Ever get the vague sense that something in a movie looks familiar? Well, you’ve likely walked right through some of cinema’s more mainstream sets and never knew it. Or maybe you did know. In either case, here’s a list of some of the coolest movies ever to set up camp in Austin.


1. True Grit (2010)

While the original True Grit, starring John Wayne, is a Hollywood legend in its own right, 2010’s revisiting of the classic tale of a grizzled cowboy helping a young girl find justice is roundly considered one of the best remakes of the past 25 years. And if you’re familiar with Austin and its surroundings, you already know why the city was the ideal location for this Texas classic.

2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Admittedly, Texas could use a better film-borne reputation than a place where careless teenagers go to die, but the 1974 horror classic may be the true grandfather of the entire horror genre from that point on. Austin’s lonely country roads are a bit more built now, but you may still recognize a few places from the sets in the film. Just don’t go inspecting any of them too closely!

3. Capote

The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman took home an Oscar for his perfect portrayal of the legendary Truman Capote. And Austin played host to much of the film, set in 1959, during the time Capote researched and wrote one of the most giant works of nonfiction ever, In Cold Blood.

4. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of those people who never seem to age. At least not until you roll the clock back to 1993, when as a teenager he made his big-screen debut with Johhny Depp. The film was shot mostly in and around Austin and almost garnered young Leo his first Oscar.

5. Grindhouse

Put Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez together, and you get a three-hour, epic double feature that pays homage to the late-night drive-in fare that once dominated the Midwestern movie scene. Both features, Death Proof and Planet Terror, shot in and around Austin. And if it was cool enough for a Tarantino/Rodriguez project, what else is there to say?


Posted by Richard Soto on
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