{"id":4954,"date":"2019-11-26T17:09:59","date_gmt":"2019-11-26T22:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/?page_id=4954"},"modified":"2019-12-12T10:20:45","modified_gmt":"2019-12-12T15:20:45","slug":"miami-has-become-a-top-movie-and-tv-location-with-many-sites-easy-to-visit","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/?page_id=4954","title":{"rendered":"Miami has become a top movie and TV location, with many sites easy to visit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Posted November 26, 2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By ADAM SPECTOR<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miami is a diverse city, not just in terms of people, but also the different parts of the city. Miami is a town with various seemingly different towns within it. When people think of Miami, they usually think of Miami Beach. The sun-drenched area has played a pivotal role in many beloved films and TV shows as well as some less memorable ones. The following is a list of the top 10 movie and TV shows that were shot in at least some actual locations in Miami. This is a list of recognizable locations and uses of it. These are all locations which tourists can visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#10 ‘Goldfinger’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoldfinger\u201d is a 1964 action thriller staring Sean Connery as James Bond. This is the third film in the series and is widely considered to be the best in this beloved series of 25 films. An early part of the movie takes place in Miami Beach at the Fountainbleu Hotel, which is a popular hotel still in business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While its unlikely that the interior shots were actually filmed on location, the exterior scenes were actually shot at the Fontainebleau Hotel. While the hotel has certainly had a lot of renovations since 1964, the overall structure is still the same. Fortunately nobody in the hotel has ever been reported to have been murdered and painted gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to being widely considered to being one of the best Bond films, \u201cGoldfinger\u201d is also widely regarded as one of the best spy movies ever made. With its memorable characters, iconic set pieces and intriguing plot, this has its status as a classic. The only reason this ranks low on the list is because such a small piece of the movie takes place in Miami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#9<\/strong> ‘Meet the Fockers’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMeet the Fockers\u201d is the 2004 sequel to the hit comedy, “Meet the Parents.” The sequel stars Ben Stiller, Robert Deniro, Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand. What makes the sequel more relevant to this list is the fact that it takes place in Miami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although \u201cMeet the Fockers\u201d takes place in Miami, most of\nit was shot in Los Angeles. Having said that, several scenes that involve the\nwives shopping were actually shot in Coconut Grove. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Coconut Grove area is one of the most recognizable parts\nof the Miami Metropolitan area to visitors. With the distinctive architecture\nof the area, historic landmarks, unique stores, restaurants, and countless\nother things to do, Coconut Grove is one of the more walkable areas of Miami,\nmaking it a perfect place for tourists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#8 ‘The Birdcage’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Birdcage\u201d is a 1996 comedy staring Robin Williams\nabout a gay cabaret owner and his partner that agree to pretend to be straight\nso that their son can introduce them to his fianc\u00e9e’s right-wing parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the movie, there\u2019s a stop at the Lincoln Road Farmer\u2019s Market that still happens every Sunday afternoon. Then it\u2019s time for the big show at the Birdcage club on Ocean Drive. Standing in for the club is the Carlyle Hotel, the famed Art Deco marvel in the heart of South Beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#7 ‘There\u2019s Something About Mary’ <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hit 1998 comedy, “There’s Something About\nMary” is about a man (played by Ben Stiller) who gets a chance to meet up\nwith his dream girl from high school (played by Cameron Diaz), even though his\ndate with her back then was a complete disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fair amount of \u201cThere’s Something About Mary” takes\nplace in Miami and was filmed on location. For example, The scenic driving\nrange where Healy (Matt Dillon) first meets Mary is just down the street from\nWPLG at the Aqua Golf Driving Range, 2250 S. Park Road, in Pembroke Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the easiest to find filming locations is Matheson\nHammock County Park. This park is the setting for several scenes in the movie,\nincluding when Healy participates in a flag football game with Mary, Warren (W.\nEarl Brown) and the mentally challenged friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matheson Hammock County Park is a nice walk and a good place to\nparticipate in water-related activities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#6 ‘The Marvelous Ms. Maisel’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Marvelous Ms. Maisel\u201d is a multiple Golden Globe and Emmy award winning comedy about housewife in the 1950s decides to become a stand-up comedian. The show recently filmed some scenes at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach for its upcoming third season which debuts Dec. 