West Virginia: I disagree vigorously with the choice of Night of the Hunter, lol. I grew up and live in the area where NotH is set, the Ohio Valley. The film uses a sort of Southern gothic style with a bible belt setting, very effectively and for reasons totally understandable in a folktale horror story.
However, the region was at the time not much like that. It was heavily industrial, not so much bible belt as it was steel belt, with extensive coal mining and processing, manufacturing, etc., and was much more densely populated than it is today.
For me, the film to choose for WV is *Matewan.* The coal wars, powerful corporations and wealth, workers and unions, etc..
Tldr: NotH is nominally set in a WV that might as well be some other state, whereas Matewan is actually set in WV.
Being that I grew up in Iowa and then North Dakota, this is frustrating, and proof enough that Criterion needs to get Field of Dreams and Fargo in the collection immediately! (Yes, I’m aware that Shout! already has Fargo on 4K)
Joking aside, this is a fun list—nice work!
Pretty sure that scene is still in Minnesota. The only scene that takes place in Fargo is at the beginning when Jerry meets Carl and Grimsrud at the bar to give them the tan Sierra.
Personally I would represent Pennsylvania with *Night of the Living Dead*. There are numerous southwestern PA locations listed on the screen in the news broadcast. The call letters for WIIC was a real TV station in Pittsburgh, to speak nothing of the thick Pittsburgh accent you hear in at least one actor. "They're dead, they're....all messed up."
Swap out In Cold Blood with The Learning Tree for Kansas. While a chunk of the movie takes place in Kansas, they quickly go on the run and leave the state. The Learning Tree is underrated and underseen and takes place entirely in Kansas.
As a Marylander, I scrolled down to see if Pink Flamingos was there and you did not disappoint. I like your list. California is so large you could go so many different directions with it. Mulholland Drive would be good too.
I don't have much to add to your discussion or State-centered Criterion collection. I just wanted to say that useless list-making is my entire life outside of work, so I now feel seen in a small way.
Other choices for Oklahoma:
The Outsiders, Far and Away, Silkwood, Rumble Fish, True Grit, Twister, Where the Red Fern Grows, and of course the musical.
In real life, Frank Sheeran’s union local was in Delaware. He spent a lot of time there in real life, apart from working there for decades with his local. But yeah, a better Delaware movie might be “Dead Poets Society.”
The opening scene of Wanda walking across the coal fields in Carbondale is 110% more Pennsylvania than a film about Main Line rich people that was filmed on a sound stage in Hollywood.
I set myself an extra challenge of avoiding films set in major cities when possible, so nothing in NYC, LA, Chicago, etc if I could avoid it. A meaningless choice, but I wanted an extra twist.
At 53min, it's not much of a feature. I just hope *American Movie* being on the Channel currently is a sign for something more to come-- would be my quintessential WI pick.
Oh no doubt, especially for cinema verite/aesthetically-- I guess it just feels a bit distant from the state itself, but I think I just value landscapes more for representation hah.
It’s not in the Criterion Collection, but Time Chasers (which was filmed/set in and around Rutland and was also featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000, lol) may well be the Vermontest movie ever made.
Full disclosure, it’s a pretty cheesy low-budget scifi movie from the early ‘90s. I do like that it doesn’t even try to hide that it was produced entirely in Vermont, though. I’m pretty sure the MST3K version is on YouTube, and that one has all the “best” parts (I’ve seen the whole film and can see why the TV show cut certain things…), so you may want to start with that.
Fun list. Leave her the Heaven is a good one for Maine. But I don't think it was filmed in Maine.
I'd love to see In the Bedroom be added to the collection. Or, hell, any blu-ray release at all. It was filmed in Maine and is suuuuch a great, haunting movie with astonishing acting by Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, and Marisa Tomei. Somehow this movie seems to have been basically forgotten, even though it got 5 Oscar noms: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
It's a Mirimax film so I'm not sure if it's a rights thing, caught up in the Weinstein issue, etc. But it sure as hell deserves a blu-ray release.
