Photographer Dedicates Their Whole Life To Tracking Down Movie Locations
Even massive movie and TV fans often don’t consider a show’s location as one of the starring roles, but they’re actually integral to the whole atmosphere. A simple scene change can create an entirely new experience! For example, can you imagine a Canadian Lord of the Rings? Or Friends in Detroit? One photographer has paid attention though, and their Hollywood in Real Life Instagram account is filled with photos of real-life screen locations.
The Umbrella Academy (2019): Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
If you love superpowers, time travel, violence, or monkeys, The Umbrella Academy has something to keep you entertained. The dysfunctional family of not-so-superheroes live in an old mansion that’s actually located in Hamilton, Ontario. Well, sort of.
You see, Sir Reginald Hargreeves’ mansion’s interior is really a studio set, but the exterior is very real, and you can find it at 4 King Street E. The city also features in the show’s time-travel shenanigans, and they didn't need to change much to capture its nostalgic charm.
American Ultra (2015): Cash N Carry, Destrehan, Louisiana
If you’re going to pick anyone as a government sleeper agent, a stoner would be the least likely suspect, as proven by Jesse Eisenberg’s character Mike Howell in 2015’s American Ultra.
Remember the fight scene outside the Cash N Carry? It’s not in West Virginia, as the movie would have you believe, but Destrehan, Louisiana. Eisenberg’s not really a government assassin either. As far as we know.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978): San Francisco, California
If you’re a fan of the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, you’ll know just how scary plants can be. Especially if they come from another planet and happen to do a great impersonation of a human being!
The building in the photo is San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza, if you’re interested in visiting it yourself. Keep an eye on the trees though… they seem kinda suspicious. Is it just us, or did they move closer to the camera?
Captain Marvel (2019): Los Angeles, California
Okay, so while the space scenes couldn’t have been filmed on location, some of the Earth-based adventures for Captain Marvel were filmed in Los Angeles, California. But do you know the city’s original name?
The City of Angels was originally called “El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula,” which translates to “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels on the River Porciúncula.”