Oscars: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Hell Or High Water | CBC Radio

Oscars: 5 things you didn't know about Hell or High Water | CBC Radio LoadedQOscars: 5 things you didn't know about Hell or High WaterJeff Bridges stars in this Texas-based bank robbery film, which taps into small town economic desperation.

Jeff Bridges stars in this Texas-based bank robbery film, which taps into small town economic desperation

Jennifer Van Evra · CBC · Posted: Feb 23, 2017 5:49 PM EST | Last Updated: February 24, 2017

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The Oscars are right around the corner, and to mark the occasion, we've gathered five fascinating facts about each of this year's Academy Award best picture nominees.

Here they are for David Mackenzie's bank heist film Hell or High Water, which is up for best picture, best supporting actor, best original screenplay and best film editing.

1. The film takes place in Texas, but was entirely shot in New Mexico.

2. It was originally called Comancheria, but the title was later changed to Hell or High Water.

3. For his role as the tough Texas ranger who sets out to bring down a pair of bank-robbing brothers before he retires, actor Jeff Bridges carefully studied actual Texas rangers. The character was originally inspired by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Taylor Sheridan's uncle, a federal marshal who was forced into retirement.

4. Through the screenplay, Sheridan wanted to explore the economic collapse in more isolated regions — not just big cities. "You know, people generally think of the crisis and all of these things affecting big cities. It started in San Diego and then it went to L.A. and Orange County, and spread everywhere to all of these regions — and it did," he said in an interview. "But people don't think about how it affected these rural areas, which in a lot of ways are more vulnerable to fluctuations in economies.

5. Cinematographer Giles Nuttgens shot much of the film when the sun was high to best capture the hot, oppressive feel of the area. "[He] went for that hard midday light that most directors of photography try and avoid to make sense of the heat of it," said director David Mackenzie in an interview. "The almost oppressive sunshine and shadows."

Read fascinating facts about the other best picture nominees here:

From Arrival to La La Land: fascinating facts about this year's best picture Oscar nominees

— Jennifer Van Evra, q digital staff