by Aurelia Banks
These days, most movies will use CGI to create vast worlds and areas that wouldn’t be possible to film in. However, sometimes, you simply can’t beat a scene being filmed in a real location, with some of the most iconic movie scenes being filmed in real world locations.
Whether it’s someone in a car chase, a superhero movie or even someone just playing slots as an extra in a casino heist or expert card player biopic, sometimes filming in a real location can just add that bit extra of realism to a film that can make the difference and make it into an all-timer.
As technology has become more and more advanced, less and less scenes are being filmed in real places due to them being able to recreate this virtually. Despite this, there is something about real location scenes that really stand out and make it special. In this article, we’ll be taking a look into some of the best movie filming locations and what scenes have been captured there.
For producers, getting the right location for a scene can be one of the hardest jobs when making a movie, as if you get it wrong, it can completely take away all the hard work done throughout the rest of the movie, whereas if you get it right, it’s a sure fire ticket to success and the movie being a major hit, as these scenes can live on long after the movie has finished screening.
New York
Numerous movies over the years have been filmed in New York. From blockbuster thrillers to smaller movies have all used New York as a filming location. Due to New York being one of the busiest cities in the world, it’s amazing to think just how many movies have been filmed there with roads even sometimes being closed for filming.
In the first Avengers Movie (2012), the main battle scene where the Avengers team fought off an alien race was filmed directly in New York. Obviously CGI was used alongside this, the main cast with the likes of Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth and more all filmed in person in New York.
On a smaller scale, films such as Phone Booth were filmed in New York, with the majority of the movie being filmed in one location. Despite this, the use of great camera angles and shots mean it’s still very clear it’s being filmed in New York. as the film came out in 2002, CGI wasn’t at the level it is today.
Highclere Castle England
Some of the best films and TV shows are ones that don’t rely on CGI and can just use the stunning local scenery to wow fans. Highclere Castle is just one of those places, with the likes of Downton Abbey being filmed here over a number of years.
A fan favourite, Downton Abbey had been filmed over numerous seasons and even had movies released due to the popularity of the show with most of the original cast returning.
Set mainly in the Highclere Castle, this beautiful historic building oozes with class and really takes you back to a different time when watching the show.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, home to some of the best casino movie scenes ever made. With the amount of casinos around in Las Vegas, it was only a matter of time before they were brought onto the movie scene. For example, the likes of The Hangover where four friends end up getting a lot more than they bargained for on a stag do, and following a sequence of bad events now face a rush against time to get back to one of their weddings.
The Godfather 2 is known as one of the best movies of all time and has some scenes in Las Vegas where they can be seen playing in a casino. These are just two examples of incredible movies that filmed in Las Vegas, with many more taking to the strip to film scenes.
Las Vegas is mainly used in movies where there’s either a gambling theme or there are people playing games such as poker or slots. As Las Vegas is one of the biggest places in the world for gambling, it’s no surprise that movies have incorporated this into their movies, with numerous ones going on to be massive successes.
Many people have one particular scene in movies they fondly look back on and remember, for example Star Wars Revenge of the Sith, there is a specific spot where Anakin and Padme get married, this was filmed in Italy and has a number of visitors every year just because of the movie.
Filming in a real location can have a massive impact on the movie and its fans and can be the difference between success and failure. What’s your favourite location for a feature film scene?
