Movies Made in Magna

Note: This website was largely composed in 2013~2015, and is only getting occasional updates. There are undoubtedly many other shows that might be added, including many films with short scenes shot at Saltair, and several appearances on Reality TV shows.

Magna’s Cyprus High School student produced a series of original films for a few years (around 2015?) and they might be found online.

A few of these films might be available for free or paid streaming online. One good source for info on that is the web page Just Watch. Others have been available on DVD or BluRay, and might be found by tedious searching on EBay, Amazon, etc.

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“Movies Made in Magna” was the theme for a seminar at the Magna Library in September 2014. This page includes a summary of the content gathered for that event, with some links and lists that may be useful to anyone in search of more details on this subject.

List of films and TV shot– (at least partially) – in and around Magna.

Most of these were produced for theatrical, TV or DVD distribution and are available for sale on DVD or through paid video streaming services, and a few are even available for free online viewing. See this site’s other pages on “local talent” for links to a few additional short films and videos that were not produced for public sale or theatrical distribution.

Additional short films, videos and animations might be found by searching the content at online video-sharing sites like YouTube.com and Vimeo. Some are interesting, but most were not intended for widespread distribution.
(Please suggest additions for this list.)

E-mail for more information or to give suggestions. ( info @ art in magna . com )

Feature Films:

** Update – 2021?

“Joe Bell” starring Mark Wahlberg shot a few scenes at Magna’s Cyprus High School and included local students. Plot is based on a true story of a father embarking on a journey to understand and reconcile his feelings when he finds out surprising things about his family. Available on most streaming platforms as of this edit date, including free for subscribers of Amazon Prime. Also on DVD and BluRay.

** Update – August 21, 2014
“Wild Horses” is a forthcoming feature film now shooting in various spots around the Salt Lake area, and rumor has it that Magna will be included. Robert Duvall is listed as director and writer, with actors James Franco and Josh Hartnett in leading roles. Duvall himself also appears in a supporting role.

First descriptions include this plot summary: “A female ranger investigates a decades old murder and brings up the past for a modern-day rancher who must come to terms with his mistakes.”

There is little “official” information on the web about this project so far, but a simple web search finds several mentions from participants and people who live near filming locations. May be released and in theatres in late 2014 or 2015.

“The Hollow Point” (which was using the title “The Man on Carrion Road” during the initial filming) , which shot in Magna various days in mid-April to mid-May 2014, is still in post-production for release in late 2015. It has a great cast, including a mix of big-name international talent and a few local faces. Described as a “violent crime thriller,” the plot involves the past and current sheriffs of a small USA/Mexico border town reluctantly teaming up to deal with the fallout when a big drug deal goes bad and threatens the community. See the limited information currently available at IMBD.com

More hints about the local filming of this project came from local shop owners near the filming locations. Storm at Art On You Studios posted some pics from the shoot, and the Colosimos Facebook page post on April 18th gave a few more details. Thanks to Todd Richards for the original tip.

2009 Dadnapped

Live action family film from Disney with plenty of scenes on Magna’s Main Street and the Empress Theater. Available for streaming on Netflix at the time this list was written.

2009 S. Darko
Quirky fantasy/horror film, about a third of which was filmed in Magna, but also in Delle and Echo.

2007 American Pastime
Drama about baseball played at Topaz, the WW2 Japanese American Internment camp near Delta Utah, and the interactions of the local residents and internees/teams. A few scenes shot in Magna substituting for a town near Topaz.

2005 The Crow: Wicked Prayer
Part 4 of the horror film series, shot partially in and near Magna, especially the Saltair area. (Streaming on Netflix at the time of this posting.)

2005 Buffalo Dreams
A movie for teens about culture clash and Native American traditions. Several scenes in local storefronts, and a memorable episode where a buffalo takes a walk down Main Street. Partially shot in Magna for Disney TV, but not available for sale, streaming or on DVD. Just have to hope for another re-run on TV?

2005 Born Killers (a.k.a. “Piggy Banks”)
Violent crime drama about a family of thieves and killers. Lots of Magna settings.

2003 Just A Dream
Directed by Danny Glover, this family dramedy (part drama, part comedy) was made for Showtime cable TV, but is also available on DVD. Filmed in and around Magna and Tooele, it includes some long scenes shot on Magna Main street, included many recognizable Utah actors. Plot description:

Film crew arrives in a small town in Nevada desert, ands up changing the life of a 12-year-old kid and a friend of his, a movie lover.

1999 Bats
Horror/action film starred Lou Diamond Phillips as sheriff of a small town faced with an attack by mutant bats. Several very long scenes shot in Magna featuring the inside & outside of many recognizable businesses.

1997 Address Unknown
Produced by a local company specializing in family films. Mystery about a teen boy finding a letter from his late father. A few short scenes in Magna. (Note: Same title was also used for other films, so shop carefully when buying this one.)

