Sure, the northern half of the Garden State has seen its fair share of love from Hollywood, but Tinsel Town has called the southern half home throughout the years. Here’s a list of eight times South Jersey towns received the big screen treatment.
Jersey Girl (2004)
Director: Kevin Smith
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Liv Tyler
Spotlight: Paulsboro
In this dramatic comedy, Ben Affleck plays a man driven to take care of his daughter after the untimely death of his wife. According to the New York Times, Director Kevin Smith spent several weeks in Paulsboro filming scenes in the town’s municipal building and high school, where he eventually held the movie premiere. A scene that was cut from the film was shot inside St. John’s Church. Berlin and Cherry Hill also served as filming locations.
Fallen (1998)
Director: Gregory Hoblit
Starring: Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland
Spotlight: the Pine Barrens
This crime drama stars Denzel Washington as a homicide detective who witnesses the execution of a serial killer. However, soon after the execution, the killings start again. According to VisitNJ.org, a crucial scene at the end of the movie was filmed in a cabin within the Pine Barrens.
Clean and Sober (1988)
Director: Glenn Gordon Caron
Starring: Michael Keaton, Morgan Freeman
Spotlight: Gloucester City
Michael Keaton plays a drug addict who finds solace after checking himself into rehab to escape trouble with the law. According to the Gloucester City News, Keaton spent a week filming in Gloucester City, shooting several scenes, including one featuring a home on Morris Street.
12 Monkeys (1995)
Director: Terry Gillium
Starring: Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe
Spotlight: Camden
The sci-fi flick stars Bruce Willis as a prisoner sent back in time from 2035 to stop a man-made virus from destroying the human population. An early scene in the movie featured the exterior of the Oasis Motel in Camden before it was torn down.
Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)
Director: Martin Davidson
Starring: Tom Berenger, Michael Pare, Joe Pantoliano
Spotlight: Vineland
Rock and roll never dies. Or, does it? The movie centers around the search for a long-lost lead singer of a popular 1960s band. Vineland’s legendary Palace of Depression was depicted in the film. The building was composed of assorted junk, scrapped car parts and According to the Daily Journal, the Palace was once a popular tourist attraction built from scrapped car parts and other junk.
Made in Chinatown (2018)
Directors: James Lew, Robert Samuels
Starring: Raymond J. Barry, Vincent Pastore, Joseph D’Onofrio
Spotlight: Collingswood
In this mobster comedy, a turf war erupts between the Italian and Chinese organized crime syndicates in New York City. Collingswood Italian restaurant The Kitchen Consigliere closed its doors for an entire day to film a scene for this feature film.
Fight Valley (2016)
Director: Rob Hawk
Starring: Susie Celek, Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, Erin O’Brien
Spotlight: Runnemede
This action flick stars three of the top female mixed martial artists in the world brawling in front of the camera. The movie centers on a young women begins training with a respected ex-fighter as she searches for the person who killed her sister who became involved in an underground fighting ring in Camden. According to director Rob Hawk, most of the film was shot in Runnemede and one of the bigger fight scenes was shot in Blackwood.
The Mint (2015)
Director: Raymond Mamrak
Starring: Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Chris Cardillo, Ashlee Keating, Kristinia DeBarge
Spotlight: Washington Township
Jenni “JWoww” Farley plays the girlfriend of Chris Cardillo’s character J. Fontaine, who must save his recently deceased parents’ record label. According to the Courier-Post, a majority of the film was shot in South Jersey, including Washington Township High School, Westville’s Club Fitness and Maxx Beats Recording Studio in Cherry Hill.
