Skip to main content

Remembering "That Thing You Do!": Someone From Erie Tells It



I love "That Thing You Do!" A lot of people do. I don't know this because I have asked many people but because Rotten Tomatoes tells me so.


Now I remember when this was being filmed, it was a HUGE deal because it was set in Erie and I'm not sure there has been another major film set in Erie. It was really random to me, because why would you set a movie in Erie if it wasn't a true story?

.......

While Tom Hanks chose to make Erie part of the nexus of his love letter to the glory days of rock and roll (yeah yeah yeah!), he did not really film it there. They stopped up by Mercyhurst briefly (near my parents' home FYI) to take some exterior shots and, well, that was that.

Now I understand the impetus behind this decision, as well as Hanks' concept to shoot it in Orange County California. I remember this because the Erie Times News discussed this and I read the article, nearly 20 years ago now (ahhhh I was like eight okay so I'm still kind of young). Regardless, I still wish he had shot some of it in the actual city. It could have done great things for Erie! It could have started a trend!

THE MAN I WILL NEVER FORGIVE.

A lot of times I have told people "I'm from Erie, PA." And they are like "OMG I LOVE 'THAT THING YOU DO!'" The cast is amazing; the music fantastic. The style? Nicely mod. It's a good film. 


Someday, when I make my Natalie Wood biopic with Mila Kunis, I will FILM ALL OF IT in Erie. Get ready, Erie's economy. I'm going to pump you full of gold.

Anyway: The point of this point is "That Thing You Do!" was a good movie set in Erie (partially albeit) that should have been filmed there! Granted, Erie has shit weather. If you've never seen this movie- see it! For the love of God, you have no excuse. It's 17 years old now.

This just felt right. 


Comments

  1. Can you tell me why Tom Hanks picked Erie?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No idea, really! Sorry it took me forever to answer this. I think he was just seeking a sort of quaint "small town" with a Blue Collar feel to it.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Mon Soleil" - Ashley Park

If there's anything people take away from my piss-poor legacy, I hope it's what a huge, unabashed fan of "Emily in Paris" I am and will continue to be. People love "90 Day Fiancee," "The Bachelor," and other garbage - allow me "Emily," which is at least harmless, kind of goofy fluff (which does, unfortunately, lean into some stereotypes, as the country of Ukraine knows ). I have already watched Season 2 twice. And honestly my favorite part of this show (despite my crush on Camille Razart and Lily Collins channeling Audrey Hepburn hardcore ) is Ashley Park. This woman has superstar written all over her. She's a bona fide Broadway star, and "Emily in Paris" has served as her pivot into the zeitgeist.  "Emily in Paris" is also showcasing her vocal prowess front and center this season, with her covering BTS, "All By Myself," "Sympathtique," and Marilyn Monroe. But the real standout performance is th

"Anchors" - AM Higgins

Here's a nice breezy, almost sensual song from AM Higgins (the solo project of musician Annie Toth) to start your Tuesday off right.  Her debut album "Hymning" will be out November 5th on Victorialand Records. The album was mixed by Casey Foubert, a frequent collaborator of Sufjan Stevens. The album "captures the first years of moving from an American city to rural France." Sounds like "Hymning" will be a welcome escape from the world we live in right now, especially considering that Annie Toth counts poets Mary Oliver and Thomas Merton as influences.

Summer Playlist - 2022 Edition!

 It's truly the little things in life that make a world of difference. And for me, that means my summer playlist! Behold, I have put together 2022's edition. It includes cuts from artists like: - Mitski - Uffie - Johnny Orlando - Kylie Minogue + Jessie Ware - Florence and the Machine (who put out a fantastic album this year after a long dry spell of kind of "meh" records. Her pairing with Jack Antonoff worked out quite well!)  - Bilal - Harry Styles (he has some catchy music!)  - KATE BUSH DUH - And of course, Lana. It's also available on Apple Music, but since I recognize a lot of folks use Spotify, here's that link. Enjoy!