Devon Menendez Announces Retirement After Incident with Local Cops

And since every movie from the 1970's will be remade within the next 24 months, I was confident Mr. Menendez would soon be in line to follow Mr. Lumet and direct a remake of Dog Day Afternoon. I hope he will take some time and reconsider and not let the Fernandina Beach Police dissuade him from a career in the arts. After all, the right kind of brush with the law can help a career ...

Film Shoot Mistaken for Hostage Situation
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March 25,2006 FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A movie set at the downtown post office turned all too real for a group of high school filmmakers. Members of the high school Spanish club were shooting a movie Thursday night when the police showed up believing a hostage crisis was going on inside the post office.

But apparently, someone saw the teens carrying toy guns into the building on Centre Street, which is the heart of the town's historical district. When they couldn't get an answer to calls placed inside the building, they assumed the worst.

Police cordoned off the block, cleared nearby buildings and surrounded the post office ready for a hostage crisis. When a group of students left the post office, they were ordered to get on the ground, face down.

Postmaster Ron Steedley had given permission for the school group to use the post office after hours to make a movie, "Rolling Thunder." Steedley said he didn't think the student's movie would frighten anyone.

Devon Menendez, the film's director, said his film career is over.
"I'm not accepting any more offers to direct a movie," he said.

Photo: The Gotham Gazette