Mystery Photo 7: A Movie-Goers Special
Posted June 11th, 2009 by Bob Janiskee

Mystery photo by Luca Galuzzi via Wikipedia.
Situated in a national park, this interesting geologic feature made cameo appearances in two Hollywood movies produced within the last 25 years. Can you name this oft-photographed attraction, the national park in which it is located, and at least one of the movies in which it appeared?
We’ll give you a clue. In one of the movies, a fictional superhero makes an incredible leap from the top.










Comments
Janet (not verified)
That would be Double Arch which appeared in the Indian Jones Movie and is located in Arches N.P.
Bob Janiskee
Pretty good, Janet, but you didn't quite nail it. Let's see if somebody can get all three elements of the question answered in a way that leaves me no room to quibble.
Bob (not verified)
Lets go with:
Double Arch
Arches NP
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Robert (not verified)
Name this oft-photographed attraction
Double Arch
The national park in which it is located
Arches National Park
At least one of the movies in which it appeared
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Bob Janiskee
Bob got in under the wire with the first wholly correct answer on this one, but we'll give Janet credit for an "almost" and Robert credit for "honoring Bob's point." This is indeed a photo of Double Arch in Arches National Park. This fascinating landscape feature made an appearance in the classic 1989 movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (one of many Indiana Jones movies, Janet). Now then, let's keep this thing going a while longer. Can anybody name another movie in which Double Arch also appeared? And can anybody name another arch in Arches National Park that has appeared in a Hollywood film?
Vinn (not verified)
At first I though it was Big Bend National Park in Texas but it seems it is Arches National Park in Utah
The Incredible Hulk
Bob Janiskee
Vinn: That would be a yes on the place (which has already been identified), but a "no" on the movie.
GregS (not verified)
Thelma & Louise, Courthouse Towers
Bob Janiskee
Nope -- not Thelma & Louise, Courthouse Towers.
Gerry Hamlin (not verified)
I do not know the answer to the movie question, but I was at Double Arch two weeks ago. Amazing and beautiful place. Utah does a magnificent job with all of their parks. Great roads, and tremendous facilites that are clean. Plenty of good and knowledgable park rangers to help also. Thanks!
GregS (not verified)
Against A Crooked Sky filmed near The Windows
Bob Janiskee
I've never seen Double Arch myself, Gerry, but photos like this one have got me convinced it's a "must see." Kurt's promised to take me to Arches (and some other Utah parks) if I get out that way, so it's in my plans. Here in the South you'd say I'm "fixing to" visit Arches and see Double Arch.
Bob Janiskee
I'll give you an "A," GregS, but only for effort. Double Arch did not appear in the 1975 western Against a Crooked Sky.
MRC (not verified)
Bob, you really should go to Arches NP again sometimes. The Double Arch is only a few hundred yards from the Windows.
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.687168,-109.5347&spn=0.011858,0.015879&t=h&z=16
Bob Janiskee
Thanks for the clarification, MRC. And thanks for being patient with me, GregS. One of the really neat things about administrative access to the Comments section is that I can go back and edit out some of my own dumb remarks. But alas, I can't go back to Double Arch. As I've said, I've never visited Arches National Park -- at least not yet.
Anonymous (not verified)
"Amazing and beautiful place. Utah does a magnificent job with all of their parks."
*Snort* Thanks for the compliment of our National Parks, but please don't pay it to the state of Utah, which, by my experience, would just as soon see racing ATV's jumping through the arches, as oil wells work in the foreground.
Bob Janiskee
Let's close this one out. Vinn was in the ballpark with "The Incredible Hulk," but the 2008 superhero film with that title didn't have an arch cameo. It was the 2003 Ang Lee-directed film "Hulk" (aka "The Hulk") that had a Double Arch cameo (sharing that distinction with "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.") The Double Arch action in "Hulk" has Hulk jumping off the arch (at the 103-minute mark). About two minutes later, Hulk is chased by helicopters around the sandstone bowl at Delicate Arch, which is also in Arches National Park.
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