Follow Hollywood blockbusters to China’s most inspiring destinations Part II

Transformers: Age of Extinction was filmed in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Chongqing

Michael Bay's fourth Transformers movie has a dozen locations in Hong Kong, including Tsing Ma Bridge, Lyndhurst Terrace, Victoria Harbour and the old areas of Sham shui Po, Kowloon. However, the movie has its most exciting scene in Wulong, Chongqing, when Optimus Prime fought with Grimlock in the huge Three Natural Bridges.

 

(Wulong, Chongqing)

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was filmed in Xian

Director Rob Cohen was hooked on Chinese history and culture, thus we can see the wonderful performances of Chinese Kung Fu actors Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh, as well as the stunning scenes of Terra-Cotta Warriors, the holy snow mountains in Shangri-La and the deserts in Hebei.

(Terra-Cotta Warriors)

Kill Bill was filmed in Beijing

Both Quentin Tarantino and Uma Thurman are Chinese martial arts fans. Kill Bill was deeply influenced by Hong Kong’s Kung Fu movies and mostly filmed in Beijing.

(Temple of Heave in Beijing)

The White Countess was filmed in Shanghai

Many Hollywood directors are interested in mysterious Chinese culture, not least for James Ivory. The White Countess provides a perspective of the old Shanghai, and the city’s past prosperity and continued development.

(The old streets of Shanghai)

The famous locations of Chinese movies:

China West Film Studio at Zhenbeipu: "the Orient Hollywood" is of primitive simplicity and mysterious charm, and very appealing to Chinese and international directors. Numerous movies were shot here such as Red Sorghum, the West Odyssey, Dragon Inn, Red River Valley etc.

Kaiping Diaolou architectures: UNESCO cultural heritage the Diaolou buildings in Guangdong set a fantastical background for the wonderful movie “Let the Bullets Fly”.

Erjina Populus euphratica forest: in Alashan league of Inner Mongolia, the beautiful forest has been known to the world because of Hero directed by Zhang Yimou. It is the location of Juyan Culture sites dating back to Xixia Dynasty (1038-1227)

Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park: Zhang Yimou’s A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop was filmed in this majestic rainbow mountain.

Follow Hollywood blockbusters to China’s most inspiring destinations Part I

China is loaded with spectacular landscapes and literary & historical sights with stories. For years, many brilliant Hollywood directors have located their movies in China.  

1. Avatar was inspired by Yellow Mountain or Zhangjiajie National Forest Park?

Director James Cameron has confirmed that the ‘Hallelujah Mountain’ was created according to Yellow Mountain. But many people have questioned his claim, as this floating mountain, as well as the fantasy world of Pandora is more like being‘filmed at Zhangjiajie’ in Hunan Province.

(Yellow Mountain)

(Zhangjiajie National Forest Park)

2. 2012 was filmed in the Himalayas

Disaster film 2012 was enormously popular, and leads us to many famous world landmarks. In the southwest of China, the Himalayas is human being’s last hope. The temple ruined by flood in the movie is Rongbuk Monastery, 20km away from Mt. Everest, and the world’s highest temple above sea level. 

(Rongbuk Monastery)

3. Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith was film in Guilin, Guangxi 

Director George Lucas is addicted to Chinese landscape. Therefore in Star Wars: Episode III, Guilin’s amazing Li River and Karst Landscape with mystery have hit the big screen for the first time.

(Li River)

4. The Painted Veil was filmed along Yangtze River to Huangyao Old Town

Directed by John Curran and starring Naomi Watts and Edward Norton, The Painted Veil was shot entirely in China – the lens change from place to place, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangxi, and focus on the scenic Yangtze River, Li River and serene, romantic Huangyao Ancient Town.

(Huangyao Ancient Town)

5. Mission Impossible III was filmed in Shanghai

Apart from the film locations of Berlin and Vatican, director John Woo and Mission Impossible II came to Shanghai. With the lens, we see Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, Huangpu River and Xitang Water Town full of classical elegance.