Top Movies Filmed In Colorado
Jim Carrey in "Dumb And Dumber" (credit: New Line Cinema)
The film industry in Colorado is growing, thanks to the new film incentives, which offer a cash rebate for production costs that take place within Colorado. Even before these incentives, there were still lots of great films that found their ideal locations in and around Denver and Colorado. From the many locations in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead to the Stanley Hotel and Union Station, there are many places you can visit, where you can get a glimpse of the places that once played host to your favorite movie stars.
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
Multiple locations
Probably one of the most well-known films that was shot almost entirely in Denver, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead has so many great Denver sightings throughout the whole film. There are a lot of locations you can spot, from Union Station to the famous Bluebird Theatre on Colfax Avenue which was turned into an adult theater for the film, the State Capitol and Elitch Gardens. You can easily spend an entire weekend just scouting out all the different locations.
Independence Day
Peterson Air Force Base
667 Ent Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80914
(719) 556-7321
www.peterson.af.mil
Surely, you can point out many of the famous locations in the highest grossing film of 1996. Independence Day was filmed on several locations all over the country, including New York, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. You may not realize that some of the military scenes were shot at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. While Peterson Air Force Base is the only Colorado location in the film, it's still a lot of fun to think about Will Smith and crew taking over a real base in Colorado Springs to bring the alien attack film to life.
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Blades of Glory
Pepsi Center
1000 Chopper Circle
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 405-1100
www.pepsicenter.com
The next time you're watching a game or concert at the Pepsi Center, take a minute and picture the ice-skating scenes in Blades of Glory staring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder. Not all the scenes are within the famous Denver stadium but several were filmed there. You probably can't get on the ice in the Pepsi Center yourself, but you can still picture those hysterical scenes while you enjoy your favorite musician or watch the Colorado Avalanche. It's also fun to note that both actors in the movie were trained by Sarah Kawahara, who was Michelle Kwan's coach.
Dumb and Dumber
The Stanley Hotel
333 E. Wonderview Ave
Estes Park, CO 80517
(970) 577-4000
www.stanleyhotel.com
The famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park is most commonly known as the hotel that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining and it was also used as the filming location for the 1997 television miniseries remake. What you may not know is that this beautiful hotel was also the Hotel Danbury in the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber. You can spot the iconic white front steps as Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey pull up to the hotel which was supposed to be in Aspen. You can visit The Stanley Hotel for one of many tours, and make sure to check out all the memorabilia and photos from the filming of Dumb and Dumber.
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Cumbres and Toltec Railroad
5234 B US HWY 285
Antonito, CO 81120
(719) 376-5483
www.cumbrestoltec.com
River Phoenix and the filming of team spent a lot of time in the small town of Antonito. Not only were several scenes shot around the town, but the iconic train scene from the opening of the film, when young Indiana Jones played by Phoenix is fighting the grave robbers for the Cross of Coronado, was filmed at the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad. If you remember the scene with the boy hiding in the circus train, that's the one that was shot right here in Colorado. You can visit the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad and ride the train, though you probably won't encounter a car filled with snakes.
Deborah Flomberg is a theater professional, freelance writer and Denver native. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
