The Hunger Games Cometh! (or Panem in My Backyard)

[eldritchhobbit]

You may recall that a couple of years ago I posted pictures of one of the most atmospheric and fascinating places I've found nearby, the abandoned Henry River Mill Village in Burke County. It's only about 15 minutes by interstate from our favorite restaurant (glorious poblano chile rellenos), and since we first stumbled on it during one of our drives, we often go by there, as I'm rather taken by the mournful and gothic feel of these lonely, decaying buildings.



Much to my delight, this village is now being readied as the set for shooting part of the new film adaptation of the fantastic young adult dystopian novel The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

That's right: one of my favorite places is now going to be used in the filming of one of my favorite recent books, a novel that I've already taught twice to undergraduate and graduate students!

If I had to guess, I'd imagine this will be used as part of District 12, the home of Katniss Everdeen, which represents the Appalachian coal-mining area of Panem in the books. Here's a bit more about the local preparation for the filming. You can see more of my pictures of the town, pre-filming, here, and read more about its past on Treasure.net here.

Other motion pictures have also been filmed in Burke County to take advantage of its impressive geography, including key outdoor sequences from 1992's The Last of the Mohicans.


“Here’s some advice. Stay alive.”
-Haymitch Abernathy, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Comments

[aishabintjamil.livejournal.com]

Not entirely on topic here, but I thought you might be interested in hearing that Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling have a YA Dystopian anthology in the works. It's going to be called "After". Another writer I follow just sold a story to it.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Fantastic news! Thanks so much for the heads up. I'm going to be watching for this collection now.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

I always thought it was funny that they filmed Last of the Mohicans there and not where it actually took place. It's not like the Adirondacks are overly developed or anything! ;)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Good point! That is bizarre. Maybe NC offered better tax breaks to the filmmakers. ;)

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

That's usually the reason. :)

[lbilover.livejournal.com]

Wow, that really looks like it could be District 12! I think you must be right about that. And how neat that the village will be used for the Hunger Games.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you think so, too! It's quite bizarre, because this little village is tucked away like a miniature ghost town, while everything around it seems alive and vibrant. I'm glad it will be immortalized this way. It will be exciting to see how it translates visually into the film. I also understand that a nearby cemetery will also be used. Should be interesting!

[agameofthree.livejournal.com]

So cool. :) I cannot wait to see that movie.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you think so, too! I was rather pleased to think it will have a "second life" this way.

I tend to wait to Netflix a lot of films these days, but I'm definitely heading to the theater for this one - and I would be even if I didn't know some of the locations. I love the books, and I'm so excited to see how they translate to the big screen! I look forward to comparing notes with you. :)

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

You remind me of when I watched the DVDs of Veronica Mars and discovered that the street scenes were of a street that passes within a block of our apartment, and of buildings that I walk by regularly. There was one "on the road" scene where Veronica repeatedly drove by the Italian restaurant a block north of us; and Veronica's father's office was next to the coffee house where our friends caprine and ebenbrooks perform once a month. It's very strange to see one's empirical reality transformed into someone else's fictional reality.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Good grief, that must've been utterly surreal!

I'm looking forward to seeing how this setting translates both to the story itself and to the big screen. I was already excited about this film, but the local connection makes it all the more interesting.

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

chorale and I live in Neptune, California. . . . It does have a je ne sais quoi, doesn't it?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Oooh, yes indeed!

[groovekittie.livejournal.com]

You know, I really, really, really looooooove the Hunger Games. It is really a fantastic series. It's a great look at our current state of affairs and society. How blind consumerism can result in shallow behaviours, lack of political ideals, a loss of morals, over-consumption, and desensitization of many things.

The Hunger Games are much like reality television, fashion is just a brighter and shinier version of today's fashions, and all that. The Capitol is just current popular culture in North America.

I hope a lot of schools teach it. I know it's taught here in our local Grade 10 classes. :)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I hope a lot of schools teach it, too! It was fantastic to see my graduate students - some of whom were adult men with children of their own - completely enthusiastic about and fascinated by the books. (Interesting, too, that the gender of the protagonist didn't seem to matter: she's a great character, and the fact she's a girl didn't seem to affect anyone's interest in the story.)

I love the series, and I agree wholeheartedly with everything you say above. I've been interested to see so many features of the modern media and popular culture - from professional sports drafts to the recent royal wedding - through the lens of those books and what they say about "reality" television and viewing audiences. I find it very heartening that such smart and perceptive books have done so well with readers of all ages. Here's hoping the films do the books justice! (So far, everything sounds promising... you can't beat having an Academy Award-nominated young actress as the lead!) *fingers crossed*

[agentxpndble.livejournal.com]

That's so cool!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Isn't it though? I love the fact this little village will be immortalized (not to mention made useful again) this way, in the service of such a meaningful story.

[vonjunzt.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

I wish I could find a place with that kind of scenery here. Granted, we have our missions and adobes, but one does exchange a lot for the excellent weather of Southern California.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

It really is hauntingly beautiful. I've had more than one Lovecraftian thought while poking around there, I'll admit...

To be fair, though, your missions and adobes are pretty spectacular.

Alas, I'm yet to live anywhere for any length of time where it's consistently cold and grey enough for me, including here. I think I need to live in the mirror-universe California, where it's always winter. My "happy place" is about 45 degrees, but I'm fine with 25 for extended periods of time. I've tried to adapt, much as I've tried not to be an early morning person, but it never takes. ;)

[cookiefleck.livejournal.com]

Off topic: eeeeeeeeeee! http://twitpic.com/4vx025

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I am irrationally excited by this picture. The new season cannot come fast enough, as far as I'm concerned. Squeeee!

[cookiefleck.livejournal.com]

ghislainem70 pointed me to it and I, too, was irrationally excited by it and knew you'd want to see it. My cup runneth over.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

It's a very, very good time to be a Sherlock fan, that's for sure! :)

BTW, the virtual jelly beans are fantastic. Thanks so much for your thoughtfulness!

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's really great.

I agree, I think it would make a great District 12.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

We just drove by there this past weekend and saw a lot of the work being done. It really thrilled me to see they were cleaning the places up - clearing away broken glass, for example - but not physically changing the structures themselves much, at least from what I could see. The authenticity of the place should really add to the film. The film crews are supposed to start their work there tomorrow.

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