Best movies featuring Kentucky? Books? (Lexington, Louisville: hair salon, hotel, home)

[safetygirl-16]

Also, the movie "Next of Kin" with Patrick Swayze

[tomocox]

The Flim Flam Man (Lawrenceburg area), Around the World in 80 Days (Frankfort-Versailles), A League of their Own (Henderson),

D.W. Griffin is from Oldham County (buried about 5 miles from where I am writing)

[kygman]

Bruce Willis was in a movie, "In Country" bout a Vietnam Vet. It was filmed in and around Mayfield. The movie was based on a book by the same name written by Mayfield native, Bobbie Ann Mason. You know Bruce and Demi's daughter, Rhumer Glenn? She was born in Paducah. Demi came to visit Bruce while he was making the movie and went into labor.

[Hey_Hey]

A large chunk of US Marshals was filmed in the Jackson Purchase area. While they were filming there were large yachts that docked at the marina close to Kentucky Dam for some of the stars. There were also several private jets that flew into the Kentucky Lake State Park airport in Gilbertsville....that's about the only jets that have ever flown into that little airport.

kygman mentioned Bruce Willis and Demi Moore. I've heard several people tell of interactions with both of them while living in Paducah for the filming. Evidently Bruce Willis was incredibly nice and humble, but Demi Moore was arrogant and felt very entitled. Also, interesting to note that Jeri Ryan lived several years in Paducah.

[rnc76]

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver, although fiction, is set in Kentucky Appalachia. She grew up in Carlisle. My wife LOVED this book.

Here is a list of Kentucky authors.

KYLIT - A site devoted to Kentucky Writers

[kygman]

Something funny about the filming of "In Country" A lot of the crew ate at a restaurant north of Mayfield that had a huge rooster on top. They wanted to use that restaurant in the movie but the ceilings were too low for all the lights, so they built another one, rooster and all, downtown for the movie. After the filming, the restaurant owner asked if he could buy the new building. He was told they can't do that, then they bulldozed the building!

Someone earlier mentioned author Jesse Stuart. He was giving a speech at Murray State, I think in the late 50's and suffered a major heart attack. You can read about it in his book, "The Year of my Rebirth". There is a Jesse Stuart section of the Pogue special collections Library. Don't know where it is now, used to be in the basement. Jesse donated all his original manuscripts to the library. For years he sponsored a creative writing workshop at Murray. I got to meet him once and he was easy to talk to. Acted like he had known you forever.

[Bobilee]

On a frivolous note (as most of my postings are) Betty Grable, in "Tin Pan Alley", sang "Miss Lulu from Louisville". While I haven't seen the movie in years, the song is a hoot and one any Kentuckian would love.
I can just see Missymom dancing around the room to that song.

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by Bobilee

I can just see Missymom dancing around the room to that song.

I'll have to find that and see

[lexingtongal]

There was a movie filmed in Lexington that to the best of my recollection was named "Steele". Leslie Ann Warren was one of the stars. A stuntman died during the filming when he jumped from the Kincaid Tower and the inflated landing cushion malfunctioned. I am not sure if they ever released the movie after that.

[Bobilee]

Don't forget the classic Robert Mitchum film "Thunder Road", moonshine and cars.

Missymom, I made a mistake, the movie the song is from is "Coney Island" (1943). Here are some of the lyrics, I couldn't make out quite all of them:


here she comes
ain't we lucky,
here she is,
the pride of old Kentucky.
Miss Lulu Brown is coming down that ..........? street
she knocks them dead in any town
that's no steam boat, that's a dreamboat
"I've a fascinatin', captivatin' style, lordy,
this chicken puts the kick in every smile"
take a look at that, my boy,
your gazin' at Miss Lulu from Louisville
down from head to toe, give her the double o, ain't that a thrill,
if you never knew a Dixie gal, don't worry pal, you will
well shut my mouth, you'll go mad about that struttin' gadabout,
lulu, lulu, lulu, lullu, miss lulu from Louisville,
miss lulu, who is the thrill of Louisville

http://http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Grable-Pin-Up-Soundtrack-Anthology/dp/samples/B0000017CT/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1 (broken link)