Films about tourism can already be considered a separate subgenre of cinema. Regardless of whether comedy, drama or thriller shows climbing mountains, hiking or rafting, the viewer is always fascinated by the beauty of landscapes, the spirit of adventure and the courage of the main characters. Check out the top travel and travel movies in the list below.
127 hours
Opens the list of the 2010 film "127 Hours," based on real events. Canyon conqueror Aron Ralston thought he was in touch with nature "on you." However, in 2003 his trip to the mountain crevice almost ended in tragedy - due to failure during the descent, the climber’s hand was crushed by a 300-kilogram stone. Ralston lacked communications, and water and food supplies were limited. After 127 hours, the provisions ran out, and Aron amputated his arm, which allowed him to get out and ask for help.
The role of a brave climber was brilliantly played by James Franco, for which he was nominated for an Oscar as the best actor. The film, which tells in detail the real story of Aron Ralston, was highly praised by critics, and on the Rotten Tomatoes website he has a very high positivity rating - as much as 93%. The film was directed by Danny Boyle, best known for the films “On the Needle” and “Slumdog Millionaire”. Aron Ralston himself also took part in the filming, advising Franco and Boyle at all stages of work.
"K2: Ultimate Height"
Those who are interested in films about mountaineering can not ignore the cult movie of 1991 "K2: Extreme Height". This is not only one of the best paintings on this topic, but also one of the most outstanding, according to some critics, relating to the beginning of the 90s as a whole.
The plot tells of two friends who differ literally in everything except one: passion for mountaineering. For more than 10 years, they worked in conjunction, conquering the peak after peak, and now, by chance, were in the team of the eccentric billionaire to climb Chogori (another name K2) - the second largest earthly peak in the world.
The main roles in the film were played by Michael Bean and Matt Craven, Frank Roddam took the director's chair. The soundtrack deserves special attention in "Ultimate Height" (by the way, performed in two versions - orchestral and rock music). The composer was Hans Zimmer.
"Train to Darjeeling"
Not all films about tourism involve overcoming, inhuman efforts and the struggle with nature. The clearest confirmation of this is the movie of the amazing director Wes Anderson, shot in 2007. Here, the journey appears only as a background and an excuse for a philosophical view of the life of the main characters, which, it seems to them, has come to a standstill. But do not think that the viewer will be left without adventures and beautiful views - India appears on the screen in her most beautiful images, and not only natural, but also mental, psychological and symbolic. Of course, Anderson’s talent to show everything beautiful and vibrant did not stand aside. A large number of subtle humor and touching scenes will definitely bring great pleasure from watching this picture.
The main roles were played by Adrian Brody, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman.
"Fatal route"
We turn to tourist plots that can tickle the nerves of even the most sophisticated viewers - the movie "The Fatal Route" of 2014 just refers to them. A special highlight of the picture adds the fact that it is based on real events.
A young couple of inexperienced tourists decides to hike in wild places far from civilization, but suddenly they are trapped in the territory of a huge black bear. Now the journey no longer seems to them a jaunt, and life turns into a mortal struggle with nature. Particularly impressionable people are better off not watching this film, as well as young children, because sometimes with its realism, The Fateful Route resembles a documentary movie.
The tape became the directorial debut for a fairly popular Canadian actor Adam MacDonald, the leading roles were played by Missy Peregrim and Jeff Rupp.
Sanctum
Films about sports tourism and scientific research rarely go side by side, but it was this combination of speleology and mountain climbing that helped create the tense thriller of 2010 “Sanctum” about traveling deep into the cave, not just simple, but the largest on Earth.
As in the movie "The Fatal Route", the film’s intrigue adds to the presence of non-professional travelers in the team of characters who overestimated their strength and had to adapt to the conditions already during the disaster, literally surviving.
The director of the picture "Sanctum" was made by the little-known Alistair Grierson, but special attention was attracted by the public that the producer was James Cameron. Despite the fact that he did not direct the main production process, the audience saw the influence of the famous filmmaker, in particular the use of the same visual techniques as in Cameron's Avatar. The main roles were played by Joan Griffith, Richard Roxburgh, Reese Wakefield and Alice Parkinson.
