Escanaba in da Moonlight is a 2001 American comedy film written, directed, and starring Jeff Daniels. It is a comedy about hunting and hunting traditions and is set (and filmed) in the Escanaba, Michigan area. The film uses Upper Peninsula language and slang. The movie is the film adaptation of the play of the same name, which premiered at Daniels' Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, Michigan.
Reuben Soady (Daniels) goes to the hunting camp cottage, otherwise known as deer camp, with his father Albert (played by Harve Presnell), brother Remnar (Joey Albright) and Jimmy "The Jimmer" Negamanee from Menominee (Wayne David Parker). If Reuben, now 43, doesn't manage to shoot a buck by the end of the season, he will become the oldest Soady in recorded history not to have achieved this task, a taboo that leads people in the community to believe he is jinxed.
Reuben breaks with tradition, taking advice from his Native American wife Wolf Moon Dance (Kimberly Norris Guerrero), who offers him spiritual remedies involving a drink made with moose testicles and scenting himself with porcupine urine to protect him from evil spirits and attract his prey to him. After various unexplainable phenomena, they meet a DNR officer, Tom T. Treado (Randall Godwin), who claims to have literally seen God on the ridge.
At various times, Reuben, Jimmer, and ranger Tom all get possessed by spirits. Eventually, Reuben runs out into the cold wearing only his long underwear and a hat, and finds himself face-to-face with the ghost of his dead great-grandfather Alphonse Soady, who guides him to shooting a buck sent for him by the spirits. Reuben returns triumphantly.
Joey Albright as Remnar Soady/Porcelain Bus Dancer
Randall Godwin as Ranger Tom T. Treado
Wayne David Parker as Jimmer Negamanee
James Porterfield as Alphonse Soady
Guy Sanville as Alvin Soady
Yooper/Michigan culture
A significant portion of the movie involves references to elements of "Yooper" (slang reference to residents of the U.P. or Upper Peninsula of Michigan) and broader Michigan/Upper Midwest culture. Some references are obscure to viewers unfamiliar with this culture and might be considered in-jokes.
Some examples include:
Pasties—the traditional foodstuff at the Soady deer camp, and food commonly associated with Yooper culture
Leinenkugel's Beer—Remnar brings a case to deer camp, a reminder of Escanaba's proximity to Wisconsin, where Leinenkugel's is produced
Mackinac Bridge—simply referred to as "the Bridge" throughout the film, the bridge that connects Michigan's peninsulas
Mackinac Island Fudge—Albert refers to tourists from the Lower Peninsula of Michigan as "those fudgesuckers," a reference to the fudge made on Mackinac Island, a considerable draw for tourism from within the state
The Superior State—used a few times to refer to the film's location; although a nickname for the state of Michigan as a whole, Superior is also the name of a once-proposed 51st state formed from the Upper Peninsula and, in some iterations, parts of Wisconsin
US Highway 41—an old shield for this highway hangs on the wall in the Soady cabin; an important north–south highway in the western to central U.P.
Euchre—a card game popular in the Midwest, possibly introduced to the United States by the early German settlers of Michigan
M-35—a state highway starting at Menominee in the south, passing through Escanaba, and ending at US 41/M-28 between Marquette and Negaunee in the north
escanaba, moonlight, this, article, does, cite, sources, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, 2022, learn, when, rem. This article does not cite any sources Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Escanaba in da Moonlight news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Escanaba in da Moonlight is a 2001 American comedy film written directed and starring Jeff Daniels It is a comedy about hunting and hunting traditions and is set and filmed in the Escanaba Michigan area The film uses Upper Peninsula language and slang The movie is the film adaptation of the play of the same name which premiered at Daniels Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea Michigan Escanaba in da MoonlightFilm posterDirected byJeff DanielsWritten byJeff DanielsBased onEscanaba in da Moonlightby Jeff DanielsProduced byTom SpiroffStarringJeff Daniels Harve Presnell Kimberly Norris Guerrero Joey Albright Randall Godwin Wayne David ParkerCinematographyRichard BrauerEdited byRobert TomlinsonMusic byAlto ReedProductioncompanyPurple Rose FilmsRelease dateJanuary 26 2001 2001 01 26 Running time91 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Yooper Michigan culture 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksPlot EditReuben Soady Daniels goes to the hunting camp cottage otherwise known as deer camp with his father Albert played by Harve Presnell brother Remnar Joey Albright and Jimmy The Jimmer Negamanee from Menominee Wayne David Parker If Reuben now 43 doesn t manage to shoot a buck by the end of the season he will become the oldest Soady in recorded history not to have achieved this task a taboo that leads people in the community to believe he is jinxed Reuben breaks with tradition taking advice from his Native American wife Wolf Moon Dance Kimberly Norris Guerrero who offers him spiritual remedies involving a drink made with moose testicles and scenting himself with porcupine urine to protect him from evil spirits and attract his prey to him After various unexplainable phenomena they meet a DNR officer Tom T Treado Randall Godwin who claims to have literally seen God on the ridge At various times Reuben Jimmer and ranger Tom all get possessed by spirits Eventually Reuben runs out into the cold wearing only his long underwear and a hat and finds himself face to face with the ghost of his dead great grandfather Alphonse Soady who guides him to shooting a buck sent for him by the spirits Reuben returns triumphantly Cast EditJeff Daniels as Reuben Soady Harve Presnell as Albert Soady Kimberly Norris Guerrero as Wolf Moon Dance Soady Joey Albright as Remnar Soady Porcelain Bus Dancer Randall Godwin as Ranger Tom T Treado Wayne David Parker as Jimmer Negamanee James Porterfield as Alphonse Soady Guy Sanville as Alvin SoadyYooper Michigan culture EditA significant portion of the movie involves references to elements of Yooper slang reference to residents of the U P or Upper Peninsula of Michigan and broader Michigan Upper Midwest culture Some references are obscure to viewers unfamiliar with this culture and might be considered in jokes Some examples include Pasties the traditional foodstuff at the Soady deer camp and food commonly associated with Yooper culture Leinenkugel s Beer Remnar brings a case to deer camp a reminder of Escanaba s proximity to Wisconsin where Leinenkugel s is produced Mackinac Bridge simply referred to as the Bridge throughout the film the bridge that connects Michigan s peninsulas Mackinac Island Fudge Albert refers to tourists from the Lower Peninsula of Michigan as those fudgesuckers a reference to the fudge made on Mackinac Island a considerable draw for tourism from within the state The Superior State used a few times to refer to the film s location although a nickname for the state of Michigan as a whole Superior is also the name of a once proposed 51st state formed from the Upper Peninsula and in some iterations parts of Wisconsin US Highway 41 an old shield for this highway hangs on the wall in the Soady cabin an important north south highway in the western to central U P Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore natural formation along lake shore mentioned briefly Euchre a card game popular in the Midwest possibly introduced to the United States by the early German settlers of Michigan M 35 a state highway starting at Menominee in the south passing through Escanaba and ending at US 41 M 28 between Marquette and Negaunee in the northSee also EditYooper dialectReferences EditExternal links EditEscanaba in da Moonlight at IMDb Escanaba in da Moonlight at Rotten Tomatoes Escanaba in da Moonlight at Box Office Mojo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Escanaba in da Moonlight amp oldid 1156485190, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
