20 Hollywood Movies shot in the Philippines

Mods and Admins, I am putting this topic in the general section but you can move this to Philippine section after 2 days or as you wish. This is inspired by shunrey and prinz-derek.

here is a list of hollywood movies partially shot in the Philippines. I've taken this from hubpages and a certain blog.

1. Born on the 4th of July - This is a movie about a Vietnam war veteran. They wanted to shoot this in Vietnam but at that time, the relationship between this country and the US was not yet stabilized so the producer instead had it filmed in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte.

Ilocos Norte was depicted as Vietnam while Vigan was depicted as Mexico.

2. Missing in Action - This is a 1984 Chuck Norris film about Vietnam war again. Laguna, Quezon and Cavite were used as locations.

3. The Year of Living Dangerously - Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver are the famous actors of this film. The story is about a love affair in Jakarta, Indonesia during the overthrow of President Sukarno.

As usual, Philippines was used again as Indonesia. While they were filming the movie, Mel Gibson and the other actor, Peter Weir, recieved many death threats from Filipino Muslims who believed the film was anti-Islam. The production was forced to move to Australia.

4. Platoon - This is another Vietnam war movie using Philippines as Vietnam in 1986. The lead actors are Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe. The shooting in the Philippines was almost canceled because at that time, the Ferdinand Marcos government wasn't stable. It was shot in Pagsanjan, Laguna, Quezon and Cavite.

5. Noriega: God's Favorite - This is a movie about a Panamanian ruler named Noriega. From that statement alone, one can conclude the Philippines is again used as Panama and South America this time. The lead actor is Bob Hoskins.

6. Thirteen Days - Making the Philippines as Cuba, Kevin Costner and Bruce Greenwood starred in this 2000 historical film. I think this movie was a flop because the budget was around 80M US dollars but the gross revenue was around 35 million US dollars only.

7. Apocalypse Now - This is a 1979 war movie by Francis Ford Coppola. It was shot in Baler, Quezon and Pagsanjan, Laguna. The filming and scouting of locations were done around 1974 up to 1977.

Cheap labor and the existing American military bases at that time are the primary reasons why the producer chose to film this in our country instead of Australia.

The actors are Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall, Albert Hall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Buttons and Laurence Fishburne.

8. Brokedown Palace - Who can't forget the controversy stirred by the actress of this film because of her comments about Manila? Claire Danes was declared persona non grata by Manila local government when she said in her interview with Vogue that "Manila is a ghastly weird city" in 1998 after the filming.

At the premiere of the film, she further remarked that the city (Manila) "smelled of cockroaches, with rats all over and that there is no sewage system and the people do not have anything-no arms, no legs, no eyes."

This movie shows a critical view of the Thai legal system so they were prevented to shot it in Thailand and had it instead in Manila. This is also a movie about friendship. I've watched this in the cinema and I did like it.

Aside from Danes, the other actors are Kate Beckinsale and Bill Pullman.

9. An Officer and a Gentleman - This time, the setting of the first part of the movie is the Philippines, in Subic Bay in particular. I haven't watch the movie yet but from the words of a friend, in fact, this movie is all about a Filipino-American boy who became a US Navy. It was played by Richard Gere.

According to Wikipedia, "the film begins with Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) receiving a graduation present from his father Byron (Robert Loggia), a brash, womanizing U.S. Navy Boatswain's Mate formerly stationed at Subic Bay in the Philippines. Mayo moved in with his father there in early adolescence when his mother committed suicide. Aloof and taciturn with repressed anger at his mother's suicide and his father's inability to properly parent him, Mayo surprises his father when he announces his aspiration to be a Navy pilot."

The other actors are Debra Winger, David Keith, Louis Gossett, Jr. and Robert Loggia.

10. Hamburger Hill - This is a 1987 Vietnam war film starred by Dylan McDermott, Steven Weber, Courtney B. Vance, Don Cheadle and Michael Boatman.

11. Too Late the Hero - This is a 1970 Anglo-American War directed by Robert Aldrich. The main actors are Michael Caine, Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Ken Takakura, Denholm Elliott, and Ian Bannen.

