Film producers, stars Elle Fanning and Timothée Chalamet all the buzz
CAPE MAY — If you checked into Congress Hall late one night last week and didn’t pay much attention to some classic cars parked nearby, you may have looked out your hotel window the following morning to discover you woke up in the year 1965. On top of that, it appeared you were in Newport, R.I., instead of Cape May.
The town was dressed to resemble Newport for filming of a biopic about Bob Dylan at the Washington Street Mall and the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal.
The town was abuzz last week, filled with actors and extras for crowd scenes.
While film productions have visited Cape May over the past decade, most were low-budget movies that turned out to be box office flops.
Not likely this time. The movie is entitled “A Complete Unknown,” based on lyrics from Dylan’s song “Like A Rolling Stone.”
The movie stars Timothée Chalamet as a young Bob Dylan. The Newport Folk Festival was a turning point in Dylan’s career when he switched from acoustic guitar to an electric guitar, generating some boos from the audience.
Banners were hung on Congress Hall announcing the Newport Folk Festival. Buildings in town sported temporary signs with new names such as the Victorian Motel renamed the Viking Motel for the movie.
The Cape May-Lewes Ferry vessel Cape Henlopen was rebadged with a sign reading “Newport,” and was loaded with 60-year-old cars. Street signs were changed around the mall to reflect street names in Newport.
The Galvanic store on the Washington Street Mall became the Mayflower Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge.
Dozens of local residents found work as extras in the movie after driving to Jersey City two weeks ago for a costume fitting. The West Cape May Firehall became a location for makeup artists to do their work.
A line of period cars ranging from ’57 Chevys to a ’65 Ford Galaxie police car stretched for blocks along Beach Avenue. City-owned parking lots became headquarters for production trailers and dressing rooms.
Actor Ed Norton, who portrays folk music legend Pete Seeger in the film, was seen buying a cup of coffee in Coffee Tyme on the mall.
Elle Fanning, who portrays Dylan’s girlfriend in the film, was also seen filming near Congress Hall
“A Complete Unknown” is being directed by James Mangold, who also co-wrote the screenplay. The crew has been filming in other New Jersey cities as well. The plot follows Dylan from his first arrival in New York City at the age of 19.
Filming was delayed last July due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
“This film has been a dream for almost five years now and I am thrilled to start shooting and thankful for the support of Searchlight, Timothée and all the gifted actors who have come aboard to help create the unique world of this movie, set in such a pivotal moment of our culture and populated by such unique artists and characters,” Mangold told Deadline.com. “I am also profoundly grateful for the support of Bob Dylan and Jeff Rosen in helping Jay and me and the crew with their recollections, wisdom and access to their incredible archives.”
WorldofReel.com reported Chalamet recorded more than 70 percent of the songs in the movie in a studio in Burbank, Calif., hiring vocal coach Eric Vetro, who is known for training Austin Butler for “Elvis.”
While some may have complained about street closings for the movie production, in general, Cape May became starstruck for a few days with locals watching the filming of scenes from a distance and posting photos of the actors on social media.
– STORY by JACK FICHTER/Sentinel staff
– PHOTOS by BECCA BERGEN and JOHN COOKE/For the Sentinel