“I Heard the Bells” is without doubt one of the newest movies you’ll find on Pure Flix as a part of Nice American Christmas, and we couldn’t be extra excited to convey this immediate Christmas basic to our members.
The movie tells the inspiring true story behind the beloved Christmas carol and its creator, American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. And it’s clear from all of the behind-the-scenes footage, that the solid and crew had a blast making this movie and bringing its message of religion and hope to the display screen.
From “Check Run” to the Prime 10
You’d by no means guess after watching “I Heard the Bells” that it began out as an experiment of kinds. Not solely did the movie rake in hundreds of thousands of {dollars}, however it simply cracked the highest 10 on the field workplace throughout its December 2022 theater launch, capturing the hearts of viewers in every single place.
Remarkably, “I Heard the Bells” was the very first movie by manufacturing firm, Sight & Sound, which had made a reputation for itself over the previous few many years bringing highly effective tales from the pages of Scripture and historical past to life on stage. After they determined to provide movie a strive, they wanted the right story—and so they discovered it in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Learn Additionally: Study the True Story Behind the Traditional Christmas Carol in ‘I Heard the Bells’
“What it comes all the way down to is that this: Sight & Sound Movies needs to inform tales of figures and occasions from historical past that modified the world as a result of Christ first modified them,” stated co-writer and director of the movie, Josh Enck. “This was purported to be a brief movie that was simply going to be like a take a look at run for Sight & Sound and we ended up making the choice in all probability about three months into manufacturing to jot down extra scenes, shoot extra materials, make it a function size and simply go for it.”
Shot in Its Personal Yard
Sight & Sound shot the vast majority of the movie in its personal yard in Lancaster Nation, Pennsylvania. The Longfellow house was an area mattress and breakfast, which miraculously had a room that was almost the very same footprint, virtually all the way down to the sq. footage, of Longfellow’s research. The practice station scene was shot on the historic Strasburg Rail Highway, America’s oldest repeatedly working railroad. The crew even went to close by Gettysburg to shoot the pivotal Civil Conflict scenes.
However the crown jewel of the movie was the historic New Hope Church, which the Sight & Sound crew constructed from scratch by itself again lot. The war-torn church was an important a part of the opening of the movie and the crew labored to make sure each element was good—from the dusty pews to the damaged home windows and church bells laying on the ground.
“The eye to element is so essential to Sight & Sound,” Enck stated. “That is the primary movie set that we ever constructed and also you, for a second, simply imagine, like wow, we stepped again in time. And I imply, I couldn’t have been happier.”
The church was additionally the backdrop for the official music video of Sight & Sounds authentic model of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” which was sung by Rachel Day Hughes, who performs Fanny within the movie.
A Collaborative Effort
It was fairly clear from the start that everybody concerned in “I Heard the Bells” had a ardour to convey this story to life in an genuine approach, together with the actors, manufacturing crew to the wardrobe and make-up departments and extras. And so they all actually delivered.
“It was a surreal expertise to do as a lot analysis as we’ve got achieved on the Longfellow household after which to see these gifted actors carrying the costumes which can be interval acceptable after which put them within the place just like the Longfellow research,” Enck stated.
The crew additionally labored intently with Civil Conflict reenactors and the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Lancaster County so as to add to the movie’s historic accuracy.
“We’ve teamed up, working so much with some exterior companions to make this movie, it’s a collaborative effort,” Enck famous. “When that crew will get that imaginative and prescient, and so they begin including their professionalism to it, and you’ll’t stand in these scenes and consider simply your personal particular position, you see everybody’s fingerprints on it.”
Historic Figures Delivered to Life
However a really lovely movie wouldn’t be full with out the actors who introduced the characters to life in an genuine approach—particularly Longfellow himself, who’s a well-known historic determine.
“This wasn’t only a easy story to inform—it had numerous depth,” stated Stephan Atherton, who performs Longfellow. “Actually, studying a few of his works was the beginning. Studying his poetry and type of getting a really feel for his artistic genius. His journals have been an excellent useful resource for actually type of seeing into his struggles.”
The emotion of the story was one other essential facet of the movie, particularly contemplating every part the household went via, and it was as much as the solid to get these feelings throughout on the large display screen.
“As you dig into [Longfellow] as an individual and Fanny as an individual, their story and what they went via, it simply comes alive,” Hughes stated. “You actually simply fall in love with these individuals.”
Stream “I Heard the Bells” this Christmas on Nice American Pure Flix and be stuffed with hope as you watch this unimaginable true story come to life! And if you wish to see the complete BTS video of “I Heard the Bells,” signal as much as turn into a Premium member of Pure Flix.
