The Dead Don’t Die is an American absurdist zombie comedy that had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2019. It was directed by the famous Jim Jarmusch. Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez, and Steve Buscemi are just a few of the great actors in this strange horror comedy. The movie is a unique take on the zombie apocalypse genre because it mixes classic zombie tropes with a satirical edge. With its creepy and funny weird jokes and small-town setting—Centerville comes to life in a way that is both disturbing and funny.
The real places where the movie was shot are one of its most interesting parts. The Dead Don’t Die was mostly filmed in upstate New York, and it uses real small towns to show how lonely Centerville is.
What Happens in The Dead Don’t Die?
Strange things start to happen in the made-up town of Centerville—Pennsylvania, where the movie takes place. Police Chief Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray) and Officer Ronnie Peterson (Adam Driver) look into strange events, starting with—a chicken that goes missing and daylight that lasts longer than usual. As tensions rise, it turns out that polar fracking has messed up the Earth’s rotation, making a zombie apocalypse more likely.
The undead come to Centerville and cause chaos. Hank Thompson (Danny Glover), Bobby Wiggins (Caleb Landry Jones), and Zelda Winston (Tilda Swinton), who live there, step up to fight the threat. The characters have to deal with scary zombie attacks, strange warnings and even a UFO as they try to stay alive. The movie mixes absurdist humor with genre tropes, building up to a darkly comic ending that shows how flawed people are.
Where was “The Dead Don’t Die” filmed?
Jim Jarmusch carefully chose the locations for the movie, which makes it feel more real. The movie was mostly shot in upstate New York, and real towns were turned into the hauntingly perfect Centerville. Here is a full list of all the places where the movies were shot:
1. Elizaville Diner, Elizaville, New York
The Elizaville Diner, 573 Kerley Corners Rd is the famous diner where the zombie outbreak starts. The outside of this classic business sets the scene for the first zombie chaos in the movie. Even though the interior scenes were shot somewhere else, the Elizaville Diner is still a unique place to film because of its retro look and small-town feel.
2. West Taghkanic Diner, Ancram, New York
The West Taghkanic Diner (1016 NY-82, Ancram), which is about 11 miles from Elizaville, was used for the scenes inside the diner. This cozy restaurant is known for having an old-fashioned feel and it’s where important events happen—like when Hank finds the first zombie victims. The diner’s old-fashioned furniture adds to the movie’s nostalgic look.
3. Delaware Court Motel, Fleischmanns, New York
In the movie, the Delaware Court Motel (1141 Main St, Fleischmanns) is also the Moonlight Motel. It’s here that Cliff and Ronnie find the damage that the dead have done and—meet Zoe (Selena Gomez) for the first time. The remote location and rustic style of the motel go well with the scary mood of the movie.
4. Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church Cemetery, Fleischmanns, New York
There were important scenes in the cemetery, which were filmed at the Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church Cemetery in Fleischmanns. This place is very important because it’s where the zombies came from. It’s also the setting for the strange ending of the movie, in which a UFO beams up Tilda Swinton’s character.
5. Brookside Campgrounds, New York
Hermit Bob’s (Tom Waits) hideout is in the Brookside Campgrounds at4952 Route 32 which are full of trees and lush plants. The remoteness of the campgrounds makes Bob feel even more alone and emphasizes his view as an observer of humanity’s decline.
6. Margaretville, New York
The community of Centerville can also be found in the cute town of Margaretville. The rural charm of this town adds to the realism of the movie’s small-town setting, where the undead ruin the residents’ seemingly peaceful lives.
Behind the Charm of Centerville in Real Life
These rural places were used to make up the made-up town of Centerville because they have a timeless, untouched quality. Every place in the movie adds to its own unique atmosphere, which is a mix of humor and fear.
The village of Fleischmanns in New York is the center of Centerville. Its pretty streets and old buildings make it a great place to show a zombie-infested town.
In Ancram, New York, Ancram, which is known for its rolling hills and peaceful landscapes, provided key visuals that made the movie feel more scary and funny.
The Dead Don’t Die is more than just a zombie movie. It’s a love letter to small-town America told through the unique humor of Jim Jarmusch. The rural areas of upstate New York are a big part of what makes Centerville real, giving viewers a mix of reality and fantasy. By mixing these real-life places with the ridiculousness of a zombie apocalypse, the movie leaves an impression that lasts as long as its strange plot.
So, the next time you watch The Dead Don’t Die, keep an eye out for these cute places where the zombie mayhem takes place!
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