Actors go into the entrance of the Lockport Caves and Underground Boat Rides during the Syfy hit "Sharknado 2: The Second One." The movie featured about two minutes of Lockport footage. (COURTESY OF SYFY)

BY SCOTT LEFFLER
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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The inside of the Lockport Caves and Underground Boat Rides as seen  during Syfy's Sharknado 2. (COURTESY OF SYFY)

The biggest shark-based weather movie of 2014 took Lockport by storm — and the rest of America, too.

The campy disaster movie reportedly had 3.9 million viewers Wednesday night, making it the most watched Syfy channel movie ever. There's no telling how many from East Niagara watched it, but the buzz on the street and online says that people took the time to watch what some are calling "the best worst movie ever."

Lockport (and Buffalo) scenes, of course added to the local attraction and Lockport Caves & Underground Boat Rides owner Tom Callahan said he was very pleased.

"I was amazed that they used as much as they did," Callahan said of the footage shot in early  April. "Loved the subway going across the top of Upson Park."

"The texts and the emails were really coming in from people (during the movie)," Callahan said. "The alligator seems to have confused everybody though."

When filming took place in early April, people were told it was part of a movie called "Alligator Attack" and that people in the caves would be fighting off alligators. Then it was found that it was part of Sharknado 2 and people assumed that they were fighting off sharks — but it was still an alligator.

In all, about two minutes worth of footage from the Lock City was used, some outside the entrance to the caves and some inside. For anyone who has been in the caves, it was instantly recognizable.

The Pleasant Valley Tavern had Sharknado-theme specials during the movie Wednesday night. (COURTESY PVT)

"You could tell it was the caves," said Pleasant Valley Tavern owner Jodi Newton. "We were all freaking out."

The Van Buren Street bar held a Sharknado party complete with shark-themed specials and even patrons showing up in shark gear.

"We all watched the movie and laughed. I thought it was awesome," Newton said. "It was one of our busiest Wednesdays in a long time. People that normally come out for a drink, stayed for the whole movie."

For the PVT, Sharknado was a boost for a day, but for the region as a whole, it's part of a larger puzzle that could have a much longer impact.

Mike Murphy, owner of Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises, said Hollywood's interest in the Lockport area is helpful.

"Anything that brings attention — that brings tourists to the area — is good," Murphy said, adding that everytime the History Channel airs a feature on the Erie Canal, "my phone rings."

Mayor Anne McCaffrey agrees. "It's exciting for our city to be able to say that we had a part in such a popular movie. Hollywood is welcome in Lockport any time."

While the mayor says she missed the movie Wednesday night, she does plan to watch it over the weekend. "I've seen the trailer and I'm looking forward to seeing it," she said. "It looks like a fun cult classic movie."

Jennifer Stevenson of Lockport didn't go so far as to call it a classic, but she did say it was fun to watch.

"Turn off your brain, suspend your disbelief, don't focus on the plot too much and relish the cheesy fun and B-movie homage that is Sharknado 2," she said. "Mindless good fun and footage shot in Lockport to boot."

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