Articles tagged “hollywood”

How to visit the locations of last year’s most “travel inspiring” films

by Neil Woodburn on Jan 13, 2008

We’ve posted a number of times here on Gadling about the impact of movies as a travel motivator. In other words, which movies portray a sense of place strong enough to make you want to visit?

Budget Travel recently came up with their own top ten “travel inspiring” movies released in the last year, with the Bourne Ultimatum coming in at number one thanks to six countries featured in the film and an exciting rooftop chase through the ancient medina of Tangiers (above). Although Martha blogged about this a few weeks ago, I’d like to update the post with a few other thoughts.

First off, CNN picked up on the story as well and recently interviewed Budget Travel Senior Editor Liz Ozaist. The interview not only expands on the article, but also includes clips from the movies. Click here to watch the video.

In addition, the Budget Travel article takes their list to the next, logical step and provides information on how to visit the actual locations where the movies were filmed. Casablanca Travel and Tours, for example, conducts a $120 tour of the Tangier medina that shadows the Bourne chase scenes.

Now, if only Budget Travel can teach us how to get our hands on multiple passports, then perhaps we can truly follow in the footsteps of uber-traveler Matthew Bourne.

Starring Brad Pitt … and Southern Alberta

by Martha Edwards on Jan 5, 2008

Drive an hour outside of the city limits of my hometown of Calgary, and you’re apt to come across some of the most beautiful scenery you’ve ever seen. From rolling foothill’d prairieland to towering, ragged mountaintops that are so high they block out late-afternoon sun to vibrant desert hoodoos, we seem to have it all (well, except for warm winters and beaches — I wish.) So it’s no surprise that Hollywood comes here often to shoot movies which call for wild, expansive, breathtaking scenery.

Ever see Brokeback Mountain? How about The Assassination of Jesse James? Legends of the Fall? Though none of these films are actually set in Alberta, they were all filmed here, under the endless prairie sky. And in each case, the scenery plays a starring role in the film — how can it not?

I’m embarrassed to admit that it took seeing it in the movies to make me realize how gorgeous this part of the world is. Being a habitual city-dweller, it’s hard to see much beyond pavement and rooftops and headlights. It took seeing it through someone else’s eyes to realize that not far from my own doorstep lies pure, divine heaven on earth.

Best destination flicks this year

by Martha Edwards on Dec 4, 2007

I rarely see movies, so when I do make the trek to the theatre or the video store, I try to make sure it’s a good one; For me, good means well-written, well-acted and somehow intellectually stimulating. I love seeing good films about other places in the world — they don’t need to be travel-related, per se, but I love destination films. So I’m pretty chuffed that someone has come out with a list of the Top 10 travel-inspiring flicks this year. Here’s what made the list:

Once, set in Ireland
Lust, Caution, set in Shanghai and Hong Kong
Enchanted, set in Manhattan
Atonement, set in Britain during WWII
The Darjeeling Limited, set in India
Into the Wild, set throughout the continental USA and in Alaska (I’ve seen this one, by the way, and I loved it)
The Assassination of Jesse James, set in the midwest, but actually filmed in the beautiful Canadian foothills (where I live) (Incidentally, this film stars not only Brad Pitt but also an old-school trunk from my house that one of the producers picked up at our garage sale! I haven’t seen the movie, but humor me — does the trunk steal the show or what? Ok, I digress.)
Ratatouille, set in Paris
Elizabeth, The Golden Age, set in historic England
The Bourne Ultimatum, set in several different countries.

Like I said, I’ve only seen one of these, so I can’t really comment, but maybe you can?

Haunted Tours for Halloween Fun: West Coast Edition

by Kelly Amabile on Oct 14, 2007

Want more haunted tour ideas? As promised, we’ve got some! Hop on your broomstick and fly with us to the western US, where we’ve uncovered eight more haunted tours to scare you silly this Halloween season:

Denver, CO: Morrison is a short distance from downtown Denver, but this Colorado Haunted History Tour sounds like it’s worth the trip out of town. Learn about the Hatchet Lady of Red Rocks and the Lecherous Indian Chief.

Hollywood, CA: Take a tour of the historic Hollywood Forever Cemetery with Karie Bible and visit the burial sites of famous dead celebrities.

Las Vegas, NV: We all know Sin City can be a scary place. But Haunted Vegas Tours explores the creepiest secrets of the city that never sleeps. Tours runs several nights each week, beginning at 9 pm.

Portland, OR: The Portland Haunted Tour is a 2.5 hour shuttle tour of 13 locations historically connected to secrets from the city’s chilling past.

Salt Lake City, UT: Ghost Tours of Salt Lake City and Ogden run every weekend and on Halloween, led by a professional storyteller with a skill for spooking!

San Diego, CA: Haunted San Diego urges you to call and reserve your plot (um, they mean seat) today for this tour of documented haunted locales.

San Francisco, CA: The Haunted Haight Walking Tour begins most evenings at 7 pm at a coffee shop, and ends at a haunted pub, where you never quite know what’s on tap.

Seattle, WA: Market Ghost Tours runs tours through the Pike Place Market. And don’t miss the Paranormal Pub Crawl on Halloween, complete with a Houdini seance at the end!

Not hitting either coast for Halloween this year? Then be sure to check out this list of the Top Ten Haunted Ghost Tours in America for frightful tours in in Chicago, New Orleans, Galveston and other parts of America’s haunted heartland — Happy Halloween!

Hollywood’s Craziest Foreign Country Stereotypes

by Neil Woodburn on Sep 28, 2007

Stereotyping is the language of hate, ignorance, and comedy.

Unfortunately, growing up in America, I had very little international exposure and my early impression of the outside world was sadly constructed of Hollywood stereotypes. It wasn’t until I finally left the country in my early 20s that I realized that most Swedes don’t look like the Swedish Bikini Team and that Australians don’t regularly throw a shrimp on the barbie.

Perpetuating stereotypes is always good for an easy laugh in Hollywood, but far too many Americans simply buy into the stereotype and consider it reality (and are therefore rather disappointed when they finally visit Sweden).

So what are the worst stereotypes my fellow Americans have grown up believing?

The following is a YouTube collection of perhaps the most iconic. Having now been to nearly every country lambasted below, I can confirm that none of them lived up to their Hollywood portrayal. Except, perhaps, the Canadians (I’m joking, folks!).