One of the most popular filming locations for Hollywood movies is a little-known place called Alabama Hills. However, once you see it, you’ll probably spot it in more flicks than you’d expect.
This instantly recognizable spot can easily transform into an alien terrain, making it ideal for various productions. You might be surprised to find your favorites on the list.
Today, we’re putting this underappreciated destination in the spotlight.
Let’s roll!
Explore Movie Locations in Alabama Hills
Nestled between Death Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Southern California, Alabama Hills serves as an otherworldly backdrop in countless movies. Here, millions of years of geological forces have shaped the landscape. What remains is an array of rounded granite formations and jagged golden crags.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees this national scenic area. Its most famous feature is the Mobius Arch. You’ll get a perfect view of Mount Whitney in the distance by looking through the natural viewfinder.
Hiking and camping are both popular activities. You’ll want to stay on designated trails and set up camp in appropriate locations.
It’s a great place to explore and relive your favorite movies. When you trek into the flat, the scenery looks familiar. Keep your eyes peeled for notable landmarks. If you can’t recall where you’ve seen it before, we’ve got a list to jog your memory.
#1 Gladiator
Perhaps Russell Crowe’s most famous star turn, Gladiator, tells the tale of a Roman general seeking retribution for the death of his family. He’s forced to become a fighter in the Colosseum, gaining acclaim as a renowned gladiator.
Joaquin Phoenix plays the villain, Commodus, who the protagonist must defeat. This story of redemption captures ancient Roman history like no other.
In one scene, we see Maximus (Crowe) riding a horse across a barren landscape after escaping an attempted execution. While it appears to be rugged European countryside, the creators actually shot it in Alabama Hills.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator won five Oscars, including Best Leading Actor and Best Film in 2001. This box-office hit grossed more than $500 million worldwide.
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#2 Django Unchained
Jamie Foxx stars as the leading man in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. This flick brought in two Oscars and more than $425 million.
In the film, Django meets good fortune when he encounters a bounty hunter, Dr. King Shultz, played by Christoph Waltz. The two agree to team up, and after tracking down Shultz’s targets, set off to find the title character’s wife. Unfortunately, she was sold to a brutal Mississippi plantation owner earlier in the story.
Chaos ensues, and the unlikely pair saves the day.
Other notable cast members include Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Before Schultz frees him from his shackles, we see the hero and several other enslaved men shuffling through a desolate wasteland. Although they set the scene as “Somewhere in Texas,” it was filmed in Alabama Hills.
#3 Firefly
While the futuristic sci-fi series Firefly only ran for 14 episodes, it earned critical acclaim. Joss Whedon’s one-season-wonder won a Primetime Emmy and received eight nominations. IMDb gives it nine out of ten stars.
The drama features Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, and Alan Tudyk as interplanetary travelers 500 years in the future. They’re the crew of a transport ship, Serenity, in a time after humans inhabited a new solar system.
Part space opera, part spaghetti Western, this show depicts anti-establishment themes that may have contributed to its abrupt ending. However, during its run, they shot many scenes in the unusual landscape of Alabama Hills.
After all, it’s the perfect terrain for an alien planet.
#4 Man of Steel
In the 2013 film Man of Steel, Henry Cavill plays the role of Clark Kent. The boy’s true parents sent him to Earth as a child since his home planet was destroyed. As he grows up, he realizes that his powers aren’t those of an average human.
Ultimately, it’s up to Superman, his alter ego, to save Earth from destruction at the hands of invaders from Krypton, where he was born.
Of course, it’s no surprise that Alabama Hills provided a location for the movie’s otherworldly scenes.
Man of Steel was a collaboration between DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and Legendary Pictures. Cavill’s costars include Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, and Russell Crowe.
Although it didn’t win any awards, it was nominated for a BAFTA, among 45 other nods.
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#5 Iron Man
Another action-packed superhero movie filmed at Alabama Hills is Iron Man. In this 2008 picture, billionaire Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., vows to fight evil using his high-tech suit of armor after escaping captivity in an Afghan cave.
You can see the location in many Middle Eastern scenes. The most notable is when Stark demonstrates his Jericho Missile and demolishes an entire mountain range with a single incendiary weapon.
Iron Man was one of the biggest hits of the year. It grossed over $318 million and costarred Gwenyth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, and Terrence Howard.
#6 Chaplin
Before he played Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. portrayed a young Charlie Chaplin in 1992’s Chaplin. The legendary comic actor and movie-maker helped write this autobiographical feature. Incidentally, his daughter, Geraldine Chaplin, plays a role. The cast also includes Anthony Hopkins, Dan Aykroyd, and Marisa Tomei.
The film tells the tale of his early life and meteoric rise to Hollywood fame. And, of course, the movie includes many scenes shot in Alabama Hills. One particularly memorable image shows a Model T Ford kicking up dust as it traverses the rocky desert.
#7 Tremors
The 1990 cult classic film Tremors sent a wave of fear through moviegoers. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward play two handymen who live in the isolated desert settlement of Perfection, Nevada. They decide to leave for the nearest town. However, an unknown monster stops them in their tracks. Eventually, the snake-like subterranean creature reveals itself, and the two must fight for their lives.
The supporting cast includes Finn Carter as Bacon’s love interest and Reba McEntire and Robert Gross as a pair of survivalists who help fight the beast.
Of course, Alabama Hills was the perfect place to shoot this iconic movie. The desolate wilderness and mind-bending natural formations only add to the mystery of what lurks beneath.
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Alabama Hills, Hollywood’s Best Supporting Actor
Whether the terrain of another world or concealing ungodly creatures on our own planet, Alabama Hills is the ultimate filming location for Hollywood movies. These land formations are versatile enough to be your backyard or lightyears away.
However, you’re not limited to seeing this destination on screen. As BLM land, it’s open for visitors to hike and camp.
So get out there and make some magic of your own!
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