A round-the-world Tour Through Atlas Studios

Being the most visited country in Africa, Morocco has no shortage of cultural landmarks and natural wonders to keep sightseers busy. Among all the places we visited in Morocco, nowhere was as “inauthentic” as our visit to the Atlas Corporation Studios in Ouarzazate. Unbeknown to most of us, Moroccos has established itself as a destination for movie-makers ever since it was a French protectorate. Casablanca, the most cosmopolitan city in Africa, boasted a thriving collection of cinemas in the early 20th century. After Morocco’s political independence in 1956, the kingdom worked to foster the film industry and the cinema culture in their cities. Until recently, going to the cinema was a part of Moroccan culture. Hand-painted canvases advertising the latest are part of the country's urban landscape.

Atlas Corporation Studio has worked with just about every major Western movie studio out there.

But like just about everywhere in the world. The popularity of satellite television and streaming services has decimated Moroccan cinemas. While Moroccan theater life has crumbled all around the kingdom, the production of foreign movies continued to climb with the help of the 20% cash rebate from the government. Everyone seems surprised by how many blockbuster movies are filmed here, including Gladiators, Mission Impossible, and Black Hawk Down. Morroco may sound odd initially, but Morocco has everything one needs for movie-making.

One of the most coveted characteristics of Morocco would be the weather. Outside of the scorching heat of summer, the climatic conditions are perfect. This is particularly the case in the southern part of the country, as Brian and I could attest to that fact. Although our visit coincided with Morocco’s wet season, we encountered no rain and just one overcast day during the two-week trip. The southern city of Ouarzazate, in particular, is known for its reliable weather and vast expansiveness of space. Over the past fifty years, the city has established itself as the country’s Hollywood, and it takes this reputation very seriously. Landmarks and banners celebrate its status as a film city all along the town’s main drag as we arrive.

Besides the beautiful weather, Morocco is famous for intricate woodworking, which is very handy for filmmaking. Ouarzazate’s Berber (or Amazigh) heritage also helped keep the tradition alive. But all the physical attributes aside, what made Morocco an attractive place for Western filmmaking is the country’s liberal attitude toward politically sensitive subjects. In particular, the genre of America’s “war on terrorism” was very popular in the early 2000s. Most of these films were set in places like Afghanistan or Iraq, where filming would be near impossible. Morocco proves to be a convenient stand-in.

Atlas Corporation Studio

From my understanding, two major studios operate in Ouarzazate: Atlas Corporation Studio and CLA Studio. Atlas Corporation is the oldest of the two and the largest studio in the world by square footage. According to Google Maps, CLA Studio was “permanently closed,” but I still saw people posting pictures online of their visit as recently as a month ago. Since I could not find much about guided tours at CLA Studio, visiting Atlas Corporation Studio was a no-brainer. The two studios are located on the same road, and I am glad I could snap a picture of CLA Studio’s front gate, at least.

Being the largest studio in the world, Atlas Corporation Studio looks mighty impressive, even from the main road. The studio extends far into the surrounding desert landscape, and we can see various sets littering the landscape. An enormous set from the 2005 movie Kingdom of Heaven in the far distance. The studio offers a dedicated tour just for that massive film set. After parking our car (and paying the attendant), we walked into the complex and hoped to find the tour desk. An impressive wall with medieval crenellations rings the parameters of the studio. In front of the wall are a series of massive statues of pharaohs. It was as if we were transported to Luxor in Egypt.

There is a wonderful map of the core of the studio.

Just past the main and security gates, there is a beautifully metal-etched map of the studios. Various film sets seem to congregate randomly across the landscape. Because it is a working studio, their hour-long guided tour would be the only way to visit. For 80 dirhams per adult, it takes us to more than half of the film sets on the ground. There are apparently enough visitors every day to offer guided tours hourly, so individual visitors don’t have to wait for long or prior reservations. Luckily, we only had to wait ten minutes for the next tour. We were joined by a group of French tourists and an American couple for our tour. Our guide is an energetic young man and speaks amazing English. Dressed in beautiful Berber djellaba and a full-brim cowboy hat, the guy has the perfect personality and temperament to lead a tour.

