Just watched it for the first time in 50 years. Wow! Weird movie for sure but it was also kind of great. And a great time capsule of 1970 Houston. It’s about a guy who wants to fly like a bird, he lives in the Astrodome while he builds his wings and prepares to fly. Also people get murdered and bird shits on stuff. Lots of old 1970 Houston constantly in the background, enhanced with old KILT audio clips. Anyone else ever seen this film?
I saw this maybe thirty years ago. I remember some cool scenes in the Dome. Will probably like it more now that I am more familiar with Altman’s style.
It’s definitely one of the best movies that take place in Houston and were filmed in Houston. But I haven’t seen it in ages.
Others that fit the bill:
Boyhood
Bad News Bears Breaking Training
Urban Cowboy
Reality Bytes
Terms of Endearment
Rush
Jason’s Lyric
Local Hero
Rushmore was supposed to be set in Houston, but I don’t remember if there were any shots of the city in it.
I thought it was filmed in Houston but was set somewhere up east. St. John’s was definitely a film location.
I knew it something like that. Another one I haven’t seen in a while.
Rushmore was filmed in Houston. My barber shop was the barber shop, not that I’ve been in a while. I assumed it was set in Houston as well.
Was it Doug and Don’s?
Yes. It’s been only Doug’s though for years.
A bit of a stretch but, yes, it’s partly set in Houston. A great movie, of course. Burt Lancaster’s unhinged Mr. Happer - and his even more unhinged psychiatrist - are excellent.
Also, it’s inspired by the story behind the land acquisition for the Sullom Voe oil terminal in the Shetland Islands. Having got the local community to hold together to fleece the oil companies for real, “Gordon Urquhart” was given a senior position in the British National Oil Corporation, and was the CFO of my first employer - the privatized piece of BNOC called Britoil (I still have my perspex-encased blob of Thistle crude).
There are so many memorable little gags and vignettes in this movie:
- Mac asking for “extra normal” shampoo
- Jesse’s bike only showing up when Mac is crossing the road
- Marina’s webbed feet
- “Are there two ‘Gs’ in ‘Bugger Off!’”
- Everyone looking sheepish when Mac asks after a baby’s father
- Not eating the lobster they catch because it’s too expensive
Robocop 2 was filmed in Houston.
There was also the 1968 John Wayne classic, Hellfighters. Of course I don’t know if that was actually filmed in Houston.
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Terms of Endearment was also shot in Houston.
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I used to go there, years ago. Very charming, and good haircut. I just prefer the reservation model rather than showing up and waiting.
I can never remember to make reservations.
It’s split between Houston and Scotland. Much like Rush (which is more East Texas) it’s certainly a bit of a stretch, but they’re both such good films I consider them local.
Apparently there is (was before COVID-19) a current theatrical production of Local Hero in Edinburgh that’s gotten good reviews.
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Nicholson’s character was an astronaut, IIRC.
Speaking of which, the earthbound parts of Apollo 13 were set in Houston, but I doubt much, if any, was filmed here.
Tree of Life’s Sean Penn scenes were in Houston I think.
When I saw Rushmore, I was surprised to see a guy that had been in my Russian class at UT. Turns out it was Wes Andersen’s brother, Eric, who appears in a number of his movies and does some of the artwork. Really nice person and much better at Russian than I was.
I believe “The Swarm” ended up in Houston, with the plan to trap and kill the bees in the Astrodome. Also, Houston was the only city chosen to be nuked by its own government in “Independence Day”.
The Chase with Charlie Sheen was filmed in Houston. It was set in Los Angeles, but Beltway 8 being constructed but not fully open made the car chase scenes easier than shutting down a freeway in LA.