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Best Movies Filmed in Arizona

While we at Avondale Nissan certainly love cars–Duh.–our love for movies is nearly as noteworthy. We love car chase movies, we love sappy romantic Kleenex-fests, and we’ve even been known to tolerate a subtitle or two in our day. But what are the best movies filmed in Arizona? Literally hundreds of films have been shot here, so we’re going to pick five of our faves for your personal watching. Better grab the popcorn!

#5 — Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

We know what you’re thinking–aren’t Bill and Ted always spouting off about San Dimas High? Yup, they are, which is all the more confusing since the movie was shot almost entirely in Arizona. The mall scenes were shot at Metrocenter in Phoenix, and Napoleon Bonaparte got his swim on at Sunsplash Waterpark. Excellent, indeed.

#4 — Casablanca (1942)

Although it takes place in North Africa, no film crews dared go there in the early 1940s. While much of the film was shot on Hollywood soundstages, the hotel scenes were mostly shot at the Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff. The hotel was a popular retreat for golden age films stars such as Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, so it was a natural choice.

#3 — Raising Arizona (1987)

This early offering from the terrific Coen Brothers is shot entirely in Arizona, with such iconic locales as Camelback Mountain and Apache Junction’s Lost Dutchman State Park getting some deserved attention. Also, with its eccentric turns from Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter, its dry wit only gets better with time.

#2 — Tombstone (1993)

The second consecutive obvious choice. This film not only highlights–and slightly embellishes, of course–our colorful local history, it also is responsible for a wave of early ‘90s westerns that helped revitalize the genre. However, with its livewire casting and memorable dialogue, Tombstone is the best of the bunch. Most of its on-site filming was shot in Old Tucson.

#1 — Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Surprised? We were too. However, many of the film’s desert scenes were shot in Page, AZ, which doubled for the rough terrain of India. Not surprisingly, this area is featured in many films, including the original Planet of the Apes, Maverick and The Outlaw Josey Wales, all of which receive “Honorable Mention” status for this list.

So, now that you’ve learned a bit about the illustrious film history of the area, who’s up for some celluloid sessions? We hope you’ve enjoyed this little diversion, from your friends at Avondale Nissan!