These days, the Brattle is more than a book shop—it’s also a backdrop. In this episode, Ken talks about what happens when someone wants to film here, whether it’s for a hotel promo, a student film, or a Hollywood movie with an actual budget. We’ll cover the questions we ask before saying yes to a project, why it’s usually worth participating, and how the shop has shown up in everything from Instagram stories to Oscar winners. It’s always an honor to be included—and we’re not above appreciating the free advertising.
Brattlecast #137 - Hollywood Calling!
The Brattle often rents books out as props, and sometimes serves as a set for student films, but recently, for the first time, a major Hollywood movie filmed a scene at the shop. The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendants) and starring Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Billions) is set at a New England prep school over the winter break of 1970. We’ll talk about what it took to transform our sale lot into a part of Boston’s gritty, bygone Combat Zone (not much), where film crews find snow, and more show business secrets on this behind the scenes #brattlecast.