Shannon's Rainbow (also listed as Amazing Racer) is a 2009 American independent family film directed by Frank E. Johnson. It stars Julianne Michelle and Claire Forlani.ftvdb.org, Shannon's Rainbow at BFI, accessed 12-29-2008kdka.com , by John Shumway, "Larry Richert Plays Key Role In Making Major Movie", accessed 12-29-2008charlesdenler.com, "Music Awards and recodnitions", accessed 01-05-2009Pittsburgh Tribune Review , by Michael Machosky (June 24, 2008), "Pittsburgh film production boom continues", accessed 12-29-2008
The film stars Julianne Michelle as a grieving teenager who relocates to southwestern Pennsylvania to live with her estranged mother, finding therapeutic solace in caring for an injured harness racing horse.
The production was managed by the independent studio Supernova Media, which Michelle owned and operated alongside her parents, Joycelyn Engle (the studio's vice president and a producer) and Joseph Di Palma (who provided corporate backing). Shot on location in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area on an estimated production budget of $8.5 million, principal photography was completed in mid-2008.
The script was written by John Mowod and Larry Richert and based on Mowod's experience seeing his brother rehabilitate an injured horse and win a championship horse race.USTA Newsroom, by Evan Pattak (June 27, 2008), "The Meadows is key locale for movie", accessed 12-29-2008 The movie bypassed a commercial theatrical release entirely, resulting in no box office earnings, and was released via home media and digital video on demand (VOD) in 2013.
Plot Following the sudden death of her father, 17-year-old Shannon (Julianne Michelle) learns that her father had kept her hidden from her mother Christine since birth. Shannon relocates from Florida to Pennsylvania to live with Christine. She gets involved in the lives of Christine's boyfriend Eric and his family. They have a stables that works in harness racing and have been bringing along a filly named Rainbow who takes very strongly to Shannon.
Eric and those around him are targets of a spiteful grudge held by the rich Mitchell Prescott who buys the filly for $15,000 in a claiming race. Mitchell runs Rainbow into the ground, having her beaten until nearly dead for the sin of having a mind of her own and visibly preferring Shannon, then sells her off to the knackers. Eric tracks down the horse en route to the location where Rainbow is due to be slaughtered and buys her back for $400. The filly is returned to Shannon's care and a trainer with a murky past (Max) is given the task to return her to health. They move Rainbow to a neighboring farm to train her to racing fitness while avoiding a spy at Parker stables. The culmination is at the Pennsylvania Cup harness race.
Cast
Production Principal photography began on June 23, 2008, with an estimated production budget of $8.5 million. The film was directed by Frank E. Johnson, and shot across the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
Development The movie's primary production studio and international distributor, Supernova Media, was wholly owned, operated, and controlled as its President by Michelle alongside her parents, Joycelyn Engle and Joseph A. Di Palma.
Her mother, Joycelyn Engle, was the company's vice president, and one of the film's main credited on-set producers. Her father, Joseph Di Palma, additionally provided corporate backing and financial management for the production.
Release: home video The film did not have a theatrical release, resulting in no box office earnings. It was officially re-titled Amazing Racer for its commercial rollout, and instead, the movie was released on DVD and digital VOD on January 8, 2013, a number of years after it was filmed.
Reception Because the film did not have a theatrical release and distributed directly to home video, it did not receive extensive coverage from major national news publications.
Common Sense Media graded the film two out of five stars. It said that the production was highly formulaic and predictable, and that the central dramatic weight threatened to become "mawkish and overblown."
See also List of films about horses List of films about horse racing Awakened – A 2013 drama film also produced by Supernova Media starring Julianne Michelle and managed by her parents.
References
External links
Shannon's Rainbow at New York Times Shannon's Rainbow at Fluge Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "British actress enjoyed time with good ol' boys"post-gazette.com, accessed 12-29-2008 KDKA Television: "Larry On The Job: Movie Director"kdka.com , accessed 12-29-2008