World Film Locations: Washington D.C.

Description

Freedom and democracy. Bills and laws. Bureaucracy and red tape. Washington, DC, the capital of the United States, is known for many things, most of them related to the inner workings of the government. But it is also a city of carefully planned parks, trees exploding with cherry blossoms in spring, and bright sunshine polishing the gleaming white of stately memorials. With no shortage of iconic American landscapes, such as the vast National Mall; buildings, from the White House and the Capitol to the Watergate Hotel and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; and monuments, including the Washington Monument and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, it is at once synonymous with the country it governs and a world apart.

This friction animates and attracts filmmakers, who use the District's landmarks as a shorthand to express and investigate contemporary ideals and concerns about American society. Films set there both celebrate and castigate the grand American experiment it symbolizes. From Frank Capra’s 1939 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to the alien invasion blockbuster Independence Day, films set in Washington depict our most ardent hopes and bring to life our darkest fears.

World Film Locations: Washington, D.C., collects essays and articles about Washington film history and locations. Featuring explorations of carefully chosen film scenes and key historical periods, the book examines themes, directors, and depictions and is illustrated with evocative movie stills, city maps, and location photographs. Taken as a whole, this is essential reading for any cinephile who has ever wondered how a bill becomes a law.

Essays:

Washington D.C. City of the Imagination, Katherine Larsen

A Memorial for the Masses, Katherine Larsen

Dope, Guns and Go Go: D.C. Black Music on Film, Christopher Lornell

Capital of the National Security State, Michael Svoboda

Capital of Fear: The Washington D.C. Suspense Film, Paul Haspel

District of Tomorrow: Science Fiction Films in Washington D.C., Paul Haspel

Destroying Washington, Michael Svoboda

Sujets

• Arts visuels
• Arts visuels
• Cinéma
• Cinéma
• Cinéma
• Cinema
• General officer
• History of film
• Art
• General

Informations

• Publié par: Intellect Books
• Date de parution: 04 janvier 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783204571
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

WORLD FILM LOCATIONS WASHINGTON D.C. Edited byKatherine Larsen

WORLD FILM LOCATIONS WASHINGTON D.C. Edited by Katherine Larsen

First Published in the UK in 2015 by Intellect Books, The Mill, Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3JG, UK

First Published in the USA in 2015 by Intellect Books, The University of Chicago Press, 1427 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA

Copyright ©2015 Intellect Ltd

Cover photo:Philomena(2013) BBC Films/Baby Cow Productions/ Bfi/Magnolia Mae Films/Pathe / The Kobal Collection

Copy Editor: Emma Rhys

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written consent. A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library World Film Locations Series ISSN: 20459009 eISSN: 20459017 World Film Locations Washington D.C. ISBN: 9781783204564 ePDF ISBN: 9781783204571

Printed and bound by Bell & Bain Limited, Glasgow

WORLD FILM LOCATIONS WASHINGTON D.C.

e dI t o r Kàéîé Làŝé

s e rI e s e dI t o r & de s Ign Gàîé Sôôôŝ

c o n t rI b u t o r s Jôŝé ûŝçîôé Pàû Hàŝé Ràî GàY Kîŝéŝé Kàéîé Làŝé Mîçàé Sôôà

l o cat I o n p h o t o gr a p h y Kàéîé Làŝé à Dàî Zàŝô

p ub l I s h e d by ïééç Té Mî, Pàà Rôà, îŝôŝ, Bîŝô, BS16 3JG, UK T: +44 0 117 9589910 : +44 0 117 9589911 E:îno@îneecbooks.com

Bookends: The Capitol Building (Kmccoy / wikimedia commons) This page: photo by David Zaslow Overleaf: Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (Clover Productions)

CONTENTS

MàPŝ/Sçééŝ

8Sçééŝ 1-6 Group A

24

Sçééŝ 7-12 Group B

40Sçééŝ 13-18 Group C

56 Sçééŝ 19-21 Group D

66 Sçééŝ 22-28 Group E

84

98

Sçééŝ 29-33 Group F

Sçééŝ 34-38 Group G

WO Fî LOçàîOŝ| Washîngon D.C.

