The birthplace of Motown Records. The home of Eminem. The hub of the auto industry. Detroit, Michigan is an iconic Midwestern town know for its music and its cars. Detroit has experienced ups and downs over the decades, but the city is often derailed in the media as a crime-ridden shell of what it used to be – which couldn't be further from the truth.

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With its diverse population, gorgeous architecture, and multiple entertainment venues, Detroit remains a thriving center for art and culture.  That being said, Detroit's complicated past and industrial environs are often featured in films. In fact, Detroit is the setting for dozens and dozens of movies, spanning back to the early days of cinema. It's no wonder Detroit is also known for its many historic movie theaters.

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) - 7.3

Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton walking together and wearing sunglasses in Only Lovers Left Alive

Filmed partially in the Brush Park neighborhood in Midtown Detroit, Jim Jarmusch's vampire drama stars Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as two ancient bloodsuckers. Hiddleston's Adam lives isolated in a large Victorian mansion in Detroit, where he buys guitars and makes music.

Tilda's Eve visits Adam in Detroit, worried about the state of his mental health. Mia Wasikowska, Anton Yelchin, and Jeffrey Wright co-star in Only Lovers Left Alive.

Detroit (2017) - 7.3

Released around the 50th anniversary of what's referred to as the 12th Street Riots, Kathryn Bigelow tackles the often misrepresented 1967 uprising in Detroit with this ensemble drama. After Detroit police raided an unlicensed nightclub where black Vietnam veterans were celebrating their return home, residents engaged in sometimes violent acts of civil disobedience that spanned the length of the summer.

Resulting from decades of racial segregation, police brutality, and economic inequality, the Detroit uprising played into larger Civil Rights struggles across the country. Filmed on location around the city, Detroit stars the likes of John Boyega and Will Poulter.

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) - 7.3

While set in a wealthy suburb to the west of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Blank was mostly shot in California due to budget restraints and issues getting approval to film on location. Starring John Cusack and Minnie Driver, this dark comedy tells the story of a hitman who returns home for his high school reunion.

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Apparently, the town of Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, refused to allow the crew to use Grosse Pointe South High School in the film. City officials did not appreciate the idea of allowing alcohol on school premises.

The Spiral Staircase (1946) - 7.4

Detroit is home to hundreds of neo-Victorian mansions –ideal settings for gothic horror movies. Set in Vermont, The Spiral Staircase focuses on a mute woman being terrorized by a serial killer in her old home. Ethel Barrymore received an Oscar nomination for her role as the bedridden Mrs. Warren.

Although overshadowed by other horror movies of the eraThe Spiral Staircase has gained more recognition from critics with time, some of whom hail the movie's atmospheric blending of noir terror and haunted house vibes.

Blue Collar (1978) - 7.5

Michigander Paul Schrader – known for writing screenplays for multiple Martin Scorsese films – tackles working-class woes with this dark comedy about Detroit autoworkers. In the film, three financially strained men decide to steal money from their union, only to discover their union has been stealing from them for years.

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The men are played by Richard Pryor, Yaphet Kotto, and Harvey Keitel. Filmed in Detroit and Kalamazoo, Michigan, Blue Collar digs into the ways people fighting for rights are pitched against each other by those in charge.

The Evil Dead (1981) - 7.5

Technically, The Evil Dead was filmed almost entirely on location in Morristown, Tennessee. Burgeoning filmmaker Sam Raimi wanted to make the movie in his hometown, the Detroit suburb Royal Oak. Unable to find a sufficient shooting location, Raimi decided upon the wooded cabin in Tennessee.

However, Raimi filmed some scenes in his Royal Oak garage – making Evil Dead a Detroit movie to some extent. This low-budget, supernatural gorefest about a group of college kids who unleash an ancient evil birthed a successful franchise. The 1987 sequel, Evil Dead II, was filmed largely in Detroit, as well as North Carolina.

RoboCop (1987) - 7.5

While set in a dystopian Detroit, much of Paul Verhoeven's satirical science-fiction drama was filmed in Dallas, Texas, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With his choice to place the story of a corporate-owned cyborg cop in Detroit, Verhoeven taps into negative public perceptions about the city – perceptions ignited by ineffective politicians and a corrupt police force, not an excessively violent citizenry.

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Peter Weller stars as Alex Murphy, a police officer whose remains are used to develop the RoboCop prototype after he is killed on duty. The cyborg eventually rebels against his creators as he learns more about the Omni Corporation's nefarious plans. Revered for its taut action sequences and stunning set designs, RoboCop is fueled by abundant social commentary.

True Romance (1993) - 7.9

Clarence and Alabama in True Romance

Quentin Tarantino wrote the screenplay for this violent love story whose action unfolds in a cold, snowy Detroit. Christian Slater plays Clarence, a lonely video store clerk whose friends hire a sex worker to seduce him on his birthday. Patricia Arquette plays the sex worker, Alabama, and the two fall madly in love.

While trying to cut Alabama's ties with her boss (Gary Oldman), Clarence accidentally steals a suitcase full of cocaine, sending a ruthless drug dealer (Christopher Walken) on their path. The lovebirds flee to Los Angeles with the drug dealer's gang in pursuit. Tony Scott directed True Romance.

Deadpool (2016) - 8.0

The urban setting of the darkly comedic superhero film Deadpool is never identified. Most of the film was shot in Vancouver, Canada, but crews also filmed scenes in Detroit and Chicago. Detroit features prominently into a pretty intense action sequence involving a taxi.

Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, a former special forces operative turned mercenary who develops superhuman abilities after being exposed to a mutagen. Considered part of the X-Men Universe, Reynolds brings humor and a lot of cursing to the role. Deadpool even makes an unfortunate joke about the Motor City in the film, declaring, "I want to live to 102 and die. Like the city of Detroit."

Gran Torino (2008) - 8.1

IMDb fans agree Clint Eastwood's attempt to make sense of Detroit's tense racial history is the best movie set in the Motor City. Eastwood stars in and directed this thriller about prejudiced Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski, a man who eventually befriends the Hmong teen who tries to steal his beloved Gran Torino.

Walt hopes to reform the teen, Thao, while protecting their neighborhood from violent gangs composed of young black men. Shot in Detroit's Eastside, Gran Torino ultimately frames Walt as a white savior while maintaining harmful stereotypes about people of color. Despite the film's popularity, many critics agree Gran Torino's messaging has become more problematic with time.

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