Table Of Content
Lights, Camera, Action: Explore the Movie Magic in Fort Myers, Florida
Hey there, fellow adventure seeker! Feeling a little restless? Searching for something exciting to do? Well, have I got a reel treat for you! Buckle up and get ready for a blockbuster experience as we dive into the enchanting world of movies filmed in Fort Myers, Florida.
Key Takeaways:
- Discover the movie magic: Fort Myers isn’t just a sunny getaway; it’s a hidden treasure trove of silver screen history.
- Unleash your inner movie buff: Explore the filming locations and relive iconic movie moments.
- Spice up your vacay: Visiting movie shooting spots adds a fascinating twist to your travel itinerary.
Imagine strolling down iconic streets, stepping into the shoes of your favorite characters, and uncovering the secrets behind the scenes.
Fort Myers has played host to numerous Hollywood productions, making it an absolute paradise for cinephiles like you. So, grab your popcorn and let’s delve into the tantalizing reasons why visiting movie filming locations should be at the top of your must-do list!
You may be thinking, “Why should I visit these spots when I could just watch the movies from the comfort of my couch?” Well, my friend, let me enlighten you. First off, nothing beats the feeling of standing in the exact same spot as your beloved stars.
You’ll be filled with a sense of wonder, like you’re sharing the screen with them. And hey, who knows, maybe you’ll discover your hidden talent for acting too!
Walking in the footsteps of the famous can also open your eyes to the incredible craftsmanship that goes into creating movie magic. From the intricately designed sets to the artistic choice of locations, you’ll gain a newfound appreciation for the behind-the-scenes wizards who make it all happen. Trust me, it’s mind-blowing!
But it’s not just about the movies themselves; it’s about the experience. Planning your trip around these filming locations adds a whole new dimension of excitement to your vacation.
Picture yourself wandering through the picturesque streets, alternating between reality and the fictional worlds you’ve come to adore. Your Instagram followers won’t know what hit them when you start sharing snaps of you recreating those famous scenes!
Feeling inspired yet? Great! Now it’s time to embark on your very own movie adventure. Follow the link below and allow yourself to get lost in the enchanting world of films shot in Fort Myers, Florida. Lights, camera, explore!
Just Cause – US Box Office: USD$36millions
Director: Arne Glimcher
Main Cast: Sean Connery, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Capshaw, Blair Underwood, and Ed Harris
Release Date: 17 February 1995
Filming Locations: Gainesville, Florida, USA; Lee County, Florida, USA; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
Main Plot: Joanie Shriver (Barbara Jean Kane), an eleven-year-old girl from Ochopee, Florida, is kidnapped, raped, and murdered. Bobby Earl Ferguson (Blair Underwood) is apprehended by officers. Tanny Brown (Laurence Fishburne) and J. T. Wilcox (Christopher Murray) beat Bobby into confessing to the murder. Bobby is put on trial, his defense attorney McNair (Ned Beatty) puts up a poor defense for Bobby, and Bobby is sentenced to death. Eight years later, Bobby handed his grandmother Evangeline (Ruby Dee) a letter. He asks her to accompany him to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to employ Harvard professor of law Paul Armstrong (Sir Sean Connery) to resolve Bobby’s name.
Famous quotes:
Paul Armstrong: Even if you don’t have a condition, you might have a situation.
Blair Sullivan: “You a killer too?”
Paul Armstrong: “Me? No.”
Blair Sullivan: “You never been in a war?”
Paul Armstrong: “No.”
Blair Sullivan: “Korea? Vietnam? You ever do a little hit and run with the BMW? Never told the wifey to get an abortion? A little piece o’ chicken on the side – here’s $300 dollars doll face, get taken care of.”
Fun Fact about Just Cause:
- A scene from the film’s theatrical trailer showed a group of Boy Scouts uncovering the severely decayed remains of a human body in the Everglades. However, that scene was omitted from the final cut.
Gone Fishin’ – US Box Office: USD$19millions
Director: Christopher Cain
Main Cast: Joe Pesci, Danny Glover, Rosanna Arquette, Lynn Whitfield, and Willie Nelson
Release Date: 30 May 1997
Filming Locations: Ochopee, Florida, USA; Beaufort, South Carolina, USA; Big Cypress Swamp, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA; Marco Island, Florida, USA; Newark, New Jersey, USA
Main Plot: Joe and Gus are quickly established as two losers in life. In the opening sequences, they are shown as children blowing up an industry while tossing a cigarette into an open pipe. Years later, as adults, they get to go on a fishing trip that they know will go horribly wrong. They are first duped out of their car keys by a con man-killer who preys on elderly women. They join forces with two young women on the hunt for the killer who stole all of Arquette’s mother’s jewelry and money. After many disasters, the two are confronted with the killer and all of his loot.
Famous quotes:
[Joe and Gus come flying through the beach where Phil Beasley is giving a speech]
Phil Beasly: “That’s my boat!”
[the boat finally comes to a rest, it breaks in half as two other boats fall down]
“Gus Green, Joe Waters: Hey, Phil!”
Gus Green: “Hey, Phil, we decided to bring the boat back before the 30 days was up. Right, Joe?”
Joe Waters: [shows him the radio wires] “Yeah. Look, Phil, this stuff all broke. You better get it all fixed. Thanks, anyway.”
Gus Green: “Yeah, thanks, man. You know, you need better material.”
Joe Waters: “Yeah. Sorry.”
