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MOVIES MADE IN PUERTO VALLARTA
Hollywood loves Puerto Vallarta
Hollywood loves Puerto Vallarta
The superb quality of light, the remote locations and the unique Old World ambience of the town are just a few of the reasons major film makers and movie stars have looked to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico as the ideal setting for a movie. And not surprisingly, there have been more than a few big name celebrity romances taking place in this idyllic locale…
John Huston was the “maverick” (as he was commonly known throughout his filmmaking career) who brought cast and crew to Puerto Vallarta to film Tennessee Williams’ poignant drama Night of the Iguana in 1963. At the time there was no airport, one public telephone in town and you could only get to Mismaloya by boat…but that didn’t last long. And the filming hasn’t stopped since….
For more info on movie making history in Puerto Vallarta, view the following links
Vallarta Lifestyles Magazine
Puerto Vallarta Tourism Dept
Night of the Iguana – 1964
When production began in summer of 1963, the road south to Mismaloya, where the majority of the scenes were filmed, did not exist. Generators for lighting and equipment (not to mention cast and crew) were ferried to the virgin beach by boat. Famed Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa was nominated for an Oscar for his superb work on this film (he won a Golden Globe in cinematography for La Perla among many other awards through out his amazing career). His distinctive black and white touch on Night of the Iguana is almost magical, although Huston later said he wished he had filmed it in color because of the vibrant green jungle and shimmering aquamarine waters. (Huston and Figueroa later worked together again on Under the Volcano, shot in Cuernavaca , based on the famous Malcom Lowry novel). Figueroa recounted years later in an interview that the erotic night swimming scene in Night of the Iguana with Ava Gardner and the “beach boys” only took place after manipulative coaxing by John Huston and many tequila shots. Figueroa had meticulously set up the special lighting for the night scene but Gardner suddenly refused to work saying “I feel like drinking instead”. Huston knew he had to take a different approach with the cagey star and said “Ok. I’ll drink with you”. After several hours, without once mentioning the patiently waiting crew, Huston finally said “Now Ava darling, you see it’s not me you will disappoint, its poor Gaby. He has been working all day setting up the lighting and cameras for this scene and you know his work…it is going to be absolutely magnificent.” She pondered for a moment and then said “Ok John, I’ll do it…but only for Gaby…” Huston then went to Gabriel Figueroa and said “Gaby, Ava is ready but you are going to have to direct the scene now; I’m too drunk…”
Any visitor to Puerto Vallarta must see this film…if anything it will give you a different perspective on Mismaloya as viewed in its still-untouched-by-man glory.
For more info on Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor’s romance and their historic visit to Puerto Vallarta for the filming of Night of the Iguana, go to Burton and Taylor in Puerto Vallarta.
This was the tropical precursor to Jaqueline Bissett’s wet tee shirt fame in The Deep. French heart throb Jean Paul Belmondo stars in this double identity story of a writer of spy thrillers developing a story line for a novel.
Directed by and starring George C. Scott and wife Trish Van Devere, this is a somewhat disturbing tale of a family stranded on a deserted island and what happens when the son comes “of age”…think: Lord of the Flies meets Blue Lagoon.
Robert Shaw of Jaws fame was the original charming pirate long before Johnny Depp made pirates so in fashion. Genevieve Bujold (who had been nominated for an Oscar playing opposite Puerto Vallarta resident Richard Burton in Anne of a Thousand Days) is cast as Robert Shaw’s captive stowaway and future conspirator/love interest. James Earl Jones makes a great running partner to Shaw’s bawdy character Ned Lynch. Beau Bridges plays the inept British officer (the setting is the Caribbean) and Peter Boyle the evil aristocratic landowner. Angelica Huston (she used to visit Puerto Vallarta quite often with her father) has a bizarre role as the mute minion of Peter Boyle. Los Arcos islands are highlighted when Bujold dives off the ship for a skinny dip in the emerald waters.
Adam Kennedy adapted his own novel for the screenplay filmed by Oscar winning director Stanley Kramer (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?) featuring a who’s who cast of Hollywood greats: Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen (in an unflattering curly brunette wig!?), Richard Widmark and Eli Wallach among others. Confusing story line (seemingly from over editing) involving a conspiracy theory and an assassination plot; Hackman plays the reluctant hit man sprung from prison to do the dirty deed.
Herbie goes down Mexico way in this madcap comedy with some of the Disney favorites: Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman and Charles Martin Smith.
