7 Classic Movies That Were Filmed In Florida

Los Angeles may be the movie production capital of the United States, but Florida does see plenty of cinematic action come around it’s way. With it’s beautiful sunny beaches, various swamps and outdoor recreation spaces, it’s not hard to see how Florida can be used as a location for hundreds of movies. So we’ve put together a list of seven films that have used the Sunshine Sates exotic landscape.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

When the Miami Dolphin’s mascot Snowflake is kidnapped, eccentric animal lover Ace Ventura works alongside the Miami-Dade Police Department to find Snowflakes captors. Shot around Miami and in the Miami Orange Bowl for the football scenes, this hilarious comedy features Jim Carrey in one of his most memorable roles.

 

Contact

Jodie Foster stars in Contact, where she plays a scientist chosen to be the first human being to make contact with extraterrestrial life. To do research for the film and to eventually shoot some scenes, the production made many visits to Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.

 

 

The Waterboy

Tired of being bullied by the Mud Dog football team, Bobby Boucher proves that he can tackle just about anyone which gets him a chance to become a linebacker for the team. The Waterboy‘s filming locations were primarily in Orlando, DeLand, and Lakeland. The classrooms and gym where Bobby takes the GED were shot at Stetson University, which is also in Deland.

 

Edward Scissorhands

The colorful pastel neighborhood that was used in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands is located in Lutz, Florida, just a few miles away from Tampa. The production of the film created a great number of temporary jobs and produced around $4 million for the Tampa Bay economy.

 

Caddyshack

The silly golf club classic Caddyshack delivers as many laughs as it does golf swings. Many of Caddyshacks famous golf course scenes were shot at the Rolling Hills Golf Club, which would eventually be renamed the Grande Oaks Golf Club in Davie, Florida, to resemble other scenes that were shot in California.

 

Stranger Than Paradise

In director Jim Jarmusch’s low-budget comedy Stranger Than Paradise, three friends escape snowy New York by driving to Florida, where they fund their trip by gambling.  Stranger than Paradise is hailed as a landmark in independent film, as it inspired many would-be directors to make their first movies.

 

Scarface

Obsessed with achieving the American Dream, Cuban immigrant Tony Montana rises from the bottom to the top of Miami’s organized crime syndicate. This highly stylized gangster classic showcases that 1980’s Miami vibe perfectly.