10 Great Movies Filmed In Arizona

From the arid flats of the Sonoran desert to the suburban sprawl of Phoenix, Arizona has proved to be an appropriate backdrop for the imaginative genius of modern filmmakers. It’s a state where the sky is enormous and the distances long, making it the perfect cinematic canvas for filmmakers, who often take advantage of the natural scenery and contours of the landscape. 

The land is wide open and often supplies filmmakers with dramatic visuals that enhance many of these films’ most iconic scenes. Whether desert or sunbaked metropolis, the Arizona landscape has been the setting for numerous movies over the course of decades. Some of these films may surprise you, and others may seem more appropriate for the environment. But out of the many many movies filmed in Arizona, which ones make it to the top 10 greats? Scroll down to find out.

In the course of reading this list of movies filmed in Arizona, you may also find yourself inspired by these titles to get out into the Arizona landscape and film some classic scenes for yourself. If you are looking for places to shoot in Arizona, check out Peerspace, the world’s largest online marketplace for rentals. Peerspacewill be able to connect you with the right rental for whatever your filming purposes and ensure you have the perfect backdrop for your work. 

1. Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock’s stunning triumph of cinematic genius is a film so enrapturing and nail-biting, you may have found yourself distracted from the film’s setting and location. Maybe you spent the whole movie hiding under the sheets, or perhaps you paid close attention to the setting. Either way, you’ll be interested to know that the film takes place in Phoenix, Arizona and that they filmed some of the shots on location. This is perhaps one of the best of the movies filmed in Arizona.

2. Planet of the Apes (1968)

Although it tells a bizarre story, this sci-fi classic does, in fact, take place on our home planet of Earth. To capture the other-worldly quality of an alternate reality, the directors of the first Planet of the Apes movie ventured out to Lake Powell, Arizona, to capture several shots for this film. Lake Powell is a large body of water amidst an expansive desert, providing a unique vision of clashing landscapes. The directors really took advantage of this clash to capture and communicate a world in which human society has crumbled and is under the cruel control of new rulers. 

3. Little Miss Sunshine (2010)

Little Miss Sunshine was set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and California. Yet, they filmed many of the film’s scenes in Arizona, in and around Flagstaff and Chandler. Arizona turned out to be the perfect location for many of the film’s sets. Scenes in the film feature shots of the wide-open sky and the backdrop of rocky landscape on either side of the highway. Arizona’s landscape’s rough topography and open atmosphere are void of content and color, highlighting the colorful and charming qualities of a close-knit family that is lost in its troubles and on its way to finding itself.