A natural movie set since 1718, New Orleans, often dubbed Hollywood South, has been the setting of countless films over the years. I you are thinking about traveling solo to the Big Easy let these films inspire you to come to New Orleans and experience the city’s magic.
5 Movies Set in New Orleans
1. Interview With A Vampire (1994)
Based on a 1976 novel by New Orleans native, Anne Rice, Interview with the Vampire is a 1994 drama horror film produced by Irish film director, Neil Jordan. This film, which was nominated for two Oscars and won 19 awards independently, tells an epic vampire story where love, betrayal, loneliness and hunger take Louis de Pointe du Lac, a young indigo plantation owner played by protagonist Brad Pitt on a haunting adventure through the south of New Orleans. The film chronicles Pitt’s character sharing his heartbreaking story – in search of redemption – with a San Francisco newspaper reporter, and how he became a vampire at the hands of the evil Lestat, played by Tom Cruise, in the year 1791.
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Loosely based on a 1922 short story by American novelist and short story writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 romantic fantasy drama directed by David Fincher that chronicles how protagonist, Benjamin Button, played by Brad Pitt, experiences bizarre consequences when he starts to age backwards as time progresses, and how Daisy Fuller (Cate Blanchett), Pitt’s love interest in the movie, welcomes her death – by remembering her lover’s words through his diary – at a hospital in New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina approaches. Shot across New Orleans The Curious Case of Benjamin Button received 13 Academy Award nominations, and won three for Best Art Direction, Best Makeup and Best Visual Effects.
3. When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006)
A Spike Lee documentary film first aired on HBO during August 2006, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, which won three Primetime Emmys, is a four act depiction of the devastation suffered in New Orleans, Louisiana following the levees’ failure during Hurricane Katrina, and an examination of the U.S. government’s role and response to the disaster. Describe by Sheila Nevis, chief at HBO’s documentary unit, as one of the most important films HBO has ever produced, the documentary includes interviews with politicians, journalist, historians, engineers and many residents of the flooded areas, who share first-hand accounts of their experiences during and post levee failure.
4. Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table (2016)
Ella Brennan is a household name in the New Orleans restaurant industry. Known today as the inspirational matriarch of the rambling Brennan family of New Orleans and the force of nature behind first Brennan's and then Commander's Palace.
Fired by her family at one point, she shouldered on. She was the creator of elaborate New Orleans breakfasts and jazz brunches and revolutionized creole cuisine.
A pioneer of the modern American food movement, she pushed her chefs to the forefront helping to launch the celebrity chef phenomenon. Interviews and verite footage with current and former chefs from Commander's Palace, restaurateurs, peers, family and friends will provide past and present glimpses into Ella's unique life and world. This is the intimate and triumphant story of a groundbreaking American woman.
5. King Creole (1958)
Directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Hal B. Wallis, American film producer best remembered for his work on Casablanca, King Creole is the story of 19-year-old high school student Danny Fisher, played by Elvis Presley, who works tirelessly at a crappy New Orleans joint as a busboy before and after school to help support his unemployed father and sister, until one night he gets a chance to perform as a singer and delivers unmatchable chords and style to the cheering crowd. Based on the 1952 novel by Harold Robbins A Stone for Danny Fisher, this movie takes place in the French Quarter and depicts a beautiful frame of 1958 New Orleans.
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Author: Astrid Clements
Astrid Solo Travel Advisor CEO and founder, Astrid, has spent over 40 years traveling around the world. She is passionate about embracing the world’s diverse cultures and sharing with others the global need and personal benefit of cultural literacy. Her focus is on affordable luxury travel that is both substantive and fun! To read more about her and each one of our Solo Travel Advisors, head over to the About page!
Every female solo traveler is different when it comes to exploring a city alone at night. Some are reluctant to leave the comfort of their hotel, others are eager to hit the town, and some want to be out and about, but don’t want to drink alcohol. Our list of 7 things to do at night as a solo traveler in New Orleans has something to suit every preference!