Finding movie locations in the Big Apple.
Every once in a while I write a post that includes what I think is a complete list of filming locations and then someone adds a comment that makes me realize my research had a few holes in it. This happened with Tom Hanks' breakout film, Big. As I've mentioned in other posts, I seldom … Continue reading Big (1988) [UPDATE]
Generally speaking, I try not to publish a post about a movie until I think I've found every possible filming location for it. But every once in a while, a new discovery pops up afterwards, and I am pleased that one has popped up for "The Wrong Man." I'm putting this new location in this quick update … Continue reading The Wrong Man (1956) [UPDATE]
Originally produced as a one-hour TV drama starring Rod Steiger and written by Paddy Chayefsky, "Marty" is a poignant feature film about a lonely, unattractive, unmarried middle-aged man who meets a woman at a dance hall who is also lonely and unattractive. By the night's end, both of them manage to break through their inferior attitudes … Continue reading Marty (1955)
Ho, ho, ho! 'Tis the season to do a post about what is arguably the first classic Christmas movie of the 21st century. Directed by Jon Favreau and starring Will Ferrell, 2003's Elf tells the story of a baby named Buddy who is adopted and raised by Santa and his elves in the North Pole. Once … Continue reading Elf (2003)
Based on the life of boxer Rocky Graziano, Somebody Up There Likes Me tells the story of a quick-tempered street thug from the Lower East Side with a history of petty crimes, who eventually turns his life around and becomes the World Middleweight Champion. James Dean was the original choice to play the title role, but … Continue reading Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)
Happy Halloween! As promised, here is the second 1980s horror movie posting. "Wolfen," starring Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Gregory Hines and Edward James Olmos, is NOT about werewolves. It's an eerie tale about a pack of mysterious supernatural creatures that may or may not be connected with a group of local Native Americans, and who roam the … Continue reading Wolfen (1981)
It's October and in anticipation of Halloween, I'm looking at two early 80's horror films shot in NYC. The first is 1984's "C.H.U.D.," which supposedly stands for Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, but as the story unfolds, it's discovered that it stands for something more sinister. Probably inspired by news reports of discarded alligators growing in the New … Continue reading C.H.U.D. (1984)
Out of all of the films directed by Penny Marshall, 1988's "Big" is arguably her most successful one, both critically and financially. This was a noteworthy achievement, not only because Marshall was still fairly new to directing, but because it was the fourth "boy in an adult body" film to be released by a major studio in a 12-month period. The two … Continue reading Big (1988)
This mid-80’s action film is about a special effects man named Rollie, who is hired by the Department of Justice to fake the murder of a mobster. But after he’s double-crossed by the people who hired him, Rollie fears he may have actually killed the mobster, and soon finds himself pursued by both crooked government agents and … Continue reading F/X (1986)
1963’s "Love with the Proper Stranger" was a star-vehicle for Natalie Wood and Steve McQueen, who were trying to make the transition into serious drama. But clearly the studio was hesitant to launch these stars into a completely straight drama, and the result is a movie that is uneven and dramatically shifts tones about halfway through. … Continue reading Love with the Proper Stranger (1963)
