What would "Lost in Translation" be without Tokyo, or "In Bruges" without, well, Bruges? This engrossing Taste of Cinema piece selects 20 films released from the 1930s up to the cinematic present in which the city and its surrounds play a vital role in the narrative. The piece then delves into the beauty, power, and ambiance of that particular locale as it relates to each film's plot. Unsurprisingly, Jim Jarmusch's work makes a few appearances, as does the original 1997 version of "Insomnia," which qualifies as pretty much the most noir movie ever shot entirely in daylight.
Screenshot from "Insomnia."
Screenshot from "Night on Earth."
Screenshot from "Mystery Train."
As a kind of thesis statement, the piece explains that:
"The films listed rely on the narrative space and its geographical and sociological specifications. The plots of these films are formed by numerous references to the spatial and temporal phase in which the story is taking place."
For more on the intersection of cinema and architecture:
17 Comments
Night on earth is a great movie.
I feel they missed some LA Movies - Collateral/Training Day/Heat/End of Watch etc etc.
I'd agree on Training Day, sameold.
I've only seen a few of the films on the list (Night on Earth is one of my favorites) but I wouldn't put Fargo (which is a movie I love) on that list.
Yes Fargo could be set anywhere, frankly, is it just the name of the city they are referring to?
Last Night
Love this movie. It got me to play Guantanamera, Pete Seger, for 24 hours straight.
What about "Warriors"
Don't Look Now (1973)
Nightcrawler and Gangs of New York also come to mind.
Taxi Driver
Good one, jla-x, can't believe I remembered Gangs and not that one.
The Conformist
This is a documentary, but for people interested in cities this sounds like an excellent film: Los Sures, pre-gentrified Brooklyn.
Saw a good obscure movie the other night, Dinner Rush with Danny Aiello. Takes place in a single restaurant on one night. Also Do the Right Thing with Danny Aiello. Basically any movie with Danny Aiello.
The Warriors
Some great movies to watch to know more about cities and cultures.
One of my favorites of all time is The Third Man, where a still war-damaged Vienna
is like one of the characters in the film...and of course a very spooky Orson Welles.
....and is #13 in the list linked at top.
How about a county? Specifically, Santa Barbara and its wine country in Sideways...
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