9 Famous Filming Locations Across The United States

Above, The Thumb (or a.k.a. John Wayne's Boot) in Monument Valley. It was
prominently shown in the classic western, The Searchers. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have always been fascinated by filming locations, whether they were used for movies or television shows in the U.S. or in foreign countries.

Back in 2010, I published The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan that spotlights locations used (or depicted in miniature) in Japanese monster movies. (I still have some copies available. If you want a copy, go here.)

MSN posted a slideshow article on nine famous filming locations across the United States.

They begin it with:

From iconic city landmarks to remote natural wonders, these locations have played memorable roles in television and film. Each site, from bustling restaurants and historic buildings to dramatic landscapes, has become a destination for fans eager to connect with their favorite on-screen moments. Together, they showcase the diverse settings that have shaped American pop culture on screen.

 To read more and see the slideshow, go here.

Arizona Was Home To These Iconic Western Movies

Above, Monument Valley's West and East Mittens. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Living just 40 miles from the New Mexico/Arizona border on Interstate 40 has some great advantages. I can visit places in nearby states where classic westerns were filmed.

The region is best known as Four Corners, wherein four states (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah) meet up.

Over the years, the Four Corners has been home to many movie locations and sets. Monument Valley and Old Tucson come immediately to mind. I have been to both. Monument Valley straddles the Arizona/Utah border.

Above, a familiar hotel and saloon set at Old Tucson Studios. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

AZCentral posted a list of movie sets used in westerns.

They begin with:

From shootouts and saloons to barren desert landscapes and iconic red rocks, Arizona has been home to some of the most memorable scenes in Western films.

Many Old West movies, from "Stagecoach" and "Tombstone" to "The Outlaw," were filmed at locations you can still visit today. Stars from John Wayne and Kurt Russel to Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra have also graced the Grand Canyon State filming locations.

While some of the sets have been adapted for tourists, other stops remain exactly the same.

So are you in the mood for a walk down memory lane? Here are Western film sets you can visit in Arizona.

To read more, go here. 

Route 66 and Hollywood Movies & TV Shows

Above, Route 66 in Williams, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This year is the centennial of Historic Route 66.  

Fox 8 of Cleveland has posted an article on Route 66 and Hollywood focusing on movies and TV shows that captured the mystique of the road. 

It begins with:

(NEXSTAR) — It’s one of the U.S.’ most well-known roads — if not the most known — and one of few highways to capture America’s imagination across the little and big screens.

In honor of its 100th anniversary, here are some of the films and TV shows that have taken inspiration from Route 66, or even been filmed on parts of it.

To read more, go here. 

5 Iconic Movie Locations For RVers To Explore

Above, yours truly in Monument Valley, famous for several John Wayne/John Ford movies.

Over the years, being a movie fan, I have been interested in movie locations. 

The movies can be of any genre or no genre at all. In fact, I published The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan that features movie locations and giant monster attractions. 

RV Travel has posted an article on five iconic movie locations for RVers to explore and nearby campgrounds.

They begin it with:

I love movies! I love visiting actual movie locations, too!

Here are five great movie sites to visit. You’ll also discover nearby activities and attractions that will make your RV “movie trip” well worth your time. Ready? Action!

To see what they are, go here.

Goulding's Lodge Campground Movie Location

This evening while I was having dinner, I was watching the John Ford/John Wayne classic, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949) when a scene came up that looked familiar.

It looked like the canyon outside of Monument Valley near Goulding's Lodge. It is now the site of Goulding's Lodge Campground. The lodge itself is beyond the canyon around the rock formation.

I took the below photo of the television screen showing the location from the movie in 1949:

Below is a photo of the same rock formations (on the right) I took during my stay at the campground in 2016:

Here's a blow-up view of the rock formation:

2024 JWCF Ridgway Photos

Above, the first aid station area before set-up. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The John Wayne Cancer Foundation's Ridgway, Colorado Grit Series marathons for this year are now history.

The official website has posted photos of the run along in several categories. The categories are: Highlights, Start-Finish Area, On Course - Start & Final Stretch and Miscellaneous.

I volunteered again this year and worked the first aid station at the True Grit Ross Family ranch movie location. We had around 200 runners participate.

