Fun maps
November 13, 2010 7:43 AM Subscribe
On the TV map I'm not happy with Rosanne representing Illinois. It should be the Bob Newhart Show or Good Times. I'd even accept Married With Children. Although it could be worse, poor Montana got stuck with Buckskin.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 8:15 AM on November 13, 2010
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 8:15 AM on November 13, 2010
It would be interesting to match up how many of these movies actually used any locations at all in the state in question. In the second link, for example, New Jersey is quintessentially Wayne's World, which was filmed in Illinois, Arizona and California. For that matter, Washington state is symbolized by First Blood, not a foot of which was shot in the US.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:21 AM on November 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:21 AM on November 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
I hate all of these, I'm sorry to say. The TV one is especially galling -- seriously, you could pick a show for NM that isn't Breaking Bad? No. No you couldn't.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:23 AM on November 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:23 AM on November 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
Argh... Delaware, not NJ. Where is coffee?
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:24 AM on November 13, 2010
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:24 AM on November 13, 2010
Also, almost anyone from Ohio would actually punch you for the Drew Carey cite. Like, for real, punch you, really hard. It's WKRP, fool! Jesus, this guy.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:25 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:25 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well at least Washington didn't get Twilight.
posted by Artw at 8:26 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 8:26 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
...though I reject any notion that Fraiser is anything to do with the North West. It's a New York show, through and through. It just happens to be set in some previously unknown part of New York that happens to be called Seattle and have a Space Needle.
Even Grey's Anatomy would be better, though my preference would be Twin Peaks.
posted by Artw at 8:29 AM on November 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
Even Grey's Anatomy would be better, though my preference would be Twin Peaks.
posted by Artw at 8:29 AM on November 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
I do like the Pennsylvania touches they put in The Office, like having Utz potato chips in the vending machine and a few scenes with Yuengling.
posted by Toothless Willy at 8:33 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Toothless Willy at 8:33 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
In the second link, for example, New Jersey is quintessentially Wayne's World, which was filmed in Illinois, Arizona and California.
I can't believe I'm being a pedant about Wayne's World, but it's actually set in Aurora, Illinois. And the HuffPo map puts it in Delaware only because of this joke.
posted by zsazsa at 8:37 AM on November 13, 2010 [6 favorites]
I can't believe I'm being a pedant about Wayne's World, but it's actually set in Aurora, Illinois. And the HuffPo map puts it in Delaware only because of this joke.
posted by zsazsa at 8:37 AM on November 13, 2010 [6 favorites]
I do like the Pennsylvania touches they put in The Office, like having Utz potato chips in the vending machine and a few scenes with Yuengling.
They should add zombies!
posted by Artw at 8:42 AM on November 13, 2010
They should add zombies!
posted by Artw at 8:42 AM on November 13, 2010
I think these would be a lot more interesting if they were movies/tv shows which represent each state as voted on by residents of those states, and not some random dude(s)' opinion.
posted by bettafish at 8:44 AM on November 13, 2010
posted by bettafish at 8:44 AM on November 13, 2010
Wait, why is Wayne's World not in Illinois?
Anyway, substitutions I'd like to make:
Iowa: The Straight Story
South Dakota: Badlands
Tennessee: Nashville
Oklahoma: The Grapes of Wrath
Louisiana: Easy Rider
Utah: Anything that's not SLC Punk.
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:45 AM on November 13, 2010
Anyway, substitutions I'd like to make:
Iowa: The Straight Story
South Dakota: Badlands
Tennessee: Nashville
Oklahoma: The Grapes of Wrath
Louisiana: Easy Rider
Utah: Anything that's not SLC Punk.
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:45 AM on November 13, 2010
ricochet biscuit: "New Jersey is quintessentially Wayne's World"
...which is why they referred to Aurora, IL multiple times in the movie and skits?
posted by notsnot at 8:51 AM on November 13, 2010
...which is why they referred to Aurora, IL multiple times in the movie and skits?
posted by notsnot at 8:51 AM on November 13, 2010
Yeah, when I think NJ, Kevin Smith is what comes to mind.
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:53 AM on November 13, 2010
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:53 AM on November 13, 2010
I think this might have been posted to the Blue sometime before, but here's an interactive NY Times map, showing the geographic distribution of several popular titles, based on popularity (in users' queues), for several U.S. metro areas.
