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New Orleans flicks! Any suggestions?
	Topic by: scottschiro Posted: April 7, 2004 - 3:11 PM PDT Last Reply: April 20, 2004 - 2:52 AM PDT

author	topic: New Orleans flicks! Any suggestions?
scottschiro	post #1  on April 7, 2004 - 3:11 PM PDT   I'm going to New Orleans later this month for Jazz Fest. It's a city I've always wanted to explore, so needless to say I am very excited about the trip. I am now doing a little homework tolearn more more about the local culture and the dynamic city. This includes reading books and viewing movies set in New Orleans, showing the way of life. I just read the Tennessee Williams play, A Streetcar Named Desire(seen the movie too with Marlon Brando) and saw Down By Law with Tom Waits, both set in New Orleans and both excellent. I also remember seeing Angel heart with Lisa Bonnet some time ago. I would love to hear your picks for flicks on New Orleans!
IronS	post #2  on April 7, 2004 - 3:23 PM PDT   There's The Big Easy.
hamano	post #3  on April 7, 2004 - 4:06 PM PDT   If you have any time for a Cajun swamp tour, I suggest Southern Comfort... great music by Ry Cooder.
hamano	post #4  on April 7, 2004 - 4:24 PM PDT   Speaking of music, there's Les Blank's documentary J'Ai Ete Au Bal. For a bit of history and color, Blaze with a fine performance by Paul Newman as Governor Earl Long. IronS' BF might enjoy Lolita Davidovich's assets. A fine actress whose charm is under-appreciated. Speaking of assets, GreenCine has Girls Gone Wild - Mardi Gras 2K2 . Both Angel Heart and Interview with the Vampire have scenes set in and around New Orleans for fans of the supernatural. James Bond visited the area in Live and Let Die.
hamano	post #5  on April 7, 2004 - 4:57 PM PDT   Jezebel starring Bette Davis is a fun film set in New Orleans, but it's based on a play and I don't think they shot a lot of it actually on location. Besides, it's set in pre-Civil War New Orleans, despite the date given in GC's synopsis. Oh, let's not forget Louis Malle's controversial Pretty Baby which is set in a New Orleans brothel. Malle does another fine job of showing off Susan Sarandon's great assets, like he did in Atlantic City. Sarandon appears in The Client based on a novel by John Grisham, who also wrote Runaway Jury which has more New Orleans locations.
hamano	post #6  on April 7, 2004 - 4:59 PM PDT   Here we go, JACKPOT. "Eyes on Louisiana: Movies and Television Series Featuring Louisiana Locations"
DLeonard	post #7  on April 7, 2004 - 5:10 PM PDT   > On April 7, 2004 - 3:23 PM PDT IronS wrote: > --------------------------------- > There's The Big Easy. > --------------------------------- The movie I always think of with regards to Nawlins. Other films worth checking out: JFK Cat People Live & Let Die Tune in Tomorrow One of the best Clint Eastwood movies takes place in New Orleans, but is not on DVD. While very similar to the Dirty Harry movies, Tightrope is a much darker and more complex thriller. Not sure what it's status is, but Confederacy of Dunces will most likely become the ultimate new Orleans movie. A statue of its main character, Ignatius J. Reilly to be played by Will Ferrell, already stands on Canal Street. For places to go besides the Jazz Fest, be sure to stop in at Tipitina's and the Preservation Jazz Hall. With all the musicians in town for the Fest, someone is bound to make a guest appearance. I also liked the Rock n Bowl. Though I can't put my finger on any specific reason, I kept returning to the Napoleon House for food and drinks.
ColonelKong	post #8  on April 7, 2004 - 6:50 PM PDT   Brian De Palma's Obsession is a good New Orleans movie (part of it is also set in Italy).
sinisterguffaw	post #9  on April 7, 2004 - 7:19 PM PDT   > On April 7, 2004 - 4:59 PM PDT hamano wrote: > --------------------------------- > Here we go, JACKPOT. "Eyes on Louisiana: Movies and Television Series Featuring Louisiana Locations" > --------------------------------- The first ones that come to mind are for some reason Undercover Blues Live and Let Die both of these are mentioned in hamano's link, however, and Live and Let Die has already been mentioned a few times, so any further recommendations of mine are moot.
bkirby99	post #10  on April 9, 2004 - 8:23 AM PDT   > On April 7, 2004 - 3:11 PM PDT scottschiro wrote: > --------------------------------- > I'm going to New Orleans later this month for Jazz Fest. It's a city I've always wanted to explore, so needless to say I am very excited about the trip. > --------------------------------- damn, that rocks! i've always wanted to catch jazz fest... don't forget to catch galactic! :) (my first attempt at putting a link in a post. hope it works...)
bkirby99	post #11  on April 9, 2004 - 8:27 AM PDT   oh, yeah... and isn't Angel Heart set there?
sinisterguffaw	post #12  on April 9, 2004 - 11:40 AM PDT   > On April 9, 2004 - 8:23 AM PDT bkirby99 wrote: > --------------------------------- > don't forget to catch galactic! :) > > (my first attempt at putting a link in a post. hope it works...) > --------------------------------- Congrats on the successful linkage. ...I remember my first time...
randomcha	post #13  on April 10, 2004 - 7:45 AM PDT   "Walk On The Wild Side" is just out on DVD and I really enjoyed it. I thought it would be kind of campy & trashy, but was surprised by its great dialogue and real evocation of place. Definitely an inspiration for "Wild At Heart." I don't think it closely follows Nelson Algren's book, but it succeeds on its own. Some great music too ... Elmer Bernstein jazz over the back cat montage of the opening credits is classic!
bkirby99	post #14  on April 10, 2004 - 8:53 AM PDT   > On April 9, 2004 - 8:27 AM PDT bkirby99 wrote: > --------------------------------- > oh, yeah... and isn't Angel Heart set there? > --------------------------------- sorry, hamano, i just noticed you already pointed this out. i scanned the previous posts before mentioning it, but i guess i missed it.
DLeonard	post #15  on April 10, 2004 - 10:55 AM PDT   Now that I think about it, the last time I was in New Orleans some filming was being done. I can't remember the name though. Someone said it was a cable TV series, a road trip type thing. Two guys driving cross-country. This was about two years ago. Sound familiar to anyone?
kolohe61	post #16  on April 10, 2004 - 10:51 PM PDT   Down By Law is a good one.
scottschiro	post #17  on April 14, 2004 - 2:12 PM PDT   Thanks for the awesome picks. I already listed a few in my queue. I cannot wait to be in NeOrleans!
redMetta	post #18  on April 20, 2004 - 2:52 AM PDT   The Jazz & Heritage Fesitval in New Orleans--oh yeah! I wuz at it once, in 1985. WAY better than Mardi Gras. Everybody should go as often as possible. A zillion kinds of music, great performers, many big-time, and killer food, and not expensive. Check out Les Blank's "Always for Pleasure," a smokin documentary about Mardi Gras, focusing on the African-American/Native American aspect and culture (Wild Tchouiptoulas, etc.) A lot of that music/culture is at the J&H Fest. It gave rise to the Neville Bros. and Dr. John, among others. The Nevilles closed the fest when i wuz there, and they played a zillion times tighter and better than i've ever seen or heard them elsewhere. Partly cuz part of the band wuz other N.O. musicians.