"Wild river"
Have you watched this movie? But the best feature film about rafting on the river, without a doubt, can be called this picture of 1994. It has not only an interesting plot, beautiful views and stormy streams, but also a great cast with the inimitable Meryl Streep at the head.
The spouses Gail and Tom were never professional rafters, but decided that the conquest of the river would help them save the marriage, cracking at the seams. Together with their son and dog, they go on a tourist trip, which prepared them much more extreme than they could imagine. The family was held hostage by two fugitive robbers who at first pretended to be just as ordinary tourists. Gail and Tom had to try very hard to protect their son and each other from lawbreakers and the raging wildlife.
In addition to Meryl Streep in the role of Gail, the main characters were played by Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn and John C. Reilly. The director's duties were performed by Curtis Hanson, who earned fame for the films “Eighth Mile” and “Secrets of Los Angeles”.
"Stolen"
You can not ignore this movie. “Abducted” is a 2011 film whose original name “A Hiding Place for Death” was decided to be replaced at the Russian box office so as not to prejudice the psyche of the audience. And not casual, because this picture is able to pretty tickle the nerves.
The plot unfolds around a group of climbers who discover a Slavic girl buried alive in the Scottish mountains. They save her and try to deliver her to the city, however, on their way there are terrible, deadly barriers arranged by unknown people.
The film "Abducted" in 2011 was shot by a little-known director Julian Gilby, did not differ in star cast. However, this became rather a plus of the picture, since the lack of familiar faces and the fresh look of the director allowed viewers to see a non-template story with shots resembling a documentary. The rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website was 77%.
"The Secret of the Dyatlov Pass"
Many people know about this movie. Although there are many documentaries about the Dyatlov Pass, this only feature film was shot in 2013. And, most interestingly, in the joint production of Russia, the UK and the USA. The director was Rennie Harlin, and at the box office the film "The Secret of the Woodpecker Pass" was declared as a horror film and thriller.
The plot unfolds around a group of American students who decided to come to the Urals and go through the places of the expedition of Igor Dyatlov, which ended in tragedy in 1959. The pseudo-documentary film depicts the cause of the death of the Dyatlov group as a result of secret experiments on time movements. Finding a strange Soviet-era bunker with a high level of radiation inside, some students die from humanoid mutants, while others move in 1959.
Despite the fact that the opinions of critics about the film “The Secret of the Dyatlov Pass” were significantly divided, the audience as a whole found the picture interesting, fascinating, and most importantly filled with views of the beautiful Northern Urals.
"Dyatlov Pass. Exiled on the occasion of death"
But among the documentaries about the tragedy of 1959, of which a great many were shot, many consider the production of Vera Snegireva, the documentary director of Channel One, to be the most interesting. The main advantages are the huge number of archival personnel, memories of relatives of the dead freight forwarders and reputable researchers.
Also a nice feature of the film is the lack of mythological versions of the death of the group associated with the Bigfoot, aliens and other supernatural causes. The main attention is paid to versions related to natural factors, as well as the possible holding of secret weapons nearby or even over the tourists themselves who were captured in the forbidden territory.
Great Northern Way
One of the newest documentaries on tourism, which everyone should see, is The Great Northern Way, which premiered in February 2019. The author and director was Leonid Kruglov, a famous Russian photographer and traveler.
For his plot, he decided to go on a trip to the Arctic, but not just like that, but following the route of the 17th century pioneer Semen Dezhnev, namely from Arkhangelsk to the Bering Strait. On dog and reindeer sledding, riding on deer, swimming in boats and in the air by paralet, Kruglov and his film crew covered more than ten thousand kilometers, so now all spectators and travel enthusiasts will be able to see the Great Northern Route on screens and possibly get closer to events that happened four centuries ago and forever changed the history of Russia and the world.
"Beach"
Another outstanding film about tourism, owned by the talented director of the aforementioned Danny Boyle. "Beach" was released in 2000 and is most interesting as one of the best with the young Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. The plot tells the story of a young guy named Richard, who travels the world in search of thrills. For him, there are no things that he would refuse to try or experience for himself, and when his new random friends offer to go to a mysterious island near Thailand, which is "an earthly paradise," Richard agrees without a doubt, embarking on a dangerous and adventurous path.
