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In the summer of 1996, beautiful Grand Manan Island, in the middle of the Bay of Fundy, was literally a scene from a horror movie. Wind machines, fog and rain making equipment, movie cameras, huge dressing room trailers and set tents transformed the landscape as Hemoglobin, later known as Bleeders, was in production.
Like many other island residents, I landed a job as an extra in the movie.
For four long nights we shot scenes at Swallowtail Lighthouse. The “monsters” in the movie were light sensitive and the terrified women and children took refuge in the lighthouse. The keeper’s house, now the Swallowtail Inn B & B, was used as a waiting place between shoots, where the extras could rest, grab a snack, or even take a nap. During one of these breaks I happened to be chatting with summer resident, Mary McLintock. She was looking forward to the coming visits of her daughters, Deanne and Marilee. My son, Dan Van Nice, was living with me at the time, working as a pilot, and EMT. Somehow, we mothers got the idea of introducing our children.
Five years later, on August 4, 2001, filming took place once again at Swallowtail Lighthouse; but this time it was home videos of a double wedding.
After obtaining permission from the Coast Guard and paying the required insurance, the bridal parties were permitted to process from the lighthouse to a clearing between the light and keeper’s house. There Rev. Bob Campbell (the bride’s uncle) joined my son in marriage to Marilee McLintock, and her sister Deanne to Jack Murphy. It was a beautiful, hot August day and a most appropriate sequel to the events of five years earlier. Who would have dreamed of this romantic outcome of the filming of a tale of gothic horror?
To learn more about New Brunswick Lighthouses contact
New Brunswick Lighthouse Society
2 Brookside Lane
Long Reach, NB E5S 1W6
Website- www.lighthousesociety.f2s.com
This story appeared in the
January 2002 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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