Top 10 Philly movie sites

By Lauren McGlone
Collegian Editor
August 29, 2007

The City of Brotherly Love has certainly been loved by filmmakers and A-list celebrities in the last few decades. Filming locations have varied to include government buildings, football fields, cheesesteak joints and a former prison. There’s something about this city that brings Hollywood (and Mark Wahlberg) back for more. Visit the Top 10 movie sites in Philly and imagine you’re a star.

10. Boathouse Row—Seen briefly in the 1999 M. Night Shyamalan thriller The Sixth Sense, Boathouse Row on the east bank of the Schuylkill River is the core of Philadelphia rowing. Take the scenic route on Kelly Drive to visit the boathouses or catch regattas held throughout the year. If you’re traveling on the Schuylkill Expressway at night, you can’t help but notice the brilliantly illuminated houses of Boathouse Row.

9. City Hall—Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington spent weeks filming on location at City Hall for the 1993 Academy Award winning film Philadelphia. The movie explores the presence of AIDS in American society and the struggle of gay individuals to gain justice. City Hall boasts a 37-foot tall bronze statue of William Penn at the top of the building located at Broad and Market Streets.

8. Victor Café–Known as “Adrian’s” in Rocky Balboa (2006), The Victor Café became Rocky’s small, but successful, Italian restaurant named after his late wife. The actual café, located at 1303 Dickinson St. in South Philadelphia, serves Italian specialties including Calamari Fritti, Pasta Alla Caruso and Ravioli Tita Ruffo.

7. 30th Street Station–With access to AMTRAK, SEPTA and NJ Transit, 30th Street Station is more than just a transportation hub. In the ’80s alone, this Philadelphia landmark has been featured in films including Blow Out (1981), Trading Places (1983) and Witness (1985). If you’re planning a day trip, take advantage of 30th Street Station with its easy access to and from New York City, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

6. Eastern State Penitentiary—A creepy activity for the approaching Halloween season is a haunted house tour of the country’s oldest prison, Eastern State Penitentiary. Sections of the now-unused jail were transformed into an insane asylum for the 1995 Bruce Willis thriller 12 Monkeys. Voted one of the scariest haunted houses in the country by The Travel Channel and HauntWorld Magazine, “Terror Behind the Walls” at ESP opens this season Sept. 21.

5. Rosewood Bar—Vince Papale was an ordinary bartender before giving it his all in open tryouts with the ’70s Philadelphia Eagles. Portraying Papale in the 2006 flick Invincible, Mark Wahlberg filmed several scenes in front of Rosewood Bar at the corner of Rosewood and Shunk Streets in South Philly. Even though Veteran’s Stadium can no longer be visited, Rosewood Bar provides football fans with a major motion picture filming location to visit.

4. Franklin Institute— Nicholas Cage and fellow treasure hunters pay a visit to the Franklin Institute at 222 N. 20th St. in the film National Treasure (2004). During your exploration of the museum, be sure to travel through the Giant Heart, pay a visit to the Planetarium and take the Sports Challenge. The special King Tut exhibit featuring almost 130 artifacts will continue its stay at the Franklin Institute until Sept. 30.

3. Pat’s “King of Steaks”—One of the competitors in the decades-old rivalry for the title of best cheesesteak, Pat’s, located at 9th and Wharton streets in South Philadelphia, was featured in the 1993 thriller Fallen. Denzel Washington starred as a homicide detective dealing with an evil fallen angel; Pat’s briefly serves as the backdrop of one scene. Stop by (or cross the street to Geno’s) for an authentic South Philly cheesesteak.

2. Franklin Field—Known as the home of the Penn Quakers, Franklin Field at 33rd and South streets became a filming location for Unbreakable (2000), the M. Night Shyamalan film starring Bruce Willis. While the Army-Navy and Eagles games are no longer held at Franklin Field, spectators may catch the Penn Relays each April, not to mention Quakers football.

1. Art Museum Steps and Rocky Statue—No movie is better associated with Philadelphia than the go-from-nobody-to-somebody, Adrian-loving Italian Stallion, Rocky (1976). Re-create the famous sprint up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway while humming “Gonna Fly Now” and raising your arms in triumph. After returning to the foot of the steps, strike your best Rocky-esque pose next to the well-known bronze statue.

mcglonel1@lasalle.edu