May 18, 2009
I mentioned that the makers of the new film Management, starring Steve Zahn and Jennifer Annistion did not film in Kingman, where part of the movie takes place. It's too bad, because the real Kingman would have added so much flavor to the film with its period motels, many of them in decline and a few, like the Hillcrest Motel, in arrested decay. And the landscape, the trailer houses and the trains would have given the funny film a boost of road cred.

For a Kingman boy, it's a hoot to hear Jennifer Anniston's character complain about the Kingman Motel's lack of recycling stations and Steve Zahn's mother says, "Recycling hasn't really caught on here in Kingman." I imagine the rest of the quiet theater was wondering why this old man in the front row was laughing like there was no tomorrow. Ha.

So, if like me, you're wondering where did they film the Kingman segment, wonder no more. Steve Lodge sent me this info:

According to IMDb Pro, Madras and Portland, Oregon is where they filmed Management. I’m assuming Madras stood in for Kingman? The movie moves from Kingman to Maryland and then to Aberdeen, Washington, and back to Kingman, so, I imagine the filmmakers needed a location that could provide landscape for all three, diverse locations. I asked Steve where he got his info:

"IMDb Pro has a slew of information that the regular IMDb doesn't. I pay for the Pro version - a good investment for me. Let me know if you want me to check out anything movie or TV related and hopefully I will find it. Someone on the True West blog was asking about goofs in movies. IMDb Pro has them all; and they're still adding new ones all the time."
—Steve Lodge