Ringo Starr met his wife to be Bond-girl Barbara Bach on this film, both outfitted in shaggy cave-wear. Dennis Quaid and Shelley Long appear in early roles but with only guttural sounds and caveman speak for dialogue. Lots of Puerto Vallarta extras and Mexican crew; you can tell they are filming around the big boulders on the Tomatlán river near Chico’s Paradise.
Mismaloya is the setting again, this time for an Arnold Swarzenegger action blockbuster. Although you would never know it is actually Mismaloya…the entire film takes place in a dense jungle that could be anywhere. The crashed helicopter can still be seen at the “Set of The Predator” up at El Eden, a jungle restaurant up river from Mismaloya. Worth the drive up the mountain to see the surrounding rain forest and water fall.
Originally slated to be directed by John Huston, who did not want Kevin Costner in the lead, Costner had enough pull after filming The Untouchables, Bull Durham and Field of Dreams to produce the film himself and brought in director Tony Scott (The Hunger, Top Gun). Costner wanted Revenge to be his directorial debut, but Night of the Iguana producer Ray Stark convinced him he wasn’t quite ready. His next film Dances With Wolves proved to be the charm: he won 3 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor and lovingly gave a nod to Puerto Vallarta in one of his acceptance speeches. Heavy weight Anthony Quinn’s character in Revenge is an ominous presence as the cuckolded husband of Madeleine Stow after she and Costner have an interlude at his Conchas Chinas beach condo and decide to run off together. To set the scene, the opening sequence identifies the location as “Puerto Vallarta”.
Biographical Note: Kevin Costner was inspired to become an actor after sitting next to Richard Burton on a flight from Puerto Vallarta to California; Burton encouraged him to leave his “day job” in marketing and pursue acting full time.
Miguel Ferrer (Twin Peaks, Traffic) stars in this psychological thriller based on a true story involving a murder in Puerto Vallarta in the 1980’s. Ferrer flies to “Costa Azul” (as his character Charlie Pope says “…the names have been changed to protect the guilty…”) to see if he can get some details on the murder as material for a screenplay he’s under the gun (literally it turns out) to finish. The plot thickens when he is kidnapped and drugged for black market organ “harvesting” while being lured by a mysterious girl (his then wife in real life, Leilani Sarelle) on the beach below the north end of the Malecon. Stunning photography by Mexican cinematographer Emmanuel Lubeski (four Oscar nominations including Children of Men, The New World and Sleepy Hollow) showcases the ethereal golden hue of sunset in Puerto Vallarta not to mention a great chase scene in the tunnel on the Libramiento eerily lit by smudge pots and yellow street lamps. Director/Writer David Marconi (Live Free or Die Hard) later worked with Revenge director Tony Scott on Enemy of the State starring Will Smith.
Based on a novel by Bridges of Madison County author Robert James Waller, this story opens up at Las Palomas restaurant on the Malecon. The book describes in detail the perfect people-watching setting of this popular local restaurant; Waller’s favorite seat in the bar becomes the vantage point from which the story takes off. Scott Glenn, as the rogue military Covert Ops hit man and Harvey Keitel as the government agent out to stop him add a huge amount of star quality to the film (Keitel stayed at the Westin Regina in Marina Vallarta during filming) but miscasting of the ill matched couple who help Glenn stay one step ahead of Keitel keep the movie from reaching its potential. Although the acerbic Keitel does have some great lines. Part time Puerto Vallarta residents Carolyn Chambers and Ricardo del Rio (The Mexican, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Fast and Furious) head up the production company, comprised largely of Mexican cast and crew. The first scene of the movie had to be delayed until the last day of filming while repair work was being completed on the Malecon after Hurricane Kenna. Vikki Carr has a cameo as a restaurant singer.
Quentin Tarantino and his muse Uma Thurman came down to the beach town of Careyes, an hour and a half south of Puerto Vallarta, for the final scene of the sequel to the Kill Bill saga. “The Bride” finally “kills Bill” at his oceanfront hide away in Mexico. Lots of locals worked on the production; Puerto Vallarta socialites came back with stories of a 2-day wrap party in Careyes.
Drew Barrymore and Salma Hayek provide the voices for this Disney comedy about a posh California Chihuahua lost in Mexico. Using real animals in this live action feature, the line up of Hollywood actors voicing over the characters are some of the biggest names in comedy. George Lopez, Cheech Marin and Paul Rodriguez star along with Andy Garcia, Edward James Olmos and Luís Guzman. What better voices could you find for a Hollywood comedy set in Mexico?? Co-produced by Ricardo del Rio, who also worked on Kill Bill 2 and Puerto Vallarta Squeeze, also filmed in Puerto Vallarta.
