# Atypical settings for movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 11, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285 "2005-01-11T22:29:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/61 "2005-01-14T03:43:52Z")
_Insomnia_\* wouldn’t have worked very well if it had been set in LA. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/62 "2005-01-14T04:13:31Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > Seems nobody mentioned these 2 movies at least _set_ in **Boston** : > **The Friends of Eddie Coyle** and > **The Thomas Crown Affair** > > … Two more movies set in Boston, both legal thrillers: _The Verdict_ and _A Civil Action_. _The Perfect Storm_ which was of course based on a true story was set in a seacoast town north of Boston (there was apparently filming in Gloucester but I don’t know if they changed the name for the movie). ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/63 "2005-01-14T06:37:30Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > But I believe that New York is up there, because I remember Maryland being pretty diverse. I only lived there until age 11, so I can’t really elaborate. Well, not to sound like a jerk, but Maryland is about as close to New York as it is to my native North Carolina which - though it has coastline, “piedmont”, and mountain regions - is nearly covered from border to border with deciduous trees, much like Maryland and New York. I really don’t see how any east coast state can approach the geographic diversity of California, or - as mentioned - Washington. > [@fetus](#): > > Is it that tough to remember Shyamalan? Shee-uh-mall-un. It’s not that difficult. I would guess that Alessan is a Howard Stern fan. It’s a running joke on the show. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/64 "2005-01-14T06:54:02Z")
Most of John Waters’ movies are set in Baltimore. I haven’t seen very many movies set there other than his. Canadian Bacon was set in Niagara Falls, NY. Diabolique (the one from the nineties with Demi Moore) was set and shot in Pittsburgh, and a handful of scenes were shot in my hometown of Uniontown, PA. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/65 "2005-01-14T09:44:59Z")
> [@continuity eror](#): > > Most of John Waters’ movies are set in Baltimore. I haven’t seen very many movies set there other than his. Baltimore native [Barry Levinson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001469/) has set – and filmed – several of his movies there, including: [Diner](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083833/) (1982) [Tin Men](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094155/) (1987) [Avalon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099073/) (1990) [Liberty Heights](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165859/) (1999). ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/66 "2005-01-14T11:11:09Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > Wasn’t part of Dogma based in New Jersey, as well? All of Kevin Smith’s films are set either partially ( **Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back** ) or completely ( **Clerks, Mallrats, Jersey Girl** ) in New Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/67 "2005-01-14T13:09:17Z")
Pretty much all of Steven King’s movies are set in Castle Rock, Maine. **Wayne’s World** was set in Aurora, IL. That’s rather unique. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/68 "2005-01-14T17:40:04Z")
> [@El Elvis Rojo](#): > > Pretty much all of Steven King’s movies are set in Castle Rock, Maine. Wasn’t _Stand By Me_ set in Castle Rock, Oregon? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/69 "2005-01-14T18:04:14Z")
> [@El Elvis Rojo](#): > > **Wayne’s World** was set in Aurora, IL. That’s rather unique. Aurora is a suburb of Chicago, which is a very common setting for movies. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/70 "2005-01-14T18:23:38Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I would guess that Alessan is a Howard Stern fan. It’s a running joke on the show. [hijack]Yet another good reason not to listen to Howard Stern. A running joke about mocking the name of a talented yet (_gasp!_) foreign-born filmmaker. How very funny![/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/71 "2005-01-14T19:30:06Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > [hijack]Yet another good reason not to listen to Howard Stern. A running joke about mocking the name of a talented yet (_gasp!_) foreign-born filmmaker. How very funny![/hijack] Oh, the humanity! :rolleyes: You probably don’t know or care that Shyamalan is a friend of the show, do you? And let me guess, the rest of your “good reasons” for not listening are based on that stupid _E!_ show where they take the raciest 20 minutes out of a 5 hour program and put them on tv. Right? ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/72 "2005-01-14T19:32:51Z")
**Antonius Black** Another film set in Baltimore is: [Chamber of Horrors (1966)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060228/) (More importanly, it probably was the only movie to feature the “horror horn” and the “fear flasher”. Look at the IMDB trivia for that.) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/73 "2005-01-14T21:04:28Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > Is it that tough to remember Shyamalan? Shee-uh-mall-un. It’s not that difficult. Would you believe I couldn’t remember how to spell Shyamalan’s name? Really. I’m very sensitive to correct spelling and pronunciation of names - my own surname is constantly misspelled - and I’d rather make a weak pun than an actual mistake. Incidentally, It’s not from Howard Sten. While I would _like_ to listen to Stern’s show, I am limited by the fact that it is not broadcast within 8,000 miles of my home. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/74 "2005-01-14T21:51:56Z")
_“Manos” The Hands of Fate_ was set in El Paso, Texas. As were (in whole or in part): - The Border - The Getaway - Extreme Prejudice - Take The High Ground And sometime this year Disney will release _Glory Road_, a film about the 1966 NCAA Basketball Tournament, which was won by Texas Western (now UT El Paso). ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/75 "2005-01-17T00:36:16Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > _Blair Witch Project_ set about 10 miles from our old place in the Blue Ridge. > > And, most unusually, some horror film who’s name I haven’t been able to track down…set in my new home town of Marietta, Ohio… **and filmed in my house**. The house was empty at the time so the owners (having no luck selling) allowed the film crew to rent it for a month or two for filming. > > If anyone can help me track down the name of the film I’d be much appreciative. No one in town remembers. Try checking with the local police, city public works (street) folks. They usually have to block off streets, etc., for movie-makers and might remember or have records. Do you know who was in it or what year it was done? That will help. And try the local news media, they probably had some publicity on it at the time and may have a file on it. BTW, a lot of movies are made in Canada, though “set” elsewhere because Canada gives large financial incentives to the producers. It’s doing a real job on other movie studios in the US - putting some out of business. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/76 "2005-01-17T03:29:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Both the Rocky films and the first two M. Night Shamalamadingdong (Sixth Sense and Unbreakeable) films were set in Philadelphia. Coincidence? Umm, not to be picky (or ruin your joke :D), but _all_ of his films are set in the Philadelphia area. Signs was placed in Bucks County, directly north of the city, and the Village was set Well, ok, I don’t remember if they said specifically, but I’m pretty sure that the preserve was somewhere in the area. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/77 "2005-01-18T15:44:26Z")
Wherever most of the film was set, I believe the flashbacks, or at least the old pictures (did they do full flashbacks?) were set in Philly. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285/78 "2005-01-18T15:55:51Z")
How about the Gobi? _Flight of the Phoenix_ Most desert movies are set in the Sahara or the American West. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atypical-settings-for-movies/284285.md?page=3)