"Hey, lady! You call him Dr. Jones!"
This summer New Haven played host to filming for the fourth
installment of the Indiana Jones film
franchise. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was shot in various locations in New Haven and at Yale
University. Virtually overnight,
downtown New Haven
was transformed into a 50’s-era city, complete with vintage storefronts, period
vehicles, and extras that appeared to have walked out of a Norman Rockwell
print. Spectators from across
Connecticut and surrounding states flocked to New Haven to look at the city
transformed, try out as extras, and perhaps catch a glimpse of Harrison
Ford. Ford sightings abounded, but most
proved to be his stunt double. I didn’t
see Ford (or his double), but I did have dinner two tables down from George
Lucas, who refused to refund the money I spent seeing those awful Star Wars
prequels.
The Law School was the site for several days of shooting. The
faculty dining room and the seminar corridor became sets for the fictional Marshall
College, the school at which Indiana Jones teaches. The scenes shot at the Law School
were tame compared to the motorcycle chase filmed inside of neighboring
Sterling Memorial Library (we’ve been assured that no animals or 14th-century
illuminated manuscripts were harmed in the filming of the movie). I’m certain the Law School would
have hosted more
action-packed scenes had they chosen to film a few years ago, prior to our $110
million renovation which rid the School of most of its snakes, falling stones,
and spiked pitfalls.
Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to post photos of the actors,
sets, or actual filming. So, please
enjoy this captivating photo of Associate Dean Mike
Thompson coordinating filming at the Law School with Location
Assistant Tim Slacker. A quick Google
search should produce more interesting photos.
Indiana Jones may
be in the vanguard of movies filming in New Haven during the next few years. Drawn by the proximity to NYC (1 hour by car,
1.5 by train), the picturesque architecture of Yale’s campus, and the
generous tax breaks recently offered by the Connecticut State Legislature,
studios are looking to New Haven as a site for their productions like never
before. In fact, Al Pacino and Robert De
Niro were in the area a few weeks ago shooting a heartwarming film entitled Righteous Kill.
So, the next time you’re in New Haven you may find yourself
rubbing elbows with Hollywood glitterati (or their stunt doubles), dodging a
motorcycle chase in the library, or waiting in line at a casting call for
extras. And while you’re enjoying your
dinner at one of New Haven’s many terrific restaurants, look around – you may
be dining next to a star.