The Salamander King premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival and it was an unexpected ode to Austin. The film is directed by Austin Nichols, filmed in Austin and is about Austin. It includes so many references and locations we all know and love. It’s truly a love letter to the city and the people who love it. The film premiered on opening night of DIFF, where it was so popular, they had to add an additional screening. All three showings of the film were at max capacity! Keep reading as we literally spill the aTx about The Salamander King.
About The Film
Director: Austin Nichols
Screenwriter: Drew Mackintosh
Cast: Ryan Hansen, Adrianne Palicki, Dulce Sloan, Justin Chatwin, Reggie Bush, Brad Leland
Synopsis: The Salamander King is an indie comedy that focuses on a group of Austinites who work and play at a municipal golf course – aka MUNY – that’s come under threat of extinction due to the city’s rapid growth. The main characters are an increasingly endangered species in Austin – misfits and creative types who embrace the city’s mantra: Keep Austin Weird. The film is also a story about the universal desire to be part of a community and the need for shared public spaces. Despite their disparate backgrounds, the misfits at Muny share a strong bond with one another and view the course as integral to the preservation of their “found family.”
The Salamander King: The ultimate love letter to Austin
We already told you this movie was a love letter to Austin, but the cast confirms it with a Friday Night Lights reunion. Adrianne Palicki (Tyra Collette) and Brad Leland (Buddy Garrity) reunite on screen and let us tell you, we had clear eyes and full hearts – and you really can’t lose with this movie. Fun fact: Austin Nichols is also a Friday Night Lights alum. He wasn’t in it for long, but you might remember him as Noah the teacher who was a little too familiar with his student, Julie Taylor.
Friday Night Lights aside, the movie is centered around a Municipal Austin Golf Course aka MUNY that is full of characters. The problem is that their relaxed management skills might lead to their closure. When a California transplant consultant played by Adrianne Palicki shows up, she’s set on saving the place but wants to strip some of the quirky charm that it stands for. The crew is hesitant and knows that there needs to be changes but want to show her what the golf course and Austin really stand for.
They show her all over town and do everything in Austin, from Barton Springs (filmed as Krause Springs) to a scenic selfie at Mount Bonnell, even grabbing a drink at Deep Eddy. The movie captures what Austin has been going through over the years – needing change but trying to hold on to its essence. Throughout the film we found ourselves on a rollercoaster of emotions from joy, sadness, nostalgia, to hope. If you love Austin, like we do, it’s a must-watch.
Locations you will recognize in the film include:
- Yellow Rose
- Krause Springs
- Deep Eddy Cabaret
- Dreamers (Yes, that Dreamers)
- Peter Pan Mini-Golf
- Mama Dearest
- Mount Bonnell
- Threadgill’s (RIP)
This was Austin Nichols’ directorial debut and we’re really excited to see what’s next for him. We hope he keeps telling Austin-inspired stories, there are so many to tell! P.S. We love Austin Nichols for including chicken shit bingo in the film, nothing says “Keep Austin Weird” like chicken shit bingo.
We interviewed Nichols on the red carpet at DIFF and asked him our Texas This or That! Here’s what he had to say:
We loved this film and we hope everyone gets a chance to see it!
For those who don’t know, the Austin municipal golf course in the movie, known as MUNY, is based on a real golf course that is constantly trying to be saved through galas and donations. You can read about MUNY’s amazing 100-year history and donate here.