EŝŝàYŝ

6 WàŝHîO D.C. CîY O Hé IàîàîO Kaherîne Larsen

22

A MéOîà O Hé Màŝŝéŝ Kaherîne Larsen

38 DOPé, GUŝ à GO GO: D.C. Bàç MUŝîç O Fî Chrîsopher Lornell

54

CàPîà O Hé NàîOà SéçUîY Sàé Mîchael Svoboda

64 CàPîà O Féà: THé WàŝHîO D.C. SUŝPéŝé Fî Paul Haspel

82 Dîŝîç O TOOO: Sçîéçé FîçîO Fîŝ î WàŝHîO D.C. Paul Haspel

96 DéŝOYî WàŝHîO Mîchael Svoboda

110 111 114

BàçPàéŝ Resources Conrîbuor Bîos Fîlmography

3

de dicat i o n a n d ac k now l e d g e m e n t s

This book is dedicated to David Zaslow, who missed going to many films because I was too busy, provided many of the photos in this volume and all of the moral support. I am beyond grateful. I would also like to thank all of the wonderful contributors to this volume whose work enriched and enlarged my understanding of my adopted city. And finally I would like to express my deep appreciation to Gabriel Solomons for his guidance and patience.

k at h e rI n e l a r s e n

p ub l I s h e d by ïééç Té Mî, Pàà Rôà, îŝôŝ, Bîŝô, BS16 3JG, UK T: +44 0 117 9589910 : +44 0 117 9589911 E:îno@îneecbooks.com

I WO N  TRODU W C ash T în I go O n D N .C.  Fî LOçàîOŝ

washington has become sexy of late.ï’s aso become unny. And even more crooked. A o îs îs ranspîrîng on e sma screen în serîes suc asScandal(Sonda Rîmes, ABC, 2012-presen), Alpa House(Garry Trudeau, Amazon ïnsan Vîdeo, 2013-presen), Veep(Armando ïannuccî, HBO, 2012-presen), andHouse of Cards(Beau Wîîmon, Nelîx, 2013-presen). Teevîsîon îs Inay cacîng on. O course Hoywood as aways been drawn o e pecuîar mîx o power, îdeaîsm and corrupîon a as come o caracerîze e capîa; owever, many Ims, wîe înormed by e spîrî o e cîy, do no acuay make use o e pysîca andscape. Many Ims merey make use o e ubîquîous esabîsîng sos o e mos recognîzabe andmarks. Many ake pace în a serîes o înerîor spaces so causropobîc as o amos precude e îdea a a cîy exîss ousîde o ose cosed doors, suggesîng a undamena Issure beween e governmen and e governed. hîs aso suggess a Wasîngon îs no aways an easy cîy în wîc o Im. Camera crews and securîy deaîs do no easîy mîx. Producîons are orced o soo esewere – Baîmore and Torono beîng wo popuar sand-îns, oug î’s aso possîbe o gîmpse a pam ree jus ousîde Grîi Sadîum înDamn Yankees(George Abbo and Saney Donen, 1958), reveaîng îs Souern Caîornîa Imîng ocaîon – or o sîmpy buîd eîr own Wasîngon. Reconsrucîng bîs o e cîy as, în ac, gone on or quîe some îme. D. W. Grîi consruced a îsorîcay accurae repîca o e înerîor o Ford’s heaer orBir of a Naion(1915) and many dîrecors (Frankeneîmer, Reîman and Reîner, among oers) ave gone o grea paîns o reconsruc Wîe House înerîors. However îdden, ere exîss anoer sîde o e cîy beyond e poîîcs and scanda, and în îs voume ï ave aemped o brîng o îg e Wasîngon no capured by e ever-presen aerîa sos o e Wasîngon Monumen, e Capîo and e Wîe House. To e exen possîbe, e ocus o e scene revîews as been on e neîgbouroods were peope îve, e paces were peope work and were ey go o reax (and yes, peope în Wasîngon do reax). Bîg governmen breeds ceraîn genres – poîîca suspense and aes o e poîce sae (wî over 35 oca and edera aw enorcemen agencîes avîng jurîsdîcîon în Wasîngon, e cîy îs îeray a poîce sae). Wasîngon Ims are concerned wî securîy and breaces o securîy – weer ose breaces come rom wîîn (spîes în our mîds), wîou (errorîss) or above (aîens aackîng). Severa o e spoîg essays învesîgae ese genres. A more înîmae aspec o e cîy îs reveaed în an essay a ooks a e cîy’s oca musîc scene. One pace, e Lîncon Memorîa, îs represened wîce în e scene revîews (as we as gracîng e cover o îs voume). A Ina spoîg essay ocuses on e monumen as a sîe o a a Wasîngon as come o represen – îdeaîsm, dîsîusîonmen, srugge, proes and redempîon, a andmark wî bo oca and unîversa meanîng.{

