In honor of Kansas Day: 16 movies that were (at least partially) made in Kansas

Kansas turns 160 this year, and Friday, Jan. 29, is Kansas Day.

To celebrate, here are 16 seminal films you might not have known were (at least partially) made (or set) in Kansas:

“The Attic” (1980) — A librarian (Carrie Snodgress) devotes her life to caring for her wheelchair-bound tyrannical father (Donald Pleasance) after being stood up at the altar.

“CSA: Confederate States of America” (2004) — University of Kansas film professor (and Oscar winner) Kevin Willmott’s satirical “mockumentary” takes a look at the history of an America where the South won the Civil War. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to sold-out crowds and raves.

“Dances with Wolves” (1990) — Kevin Costner’s Oscar winning epic follows a lieutenant who befriends wolves and Native Americans while assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost.

“Darkness” (1993) —Wichita filmmaker Leif Jonker’s cult classic filmed and set in Wichita follows a lone avenger who battles vampires. Of course.

“The Day After” (1983) — Documents the effects of a devastating nuclear holocaust on small-town residents of eastern Kansas.

“Firecracker” (2005) —Lawrence-based filmmaker Steve Balderson’s surreal film stars ‘70s film icon Karen Black in a tale of murder set in small-town Kansas.

“The Ice Harvest” (2005) — John Cusack and Billy Bob Thorton star in this tale that’s set in a very shady Wichita, about a lawyer and strip club owner who try to fool the local mob. We have a local mob?

“In Cold Blood” (1967) — The classic adaptation of Truman Capote’s famous novel details the 1959 murders of four members of the Herbert Clutter family in Holcomb, Kan.

“Kansas City” (1996) — Robert Altman’s typically tale follows a pair of kidnappings that expose the complex power dynamics within the corrupt and unpredictable workings of 1930s Kansas City.

“King Kung Fu” (1976) —This camp classic follows a gorilla trained in martial arts who terrorizes Wichita. Seriously.

“Mars Attacks” (1996) — Tim Burton’s campy comedy finds Earth being invaded by Martians with unbeatable weapons and a cruel sense of humor.

“The Only Good Indian” (2009) — Kevin Willmott’s revisionist Western stars Wes Studi as a bounty hunter hired to track down a Native American kid who escaped from a boarding school. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

“Paper Moon” (1973) — During the Great Depression, a con man finds himself saddled with a young girl (Tatum O’Neal, who still holds the record for youngest Oscar winner) who may or may not be his daughter, as the two forge an unlikely partnership.

“Picnic” (1955) — The classic starring William Holden and Kim Novak follows a handsome drifter who arrives in a small Kansas community on the morning of the Labor Day picnic.

“Ride with the Devil” (1999) — Director Ang Lee’s period piece stars Tobey Maguire and Skeet Ulrich as friends who join the Bushwhackers, a militant group loyal to the Confederacy during the Civil War.

“Sarah, Plain and Tall” (1991) — A single New England woman (Glenn Close) responds to an advertisement by a Midwestern widower (Christoher Walken) who he asks for a bride to help him raise his two children.

This story was originally published January 29, 2021 at 5:01 AM.