The cover of Pacific NW magazine of The Seattle Times for July 13, 2025: Seattle’s waterfront makes a vivid backdrop for this risky film shoot atop the Space Needle in “The Parallax View” (1974). Stuntman Chuck Waters, second from left, whose character has just shot the character of a U.S. senator inside the Needle’s observation deck, tries to elude three would-be captors before falling off the edge to his apparent demise. In reality, he fell to a plywood platform. (Chuck Waters Papers / Pepperdine University Special Collections and University Archives)
Cinema with a Splash
How to visually anchor a feature film in Seattle?
Just add … water!
We are delighted that PacificNW magazine of The Seattle Times granted Clay Ealsthe opportunity to prepare a cover story to complement the special waterfront section of The Seattle Times on the print date of Sunday, July 13, 2025. Clay’s story addresses the made-in-Seattle feature films over the years that have featured the waterfront. Below are links to:
Ok… so I found the list with Assassins and the Ring. In the “DON’T KNOW” on location as mentioned for the Ring. The apartment scene is at Harbour Steps. Directly across the street at the time was Immunex and out the windows the view is at the intersection of Western and Union.
Again, thanks, Daryl. I will try again to find the full film of “The Ring,” watch it and adjust the database accordingly. Let me know if you have an easily accessible copy I could borrow. –Clay (206–484-8008, ceals@comcast.net)
Love the article/post and the database is incredible, so much cool info! I have a copy of The Ring (2002). It’s one of my favorite depictions of Seattle/Puget Sound on film because of its (excessively) blue color grade, use of locations (though like most all movies it cheats a bit), and eerie rainy atmosphere: https://highwaytohorror.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/port-townsend-ferry-1024×555.jpg
It really captures those grayish-blue drizzly 4 p.m.-sunset winter days. I’ve heard the way it’s lit that nobody in the movie ever has a shadow, though I haven’t seen it again since hearing this to confirm. I will warn I personally find it to be quite scary (perhaps in part how much the atmosphere resonates with me).
One of my other favorite movies to feature Seattle (but only in a few early scenes) that’s not currently in the database is Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (1991).
This article and post/database are so up my alley, I learned a lot! Thank you for writing/creating!
-Nate L
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I remember the filming of “Twice in a Lifetime” because a friend of mine had a small role. Doris Hugo Drewien played Millie, a small role, much of which wound up on the cutting room floor. Doris was in her 80s in the early 1980s, a former vaudevillian who then was living in an apartment building on First Avenue just north of Stewart Street. She spent many of her days across the street at Pike Market Senior Center below the Virgnia Inn. I was the Program Manager at the Senior Center in those days.
Doris was a fabulous storyteller and an all-around wonderful person. She considered it a great honor that Gene Hackman had had the opportunity to work with her.
Hi, Clay, having lived in Seattle all my life and always enjoy seeing our city on film, I was disappointed that you didn’t include Alan Rudolph’s “Trouble in Mind” in your story. The waterfront, viaduct and streetcar figure prominently early on as Kris Kristofferson gets off a bus after being released from prison. Also featured are many notable Seattle landmarks (Seattle Asian Art Museum, Bon Marche’, 1904 restaurant and the Monorail to name just a few. Give it a watch sometime. It’ll bring back a lot of memories of Seattle past…
Thanks!
Thanks for the comments, Chris. Just so you know, in the cover story on our blog, there’s a screen shot of Kristofferson getting off the bus in the extra photos, and the film appears in the searchable database as well.
A couple to add to the list…
Assassins with Sylvester Stallone, Julianne Moore and Antonio Banderas – quite a few scenes around the waterfront.
The Ring. Naomi Watts apartment at the beginning of the movie is in the Harbor Steps building. I’m pretty sure it was actually in my old apartment.
-Daryl
Daryl, thanks. See the searchable database!
Ok… so I found the list with Assassins and the Ring. In the “DON’T KNOW” on location as mentioned for the Ring. The apartment scene is at Harbour Steps. Directly across the street at the time was Immunex and out the windows the view is at the intersection of Western and Union.
Again, thanks, Daryl. I will try again to find the full film of “The Ring,” watch it and adjust the database accordingly. Let me know if you have an easily accessible copy I could borrow. –Clay (206–484-8008, ceals@comcast.net)
Hi Clay,
Love the article/post and the database is incredible, so much cool info! I have a copy of The Ring (2002). It’s one of my favorite depictions of Seattle/Puget Sound on film because of its (excessively) blue color grade, use of locations (though like most all movies it cheats a bit), and eerie rainy atmosphere: https://highwaytohorror.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/port-townsend-ferry-1024×555.jpg
It really captures those grayish-blue drizzly 4 p.m.-sunset winter days. I’ve heard the way it’s lit that nobody in the movie ever has a shadow, though I haven’t seen it again since hearing this to confirm. I will warn I personally find it to be quite scary (perhaps in part how much the atmosphere resonates with me).
Seattle Times had a little piece on the filming locations a few years ago: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/20-years-since-the-ring-a-seattle-reporter-follows-in-a-fictional-seattle-reporters-footsteps/
One of my other favorite movies to feature Seattle (but only in a few early scenes) that’s not currently in the database is Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (1991).
There is a glimpse of the waterfront though! https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1IK41m4McVTLiXtAqRc3Ic7IBTjIrKv3A_riBA76qcpb-U4KpcOCNwrMmIpjGTiHRYSXgg1HlcMKNvum2zmHRfRaXq5fiZ1rwygzmnqTFNbS_-clOysgrfvMcq2RFTIZ_bQJ8-fHd_Q/s1600/W8thAve1_MyOwnPrivateIdaho.jpg
This article and post/database are so up my alley, I learned a lot! Thank you for writing/creating!
-Nate L
I remember the filming of “Twice in a Lifetime” because a friend of mine had a small role. Doris Hugo Drewien played Millie, a small role, much of which wound up on the cutting room floor. Doris was in her 80s in the early 1980s, a former vaudevillian who then was living in an apartment building on First Avenue just north of Stewart Street. She spent many of her days across the street at Pike Market Senior Center below the Virgnia Inn. I was the Program Manager at the Senior Center in those days.
Doris was a fabulous storyteller and an all-around wonderful person. She considered it a great honor that Gene Hackman had had the opportunity to work with her.
Hi, Clay, having lived in Seattle all my life and always enjoy seeing our city on film, I was disappointed that you didn’t include Alan Rudolph’s “Trouble in Mind” in your story. The waterfront, viaduct and streetcar figure prominently early on as Kris Kristofferson gets off a bus after being released from prison. Also featured are many notable Seattle landmarks (Seattle Asian Art Museum, Bon Marche’, 1904 restaurant and the Monorail to name just a few. Give it a watch sometime. It’ll bring back a lot of memories of Seattle past…
Thanks!
Thanks for the comments, Chris. Just so you know, in the cover story on our blog, there’s a screen shot of Kristofferson getting off the bus in the extra photos, and the film appears in the searchable database as well.