MovieChat Forums > The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) Discussion > Filming location for Purple Rose of Cair...

Filming location for Purple Rose of Cairo


I was just curious to know after seeing The Purple Rose of Cairo on tv, last week, I seem to remember that some of the filming might have been done in Waukegan, Illinois. If anyone has any info regarding such please reply.
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I know I once saw this title back before release date 1985 in Piermont, NY. Had a three week introduction gig for Citicorp's HomeBase PC home banking project. It required a long bus trip daily to/from New City NY to Manhattan in a bitter winter.
One day the bus made a few side local trips. Forgotten name of town til now.
There was this little theater, empty usually. One morning there was a real title up there - PRC. It was along Hudson Terrace off Route 9W I think.
I'd once had a painting studio in the little town of
Milton, NY that turned out to be the store from Brando's The Fugitive Kind.
Library has a plaque to that effect. No streetlights; in 1970 it could still pass for the 40s South. So I had this eye for odd locations.
No one seemed to know about any new movie PRC but some of the actor types on the Citi project had heard there was a film in the works around us.
I knew it was right along the west shore of the Hudson but thought bit higher like South Nyack. Drab little town and theater. Don't think the title was up very long for the exterior shots.
Amusement Park must have been one near end of its run.
Took me long time to get to see PRC. Prefer real life or epics like Lawrence
of Arabia. Woody's closeness copycat theme worn off on me.
Also check out the Location Manager (s) for the film in credits. They've
worked other Allen films right around the NJ/NY border near the Hudson.
Anyway nice to have tracked down the town.
http://www.bartleby.com/69/34/P04534.html
Piermont, residential village (1 sq mi/2.6 sq km; 1990 pop. 2,163), Rockland co., SE N.Y., on W bank of the Hudson R., and 3 mi/4.8 km S of Nyack; 41°02'N 73°55'W. Until the 1980s, mfg. (paperboard, silk ribbons). Site of Camp Shanks, which was operational during World Wars I and II. Pier (1 mi/1.6 km long) from which village takes its name was used for embarkation of troops. Site where 1983 Woody Allen movie The Purple Rose of Cairo was filmed. Tallman Mt. State Park nearby. Inc. 1847.
The Columbia Gazetteer of North America. Copyright © 2000 Columbia University Press.


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The filming was done in NJ, at least part of it. The amusment park was closed when it was filmed. The amusement park is near the coast in New Jersey I think. It shouldn't be too far south of NYC.

I read this in Wierd NJ magazine.

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Yes parts of the film Purple Rose of Cairo was filmed in Piermont NY and they used an old theater that was closed since the fifties to film that movie. After all 5 or more theater complexes started in the mid seventies. Plus they used the town by the Hudson Piermont for some of the filming as well. It wasn't done on Route 9W but in the lower area which was Piermont Avenue where it took place.

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I'm from SE NY originally and Piermont looks like a depressing town. The Hudson is beautiful and I've seen other pics of Piermont on Wiki.

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Parts of the moview were filmed in NJ at an amusement park in Lake Hopatcong. The park was "Bertrand Island Amusement Park" it has long since been torn down. As a matter of fact, it had already closed down prior to the filming.

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I used to go to Bertrand Island as a kid. I remember 'Nickle Night' where all rides were 5 cents except that rickety, scary Roller Coaster. I lived in Lake Rogerene just 5 minutes away.

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I'm sorry, but can you really picture Woody Allen going to Waukegan, Illinois to film a movie?

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