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Filmed in Mississippi

This is an ongoing project to list and then eventually write about every film made in Mississippi. I know some are missing, but could use your help to tell me what they are. I want to list independents, documentaries, shorts, anything, so give me a shout! Also, if you feel you have something to contribute about any of these films, be it a memory of the filming, a photo, a rumor, we’d love to incorporate that. We also will be doing reviews of each of the films listed in time, so if you have a passion for a film, speak up, we’d love to have you write about it.

Note: In general films are listed by release year rather than by filming year.

1903 

1914

1916

1917

1918

1921

1923

1924

1935

1938

1939

1943

1948

1949

1951

1954

1956

1958

1959

1960

1962

1966

1967

1969

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

Ole Miss college student film by Kent Moorhead.  It starred Howard Bahr, who has since become known as a novelist. It also starred L.W. Thomas, a local Oxford icon until his death a few years ago. The film has one scene filmed outside Rowan Oak. It’s the film Moorhead used to gain acceptance to NYU Grad Film in 1977. Kent was director, cameraman and editor. Rod Moorhead wrote the story.

1977

1978

1979

16mm film. This was a short film based on a William Faulkner short story.  It was filmed at Rowan Oak, and also in the old hotel at Holly Springs (which was torn down after the tornado there in the mid-80s.  The writer, Larry Brown, was there for the final day of filming as part of the Oxford Fire Department helping to create a rain scene.  In “On Fire”, he credits this visit to Rowan Oak as what spurred his interest in Faulkner, and in writing.  Kent Moorhead was Producer, Director and editor and co-wrote the screenplay with Rod Moorhead, his brother.

1980

1981

16mm Film. This was financed by the Mississippi Committee for the Humanities, and produced with Vaughn Grisham at the University of Mississippi.  It interviewed George McLean and talked about his ground-breaking community work in Tupelo.  Kent Moorhead was the director, cameraman and editor.

1982

16mm Film. This was a film produced for the North Mississippi Daily Journal (Tupelo) about the teacher aides program that had been financed by the Journal. George McLean, publisher of the journal wanted the program expanded State-wide, and William Winter included it in his landmark education program. The film was made to show to the State Senate, to support the education bill.  It passed by one vote.  Kent Moorhead, producer, director, editor and camerman.

1983

16mm film.  This was a documentary funded by the William Morris Foundation to be shown with a painting retrospective at an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, called “Painting in the South”.  Kent Moorhead was co-producer and lighting director.  Bill Ferris co-produced, photographed and  directed the film.  It features a number of Southern artists, including Mississippi’s William Eggleston.  It was filmed in North Carolina, Washington, DC., New York City and Mississippi.  The scene in Mississippi was between William Eggleston and DC artist William Christenberry.  Moorhead supervised the editing .  It was cut in facilities at the University of Mississippi, the editor was Nick Holmes, who now is a well-known editor in Australia.  James Earl Jones did the narration.

1985

16mm film. The Diamond King is a short drama, mostly shot in Memphis, Tennessee, but there was one scene filmed in a set built in Moorhead’s brother’s swimming pool in Mississippi.  Funding was by the American Film Institute.  Kent Moorhead was co-producer and director.  The cinematographer was John Thomas, who has become a well-known New York cameraman – he was the cameraman for the TV series, “Sex and the City”.

The story is about a 14 year old Down’s Syndrome child and his unpredictable neighborhood friend, a girl his age named Leslie.  The film was sold to a number international TV networks but was not broadcast in the US. It received a Cine Gold Eagle, and Silver Prize at the Houston Intl Film Festival, plus a couple of international festival awards.

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

16mm film. This was a short drama filmed in the Mississippi Delta.  Kent Moorhead was the Director of Photography.  It features the music of Clarksdale musician Super Chicken. The Director was Jim Gilmore, and the producer was Tiffany Patrick.

1997

  • The Battle of Brices Crossroads

Documentary.  Digital Video.  This was made for the Brices Crossroads Visitors Center and later shown on both Mississippi PBS and WKNO (Memphis PBS station).  Shelby Foote appeared in the film’s prologue and epilogue.  Kent Moorhead was Producer, Director, Cinematographer and Editor.

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

Digital video. This was a short documentary that director/editor Kent Moorhead co-produced with Vaughn Grisham about a low income community in Tupelo that had joined together to revitalize the neighborhood and build a 4 million dollar community center.

2003

This was an hour documentary in two parts that Kent Moorhead produced, directed and edited for Mississippi PBS.  Production began in 2001 and it was first broadcast in 2003.  It’s about the experiences of Mississippi veterans.

2004

2005

2006

2007

Directed by Chris Moore
Synopsis- In this campy throwback to slasher films of 80′s, a group of high school seniors decide to stage an all night lock in on their campus to set up for their annual Halloween senior prank. When an uninvited guest from the town’s past shows up, the teens must fight for survival as the gruesome body count rises and secrets are revealed.

