Dem
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GOP
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Here is the question we put before readers two weeks ago:
L.R.H. in Oakland, CA, asks: (Z) asserted that "Back to the Future [is] the very best movie to be set in California."
OK, but what other films are in the running, and why? (The movie need not be set entirely in California, but a significant portion should take place there.)
And here some of the answers we got in response:
D.B. in Fort Lauderdale, FL: As your tag line presages, I predict that the vast majority of the respondents to your question about the best movie set in California will be Chinatown. It certainly leads the pack if the question references the best movie that is about California, but it is less clear if the question is, as you frame it, the best movie that is set in California.
In the latter case, I would propose The Maltese Falcon, the pre-eminent movie among those that use the metaphor of the San Francisco fog (seen or just imagined) to remind us that all mysteries are basically about cover-ups—viz. Vertigo, Bullitt and, on a lighter note, Foul Play.
There is also a good case for the steady stream of L.A. noir and neo-noir movies that picture the City of Angels, a relative newcomer on the world's urban landscape, as the global locus for cynicism, greed, lust, and corruption—Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Big Sleep, The Blue Dahlia, Gun Crazy, Harper, Chinatown, Devil in a Blue Dress, L.A. Confidential, Mulholland Drive.
But then we have to consider all the Hollywood movies about Hollywood movies, with their universal conceit that reality is an illusion, and only perception matters: A Star Is Born (all three versions), Sunset Boulevard, Singin' in the Rain, Postcards from the Edge, La La Land, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. And Hollywood-adjacent movies, such as my favorite, Shampoo, and Jerry Maguire.
Or those movies that show that it ain't easy being young in a land that worships youth: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause (where poor James Dean is tormented because his dad is a sissy), Gidget (watch it again, philistines), American Graffiti, Mommie Dearest (or is that a Hollywood movie?), Back to the Future, Clueless, Bring It On (highlighting young Californians of color for once), Shelter (the gay one). Not to mention The Graduate—that overwrought paean to ageism and misogyny, but with Anne Bancroft in one of the great performances of all time.
Of course, California movies also remind us that it is unpleasant to be poor in a land of plenty: Of Mice and Men (1939 and 1992), The Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, El Norte, Down and Out in Beverly Hills.
Okay, I digress and have gotten carried away. Loosen the thumbscrews so that I can cast my ballot, along with your other readers, for... Chinatown, a movie that is truly about California.
R.R. in Pasadena, CA: There are of course a lot of great movies set in California, and I'm going to predict that (Z) would include The Karate Kid on his list of great CA films. It's a film that landed about the same time that (Z) was in high school, so there's a nostalgia factor. It's got a good story, including things like a single mom trying to get by, and a kid dragged across the country trying to fit into a completely different culture. It does a good job of detailing California culture at the time, and being a teenager in general. And it has a lot of good performances in it. But, really, it has Pat Morita creating absolute movie magic, which Ralph Macchio manages to enhance with the way he reacts to this old Japanese maintenance man who turns out to be far more than he appears. And it's basically impossible not to root for Danny to win out in the end.
My own dark horse for this would be something no one really remembers, Blue Thunder. The ads make it look like a YAHOOO!!! helicopter adventure (and it is), but instead it's all about the militarization of the police and abuse of that power, and how good people can stand against that despite the possibly fatal risks. The performances really support this too, especially Roy Scheider, and then there's Malcolm McDowell having a great time being obnoxiously bad. It's a fun film with a pretty significant message that's especially relevant today when we have ICE agents deployed in full battle gear to capture a couple cooks at a restaurant.
P.M. in Port Angeles, WA: I admit to a bias, having lived in the Eastern end of Simi Valley for some 23 years. There is a mostly forgotten place called Corriganville, named for the stuntman known as "Crash" Corrigan. He bought a large tract of land and created a moviemaking theme park that was quite popular in its heyday. Many movies were filmed there, and my nomination is for the film Fort Apache. I spent many an hour wandering about and finding "Fort Apache" and the stage coach trail and reliving all those scenes of chase in so many westerns. Ray pioneered the concept of a theme park long before Walt build "Disneyland", but Disneyland endured, Corriganville didn't.
Oh, I may have misunderstood that by set, you meant the action was clearly portrayed in California, "Fort Apache" was construed to be in Arizona. In that case, my choices are Steve McQueen's Bullitt. The movie set the standard for the car chase and every movie after had to live up to that standard, with a culmination in The Fast and The Furious ensemble. My second choice is Jack Nicholson's Chinatown, a quintessential Film noir movie dealing with the never ending water wars of southern California.
