Featured Article - November 2009
NEW MEXICO IN THE MOVIES
On Location
From Alamogordo to Las Vegas, New Mexico's landscapes and cityscapes have been the backdrops for Hollywood blockbusters, classics, and fan favorites. Now, travel with Lesley S. King to the state's top five film locations and find out how you can visit today.
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Alamogordo
Hot Films: Transformers (2007),
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Hot Spots: White Sands National Monument, Alameda Park Zoo
New Mexico's biggest film star may just be its long expanse of blinding white sand outside Alamogordo—this, the world’s largest field of gypsum dunes, is even visible from space. Both the military’s White Sands Missile Range and White Sands National Monument have been the backdrops for a variety of movies, nearly 30 of which have been shot at the 275-square-mile dune field, including the upcoming Book of Eli (slated for release in January 2010), starring Denzel Washington; the recent dramas Afterwards (2008) and The Astronaut Farmer (2006); and the classic The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). Two blockbusters produced by Steven Spielberg, Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, also showcase the area. In these sci-fi action films, in which New Mexico stands in for the Middle East, Decepticons—evil robots that can disguise themselves as any mechanical object, such as a car—attack Earth. Led by Optimus Prime, the Autobots battle their alien foes to save mankind.
You can sense for yourself the otherworldly nature of White Sands National Monument, 15 miles southwest of Alamogordo on U.S. 70, by taking the 16-mile, round-trip Loop Drive and stopping to hike the dunes on designated trails. For an even deeper experience, sign up for one of the classes on wildlife, painting, or photography now offered here, or camp for a night under the full moon.
Though most filming for the Transformers movies takes place at White Sands, the filmmakers used some other key sites in the area, including the Mescalero Apache Reservation and the town of Tularosa, to the north. In Alamogordo proper, the sawmill at White Sands Forest Products, behind the Alameda Park Zoo, is the setting for a face-off between the Autobots and Decepticons in what’s supposed to be Shanghai, China. This intimate zoo, the oldest in the Southwest, is home to some 250 species, both exotic and indigenous (though not a single Autobot). Just a few blocks away, stop for Alamogordo’s best steak at Memories Restaurant, in a Victorian home built in 1970. Ask to see photos of actor George Clooney, taken while he ate dinner here during the shooting of the soon-to-be-released The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009).
If you go: White Sands National Monument; (575) 679-2599; www.nps.gov/whsa.
Alameda Park Zoo, 1021 N. White Sands Blvd.; (575) 439-4290); http://ci.alamogordo.nm.us/coa/communityservices/zoo.htm.
Memories Restaurant, 1300 New York Ave.; (575) 437-0077; www.memories-restaurant.com
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Albuquerque
Hot Films: In the Valley of Elah (2007), Swing Vote (2008)
Hot Spots: Route 66, Sandia Resort & Casino
In Albuquerque, the real stars are the mountains, the river, and the 1950s-era neon. Filmed here in recent years have been the Emmy-award winning AMC television series Breaking Bad, now in its third season; the sci-fi thriller Terminator Salvation (2009); and made-for-TV mysteries based on the Tony Hillerman novels Coyote Waits (2003) and A Thief of Time (2004)—to name only a few of the 177 films shot in and around the Duke City.
In the drama In the Valley of Elah, the city plays a dismal military town. The mood reflects that of a father, Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones), who searches for his son, who has gone missing shortly after returning from military duty in Iraq. Route 66 motels, diners, and bars make up much of the film’s backdrop, along with Albuquerque’s West Mesa, where the real clues to this mystery unfold.
To relive some of the scenes, drive Route 66, where you’ll probably see more neon and kitschy architecture than depressed Hank Deerfield did. Stop for a breakfast of pork chops and eggs at Milton’s Family Restaurant, the 1950s-style diner where the movie’s coffee-shop scenes were filmed. If you’d like a little more upscale noshing, continue west on 66 to The Grove Café & Market, where you’ll want to try their croque-madame.
