10 Great Movies Filmed in Oregon

Oregon is a state brimming with beautiful natural scenery and a superabundance of creatives. It’s no surprise then that many movies filmed in Oregon take advantage of its stunning Pacific coast, coastal rainforests, and proximity to Hollywood.

While enjoying this selection of Oregon movies, keep in mind that searching Peerspace is an easy and effective way to locate photo and film shoot locations in Oregon and across the globe. After all, Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for event and production venues that you can rent by the hour. This means you can rent everything from professional sound stages to private homes, art galleries to cafes, and everything in between. So whether you’re filming a production in Oregon or looking for a party venue in NYC, Peerspace has you covered!

Now, let’s check out 10 great movies filmed in Oregon.

1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Milos Forman directed this film which was adapted from the novel by Ken Kesey. Jack Nicholson stars as the rebellious and ebullient small-time criminal Randle McMurphy, a new patient at the Oregon State Mental Hospital.

McMurphy had gotten himself transferred from the state penitentiary to avoid hard labor. However, he quickly realizes he’s gone from the fireplace into the fire. His nemesis at the mental hospital is Head Nurse Mildred Ratched. A test of wills between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy ensues, which is impossible for McMurphy to win.

In terms of its filming locations, Cuckoo’s Nest was filmed almost entirely at Oregon State Hospital in Salem.

2. National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)

The cast of Animal House is led by John Belushi as John “Bluto” Blutarsky. He leads an ensemble of talented young actors who haven’t appeared in movies before. The Animal House fraternity members are constantly challenging the rules at the fictional Faber College. The fictional fraternity, Delta Tau Chi house, is on double probation, and after much chaos ensues, they (of course!) get banned completely. Animal House was also named one of the best movies of 1978!

They filmed this movie in Eugene, Cascades, and the Oregon Coast regions.

3. The Black Stallion (1979)

The Black Stallion is an adventure film is adapted from a book by Walter Farley. The action begins in 1946 when a young boy named Alec Ramsey (Kelly Reno) shipwrecks on a deserted North African island with a wild Arabian stallion.

After befriending the wild stallion, a rescue team transports the boy and his horse back to the US, where the boy’s mother (Terri Garr) is rightfully quizzical about “The Black,” as Alec calls him. Is The Black cut out to be a racehorse? A down-on-his-luck groom at the horse track, played by Mickey Rooney, also wants to find out!

While this movie was filmed in cities across the globe, much of its stateside filming was done in Nehalem and Gearhart, Oregon.

Working on a project in Portland, OR? Then you need to check out these team outing ideas in Portland to relax with your crew after!

4.  Stand by Me (1986)

Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell star as four boys in 1959 who go on a hike and grow up quickly after finding the dead body of a missing boy. They have a theory about how the boy might have died and bravely confront a bully, played by Kiefer Sutherland. It is a “coming-of-age” film directed by Rob Reiner. Filmed against a backdrop of big pine forests, it is among the most bucolic of movies filmed in Oregon.

They filmed primarily in California as well as the Orgeon cities of Brownsville, Eugene, Cottage Grove, Veneta, and Junction City, Oregon.

5. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)

Gus Van Sant wrote and directed this crime drama starring Matt Damon, Kelly Lynch, Heather Graham, and William S. Burroughs. The story takes place in 1971 and follows a group of young drug addicts who roam aimlessly across the Pacific Northwest on the lookout for pharmacies and hospitals to rob.

The road theme makes this a classic among movies filmed in Oregon. After a small-time drug robbery in Portland, Oregon, the group is spotted. Someone gets shot, someone gets clean, and someone happily gets transported to the hospital, otherwise known as “the fattest pharmacy in town.”

Van Sant mainly filmed this movie in and around Portland.

6. My Own Private Idaho (1991)

River Phoenix plays Mike Waters while Keanu Reeves plays Scott Favor in this adventure drama written and directed by Gus Van Sant. The two young streetwise kids embark on a journey of personal discovery that takes them from Portland, Oregon, to Idaho, to Rome, Italy. The film is definitely a cult classic, particularly due to its LGBTQ+ themes.

Along with Portland, they also filmed in Maupin, Oregon.

7. Free Willy (1993)

Simon Wincer directed this family drama, starring Willy the Orca, played by Keiko the Orca. The plot is silly but cute: Jesse (Jason James Richter) is an orphan whom a juvenile court orders to clean up graffiti at a waterpark. There, he befriends Willy, the Orca. After he finishes his probation, Jesse takes a job at the waterpark, where it becomes clear that he is the only person who can get through to Willy. When Jesse learns that Willy is unsafe at the waterpark, he contrives a plan to save Willy’s life.

They filmed this movie on location in Portland, Astoria, and Cannon Beach, Oregon.

8. Into the Wild (2007)

The actor Sean Penn wrote, directed, and also produced this film. It is an adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s biography of the hapless Chris McCandless, a young man disillusioned by modern society who attempted to live in an abandoned city bus in the Alaskan wilderness in the early 1990s. McCandless never really knew how to live off the land and made many serious mistakes that endangered and ultimately ended his life.

While the movie was filmed in locations across the States, it’s Oregon filming locations include Astoria and Beaverton.

9.  Twilight (2008)

This romantic fantasy movie comes from the Stephanie Meyer novel of the same name. It is the first in a series of films that follow the characters Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart, and Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson.

Bella is a girl who intrigues Edward, a vampire. However, in a major twist, it is Edward who does his utmost to protect Bella from a coven of evil vampires. Filmed against the backdrop of Oregon forests, Twilight is among the most beautiful movies filmed in Oregon. Portland was the main filming location for the movie.

Speaking of Twilight, learn more about where the Cullen house is here!

10. Wild (2014)

This film is an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s book, “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.” Reese Witherspoon plays Strayed, while Laura Dern plays Strayed’s late mother in flashbacks. Strayed leaves a life in shambles to walk the 1,100-mile trail, and in so doing, she heals her soul and can start the next chapter of her life. But this 1,100-mile trek isn’t an easy walk in the park!

Wild’s primary Oregon filming locations include Bend, Crater Lake, and Ashland.

Bonus: The Goonies (1985)

The Goonies is a childhood adventure classic adored by viewers of all ages, written by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner. In the film, a group of kids find a treasure map and set out to uncover the loot. However, they go through plenty of madcap trials and tribulations along the way.

The primary filming locations for the movie include Astoria and Cannon Beach.

Movies filmed in Oregon: conclusion

We hope this list of some of the best movies filmed in Oregon has delighted and inspired you.

In fact, you may now need to check out Peerspace to find the perfect filming locations for your next project. Our platform makes it easy to discover hidden gem venues ideal for productions, meetings, and events everywhere. Who knows, maybe somewhere down the line, your project will skyrocket to a list of the top movies filmed in your state!

Find unique filming locations on Peerspace