Mulholland Drive is a classic, and a great sightseeing drive in its own right—you realize that there are just too many candidates to choose just one, I need ranked choice for this, so I'll end here with just three nominees.
C.T.P. in Lancaster, CA: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I still remember the scene set at the grand opening of the gas station, with Jonathan Winters. Whenever I think of it, I laugh out loud.
E.G.G.-C. in Syracuse, NY: I can think of no other movie than Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. It may be a very obvious choice, but that movie portrayed the late 60s in a very believable manner, especially Hollywood...
S.K. in Sunnyvale, CA: (Z) himself spoke highly of Star Trek movies II-IV, the last of which takes place mostly in San Francisco, and is even also a time travel movie. So presumably that film would be "in the running."
E.S. in Providence, RI: The answer is obviously Chinatown (one of the all time greats), but for fun I'll nominate Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which captured the zeitgeist of early 80's teen culture, and because Phoebe Cates in a bikini climbing out of a swimming pool.
H.C. in Richmond, VA: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure not only features the fun time travel elements of Back to the Future, historical figures such as So-crates, Beeth-oven, Joan of Arc, and Lincoln, the talents of George Carlin and Keanu Reaves, but also the eternal message we should all live by: "Be excellent to each other... and party on dudes!"
R.B. in Cleveland, OH: SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES!
M.H. in Seattle, WA: The answer arguably depends on the question "Where in California?"
For Los Angeles, I've long leaned into a trilogy providing a flavor of LA's history consisting of Chinatown, L.A. Confidential, and Tequila Sunrise. Crime, corruption, and moral ambiguity through the 20th century. Two of them written by Robert Towne. A barely disguised version of what was one of LA's great Italian restaurants. Multiple now problematic actors... sigh.
As someone who spent years living in the Santa Cruz area, The Lost Boys has a certain charm (even if Santa Cruz asked that the location name be changed).
For the Bay Area, it's hard to beat Vertigo though there is no bell tower at the actual mission.
For truly Northern California, I'll pick Racing with the Moon, which makes beautiful use of the Mendocino coast and features one of the few roles in which Sean Penn shows a soft side.
But to pick something that just feels very California, I am going to settle on Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza.
G.R. in Tarzana, CA: I immediately had an answer as to the best movie ever to be set in California, but once I saw your preferred subject line, "Forget it, Jake!", I knew you already had it covered, so in the words of Emily Litella, "Never mind."
A.C. in Kingston, MA: Stipulating that Back to the Future is indeed the best movie set in California (it absolutely IS), the clear second-place finisher HAS to be So I Married an Axe Murder. Oscar winner Brenda Fricker as a chain-smoking Scottish conspiracy theorist, Alan Arkin as a too-nice police captain to Anthony LaPaglia's disillusioned detective, Amanda Plummer's delightful weirdness, dozens of quotable lines... even as his dementia progressed, my dad would remember and recite dialog with me, and now I do the same with my kids.
J.B. in Bozeman, MT: I nominate Little Miss Sunshine for your consideration. It is about a journey to California for better or exciting things (and seedy events too). Migration to The Golden State is a classic American theme and is a key part of California's identity perhaps as much as what happens in the state itself. The film's ensemble cast is wonderfully dysfunctional and very funny.
A.J. in Baltimore, MD: Sunset Boulevard is the best movie set in California, the best movie about the film industry, and one of the best movies ever made. The brilliant Billy Wilder was at the peak of his powers in conjuring this study of a washed-up star's addiction to the limelight. Part film-noir, part self-referential dark comedy, the film is rich with memorable dialogue and marvelous performances.
M.M. in San Diego, CA: Besides Chinatown, my favorite Southern California film is The Big Sleep. Raymond Chandler set everything in Los Angeles and its environs. There's even a cottage industry that tries to determine exact locations for every scene. Plus, there's a pair of academics at UCLA who specialize in everything Chandler, even locating the ashes of his wife and getting them interred at Ray's grave here in San Diego!
P.J.T. in Raton, NM: "Best" anything leaves me cynical because it assumes some sort of objective measure that's agreeable to a wide swath of "experts," self-appointed or otherwise anointed, which may be (somewhat, subject to new evidence) legitimate in the sciences, but is certainly not in the arts. I prefer the more-honest "favorite," which admits that the consideration is dictated purely by personal taste.
