hollywoodIt should come as no surprise that the state of Oregon is the setting of a plethora of films. After all, it is just north of California, the center of the universe when it comes to the art of moving pictures. Every so often Hollywood extends it arms to the north and takes advantage of the pristine forest land, beaches and mountains to help it tell a magnificent story. Television shows such as Portlandia, Grimm, and Axe Men are all primarily filmed in Oregon. As for the movies, directors have been filming in Oregon since the 1920’s. Listing all of the movies here would take ages… but these are the most well-known of the bunch. The River Wild One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest 8 Seconds Homeward Bound The Shining Stand By Me Dead Men Wild Goonies Kindergarden Cop Filmed in 1990 at Astor Elementary School in Astoria. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Short Circuit Filmed in 1986 mostly in Astoria, with a few scenes shot in points along the Columbia River Gorge. Gus Van Zandt – Mala Noche and Drugstore Cowboy Point Break My Own Private Idaho A 1991 film starring Keanu Reeves and the late great River Phoenix. Filmed in Portland. Free Willy Pay It Forward Filmed in 1999-2000, and starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and a young Haley Joel Osment. I’m cheating a little bit here, since only one scene, the bridge scene, was filmed in Portland. The rest was filmed in Las Vegas and L.A. But it’s a great movie, with great actors. Bring your tissues! What the Bleep do we Know? This is more of a documentary, but it’s got a wonderful message, and will leave you contemplating your own existence in the world. The outside shots were filmed entirely in Portland. Into the Wild This 2007 film had shooting locations all over the U.S. but many of them were in several locations in Oregon: Astoria, Beaverton, Mt. Hood, and Washington State. Twilight. Well, I couldn’t leave this movie out, could I? Stephanie Meyers’ well-written saga of books is actually set in the tiny town of Forks, Washington, but many scenes were actually filmed in St. Helens (Bella and Charlie’s house), Portland and Damascus.
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Hollywood Films Shot in Oregon

BySusan Stephens

It should come as no surprise that the state of Oregon is the setting of a plethora of films. After all, it is just north of California, the center of the universe when it comes to the art of moving pictures. Every so often Hollywood extends it arms to the north and takes advantage of…