Recreating Movie Scenes Across the Globe


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 ?


Movie: Before Sunset
Location: Paris, France
Photographer: Jazz Gabriel


Movie: The Talented Mr. Ripley
Location: St. Mark's Square, Venice, Italy (Piazza San Marco, Venezia, Italia)
Photographer: Katrina Vowels


Movie: Train Man (???)
Location: Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan (???, ???, ??)
Photographer: Eika Yoshida


Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
Location: Fremont, Seattle, WA
Photographer: Dmitri Journist


Movie: Source Code
Location: Millennium Park, Chicago, IL
Photographer: Patrick ?


Movie: The Breakfast Club
Location: Glenbrook North High School, Northbrook, IL
Photographer: Adam Kohlhaas

Movie Mimic website
via [BuzzFeed]

Pinar

Pinar Noorata (she/her) is the Editorial Director at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. She also runs her own art & culture newsletter called The High Low. She first joined the My Modern Met team in 2011 as a Contributing Writer, pitching and publishing articles about a wide range of topics. Her expertise in visual media lends itself to in-depth analysis of varied art forms, including but not limited to painting, illustration, sculpture, installation, design, and photography. Pinar has a particular affinity for spotlighting up-and-coming artists, affording them a platform and offering a voice to lesser-heard individuals looking to break through, especially BIPOC creatives. She has helped multiple artists make a name for themselves and reach a wider audience over 10+ years as a writer and editor (both through long-form articles and short-form videos). When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching films and TV, reading, crafting, drawing, frequenting museums and galleries, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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