Thanks to Robert of Set-Jetter, Brian of Reel to Real Movie and TV Filming Locations and Paul of Then & Now Movie Locations for allowing me to use some of their photos for this page.
The film opens with a pumpkin being carved at 4957 Melrose Hill, before the camera pans down the street to establish Langdon, Illinois.
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
The Hillcrest Academy gate and guardhouse were purpose built just off Browns Canyon Road (34.287064, -118.592025) in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles. This rural location in the Santa Susana Mountains was chosen to establish Hillcrest Academy as an isolated school, which would not have been possible at the location in Silver Lake (see below).
The preceding shot of the school on the hilltop was a digital matte painting with 2D animated birds, created by Digital Firepower.
The building used to portray Hillcrest Academy High School is The Paramour Estate (a.k.a the Canfield-Moreno Estate). Nearly all of the interior and grounds were used for filming, with some areas being modified for practical reasons or story requirements. A false wall and dumb waiter were added to both the upper and lower kitchens, however some of the dumb waiter interiors were filmed on a sound stage at Universal Studios. Another false wall was placed in front of the east gate to remove one possible exit, and another was placed on the road in front of the north gate to block the view of a house. Other noticeable changes include the covering of the swimming pool to create a courtyard, and the addition of a porch in front of one entryway for the scene when John and Molly are trapped behind the gate.
I highly recommend viewing the Set-Jetter guide to this location as Robert has practically every angle from the film covered in great detail with photos.
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
A false wall and dumb waiter was added just after the second window of the lower kitchen.Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Another false wall and dumb waiter was added just after the second window of the upper kitchen.Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
A false porch was built in front of this entryway specifically for this scene.Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
The truck pulls into the rest stop area from Las Virgenes Road and then approaches the restrooms located at 34.098776, -118.712515. This view has since changed as a new building was constructed in front of the restrooms in 2004.
Credit to Robert of Set-Jetter for finding this location back in 2013.
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
The town of Summer Glen features next, which in reality is the west end of Main Street, La Puente. Keri first pulls up in front of 15820 Main Street and then walks down to 15814 Main Street, where she has a vision of The Shape and is subsequently startled by Will. They both then have a drink in the restaurant at 15819 Main Street, which is now a hobby store. Further up the street we see Charlie exiting the liquor store at 15834 Main Street, before he and John run into Keri in front of 15824 Main Street.
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
The scene with the buses travelling down the road was filmed on a small stretch of Browns Canyon Road that no longer exists, having being relocated in 2002 to make way for an expansion of the Porter Ranch neighbourhood. The truck was parked at the side of the old road at 34.279108, -118.588592, which the new road directly crosses. See the map below for a comparison between the 1998 layout and the current layout.
The climax of the film takes place on a small stretch of North American Cut-Off road in the Sage Ranch Park area of Simi Valley. The exterior shots of the van were all filmed between 34.241940, -118.667551 and 34.242148, -118.669616 on this road. After Keri hits the brakes The Shape crashes through the windscreen and lands in the area at 34.241454, -118.668699. She then drives the van off the road from the same location and it crashes into the small ravine at 34.241166, -118.668337.
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Set-Jetter
Photo: Then & Now Movie Locations
Photo: Then & Now Movie Locations
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