Since 1949, the Moab, Utah, area has been a filmmaker’s hot spot.

The colorful cliffs and landmarks make a picturesque setting for western pictures, chase scenes, and television advertisements.

“Filmmakers have always loved our scenery…” said Utah Governor Leavitt at the 2003 Digital Media Summit in Los Angeles.

More than 40 movies and 20 commercials  have been filmed on Utah’s distinctive cliffs, overlooks, caves, trails, knolls and rock formations.

Professor Valley, off Utah Scenic Byway 128, has become one of the most popular scene locations. Filming there started 1949 with Wagon Master, starring Ben Johnson and Harry Carrey Jr. Many older westerns including Warlock (Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn), The Comancheros (John Wayne), Cheyenne Autumn (Richard Widmark), Rio Conchos (Richard Boone), Blue (Terrance Stamp and Ricardo Montalban), and Against A Crooked Sky, (Richard Boone) were all filmed in Professor Valley.

Over the past 23 years, films such as Choke Canyon (Stephen Collins), Knights (Kris Kristofferson), Geronimo (Jason Patric, Wes Studi, Robert Duvall), Larger Than Life (Bill Murray), and Breakdown (Kurt Russell) were also filmed in Professor Valley.

The opening scene in Austin Powers—Goldmember kicks off with international spy Austin Powers parachuting between Fisher Towers. He lands in the “Shaguar” (Austin’s sports car) and carries us down Utah 128 near Hittle Bottom in a riveting chase scene that electrified locals on filming day. Played by Michael Meyers, Austin soon reveals that this scene is but an advertisement for his action movie within the movie.

Dead Horse Point, with its steep drop and colorful canyon walls, has been employed on several occasions to simulate The Grand Canyon. In Mission Impossible II, Tom Cruise is filmed via helicopter scaling the perilous cliffs. In Thelma and Louise, most of the second half of the movie was filmed in Utah ending with the famous plunge off this point.

Also at Dead Horse Point, Matthew Modine shoots his final scene in Equinox, an independent film of twin brothers separated at birth. The Movie Location Auto Tour brochure, published by the Moab Area Travel Council, lists more than a dozen movies filmed on Dead Horse Point.

Some more recent big box office movies include; Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, filmed in Arches National Park and Sevenmile Canyon; Riders of the Purple Sage, filmed at Dougout Ranch; Con-Air, filmed at Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands National Park; Chill Factor, filmed in Monument and Castle Valleys; Galaxy Quest, filmed in Goblin Valley and Little Wild Horse Canyon; and The Adventures of Joe Dirt, filmed at Dead Horse Point.
It is possible to visit the Onion Creek, Castle Valley, and Castle Rock filming areas off Utah 128. The Harley Bates, Lawson, Hauer, and White’s ranches also can be found here, in addition to Big Bend, Hittle Bottom, and the Hook-n-Ladder area.

The Moab Information Center, on Center at Main Street in Moab, carries the Movie Locations brochure that comes complete with map, movie information, and suggested touring locations.

What could make for a better backdrop for consumer products than the brilliant Utah countryside? Chevy filmed one of its most famous commercials at Castle Rock by hoisting a woman and car 1,700 feet in the air. “Chevrolet stands alone in ’64,” boasts the narrator, as we are lead atop majestic Castle Rock where a lovely female model poses in the year’s new Impala. The commercial was remade nine years later in 1973. Miller Lite and Exxon have also filmed advertisements at Castle Rock.

In 1995, Wheaties employed Michael Jordan to film a commercial in Utah, and Erik Estrada similarly appeared with local law enforcement in an advertisement for Taco Bell. Federal Express, Stetson Men’s Cologne, Zantac, AT&T, Southwest Airlines, Fanta, and Bullseye Barbeque have all produced commercials in Utah, as have Toyota, Lincoln-Mercury, Peugeot, Volvo, Conoco Oil, and Shell Oil.

Besides movies and advertisements, music video producers have also made good use of the stunning scenery. Bon Jovi’s music video, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, was filmed here. Still photographers, too, often use Utah’s dramatic setting for fashion photography.

The Red Cliffs Lodge at Mile Post 14 on Highway 128 is home to the Movie Museum. Admission is free, and a wealth of information is beautifully presented. An abundance of related artifacts such as tools, guns, wagon wheels, furniture, saddles, clothing, and even a wooden safe, garnish the museum with wall after wall of photographs and informative collages. Don’t miss the generous section dedicated to local area actors, actresses, and crew members.

Moab’s motto is “Enjoy, don’t destroy.” Stay on established roads and trails while visiting outdoor sites to preserve the landscape. Remember to leave no trace of your visit behind, do not disturb wildlife, and leave ruins, artifacts, and art untouched.
For more information contact:
Moab Information Center, 435-259-8825 or dial toll-free 800-635-MOAB,
www.discovermoab.com
Moab Film Commission, 435-259-6388,
www.filmmoab.com
Red Cliffs Lodge, 435-259-2002
or 866-812-2002,
www.redcliffslodge.com