With how stunning our landscape is, you would think film directors would be all over Idaho like white on rice. What better setting for a romantic sunset scene than Idaho’s glorious rural farmland, or an intense natural disaster scene than our towering forests? But really, that’s okay. We don’t need all of Hollywood’s camera crews traipsing through our pristine landscape anyways.
While yet relatively unseen on film, Idaho still has a few big screen appearances to its credit aside from its venerable claim to fame in Napoleon Dynamite (2004), as well as a number of humble mentions throughout cinematic history. Here are a few overlooked movies filmed within the Gem State.
- Magic Valley (2011)
MovieClips Trailers/YouTube This eerie murder drama, aired at the Tribecca film festival, was shot in Buhl as well as around Jerome and Twin Falls.
- Heaven’s Gate (1980)
Moveclips Trailer Vault/YouTube A dramatization of the real-life Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, this Western was actually shot in Wallace, and hosts a formidable cast including Kris Kristofferson and Christopher Walken.
- Dante’s Peak (1997)
Movieclips Trailer Vault/YouTube Starring Bond heartthrob Pierce Brosnan, this 90s disaster-action film was shot around Wallace and Sagle.
- Breakfast of Champions (1999)
stuart mcnair/YouTube Based on the Kurt Vonnegut book of the same name, this Bruce Willis film was shot in Twin Falls.
- Bronco Billy (1980)
Warner Bros/YouTube One of Clint Eastwood’s many big-screen films shot in Idaho, Bronco Billy was filmed throughout the Boise metro area.
- Always (1989)
Video Detective/YouTube This drama, which features appearances by John Goodman, was filmed partially in the Boise National Forest. The pivotal plane crash scene was shot at Deadwood Reservoir.
- River of No Return (1954)
Wikimedia Commons While primarily filmed in Canada, this love-revenge-money triangle starring Marilyn Monroe had shots filmed on the titular Salmon River.
- Talent for the Game (1991)
Paramount Movies/YouTube This small-town sports drama about America’s pastime was filmed just outside Mountain Home, as well as in Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, and Kellogg.
- Smoke Signals (1998)
LionsgateVOD/YouTube A heartwarming family film that provides glimpses into a modern Native American family, Smoke Signals was shot primarily on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation in Northern Idaho.
- Town and Country (2001)
Video Detective/YouTube This sultry RomCom starring Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton has multiple scenes filmed in Sun Valley.
- Soda Springs (2012)
11pickett’s channel/Youtube Soda Springs is an independent drama that was filmed in Emmett, as well as around Soda Springs.
Do you know of any more recent movies filmed in our great state?
MovieClips Trailers/YouTube
This eerie murder drama, aired at the Tribecca film festival, was shot in Buhl as well as around Jerome and Twin Falls.
Moveclips Trailer Vault/YouTube
A dramatization of the real-life Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, this Western was actually shot in Wallace, and hosts a formidable cast including Kris Kristofferson and Christopher Walken.
Movieclips Trailer Vault/YouTube
Starring Bond heartthrob Pierce Brosnan, this 90s disaster-action film was shot around Wallace and Sagle.
stuart mcnair/YouTube
Based on the Kurt Vonnegut book of the same name, this Bruce Willis film was shot in Twin Falls.
Warner Bros/YouTube
One of Clint Eastwood’s many big-screen films shot in Idaho, Bronco Billy was filmed throughout the Boise metro area.
Video Detective/YouTube
This drama, which features appearances by John Goodman, was filmed partially in the Boise National Forest. The pivotal plane crash scene was shot at Deadwood Reservoir.
Wikimedia Commons
While primarily filmed in Canada, this love-revenge-money triangle starring Marilyn Monroe had shots filmed on the titular Salmon River.
Paramount Movies/YouTube
This small-town sports drama about America’s pastime was filmed just outside Mountain Home, as well as in Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, and Kellogg.
LionsgateVOD/YouTube
A heartwarming family film that provides glimpses into a modern Native American family, Smoke Signals was shot primarily on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation in Northern Idaho.
This sultry RomCom starring Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton has multiple scenes filmed in Sun Valley.
11pickett’s channel/Youtube
Soda Springs is an independent drama that was filmed in Emmett, as well as around Soda Springs.
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