The Batman Begins set reports (spoilers ahead!) continue with word from ‘heaven N hell’ on the Amstutz filming…
Well, it’s about 11:20pm and I just got back from the filming at the Amstutz in Waukegan. They shot a pretty cool chase scene involving the tumbler weaving in and out of traffic with a helicopter’s spotlight chasing it. Since I was only there for half an hour, that was really the only action I saw. The copter had ‘POLICE’ written on it and kept going back and forth down the empty highway and around the area while shining the spotlight all over the place. The area around the highway is pretty much all industrial with a Metra train station. There was train parked at the station with all of it’s interior lights on and it was there the whole time.
‘gothamite’ also said…
Went Downtown again last night just after dark. A scene was being shot over the Chicago River at the Columbus Avenue Bridge involving a Gotham Police helicopter. The helicopter came down extremely low, moving from one point to another and spotlighting the bridge. It appeared to be searching for something. There was a car sitting in the southbound lane that started to creep forward slowly. All of a sudden, a dark vehicle streaked across the bridge in the northbound lane. We had been restricted to viewing from the Michigan Avenue bridge so we were pretty far off, but I was watching with binoculars and am pretty certain that it was the Batmobile. Of course it was…what else would it be?!
And ‘spanish39’ has sent in another big update on the above filming…
What I can tell you is that tonight I arrived downtown at Stetson, I think it was Stetson, and Wacker were they were filming some more chase scenes. Right off the canal or the River. Apparently I missed some helicopter scenes earlier for a chase. The Tumbler was flying out from underneath this tunnel though still, (what I think was Stetson), and driving across the jaw bridge across the Chicago River and stopped just a block on the other side. Then it came back towards us slowly, he even blinked his lights at us on his last pass back. Got a good glimpse of the car out running the po-po.
Then we started walking down Stetson, after they were done, towards these ramps that the chase scene was starting out from for the earlier scene. It turns out that this 3rd level street that the ramps went down to was the filming pit. It was a long walk to just go for it but when I was thinking about sneeking down the same PA guy I talked to last night came up, he was headed down there for the next scenes it turns out. He said, “You should sneek down if you can.”, so I bolted for the first chance. Me and my girlfriend started walking down there amd I snapped some pics of the tumbler just sitting in the middle of all this equipment and cameras. It was great. Wait till you see the pics. One guy said careful, they will take your film away. He was with the crew to. Unfortunatly I could litteraly only snap a few pics, I was more concerned about staying down there myself, for my own eyes to see. The PA guy was like, “Look, your on the set of a major Hollywood movie.”, I was just smiling and making it last as long as I could. The PA was cool with me cause we talked about how to be a PA or Grip even and where I can go and how I’m taking TCOM and blah, blah, blah. I was fine…..fine till I looked over, till I looked to my life and spotted guess who? None other Mr. Nolan himself. I didn’t know what to do and the PA was telling me to keep it cool and blend in. I figured Nolan would have figured rather quickly that I was not supposed to be there. He was litteraly like 5 feet from me. I figured if anyone kicks me out, let him do it. He didn’t say anything and I tried not to be obvious. He was just walking around drinking something out of his black mug. Then the PA came up said they just asked about me about you, I had to cross the street to were the camera crew was and it felt like such a long lonely alk for both of us, I felt like I stuck out bad. As soon as I get to the other side this other PA said he was sorry and he knew the guy told me I could come over but he had to clear the area, so I left.
So know I’m back on Stetson, there is a path they have made now. The Tumbler is sitting up over this entrance (ramp) leading down to the 3rd level (lower Michigan I think, the filming pit)where it U-turns to the entrance leading back up to Stetson where it makes another U-turn in the middle of the road and comes back to the first entrance that it started at, a big circle. I thought they were done filming so I snuk up and took some pictures of this puppy up close and personal, the back the top and yes, the hatch was wide open. I got a good pic of the drivers seat in this baby. Then I was yelled at by a lady cop and I kind of just blew her off, hey no one said I couldn’t go over there right? Oh, and back were the film pit was, (director chairs, wardrobe, etc…), was a stripped down Tumbler, wonder what it’s for, or if maybe they are just done with it. Either way they tarped it quickly, don’t worry, I got a pic.
So I felt like leaving cause I thought they were done. I go to my car andas I leave the garage, it’s the one right next to filming, I pull out and I drive right through filming. Mr. Nolan was standing right there, doing nothing but enjoying his drink. I yelled out, “Your the man Mr. Nolan!”, and was quickly honked at and told to continue moving. I parked by a meter and came back cause I knew they were not done filming. I watched one more scene being filmed. What happened was, the Tumbler started down the ramp again but this time instead of being chased by a GPD car, it was a camera truck. The Tumbler roars down this ramp, barley misses a bus and a car and does a 180, then continues to fly up the next ramp on the same path described before, except this time we were right next to it. I was almost hit by the Batmobile man! The PA said NO pictures. But yours truly would not let them keep me from getting what I wanted, you will see soon. At least till some lady told on me, I left on my own to save face. Took a couple more pics from far away and called it a night.
I just couldn’t resist telling what I witnesed. I wish I had my computer to share the wealth. I have 5 digital pics left and one more day to visit. One little tid bit I forgot to mention earlier, Halle Berry was on the set just cause she was seeing what was going on. PA said it was just cause Batman, Catwoman, you know. Pics up soon, get to Chicago, it’s GREAT here! I almost got hit by the Batmobile man!!!!!! Life is great.
Source: Superhero Hype!
