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Geographical inaccuricies in movies and other tidbits

posted 18 years ago by emoneypitt
15 replies | jump to latest

As a native Pittsburgher, I have a few things to add about this movie. In the chase scene early in the movie, it cuts from one scene from downtown Pittsburgh to the next where they are going down the huge cobblestone street that is outside of Pittsburgh (There are others as well, I won't get into details, you would have to be from this area to understand). I was wondering how frequently this occurs in movies from readers in other cities/parts of the world?

To comment on a frequent topic of this thread... I really thought the movie was better than a lot of people think too. No not an Academy Award winner by any means (lol), but I've seen other films by Bruce that were much worse, let alone a lot of the garbage that Hollywood puts out. I was a little disappointed to hear about Bruce trashing the movie. Then again, I thought the preformances of Robert Pastorelli and Dennis Farina is what really made this movie. Admittedly, I probably an a little biased because I got to watch part of the filming while fishing with some buddies but overall the movie does have its entertaining moments and the storyline is no worse than an average Hollywood crime/drama/thriller movie.

[–] tom-1220 18 years ago

As someone living in the PITT area but not from PITT, there are several things wrong with this movie. They never showed the entire downtown streets full of traffic because of all the closures. The extras all had way too many teeth in their mouths. No one sounded like the true morons that yinzers are by having anyone say "Yinz or Younz, "look up air," "I need tennis shoes even though I don't play tennis," "we call vaccums sweepers," and "Yinz wanna go dahntan and see the stillers and have some imp n arm?" The people were not shown being proud of their western PA yinzer idiocy. The city and surrounding areas were way too clean. This movie was a huge in incorrectly portraying western PA for the cesspool that it really is.

[–] knight9831 18 years ago

Also who else likes this movie Solely because it's based in Pittsburgh? (I think Sudden Death is the GREATEST MOVIE EVER also b/c of the Pens in the Stanely Cup again!)

Ok. Real Geographical Errors:

-The Station is on the Allegheny River. Not the Ohio River where it was in the Movie
-Pittsburgh Police would not be at Most of the Cases [it would be the Coast Guard] (i forgot some of the places, but Sharon was one of those places)
-I dont even think there is a Division of the Pittsburgh Police for the Rivers, i think its just the USCG's Duty.

any more u can think of?

[–] edc123-1 18 years ago

is that you sienna?

[–] NoPulp2000 18 years ago

Pittsburgh police do have a river rescue division actually. I'm not sure if the did in 1993, but they do now. I think this movie is actually good. The acting is really good, due to the cast. Tom Sizemore is one of my favorites. They should have used him more here. Robert Pastorelli was awesome...I'm surprised he didn't get more film roles after this one. It's sad that he's dead now.

[–] thesteelers 18 years ago

Ya I am from Pittsburgh as well... I live in West View where the old ammusement park was aka. West View Park. Not to mention i Just seen one of the greatest kickoff returns in Pitt history occur ten min. ago, greater cuz it's WVU. Anyway the next great Pittsburgh movie will be about the 2005 Steelers. Wait last years playoff was too much like a movie lol. GO PITT!!!

[–] weparker 18 years ago

Although, one guy does say "You're a jagoff" and I dont know many other places that use that term...

[–] kniess 17 years ago

I live in Pittsburgh-- the city proper, not the far-flung exburbs or the South Hills-- and I rarely ever hear the old school Pittsburgh accent. The only time I do hear "Pittsburghease" is in areas that are disconnected from the cultural areas of the city-- often poorer areas-- and in the suburbs and exburbs. Perhaps you need to relocate to Squirrel Hill?

If you hate Pittsburgh so much why don't you leave? Although I doubt that anyone with that kind of angry, judgemental attitude could find much happiness anywhere. How sad.

I just returned to Pittsburgh after being away for 15 years-- I've traveled abroad and I've lived in DC, Boston, Chicago, San Fransisco, and Pittsburgh is where I chose to return. It's sort of like a well-kept secret, a diamond-in-the-rough that few people know about or are able to recognize.

[–] tom-1220 17 years ago

Thank you for your advice! I, in fact, did leave *beep* I decided to move my family to an area with a growing economy, highly-rated schools and a place where people strive above and beyond mediocrity! After running multiple businesses in and around western PA (North Hills, Bellvue, Southside, Forest Hills, Ellwood City, New Castle, etc) and dealing with yinzers on a daily basis; I opted to calm the acid in my stomach and get out! Have fun in the almost-bankrupt city of 'Pittsburgh Proper!'

[–] whitecap205 17 years ago

Hey tom1220,

Sounds like you have trouble holding on to a job. Or maybe you're running away from your debts. You sure move an awful lot.

[–] tom-1220 17 years ago

um, whitecap205, do ya think maybe I had all those businesses AT ONE TIME? So, you are wrong on all counts. I own a very successful business in a non-corrupted union/liberal area. I have no debts. And this is my 3rd move in the last 15 years. Keep on guessing though, ya know what they say, 'the blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile...'

[–] lippysyd 15 years ago

I kind of like the fact that the chase scene is so jumbled up. I went to college in Pittsburgh while they were filming it, and my husband is from just north of there. Whenever we watch this movie, we play the "guess where they are now" game. As someone from Michigan, I always got a kick out of the accent and the Pittsburghese, so I wish there had been more.

[–] chucklewisj 15 years ago

You're right kniess, people this unhappy are generally mad at life and won't be happy anywhere. Pittsburgh is a fine city, with its share of troubles just like any other city.

[–] tanked666 18 years ago

I don't live in pittsburgh, nor have I ever been there. But It happens with other cities. Im from San Francisco and they jump all over the city in car chases here. Bullit is one movie they do that alot. During the scene with the charger. They jump all over the place.

and plenty of movies have made it seems like parts of the suburbs are still part of SF and make it seem like SFPD can just go there and go after someone whenever they want.

[–] JimLoneWolf 18 years ago

I know of some inacuracies in the (to date, only) movie filmed near me: Passionada. A casino located 3 hours away (and in another state) is shown as though it is a mere 45 minutes away.

I live in the vicinity of New Bedford, Massachusetts (where Passionada was filmed) and went to college less than an hour from Pittsburgh (Washington and Jefferson College, to be specific), so I'm familiar with both areas somewhat. I know a few people from school who said part of the movie was filmed somewhere near Monessen (where they are from), which is nowhere near the city itself, so I can see what you mean.

This movie was alright, but unfortunately it just didn't feature the setting prominetly enough in my opinion. Why film a movie in Pittsburgh if its going to look like any other action movie? I think there should have been a much greater involvement of locals also.

For me George Romero is still the most successful Pittsburgh-area filmmaker. His film Martin is especially underrated, and makes use of the locations in a way that felt organic to the story and characters. Pittsburgh has a lot of character, and if that isn't going to be captured on film, I see no reason to bother.

Hopefully some creative filmmakers will take advantage of the area's uniqueness in the future.

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[–] cosmos80 18 years ago

ithink portions of this movie were filmed also in monongahela and i think parts or monessen as well, which is about twenty miles south ofpittsburgh, while this aint the worst movie to beset i the burgh (sudden death) this isnt one of thebest(gung ho or domick and eugene are near the tops in my list), but still i wouldnt mind settingm some time to watch it