Good cinema is about being able to lose ourselves in a world that’s not our own. The best films are immersive, engaging, and give us a unique glimpse into another life. The hours we’ve spent in front of cinema and TV screens have taken us everywhere from the fabled planet of Pandora to the depths of the deep blue sea. We’ve entered people’s dreams, lived other people’s love stories, and fought their battles beside them.
So wouldn’t it be nice to get a taste of these imaginary existences in real life? If the thought seems intriguing, then here are just three of the places you can visit to see your favourite silver-screen moments brought to life (without the life-threatening danger that is…).
Live it up in the casino a la Casino Royale
Starring the inimitable talents of Daniel Craig, Casino Royale has long been touted as one of the best Bond films ever made, and it definitely numbers amongst our personal favourites. We love its heroes and its villains, the sweeping luxury of its set pieces, and the high-stakes action that takes place on screen. In fact, the film went so far as to inspire many to try their hand at poker, with a resurgence in casino games, both online and land-based, continuing to this day. Sites like Mr Green Casino, for example, provide exclusive entertainments for members of its bespoke Club Royale, offering players the opportunity to emulate the fabled spy himself, all whilst enjoying a tailored one-to-one concierge service.
Visit the Titanic Experience in Belfast
Titanic is arguably one of the greatest films ever to grace the silver screen. Telling the story of star-crossed lovers Jack and Rose, who journey on the doomed passenger liner, it does a wonderful job of charting the many cavalier mistakes that were made, the tragic loss of life, and the incredible bravery of those aboard the ship.
One of the best places to gain an appreciation of the disaster is the Titanic Experience in Belfast. This self-guided experience lets you journey through nine interactive galleries, which do a wonderful job of explaining what really happened on that terrible April night. Admission to the SS Nomadic – the last remaining White Star vessel – is also included.
Journey to the ruins of Pompeii
Say what you like about 2014’s romantic historical disaster film Pompeii, it’s jaw-dropping special effects truly brought to life the scale of the destruction caused by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Starring the brilliant Kit Harington alongside the equally talented Emily Browning, the film shows another aspect of this 2,000-year-old tragedy. The only thing better at giving you an insight into what happened on that long-ago day is paying a visit to the ruins themselves. Located near modern-day Naples, this vast archaeological site was once a thriving and sophisticated city, but it has lain beneath the rubble of the fateful volcanic eruption since 79AD. Now largely open to visitors, it acts as a portal into a lost world – one you can explore to your heart’s content.
I try to visit movie locations a lot. Like in Malta there are a lot and easy accessible. Shame one of them is destroyed now ‘wedding of Daenerys and Drogo’