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June 7, 2006
AND ... ACTION! Al-Qaeda, brothel come to town for new movieLIEUTENANT UHURA FROM 'STAR TREK' IS THE MADAM
By MARK WAITE
When told she wouldn't be in, Nielson said, "I guess I'll have to watch the re-runs." "The lieutenant" in this case is Nichelle Nichols, who played the part of Lt. Ahura in the classic television series, "Star Trek." The movie is "Lady Magdalene's," and the star sightings of the filming around town have gotten some Pahrumpians as excited as Los Angeles residents. Nichols plays Lady Magdalene, the madam at a brothel where a Homeland Security Officer is investigating an al-Qaeda plot. Eychaner's home is being transformed into a faux brothel this week for the shooting. Stephen Noell, production designer, was directing head set dressers Nicole Ruby and Bianca Butti Monday on the new interior décor for the "brothel": red velour drapes, a recreation room with a pool table, a bar and other furnishings. "They came yesterday and stripped my whole house of furniture. Now they're putting up velvet curtains and antique furniture," Eychaner said. The film crews expect to spend five days shooting scenes in her home. They will be using the bedroom for two scenes and the bar in her living room, she said. So why didn't they just ask to film the scenes at one of the actual Pahrump brothels? "We did, but apparently things didn't work out one way or another. So Alice opened up her home," Noell said. "I spent a lot of time down in New Orleans. When you think of brothels you think of cheesy velour, pictures of Elvis on the wall," he said. The film crews first started shooting (film that is) at Front Sight Firearms Training Institute for eight days, which was recreated as a terrorist training center in Afghanistan. The classroom area became an airport. Film crews even built the fuselage of a Boeing 727 jet airliner Film crews also filmed at the Pahrump Nugget Casino and the Pahrump Valley Winery. Eychaner has been housed at the Saddle West Hotel and Casino while filming takes place at her home. She said she interviewed the director for Channel 62, who said he needed a location for the brothel scenes. "They (the federal agents) take over the brothel. Then they find out this woman is an agent," Eychaner said, revealing a little of the plot. Eychaner said she's an extra in the airplane scene during which the air marshals come after someone carrying a violin case. Noell said Angela Rosiek, hotel director of the Pahrump Nugget, won a role as a U.S. senator, one of numerous, familiar locals who will be seen in the movie. One of the prostitutes in the brothel is murdered, Noell said, revealing a little more of the plot. Prometheus Award-winning science fiction author J. Neil Schulman is the film's writer and director. He became inspired to write the screenplay after reading about the Internal Revenue Service taking over the famous Mustang Ranch near Reno. Schulman is the author of eight books including "Alongside Night" and "The Rainbow Cadenza." Ethan Keogh plays Homeland Security Officer Jack Goldwater. The federal department hasn't given its stamp of approval to the film's portrayal. Noell said film crews are expected to wrap up production in Pahrump Sunday. "Southern Nevada has become one of the hottest places," Noell said. "A lot of good companies are coming to Vegas to shoot (movies)." Within the last several years, scenes from the film adaptation of Tom Clancy's novel "Sum of all Fears" were filmed at the China Ranch across the state line near Tecopa, Calif., which was supposed to be the Sinai Desert. The comedy spoof "Mars Attacks" featured a scene where the aliens first land on earth in Pahrump. |
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