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other scenes were filmed in North Beach, which is the northern end of Miami Beach. Due to the shows 1950s setting, not every location seen in the show is expected to be recognized by locals and tourists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#5 ‘Burn Notice’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This somewhat campy spy series follows the former agent\nMichael Weston as he outsmarts his former colleagues and bad guys, as comes up\nwith clever Do-it-yourself style spy gadgets. Our main protagonist survives by\ndoing impossible jobs for desperate people in Miami, where his mother happens\nto live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Locationshub, \u201cBurn Notice\u201d is currently the only Miami set TV show that was filmed almost entirely on location in and around Miami. The show also had a permanent set built in the former Coconut Grove Convention Center in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#4 ‘Ace Ventura’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While this is certainly not one of Jim Carrey\u2019s best movies\nor performances, \u201cAce Ventura: Pet Detective\u201d was shot in Miami and is not\nwithout its fair share of laughs. The movie even centers around a goofy\ndetective searching for a missing football player for the Miami Dolphins and a\nmissing dolphin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the movie centers around a case involving a football\nteam, it\u2019s not much of a surprise that the stadium scenes were filmed at the\nthen-called Joe Robbie Stadium, now known as the Hard Rock Stadium. Miami\u2019s\nfootball stadium opened 1987 years ago and has changed its name an impressive nine\ntimes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Many of the scenes\nthat take place in Miami Beach still stand and are easy to spot. For example, the\nCameo Night Club is an actual place and is still in business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3 ‘Moonlight’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike most of the films and shows on this list that take\nplace in the nicer areas of Miami, \u201cMoonlight\u201d shows the less glamorous side of\nthe city. The 2016 Oscar winner for \u201cBest Picture\u201d is a coming-of-age drama\nwhich is based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s unpublished semi-autobiographical\nplay \u201cIn Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was filmed in Hialeah, Wynwood, and the not-so-great\nparts of Miami Beach. Some of the restaurant scenes such as the ones that take\nplace in Jimmy’s East-Side Diner and Royal Castle were actual restaurants that\nwere shot on location. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other parts of the movie were shot in Liberty City. However, none of the locations used in the movie are easy to recommend to tourists, as many of these areas are neither the most aesthetically pleasing nor safe parts of Miami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2 ‘Scarface’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1983 remake of the 1932 film of the same name is\narguably the most recognizable movie to take place in Miami. In 1980 Miami,\nTony Montana (Al Pacino), a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel\nand evolves from a criminal to a monster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much of the \u201cScarface\u201d  takes place in Miami, as a number of famous\nscenes were shot on location in Miami Beach. Most of the movie\u2019s actual\nlocations were divided between Florida and California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montana\u2019s arrival in the Art Deco District of Miami Beach\nwas shot on location at Ocean Drive at 13th Street.  Much of the area still looks the same and is\nhard to miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sun Ray Apartments, where Montana\u2019s ally is killed by chainsaw, has been revamped to become Johnny Rocket\u2019s, 728 Ocean Drive between the Beacon and Colony hotels near 7th Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hotel grounds, where Montana and his friend, Manny Ray (Steven Bauer) attempt to pick up women, are of the Fontainebleu Hotel in Miami Beach which was also featured in \u201cGoldfinger\u201d and a handful of other films.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1 ‘Miami Vice’<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the 1983 remake of \u201cScarface\u201d famously takes place in\nMiami and had many scenes actually shot on location, how can it possibly beat\nsomething with Miami in the title?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiami Vice\u201d follows two undercover detectives and their\nextended team through the harsh streets of Miami. The show\u2019s depiction of Miami\nmight be more iconic than the actual city. Frequently featured locations such\nas Bayside Marketplace and various parts of Miami Beach are still open to the\npublic, including tourists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another \u201cMiami Vice\u201d location worth visiting is Vizcaya\nMuseum and Gardens. The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens was previously known as\nVilla Vizcaya at the time of filming, was the villa and estate of businessman\nJames Deering. The villa was featured several episodes, such as: “Whatever\nWorks,” “Tale of the Goat,” “French Twist,”\n“God’s Work,” “Heart of the Night” and “The Rising Sun\nof Death.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Posted November 26, 2019 By ADAM SPECTOR Miami is a diverse city, not just in terms of people, but also the different parts of the city. Miami is a town with various seemingly different towns within it. When people think … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":168,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"sidebar-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4954","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4954"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4954\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4957,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4954\/revisions\/4957"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}