Where exactly is this "Three Burials" location?

[industriegigant]

Hi everybody,

I am from Austria and a frequent US - traveller and hiker. Usually we go to Utah but the next time my wife and myself would like to explore a little bit of Texas (before or after heading to Utah).

We recently saw the movie "The three Burials of Melquiades Estrada". Great movie, great characters, and especially great landscape!

I was particularly fascinated by the area where Tommy Lee Jones and that Border patrol guy ride along on the edge of a rim and one of the horses falls to death. I googled a lot but couldn´t find out for sure where that rim is supposed to be. My guess would probably be the "South Rim".

Is that correct? If not where is that spot located?

Is the trail as narrow as shown in the movie or did they make it look more dramatic as it is with some special effects or whatever?

And does somebody also know where the shot was taken where Dwight Yoakam aims at Tommy Lee Jones before deciding not to shoot at him?

Thanks

Erik

[Reece]

I'm a fan too and have searched some for the mythical town Melquiades wanted to be buried in. It's a movie though and subject to lots of editorial license. As this link shows, the movie was shot in various locations, several of which contain enough rugged terrain for those scenes. What I can say with some certainty is that the South Rim was not used for the falling-horse shot. The Rim is much too enormous.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419294/locations

[Raoul Duke]

What a great flick.  I'm glad to see that it is appreciated overseas. 

I believe the sequence with the horse falling was filmed on Tommy Lee Jones' private ranch in West Texas.  Here is an interesting interview of Jones that describes the filming: http://celebritywonder.ugo.com/movie/2006_The_Three_Burials_of_Melquiades_Estrada_filming_three_burials_qa_with_tommy_lee_jones.html 

Here is what Jones says about that scene:

"EOK: What about the sequence where Pete and Mike lose that pack horse over the cliff. Happens quickly on film, but it undoubtedly took days or even weeks to set up.

TLJ: Months.

EOK: To scout it?

TLJ: No, to craft it. Those cliffs I can see right out the front door of my ranch house. Finding them was easy. I knew the shot I wanted. But to execute it our first step had to be to get a horse that would be visible from a long distance away. Hence the buckskin we chose that stood out against the red rocks."

As you can see, several scenes were actually filmed in the park, including the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon.

[industriegigant]

Very interesting interview thanks for the link.

That means that we will have to hike on Mr. Jones´property...

[Homer67]

I wish netflix had this movie!

[Raoul Duke]

I wish netflix had this movie!

Actually, they do, but not on instant streaming.  You just have to order the actual DVD from them.

[Hoodoo]

I wish netflix had this movie!

Actually, they do, but not on instant streaming.  You just have to order the actual DVD from them.

Yep that's how I watched it. More info on Tommy Lee and his WD Ranch

[Reece]

Homero, You've never seen it!?

[homerboy2u]

Homero, You've never seen it!?

 But of course, could you please pass me the Grey Poupon?....