One of Albuquerque’s most amusing films, Swing Vote, tells the story of Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner), an apathetic citizen who single-handedly selects the President of the United States. In this comedy, the Albuquerque International Sunport and the village of Belén are the settings for a fictional version of Texico, New Mexico. Meanwhile, the lush Río Grande bosque stands as the backdrop for the movie politicians’ stump speeches. You can have your own river experience at the Río Grande Nature Center State Park. Next, head toward the Sandía Mountains, where interior shots were filmed in Albuquerque’s Philips Building, now called North I-25 Studios. In this massive structure where semiconductors were once made, set builders created the interiors of Air Force One and Bud’s house trailer. Though you may not be able to tour the building, you can scope out its exterior as you head to Sandia Resort & Casino to play golf and slots, get a massage in their Green Reed Spa, or dine at the elegant Bien Shur, which is on the top floor and offers city and mountain views. If only Hank and Bud had been so fortunate.
If you go: Milton’s Family Restaurant, 725 Central Ave. NE; (505) 842-5291. The Grove Café & Market, 600 Central Ave. SE; (505) 248-9800; www.thegrovecafemarket.com. Río Grande Nature Center State Park, 2901 Candelaria Ave. NW; (505) 344-7240; www.nmparks.com. North I-25 Studios LLC, 9201 Pan American Freeway; (505) 822-7115. Sandia Resort & Casino, 30 Rainbow Rd. NE; (800) 526-9366; www.sandiaresort.com
Gallup
Hot Films: Superman (1978), Natural Born Killers (1994)
Hot Spots: Red Rock Park,
El Rancho Hotel
Gallup's film legacy ignited at the crimson stones of Red Rock Park, six miles east of town off I-40. From the 1940s to 1964, this area, with its haunting rock formations, was the backdrop for some two dozen movies, many of them Westerns. One classic whose gorgeous cinematography of this scenery will really take you there is The Hallelujah Trail (1965), directed by John Sturges, and starring Burt Lancaster in a story of a temperance leader (Lee Remick) who attempts to halt whiskey shipments to Denver miners. Superman, an inspiring classic starring Christopher Reeve and Marlon Brando, also captures the northern Red Rock area on film. Thanks to the film’s popularity, the canyon where it was shot was renamed Superman Canyon.
You’ll find plenty to do during a visit to Red Rock Park. Start by touring the Red Rock Museum to see displays on the prehistoric Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo cultures. A hike up the canyon on the Church Rock or Pyramid Rock trails, each two hours, offers views of the dramatic formations; and when night falls, you can camp at Red Rock Campground.
Gallup proper plays a tough Southwestern town in Oliver Stone’s drama Natural Born Killers. In it, Mickey and Mallory Knox (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis) romp across the Southwest, randomly murdering almost everyone in their path. They cruise Gallup’s Route 66, a great spot for shopping off the big screen. In the film, Mickey and Mallory pass Richardson’s Trading Company, where you might want to stop in to check out the displays of katsinas, rugs, and turquoise jewelry.
Farther along Route 66, the killers cruise past El Rancho Hotel. Built in 1937, the hotel served as headquarters for film companies back in Gallup’s heyday. Stroll through the lobby and along the balcony and you’ll see photos of major stars, including Mae West, Humphrey Bogart, and John Wayne, all of whom stayed here. The saloon, worth stepping into for a whiskey shot, is best remembered for the day John Wayne rode in and ordered a beer for himself and one for his horse. The restaurant—well worth a taste—offers good New Mexican dishes, each entrée named after a film star.
If you go: Red Rock Park; (505) 722-3839. Richardson’s Trading Company, 222 W. 66th Ave.; (505) 722-4762. El Rancho Hotel, 1000 E. 66th Ave.; (800) 543-6351; www.historicelranchohotel.com
Las Vegas
Hot Film: No Country for
Old Men (2007)
Hot Spots: Charlie’s Spic & Span Bakery and Café, Plaza Hotel
Las Vegas has a long history of film crews using its golden meadows (vegas) and 19th-century architecture. Beginning in 1913, cowboy star Tom Mix filmed silent Westerns here. But the city’s most haunting role was as a border town in No Country for Old Men, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture and starred Tommy Lee Jones as a kind-hearted old-school sheriff who tracks Anton Chigurh, a ruthless murderer (Javier Bardem).
