<p>I plan to go see it but not because I think it looks good, I want to see how thy interpret academy life, and they show the trailer up here in boston all the time!!</p>
<p>How can anyone active on this forum not go?? Since when do we insist on accuracy for entertainment? We still watch the evening news. :D</p>
<p>We're going as a family on saturday morning folks!</p>
<p>If you go onto the Apple Trailer site - they have an 'exclusive clip' right now worth seeing. At least they got THIS aspect of platoon teamwork right! After seeing the dumb movie poster with the stupid "55,000" number and - what - the Library of Congress? The Supreme Court? looking like a place on USNA???? At least that little clip is close to reality.....with ONE exception.</p>
<p>I had to laugh. Our daughter drags us to the computer screen to watch it and as poor Plebe answers "How long have you been in the Navy." My husband, class of '72 chimes in - however - at the end the push-upping Plebe leaves out the final "Sir!" which my husband yelled out in our computer room all by himself! </p>
<p>GO NAVY!</p>
<p>Courtesy of USNA '93's website:
<a href="http://www.usna93.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=2%5B/url%5D">http://www.usna93.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=2</a></p>
<p>Son's BGO sent same by email today.</p>
<p>This clip is half-bad, half-good. The wet-trainer is rediculous...see through wall and no piping systems...HA!!</p>
<p>Another good article with some additional links of USNA stories:
<a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-te.ar.annapolis24jan24,1,1232860.story?coll=bal-home-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true%5B/url%5D">http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-te.ar.annapolis24jan24,1,1232860.story?coll=bal-home-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true</a></p>
<p>Baltimore Sun
January 24, 2006 </p>
<p>Thumbs Down From Annapolis</p>
<p>By Jamie Stiehm and Bradley Olson, Sun reporters</p>
<p>The movie Annapolis opens nationwide this week, but don't expect any red-carpet premieres in its namesake city.</p>
<p>Production of the film, originally scheduled for Annapolis, was abruptly shifted to Philadelphia in 2004 when the Naval Academy objected to the script.</p>
<p>That means filmgoers will see the Blue Angels streaking over Founder's Hall at Girard College instead of Bancroft Hall, one of the academy's signature structures. And it means they will see Philadelphia thanked in the closing credits, not Annapolis.</p>
<p>Resentment over the snub, and the estimated $20 million loss of economic activity, has diminished enthusiasm over the film's opening in the capital city.</p>
<p>"The movie should be called Acropolis, not Annapolis, because the buildings look Greek, nothing like our State House," sniffed Jan Hardesty, the city's public information officer.</p>
<p>Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer invoked the specter of the Baltimore Colts' 1984 move to Indianapolis in expressing her views on the movie, which opens Friday on all four screens in the Annapolis Mall cineplex. "We hoped they would at least use scenes of our beautiful city to give it a sense of place," she said.</p>
<p>At the Naval Academy, faculty, staff and students have been issued instructions, including campaign-style "talking points," regarding the movie. Among its instructions: You can go see the movie in your free time, but don't wear your uniform.</p>
<p>"Navy personnel should avoid the appearance of support to the film as member of the Department of the Navy," say the guidelines, attributed to CHINFO, the Navy's chief of information office at the Pentagon.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately, the story depicted in the script did not accurately portray the academy, its standards for training and its methods of shaping midshipmen mentally, morally and physically," the statement says.</p>
<p>Plans for an exclusive viewing of the movie for midshipmen at a local theater were scrubbed "for a variety of factors," said the academy's spokesman, Cmdr. Rod Gibbons.</p>
<p>"We have not seen the film, so it is premature to comment about it," Gibbons wrote in one e-mail to faculty. "If you decide to watch this movie, keep in mind that this story, as we reviewed it before filming, may not realistically portray the Naval Academy."</p>
<p>The wariness seems to be mutual: Walt Disney Co.'s Touchstone Pictures did not invite the Navy's Los Angeles-based liaison to the entertainment industry, Cmdr. Bob Anderson, to the world premiere last night in Hollywood.</p>
<p>"Maybe they're ignoring me. No invitations yet," he said last night.</p>
<p>Mike Miron, Annapolis' economic development director, saw a promotional trailer for the movie last week while watching another movie at a local theater. Among the clips: the Blue Angels flying over Philadelphia's Girard College, which opened in the 19th century as a school for indigent boys, rather than the academy.</p>
<p>"You could hear the groans in the theater," Miron said.</p>
<p>Miron, who grew up near where the movie was actually filmed - at Girard College - said he and his wife aren't going to watch the City of Brotherly Love masquerade as Maryland's Colonial-era capital.</p>
<p>"It was a missed opportunity for the Naval Academy not to have the film produced there. I think it's really sad," he said.</p>
<p>The movie tells the coming-of-age tale of Jake Huard, played by James Franco, who realizes a dream when he is admitted to the academy. The story centers on his romance with a female midshipman and his participation in the academy's boxing championship.</p>
<p>Academy officials allowed crews access to a sacred ritual, Induction Day for the incoming plebes. But as summer passed into August - when cameras were ready to roll - the Navy balked at the script. Sensitive subjects at the service academy - such as hazing, violence and fraternization - were not accurately presented, officials said.</p>
<p>Gibbons, the academy's public affairs officer, said it was not only scenes of misconduct that led to the impasse with the moviemakers.</p>
<p>"There was serious misconduct without holding the offenders accountable," he said.</p>
<p>The Naval Academy's image is under a tight watch. It is one of the state's largest tourist attractions, with more than 1 million visitors a year.</p>
<p>Another reason Annapolis, and Maryland, lost the film was that incentives offered by Pennsylvania saved Disney millions of dollars. The incident prompted Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., and lawmakers to enhance incentives for production companies shooting in Maryland.</p>
