NYs Champion Vending Is Central To Demolition Plot Movie Opens April 8

PORT WASHINGTON, NY -- Champion Vending USA Corp., a New York City-based operation, is central to the plot of "Demolition." The American comedy-drama film -- directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Bryan Sipe, and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper -- opens in theaters tomorrow.

The dark comedy begins with grieving investment banker Davis Mitchell's writing a letter of complaint to Champion Vending about a malfunctioning vending machine. Gyllenhaal's character has just returned to work after losing his beloved wife in a tragic car accident.

Davis receives a phone call from Karen, a Champion Vending customer service rep, played by Watts, who becomes moved by his honesty; in Karen, he finds someone to lend a sympathetic ear. As his new friendship with Karen and her son grows, Davis Mitchell finds the strength to rebuild his life.

Champion president and owner William Mandile told Vending Times that the "Demolition" crew spent a full day filming at his facility, and built a set replicating it in detail for filming additional scenes. Watts wore a Champion Vending uniform and several Champion staff members, including Mandile's two sons, were featured, along with the company's building and branded route trucks. An actor was hired to play the Champion owner for one scene.

"They wanted an old vending machine for the opening scene in which Peanut M&M's get stuck," Mandile told VT. "I had to search and ask my mover for one because we only use state-of-the-art [Crane] Media machines! Then I had to rig it to make the Peanut M&M's package get stuck."

Issues of Vending Times were also visible as a prop and in the background during filming, but it's not known whether that footage will appear in the movie.

Separately, Demolition's stars weighed in on their favorite vending machine snacks in a fuze.tv interview.