As residents prepare for the release of a new film based in Amarillo, this is not the first time that Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle have played as the setting for a feature film.
Last week, the new trailer was released for "Bomb City." The film, coming off of a successful festival run, details the real-life story of the murder of Amarillo teenager Brian Deneke. The film has been hugely successful as various festivals, racking up multiple acting and directing awards. Led by Dave Davis, the film also features several other notables on its credits, including mixed martial artist Robbie Lawler and "Transformers: The Last Knight's" Glenn Morshower.
"Bomb City" is not the first film to be set or shot in Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle, however. The movie culture in Amarillo runs deep as several feature films have played well to wide audiences after being shot in the Texas Panhandle.
To Amarillo's film credits, one of the most notable films to be partially shot in Amarillo is "Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade." Featuring Harrison Ford and directed by Steven Spielberg, the film features its ending shot from Amarillo's Palo Duro Canyon.
Other notable films to have scenes shot in Amarillo include: 2002's "Waking Up in Reno" and 1950's "The Sundowners."
Many other movies have also graced the Texas Panhandle.
In 2014, "Black Rider: Revelation Road" was shot in Happy, Texas and many actors and extras from Amarillo traveled to the small panhandle town to help take part in the film's production. In addition, the 1992 dramedy "Leap of Faith" starring Steve Martin featured Plainview as Rust Water, Kansas. The film's influence on the town was so strong that the Rust Water Bengals logo remained on the downtown Plainview water tower until 2016.
The future of films in Amarillo have looked bleak at times with little support from those in the development regions of the City. Earlier this year, Amarillo Economic Development Corporation president Barry Albrecht told visitors to the AEDC's office that the AEDC would not help with film production.
There are other options for those looking to shoot films in Amarillo. The Texas Film Commission has an Amarillo-based office that works to assist films with the Film Friendly Texas workshop. The Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council's Eric Miller serves as director of the film office in Amarillo.
The film culture in Amarillo has run deep for decades as the West Texas spirit has been chosen as a great location for many of cinema's finest features.
