While looking up at the dome of the Wisconsin State Capitol in downtown Madison, I suddenly remembered something.

In the 2009 film Public Enemies, Johnny Depp portrayed John Dillinger as he walked up those Capitol steps.

Director Michael Mann used the Wisconsin State Capitol as a stand-in for the FBI headquarters and the U.S. Capitol building in the film.

There was no need to travel all the way to Washington D.C. The classic stone architecture of Madison served that purpose perfectly. Ever since I learned this, every time I pass in front of the Capitol, the scene of Johnny Depp running down the steps plays automatically in my mind.

The most well-known movie actually filmed in Madison is undoubtedly the 1986 comedy Back to School, starring Rodney Dangerfield. The story revolves around a billionaire who enrolls in college with his son, featuring the UW-Madison campus as the fictional Grand Lakes University.

The scenery of Memorial Union Terrace, Bascom Hill, and the shores of Lake Mendota is beautifully captured on film. What makes this movie special is that it does not hide Madison.

They only changed the city name, showing the entire campus as it is. This is why I believe it is one of the most honest films set in Madison.

The 1977 film Stroszek by German director Werner Herzog also holds a place in the city's film history.

It tells the story of three German immigrants who come to Wisconsin in search of a better life, utilizing real small towns in Wisconsin, including Madison, Plainfield, and Nekoosa, as locations.

The vast fields, ordinary homes, and desolate roadside scenery captured by Herzog convey a vivid texture that is different from any glamorous set. Madison is not just a backdrop; it creates the atmosphere and emotion of the story. It is an impressive work seen through the eyes of immigrants, showcasing the Midwest landscape.

Public Enemies was filmed throughout Wisconsin, using locations in Columbus, Oshkosh, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Dells, and Milwaukee. Among them, the Madison State Capitol was the most striking location.

The Gothic stone style of this building perfectly matched the recreation of the gangster era of the 1930s. The fact that Madison's architecture can be convincingly used in historically themed works shows how rich the city's visual assets are.

Conversely, there are films that are set in Madison but were actually filmed elsewhere. In Away We Go, starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, Madison is presented as a candidate city for raising a child, but the scenery shown on screen was different from actual Madison. The same goes for The Prince & Me, where Julia Stiles plays a UW-Madison student.

Every time I watch these films, I honestly feel a bit disappointed. The real Madison is a unique city nestled like an island between two lakes, with its historic State Capitol and vibrant college campus. Just placing a camera there would yield beautiful shots, so there's no reason to substitute it with another city. The fact that a true masterpiece capturing Madison has yet to be made is, in a way, a possibility left for the future. I am quietly looking forward to which director will choose this city next.