subject: Kauai- Where the Blockbusters are Shot [print this page] Kauai- Where the Blockbusters are Shot Kauai- Where the Blockbusters are Shot
Visiting Hawaii you can now visit the film sets of your favourite blockbuster movies, or at least, the wonderful natural areas where these movies were set. There are plenty of them, as filming on Kauai is very popular, largely due to the vast and beautiful landscapes to be found all over this island. The beautiful Hawaiian Islands have been a haven for acting greats throughout film history: Elvis Presley, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas, Patrick Swayze, Kate Hudson, Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry and Ben Affleck are just some of the actors that have been seen through the lens, filming on Kauai on the Islands of Aloha.
It's hardly surprising why directors chose Hawaii as the setting to their screenplays Hawaii is a picture paradise, where sheer cliffs, lush greenery, and clear waters offer the ultimate backdrop.
Hawaiis oldest island, Kauai, is home to the Napali Coast, rich in natural beauty where green cliffs tower high into the sky and cascading waterfalls plummet into deep, narrow valleys. Such is the grandeur that it has been used for the setting of much Hollywood filming on Kauai including Jurassic Park I, II and III, Raiders of the Lost Ark and King Kong. A dramatic way to explore the coastline and the stunning Waimea Canyon is by helicopter. There are a number of tours which offer a Manawaiopuna Falls Landing Tour (featured in Jurassic Park).
Visitors to Kauai can also venture further into the interior to find where some of Hollywoods biggest movies were filmed. Some local tour operators offer Theatre-On-Wheels tour buses which visit the film sites of legendary masterpieces including Six Days, Seven Nights and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The filming on Kauai tours give fascinating insider details of the stars and what they did whilst they were in Kauai and also visit the long-closed Coco Palms Resort, the film location for Elvis's Blue Hawaii.
More recently, James Camerons Avatar has also partly been filmed on Kauai. The blockbuster, featuring the stunning landscapes and forests of Pandora was shot on Kauai island with its wide canyons, lush ravines and rainforest, spectacular waterfalls and dramatic cliffs.
In addition to Kauai, the other Hawaii islands have also often starred in international blockbusters, so they are also well worth a visit when you are in the area. The island of Maui has featured in many films including Jurassic Park I & III, The Hulk and the James Bond movie Die Another Day. The opening surf scenes of the latter, feature what are claimed to be the biggest waves in the world at Peahi Beach, nicknamed Jaws on the north coast of Maui. Venture to the island of Oahu and the setting of many great films can be explored, including You, Me and Dupree, 50 First Dates, Jurassic Park III, Pearl Harbour, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Godzilla and the hit TV series Lost. Movie buffs will love a vacation touring the areas used for filming on Kauai and others will be interested in these areas because of the beauty and magnificence which meant they were chosen as film sets.
