Top 5 Movies Filmed in Sarasota, Florida by US Box Office

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Lights, Sarasota, Action! Explore the Filming Locations of Blockbuster Movies in Florida

Lights! Camera! Sarasota! If you’re a movie buff with a thirst for adventure, then you’re in for a treat. Sarasota, Florida, not only boasts idyllic beaches and stunning scenery, but it has also served as the backdrop for some of the most iconic films ever made.

Get ready to step into the world of Hollywood and explore the very locations where your favorite movies came to life.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sarasota, Florida, has been a popular filming location for numerous Hollywood movies.
  • Visiting movie filming locations can add a unique and exciting element to your travel experience.
  • Exploring Sarasota’s filming locations allows you to see familiar sights in a whole new light.

Oh, the wonders and mysteries of movie magic! As you walk the streets of Sarasota, you can’t help but imagine yourself as the star of your own blockbuster film.

Picture yourself strolling along the same boardwalk that Leonardo DiCaprio strutted on, or standing in front of a beautiful house that once hosted an intense on-screen drama. By visiting the filming locations of these movies, you can immerse yourself in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood while enjoying the sunny vibes of Florida.

Imagine the stories you’ll be able to tell once you’ve visited the quaint coffee shop where Meg Ryan spilled her heart out, or the charming park where a superhero once fought off evil.

These locations are not just random spots on a map; they are pieces of cinematic history. Stepping into these familiar backdrops will make you feel like a part of something greater, a part of the magic that happens when the cameras start rolling.

Now, let’s dive into the fascinating world of Sarasota’s movie filming locations. As you explore the vibrant streets, keep an eye out for hidden gems and familiar sights.

From iconic landmarks that have graced the silver screen to lesser-known spots that only the most passionate movie buffs would recognize, Sarasota has something for every film enthusiast.

So, get your camera ready and channel your inner movie star as you discover the magic of Sarasota’s film locations. Whether it’s walking in the footsteps of your favorite actors or simply capturing the essence of a beloved film, visiting these spots will transport you into a world of excitement and wonder. Lights, Sarasota, action!

Lights, camera, action! Step into the movies and explore the filming locations that put Sarasota, Florida on the Hollywood map. Your adventure awaits – check out the listicle below and start planning your movie-inspired journey! Lights, camera, Sarasota!

Out of Time US Box Office: USD$41,088,845millions

Director:  Carl Franklin

Main Cast: Denzel Washington, Sanaa Lathan, Eva Mendes, Dean Cain

Release Date: 3 October 2003

Filming Locations: Casey Key Swing Bridge, Sarasota, Florida, USA; Boca Grande, Florida, USA; Cortez, Florida, USA; Miami, Florida, USA; Florida, USA

Main Plot: Banyan Key, Florida, Chief of Police Matt Whitlock is divorced from his wife Alex, a homicide detective for the Miami Police Department. Ann Merai Harrison, the woman Matt has been having an affair with, is cancer-stricken and just divorced from her abusive husband, Chris. After learning of an expensive new therapy recommended by her doctor, Matt decides to give her almost half a million dollars in evidence money he recovered during a narcotics arrest in the area. Things heat up for Chief Whitlock when Ann and her husband are found dead days after naming Whitlock as the beneficiary of a million-dollar Life insurance policy. Alex, Whitlock’s wife, has been collecting evidence against him. Just when you thought things couldn’t get much worse, the D.E.A. immediately comes knocking for the drug money. Whitlock is stressed as he tries to discover who set him up and collect half a million dollars without raising suspicion. He is a man who is completely out of his element, has almost no chance of survival, and is running out of time.

Famous quotes:

Agent Strark: “The guy never showed up, Whitlock.”

Matt Lee Whitlock: “Agent Stark…”

Agent Strark: “Yeah. You know, I don’t care if you’re injured or not – I want that evidence money… or you’re gonna be looking at a case of your own…”

Chae: [walking up to Whitlock with a gym bag] “Hey. Hey. Where the hell is Southeast 63rd street in Miami?”

Matt Lee Whitlock: “53rd street, Chae.”

Chae: “No.”

Fun Fact about Out of Time:

  • During the battle scene in the hotel, the hotel television plays a set from the movie Legally Blonde (2001), and the dialogue can be heard. In particular, the part in the film where Warner ends his relationship with Elle.