To see the photos, go here. 

Superman 1951 Location

During the 1951 season of the Adventures of Superman, in the "Secret of Superman" episode, there is a stock footage shot of a police car with the Barclay Apartments in the background.

Here is a screen capture from the episode:

I did some checking and the Barclay Apartments are still in existence. They are located at 706 S Normandie Ave, Los Angeles, CA near Wilshire Blvd.

This photo is from the Apartment Guide website:

Monument Valley's North Window and "The Searchers"

Movie locations have held a fascination for me, whether it is Japanese monster locations (I published The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan fourteen years ago) or within the confines of the United States. 

The Facebook page, Film Locations - Then and Now, posted this of Monument Valley. It is of a scene from The Searchers (1956) along with a view from present day.

In October 2022, I took the Sunrise Tour of Monument Valley from Goulding's Lodge. One of our stops was at this location, known as North Window.

The photo below is one that I took of it.

In 2016, I took the afternoon tour. It took us to different locations than the Sunrise Tour. They are both great tours, but I prefer the Sunrise Tour. 

Nichigeki Theater Re-Created In "Godzilla Minus One"

People have been raving about the special effects of Godzilla Minus One, but there's one thing that impressed me about the movie: the re-creation of 1940s Tokyo.

Sharp eyes will note the re-creation of the Nippon Gekjo Theater, more commonly known as the Nichigeki Theater. It was located in the Chiyoda-ku ward near Ginza.

Above, the Nichigeki Theater. 

The theater was demolished in 1981 for redevelopment and the Yuracucho Mullion building complex (it was featured and clawed by Godzilla in Return of Godzilla (1984)) now occupies the location. The theater was hit by Godzilla's tail in Godzilla (1954).

Above, the Yurakucho Mullion building. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Yurakucho Mullion building is covered in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan by yours truly.

For more on the Nichigeki Theater, go here.

The Screen Traveller's Guide: 10 Iconic Movie and TV Destinations

Above, The Three Sisters in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Intentional or not, the movies act as travelogues and advertisements with their locations around the world.

Thirteen years ago, I published The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan that provided locations and attractions of Godzilla and other monsters of Japanese movies. Many visitors to Japan who are also giant monster movie (daikaiju eiga) fans made good use of the book.

A new book on movie locations, The Screen Traveller’s Guide, has been published and is featured in an article in the U.K.'s Wanderlust website on ten iconic film and television destinations. One of the locations spotlighted in the article is our own Monument Valley.

It starts out with:

Armchair travel is all well and good but what about taking it to the next level? Planning travel based on iconic film and TV scenes that you’ve admired on-screen is a sure way to create a unique trip. DK has just published The Screen Traveller’s Guide, a perfect companion for planning a getaway that follows in the footsteps of your favourite characters.

The book was researched and compiled by a team of self-proclaimed movie zealots and travel experts, so it’s jam-packed with fandom favourites and ever-loved classics. A book to browse slowly over time or devour in one go, The Screen Traveller’s Guide is full of detailed location maps, information about studio tours, inspirational road trip routes and insider tips about specific scenes. One thing’s for sure, if these 10 destinations are good enough for Hollywood directors, they’re certainly worthy of being the backdrop for your next holiday.  

To read more, go here. 

Ridgway "Grit Series" Coming September 23

 

In a little over 2 weeks from now, I'll be up in Ridgway, Colorado for the Grit Series Half Marathon and 5K benefitting the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

Last year, I attended as a spectator. This year, I have volunteered to man one of aid stations along the marathon route. 

Above, the ranch house used in True Grit as the Ross Family home. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I am looking forward to attending. The area of the marathon is where scenes of True Grit (1969) were filmed. It is a beautiful area with mountains and ranchland. 

Above, Patrick and Ethan Wayne addressing the marathon participants last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The area is 11 miles west of the town of Ridgway. 

Those interested in participating in the run can still sign up until September 16. For more information, go here.

Superman Over Broadway Street In Los Angeles

Since some of us like to find locations used in movies and television shows, this idea for this post came from a video Jim Nolt posted yesterday from "The Clown Who Cried" episode from the Adventures of Superman from 1953. 

