Wednesday, July 16, 2014

In Kefalonia With Captain Corelli and his Mandolin

Okay, movie aficionados out there, this post is for you -- especially if you like movies shot in wonderfully romantic locations like Greek islands.

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Kefalonia - looking towards Sami

Kefalonia (Cephalonia), one of the seven that make up Greece’s Ionian Island group. It was where we spent the last five days.  We weren’t on the island for very long before we'd been told by many locals that it is where the 2001 movie, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was filmed the year prior to its release.

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We were here because we’d taken a ‘getaway from this midsummer Peloponnese getaway’ of ours. The island is a mere three hour drive from The Mani where we are spending most of our time, followed by a another 1.5 hour f ferry ride. 

SmFjiGreecesummer2014 088Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz starred in the movie based on Louis de Bernier’s 1994 novel of the same name.  (While it didn’t do well at the box office in the US, it did very well in theatre’s elsewhere in the world.)

We learned most of the movie’s history at a  coffee shop on the main drag of the waterfront village of Sami, the place where most of the filming took place.
 
The shop had been shut down for some time while the filming took place. In fact most of the town had been rebuilt as a set to look as it did before the real-life 1953 earthquake leveled most of the island’s buildings. Then crews returned it to its modern-day state after the movie was shot.


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They had a photo album abut the movie’s filming for guests to enjoy so I took the liberty of photographing a few of the photos in it:

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If you’ve not read the book or seen the movie, it takes place during World War II during the Italian Occupation of the Ionian Islands.  (We saw this statue in nearby Argostoli town.)

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Nicolas Cage is an Italian officer who speaks Greek and Penelope Cruz is a beautiful Italian girl who lives on the island. . .the rest is up to your imagination – if you’ve not seen the film or read the book. The filming took place in Sami, the beach of Antesamos, and the town of Argostoli, and village of Fiscardo.

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That’s it for this week’s Travel Photo Thursday – hopefully I’ll be in the land of the internet and can link to Budget Travelers Sandbox, but if not, drop by and take a look at the photos there anyway.

We’ve had a very ‘hit and miss’ time with internet and therefore blogging  has also been none existent while in Greece these last few weeks.  We are most grateful for those of you’ve ‘hung in there’ with us. . .thanks for your patience and your interest!  We’ll be back on schedule after we return to the Pacific Northwest.

10 comments:

  1. That is so cool that you guys got to go there, Jackie! I actually did watch Captain Corelli's Mandolin many years ago being a huge Cage fan. We hope all is well with you! :)

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    1. I had read the book so didn't see the movie, but I am certainly going to watch it now. Sorry I took so long in responding - I've been in the Without Wifi Land for far too long!! It was an interesting time we had in Greece.

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  2. Hi Jackie,

    Kefalonia is beautiful, indeed! Yes, I've seen the movie a number of times, but the first time, I was so taken by the gorgeous scenery and cinematography, that I was sort of tuned out to the storyline! Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing!

    Poppy
    P.S. Hope you'll be sharing some other great news, soon!

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    1. Thanks fo much for the comment - we've been in a part of Greece that had very limited wi-fi and are now back home. I am afrain our adventure became one huge misadventure. . .but it was interesting and hopefully will make for some interesting blog posts. . .

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  3. Yes, how interesting that you got there and experienced the place, Jackie. Great photo series.

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    1. Thanks for the visit Andrew - we are finally back in wi-fi land again and I shall return the visit soon to your blog!

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  4. I remember liking this movie, though I do need to see it again. :-) What a gorgeous spot!

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    1. I read the book and now will have to see the movie - the island was gorgeous and the people so proud of their role in the making of the film. I am back in wi-fi land and will be visiting you and getting caught up on your blog soon.

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  5. Jackie and Joel, Such a good movie and what a gorgeous place to film, travel, sit on the beach...I so want to go!

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    1. Corinne, We are finally back in wi-fi land so I will get back in the swing of things -- like blogging and linking soon -- thanks so much for your comment!

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