Initial Screening of “1000 to 1” makes a great first impression
Photo Credit: Google Images
By Kris McCormick, Staff Writer
On Thursday Sept. 26, 2013, the Board of Trustees and President Janet Morgan Riggs convened inside Cinema 1 of the Majestic Theatre to enjoy a private screening of the newly released film, “1000 to 1,” which was shot on campus during the fall semester of 2012. The movie was written to chronicle the life of Cory Weissman ‘13 and his journey back to the basketball court after a stroke.
Okay, I have to warn you, I went into this movie highly skeptical. As the best friend of a girl who suffered a stroke, three seizures and is currently back in the hospital, I know what it is like to have someone you care deeply about affected by this sort of tragedy. I know how hard it is, and she has not gotten a movie about her struggles. Also, I hated how filming clogged campus last year. I was over the movie before it even got started, and was prepared to hate it with all that I had.
Turns out, the movie was a lot better than I initially expected. No, this is not a major blockbuster, but that was never the goal. They wanted to tell the true story, and they really did.
The movie sets as realistic a tone as possible. Local residents and students at the College cannot possibly get lost because the whole film was shot within the scope of the town and campus, so the set is very recognizable. Endless familiar faces can be spotted at any given time. While this may be distracting at times, this is a reminder that the story was REAL and happened HERE. Yes, at times the lines, action, and cinematography get a bit cheesy, but they are too realistic to be ignored. The intimate emotional connection amongst the Weissman family members and good friend “Pops” Trelease couldn’t have been represented in a more believable fashion and brought the trauma of the experience home to the audience.
During the conclusion, the film focuses on Cory’s final game and his famous free throw in which he scored his one and only point in college basketball. The scene features the actual people that each character played. The ending elucidated the strength and values of the Gettysburg community, displaying us at our best.
Final rating = it is Gettysburg Great.