So, my favorite film set in California is D.A. Pennebaker's documentary, Monterey Pop. A brainchild of The Mamas and the Papas, the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival was described by Jefferson Airplane singer, Grace Slick, as a more satisfying experience than either Woodstock or (obviously) Altamont (Airplane played all three). Documenting the mother of all rock festivals, the film also includes performances by Simon & Garfunkel, Jimi Hendrix (famously lighting his guitar on fire), The Who, Hugh Masekela, Canned Heat, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar, The Byrds, Country Joe and the Fish, and others (while leaving out acts—though included in the vinyl release—such as Lou Rawls, The Association, The Animals, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Electric Flag, Buffalo Springfield, Booker T. and the M.G.s, The Blues Project and The Grateful Dead), but it also has a cultural significance beyond being the first "really big" rock festival, capturing in a musical nutshell the ethics and vibe of 1967, which is still known (and revered) today as The Summer of Love. Musically, it's been downhill ever since: name me a rock or pop festival (other than Woodstock 1969) that assembled talent this varied, committed and influential musically, socially and politically.
J.R. in Harrogate, England, UK: The Big Lebowski by Joel and Ethan Coen is set in Los Angeles, and should definitely be on this list.
The central theme of finding peace in yourself is reason enough to love this film, however, given the inability of the Left and the Right to even be in the same room together, the bond between the Dude and his friend Walter is an even better rationale for inclusion.
Their relationship transcends political differences and places two American archetypes that are normally in conflict into a friendship that transcends political ideology. In the immortal words of (the other) Mr. King, "Can't we all just get along?"
But let's be completely honest. Why should this film be on this list?
Because the Dude abides, and nobody fu**s with the Jesus.
M.A. in Park Ridge, IL: I have always loved American Graffiti. It captures the early-'60s innocence perfectly, it's funny, it's profound, and it is very "California" (at least to us non-natives who have spent meaningful time there). Bonus: the Wolfman scene.
J.C. in Thủ Dầu Một, Bình Dương, Vietnam: L.A. Story.
Because it truly captures the spirit of L.A. We actually do think the weather is always the same (though it's not). We actually do have lives and philosophy built around the freeways. And we actually do continue with whatever we are doing during any mild earthquake (5 or less)—and then take bets on the Richter Scale afterward.
C.Z. in Sacramento, CA: Phenomenon, and not just because it was filmed in Northern California—Auburn, CA, to be precise. It has a beautiful message.
S.B. in Hood River, OR: I am sure a number of great films will be offered, but I am going to nominate The Lost Boys. It takes place in the fictional town of Santa Carla (actually filmed in Santa Cruz). It uses the locations, especially the Santa Cruz boardwalk, to great effect. It is one of the very few movies that I have watched over and over again. It is arguably one of the greatest vampire movies ever made (and does feature in many of the published lists). It established the genre of teenage vampires (unfortunately to be mangled by Twilight), and maybe the best reason of all, it has one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, with songs like "I Still Believe," "Cry Little Sister," and an excellent cover of "People Are Strange."
A great pity that a proper sequel with Kiefer Sutherland was never filmed.
D.S. in Layton, UT: This film did not win any awards, or appear on any top ten lists but Back To the Beach with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello is the go to movie of Lady DS of Layton, UT and I when we just need silly fun nonsense. It is a reunion of the old beach party gang from the early '60s about 40 years later. Frankie and Annette are now a conservative couple living in Ohio and decide to surprise their daughter (real life hardened criminal) Lori Loughlin, who is (unbeknownst to them) living in sin with her boyfriend on the beach. Hijinks ensue with cameos from the Gilligan's Island and Leave It To Beaver gangs with Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughn providing some killer guitar music.
Sounds ridiculous, and it is. But so much fun.
C.J. in Redondo Beach, CA: I've noticed (Z) and I differ fairly widely in our film opinions. Back to the Future probably wouldn't enter my top 25 films set in California (as fun a film as it is!).
You eluded to Chinatown in your request for responses... and that is indeed a fantastic choice that I considered. However, I'd go with Vertigo. San Francisco and Mission San Juan Bautista both feature prominently in Hitchcock's masterpiece.
I saw this the first time when I was about nine or ten. If I recall that summer, one of the local cable stations was running a two week Hitchcock series—one classic film of his every night. It's really how I was introduced to the master of suspense. At that time, Vertigo was in the process of being re-discovered. For years it was considered more of an interesting failure than classic Hitchcock like a Psycho or Birds or Rear Window. Then, in the early- to mid-80's, they remastered its print, and re-released it to theaters. I didn't see it right then, but maybe a couple of years later when it circled back to TV.
