Well, if you’re wonderin’ ’bout movies shot in Sedona, Arizona, lemme tell ya, there’s a whole lotta ’em. Now, I ain’t no movie expert, but I know enough to tell you that Sedona ain’t just known for its pretty red rocks and good ol’ nature. It’s been the backdrop for many films over the years. Some of ’em real old, from the 40s and 50s, when Westerns were all the rage. But, ya know, the place really started gettin’ noticed back in the 1920s.
One of the earliest films shot here was ‘Broken Arrow’ back in 1950. Now, that was a big deal back then, ’cause not too many movies were made around these parts. That movie told a story ’bout the Wild West, with plenty of action and drama. A lotta folks came to Sedona after that to make movies, ’cause of the way the land looked. It just fit real good for them cowboy movies.
Then, there’s another one, ‘Call of the Canyons’ from 1923. Now, that one was a silent film, but still, it was shot right here in Sedona. Even though it was real quiet back then, folks still flocked to the place to watch the film, and that made Sedona start to get known more and more in Hollywood. Seems like that little film started a whole trend.
Fast forward a bit to 1948, and we got ourselves ‘Albuquerque.’ This one had some big names like Randolph Scott and Barbara Britton. It was one of those cowboy flicks, where they show off the wide open spaces and dusty trails. If ya ever seen one of those Westerns, you know the kind, where the sun’s settin’, the horses are galloping, and there’s a shootout in the middle of a dusty street—well, that’s exactly what this movie had, all filmed right here in Sedona.
Now, one thing’s for sure, Sedona was real popular with filmmakers durin’ the Golden Age of Hollywood, back in the 40s and 50s. People called it ‘Little Hollywood’ back then, ’cause so many Westerns were made here. Over a hundred movies were filmed here during that time, and it wasn’t just any ol’ Westerns, but cult classics too, the kinda films that stuck with people for years and years. The landscape, with all those big red rocks and canyons, was perfect for them flicks.
Speaking of which, ‘Stay Away, Joe’ from 1968 is another one filmed here in Sedona. It starred Elvis Presley, and you know, him bein’ the big star he was, it drew a lotta folks to see how the place looked on the big screen. People were lookin’ for the same wild beauty they saw in the movies. It was during the time when Hollywood still loved shootin’ them Westerns, so Sedona was the go-to place for it.
Now, I gotta mention, most of them movies, like I said, were made in the 40s and 50s. That was the peak of Western movies, and Sedona was all over ’em. And even though the Westerns slowed down a bit, Sedona stayed a popular spot for filmmakers. It got to the point where it was hard to find a movie that wasn’t shot around here, especially when they needed a good ol’ rugged landscape for their scenes.
When you’re visitin’ Sedona, take a minute and think about all the films made here. The history of movies in Sedona ain’t just somethin’ ya find in the books, it’s all around ya, in them rocks and trails. So, if you’re plannin’ a trip, you might wanna look up a few of these films before you go. Makes the whole place feel a little more special, ya know?
- ‘Broken Arrow’ (1950) – A classic Western shot right here in Sedona.
- ‘Call of the Canyons’ (1923) – One of the first films to be shot in Sedona.
- ‘Albuquerque’ (1948) – Another Western with big names like Randolph Scott.
- ‘Stay Away, Joe’ (1968) – Elvis Presley filmed part of this one in Sedona.
In the end, Sedona’s got a long history with Hollywood. From the silent films of the 1920s to the Westerns of the 40s and 50s, it’s been the backdrop to a whole lotta stories. So next time you’re wanderin’ through them red rocks, just remember, you’re walkin’ through a little piece of movie history.
Tags: [Movies filmed in Sedona, Sedona Arizona films, Western movies Sedona, Broken Arrow film, Stay Away Joe film, Sedona movie history, Western filming locations, Hollywood in Sedona]
