Does anyone else here have a favorite movie that inspired them to travel to a country OR want to travel to that country?

For me, it's the Meg Ryan/Kevin Kline flick "French Kiss". NEVER have I wanted so much to travel to Paris and then Provence....."Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" probably adds to the Riviera Mystique, too.....anyone else care to share?

Once again it's Sparkles with the good ideas. I saw "The Motorcycle Diaries" just before going to South America. It inspired me to go to some of the places Che went to, including Machu Picchu. And "Love Actually" has inspired me to go to the homeland of my grandparents, Portugal someday. Also "Sideways" inspired me to go winetasting, although I don't need much inspiration there.

Hmm well I'll have to think about that. But Little Miss Sunshine comes to mind. The motel scene, especially, is familiar to me.

I can't say I've ever ridden in an VW van whose horn is broken though

Thanks, nunesy, but not all my ideas are good....remember the "bathing suit scandal"!lol

Congratulations nunesy and cruiseluver and to all those posters now having achieved "Senior Member"....where do we pick up our canes and social security benefits?

The movie that makes me want to travel is "Notting Hill". I became dead set on visiting Notting Hill when I saw the film, and FINALLY got to visit a couple of years ago!! I found it to be just as charming as it's portayed in the movie. The shops there are amazing...of course all I could afford was a funky looking broach...

...I almost forgot, I bought something else. I was walking by the tatoo parlor All Saints in Notting Hill. (Same one mentioned in movie) And I got a tiny little tatoo that cost me 40 pounds. ($80) I'm ashamed to say the tatoo artist knew more about our president and country's history than I do...

Champagnesparkles,
I'm still trying to come up with an answer to your question about souvenirs we regretted buying. When I was a kid, I did impulsively buy a feathered felt hat with my name sewn on it on opening day at the New York World's Fair. I don't think I ever wore it and it did not hold it's shape well over the years. This new question is a good one. I can think of several movies that drew me like a magnet to faraway places.

Local Hero inspired a trip to Scotland to find a specific phone booth, fishing village and beach, which turned into one of the finest and most memorable travel days of my life.
The Circlevision movie on China at Epcot got me to the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou.
And believe it or not, jtaylor34, Notting Hill got me to the All Saint's tattoo parlor to have my ears pierced. Across the street, I once bought 96 bananas for a pound from Barry the Banana Man (seen in the movie) on a Saturday after 5, so there are bargains to be found there on Portobello Road.
Come to think of it, that might have been a purchase I regretted. One can only make so much banana bread.
Keep up your good work, champagnesparkles. I'm a little slow getting up to Senior status but you have inspired me. I'm glad you like your new Soarin' Shoes!

Ok, I'm really sorry I can't remember this, but Champagnesparkles, what did your member name used to be???

Keep going, Mother O, you too will reach Senior Member soon. Just reply to all my threads!lol

I do love my shoes, they are so comfortable and I've received compliments on them.

Cruisluver....I was "Champagne Sparkles" on the old board, but I had to run it all together to get it to work on this one....for all of you who remember the fun of trying to register over here!

Oh right... sorry... I don't know what I was thinking of... Now I remember. It's just that a bunch of people completely changed their names so I couldn't remember. But I remember you from the old board. I swear.

What an interesting thread!

My all time favorite travel movie, and please excuse the cliche-ness of it, but the Sound of Music has ALWAYS inspired me to visit Austria. Especially in the opening scene when it shows various areas of the alpine mountins. What I would give to see that movie in real theater and not just my 32 inch tv!

Another good travel movie is called "Chasing Liberty". If you can get past the corny story line of a president's daughter rebelling, the movie takes you thru Prague, Germany, Venice. Many beautiful and lush scenes.

Misty

Mine is Johnny Stechinno with Roberto Benigni. After watching that movie, I decided I was going to go to Italy and learn Italian. I met my wife there and now I go back at least once a year. I have become fluent over the years. It's a great movie with beautiful scenery and a good portrayal of Italian culture.
mod_ben

That might be the nicest story I've ever read on this forum, Ben. Quite a role that movie played in your life. It can be pretty amazing, can't it, the serendipity a movie or book or even off-beat little television show can play in one's life.

Does "Time Bandits" count as a travel movie? And I've always loved Mother O's "Local Hero."

I agree, Captain. It's a good story. Mod ben should write a screenplay. I really enjoyed the movie Johnny Stechinno. It was very funny.
And I am sure Champagnesparkles would count Time Bandits as acceptable here.

Misty, it is nice to see new members show up here. (Where is everybody?) I will check out your suggestion, too.
Your post reminded me that when I lived in London, the Prince Charles Cinema used to show the Sound of Music on the big screen and the audience was encouraged to dress up like the characters and sing along. I checked online to see if this is still going on, and it has been, since 1988! They do it about once a month.
In the U.S., the Waverly Theater in New York and the Castro in San Francisco also have had similar Sound of Music Singalongs. The Hollywood Bowl is having one on 9/19/2008, so your dream is attainable, although with tickets from $77-$385 it is one steep price. This might make a fun weekend adventure for Samantha to take us all on some day. She could get some use out of her dirndl.

Here's a link that explains all about the singalongs:

www.singalonga.net/soundofmusic/index.html

Motherorange -

Thanks for the info...I have heard of these "sing along" shows but never had the opportunity to attend one. (I hear they hiss and boo when the Baroness appears on screen!)

I do tend to travel more to NY, so I'll have to put the Waverly Theater on my list of destinations. But you're right about the ticket price....Yowza!

I am a new member...but been an avid watcher of Sam Brown for a while now. I practically live for her Passport shows that come on daily. Since I haven't been working in the past few months, not to mention I just lost my grandmother AND my dog, they give me something to look forward to. Perhaps a last chance to dream that I will one day get to travel to all these great locations if I keep that dream alive.

That's funny you say that Mother O. I was at dinner with friends last night and they were talking about writing a screenplay about my story. They were talking about who should play me. Someone said Tom Cruise but I wanted the heavyset guy from Superbad. There are lots more funny details but I won't bore you with them.

The other day I thought of another cool travel movie. The Beach. I always wanted to go to Thailand but that movie just makes you want to go out there and swim out to your own private island. Except for the killing and sharks and craziness.

The first thing that comes to mind is Impressions de France in EPCOT. I want to see France and travel in a hot air balloon because of that film. It makes me so happy every time I see it.

French Kiss a great movie. Love it! Have the soundtrack.

It's nice to "see" you all again. Sam's new page looks great. I, too, am hoping the tattoo isn't permanent. My personal opinion, that's all. I did notice there's no mention of the fellas and girls at PineRisge. That's not cool. They've done a great deal of hard work that is appreciated by us all. There seems to be a trend of creating flashy MTV-style shows these days. My attention span lasts longer than 10 seconds, thanks. Anyhoo...happy to see Samantha back on TV.

One movie of some years ago influenced me the most in latter years, as it brought back the days of old when my dad would toss the brother and me into a Pontiac station wagon and we'd traipse all over America in an air-condition-less nightmare between the Badlands and LA. Not sure if it was Fellini, Coppola, or maybe John Ford who directed it, although it all was very much a chapter from my childhood -

National Lampoon's Summer Vacation. A classic, n'est pas?

Haven't see the other site yet. Nor the tat. Good grief.

Intl Doc

The movie Easy Rider was certainly a travel film; I think it may have in part provided the inspiration that drove me to hitchhike from Chicago to LA back in 1976.

Out of Africa is the movie I watch over & over. I did go to Africa and loved it. Kenya and Nairobi are amazing cities.