Greece in the Movies

We’ve been looking at ancient Greece and found that the Greek theatre is a vital part of the ancient culture. We will see examples of these theatre ruins in several locations. But just for fun, let’s look at modern cinema and some of the movies that feature Greece – its culture and its countryside.

My Life in Ruins – Funny tale of a hapless tour guide in Greece was shot on location at the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and Olympia. Those who have been on tours before will recognize some humorous “tour” situations.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (1 and 2) – Four friends try to stay connected as their lives drift in different directions. The Greek portions of the movie were shot on the island of Santorini. Scenes were shot at the village of Oia, at the harbor, and at rock formations and pretty locations around the island.

Mamma Mia! –The movie musical is built around ABBA songs about a daughter's quest to figure out who her real father is. Some scenes were shot on the islands of Skopelos, Skiathos, and in the Pelion region of Greece.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding – A young Greek woman falls in love with a non-Greek and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage.

Zorba the Greek – The classic film epitomizes the Greek spirit with star Anthony Quinn as Zorba. An English writer has inherited a lignite mine somewhere in Crete and meets the free-spirited Zorba in a cafe in Piraeus. Filmed in black and white the movie documents a Greece that has almost completely disappeared.

Never on Sunday – The classic film starring Melina Mercouri was shot in Piraeus and shocked many Greeks with its portrayal of a happy, even a bit pious prostitute.

Be sure to watch the movie trailers...just do a title search on YouTube or Google Video.