It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – Everywhere!
"I - I - I want a BIG one!"
The story of a man who couldn’t wait to get out and see the world but life kept getting in the way. There’s a reason this movie has remained loved by so many. I suspect the theme of life not turning out the way we expect has something to do with it. I wanted to be a member of the National Geographic Society like young George Bailey. I also swore I was going to " shake the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I'm gonna see the world... " Even though I'm hanging onto that mentality, I don't need to wish I had never been born to appreciate my life and my circle of support.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Petra, Jordan
"You were named after the DOG??"
This film was and still is my favorite of the trilogy (No, I do not count the 4th installment as a legitimate film of the series.) “The Last Crusade” was released when I was only 7 years old and my mom thought I was too young to see this film. Recently, I had the privilege to watch this childhood favorite on the big screen at Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. Not only was it incredibly fun to watch this film while other fans cheered and laughed, but the scenery in the film was as close to the real thing that I can get for the time being. Even though Petra has already been “discovered” and it continues to be swarmed by tourists, I can’t wait to ride through the canyons on horseback and see it for myself.
The Ten Commandments (1959) – Egypt
" It would take more than a man to lead the slaves from bondage. It would take a god. "
My grandmother was very religious and The Ten Commandments was one of the first movies I remember seeing with her. I attended church with her every weekend until I was about 13. Oh how she pounded the stories of the Old Testament in my little head. I wasn’t allowed to watch cartoons until I had studied my weekly lesson. As a child, she never showed me any pictures of the region aside from some bad illustrations in my lesson book. Any National Geographic magazines we had were more nature orientated. I do remember sitting through the whole thing. Maybe I thought Moses was sacrilegiously attractive. The film is a classic of the “backdrop” old Hollywood era and I suddenly wanted to visit the pyramids, Red sea, and Mount Sinai. I wanted to see the real thing and 20+ years later, I still do.
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) – Tunisia
C3PO: Is there anything I can do?
Luke: Not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest or teleport me off this rock.
Like many, I was a huge fan of the original Star Wars franchise. The first film, Star Wars: A New Hope always has been my favorite of the three “good” films. A little credit will be given to a little girl crush I had on Luke Skywalker. I just enjoyed it more than the other films. Perhaps it was because a few of the places, like Tatooine, looked real. The scene where C3PO and R2D2 are stranded in the sand dunes with the John Williams score playing is one of the most memorable to me. Now, I don’t expect to see a twin sunset, but when I learned where parts of this was filmed, like Death Valley & Tunisia, I wanted to go. I visited Death Valley last year and loved it. Certain parts do make you feel like you're on another planet. As for Tunisia, I wasn’t interested in Tunisian culture. The fan in me just wanted to see where this was filmed. That mentality changed as I got older. I still want to fulfill the Star Wars fan girl in me, but I also want to learn and breathe in the tastes of Tunisia. Last month, I read a great article in Afar Magazine about a travel writer’s visit to Tunisia. The unfortunate news this past week surrounding the civil unrest of the region is saddening not only to its citizens, but to prospective traveler’s as well. Although Tunisia isn’t high on my bucket list, it is on the list. One simply never knows what could happen from one moment to the next. We’ll see if I’ll be able to cross it off my list one day.
Lawrence of Arabia ((1962) – Jordan
"Nothing is written"
I’m embarrassed to admit I just saw this film for the first time last year. It was one of those films I kept putting off simply because of its length. I finally had the chance to see and they sure don't make 'em like that anymore. Not only did I enjoy this film but I visually fell head over heels in love with it. Some of those shots are breathtaking and I can’t imagine how stunning it must be in person. Maybe I’ve romanticized the image in my head a bit. Either way, upon learning the majority of this was shot in Jordan, it only reinforced my childhood dream of visiting Petra and it sparked a new desire to see the rest of the country.
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