1993 Josh and S.A.M.
Family film with some footage at Saltair. (VHS only – hard to find.)

1993 Slaughter of the Innocents

Thriller of interest due to the local setting starring Scott Glenn as an FBI agent investigating a cult planning something big for their end-of-the-world scenario. Includes a few scenes include shots in Magna, including a night shot of Main Street, and a small house as a crime scene, but the memorable ending is a crazy finale in the cliffs around Moab. (Copies are available, but expensive.)

1986 Ordinary Heroes
Drama starred Richard Dean Anderson & Valerie Bertinelli dealing with his injuries on return from war. Brief Magna Main Street footage. (VHS only – hard to find.)

1962 Carnival of Souls
Well respected low-budget horror film – long sections shot at the ruins of Saltair. (Due to the lapsed copyright status, you can legally watch or download this film for free at https://archive.org/details/CarnivalOfSouls1962 , although a much better viewing experience can be had with commercial copies.)

TV Series:

Andi Mack ( 2017-2019 )

A DisneyTV original series which ran for 57 episodes over several seasons. It used various locations in the greater Salt Lake Valley area, including frequent uses of Magna’s Main Street as the friendly small town home of the teen characters and their families.

Granite Flats ( 2013 – 2014 )
BYU-TV production. Family adventure drama series with Magna as one of the main locations. All 16 episodes are available for free online viewing at http://graniteflats.com/ (This series will also be having a 3rd season according to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune about tax incentives for local film and TV productions. See this article.)

Everwood ( 2002 – 2006 )
Starred Treat Williams with at least parts of some episodes shot in Magna.

Touched by an Angel ( 1994 – 2003 )
Series finale, a 2 episode arc titled “I Will Walk With You”, was shot in Magna in 2003.

The Stand ( 1994 11-hour mini-series )
TV mini-series movie from a Stephen King novel had a few scenes shot in and near Magna.

Short Films:

Celibate at the Orgy ( currently in production in 2014 )
Comedy series of short episodes using Magna talent and locations. Film makers are also preparing to shoot much more in Magna. For more information see the section on Sila Agavale on the “Local Talent” page.

Documentary Films:

Magna: An American Story ( 2014 )
Hour-long documentary on Magna shot in and around Magna over the last few years by students at the University of Utah. Debut is scheduled for Thursday, October 23 at Cyprus High School, to be followed by an airing on public television. Looks to be a “community profile” type piece spotlighting specific aspects of local history and culture. Documentaries may be general or targeted, so time will tell how this one unfolds. (Copies on DVD have sometimes been available through the Magna Museum.)

Our Inland Sea ( 2010 )
Fun-loving documentary with lots of images and history about the Great Salt Lake, past and present. Includes history, folklore and much more. Available on DVD, sold at the visitor’s centers at the Saltair Marina and on Antelope Island, or can be ordered from the film-maker’s website, where you can also watch a free clip/preview.

Desert Empire ( 1948 )
Scenes on local mining & ore processing, plus vintage scenes at Saltair. Free online at archive.org, or sold as a DVD via Amazon, Ebay, etc. (Due to the lapsed copyright status, you can watch or download this in several seperate parts at https://archive.org/search.php?query=desert%20empire , although a much better viewing experience can be had with commercial copies.)

Electric Rails of Utah ( 2005 )
Modern historical documentary including old and new footage about the Garfield & Western Railroad which once connected Magna to SLC and to other west-side mining districts. Sold on DVD via Amazon, Ebay, etc.

Mit den Donots Durch Amerika ( 2013 )
Follows a tour by a German rock band, including a short section of a concert at Saltair with the band taking a stroll on the beach. In German. Available on Youtube at the time this was posted, Saltair section starts around minute 44:00 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg3moKT-ic8

Click to see a slideshow made to preview the event. (Original music by Doug Wood.)

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Download a list of “Movies Made in Magna”

Here are links to download a list of more than 20 Movies & TV Shows made in Magna, Utah. (No list like this is complete, but it was a good-faith effort at the time it was compiled.) The list includes brief descriptions and ratings. It is available in two layout formats – you can choose either letter or brochure style. The second is formatted to fold into a brochure by printing the two pages back to back. Both are in pdf format, viewable on most computers, tablets, etc., and easy to print and share. (Requires the free Adobe PDF Reader or comparable software.)

click these links to download a pdf file of films made in Magna, or featuring Magna talent

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE LIST IN LETTER STYLE – (with 2019 Update)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE LIST IN BROCHURE STYLE – (older edition maybe from 2014?)

The rest of this page is a rather random collection of notes and edits, which may or may not be reflected in the list(s) above.

Movies Made in Magna — Recent Updates

** Update – October 23, 2014
The premier screening of a new documentary about Magna took place in the Cyprus High Auditorium on October 23rd. Watch for additional airings on local public television.

** Update – August 24, 2014
A few additions to this list were suggested by people at the recent Magna Main Street Arts Festival.

“Just A Dream” 2003
Directed by Danny Glover, this family drama was made for Showtime cable TV, but is also available on DVD. Filmed mostly in and around Magna and Tooele. Plot description:

Film crew arrives in a small town in Nevada desert. Ends up changing the life of a 12-year-old kid and a friend of his, a movie lover.

