Building upon the SXSW theme I wrote about yesterday with the Top 5 bands from Austin, I’m bringing you the Top 5 movies filmed in Austin, TX. The landscape of Austin is absolutely beautiful, it’s people friendly, and it’s atmosphere, weird… so it’s no wonder Hollywood loves the town. I’m keeping this list to only movies that were shot almost exclusively in the greater Austin area, so that’s why you don’t see Kill Bill – Volume One, Death Proof, Sin City, etc.
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The original Chainsaw Massacre movie is extremely creepy and flat out terrifying… or at least it was when I first saw it at the age of five. The B-movie quality, look and feel and the fact that “what happened, was true” (even thought it wasn’t) would make the hair on just about anyone’s neck stand up.
4. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
Despite my strong distaste for nearly everything Juliette Lewis has been in, this movie is saved by the the likes of Jonny Depp, John C. Reilly and Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s a movie about the strange hardships of small town life, where people butt their noses in other’s business far too often. You know, like real-life.
3. Varsity Blues
Nothing goes better together than central Texas and high school football. The acting and story in Varsity Blues are completely over the top but any high school football player in Texas would love to have a senior season like those boys at West Cannan. The movie has it all; Billy Bob, a 21 year old Ali Larter in a whip cream bikini and James Van Der Beek acting is ass off… if you don’t believe me check out the clip below.
2. Office Space
Anyone who has ever worked in an office for an extended period of time can relate to the genius that is Office Space. Sure the main premise of amassing a fortune by stealing fractions of cents at a time is a little out there, but you can certainly relate to the eclectic and strange class of people in the office. Of all the movies on the list, Office Space easily has the largest cult following, and for good reason.
1. Dazed and Confused
The film about a bunch small town 70s slackers, stoners and screw-ups is the epitome of the coming of age story in not only Texas, but America. This film had an amazing young cast that would go on to make countless movies, including Mathew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey and Milla Jovovich. This film also had an amazing soundtrack.
Well there you have it, the top five movies filmed in Austin, TX. If that tickled your fancy check out my "7 Best Shows on TV You Aren't Watching" with a show that is also filmed in Austin, Friday Night Lights. For those of you going to the SXSW Film Festival… have fun! I’m headed to Austin myself in t-minus 15 hours.
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