It wouldn't be hard to do a state-by-state list of top Netflix rental, which would be the more "honest" version of what the FPP map tries to be.
I suspect it wouldn't be as interesting or varied, though. You'd probably get a lot of duplicate #1 entries unless you artificially weeded them out, or looked at movies that were significantly different or unique in each state.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:02 AM on November 13, 2010
It wouldn't be hard to do a state-by-state list of top Netflix rental, which would be the more "honest" version of what the FPP map tries to be.
I suspect it wouldn't be as interesting or varied, though. You'd probably get a lot of duplicate #1 entries unless you artificially weeded them out, or looked at movies that were significantly different or unique in each state.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:02 AM on November 13, 2010
Times like these, I wish Upstate New York and NYC were considered different states. I propose Nobody's Fool for Upstate New York (and Ghostbusters for NYC).
posted by Sticherbeast at 9:13 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Sticherbeast at 9:13 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Man, if you do touristy crap in NYC it is amazing how much Ghostbusters comes up, out of all of the hundreds of movies set in the city.
posted by Artw at 9:14 AM on November 13, 2010
posted by Artw at 9:14 AM on November 13, 2010
...which is why they referred to Aurora, IL multiple times in the movie and skits?
Let the record show that I express my regret in believing the FPP and not searching my memory for the location of an SNL skit-turned movie I saw on a date eighteen years ago.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:25 AM on November 13, 2010
Let the record show that I express my regret in believing the FPP and not searching my memory for the location of an SNL skit-turned movie I saw on a date eighteen years ago.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:25 AM on November 13, 2010
And it came out when I was backpacking in Europe. I think I saw it dubbed into German, and I cannot recall if any references to Aurora, Illinois were highlighted for the Bavarian audience.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:28 AM on November 13, 2010
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:28 AM on November 13, 2010
i just had an awesome mental of image of Wayne's World being remade by Werner Herzog.
posted by TrialByMedia at 9:33 AM on November 13, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by TrialByMedia at 9:33 AM on November 13, 2010 [5 favorites]
Times like these, I wish Upstate New York and NYC were considered different states.
I feel this way about the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. Let Detroit have Grosse Pointe Blank or Robocop or whatever. The UP is obviously represented by Escanaba in Da Moonlight.
Though, I am glad to see my home state represented by Freaks and Geeks, rather than the more obvious, and far less funny Home Improvement.
posted by lexicakes at 9:50 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
I feel this way about the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. Let Detroit have Grosse Pointe Blank or Robocop or whatever. The UP is obviously represented by Escanaba in Da Moonlight.
Though, I am glad to see my home state represented by Freaks and Geeks, rather than the more obvious, and far less funny Home Improvement.
posted by lexicakes at 9:50 AM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
i just had an awesome mental of image of Wayne's World being remade by Werner Herzog.
"I requested the Cream of Sum Yung Guy, but received only laughter for my trouble. I would not have my special dish on that night."
posted by cmoj at 9:55 AM on November 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
"I requested the Cream of Sum Yung Guy, but received only laughter for my trouble. I would not have my special dish on that night."
posted by cmoj at 9:55 AM on November 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
Michigan should have been Escanaba in the Moonlight, eh?
posted by HuronBob at 9:58 AM on November 13, 2010
posted by HuronBob at 9:58 AM on November 13, 2010
In the second link, for example, New Jersey is quintessentially Wayne's World
There was never anything even a tiny bit NJ about Wayne's World. Wayne's World was set in Aurora, IL only because it was what Mike Myers thought would be closest to suburban Toronto. He was completely wrong about that- there is no place in the US that has any similarity to the Scarborough borough of Toronto where he grew up, because in the Asian-rich suburbs of LA, nobody plays street hockey. Scarborough is the most multicultural part of the most multicultural city in the world.
"Stan Mikita's" is a play on Tim Hortons. Wayne's World is 100% Canadian and doesn't even belong on a damn map of the US.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 10:05 AM on November 13, 2010 [4 favorites]
There was never anything even a tiny bit NJ about Wayne's World. Wayne's World was set in Aurora, IL only because it was what Mike Myers thought would be closest to suburban Toronto. He was completely wrong about that- there is no place in the US that has any similarity to the Scarborough borough of Toronto where he grew up, because in the Asian-rich suburbs of LA, nobody plays street hockey. Scarborough is the most multicultural part of the most multicultural city in the world.
