Jaded about 'Killshot'

By now, I wonder how many people have become jaded to the whole "Killshot" ordeal. My interest and patience seem to have died long ago as I waited, waited and waited for more word of the film and exactly what Cape Girardeau's final role would be.

Late last week, we found out, maybe.

If you're someone who still cares about the John Madden-directed, Quentin Tarantino-produced film that used Cape Girardeau for scenery in January 2006, then no doubt you noticed the news. Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle, a friend of "Killshot" book author Elmore Leonard, says Leonard told him the name Cape Girardeau will not be mentioned in the movie and substantial Cape Girardeau screen time has been cut, along with Johnny Knoxville.

Darn.

I was right in the middle of the action when "Killshot" mania devoured Cape Girardeau for those few days. As a reporter I like to look like I'm jaded, like I don't get excited about celebrities and the like, but I must say even I felt a little rush of excitement watching the stars do their work that first day of filming.

The excitement didn't last long, as the "Killshot" filming soon became a burden and a bore for some of us in the newsroom.

If you were there for any of the filming, you noticed the unwavering enthusiasm with which the city welcomed Hollywood. Our arms were open, our heads crazed with our celebrity obsession. I've heard people say the filming was an embarrassment for Cape Girardeau as we went ga-ga over the stars who, in reality, are just people.

I'm not so sure we embarrassed ourselves. After all, these people probably get the same sort of treatment everywhere they go, except maybe L.A.

As the months dragged on and still no word on "Killshot" came -- if you remember, the film had to do reshoots, original test audiences didn't like the film, etc. -- and we all sat here wondering if the movie would ever even see the light of day. Now we find out it probably will, just without as much Cape Girardeau as we hoped for.

Those same people who said Cape Girardeau embarrassed itself with its celebrity obsession are probably laughing their heads off, perceiving enhanced shame for the local masses now that Hollywood has decided Cape Girardeau's name, and its Main Street, only muddy up the film's plot. Disappointment, yes; embarrassment, not really.

For someone like me who's waited and waited to hear something about "Killshot," the newest news really isn't news at all. I've simply been waiting, not very anxiously, to hear that Cape Girardeau won't even appear in the film at all. That likely won't be the case, as some of our scenery will probably at least be part of the film.

But after all this waiting, does it really matter?

Even without the wait, what would it matter if Cape Girardeau was mentioned by name in "Killshot"? Maybe hearing those two words uttered on screen would just be a little morsel to satisfy our own vanity, or to boost our community pride.

Regardless of what significance hearing the words "Cape Girardeau" on film would actually have for us locals, the fact is it probably wouldn't mean much to anybody else. Movie after movie is shot every year, using locations that are probably similar to Cape Girardeau. Do you notice those towns? Probably not.

And if Cape Girardeau were mentioned in "Killshot," would that bring more big Hollywood features here to shoot? Again, probably not. Cape Girardeau's not a famous American city (though it is a nice small town) and won't become one overnight just because of a Hollywood crime film.

Not saying Hollywood won't visit us again, because they might if the scenery is right, but they won't come here because the city's name was or wasn't spoken in "Killshot."

Here's the importance of "Killshot" and its time here: We banked a big chunk of cash, about $700,000, at the expense of Hollywood. Not bad. They've got too much money, anyway, so a little wealth redistribution can't hurt.

And maybe even more important, the filming created some cool memories for a lot of people in Cape Girardeau and elsewhere. Just ask the little preteen girls who got autographs from Johnny Knoxville, or the bartender who served him tequila. I'll bet it makes little difference to them if the name Cape Girardeau is mentioned in "Killshot," or even how much screen time our quaint little town enjoys.

Matt Sanders is the Arts & Leisure editor for the Southeast Missourian and the editor of OFF Magazine.