Good Will Hunting credits
Bradley Torr
the most exciting bit was the credits :-) Because there is a very good
highway scene at the end, where a helicopter is following Matt Damon in his
beaten-up convertible on what would be my dream freeway.... rolling
emerald-green hills, wide wide medians, little traffic and few trucks....
it just looked like highway heaven :-)
Now my question is this - can anyone identify this highway? My guess would
be the Mass Turnpike, as Will Hunting is driving from Boston to San
Francisco. But (and never having been to MA, I can't verify this) isn't
Massachusetts hopelessly overcrowded and urbanised? This freeway looked as
though it was in the middle of nowhere, like what I imagine Colorado or
eastern Oregon to look like. I couldn't make out any shields (just a couple
of speed limit signs), and the nameplates on the overpasses which show the
name of the overpass road are black with white legend.
Your help in identifying this highway would be greatly appreciated. :-)
Regards,
Bradley.
John Carr
Bradley Torr <bt...@bigpond.nospam.com> wrote:
>Now my question is this - can anyone identify this highway? My guess would
>be the Mass Turnpike, as Will Hunting is driving from Boston to San
>Francisco.
This was discussed on ne.transportation. The consensus was the west
end of the Mass Pike in Stockbridge*.
>But (and never having been to MA, I can't verify this) isn't
>Massachusetts hopelessly overcrowded and urbanised?
Western Massachusetts is still mostly rural. There is a 30 mile gap
between exits 2 and 3 on the Mass Pike. On and inside of Route 495,
Massachusetts is just the kind of place Al Gore hates. You'll still
see trees along the sides of roads, but on the other side of the trees
is extensive low- and moderate-density development. There were many
farms as recently as the 1970s but they are mostly gone now.
*When James Taylor sings "...the Turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston",
he's talking about the Mass. Pike. The town is also the setting for
"Alice's Restaurant"
Stephen Walter
If I recall correctly, a "Toll Plaza" sign appears at the very end of the
scene, which would probably place it at the NY border. I also think the
credits do acknowledge the Mass. Turnpike.
Steve
nwp...@student.berklee.edu
> the most exciting bit was the credits :-) Because there is a very good
> highway scene at the end, where a helicopter is following Matt Damon in his
> beaten-up convertible on what would be my dream freeway.... rolling
> emerald-green hills, wide wide medians, little traffic and few trucks....
> it just looked like highway heaven :-)
I think this is as pretty as any Mass. freeway ever gets. Of course, New
York has a number of them that beat out the Pike for scenery...;-)
>
> Now my question is this - can anyone identify this highway? My guess would
> be the Mass Turnpike, as Will Hunting is driving from Boston to San
> Francisco.
Correct, it is the MassPike basically through the town of Stockbridge.
The first (only?) overpass that you see is marked "Prospect Street
Stockbridge". The scene ends just near MA 102, as the highway comes
around a bend toward the toll plaza (which you don't quite get to see).
If you check the m.t.r. archives, this scene is mentioned in an old
thread Highway Signs in TV and Movies.
> But (and never having been to MA, I can't verify this) isn't
> Massachusetts hopelessly overcrowded and urbanised? This freeway looked as
> though it was in the middle of nowhere, like what I imagine Colorado or
> eastern Oregon to look like. I couldn't make out any shields (just a couple
> of speed limit signs), and the nameplates on the overpasses which show the
> name of the overpass road are black with white legend.
Massachusetts can be divided into approximately three zones of
development. There is the Boston and 25 mile radius area, basically
inside I-495, which is almost as you imagine it. Insead of overcrowded
and urbanized, it's overtravelled and suburbanized.
There is a central zone, let's say extending to the Connecticut River
Valley, and wrapping around the north and south of I-495, which is more
of a patchwork of suburban towns, smaller rural villages, and open land,
mostly forested. Springfield and Worcester are gateways to this zone.
The west is the Berkshires, where the scene takes place. This is
primarily mountainous and forested, with little urban development but
appreciable resort development. I consider this area to be more closely
allied physically and culturally to the State of New York: the Taconic
and Berkshire Ranges were formidable barriers to early settlement; most
of the first white settlers cames from the west. Its political history
for a long time reflected this, with disagreements between the
struggling farmers of the west and the roller-coaster maritime
industries of the east (cf. Shays' Rebellion). Even today, the
Berkshires are as much a playground for New York(city)ers as for
Bostonians.
(This is not a New Yorker's bias, by the way; eastern Long Island can
similarly be considered more a part of Rhode Island than of New York.)
>
> Your help in identifying this highway would be greatly appreciated. :-)
I think I've given you more than you were hoping for, sorry.
--
________________________________________________________________________
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Rochester, N.Y. 甍__ | about, that doesn't mean you know what
Boston, Mass. \|_= you're doing."
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Jon Enslin
nwp...@student.berklee.edu wrote:
> In article <01bec003$38648820$c9de868b@btorr>,
> "Bradley Torr" <bt...@bigpond.nospam.com> wrote:
> > After watching Good Will Hunting on video tonight, I would have to
say that
> > the most exciting bit was the credits :-) Because there is a very
good
> > highway scene at the end, where a helicopter is following Matt Damon
in his
> > beaten-up convertible on what would be my dream freeway.... rolling
> > emerald-green hills, wide wide medians, little traffic and few
trucks....
> > it just looked like highway heaven :-)
>
> I think this is as pretty as any Mass. freeway ever gets.
The northernmost parts of I-91 beat the Pike for scenery IMO.
Jon
pboo...@gmail.com
nob...@gmail.com
bluep...@gmail.com
> After watching Good Will Hunting on video tonight, I would have to say that
> the most exciting bit was the credits :-) Because there is a very good
> highway scene at the end, where a helicopter is following Matt Damon in his
> beaten-up convertible on what would be my dream freeway.... rolling
> emerald-green hills, wide wide medians, little traffic and few trucks....
> it just looked like highway heaven :-)
>
> be the Mass Turnpike, as Will Hunting is driving from Boston to San
> though it was in the middle of nowhere, like what I imagine Colorado or
> eastern Oregon to look like. I couldn't make out any shields (just a couple
> of speed limit signs), and the nameplates on the overpasses which show the
> name of the overpass road are black with white legend.
>
>
> Bradley.
Ok, I've sussed out the exact route the car takes.
If you stop the film just as the car appears at the end, you'll see on the median strip between the lanes going west and eat, 2 bushes. Notice the road is curved ahead to the right and starts going downhill.
Open up a map of the Mass turnpike. You want the section where East Street crosses it. Drop the little man on the road from the map to the left of the crossing. Zoom forward a few clicks and you will see those exact same bushes and road lay out. The bushes look a little different, but it's been quite a few years since the film.
Anyway, that's where the car journey in the film starts.
At the end, the car drives off and the camera stops at a bridge. The highway slowly turns to the right. That bridge is the one carrying the W Stockbridge Road. It's about a total journey of 4 kms.
I had the film on and taped it, then matched up the end scene with these locations. Damn, I gotta get a life! LOL
bluep...@gmail.com
natel...@gmail.com
I’m Nathan and I guess I stumbled over this 20 year old chat. Anyway, I believe they shot the mass turnpike not only for realistic value but also convenience, Boston and Toronto. From Boston take I-90 to buffalo and then take the 1-3 bridges to Canada (My homelands), then take the QEW to the 401 or 407 (Ontario Has 407,401. It’s like I-90 or I-75) to Toronto.
People call titanic one of the greatest films ever made but, It should’ve won best picture!
Salute, My comrades, Salute
Regards,
Nate