Vallarta Lifestyles Magazine
Puerto Vallarta Tourism Dept
Night of the Iguana – 1964
When production began in summer of 1963, the road south to Mismaloya, where the majority of the scenes were filmed, did not exist. Generators for lighting and equipment (not to mention cast and crew) were ferried to the virgin beach by boat. Famed Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa was nominated for an Oscar for his superb work on this film (he won a Golden Globe in cinematography for La Perla among many other awards through out his amazing career). His distinctive black and white touch on Night of the Iguana is almost magical, although Huston later said he wished he had filmed it in color because of the vibrant green jungle and shimmering aquamarine waters. (Huston and Figueroa later worked together again on Under the Volcano, shot in Cuernavaca , based on the famous Malcom Lowry novel). Figueroa recounted years later in an interview that the erotic night swimming scene in Night of the Iguana with Ava Gardner and the “beach boys” only took place after manipulative coaxing by John Huston and many tequila shots. Figueroa had meticulously set up the special lighting for the night scene but Gardner suddenly refused to work saying “I feel like drinking instead”. Huston knew he had to take a different approach with the cagey star and said “Ok. I’ll drink with you”. After several hours, without once mentioning the patiently waiting crew, Huston finally said “Now Ava darling, you see it’s not me you will disappoint, its poor Gaby. He has been working all day setting up the lighting and cameras for this scene and you know his work…it is going to be absolutely magnificent.” She pondered for a moment and then said “Ok John, I’ll do it…but only for Gaby…” Huston then went to Gabriel Figueroa and said “Gaby, Ava is ready but you are going to have to direct the scene now; I’m too drunk…”
Any visitor to Puerto Vallarta must see this film…if anything it will give you a different perspective on Mismaloya as viewed in its still-untouched-by-man glory.
For more info on Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor’s romance and their historic visit to Puerto Vallarta for the filming of Night of the Iguana, go to Burton and Taylor in Puerto Vallarta.
Le Magnifique - 1973
This was the tropical precursor to Jaqueline Bissett’s wet tee shirt fame in The Deep. French heart throb Jean Paul Belmondo stars in this double identity story of a writer of spy thrillers developing a story line for a novel.
The Savage is Loose – 1974
Directed by and starring George C. Scott and wife Trish Van Devere, this is a somewhat disturbing tale of a family stranded on a deserted island and what happens when the son comes “of age”…think: Lord of the Flies meets Blue Lagoon.
Swashbuckler - 1976
Robert Shaw of Jaws fame was the original charming pirate long before Johnny Depp made pirates so in fashion. Genevieve Bujold (who had been nominated for an Oscar playing opposite Puerto Vallarta resident Richard Burton in Anne of a Thousand Days) is cast as Robert Shaw’s captive stowaway and future conspirator/love interest. James Earl Jones makes a great running partner to Shaw’s bawdy character Ned Lynch. Beau Bridges plays the inept British officer (the setting is the Caribbean) and Peter Boyle the evil aristocratic landowner. Angelica Huston (she used to visit Puerto Vallarta quite often with her father) has a bizarre role as the mute minion of Peter Boyle. Los Arcos islands are highlighted when Bujold dives off the ship for a skinny dip in the emerald waters.
The Domino Principle – 1977
Adam Kennedy adapted his own novel for the screenplay filmed by Oscar winning director Stanley Kramer (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?) featuring a who’s who cast of Hollywood greats: Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen (in an unflattering curly brunette wig!?), Richard Widmark and Eli Wallach among others. Confusing story line (seemingly from over editing) involving a conspiracy theory and an assassination plot; Hackman plays the reluctant hit man sprung from prison to do the dirty deed.
Herbie Goes Bananas -1980
Herbie goes down Mexico way in this madcap comedy with some of the Disney favorites: Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman and Charles Martin Smith.
Caveman – 1981
Ringo Starr met his wife to be Bond-girl Barbara Bach on this film, both outfitted in shaggy cave-wear. Dennis Quaid and Shelley Long appear in early roles but with only guttural sounds and caveman speak for dialogue. Lots of Puerto Vallarta extras and Mexican crew; you can tell they are filming around the big boulders on the Tomatlán river near Chico’s Paradise.
