Alaska Movies???

[chowderbsk]

As it gets closer to my June 4 Alaska Cruise, I am becoming obsessed with all things 1) Alaska 2) Cruising 3) A combination of 1 & 2. You get the idea....LOL:D

I also ran across the movie Insomnia with Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hillary Swank tonight on the TV, which looks like it is set somewhere along the Inside Passage. It has me wondering what other movies might be set in Alaska, or along the Inside Passage.

There has got to be a few movie buffs out there that can think of a few, no? Many thanks to any replies to this query!!!;)

 

Best,

Brian

[sea_u_onboard]

White Fang - story about an orphan setting out on an Alaska advneture to mine his late fathers claim for gold when he crosses paths with a half dog/half wolf - White Fang. Disney movie - enjoyable.

[sclitlady]

Snow Dogs

The Edge

Alaska

Mystery, Alaska

North to Alaska

The Great Adventure

:D

[CanCanCase]

Only the closing scenes are set in SE Alaska: Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp

 

-Case

[wrp96]

Runaway Train.

[wolfnature]

Even though there are quite a few movies set in Alaska, not many are actually filmed there (sorry to burst everyones bubbles) :p

 

There are a number of older movies that were filmed in Alaska. A couple that I can think of that haven't been mentioned are Grizzly Man and Never Cry Wolf.

 

As far as a couple already mentioned:

• Insomnia had some parts filmed in Alaska, but most of it was filmed in various areas of British Columbia
  
• White Fang was filmed in Alaska, but White Fang 2 was in British Columbia and Colorado
  
• Snow dogs was mostly filmed around Calgary and Canmore (close to Banff park).
  
• The Edge was also filmed mostly around Banff park
  
• Alaska was actually filmed in British Columbia along the Purcell mountain range (kind of misleading title huh?)
  
• Mystery, Alaska is yet another movie filmed around Banff park
  
• North to Alaska was mostly filmed in California of all places with some parts filmed in the Yukon
  
• I'm not sure of The Great Adventure
  
• I don't think Wyatt Earp was actually filmed in Alaska for the end, but I could be wrong.
  
• Runaway Train was filmed in Alaska and Montana.

There are several docummentaries that are filmed in Alaska (including a couple wolf ones).

 

As you can see, Banff is the popular location for a fake Alaska. If you haven't been there I would highly reccomend it, especially during the winter.

 

Once again, sorry to burst everyones bubbles. You can still watch the movies and pretend though :p

[Gardyloo]

I also ran across the movie Insomnia with Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hillary Swank tonight on the TV, which looks like it is set somewhere along the Inside Passage.

Filmed almost entirely within commuting distance of Vancouver, especially around Squamish (on the road to Whistler). The glacier scenes were shot at the Salmon Glacier at Stewart BC/Hyder AK. (Hyder is an isolated town connected to Ketchikan by air/boat service.) As with many movies purporting to portray Seattle or Alaska, British Columbia's more favorable wage, tax and union conditions make it too tempting to film in Canada and just switch the license plates on the cars.

 

Seriously awful movie IMO. So many wrong things about Alaska that my teeth ached for days.

[Coral]

There is a movie called "The Big White" which was filmed 2 years ago in the Yukon (and Winnipeg I believe). It stars Robin Williams, Holly Hunter and Woody Harrelson. We visited Skagway and the Yukon right after they got done filming it (we saw some of the wires that were used to support them from hanging or climbing scenes). Rumor is that they stayed in Skagway.

 

The film has not been released in the US but has been in Europe and Asia and is already on DVD in these places. Rumor is that it is going straight to DVD in Canada this summer (and maybe the US?). There were very mixed reviews on the film (maybe that is why we never saw it here) but I want to see it due to the scenary. Here is more info on the movie:

 

http://imdb.com/title/tt0402850/

[chowderbsk]

Wow, thanks everyone!

Now off to Netflix add a few to my list.....

 

Brian

[wrp96]

Runaway Train was filmed in Alaska and Montana.

 

I remember when Runaway Train was being filmed, so that is why I listed it. If I remember correctly, one of the Star Wars movies also filmed just outside of Anchorage at one of the glaciers.

[FrogLover215]

The movie "Alaska" is probably little-known (I know it didn't do too well in theaters) but I want to encourage everyone with kids to give it a shot. It's about two kids (a teen boy and a younger girl) who live with their dad and then something happens and the kids have to make their way through the wilderness alone. It was a nice story, not cartoony, very dramatic (but not too much for kids).

[Chenega]

It was Star Trek - The Undiscovered Country that shot a few scenes in Alaska. They filmed at the Knik Glacier, about 15 miles from our house. The setting was designed to represent surface of the Klingon Penal Colony of Rurapenthe so they sent up a 2nd unit to do some long shots.

 

One of my favorite Alaska movies is Never Cry Wolf (Disney) which did some filming near Teller and Nome. This is one of the best films depicting the vastness of the state. Disney also shot parts of White Fang in Haines; they actually constructed a replica of a gold rush camp. Let's also not forget the animated Brother Bear which jumps all over Alaska but is a highly entertaining film.

 

Now, if you want to see some awful but entertaining movies on Alaska, try the following:

 

1. Alaska - ridiculous film showing polar bears in a place where they are never found.

 

2. North to Alaska - entertaining film but rumor has it parts were shot in Arizona and the beaches of Southern California.

 

3. Ice Palace - soundstage bound, complete with some fake looking fir trees.

 

4. On Deadly Ground - Steven Segal's epic of greedy and evil oil men was laughed off the screen up here when I saw it up here.

 

5. Escape from Alaska/Avalanche - this clunker has two video titles which does little to save the film. They filmed portions of it at the school where my wife teaches in Palmer, Alaska plus staged a "big" panic scene on 4th avenue in downtown Anchorage. Locals got to serve as extras. The ridiculous plot argues that vibrations from a poorly construction pipeline causes avalanches that innundate Juneau. Cheesy special effects, bad acting, and another guest appearance by an out-of-place polar bear make this one a winner all they way.

 

Bottom line - the definitive film has yet to be made about Alaska so we're still waiting but most movies about Alaska always provide some entertainment.

[swdke]

I don't know if this was already mentioned, but I think the "Northern Exposure" series is on DVD.

 

Also Road to Utopia with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby

[Gardyloo]

A very obscure movie was made around 1979 or 1980 called "Spirit of the Wind" - the story of George Attla, a famous native who battled against illness and other long odds to become the foremost musher of his day. The movie was financed by the Doyon Corporation (native corp. from the Fairbanks/interior area) and starred, IIRC, Slim Pickens and a group of fine but unknown native folks in lead roles, plus Buffy St. Marie (how's that for a blast from the past?) on the soundtrack. I don't think it ever got released to tape or DVD, but if you ever get the chance, it's THE definitive made-in-Alaska (all but a few town shots purporting to be Anchorage in the 50s) film, with a stirring message. A light-year from Hollywood schlunk.