The video shows Superman (George Reeves) flying at night (matted) over a city street. The city street was Broadway Street in the theater district of downtown Los Angeles. The street was mis-identified as Hollywood Blvd. in a book on the television show years ago.

First off, here's a screen capture of Superman flying over Broadway Street:

Next, a post card of the same location:

There are three neon signs in both photos that identify the location: United Artists Theater, Texaco and part of Eastern (green building on the left in the post card and partially obscured in both photos).

Here's the video clip in its entirety:

UPDATE:

Superman fan/historian Lou Koza saw this post and commented at Facebook. He also posted the photo below:

Armand, This is a great topic. One I ventured into back in 2019. From right to left I pointed to details showing this city Broadway Street canyon to be the one and only match. Also note that in the "Adventures of Superman" "Texaco Shot" scene is the Western Costume Building. Feel free to add this to your Website story.

 

Thanks, Lou!

Visit Movie and TV Locations With Your RV

Above, Monument Valley is an obvious place to visit since
it has appeared in many movies. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, I have visited movie and television locations around the U.S. and in Japan (I wrote the book on Godzilla/kaiju locations in Japan, The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan).

In the U.S., locations in the Los Angeles area are plentiful. There are also some around the country and RV Travel has posted an article on them that also provides some suggestions.

They begin it with:

What places do you have on your bucket list to see in your RV travels? One of the things we enjoy most is seeing Americana at its best. For us, that means traveling to see things like the world’s largest ball of twine, the smallest skyscraper, or the oldest time capsule. People are creative. But have you checked out fictional places yet (or real places in fictional movies) such as restaurants or haunts where characters hung out in movies or television, or were made famous in books? You should consider visiting famous movie and TV locations on your travels. 

To read more, go here. 

Superman Canyon

Above, the eastern end of Superman Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last evening, I decided to have dinner in Gallup. When I got on Interstate 40 to head into Gallup, I saw that there was a huge line of traffic in the eastbound lanes stretching from Coolidge to almost the McGaffey exit.

Anticipating that the traffic won't clear by the time I headed back (and monitoring the situation on my phone), I took an alternate route home.

This route, in the Navajo Nation, took me past Superman Canyon northeast of Gallup.

Why is this called Superman Canyon? Scenes from Superman (1978) were filmed there.

According to Filmedthere.com:

The scenes shown below are from when Lois dies in the earthquake. Superman turns back time to fix everything and bring Lois back. The location is located on Superman Canyon Rd, in Gallup, NM. From I-40, you need to be on Route 66. find State Rd. 43A also known as Superman Canyon Rd. About 4-4.5 miles up the road is the movie scene location.

 

Above, Christopher Reeve and Margo Kidder in Superman Canyon in 1978. Photo by Warner Bros.

My route took me past Superman Canyon at the eastern end from the route stated above.

Along the way, I pulled over and took a couple of pictures of the canyon. 

Above, another view of the eastern end of Superman Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.

Monument Valley, Totem Pole and Clint Eastwood

Above, Totem Pole (center) as seen during my 2016 tour of Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During his heyday as an action film star, Clint Eastwood often pushed the envelope to deliver the goods for his movies when outdoors doing action scenes.

One such time was in The Eiger Sanction (1975) in which Eastwood plays a college art professor who is also a retired secret agent for a secret government spy agency that specializes in eliminating (called sanctions) enemies. He is called back into service, reluctantly, by the agency head who is a full-fledged albino (played by Thayer David of Dark Shadows fame). 

Above a view of Totem Pole taken last October. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

He is charged to sanction someone connected with an international climbing team of Switzerland's Eiger mountain for murdering a fellow agent who was also a friend. He proceeds to Utah for his pre-climb training under the wing of George Kennedy. Scenes of his training include Zion National Park (Checkerboard Mesa, the Zion Lodge pool (now gone)) and Monument Valley Tribal Park, where Eastwood became the last person to legally climb the 400 foot tall Totem Pole. Scenes of his Totem Pole climb are spectacular, particularly when Eastwood and Kennedy pop open some beer while sitting atop it. While Eastwood climbed the world's tallest spire himself, Kennedy was airlifted onto it by helicopter.

