When I think about movies, I immediately think of Hollywood,
like many others. When I think about movies, I never think about the
Adirondacks. Even though there are definitely movies that are set in the
wilderness, it never occurred to me that the movies might have been filmed in an
actual wilderness. It turns out that the Adirondacks have had some action recently
with a few different directors, such as Gary Ross and Simon Wells. The most
popular Adirondack setting for movies is Saratoga Springs, but Long Lake,
Plattsburgh, and Vermontville have also been shot in movies.
Maybe the most famous movie filmed in the Adirondacks is
Frozen River. It was shot at Point au Roche State Park in Plattsburgh, won an award
at the Sundance Film Festival and received Oscar attention. Another popular
movie is The Good Shepard, which was directed by Robert DeNiro and stared Matt
Damon and Angelina Jolie. Filming for The Great Shepard began at Great Camp
Sagamore on Raquette Lake in Long Lake, but the location was too small, so
instead the producers built a set in New York City to look exactly like the
real Great Camp Sagamore.
There are many movies filmed in the Adirondacks that either
were very popular or starred all-star casts. Place Beyond the Pines was shot at
Norman’s Ridge in Vermontville and starred Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, and
Bradley Cooper. Seabiscuit was partially filmed at the Saratoga Racetrack,
while Ghost Story and The Time Machine were also filmed in Saratoga Springs.
Filming in the Adirondacks became so popular that Kurt and
Ximena Gardner started Adirondack Mountain Productions, which offers video,
prop rentals, transportation, accommodations and more. Some of their clients
include director Ed Barnes, directors and cinematographers Brian Lannin and
Kristina Nikolova, and producer Mollye Asher.
Although the Adirondacks certainly are not known for being a
popular setting for movies, it definitely seems that directors and producers
are interested in leaving Hollywood and filming in other locations. For those
directors that want a beautiful, real landscape for their productions, the
Adirondack Park is a perfect place to film. It is very possible that in the
near future, when I think about movies, that I might just think about the Adirondack
Park.
http://www.adirondackmountainproductions.com/#mi=1&pt=0&pi=158&p=-1&a=-1&at=-1
Great post! I worked at National Geographic last summer for Development in Television and they were looking at doing a show on the wildlife refuge in the park! The one we are actually going to visit this weekend. They filmed a teaser for it, and it looked like a great show, but they didn't end up airing it.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that more movies haven't been done in the park. It so encapsulates "the wilderness" and toughness of the american frontier. I think part of it might have to do with something we were discussing in class. I think in some ways, the park lacks the "sex appeal" that is possessed by the west and other parts of the country. It's sad though, its one of the largest protected wilderness areas in the country and most people don't even know it.
I want to check out some of these movies now!
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think some issues with filming full movies in the Adirondacks are the environmental impact and the remoteness of the area. I would imagine that not many Adirondack towns would be able to accommodate a large cast and crew, especially during the already busy tourist season. As for the environment, it seems like it would require a lot of effort to safely film on protected land, (without motorized vehicles, etc.) As a first reaction, I think a large increase in movies filmed in the Adirondacks could actually be detrimental to the park.
As a response to Hannah - If they can bring camera crews into the Malagasy rainforest, they can find ways to film in the Adirondacks. It will definitely be costlier than on another set, but it is possible.
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