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The locations of Forrest Gump
“My name is Forrest. Forrest Gump.”
Tom Hanks – Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks in the role of this “simple” character has seduced several million people around the world. Adapted from Winston Groom’s eponymous novel published in 1986, this film, released in 1994, won six Oscars and was selected in 2011 by the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress to be preserved for its cultural, historical or aesthetic significance. An honor reserved for the most cult films.
Forrest Gump travels around the United States, making his mark on the country’s history at every turn, and in a totally accidental way. Accomplished sportsman, war hero, source of inspiration for Elvis Presley and John Lennon and the man behind the Watergate scandal, Forrest Gump has a full life to his credit. And to think it all starts on a simple bench.
Forrest Gump Bench
A pretty feather is laid at the feet of a man sitting on a bench in this park. This man is Forrest Gump, telling the story of his life to the various passers-by sitting on this very bench. However, it is impossible to reproduce the scene on the spot. Especially brought by the production, the four film benches for the feature film are no longer on site. The city of Savannah was able to recover a copy of it, kept in a prominent place in the Savannah History Museum.
Address: Chippewa Square, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Run, Forrest, run!
Harassed by petty thugs, Forrest gets a lot of rocks on him. Jenny then tells him that cult line, “Run, Forrest, run!”, which the young boy does, outrunning his stalkers with his speed. As in all other flashback scenes, young Forrest is wearing a blue plaid shirt.
Address: 3547 Combahee Road, Yemassee, South Carolina, USA
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Forrest Gump addresses the crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial until Jenny (Robin Wright) calls out to him from the pool. He then runs to join her, with thunderous applause. If this speech remains in our memories, another much more important speech was given in the same place. This is where Martin Luther King Jr… gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Before being attributed to Tom Hanks, the role of Forrest Gump was offered to several actors such as Bill Murray or John Travolta. The latter subsequently stated that declining this role was “a big mistake”.
Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW, Washington, DC 20024, USA
Watergate Hotel
Innocently, Forrest Gump calls the front desk of this hotel to report that men are searching a room across the courtyard with flashlights. This is how the young man triggered the Watergate scandal, leading to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. Historic site of the famous scandal that occurred in 1972, the hotel has hosted over the years Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Bob Dole, Ben Stein or the protagonist of another scandal, Monica Lewinsky.
Address: 2650 Virginia Avenue North West, Washington DC, USA
Forrest Gump Point
After three years of running across the United States stopping only to eat or sleep, Forrest Gump became a star. It is constantly followed by other runners or fans, wishing to immortalize the feat. When suddenly, the young man decides to stop, for no apparent reason at this specific place in Monument Valley. The film allowed this road, and this lost place in the middle of nowhere, to become famous and become a must for many pop culture fans. A The Weekjournalist, Lauren Hansen, was interested in the feasibility of such a feat. After consulting with running and health experts, she explained that this feat was achievable, but fraught with consequences. Indeed, mental problems and loss of toenails, not to mention many fractures, should have affected the athlete.
Read moreGreenbow, Alabama – Forrest Gump’s fictional town
The fictitious town of Forrest Gump used many sets including those of Varnville. The shops on the main streets have been completely revamped for the film. But when it came time to remove the items, most merchants chose to keep them. Forrest and Jenny’s houses, on the other hand, were specially built for the filming and were later demolished. The famous oak tree under which Jenny and Forrest live is located in the property that hosted the decorations, the Plum Hill Plantation.
Address: Varnville, South Carolina, USA
University of Alabama Football Stadium
The scenes at the University of Alabama football stadium were shot in this Los Angeles stadium. With a capacity of 22,355 seats, it was built in 1951. In addition to Forrest Gump, the stadium hosted the filming of Batman vs. Superman, the match between Gotham City University and Metropolis State University, as well as the music video Wishes by the band Beach House.
Address: Weingart Stadium, 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, California, USA
Vietnam
It is on Fripp and Hunting Islands that most of the scenes related to the Vietnam War were filmed. This is where Forrest promises his friend Bubba to partner with him to buy a shrimp boat. Bubba doesn’t make it out alive, but Forrest keeps his promise and buys a fishing boat. From this anecdote, a chain of restaurants, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company was born. One of its establishments is located at Santa Monica Pier, near the sign announcing the end of the legendary Route 66, a short stop on the thousands of kilometers of Forrest Gump.
Address: Fripp Island and Hunting Island State Park, Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA
Marshall Point Lighthouse – short stop for Forrest Gump
On his crazy run, Forrest Gump briefly visits this lighthouse in Maine. Listed in the National Register of Historic Sites since 1988, this building has been in existence since 1832 to assist ships entering and leaving Port Clyde. Initially equipped with a bell and seven lard oil lamps, the lighthouse then received a foghorn in 1969 and new lamps, the last of which was installed in 2016. Today, the lighthouse can be visited because it is particularly photogenic.
Address: Marshall Point Road, Port Clyde, Maine, USA
The Fantrippers Buying Board
By Damien Duarte
Passionné par la culture pop depuis son enfance, ses références vont de Donald Duck à Batman en passant par Marty McFly. Fantripper dans l'âme, voyager sur les traces de Ghostbusters, James Bond ou des héros de romans comme Cotton Malone fait partie d'un séjour idéal et réussi !