European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Steel City Sheds image to become new tinsel Tow Jim Strader associated press p Pittsburgh hidden for years behind a curtain of smoke and an Industrial a identity is not the town you think of when you think of Glamour. But it s emerging As a movie making town with a starring role in Hollywood productions. The silence of the lambs the acclaimed thriller starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins was set in a number of places but was shot almost entirely in and around Pittsburgh. A a that a part of Pittsburgh a Beauty Quot said lambs producer Edward Saxon. A a it a Baltimore its Memphis its Rural West Virginia. It was All of those things to Movic makers have cast the City Back almost a Century in films such As the to movie Darrow and the 1984 feature mrs. Soffel. In the american playhouse Story about lawyer Clarence Darrow the City a North Side was transformed to a victorian neighbourhood. For mrs. Woitel which starred Diane Keaton As a jailers wife and Mel Gibson As an inmate downtown streets around the Allegheny county courthouse were strewn with dirt and Straw. Three big budget movies Are scheduled for shooting this year in the City Danny Devito is to direct Hoffa based on the life of the former teamsters Leader Bruce Willis will Star in three Rivers the Story of a River police officer and Michelle Pfeiffer and Andy Garcia will play the parents of a boy with a rare disease in the movie Lorenzo soil. Robert m. Curran director of the year old Pittsburgh film office said Many factors have lured Hollywood and its dollars to the Ion costs Are Low compared with new York or los Angeles producers Are discovering the areas Cham icon like scenery and there Are plenty of film technicians. A these films done to have to be in Pittsburgh they choose to be in Pittsburgh a he said. His office said nine movies were made City in 1990, with budgets totalling $60 million. California is the Leader in the business. But a i though its not always cheaper its easier to make a movie outside California. One Stop state controlled film offices Are preferred to californians Patchwork approach. Chicago Seattle Orlando Fla. Wilmington . And Texas Are among other popular off Hollywood production Sites. The movie business May just be discovering Pittsburgh As a place to make films but Carnegie Mellon University has figured in the Success of dozens of Hollywood actors writers and producers. From Ted Danson and Holly Hunter to Steven Bochco the list of alumni from what was once known As Carnegie tech reads like the credits of numerous major movies and hit to shows. Other alumni include Jack Kingman of the Odd couple and Quincy actress Model Shari be Lafonte of hotel Barbara Feldon agent 99 of get smart Laura san Giacomo of sex lies and videotape Judith Light of who a the Boss and. Character actor Frank Porshin. Several filmmakers who have worked recently in Pittsburgh said the City owes a Large debt to 1yeah, that was Pittsburgh. Following Are some of the feature films and television movies made in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. Silence of the lambs the $10 million getaway bump in the night the Awakening. Monkeys hints an Experiment in fear the Prince of Pennsylvania Rob Ocop the kid brother a Unglo Day of the dead flight of the Spruce Goose rep Pink mrs. So incl. Creeps How a Flash dance. Knigh riders. Dawn of the dead both the fish that saved Pittsburgh. The Deer Hunter. Night of the living dead both Curran and his staff who promote the area to the movie Industry and coordinate Many aspects of the complicated process of making a feature film Kenneth Ute producer and production manager for silence of the lambs was the first member of the films production team to scout out pills Burgh producer Saxon said. A the said a you Guys have got to see what they be got there. They be got a Winner a Saxon recounted. A and it location plays a big part in recruiting a film Crew and asking them to leave their Homes and family for several months Saxon said. A you have to say to them a its not Florida like last time Guys. Its Pittsburgh in february a Quot Saxon said. A most everyone really enjoyed the City a it George Romero who made a string of horror films in Western Pennsylvania is executive pro Ducer and director of the dark half which was shot in Pittsburgh and a Rural town in a neighbouring county the film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name stars Timothy Hutton and Amy Madigan and is due in Heaters by the end of the year. Many give Rongero credit for Pittsburgh so. Emergence As a movie location. Since 1968, with night or the living dead his films have helped train a cadre of professional film technicians who live in the area. A a. The first major movie made in the Pittsburgh area was Michael Cimino a the Deer Hunter the 1977 tale of Mil worker buddies who Golf to Vietnam. That movie which won three oscars and 1981s Flash dance about a woman steel worker who dances by night both were set in the Pittsburgh area. Not All of Pittsburgh a Early films Wei e winners the fish Thill saved Pittsburgh a 1978 bomb followed a professional basketball team the Pitts. Burgh Pisces who were advised by a fortuneteller Curran recently attended an annual movie Industry exposition in los Angeles at which he and film commission directors from across the country promoted their cities to Hollywood using a Large poster from the silence of the lambs As an icebreaker the Pittsburgh Booth attracted a lot of attention. V. A i think we got a great reaction a a Curran said. A i think its a mediocre year for the film business m general. We re one of the places that a lot of people Are flocking Pittsburgh Booster Robert Curran poses with a movie clapboard with the City behind 14, 1991 sunday. A. Page 11