The Greatest Show on Earth – US Box Office: USD$36.00millions

Director: Cecil B. DeMille

Main Cast: James Stewart, Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde

Release Date: 10 January 1952

Filming Locations: Sarasota, Florida, USA; Cedar City, Utah, USA; Sarasota Springs, Florida, USA; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Main Plot: The exciting lives of circus performers such as trapeze artists, a clown, and an elephant trainer are recounted against the splendor of a circus.

To assure that the circus would make a profit for the entire season, Brad Braden, the manager of the chaos, hires The Great Sebastian. However, this requires Holly, Braden’s girlfriend, to give up the center trapeze spot she had worked so hard to get. While Holly and Sebastian are engaged in a potentially lethal one-upmanship duel in the ring, Sebastian is chasing Holly down on the ground. One of the story’s subplots is the clown Buttons, whose past is shrouded in mystery, while another involves racketeers trying to steal money from the game concessions.

Famous quotes:

Holly: [singing] “When things go wrong, and life’s no song, and you’re flat on your back, that doesn’t mean you have to lie there: be a jumping jack!”

Buttons: [singing] “Keep on the hop, and if you flop, and everything looks black, stand on your head and holler “hi there!” Be a jumping jack!”

Holly: “When things go up, they must come down, and also visa verse. If things look bad, don’t fret and frown – they could be ten times worse!”

Buttons: “Your train of luck, it may get stuck if something’s on the track; give a good jump and you’ll get by there…”

Holly, Buttons: “Be a jumping jack!”

Fun Fact about The Greatest Show on Earth:

  • Cecil B. DeMille demanded a great deal from his performers and actresses. He insisted that everyone thoroughly understand the circus stunts they were expected to do. This meant that Betty Hutton truly mastered the trapeze, whereas Gloria Grahame was forced to allow an elephant’s foot to rest within an inch of her face. Cornel Wilde likely had the most difficult time due to his role as a trapeze performer. He had a severe fear of heights.

Great Expectations – US Box Office: USD$26.42millions

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Main Cast: Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hank Azaria, Chris Cooper

Release Date: 30 January 1998

Filming Locations: Cà d’Zan – 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, Florida, USA; Captiva Island, Florida, USA; Cortez, Florida, USA; Astor Place, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Main Plot: In this updated version of the classic story by Charles Dickens, the hapless Finn is now a painter living in New York City and seeking love from his childhood that was never returned to him. This story, based on the classic novel by Charles Dickens, tells of a man’s love for a woman who is out of his reach. The narrative’s plot, updated to take place in present-day New York City, centers on a man from a humble family who falls in love with a wealthy woman. But after an unknown benefactor gives the man the go-ahead to make his ambitions come true, everything that is done has the end objective of getting Estella to fall in love with him.

Famous quotes:

Finn: “What’s it like not to feel anything?”

Estella: “Let’s say there was a little girl, and from the time she could understand, she was taught to fear… let’s say she was taught to fear daylight. She was taught that it was her enemy, that it would hurt her. And then one sunny day, you ask her to go outside and play and she won’t. You can’t be angry at her can you?”

Finn: “I knew that little girl and I saw the light in her eyes, and no matter what you say or do, that’s still what I see.”

Estella: “We are who we are. People don’t change.”

Fun Fact about Great Expectations:

  • The moniker “Pip” is given to the book’s primary protagonist by Charles Dickens. However, it was considered that those living in modern times would find the name odd. The actor, Ethan Hawke’s dog, inspired the name “Finn” to be given to the character.

Parker – US Box Office: USD$17.62millions

Director: Taylor Hackford

Main Cast: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, Nick Nolte

Release Date: 23 January 2013

Filming Locations: West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; The Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA; Boca Raton Resort & Club – 501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton, Florida, USA; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Ohio State Fairgrounds, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Main Plot: Thief Parker has a secret code. He doesn’t take from the poor or hurt innocents. Four guys beg him to join them on a job. It’s flawless. They inform Parker that the money can help them get another job that pays more. But Parker won’t participate and wants his portion. They need it all, so they kill him. His body is disposed of, but someone finds him alive and takes him to the hospital. After recovering, he seeks revenge on those who tried to kill him, another code. Despite being told they work for a renowned mafia, he still wants to go after them. He learns where they are and poses as a rich Texan house hunter. He employs Leslie Rogers to take him around. He wants to know where they’re hiding. And when he finds it, he sets out to grab them. They ask a mafia to help him when they discover he’s alive. The gangster sends a killer after him. And Leslie is captivated by him, so she follows him.

