The Brief. Woodstock, Illinois, became the filming location for "Groundhog Day" (1993), and the town now celebrates the movie with an annual festival that attracts visitors from around the world. Believe it or not, Groundhog Day wasn’t even filmed in Punxsutawney or at Gobbler’s Knob (More on that in the “fun facts” below). It certainly had a huge impact on the small town though Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis from a screenplay by him and Danny Rubin.Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott, it tells the story of a cynical television weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who becomes trapped in a time loop, forcing him to relive February 2 repeatedly. Thanks to a small town in northern Illinois, Groundhog Day is bigger than one chubby rodent and its shadow dropping a dubious weather forecast. In Woodstock, the groundhog takes a backseat to the real cause for celebration: the 1993 Bill Murray movie that was filmed there. WNIJ’s Under Rocks team visited the famed town square with the head of the annual festival (and Groundhog Day movie Groundhog Day falls each year on the 2nd February. This year, 2020, that date is infact a palindrome - 02.02.2020 - reading the same forwards as it does backwards. To celebrate the special significance of this years Groundhog Day, I have re-edited the original film in reverse, from finish to start, scene by scene, and in many cases, shot by shot. The 2025 schedule begins Jan. 30 and includes groundhog trivia, a Groundhog Day 5K, a showing of the film, a walking tour of the filming sites, a meet-and-greet with Stephen Tobolowski and more. The film locations for Groundhog Day are supposedly in Pennsylvania, but most of the film was shot in Illinois.. There’s a brief moment of scene setting in Pittsburgh, with an aerial shot of the city wedged between the the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, as cynical TV weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) and his crew head off to ‘Punxsutawney, Pa’ to cover the annual Groundhog Day Woodstock, Illinois celebrates Groundhog Day 2025 where Bill Murray filmed 1993 movie. The home of the Groundhog Days movie is celebrating 33 years with its annual celebration. The film was not filmed in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, What is the streaming release date of Groundhog Day (1993) in India? Answer. See more gaps; Learn more While the surreal nature of the story of the 1993 film intrigues many viewers, the recurring visuals of the locations where Phil lives the same day again and again only make one more curious about the actual filming sites of ‘Groundhog Day.’ If you have been wondering the same, allow us to fill you in on all the details! Food for thought: Groundhog Day was one of 4 ancient Gaelic festivals called cross-quarter days, that fall exactly between a solstice and an equinox. They were considered magical days, good for divination and such. Set in Punxsutawney, a real town in Pennsylvania with a famous groundhog named Phil, Groundhog Day was entirely filmed in Woodstock, Illinois. This beloved comedy classic has stood the test of time since its release in 1993. One of the key elements that make the film so memorable is its setting, which plays a crucial role in the plot. As successful as those movies are, they all owe a lot to the original time-loop gem, Groundhog Day. The comedy stars Bill Murray as a cranky weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day festival but finds himself waking up on the same day over and over. RELATED: 10 Of The Best Time Travel Movies Of All Time, Ranked Here's a dozen fun facts you might not know about the Bill Murray classic film "Groundhog Day" which turns 30 in 2023. Skip to Article. Set weather. Back To Main Menu Close. Quick Look- After a lot of development and collaboration with Harold Ramis, Groundhog Day became the screenplay that ranks #3 on the Writers Guild of America's 101 funniest screenplays ever written. Danny Rubin walked through his journey with the story, screenplay and film of Groundhog Day at the 2014 Austin Film Festival. Thanks to AFF's On Story, you can Groundhog Day (1993) is the perfect film The core of the film is character development, Bill Murray is so deep in character, there feels like there are some borderline method moments. His comedic timing & acting is unique, subtle & fantastic. In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into the filming locations of Groundhog Day, uncovering the real-life town that stood in for Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and why these settings resonate with American audiences. Let’s relive the magic of this classic movie by exploring the iconic spots where it came to life. The 2025 schedule begins Jan. 30 and includes groundhog trivia, a Groundhog Day 5K, a showing of the film, a walking tour of the filming sites, a meet-and-greet with Stephen Tobolowski and more. The film also brought greater attention and tourism to Punxsutawney itself. Bill Murray and Harold Ramis have both served as honorary grand marshal for the Groundhog Day celebrations in Punxsutawney. "Groundhog Day" is ranked #8 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Fantasy." Stephen Tobolowsky, who played Ned Ryserson, in the movie Groundhog Day, attended the 2010 Groundhog Day Celebration in Punxsutawney. Danny Rubin, writer of the screenplay Groundhog Day, attended Groundhog Day 2013. This was the first time he attend Groundhog Day since before the movie was released.
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