"Stan Mikita's" is a play on Tim Hortons. Wayne's World is 100% Canadian and doesn't even belong on a damn map of the US.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 10:05 AM on November 13, 2010 [4 favorites]
I'd love for these lists to contain movies that accurately portray the states that they represent.
Even though it's set in New Jersey, the world of the The Sopranos revolves around New York City. I take issue with the show always being tied to Jersey (and don't even fucking think of mentioning Jersey Shore) On the other hand, Kevin Smith captures Jersey's essence and quirks quite well. Similarly, despite all of its faults, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist did a pretty great job stirring up memories of being a teenager in the North Jersey suburbs of NYC.
It doesn't have that much "local flavor," but the creators of The Office obviously did their homework as mentioned earlier in this thread. They got the little details right (and now that Carrell's leaving, it might even become watchable)
All those shows and movies about Washington, DC? They almost universally fail to accurately portray the city. Sure, they might do an okay job of portraying the federal government, but I haven't seen any that actually seem to "understand" the city itself. (I'd love to be proven wrong here. Suggestions welcome — movies featuring the Georgetown Metro Station are immediately disqualified)
Into the Wild was about the wilderness. Not Alaska. A great movie, but it could have taken place anywhere sufficiently remote. (And the sad irony was that Christopher McCandless died a very short distance away from a major highway — he never even made it that far into the wliderness.)
posted by schmod at 11:19 AM on November 13, 2010
Even though it's set in New Jersey, the world of the The Sopranos revolves around New York City. I take issue with the show always being tied to Jersey (and don't even fucking think of mentioning Jersey Shore) On the other hand, Kevin Smith captures Jersey's essence and quirks quite well. Similarly, despite all of its faults, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist did a pretty great job stirring up memories of being a teenager in the North Jersey suburbs of NYC.
It doesn't have that much "local flavor," but the creators of The Office obviously did their homework as mentioned earlier in this thread. They got the little details right (and now that Carrell's leaving, it might even become watchable)
All those shows and movies about Washington, DC? They almost universally fail to accurately portray the city. Sure, they might do an okay job of portraying the federal government, but I haven't seen any that actually seem to "understand" the city itself. (I'd love to be proven wrong here. Suggestions welcome — movies featuring the Georgetown Metro Station are immediately disqualified)
Into the Wild was about the wilderness. Not Alaska. A great movie, but it could have taken place anywhere sufficiently remote. (And the sad irony was that Christopher McCandless died a very short distance away from a major highway — he never even made it that far into the wliderness.)
posted by schmod at 11:19 AM on November 13, 2010
Actually "Dead Poet's Society" (credited to Vermont in the map) was filmed (almost entirely, I believe) in Delaware.
posted by thivaia at 11:39 AM on November 13, 2010
posted by thivaia at 11:39 AM on November 13, 2010
Dead Poet's Society took place at a fictional school in Vermont.
The maps aren't necessarily showing movies filmed in each state...just depicting each state.
posted by morganannie at 11:57 AM on November 13, 2010
The maps aren't necessarily showing movies filmed in each state...just depicting each state.
posted by morganannie at 11:57 AM on November 13, 2010
How can Oklahoma! not be the best movie set in Oklahoma?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:33 PM on November 13, 2010
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:33 PM on November 13, 2010
Boston/Southie underrepresented in cinema? What? I love Boston, I lived in Boston for years and years and even I'm sick of Boston movies.
I do agree with choosing The Departed though.
posted by nathancaswell at 12:43 PM on November 13, 2010
I do agree with choosing The Departed though.
posted by nathancaswell at 12:43 PM on November 13, 2010
Cool Papa Bell wrote: "How can Oklahoma! not be the best movie set in Oklahoma?"
Because UHF is the best movie filmed in Oklahoma.
posted by wierdo at 12:56 PM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Because UHF is the best movie filmed in Oklahoma.
posted by wierdo at 12:56 PM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Any outdoor shot in The Office shows you that they are definitively not actually in Pennsylvania. There's enough room on *every road* for *all of the cars*. And look at those fucking curbs!
However, I do like the genuine PA bullshit they occasionally throw into the show. My girlfriend is dying for an episode that takes Dwight to the Farm Show though.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 2:29 PM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
However, I do like the genuine PA bullshit they occasionally throw into the show. My girlfriend is dying for an episode that takes Dwight to the Farm Show though.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 2:29 PM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
All those shows and movies about Washington, DC? They almost universally fail to accurately portray the city.
