SEATTLE
FILM Fifty Shades of Grey
RELEASE DATE February 11, 2015
CAST Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan
PROMINENT FILM LOCATIONS Several easy-to-visit Seattle sites featured prominently in one of the steamiest films of 2015. The scene where characters Christian Grey (Dornan) and Anastasia (Johnson) spend an evening together is the Fairmont Olympic's signature Cascade Suite. One of the most celebrated historic landmarks in Seattle, the 91-year-old hotel is conveniently located in the downtown area, near Pike Place Market (where Ana lives with best friend Kate).
Grey’s own penthouse apartment can be found at the luxury Escala condominium at 1920 4th Ave, where price tags start at a cool US$1.8 million.
ABU DHABI
FILM Furious 7
RELEASE DATE April 3, 2015
CAST Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson
PROMINENT FILM LOCATIONS One of the key moments in the film is when Dominic Toretto (Diesel) breaks into a penthouse to steal a US$3.4 million Lykan Hypersport super-car. The location where this intense scene was filmed is the iconic Etihad Towers – a complex made up of five individual towers with the tallest standing at 1,002ft in height, while the shortest at 714ft.
The complex is also home to the luxurious Jumeirah at Etihad Towers hotel where the cast stayed during filming.
HONG KONG
FILM The Dark Knight
RELEASE DATE July 14, 2008
CAST Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine
PROMINENT FILM LOCATIONS In the explosive IMAX thriller, Batman (Bale) travels to Hong Kong to capture the elusive accountant Lau (Chin Han). In doing so, the Caped Crusader climbs to the top of the International Finance Centre (IFC), and sky jumps onto a lower level to extradite Lau back to the US. The “IFC” consists of two skyscrapers, a high-end shopping mall and the 55-storey Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.
It was the tallest building in Hong Kong until the 2010 opening of the International Commerce Centre and is located in Central district, in front of the outlying ferry piers. There are numerous attractions in the surrounding area that are also worth visiting. SoHo, an entertainment zone offering an endless range of F&B options, is a five-minute walk from the IFC, and easily reached via the Central-Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system – the world's longest outdoor covered escalator system.
thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/dvdsite
PARIS
FILM La Vie en Rose
RELEASE DATE June 8, 2007 (USA)
CAST Marion Cotillard
PROMINENT FILM LOCATION The French capital features heavily in this Oscar winning film. With the movie faithfully based on the real life of French cabaret singer Edith Piaf (Cotillard), it is no wonder that many historical sites are so lovingly brought revisited. Fans can take a tour of Paris through Piaf’s own eyes, and visit many of the places where the celebrated singer performed back in the day. Highlights include the Belleville district (literally meaning "beautiful town), where she spent most of her early days, and the Paris Olympia Concert Hall, where she famously performed between January 1955 and October 1962.
Look out for souvenir stands near these historical landmarks, as many of them will sell CD versions of Piaf's most popular songs, including the signature "La vie en rose", written in 1945 and given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998.
tfmdistribution.com/lamome/lamome.htm
VENICE
FILM Casino Royale
RELEASE DATE November 14, 2006
CAST Daniel Craig, Eva Green
PROMINENT FILM LOCATIONS The climax of the film involves a chase scene through the alleys of Venice, as MI6 agent James Bond (Craig) ultimately learns of Vesper Lynd’s (Green) hidden past, and proceeds to track her through the crowded area of St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco). A popular tourist and shopping hotspot, Piazza San Marco is also home to the Saint Mark’s Basilica church, which is renowned worldwide for its priceless treasures and fascinating secret places. Admission to the church itself is free, but a museum located at the upper levels will cost €5, while there is also a €2 fee imposed on those who wish to view the high altar and treasury.
Clement Huang