The Semiquincentennial Movie Project

 

The Semiquincentennial Movie Project

Happy New Year 2026!

2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the creation of the United States. As the blogger of The Midnite Drive-In, I decided to launch a celebration of my own to celebrate this milestone.  As such, I am beginning a series of entries which will last the entire year.  Each week of 2026 I am going to highlight a movie that uses one of the states of the Union as one of it's primary locations.

Of course, film did not even exist as a medium in 1776.  And, even though I was a history major in college, I have no desire to make this project a history lesson (although, as per my wont, there will be occasional historical notes...). My choice of movies will be primarily the same type of movies in which I have always had an interest. So prepare for some action, science fiction, horror, comedies and the occasional straightforward dramas.

Since I don't want it to appear I am playing favorites, I decided to post these entries in order of each state's entry into the Union. Otherwise my first entry would have been Texas, my home state. As such, the Texas entry won't appear until late July. Beginning with Delaware, the first state to be officially admitted to the union, each week I will be presenting a movie that has a connection to the state featured, usually meaning the primary story takes place within the state.  And there will be a break halfway through the series, because I thought it fitting that I devote the week of July 4th to a movie filmed in Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, since July 4 is Independence Day for the U.S. And since that makes only 51 weekly entries, that means the final week of the year is open. I decided on a cross country road trip theme. Thus, Damnation Alley, a science fiction classic that involves traversing the continental United States will wrap this whole shebang up.

The schedule, which I will try to stay committed to is as follows: Note: The entry could appear on Sunday, but the weekly schedule leaves me an option to post later in the week if circumstances occur that cause delays. And, although at this point I intend to stick to the ones I've chosen, I may decide to change my choice by the time the actual date comes around.

And one final note: It may just be that the movie I picked may not have much of a good reputation with the citizens of the state in question. I picked these movies because I like them. I make no apologies for my choices.  But, being that the comment section of this blog is not ruled over with an iron fist (meaning I allow anybody to criticize me), you are welcome to dispute my choices. 

Week 1 Jan. 4-10: Delaware - Hiding Out (1987)

Week 2 Jan. 11-17: Pennsylvania - The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979)

Week 3 Jan. 18-24: New Jersey - The Toxic Avenger (1986)

Week 4 Jan. 25-31: Georgia -Gator (1976)

Week 5 Feb. 1-7: Connecticut - The Stepford Wives (1975)

Week 6 Feb. 8-14: Massachusetts - Alice's Restaurant (1969)

Week 7 Feb. 15-21: Maryland - Explorers (1985)

Week 8 Feb. 22-28: South Carolina - D.A.R.Y.L. (1985)

Week 9 Mar. 1-7: New Hampshire - The U.F.O. Incident (1975)

Week 10 Mar. 8-14: Virginia - Greased Lightning (1977)

Week 11 Mar. 15-21: New York - Serpico (1973)

Week 12 Mar. 22-28: North Carolina - Hero's Island (1962)

Week 13 Mar. 29-Apr. 4: Rhode Island - Jazz on a Summer's Day (1959)

Week 14 Apr. 5-11: Vermont - The Trouble with Harry (1955)

Week 15 Apr. 12-18: Kentucky - The Moonshine War (1970)

Week 16 Apr. 19-25: Tennessee - The Evil Dead (1981)

Week 17 Apr. 26-May 2: Ohio - Harper Valley P.T.A. (1978)

Week 18 May 3-9: Louisiana - Swamp Thing (1982)

Week 19 May 10-16: Indiana - Breaking Away (1979)

Week 20 May 17-23: Mississippi - Mississippi Burning (1988)

Week 21 May 24- 30: Illinois - The Untouchables (1987)

Week 22 May 31-Jun 6: Alabama - To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Week 23 Jun. 7-13: Maine - The Dead Zone (1983)

Week 24 Jun. 14-20: Missouri - The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery (1959)

Week 25 Jun. 21-27: Arkansas - The Legend of Boggy Creek (1972)

Week 26 Jun. 28-Jul. 4: Washington, D.C. - The Werewolf of Washington (1973)

Week 27 Jul. 5-11: Michigan - Blue Collar (1978)

Week 28 Jul. 12-18: Florida - Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)

Week 29 Jul. 19-25: Texas - Cloak and Dagger (1984)

Week 30 Jul. 26-Aug. 1: Iowa - Cold Turkey (1971)

Week 31 Aug. 2-8: Wisconsin - The Giant Spider Invasion (1975)

Week 32 Aug. 9-15: California - Car Wash (1976)

Week 33 Aug. 16-22: Minnesota - Purple Rain (1984)

Week 34 Aug. 23-29: Oregon - Short Circuit (1986)

Week 35 Aug. 30-Sep. 5: Kansas - King Kung Fu (1976)

Week 36 Sep. 6-12: West Virginia - Matewan (1987)

Week 37 Sep.13-19: Nevada - The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)

Week 38 Sep. 20-26: Nebraska - Children of the Corn (1984)

 Week 39 Sep. 27-Oct. 3: Colorado - America 3000 (1986)

Week 40 Oct. 4-10: North Dakota - Three Faces West (1940)

Week 41 Oct. 11-17: South Dakota - Badlands (1973)

Week 42 Oct. 18-24: Montana - The Cowboys (1972)

Week 43 Oct. 25-31: Washington - War Games (1983)

Week 44 Nov. 1-7: Idaho - The Being (1983)

Week 45 Nov. 8-14: Wyoming - Stagecoach (1966)

Week 46 Nov. 15-21: Utah - Carnival of Souls (1962)

Week 47 Nov. 22-28: Oklahoma - The Outsiders (1983)

Week 48 Nov. 29-Dec. 5: New Mexico - The Leopard Man (1943)

Week 49 Dec. 6-12: Arizona - Tarantula! (1955)

Week 50 Dec. 12-19: Alaska - The Spoilers (1942)

Week 51 Dec. 20-26: Hawaii - Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

Week 52 Dec. 27-Jan 2: Road Trip: Damnation Alley (1977)

Hope you have an excellent 2026. I'm certainly going to try.

Quiggy