In the past year alone, the Drew Barrymore film Whip It, Clint Eastwood's neo-classic Gran Torino, the upcoming George Clooney comedy-drama Up In the Air and Hilary Swank's biopic Betty Anne Waters all have been shot in or around the Motor City. As Detroit's reputation as the Hollywood of the Heartland continues to grow, however, fans and historians can't forget the Motor City was the location for some of filmdom's most memorable and groundbreaking movies long before filmmakers received whopping tax breaks to visit there.
Here, in no particular order, are 10 of the most significant motion pictures ever to come off Detroit's celluloid assembly line – to date:
Crimewave (Columbia, 1985): Also known as The XYZ Murders, this cockeyed crime caper is notable for its early meeting of creative minds that eventually would come to rule a large chunk of Hollywood's dream factory: Detroit native Sam Raimi (Spider-Man), who directed, and Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men) who co-wrote the script. This was the first major feature for Raimi and his longtime collaborator, fellow Detroiter Bruce Campbell (Burn Notice), after the surprise success of their low-budget horror gem Evil Dead.
True Romance (Warner Bros., 1993): Boy meets girl. Girl's a hooker. Boy kills girl's pimp, steal's pimp's cocaine, marries girl and flees to LA for honeymoon with gangsters on their heels. What else would you expect from a love story penned by Quentin Tarantino? Featuring memorable performances from Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper and Val Kilmer (what a cast!) the script is set in Detroit as an homage to one of Tarantino's heroes, legendary Detroit crime novelist Elmore "Dutch" Leonard. Pay attention to see Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, James Gandolfini, Christopher Walken – even Brad Pitt – in supporting roles.
The Launching Pad for Michael Moore
Roger & Me (Warner Bros., 1989): If the late Roger Smith, snobby and aloof former General Motors chairman, had just answered his phone and allowed himself to be interviewed, would we have Michael Moore to deal with today? This is the satirical documentary that launched Moore's movie career, defined his style and made the fledgling Flint filmmaker an international celebrity.
Hoffa (20th Century Fox, 1992): Atmospheric and allegorical, the only film biography of the life and legendary disappearance of Detroit's mythic union leader revolves on remarkable performances by Jack Nicholson (even more impressive considering he looks nothing like the late Teamsters boss) and Danny DeVito as a composite of Hoffa's trusted henchmen. DeVito, who also directed, insisted that the movie be shot in Detroit, but scheduling problems forced some scenes to be filmed in Pittsburgh.
Presumed Innocent (Warner Bros., 1990): The first true big-budget blockbuster shot in Detroit, and a true oddity in the sense that it didn't have to be. Scott Turow's novel didn't specify a city, but obviously was set in Chicago, his home base. Director Alan Pakula's creative decision brought Harrison Ford, Bonnie Bedelia and the late Raul Julia and Paul Winfield into the Motor City. And where better for a Ford to work?
Eminem Loses Himself
8 Mile (Universal, 2002): The grittiest, most expensive ($41 million) and possibly most authentic of any modern film set in Detroit, and the first commercially significant hip-hop movie. Loosely based on the real life and early career struggles of rap superstar Eminem, his anthemic theme song "Lose Yourself" captured an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Standing in the Shadows of Motown (Artisan, 2002): The most joyous and jubilant documentary you're likely to see about any city's musical heritage. This combination concert/storytelling session chronicles the Funk Brothers, the phenomenal Motown Records backup band assembled in the 1950s by Berry Gordy. The film singlehandedly revived interest in many of the players' careers; considering that the Funk Brothers played on more No. 1 hits than the Beatles, Elvis and the Beach Boys combined, it's a tragedy they needed a movie to be remembered.
Out of Sight (Universal, 1998): The first Elmore Leonard novel adaptation actually shot in Detroit, this Oscar-nominated, flat-out romp from director Steven Soderbergh pairs the beautiful faces of George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez in such diverse locales as the fabled Kronk gym, Detroit Police headquarters and a Hollywood recreation of a Renaissance Center restaurant so authentic that even lifelong Detroiters were hard-pressed to tell the difference.
Zebrahead (Columbia TriStar, 1992): A black-white, Romeo-Juliet romance blooms at Detroit's Cody High School, a star-crossed love story in this most racially polarized of cities. This little-known urban drama propelled the acting career of Michael Rapaport (The War at Home); it's also notable as one of the last performances by the late, incendiary Ray Sharkey, best known for the film Idolmaker and TV's Wiseguy.
Who Killed Vincent Chin? (PBS, 1998): The 1982 baseball-bat bludgeoning murder of Chin, a young Chinese-American engineer and groom-to-be who was mistaken for Japanese when Detroit's auto industry was first reeling from foreign competition, rocked the city to its soul, sent shock waves through the nation and helped coin the phrase "hate crime." This unvarnished documentary earned an Academy Award nomination for its evenhanded account of a shameful tragedy.
Jimmy McFarlin - Hello there! My name is Jimmy McFarlin, and like my wife likes to say, I have the experience of an old man and the enthusiasm of a young ...
