Cambridge Area Popular Movie Location

Ben Affleck is filming his new movie today in Harvard Square. Five years ago it may have gotten much more attention but we seem to be getting used to all the celebrities in our midst. Cambridge was a popular movie location before Massachusetts started their tax incentive programs to lure movie makers here. Among the older set they may mention Love Story as the most famous movie filmed here but even though I saw Love Story and like the movie it doesn’t stand out in my memory. Good Will Hunting back in 1997 brought attention to Cambridge not just because some of it was filmed here but also because Ben Affleck and Matt Damon lived here.  It did not hurt the the film was critically acclaimed winning 2 oscars including one for Damon and Affleck’s screen play.

Ben Affleck in particular continues to choose projects in Massachusetts and I was surprised that Gone Baby Gone was not more commercially successful(parts were filmed at Mount Auburn Cemetery).  Thankfully that didn’t scare him and he is back filming “The Town” in Massachusetts and specifically at Grendal’s Den in Harvard Square.

So who else is in town?  Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz are supposed to be filming soon if not right now in Worcester.  Their filming of scenes from the unnamed “Wichita” movie at Worcester Regional Airport is being kept close to the vest.  The Globe is reporting that they are also going to be filming near the East Cambridge area over the line in Somerville for the same movie.

So bottom line, keep those cameras and autograph books handy.  Nowadays you never know who you might bump into!  Just remember to be polite too, we don’t want to give ourselves a bad name!