The infamous F-16 fighter jet from *The Jewel of the Nile*.

The tour began at the forecourt, where the most notable props in the studios are displayed. The centerpiece is a model of an F-16 fight jet. Brian immediately recognized it as a prop for the 1985 film The Jewel of the Nile, starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny Devito. He remembered watching this movie with his family when the VHS tape came out. The Jewel of the Nile was apparently Atlas Corporation Studios’ first project, and I must admit that I have never heard of it. But from the corner of my eyes, I could spot something I could recognize: the slave cart Russell Crowe rode in the movie Gladiator.

Judging from the display in the yard, it appears that transport vehicles are the most coveted prop types in the studios. We were told that various fake luxurious cars were used for the James Bond movie(s). There are also plenty of military vehicles. The Moroccan government provides special accommodates by permitting foreign military vehicles to be brought into the country for filming. It speaks to just how important the film industry is for the administration and why Morocco has succeeded in her efforts.

This is like a “trophy yard” of the studio’s most interesting props.

Before visiting the first film set, our guide led us in front of a collection of small movie posters. Our guide ran through all the major movies filmed at the studio. I can’t say that I have known most of the films, let alone watched them before. Judging from the posters, it is clear that biblical movies represent a big part of the studio’s filmography. The most famous of this genre may be Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. I can’t say I am a fan of that movie, but I am happy to know that Morocco, a Muslim country, had no qualms about hosting an ultra-conservative production like The Passion of the Christ.

The hanger we visited was for the 1999 film The Mummy. I remember how big this movie was when it came out and how it launched a new movie franchise. During our visit, the psychological drama The Whale just came out and is often in the news because of Brendan Fraser’s masterful performance. It was interesting to think we were at the same spot where Fraser once stood. The set includes a long tunnel where major chase sequences were filmed. I haven’t seen this film in more than twenty years, so I could not quite recall the exact scene associated with the place. They should consider showing the referenced movie footage on a monitor during the tour.

The next hanger houses the cavernous interior of an Egyptian temple, which was the film set for the 2013 movie Cleopatra. The temple is supposedly a scaled-down reproduction of the Temple of Karnak. I may not have been to Egypt myself, but I could tell that the film's producer took great liberty in exaggerating certain architectural features. They set up a palanquin used for the movie in the middle of the main corridors. Together with a nearby throne room, it was a perfect photo opportunity for visitors. This was where we discovered just what rowdy bunch of French tourists we had on hand. Brian and I have always considered the French elegant and reserved. That could not be further away from reality; they were just as unruly and loud as Americans or Chinese tourists.

The next few sets on the tour were outdoor, which was more interesting as we got a better sense of how the set was constructed. The first area was Passion Court, which doubled as Old Jerusalem in Mel Gibson’s film. This was where Jesus carried his cross up the stairs. That movie came out when I was in college. My roommate was a devoted evangelical Christian, and he always talked about how this was his favorite movie. I remember he had a DVD in our room and cried whenever he watched it. This visit brought back some interesting memories. I wonder how my roommate might enjoy visiting the actual film set.

The French tour guide/translator was very entertaining.

Past the Egyptian-looking gate, the next film on Market Place. As the name implies, this particular set was used as an old town marketplace in places like Baghdad, Kabul, and Jerusalem. This is one of the most reused sets in the studios because of its ubiquitousness. Among all the movies filmed here, my favorite would probably be the 2019 musical movie The Aladdin. The doorways and windows of this market were intentionally small to create a visual illusion, making the place look much larger on screen. We were allowed to explore the in-and-out of the set freely. Peeking at the back side of the set is even more fun than the front; it allows visitors to experience it like the actors or extras.

