OUR FRIEND `FLICKA' THE HORSE IS BACK - BUT THIS TIME THERE'S A GIRL IN THE SADDLE.Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer Sixty-five years after she first appeared in the pages of Mary O'Hara's beloved children's novel, she's still my friend Flicka My Friend Flicka is a 1941 children's novel by Mary O'Hara, about Ken McLaughlin, the son of a Wyoming rancher, and his horse Flicka. It was the first in a trilogy, followed by Thunderhead, Son of Flicka (1943) and Green Grass of Wyoming (1946). and your friend Flicka. Now she's back in theaters in a new film adaptation, opening Friday. We caught up with stars Alison Lohman, Tim McGraw and Maria Bello Maria Elana Bello (born April 18, 1967) is a Golden Globe-nominated American actress. Biography Early life Bello was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania to an Italian American father and a Polish American mother. at Ventura Farms in Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. , where most of ``Flicka'' was shot. Director Michael Mayer (``A Home at the End of the World'') chimed in from New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . Collectively, the ``Flicka'' folks held forth on horses, family films and a cinematic experience that wild horses Wild Horses may refer to:
New kid in town: Rather than remaking the tale of a boy and his horse, the new ``Flicka'' features 27-year-old Alison Lohman as 16-year-old Katy McLaughlin, who returns from prep school to her family's Wyoming ranch, happening upon a wild mustang and butting heads with her father (Tim McGraw) over the horse's -- and ranch's -- fate. Lohman: ``The Flicka they assigned to me, the one they really wanted me to ride, aesthetically she looked great, this wild horse. This horse didn't like me, though. I could tell. She was the one who threw me off.'' Grab a rope: Principal cast members went through a month of training in ``cowboy camp'' to get them ready for their on-screen on·screen or on-screen adj. & adv. 1. As shown on a movie, television, or display screen. 2. Within public view; in public. chores. Lohman: Cowboy Camp was a month of training about five hours a day, and then going to the gym for about an hour, learning how to rope, walk, then trot, canter and gallop. Then I had to learn to ride bareback bare·back also bare·backed adv. & adj. On a horse or other animal with no saddle: rode bareback; a bareback rider. . It was intense. No one really told me what happens to your back when you're trotting. That was not explained. Bello: I didn't even know what side of the horse to get up on, so that was the first step. My cowboy would just sort of walk me around and then he had me ride around on my own and told me my reins were like a joystick. Whenever I used the joystick, the horse would go. I was very robotic the first couple of days until I started to surrender. McGraw: I loved it. I stayed late every day, hanging out with the cowboys, roping and riding different horses. I spent a lot of time just out roping or goofing round, and I worked a little with the other actors, helping them rope. Kid appeal: Screen veteran Bello (``World Trade Center,'' ``A History of Violence'') and screen newcomer McGraw both cited their children in the decision to ride with ``Flicka.'' McGraw: I wanted to stay away from the cowboy hat and the whole cowboy thing because of being a country singer. Then I kept reading the script, and I kept trying to talk myself out of it. The more I read, the more I couldn't talk myself out of it any longer. Plus, after ``Friday Night Lights,'' I wanted to do something my kids could see. This was a great chance for a good family movie. Bello: I'm used to going to anxious, angsty, edgy places, and I just didn't want to do that. My son is 5 1/2 now, and he's never been able to see a film I've done. I loved that it was a simple, beautiful family drama. Chicks and Flickas: A girl and a horse. Haven't we heard this story before? Lohman: I think there's something like (what) guys find in cars: that reckless kind of abandon, going really fast on something beautiful, and just, like, flying; just, like, getting away from something. And it's challenging to ride something that is so powerful. You don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what it could do, and any second it could throw you off. In movies, it's so aesthetically beautiful. Horses are beautiful, and girls are too. McGraw: Horses are very sensitive animals, and I think women are very sensitive creatures, too. I think there's just a bond they have. They sense each other. City slicker takes the reins: Broadway director Mayer might not have had much experience with the four-legged set, but