Condor’s Nest: A World War II thriller feathered right here in Greensboro

In June 1944, American o cer Will Spalding (Jacob Keohane) watched in horror as the surviving members of his downed B-17 bomber were systematically murdered by Martin Bach (Arnold Vosloo), a ruthless SS colonel, in a French field.

A decade later, Will is in South America, having systematically tracked Bach’s whereabouts. His intent is simple — to exact revenge upon Bach, who fled there along with thousands of Nazis after the end of World War II and the fall of the Third Reich. To locate his quarry, Will is forced to form an uneasy alliance with Albert Vogel (Al Pagano), an expatriate German scientist who was involved in the construction of an atomic bomb, and Leyna Rahn (Corinne Britti), an agent with the Israeli Mossad charged with bringing Vogel to justice for war crimes.

The adventure they embark on is depicted in Condor’s Nest, an action-packed thriller written, produced, and directed by Phil Blattenberger. It’s the stu of many a wartime adventure, filled with twists and turns, double- and triple-crosses, and some shocking revelations. The film, which opens Friday, also features such notables as Jackson Rathbone, James Urbaniak, Bruce Davison, and Michael Ironside.

When it came to recreating the foreign locations required for this ambitious project, Blattenberger — a Greensboro native — didn’t have to look far. That’s right: A great deal of Condor’s Nest was filmed in Greensboro and the surrounding area.

“I think our art department did a tremendous job of making interior locations pass for South American locales, and editor Nico Alba did wonderful work in cutting the movie so the big South American exterior establishing shots set up the following interiors. Of course, the big opening scene with the crashed plane and farmhouse — that’s eastern North Carolina passing convincingly for France. I’m thrilled with how it all turned out!”

When he cast his leading man, Blattenberger didn’t have to look far either, having previously worked with Keohane on Point Man, a 2018 Vietnam War drama partially filmed in Greensboro (that time passing for Saigon!). In Condor’s Nest, Keohane is the anchor. While other characters are more animated, eccentric or flat-out psy- chotic, Will Spalding is stoically resolute in his obsession. He has nothing to live for — except revenge.

“Jacob had a huge load on his back, having to internalize in the movie’s timeline 10 years of rage and guilt and self-loathing, and then channel that into a full-throated mission, blinders and all,” Blattenberger said. “All credit to Jacob for doing the hard work there. I think he pulled it o brilliantly.”

Blattenberger was also pleased to secure the services of the better-known actors mentioned above.

“There’s so much color in Michael Ironside,” he said. “They’re so much gravitas in Arnold Vosloo, taking on the cloak of an irredeemable Nazi, so much life in Bruce Davison playing a skeptical archaeologist in the center of a near-farcical discussion of Nazi diaspora theories. And Jackson Rathbone, Twilight icon, as a twisted … well, I don’t want to spoil it. Condor’s Nest is really a success story in a lot of ways. The actors we cast and their constituent performances are absolutely riveting. We’re happy, and we think audiences will be, too.”

Pagano and Britti are not as well-known but occupy more significant roles in the film, and Blattenberger couldn’t be more pleased with their performances as well. Pagano, playing a German, hails from New York, and Britti, playing an Israeli, hails from Winston-Salem.

“We wanted to ‘discover’ actors for those roles,” Blattenberger revealed. “Al is a ‘one-take wonder’ and an absolute master of movement, which I think really helps push his characterization of the slippery, two-faced Albert Vogel to the next level. You can’t take your eyes o him. And Corinne — unbelievable instincts as an actor, unteachably good. She terrified us in the audition. I love her character’s arc and I think she took on that mantle wonderfully.”

Condor s Nest is being released Friday “but unfortunately not in the Piedmont Triad,” he said. “However, it’s on-demand to buy or rent digitally anywhere digital content is sold: Dish, Spectrum, Comcast, Apple TV, Amazon, Vudu — the works!”

As for toiling in the Tarheel State, “North Carolina remains a wonderful place to shoot a movie,” Blattenberger said. “The infrastructure is still here and productions are beginning to return at a rapid pace. Condor’s Nest was composed almost entirely of location shoots, so we utilized the geographical diversity of the state to cover passable bits of South America. Local film commissions were enormously useful, including Rebecca Clark, who set us up with a crucial last-minute interior location in Mt. Airy that remains one of our favorite sets in the entire movie!”

“I love assisting North Carolina filmmakers and helping them to keep their business, jobs, and dollars in the state,” said Clark, the executive director of the Piedmont Triad Film Commission (PTFC).

