington County elected officials approved updated loan guarantees for the local filming of the movie "Gods and Generals" on Tuesday night. The actions allow Antietam Filmworks to draw on the $358,400 raised so far toward the $500,000 bank loan the group needs for pre-production costs, city officials said. In February, City Council members voted to approve $50,000 in loan guarantees and the Washington County Commissioners voted for $250,000 of loan guarantees.

The Hagerstown City Council informally agreed Tuesday to continue backing for six more months a portion of a bank loan taken by the makers of a planned Civil War movie. The council is expected to formally vote on the loan guarantee on Oct. 26, City Clerk Gann Breichner said. The city is backing $50,000 of a $360,000 loan from Farmers & Merchants Bank and Trust to Antietam Filmworks, a company set up by filmmaker Ronald Maxwell to produce "Gods and Generals. " The film company has borrowed about $360,000 from the bank.