Anaconda in the Essence: On Location with “Mickey and the Bear”

~Brian D’Ambrosio

When Annabelle Attanasio,  a student at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University, secured a grant to write a script for her next film project she chose an unlikely starting place: Anaconda, Montana.  

Yet from the time of her first visit there in the summer of 2014 to the wrap of production of the filming of “Mickey and the Bear” this week, Anaconda felt avant-garde to the director because it is so decidedly behind the times in so many ways. Charmed by the town’s cultural quirks and its unique perspective of analyzing the world, she adeptly co-wrote Anaconda into the script.

“I fell in love with the daily rhythms of life there,” said Annabelle Attanasio, 25. “The town grew to become a family and I grew up along the drafts of the scripts and the different iterations of the scripts. The town influenced the best elements of the script. I hope the process of highlighting and dramatizing real-life characters of Anaconda and weaving their stories into a fictional narrative will give the film a lived-in, authentic overall feel."

Anaconda resident MacGregor Anderson was working at his family’s bakery a couple of summers ago when one afternoon he spotted a throng of unfamiliar faces scouting out potential filming locations. “There were a bunch of young people out there, smiling and looking around, and that made me curious,” said MacGregor Anderson. “When you live in Anaconda, you know every young person for 100 miles. I got to know them, and we went swimming and bowling, and they had about 10 million questions about me growing up in Anaconda.”

Anderson served as a supportive local contact for the crew which included producer Lizzie Shapiro, who first visited Anaconda in the winter of 2017, and who said that finding unique locations wasn’t difficult in the southwestern city of approximately 9,000.

“We were able to secure several locations to film at that were specifically written into the script,” said Lizzie Shapiro. “Places that capture the spirit of Anaconda, like the fight scene under the neon at Club Moderne, and the dad character works at the Washoe Theater. We even set up an additional Alive After Five event with all the vendors and one grandpa said that he hadn’t seen that many people in the streets since the smelter was running.”

The filmmakers even wrote Capp’s Taxidermy studio on Park Avenue into the script and also found a treasure trove of interior furnishings for the main set piece – a trailer located off Cable Road overlooking the imposing presence of Mount Haggin – at local shops such as Anaconda Thrift. The trailer was purchased in Billings, then gutted, remodeled, and smartly furnished with the kind of décor that would make it believable.  

The plot of “Mickey and the Bear” involves “a strong-willed teenage girl (Mickey) who navigates a loving but volatile relationship with her veteran father (Hank). In a desperate search for independence and her own identity, she risks family, heartbreak, and her standing in the only place she can call home.”

“Mickey and the Bear” is told from the perspective of Mickey as she emancipates herself from the heavy responsibilities imposed upon her by her father.

“There is a larger thematic resonance with the vet-daughter stories of PTSD and trauma,” said Attanasio. “I was drawn to Montana with its high-veteran population, its scenery, and there is the mystery element of the culture there. I wanted the story of a town that had a strong presence and personality but was not as big or well-known as, say, Bozeman…Mickey is not victimized by her circumstances, and like the teenage girls I met in Anaconda, she’s decisive and self-confident, and I admired that in them.”

Montana native Dan Molloy, the film’s “second second,” or second assistant director, said that the time he has spent filming in Anaconda has managed to change his perspective about the town.

“Coming from Montana, I realize that Anaconda is not exactly what you would think,” said Molloy. “But the people are incredible, and some of them look at it (the film) as the biggest thing since the smokestack. There is not as much of a rush filming here as there would be in Missoula. We filmed at the track and field and in the high school and we’ve been embraced with open arms and great locations.”

Molloy, who can still remember catching his initial glimpse of Montana movie magic as a kid while witnessing production scenes of “Far and Away (1992),” said that part of the excitement of this film production is not only being able to see such a synergistic artistic energy come to fruition but also that it could inspire the younger generation of locals to pursue possibilities in the arts.

“I think it’d be cool if the production inspired the high schoolers or the other kids in Anaconda to see things differently,” said Molloy.

What makes Anaconda different from the majority of filming locations anywhere is unassuming living, anonymity, and its residents’ low susceptibility to trends and fads. Plus its exterior and interior locations aren’t too shabby either.

