Jan 31, 2010 gran torino is a recent melodrama directed and starring clint eastwood about a man befriending a hmong family and saving them from the gang life ahead of the teenage hmong boy. Gran torino is a tale with many facets to it,such as the loss of male identity that was orginally brought about by working in skilled bluecollar employment which eastwoods character didhe was a ford auto worker in the movie and the male characteristics and bonding that this employment developed,and the repercussions regarding the decline and. Where are the exact filming locations for the movie gran torino. The two objects that matter most to kowalski in life are the classic gran torino that. If you have already seen this movie, youll know what this ending scene is all about. Filmed last summer in the detroit area, gran torino is probably the most prestigious film so far to take advantage of tax incentives offered by the state to filmmakers. Jan 09, 2009 he is a korean war veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 gran torino he keeps in mint condition. But, i give the top honor to clint eastwood for giving us films that educate and. In that sense, gran torino is, in an explicit way, a. I saw the movie gran torino last week, and since i live not too far from detroit, id thought id like to take a tour of the filming locations sometime. Clint eastwood and bee vang in gran torino 2008 clint eastwood in gran.
If not, and youre interested in seeing it soon, then dont watch, i dont want to spoil results for you. He is a korean war veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 gran torino he keeps in mint condition. Starting with mystic river, eastwood composed the scores and other original music for many of his films. Conversations with louisa schein, spring 2010, hmong studies journal, 11.
Clint eastwood starts filming the mule with bradley cooper. Clint eastwoods gran torino has some familiar flint. Like its hero, this movie is a great big sentimental softie under its. The home of kowalski eastwood himself is in the highland park neighbourhood, to the north of detroit, at 238 rhode island street, between oakland parkway. Watch gran torino starring clint eastwood in this drama on directv. The story focuses on walt kowalski, an angry, widowed war veteran, and people from the hmong community. The car was named after the city of turin torino, in italian, considered the italian detroit. The 2008 film gran torino stars clint eastwood as the grisly retired war vet, walt kowalski. Is there a better time to stay inside and binge watch movies. Mapping the famous films shot in detroit curbed detroit.
Gran torinos hmong lead bee vang on film, race and. Gran torino is a 2008 film that clint eastwood produced and starred in. T he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in. Gran torinos hmong lead bee vang on film, race, and masculinity. Please remember this is a private residence do not. The house depicting walt kowalskis house is on rhode island street in highland park. Gran torino is a recent melodrama directed and starring clint eastwood about a man befriending a hmong family and saving them from the gang life ahead of the teenage hmong boy. In the movie, gran torino, the actual gran torino in the film serves two popular culturesrepresenting walts 1972 culture, and the current hmong gang culture. We know that there have been a number of popular films that were set in michigan, but that does not necessarily mean they were filmed here think robo cop, for instance. Gran torino is a 2008 american drama film directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also starred in the film. Though the film feels like a requiem, kowalskis heart is still defiantly beating.
Dec 17, 2008 gran torino stars eastwood as an american icon once again this time as a cantankerous, racist, beerchugging retired detroit autoworker who keeps his shotgun ready to lock and load. The torino nameplate debuted in 1968, and an allnew version called. Over the course of the film, he slowly bonds with a hmong family that moves in next door to him, feuds with a local priest, contracts lung cancer and stands up. Dirty harry on a pension, were thinking, until we realize that only the autoworker retired. Gran torino actor reveals behindthescenes racism the. Gran torino 238 rhode island st, highland park, mi 48203 this celebrated film about walt kowalski, a bitter korean war veteran hanging on in highland park, was set and filmed in the detroit area. Jan 24, 2009 if you have already seen this movie, youll know what this ending scene is all about. I know of two the street corner scene charlevoix st. Follow in the footsteps of the actors in this fourtime award winning movie. Apr 04, 2019 ahney her, the 16yearold lansing actress who starred in clint eastwoods gran torino, was in grand rapids on friday to meet fans and sign autographs. Gran torino actress ahney her returns to michigan for opening. Weve got maps and directions to the actual filming locations of your favourite movie.
Apr 10, 2020 gran torino 238 rhode island st, highland park, mi 48203 this celebrated film about walt kowalski, a bitter korean war veteran hanging on in highland park, was set and filmed in the detroit area. Gran torino, directed by clint eastwood, is a very moving and captivating drama. Furthermore, gran torino shows how the actions that led to the sacrifice of the main character in the movie, walt kowalski played by clint eastwood, represent the only true way to definitively break with violence. The ford torino is an automobile that was produced by ford for the north american market between 1968 and 1976.
Clint eastwoods gran torino has some familiar flint faces. Its a simple story about tolerance and cultural differences, but also one of hope, selfsacrifice, and unlikely friendships. This film should spark struggle, not certitude in its audience. Watch gran torino online stream full movie directv. Gran torino choosing detroit as a backdrop for the movie gran torino was obvious. He plays walter walt kowalski, an elderly retired veteran of the korean war living in highland park, michigan a rundown suburb of detroit, shortly after the death of his wife. Gran torino is a brilliant movie from start to finish, i cant believe i waited so long to watch it, it s completely different to what i expected, two thirds of the film had a very light tone at. Fords gran torino relives musclecar heyday wardsauto. In gran torino, clint eastwood plays walt kowalski, a retired korean war veteran shattered by his wifes recent death. A critical and commercial success, the movie was entirely filmed in metro detroit, united states.
