May 25, 2012

Memphis, Tennessee

by MovieMaker Staff | Published February 12, 2007

For many moviemakers, Memphis, Tennessee embodies the American south. The home of famous blues musicians Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and B.B King, Memphis has also become one of the most film-friendly locations in the United States. In fact, MovieMaker just chose it as number seven on our list of the “Top 10 Movie Cities” in the Winter 2007 issue.

In recent years, big-time hits like Silence of the Lambs, 21 Grams and Walk the Line have featured Tennesseeâ€™s largest city, and indie hotshot Craig Brewer has professed a particular love for the City of Good Abode, which he used as the backdrop for both 2005â€™s Hustle & Flow and the upcoming Black Snake Moan. Starring Christina Ricci and Samuel L. Jackson, Black Snake Moan explores underlying racial tensions in modern Southern culture, as an aging blues musician (Jackson) attempts to cure a young woman (Ricci) of her nymphomania. In addition to these well-known flicks, many indie moviemakers have embraced Memphis for its thriving film scene, headed by the Memphis and Shelby County Film Commission. The Commission offers a wide variety of services including help with equipment rental, free use of government-owned properties and the assistance of the Memphis Movie Motorcycle Unit, comprised of police offers with past experience in coordinating on-location filming.

For more information on filming in this southern gem of a city, visit http://www.memphisfilmcomm.org.

Also, check out Memphis in:
The Client
The People vs. Larry Flynt
Cookieâ€™s Fortune
Cast Away

Sound Off: What other cities do you think best capture the American south? Let us know in the comments section!