Funny enough, a highlight of the visit thus far was seeing French tourists running wild. Their group was accompanied by their own guide, who also served as a translator. The guy was one of the most animated tour guides I have ever met. He and the official guide from the studio made a perfect duo. To my surprise, most French tourists on this tour spoke decent English. Even more unusual was that the official guide did not offer the tour in French either. After all, it is Morocco's second official language.

The next set we visited was a courtyard with Roman mosaics and sculptures. This set was constructed for the filming of Ben-Hur, a 2016 epic historical drama based on a 19th-century novel. I did not know much about this movie, except that it was perhaps the biggest box office flop in the last two decades. The film was also widely panned for bad performance and bad visual effects. Needless to say, I definitely would not hurry to watch this film back home. But the best thing about this particular set was the viewing platform in the upper story. From there, we got a view of the city of Ouarzazate and the central tower of Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS).

Could you spot the solar tower of Ouarzazate Solar Power Station?

For first-time visitors, Ouarzazate Solar Power Station is perhaps the most notable landmark in the city besides the movie studios and Kasbah Taourirt. Covering more than 6,000 acres, it is the world’s largest concentric solar plant. It was constructed with finance from the Arab League, and it is pivotal to Morocco’s commitment to the transition to green energy. The country aims to have fifty percent of its energy needs from sustainable sources by 2030. It was an ambitious target. But judging from Morocco’s climate, it is clear that Morocco’s solar potential is limitless. Unfortunately, the solar power plant is not accessible to casual visitors. People could submit a tour request to the management agency at least one month in advance. However, I wouldn’t hold my breath for such tour requests to materialize. Seeing its massive solar tower and the light array would be good enough for most of us.

Anyway, back to the studio tour. The next stop is a narrow passageway used for The Passion of the Christ again. According to the guide, the particular scene shot here was the celebrated part of the film as it was the final few minutes before the crucifixion. The set appeared in the movie for about four minutes but took four months to construct. One thing he pointed out is the fact that the camera sequence is often planned out well before the construction of the set. This would allow the set builder to focus only on the area where the zoom-in shot would be. He pointed out areas of the set where great attention to the details was paid and encouraged us to look up the close-up scene in the movie.

Arguably, the crown jewel on the tour is the Egyptian sacrificial steps. This impressive set is brightly colored and gleamed under sunlight. Constructed for French/Italian comedy film Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra. These steps allow a great view of the studio from the top and are probably the best-maintained set in the studio. Because there is abundant land, the studios rarely demolish a film set. They figure it is best to preserve them for potential reuse. Better yet, perhaps they can offer guided tours like the one we were on. Due to Ouarzazate’s climate, painting these sets is relatively inexpensive.

Our guide decided to do an impromptu film shoot with tour members to demonstrate the art of film-making. The instruction was complicated, and I must confess I did not grasp it well. The 90-second “film” was shot with a simple iPhone, and it is the best souvenir from our trip to Morocco. Even though most of us were terrible at following instructions, the clip turned out to be awesome, I must say. I am certain this was not the first time the guide did this choreography, but it was impressive just how good of an end product you could get from a phone camera. Well, I would let you judge it yourself.

We could see another enormous set in the distance just outside the set. According to the map we saw at the studio entrance, that would be Ceasar’s Palace. It looks very enticing, but unfortunately, it was not part of the day’s tour. Indeed, the hour-long tour barely covered a third of the studios' sets. I wonder whether the management would adjust the tour yearly to entice repeat visitors.

The Cesar’s Palace is unfortunately not part to the tour this day.

The next set we visited was actually not a movie set at all. Located in a rather small hanger, the set is composed of a ring of moon-like spheres suspended from the ceiling. The floor resembles somewhat a lunar landscape. If you ask me, the whole setup looks more like an oversized high school science fair display. This little film set was actually constructed for a short commercial for the French luxury brand Hermès. Everyone was stunned that such a basic-looking set could turn out to be otherworldly; it is a real testament to the mastery of filmmaking. To be honest, wouldn’t it be easier to do the whole thing in CG?

