Why Not Staycation At A Classic Maine Movie Location…
While the Otter Cliffs at Acadia National Park worked wonders for "Shutter Island", we've got a few more that might be more "family-friendly"...
The Best Old-Timey, Old-School, Old-Hollywood-Story Spot: Camden, Maine in "Peyton Place" (1957): Check this one out in letterbox format to fully appreciate the scenery of one of Maine's most beautiful towns. It's kinda long (a little over two-and-a-half hours), it's kinda dated and it's definitely kinda hokey (100% pure soap opera!), but worth it for the breathtaking cinematography of the Camden landscape; plus there's the ridiculously underrated Lana Turner ripping it up in just about every scene she's in. This might be an oldie, but without it today's {yesterday's?} kids wouldn't have had "Dawson's Creek" or "90210", etc. Best watched with homemade popcorn on a Saturday night.
The Best Maine Stereotype Spot No. 1: Marshall Point Light at Port Clyde in "Forrest Gump" (1994). Just like it doesn't matter how many times you've seen this film, it also doesn't matter how many times you head out this way (and you want to!): it's impossible to get tired of such picture-perfect postcard charm. Tom Hanks' running-running-running is pretty classic, too...
The Best Maine Stereotype Spot No. 2: Downtown Rockport. As iconic as can you possibly get, though if watching Mel Gibson in "The Man Without A Face" (1993; his directorial debut happened right here in Maine!) is not your cup o'celluloid, you can get a decent dose of Rockport with "Casper" (1995) and a truly fantastic cast that includes Bill Pullman, Christina Ricci, Cathy Moriarty (she was DeNiro's girlfriend in "Raging Bull") and, for all you Monty Python's Flying Circus Fans, the one and only Eric Idle! We've always thought Rockport was a pretty good Maine-intro for peeps that want a real taste of...