For many years, seven to be exact, I was a tour-guide, and a tour supervisor, at Glen Canyon Dam. On a daily basis the questions presented by the public were wide ranging, varied and at times downright humorous (yes, we have a list of funny questions tourists ask!)
One of the most common questions asked has been about the movies filmed in and around the Lake Powell area. Castle Rock was Mount Sinai in Charlton Heston’s version of The Greatest Story Ever Told. Planet of the Apes, well, not much needs to be said there. Crystal River City from Maverick was filmed around Warm Creek Bay and parts of the set are still in Big Water. The cave where John Travolta had a major shoot out in Broken Arrow is now the site of the new Amangiri Resort.
Without further chatter – here’s the list as I have it.
* * * * * * * * * *
1962 ~ Greatest Story Ever Told
1967 ~ McKennas Gold
1967 ~ Planet of the Apes
1967 ~ Bandolero
1969 ~ Again a Love Story
1973 ~ Standing Up Country
1974 ~ The Man Who Would Be King
1975 ~ The Outlaw Jose Wales
1976 ~ Damnation Alley
1976 ~ The Car
1976 ~ The Heretic
1978 ~ Wanda Nevada
1978 ~ Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
1978 ~ Montezuma’s Lost Gold
1978 ~ Bible Stories
1982 ~ Birds of Prey III
1982 ~ Superman III
1984 ~ Thunder Warrior
1989 ~ Highway to Hell
1990 ~ Dragon Fight
1990 ~ Beastmaster II
1990 ~ Riders on the Storm
1990 ~ Motorama
1991 ~ Grand Canyon
1992 ~ Benefit of the Doubt
1993 ~ Flintstones II
1993 ~ Ravenhawk
1993 ~ Maverick
1993 ~ Broken Arrow
1993 ~ Disney’s “Tall Tale, The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill.”
1995 ~ Point Break
2001 ~ Evolution
2001 ~ Planet of the Apes
2003 ~ Charlie’s Angles: Full Throttle
2003 ~ The Hulk
2012 ~ John Carter of Mars
2013 – Gravity
* * * * * * * * * *
Oh yes, I should mention I was an extra in Benefit of the Doubt – dressed for winter, on Wahweap dock, in 100 degree weather.
There are many more that have been partially filmed in the area. A search of IMBD for locations turns up interesting movies I never thought of.
Here is the link to the IMBD location search IMBD LOCATION
If anyone knows of other movies filmed here – please jump in. This was the list we had at the dam to hand out, but I am not sure how complete it is.
See Also New Updates for John Carter of Mars
don’t forget the other showa and movies as well. “RavenHawk” with rachael mcgish.an olymic runner. i was an extra at the day of filming at thr navajo generating station. my scene was cut. and the reality tv show shot there too. “bullrun” which recently aired on speed channel.and the “amazing race” as well as” mtv’s date my mom” where the winner went to lake powell resorts on a date. there was also a winner on “regis and kelly “live also who won a trip to lake powell resorts also for answering a correct question in ten seconds. lake powell used to be one of the prize giveway on alot of game shows such as “wheel of fortune”and “the price is right” their is also a movie in which an action scence where they blow up some vehicles on navajo bridge coming this summer. “RV tv ” also shot a 30 minute segment for their travel show here too.along with discovery channels “what would happen if humans were to disappear” they showed the glen canyon dam come crashing down after 1000 yrs without humans to take care of the dam. you also forgot charlie’s angels full throttle.
Great site and postings, however Rachael was not a olympic runner, Rachael was Ms Olympia. She was a 2 time Ms Olympia Bodybuilding World Champion.
Harlan
Thanks for the heads up. I remember the Amazing Race being here. I should do a post on Reality TV shows and Lake Powell.
I did totally forget Charlies Angels – will add that in. I was wracking my brain trying to pull some of these up. I worked at the dam when they were doing Charlies Angles too!
In addition to theses movies there was also the numerous commercials for “Taco Bell” when the taco bell dog canoed up to these guys stuck on a boat or canoe without anything to eat. he said his lines and the camera paned away showing a whole shot of lake powell.there was the two car or truck commercials one was shot on top of tower butte and the other was showing a vehicle driving on lake powell drive. I also heard the movie “midnight run was shot here too. i watched the movie but didn’t see that scence.you also for got “million dollar mystery” our gym class watched them filmming it during our PE class,where the plane makes an attempt to land on lake powell blvd & south navajo.there was alos a movie in which an african american family is going to a family reunion they were driving over navajo bridge.I forgot the name of the movie thou. there was alot of B movies that were made on lake powell. the one with Donald Sutherland.shot over at antelope canyon. and all the tony hillerman novels too. don’t forget the superman2 flying scence. and last but not least is the numerous outdoor shows for The outdoorChannel”,outdoorlife network now called versus. the filming for news segments two years ago on issues that are important to us such the release of water into the colorado river. the super bowl also did spots on our area for the NFL. that credit should go to the wonderful work of Dewanye Cassidy at the Page Tourism Bureau.who also travels throughout our region to promote and market our area. I sure hope to see what those folks have up their sleeves for next year’s WWE Wrestlemania 26 in Glendale,AZ.
don’t forget to add the 2005 sports Illustrated swimsuit edition and the Hawaiian Tropic InterNational swimsuit competition did a scence on antelope Island with Padre Bay being the back drop.
Harlan
This is so cool that you know all this stuff! It was the one with Donald Sutherland that I was an extra in “Benefit of the Doubt”
Here is the IMDB page for the movie
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106386/usercomments
There was a large fight scene shot down on Wahweap Marina’s dock. It was hot – like 100 that day, and all us extras were standing out there dressed in winter clothes!
There was a Priolsec commercial done here as well – the little purple pill – it had to have been over by Antelope Canyon.
I almost forgot about Mtv’s Kevin Seal’s “sporting fool” where he bungy jumps off of navajo bridge. and the live telecast of bootleg MTV. with pauly shore doing live interviews on lone rock beach. with down town julie brown and kurt loder. you had to be 21 yrs old to enter. most of the footage was done at night. once PHS students found out kids were ditching school and getting caught underage drinking. but thats another story. i believe I was a sophmore or freshman in high school at the time.
I’m astonished that there’s never been a hi definition blu ray devoted to this beautiful part of the world.
I totally agree with you!
I believe there was a rock climbing scene in the Igor Sanction where George Kennedy and Clint Eastwood climb a spire adjacent to Lake Powell.