Norman Pardo of Independence Township is hoping to release his thriller ‘Suspect 32,? this year. His star: O.J. Simpson.
‘I got the last of the O.J. Simpson footage of him being a free man,? said Pardo, Simpson’s former promoter and agent.
Simpson filmed his scenes in the movie just prior to his 2007 arrest and sentencing in 2008 to up to 33 years in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping, in connection to a failed attempt to recover sports memorabilia in Las Vegas.
The irony, said Pardo, is Simpson’s arrest and conviction was the original plot of ‘Suspect 32.?
‘He (Simpson) was going to send somebody to steal back the tapes in the movie,? Pardo said. ‘Instead, he did it real life over there in Vegas, so the ending of my movie, everybody knew, he gave away the plot and the ending.
‘It’s very rare an actor does that, usually they keep the plot and the ending to themselves, but in O.J.’s case, he just goes to Vegas and acts it out and messes up my movie,? he said. ‘Now, I’m having a hard time selling it because everybody says they’ve seen the end.?
Pardo said the case made it more of a funny movie rather than the serious thriller it was supposed to be.
‘I didn’t want it to be serious anymore,? he said. ‘I felt bad for
O.J., doing what my movie said he was going to do.?
Pardo said he is debating whether to have a premier or private screening, but is contacting 2,500 film buyers and distributors to let them know of his plans.
‘We’ve already contacted almost 1,000,? he said.
‘We’re hoping to put together either a screening, which may not be held here but possibly in Branson, Missouri, or Orlando, Florida, where I am opening another office for my company, Video Clips Inc, or I might do it at one of the film festivals in one of the major cities.?
Pardo said he began shooting footage of Simpson in 1999, shortly after becoming Simpson’s promoter.
‘His attorney was my attorney, Craig Brand,? he said. ‘He put us two together to see if we could work out our issues.?
With more than 70 hours of footage of the former football superstar, Pardo says he has the ‘largest collection on the planet.?
‘My footage is all different events, different things I put him into doing, all sorts of raw O.J. Simpson footage, him being himself, doing different things across America in different cities,? he said. ‘I have so much footage I could do a half dozen movies.?
While shooting raw footage for ‘Suspect 32,? Pardo decided to shoot another movie, which he has ‘in the can.?
Called ‘The Promoter,? it deals with the life of a promoter and what it takes, such as setting up night club visits, transportation, hotels, airline tickets, food, taking them from place to place, and getting news interviews.
‘It’s the whole behind-the-scenes of what it takes to promote a star, the part nobody really wants you to see,? he said. ‘It’s very challenging because everybody you’re dealing with is trying to rip you off basically. You’re always on the defense.?
For more information, visit www..suspect32.com.