“That is why I was thrilled when Phil called me looking for a couple of specific sites he was having trouble finding. Right away I knew two perfect spots for him that I had in our online location database including one of the coolest warehouse spaces around — “the Steelhouse” in Greensboro — and the upstairs of a store in downtown Mount Airy. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product!”

Blattenberger’s next project is the Cold War-era crime drama Without Consequence, which he plans to shoot this fall in New Mexico. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies © 2022, Mark Burger.

BY KEN NOCITO

The Piedmont Wind Symphony kicks o 2023 with inspiring and exciting concerts. On Saturday, February 11, Lindsay Kesselman, soprano, sings American composer John Corigliano’s powerful Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan alongside the Piedmont Wind Symphony. Corigliano set lyrics from seven of Bob Dylan’s well-known songs, including Blowin’ in the Wind, All Along the Watchtower, and Chimes of Freedom, to contemporary symphonic music. A fantastic and exuberant Prologue precedes five searching and reflective monologues that form the core of the piece; and the Epilogue: Forever Young, makes a kind of folk-song benediction after the cycle’s close. Dramatically, the inner five songs trace a journey of emotional and civic maturation for a very moving musical experience. The concert is at 7:30 pm at the Brendle Recital Hall on the campus of Wake Forest University.

During the same concert, the Piedmont Wind Symphony also will perform James Barnes’ personal Third Symphony, commissioned by the US Air Force Band. The “Tragic” Symphony forms from the composer’s deepest despair in losing his baby daughter Natalie and progresses to the brightness, fulfillment, and joy of his son Billy being born a year later. It’s a moving piece and an emotional concert you won’t want to miss!

Later this spring, the Piedmont Wind Symphony will turn back time to become The Sousa Band! Experience a fantastic evening of riveting marches, patriotic favorites, and virtuosic soloists led by John Philip Sousa specialist and Conductor Emeritus at UNCG, Dr. John R. Locke. The symphony and guest conductor will be dressed in full Sousa-era costumes. The hall will be decorated to resemble the days of Sousa’s band as it traveled around the world to packed and enthusiastic audiences. Along with guest conductor/Sousa impersonator

John will join the band. The concert takes place Saturday, April 22, at 7:30 pm at Wait Chapel on the campus of Wake Forest University. n 1999 Columbine was an anomaly, but a decade later, school shootings were becoming almost commonplace. Gun-toting students and former students acted out their rage in places like Sandy Hook, Parkland, and Uvalde. But while school massacres continued to grab headlines, singlevictim shootings often flew under the media radar. Some confrontations were initiated by high school gang members, but increasingly gun violence in the classroom is being perpetrated by younger and younger children, and that brings me to the recent incident at Richneck Elementary school in Newport News, Virginia.

Led by music director Mark Norman, the Piedmont Wind Symphony delivers diverse yet captivating performances each season in collaboration with local/ national artists and award-winning composers. With repertoire ranging from the classics, pops, big band, and more, the music is sure to inspire you!

For more information on the upcoming concerts and to purchase tickets, visit: www.piedmontwindsymphony. com.

ARTS COUNCIL is the chief advocate of the arts and cultural sector in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Our goal is to serve as a leader in lifting up, creating awareness and providing support to grow and sustain artistic, cultural and creative o erings throughout our region We acknowledge that it takes every voice, every talent, and every story to make our community a great place to live, work, and play. Arts Council is committed to serving as a facilitator, organizer, and promoter of conversations that are authentic, inclusive, and forward-thinking. There are over 800,000 art experiences taking place in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County annually. To learn more about upcoming arts and culture events happening in our community please visit www.cityofthearts.com.

IOn Friday, January 6, 25-year-old Abigail Zwerner was conducting her firstgrade class when a six-year-old male student pulled a 9mm semi-automatic Taurus handgun out of his backpack and deliberately shot her. The bullet went through her hand and into her chest. Though critically wounded, Zwerner managed to move the other students to safety while another school employee restrained the young shooter until police arrived. The gun, as it turns out, belonged to the boy’s mother who, despite her attorney’s denial, had not properly secured the weapon. Had she done so, her 6-year-old son wouldn’t have had access to the gun. Speaking of that irresponsible woman, she later said that her son has a disability that requires a parent to be with the boy at school every day. But guess what? She wasn’t with him on the day of the shooting. There’s a lot to unpack from this incident, and its impact on the national debate regarding everything from gun safety and parental responsibility, to