The 85th Annual Academy Awards have come and gone, but if you’re a super fan of this year’s top films don’t just wait for the DVD releases. Irene Moore rounds out four “reel-life tours” and experiences inspired by the best pictures of 2012. Relive your favorite parts of these historic films without the Seth MacFarlane commentary.
Experience Lincoln in Richmond, Virginia
Lincoln led the pack with 12 Oscar nominations, but only received two awards. Star Daniel Day-Lewis took home a record-breaking win for Best Actor, making him the only actor to win the award three times. Experience Day-Lewis’ historic role in the former capital of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia. The state has launched a tour around town where you can walk the steps of the cast and crew of Lincoln.
Explore Paris through Hugo’s “Les Miserables”
Image credit: David.Monniaux
Nominated for eight academy awards, Les Miserables took home three, including Anne Hathaway’s high-profile win for Best Supporting Actress. While the film has yet to directly inspire stand-alone attractions, Insight Paris runs a guided walking tour of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables that can be customized to include movie spots. Go back in history to walk through the streets of the former residences of lords and ladies of the Marais. Enter into the Baroque church that served as the setting for Cosette and Marius’s nuptials. You can even customize your private tour to walk around the famous Jardin du Luxembourg, where Marius caught Cosette’s attention for the first time. Tours are given in small groups, reservations strongly recommended.
Argo Travel at Home and Abroad
Though absent from the Best Director category, Argo was the big winner of the night, taking home the award for Best Picture alongside Oscars for adapted screenplay and film editing. Set in Tehran, most of the film was actually shot in Los Angeles. Despite this disparity you can visit two key locations from the film. Overseas, you can see where Tony Mendez starts his journey in the Middle East at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. First built in 404, destroyed twice, rebuilt once and then again in 537 to its iconic architectural dominance that most people know today. In Argo, Mendez used the museum to meet with his British intelligence counterpart before entering Tehran. Stateside, the closest you can come to the CIA is taking a virtual four of the CIA Museum, since the museum is located on the base at Langley and is not open to the public. You can visit the State Department and tour the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, but you must make a reservation and book your tour well in advance.
Philadelphia’s Silver Lining Playbook
Silver Lining‘s star might have had the most endearing win of the night and fans of the film can get to know the setting through The Hotel Palomar Philadelphia‘s Silver Lining Package tour. Fans of the movie can stay at The Hotel Palomar for 15 percent off as part of their packaged tour. They’ll also get a VIP tour of Eagles Lincoln Financial Field and breakfast at Broad Street Diner (not the diner in the movie but a very close real-life version of it). The deal runs until March 16, 2013. Use promo code “OSCAR.”
For more travel-inspired by this year in film, check out:
- Oscars 2013: Travel with This Year’s Best Foreign Films
- Beyond Sundance: Six Standout US Film Festivals
- Peter’s Travel Tip: Hands on Film Festivals
- Famous Film Festival Alternatives
By Irene Moore for PeterGreenberg.com
