New York Movie on the Big Screen

I grew up singing along with the radio, “floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.” Everyone knew that song, because everyone knew who the boxing heavyweight champion of the world was; whether it was during Muhammad Ali’s reign or George Foreman’s or Smokin’ Joe Frazier’s. In junior high, we talked at snack break about the fight on pay per view that we couldn’t afford to watch. On rainy days our P.E.  teacher, Mr. Grey, would sometimes show ABC’s Wide World of Sports highlights reels, often featuring Ali (sometimes from back in his Cassius Clay days). The last time I knew the belt holder was in Mike Tyson’s day. When Ali passed away a few weeks ago, it felt like the death of that part of my childhood.

Which is why, when I saw that Michael Mann’s 2001 Ali was playing at a local theater in Staten Island, I knew it would be our New York theater film. (Actually, it wasn’t our first choice. We hoped to visit Nitehawk Theater in Brooklyn because it’s rated as one of the best theaters in New York on various polls and lists. But the show we wanted was sold out, so we didn’t see The Lobster there.)

Ali was playing at a United Artists Theater. I worked several years for a UA theater in my college days, but when we went inside we found that the box office and the lobby were covered with Regal Cinema merchandising. Sad to hear UA had merged with Regal (and Edwards). Regal seems to be taking over all the theaters in the nation.

But neither Mindy or I had seen Ali, which was acclaimed upon its release. Will Smith was deservedly nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor for his role as Ali. I thought it was a cool thing to re-release the film in honor of Ali’s passing, and the ticket tearer told us that after Prince died, the theater screened Purple Rain. I wish theaters did this kind of thing more often. Still, considering that we were the only ones attending our matinee show, I understand why they usually don’t.

Religion plays a big role in the film, as it did in Ali’s life. Much of America was shocked when Cassius Clay joined the Nation of Islam. Clay appears embarrassed by the Christian faith of his father, who painted blonde haired, blue eyed portraits of Jesus for African American churches. The Nation changed his name to Ali, but many Americans wouldn’t acknowledge the change. Ali faced even more opposition when he was drafted and refused to serve in Vietnam. When he faced prison time for that decision, the Nation of Islam excommunicated him; he was not allowed to go to the mosque to worship or communicate with other Black Muslims. The film also portrays another man excommunicated from the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X. (We see Malcolm preaching against turning the other cheek.) After Ali won his case before the Supreme Court, he was reinstated.

Best of all for this post, Ali was partially set and filmed in New York. We see the Apollo Theater and hear about the New York State Athletic Commission banning Ali for his decision to refuse the draft (though they did allow convicted murderers to fight). Admittedly, it is less difficult to find a New York film than a film made in most other states. But we almost went to see The Lobster at the Nitehawk, and it was filmed in Ireland.

Pennsylvania films on the small screen

Before we began our trek across the country, we choose a number of films to watch in various states. We had many options for Pennsylvania but we went with Rocky. We couldn't have known how suitable the film would be for the events of the day as well as the location. Last Friday, Muhammad Ali, the model for the Apollo Creed character in the film, passed away. At the 1977 Oscars, Ali joked with Sylvester Stallone, the film's writer and star, that he had written the film. Stallone said even if didn't win an Oscar (and he did not, for his acting or writing nominations, though the film won Best Picture), it was enough to meet the boxing legend.

The film was shot on location in Philadelphia; the most famous set from the film is most certainly the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Rocky trained running up the steps and many (myself included) have run in his steps.

There is, maybe, a church in the film. Rocky's first fight in the film, a dingy event with Rocky defeating an over the hill bum, seems to take place in a church basement with a painting of Jesus on the wall. Rocky seems to be a Catholic, and we see him praying in the film. His decision to sleep with his girlfriend Adrian, however, seems to be made with more consideration of athletic rather than moral consequences.

Because they are so many films set and or shot in Pennsylvania, I've decided to limit myself to writing about ten (Rocky included).

Nightof the Living Dead is the film that deserves the most credit (or blame) for the zombie craze that continues to be a dominant cultural trend. Written and directed by Pittsburgh native George Romero in 1968, the low budget black and white film made a fortune for someone -- but not the film's makers. The movie was soon placed in public domain. The idea of zombies had been a part of the culture before the film, but the image of slow, shuffling creatures that must be shot in the head are chiefly Romero's creation. Romero went on to make a great number of other horror films in his home state.

Another Pennsylvania filmmaker known for his work in horror is M. Night Shymalan, who  broke into popular culture with 1999's ghost story, The Sixth Sense, which starred Bruce Willis and is set in Philadelphia. The film was nominated for Best Picture, and it is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Shymalan's career (which has since suffered a great descent).

Another Best Picture nominee set (and filmed) in Philadelphia's western suburbs is 2012's Silver Linings Playbook. The comedy/drama about star crossed, mentally ill lovers won Jennifer Lawrence an Oscar for Best Actress.

The 1940 classic comedy The Philadelphia Story won Jimmy Stewart an Oscar as Best Actor (but the film was made in Hollywood). 1978's Vietnam war drama, The Deer Hunter, was partially set in Pennsylvania. Though Thailand took the role of Vietnam, Pennsylvania for the most part played itself. This film also won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Another  film, about another war, 1993's Gettysburg was filmed almost entirely on the grounds of the Civil War battle site.

Another film partially set and filmed in Pennsylvania is 2011's Machine Gun Preacher, but I only mention it because it was the subject of a previous Movie Churches post. Brian De Palma's 1981 John Travolta thriller, Blow Out,was set and filmed almost entirely in Pennsylvania. I mention this film because a De Palma film will be the subject of Wednesday's Movie Churches post.

Finally, I have to mention another Pennsylvania film also nominated for Best Picture, 1985's Witness. Australian Peter Weir directed Harrison Ford in the thriller about a Philadelphia policeman who is forced to hide out in Lancaster County. The film does a wonderful job of detailing the culture of the Amish people and showing the virtue of nonviolence.

Wednesday's post will focus on the big screen: we visited a special theater in Pennsylvania.