Melbourne's on the Map

It was 2005 when the mainstream Hollywood films Ghost Rider and Charlotte's Web came to town; they chose to film in Melbourne and greater Victoria (I recall Oprah describing the farm shots in rural Greendale, "just outside of Mel-BORN, Australia" --owww my ears hurt from the mispronunciation).

Although GR was meant to be pretty crap, and Dakota Fanning sufficiently freaks me out with her beyond-her-years public appearances slash behaviour, at least we're doin' the damn thing.

[SIDENOTE: Is Nicholas Cage a GW Bush fan? My Googling is not yielding any clear-cut answer, and all I have to go on are the random tidbits of pop culture info floating around my brain that tells me he is, and trust me, there are HEAPS of other pop culture tidbits floating around there as well. In any case, why is he in so many movies? Is he really that good of an actor? Is it cos Papa Coppola is his uncle? So far I see these as his PROS: He was in Adaptation and Fast Times at Ridgemont High; he is friends with Tom Waits; he lives in a fake castle (props); his dad is an Engish professor and his mom is a dancer. And his CONS: He has a tatoo of a lizard with a top hat on his back (double GROSS); he invented his last name "Cage" from a comic book character; he names his son after a comic book character; he was in the remake of The Wicker Man]. And I digress.

Back to the topic du jour. Melbourne is great. Like really, really GREAT. Like so great Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks BFF!! think it's film-location-worthy GREAT. Their new mini-series Pacific, follow-up to Band of Brothers, will be based at Melbourne's Central City Studios in the Docklands and filmed in Melbourne, The Northern Territory, and Queensland (for the jungle scenes). How cool is that?! I know, Americans. I'll answer that question-parading-as-emphatic statement. Prettaayyy, prettayy cool.

We are told directors fancy Melbourne because it is such a versatile city: trams=San Francisco; the river= Chicago; quaint back alleys=period pieces; Flinders Street Station=19th century; parklands=Victorian promenades... the list goes on and on. Also, great coffee. Not to be underestimated. And Victoria loves those directors right back. $US150 million price tag on filming equals ca-ching for the local economy and a brand-boost for City Studios and FilmVictoria.

Here's hoping for another cast full of genetically-enhanced 25-35 year old males. Delish.