From the Editor: Louisiana turns out to be good box office

“Beware the government press release” is the advice handed down from one generation of old newspaper editors to the next. But one recent release actually did a body good.
This one came from Louisiana Economic Development, the state cabinet-level agency that was called the Department of Economic Development before someone looked at the acronym.
The release is headlined “Two films nab significant distribution deals at Sundance; Lost Bayou Ramblers take home Grammy.” The bottom line is that while the Lost Bayou Ramblers of Lafayette are celebrating their new Grammy for Best Regional Roots Music, lots of other cool and entertainment-related things have been going on.
Although there’s nothing about St. Mary specifically in the press release, movie-making is of interest here because it’s part of the local history. That goes at least as far back as Elmo Lincoln, who made “Tarzan of the Apes” in the jungles of Morgan City in 1918. Lincoln also made two other Tarzan movies and four Tarzan-less pictures that year, including a piece of light entertainment called “The Kaiser, Beast of Berlin.”
Half a century later, the Amelia bridge figured in a movie about two other wild men. It was “Easy Rider,” with chopped bikes, the world’s best late-sixties soundtrack and a breakout role for Jack Nicholson. People in St. Mary are kicking around the idea of a local half-century commemoration.
Here, says Louisiana Economic Development, are the most recent developments of note:
—The Lost Bayou Ramblers have to top the list with their Grammy win for their album "Kalenda." In one unprofessional and tin-eared opinion, they’re one of the groups that are keeping Louisiana music fresh with new influences and new inspiration. Terrence Simien and the Pine Leaf Boys are among the others who have done the same.
—“Mudbound,” shot in St. James and New Orleans, received four Academy Award nominations, including Mary J. Blige for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song. Producing the film here put $2.9 million into Louisiana pockets in the form of payroll, according to the LED.
—“Logan,” part of the Marvel Universe and starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, got an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The filming in Amite, Hammond, Ferriday and New Orleans was worth $12 million in pay to Louisiana people, according the LED.
—“The Tale” was filmed in Louisiana and is awaiting its turn on HBO. The story is about a documentary filmmaker, played by Laura Dern, who deals with a personal history of sexual abuse. The filming was worth $1 million in pay to Louisiana people, again according to the LED.
—“Assassination Nation” has a new distribution deal after being filmed in Louisiana last year, with the help of $2 million in Louisiana payroll. The LED’s movie critic called “Assassination” an “internet age thriller.”
—“Blaze” won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at the Sundance Film Festival. This story of Blaze Foley, a key figure in Texas Outlaw Music, put Louisiana people to work to the tune of $350,000.
Now, sad to say, we need to pull you away from the red carpet and paparazzi for a minute.
One of those old editors would remind you at this point that Louisiana has a Motion Picture Production Tax Credit program, and that the program has become controversial. The credit is supposed to lure movie-makers here, and it does. But the credit never seems to pay for itself.
Two years ago, the program was capped at $180 million. The Advocate reported that applications for local production-related spending under the program fell from $1.2 billion to $420 million after the cap was imposed.
The pressure to cut the state budget, raise taxes or do something, for heaven’s sake, has grown no less urgent since 2016. Economic development tax credits of all kinds are under scrutiny and, sometimes, under fire. So LED has a dog in the movie tax credit fight, which makes that press release a political operation.
Some will counter that the movie tax credits are worth the money. Nothing, they say, shows Louisiana to the world in such a grand way as the movies do, especially the movies in which we’re not depicted as semi-literate and homicidal swamp dwellers.
So what will it be? Responsibility, accountability and frugality? Or lights, camera, action?
Today, with Grammys and Oscars and Special Jury Awards flying around in all directions, the movie credit sounds better than on most days.
Bill Decker is managing editor of The Daily Review. Reach him at bdecker@daily-review.com.