Recounting Columbia’s best cameos on the silver screen

Columbia should have its resume posted on the Internet Movie Database. Its grounds and classrooms have been popular filming locations for many Hollywood blockbusters, including “Casino Royale,” “Ghost Busters,” and “Hitch.” It is often an undeniable thrill to recognize one’s college campus on the silver screen.

Columbia’s metropolitan location is most likely one of the reasons why the University is such a popular film setting.

Vishakha Seth, BC ’11, and Samiha Rahman, CC ’13, chose “Spider-Man” as their favorite Columbia movie moment. “It’d have to be ‘Spider-Man,’” Rahman said. “The typical ‘Spider-Man’ scene is when he gets bit by the spider, and that’s right in the library [Low Library]. It’s pretty cool.” Columbia also has a cameo in the movie’s sequel, as Peter Parker attends the University in the comics.

Even Bollywood has taken a campus tour. “My favorite movie moment was from the Bollywood film ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ [‘Never Say Goodbye’],” said Narayan Subramanian, CC ’13. Parts of a musical number in the movie take place in front of Low.

“There’s actually a song in the movie where they’re literally dancing around the Alma Mater, and it’s kind of dramatic and funny,” added Sharmin Ferdaus, BC ’12. “I watched the movie actually after I got into Columbia,” she said, which made it all the more exciting.

Columbia occasionally works as a stand-in for different schools, such as in “Mona Lisa Smile.” The story actually takes place at Wellesley College in the 1950s.

“When I was watching that movie, I hadn’t been in that classroom in Havemeyer Hall, so I didn’t realize it was filmed on Columbia’s campus,” Zara Mogilevsky, BC ’11, said.

Mogilevsky later re-watched the movie with her mother and discovered that one of the scenes had been filmed in one room where she had a class. ”I remember that classroom really well because they had the most uncomfortable wood seats ever,” she said. “And that’s why they used it in that movie probably, because it looked very old-school.”

In addition to playing the role of different schools, the University’s buildings have been sometimes disguised by filmmakers and used as a variety of settings. Apparently, Columbia does not have to worry about typecasting. Whether due to its convenient location or impressive architecture, the University’s film resume will continue to grow.