27 replies to this topic

[rudy]

In the spirit of the near holidays (who is really working anyway?) . . . .

It doesn't happen often in the movies that a map holds centre-stage - let me know if there is one - but maps often play a supporting role and make for a great added bonus to a movie. What is your favourite movie clip that shows a map? Mine is Casablanca - especially the opening credits and scene where a map is first used for a backdrop, then followed up with a spinning globe (with bad plastecene looking land features) that sets the stage for the story. Great fun!

[Hans van der Maarel]

Charlie Chaplin in "The Great Dictator"

[Mike H]

Repo Man!

[ELeFevre]

I always liked the "traveling route maps" in the Indiana Jones movies. I can't seem to find a clip, otherwise I'd post it.

[MapMedia]

In the spirit of the near holidays (who is really working anyway?) . . . .

It doesn't happen often in the movies that a map holds centre-stage - let me know if there is one - but maps often play a supporting role and make for a great added bonus to a movie. What is your favourite movie clip that shows a map? Mine is Casablanca - especially the opening credits and scene where a map is first used for a backdrop, then followed up with a spinning globe (with bad plastecene looking land features) that sets the stage for the story. Great fun!

Must have been someone specializing in film noir maps. A broody sort of fellow with a stark view of the world
Me? I see the world in Pantone pastels and bezier curves.

[Jean-Louis]

WKRP in Cincinnati. Johnny Fever studio had an old caricature map of Cincinnati from when I started in this business.

Pirates of the Carrabean I: Great scene of a guy painting a wall map in the Governor's office. Wish I could find a picture

Merry Christmas to all
 WKRP.jpg   92.86K   47 downloads

[Rick Dey]

For those of us of a slightly older vintage, who could forget the opening to Bonanza?



Oh sure it's TV, but classic none the less. I don't however advocate burning your maps!

[David T]

Indiana Jones movies, of course.

I suppose one of my favorite 'funny' map moments is in one of the Pink Panther movies (it's late, I can't think of which one at the moment), Clouseau puts his hand on a spinning glove, and falls over.

[MapMedia]

Would have been cool if Sam pulled out a Gazetteer from his rucksack in Lord of the Rings. "Look Mr. Frodo. I don't suppose we could stop by a geo-cache I've always wanted to find. Seeing as were passing through Mordor."

[angel.spatial]

I like the English Patient quite a bit... he uses different maps in the movie, but it's mainly because the main character is a cartographer.

Also, the maps in the new Valkyrie movie are great!

[DaveB]

In addition to the ones already mentioned:
The maps in the Lord of the Rings movies
The maps in the opening credits of "The Englishman Who Went up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain"
Just about any map in any movie

[CHART]

I was impressed by the animated map, in the large screen Imax movie depicting Shackelton's 1914-1916 British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. I believe the movie was made in 2001.

Shackelton Imax Movie

[Cartogirl]

I love the treasure map from the Goonies (1985), in particular when it is first discovered up in the Walsh attic. I would love to have an attic like that with somany hidden gems

[marinegirl]

The Pirates of the Caribbean wall map is the one that immediately came to my mind... I totally want to have a wall like this in my house one day! It's seen in Lord Cutler Becketts office in Pirates II (Dead Mans Chest).

Wikipedia says:

During the course of the film, Beckett has an artisan working on a massive painting of the World's map over his office's back wall. Throughout different scenes seen, the painting is slowly being completed.The producers of Dead Man's Chest use this symbolically to represent the World getting "smaller" as England's East India Trading Co. gains worldwide influence, thus leaving no more "freedom" in the world. In the script, Beckett states, "Jack Sparrow is a dying breed [a pirate]. The World is shrinking. The blank edges of the Map filled in. Jack must find his place in the New World or perish."

A couple of screencaps found online:

[rudy]

Ooooh that is cool. I've got just the wall for it too!