Are you ever watching a movie and get a sense of déjà vu? Well, there’s a reason for that. Some of the most visually distinct locations have been featured in more movies than you might realize. Hollywood has a knack for favoring unique shooting locations, either already famous or later recognized for their cinematic significance. Here are some of the most popular shooting locations that you might not have realized were reused.
First up, the redwood forest in Northern California, known for hosting the tallest trees on Earth, has seen its fair share of screen time. Its most well-known appearance was as the forest moon of Endor in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. The redwoods have also been featured in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Outbreak, and Need for Speed, among many others.
Next, Monument Valley in Utah is synonymous with the classic Western, featured in the film that led John Wayne to success, Stagecoach, and much of John Ford’s other work. Ford was arguably the most fond of the place, shooting there ten times throughout his career. A popular lookout point in Monument Valley was actually later named “John Ford’s Point.” Many others have included the unique landscape in their movies, such as Once Upon a Time in the West, Forrest Gump, and even 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The Bourne Wood, located south of Surrey, England, saw its first on-screen appearance in 2000 with Gladiator. While this remains its most famous use, the coniferous forest has since been used in over a dozen Hollywood productions, such as Children of Men, Band of Brothers, Captain America: The First Avenger, and the Harry Potter series.
Quality Cafe, a classic diner in Los Angeles, has been featured in so many TV shows and movies that you’ve probably seen it quite a few times, whether or not you noticed it. Catch Me If You Can, Gone in 60 Seconds, Se7en, Million Dollar Baby, Old School, and Mad Men, to name a few, have all featured the Quality Cafe for a scene, though usually brief. While the restaurant is no longer in operation, it is still regularly used as a shooting set for exchanges of dialogue.
Serving as a generic but clearly authentic mansion, Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, England, is perhaps most well-known for serving as Wayne Manor in Batman. Select parts of the building have been used in other films such as X-Men: First Class, Sherlock Holmes, and Get Him to the Greek.
The Bradbury Building, though used as a shooting location since the 1940s, became an icon of science fiction culture after its use in Blade Runner. Normally the building is surprisingly different in appearance from the dim, grimy look it had in the Ridley Scott classic. It has since been used in films such as Lethal Weapon 4 and (500) Days of Summer.
Finally, Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, California, has hosted scenes in quite a few films. These include There Will Be Blood, X-Men, the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, The Social Network, Eraserhead, and The Big Lebowski. Known for its signature checkered floors and overall grandeur, this symbol of wealth will surely see plenty more screen time in the future.
What are your favorite locations used in film production? Let us know in the comments below.
