The Location Scout

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013) was filmed in Louisiana, not too far from the Texas border. Aside from Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990), which was filmed in southern California, this is the only film in the series to be filmed outside of Texas. Louisiana was chosen due to the state's lucrative tax incentives.

Goodwill Rd

The gas station where Heather and her friends stop at the beginning of the movie is located on Goodwill Rd in Minden. In addition to the gas station, the location also houses two businesses: a casino named Pot-O-Gold and a restaurant named K-K's Kitchen. K-K's Kitchen was formerly known as the Rainbow Diner.

This location was most likely chosen because it is in close proximity to the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant in Camp Minden, just a short drive down Highway 80. The munitions factory was used as the slaughterhouse at the end of the movie. Several of the roads in the camp were used as well, filling in as the gate to Heather's mansion (the actual mansion is located over an hour away in Mansfield).

They also recreated the infamous Sawyer house for the opening scene in an open field at Camp Minden. The house is no longer there, as it is burned down in the movie. The camp does house live explosives, and occasionally accidental explosions do occur. The movie was filmed in July and August of 2011, but there were two explosions in fall 2012 (one in October and one in November). The one in October resulted in a mile and a half high mushroom cloud.

Location: Minden, LA

Coordinates: 32.575523, -93.432032 (gas station)

Visible on Street View: Yes

Links:

Facebook (K-K's Kitchen)

Emanuel Levy

Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant (Wikipedia)

Kaps & Frye Dry Cleaners

Adams St

The town scenes were filmed in Courthouse Square in Mansfield, a town-square area surrounding the DeSoto Parish Courthouse. The storefront where Heather buys the coal and first meets Deputy Carl is Kaps & Frye Dry Cleaners & Laundry, located at the intersection of Texas St and Adams St. The scene later in the film where Heather is picked up by Deputy Carl was filmed nearby at the crosswalk on Adams St. Courthouse Square is in very close proximity to the mansion Heather inherits, less than a mile away.

Location: Mansfield, LA

Coordinates (buying coal): 32.038196,-93.71019

Coordinates (picked up by police): 32.038692, -93.710079

Visible on Street View: Yes

Links:
Mansfield, Louisiana (Wikipedia)

DeSoto Parish (Wikipedia)

Mansfield, Louisiana

The Collector

The mansion that Heather inherits is a location that was previously featured on this blog: it's the same house that was used for the The Collector (2009), which was already covered here. The house is located in Mansfield, less than a mile from Courthouse Square.

Location: Mansfield, LA

Coordinates: 32.033239, -93.717545

Visible on Street View: Yes

Links:

Flickr

One final location, the carnival scene was filmed at Cargill Park in Shreveport. The address is 7700 Lotus Lane.

Friday, September 20, 2013

You're Next (2011)

IMDB

Columbia Country Club

The recent indie-horror hit You're Next (2011) was filmed in Columbia, Missouri, hometown of the film's writer Simon Barrett. The English-tudor style mansion used in the film is located near the 6th hole green at the Columbia Country Club. The movie was shot on location (interiors and all) in 26 days during March / April of 2011. The filmmakers had to create fake walls and covered the floors with carpets in order to prevent damage to the mansion.

A few websites claim that director Adam Wingard's previous films, A Horrible Way To Die (2010) and "Tape 56" from V/H/S (2012), were filmed in the same mansion, but I don't believe this is true. According to LionsGate's production notes, the house was found only two weeks before production began. The V/H/S segment was shot shortly before production began on You're Next. However, all three films were shot in and around Columbia, Missouri.

The mansion was built in 1927 during prohibition, and the crew found hidden liquor cabinets built into the walls. When the production crew rented the house, it had been vacant for over ten years. The house recently sold in January of this year (2013) and is now a private residence.

Location: Columbia, MO

Coordinates: 38.956118, -92.308135

Visible on Street View: No

Links:

MidMoToday

Trulia

Production Notes

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Stepmonster (1993)

IMDB

"Stepmonster" House

Stepmonster (1993) was filmed in the Los Angeles area. The Dougherty family's house in the film is located in Studio City at the intersection of Bellingham Avenue and Woodbridge Street. The house was originally built in 1939. It looks to have been remodeled since Stepmonster was filmed there, but the house is still easily recognizable.

Location: Studio City, CA

Coordinates: 34.148411, -118.398466

Visible on Street View: Yes

Links:

N/A

Friday, July 5, 2013

Uncle Sam (1996)

IMDB

Uncle Sam (1996) was filmed primarily in La Verne, California.