his love of animals was palpable. Mayer: From the first day I started working, I was smitten smit·ten v. A past participle of smite. smitten Verb a past participle of smite Adjective deeply affected by love (for) Adj. 1. . I think a lot of the horse people on the set were fairly amused by my wild enthusiasm and affection for animals. I would go up to the the horses like they were puppies. They're these gigantic, powerful beasts, and I would be all kissy-faced with them. I was the butt of many jokes with the hands. Lohman: Michael was pretty funny. He loved animals, but he's from New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , so you'd be in middle of a scene and he'd be like, ``Wait, wait! Look at that bird! Look how beautiful it is!'' So he'd walk over and we'd all stare at the bird. Galloping right along: Although country crooner McGraw -- who also produced the soundtrack and contributed the end-credit track, ``My Little Girl'' -- has only a few screen credits to his name, his ``Flicka'' castmates said McGraw was every bit at home. Mayer: I think people will be very impressed with his ability to really create and sustain a character over a full film. The man he plays has some real growing to do. Tim plays him very intelligently, with great restraint and a surprisingly nimble emotional reservoir. Lohman: He definitely had the whoopee cushion on set. Even in a serious film, he wants to make people laugh. But when the time comes Adv. 1. when the time comes - at the appropriate time; "we'll get to this question in due course" in due course, in due season, in due time, in good time , he does it and it's great. He's very passionate about acting, and he's really good. Yeah, he's a singer and all that, but when I was with him, I thought of him as an actor. McGraw: I'm a movie fan. I have a great appreciation for how good those guys are. When you start doing movies and you see how good professional actors are, it's something that interests me and I'd like to get good at it. I like to try these things "These Things" is an EP by She Wants Revenge, released in 2005 by Perfect Kiss, a subsidiary of Geffen Records. Music Video The music video stars Shirley Manson, lead singer of the band Garbage. Track Listing 1. "These Things [Radio Edit]" - 3:17 2. and try to get better. Even with my music, I feel like I'm only 30 percent where I should be. Evan Henerson (818) 713-3651 evan.henerson@dailynews.com Flicka through the years She's galloped her way through one movie, two sequels and a TV series, showing all the majesty and devotion of a long-maned Benji. Flicka the horse, born in the pages of Mary O'Hara's 1941 novel for children, ``My Friend Flicka,'' rides again in a new film version, opening Friday. Previous TV and cinematic adventures of Flicka: ``My Friend Flicka'' (1943): Roddy McDowall Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (September 17, 1928 – October 3, 1998) was an English/American actor. Biography Early life McDowall was born in Herne Hill, London, to Thomas Andrew McDowall, a Merchant Mariner of Scottish descent, and Winsfriede L. , far left, plays the young Ken McLaughlin, who can't just please his father, Rob (Preston Foster), until you-know-who comes along. ``Thunderhead thun·der·head n. The swollen upper portion of a thundercloud, usually associated with the development of a thunderstorm. Noun 1. -- Son of Flicka'' (1945): McDowall and the McLaughlin elders all are back. This time around, Ken is looking to train Flicka's foal foal a junior horse from birth to one year. May be filly foal, colt foal. foal ataxia see enzootic equine incoordination. to be a champion racehorse racehorse refers usually to thoroughbred but may also include standardbred, trotter. . ``Green Grass of Wyoming'' (1948): More adventures of Thunderhead as a romance between horses parallels the love between a rancher's niece and a neighboring rancher's son. ``My Friend Flicka'' (1955): TV series featuring Gene Evans, Anita Louise and Johnny Washbrook, right. -- E.H. CAPTION(S): 5 photos Photo: (1 -- color) - Allison Lohman Michael Owen
(2 -- cover -- color) RIDING HIGH Children's classic horse story, `Flicka,' saddles up with someone new (3 -- color) The McLaughlins -- Katy (Alison Lohman, left), Nell (Maria Bello), Howard (Ryan Kwanten Ryan Kwanten (born 28 November 1976) is an Australian actor. Kwanten was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He began acting on the television shows A Country Practice and . ) and Rob (Tim McGraw) -- welcome the newest member of their family, a mustang named Flicka. (4 -- 5 -- color) no caption (scenes from different movies) |
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