More suggested additions, but these need more confirmation about local content:

“Return to Halloweentown” (2007), part of a series of films for Disney TV. A makeup effects person who worked on this one says it had some scenes shot in Magna.

“Gentlemen Broncos” and “Tree of Life” both shot near Magna, but need more detail to say they belong on this list.

“Pet Sematary” was suggested by several people who said they had head that it included scenes at the Magna / Pleasant Green Cemetery, but I could find no information online to confirm that – in fact all mentions say it was filmed in Maine as described in the Stephen King book. Is the Magna connection just a local “Urban Legend?”

** Update – August 21, 2014
“Wild Horses” is a feature film now shooting in various spots around the Salt Lake area, and rumor has it that Magna will be included. Robert Duvall is listed as director and writer, with actors James Franco and Josh Hartnett in leading roles. Duvall himself also appears in a supporting role.

First descriptions include this plot summary: “A female ranger investigates a decades old murder and brings up the past for a modern-day rancher who must come to terms with his mistakes.”

There is little “official” information on the usual internet sites about this project so far, but a simple web search finds several mentions from participants and people who live near filming locations.

** Update – June 29, 2014
Another big film, “~~The Man on Carrion Road~~” has changed title to “The Hollow Point”. It filmed at least a few scenes in Magna. Details are limited, but see a little more below in the list of feature films.

** Update – June 17, 2014
The very popular “Granite Flats” TV series, which includes Magna locations, has been picked up for a 3rd season! (Confirmed by the TV station after an initial report in an article in the Salt Lake Tribune about tax incentives for upcoming local film and TV productions. See this news story.)

Suggested additions:

Some local tipsters and various online sources have suggested these as possible “Magna Movies” but local content has not yet been verified. Anyone know for sure?

1990 Days of Thunder
Feature Film starred Tom Cruise as a race car driver.

2005 World’s Fastest Indian
New Zealander chases his dream of racing on the Salt Flats.

2006 Pirates of the Great Salt Lake
Local comedy shot — you know where…

2012 Legend of Awesomest Maximus
Comedy partially filmed on shores of the Great Salt Lake, adult humor.

Gentlemen Broncos by the makers of “Napoleon Dynamite” this filmed in Tooele and the Great Salt Lake. Magna too?

Tree of Life Major award-winning film had a scene on the Salt Flats, and one tipster said it also filmed on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake near Magna, but the director has been known to shoot much more footage than he ever includes in the final cut.

“Return to Halloweentown” (2007), part of a series of films for Disney TV. A makeup effects person who worked on this one says it had some scenes shot in Magna.

Local Film & TV Talent

Here are a few of the many great people with ties to Magna who have professional experience working in Films, TV and Video.

Clair Huffaker ~ writer / producer (1926-1990)
website: see his page at IMDB.com

Clair Huffaker was born in Magna and went on to a long and productive career as a writer for newspapers, magazines and books, then transitioned into screenplays and producing films. In his Hollywood projects he worked with John Wayne, Elvis Presley, and dozens of other famous actors. For more background on his Magna connections see this tribute in Robert Goble’s blog.

James Prigmore – composer
websites: See a few of his screen music credits at his page at IMDB.com

James Prigmore’s musical talent was recognized early, and he was playing piano professionally in his teens. His talents led to a lifetime of composing, arranging and conducting music for films, TV, live theatre and dance troupes, plus several cds of classical music. James and his family lived in Magna several times over the years. He passed away recently.

Harry Klekas ~ actor (1933-2011)
website: see his page at IMDB.com

Harry Klekas worked in local law enforcement, but also made at least thirty appearances as a TV and film actor. For more background on his life and work see his obituary.

Mary Alice Nelson – actress
websites: See her page at IMDB.com
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3046107/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Although her work has her moving around the country now, this Magna native has credits as an actress in Disney films, among other roles in TV, video and local live theatre. She has also branched out into production of a web series and other business roles in creative media arts.

Tasha Oldham – film maker / producer
websites: see website: see Tasha’s page at IMDB.com

After her high school years in Magna, Tasha followed her dreams to California. After gaining invaluable experience working on the crews of top directors, she formed her own companies and has helmed many productions. One of her first solo projects was nominated for an Emmy award, and she continues to emphasize productions which promote values and social causes. The video link contains an brief interview about a current project, but Youtube also include many clips and short films from a variety of her projects.

Seeth McGavien ~ writer
website: see Seeth’s page at IMDB.com

Seeth attended Cyprus High School, has credits as the writer of several short films, and is also busy as a entertainment/arts writer and reviewer for local publications.

Magna’s Cyprus High School student produced a series of original films for a few years (around 2015?) and they might be found online.

For more timely information on various Arts Events in town please see the main information outlet by visiting the Arts Council of Magna web site , and the Facebook Page for the Magna Arts Council or the Magna Town’s website.

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