Illinois

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.

Related articles: Sixteen Candles (1984), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Uncle Buck (1989)

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,” “Enough” 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

Related articles: Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Uncle Buck (1989)

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. The same location appears in the film “Planes, Trains & Automobiles.”

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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), Home Alone 3 (1997)