Nevada: Shoot 6 of the ESPN feature doc based on Richard Moore’s book SLAYING THE BADGER [see earlier posts], produced by John Battsek at Passion Pictures. Director John Dower and I started this film during an icy cold Minnesota winter, at the Lemond residence in early March. Fitting then that, after a summer of traipsing around Europe, we should end it back in the U.S - only this time in the desert hills around Reno, where Greg Lemond grew up. After a stunning 650 mile drive through the desert from Vegas to Reno, we caught up with Greg at his father's house, nestled up in the foothills below Lake Tahoe. Bob Lemond is a very sprightly young 70-something and personifies everything one associates with Great American Decency - we love the Lemonds! He gave us a great interview about Greg's early years, and on being his son's manager. Greg was visiting his old man for the weekend and so we interviewed him at length the following day. We got to fill in a few blanks and he gave us, among other things, a vivid account of his infamous shooting accident. We also picked up a nice scene of him dropping in on old mentor and legendary frame builder, Roland Della Santa. With just a few quick words from Phil Ligget and some shots of Alpe D'Huez to go, the filming is rapidly drawing to a close. John and his trusty editor Nick Packer are working all hours to make the Sundance deadline....
