Summer
is almost upon us and the release of brand-new box buster movies. Did you likewise know that Truckee has been the motion picture setting for over 200 films? Some recorded in their entirety and some for important scenes were all made in this area.Filming here in Truckee began in the early 1900s after the Transcontinental Railroad was completed and the recording industry was produced. Travel by rail became so much easier and the film market, who never believed they would go to the Sierra, reconsidered. Going from sets to the genuine locales ended up being important.Many of these motion picture companies needed snow scenes or stunning
lake backgrounds( for those who don’t know, this is before Computer System Graphic Interface (aka CGI) and they had to do it’ real ‘). Some required the ruggedness of our terrain. Some had the actors caught in the snow. And there were the movies that had the actors actually in the water. The point was that they could quickly get teams up to Truckee on the railroad and we had the hotels and food that would support the enormous movie crews to make a movie.I have divided the films from Truckee into Silent films, Drama & Adventure, Comedy
, and Ski Movies. I’ve noted my leading two of each category. Know that this is my preference and I hope you have an opinion on one( or more) I’ve missed. These are simply the ones I want to make certain my kids and grandkids see.Silent Films The Silent Age films were the lead into what we see today. The performing, storytelling, outfits, and never forget the makeup … nothing was more distinct nor original. We discovered much from these early film makers. The earliest recognized filming in the Truckee area remained in 1910 with the movie” In the Frozen North” when the Selig Polyscope Business had actually gotten here in Truckee to movie winter season scenes to duplicate the Alaskan wilderness.The Silent film to not be missed out on,
particularly for the railway lover, is” The Iron Horse” directed by John Ford in 1924. John Ford was obsessed with being genuine to the building and construction of the railway and his movie shows the San Mateo locomotive being hauled over Donner
Top on skids, just as the Central Pacific had actually done in 1867 with Chinese workers and 50 horses.Then there is the” Gold Rush “directed and starring Charlie Chaplin. His 1925 film records the stories of the Klondike with their challenge, hunger, and survival. It is enjoyable for its uncommon combination of slapstick and disaster. It was the greatest grossing funny and most fancy and expensive motion picture of the era.
It was likewise the motion picture Charlie Chaplin wanted to be remembered by.I would be errant to not offer credit to Buster Keaton who presented Charlie Chaplin to our area. Buster was a master in “The Frozen North”, 1922;” Our Hospitality”, 1923; “The Navigator “( 1924 )and was understood to love the Truckee area. He knew what we needed to offer.Drama/ Adventure This group of films generated some global actors. It also made Truckee a location to be.
” The Call of the Wild “1935, starring Clark Gable had a special motion picture set constructed near Prosser Creek.The movie is an adaption of Jack London’s 1903 novel” The Call of the Wild.” It is a story about gold, greed, pets, survival and love. Truly rewarding not just watching but reading.” Island in the Sky”, 1953, starring John Wayne is a film about an Air Force transport plane required down on the bleak wastes of Labrador and the efforts of a rescue squadron to find the airplane in the frozen desolate location. The shooting was done from the old Truckee airstrip nearby to the weigh-station on I-80. Comedy/Adventure” Real Lies”, 1994, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. Guns, love, and reunion … the very best PG film out there. Required I say more?OK … I’m a junky for this classification but I need to say that I had never ever become aware of the movie “Diamonds” (1999) starring Kirk Douglas and Dan Ackroyd. I viewed it and it is fantastic. The story is about an elderly guy and his child on a road trip to discover what he had actually lost. Kirk Douglas has had to learn to speak in reality and he pulled it off. And the plot will beguile you!Ski Movies There
is a huge list of incredible ski movies made from our area. I advise the book” Squallywood” by Robb Gaffney for the very best and most complete history of snowboarding enjoyable and the flexibility to really capture the big stuff
on small video cameras.” Hotdog … The Motion picture”, 1984. Clothing, skinny skis and silly 80s humor. Classic underdog story goes huge. It is Rated R for a reason for its outrageous outfits, hot tubs and bar scenes. It is also stereotyped of Squaw in the 1980s. “Like There’s No Tomorrow “is the Warren Miller movie narrated by Johnny Moseley. This one is almost enjoying him carry out, without any pressure, and do what he does
best.Epilogue Although
we have had the ability to get film crews to Truckee, Truckee is still a historical mountain town where our residents enjoy being part of the “extras” when the movie crews show up.So choice a movie, grab some popcorn( or more), relax on the couch and relive some of Truckee’s history!Judy DePuy belongs to the Truckee-Donner Historical Society and Donner Top Historical Society. She is likewise a board member of the Museum of Truckee History and Truckee Donner Railroad Society Filming here in Truckee started in the early 1900s after the Transcontinental Railway was completed and the recording industry was created.Getty Images
Source: https://www.sierrasun.com/news/history-truckee-movies-to-not-miss/