SHORT TAKES : Film Brings New Life to Old Town
Nevada’s oldest town finally has a gas station, but not for long. And more than 80 outsiders have taken up residence, including actor James Caan, but they’re just temporary too.
Genoa, renamed Silver Creek, Colo., for the time being, will be the setting for director Rob Reiner’s latest movie, “Misery,” based on horror writer Stephen King’s novel about a writer imprisoned by an insane woman.
Since Hollywood’s arrival last week, this town of about 400 residents nestling at the foot of the Sierra Nevada 10 miles south of Carson City has been transformed.
A new sign at Genoa’s main intersection reads “Welcome to Silver Creek. Established 1851,” a year after the real town was founded. However, anyone who pulls up to the new “gas station” will find that the pumps don’t work.
The new pay telephone outside Stan and Bobby’s Sporting Goods, Liquor and Video Rental store doesn’t work either. But the four new buildings on Main Street built by the film crew are not fake. Genoa now has a cafe, general store, radiator shop and sheriff’s station.
Reiner is shooting the film on a closed set off limits to the public and media and has hired about 100 locals as extras.
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