Disir
Platinum Member
- Sep 30, 2011
- 28,003
- 9,607
- 910
George Lucas in Tunisia
George Lucas first came to Tunisia in 1976, using sites in the country as locations for the Star Warsplanet Tatooine, a name itself drawn from the Tunisian town of Tataouine. He returned in 1997 to begin work on the series’s ill-fated prequels, using many of the same crew members and a few of the old locations. Many of those sets are still there and can be visited easily during a short trip to the country.
While Star Wars is one of the best-known movies to have been shot in Tunisia, it is certainly not the only one. Raiders of the Lost Ark, The English Patient and even The Life of Brian were all filmed in the country.
The order of your visit
The order in which you visit the Star Wars sites is entirely up to you. Many of the key locations are in the southern desert city of Tozeur, which is a short flight from Tunis. Others will likely require renting a car. Smaller scenes and shots were filmed across the country – but these are probably best left to the truly committed, or for a long trip.
One of the film’s key locations, the interior of the Lars homestead, Luke Skywalker’s childhood home, is located in the small Berber-speaking town of Matmata. Even without Star Wars, the town’s characteristic underground houses would seem alien. Some are still inhabited today, but most have been abandoned or are used as outhouses.
A tour of Tunisia's Star Wars sets
On the one hand this would be pretty cool to see. On the other hand I would be traveling to Tunisia to see wonders of the US film industry.
George Lucas first came to Tunisia in 1976, using sites in the country as locations for the Star Warsplanet Tatooine, a name itself drawn from the Tunisian town of Tataouine. He returned in 1997 to begin work on the series’s ill-fated prequels, using many of the same crew members and a few of the old locations. Many of those sets are still there and can be visited easily during a short trip to the country.
While Star Wars is one of the best-known movies to have been shot in Tunisia, it is certainly not the only one. Raiders of the Lost Ark, The English Patient and even The Life of Brian were all filmed in the country.
The order of your visit
The order in which you visit the Star Wars sites is entirely up to you. Many of the key locations are in the southern desert city of Tozeur, which is a short flight from Tunis. Others will likely require renting a car. Smaller scenes and shots were filmed across the country – but these are probably best left to the truly committed, or for a long trip.
One of the film’s key locations, the interior of the Lars homestead, Luke Skywalker’s childhood home, is located in the small Berber-speaking town of Matmata. Even without Star Wars, the town’s characteristic underground houses would seem alien. Some are still inhabited today, but most have been abandoned or are used as outhouses.
A tour of Tunisia's Star Wars sets
On the one hand this would be pretty cool to see. On the other hand I would be traveling to Tunisia to see wonders of the US film industry.
