Brought to you by Philadelphia Magazine, 2008
#20 1776
COOL FACT: Though the movie is set in Philly, the bulk of it was shot on a studio lot in L.A., Year:1972
#19 The Blob
COOL FACT: McQueen was offered his choice of 10 percent of the profits, or
$2,500. He took the $2,500 — and the film earned $4 million, Year: 1958
#18 Twelve Monkeys
COOL FACT: To help Brad Pitt pull off his character’s nervous way of talking,
Gilliam took away his cigarettes, Year: 1995
#17 Mikey & Nicky
COOL FACT: May is said to have shot 1.5 million feet of film for Mikey & Nicky — more than three times the amount shot for Gone with the Wind, Year: 1976
#16 Kitty Foyle
COOL FACT: Rogers beat out Hepburn for the best actress Oscar, Year: 1940
#15 Best in Show
COOL FACT: The shot of “Liberty Hall” is really Pittsburgh’s Mellon Arena—stock footage left over from Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Sudden Death, Year: 2000
#14 My Architect
COOL FACT: Kevin Bacon’s father, Edmund Bacon, was considered to be Louis
Kahn’s nemesis, and is in the film, Year: 2004
#13 Birdy
COOL FACT: Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown, a Philadelphian, developed a new technology to shoot Birdy’s aerial shots, Year: 1984
#12 High School
COOL FACT: Former mayor Richardson Dilworth, then head of the school board, pushed for the ban, Year: 1968
#11 Stone Reader
COOL FACT: After the film came out, Barnes & Noble republished The Stones of
Summer, Year: 2002
#10 The Young Philadelphians
COOL FACT: Based on a Richard Powell novel, The Philadelphians, Year: 1959
#09 Witness
COOL FACT: The script's original title was "Called Home" which is the Amish term for death, Year: 1985
#08 Atlantic City
COOL FACT: Robert Mitchum was considered for Lancaster’s role, Year: 1980
#07 Sixth Sense
COOL FACT: In twelve Monkeys, shot four years before this, Willis’s character says, “All I see are dead people.” Year: 1999
#06 Blow Out
COOL FACT: Yes, that is Action News weather guy Dave Roberts playing a TV newscaster, Year: 1981
#05 Trading Places
COOL FACT: the film was conceived as a vehicle for Richard Pryor and Gene
Wilder; G. Gordon Liddy was offered the role of Clarence Beeks, Year: 1983
#04 The Woodsman
COOL FACT: Based on a play by Steven Fechter, Year: 2004
#03 Philadelphia
COOL FACT: Working titles included People Like Us, At Risk and Probable Cause,
Year: 1993
#02 The Philadelphia Story
COOL FACT: Hepburn owned the film rights to Philip Barry’s play. They were purchased for her by Howard Hughes, Year: 1940
#01 Rocky
COOL FACT: The studio wanted Ryan O’Neal to play Rocky, Year: 1976