Where was gran torino filmed discover the gran torino. Jun 10, 2012 in the movie, gran torino, the actual gran torino in the film serves two popular culturesrepresenting walts 1972 culture, and the current hmong gang culture. The film features a large hmong american cast, as well as one of eastwoods younger sons, scott. Dec 12, 2008 its what makes a movie feel real to me. Clint eastwoods gran torino is about a racist old man named walt who overcomes his prejudice by helping his teenager neighbor thao. Gran torino is not eastwoods best film as director or actor but it perfectly encapsulates his onscreen persona and his brilliant directorial career. Here are 20 of the bestranked movies that were filmed in cincinnati. Locations used in the filming of fireproof our pastimes. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Gran torino a movie made in minnesota, almost mpr news. Eastwood does this through narrative, genre and miseenscene. This was eastwoods first starring role since 2004s million dollar baby. Swank and freeman also won oscars for their performances. He is represented throughout as a tough, worn, old man whos had enough of the people around him, constantly telling tales from.
Retired auto worker and korean war vet walt kowalski clint eastwood fills emptiness in his life with beer and home repair, despising the. To support this view, we show that the subject of the movie is the mechanical logic of. The new clint eastwood movie, gran torino, was shot in detroit. The film costars christopher carley, bee vang and ahney her. John r street near buena vista avenue east, highland park, michigan, united states 4. Zeeland, 90th district, who was in the audience with his wife to see the film and her. Feb 21, 2009 thao is blackmailed by his hmong cousins vicious outlaw band to steal the gran torino, which takes on an increasing significance as a large, crude symbol of a vanished past of mens work. Feb 19, 2009 t he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in the tv cop show starsky and hutch.
Gran torino 2008 official trailer clint eastwood, bee vang drama movie hd disgruntled korean war veteran walt kowalski sets out to. When his neighbor tao, a young hmong teenager, tries to steal his gran torino, kowalski sets out to reform the youth. The car industry was on the cutting edge and the big three auto companies, ford, general. After years of acting in movies, eastwood became an oscarwinning director and producer.
This is the first time eastwood is acting and directing a movie since 2009s gran torino the ensemble of the mule includes laurence fishburne, michael pena, dianne wiest, taissa farmiga and. Where are the exact filming locations for the movie gran. Tour the film locations sites and explore the places where clint eastwood and fellow. In gran torino, clint eastwoods character walt kowalski goes from being an unashamed racist to still racist but, perhaps, a little more likeable. A racist korean war veteran living in a crimeridden detroit. Walt is a harsh, ramrodstraight man with a quick temper and high standards whose greatest joy is an orderly home and his beloved, mintcondition gran torino. This 2008 film directed by clint eastwood is full of michigan representation, with scenes shot in highland park, grosse pointe, detroit, royal oak, and center line. He also directed and starred in the wellreceived drama gran torino 2008 as a widowed korean war veteran who becomes a neighborhood vigilante after befriending a teenage neighbor.
Clint eastwood tells of a korean war veteran whos the only american left living on the street while other families and people from different cultures move in around him. Gran torino is a brilliant movie from start to finish, i cant believe i waited so long to watch it, its completely different to what i expected, two thirds of the film had a very light tone at. Famous movie cars clint eastwoods 1972 gran torino sport. February 23, 2017 global film locations no comments. Gran torino 2008 official trailer clint eastwood, bee vang. By the mid 20th century, detroit had become the motor metropolis of the world. Locations, all within metro detroit, included highland park, center line, warren, royal oak, and grosse pointe park were used. I loved this movie, though no fan of profanity, the movie is ripe with it. With the backdrop of realism, i expect others with critical thinking skills will have no problem picking out the beauty, truth and redemption in these films. When his neighbor thao lor bee vang, a young hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his gran torino, kowalski sets out to reform the youth. To walt, the ford beauty represents what was, what was great, and the culture of both his and the cars heyday. The movie centers around walt, a korean war veteran whose wife has recently passed away leaving him unhappy, angry, and disappointed in the behaviors of his family and country. Gran torino walt kowalski is a widower, grumpy, toughminded, borderlinehateful, unhappy old man who cant get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a korean war veteran whose prize possession is a 1973 gran torino he keeps in cherry condition. Choosing detroit as a backdrop for the movie gran torino was.
Some scenes took place in detroit, while the majority of the movie filmed in california. Louisa schein, hmong media expert, discussed the truth of what happened behind the scenes of the movie gran torino. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing gran torino near you. The ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a. Actordirector clint eastwood born may 31, 1930 is best known for his portrayals of various tough characters on film, including cowboys and san fransisco police officer dirty harry callahan. It was a competitor in the intermediate market segment. Gran torino actress ahney her returns to michigan for. The film is about racism in modern america and how we can combat racism in the face of it. Its available to watch on tv, online, tablets, phone. Gran torino stars eastwood as an american icon once again this time as a cantankerous, racist, beerchugging retired detroit autoworker who keeps his shotgun ready to lock and load. Clint eastwoods hit movie gran torino is resurrecting interest in a ford motor co. Nov 22, 2010 gran torino film analysis posted on november 22, 2010 by nevnewton gran torino usa 2008.
Fireproof is an independent christianbased film by alex and stephen kendricks. The main charachter, walt, house is in highland park. T he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in the tv cop show starsky and hutch. A new tax incentive package offered to film productions by the state of michigan clinched the deal, and gran torino became the first film to benefit. The church, the hardware store were filmed in grosse point and so was the closing scence, on. Gran torino is a 2008 american drama film directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Bee vang, actor and secondyear student at brown university, and dr. These questions are complex, validand far too important to let one movie, no matter how well made, answer them for you.