With its wide variety of landscape and musical roots, Tennessee has been the backdrop and filming locations for many movies. Here are the top 15 scenes/movies that have been filmed in Tennessee
15. Country Strong
Not the best of movies, but it is pretty much the reason Nashville the TV series got it start. I imagine the pitch was “Let’s do “Country Strong” as a TV show and get that cheerleader from Heroes and the mom from Friday Night Lights, TV Gold!”. The movie highlights the Nashville area and makes the Municipal Auditorium look good.
14. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
It is alway fun to see a battle between a wizard and Hydra taking place inside the Parthenon in Nashville.
13. Coal Miners daughter
The story of Tennessee’s legend Loretta Lynn shot in and around middle Tennessee, her hometown in Hurricane Mills, and at the Ryman Auditorium
12. U2 Rattle and Hum
The U2 concert film of their best album. They make a stop off in Memphis to record “Angel of Harlem”, they also visit the sites of Memphis including Graceland. Nice piece of musical history and sights .
11. Days of Thunder
What is better than seeing Cole Trickle make the laps at Bristol. Also the film where current Tennessean Nicole Kidman met her former husband. She got rid off the husband but stayed in Tennessee.
10. Walking Tall
In rural Tennessee the sheriff means business especially in McNairy County in the sixties. Shot in and around Henderson, TN
9. The Blind Side
Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Michale Oher’s biopic filmed in Memphis, TN
8. The Firm
Making Mud Island look good and Grisham a household name. Surprised to see Tom Cruise to be in two films on this list.
7. The Matrix
A surprise entry, while Neo and Trinity were never in Nashville, The city was the backdrop for the opening chase scene with Trinity. I guess Nashville is the city of the future either that or Nashville is actually in the Matrix. The Nashville skyline appears starting at the 2:30 mark in the clip below
6. Jungle Book
Another entry in not that great of a movie but filmed all in Tennessee and in the jungle of Fall Creek Falls. It is the best movie to show the natural beauty of Tennessee.
5. Undefeated
Won Oscar for Best Documentary, good movie that is pretty much a “The Blind Side” spinoff
5a. The Fugitive
Well technically not in Tennessee, it is just across the NC/TN border in the Smokey Mountains. It is included since he is jumping into the Tennessee River, it is an iconic scene and it is Harrison Ford.
4. Hustle and Flow
If you been to Memphis you will recognize the sights in this movie, I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing, plus its Hard Out Here For Pimp
3. Walk the Line
A truly Tennessee story, almost lost the filming location to Louisiana but they decided to film in Memphis at the last minute. The Folsom Prison scene below was filmed at Pipken building at the Mid-South Fairgrounds in Memphis.
2. Nashville
A solid #1 contender as this Altman film is a classic and gives a great if somewhat painful look at Nashville in the seventies, once again the Parthenon in Nashville is a centerpiece.
1. Green Mile
Using the old State Prison building outside of Nashville as its setting, this movie a a modern classic and a popular favorite putting it into the number one slot.