Along with assorted administrative offices, the Department of the Interior (DOI) building in Washington DC houses a museum. As a result of a recent renovation effort, only part of the museum is open, but the little that is there focuses on the DOI in print, art, and—most importantly to us—film. With sweeping vistas and alien terrain to oversee, it is little surprise that films such as Star Wars, North By Northwest, and The Ten Commandments would all have scenes shot on DOI managed public land. This current exhibition at the museum celebrates how the DOI has provided filming locations, inspiration, and in some individual cases, even dabbled in the film business.
About the Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) oversees the maintenance and conservation of most public lands and resources. Due to the wide range of its responsibilities, the DOI is often referred to as the “Department of Everything Else.” This was particularly the case when the DOI was first established in March 3, 1849. Many preexisting departments quickly passed their less desirably tasks to the DOI such as the management of the DC sewer system. Yet, other bureaus found a much more proper seat in the DOI. The Indian Affairs Office was transferred from the Department of War and the General Land Office from the Treasury. As of 2004, the DOI managed about one fifth of the United States’ land mass—overseeing organizations such as the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Among these organizations is the Bureau of Land Management which oversees the uses of public land for a wide range of purposes including filming. The bureau was formed in 1946 by combining the General Land Office and the Grazing Service. The Bureau of Land Management oversees approximately one eighth of the land mass of the United States. While this land was originally described as “land nobody wanted,” as homesteaders had passed over these locations, there have been over 10,000 filming permits filed for use on public lands since.
Assorted Shots from films on Department of the Interior managed land.
Department of the Interior on Film
Numerous films have been shot on public land. The DOI museum displays screenshots from North By Northwest (1959)[1], Transformers (2007)[2], Dante’s Peak (1997)[3], Riders of the Purple Sage (1925)[4], Boots and Saddles (1937)[5], Gunga Din (1939)[5], and Bells of San Angelo (1947)[6], comprising only a small cross section of films shot of public land. Indeed, the Alabama Hills in California are an area overseen by the BLM that have become so popular for filmmakers that a self guided tour is available for visitors.
Location agreement for filming the Star Wars Return of the Jedi in Death Valley.
On display at the museum is a copy of the location agreement for the filming of Return of the Jedi in Death Valley. While most of the film was shot overseas, Death Valley was used in shots for Tatooine in both the original Star Wars and Return of the Jedi. Elementary students from Death Valley Elementary School were recruited to play the diminutive, hooded Jawas. Of course, this was not the only Lucas Films production on public land. We Also dug up records of filming permits for Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade.
Remnants from the setting of The Ten Commandments.
On an equally epic filming scale, Cecil B. DeMills groundbreaking film The Ten Commandments was filmed in Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. The film set a record for the largest set built in film history and was later buried in the dunes, lost for 60 years. For the current exhibit, A piece of the massive set of “The City of the Pharaoh” is on display at the DOI museum.
Films on the Department of the Interior
Of course, there are many documentaries about the remarkable land that is overseen by the Department of the Interior. Yet, this is far from the extent of the DOI’s explicit presence in film. While less notable fair compared to films like Star Trek—filmed in the same location—Yellowstone (1936)[7] takes place, predictably, in Yellowstone National Park and includes a park ranger as the love interest. The museum also notes cases such as the TV series Parks and Recreation where Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope, eventually becomes the Midwest Regional Director of the National Park Service. Likely, this is particularly notable for the inclusion of shots of the Department of the Interior exterior.
Signed movie poster from Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.
Department of the Interior making Film
Those familiar with cult film, may be acquainted with Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978). What they may not be aware of is that Constantine (Costa) Dillon was a volunteer at Cabrillo National Monument at the same time that he wrote, helped produce, and performed in the film. The film not only spawned sequels but an animated series. Dillon had moved on to working at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area while he wrote Return of the Killer Tomatoes (1988), Killer Tomatoes Strike Back (1990), and Killer Tomatoes Eat France (1991). Return of the Killer Tomatoes just so happened to be the second feature film for George Clooney. While the Killer Tomatoes franchise kept him occupied for decades, Dillon also rose to the position of superintendent at three different parks.
While the museum is small at the moment, it will be expanding to fill a larger area with more extensive exhibits. Even before the expanded area is opened, any trip to the DOI museum can be augmented with a tour of the building to see its large collection of murals.
All the same, with the limited space currently available to the museum, we are tickled that they used it to celebrate the department’s contributions to media.
Explore other filming permits on The Film Locations >
[1] Filming the climactic climb down Mount Rushmore.
[2] Filmed on location at the Hoover Damn, managed by the Bureau of Reclamation.
[3] Filming in Shoshone County, Idaho: IDI 031780
[4] a silent film in the Ruiz Hills, within the Alabama Hills in California.
[5] Filmed in California’s Alabama Hills—now overseen by the Bureau of Land Management.
[6] Filmed in the Valley of Fire in Nevada, near Hoover Dam.
[7] Yes, this was filmed in Yellowstone National Park.