Baker House (3rd St)

Neighboring Houses (3rd St)

Sally and Jody Baker's house is located on 3rd Street in La Verne. This is the house where Uncle Sam's body is kept before he wakes up. The house was built in 1912. The neighboring houses are shown a few times as well. It appears that a business is run out of the house called Brent's Antiques & Restoration.

Location: La Verne, CA

Coordinates: 34.099687, -117.767722

Visible On Street View: Yes

Links:

N/A

Jed's Apartment (D Street)

Early in the film, we see a small downtown area. This was filmed on D Street, just around the corner from the Baker house. The window next to the flashing DELI sign is the apartment of Jed Crowley (Isaac Hayes). The DELI sign appears to be gone, and the building now houses a restaurant called Roberta's Village Inn. Both D Street and 3rd Street are also featured in the movie Magic Christmas Tree (1964).
Location: La Verne, CA
Coordinates: 34.100941, -117.769829
Visible on Street View: Yes
Links:
The David Allen Blog

National Application Center - University Of La Verne

Just down the road from the Baker house is the school in the film, also located on 3rd Street. This building is the National Application Center for the University Of La Verne. It's also known as the Founder's Hall. The college was established in 1891, but the building wasn't constructed until 1926. This is also where Jed Crowley gets the cannon used to kill Uncle Sam at the end of the movie.

Location: La Verne, CA

Coordinates: 34.100885, -117.773229

Visible on Street View: Yes

Links:

University Of La Verne

National Application Center

Peeping Tom House (5th St)

Also nearby on 5th Street is the house where Willie the peeping tom spies on the girl changing in her bedroom. This house was built in 1914.

Location: La Verne, CA

Coordinates: 34.104780, -117.777385

Visible on Street View: Yes

Links:

N/A

Kuns Park

After Willie is caught and flees on stilts, he heads directly across the street to Kuns Park. The area shown in the movie (and where Willie is killed by Uncle Sam) appears to be the southeast corner of the park, near the intersection of Bonita Avenue and Park Avenue.

Location: La Verne, CA

Coordinates: 34.104041, -117.777740

Visible on Street View: Yes
Links:

City Of La Verne

Flickr

Heritage Park

The big fourth of July celebration throughout the finale of the film is located in Heritage Park, north of the other La Verne locations. The park's gazebo can be spotted several times throughout the film. The sack-race scene through the orange grove was also filmed here, as a small little orange grove is situated right next to the park.

Location: La Verne, CA

Coordinates (gazebo): 34.128124, -117.774921

Coordinates (bridge): 34.127802, -117.774776

Visible on Street View: Partial

Links:

La Verne Heritage Foundation

City Of La Verne

Campus Times (orange grove)

I didn't bother looking for the location of Louise Harper's (Sam's wife) house, since it is blown up at the end and you don't get much of a look at the surrounding area. Supposedly, it was somewhere near Kuns Park. Neighbors were surprised when the house was blown up at 2AM, as they weren't notified ahead of time. The explosion was heard throughout the entire area, even breaking the windows of several neighboring homes.

News articles about the upset locals are included on the Blue Underground blu-ray of the film. According to IMDB, the city decided to reject all future requests to film there after this, even though IMDB also states that Bubble Boy (2001), Dark Blue (2002), and Torque (2004) were all partially filmed in La Verne.

Friday, January 18, 2013

The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982)

IMDB

The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982) aka Pranks aka Death Dorm was a student film that was shot over a Christmas break on the UCLA campus. Coming in the wake of Halloween and Friday The 13th, it managed to secure distribution thanks to the "slasher-craze".

Hardman-Hansen Hall

Robison Hall

The titular dorm is a co-op student housing building known as Hardman-Hansen Hall. It is located on Landfair Avenue on the UCLA campus, right near the intersection of Ophir Drive. They supposedly screen the film occasionally for the students who live there now. Just across the street is Robison Hall, also featured in the movie. Robison Hall is also part of UCLA's co-op housing.

Location: Westwood, Los Angeles, CA

Coordinates (Hardman-Hansen Hall): 34.068674, -118.450618

Coordinates (Robison Hall): 34.068361, -118.451114

Visible on Street View: Yes

Links:

UCHA Online

You Are Here

Flickr

Interview with Director Jeffrey Obrow

This location was found on the IMDB boards, so credit goes to IMDB user dagmose.