Funny Pittsburgh Movie from 1972

[Teenage Zombie]

“A Mighty Fortress is Our God” was made by my friend Leo Vale in 1972 when he was 22 years old. This very funny 8mm film tells the bizarre tale of “a wino” who is forced to join the army at gun point.

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“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (is) a brilliantly edited, shot-on-a-shoestring adventure spectacle that re imagines Pittsburgh’s South Side as the site of a holy fortress under attack from an airplane gunner”. - Steven Haines, Pittsburgh Film Kitchen.

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[FakeNoose]

1. Quite entertaining

I never would have guessed this was shot in Pittsburgh, if you hadn't said it first. It's definitely an amateur effort but fun to watch. I recommend putting it on full-screen for viewing.

[Teenage Zombie]

2. Yes, it's Pittsburgh...

...50 years ago. The opening scene along the Monongahela is now part of a bike trail. At one point, you can see the 10th Street Bridge with Duquesne University in the background. The long flight of wooden steps was somewhere in Oakland. The Fortress itself was St John the Baptist Ukrainian Church on South Side, The old Byers Mansion on the CCAC Campus and the Cathedral of Learning. The scene with the fancy stained-glass window was shot at the Salvation Army Building on 9th St South Side. The action sequences were shot at the rock quarry above South Side Park.

Thanks for taking the time to watch it. Leo was my life long friend. He died last December, age 70 after a lifetime of trying to get his odd ball movies ideas made.

Here's a short video I made in his memory:

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