Recreating Movie Scenes Across the Globe

By Pinar Noorata on April 25, 2012

Taking a typical tourist photo in front of a monumental attraction is done time and time again, but world traveler and film enthusiast Allen Fuqua has decided to document his travels by recreating scenes from movies. Fuqua's project, known as Movie Mimic, offers a creative way to experience the world. The web photo series reframes specific film scenes with the globe-trotter standing in for big time celebrities like Ryan Gosling, Denzel Washington, and Matt Damon.

Generally, when planning a trip, you try to map out the sites you want to visit. Fuqua actually pinpoints his locations Google Maps to accompany each photo, making it easier for future travelers to visit. While the shots may not be lit as cinematically as their referential images, they are remarkably close, if not identical, in composition.

I love this grand idea of paying homage to cinema while simultaneously sightseeing. The California-native's project has already taken him to the other end of the globe in Japan, not to mention France, Italy, Spain, England, Taiwan, Mexico, and all across America.

Top photo:
Movie: Drive
Location: MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, CA
Photographer: Kevin Thomas

Movie: 28 Days Later
Location: Westminster Bridge, London, United Kingdom
Photographer: Helen Miras

Movie: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Location: Twin Peaks, San Francisco, CA
Photographer: Jack ?

Movie: Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Location: Van Nuys High School, Van Nuys, CA
Photographer: Bret Kinkele

Movie: No Strings Attached
Location: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Photographer: Justin Kim

Movie: Late Spring (??)
Location: Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu, Kanagawa, Japan (?????, ????, ??)
Photographer: Aiya ?

Movie: Whisper of the Heart (??????)
Location: Konpira Shrine, Tokyo, Japan (???, ???, ??)
Photographer: Ayako Kawashima

Movie: Lost in Translation
Location: Jogan-ji Temple, Tokyo, Japan (???, ???, ??)
Photographer: Leslie Kyan

Movie: Amlie (Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amlie Poulain)
Location: Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Paris, France (Basilique du Sacr-Cur, Paris, France)
Photographer: Jazz Gabriel

Movie: Love Actually
Location: South Bank, London, United Kingdom
Photographer: Allen Fuqua

Movie: The Italian Job
Location: Campo San Barnaba, Venice, Italy (Campo San Barnaba, Venezia, Italia)
Photographer: Katrina Vowels

Movie: Midnight in Paris
Location: Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France (Chteau de Versailles, Versailles, France)
Photographer: Allen Fuqua

Movie: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Location: Casa Mil, Barcelona, Spain (Casa Mil, Barcelona, Espanya)
Photographer: Susanne ?

Movie: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Location: National Art Museum of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona, Espanya)
Photographer: Felipe ?