Published: September 29, 2009 04:04 pm      

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: WNY becomes filmmaking hotbed

All of a sudden, the Buffalo-Niagara region has become a hotbed of sorts for moviemakers.

Fresh on the heels of the announcement that Keanu Reeves was starring in a film to be shot in Western New York (he was seen scouting locations recently in North Tonawanda), the Hollywood Reporter reported that Dennis Hopper, Scott Caan, Tricia Helfer and J.K. Simmons will come to Niagara Falls later this month to begin shooting their own project.

The foursome will star in “A Beginner’s Guide to Endings,” a dark comedy written and directed by Falls native Jonathan Sobol. The film centers on three brothers who look to correct the mistakes they’ve made during life after learning that they only have a few days left to live.

The paper said that the film “is something of an homage to (Sobol’s) hometown,” without elaborating. Shooting will begin the last week of October.

Reeves’ film, “Henry’s Crime,” about a toll booth worker wrongly accused of robbing a Buffalo bank, will begin shooting in November. In addition to Webster Street, he also examined several jails and other sites in Erie County.

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Buffalonians are among the least-accident prone people in the nation, according to a recent magazine report.

Men’s Health recently released a list ranking the largest 100 U.S. cities in terms of the propensity of accidents occurring in them. The rankings took into account fatal workplace accidents; accidental deaths from car crashes, poisoning, drowning, falls and fires; emergency room visits; and bandage sales.

In earning an A-, Buffalo/Niagara tied for second place on the list with Los Angeles, Hartford, Conn., and Burlington, Vt. Leading the way was Rochester, which earned an A+. Eleven cities were tied at the bottom with F grades, including Kansas City, Mo., and Nashville, Tenn.

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A local native had nothing but good things to say about a recent work-related return to the area.

Niagara Falls native Joe Dorgan was back in town to take part in a professional wrestling match. The grappler, who performs under the name Johnny Swinger, was the recipient of a mayoral proclamation.

“Now that I have my own holiday, maybe I should move back,” he told the Canadian Web site Slam Sports.

Having wrestled for every major wrestling company at some point — including a stint with WWE as Johnny Parisi — he maintains a home in the South. He wrestles in a regional organization in Georgia and dabbles in acting, including roles in a Lifetime Movie Network film. He will consider returning home again to wrestle, he said, but for now is “just going to continue doing what I’m doing and see where the acting takes me.”

Contact Paul Laneat 693-1000, ext. 116.