The movie industry discovered Hawaii more than a century ago and while feature films are first and foremost about the actors and the story, as years and decades go by “old movies” become interesting as time capsules that show Hawaii as it was then and no longer is. Some of the time now being spent on lock-down, complying with stay-at-home and social distancing protocols, can be invested in watching some of them.

As a place to start, here’s my list of 10 made-in-Hawaii feature films that show ­Hawaii as Hollywood has seen it through the years. All were filmed in large part in Hawaii. They are listed in alphabetical order.

“Aloha” (2015)

OK, so Cameron Crowe didn’t ask anyone for “permission” to use a Hawaiian word as the title of his major-studio film, and he cast Emma Stone, a Caucasian actor with proven box office appeal, in the role of a part-Hawaiian Air Force fighter pilot who looks 100% Caucasian. Crowe’s story about disgraced civilian contractor Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper) — whose chances of returning to the big time by helping expedite a privately-funded space launch are complicated by the fighter pilot, and by social encounters with his ex-girlfriend (Rachel McAdams) and her husband (John Krasinski) — succeeds as a compelling contemporary romantic drama anyway.

Bill Murray and Alex Baldwin are chilling as major-league power-brokers, local activist Bumpy Kanahele is a commanding presence as the Hawaiian nationalist whose approval is essential for the success of the mission, and Hawaii musicians Ledward Kaapana and Mike Kaawa have great cameos in a scene where they play “Waimanalo Blues.”

“Big Jim McClain” (1952)

While the United States is fighting world communism in Korea the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) sends investigators Jim McLain (John Wayne) and Mel Baxter (James Arness) to find and neutralize communist agents in Hawaii and to prevent any disruption on the docks in particular.

The movie was notable in 1952 in expressing national concerns about communist subversion during the Korean War. It’s notable now for all the location shots of downtown Honolulu, Pearl Harbor and Waikiki as they were 68 years ago, and because of the cameo appearances by HPD Chief Dan Liu, community leader Ralph Honda, Honolulu Advertiser sports editor Vernon “Red” McQueen, professional wrestling stars Sam “Sammy Steamboat” Mokuahi and Lucky Simunovich, UH-Manoa professor Joel Trapido and Waikiki Beach Boy Charles “Panama Dave” Baptiste. Watch also for Al Kealoha Perry & His Singing Surfriders performing in a scene at the old Queen’s Surf nightclub.

“Blue Hawaii” (1961)

The first and most memorable of the three Elvis Presley films set in Hawaii has Chadwick Gates (Presley) home from the Army and not at all interested in a management job with the Great Southern Hawaiian Fruit Co. Instead he goes to work as a tour guide with his part-Hawaiian girlfriend, Maile Duval (Joan Blackman). Notable then for Elvis’ romantic treatment of the title song, for “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which was the hit single from the soundtrack, for two newly written Hollywood hapa haole songs, “Ku-U-I-Po” and Rock-A-Hula Baby, ” and for the film’s finale — spoiler alert, spoiler alert — when Chad and Maile get married in the Hawaiian wedding to end all Hawaiian weddings on the grounds of the Coco Palms Hotel while Chad/Elvis sings “The Hawaiian Wedding Song.”

“Blue Hawaii” is also notable now for the location shots on Tantalus showing Honolulu and Waikiki as they were in 1961, location shots at Waikiki and Ala Moana Park, and for the scene at Chad’s personal beach house at Hanauma Bay.

“The Descendants” (2011)

Wealthy Matt King (George Clooney), the sole trustee of a family trust that owns 25,000 acres of unspoiled land, has an opportunity to sell it for a nine-figure price. King has managed his personal finances wisely and doesn’t need the money, but most of the other beneficiaries have squandered previous payouts. They need money now.

Meanwhile, King’s wife is in an irreversible coma, her living will states that she is not to be maintained on life support, and — spoiler alert, spoiler alert — he learns that she had been cheating on him with a real estate salesman. Should he sell the land? Should he track down his wife’s lover, tell him that she’s going to be taken off life support, and give the man safe passage to kiss her goodbye?

Most of the film was shot on Oahu and there are great views of town and country as it was in 2011. The unspoiled land scenes were shot on Kauai. The soundtrack includes music by Hawaii musicians Gabby Pahinui, Raymond Kane, Sonny Chillingworth, Dennis Kamakahi, Lena Machado, Keola Beamer, Makana, Jeff Peterson and Danny Carvalho.

“50 First Dates” (2004)

Henry Roth (Adam Sandler), described in promotional materials as a womanizing veterinarian who works at Sea Life Park and seduces tourists, meets Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore), a Hawaii resident, and thinks he’s found a kindred soul. The next time he sees her she does’t recognize him. Henry learns from her father and brother that Lucy was injured in an auto accident and wakes up each morning with no memory of anything that has happened since the day of the accident. Henry falls in love with Lucy and decides to help her to better cope with her condition.

Most of the film was shot on Windward Oahu so there is plenty of 2004-vintage scenery. And, although they weren’t included on the soundtrack album, listen for ­Hawaii musicians Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole, the Maile Serenaders, the Makaha Sons of Ni‘ihau and O-shen in the movie itself.

