Late For Dinner 1991. MGM, MGM/UA Video, Color, Aspect Ratio 1.85 : 1, 99 minutes, Rated PG Release Date: September 20, 1991 Late For Dinner is available at Amazon.com on DVD and VHS. Movie Synopsis: Two young men on the run from a crime they did not commit end up cryogenically frozen in California for 29 years, making them return home to Santa Fe, New Mexico, “late for dinner.” ~Aimee Cast: Peter Berg, Brian Wimmer, Marcia Gay Harden, Cassy Friel, Peter Gallagher Director: W.D. Richter Thoughts on the Movie: I have always loved Brian Wimmer, from the first time I saw him in China Beach. He has such an air of openness and honestly: sometimes to the the point of naiveté, which really works for his Late For Dinner 1960s idealist character. And I love the sweetness of this movie, despite the fact that the plot is thick where it should be thin, and vice-versa. Personally, I would have loved to see a fast-forward through the whole first hour: how they got frozen, defrosted, and returned to Santa Fe. I would have been far more interested in seeing the development of the movie when it ends. Exploring the idea of a woman falling back in love with (literally) the man she thought was lost nearly 30 years before, would have made for some very interesting storytelling. But the movie is fun nonetheless, and of course, being shot in part in New Mexico is a real bonus. ~Aimee Location Site: Black Mesa, San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico (see Map) Black Mesa is a volcanic outcropping, which lies just north of the San Ildefonso Pueblo and can be viewed from State Highway 502. It is seen in the distance in one of the opening scenes of Late for Dinner, showing a New Mexico highway. Right: The beautiful Black Mesa, in Northern New Mexico, is located between the Pojoaque Pueblo and Los Alamos. It actually is a part of the San Ildefonso Pueblo. This distinctive landmark is beloved by those who live in the area, and it can be seen for miles around in all four directions. It was on top of Black Mesa that San Ildefonso, along with other Pueblo people from the area, successfully held off Spanish soldiers, who laid siege on the natural stronghold during their reconquest of New Mexico in 1694. About San Ildefonso Pueblo: San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico (population 458; elevation 5,548 feet; 35° 53’ 52” N, 106° 7’ 19” W) is located at the foot of the Parajito Platau, 8 miles east of Los Alamos and 24 miles northwest of Santa Fe, on State Highway 502. The Rio Grande runs through the Pueblo along a beautiful (and quite long) grove of huge cottonwood trees that can be seen from the highway. The Pueblo natives had prospered from an agricultural based economy until the early 20th century, when Maria Martinez and her husband, Julian Martinez, rediscovered how to make the Black-on-Black pottery for which San Ildefonso Pueblo would soon become famous. Since that time, the community has become more “visitor-oriented,” with numerous tourist shops existing at the Pueblo. Because of its close proximity to Santa Fe and the Los Alamos National Laboratory, many of those employed in the Pueblo have government jobs. Right: The San Ildefonso Pueblo church can be seen sitting below the huge Black Mesa in Northern New Mexico, just 24 miles northwest of Santa Fe. About Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe, New Mexico (population 75,764, elevation 7,000 feet; 35° 40’ 2” N, 105° 57’ 52” W) is located approximately 60 miles north of Albuquerque on I-25. The Santa Fe area, currently one of the top tourist destinations in the world, offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, skiing, river rafting, hiking, camping, cycling, and horseback riding, just to name a few. This is “high desert” country, with four distinct seasons showing off the beauty of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the clear, blue New Mexican sky. The “City Different” is also the third largest art market in the U.S. (after New York and Los Angeles), boasting hundreds of galleries, with the majority located on picturesque Canyon Road, one of the areas largest tourist attractions. To learn a lot more about Santa Fe, New Mexico, see our Santa Fe Information page. Lodging & Dining: For Recommended Hotels, Motels and Lodges in Santa Fe, see: Santa Fe Lodging Filming Info: Scenes for Late For Dinner were also shot in Chimayo, White Rock, and Tesuque, New Mexico. Right: The Santa Fe family of “Late for Dinner” in 1962: Marcia Gay Harden, Brian Wimmer, and Peter Berg (in back). Movie Trivia: • Late for Dinner was also known as “Freezer.” • Cast members Brian Wimmer (Willie Husband) and Michael Beach (Dr. David Arrington) also appeared together in the 1990s TV drama China Beach. • Near the end of the movie, at a very dramatic moment with his wife, Brian Wimmer (Willie Husband) mixes up his wife’s name with his daughter’s name. At that moment, Marcia Gay Hardin (Joy Husband) tries to correct Wimmer, then looks off camera, appearing to be waiting for the director to say, “Cut!” Character Quote: “He’s been left wonderfully skewed by an accidental lack of oxygen at birth.” ~Willie Husband (Brian Wimmer)