Famous quotes:

Leslie Rodgers: “How do you sleep at night?”

Parker: “I don’t drink coffee after 7.”

Parker: [torturing man with a bar stool] “If you don’t tell me what I need to know, I’m gonna press down on this chair until it crushes your trachea. Trust me, it’s agonizing. Plus, there’s the posthumous humiliation of having been killed with a chair.”

Parker: “I don’t steal from anyone who can’t afford it, and I don’t hurt anyone who doesn’t deserve it.”

Leslie Rodgers: “Do you ever feel bad about what you do?”

Parker: “Everyone steals, Leslie. Some people admit it to themselves, some don’t. It’s what human beings do. That’s why we invented locks.”

Fun Fact about Parker:

  • Leslie (Jennifer Lopez) is alluding to the 2002 film Maid in Manhattan when she tells Parker that she participated in the hotel’s management training program before her marriage. Leslie continues by stating that she could have gotten him a substantial discount eleven years ago when Maid in Manhattan was launched.

Spring Breakers – US Box Office: USD$14.12millions

Director: Harmony Korine

Main Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine

Release Date: 15 March 2013

Filming Locations: Pinellas County, Florida, USA; St. Pete Beach, Florida, USA; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Sunshine Skyway Bridge, U.S. 19/I-275, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Gulfport, Florida, USA

Main Plot: Four college women rob a restaurant to pay for their spring break trip. They get arrested after a night of drinking, drug use, and excessive partying, but a drug and gun dealer bails them out. Faith, Brit, Candy, and Cotty have been friends since elementary school. They’re roommates in a dull college dorm and dying for some excitement. Saving up for spring break is all they need to do to have a chance at a good time. What the girls want most in life is to meet the famous rapper “Alien,” and their likelihood of meeting with him promises to deliver on that hope. It’s unknown how far the ladies will go at their new friend’s urging to have a once-in-a-lifetime adventure during spring break.

Famous quotes:

Faith: “Hi grandma. Having so much fun here. This place… is special. I am starting to think this is the most spiritful place I’ve ever been. I think we found ourselves here. We finally got to see some other parts of the world. We saw some beautiful things here. God, I can’t believe how many new friends we made. Friends from all over the place. I mean everyone was so sweet here. So warm and friendly. We’ It’s way more than just having a good time. God, it’s so nice to get a break from my auntie for a little while. We’ll always remember this trip. I wanna go back again next year with you. Something so amazing, magical. Something so beautiful. Feels as if the world is perfect. Like it’s never gonna end.”

Brit: “Just pretend it’s a video game. Like you’re in a fucking movie.”

Alien: “This is the fuckin’ American dream. This is my fuckin’ dream, y’all! All this sheeyit! Look at my sheeyit! I got… I got SHORTS! Every fuckin’ color. I got designer T-shirts! I got gold bullets. Motherfuckin’ VAM-pires. I got Scarface. On repeat. SCARFACE ON REPEAT. Constant, y’all! I got Escape! Calvin Klein Escape! Mix it up with Calvin Klein Be. Smell nice? I SMELL NICE! That ain’t a fuckin’ bed; that’s a fuckin’ art piece. My fuckin’ spaceship! U.S.S. Enterprise on this shit. I go to different planets on this motherfucker! Me and my fuckin’ Franklins here, we take off. TAKE OFF! Look at my shit. Look at my shit! I got my blue Kool-Aid. I got my fuckin’ NUN-CHUCKS. I got shurikens; I got different flavors. I got them sais. Look at that shit, I got sais. I got blades! Look at my sheeyit! This ain’t nuttin’, I got ROOMS of this shit! I got my dark tannin’ oil… lay out by the pool, put on my dark tanning oil… I got machine guns… Look at this, look at this motherfucker here! Look at this motherfucker! Huh? A fucking army up in this shit!”

Candy: “Spring break forever, bitches.”

Brit: “I think that’s the secret to life – being a good person.”

Sequel: Spring Breakers: The Second Coming 

Fun Fact about Spring Breakers:

  • Filming took place in “actual settings where there were genuine criminals around and some horrible stuff going on,” as James Franco put it in an interview with Howard Stern. Franco revealed that, unlike her character Candy, Vanessa Hudgens was frightened during the pool hall scene’s filming.

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