Anyhow, I remember watching Vertigo with my father, and it haunted me for DAYS. I nearly couldn't sleep that first night. Oddly, for the master of suspense, it's probably one of Hitch's LEAST suspenseful films. About 60% sort of plays out in a typical Hitchcockian sorta way, albeit with a supernatural bent. But then he pulls the rug from you and it becomes a film about obsession, as well as trying to change our mates into visions of our ideal fantasies. I didn't quite get all of that as a kid, but I knew intuitively it was going in some weirdly dark areas. Then that ending where Jimmy Stewart has to relive losing his love again... shattering. Maybe the first film I ever saw where the protagonist doesn't win at the end. Not only doesn't he win, he basically loses EVERYTHING he cares about.
Now it's widely thought of as Hitchcock's best film (at least in critical circles), so I sorta feel like my prepubescent self was ahead of the curve.
J.G. in Farmington, CT: Why did you do this to me? I love movies, a bunch of the movies I love are set in California, and now I have to pick only one or a few? Dude!
Well, despite the obvious front runners 2 Fast 2 Furious and Beverly Hills Chihuahua, we have a lot to pick from: A quick search reveals the wiki page "List of films set in California" with 894 entries, but many of these are only partially set in California. I think this discussion should be restricted to those films entirely set in California, like the subject line implies (Chinatown) and be uniquely Californian in subject matter, like about showbiz or tech or L.A. crime.
Therefore, I contend:
- Heat tied with Collateral. I love, love, love Michael Mann. Both shot entirely on location, mostly at night, in places where people live and work: homes, restaurants, truck stops, hospitals, streets, docks, downtown, bars, nightclubs, seedy motels, LA Metro trains, defunct drive-ins... nary an interrogation room to be found. The city itself is a character, and he uses it.
- Who Framed Roger Rabbit. While there's a case to be made that the underlying issue (the GM Streetcar Conspiracy) wasn't real—and I, a foamer railfan liberal, am happy to debate that with anyone—the sheer inventiveness of this film, its original story, iconic characters, screwball humor, and timeless visuals have aged incredibly well. Also, Christopher Lloyd's transformation at the end was absolute nightmare fuel for children, a transgressive and risky posture for film that hasn't been seen recently.
Honorable mentions: La La Land, L.A. Confidential.
A.G. in Scranton, PA: It's so damnably cliche for a bank robber to offer Heat, and I'm not even a big fan of the film, but most American males and a good number of women would say it is an incredible movie, one entirely set in California... ugh, so I'm gonna offer it because people are stupid.
Take it from me: Nope. Not how crime works. I'm more of an expert on crimes my name isn't attached to than the "sexy" one it is, and nope, nope, nopity, nope. Just nope.
Bank robbery crews are shockingly rare because most of the successful sorts of bank robbers know not to trust anyone with that information or in such a situation. The few crews they do apprehend always end up being white Christian nationalists or rogue police officers, you know, the heroes in blue with the tin badge of small di**age.
"Law abiding" citizens like thinking crime and policing and things work like that, but they just don't. It's movie crime, movie police work, the sorts digestible by citizens, the sorts that keep them buying tickets and clicking on them on Hulu, Netflix, and the 28 million other streaming services there are these days.
The gunfight everyone is so sexually aroused by is meh. I've been in worse... and, you know what? Just forget it. It was designed to cause as many male loads as bullets to be shot in the theaters they showed it in. 99% of people would piss themselves if anyone who wasn't some local hunter or a MAGA asshat even popped off a round near their culture de sacs.
The robbery at the beginning was interesting, the one at the end a joke. The movie was tedious, filled with underwhelming performances from greats such as Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer. The "tension" between Pacino and De Niro when the foes meet one another at a sit-down in a diner was non-existent...
At the suggestion of P.M. in Port Angeles, we are going to try something new. Based on the responses we got, we narrowed it down to a list of 32 "finalists" (including some that are not mentioned above). If readers want to vote for (up to) their top five, the ballot is here. We will reveal the results next week.
Also, here is the question for next week:
M.B.F. in Oakton, VA, asks: What is the best film on American politics, and why?
Submit your answers to comments@electoral-vote.com, preferably with subject line "Capraesque"!
The reason Tennessee protects personality rights is because it was home to Elvis Presley, whose name and image are the most valuable in the world, and are a source of a fair bit of tax revenue for the state.