In the film, real-life Las Vegas’s Douglas Avenue is where Chigurh stalks his prey. But you’ll likely find the place friendly, especially if you head to Charlie’s Spic & Span Bakery and Café, where you’ll want to order anything that comes on or with their homemade flour tortillas.
Not far to the south, at the University Avenue/I-25 overpass, witness the town’s most notable transformation. This spot became a U.S./Mexico border crossing in the film, confusing many unaware travelers, some of whom thought then-President George W. Bush had moved the border a few hundred miles north.
Las Vegas’s real star, however, is Old Town Plaza, which often appears on film. In Easy Rider (1969), the freewheeling motorcyclists played by Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda ride in a parade here, as does the hero in The Astronaut Farmer (2006). It’s a slice of Americana with its towering elm trees, a bandstand, and late-1800s buildings. Stroll along Bridge Street, stopping to shop, and conclude your day at the Plaza Hotel, built in 1882 in Italianate style and once the finest hotel in the New Mexico Territory. In No Country for Old Men it becomes a hotel where the assassin hunts Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), who is trying to escape with money stolen from a Mexican drug cartel. The rooms in this charming Victorian building are much nicer than those portrayed in the movie. The hotel’s Landmark Grill offers the finest dining in town, and Byron T’s saloon the best atmosphere for a beer. If a film production is happening in the area, you might just rub elbows with a star here, or at least a stunt rider or two, as I did one lazy summer afternoon when Las Vegas was playing its best role of all—that of my hometown.
If you go: Charlie’s Spic & Span Bakery and Café, 715 Douglas Ave.; (505) 426-1921. Plaza Hotel, 230 Plaza; (800) 328-1882; www.plazahotel-nm.com.
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Taos
Hot Films: Off the Map (2003), Twins (1988)
Hot Spots: Río Grande Gorge, San Francisco de Asís Church
Taos, with its sagebrush, mountains, and unique blend of cultures, has played roles ranging from the gritty to the sublime, with the cult classic Easy Rider (1969) and the poetic All the Pretty Horses (2000) just two of its headliners. In the drama Off the Map, a family lives—as a number of real-life families do in and around Taos—off the grid, without electricity or indoor plumbing, and nearly every scene in the movie captures the region’s stunning landscape. A relaxing way to do so yourself is to have dinner at Stakeout Grill & Bar, which offers delectable food and expansive views.
For a more active experience, head to the rim of the Río Grande Gorge, where you can enjoy the scenery seen onscreen in Off the Map’s fishing scenes. It’s an excellent place to explore by hiking or biking the West Rim Trail, which begins near the Río Grande Gorge Bridge on U.S. 64, nine miles northwest of town. The bridge, whose roadbed sits 650 feet above the river, plays romantic roles in a number of movies, most notably the Oliver Stone drama Natural Born Killers (1994) and the buddy flick Wild Hogs (2007), starring John Travolta. If you’d like to get down into the gorge, head north of town to the Wild Rivers Recreation Area, 11 miles northwest of Questa, for hiking and picnicking on the shores of the Río Grande.
If you’re looking for laughs, Twins is the story of Julius (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Vincent (Danny DeVito) Benedict, who discover that they’re fraternal twins and then go searching for their birth mother (Bonnie Bartlett), whom they discover at an artists’ commune in New Mexico. En route they cruise past the San Francisco de Asís Church on Ranchos de Taos Plaza, whose sculpted buttresses were famously depicted by Georgia O’Keeffe. Next, they head to the fictional Whispering Pines Artist Colony, played by the real-life Mabel Dodge Luhan House, an atmospheric inn named for its former owner, who was known for hosting literary and artistic salons that included such luminaries as author D. H. Lawrence and photographer Ansel Adams.
If you go: Stakeout Grill & Bar, 101 Stakeout Dr.; (575) 758-2042; www.stakeoutrestaurant.com. Wild Rivers Recreation Area; (575) 586-1150; www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/taos/wild_rivers_rec_area.html. San Francisco de Asís Church; (575) 758-2754. Mabel Dodge Luhan House, 240 Morada Lane; (800) 846-2235; www.mabeldodgeluhan.com
This article benefited from the help of Steve Fuhlendorf, Vince Howell, Ann Lerner, Sally Noe, and Jan Wafful.
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