Even 227?
posted by kittyprecious at 3:34 PM on November 13, 2010
Even 227?
posted by kittyprecious at 3:34 PM on November 13, 2010
I see this in the comedy section of HuffPo. Not surprising to see that the quality of that publication's comedy is par with their journalism.
But, seriously? This is what passes for comedy? Tell ya what, I am going to take a map and find a different deli meat to associate with each state (Virginia HAM! Get it? Get it?!). Or which ice cream best represents a state (Rocky Road! Rocky Mountains. Colorado. Get it? Get it?!). Oh, and just wait until 2012 when they astutely note that everyone from a blue state has a big dick and everyone from a red state is a poopyhead and will have a map with different massive dongs or photoshopped pictures of dog turds coiled on top of suits as if they were heads.
posted by munchingzombie at 3:49 PM on November 13, 2010
But, seriously? This is what passes for comedy? Tell ya what, I am going to take a map and find a different deli meat to associate with each state (Virginia HAM! Get it? Get it?!). Or which ice cream best represents a state (Rocky Road! Rocky Mountains. Colorado. Get it? Get it?!). Oh, and just wait until 2012 when they astutely note that everyone from a blue state has a big dick and everyone from a red state is a poopyhead and will have a map with different massive dongs or photoshopped pictures of dog turds coiled on top of suits as if they were heads.
posted by munchingzombie at 3:49 PM on November 13, 2010
The maps aren't necessarily showing movies filmed in each state...just depicting each state.
North Dakota gets "Leprechaun" while Minnesota gets "Fargo". Go figure.
posted by kink at 5:20 PM on November 13, 2010
North Dakota gets "Leprechaun" while Minnesota gets "Fargo". Go figure.
posted by kink at 5:20 PM on November 13, 2010
Okay. I am SO not okay with The Waltons being the show for Virginia. Virginia is the south, not the hillbilly midwest like, say, West Virginia.
posted by Night_owl at 5:32 PM on November 13, 2010
posted by Night_owl at 5:32 PM on November 13, 2010
arrested development or modern family would be a cooler california.
posted by fallacy of the beard at 6:37 PM on November 13, 2010
posted by fallacy of the beard at 6:37 PM on November 13, 2010
North Dakota gets "Leprechaun" while Minnesota gets "Fargo". Go figure.
Well, only the opening scene was set in Fargo (and shot in Northeast Minneapolis). The rest of the movie takes place in Minnesota. Title aside, it's much more Minnesota than North Dakota.
posted by Ickster at 7:54 PM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, only the opening scene was set in Fargo (and shot in Northeast Minneapolis). The rest of the movie takes place in Minnesota. Title aside, it's much more Minnesota than North Dakota.
posted by Ickster at 7:54 PM on November 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
All those shows and movies about Washington, DC? They almost universally fail to accurately portray the city.
One that at least tried was State of Play. There was a great effort made to shoot on location in places that were unfamiliar. I've never lived there, though, so I can't say how well it captured the city (it is mostly concerned with its own thriller narrative, of course).
As to the lists -- hmm, sure is a lot of Coen Brothers on both film lists. And I find the overlaps and non-overlaps interesting in themselves. For Wisconsin, both are awful choices (though American Movie is at least defensible). It should probably be Stroszek or The Straight Story (with an allowance for Dogma).
Thinking about this I realized that quite a few of my favorite movies couldn't be on the list because they represent fictional places -- such as my personal favorite of the Coen oeuvre, Miller's Crossing. It seems to intentionally represent a mid-sized rust-belt city, perhaps a Toledo or Erie, but it was filmed in New Orleans (winter coats and all).
Not surprising to see that the quality of that publication's comedy is par with their journalism.
I know. Even the more selective of my friends tend to throw their crap up on Facebook all the time, making me think of it as a middlebrow content farm.
posted by dhartung at 10:43 PM on November 13, 2010
One that at least tried was State of Play. There was a great effort made to shoot on location in places that were unfamiliar. I've never lived there, though, so I can't say how well it captured the city (it is mostly concerned with its own thriller narrative, of course).
