Holo Holo Blog

It is a well-known and widely accepted fact that Kauaʻi is one of the most beautiful places on Earth (we may be a bit biased here) and has stunning, take-your-breath-away views to offer most everyoneʻs aesthetic taste.

From dramatically-carved rocky mountains studded with emerald green trees, to dense tropical forests brimming with colorful folilage and cool waterfalls, to expansive valleys overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the soft, honey-speckled sands cradling the Garden Island’s beaches, Kauaʻi is home to some seriously spectacular landscapes; Nature’s eye-candy, if you will.

Whether you are visiting Kauaʻi, or call Kauaʻi home, it most likely comes as no surprise that Kauaʻi is also a highly sought out location for filming popular, award-winning movies. South Pacific put Kauaʻi on the map in 1958, and Kauaʻi has been been hot on the filming scene list of iconic, Hollywood Blockbusters ever since.

Here is a look at some of the top Hollywood movies filmed on Kauaʻi that won prestigious Film Awards and world-wide recognition in the film industry:

1. South Pacific (1958): Won one Oscar Academy Award for Best Sound in 1959. Nominated for Best Cinematography-Color and Best Music-Scoring of a Musical Picture as well as Golden Globe Nominations in Best Motion Picture, Best Motion Picture Actress and Most Promising Newcomer.
2. King Kong (1976): Won five awards, including Special Achievement Award for visual effects, and three nominations, two of them Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Sound.
3. Raiders of the Lost Arc (1981): Won 38 awards and had an additional 24 nominations. Winner of four Oscars (and nominated for four more) in 1982 for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Effects-Visual Effects, as well as the Special Achievement Award for sound effects editing.
4. Jurassic Park (1993): This film took the box office by storm and won a whopping 44 awards with 27 nominations. 1994 Aademy Award Winner in Best Sound, Best Effects-Sound Effects Editing, and Best Effects-Visual Effects.
5. Tropic Thunder (2008): Won 10 awards, including Hollywood Comedy of the Year and Best Comedy Movie at the BFCA’s Critics’ Choice Awards, and 47 nominations.
6. Avatar (2009): Won a jaw-dropping 89 awards in 2009, with 131 nominations. Oscar Winner of Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Visual Effects, and Best Achievement in Art Direction. There are literally way too many awards to list here – check them out for yourself! What an accomplishment, indeed.
7. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) won three awards and 31 nominations.
8. The Descendents (2011): Won a staggering 65 awards and 148 nominations. 2012 Oscar winner for Best Writing-Adapted Screenplay.
9. Soul Surfer (2011): Based on Kauai’s very own local surf legend Bethany Hamilton won two awards and 12 nominations. Winner of 2011 Satellite Award for Best Original Score.
10. Jurassic World (2015): Won 15 awards, including 2015 Hollywood Film Award for Visual Effects of the Year, and 58 nominations.