Portland's film scene

I'm a bit late with this, but last Saturday (19 November) de Volkskrant had a full page feature on Portland in its travel section (thanks to my friend, Mel, for telling me about it). The centre of the page is dominated by a typical bit-of-skyline-with-Mt-Hood-in-the-background photo taken from the West Hills (though does this view even exist anymore? I remember taking O up to the Rose Garden 5 years ago and the trees blocked out what the smog didn't obscure). The headline of the story is "Geen industrie, wel een scene" (No industry, but there is a scene), and indeed the story isn't your usual list of touristy things to see, but rather talks about the increasing visibility of Portland as a hotspot for filmmakers, and how the city is occasionally a film location for big films (though they're usually flops, as a short list in a side bar points out. The three big movies that they list - Kindergarten Cop, Free Willy, and part of The Shining - weren't filmed in Portland, but elsewhere in Oregon). Portland's film scene now is compared to early-90's Seattle before the grunge breakthrough, pointing out how certain themes and styles seem to link the indie filmmakers in Portland and more of their films are being shown around the world at festivals. Gus van Sant is interviewed and credited with giving Portland a "film identity".

In another sidebar, some hotels, restaurants and places to see are mentioned, but they are all tied in with some film made in Portland. Stay in the posh Governor Hotel which was a dump full of homeless kids in My Own Private Idaho, drink a $8.50 Spanish coffee in Huber's which was also in that film, visit one of Portland's many stripclubs ("stripclubs are hip in Portland," says the paper) - this one with a sushi bar and which was featured in Mala Noche. And if you want to actually see a film while you're there, there's a list of the independent theaters that show the art-house stuff.

All in all, not a bad story and at least much more accurate than The Oregonian's coverage of Amsterdam. Though I must nitpick and point out that Mr Henk-Willem Visscher, who made the little map of downtown for the article, needs to check his work a bit closer - he spelled Willamette "Willemette" (thinking of yr own name there, dude?) and NW 21st Ave got labelled as "SW 11th Ave".