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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Made in Spokane: The Lilac City is ready for its close up

It might be 1,200 miles from Spokane to Hollywood, but that hasn’t stopped Hollywood from finding Spokane.

There have been a surprising number of movies filmed in the Lilac City, and more so since the North By Northwest production company launched in 1990. Many of those films, to be honest, have not been particularly good. But they’ve brought established actors to town, given work to local performers and crew, and allowed Spokane to show off on the big screen.

In creating a list of noteworthy made-in-Spokane films, it’s important to lay the ground rules. First: We’re being Washington-centric. So sorry, “Dante’s Peak,” which brought Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton – yes, James Bond and Sarah Connor – to Idaho’s Silver Valley. You don’t make the cut.

Second: While the Nicholas Ray rodeo drama “The Lusty Men” (1952) with Susan Hayward and Robert Mitchum featured rodeo shots filmed here, it’s not enough to earn the “Made in Spokane” label.

Third: They need to be made in Spokane, not just set here. That 2012 “Red Dawn” remake with Chris Hemsworth might have been set in Spokane, but it never filmed here, except for one aerial shot. Trust me. If Thor had been in town, I would have known about it.

Finally, we’re talking movies. So while the SyFy series “Z Nation” takes up the bulk of Spokane’s production time these days, we won’t be including it here. And no matter how much we like that “Downtown” video from Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, that doesn’t qualify either.

1. “Vision Quest” (1985). Of course this makes the top of the list. The high school wrestling saga was not only filmed here, but it was set here and based on a novel by former Shadle Park High School teacher Terry Davis. It’s 100 percent Spokane through and through. It’s also a sentimental favorite for many Spokane film fans.

2. “Benny & Joon” (1993) Who can forget that scene in Ferguson’s Cafe, where Johnny Depp pays homage to Charlie Chaplin’s dinner roll dance from “Gold Rush.” Or the Buster Keaton-inspired hat routine filmed in Riverfront Park? Mary Stuart Masterson and Aidan Quinn? That supporting cast? Julianne Moore? William H. Macy? CCH Pounder? Dan Hedaya? Oliver Platt? That’s a ton of talent right there.

3. Smoke Signals” (1998) Like “Vision Quest,” “Smoke Signals” has its roots in the Spokane area. Based on the acclaimed Sherman Alexie short story “This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” from his breakthrough story collection “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven,” Alexie adapted the screenplay and co-produced the low-budget and award-winning indie film. A signficant portion of the film was shot on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in Idaho, but several scenes were filmed in Spokane, including at the old Greyhound station on Sprague Avenue, and Riverfront Park.

4. “Knights of Badassdom” (2013) A little something for fans of “Firefly,” or “Game of Thrones,” this film wins the “best title” sweepstakes hands down. A goofy little movie about a bunch of live-action role players (LARPers) who accidentally conjure up a demon from hell, it features Summer Glau (“Firefly”), Emmy winner Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”), Steve Zahn (“That Thing You Do!”), Danny Pudi (“Community”) and Joshua Malina (“The West Wing”) cavorting in Riverside State Park.

5. “At Middleton” (2013) What do Oscar-nominees Andy Garcia (“The Godfather III”) and Vera Farminga (“Up in the Air”) have in common? This unassuming little romantic comedy about two people who meet while touring prospective colleges with their kids. It’s not a great film, but Spokane and Gonzaga University look pretty. For what it’s worth Garcia and Farminga won the top acting prizes at the Boston Film Festival.

6. “Home of the Brave” (2006) Another film more notable for its credits than its actual quality, “Home of the Brave” is an Iraq war drama directed by veteran Hollywood producer Irwin Winkler (“Raging Bull,” “Rocky,” “Goodfellas,” “The Wolf of Wall Street”). It starred Samuel L. Jackson, 50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson), Jessica Biel, Christina Ricci and featured many locals, including Jhon Goodwin, Jerry Sciarrio, Wes Deitrick, TV and radio host Dennis Patchin and Terrain co-founder Ginger Ewing.

7. “Camilla Dickinson” (2012) Spokane stands in for 1948 New York City in this film adaptation of the Madeleine L’Engle coming-of-age novel “Camilla,” about a 15-year-old girl (Adelaide Clemens) who starts to find her own way in life when her parents’ (Cary Elwes, Samantha Mathis) marriage falls apart. Look for scenes shot around the Fox theater, the Davenport Hotel, and even the lobby of the Review Tower at Monroe and Riverside.

8. “Give ’Em Hell, Malone” (2009) This P.I. thriller, set in the 1940s, is notable for many reasons. First is it stars Thomas Jane, who was in my favorite genetically enhanced shark movie, “Deep Blue Sea.” Second is Ving Rhames. Because Ving Rhames. Third is it was directed by Russell Mulcahy, who directed Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery in “Highlander,” and a whole slew of top-notch ’80s music videos, including the landmark “Video Killed the Radio Star” by Buggles and a host of Duran Duran’s best, including “Rio,” “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Save a Prayer.”

9. “Why Would I Lie”? Spokane first really got movie mania when this 1980 film starring Treat Williams picked the Lilac City as a primary location. It was directed by Larry Peerce, who was an established director when he came to town, having done “Goodbye, Columbus” (1969), “The Other Side of the Mountain” (1975) and a bunch of TV, including six episodes of “Batman.” Williams, meanwhile, would follow up his work as the compulsive liar named Cletus with his career-defining (and Oscar nominated) turn in Sidney Lumet’s “The Prince of the City.”

10. “The Ward” (2010) Sure, there are better movies by director John Carpenter. “The Thing” definitely. “Halloween” most certainly. “Escape from New York” and “Starman,” absolutely. “The Ward” might even be Carpenter’s worst movie. Who cares? The guy who brought Michael Myers to life in 1978 made a movie in Spokane and at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake. And that’s something.

Honorable mentions

11. “Different Drummers” (2012), this family drama is another truly made-in-Spokane story, inspired by a real-life friendship.

12. “Mozart and the Whale” (2005) is one of the few films to openly deal with Asperger’s syndrome, as Josh Hartnett and Radha Mitchell star as two young savants who must deal with their condition while trying to maintain a relationship

13. “The Basket” (1999) Rich Cowan directed Karen Allen, Peter Coyote and a ton of local talent – Ellen Travolta, Jack Bannon, Patrick Treadway and novelist Jess Walter among them – in this drama about finding acceptance through basketball.

14. The Cuba Gooding Jr. Collection For awhile there a decade ago, you couldn’t turn around without running into this Oscar winner in Spokane. He filmed four movies here – “End Game” (2006), “Lies & Illusions” (2008), “Wrong Turn at Tahoe” (2009) and “The Hit List” (2010).

15. “West of Redemption” (2015) Cornelia Moore, who directed “Camilla Dickinson,” returned to Spokane to helm this thriller starring Billy Zane and Mariana Klaveno, who hails from Endicott.