Predator – 1987
Mismaloya is the setting again, this time for an Arnold Swarzenegger action blockbuster. Although you would never know it is actually Mismaloya…the entire film takes place in a dense jungle that could be anywhere. The crashed helicopter can still be seen at the “Set of The Predator” up at El Eden, a jungle restaurant up river from Mismaloya. Worth the drive up the mountain to see the surrounding rain forest and water fall.
Revenge – 1990
Originally slated to be directed by John Huston, who did not want Kevin Costner in the lead, Costner had enough pull after filming The Untouchables, Bull Durham and Field of Dreams to produce the film himself and brought in director Tony Scott (The Hunger, Top Gun). Costner wanted Revenge to be his directorial debut, but Night of the Iguana producer Ray Stark convinced him he wasn’t quite ready. His next film Dances With Wolves proved to be the charm: he won 3 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor and lovingly gave a nod to Puerto Vallarta in one of his acceptance speeches. Heavy weight Anthony Quinn’s character in Revenge is an ominous presence as the cuckolded husband of Madeleine Stow after she and Costner have an interlude at his Conchas Chinas beach condo and decide to run off together. To set the scene, the opening sequence identifies the location as “Puerto Vallarta”.
Biographical Note: Kevin Costner was inspired to become an actor after sitting next to Richard Burton on a flight from Puerto Vallarta to California; Burton encouraged him to leave his “day job” in marketing and pursue acting full time.
The Harvest – 1993
Miguel Ferrer (Twin Peaks, Traffic) stars in this psychological thriller based on a true story involving a murder in Puerto Vallarta in the 1980’s. Ferrer flies to “Costa Azul” (as his character Charlie Pope says “…the names have been changed to protect the guilty…”) to see if he can get some details on the murder as material for a screenplay he’s under the gun (literally it turns out) to finish. The plot thickens when he is kidnapped and drugged for black market organ “harvesting” while being lured by a mysterious girl (his then wife in real life, Leilani Sarelle) on the beach below the north end of the Malecon. Stunning photography by Mexican cinematographer Emmanuel Lubeski (four Oscar nominations including Children of Men, The New World and Sleepy Hollow) showcases the ethereal golden hue of sunset in Puerto Vallarta not to mention a great chase scene in the tunnel on the Libramiento eerily lit by smudge pots and yellow street lamps. Director/Writer David Marconi (Live Free or Die Hard) later worked with Revenge director Tony Scott on Enemy of the State starring Will Smith.
Puerto Vallarta Squeeze – 2004
Based on a novel by Bridges of Madison County author Robert James Waller, this story opens up at Las Palomas restaurant on the Malecon. The book describes in detail the perfect people-watching setting of this popular local restaurant; Waller’s favorite seat in the bar becomes the vantage point from which the story takes off. Scott Glenn, as the rogue military Covert Ops hit man and Harvey Keitel as the government agent out to stop him add a huge amount of star quality to the film (Keitel stayed at the Westin Regina in Marina Vallarta during filming) but miscasting of the ill matched couple who help Glenn stay one step ahead of Keitel keep the movie from reaching its potential. Although the acerbic Keitel does have some great lines. Part time Puerto Vallarta residents Carolyn Chambers and Ricardo del Rio (The Mexican, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Fast and Furious) head up the production company, comprised largely of Mexican cast and crew. The first scene of the movie had to be delayed until the last day of filming while repair work was being completed on the Malecon after Hurricane Kenna. Vikki Carr has a cameo as a restaurant singer.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 – 2004
Quentin Tarantino and his muse Uma Thurman came down to the beach town of Careyes, an hour and a half south of Puerto Vallarta, for the final scene of the sequel to the Kill Bill saga. “The Bride” finally “kills Bill” at his oceanfront hide away in Mexico. Lots of locals worked on the production; Puerto Vallarta socialites came back with stories of a 2-day wrap party in Careyes.
Beverly Hills Chihuahua - 2008
Drew Barrymore and Salma Hayek provide the voices for this Disney comedy about a posh California Chihuahua lost in Mexico. Using real animals in this live action feature, the line up of Hollywood actors voicing over the characters are some of the biggest names in comedy. George Lopez, Cheech Marin and Paul Rodriguez star along with Andy Garcia, Edward James Olmos and Luís Guzman. What better voices could you find for a Hollywood comedy set in Mexico?? Co-produced by Ricardo del Rio, who also worked on Kill Bill 2 and Puerto Vallarta Squeeze, also filmed in Puerto Vallarta.
