Region’s landmarks shine on the big screen
Throughout Waterloo Region, there are countless landscapes and historical structures worthy of being featured in film. In this case film crews turned to two local landmarks for the 2017 adaptation of Stephen King’s “It.”
The movie is based on the horror novel of the same name.
Viewers will recognize the West Montrose Covered Bridge and the Elora Quarry in the movie.
Dee Brun had a front-row seat to the action last summer when the “It” film crew set up on her property for filming. Brun owns Olde Bridge Place bed and breakfast, just past the West Montrose Covered Bridge on the north side of the Grand River.
“Our property was like a temporary sound stage for the movie. The film was on my property for just over a week, but the shoot itself was only two days long. It’s not like there was paparazzi around; as far as movie sets go, it was pretty low-key.”
Brun said the area of West Montrose is very reminiscent of Vermont and areas of the northeastern United States, where covered bridges are prevalent.
The scenes shot in West Montrose featured the child actors, but didn’t include the eerie clown “Pennywise.” Brun said the clown’s calling card — a red balloon — not only made an appearance, but stuck around after the crew had left the set.
“The clown wasn’t in the scenes that were shot here, but there was a red balloon used in one of the scenes. When they were done shooting, some of the helium had come out and the balloon was left behind and was bobbing up and down in our driveway. My son ran out to play with it and I immediately warned him ‘don’t touch that — it’s not just any balloon.’”
The “Kissing Bridge” is a rare and cherished piece of Ontario history as the oldest and only remaining covered bridge in the province.
“The West Montrose Covered Bridge is one of the two great iconic symbols of Waterloo County,” said local historian Rych Mills.
“That bridge was never destroyed by high winds or floods; it’s a survivor. When people can put their hands on the bridge and drive through it, they fall in love with it. That’s why it’s popular. It gives you an experience beyond a picture.”
The Elora Quarry also makes an appearance. In one shot, the actors in the film jump into the quarry — an activity which in real life is frowned upon due to safety concerns.
If anything, Brun hopes this film raises awareness for the local sites and gives moviegoers a new appreciation for these local treasures.
“After watching the movie, people might Google the West Montrose Covered Bridge and they’ll soon realize it’s the last of its kind in Ontario. They really should come see it because it’s an important part of Ontario’s history,” Brun said.