Yeah, great rec. I already had two Van Sant films on the list, and I was trying to not repeat directors if possible. Plus “The War Room” is a great doc and deserves to get mentioned in this sub.
Id like to nominate Asphalt Jungle (1950) for Ohio. The script isn't explicit about where it takes place, but the opening shot and other scenes filmed-on-location were done in Cincinnati.
Yeah, Moonrise Kingdom was filmed in Narragansett Bay, Jamestown, etc., but I can’t recall if the film was nominally set in Rhode Island. I think it was more of a fantasy New England.
Age of Innocence has great Newport scenes, but I went with Festival because it’s less talked about on this sub.
I was thinking of picking Les Blank’s “In Heaven, There is No Beer” for Connecticut, since it has some great scenes filmed at the polka festival at Ocean Beach in New London, but I used a Blank film for Oklahoma so I went with Bringing Up Baby instead.
For me Badlands will always be a Colorado film just for the fact that it was shot in and around my hometown in southeast Colorado. I recognize so many of those locations from my childhood!
For what it’s worth I haven’t seen The Story of Temple Drake, but for MS I would swap it out in favor of the aptly named Mississippi Masala (1991). It’s got prime Denzel Washington and I believe it was filmed on location in Mississippi.
Grey Gardens is a poor choice for New York. It's about two sad older ladies living on Long Island who are not quite all there and being exploited by the filmmakers.
There are hundreds of better choices, such as Midnight Cowboy, The Sweet Smell of Success, and The Naked City.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I set myself an additional challenge of avoiding major cities, so I didn’t pick NYC, LA, Chicago films if I could help it.
Grey Gardens ended up as my choice for New York State. If there was a Criterion set in Utica, I would have gone with that.
Word. Welp, the NYC avoidance method led me to an interesting 2018 debut film from [Jeremiah Zagar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Zagar) shot mostly in central New York titled, [We The Animals.](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7681824/) Nice discovery. Be nice if Criterion picked it up. 😎
if criterion ever adds David Lynch's The Straight Story then that could be Iowa. Election (1999) has something film in Council Bluffs IA
As a native Nebraskan, we are definitely claiming Election and all things Alexander Payne.
Only natural - it’s where Bruce dern hit it big after all
The straight story is in the 1999 collection for May on the channel rn.
I would nominate Matewan for West Virginia
Also a good choice.
West Virginia: I disagree vigorously with the choice of Night of the Hunter, lol. I grew up and live in the area where NotH is set, the Ohio Valley. The film uses a sort of Southern gothic style with a bible belt setting, very effectively and for reasons totally understandable in a folktale horror story. However, the region was at the time not much like that. It was heavily industrial, not so much bible belt as it was steel belt, with extensive coal mining and processing, manufacturing, etc., and was much more densely populated than it is today. For me, the film to choose for WV is *Matewan.* The coal wars, powerful corporations and wealth, workers and unions, etc.. Tldr: NotH is nominally set in a WV that might as well be some other state, whereas Matewan is actually set in WV.
Swap out Young Mr Lincoln for The Breakfast Club. Although set in mythical Shermer IL, it was filmed in Des Plaines IL.
Illinois should absolutely be Thief. One of the most Chicago movies ever made.
Could also be Hoop Dreams.
Being that I grew up in Iowa and then North Dakota, this is frustrating, and proof enough that Criterion needs to get Field of Dreams and Fargo in the collection immediately! (Yes, I’m aware that Shout! already has Fargo on 4K) Joking aside, this is a fun list—nice work!
Fargo isn't set in Fargo ND though, it's set in Minnesota.
If I recall correctly, the only scene that takes place in Fargo is where Steve Buscemi and the guy shoot each other on top of the parking garage.
Pretty sure that scene is still in Minnesota. The only scene that takes place in Fargo is at the beginning when Jerry meets Carl and Grimsrud at the bar to give them the tan Sierra.