KàHéîé Làŝé, EîO

WO Fî LOçàîOŝ| Washîngon D.C.

5

WASHINGTON D.C. Cîy of he ïmagînaîon

the district of columbia as been an îmagînary cîy rom îs începîon. Pîerre L'Enan, îred by George Wasîngon o desîgn e new edera cîy, ook European modes and ransaed em o e vernacuar o a new Repubîc. he governmen, raer an e presîden, woud occupy e îg ground – îeray. here were o be grand bouevards and parks, bu ey woud be open o a. Excusîon gave way o egaîarîanîsm. A new edera capîa rîsîng uy ormed rom e marses and woodands o and ceded by Maryand and Vîrgînîa în 1790 îs a romanîc conceî, and îke mos wonderu romances, compeey, gîddîy împracîca. he îdeaîsîc arcîec ad o conend wî e îg purse srîngs o e new governmen. Hîs vîsîon and eîr demands or compromîse dîd no make or a appy unîon and ey evenuay pared ways. ïn a parîng, L’Enan aîd e groundwork or e cîy o conradîcîons a remaîns o îs day, a consan remînder a îdeaîsm îs no aways acîonabe, or even apprecîaed. And ye, Wasîngon as aways been synonymous wî e îdeas upon wîc e counry was ounded, ose conaîned în e

6WO Fî LOçàîOŝ| Washîngon D.C.

Text by w KATHERINE LARSEN

Decaraîon o ïndependence, e Consîuîon and ose engraved on e monumens a do e cîyscape – jusîce, reedom, equaîy, onour, ru. hese are e îdeas requeny campîoned în Hoywood Ims suc asMr. Smi Goes o Wasingon(Frank Capra, 1939) andBorn Yeserday(George Cukor, 1950). he Capra-esque ope o a sysem a works, despîe occasîona mauncîons în e macîne o jusîce and reedom a we beîeve our governmen soud be, îs an înrequen componen o more recen Ims – ony dîmy and sporadîcay reaîzed. We pace our aî în îndîvîdua crusaders workîng ousîde e sysem – Ca Macafrey (Sae of Play[Kevîn Macdonad, 2009]) and Bob Woodward and Car Bernseîn (All e Presiden’s Men[Aan J. Pakua, 1976]) – însead o în presîdens wo are unaware or uncarîng a bes (Gabriel Over e Wie House [Gregory La Cava, 1933]) and mîdy psycoîc a wors (Nixon[Oîver Sone, 1995) or în poîîcîans more îneresed în gaînîng and keepîng power an în e weare o eîr consîuens. And wen îs corrupîon ges o be oo muc or us, we ave no coîce bu o saîrîze î (Dr. Srangelove[Saney Kubrîck, 1964],Wag e Dog[Barry Levînson, 1997],Dick[Andrew Femîng, 1999],In e Loop [Armando ïannuccî, 2009]). To many, Wasîngon îs îs monumens, wîc bo gîve and ake meanîng rom e cîy. hey are îdeaîsm embodîed. And someîmes, ey are a remînder o were we a sor. However, ere îs anoer cîy, a parae D.C. a does no I as nîcey îno e naîona narraîve and a rarey makes î ono Im. he Wasîngon o îmagînaîon and îdeaîsm may be ‘e mos împoran cîy în e word’ (a eas accordîng o a serîes o ads or a oca bank în e 1980s); owever, or mos wo îve ere, e rea Wasîngon îs a cîy wîou power. Resîdens ave no rea represenaîon în Congress and or muc o îs îsory e cîy as been denîed se-rue, remaînîng essenîay a Ie o e edera

