10 Best Movies Set in Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands, America's tropical paradise, have a long history as filming locations. The Hawaii Film Studio, built in the 1970s on the island of Oahu, was the location of two long-running television series, Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I. Its recent productions include The Tempest, starring Hellen Mirren and The Informant!,starring Matt Damon.

Kualoa Ranch, also on Oahu, is a prime filming location of movies such as Jurassic Park and Godzilla, as well as the television series Lost.

While there have been many movies filmed in Hawaii, some of these films feature Hawaii as a stand-in for a fictional tropical paradise, such as in Jurassic Park, where the Hawaiian Islands played the part of Isla Nublar.

These 10 Best Movies Set in Hawaii were not only filmed in Hawaii, but also feature the Hawaiian Islands prominently in the story.

From Here to Eternity (1953)

In the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, former boxer Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) falls in love with a social club employee Lorene (Donna Reed) while avoiding the aggressive efforts of his captain (Philip Ober) to coerce him into boxing again for the Army. Includes the iconic scene of Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr awash in waves, which was shot at Halona Cove on Oahu. Based on the novel by James Jones. Also starring Frank Sinatra as Private Angelo Maggio and Ernest Borgnine as Sergeant "Fatso" Judson.

Blue Hawaii (1961)

Filmed on the islands of Oahu and Kauai, Blue Hawaii was the showcase for Elvis Presley's album of the same name, which spent twenty weeks at #1 on the Billboard in 1961 and 1962. Elvis plays Chad Gates, a young man who has just returned to his wealthy family's pineapple plantation after serving in the Army. Instead of joining the family business, Chad chooses a job at a tourist agency where his girlfriend Maile (Joan Blackman) also works, a situation which gives him plenty of time for beach frolicking. Also starring Angela Landsbury as Chad's mother, although Landsbury was only thirty-five at the time of filming, ten years older than Elvis Presley.

Hawaii (1966)

Based on James Michener's epic novel, Hawaii, the film follows missionary Reverend Abner Hale (Max von Sydow) who marries the beautiful Jerusha Bromley (Julie Andrews) and travels to the Hawaiian Islands to convert the Hawaiian natives to Christianity. Also starring Gene Hackman as Dr. John Wipple, and the first film appearance of Bette Midler, who was an extra on the film.

The Endless Summer (1966)

Bruce Brown's classic 60s surfing documentary following two surfers as the chase summer (and waves) around the world. An inspirational movie for travelers- surfers, and non-surfers alike- the film contains beautiful scenes of beaches in Africa, Australia, Tahiti, and Hawaii.

Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)

Jack (Nicholas Cage) and Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) decide to marry in Las Vegas, but before the ceremony, Jack enters into a high-stakes poker game with a wealthy gambler named Tommy Korman (James Cann). After Jack loses big to Tommy, Betsy agrees to spend one night with the wealthy gambler in exchange for him forgiving the debt. The agreement does not specify where she will spend the one evening with Tommy, and he ends up whisking her away to his Hawaiian estate where he proceeds to sweep Betsy off her feet. Scenes at Tommy Korman's Hawaiian estate were filmed in Kauai. Also starring Pat Morita as Mahi Mahi and a hilarious scene with The Flying Elvises.

Picture Bride (1994)

An independent film premiering at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival, the title of this drama comes from the historic practice of early 20^th century Asian workers in Hawaii selecting brides from their native countries just by looking at their pictures. The film follows sixteen-year-old Riyo (Youki Kudoh) as she leaves her home to travel to Hawaii to marry a man she has never met. When she arrives, she discovers that not only is her new husband twice her age, but that she is expected to work in harsh conditions in the sugar cane fields. This movie was filmed in Waialua, Oahu. Also starring Tamlyn Tomita as Kana, the young mother who befriends Riyo in the cane fields.

Blue Crush (2002)

Developed from the Susan Orlean's article "Life's Swell" about young surfer girls in Maui, Blue Crush is the story of one such surfer girl (Kate Bosworth) living in Hawaii and dreaming of winning the Pipe Masters surf competition. Filmed on Oahu and at the Hawaii Film Studio. Also starring Michelle Rodriguez as Eden.

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

Animated, yes, but nevertheless scenic, and the catchy music alone will put you in the Hawaiian mood. The film takes place on the island of Kauai, and in fact, according to IMBD.com, almost all of the landscape scenes in the movie are recognizable locations in Hawaii. This Disney film tells the story of Lilo and big sister Nani after their parents have died and Nani must be a parent to Lilo. Enter one alien, Stitch, who, despite an inherent need for destruction, becomes part of the family. Features the voices of Hawaiian-born actors Tia Carrere as Nani and Jason Scott Lee as David.

50 First Dates (2004)

Henry (Adam Sandler)is a marine veterinarian based in Honolulu, who romances women vacationing in Hawaii and never sees them again, changes his ways when he falls for Lucy (Drew Barrymore), a local art teacher . He soon discovers that Lucy suffers from short-term memory loss, so he must spend each day winning her over yet again. The movie takes place entirely in Hawaii, except for a final scene in Alaska, and was filmed throughout several locations on Oahu, including Kualoa Ranch.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

When Peter's (Jason Segel) movie-star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), dumps him, his heartbreak leads him to take a vacation to Turtle Bay resort on Oahu, Hawaii, where he discovers Sarah is also vacationing...with her new boyfriend (Russell Brand). Besides fantastic views of the Turtle Bay Resort and beaches all over Oahu, the movie also includes actor Davon McDonald as Dwayne the Bartender giving the best pronunciation of Hawaii's state fish, the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.

Sources:
Hawaii Film Office http://www.hawaiifilmoffice.com/current-productions

Filming at Kualoa Ranch

Internet Movie Database

Movie-Locations.comhttp://www.movie-locations.com/movies/h/honeymooninvegas.htmlwww.imdb.comhttp://www.kualoa.com/moviesites.htm