Rome: A Cinematic Superstar

The Italian city of Rome has appeared in countless movies over the years and the city itself often plays as much a role in the film as the actors themselves. As a city steeped in 2000 years of history, it can lend itself to complement any action or emotion which features on the screen and each year, movie buffs explore the many locations around the city which have been immortalised on celluloid.

Many of the city's best known landmarks have appeared in film, including the Pantheon; the Trevi Fountain; the Spanish Steps and the Coliseum, while the streets and alleyways of the city have also featured heavily although perhaps aren't instantly recognisable. The city has featured in films made not only by Hollywood, but also by film-makers around the world.

One of the most famous Italian films to be set in Rome is ‘La Dolce Vita', meaning ‘The Sweet Life' and was made in 1960 by the critically acclaimed director, Federico Fellini. The film tells the story of Marcello, a journalist who spends a week in the city and his search for happiness and love - neither of which he found. The film features more than 80 locations filmed in and around Rome.

‘Roman Holiday', filmed in 1953 and staring silver screen icons Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, tells the tale of Ann, a royal princess who chooses to experience Rome by herself rather than as part of her official duties. After falling asleep on a park bench she meets Joe Bradley who takes Ann to his apartment after failing to recognise her as royalty. The pair eventually fall in love, but only after taking a tour around the city where Joe has hired a photographer to snap photos of Ann for his newspaper. Some of the locations in ‘Roman Holiday' include the ‘Mouth of Truth' - a marble image said to bite the hand off liars - and the Trevi Fountain.

More recently, films such as ‘Angels & Demons' starring Tom Hanks, ‘Mission: Impossible III' starring Tom Cruise, ‘Ocean's Twelve' starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney and the remake of 1970s horror film ‘The Omen' starring Julia Stiles have been filmed in the city.

One of the most unlikely film stars to have filmed in Rome is the late Bruce Lee, who filmed his third film ‘Way of the Dragon' in the city. The film centres around Lee's character, Tang Lung who travels to Rome to help his cousin, Chen Ching Hua who is being harassed by mobsters to sell her restaurant business. During the film, Lee can be seen at several locations in the city, including the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. However, it is his fight scenes with American star Chuck Norris at the Coliseum that live longest in the memory and the scenes rank among the best and most memorable in martial arts film history.

There are many more films and locations to be found around the city, and hotels in Rome should be able to point tourists in the right direction to discover and see the locations made famous by a multitude of feature film history and stars of the silver screen.

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.