Pittsburgh is one of the great American cities and its residents are known for having a tremendous amount of pride not only in their city and its various cultural elements but also in its major sports teams. It is also a popular place for people to visit and the city pride and various support features are one of the main aspects they first come to recognize. The city has also been featured in many pop cultural elements and has been the setting for many movies. This has actually been the case since the beginning of the film industry itself. And one of the things tourists enjoy about their visit, in addition to the great accommodations offered by the local hotels and resorts, is recognizing various aspects of the city that they have seen before on the big screen.

Beginning back in 1890s Pittsburgh has been the subject of or setting for movies. This was first seen with the 1898 Tancred Commandery, Pittsburgh. Of course there are few if any tourists who are visiting the city that would be familiar with this or some of the other early films, though it is still interesting to consider in relationship to the evolution of film and the societal aspects of the city of Pittsburgh. In the early 1900s the interest in the city as a setting and also subject matter increased and the trend has continued throughout the decades.

One of the first mainstream popular, and possibly recognizable movies was released in 1951. Joe DiMaggio and Bing Crosby’s Angels in the Outfield, which dealt with the Pittsburgh Pirates was popular with audiences across the nation. By the time the 1980s arrived, so did Pittsburgh into the box office success realm. Flashdance came out in 1983 and featured Jennifer Beals as the Pittsburgh dancer who had raw talent and big dreams. This was also a critically successful film and established the city as major mainstream setting.

Filed by Dylan at 10:48 am under Film,Travel
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To stand in line outside a movie place in order to buy the Event Tickets of the year: Episode I – The Phantom Menace felt like I was being duped. What on earth, would cause someone to stand in line for days in order to get tickets to a movie? But, here I was, being just as silly as all the other hundreds of people waiting in line for a movie I probably won’t even enjoy, because I’m too critical when it comes to Star Wars.

I, of course, have fallen for all the hype drooled out by Lucasfilms excellent campaign strategy. A strategy that said if you don’t see it on the very first day, then you’re a sucker and a loser. The Lucasfilm campaign, even though it’s subtler than how I just describe it, worked. The most cleverest marketing campaign in history in my books. Not only am I standing in line, days before the tickets go on sale, but I am actually camping out in line. Alarming isn’t it? I’m really not a desperate kind of guy, I usually don’t fall for hype and follow the crowd into slaughter; I should just pack up my camping gear a leave. But, …I’d be missing out on an historical event and not only that, but a special opportunity. To be apart of pop-culture. To say that ‘yes’ I was a part of the crowd who stood in line for days, looking like a total geek-dork-wad, that was me.

Is the movie worth all that? Well, probably not the movie itself, but the spectacle, it’s the spectacle I’m in love with, plus great stories to tell my kids and grand kids. Of course, I’ll have to find a geeky-dork-wad girl to marry. I mean, really, what girl would honestly marry a guy like me? But, someone in love with the spectacle as much as me, and one who wants to tell Star Wars stories to her kids and grandchildren. Now, there’s a good reason to camp in line for days.

Filed by Dylan at 10:48 am under Film,Travel
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