Interstate 35, U.S. Highway 290 and Mopac Express Lane are different ways to journey through the city of Austin. However, these roadways are pretty boring and traffic-packed avenues of exploration. Maybe visitors can explore Austin a different way– perhaps through cinema?
Since 1974, Austin has been the backdrop for quite a few hit films. “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is one of the oldest digital movies that featured the familiar Austin landscapes. The Austin film industry has boomed since the 80s with approximately 5000 released movies. You might be surprised to learn just how cinematic this city truly is.
Follow along on this journey through Austin’s iconic landmarks and recall your favorite movies and scenes along the way.
“Spy Kids 2”
The journey begins a bit outside of the city. Lake Travis, to be exact.
In “Spy Kids 2,” Carmen and Juni (THE Spy Kids), have a fictitious device called a Transmooker. The device has the power to stop all electronics from working. When the device falls into the hands of the enemy, The Magna Men, Carmen and Juni must work to recover the device and defeat them.
This journey brings the kids to Leeke Leeke Island. The island is supposed to be in the Indian Ocean and off the Coast of Madagascar. While the filmmakers did not quite make it to Madagascar, they did make it to Mansfield Dam Park Road in Austin, Texas.
Thanks to the magical editing power of computer-generated imagery, the real backdrops were transformed into the most picturesque scenes in the movie. And in reality, Leeke Leeke Island is the beloved shore of Lake Travis.
The original “Spy Kids” also has some scenes that feature the real Austin, including the Omni Hotel and some random retail locations on the outskirts of downtown!
“Dazed and Confused”
“Dazed and Confused” the movie, or dazed and confused traveling through the hustle and bustle of Austin? Let’s clear up that confusion and head to our next destination in North Austin.
“Dazed and Confused” documents a group of students as they journey through the last day of high school in 1976 Austin, Texas. Against the backdrop of wild parties, rebellious antics, and coming-of-age struggles, the film captures the essence of youth culture and the search for identity in a time of freedom and uncertainty as the students navigate the hazy blur between adolescence and adulthood.
This movie has plenty of ties to Austin. First, Matthew McConaughey is the lead actor and a notable, proud Longhorn. The film featured many locations around the city, but there were two prominent, and eye-catching scenes.
An iconic scene with McConaughey features Top Notch Burgers on Burnet Road. David Wooderson, McConaughey’s character, is seen in a classic Chevrolet, pulling out of the iconic burger joint and talking to some young high school students. Forty-eight years later, Top Notch Burger is still open. Swing by for a burger and a dose of cinematic history.
In another scene, senior girls are gruesomely hazing the freshmen girls in a parking lot. The parking lot is supposed to be outside of a movie theater, but it is really the Yarborough branch of the Austin Public Library!
“Friday Night Lights”
Moving through the city, the next location is well known on South Lamar.
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: This piece is not actually a movie. BUT, there is a movie adaptation, so just for now, the “Friday Night Lights” series gets a one time pass to be included in a list of movies. Moving on…
“Friday Night Lights” is known for all things Texas– football, small towns, southern hospitality and barbecue. This makes Austin a key city in the storyline, but the home base is Dillon, Texas. In reality, Dillon is a ghost town and many of the iconic locations from the show were filmed in Austin!
Season two featured Landry Clark’s band, Crucifictorius, performing in a dive bar. That bar is Broken Spoke on South Lamar! Next time you head to the classic Austin dance hall, know that Jesse Plemons, Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, and Taylor Kitsch have also two-stepped through the same crowds.
“Red, White and Royal Blue”
Watching this movie can transport the viewers all the way to London, but Alex Clermont, the main character, would prefer that the next stop was right here back in his hometown of Austin.
“Red, White & Royal Blue” is the movie adaptation of a young adult romance novel by the same name. The term “star-crossed lovers” takes on a whole new meaning when romance begins to entangle the First Family and the British Monarchy. In the movie, the first family was from Austin and spent some pivotal moments on the presidential campaign tour in their hometown.
So what better set for a movie like this than the Capitol of Texas?
The movie was actually filmed in London, but don’t worry, “Red, White and Royal Blue” still represented the great state of Texas in a handful of scenes. In the movie, the First Family visited their vacation home on a lake (Travis?) in Austin. Our city also gets a pseudo cameo at the end of the movie when Alex revisits his quaint childhood home.
“Red, White and Royal Blue” may not have physical marks in Texas, but it is fitting, fun and impactful for Texan culture to play a role in a popular LGBTQIA+ and semi-political movie!
Honorable Mentions
A final popcorn trip around the city includes “Queer Eye,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Last of Us.”
“Queer Eye” is the definition of an Austin show. There is no subtlety to it. If you want to eat at some “Queer Eye” picks, you should visit Home Slice Pizza, Maha Coffee, Easy Tiger, Swedish Hill Bakery or Sour Duck Market. If you want to visit some “Queer Eye” event spots, head over to the Long Center for Performing Arts, Empire Control Room & Garage or The Line Austin Hotel. Lastly, if you want to visit the nonprofits, Safe in Austin and The Other One’s Foundation are two great places to start.
Both “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974) and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2” (1986) were groundbreaking horror films that are now integral parts of Austin’s film history. However, the actual filming locations require a substantial commute from downtown Austin. If you journey around Kingsland, Bastrop or Leander, you may see some familiar and horrifying backdrops.
Lastly, “The Last of Us.” Like “Friday Night Lights” and “Queer Eye” this is in fact a TV series. However, it is another cool, modern piece of art that includes this great state and the city of Austin in a pretty unique way! “The Last of Us” is based on a video game and takes the viewer through an apocalyptic world. As morbid as it sounds, the series begins with the main characters living in the suburbs of Austin. The show was filmed in Canada, but the 512 still got a shout out from our Northern neighbors.