Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
What Is the Best Movie Set and/or Filmed in Your State?
Yesterday in the GLoP cast there was a discussion of the best New York City film. It is not an easy choice, just as picking the best Los Angeles film or the best Chicago film isn’t easy.
Last year my wife and I traveled to every state. There were a number of things we did in every state, along with going to a church, a bar and to a movie theater. We also watched a movie that was set or filmed in that state. The DVD folder we travelled with covered most states, but not all — and sometimes we didn’t have a DVD for a state or access to a DVD player, so we needed to stream. Sometimes it was hard to pick the film because there were so many choices (see above). Sometimes, in places like Delaware and West Virginia it was difficult because the choices were so limited. And some places we felt we had no choice. We had to watch Oklahoma in Oklahoma. But we persevered, and here are the films that represented each state (and the District of Columbia):
- Nevada – Lost in America (1985)
- Arizona – Raising Arizona (1987)
- New Mexico – Silverado (1985)
- Texas – Office Space (1999)
- Oklahoma – Oklahoma (1955)
- Kansas – Elmer Gantry (1960)
- Missouri – Paper Moon (1973)
- Arkansas – True Grit (1969)
- Louisiana – Miller’s Crossing (1990)
- Mississippi – My Dog Skip (2000)
- Alabama – My Cousin Vinny (1992)
- Florida – Matinee (1993)
- Georgia – The General (1926)
- South Carolina – The Great Santini (1979)
- North Carolina – Bull Durham (1988)
- Tennessee – Starman (1984)
- Kentucky – Goldfinger (1964)
- West Virginia – A Killing Affair (1977)
- Virginia – The Littlest Rebel (1935)
- Maryland – Broadcast News (1987)
- Delaware – Clean and Sober (1988)
- Pennsylvania – Rocky (1976)
- New Jersey – The Station Agent (2003)
- New York – When Harry Met Sally (1989)
- Alaska – The Gold Rush (1925)
- Hawaii – Lilo and Stitch (2002)
- Washington – House of Games (1987)
- Connecticut – Beetlejuice (1988)
- Rhode Island – Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
- Massachusetts – The Crucible (1996)
- New Hampshire – What About Bob? (1991)
- Maine – The Iron Giant (1999)
- Vermont – Nothing Sacred (1937)
- Ohio – The Kings of Summer (2013)
- Michigan – Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
- Indiana – Hoosiers (1986)
- Illinois – The Untouchables (1987)
- Wisconsin – Wayne’s World (1992)
- Minnesota – A Serious Man (2009)
- Iowa – Field of Dreams (1989)
- Nebraska – About Schmidt (2002)
- South Dakota – North by Northwest (1959)
- North Dakota – Fargo (1996)
- Colorado – The Prestige (2006)
- Utah – Fletch (1985)
- Wyoming – Unforgiven (1992)
- Montana – Little Big Man (1970)
- Idaho – Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
- Oregon – Meek’s Cutoff (2010)
- California – Die Hard (1988)
District of Columbia bonus – The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
So did we pick the right film for your state? Where did we go wrong?
(The states are listed in the order of our travels with the exception of D.C. which fell between Virginia and Maryland)
Published in Entertainment
Yes, Fargo is in North Dakota. But the title is a complete intentional misnomer, because the story centers on (and was filmed in) Minneapolis.
Cool Running.
That show makes me yearn to visit the Keys…
So Forrest Gump is not good for Georgia?
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil?
These were both popular movies. I saw neither so I cannot comment.
I assume not Deliverance?
Depends on what part of the Ocoee river they were filming on, Deliverance may have been filmed in TN.
Didn’t most of that take place in Alabama?
Famous bits filmed in GA.
This OP is filmed in or about. I now have been called on that from both angles. Is it one or the other, or does it have to be both?
Well, it was about Georgia. See my point in the post above.
Ah, yep, missed that part.
Virginia: Gods and Generals.
Glory for South Carolina
That’s true, good movie it had slipped my mind when I was thinking of this list, but is it better known than a Christopher Reeve, Superman film, even just the finale?
The only reason Superman stuck with me, is that on Wednesday I met someone who worked as gopher on the set (as teenager) of Superman iii, so it was quite a co-incidence that this topic would come up.
Tennessee — Sgt. York.
Superman III is not well regarded, though. Most people I’ve spoken to see it as a really bad movie partially saved by one classic scene (the one where Superman splits in two and fights himself.)
I never claimed it was good. I thought it was better known.
I think these franchise films of this era became parodies of themselves – like the James Bond films with Roger Moore.
Tennessee — “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors“
Woodstock, Illinois: Groundhog Day
Too funny. I just got to your wonderful post. “My Cousin Vinny” is running in the background. I love this movie :)
There are many films about and shot in MT. But the one that captures the spirit of Montana best is “A River Runs Through It”.
Fargo is barely in North Dakota. It is right on the Red River, which flows north into Canada by the way, which is the border with MN.
Colorado: Things to do in Denver when you’re dead
My favorite thing about that movie was learning that the “Two yoots” conversation actually happened between Joe Pesci and the director (an Englishman.) They mutually agreed the conversation was funny and threw it in.
It’s also nice that there’s one movie set in the Deep South where law enforcement is portrayed as both competent and reasonable.
Race With The Devil (1975) — filmed on location in the Texas Hill Country.
Hey @rightangles, if you haven’t already seen it, you might enjoy it.
I think Footloose (filmed near Lehi Roller Mills in Utah) was a more enjoyable film for me than Fletch, but I was a lot younger when they both came out. But Google says Forrest Gump was filmed in Utah, too. That’s better than both of those.
Oh yes, and I forget High School Musical. And Dumb and Dumber. All the greats, lol!
“Nerds” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” were filmed near where I went to school in Tucson, “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” near where I grew up in Phoenix. “Dazed and Confused” near where I lived in Austin. When I lived in El Segundo, CA, it seems like every high school scene was filmed at El Segundo High and when I worked at UCLA I discovered how much TV and commercials were set around Jans Steps and it’s Library and Performance Arts Center.
Utah — Jeremiah Johnson.
Texas – Giant
Texas – Giant
California – It’s A Mad Mad Mad World
Lol. That one could be about half the country.