Take a Basic Cinematic Tour of Philadelphia

Philadelphia is no stranger to the big screen. Famous director M. Night Shyamalan has set most of his films in or around the city. The award winning film named for the city, Philadelphia, made the city home for most of its locations. The Rocky film series has an inexhaustible number of scenes and montages featuring the City of Brotherly Love. So taking a cinematic tour of Philadelphia is no light-weight task! However, here you'll find a suggestion of five basic stops on any cinematic tour of Philadelphia. Some are well-known; others are less frequented in terms of Philly-movie fans. These stops include places that are easy to stroll to from one stop to another, places to eat, places to act like the cliché tourist, and places to just relax and take in the beautiful view! So let's get started!

Philadelphia Art Museum (Benjamin Franklin Parkway)

A cinematic tour of Philadelphia just wouldn't be complete-or cliché, what have you-without a stop at the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Everybody knows what happened here; this is the spot where Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) took a famous jog up the stairs before pumping his fists up in the air in the famous Rocky pose. The famous scene from the 1976 John Avildsen film has earned the steps the nickname "the Rocky Steps." The famous bronze statue of Rocky has appeared frequently on the steps, both in real life and in the movies (including Philadelphia and Mannequin); some heated debates, however, led to the statue's relocation to the foot of the steps. For the full Rocky-experience, one might recommend either posing as Rocky in front of the statue or taking your own run up the steps; if, however, you'd rather avoid the general mockery of the whole of Philadelphia, you might want to avoid it!

City Hall (Penn Square)

Heading back into Center City, about a five minute drive, will take you to City Hall. This has got to be a big "duh" moment; you can't take a cinematic tour of Philadelphia, let alone visit Philadelphia, without at least stopping by City Hall. Constructed between 1871 and 1901, it's no wonder this stunning locale-the largest municipal building in the United States-is the setting for so many film scenes. A bronze statue of William Penn sits atop the building, and is the source of the famed "curse" Philadelphia allegedly fell under after the gentleman's agreement to never build anything above Penn was broken in 1987 (then again, try proving the curse to the 2008 World Series Champion Phillies). The site has been featured in films including Philadelphia, Fallen, Blowout, National Treasure, In Her Shoes, and the television series Cold Case.

Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen (South 4th Street)

From City Hall, it's about two miles to Fourth Street, where you'll find the Famous Fourth Street Deli. Located in Queen Village, the Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen is featured in both the film Philadelphia and the not-quite-as-famous Jersey Girl. In Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia, Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), the lawyer who defends Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks), shops here after the birth of his daughter. In Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez share their first date in the Deli, which in this case masqueraded as a Manhattan diner. If you happen to check out this locale, don't forget to get your free chocolate chip cookies with your receipt!

30th Street Station (Market Street)

After a delectable break at the Deli, you'll be driving about four miles to get to the 30th Street Station. The 30th Street Station has been featured in a number of films, including Blow Out, Trading Places, Witness, and Unbreakable. In M. Night Shyamalan's Unbreakable, Bruce Willis' character heads here to begin his "mission" as a new kind of superhero; it is after touching a random facilities worker that he stumbles upon his first major crime. Shyamalan would return to the Station for scenes from the film The Happening, starring Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel. In Peter Weir's 1985 film Witness, Harrison Ford must protect a young Amish boy after he witnesses a murder in a restroom housed within the station. A word of advice for visiting the station: if you go, stop for another little snack! The Station features a variety of great eats, including Cosi's, the Crepemaker, and Au Bon Pain.

Now's your chance to check out Philadelphia's famous SEPTA system! From the 30th Street Station, it's about a two minute walk to the nearest subway station. You'll be boarding the Market-Frankfort line, and transferring at the Broad Street line in North Philadelphia. You'll want to stay on until you reach the Broad and Eerie Station, where you'll get off and take a twenty minute walk to North Lawrence Street (or, call yourself a taxi). Once you reach Lawrence Street, you'll be ready to hit up the last stop on the tour, St. Augustine's Church.

St. Augustine's Church (North Lawrence Street)

According to the church's website, St. Augustine's was the "first permanent establishment of the Augustine order in the U.S." The church housed the Liberty Bell's "Sister Bell" until an anti-Catholic mob burned the church and rectory down in 1844. After filing a successful suit against the city for failing to provide adequate protection, the church was rebuilt. The new church was completed in 1848, and has served as an important symbol in Philadelphia since that time. The church was featured in M. Night Shyamalan's 1996 thriller The Sixth Sense, which starred Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment. Malcolm (Willis) follows Cole (Osment) to the church from his home in South Philadelphia, which is actually quite a feat; the church is actually between 40-50 blocks from South Philly!

Sources:
St. Augustine's Church, "About Us", St. Augustine Church Website