As to the lists -- hmm, sure is a lot of Coen Brothers on both film lists. And I find the overlaps and non-overlaps interesting in themselves. For Wisconsin, both are awful choices (though American Movie is at least defensible). It should probably be Stroszek or The Straight Story (with an allowance for Dogma).
Thinking about this I realized that quite a few of my favorite movies couldn't be on the list because they represent fictional places -- such as my personal favorite of the Coen oeuvre, Miller's Crossing. It seems to intentionally represent a mid-sized rust-belt city, perhaps a Toledo or Erie, but it was filmed in New Orleans (winter coats and all).
Not surprising to see that the quality of that publication's comedy is par with their journalism.
I know. Even the more selective of my friends tend to throw their crap up on Facebook all the time, making me think of it as a middlebrow content farm.
posted by dhartung at 10:43 PM on November 13, 2010
Mrs. Lazlo and I can vouch for The Tao of Steve being an appropriate representative for New Mexico in general, and (according to the Mrs.) life among the Johnnies in particular.
posted by Lazlo at 12:34 AM on November 14, 2010
posted by Lazlo at 12:34 AM on November 14, 2010
Night_owl, except for the fact that the Waltons was set in Virginia.
posted by MythMaker at 2:39 AM on November 14, 2010
posted by MythMaker at 2:39 AM on November 14, 2010
Hm..."That 70s Show" over "Happy Days" for Wisconsin? That's disappointing.
posted by moviehawk at 5:56 AM on November 14, 2010
posted by moviehawk at 5:56 AM on November 14, 2010
And Coach for Minnesota? Pardon you me, but that definitely wasn't Craig T. Nelson who got cast in bronze and planted at the corner of 7th and Nicollet in downtown Minneapolis.
posted by hangashore at 9:55 AM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by hangashore at 9:55 AM on November 14, 2010 [2 favorites]
Well, only the opening scene was set in Fargo (and shot in Northeast Minneapolis). The rest of the movie takes place in Minnesota. Title aside, it's much more Minnesota than North Dakota.
A fair amount of it was shot near Grand Forks, as we had a lot more snow that winter than you southerners in Fargo and Minneapolis.
posted by flaterik at 12:25 PM on November 14, 2010
A fair amount of it was shot near Grand Forks, as we had a lot more snow that winter than you southerners in Fargo and Minneapolis.
posted by flaterik at 12:25 PM on November 14, 2010
Okay. I am SO not okay with The Waltons being the show for Virginia. Virginia is the south, not the hillbilly midwest like, say, West Virginia.
posted by Night_owl at 8:32 PM on November 13 [+] [!]
Hi there. I am from( and currently reside in) West Virginia. I just wanted to drop in, several days late, to say, "Night_owl, I think that's kind of fucked up." I know that we're kind of the U.S.A.'s buttmonkey, and I know that poor rural are one of the last few acceptable targets for stereotyping these days, but I have to say: After a lifetime of being the butt of jokes where you find (for example) that a complete stranger on the internet assumes that The Waltons is probably a pretty accurate representation of your life based on your location within the country—It. Gets. Old.
(That said, fuck you, hollywood.com; We Are Marshall is a terrible movie and you clearly did not even try. You know what's a good West Virginia movie? Fucking Matewan, that's what. Hell, even October Sky would have been ok. Seriously, there are not that many movies about this place, so I don't even know how you managed to pick an awful one.)
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 12:39 AM on November 17, 2010
posted by Night_owl at 8:32 PM on November 13 [+] [!]
Hi there. I am from( and currently reside in) West Virginia. I just wanted to drop in, several days late, to say, "Night_owl, I think that's kind of fucked up." I know that we're kind of the U.S.A.'s buttmonkey, and I know that poor rural are one of the last few acceptable targets for stereotyping these days, but I have to say: After a lifetime of being the butt of jokes where you find (for example) that a complete stranger on the internet assumes that The Waltons is probably a pretty accurate representation of your life based on your location within the country—It. Gets. Old.
(That said, fuck you, hollywood.com; We Are Marshall is a terrible movie and you clearly did not even try. You know what's a good West Virginia movie? Fucking Matewan, that's what. Hell, even October Sky would have been ok. Seriously, there are not that many movies about this place, so I don't even know how you managed to pick an awful one.)
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 12:39 AM on November 17, 2010
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posted by Old'n'Busted at 7:54 AM on November 13, 2010