The Philippine islands are known for their beauty with pristine beaches and tropical rain forests. It's not hard to imagine, therefore, why many U.S. film producers have chosen this location for its movies. Some of the movies you may recognize while others may come as a surprise for being filmed in the Philippines.
Bourne Legacy
Many scenes in the 2012 film Bourne Legacy, starring Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, and Edward Norton, were shot in Manila. This movie was the fourth in a series of very popular Bourne films based on the Robert Ludlum books about U.S. government agent Jason Bourne.
Apocalypse Now
Although this is an older film, released in 1979, it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture because of its epic portrayal of the Vietnam War. It was directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola and stared Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, and Martin Sheen. It was filmed on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Helicopters shown in the movie were actually provided by President Marcos, and many of the film sets were destroyed by Hurricane Olga during filming.
Born on the Fourth of July
This memorable film, starring Tom Cruise, was filmed in 1989 in Laoag City in the Philippines. The actor was quoted as saying, "I would love to go back to the Philippines to do another movie.” “I had wonderful memories working there.” Tom won an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of a wounded Vietnam veteran, and the film was nominated for eight Academy Awards.
Platoon
This 1986 American war film, starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Charlie Sheen, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It was another popular film about the Vietnam war. The entire movie was shot in 54 days in Manila.