The famous Boracay Beach is where this movie was filmed. Of course, Boracay was not famous at that time yet.

12. DNA - This was released in 1997. Mark Dacascos is the leading actor. There are few Filipino actors in this film like Tom Taus, Susan Africa, Joel Torre, Kris Aguilar and Aniceto Fulminar. It was shot mostly in Laguna, Quezon and Cavite.

13. Kiss the Sky - An American movie released in October 1999. It starred by William L. Petersen, Gary Cole and Sheryl Lee. According to wikipedia, the plot follows two men on a business trip to the Philippines.

14. The Boys in Company C was yet another Vietnam war movie filmed in the Philippines, this time back in 1977. Directed by Sidney J. Furie, it's an action film about five young Marines and how their lives were changed by duty in the Vietnam war. Filipino actor Vic Diaz appeared as Colonel Trang.

15. Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection is an action flick starring Chuck Norris, the Philippines became Colombia. Again the plot was simple - good guys get kidnapped by lunatic. Delta Force comes to the rescue!

Some Filipino actors who appeared in the film are Dave Brodett, Rina Reyes, Subas Herrero, Ronnie Lazaro, Ruel Vernal, Roland Dantes, and Roldan Aquino.

16. I Come with the Rain - Josh Harnett has been in Diwalwal, Davao, Philippines for this unreleased film.

17. Black Mama, White Mama - Made in 1972 and starred by Pam Grier, this movie about prostitution was filmed in Manila.

18. The Great Raid – Starring Cesar Montano, Benjamin Pratt, Joseph Fiennes and Franco Nelson, scenes were shot in Cabanatuan City in 2005.

19. Back to Bataan - This is a World War II movie which starred by John Wayne and Anthony Quinn. Quinns plays Captain Andres Bonifacio, the fictional grandson of Andres Bonifacio.

20. Real Glory - Believe it or not, this movie is very old. It was released in 1939. This movie is about the Philippine Constabulary.

Calderon wrote:Mods and Admins, I am putting this topic in the general section but you can move this to Philippine section after 2 days or as you wish. This is inspired by shunrey and prinz-derek.

here is a list of hollywood movies partially shot in the Philippines. I've taken this from hubpages and a certain blog.

1. Born on the 4th of July - This is a movie about a Vietnam war veteran. They wanted to shoot this in Vietnam but at that time, the relationship between this country and the US was not yet stabilized so the producer instead had it filmed in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte.

Ilocos Norte was depicted as Vietnam while Vigan was depicted as Mexico.

2. Missing in Action - This is a 1984 Chuck Norris film about Vietnam war again. Laguna, Quezon and Cavite were used as locations.

3. The Year of Living Dangerously - Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver are the famous actors of this film. The story is about a love affair in Jakarta, Indonesia during the overthrow of President Sukarno.

As usual, Philippines was used again as Indonesia. While they were filming the movie, Mel Gibson and the other actor, Peter Weir, recieved many death threats from Filipino Muslims who believed the film was anti-Islam. The production was forced to move to Australia.

4. Platoon - This is another Vietnam war movie using Philippines as Vietnam in 1986. The lead actors are Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe. The shooting in the Philippines was almost canceled because at that time, the Ferdinand Marcos government wasn't stable. It was shot in Pagsanjan, Laguna, Quezon and Cavite.

5. Noriega: God's Favorite - This is a movie about a Panamanian ruler named Noriega. From that statement alone, one can conclude the Philippines is again used as Panama and South America this time. The lead actor is Bob Hoskins.

6. Thirteen Days - Making the Philippines as Cuba, Kevin Costner and Bruce Greenwood starred in this 2000 historical film. I think this movie was a flop because the budget was around 80M US dollars but the gross revenue was around 35 million US dollars only.

7. Apocalypse Now - This is a 1979 war movie by Francis Ford Coppola. It was shot in Baler, Quezon and Pagsanjan, Laguna. The filming and scouting of locations were done around 1974 up to 1977.

Cheap labor and the existing American military bases at that time are the primary reasons why the producer chose to film this in our country instead of Australia.

The actors are Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall, Albert Hall, Frederic Forrest, Sam Buttons and Laurence Fishburne.

