ARCHIVE: Filming reports
Taking his place as director behind a TV monitor, inside a tent safe from the man-made rainstorm, it's clear Gross is very sure of what's going on around him. Looking in the monitor at a scene shot of soldiers in trenches, the sight of his dream come to life makes Gross giddy.
"Can someone get my wife, please? This is so cool. She'll want to see it," he says. A crew member scuttles off to find the legendary Canadian actress Martha Burns in Gross's trailer.
If Gross wins this war, there may be many other Canadians who want to see it as well.
"I've known him long enough to know how passionate he can be about something, and he was particularly excited about this movie." In addition, Gross has gone to extreme lengths to achieve historical accuracy by employing Norman Leach, a Canadian military expert.
"This movie can go toe-to-toe with the great, big-budget military movies like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers," says Leach. "It's breathtaking to watch." With Passchendaele, both Gross and Leach seem to have a higher mission in play. Leach wonders if the average Canadian really appreciates the impact Canada had on the Great War.
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=196cf46c-2843-4a82-9d05-c3b95ccac33f&k=68772&p=1 [Active on 25th November 2007]
Gross' grandfather fought in Passchendaele and this movie is inspired by his experience.
"I have to pinch myself to believe that we're actually doing this, it's been such a long haul -- but, it was always in my mind that it would be set here and would be done in Calgary," says Gross. "My father was in the army and I lived in the Currie Barracks as child. I have these screwy childhood memories of this area. Being here makes the whole thing come full circle."
http://calsun.canoe.ca/Showbiz/2007/09/28/4532992-sun.html [Now need subscription to read fully].
"Can someone get my wife, please? This is so cool. She'll want to see it," he says. A crew member scuttles off to find the legendary Canadian actress Martha Burns in Gross's trailer.
If Gross wins this war, there may be many other Canadians who want to see it as well.
"I've known him long enough to know how passionate he can be about something, and he was particularly excited about this movie." In addition, Gross has gone to extreme lengths to achieve historical accuracy by employing Norman Leach, a Canadian military expert.
"This movie can go toe-to-toe with the great, big-budget military movies like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers," says Leach. "It's breathtaking to watch." With Passchendaele, both Gross and Leach seem to have a higher mission in play. Leach wonders if the average Canadian really appreciates the impact Canada had on the Great War.
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=196cf46c-2843-4a82-9d05-c3b95ccac33f&k=68772&p=1 [Active on 25th November 2007]
Gross' grandfather fought in Passchendaele and this movie is inspired by his experience.
"I have to pinch myself to believe that we're actually doing this, it's been such a long haul -- but, it was always in my mind that it would be set here and would be done in Calgary," says Gross. "My father was in the army and I lived in the Currie Barracks as child. I have these screwy childhood memories of this area. Being here makes the whole thing come full circle."
http://calsun.canoe.ca/Showbiz/2007/09/28/4532992-sun.html [Now need subscription to read fully].