Vasquez Rocks CA, USA

 
Inspired by the success of sitcoms on American television, Joseph Barbera and William Hanna created THE FLINTSTONES, a cartoon series set in the Stone Age but with a clear nod to contemporary America. From its first broadcast on 30 September 1960, the series was a huge success. A total of 166 episodes were produced over six seasons.

The Flintstones, 1:22:56

In the 1990s, many old series were adapted into feature films, including The Flintstones. This time, it was not a cartoon but real actors with computer graphics and puppets made by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. The rights were acquired by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. He suggested John Goodman for the role of Fred Flintstone, a bronto-crane operator who lives in Bedrock with his wife Wilma (Elizabeth Perkins) and daughter Pebbles (Elaine and Melanie Silver).

Fred is good friends with his neighbour Barney Rubble (Rick Moranis), who is married to Betty (Rosie O'Donnell).

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

Fred and Barney are also colleagues and work for gravel company Slate & Co. Filming took place from 17 May to 20 August 1993, including on location shoots in California and Utah. Vasquez Rocks Natural Area was chosen as the location for the town of Bedrock, see also Vasquez Rocks CA, USA. Before the set was dismantled, visitors were allowed to tour the location. An amateur video dated 29 May on Dailymotion indicates that scenes at the rock formations were filmed in May.

Vasquez Rocks first appears when Fred and Barney are driving home. Just like in the cartoon, the 'flintmobile' is propelled by the feet of its passengers. When they arrive at Fred's house in Bedrock, the rock formations can be seen from the other side.

The Flintstones, 0:04:35

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

The Flintstones, 0:05:03

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

The Flintstones, 0:05:40

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

The Flintstones, 0:06:12

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

The Flintstones, 0:25:30

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

Later in the film, Fred is barbecuing. While he is talking to Barney, Dino, Fred and Wilma's pet dinosaur, secretly takes a piece of meat from the grill.

The Flintstones, 0:45:05

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

The Flintstones, 0:45:37

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

The sunrise was also filmed at Vasquez Rocks, again from the same angle as when Fred and Barney were sitting in the car.

The Flintstones, 1:14:08

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, 4 July 2023

In addition to filming on location, scenes were also shot at Universal Studios, approximately 55 kilometres (35 miles) south of Vasquez Rocks. In 1996, during our first visit to America, we visited Universal Studios Hollywood. During the Studio Backlot Tour, a guided tour of the studio grounds by tram, we saw the town sign for Bedrock among the film sets.

The Flintstones, 0:03:09

Universal Studios Hollywood, 8 October 1996

In 2023, we visited Universal again, including the Studio Backlot Tour. Among the vehicles from Back to the Future and Harry Potter, among others, was Fred Flintstone's car, but if you look closely, it is not the car from the film.

The Flintstones, 0:03:58

Universal Studios Hollywood, 21 July 2023

Screenshots © Universal City Studios/Amblin Entertainment
 

New York NY, USA

 
The film OCEAN'S EIGHT is the fourth instalment in the series, following Ocean's Eleven from 2001, Ocean's Twelve from 2004 (see also Amsterdam, Netherlands) and Ocean's Thirteen from 2007. In the first three instalments, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is the main character. In this film, his sister Debbie (Sandra Bullock) turns out to have a lot in common with her brother.

Ocean's Eight, 0:39:10

As in the first three films, a group of specialists unite to pull off the perfect heist: stealing the Toussaint. This diamond necklace from jeweller Cartier is worth US $ 150 million. Should the necklace be worn by actress Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway) at the annual Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it would be the perfect opportunity to commit the theft. The team Debbie puts together consists entirely of women.

First is her former partner Lou Miller (Cate Blanchett), others are fashion designer Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter), jewellery designer Amita (Miny Kaling), hacker Nine Ball (Rihanna), pickpocket Constance (Awkwafina) and Tammy (Sarah Paulson), a fence in stolen goods.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Filming in New York took place from 20 October to 20 December 2016. Additional scenes were filmed on Staten Island in May 2017. We visited the main location in the film, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or The Met for short. The building is located at 5th Avenue on the east side of Central Park in Manhattan. It opened on 20 February 1872 and is the largest art museum in the United States with over two million artefacts.

Debbie and Lou walk along East 81st Street to the main entrance on 5th Avenue, followed by some random images taken inside the museum.

Ocean's Eight, 0:13:20

East 81st Street, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:13:30

Metropolitan Museum of Art, 5th Avenue, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:13:35

5th Avenue, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:13:37

The American Wing, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:13:38

Gallery 800, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Daphne is the celebrity chosen to host the Met Gala and answers questions during the press conference. Debbie and Lou are also present in the Carroll and Milton Petrie European Sculpture Court in the museum.

Ocean's Eight, 0:13:38

Carroll and Milton Petrie European Sculpture Court,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:13:38

Carroll and Milton Petrie European Sculpture Court,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:13:38

Carroll and Milton Petrie European Sculpture Court,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

When Debbie visits the museum for the first time, some of the highlights of the collection are shown, including Johannes Vermeer's 'Study of a Young Woman' (1665-1667) and John Singer Sargent's 'Portrait of Madame X' (1883-1884).

Ocean's Eight, 0:41:30

Study of a Young Woman - Johannes Vermeer,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:41:42

Portrait of Madame X - John Singer Sargent,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Debbie walks through the American Wing from Gallery 762 to Gallery 760, where she happens to bump into Tammy. She passes the triptych 'A Bit of War History: The Contraband, The Recruit, The Veteran' (1865) by Thomas Waterman Wood, the statue 'Standing Lincoln' (1884-1887) by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and the paintings 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' (1851) by Emanuel Leutze and 'Sunrise on the Matterhorn' (after 1875) by Albert Bierstadt.

Ocean's Eight, 0:41:53

A bit of War History - Thomas Waterman Wood,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:41:59

Standing Lincoln - Augustus Saint-Gaudens,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:42:04

Washington crossing the Delaware - Emanuel Leutze,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 0:42:10

Sunrise on the Matterhorn - Albert Bierstadt,
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

During a second visit, Debbie walks through Gallery 131, where the Egyptian temple of Dendur is being exhibited, watched by Lou and Nine Ball on security cameras. The temple was built in the 10th century BC and donated by Egypt in 1965 to the United States. As can be seen in the photo, it was much busier during our visit. Later in the film, the temple can be seen again in part when Nine Ball walks past it during the dinner at the gala.

Ocean's Eight, 0:56:29

Temple of Dendur, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023 

Ocean's Eight, 1:19:52

Temple of Dendur, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Daphne arrives at the Met Gala with art dealer Claude Becker (Richard Armitage). This annual event always takes place on the first Monday in May. For the film, the arrival of celebrities was re-enacted, with Heidi Klum and Serena Williams, among others, playing themselves. Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue until 2025 and organiser of the gala, also appears in the film as herself, among others when she greets guests at the top of the museum stairs.

Ocean's Eight, 1:06:14

Entrance Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Ocean's Eight, 1:08:13

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Debbie, now with blonde hair, leaves the gala via the main staircase.

Ocean's Eight, 1:20:56

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1 July 2023

Screenshots © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc./Village Roadshow Films