From zombies to ice hockey, the Pittsburgh region has served as an idyllic backdrop for countless movies, so grab your popcorn and test your knowledge of movies filmed in and around the Steel City.
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The University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning is prominently shown in what 1951 classic film featuring a fictional version of the Pittsburgh Pirates and their home, Forbes Field?
Angels in the Outfield. The film features cameos from Bing Crosby, Ty Cobb, and Joe DiMaggio, as well as real Pittsburgh Pirates players at the time. It is also rumored to have been the favorite film of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
What 1968 horror film, directed by George A. Romero, is credited with defining the modern zombie genre and features a group of survivors trapped in a farmhouse?
Night of the Living Dead. The film premiered in Pittsburgh at the Fulton Theater, being filmed entirely in the city.
The Hanson Brothers were a trio of enforcers for the Charlestown Chiefs hockey team in what 1977 Paul Newman cult classic?
Slap Shot. The Charlestown Chiefs were based on the Johnstown Jets, a professional ice hockey team active from 1950 to 1977 in Johnstown, PA, where much of the movie was filmed. The Hanson Brothers were based on Jack, Steve, and Jeff Carlson, real-life siblings who played for the Johnstown Jets from 1974 to 1975.
The Deer Hunter. The film, which was set in Clairton with numerous scenes shot around Pittsburgh, received a total of 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken.
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh. Shot on location at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena and in Moon Township, this film featured appearances by multiple NBA stars including Julius Irving, Meadowlark Lemon, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Flashdance. “Alex” can be seen riding the Duquesne Incline, biking over the Smithfield Street Bridge, and awaiting an audition in the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. The night before its release, a special benefit premiere of Flashdance was shown at the Warner Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh, the last film shown before the theater was torn down.
Pretty Woman. While the lobby of the opera house was actually the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, the exterior shots were filmed in Oakland.
The Silence of the Lambs. In addition to Soldiers & Sailors, local filming locations included Carnegie Museum of Natural History and homes in Shaler Township and Perryopolis. The Silence of the Lambs became the third film to win the “big five” Oscar categories (Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, and Adapted Screenplay).
Hoffa. Jimmy Hoffa’s son reportedly wept when Nicholson emerged from the makeup trailer – with fake nose and upper teeth – due to the striking resemblance to his missing father. The film was shot in locations throughout Pittsburgh, including Carnegie Mellon University and Troy Hill.
Groundhog Day. Even though the film was primarily set in Punxsutawney, the majority of Groundhog Day was actually filmed in Woodstock, IL, with footage of Pittsburgh limited to a few aerial shots at the onset of the film while Phil Connors (Bill Murray) and his WPBH coworkers head out of town to capture the comings and goings of Western PA’s most famous marmot.
What 1993 action thriller stars Bruce Willis as a Pittsburgh Police homicide detective who is demoted to the River Rescue Squad?
Striking Distance. The film is chock-full of Pittsburgh scenery as a backdrop, with the three rivers setting the scene as Sgt. Tom Hardy investigates the “Polish Hill Strangler” serial killings. The film also showcases Point State Park, where the Policeman’s Ball was filmed, and Pittsburgh’s numerous hilly and winding streets in the film’s car chases.
Sudden Death. This Jean-Claude Van Damme classic (perhaps the only film aside from Bloodsport that can be described thusly) was largely filmed in the Civic Arena and included various iconic Penguins figures, including Luc Robitaille and Jeff Jimerson.
Kingpin. While the bowling championship between Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson) and Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray) was filmed in Las Vegas, the movie included numerous filming locations across the Pittsburgh region including Trafford, Rochester, and Mars.
Inspector Gadget. Pittsburgh was used as the fictional town of Riverton, Ohio, with filming in the South Side, Point State Park, and on the Sixth Street Bridge during the climactic battle scene.
In which 1999 Kevin Smith film, featuring Alanis Morissette as a Skee-Ball-playing god, can St. Paul’s Cathedral be seen through the boardroom windows of Mooby’s, a fictional fast-food chain?
Dogma. While the exterior shots of Mooby’s headquarters were filmed at the U.S. Steel Tower, interior shots were filmed in CMU’s Software Engineering Institute on Fifth Avenue.
Wonder Boys. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Pitt alumnus Michael Chabon, the movie’s academic settings were filmed almost entirely on the CMU campus.
Adventureland. Even though the park was drastically changed to look rundown, iconic rides, such as the Phantom’s Revenge, are visible throughout the movie.
She’s Out of My League. Filmed in Pittsburgh, glimpses of the city, including the Pittsburgh International Airport, Mellon Arena, and PNC Park, are peppered throughout the movie.
The Dark Knight Rises. The aforementioned scene, where Bane subsequently blows up Gotham Stadium, was filmed at Heinz Field.
What 2014 American biographical thriller-sports movie filmed the “1988 Seoul Olympics” scene in the Petersen Events Center?
Foxcatcher. With other film locations including Sewickley Heights and McKeesport, regional landmarks are featured throughout the film.
Fences. Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, Fences was filmed on location in the Hill District. Wilson, who died in 2005, received a posthumous Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
