Suffolk’s cinematic side
Published 11:19 pm Saturday, February 25, 2012
One would expect that a city with a community called “Hollywood” would have a few stars living and working there.
In that regard, Suffolk doesn’t disappoint.
To be sure, some of those stars live in the Hollywood community of Suffolk, but the people and places that make Suffolk special are scattered all over the city.
Strides, the special section included in today’s edition of the Suffolk News-Herald, endeavors to shine a spotlight on a few of the people, places and things that give the city a starring role in Hampton Roads. There are far too many of each for us to cover in one special section, but we believe we’ve put together a nice variety of feature attractions for your viewing pleasure this year.
Though mindful that the movie device might become somewhat strained, we had fun this year finding film ties to some of Suffolk’s people and places. Some were obvious. For others, it took the collective theater experience of a staff full of movie buffs.
In the end, though, we came up with eight different movie and television titles to match up with some of our favorite stories about Suffolk.
Whether you’re into “The Sound of Music” or “The River Wild,” Suffolk has something that’s just your speed. And, speaking of speed, there’s you’ll find plenty of wheels in our feature on Suffolk’s “Dogtown,” where young skateboarders have found a place to surf the rolling concrete while grinding and flipping tricks on their decks.
“The Artists” takes a look at some of the city’s growing number of arts professionals, focusing on how they are giving back to the scene in the midst of creating their own works of art.
In “General Hospital,” we take a look at a day in the life of Suffolk’s beloved Obici Hospital, which saw more than 42,000 hospital visits last year and witnessed the range of human emotion in all its bittersweet glory. But in these real-life dramas, closure was hardly ever found in the course of an hour.
The movie “Signs” dealt with markers left by extraterrestrial visitors. Suffolk’s “Signs” are scattered alongside the city’s highways, marking the locations of more than two dozen historical events or sites, and they make for an interesting afternoon of driving for anyone with an interest in what took place long ago in the city now known as Suffolk.
And finally, no tribute to stage and screen would be complete without a look at the next generation of thespians. “West Side Story” explores the world of high school theater, which deserves the marquee treatment in Suffolk.
We hope you’ll enjoy this edition of Strides.
And now, because I can’t help myself …
Lights. Camera. Action.