MovieChat Forums > Taps (1981) Discussion > the 'real' TAPS...

the 'real' TAPS...

posted 18 years ago by geoffreycdash
10 replies | jump to latest

I was a cadet during the filming back in 81. Although it was fun to watch the process, and the food was great, it really disrupted our routine. We had a lot of extra work added to our busy schedules and started to complain that we were unpaid for our work. Gen. Pearson (the real commadant)started denying full-time access to cadets.

George C. Scott was a really nice man. He'd walk around the campus, stop and talk to cadets and say hello to everyone passing by. Tim Hutton rode around on a golf cart and wouldn't give you the time of day. The others I don't remember.

The scene where Hutton/Moreland is having a memorial for the commadant and he's laying the sabre at the base of the flag pole, we cadets (about 100)were about 50' away, watching them film. Each time they'd do it, we'd start to sniff and sob. Hutton got so mad and started to whine that we were told to leave.

A few night shoots had the barracks (where most scenes were shot) full of lighting. The wires and lights smoked so much that we could sneak cigarettes without being noticed.

Here's a fact... If real condo developers wanted that school back then, we would have gladly given it to them and walked away.

[–] stormrider54 18 years ago

LOL
I woulda Effed with Hutton till he REALLY cried

We can't stop here; this is bat country!!!

[–] senorshea 18 years ago

Its a great flick. That being said, wouldn't it have just been easier
to ignore the cadets and just wait them out? Granted- that's not a
movie, but if such a situation was to occur in real life, that would be
the best option, no? I tried to post this and I got a message saying
that I did not have 10 lines - what do they want - a novel

[–] TheDeece 18 years ago

Hey, the way things are going at dear old VF these days, they just might get the whole campus at foreclosure. Of course "COL" Tom Medearis will still be there to creep off any developers. Maybe he will jump out of the bushes as always.

They still tell tales around there if you talk to the right people about how Hutton was scared to death of Medearis and Baker. General Sanelli once told me about how Baker had him shaking in his boots for chewing gum on his beloved campus. Hutton was/is a no talent hack, so I just love how snobby he was during filming as he tried so pathetically to imitate us and act hard. Give that kid a nice parade around May in Full Dress under arms and he would have been the first one to drop. Sorry Tim, where did your "career" go?

As for the DVD, I will be one of the first to purchase it when it comes out simply to see what kind of restoration work and special features they came up with for the "Special Edition." My original copy on VHS is going on 15 years old now and doesn't exactly play right anymore. It's obligatory that any VF alumni own it, they even made us watch it during the first week of plebe system. At least, they did many years ago when I paid my dues.

[–] ceebeegee 18 years ago

Timothy Hutton won an Academy Award. I really don't think he's as obsessed as some cadets seem to be about the events of some 20 years ago. He has an Academy Award.

[–] SDsZ28 18 years ago

Wow, real discipline and bearing there.

A credit to the institution. Of course, that's probably why you are likely to only have played soldier and not ever actually done it.

[–] kellbell-6 18 years ago

can anyone tell me what the word Taps stands for.? p.s. good film.

[–] Gravity06 18 years ago

"Taps" is a song; it doesn't stand for anything.

It's usually played at military funerals.

WAV file:

http://www.usmemorialday.org/audio/taps.wav

My MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/sevenslave

[–] coolaree 14 years ago

ahh thanks for the answer I was going to ask that as well.
I for one thought Hutton was pretty good in this movie, but I havent seen his other films..

[–] midwffan 14 years ago

This is one of the best posts I have read. It almost makes me think that there should be a new topic in IMDB called “Observations from non film associated observers”.

Thanks. Your comments were entertaining.

[–] 14 years ago

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