News 1.29.07

Museum Welcomes Overnight Guests

In the movie A Night at the Museum Ben Stiller plays a night watch guard at The Museum of Natural History who discovers that everything in the museum comes to life at night. The museum is now offering everyone a chance to see what happens after dark by launching a weekend sleepover program. Check out this Budget Travel Online article for more information.

Spotlight on Boulder

Boulder Colorado is preparing for the spotlight with the release of Catch and Release. The film is set in Boulder and portions of the movie were filmed there, showcasing the city’s beauty.

Lake District Update

 The hype surrounding the Lake District in England continues after the release of Miss Potter. As we have previously reported, the area is expecting an influx of tourist and now local hotels are finding ways to cater to those tourists and their children.

NEWS 1.22.07

In Bruges, Filming Begins

Colin Ferrell and Ralph Fiennes will begin shooting the film, In Bruges, in Bruges, Belgium of course . The film is a dark comedy that is sure to create a stir while filming.

L.A. Residents Make Most of Filming

Though on location filming can cause challenges for locals, the residents in a south central Los Angeles neighborhood have embraced it.

Miss Potter Buzz Continues

As the buzz continues to surround the region where Miss Potter was filmed, Renee Zellweger discusses the food and beauty she found while filming in the Lakes District of England.

NEWS 1.15.07

 Everyone Wants in on the Act

A Southern California Indian Nation wants to get into the movie business by offering a unique location for filming.

 Location Quickies

Other recent on location headlines include a rise in taxes for filming on Shelter Island, The Accidental Husband shoot moves to New Jersey, and Rochester, N.Y. is reminded of its dark past by filming taking place there.

 Lake District Braces for Set-jetters

The Lake District in England where the soon to be released Miss. Potter was filmed is bracing for an influx of Japanese tourists once the film is released internationally. The setting for the film has both movie buffs and travel enthusiasts buzzing about the tranquil beauty of the region.

OLV Road Trip: Brat Packing Across America

If you don’t know what the Brat Pack is, this road trip isn’t for you. For everyone else, we have compiled a list of the quintessential Brat Pack movies- Class , Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , Weird Science , About Last Night , and Pretty in Pink  and set out to find their locations.

For this trip we will hit landmarks from all 6 movies, so get out your favorite mixed tape and leg warmers so we can hit the road!

Now we should also add that this road trip should actually be called “Brat Packing Across the Prairie State” since we never have to leave Illinois to see locations used in each of our Brat Pack movies. This is in part due to the fact that Illinois is the home state of John Hughes.

John Hughes was the uber-director of the 1980s who also happened to direct four of the films on our list, three of which star Molly Ringwald-what a team! All of you thirtysomethings remember spending Saturday nights watching these movies wishing you were Molly Ringwald or wishing you could get with Molly Ringwald, well now you can stand in her footsteps, literally.

We will start in Elgin, Il. for our first Hughes film and the only film where we don’t see a filming location per se. Elgin is the speculated setting for Pretty in Pink. A street sweeper in the film has the word “Elgin” emblazoned on it’s side but this is also the name of a company that makes street sweepers so we leave this portion of the trip to your discretion. Unfortunately, we need to travel across the country to see locations actually used in the film, like the high school, which is John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, CA.

Next we move to 2300 Shermer Road, Northbrook, IL where we find Glenbrook North High School. If you walk to the back of the school you will see the football field Judd Nelson walks across in the final scene of The Breakfast Club. We can just see you now, walking across the field, fist in the air…..

While still in Northbrook we can check off one of the locations for our next film, Sixteen Candles. Remember that dreamy scene at the end of the movie when Sam (Molly Ringwald) walks out of the church and there is her crush Jake Ryan(Michael Schoeffling) waiting across the street? You can find the church, Glencoe Union Church, at 263 Park Avenue.

Now we will travel south to Des Plaines, Illinois, specifically, 9511 Harrison Street, where you will find the Illinois State Police Station. This police station was once the Maine North High School which was used as the exterior of the high school in The Breakfast Club during the Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald kiss; you know the one where she gives him one of her diamond earrings, aw, so sweet.

Then we head to Skokie and kill two birds with one stone. If you make your way to 7700 Lincoln Ave you will find Oakton Community College which was once the site of Niles East High School used in both Sixteen Candles and Weird Science. Though it is sad the majority of the school has been torn down, part of the building remains and the name of the school can still be seen on the flag post in front of the college.

This leaves us with 2 non-Hughes movies, Class and About Last Night. It also brings us to the city of Chicago. The club featured in About Last Night was Mother’s at 26 W. Division St in Chicago. Now there is also some debate over whether they actually used Mother’s for the exterior shots or Bootleggers at 12 w. Division St, they are in the same block, we say check them both out- that is what any true Brat Packer would do. Mother’s is also the real life location of the Free and Easy club in Class. So you can hit two bars and two films in the same block, Chicago is a great town!

While you are enjoying the Brat Pack locations of Illinois, check out what else the state has to offer and for something more offbeat try this. We hope you enjoy your walk down memory lane with OLV!

To get directions for this road trip click on the map below!

 

NEWS 1.8.07

Ewan McGregor Opens Up 

You may want to file this under TMI but it does give us insight into how an actor may get through a long shoot on location. See how one of our favorite actors, Ewan McGregor, gets by on his own.

 Casting Calls for Leatherheads

Leatherheads, starring George Clooney will begin shooting soon in Greenville, SC and the filmmakers are giving local residents an opportunity to be in the movie. They are holding open casting calls for extras this week.

The Jolie-Pitts Hit New Orleans

The Jolie-Pitt clan, who may be the most jet-setting family on the planet, will be settling down in New Orleans while Brad Pitt finishes filming The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. This is just one film being made in the New Orleans area and the increase in filming has given a much needed boost to the economy.

NEWS 1.1.07

Die Hard 4 Trailer! 

To see the teaser trailer for the new Die Hard movie check this out! The official release date for the film, which was made in Baltimore, MD, is June 29, 2007.

 Location Manager Classes in NYC

If you are interested in finding locations for tomorrow’s classic films, take a look at this. The Learning Annex in New York is starting a Location Scouting and Location Management class on January 16th, it isn’t too late to sign up and the learn the ropes first hand.

 Location for The Kite Runner Found

The New York Times asks Where to Shoot an Epic about Afghanistan? and finds the answer is China, Where Else? Read how filmmakers found the perfect setting to bring the best-selling novel The Kite Runner to life.