Illinois

Halloween II (2009)

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For Rob Zombie’s 2009 sequel, “Halloween II,” various towns in Georgia were used as a composite for the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois.  The opening scenes of the film, however, used footage from the first film for Smith’s Grove Sanitarium.  The location is a Veteran’s Hospital in North Hills, California.  There are quite a number of buildings on site and it can be tricky finding the exact spot used in the film. To locate it, you must first turn onto Puller Rd.  Each building has a large number on it.  A bit down Puller Rd, you’ll see the building from the film, which is building 4.  It can be easily identified by the long wall surrounding the yard in front of it.

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LOCATION: 16111 Plummer St, North Hills, CA 91343

The story picks up moments after the first film, even though the two productions took place far across the country from one another.  Laurie walks the streets of the town square of Covington, Georgia, which has been seen in dozens of productions, such as “Doctor Sleep,” “Cannonball Run,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “The Vampire Diaries” and many more.  This shot is from Covington Square, looking toward the courthouse.

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LOCATION: 2101 Washington St SW, Covington, GA 30014

The Myers house can also be found in Covington, not far from the town square.

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LOCATION: 2166 Conyers St SE, Covington, GA 30014

Sheriff Brackett’s house can be found over in Newborn, Georgia.  The house sits far back from the road.

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LOCATION: 1981 Broughton Rd, Newborn, GA 30056

Back in Covington, Laurie comes across a new book by Dr. Loomis at a local bookstore.

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LOCATION: 1113 Floyd St NE, Covington, GA 30014

The Haddonfield Police Department is actually a courthouse, located in Madison, Georgia.

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LOCATION: Morgan County Court House, Madison, GA 30650 (at the corner of Hancock St / Jefferson St)

Last, but not least, we leave you with Rob Zombie’s star paver, located in Covington, Georgia.  Sometimes referred to as the “Hollywood of the South,” Covington began their own walk of fame, lining the sidewalks with engraved pavers noting the many stars and productions that have graced the town.

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Related articles: Halloween (2007), House Of 1000 Corpses (2003), The Devil’s Rejects (2005), 3 From Hell (2019)

Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992)

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For the 1992 sequel “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” the entire, original cast and crew returned, as well as a location from the first film.  In the early scenes, the McCalister house is once again on display.  The famous home can be found in Winnetka, Illinois. A fence has since been built around the property.

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LOCATION: 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, IL 60093

The bulk of the film, however, takes place in New York City this time around.  Upon arrival, Kevin takes in many of the city’s landmarks, including Radio City Music Hall. The landmark concert hall has appeared in countless productions, such as “The Godfather,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Annie,” “Rocky III,” “Radio Days” and many more.

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LOCATION: 1260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020

Later Kevin makes his way over to Central Park, where he first encounters the Pigeon Lady, a scary and mysterious woman covered in birds, who essentially serves the same role as Old Many Marley in the original film.  Kevin is initially frightened when he sees her feeding birds in front of Gapstow Bridge in Central Park, though the two eventually strike up a friendship.

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LOCATION: Gapstow Bridge, Central Park, New York, NY 10019

Very close to Gapstow Bridge is another major location in the film, the Plaza Hotel.  “Guests of the new ‘Celebrity Ding, Dang, Dong’ stay at the world-renowned Plaza Hotel, New York’s most exciting hotel experience.”  It is a real, well-known hotel in Manhattan, perched right above Central Park.  Here is a view of the hotel from the park.

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LOCATION: 768 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019

Later in the film, Kevin returns to Central Park at Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, where he flees from the Sticky Bandits.  The terrace is another famous New York landmark seen in countless films.

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LOCATION: 72 Terrace Dr, New York, NY 10021 (inside Central Park)

A reverse view of the fountain.  Here Kevin hides in the back of a carriage, narrowly escaping the bandits.

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A couple other, notable locations from the film were actually sets.  Uncle Rob’s house, where Kevin once again wreaks havoc on the Sticky Bandits with homemade traps, was a set located on Brownstone Street on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood.  The street suffered a fire in 2008 and portions had to be rebuilt.

While made to resemble Central Park, the scene where the Pigeon Lady throws bird seeds all over the bandits, saving Kevin from harm’s way in the process, was also a set.

Near the end of the film, Kevin is finally reunited with his mother in front of Rockefeller Center.

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LOCATION: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111

Some props from this film, as well as the first part, can be found on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.

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LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Related articles: Home Alone (1990)

Saved By The Bell

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The original “Saved By the Bell”  show taped at Sunset-Gower Studios in Hollywood, California.  Those sets are long since gone, but that didn’t stop the next best thing from happening; a full blown, pop-up restaurant, inspired by the show.  Recreating many of the classic sets, Saved By the Max was created with participation and support from NBC and first opened in Chicago, Illinois (1941 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622), where it ran for a year, before relocating to Los Angeles, California, where it is also currently slated to run for one year.

