“Madison” move co-author Scott Bindley (left) and actor Frank Knapp sign autographs in Madison, Ind., in April 2002

Movie ‘Madison’ release moved to Oct. 25, officials say

By Don Ward, Editor
(July 2002)

MADISON, Ind. – With the return of the Madison Regatta, many are wondering when the movie “Madison,” filmed here in 1999, will be released.
An independent film crew, led by director and co-script author Bill Bindley of Indianapolis, spent much of the summer and fall in Madison recreating race scenes and filming dramatic scenes on Main Street and other area locations. Some scenes were shot during the 1999 Regatta to capture the crowd excitement and look of the river valley as it appeared in 1971.
The movie is a dramatic retelling of the late Jim McCormick’s storybook victory in the 1971 Madison Regatta aboard the community owned hydroplane, the Miss Madison. The film stars actors Jim Caviezel (“Count of Monte Cristo,” “High Crimes”) as McCormick and Jake Lloyd (“Star Wars – the Phantom Menace”) as McCormick’s son, Mike. It also stars actors Paul Dooley, Bruce Dern and Mary McCormack.
After several previous announcements of possible release dates and playing to premier audiences at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival and 2001 Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis, fans are still waiting.
Many had hoped the film would he released Aug. 23 when a distribution deal with the recently formed Premiere Marketing and Distribution Group was announced last winter. But that date was abandoned when a new deal was struck last spring with MGM to release the film in more than 2,000 theaters nationwide sometime this fall. The tentative date has been set for Oct. 25, according to sources, to avoid conflicts with some other films that MGM had already scheduled to release in August.
A new trailer for the movie is expected to begin running nationally in late July, sources say. The trailer could possibly be shown at this year’s Regatta. The hydroplane racing boat that represented the vintage Miss Madison is scheduled to appear at the Regatta, with Dave Williams set to drive the craft on the Ohio River. Williams, executive director of the Hydroplane Race Boat Museum in Seattle, drove the craft during the filming of the movie.
Bill’s brother, Scott Bindley, the script’s other co-author, appeared in Madison in April and announced the change of plans for the distribution with MGM. He said the deal is good news because of MGM’s more established reputation in the industry. But it meant fans would have to wait a little longer.
Both Bindleys attended Northwestern University. The movie script began as a college project for Scott Bindley. A decade later, Bill Bindley obtained financing to make the movie.
Hoosier-born rock star John Mellencamp narrates the opening of the film and may write an original song for the soundtrack.
Madison city officials are gearing up for a celebration and opening premier, possibly on the riverfront.

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