For those of us born and raised in Alabama, we share memories from childhood of finding small spaces across the state that seemed to hold a certain magic—a garden in a grandmother’s backyard, a wooded path that wove along the lakeside, or a little hiding spot among the hills. For all of us, there was a place in time that felt, if only for a moment, like we had stumbled upon something secret. It is that very feeling that acclaimed film director Tim Burton experienced when he first visited a small, remote island in Millbrook, Alabama.
Scouting locations for his upcoming film Big Fish based on the Daniel Wallace novel of the same name, Burton was taken by the idea of transforming the small, shaded island into a set for the fictional town of Spectre. Big Fish follows the story of a son who, as his father is dying, listens to his anecdotes of what he claims to have experienced throughout his life. All of the stories outrageous and, frankly, unbelievable, we watch the main character, a younger version of the father Edward Bloom, played by Ewan McGregor, as he acts out the fantastical tales.
At the beginning of the movie, Edward is distraught with desperation to attain his lofty aspirations. He finds and follows a path out of town that leads him into an increasingly dark wood, on the other side of which he emerges to find something seemingly out of a storybook. The town that meets him is poised to portray a seeming last bastion of idyllic Southern life. Edward makes his way into the town only to be met with a myriad of questions and curiosities that go on to color the cinematic story.
Later, Edward makes an attempt to return to Spectre. Now abandoned and in a state of disrepair, the town is a shell of its former self. A stark contrast to the earlier depiction of the Southern safe haven, the abandonment could be interpreted to symbolize the passage of time and perhaps the loss of the magic and idealism that was found in the experiences of his youth.
A story that speaks to many themes, not the least of which is the complexity of life and loss, it resonated with thousands. Snagging several nominations across the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs, the owners of the island made what many have deemed the right decision to keep the set as it was left by the production team. The property has been in the Bright family for decades, and in an interview with Alabama News Center, co-owner Lynn Bright shared:…