For some film lovers sprinkling their
conversations with quoted dialogue, buying action figures or dressing
in the garb of their favourite character isn’t enough to prove their PASSION
for the silver screen. Apart from a film being re-made and getting cast
in it, the closest most people can get to reliving their favourite
cinema moments is to visit the places (called locations in the
business) where key scenes were shot.
The newly coined term for this is set-jetting, meaning: to visit or
holiday in a place because you’re crazy about a film or book which was
set there. Tourist boards and governments everywhere love seeing their
city romanticised on the big screen - flying into New Zealand during
the peak of Lord of the Rings
mania the pilot welcomed you not just to New Zealand but to Middle
Earth. But it isn’t just big obvious locations that people are
interested in, small, poky out of the way places are also attractive to
set-jetters; many women, the partners of Quadrophenia fans,
have been swept off their feet in seemingly spur of the moment embraces
in the same Brighton alley just off East Street, romantically located
besides a bin store (sorry if you haven’t see the film and I just
spoiled your special moment of passion.).
I’ll have what she’s having
Film inspiring travel isn’t a new phenomena, if you watch Roman Holiday you’ll probably feel the urge to leave your humdrum daily life and lose yourself in Rome, but recent movies like The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Da Vinci Code
have held many imaginations hostage, and themed tours where all the
work is done for set-jetters have been spawned.
Real buffs will tell you the big thrill is in making your own
discoveries, pouring over scenes fame by frame (film is shot
traditionally at 25 frames per second) and arguing with like minded
enthusiasts in online forums about where each scene was shot.
Use the Force
The first key step is to decide which film or scenes you want to
venerate. Depending on your collection this could take a while, but the
good thing about this kind of travel is that you may not have to travel
to far to find your first location. You can even start inversely by
looking for local locations which appear in less well known films. To
help you get started a 2007 poll voted Big Ben’s Clock Tower as the
most iconic British film location for the scene in The 39 Steps
where the main character, Richard Hannay, hangs precariously from the
clock face, and so many people want to visit Harry Potter’s Platform 9 ¾
that they’ve put a sign in and there is a good chance you’ll see a kid
run into a wall. My personal favourite would have to be Harry Lime’s Ferris Wheel
from the Third Man, I can help but love a gritty war time spy drama and
the reason I first went to Vienna was because I thought it was
gracefully minimalist yet beautiful in the film - it even looks beautiful sans colour.
World Reviewer is a place to get inspired about travel by people who know because they've been there, done that. For more of World Reviewer's favourite film locations check out our full list of The World's Favourite Film Locations.
