New Texas film subsidies don't guarantee Golden Age Redux.

You're streaming a late-night flick when, bam—a surprise appearance by your city, Austin. Like spotting the ornate trim of a historic hotel in Miss Congeniality, a Sandra Bullock movie not set in Austin.

"As we watched all these movies, we realized there was...a persistence of Austin's culture...Austin isn't only a place that has been filmed a lot; its culture has encouraged that."
- Mike Blizzard, Also Starring Austin

Austin and Texas have been filming locations for over 100 years. San Antonio, once Texas' biggest city, aimed to be "Texas Hollywood." Gaston Méliès filmed 70+ titles there in 1910. Despite the Golden Age of Hollywood, Texas films include Viva Zapata! (1952), Giant (1956), The Alamo (1959), Hud (1962), and Bonnie and Clyde (1967).

The Texas Film Commission's founding in 1971 spread production statewide. By the '90s, creative, laid-back Austin, near diverse geographies, became the state's film capital. Talent like Richard Linklater and Matthew McConaughey kept cameras rolling.

Mike Blizzard's documentary, Also Starring Austin, scanned 120+ films, showing Austin's identity in them. Blizzard notes how Austin's culture encouraged its filming, like in Miss Congeniality, which turns 25 soon. Despite subsidy issues, new state subsidies and promised studios indicate a potential second Golden Age for Austin on-screen.

So, next time Austin unexpectedly pops up on your screen, remember it's not just a location but an integral part of the story, reflecting the city's unique culture and identity.

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