During recent years, I took two tours of Monument Valley with Goulding's Lodge Tours and saw Totem Pole from two distant vantage points. 

7 Pixar's "Cars" Location Inspirations

Above, the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is hard to believe that Pixar's Cars was released back in 2006.

Many locations, some of which are on Historic Route 66, served as inspirations for some of the movie's features. 

Roadtrippers has listed seven iconic Route 66 locations that inspired the movie.

They begin with:

Nearly two decades after its debut, it’s almost impossible to travel along any portion of Route 66 and not see several references to Disney Pixar’s 2006 animated movie Cars. Inspired by director John Lasseter’s real-life cross-country road trip, the film still draws families and fans to iconic attractions featured (or riffed on) in the movie, including the remaining Wigwam Villages, trading posts, curiosity shops, and vintage filling stations. 

Here are seven real-life locations that inspired the makers of Cars. 

To see what they are, go here. 

Goulding's Trading Post and "Fort Apache" (1948)

Yesterday, I toured the original Goulding's Trading Post building which consists of the store and upstairs living quarters of Harry and Mike Goulding.

The trading post building, near Monument Valley, was featured in two (maybe more) movies starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford. The first was Fort Apache (1948) and second was She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949). 

In Fort Apache, the building was used as part of a way station for a stagecoach stop of Henry Fonda and Shirley Temple while en route to Fort Apache.

Below are photos of the building in Fort Apache and what I took yesterday:

Above, the stagecoach of Henry Fonda and Shirley Temple arriving
 at the way station. Note the rock formations in the background.

Above, similar view from the front of the Goulding Trading Post building. The
 formations look a little different due to the angle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the stagecoach and the trading post building in Fort Apache.

Above, a similar view of the trading post building yesterday. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

"True Grit" Undertaker's Shop For Lease?

Above, the store used as the undertaker's shop is on the right. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The store in Ridgway, Colorado used for the undertaker's shop in True Grit (1969) appeared to be vacant when I went into town for dinner at the True Grit Café. The undertaker was played by Hank Worden.

Two years ago, it appeared to be a gift or home decorating shop. The photos that accompany this post were taken then.

Above, another view of the store from two years ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I didn't walk up to it for a closer look, but it did appear empty from where I was able to see of it.

If it is vacant and available for lease, it would be an interesting place to open up a business with some movie history attached to it.

"True Grit" Ranch House

Above, the "Mattie Ross house" from True Grit. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first time I was in Ridgway, Colorado was two years ago when a friend and I took a vacation in  southern Colorado that included Durango, Ouray, Ridgway, Cortez and Mesa Verde National Park.

While in the Ridgway area, we took a drive to see if we could find the locations of the Ross family ranch shown in the beginning and end of True Grit (1969). We didn't find it. That's because it was on the spur of the moment and we weren't prepared.

Last week, I headed up to Ridgway for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation Half Marathon and 5K, which was to be held at the True Grit location. 

I did some research and found how to get there. Thankfully, the ranch owner is currently having the buildings restored. The ranch house was originally built during the early 20th Century (around 1910).

Here's how to get there (from RidgwayColorado.com):

Please respect the boundaries of this private property but by all means, pull over and snap a few photos! To reach the Ranch, leave Ridgway going West on Hwy 62, and drive over Dallas Divide, which is one of the most photographed locations in Colorado! The left turn on Last Dollar Road (58P), approximately 11 miles from Ridgway, is clearly marked. Stay on this good gravel road for 2.5 miles from the turn off and the ranch will be on the right side of the road. In the winter, the road is not maintained beyond this point.

During the summer months, the dirt road is good enough for even passenger cars. I drove it in my Class C motorhome.

John Wayne's "True Grit" Ending Horse-Jump Scene

Everyone remembers the famous ending scene from True Grit (1969) of John Wayne horse-jumping a four-rail fence, right? 

If not, here's a video of the scene:

Last Saturday, I visited the area where the Ross family ranch was filmed. In the photos below, is the hilltop where the above scene (cemetery and horse-jump) took place. The approximate spot is circled in red.