Frenchman’s Cove, Port Antonio
People are turning more and more to online entertainment to get through this unprecedented time. Whether it’s about re-watching your favourite movie or watching a movie just to beat the lockdown blues, if ever there was a time for a movie marathon, it is now.
Movies filmed in Jamaica provide an exciting escape. Jamaica is the birthplace of James Bond, as Ian Fleming wrote all 13 Bond novels there. Several of the Bond films have been shot on-island, from the very first 007 film, Dr. No in 1962 to the highly-anticipated 25th film in the franchise, No Time to Die.
The landscape and overall beauty of the island sets the ideal ambience for a number of adventures captured only on the silver screen.
Whether you are gearing up for a trip to Jamaica and hope to get inspired or just want to make most of some armchair travel, these movies will capture your imagination. So, sit back, flop down on your couch and be as wishful as you want. Try to manifest your trip, discover your holiday rhythm and experience the intangible feeling that’s loved the world over.
The island provides a breath-taking backdrop that inspires the filmmakers to encapsulate the beauty through film. The landscape and overall beauty of the island sets a tone of adventure captured only on the silver screen.
Here are some of the best flicks that will transport you to this Caribbean gem right away.
Dr. No
Set primarily in Jamaica, this is the first James Bond movie that was released in 1962. Some of Bond’s debut adventures took place in Kingston, but Dr. No’s secret lair was a composite of several scenic locations, including Dunn’s River Falls near in Ocho Rios. And the famous scene where Ursula Andress sauntered onto this beach wearing her iconic white bathing suit was filmed at the private beach Laughing Waters in Ocho Rios.
Live and Let Die
This 1973 James Bond film starring Roger Moore highlights a part of Jamaica that many do not know exists her underground caves. The movie features a memorable scene shot in Jamaica’s Green Grotto Caves. The Green Grotto caves are a curious shade of green from the algae and supplied with pristine waters flowing from its secret depths. The eerie and rustic beauty of these caves makes it a prominent attraction on the island’s north coast.
Cocktail
An 80’s classic from Tom Cruise’s golden years, the film focuses on Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown pursuing their dreams of owning their own bar. Cruise’s on-screen role spends years working at a bar in Jamaica to raise money. A romantic drama set in the beauty and charm of the island, Cocktail filming locations include Dunn’s River Falls, Sandals Royal Plantation, Dragon Bay Beach, and the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios.
King of the Dancehall
King of the Dancehall is an American drama film that showcases a young Brooklyn man who gets caught up in the Kingston music scene while on a visit to Jamaica. The movie brilliantly interweaves the island’s native dance and music culture with a crime plot. Shot in actual Jamaican outdoor dancehall venues, the film’s nightlife scenes will instantly transport you to Jamaica.
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
Based on a true story, How Stella Got Her Groove Back is a feel-good romance with some breath-taking scenery shots of Jamaica. The white sandy beaches and the crystal blue waters will leave one captivated. Filmed at Round Hill Hotel and Villas just outside in Montego Bay, this film proves that there is nothing better than a Jamaican getaway that ends in love.
Knight and Day
Jamaica comes alive in the beach scenes of this movie that chronicles the adventures and many romances of Hollywood’s hottest screen couple – Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. Filmed at the exotic retreat – Frenchman Cove, the couple can be seen frolicking on the glorious beach.
With idyllic beauty, scrumptious cuisine, pulsating music, dramatic coastlines and unforgettable people, Jamaica continues to be a popular choice for filmmakers from across the world.