On the island, travelers discover a commune whose inhabitants, at first glance, live in absolute utopia, and therefore they are fascinated by this artificial society and decide to stay forever. But soon the vital and social problems of the commune emerge, and the armed Thai criminals guarding the illegal hemp plantation nearby only add tension to a life that until recently seemed carefree.
In addition to DiCaprio, the main roles in the film were played by Tilda Swinton, Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet and Robert Carlyle.
"Butterfly"
If among the films about hiking you are already tired of thrillers and horror films, and against the background of beautiful nature, you also want to see a beautiful, good story, the French movie of 2002 “Butterfly” is exactly what you need.
At the center of the story are neighbors unlike each other: a little girl Elsa and an elderly grumbling butterfly collector Julien. Elsa’s mother practically does not pay attention to her daughter, and therefore one day she decides to quietly follow Julien on his next expedition for a rare specimen. The path of the collector and his secret companion lies through the alpine foothills, and therefore forest and mountain hikes in the film about the unexpected friendship of two different people fill most of the screen time. All moviegoers with a delicate philosophy of life, sincere direct humor and beautiful views of French nature will enjoy the movie.
The director of the picture was Philip Mouil, the main roles were played by Michel Cerro and Claire Buanish.
"In the wild"
Sean Penn made the film "In the Wild" in 2007, on which he finally established himself as a talented director, and not just an actor. This picture is based on real events from the life of Christopher Mackandless, who in 1990 decided to donate everything he had for charitable purposes and went on a journey under the pseudonym Alexander Superbramp. These were the last two years of Christopher's life, since on foot having walked almost all the States and Mexico, he decided to live in Alaska in an old bus. There he died of exhaustion at the age of 24.
Cinema prepares for its viewer not only a lot of beautiful views and real stories about overcoming himself, but also a very beautiful, touching philosophical line about the essence of human being.
The film "In the Wild" in 2007 was awarded many nominations for various awards, including two Oscars. However, he won only the Golden Globe for the best song and the award of the council of film critics for the “breakthrough of the year” and getting into the top ten best films. The main role was played by Emil Hirsch, Hal Holbrook, William Hurt, Kristen Stewart and Vince Vaughn also starred in the film.
"Geographer drank the globe"
It should be noted the game of Konstantin Khabensky. The Russian film "Geographer cut the globe" in 2013 won a large number of domestic prizes and awards in the field of cinematography. He tells about the life of a 37-year-old biologist from the Scientific Research Institute Viktor Sluzhkin, whose life quietly came to a crisis, as a result of which he was left without work, lost his wife and was forced to get a school as a geography teacher. Adventures begin when a woeful teacher, Sluzhkin, prone to alcoholism, decides to go camping with schoolchildren. A lot of difficulties await children and teachers - funny, dangerous and even frightening. Despite the successful outcome of the camping trip, after returning home, Sluzhkin was dismissed from school for the risk to which he had exposed juvenile wards.
The main role in the film "Geographer drank the globe" in 2013 was played by Konstantin Khabensky, Alexander Veledinsky was invited as a director by producer Valery Todorovsky.
"Eat Pray Love"
The melodramatic picture of 2010 "Eat, Pray, Love", based on the book of the same name by Elizabeth Gilbert, based on real events, completes the list of the best films about tourism.
The picture shows a turning point in the life of Elizabeth, who decides to change herself and sets off on a journey. After spending some time in Italy, she understands the similarities between the taste for food and the taste for life, in India strengthens her spiritual beginning, realizing what it means to truly pray, and at the end of her journey she goes to Indonesia, where she finds love and finds final harmony. Beautiful field surveys were performed in Naples, Pataudi and on the island of Bali.
The film was directed by Ryan Murphy, and the main role was played by the famous actress Julia Roberts. In addition to her, James Franco, Javier Bardem, Viola Davis, Sophie Thompson and Billy Crudup starred in Eat Pray Love.