Saturday, November 13, 2010

50 States, 50 Movies

This really got me thinking - two maps of the 50 states with a movie assigned to each state. I don't have time to do a full map but I will note a few states where I think the authors missed the mark:

- New York - neither map has The Godfather as the movie for the state. Taxi Driver and Annie Hall? Please.
- Ditto The Godfather Part II for Nevada. Oceans Eleven and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas are fine movies but The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are Americana classics.
- Poor Oregon - the maps have The Goonies and Kindergarten Cop as the choices. I would suggest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I don't think the movie actually spells out the location but I'm pretty sure the book was based in Oregon.
- California is saddled with The Karate Kid and Fast Times at Ridgemount High but at the least I'd suggest either Pulp Fiction or LA Confidential.
- Didn't Fight Club take place in Michigan? Why do they get RoboCop and Roger & Me instead?
- Did you know off the top of your head that Dances with Wolves took place in South Dakota? When you see Mount Rushmore do you think of Cary Grant in North by Northwest? That's what I thought.
- Choosing My Cousin Vinnie is an insult to Alabama. I'm OK with To Kill a Mockingbird but I think Forrest Gump is more identifiable with the state.
- Didn't Cool Hand Luke take place in Louisiana?
- Groundhog Day is OK for Pennsylvania but if I lived there I'd rather be associated with either Slap Shot or The Deer Hunter or Rocky.
- What movie is more identifiable with Oklahoma than Oklahoma?
- I'd go with Mystic Pizza for Connecticut.
- Rocket Boys for West Viginia? Never heard of it. How about Coal Miner's Daughter?
- Blues Brothers for Illinois? OK but how about The Untouchables or The Fugitive not to mention Ferris Bueller's Day Off?
- I have a problem with True Grit as the movie for Arkansas. Though the book was based in Arkansas the movie was shot in Arizona (or New Mexico). Maybe the new movie will be true to the original geography but until I see it I'm going to suggest Primary Colors.
- Gone with the Wind for Georgia. Is there even a question?

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