“Most Changed” is the story of two guys who go to the 10-year reunion of a high school they never attended. While there, they find that identity is in the eye of the beholder when one of them wins the award for being “Most Changed”. Directed by Chuck McIntosh. Premiered at the 2008 Tupelo Film Festival.

2008

Digital video. Kent Moorhead cinematographer. Documentary for Mississippi Public TV. Production company was Wonderland Productions out of New York.  It was shot on the Mississippi Gulf Coast about rebuilding after Katrina.

Directed by Chris Moore

A young teenager emerges from the woods bloody and horrified. Upon being taken to the hospital, he is questioned by precinct psychiatrist, Dr. Pamela Alley. The boy’s story is littered with bizarre and hallucinatory flashbacks that clearly point to some sort of foul play and a strange house in the woods where the mirrors are covered. Pam must race against the clock to discover the truth and make sure that whatever it was that took his friends doesn’t return from the woods to claim him as well.

2009

16mm film – digitial video.  1989 – 2009.  Twenty years in the making.  Pre-production started in 1989 and production began in 1990 in Mississippi.   This is a feature documentary that Kent Moorhead first started in 1989 and is still working on but hopes to complete it this year.

“It’s about growing up in the South with the legacy of the Civil War – even though my parents weren’t Southerners – and then raising my own children there.  They are all grown and scattered, mostly out of the South,” Moorhead said.

2010

Is your film missing from the list? Email me at melanie.addington@gmail.com

18 Comments leave one →
  1. Carrie permalink
    August 20, 2010 12:28 pm

    Crimes of the heart was filmed in Hazlehurst Mississippi I can’t remeber what year But it was down the street from the library … I got to see it a bit too .

    Reply
  2. Carrie permalink
    August 20, 2010 12:26 pm

    Crossroads was filmed in a lil place called Redlick Mississippi . I rememeber riding my bike around the road to watch . parts of it was filmed in the old kilingsworth house that they took apart an mumbered every board an took it to Clinton Mississippi an rebuilt it. That was all amazing to watch ..when I was a teen .. LOL

    Reply
  3. Paige permalink
    March 15, 2010 2:28 pm

    I heard that the series True Blood would be doing some filming in MS for the new season. I just want to know when and if it is true.

    Reply
    • Jen permalink
      April 13, 2010 3:47 pm

      They are filming this week Paige

      Reply
  4. catifsh permalink
    March 6, 2010 2:52 pm

    I hear a movie based on the book The Help will be filmed in Missississippi. Do you know where and when? Who could I contact about being an extra? You have a great site!

    Reply
    • oxfordfilmfreak permalink
      March 8, 2010 6:30 pm

      I am happy to check on this but I think it is a little while before they get to that point.

      Reply
  5. barrett permalink
    February 12, 2010 5:19 pm

    when and where in mississippi is bonnie and clyde being filmed

    Reply
  6. Yasuko Doleman permalink
    January 26, 2010 2:32 pm

    Wow just found this page really by mistake looking for something else. You have a nice blog and some interesting information, will check back soon.

    Reply
  7. acai fat burner permalink
    January 20, 2010 4:59 pm

    i had to type here

    Reply
  8. rewr permalink
    December 24, 2009 9:32 pm

    my crew loves that

    Reply
  9. Cheap Laptops permalink
    November 2, 2009 12:18 pm

    Your blog is so informative keep up the good work!!!!

    Reply
  10. Bistro MD Reviews permalink
    September 2, 2009 5:02 am

    waao, some real good movies were made in Mississippi

    Reply
  11. Coop permalink
    August 17, 2009 4:54 pm

    Just learned that the remake of “Straw Dogs” is supposed to take place in Mississippi. I looked it up on IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0999913/) and it looks like they are filming it in Shreveport. I’m willing to bet they will cross the state line to film a bit over here. I’m gonna write an article about this though because it hacks me off. Another movie that’s sure to portray the state like we are all a bunch of violent hick stereotypes.

    -C

    Reply
  12. melissa washington permalink
    July 12, 2009 9:32 pm

    there was a documentary donw in natchez mississippi called America Yoo are to young to die. It would be nice to see this one mentioned. I have searched everywhere for this film and cannot find it. It was made in the early 1990′s.

    Reply
  13. Paul Bruening permalink
    March 7, 2009 1:06 am

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0459120/

    Reply
  14. oxfordfilmfreak permalink
    October 14, 2008 8:40 pm

    Thanks Daniel, got alot of work left to do to build this page..going to eventually have details about each movie’s filming in Mississippi, reviews of the film, local music involved in film (hint hint – if looking for a project) etc.

    Reply
  15. Oxford Music Snob permalink
    October 14, 2008 5:54 pm

    Great list! I didn’t realize O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? was filmed in Mississippi.

    Reply

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