MovieChat Forums > Escanaba in da Moonlight (2001) Discussion > What is a Yooper???

What is a Yooper???

posted 21 years ago by bluzman
13 replies | jump to latest

This is a movie for and about Yoopers, either real or in spirit, Yooper values, lore and mystic, and hunting. It is not just for anyone, just like not just everyone who lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a Yooper, or doesn't is not one.

Being a Yooper is a state of mind. It revolves around the love of the outdoors, hunting, freedom and drinking some beer now and again. It is a rejection of the values of downstate developers, politicians and just gotta build that special "cottage" with a manicured lawn and cute lanscaping in a beautiful place ethos. Real Yoopers, at least in spirit, can live anywhere, as long as they hold true to the values.

Real Yoopers are more common around small towns or in places like Escanaba and Iron River, than Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace, Marquette or Houghton-Hancock. Yes, real Yoopers can be in the latter group, but the latter group is full of phony and wannabe Yoopers.

St. Ignace is a tourist trap originally built up (in the modern day)to land ferry boats from the Lower Peninsula and to feed and bed tourist. It also shuttles people to Mackinac Island.

The other three are anchored by colleges full of students and academics who wouldn't know the real U.P if it jumped up and bit them, which it often does when one of them wanders away from the safe haven of their college environment. The sad thing is, many of them like to pretend they are really Yoopers. This accounts for some of the negative remarks about this movie.

In order to LOVE this movie, you must be a Yooper, at least at heart. You must enjoy hunting, not just for the killing, but for the lore, mystic and simple pleasure of being one with nature. This movie is as much about satiring cliches as anything. I have seen a new cliche each of the 3 times I have watched the movie. Every hunting camp cliche I can think of is jabbed. The biggest jab is obviously the farting scene. It eclipses any fart scene in any movie, including Blazing Saddles. But, the bottom line is, every deer camp worth its beer has a farting story waiting to be told. The only cliche they really didn't exploit was snoring - but so what.

So, before you criticize this movie, think about whether or not it is a movie in your genre, whether you are in a position to truly evaluate or basically ignorant of the interior subject matter. I don't go to the comments and trash phony historical epics like Titanic, because I am predisposed to do so because I hate phony history movies.

[–] 21 years ago

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[–] damestjernelys 21 years ago

As a "Troll" (meaning someone from the lower peninsula of Michigan.. I live beneath the bridge!), I thought this movie was hilarious! I've been to the UP on several occasions and I have definitely come across my fair share of Yoopers!

I wouldn't say that you have to be a Yooper in any way, shape, or form to LOVE this movie, but it helps to have an understanding of who and what Yoopers are.

My favourite scene in this film is when the conservation officer from Detroit comes in, starts singing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and strips down to his boxers! LOL too funny

[–] pony_o_jell 21 years ago

The card scene. That is my favorite scene.
If you're not familar with Michigan, the scene of them playing cards in the cabin wouldn't make sense.
That is half the fun of that scene really, laughing while other people are wondering why there wouldn't be 2s or 3s in a deck.

[–] bozohitler321 21 years ago

i loved this one... kind of funny how all the movies that i walk away from thoroughly satisfied with, everyone else here rates 6 or less. i spent 34
years in michigan and never made it farther north than flint... im a troll,
and apple knocker born and bred... and even *I* can appreciate the humor
in this film. another 'must see' if you liked this one is 'men with brooms'.

[–] chip71757 19 years ago

Men with brooms - eh. I'll check it out. thanks. I too loved this movie. Bought it a litle over 2 weeks ago, and have watched it now 13 times. I'm sure I'll burn out on it some time, but not yet. it's all ready made my "top ten" list.

[–] brower8 20 years ago

A "Yooper" is someone with strong ties, ideally year-round, to the "Upper Peninsula" of Michigan, the part that lies north of Wisconsin and the northern part of Lake Michigan. People on both sides of the Mackinac Bridge (which connects the "Upper Peninsula" and the "Lower Peninsula") call the Upper Peninsula the "U P", pronounced "YOU-PEE", and "Yooper" is a phonetic derivation of the letters "U-P".

Michigan is infamous for its harsh winters -- heavy snows and thick overcast, with storms of summer intensity but winter cold -- and the U-P has them even harder. The cold weather forces a way of life, as do the long distances to any big cities, typically Duluth to the west, Green Bay to the south, and either Lansing or Grand Rapids (both closer to the Indiana or Ohio state line than to anywhere in the UP!) in the more-often visited parts near the Mackinac Bridge.

The Upper Peninsula has had a declining population since the end of the copper boom of the early 20th century. One has to be a certain sort of person to like life up there.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] VickiBackman1976 20 years ago

Bluzman

Thank you for the wonderful explanation of Yoopers. Being born and rasied here in the U.P. I am proud to call myself one. I liked E. in da moonlight. I thought it was funny and hit close to home. I am from the Houghton-Hancock area and as most people say "we dont count our snow in inches, we count it in feet."

Thanks again for the great comments
~Vicki~

PROUD FIREMAN'S WIFE

[–] raider_ben 19 years ago

A yooper is someone who was born and raised with all the knowledge and traditions of their ancestors. With all that said,I'm a yooper. I was born in Marquette,and raised in both Iron Mountain and Crystal Falls. I did spend some time in Lower Michigan as a child. But I never forgot my upbringing.

[–] tucsontim58 19 years ago

From a Loper dat hunted and vacationed in da U.P. many times befor and after moving to Az. All I can say is dat da U.P. is God's country eh?
Say Ya To Da U.P.Eh?
Thanks Jeff

[–] WARHAMMER_OF_DEATH_2000 18 years ago

I have not seen the movie but even though I am a troll I have been to Escanaba.Yoopers are unique people.If you are a out of towner they will gladly help you out if you are trying to find something.If I had the chance I would move to the Upper Penninsula.

[–] nickle_3536 16 years ago

"Yes, real Yoopers can be in the latter group, but the latter group is full of phony and wannabe Yoopers."

I was born and raised in Michigan and lived there till I was almost 23 (I'm almost 24). I've been a troll my whole life with the exception of spending three years in Iron Mountain between the ages of 5 and 8, and I have to say that I've never met anyone who actually WANTED to be a Yooper lol.

[–] brewpub420 7 years ago

real yoopers are not in houghton/hancock? Son I have lived in the copper country almost all my life and I assure you other than the college kids almost everyone here is a real yooper.