“We built places into the script that could only be here,” said director Annabelle Attanasio. “The Copperheads mascot, Peppermint Patty’s pork chop sandwich joint, Donivan’s restaurant, and then there is the American Legion which is named Grumpy Old Men. It’s (the movie is) a love letter to all that’s wonderful about the town.”

Another gem used in the film is the Washoe Theater, a luxuriant movie palace built in 1936 with Art Deco murals and ornamentation in silver, copper and gold leaf. It was designed by theater architect B. Marcus Priteca whose credits include Pantages Theaters in California, the Seattle Coliseum, and Orpheum, Palomar and Paramount theaters in Seattle.

“I’ve never seen a movie palace like that before,” said producer Lizzie Shapiro. “It’s the gem of the town.”

‘They still do intermissions at the Washoe,” marveled Molloy.

Another landmark on the National Register of Historic Places that made its way into the film includes the Club Moderne bar, a rebuilt circa-1930s bar designed in a “Streamline Moderne style,” a derivative of Art Deco.

“The Club Moderne is a preexisting film location just waiting,” said Molloy. “I mean, those neon lights! That’s a set you would have had to have built elsewhere. Why wouldn’t you want to shoot there?”

Approximately half of the film was shot over five weeks at the principal location of the Cable Road trailer while the remaining half was filmed across various parts of Anaconda and even as far west as the Missoula area, including Johnsrud,  a state fishing access site located on the Blackfoot River. It was there that out-of-state cast and crew members, many of whom had never been on a river before, were treated to a genuine slice of Montana excitement.

“Filming Johnsrud was really difficult,” said Molloy. “We were loading in with rafts and setting up equipment when someone shouted that there was a bear. I thought it was cool, but I just continued working. But the largely New York and California crew stopped production for about 15 minutes to take photos. One of the crew came up to me afterwards and asked, “How much did you pay to get a bear that close to the set?”

Visiting crew members basked in those special, cherished moments that Montanans are familiarly acquainted. When the camera crew spotted a moose on Georgetown Lake, it was the talk of the set.

Yet it is the town’s history – and its indebtedness to it – that most impressed all of those involved. That history is intimately linked with the Anaconda Company and copper king Marcus Daly, who in 1883 obtained land and water rights on Warm Springs Creek for a new smelter for his Anaconda Company. Named for the company, the city of Anaconda sprang up around the smelter and was incorporated in 1887.)

“The movie is timeless in a sense because Anaconda has remained unchanged in many ways,” said Molloy. “It could have taken place in the 70s, the 80s, or the 90s. There are no Ferraris or no Porsches.”

Locals have embraced the project and familiarized themselves with all of the different elements which need to converge and commingle to make a production thrive.

“There is more to a film production than just the artistic process of making the movie,” said Molloy. “There are drivers, there are set builders, and there is a lot of blue collar work to be done that speaks to a lot of Montanans.”

Ultimately, the film has the walloping power to adjust, alter and re-appraise the town’s image and to humanize a part of the world that is enigmatic to even its closest neighbors. (Post-production will start immediately.) 

MacGregor Anderson, a third-generation Anacondan, said that the town depicted in the script closely resembles the same insular, tight-knit community in which he was born and raised. “I think it’s a story that really resonates with a lot of people in the middle class everywhere,” said Anderson. “I think it’ll particularly be of interest to single family people who grew up in rural areas, but it’s also about growing up before your time and being young and in love.”

Anderson, 25, who moved to Seattle after his parents’ bakery closed but plans to return again in the near future, said that he applauds the filmmakers for elaborating on the state’s beauty as well as their resolute belief and trust in producing the site-specific film in Anaconda.

“I figured that there interest in Anaconda would wear off eventually, but it didn’t,” said Anderson. “And now it’s got me thinking, ‘what the heck am I missing?’ It has helped me realize the treasure that I have back in Anaconda with my family and culture.”

Getting to Montana This Winter

~Visit Mt.

Dreaming of a winter getaway to Montana? A haven of powder and untouched snow, Montana is the perfect place for winter lovers. Boasting some of the best snow in North America, winter transforms Montana into a magical winter destination. Are you thinking “Is it easy to travel to Montana?” The answer: Yes, Montana is closer than you think. Plus, once you arrive, leaving is the hardest part.
 
Imagine having breakfast at home and being in Montana by lunchtime for an epic day of powder play and jaw-dropping winter views. With airports in seven of Montana’s major cities-Bozeman, Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Missoula and Kalispell-options for flying to a snow-covered paradise are endless.
 
