Remember ‘Tank’? Columbus Museum puts spotlight on film industry with new exhibit
Rebecca Bush says this is the perfect time to present an exhibition about the history of film in the Columbus area.
“The film industry here is experiencing a boom,” said Bush, curator of history/exhibitions manager at The Columbus Museum.
“Close Up: Cinema Along the River,” an exhibition featuring several historical artifacts related to the film industries of Georgia and Alabama, opened May 6 in the Legacy Gallery and highlights movie and television productions filmed, set or depicted in the greater Southeastern region.
It will be on display until April 22, 2018.
A reception, free to the public, will be held at the museum Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with curator-led discussions and tours.
“The Chattahoochee Valley has a rich history of film production and homegrown talent, and its filmmaking future looks even brighter,” Bush said. “At a time when the Georgia Film Academy, the Way Down Film Festival and Fun Academy Motion Pictures are breathing new life into the local film industry, it’s a wonderful time to look back at the area’s silver screen history, from local girls who grew up to be silent movie stars, to award-winning writer and director Nunnally Johnson, from Fort Benning’s numerous brushes with stardom to the delightful web spun by a local B-movie classic, ‘Kiss of the Tarantula.’”
A great attraction is seeing movie posters of films produced long ago.
The careers and innovations of local screen actors, filmmakers and theater companies are on display. Films such as “We Were Soldiers,” “The Green Berets,” “Tank” and “The Phenix City Story” are highlights.
“We put the spotlight on some luminaries who made it big in Hollywood who are still well known and some who have been forgotten,” Bush said.
She said she hopes the display will bring in some people who have not experienced before what the museum has to offer.
Larry Gierer: 706-571-8581, @lagierer
If you go
What: “Close Up: Cinema Along the River” film exhibition
Where: The Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road
When: It runs until April 22
Cost: Museum is free
Times: The museum is closed Monday. On Sunday, it is open 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Every other day it is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
This story was originally published May 16, 2017 at 1:02 PM with the headline "Remember ‘Tank’? Columbus Museum puts spotlight on film industry with new exhibit."