Review by Eric Hillis
Intellect Books continue their series of cinematic guidebooks with this latest volume on the US capital.
Washington DC has proved a fertile backdrop for American cinema over the decades, with most movies set in the city focussing understandably on the political realm. As such, many of the scenes discussed in the volume revolve around a few key areas. It's likely this is the reason that the book lists its movies in geographical groups, rather than chronologically, which has previously been the norm for the World Film Locations series. These groups include the Georgetown Waterfront (Deep Impact, The Exorcist, St Elmo's Fire), the Lincoln Memorial (Houseboat, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, Get on the Bus) and the area around Dupont Circle (Advise and Consent, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Day the Earth Stood Still).
As with all installments of the WFL series, each movie entry focusses on one particular scene relating to a key location, accompanied by stills to help you get your bearings should you decide to visit said locale.
Accompanying these entries is a series of short essays on various aspects of Washington's portrayal on cinema, including the devestation wrought in many sci-fi flicks, the lack of black faces in DC set movies despite it being a black majority town, and the iconic use of the Lincoln Memorial as a source of inspiration for so many protagonists.
Fans of TV shows like The West Wing and Veep may feel left out at the lack of inclusion of small screen drama, but for film fans and tourists, it's worth popping a copy in your travel bag should you ever visit the US capital.
You can order your copy from Intellect Books
You can order your copy from Intellect Books