8. Brokedown Palace - Who can't forget the controversy stirred by the actress of this film because of her comments about Manila? Claire Danes was declared persona non grata by Manila local government when she said in her interview with Vogue that "Manila is a ghastly weird city" in 1998 after the filming.

At the premiere of the film, she further remarked that the city (Manila) "smelled of cockroaches, with rats all over and that there is no sewage system and the people do not have anything-no arms, no legs, no eyes."

This movie shows a critical view of the Thai legal system so they were prevented to shot it in Thailand and had it instead in Manila. This is also a movie about friendship. I've watched this in the cinema and I did like it.

Aside from Danes, the other actors are Kate Beckinsale and Bill Pullman.

9. An Officer and a Gentleman - This time, the setting of the first part of the movie is the Philippines, in Subic Bay in particular. I haven't watch the movie yet but from the words of a friend, in fact, this movie is all about a Filipino-American boy who became a US Navy. It was played by Richard Gere.

According to Wikipedia, "the film begins with Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) receiving a graduation present from his father Byron (Robert Loggia), a brash, womanizing U.S. Navy Boatswain's Mate formerly stationed at Subic Bay in the Philippines. Mayo moved in with his father there in early adolescence when his mother committed suicide. Aloof and taciturn with repressed anger at his mother's suicide and his father's inability to properly parent him, Mayo surprises his father when he announces his aspiration to be a Navy pilot."

The other actors are Debra Winger, David Keith, Louis Gossett, Jr. and Robert Loggia.

10. Hamburger Hill - This is a 1987 Vietnam war film starred by Dylan McDermott, Steven Weber, Courtney B. Vance, Don Cheadle and Michael Boatman.

11. Too Late the Hero - This is a 1970 Anglo-American War directed by Robert Aldrich. The main actors are Michael Caine, Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Ken Takakura, Denholm Elliott, and Ian Bannen.

The famous Boracay Beach is where this movie was filmed. Of course, Boracay was not famous at that time yet.

12. DNA - This was released in 1997. Mark Dacascos is the leading actor. There are few Filipino actors in this film like Tom Taus, Susan Africa, Joel Torre, Kris Aguilar and Aniceto Fulminar. It was shot mostly in Laguna, Quezon and Cavite.

13. Kiss the Sky - An American movie released in October 1999. It starred by William L. Petersen, Gary Cole and Sheryl Lee. According to wikipedia, the plot follows two men on a business trip to the Philippines.

14. The Boys in Company C was yet another Vietnam war movie filmed in the Philippines, this time back in 1977. Directed by Sidney J. Furie, it's an action film about five young Marines and how their lives were changed by duty in the Vietnam war. Filipino actor Vic Diaz appeared as Colonel Trang.

15. Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection is an action flick starring Chuck Norris, the Philippines became Colombia. Again the plot was simple - good guys get kidnapped by lunatic. Delta Force comes to the rescue!

Some Filipino actors who appeared in the film are Dave Brodett, Rina Reyes, Subas Herrero, Ronnie Lazaro, Ruel Vernal, Roland Dantes, and Roldan Aquino.

16. I Come with the Rain - Josh Harnett has been in Diwalwal, Davao, Philippines for this unreleased film.

17. Black Mama, White Mama - Made in 1972 and starred by Pam Grier, this movie about prostitution was filmed in Manila.

18. The Great Raid – Starring Cesar Montano, Benjamin Pratt, Joseph Fiennes and Franco Nelson, scenes were shot in Cabanatuan City in 2005.

19. Back to Bataan - This is a World War II movie which starred by John Wayne and Anthony Quinn. Quinns plays Captain Andres Bonifacio, the fictional grandson of Andres Bonifacio.

20. Real Glory - Believe it or not, this movie is very old. It was released in 1939. This movie is about the Philippine Constabulary.

Thanks Calderon! I only watched 3 of the 20 movies you listed... I have lots of catching up to do! haha.. Great research!!

Hi Prinz, I copied the list only from a blog and the hubpage site

I have seen only 1 movie - The Great Raid..

when i was a kid, my father always watched Chuck Norris films...

great info!