Filmed In Abruzzo

One of the first things I learned about Campo Imperatore, L’Aquila was that it was the location for many movies. Later, when I said to a friend of mine from Abruzzo that I was heading off to visit Rocca Calascio I was told that Ladyhawke was filmed there. I didn’t swoon at the thought of walking in the footsteps of Michelle Pfeiffer but it was exciting all the same.

Later I found out that these movies had an Abruzzo connection:

• The Name Of The Rose
• Ladyhawke
• My Name Is Trinity
• Trinity Is Still My Name

I’d seen these movies years ago at a time when I’d never heard of Abruzzo. I think The Name Of The Rose is by far the best of them, but I enjoyed them all.

Curious, I recently did an IMDB search it appears there are 86 entries for works filmed in Abruzzo, here they all are. Although most are in Italian there are quite a few in English too.

When I saw the list I spotted a few surprises. I remember watching Krull and La Strada and sure enough the fact that some of the scenes I saw were filmed in L’Aquila (Campo Imperatore, Ovindoli, Rocca di Mezzo) would have had no impact on me at the time.

But things are different now. Since I’ve had a chance to spend time in Abruzzo I keep an eye out for the region. I don’t live there, I just wish I did. I travel there as often as possible, which is never enough.

So I think I’m going to have to go back and look at some of these films again, and although they may not be regarded as classics, except perhaps The Name Of The Rose, I’m going to have fun looking out for Abruzzo as I watch.

Looking through the IMDB list I learned a few more nuggets of information:

• There is a movie of the novel Fontemara by Ignazio Silone (I didn’t know that.)
• The American, filmed in Castel del Monte and Sulmona will be released this year (and it stars somebody called George Clooney) (OK, I knew that.)
• Pane e Tulipani (Bread and Tulips) an Italian film I’ve wanted to see and have read good things about, has scenes filmed in Pescara (A nice surprise.)

So while I’m waiting for my next trip to Abruzzo (not too long now, nearly there, nearly there) I can crank up the DVD player see if I can spot familiar scenes while watching Sean Connery and Christian Slater in The Name Of The Rose, Anthony Quinn in La Strada, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rutger Hauer and Matthew Broderick in Ladyhawke, a whole list of actors I’ve ever heard of  in My Name Is Trinity and Trinity Is Still My Name.

I think I’ll skip Krull.

Update 27 February 2010:

It’s amazing what you’l find on YouTube. In September 2008 HouseAbruzzo posted this photo video of movies filmed in Abruzzo.

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