Films in Utah

I was on the fence about going to see 127 Hours. It is set in Canyonlands which we visited on Labor Day weekend and there’s been a lot of press surrounding it because some of it was filmed here. Saturday morning, A wanted to waste her allowance to see Harry Potter once again so I told her I’d go see another movie and in I went. What a tense film! I found myself curled up in a ball looking through my hands during a lot of it. And then at the end I burst into tears and I think it was tears of relief. Danny Boyle did an amazing job bringing the story to screen. It’s really inventive. Since I’m not a nature girl, I did think at the beginning, what was this guy thinking, going off in such a remote place by himself? I don’t understand the mind of the adrenaline junkie at all. Here he went through hell and it all could have been avoided. Nevertheless, the story is really moving.


I’m starting to get back into movies again. I picked up a book from the library called When Hollywood Came to Town: A History of Moviemaking in Utah by James V. D’Arc. I had no idea how many films have been shot here. Southern Utah was the Mecca for westerns in the 40s and 50s. As all three of us sat in the living room and I was reading this book, I read one of my favorite facts aloud. The famous warehouse dance sequences in Footloose were filmed very close to here! I told A that we are definitely going to check that out. You probably heard her groan.

While folks all across this great land are preparing for Christmas, my mind is firmly looking towards January. With Park City just a short drive from here, I signed up to volunteer for the Sundance Film Festival and I absolutely can’t wait. The woman who interviewed me for the gig said that no one on staff is star struck. I need to practice my game face in case I see Mr. Redford himself.