Movies Set in Philadelphia

**OffenseTaken** · 09-29-2012, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by OldMama

Maybe this is why they don't try to replicate the Philly accent...

When I was an undergrad I took a phonetics course. One of the things we had to do was to be able to transcribe spoken speech phonetically. We all had to start with our names. When I told the professor (who later became my favorite of all time) that there was no sound for the initial vowel in my last name, he said, "my dear, you are from Philadelphia, aren't you? That is not a vowel you make at the beginning of your name. It is a cry of pain." The Philly agent is notoriously grating to non-natives. And to those who have lost the accent. I was listening to a radio ad for Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick in the car the other day and winced. Like nails on a chalkboard.

I'm a non-native who has to disagree; I actually find the accent kind of pretty. Not everyone who speaks with it all the time, of course, but that's true with any kind of speech.

Except the Cleveland/Buffalo/Rochester accent, which really is like nails on a chalkboard. They do things with the English language that will make you want to cry.

Originally Posted by Lolly

[*]The Sixth Sense

My out-of-town guests are always amazed when we walk by the Sixth Sense house on St. Albans. I don't think they remember what the outside of the house looked like, or even particularly cared for the movie, but that doesn't seem to matter. Then we go to Independence Hall and they're like, "that's kinda cool, I guess."

**Pitt** · 09-29-2012, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by OldMama

Fallen with Denzel Washington. It was not set in Philadelphia but it was filmed in Manayunk, especially in Dobson's schoolyard and the streets on either side of the school (Calumet and Wright). They cooked for the crew right outside my window, never offered us a bite. Sadly, the movie turned out to be pretty awful.

Manayunk is in Philly. So is Chestnut Hill, East Falls, Roxborough, Germantown, Mt. Airy, Holmesburg, and Fox Chase.
And I know a resident fromthe 4700 block of Smick where Fallen was filmed who said the crew were always offering him food and and his daughters would sit on his stoop and watch the filming. He said they were "good guys" and the studio even picked up the tab for some renovations of the sidewalks and stuff like that after it was over. He also said the guy who lived in Denzel's character's house, which is an amazing building (an old inn from the early 1800's maybe?) is a complete kook and basically the block A-hole.

**OldMama** · 09-29-2012, 08:49 PM

Thank you for the geography lesson. Having lived and worked there for 25+ years, I realize that Manayunk is in Philadelphia. Now here's a reading comprehension lesson. What I said was the movie was not SET in Philadelphia. It's just a nameless city in the movie- not referred to as Philadelphia. There is a difference between being set in a city and being filmed in a city. I believe the Philadelphia Story was set on the Main Line but not filmed there. Fallen was filmed in Philadelphia but not set there.

I'm glad your friend received food. Teachers and students did not. But we did get to meet Denzel which was nice.

**Pitt** · 09-30-2012, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by OldMama

Thank you for the geography lesson. Having lived and worked there for 25+ years, I realize that Manayunk is in Philadelphia. Now here's a reading comprehension lesson. What I said was the movie was not SET in Philadelphia. It's just a nameless city in the movie- not referred to as Philadelphia. There is a difference between being set in a city and being filmed in a city. I believe the Philadelphia Story was set on the Main Line but not filmed there. Fallen was filmed in Philadelphia but not set there.

I'm glad your friend received food. Teachers and students did not. But we did get to meet Denzel which was nice.

LOL you are jerked the studio didn't feed the teachers and students? Hilarious. No foot rubs from Denzel's masseuse either huh.

**MarketStEl** · 09-30-2012, 05:32 AM

Originally Posted by BarryG

Wowza. Where is Bay St?

I was going to say, "Ocean City, N.J.," which has a Bay Avenue - that is a popular summer destination for Philadelphians.

But the film's action all appears to take place in Philly, so that's probably out.

**OldMama** · 09-30-2012, 04:39 PM

No food didn't bother me at all. I can afford my own food. I just wanted to meet Denzel and I did.

Your condescending tone about what constitutes Philadelphia, when in fact you were in error about what "set in" means, was the issue.

**OffenseTaken** · 09-30-2012, 04:43 PM

...

**annie** · 09-30-2012, 05:35 PM

12 Monkeys is on Netflix Watchnow but until through tomorrow. Mentally divergent would be a pretty good description for some people here.

**ArcticSplash** · 10-01-2012, 05:07 AM

Pickwick Pharmacy was in a movie? That's my pharm. heh.

**thoth** · 10-08-2012, 04:09 PM

Casting Manhattan-on-the-Schuylkill - Philly.com

Philadelphia stood in for NYC in six films over the last four years.

**RittenhouseGirl** · 10-08-2012, 04:20 PM

I enjoyed Answer Man which was filmed in Center City.

**lemonfresh** · 10-09-2012, 12:23 PM

OMG. 9th and Bay makes The Room look like an Oscar contender.

**thoth** · 10-09-2012, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by lemonfresh

OMG. 9th and Bay makes The Room look like an Oscar contender.

I DID NOT HIT HER I DID NOT. Oh hi Mark

**Brian616** · 10-09-2012, 03:42 PM

It's not out yet, so I don't know if it's actually going to set in Philly, but McCanick has been shooting in SWCC recently. Seeing David Morse a few feet away from Papi's bodega on Christian St. was quite a trip.

'McCanick,' starring Cory Monteith, David Morse, Mike Vogel, Ciaran Hinds, shooting at City Hall

**thoth** · 10-10-2012, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Brian616

It's not out yet, so I don't know if it's actually going to set in Philly, but McCanick has been shooting in SWCC recently. Seeing David Morse a few feet away from Papi's bodega on Christian St. was quite a trip.

'McCanick,' starring Cory Monteith, David Morse, Mike Vogel, Ciaran Hinds, shooting at City Hall

I believe Morse lives in Mt. Airy/Germantown because his wife is a local, but this may be an apocryphal story.

**billy ross** · 10-10-2012, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

I believe Morse lives in Mt. Airy/Germantown because his wife is a local, but this may be an apocryphal story.

Chestnut Hill, supposedly, but same difference.

**PhilaCap** · 10-11-2012, 08:14 AM

Pride of the Marines, 1940s WWII movie, filmed at at Hellerman and Tulip in Tacony. 30th St. station plus some other local locations as well. I don't think it's ever been released on VHS or DVD, but channel 12 used to show it occasionally.

**FMT** · 10-11-2012, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Lolly

Me too. Always wanted to figure out where Jamie Lee Curtis' character's apartment was, exactly. I think it was in the 1300 block of South Street, south side I believe, but not sure exactly where. Things have certainly changed a lot around there since then.

That information is correct.

I was driving home through Parkside the other evening and they were filming exteriors decorated with Christmas lights in those nice large houses facing the Please Touch Museum. Anybody know what that is for?

**thoth** · 10-11-2012, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by FMT

That information is correct.

I was driving home through Parkside the other evening and they were filming exteriors decorated with Christmas lights in those nice large houses facing the Please Touch Museum. Anybody know what that is for?

Cool those houses deserve to be in a movie.

**radiocolin** · 10-11-2012, 04:32 PM

Just watched the Best and the Brightest last night. Funny how they didn't even try to make Philly look like NY. Broad Street? No no, that's 9th Ave, totally.