And as an example of how things have changed, there was no big public outcry in 2004 about Rob Schneider, who is three-quarters Caucasian and one-quarter Filipino, playing a Native Hawaiian named Ula.

“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (2008)

When television show composer Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) gets dumped by his girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), the star of the show he writes for, he decides to heal his broken heart at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore. Unfortunately for Peter, Sarah and her British rock star boyfriend, Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), have decided to go there too. A sympathetic concierge, Rachel Jansen (Mila Kunis), upgrades Peter to a luxury suite, and from that act of kindness more complications ensue.

The location shots make this a Hawaii time capsule for 2008. The three songs in the movie and on the soundtrack album that are credited to the Coconutz — “These Boots Are Made For Walking,” “Everybody Hurts” and a Hawaiian translation of “Nothing Compares 2 You” — are actually the work of expatriate Grammy Award winner Daniel Ho.

Note: Segel is seen fully nude in the opening scene, so “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is not for everyone.

“From Here to Eternity” (1953)

The classic Hollywood film treatment of the James Jones novel about the lives of three soldiers — 1st Sgt. Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster), Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) and Pvt. Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra) — stationed on Oahu in the months leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Donna Reed and Deborah Kerr were cast against type as the women in their lives — Kerr and Lancaster had one of the most unforgettable scenes in Hollywood history kissing as the waves washed over them at Halona Beach.

Philip Over, Mickey Shaunghnessy, Ernest Borgnine and Jack Warden had major supporting roles. Watch for future stars George Reeves and Claude Akins in uncredited performances.

The Army and Hollywood’s Production Code office required the screenplay to be changed significantly from the novel — and Army approval was essential for the location shooting on Schofield Barracks. Notable in the soundtrack are two new hapa haole songs, “Haunani” and “I Got Hooked at a Hukilau.”

“Gidget Goes Hawaiian” (1961)

Gidget (Deborah Walley) is looking forward to spending time with her sweetheart, Jeff “Moondoggie” Matthews (James Darren), while he’s home from college, but her father decides to take the family to Hawaii. Gidget doesn’t want to go, Jeff encourages her to take advantage of the opportunity to see Hawaii, she takes that to mean that he doesn’t want to be with her, and so she breaks up with him and goes to Hawaii. The complications that ensue in this witty 1960s romantic comedy end up ensnaring Gidget, her parents (Carl Reiner and Jeff Donnell), high-octane entertainer Eddie Horner (Michael Callin), a devious girl named Abby Stewart (Vicki Trickett) and Abby’s parents (Eddie Foy Jr. and Peggy Cass).

A lot of the film was shot on location at the Royal ­Hawaiian Hotel so watch for scenery there. There are some great shots of the Waikiki shoreline from off-shore as well.

Watch for Kam Fong, Yankee Chang, Rudi Polt and ­David Nuuhiwa in uncredited roles. Darren sings the ­title song, of course.

“Ride the Wild Surf” (1964)

Three surfers from California (Fabian, Peter Brown and Tab Hunter) come to Hawaii to test the surf at Waimea Bay, “where the best surfers in the world come to play,” and ultimately to challenge Waimea’s reigning big wave champion (James Mitchum).

Notable in 1964 for the romantic pairings that parallel surfing — Shelley Fabares with Fabian, Barbara Eden with Brown and Susan Hart with Hunter — and for the hit recording of the title song by Jan & Dean. Also of interest now for the location shots showing Hawaii as it looked during filming, and for the stunt surfing by Greg Noll (doubling for Mitchum), Mickey Dora (doubling for Fabian), Phil Edwards, Mark Hyson and Rusty Miller.

“Waikiki Wedding” (1937)

PR pro Tony Marvin (Bing Crosby) was a hero when he sold his client, the Imperial Pineapple Co., on a nationwide contest with the grand prize being three romantic weeks in Hawaii with a series of articles sharing the lucky winner’s experiences to be syndicated nationwide. The problem is that the contest winner, Georgia Smith (Shirley Ross), and her friend Myrtle (Martha Raye), are not having a good time at all and they want to leave go home early. Tony Marvin’s career is through if they do.

And so, Tony concocts smuggling charges involving a “cursed” black pearl that Georgia and he must return to a “shrine” on another island before a volcano there erupts and destroys a nearby village. Almost all of it is fabricated by Tony and some of his Hawaiian contacts to give Georgia and Myrtle the exciting, romantic, exotic Hawaii they expected.

“Waikiki Wedding” is the movie that introduced “Sweet Leilani” (the tune won the Academy Award for best original song in 1937), “Blue Hawaii” and “In A Little Hula Heaven.” Watch for Edwin Kaumualiiokamokuokalani Rose (aka Prince Leilani) as the “priest” in Tony’s fake Hawaiian village, and anticipate hearing Ray Kinney, one of the greatest Hawaiian vocalists of the 20th century, in another.

Tell us which made-in-Hawaii and Hawaii-themed feature films are your favorites. Send us an email at features@staradvertiser.com.