Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Our favorite movies filmed on Oahu that don't necessarily depict Oahu are:
JURASSIC PARK
Filmed on the islands of Kauai and Oahu, Steven Spielberg's 1993 megahit,
which was billed as “an adventure 65 million years in the making,” is the story of dinosaurs
on the loose at the site of the world's only dinosaur farm and theme park, where creatures
from the past are produced using harvested DNA.
THE KARATE KID, PART II
In one of those instances where the sequel is actually better than the
original, this 1986 movie takes our hero Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his mentor,
Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), to Miyagi's homeland, Okinawa, to visit his dying father and con-
front his old rival. An entire Okinawan village was re-created on Oahu's Windward Coast.
THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK
In Steven Spielberg's 1997 follow-up to Jurassic Park, dino-
saurs have been bred and then escaped following the abandonment of the project in the
first installment. The sequel features much more Hawaiian scenery than the original.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES
The 2011 American adventure fantasy film,
and the fourth film in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series (following Pirates of the Carib-
bean: At World's End), was filmed on Oahu (and Kauai). In the film, Captain Jack Spar-
row (Johnny Depp) is joined by his former lover Angelica (Penélope Cruz) in his search for
the Fountain of Youth, confronting the infamous, real-life, legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian
McShane) along the way.
Our favorite films made in Hawaii and about Hawaii are:
BLUECRUSH
The 2002 surfer film, filmed on Oahu's North Shore, was directed by John Stock-
well and stars Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, Sanoe Lake, and Mika Boorem. In it, a
beautiful surf girl is distracted by a hunky football player while she is trying to prepare for
a big surfing competition.
BLUEHAWAII
Chad Gates (Elvis Presley), upon discharge from the Army, returns to Hawaii to
enjoy life with his buddies and girlfriend, against the wishes of his parents, who want him
to work for the family business. Elvis Presley, Joan Blackman, and Angela Lansbury make
this 1961 film a classic, with great music and beautiful Hawaiian scenery from the early
1960s.
50FIRSTDATES
This 2004 romantic comedy stars Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler in a story
about a young woman (Barrymore) who has lost her short-term memory in a car accident
and who now relives each day as if it were October 13. She follows the same routine every
day, until she meets Henry Roth (Sandler), who falls in love with her and seeks a way to
forge a long-term relationship.
FORGETTINGSARAHMARSHALL
This underrated 2008 romantic comedy—about a composer who
vacations in Hawaii to escape a depressing breakup, only to encounter his ex and her new
boyfriend at his hotel—was shot on Oahu, at the Turtle Bay Resort. Directed by Nicholas
Stoller, it stars Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, and Russell Brand.
FROMHERETOETERNITY
Fred Zinnemann's 1953 multiple-Oscar winner, set in pre-World War
II Hawaii, tells the story of several army soldiers stationed on Oahu on the eve of Pearl
Harbor. The film won Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra), Best Supporting
Actress (Donna Reed), and five other awards.