Fun Fact about Gone Fishin’:
- The film’s initial release date (summer of 1996) was pushed back by more than a year when Disney, the original distributor, shifted the film to their Hollywood Pictures label. It came out in May 1997.
Manhunter – US Box Office: USD$8millions
Director: Michael Mann
Main Cast: William Petersen, Kim Greist, Joan Allen, Brian Cox, and Dennis Farina
Release Date: 15 August 1986
Filming Locations: High Museum of Art – 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Lambert International Airport – 10701 Lambert International Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Wilmington, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; EUE/Screen Gems Studios – 1223 N 23rd Street, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
Main Plot: Will Graham, the now-retired F.B.I. agent, is reluctantly back in action after his close encounter with the charismatic but deranged criminal mastermind, Dr. Hannibal Lecktor. The “Tooth Fairy,” a psychopathic serial killer, is still on the loose. He is decimating entire families, and Graham must confront his inner demons and Lecktor, his manipulative arch-enemy. This is better for understanding the insane mind of the methodical murderer. Time is again against Graham, who will have to go to great lengths to solve this difficult case. Can he figure out who the Tooth Fairy is ahead of the next full moon?
Famous quotes:
Will Graham: “I know that I’m not smarter than you.”
Dr. Hannibal Lecktor: “Then how did you catch me?”
Will Graham: “You had disadvantages.”
Dr. Hannibal Lecktor: “What disadvantages?”
Will Graham: “You’re insane.”
Fun Facts about Manhunter:
- This is the only adaptation of Thomas Harris’s “Hannibal” books in which Hannibal never leaves his prison cell.
- Thomas Harris and Michael Mann are the film’s writers.
Palmetto – US Box Office: USD$5millions
Director: Volker Schlöndorff
Main Cast: Woody Harrelson, Elisabeth Shue, Gina Gershon, Rolf Hoppe, and Michael Rapaport
Release Date: 20 February 1998
Filming Locations: Gator Club – 1490 Main Street, Sarasota, Florida, USA; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Palmetto, Florida, USA; Florida, USA
Main Plot: Harry Barber, a newspaper reporter, attempted to expose Palmetto’s corruption but was framed and imprisoned. His conviction is overturned after two years, and he is released—by a judge who delivers the verdict via closed-circuit television. When Harry begins yelling that he wants his two years back, the judge dismisses him by pressing the channel-changer button. Harry wants to start over somewhere other than Palmetto. But his ex-girlfriend, Nina, an artist, pulls him back. He looks for work, but can’t find it, so he passes the time by hanging out in bars, buying bourbon but not drinking it. Rhea, a blond, walks into the bar, makes a phone call, and walks out without her handbag. Harry discovers it in the phone booth, she undulates for it, and they engage in a conversation in which Harry does not drink bourbon. Rhea holds a cigarette but does not light it.
Famous quotes:
[first lines]
[palmetto bug chirping over typical prison sounds]
Harry Barber: “They’re not as bad as you might think. In fact, sometimes they’re pretty good company.”
[pause]
Harry Barber: “And you can get used to just about anything in prison, even a palmetto bug.”
[pause]
Harry Barber: “I tried writing again. Nothing came out that didn’t sound bitter and cynical. And there’s nothing worse than a writer who doesn’t have anything to say.”
[pause]
Harry Barber: “Well… that’s me, Harry Barber.”
Fun Facts about Palmetto:
- Despite the title and the existence of a real-life “Palmetto” in Florida, most of the film was shot in and around Sarasota, FL.
- James Hadley Chase and E. Max Frye are the film’s writers.
Day of the Dead – US Box Office: USD$5millions
Director: George A. Romero
Main Cast: Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Joseph Pilato, Jarlath Conroy, and Anthony Dileo Jr.
Release Date: July 19, 1985
Filming Locations: Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Sanibel Island, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Wampum, Pennsylvania, USA
Main Plot: A woman named Sarah is restless and alone in a brick-walled room when she notices a calendar on the wall. It is October, and every day for her has been crossed out. A dozen decayed arms punch through the wall, clutching at her as she gazes at the image of a pumpkin patch. She awakens from this bizarre nightmare in the back of a helicopter. Looking down over a deserted Fort Myers, Florida, where they land near an abandoned harbor, she is reminded that she is living a nightmare. She is part of a four-person team looking for survivors of a gruesome crisis that began nearly a year ago. A plague that started mysteriously and led to the extinction of human civilization. Private Miguel Salazar, her sometimes lover, and overworked soldier, calls for survivors on a bullhorn as they stand in this decaying town. A newspaper blows in the death-scented wind near an early-century federal building among the scattered palm fronds. THE DEAD WALK! is the big, bold headline.
Famous quotes:
Captain Rhodes: “I’m callin’ a meeting for 7:00 tonight! I want everybody present. *Everybody*, lady! Including Dr. Frankestein and including your boyfriend!”
Sarah: “I gave him a sedative. He won’t be awake!”
Captain Rhodes: “Look here, woman! I’m short on man power! I won’t have you goin’ around dopin’ up any of my men without orders from me! Is that clear?”
Sarah: “Yes, sir!”
[salutes]
Sarah: “Fuck you, sir!”
Sequel: Land of the Dead
Fun Fact about Day of the Dead:
- The underground facility was not staged. It was filmed in the Wampum mine, a former limestone mine near Pittsburgh that had been converted into an underground storage facility. The mine, which is 2,500,000 square feet in size, is now known as the Gateway Commerce Center and is used as a “subsurface storage facility.”