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LOCATION: 7100 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

The restaurant is well designed, capturing many of the little details of The Max.  It is a full service restaurant, serving burgers, shakes and many other foods.  Occasionally cast members from the show even make appearances.

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Not an actual, functioning door.  In fact, even the window is not real.

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The classic jukebox from the show.

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And of course the arcade machines.

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A DJ station for KKTY Bayside.

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Some oversized heads of the cast for visitors to use for photo ops.

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A look at the kitchen.

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The merch area, where you can buy hoodies, t-shirts, slap bracelets and more.

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Visitors can also choose to dine in Mr. Belding’s office.

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Sections of the restaurant even tried to recreate portions of Bayside High.

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Here we see the lockers of all of the cast.  Zack, Slater, Kelly, Screech, Jessie, Lisa and even Tori.

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There’s even a “Belding stinks” sticker on the bathroom door, a nice touch.

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Some props and merchandise from the original show, including menus for The Max, dolls, the Saved By the Bell board game, a copy of the Bayside Breeze newspaper and much more.

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There are a few locations in the real world that were used for the show, but these were limited to the TV movies, which came after the original show and could no longer utilize the former sets.  In “Saved By the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas,” this Pacific Palisades home is shown the be the house of Zack Morris.  Throughout the main run of the show, Zack’s house was always a set.  This same house was also seen in the films “Bye Bye Love” and “Ghost In The Machine.”

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LOCATION: 510 Frontera Dr, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

There is also a shot in the movie showing Palisades High School as the famous Bayside High School.  This is the only time, aside from a couple establishing shots during Season 1, an exterior high school shot was ever used.  Again, in the original show, it was always a set.  The same school was used in the original 1976 “Carrie,” the 2003 remake of “Freaky Friday” and many more films.

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LOCATION: 15777 Bowdoin St, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

For those wondering, the Malibu Sands Resort was filmed at the Annenberg Community Beach House at 415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402.  It has since been heavily remodeled and looks nothing like it did on the show.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

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John Hughes’ 80s classic, “The Breakfast Club,” was filmed at the former Maine North High School, in Des Plaines, Illinois.  The filmmakers converted the high school gymnasium into the famous library set.  Today, the building is no longer a high school at all.   It’s used as an Illinois State Police Station.

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LOCATION: 9511 Harrison St, Des Plaines, IL 60016

One of the most highly disputed film locations you’re ever likely to encounter is the football field, where Judd Nelson does his famous fist pump at the end.  Some insisted it was filmed at the same high school as the rest of the production; Maine North.  Others insisted it was filmed at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois, where John Hughes himself was an alumni.  The majority of the arguments centered between these two locations, with former students from each school disputing which field was used.  Others still have claimed it was filmed at Maine South High School in Park Ridge or Maine West in Des Plaines.  The argument persisted until 2015, when the cinematographer of the film, Thomas Del Ruth, confirmed to the Chicago Tribune it was indeed the now-defunct Main North High School football field; the same location where principle production took place.  The field has since been demolished, but the confusion remains so strong, many people to this day still recreate the fist pump photograph at Glenbrook North.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

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Few filmmakers have ever captured adolescence as well as John Hughes did with a string of hit films in the 1980s.  Most of his films were set in the fictitous town of Shermer, Illinois and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is no exception.

While much of the film did indeed film in the Greater Chicago area, Ferris’ house is actually located far from the neighborhoods of Chicago, in Long Beach, California. The same house appears in the films “Red Dragon” and “Not Another Teen Movie.”

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LOCATION: 4160 Country Club Dr, Long Beach, CA 90807

Ferris’ high school scenes were filmed at Glenbrook North High School, in Northbrook Illinois.  Hughes had previously used the hallways of the school in another of his 80s hits, “The Breakfast Club.”  Later in the film, Ferris poses as his girlfriend Sloane’s father, coming up with a scheme to get her out of school.  This scene was actually filmed at the Center for Performing Arts, a separate building on the grounds of the high school.  The stairs still look exactly the same as they did in the film.

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LOCATION: 2300 Shermer Rd, Northbrook, IL 60062

A reverse view at the parking lot from the stairs, where Ferris posed as Sloane’s father.

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The police station where Jeanie, played by Jennifer Grey, meets a mysterious man, played by Charlie Sheen, can be found in Downtown Los Angeles. It is only seen from interior views in the film. The building has been featured in countless films and television series, including “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Divergent,” “The Muppets,” “Wrath Of Man,” “License To Drive,” “Unlawful Entry,” “Inspector Gadget,” “Child’s Play 2” and dozens more.

LOCATION: 635 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Ferris’ best friend Cameron lives at this house in Highland Park, Illinois.  It has unfortunately since been remodeled, but we were able to capture it long before remodeling took place.

