From Hollywood movies to reality, become your favourite film character for a day!
Have you ever wondered if some of the places that you see in your favourite films are real? Especially with today’s advancements in CGI technology, digitally formed landscapes are getting ever more realistic!
From anime films like Your Name to those featuring mythical creatures like Lord Of The Rings, we’ve found a couple of the actual and accessible filming locations of your favourite movies! Join us on this trip to relive your favourite moments in film.
1. Harry Potter – London
Everyone knows that to become a wizard, you’ve got to visit London! But on a more serious note, the city is a mecca for all Potterheads, with multiple scenes in the franchise being shot there. Guided walking tours around the filming locations are actually really popular as you get to see landmarks like Platform 9 ¾ and Daigon Alley.
If you’re looking for something even more magical, embark on a fully guided Warner Bros. Studio Tour where you’ll get to see the actual sets and costumes that were used in the movie, and even dine in Hogwarts Great Hall. Just being there would make you want to shout in your grandest voice ‘10 points to Gryffindor!’
2. Crazy Rich Asians – Singapore
Moving on to somewhere close to home or rather in our own hometown, the romantic blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians was filmed at several popular attractions around our sunny island!
These include our world-renowned Changi Airport (too little too late, Jewel), almost every Singaporean’s dream wedding venue, Raffles Hotel and the reception venue of one of the biggest weddings in the movie, Gardens By The Bay.
The movie also brought Singapore’s cuisine to a global level during the scene where Nick and Rachel dined at Newton Food Center, with many local delicacies on display! Although many would agree that it was not the best representation of our food culture, nothing speaks Singaporean more than a good deal on food!
3. La La Land – Los Angeles
From one bustling city to another, it was only right for this dreamy film to be shot in the city of dreams! From Warner Bros. Studio to Long Beach, the movie literally takes you on a tour around Los Angeles! If you are looking for all La La Land’s filming locations, you can find it here.
The must-visit location from the film is the Griffith Observatory! Recreate the romantic date that Sebastian and Mia had and watch the LA sunset with Bae. On the way down stop by Griffith Park and try your hand at the iconic tap dance scene from the movie.
4. The Lord Of The Rings – Wellington, Auckland
Sometimes a lot of editing goes into making a film location look good for the big screen and in the case of New Zealand, the beauty of its natural landscapes led it to be known as ‘Middle Earth’ ever since the release of the first movie.
From the forests of Rivendell to the rolling plains of Isengard, tour around Wellington on this epic journey and retrace the journey that Frodo took to destroy the ring. You can also make your way up to Auckland to visit The Shire, home of the hobbits and where the movie started! Take a guided tour around the Hobbiton Movie set and experience how the hobbits lived their daily lives.
5. Game Of Thrones – Europe
Fearsome dragons, magnificent castles and breathtaking landscapes, Game of Thrones has everything we could ever ask for in an action fantasy flick! Besides the heavy CGI for the dragons and effects, the landscapes in this show are natural and as gorgeous as they come!
From the home of the Iron Islands in Dublin to Croatia where the famous walk of shame in King’s landing took place, some of Europe’s most scenic spots are featured in this series and you can find the whole list here.
6. The Dark Knight Rises – Jodhpur
One of India’s most picturesque cities, Jodhpur, boasts many attractions such as it’s iconic blue structures that led it to be called the ‘Blue City’, touring the Thar Desert on a camel safari and the location of Batman’s prison?!
The last film of the Batman Trilogy was filmed in Jodhpur, more specifically where Bruce Wayne was locked up at Mehrangarh Fort and he had to train and climb his way out of the pit to become The Batman again!
7. Your Name – Toyko
When you think of animated films, you would think that most of the locations or landmarks are created from scratch due to the nature of the film, but in terms of reference, most artists use real-life locations! For Your Name that took the world by storm in 2016, director Makoto Shinkai painstakingly recreated locations in Tokyo to be a mirror of its actual location.
You can find a list of the live locations in the movie here, but a notable one to visit is Lake Suwa in Nagano, where the climax of the movie took place. If you manage to visit the lake during the fireworks festival, you’ll be instantly transported into the film where Taki and Mitsuha help evacuate the city from imminent danger.
Enjoy the Best of the big screen and its live filming locations
With our ongoing promotion with Golden Village, enjoy your favourite movies at a discounted rate! Who knows, you might just get inspired to go on your next great adventure yourself!
