This month, a small Oregon town off Interstate 5 north of Eugene is set to celebrate a classic movie that was filmed there.
“Stand By Me” is a 1986 coming-of-age drama filmed mostly in Brownsville, Oregon, and is based on Steven King’s “The Body.”
The story takes place in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Oregon, and follows four boys on their journey to locate the dead body of a missing boy.
Brownsville has historically celebrated Stand By Me Day — complete with a blueberry pie-eating contest referencing a somewhat grotesque scene from the film — annually on July 23, according to the Oregon Historical Society. Continue reading... “Brownsville Set to Mark “Stand By Me Day””
#OregonMade “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” will be returning to theatres 50 years after its initial release. The Miloš Forman film will celebrating its anniversary with a nationwide theatrical re-release. The film has become a bit of a sensation — the second highest grossing picture of 1975, behind “Jaws,” while receiving nine Oscar nominations.
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” would go on to sweep the “big five” — screenplay, director, actor, actress and picture — the first film to do so in 41 years, (“It Happened One Night,” in 1934) which only “The Silence of the Lambs” has done since. Continue reading... ““One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Returns to Theaters”
1859, Oregon’s Magazine, recently featured several iconic locations on the Oregon Film Trail as part of an article entitled “Ready, Set, Action.” With a focus on projects using locations like Portland, Ashland, Crater Lake, Astoria, McMinnville, Burns, Eugene, Salem and Depoe Bay, 1859 guides you through how and where to stay to experience the locations for films like “Twilight,” “Wild,” “Lean on Pete,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and, of course, “The Goonies.”
Read the full article here. Continue reading... ““Ready, Set, Action” – 1859 Magazine Features the Oregon Film Trail”
Every year around this time we take a moment to reflect on the work we do and why we do it.
First of all, the basics: Oregon Film (a/k/a The Oregon Film & Video Office) is a four person semi-independent state agency that is focused on fostering the economic development potential of the film and media industry in Oregon. Established by Gov. Tom McCall in 1968 to aid the permitting process for “Paint Your Wagon,” Oregon Film, as far as we know, is the oldest state film commission in the US. Continue reading... “Who We Are and What We Do (June 2025)”
June 7 is officially “Goonies Day” in Astoria and that day will anchor an entire weekend of celebrations for the film’s 40th anniversary called “Goonies Weekend.”
“The Goonies,” produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner, was released in 1985. For Astoria, where the film was set and where much of it was shot, Goonies-related tourism has long been touted as an important component of the local economy. Anniversary celebrations have drawn reliable out-of-town crowds ever since the 25th anniversary and Goonies merchandise sprouts up regularly at local shops. Continue reading... “Goonies Weekend Celebrates 40 Years of #OregonMade Classic”
Central Oregon Daily News’ “Destination Oregon” recently traveled to Salem to highlight the 50th anniversary of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” The film that won five Academy Awards was set at Oregon State Hospital in Salem.
Author Ken Kesey’s book about the institutional overreach and the dehumanization of the mentally ill was kryptonite to many mental institutions who did not want to be associated with this controversial cultural issue. So when Hollywood came looking for a place to make the movie, there were no takers. Continue reading... “Destination Oregon Hightlights “Cuckoo’s Nest” 50th Anniversary”

Come celebrate the 40th anniversary of the quintessential Oregon (coast) movie set and shot in Astoria. It’s hard to say anything new about Richard Donner, Chris Columbus and Steven Spielberg’s classic would-be-treasure-hunters-fight-off-the-bad-guys-to-win-the-day story, but that’s why we love it. This screening kicks off Goonies Weekend happening June 7 and 8 up in Astoria, so come for a pre-game warm up before celebrating the, arguably, best known #OregonMade film in the cannon.
Book your tickets here. Continue reading... “#OregonMade “The Goonies” Turns 40! Celebrate with a 35mm screening on June 5th”
Oregon has been Hollywood’s backlot when it comes to movies and television projects. That includes Central Oregon — “Rooster Cogburn,” “The Postman and “Wild,” to name a few. Central Oregon Daily‘s “Destination Oregon” took a trip on the Oregon Film Trail. Visiting sites where movies and television shows were filmed is a huge tourism industry called Set Jetting.
“Right now, we believe it’s about $151 million a year that’s coming into Oregon through film set jetting,” said Tim Williams, the executive director of the Oregon Film Office. Continue reading... “Destination Oregon: The Oregon Film Trail”
Portland and Oregon are surprisingly popular locations to film in: There’ve been over 700 films and TV shows shot in our region! City Cast talked with Katie Rasmussen, a location manager who’s worked with big-budget movies and TV shows like “Grimm” and the upcoming Amazon Prime series “Criminal.” She’s discussing how the places we all know and love get translated onto the big screen, and why Oregon often has the favored locations for some darker-themed films and TV shows.
Listen here. Continue reading... “City Cast Portland: What Hollywood Wants From Portland, According to a Location Manager”
Screening on March 20, 2025 at 730p at the Hollywood Theatre.
Come celebrate the 50th anniversary of the all-time-classic #OregonMade film ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST. Winner of 5 Oscars and shot at the Oregon State Hospital with a full cast field trip to nearby Depoe Bay, the film version of Ken Kesey’s novel will be shown on a 35mm print. The screening will be a benefit for the Museum of Mental Health now housed in the State Hospital in Salem. Continue reading... “Celebrate 50th Anniversary of #OregonMade “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest””