T. Hopwood DePree's Last Big Attraction exposes the scandal (or at least the shenanigans) behind the tranquil facade of Michigan-tourist-stop Windmill Island, where clog carvers and traditional dancers recreate 17th-century Dutch farm life in a setting unchanged since the '50s.

The film's a romantic comedy focusing on 25-year-old Leed VanderWal (DePree), who's worked the Island since high school and is itching to get out when his dream girl shows up on a visit to her wealthy parents' nearby summer home. Leed's so busy impressing the urbane Chrissy (Harper Tracy from "E.R.") he nearly misses Winnie -- the new girl in the cheesebarn.

"A lot of it's based on my experience growing up in a small town wanting to get out to a place I considered worldly when in fact I was learning more about the world from the tourists than I ever knew," says DePree.

DePree, 27, graduated from USC's School of Theater in 1992. His first feature, Rhinoskin, followed his year-long quest to land a line of dialogue on a network sitcom; the film ended with DePree's immortal "Thank you" on an episode of "Doogie Howser, M.D." Rhinoskin hit the festival circuit -- making 17 stops in '94 beginning with a Palm Springs premiere -- and DePree turned to stand-up at L.A. clubs like The Comedy Store and Improv. He had optioned a feature screenplay ("Two Minutes") to Sony and was taping an HBO sitcom pilot when he decided it was time to make a second feature.

Big Attraction shot a tight 18 days beginning October 6 on 16mm color. DePree put the film's financing together by incorporating a company in Michigan and selling stock blocks at $100 a share, many to Rhinoskin investors who'd seen their stake in that project returned. In-kind donations included a motor home, cast housing, all costumes and locations and enough groceries to feed the production for its duration. DePree says the real star of the film is Windmill Island and its gaudy collection of authentic Dutch buildings, canals and tulip fields, and working 280-foot windmill. "It's a juxtaposition of authentic buildings and cheesy mannequins," he says.

At press time DePree was back in L.A. deep in post and expected to have a finished film in April. All Big Attraction rights are up for grabs and Rhinoskin's out on tape from Videoactive, a rising indie specialist label DePree recommends that's already placed the film in 500 stores.

Cast: T. Hopwood DePree, Christine Elise, Victoria Haas, Richard Speight, Jr., Michael Hagerty, Brenda Ballard, O.B. Babbs, Shana Stern. Crew: Producers, Michael Hagerty, T. Hopwood DePree; Co-Producer, Rob Dorfmann; Screenwriter/ Director, T. Hopwood DePree; Cinematographers, Spike and Kim Simms; Production Design, Tammy Kerr; Casting, Nancy Rainford; Editor, Robert Hoffman. Contact: T. Hopwood DePree, Hopwood Productions, Inc., 6922 Camrose Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068. Tel: (310) 285-8331, Fax: (213) 851-3980.

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