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One of the more recent trends in space exploration is the Mars Direct
plan, where instead of transporting tons of equipment and supplies to the red
planet, space explorers would make use of the resources already available
when they get there. Steven Spielberg used a similar strategy in the filming
of War of the Worlds in Bayonne, where Tom Cruise's character in the film is
supposed to be rebuilding a classic Ford Mustang convertible.
In
early November, Tony Malgapo, president of the Central Jersey Mustangs and
Fords Club, got a call from someone who said they were an associate producer
for Paramount Pictures.
"She
said they needed help in a film they were making," he recalled.
"She stated that they were doing a set build. The premise was the person
was building a Mustang inside his home, and they needed to hire a person who
was familiar with various aspects of Mustang history, parts and restoration,
to provide a sense of authenticity for their set designers and prop masters
with ideas for the set build."
Start now
Spielberg
needed someone with Mustang expertise to decorate the garage in Henry
Sanchez's home in Bayonne. The garage set was constructed in the movie
studios in Bayonne's Military Ocean Terminal. Fortunately, Malgapo was on
vacation and could give the time to the project.
Sanchez's garage was a challenge. As time ticked away and the shoot date
closed in, Malgapo had to somehow make it look like a mechanic worked there.
"I had to start from scratch, selling the studio parts I had at home and
in my garage," he said. "They didn't have a toolbox for this
character. I supplied everything from motor parts, new and old, to tools,
toolboxes, trophies, Mustang pictures, fridge magnets, Mustang magazines,
Mustang Club pictures and flyers as well as Mustang die cast models."
Making the
garage authentic, too
Cruise's
character in the film was supposed to be rebuilding a classic 1965 Mustang
convertible - at least that's what the movie staff thought they had.
"The Mustang in the garage I was told was a '65, but when I saw it, it
was clearly a later model '68," Malgapo said.
While Malgapo did not directly advise Cruise on mechanics, he did give
pointers to Paramount's set decorator Anne Kuljian as to what Cruise could do
while shooting.
"I said he could be adjusting the carburetor, or perhaps tightening
bolts on the heads of the motor; if he wants an electric project, he could be
installing wires on the distributor," Malgapo said.
He also placed all the props so that Cruise could easily shoot the scene,
talk, and walk around the motor with ease.
What made Spielberg pick the Mustang as his car of choice for the film?
"I was told that the Mustang was chosen because it was a working man's
car," Malgapo said. "Since Cruise's character was a blue-collar
worker [a longshoreman], it was a typical car for that type of person to work
on and restore. We do have a longshoreman in our Mustang Club ... so this
premise was as authentic as it can get." The biggest technical problem
for Malgapo was the time frame. Spielberg called him within a week of the
start of filming in Bayonne.
"When I arrived there, all the parts were laid out for me to view,"
he said. "The main problem was that everything was too new and looked
like it was all mail-ordered. I said, 'Unless the character is wealthy, this
is not typical of someone blue collar restoring a car in his kitchen and garage.'
So I had to find older parts, maintain authenticity, and even 'age' the parts
they already had. They wanted someone like me who knows Mustangs to say,
'Now, that is what my garage motor rebuild looks like' without any
reservations."
Product placement for the club
When the film comes out
June 29, Malgapo won't be looking for aliens or Tom Cruise, but for the
pictures of his own car and his club's logo and trophies, as well as his tool
box and other personal items he loaded into the set. This is a rare tip of
the hat to the car club since Spielberg is very meticulous about controlling
the product placement in his movies.
"The windowsill in the kitchen was littered with trophies I had won at
car shows and racing my own Mustang, and I hope to see [them] all in the
movie," Malgapo said. "I am hoping that if anything, people will
realize that Mustangs are great cars and a great part of American heritage. I
am all about promoting our club, which is full of great people with the same
interest. I had a club t-shirt and a membership card for Tom Cruise, but was
unable to give it to him. I figured it was the least I could do to make him
an honorary member, since his character was supposed to be a member of our
club."
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