By Steve Huffman
Salisbury Post
SPENCER ó The movie’s release is months away, but the buzz surrounding the trailer for “Leatherheads” is considerable.
Especially at the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer and Salisbury Station, two sites where much of the movie was filmed.
“We saw the museum several times, which means we’re going to be featured,” said Natalie Alford, a spokeswoman for the Spencer museum, a State historic site.
She was referring to the trailer that’s on the Universal Studios Web site and other Internet locations.
It’s also being shown as part of the previews at movie theaters.
The movie, which stars George Clooney and Reneé Zellweger, was filmed at various sites throughout North Carolina and South Carolina this past spring.
Much of the filming took place in Rowan County, at both the Transportation Museum and Salisbury Station (the Salisbury train depot).
Jack Thomson, director of the Historic Salisbury Foundation, offices of which are housed in the depot, said there are at least two scenes in the trailer that were filmed at the depot.
“I’m excited,” Thomson said of the buzz the trailer has generated. “I can’t wait to see the interior shots.”
He said set builders did considerable work inside the depot and much filming was done there.
“The last night, they shot a lot,” Thomson said.
Some of those shots will surely make inclusion into the movie, he said.
From the Transportation Museum, there are at least two shots that made it into the trailer.
One is a scene where a group of football players are chasing a train. Another is a scene where Zellweger is riding a motorcycle and she dumps her male passenger.
In that latter scene, the Transportation Museum’s backshop is clearly visible.
Alford, the museum’s spokeswoman, said parts for a number of movies have been filmed at the site, though “Leatherheads” is surely the largest-budgeted production to make its way there.
She said there were apparently scenes for “Forrest Gump” that were filmed at the museum, though they never made it past the cutting room floor.
“Leatherheads” is scheduled for nationwide release in early April.
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To view the “Leatherheads” trailer: http://www.leatherheadsmovie.com/nnn
Contact Steve Huffman at 704-797-4222 or shuffman@salisburypost.com.