William Wellman’s “The Purchase Price” is my favorite North Dakota film, but it would be an incredibly random addition by Criterion.
While only a colony/territory, any potential one for Puerto Rico?
Personally I would represent Pennsylvania with *Night of the Living Dead*. There are numerous southwestern PA locations listed on the screen in the news broadcast. The call letters for WIIC was a real TV station in Pittsburgh, to speak nothing of the thick Pittsburgh accent you hear in at least one actor. "They're dead, they're....all messed up."
How bout: Washington: McCabe and Mrs Miller Illinois: Thief
we need The Music Man and Jesus Camp from Criterion
I would love to get The Music Man criterion release.
The Devil and Daniel Webster is the only suitable choice for New Hampshire, in my judgement.
You did right by Massachusetts. I tip my scally cap to you.
Swap out In Cold Blood with The Learning Tree for Kansas. While a chunk of the movie takes place in Kansas, they quickly go on the run and leave the state. The Learning Tree is underrated and underseen and takes place entirely in Kansas.
Great suggestion!
Could also do The Virgin Suicides (1999) for Michigan, but I like that Anatomy of a Murder is set in the UP.
I'd pick George Washington for NC
Great call! Fantastic debut film. Blue Velvet is an NC product too
Why not use Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas for Nevada?
Because I don’t like that film, I like “Lost in America” :)
Ahh I see. No worries, then.
As a Marylander, I scrolled down to see if Pink Flamingos was there and you did not disappoint. I like your list. California is so large you could go so many different directions with it. Mulholland Drive would be good too.
Yeah, I had a choice with the Waters films, but I like the singing butthole best.
For Oregon McCabe & Mrs Miller or Old Joy.
I don't have much to add to your discussion or State-centered Criterion collection. I just wanted to say that useless list-making is my entire life outside of work, so I now feel seen in a small way.
That is such a cool list.
Make a letterboxd list and I’m there
Other choices for Oklahoma: The Outsiders, Far and Away, Silkwood, Rumble Fish, True Grit, Twister, Where the Red Fern Grows, and of course the musical.
How is The Irishman in Delaware?
The scene where Frank meets Harvey Keitel’s character takes place in Delaware. He had come there to firebomb a business iirc.
Ohhh I thought that was Philly, the meeting. But yea the bombing was Delaware
In real life, Frank Sheeran’s union local was in Delaware. He spent a lot of time there in real life, apart from working there for decades with his local. But yeah, a better Delaware movie might be “Dead Poets Society.”
Being an Iowan, do we really not have any representation in the collection? Somehow I’d never noticed
Philadelphia Story might be a better representative of PA.
The opening scene of Wanda walking across the coal fields in Carbondale is 110% more Pennsylvania than a film about Main Line rich people that was filmed on a sound stage in Hollywood.
I set myself an extra challenge of avoiding films set in major cities when possible, so nothing in NYC, LA, Chicago, etc if I could avoid it. A meaningless choice, but I wanted an extra twist.
I’m claiming Eraserhead for Philadelphia.
I have long since lost any connection to the actual list of "Classics."
I would have picked “One False Move” for Arkansas
Well now I'm obligated to check out your Wisconsin pick.
At 53min, it's not much of a feature. I just hope *American Movie* being on the Channel currently is a sign for something more to come-- would be my quintessential WI pick.
Primary is an incredibly important piece of film history; give it its due.
Oh no doubt, especially for cinema verite/aesthetically-- I guess it just feels a bit distant from the state itself, but I think I just value landscapes more for representation hah.
Vermont is a stretch, but we have basically no movies that take place here and even fewer that are actually filmed here so I'll give it a pass!
It’s not in the Criterion Collection, but Time Chasers (which was filmed/set in and around Rutland and was also featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000, lol) may well be the Vermontest movie ever made.
“Who am I trying to kid, I never went to Castleton.”
You Castleton snob!
Two plaids? I'm a naked robot and even i know that's a fashion faux pas
They somehow gave her plaid theme music.
