Making a scene? Make it in Pennsylvania

From impressive city skylines with its contrasting architecture to its picturesque rolling countryside, Pennsylvania is the stunning backdrop for many popular and iconic films we know and recognise. The recently filmed Marley & Me and Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen are the latest additions to over 150 films made across the state.

Who can forget Rocky’s inspirational sprint up the steps of Philadelphia’s Museum of Art, or Harrison Ford’s discovery of Amish life in the classic detective thriller, ‘Witness’, set in pristine Lancaster. Tom Hanks’ powerful role as a wrongly dismissed lawyer in the film ‘Philadelphia’, propelled Bruce Springsteen’s musical ode to the city into international recognition.

The state’s the dense woodlands set the scene for the academy award winning film – The Deer Hunter as well as more spine-tingling films including the horror classic ‘Night of the Living Dead’, as well as the gritty ‘Silence of the Lambs’.

Many film companies and directors have used the state for their blockbusters. M. Night Shyamalan was not only raised in Penn Valley Philadelphia, but has set no less than six of his movies in the state; the Sixth Sense, Signs, The Village, Unbreakable, Lady in the Water and more recently, The Happening.

For added glamour, movie icons such as Gene Kelly and Jimmy Stewart are among the famous names from Pennsylvania. Pay homage to the ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ actor at the recently opened Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana. Today, modern acting icons including Will Smith, Kevin Bacon, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Gere all call Pennsylvania their first home!

Film fanatics can enjoy three hours of movie tour magic! Created by the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, the tour takes visitors behind the scenes of today’s favourite motion films including National Treasure, 12 Monkeys and In Her Shoes. Whilst on board the luxury tour bus, fans can watch movie clips at each film’s location as they receive the inside scoop on the stars and films. Public tours run on selected Saturdays from 9.50am outside the Independence Visitor Centre. Tickets cost $35, for further information visit toursignup.com.

Don’t just watch – take action with a visit to Pennsylvania!

For more information on film-tastic Pennsylvania log on to Visitpa.com/uk.