When Place Equals Character in Film: My Top-10 List

One characteristic that many of my favorite movies have in common is a strong sense of place. It's almost as though the setting becomes an additional character in the film. Here's a list of some of my favorites:

• 10. The Ice Storm, 1997, dir. Ang Lee. I was ten years old when this movie was meant to take place, in 1973. I also grew up in Westchester County, in the suburbs just north of New York City. The nuances of both the exteriors -- the way the landscape rolls -- and interiors, including the ever-present wood panelling brought back vivid childhood memories for me.

• 9. To be fair, The Crooked Corner, (2005) is directed by my good friend, James Savoca. But I'd include it on this list, even if it weren't. It was filmed entirely on location in Brooklyn, New York, and from the opening credits on, the architecture of that borough, along with the other-worldly Gowanus Canal neighborhood, makes this a film that gets under your skin and into your psyche.

• 8. Hannah and Her Sisters, 1986, dir. Woody Allen. I guess you could pick any number of Woody Allen films and describe New York as a character. Manhattan or Annie Hall, come to mind. But the architecture montage in this one is what made me remember it so well.

• 7. Paris, Texas, 1984, dir. Wim Wenders. The deserts of the north-Texas plains and the silver towers of downtown Houston are unforgettable aspects of this film.

• 6. Breathless, 1960, dir. Jean-Luc Godard. This is the original "guerilla" film. Paris. Nuff said.

• 5. Easy Rider, 1969, dir. Dennis Hopper. The commune. The road. New Orleans. All of it art. Best exterior Americana since John Ford, for my money.

• 4. Wings of Desire, 1987, dir. Wim Wenders. I fell in love with everything about this movie. Including Berlin.

• 3. What's Eating Gilbert Grape, 1993, dir. Lasse Hallstrom. They shot it in my hometown of Manor, Texas, which I've already gone into at some length in a previous post. A number of good actors, including Johnny Depp, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen and Juliette Lewis appear in this film. But Leonardo DiCaprio takes it to another level in one of those performances you just have to see to believe.

• 2. My Life as a Dog, 1983, dir. Lasse Hallstrom. The characters are all unforgettable, as is the small Swedish town they inhabit. Such a beautiful film. If you haven't seen it, rent it.

• 1. A film I've mentioned before in this blog, Bill Forsyth's Local Hero (1983) is a slice of cinematic perfection in my mind. Like Hallstrom, Forsyth creates a unique world inhabited by quirky characters.