A Cinematic Escape: Movie Magic In Mississippi

A famous Baz Luhrmann Elvis biopic was unveiled on June 24, it isn’t just actors Austin Butler, who plays Elvis, and Tom Hanks, playing the role of his controversial manager Colonel Tom Parker, who was also given attention by the crowd. The main focus will be on the State of Mississippi, and Tupelo, the city where Elvis was born. Sam Bell, an acquaintance of Elvis’s from their shared Mississippi youth, helped Luhrmann to know more about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll's early days. 

Even though Mississippi wasn’t used to film Elvis, the new film isn’t the first example of Hollywood that has knocked on the doors of the Magnolia State. Several Mississippi towns, cities, and sites have served as the backdrop for some of the biggest hits on the silver screen over the years. So, here’s a list of the top 7 locations in Mississippi that you should visit on your next movie night or even while traveling to see some of the most popular filming locations in Mississippi –

1.      Baby Doll - Baby Doll House, Benoit

Directed by Elia Kazan, Baby Doll is a 1956’s American dramatic film featuring Carroll Baker, Karl Malden & Eli Wallach. Tennessee Williams adapted it from his own one-act play ‘27 Wagons Full of Cotton', which was produced by Kazan and Williams (1955). The story revolves around a dispute between two rival cotton gin owners in a small Mississippi town. 

2.      The Help - Various Locations, Greenwood

Skeeter & Aibileen’s houses are located at 8322 County Road & 203 Taft Street. Hilly’s house is at 413 Grand Boulevard, although such information isn’t required to know the details. You may go on a self-guided movie tour with a digital map that directs you to all the filming locations in Mississippi. Skeeter is a would-be reporter in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s, and is the main character of the movie, The Help. In 2012, the movie received numerous nominations and wins, including Octavia Spencer’s Best Actress in a Supporting Role Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for Motion Picture of the Year. You can plan to take “The Help” tour in Greenwood. 

3.      Oh, Brother Where Art Thou - Itta Bena, Yazoo City and Leland

Directed by the Cohen brother, this film is a comic version of Homer’s The Odyssey, which follows three humorous prisoners who escape from a Mississippi prison workcamp in the 1930s and try to avoid a cruel lawman. Features John Goodman as “Big Dan Teague” & George Clooney as a misanthrope who is passionate about his wife and hair pomade, the director’s version of the cyclops. He is a dishonest bible salesman in this movie. You’ll be ordering the soundtrack after just one viewing. Also, keep an eye out for the incident where the Itta Bena Bank was being robbed. When the blind man foretells their destiny, it’s actually the Bank of Yazoo City, and the scene was filmed in Leland.

4.      The Chamber - Indianola, Parchman, Cleveland

The Chamber is a 1996 American crime thriller movie based on the 1994 novel of the same name by John Grisham. Featuring Chris O’Donnell & Gene Hackman, this film was directed by James Foley. On studio sets in Los Angeles, scenes were shot in a photo-realistic reproduction of the gas chamber. Chicago, Jackson (Mississippi), Indianola, Greenwood, Parchman & Cleveland (Mississippi) were among the other locations used for filming The Chamber.

5.      Ode to Billy Joe – Greenwood

Featuring Robby Benson & Glynnis O’Connor, 1976’s Ode to Billy Joe is an American drama film that was a screenplay by Herman Raucher and directed as well as produced by Max Baer Jr. This film draws inspiration from Bobbie Gentry’s 1967 number-one song, “Ode to Billie Joe” and was in Greenwood (Mississippi), Gentry’s hometown. In Vaiden (Mississippi), at the Cross-Lumber Company, scenes in the historic sawmill were filmed. On County Road 512 in the vicinity of Sidon (Mississippi), the bridge depicted in the movie over spanned the Yazoo River. The movie had its world premiere as a fundraiser for the Mississippi Film Foundation on 2nd June 1976, at the Paramount Theatre in Jackson (Mississippi).

There are plenty of cinematic experiences to have in Mississippi, whether you’re a casual movie enthusiast or just enjoy watching movies occasionally. It’s time to discover the best locations in Mississippi, so you simply need to visit us at www.visitclevelandms.com/ and explore much about its arts and culture right now!