6 States Portrayed in Big Screen Film Posters

Did you know that every state in the United States has its own slogan — and furthermore, many of them have former slogans?

Slogans are applied to states to attract visitors and give them a sense of what the state is all about — all in a mere few words. Slogans do not need to be simply some motto in Latin — though those do exist. A modern slogan is similar to a tag line for a major motion picture: it is intended to entice excitable tourists to pick one unique offering of a state over all the others which are available at the box office…

…er…I mean…travel agency.

6 States Portrayed in Big Screen Film Posters

Slogans of states often appear on their license plates — hey, that rhymed — to which they belong…

…but what if films were inspired by the slogans of these states, with movie posters instead of license plates extolling their unique virtues and offerings?

A series of movie posters has been created for six different states; and this article from NetCredit — no, not Netflix — gives us an idea of what each of the six states would look like if they were transformed into the movie events of the year as new film releases which are inspired by the unique selling points of each location.

I have been given express written permission to use the images and the verbatim text from the aforementioned article in this article — so go get your popcorn and let us take a break from the news of the day and have a little fun.

1. Texas: Go Big or Go Home

There’s no shortage of talent in Texas, from sports stars to icons of the silver screen. With the Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, and a minor league baseball scene that’s as exciting as most major league offerings, there’s more than a story or two of underdog triumph to mine for Hollywood success (The Longest Yard, anyone?). And with local acting talent that includes Jamie Foxx, Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Matthew McConaughey, and Renee Zellweger, there’s no excuse for inauthentic accents.

2. South Carolina: While I Breathe, I Hope

The melancholic landscapes of South Carolina are drenched in history, from the opening shots of the Civil War to an ongoing fight for civil rights. The plot of While I Breathe, I Hope draws parallels between a Charleston WWI soldier’s fight for survival and his anxious fiancée’s battles against injustice back home. Locations including South Carolina Plantations, Myrtle Beach, and Huntington Beach State Park are all welcoming places to visit today.

3. Maryland: America in Miniature

The state of Maryland is nicknamed ‘America In Miniature’ because just about every type of American landscape is represented here, and every type of citizen. History has unfolded here on a large scale (the pivotal Battle of Antietam) and the small (America’s first dental school and umbrella factory). All of which adds up to a rather cute Pixar picture in which a cast of archetypes discovers they are just museum pieces in a VR simulation of American history. Can they exceed their programming while maintaining the status quo in their tiny, idealized version of America?

4. New Hampshire: Live Free or Die

‘Live Free Or Die’ is perhaps the most movie-like of state slogans. It’s a quote from New Hampshire’s most famous hero of the American Revolution, but in modern terms we reckon it conjures up a battle to remain free from enslavement at the hands of sinister aliens. Right? Idyllic locations such as Lake Winnipesaukee, Carlton Bridge, and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway have the perfect look of ‘innocent perfection just waiting to be blown up by Martians.’

5. Montana: Big Sky Country

They got a whole lot of sky in Montana. The Beartooth Mountains open up onto views you need to experience in the open air, not on the cinema screen. But we reckon local boy Jeff Bridges, who’s lived in the State since starring in 1973 heist film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, is perfect to play an ambitious drifter who witnesses firsthand the colonization of the Treasure State. Torn between the idealism of the blue skies above and desire for the rich source of silver and gold underfoot, will our lonesome cowboy realize the true meaning of Montana?

6. Utah: Life Elevated

It’s worth noting, as long as we’re talking show business, that the slogan for Utah’s thriving ski industry is ‘The Greatest Snow On Earth.’ But maybe we’ll save that for Disney’s Utah On Iceproduction. Life Elevated, meanwhile, suggests a film that’s just as spectacular: an alien arrival flick inspired by the proximity between Utah’s otherworldly peaks and the stars above.

There are many reasons why American movies dominate world cinema, but not least among them is the stunning locations at Hollywood’s doorstep. The grandiose statements of America’s state slogans hardly feel exaggerated when there is truly so much to see.

Summary

I have always thought that the state slogan of Delaware should be Well Aware of Delaware and the state slogan of Missouri should be Missouri Loves Company — but what do I know?!?

If you want to join in on the fun, please share your ideas of movie posters for other states in the Comments section below.

Let us end this article with a quiz: can you guess the names of the states — and the District of Columbia — to which the following slogans either currently formally or formerly belong? Some of the obvious slogans — or the names of the states in some slogans — were removed from the list whenever possible.

This list starts off with the first six from this article.

1. Go Big or Go Home, The Lone Star State
2. Great Faces. Great Places.
3. America in Miniature; More Than You Can Imagine
4. Live Free or Die
5. Big Sky Country, The Treasure State
6. Life Elevated; Greatest Snow on Earth, Beehive State
7. The Empire State; State of Opportunity
8. Land of Enchantment
9. “While I Breathe, I Hope.”; Smiling Faces. Beautiful Places.
10. Come as You Are. Leave Different.; Sportsman’s Paradise
11. Legendary; Discover the Spirit
12. Peach State
13. The Way Life Should Be; Vacationland
14. Battle Born; The Silver State; A World Within. A State Apart.
15. Feels Like Coming Home; The South’s Warmest Welcome; The Magnolia State
16. Forward; America’s Dairyland; You’re Among Friends
17. A Better Place to Be; First in Flight; First in Freedom
18. Wild and Wonderful; Almost Heaven
19. We Love Dreamers; Things Look Different Here; Pacific Wonderland
20. Sunshine State
21. The Crossroads of America; Restart Your Engines
22. The Evergreen State
23. Honestly, It’s Not for Everyone; Nice “The Good Life”
24. The Green Mountain State; Freedom and Unity
25. The First State, Blue Hen State, Tax Free State
26. Share The Wonder; Heart of Dixie
27. Pursue Your Happiness; State of Independence; Memories Last a Lifetime; America Starts Here
28. Eureka!; The Golden State
29. Oklahoma is OK; Native America
30. Virginia is for Lovers
31. Land of 10,000 Lakes
32. Beyond Your Dreams, Within Your Reach; The Last Frontier
33. The Grand Canyon State
34. As Big As You Think; Simply Wonderful
35. The Natural State; The Land of Opportunity
36. Forever West; Like No Place on Earth
37. The Centennial State; Fresh Air; Fond Memories Served Daily
38. Unbridled Spirit; It’s That Friendly; Where Education Pays
39. Still Revolutionary; Full of Surprises
40. Taxation Without Representation
41. Great Potatoes. Tasty Destinations. Famous Potatoes
42. Great Lakes, Great Times; More To See; Water/Winter Wonderland
43. Land of Lincoln
44. Life Changing; Fields of Opportunity
45. Make It Yours; The Spirit of America
46. Where the Rivers Run; Show-Me State
47. Liberty & Prosperity; Garden State
48. So Much to Discover; Birthplace of Aviation; The Heart of It All
49. The Volunteer State; The Stage Is Set For You; Sounds Good to Me
50. The Islands of Aloha
51. Ocean State

Photograph ©2013 by Brian Cohen.