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LOCATION: 370 Beech St, Highland Park, IL 60035

Late in the film, disaster strikes when Ferris and Cameron accidentally reverse Cameron’s father’s car through the glass wall of this building, down a steep canyon.  The building really does exist behind the above house and there really is a steep canyon beneath it, exactly as depicted in the film. This building has not been remodeled.

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Some outfits worn by Ferris and Cameron in the film can be seen on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.

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LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Wayne’s World (1992)

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Based on the classic “Saturday Night Live” skit, “Wayne’s World” is set in the town of Aurora, Illinois.  However, while a small bit of the film did shoot in Illinois, the majority was filmed in California.  Wayne’s house can be found in a neighborhood of Van Nuys, in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles.

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LOCATION: 7105 Texhoma Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406

Garth’s house is located directly across the street.  However, in the time that has passed since filming, the house has undergone such heavy remodeling, it no longer bears any resemblance to how it appeared in the film.

LOCATION: 7102 Texhoma Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406

The music store where Wayne sees his dream guitar can be found in San Fernando. The store is still in business and has photos from the film, as well as a signed guitar on display, although it is not the one seen in the film.

LOCATION: 901 N Maclay Ave, San Fernando, CA 91340

The diner where Wayne apologizes to Garth can be found in Inglewood. The hockey player on the roof was added by the production.

LOCATION: 1220 N La Brea Ave, Inglewood, CA 90302

Wayne’s actual guitar from the film can be found on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.

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LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Groundhog Day (1993)

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While set in the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the 1993 film “Groundhog Day” was actually shot in Woodstock, Illinois.  Visiting the town is a unique experience.  Most films shoot in many, scattered locations around a city, or sometimes multiple different cities, then edit it together to make their proximity seem much closer than they actually are in the real world.  With “Groundhog Day,” however, most of the locations from the film really are in as close of proximity as they appear on film.  The filmmakers chose a town square to film in, giving a greater a sense of enclosure within a singular place, just as Bill Murray’s character of Phil Conners is experiencing in the film.  It makes for an interesting feeling, as if you’ve really walked into the film’s universe when you visit.

The “Cherry Street Inn” bed and breakfast in the film actually is a real bed and breakfast where you can stay.  However, Phil’s room seen in the film was built in a warehouse by the production.

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LOCATION: 344 Fremont St, Woodstock, IL 60098

“Gobler’s Knob,” where the groundhog is shown, is the Woodstock Square Park, located right in the center of the town square.

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LOCATION: Woodstock Square Park, Main St, Woodstock, IL 60098

“The Tip Top Cafe,” where Phil gorges himself on excessive amounts of food, has changed ownership many times since the film was shot, with many restaurants coming and going.  It’s the sidewalk out front where Bill Murray keeps stepping in the watery, ice-filled hole in the street while talking to Ned Ryerson.

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LOCATION: 108 Cass St, Woodstock, IL 60098

There are many plaques like this, located at nearly every location from the film in Woodstock, IL.  It’s refreshing to see when a town embraces their film history, as Woodstock does.

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The “Alpine Theater” where Phil arrives dressed as Clint Eastwood is the Woodstock Theatre.  It is also seen briefly at the beginning of the film, when the crew first arrives in Punxsutawney.

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LOCATION: 209 Main St, Woodstock, IL 60098

The bar where Phil drinks is the Old Courthouse Arts Center.

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LOCATION: 101 N Johnson St, Woodstock, IL 90068

“The Pennsylvanian Hotel,” where Andie MacDowell’s character stays, and where Phil later hurls himself from the tower, is actually the Woodstock Opera House.

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LOCATION: 121 W Van Buren St, Woodstock, IL 60098

The alarm clock from the film can be found on display as part of the Sony Pictures Studio Tour.

LOCATION: 10202 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

If you find yourself in the greater Chicago area and are a fan of the film, we highly recommend a visit to Woodstock, IL, for a unique experience of entering the film’s universe, while being hosted by locals who warmly embrace the film and its fans.

Home Alone (1990)

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If there’s one location that should someday be converted into a tourist attraction, it would probably be the house from Home Alone.  A truly iconic film spot, it seems an exercise in futility to try to manage a private life at the residence, yet to this day, it does indeed remain private.  The house can be found in the quiet neighborhood of Winnetka, IL, a bit north of Chicago. A fence has since been built around the property.

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LOCATION: 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, IL 60093

They left the garage door open, just like in the film. The garage has since been demolished.

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The church from the film can be found over in Wilmette, IL.  This is the Trinity United Methodist Church, which was used as the exterior location for the film.  The interior of the church was actually an entirely separate location; the Grace Episcopal Church (924 Lake St., Oak Park, IL 60301).

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LOCATION: 1024 Lake Ave, Wilmette, IL 60091

Some props from the film and it’s sequel can be found on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.

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LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Related articles: Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992)