Memorial Hall Stars in Movie Preview of "Accepted"

Greetings

Well, you knew I couldn’t just STOP gabbing. Right?

OK, so for those of you who were receiving my e-mails last year (my Huntington Beach Public Library friends)…remember this month last year when Roger and I were both talking about the Chapman University transformation to Harmon College? And you were getting images like this from us?

Well, last Sunday, when Don and I were sitting in a theater at the newly constructed (well, within the last year anyway) Bella Terra in Huntington Beach, waiting for “Superman Returns” to fill the screen, a preview came on featuring a bunch of rowdy students, behind which was this very distinctive building; distinctive primarily because it is smothered with starbursts. I instantly recognized the design as a symbol Chapman uses to denote vision. I remembered reading about the design back in 2004 when I was waiting to hear about the job I’d applied for there. I see that design every day, every where.

I didn’t nudge Don because I’m such a self-doubter that I wanted to run home and check the Internet’s IMDb site for a movie called “Accepted” and see if it mentions anything about Chapman, or rather Harmon, to confirm what I thought I knew. It did. It is! (But then, how could I have ever doubted?) It wasn't until I'd done this that I told Don about it, and of course he'd long forgotten the silly preview.

I took my camera to work the next day to photograph the building (Memorial Hall) that you couldn't see in last year's pictures of the movie set---but that is so prominent in the scene we were seeing in the preview, so that when you see the movie you too can be excited.

I don’t know why I should be thrilled to see a building I’m familiar with in a movie, as though it were an actor, but I am. The movie looks a bit like a “Ferris Buhler’s Day Off” kind of goofy comedy, but I will have to see it. Maybe it will make it’s way to the inexpensive ($2.00 matinee $3.00 post-matinee) Charter theater in Huntington Beach (Beach Blvd and Warner). If it does, we’ll be there! If it doesn’t, will you tell me if you see it and let me know if it’s even a little worth spending real money on?

Thanks!
TTFN (ta-ta-for-now),
Tracie

P.S. If this looks like a letter, it's because it is.

P.P.S. A co-worker inspired me to check the Chapman website to see if it was posted anywhere which movies had used Chapman as a location. I found this FAQ answer on Chapman's Admissions page. It doesn't profess to be all-inclusive, so there could be more. Also, it appears to include the Orange Circle because I recall the West Wing filming up the street a couple of blocks, but don't recall their actually coming on campus. Perhaps they were given permission to if they so chose, or they did come on campus and I just didn't know it. Anyway, here's Chapman's answer to an FAQ:

• History
  • Q: Have any famous people or significant events occurred on the Chapman Campus?
  • A: Numerous movies have been filmed on or near Chapman's campus, including:
    
    The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000)
    American Wedding (2003)
    Crimson Tide (1995)
    Havoc (2000)
    First Daughter (2004)
    Surviving Christmas (2004)
    That Thing You Do (1996)
    Accepted (2006)
    
    Also, various television shows have used Chapman's campus, including:
    
    The West Wing
    The Ghost Whisperer
    
    Chapman's campus was also used for an episode of "Hardball with Chris Matthews," featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, who also appeared on Chapman's campus for the groundbreaking of the Marion Knott Studios.