Direct flights arrive daily from Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Phoenix/Mesa, Salt Lake City, Portland and Seattle. During winter, flights from Atlanta and San Francisco are also available. Airlines flying to these airports include Delta/Sky-West, American Airlines, Alaska/Horizon Air, Frontier, United and Allegiant Air.
 
Once you land, breathe in the fresh mountain air and get ready for adventure. Fly into Bozeman and spend the afternoon on the slopes at Big Sky Resort. Arrive at Glacier Park International Airport and end the day refreshed after snowshoeing in Glacier National Park. Land in Billings and relax with a craft beer after cross-country skiing in the shadow of the Beartooth Mountains.Winter memories filled with breathtaking scenery are just around the corner. Explore Montana’s charming small towns, ski areas, trail adventures and national parks (which are open year-round.) We promise you won’t be disappointed.
 
No matter your interests, we're here to assist with this or other Montana travel story media needs. Contact us for any of your photo or story needs. We can be reached via email at[email protected], in the Montana pressroom, or on Twitter.

Smoked Out of Glacier – Again!

~Doug Stevens

I have three main Summer/Fall passions when it comes to the outdoors:  backpacking, landscape photography and fly fishing.  Montana offers great opportunities for all three of these, and much more.  However, lately I’ve been leaning more to backpacking/photography.  In hindsight, maybe I should have stuck to fishing.

For several years, I have been trying to photograph a certain trail in the northwest section of Glacier National Park.  This trail runs from Goat Haunt, at the south end of Waterton Lake to Kintla Lake in the northwest corner of the Park. In between, it passes through some of the most dramatic breathtaking scenery the Park has to offer.  At one point on the trail, you can see Bowman Lake way below at about 4,000 ft above sea level, up to Rainbow Peak, a sneeze below 9900 feet.

Taking the boat into Goat Haunt from Waterton is a great way to enter the Park.  It’s a 45 minute “voyage” and the scenery just builds as you approach the end of Waterton Lake.  There are the Cathedral Peaks on the right and Mt Cleveland straight ahead. At 10,466, its the tallest mountain in the Park.  In 2017, I finally had sites for the end of August.  I was stoked! 

This was to have been a fantastic 4-day hike – up Olson Creek below the Cathedral Peaks, past Francis Lake, over Brown’s Pass, through Hole-in-the Wall, over Boulder Pass and down to Kintla Lake.  However, 2017 was a pretty bad fire year, with fires all over Montana, including several in the Park.  That morning Waterton was clear and sunny.  Unfortunately, as the boat approached Goat Haunt, you could see smoke from the Sprague Fire below Sperry Chalet was infiltrating the south end of the lake.  Additinally, a series of lightning storms and wind rolled through along the way that started new fires, like the 100,000 acre Kenow Fire – a fire that nearly torched the town of Waterton, as well as whipped up the Sprague Fire that claimed Sperry Chalet.  Despite all that, it was a great hike, but the smoke definitely impacted the quality of the photos.  This route is so beautiful, that I was determined to try again in 2018.

Luckily, I was able to secure a return itinerary.  This time, a couple weeks earlier to try and avoid late August fires.  Like 2017, 2018 has been another bad season for fires.  From early August on, western Montana was wrapped in smoke again.  Much of it was blowing in from the large fires in California and BC (again!).  The smoke was looking so bad that I almost canceled my trip, but there was a glimmer of hope.  A front was to come through the day before my start.  This had the potential to push the smoke south out of the way and I could maybe get those clear shots this time.  ‘At least the Park wasn’t on fire this year’, I thought, so I headed out for Waterton, again.

As I came around Lake McDonald, there was a new, small fire on the west side of the lake.  This had started the day before from a lightning strike.  I didn’t think much of it. The fire was burning in an area that had burned in the 2003 Roberts Fire – how bad could it get?

When I arrived in Waterton, the air was filled with smoke.  The front came through that night as predicted and the next morning (8/13) was noticeably clearer – but not really “clear”.  I decided to go ahead and take the first boat out, at least it would be a great hike, like last year.  How can you get tired of that kind of scenery?  As the day wore on, though, the air quality started to degrade.  The smoke seemed to be sucking back in.