Just when I thought that most sets at the studio were “cinematically set” in the Middle East or the Islamic world, we arrived at the final film set for this tour. This modest set resembles a palace in the Himalayas. Maybe because of my background, I could immediately tell that many details didn’t look right. Besides the overly impressive lions out front, the wooden eaves appear too solid and heavy. This set was constructed for Kundun, the 1997 film based on the writing and life of the incumbent Dalai Lama. Needless to say, the subject matter was very controversial now and then. Bradd Pitt and Jean-Jacques Annaud came here a few years later to film Seven Years in Tibet. Predictably, both were subsequently banned by China for a few decades.

Given the current political situation and China’s influences on Hollywood and Morocco, I wonder whether these films could be filmed in 2022. Speaking of Morocco standing in as Tibet, it speaks to another advantage of Ouarzazate. The city’s proximity to High Atlas Mountain provides the right scenery without being too high in altitude. You could reach the desolate snow-capped mountain range in just an hour’s drive from Ouarzazate.

Unlike other film sets thus far, the interior of this temple also fits into the Buddhist style. Except for the unfinished ceiling, it could easily pass as Tibet on camera. The fake books on the shelves originated from the 1997 film. I am quite impressed by the likeness of these props and the atmosphere and emotion this set invokes. During the tour's finale, they hooked up some speakers playing Tibetan music. It was a great way to cap off our tour.

With some cropping, you could hardly tell whether this is a real temple or not.

So, what is our verdict on this tour? All in all, the Atlas Corporation Studio tour is a wonderful experience. Even for non-film-buffs like ourselves, the tour offers an intimate look into filmmaking. According to our guide, the number of major movie productions in Ouarzazate has decreased significantly over the past five years. This slowdown was largely due to the change in the popular movie genre. The biblical and historical dramas are less popular now than a decade ago; they are considered the specialties and bread and butter of Ouarzazate. Substantively, the tour helped keep the city’s film traditions alive. For anyone who would like to support the studio financially, you might want to consider staying at their four-star hotel, Oscar Hotel by Atlas Studios, right on the studio premises.

The Hills Have Eyes Gas Station

Visitors are encouraged to visit the Cinema Museum to appreciate Ouarzazate's filmmaking heritage. Located right across the street from the massive Taourirt Kasbah, the museum was established in 2007 and is housed in a former studio space of an Italian production company. However, I prioritized Taourirt Kasbah over this museum because of our tight day schedule. But from everything I read, the small museum is a must-visit for film buffs. Ironically, on our way from Aït Benhaddou to Ouarzazate earlier that day, we made a half-hour detour to see a film set out in the middle of nowhere.

On the road between Tazentout and Tazenakht, there is an American-style gas station on the side. With big signs for “Gas Haven,” “Last Stop 200 Miles”, and “Cold Beer,” the roadside station is nothing remarkable except for the fact it is in rural Morocco. This is the “gas station” constructed for the filing of the 2006 thriller movie The Hill Have Eyes 2. Even though I have never seen or even heard of this movie, the sheer novelty of the set’s location is worth a detour in my book. I first learned of this location during my pre-travel planning on Atlas Obscura, which immediately caught my imagination. Honestly, you wouldn’t be able to tell that you are in Morocco or New Mexico, where this movie is supposed to be set.

As expected, the place is seldom visited by visitors but not undiscovered. Besides the gas station and the attached building, quite a few other movie sets or props are littered on the site. Interestingly, the prop mechanical garage has been converted into a working garage. A local mechanic figured out he could utilize this place and solicit donations from occasional visitors like us. Although the site is technically free to visit, I did feel obligated to tip the guy a few dirhams so that he would leave us alone. The set's interior was closed to visitors, but you could peek through the windows to see some of the original decor was still in place. If you are determined, I have read that you could give the guy a more generous tip for a quick tour inside. Since neither of us had watched the film before, we were content with just walking around the exterior.

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A round-the-world Tour Through Atlas Studios

Atlas Corporation Studio

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