Movies have a way of transporting people to a different location, time, and sense of being. They can tug at your heartstrings, excite you, make you laugh, and even make you jump in fright. Movies also have a habit of misleading the audience when it comes to location by taking one city or town and making it look entirely like another. This means you can’t ever assume where a movie was filmed.
When it comes to states that have acted as the backdrop to both big blockbuster productions and smaller movies, New Jersey is high on the list. We’ve gone ahead and compiled a list that may surprise you and may have you rewatching some of your favorite movies. Here are the most popular movies filmed in New Jersey.
The Godfather and The Godfather Part III
If you want to talk about iconic movies, it doesn’t get more iconic than The Godfather. Released in 1972, it completely transformed the gangster genre, and many argue it was director Francis Ford Coppola’s best work. It was the highest-grossing movie of 1972 and went on to win all kinds of awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for Marlon Brando.
There’s been so much said and written about the movie over the past five-plus decades, but what you may not know is that a very famous scene was filmed in New Jersey. The scene in which Clemenza (Richard Castellano) was holding a box of cannolis when he found Paulie Gatto (John Martino) dead in the driver’s seat of the car was shot in Liberty State Park. Years later, some scenes of The Godfather Part III were also filmed in New Jersey.
The Irishman
The Irishman was released in 2019 and stars iconic actors Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino. Famed director Martin Scorsese helmed this film that followed the life of Frank Sheeran, who became a hitman for the Bufalino, a real-life crime family. It was also depicted in the film that he may have played a part in the assassination of Jimmy Hoffa, which is still an unsolved murder.
The movie was shot in a staggering 117 locations across several states. One of those states was New Jersey. The primary location, however, was New York State.
Goodfellas
Here’s another mafia-themed movie that went down in the books as one of the best films ever. Released in 1990, Goodfellas stars legends such as Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, and Robert De Niro, among others, and was directed and written by Martin Scorsese. It follows the life of Henry Hill during his years in the mafia. Hill is a real person who was involved in the mafia and eventually turned into an informant. The movie used locations in New Jersey, New York City, Queens, Staten Island, and Brooklyn.
Godzilla (1998)
Anyone who loves monster movies knows that Godzilla is a classic. There have been many Godzilla movies over the years, and it’s a franchise that has recently been rebooted yet again. This Godzilla iteration, however, was released in 1998 and starred Matthew Broderick, Hank Azaria, Jean Reno, and Maria Pitillo. The movie had a few different filming locations that included Brooklyn, Hawaii, the Universal Studios backlot in California, and Jersey City, NJ.
While this one isn’t necessarily the strongest in the franchise, it’s still a fun watch with some great Godzilla destruction scenes.
I Am Legend
Next up we’ve got an apocalyptic movie, I Am Legend, starring Will Smith and released in 2007. Will Smith plays Dr. Robert Neville, the only person left alive in New York City thanks to a man-made virus that wiped out humanity.
The movie is meant to take place in New York City, and while plenty of scenes were filmed there, in the alternate theatrical version there was content filmed in New Jersey. This alternate ending took the story a little further, giving more depth to what caused humanity to die, among other tidbits. This ending was widely preferred by critics and viewers, and if a sequel will ever be made, it would certainly pick up where the alternate ending finished.
The Amityville Horror (1979)
Those who love a good movie scare are probably very familiar with The Amityville Horror. Released in 1979, it has managed to stand the test of time and still scares movie watchers today. The cast included Margot Kidder, James Brolin, and Rod Steiger. It depicted a family who bought a home in Long Island that was possessed by a demon. The movie, which was based on a true story, was so scary and intense that it received an “R” rating.
This movie and the two sequels that followed were all filmed in New Jersey. The house went on to become an unwanted tourist attraction that was so bothersome that the house was eventually remodeled and even moved closer to Tom’s River.
Many Classics Have Been Filmed in New Jersey
While many tourists flock to New Jersey for its gambling opportunities, both in person in Atlantic City and through sites like casinos.com, it has long been a popular location for filmmakers thanks to its fabulous natural beauty, scenery, ability to transform onscreen, and its proximity to New York City. These are just a small selection of the many classics that have been filmed here, and this list will undoubtedly continue to grow over time.