Travel posters inspire us to pack our bags and voyage around the world. They give us a tiny glimpse of what it might be like to visit these far off lands. But film directors can transport us to other worlds from the comfort of our own living rooms – no flights required. So naturally, we wondered what might happen if we combined the two.
We’ve taken the signature styles of seven exceptional directors and created a series of travel posters bound to get that wanderlust flowing.
1. Wes Anderson (Jaipur, India)
Having just released his new movie Isle of Dogs, Wes Anderson keeps busting out box office gold. And his films are instantly recognisable, due in large part to his infamous colour palettes and eye for perfect symmetry. In 2007, Anderson applied his unmistakable style to India for The Darjeeling Limited – a tale of three estranged brothers on a train voyage through Rajasthan. Jaipur is the region’s capital – affectionately referred to as the Pink City – and it’s not hard to see the attraction for the director. A fantastic place to visit, and maybe, like the brothers in the film, you’ll also find yourself along the way.
2. Tim Burton (Cornwall, UK)
Tim Burton’s penchant for dark imagery has made him a favourite among goths the world over. From Edward Scissorhands to Alice in Wonderland, his worlds are full of the weird and the fantastical. His 2016 film Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children told the tale of a mysterious children's home, and the tiny Cornwall hamlet of Portholland had a starring role as the island that houses the crumbling school. The surrounding cliffs and beaches of the beautiful Cornwall countryside make this a perfect place to escape your ordinary life.
3. Sofia Coppola (Tokyo, Japan)
Sofia Coppola’s dreamy visual style and explorations of the human condition have established her as one of the best directors of modern times. Lost in Translation is a tale of friendship – and a love letter to the city of Tokyo. Shot entirely on location in Japan, this instant classic received four Oscar nominations and has since inspired countless tourists to visit Tokyo for themselves. Not just an eye popping urban adventure, Tokyo is also a place to relax and rediscover life's possibilities.
4. Peter Jackson (Wellington, New Zealand)
Peter Jackson exploded (or splattered) onto the scene in 1987 with his low budget horror comedy Bad Taste. Nowadays, his budgets are a bit higher and he is best known as the director of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, much of which was filmed in Wellington, New Zealand. It’s not difficult to see why Jackson chose this location – the spectacular countryside was exactly what he needed to bring Tolkien's fictional world to life. So just like Sam and Frodo did, be brave and take one more step into Wellington. You won’t be disappointed.
5. Chan-wook Park (Seoul, South Korea)
Chan-wook Park is famous for his painterly sense of composition, dark humour and toe-curling gore. His wildly popular 2016 movie, The Handmaiden, stunned audiences with its jaw-dropping twists and explosive technicolor. But he is perhaps best known for Oldboy, in which a desperate businessman is imprisoned for 15 years and goes on a journey to take revenge on his captors. The chilling film was set in the South Korean capital of Seoul. Whether it’s temples, parks or cutting-edge architecture you’re looking for, this dynamic mashup of a city has something for everyone. You’ll want to stay for fifteen years.
6. Christopher Nolan (Chicago, USA)
Over the course of his 15-year career, Christopher Nolan has gone from making low-budget independent films to directing some of the most popular blockbusters ever made. Known for his cerebral, mind-bending films, his Batman trilogy revived the franchise in spectacular fashion. Choosing the city of Chicago as the location for Gotham was a genius choice. The mega city has all the offerings you'd expect during the day, from museums and vibrant shopping districts to Millennium Park and its famous ‘bean.’ By night, Chicago definitely takes on more of a Gotham vibe. It really is the city that you deserve.
7. Steven Spielberg (Petra, Jordan)
He’s one of the most influential and best known directors in the history of cinema, and he’s taken audiences on more incredible adventures than most. Steven Spielberg’s latest offering, Ready Player One, is doing incredible business at the box office, proving he’s still got it. When he was looking for a location to serve as The Temple of the Sun in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Petra was the obvious choice. It’s one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world and Jordan's most valuable treasure. But if you want to play Indy, make sure you don’t forget your hat.
These film directors have the magic touch when it comes to cinema. And in the unlikely case that they ever need a backup career, we think they’d also make stellar graphic designers.
Which location is next on your list? Hopefully these world-class directors have inspired you to explore the amazing places waiting for you out there, from the bright lights of Seoul to the ancient ruins of Petra. Perhaps you've got somewhere completely different in mind for your future travels? Let us know on social media, we'd love to hear from you and don't forget we have the perfect selection of party houses, country houses and hen party houses to rent.
Sources
Pais, Arthur J. (2007). Capturing India in Darjeeling Limited. rediff.com
Atlas Of Wonders. (2018). Where was Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children filmed? atlasofwonders.com
Dean. R. (2015). Let’s examine the visual aesthetic of Sofia Coppola’s work. avclub.com
New Zealand. (2018). The Lord of the Rings Filming Locations. newzealand.com
Singer. L. (2017). Where to begin with Park Chan-wook. bfi.org.uk
Gomez. L. (2014). Batman's Chicago connection. chicagotribune.com
Hubert, C. (2018). A Portrait of the Bed Stuy Block Where Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing’ Was Filmed. brownstoner.com
Woolf, C. (2016). There appears to be a secret temple buried in the ancient city where 'Indiana Jones' filmed. pri.org
Time. (2015). The Five Ways To Know You're Watching a Spielberg Movie. time.com
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