Everyone with an interest in Pittsburgh should see the movie Bridge to Nowhere. It's not a very good movie, but it was filmed in Pittsburgh and features the city prominently. It takes place mainly in Pittsburgh's North Side, with a lot of filming done in neighborhood streets that are so perfectly representative of the city's gritty working-class neighborhoods. There are also some gorgeous shots of Downtown and of South Side and Mt. Washington neighborhoods.Among the things I loved about the movie:
- The opening features a Pittsburgh-themed rap song. Yes, a Pittsburgh rap song! Must buy the MP3.
- Unlike movies that film in Pittsburgh and make the city look completely different, this one gives an honest look at Pittsburgh. If anything, it makes Pittsburgh seem pretty ghetto, which is pretty funny.
- Sally Wiggin makes an appearance as herself on the local news.
- There are some good lines using Pittsburghese. "Yinz" and "jagoff" are both used.
- The actors drink Iron City and I.C. Light.
- There are lots of shots of authentic Pittsburgh things like city steps, bridges, hills, and dramatic views of Downtown.
- There are scenes shot in the cemetery on top of Spring Hill, one of my favorite places in the city.
Is that the song that's a play on Alicia Keys' "An Empire State of Mind?" I heard the Pittsburgh version once on the radio and couldn't believe it.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see the movie for the shots of Pittsburgh, especially the gorgeous shots of downtown, South Side, etc. But it sounds a little stereotypical with the Yinz and Jagoff slang! I'll take your word for it that it's a must-see for Pittsburghers.