My first night was at Francis Lake again - usually a very beautiful, serene spot.  At the west end of the lake there is a long, delicate waterfall that cascades down from a glacier high above.  To the east, down the valley are Porcupine Ridge and the Cathedral Peaks that culminate in the towering Mt. Cleveland behind.  Unlike last year, when I could at least see them through the smoke, there was nothing there this time. I later learned that the small fire on the west side of Lake McDonald, (Howe Ridge Fire), exploded when that front blew through.  It roared up to over 10,000 acres almost overnight.

That night was pretty rough.  My eyes were burning, my throat was getting sore and my nose started really running.  I got up right at sunrise and went back down to the lake.  With the sun backlighting the scene, I could now make out the silhouettes of the ridgelines.  The thick smoke and was far worse than last year, and yet the whole scene was rather surreal.  Exercising heavily, breathing in this much smoke would probably not be a smart health move.  So, I packed up and hustled to make the first boat back to Waterton. ‘Smoked out – again!’, I thought as I enjoyed the cruise back.  ‘OK, I’ll try again in the Fall’.

As Fall rolled around, and with the Howe Ridge Fire now somewhat under control, I looked optimistically at the status of the backcountry campsites along the way.  All the campsites in and around Goat Haunt were closed.  ‘What? Why?’  Another fire! – the Boundary Creek Fire, started by lightening on August 23^rd.  So much for the third time being the charm!

Will I try again in 2019?  I don’t think so.  I don’t think it has anything to do with me, but it seems bad fire things happen when I try to hike this section of the Park.  Like I said at the beginning, maybe I should go back to fishing in August – it might be best for me and the Park!

Small Towns, Big Screens: Filmmaking in Montana

~Allison Whitmer, Montana Film Commissioner

Montana is proof you don’t have to live in a big city to attract film and television production to your community. In fact, sometimes the smallest and most remote locations may be exactly what a filmmaker is looking for. Here’s a look at some of the rural places featured in recent projects and old favorites. Some you might have spotted on the big screen. Others you might have missed.

Libby

Near Libby, the impressive Kootenai River enters a canyon and flows over Kootenai Falls, one of the largest free-flowing waterfalls in the northwest. Kootenai Falls was the setting for "River Wild" and tossed Leonardo DiCaprio over the edge in a gripping scene from “The Revenant.”

Darby

Nestled in the Bitterroot Valley, Darby provides the main ranch location for the new television series “Yellowstone.” The historic Chief Joseph Lodge and ranch was constructed in 1914. Using Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn as a guide, the architects built this log structure over a three-year period. Since then, it has been featured in various media and is now on television every week.

Havre/Chinook

“Winter in the Blood,” a searing adaptation of the novel by James Welch, features characters searching for redemption on the streets of Havre and Chinook, wandering the hayfields of the plains, and finding answers beneath the quaking aspens of the Bear Paw Mountains. Andy’s Supper Club in Havre not only set the stage for the film’s drama but also became a favorite location of the cast and crew.

Lewistown

The next time you get held up by rustlers on the Charlie Russell Chew Choo, imagine being there in 1995 when custom railcars, props, and explosions ruled the rails between Denton and Lewistown for the filming of “Broken Arrow.” Celebrity sightings of John Travolta and Christian Slater were common downtown during the six weeks of filming that included stunts, gun battles, helicopters, and more!

Glasgow

From T-shirts to signs downtown, Glasgow proudly proclaims itself the “middle of nowhere.” For a filmmaker looking for just that, it’s no wonder Clint Eastwood came to the snow-covered prairies and hangers north of town on the decommissioned Glasgow Air Force Base for “Firefox.” Look closely at the scenes of a plane on a deserted polar ice cap, for some of them are right here in Montana. We move down the road to Fort Peck Dam in “Northfork,” with the massive towers of the dam and spillway looming over James Woods as he contemplates mortality.

Miles City

Television came calling to Miles City this spring when RFD-TV came to town with its docuseries “Special Cowboy Moments” on rodeo legends, western history, historic ranches, and the ranchers that made them. Capturing the heart of the steadfast western spirit, the producers dug deep into the history of Fort Keogh, the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale, and the Range Riders Museum. As they put it, Miles City features “more western history per capita than anywhere else in the world!”

