Take a Trip with DC Cab

The writing staff for The Prices Do DC is on a holiday break. Original posts will return when they get back from break. Until then, enjoy some posts from other sources about things of interest to both residents and visitors to DC.

Thirty years ago, today, a great film was released in movie theaters: D.C. Cab, an irreverent look at the life of a group of cab drivers in the District in the 80s. Starring Mr. T, it goes exactly how any movie from that time period does, for the most part. Lots of hijinxs, random nudity, cursing and casual racism that you might not see so overtly in theaters these days. But for all that, it’s an incredible film.

I saw it for the first time two summers ago, at an outdoor showing near 14th and U Streets NW. I thought it would be a good venue for my maiden voyage. I was wrong.  It was perfect.

The screen was parked against the left field wall of the Little League field that was our theater that night. And in short centerfield, I sat next to a group that was clearly somewhat new to the city. They provided a heck of take on the surroundings.

One declared that she was ‘over’ NoMa, which is why she was there that night. Another made it clear that Crystal City was her favorite outdoor film venue, but this was so much closer to her house. One guy showed up after claiming he had no idea where 13th and V Streets were.

Stereotypically, the crowd was filled with what many would call gentrifiers. Here we were, in 2012, watching a movie about D.C. released in 1983 at a rec center that likely more than half the people present hadn’t heard of before that day. They played something I like to call the ‘D.C. movie tourism’ game. I’m fairly certain you’ve played it before, too. It’s the one where you scream out random locations you can identify while watching a film shot in the region.

To continue reading this article which first appeared in The Washington Post, click here.