<p>Jack Gerbes, head of the Maryland Film Office, noted a touch of irony in the tale. Another Disney production, a musical tentatively titled Music High, just wrapped up shooting in Baltimore. He said that it was originally set to be shot in New York, but the studio changed the venue to Maryland because of the state's financial incentives.</p>
<p>"What was done to us, we did to New York," Gerbes said.</p>
<p>Dennis M. Castleman, an assistant secretary of economic development for tourism, film and the arts in Maryland, said he still has a bitter taste in his mouth because Annapolis was shot elsewhere, but expects the movie will bring the city great exposure.</p>
<p>"We're proud that we have so much history and great venues like the Naval Academy to showcase in movies," he said.</p>
<p>The moviemakers showed no regret for the decision, even suggesting in publicity materials that Philadelphia played Annapolis better than Annapolis itself.</p>
<p>Says Annapolis producer Mark Vahradian: "Girard was not only a match, in some ways it was better than shooting at the academy. It had the same kind of ambience, stature and solidity, but it offered better angles to shoot from and a lot more flexibility in terms of what we could do there."</p>
<p>my favoite comment about this movie came way back in the Fall, at the first announcements about Annapolis, the Movie.</p>
<p>Some poor hassled Plebe moaned on this forum something like :"I wish it came out before Christmas, instead of Jan. - so my family would feel sorry for me and give me nice presents!!"</p>
<p>WAIT WAIT WAIT: if they can't wear uniforms to the movie, then how can plebes and youngsters go watch it? they can't wear civilian clothes. does this rule about uniforms at the movie still apply to them?</p>
<p>There's a rule about Plebes and uniforms and the movies? Exactly what is it?</p>
<p>I don't know about plebes, but 4* at USAFA aren't allowed to wear civvies until after they get recognized with their prop and wings in the spring. Clothes are a privilege that has to be earned.</p>
<p>Plebes always wear SDB's/Whites on liberty.</p>
<p>Youngsters wear SDB's/Whites on liberty if they are not on weekend.</p>
<p>If Youngsters are on weekend and greater than 22 miles away, they can wear civilian clothes. </p>
<p>Youngsters are allowed to store civilian clothes in Bancroft Hall, Plebes cannot have civilian clothes in BH.</p>
<p>Plebes and Youngsters MAY see the movie in uniform vice the previous word.</p>
<p>Hey I just saw a sneek preview of Annapolis. It was better then I though it would be, really it was. Although some inequalities were present, the film makers did a good job with what they had. And that whole thing about 50,000 people applying isn't exactly what they said in the movie, contrary to the movie poster. They said 50,000 people "inquire" about the Naval Academy. Besides all of facts that it wasn't filmed at USNA or that the Navy didn't support it, the movie sends a motivational message and an important message. For the motivational message, you just have to go see it; the important message that it sends is the fact that success or failure is not accredited to one person, rather it is accredited to those involed or the team.</p>
<p>Coming from someone who has already been accepted to NAPS, I enjoyed the movie and feel motivated even more. </p>
<p>~Alex Delgado
USNA CLASS OF 2011!!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Unfortunately, the story depicted in the script did not accurately portray
the Academy, its standards for training, and its methods of shaping
midshipmen mentally, morally and physically for service in the U.S. Navy.
Based on this, the producers were not allowed further access to the Academy
grounds or provided with any other support for the filming.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>All I needed to hear. It'll suck.</p>
<p>I'll wait for it to pop up on Spike or TNT someday....</p>
<p>Zaphod: You know, before you accept any critisism, you should probably go watch the movie for yourself. I thought the movie would be horrible, but despite what I originally believed, it was fairly well. And yes it probably didn't portray the academy correctly regarding the way the academy trains mids, etc., but what movies about anything are 100% accurate. Annapolis isn't a documentary, its a movie. You should be more open minded to the movie and not let another person make your opinion regarding the movie, thats your role. Who knows, you might like it, then again you might not, but if you plan on arguing your stance in any crowd, you should have the knowledge of what the movie is about.</p>
<p>Oh come on....He's BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, over!! ;)</p>
<p>NAPS, my friend, I have a piece of paper hanging on my wall that gives me the right to criticize any movie made about USNA without having seen it, especially when the DON has decided NOT to support the producers because of the way it portrays the place.</p>
<p>TRUST me, if the Navy could have supported this POS, they WOULD have. Top Gun was the most amazing coup in recruiting ever. You think they would have passed up a chance like this for nothing?</p>
<p>No thanks. As Dad said, I've BTDT, and nothing short of a supportive or even an accurate portrayal of the place is going to be acceptable to me. The entire premise is wrong, the characters are all portrayed wrong, the plotline is utter BS, and the list goes on.</p>
<p>If others want to go see it so as to get a good laugh, then by all means do so and enjoy. I'll spend my money elsewhere. Maybe I'll send the $15 (after admissions, a bag of cold popcorn and a flat soda) to the Alumni Association, instead. At least they stand up for the place.</p>
<p>Speaking of the Alumni Association: I was told they are working on a new video (recruiting tool) to replace/enhance "To Lead and To Serve".</p>
<p>Any idea of when that production will get out of the studio? Anyone?</p>
<p>Amen Zaphod! </p>
<p>Top Gun is a cult film in our family....no matter how many times it's watched it still inspires! (great deployment flick). DD just purchased her own copy!</p>
<p>Ah yes, but those big old, hard to fly, two-seater bad-boy air to air F-14 Tomcat's are about to be made history in favor of a lighter, easier to fly F-18 that is more suited to ground targeting actions.</p>
<p>Guess they'll have to make a new movie now eh? :)</p>