Sidney

When new technology spurred the communities of Sidney, Fairview, and Williston into a massive oil boom in the Bakken, the world took notice of the pump jacks, trailers, and mancamps sprouting up in grain fields and pastures and dotting the side roads. The influx of oil workers put people and machines into some of the most intense work environments in the country. The Smithsonian Channel sent a crew of journalists and filmmakers, and unknown to them at the time, documented the last throes of the boom before the price crash in 2012. “Boomtowners” showed this firsthand through the eyes of newcomers and longtime residents making a living in a modern-day oil rush.

Our office receives phone calls and emails every day about Montana’s incredible locations. If you’re well connected in your community and would like to see more film activity near you, consider signing up to be a community film ambassador—local liaisons for the Montana Film Office. Call 406.841.2887 or email [email protected] for more information.

There are some places you need to see to believe. Montana is one of those places. From breathtaking mountain vistas to the sweeping plains with charming small towns in between, there are incredible experiences located around every corner. Combine all of the endless adventure and pristine views with our winter season, and you have a snow-covered paradise.
 
With an average of more than 300 inches of yearly fresh powder, you’ll find some of the best snow in North America here and plenty of ways to enjoy it. Montana boasts 14 downhill ski areaswith over 15,000 acres of skiable terrain, endless miles of pristine backcountry powder waiting to be explored, and thousands of miles of both groomed and ungroomed snowmobiling trails.
 
Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park are open year-round to offer epic winter opportunities from snowshoeing to cross-country skiing. Our small towns offer lively music and nightlife scenes; not to mention delicious food and cozy lodging to round out your perfect winter stay.
 
So, whether it means relaxing in hot springs or curling up by a fireplace in a mountain lodge after a day on the slopes, taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride or snowshoeing in Glacier National Park, your perfect winter escape to Montana awaits.  
 
 

The Glory of Aspens

~Sean Jansen

If one were to truly think about it, trees as a whole are the single most important organisms on this planet. They provide wood for fires to keep warm and to create heat for cooking. Offer timber for shelter out of the elements. Some offer fruits and nuts for edible options. And most importantly, they provide oxygen for us to breath whilst also consuming CO2 during photosynthesis, being the active catalyst on our front line battle against climate change.

With trees inhabiting six of the seven continents, they all vary in color, size, shape, and season. For us in Montana, we have numerous amounts of tree species in all altitudes the state offers. However out of them all, the Aspen shows its seasonal colors better on the fashion runway then the rest.

Aspens, or Populus Tremuloides, also known as quaking aspen, are the most wide spread tree in North America. They can be seen in 39 of our 50 states and north through Canada and into Alaska. Even a few areas in Mexico. Ranging in size with regards to girth of trunk and height, the smallest can have trunk widths of less than an inch, while rare, can also be seen with nearly a two-foot diameter and reach heights upwards of 80 feet. Living up to 150 years with some old timers going into 200 years.

Their bark is unique in that it has a white color that can indeed show hues of grey and green that produces a powdery substance that shows the trees health but also can be used for a variety of medicinal purposes as well as protection from the sun when placed on the skin. However what makes the aspen infamous, are its leaves. In the summer months, the small bright green leaves make the landscape vibrant with green amongst the border of the coniferous forests they dwell. But its fall colors of bright orange, yellow, and occasionally red are what can literally be seen from space and remind us all of the seasonal change.

They are called the quaking aspen because if one were to go on a hike in an aspen grove with a slight breeze, you can hear the leaves almost whispering to one another. I personally love hiking, running, and fly fishing along aspens because it almost seems like the leaves are clapping at your presence, encouraging you to keep going.

Beyond its gorgeous visual stimulation, the trees provide shelter, food, and repair to a multitude of animal species and damaged landscapes. They are quick to recolonize areas after a burn, as they need nothing more than water and lots of sunshine. Black bear, moose, elk, deer and an array of rodents and birds all need aspen for food and shelter.

On a curious note, aspens are quite useful for humans as well. Their wood is considered a soft wood however can be quite strong and we use it for particleboard, tooth picks, chopsticks, and line our saunas with them, as they will never splinter as you sit and enjoy a good sweat. Montana certainly isn’t the headquarters of the quaking aspen, but our landscapes, altitude, environment, and climate all make for a great field office that I as well as many others love to see this time of year.

Websites used for information:

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/beauty/aspen/grow.shtml

https://www.nationalforests.org/blog/tree-profile-aspen-so-much-more-than-a-tree