Alabama NewsCenter — Alabama small-town wonders: The ‘town’ of Spectre

By: Amber Sutton

You don’t have to travel to the hills of Hollywood to visit a little piece of cinematic history. In fact, all you have to do is take a drive to Jackson Lake near Millbrook. There, you’ll find a remote island that’s home to one of the state’s most popular small-town wonders (and a whole lot of goats), the fictional town of Spectre from the film “Big Fish.”

Jackson Lake Island has been in the Bright family since 1970 but sat unseen by even most locals until “Big Fish” director Tim Burton got a look at it while searching for locations for his film based on the novel by Daniel Wallace. He knew instantly the charming island was the perfect site for scenes set in the whimsical town of Spectre.

“It came as somewhat of a surprise,” said Lynn Bright, who has owned the island with her husband, Bobby, since 2015. “We did not know that there was any interest in it. Tim Burton’s group went through the Alabama Film Commission and went to see three places. He wanted privacy, and he wanted the look with all the water around it, the moss hanging from the trees, and all the character the island has. He was sold on it immediately.”

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