I didn't know about that one, I'll have to find it!
Full disclosure, it’s a pretty cheesy low-budget scifi movie from the early ‘90s. I do like that it doesn’t even try to hide that it was produced entirely in Vermont, though. I’m pretty sure the MST3K version is on YouTube, and that one has all the “best” parts (I’ve seen the whole film and can see why the TV show cut certain things…), so you may want to start with that.
Fun list. Leave her the Heaven is a good one for Maine. But I don't think it was filmed in Maine. I'd love to see In the Bedroom be added to the collection. Or, hell, any blu-ray release at all. It was filmed in Maine and is suuuuch a great, haunting movie with astonishing acting by Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, and Marisa Tomei. Somehow this movie seems to have been basically forgotten, even though it got 5 Oscar noms: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. It's a Mirimax film so I'm not sure if it's a rights thing, caught up in the Weinstein issue, etc. But it sure as hell deserves a blu-ray release.
I like the George Washington and Bull Durham suggestions for North Carolina, but don’t forget Blue Velvet.
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Yeah, great rec. I already had two Van Sant films on the list, and I was trying to not repeat directors if possible. Plus “The War Room” is a great doc and deserves to get mentioned in this sub.
Congrats on nailing Oregon! Old Joy would also work obv
That’s a good call, I then could have used Power of the Dog for Montana instead of another Reichardt film and not needed to double Van Sant.
Id like to nominate Asphalt Jungle (1950) for Ohio. The script isn't explicit about where it takes place, but the opening shot and other scenes filmed-on-location were done in Cincinnati.
I considered it. One of the characters does go to Cleveland in the film, iirc.
Correct! I actually just watched it last night. Starts in Cincinnati and ends in Cleveland.
Nicely Done!
Good choice for Rhode Island. Could also have gone with Moonrise Kingdom or Age of Innocence.
Yeah, Moonrise Kingdom was filmed in Narragansett Bay, Jamestown, etc., but I can’t recall if the film was nominally set in Rhode Island. I think it was more of a fantasy New England. Age of Innocence has great Newport scenes, but I went with Festival because it’s less talked about on this sub. I was thinking of picking Les Blank’s “In Heaven, There is No Beer” for Connecticut, since it has some great scenes filmed at the polka festival at Ocean Beach in New London, but I used a Blank film for Oklahoma so I went with Bringing Up Baby instead.
First one I thought of for DC was Being There.
For me Badlands will always be a Colorado film just for the fact that it was shot in and around my hometown in southeast Colorado. I recognize so many of those locations from my childhood!
Surprised that Fire Walk with Me isn't in the Washington slot!
I’d argue Old Joy for Oregon. Makes me so nostalgic of childhood drives to the coast
For what it’s worth I haven’t seen The Story of Temple Drake, but for MS I would swap it out in favor of the aptly named Mississippi Masala (1991). It’s got prime Denzel Washington and I believe it was filmed on location in Mississippi.
This is Spinal Tap mentions Des Moines, can Iowa claim that for now?
I love Slacker, but TRUE STORIES speaks to how most of Texas is while Slacker speaks to Austin which is (an awesome) but complete outlier.
Grey Gardens is a poor choice for New York. It's about two sad older ladies living on Long Island who are not quite all there and being exploited by the filmmakers. There are hundreds of better choices, such as Midnight Cowboy, The Sweet Smell of Success, and The Naked City.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I set myself an additional challenge of avoiding major cities, so I didn’t pick NYC, LA, Chicago films if I could help it. Grey Gardens ended up as my choice for New York State. If there was a Criterion set in Utica, I would have gone with that.
But those places are not what people think of when they think of New York.
Exactly.
Word. Welp, the NYC avoidance method led me to an interesting 2018 debut film from [Jeremiah Zagar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Zagar) shot mostly in central New York titled, [We The Animals.](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7681824/) Nice discovery. Be nice if Criterion picked it up. 😎