Opposite Gabriel Over The White House (1933) /Below State of Play (2009)

OppAobsoitve governmen. he cîy a îs carged wî odîng © 20 u 0 p 9 ,î U n n d iv e e e r d sa e l P m ic b t o ur d e y s î , n W g, or  k  in e g îd Ti e tl a e s Fil o m  s Jusîce and © 1933 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Equaîy, îs aso a cîy a enorced Jîm Crow aws (aws enorcîng racîa segregaîon passed în e Sou ater e Cîvî War). Wasîngon ad aways been a desînaîon or reed Arîcan Amerîcans sînce beore e Cîvî War (îs because î was no ega o say în mos souern saes ater gaînîng reedom). he cîy represened unprecedened opporunîy and evenuay became a reaîve aven or e back communîy. Bu segregaîon, bode jureandde faco, was a ac o îe în e naîon’s capîa we îno e wenîe cenury. ïn 1937 Aan Lomax, en în carge o e Lîbrary o Congress’s Arcîve o Fok Musîc, învîed e bues musîcîan Lead Bey o Wasîngon o record some o îs songs or e Arcîve. Lead Bey and îs wîe Mara were prevened rom sayîng wî Lomax by e aws barrîng back peope rom enerîng wîe peopes’ omes or oes. Lead Bey’s experîence ed îm o compose ‘Bourgeoîs Bues’(1938): ‘ï e a To many, e coored oks o Washîngon îs îs îsen o me / Don’ ry monumens, whîch o Ind you no ome în boh gîve and ake Wasîngon, D.C.’. Wen meanîng from Jef Smî Irs goes o e Lîncon Memorîa he cîy. They are înMr. Smi Goes o îdeaLîsm embodîed. Wasingon, a back man And someîmes, eners ater îm and hey are a remînder ogeer, ey îsen as of where we faLL a young boy reads e shor. Geysburg Address. hîs

scene, wîc seems o embody ‘equaîy’, akes on a very dîferen meanîng wen vîewed agaîns Lead Bey’s experîence în Wasîngon and e everyday experîence o e back popuaîon o e cîy a e îme (1939). ïn 1975, George Cînon and îs unk band Parîamen reeased eîr abumCocolae Ciy, a rîbue o e cîy and o Arîcan Amerîcan cuure în predomînany back cîîes a e îme. From wa we see o Wasîngon on Im, one woud never know a î was (and sî îs, oug e demograpîcs are once agaîn sîtîng) a predomînany back cîy. Excep or e ace o e occasîona porer or raîn conducor, e back presence în D.C. was a bu erased. hîs absence îs somewa recîIed begînnîng în e 1980s, coîncîdîng wî e crack epîdemîc and a spîke în crîme and vîoence.D.C. Cab(Joe Scumacer, 1983) andMeeor Man(Rober Townsend, 1993) porray e ‘mean srees’ o Wasîngon or augs, wîeGood o Go(Baîne Novak, 1986) peraps goes oo ar în e oer dîrecîon by overpayîng e vîoence as mîndess and anîmaîsîc. More reaîsîc porrayas o e back experîence în Wasîngon are ofered bySlam(Marc Levîn, 1998) andLife of a King(Jake Godberger, 2013). However, Ims suc as ese are ew and ar beween. More receny Ims suc ashe Buler(Lee Danîes, 2013) and Talk o Me (Kasî Lemmons, 2007)ave addressed îe în back D.C. wîou sîuaîng emseves în e cîy îse. We are od we are în Wasîngon, bu ere îs îe evîdence o îs. Wasîngon remaîns a cîy o e îmagînaîon, a argey wîe îmagînaîon domînaed by e governmen a cass suc a arge sadow over e andscape.{

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8WO Fî LOçàîOŝ| Washîngon D.C.

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