From This Week In Texas
RIVER'S END
By Twit
Feb 15, 2007
(**** and a half out of five stars)
Clay Watkins (Sam Huntington, “Fanboys,” “Superman
Returns”), an angry teenager haunted by the death of his father, has
moved to the small town where his grandfather, Buster Watkins (Barry
Corbin, “Northern Exposure”), is sheriff. Angry and struggling, Clay
just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. Buster sets up a roadblock on
Clay’s collision course with the law by presenting him with a choice:
successfully navigate by canoe a 60-mile stretch of the rugged and
perilous Pecos River or go to jail.
Through the hardship, danger and stark beauty of life on the river,
Clay confronts the fear and grief at the root of his anger and learns a
few things about being a good man.
The cast also includes Caroline Goodall (“Schindler’s List”) as widow
Sarah Watkins, Clay’s distraught mother; Charles Durning (“The Sting,”
“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”); and Clint Howard (“Cinderella
Man,” “My Dog Skip”).
With the theatrical release in Central Texas in February 2007 of the
dramatic and heartfelt family/adventure film “River’s End,”
screenwriter and co-director Glen Stephens is realizing the
accomplishment of a vision — one of good people telling good stories
and Texas values of honesty, integrity and fairness.
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| Barry Corbin |
Barry Corbin
In “River’s End,” Corbin plays Sheriff Buster Watkins, the wise
grandfather who leads his troubled grandson back from the brink of
lawlessness. It’s a role he’s perfected in a career that covers 25
years and hundreds of appearances in TV series and feature films. He
spent five years as former astronaut Maurice Minnifield on “Northern
Exposure,” and recent roles have included everything from “King of the
Hill” to Country Music Television program narrator.
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| Sam Huntington |
Sam Huntington
Huntington, who plays the role of lead character Clay Watkins, is the
young actor who got his cinematic start in Tim Allen’s “Jungle 2
Jungle” in 1996, but who has been acting since age 9. In addition to
being featured in several teen movies, he’s also starred in “Fanboys”
and as Jim Olsen in 2006’s “Superman Returns” and on television as Luke
on “Veronica Mars” and “CSI: NY,” “CSI: Miami” and “Law & Order.”
His great-uncle was actor Ralph Bellamy; Huntington was given his Oscar
statuette.
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| Charles Durning |
Charles Durning
The award-winning veteran actor plays the sweet, funny owner of a
last-stop outfitter on the river that is key to the “River’s End”
story. Audiences will know his string of roles from “The Sting” and
“Dog Day Afternoon” to “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and
“Tootsie.” He’s played the Pope and Santa Claus and on television
recurring roles on “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “Rescue Me.”
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| Caroline Goodall |
Caroline Goodall
The internationally known British actress who has starred in several
blockbuster films of the recent past including “The Princess Diaries”
and as Emilie Schindler in “Schindler’s List” plays Sarah Watkins,
mother of the tormented teenager in “River’s End.” In her stellar
career, she was a member of The Royal Shakespeare Company and has been
twice nominated as best actress by the Australian Film Institute.
Also starring Clint Howard
The brother of director Ron Howard plays the high school science
teacher who must deal with teenage rebelliousness. He’s spent his life
acting: around 200 movie roles and appearances on television, from
child actor in “Gentle Ben” to “Cinderella Man” and three Austin Powers
movies. He’s had roles in such popular movies as “How the Grinch Stole
Christmas,” “My Dog Skip,” “How to Eat Fried Worms” and “Fun with Dick
and Jane.”
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THE MAKING OF “RIVER’S END”
The prolific Stephens had been writing screenplays for 20 years,
with 18 to his credit, and wanted access to the right people in the
industry. When one of his screenplays, another family adventure, “Wooly
Boys,” was purchased in 1997 (filmed in 2001 with Kris Kristofferson
and Peter Fonda; released 2005, available on DVD), he realized he could
have maintained more control of the story had he been that film’s
director. His next move was to gather investors who believed in him,
begin a production company and direct his own projects.
The production company was named Molding Clay Productions for the
original name of the “River’s End” story, a story born out of the
lessons Stephens had learned on the rugged Pecos River in West Texas.
When veteran actor and Fort Worth rancher Corbin heard about the
project, he lobbied Stephens for the role of a wise lawman who seeks to
save his grandson with a series of survival lessons recorded on tape.
Charlie Robinson would win the role of the sheriff’s deputy after Cathy
Stephens recommended the former “Night Court” actor to her husband.
Co-director William Katt (“Carrie,” TV’s “Greatest American Hero”), who
also plays a role in the movie, has been a friend for several
years.
From the Hill Country town of Menard, home base for both Stephens and
Molding Clay Productions, Stephens produced and co-directed the
94-minute film with Katt. Crews filmed most of the story in a fast
three weeks in the town of Menard (with and because of great
cooperation and assistance from the community) and on rugged rivers
across the state: the San Saba, Llano, Pedernales, Colorado and Pecos.
“River’s End” immediately snagged a Gold REMI Award at the 2005 WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.
“River’s End” is scheduled for release at Wal-Mart and other retail
outlets on Feb. 20, 2007. It has a PG-13 rating for mild language and
violence.
© This Week In Texas
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