Conde Naste posted a nice piece on 50 films that most influenced travel, which you can find here.
As a kid growing up on the Canadian prairies, I do recall films helping open my eyes to the great world out there. Several come immediately to mind, including two great films by Alfred Hitchcock (North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief). The scene of Cary Grant on Mount Rushmore in North by Northwest was especially effective. Also, there were two great films about Africa that made me want to visit it, The African Queen with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, and perhaps greatest of all, Out of Africa, with its wonderful sweeping panoramas of the the African savannah.
On an almost unrelated note, but a film that really opened my eyes to what’s out there was Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke’s magnum opus, 2001: A Space Odyssey. It made me want to travel to space. This is still a destination the eludes me (and likely always will, except in my imagination).
Do any of you have any favorite films that sparked your travel interests?
This is going to seem odd, I guess…but as a kid I really enjoyed the Road to…. pictures with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. Nothing really serious about them on the surface…but all of them play in some way with the idea of different cultures and how not understanding them can lead to strange circumstances. Of course, in the Road films, no really bad consequences ever happen, but still…they did make me curious.
Casablanca…and it’s funny, but it didn’t make me want to go to Casablance, it made me want to go to “Paris before the war.” And if Ingrid Bergman could be there with me…
Oh, yes, indeed – The Road pictures had a quirky playfulness that made one curious to get out and see things. You thought “if those mixed-up people can do it, I can do it.”. Casablanca had that “je ne sais quoi” that made you want to see “Paris…before the war”. Thanks for the memories about the movies.
I enjoyed the Bob Hope/Bing Crosby road pictures too. I remember watching them on TV as a family. Lots of fun!
I understand what you mean Dan, about Casablanca and Ingrid Bergman. I felt the same way about Catch a Thief and Grace Kelly.
I really enjoyed the Harry Potter movies! Gave me a real sense of England, and of course all that magical stuff was great! Hope to visit England some day.
I really enjoyed the Harry Potter movies! Gave me a real sense of England, and of course all that magical stuff was great! Hope to visit England some day.
We’d love you to come and visit England but I hope you wont be a bit disappointed when you don’t see any Nimbus 2000s crossing the sky. But we have some wonderful Castles and Steam Trains.
That’s very nice of you to say, Garry. I do want to go to England and no, I won’t be disappointed if the trains are just steam trains.
This year I’m hoping to go to Portugal, but maybe next year England? I hope I can ask you some questions when I’m ready to go.
That’s very nice of you to say, Garry. I do want to go to England and no, I won’t be disappointed if the trains are just steam trains.
This year I’m hoping to go to Portugal, but maybe next year England? I hope I can ask you some questions when I’m ready to go.
That’s very nice of you to say, Garry. I do want to go to England and no, I won’t be disappointed if the trains are just steam trains.
This year I’m hoping to go to Portugal, but maybe next year England? I hope I can ask you some questions when I’m ready to go.
Anytime!
I like your castle photo, GarryRF. Where did you take that?
Its in North Wales Doc F. Conway Castle.