Then & Now Movie Locations: April 2020

The Hitcher (2007)

The Hitcher (2007) was released into theaters on January 19th, 2007. Filming locations include Austin, Tx. It was directed by Dave Meyers. He's only directed two feature length films but he has over 170 music videos to his credit, spanning back to 1999. John Ryder (The Hitcher) was played by Sean Bean. Bean has been in countless films and television shows. Some of which include Game of Thrones, Silent Hill, Troy and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Jim's car in the movie is an Oldsmobile 442. The movie Grace is watching in the hotel is Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. The film features some good music, most notably Closer by Nine Inch Nails and Move Along by The All American Rejects. The score was done by Steve Jablonsky, who's also done the score for the remakes of The Amityville Horror, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The films first DVD release was on May 1st, 2007.

Jim picks up Grace - 110 Inner Campus Dr. Austin, Tx. 78712

(The University of Texas)

He's parked on the south side of the UT Tower. The twenty-seven story tower was designed by architect Paul Philippe Cret and built in 1937. Grace exits out of Calhoun Hall and runs north across the south Mall lawn to where Jim's parked.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2020.

Jim & Grace driving - E. 23rd St. Austin, Tx. 78712

(The University of Texas)

They're driving east on E. 23rd St. and turn right onto Robert Dedman Dr. They're essentially driving around DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, the university's football stadium. The first game played there was on November 8th, 1924. It has a capacity of 100,119.

2020

Doctor Sleep

Doctor Sleep was released into theaters on November 8th, 2019. Filming locations include Atlanta, Ball Ground, Covington, Fayetteville, St. Mary's and Stone Mountain, Ga. It was directed by Mike Flanagan. It's an adaption of Stephen King's novel of the same name, published on September 24th, 2013. It's a sequel to his 1977 novel, The Shining. Ewan McGregor plays a grown up Danny Torrance. For the interior and exteriors of The Overlook Hotel, a remarkably detailed replica was constructed from blue prints of the original set from The Shining, made available to the production by the Kubrick Estate and Warner Bros. It was constructed at Blackhall Studios in Atlanta. Flanagan also painstakingly studied The Shining frame-by-frame, in an effort to make sure every detail and object seen on screen was re-captured correctly for the recreation. For anyone who's a fan of The Shining, this film should give you plenty of nostalgic feelings. And the solid score by The Newton Brothers will only reinforce those feelings. The films first DVD release was on February 4th, 2020.

The True Knot kill Violet - At the end of* Covered Bridge Ln. Stone Mountain, Ga. 30083

(Stone Mountain Park, Indian Island)

Stone Mountain Park is a 3,200 acre state park located fifteen miles east of Atlanta. It opened on April 14th, 1965. The park's main attractions are Stone Mountain, a massive quartz monzonite dome with an over five mile circumference at it's base and an elevation of 1,686 feet, and Stone Mountain Lake, a 363 acre lake in the heart of the park. The tree stump Rose the Hat is seen sitting on was either a prop or it was removed by the park after filming.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2020.

Young Danny on bench - Across the street from* 102 St. Mary's St. W St. Mary's Ga. 31558

(St. Mary's Howard Gilman Memorial Waterfront Park)

In reality, there's no bench in the spot they're sitting at in the film, as they look out into the St. Mary's River. Also, the furthest left piling is now gone.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2020.

Theatre - 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE Atlanta, Ga. 30306

(Plaza Theatre)

Designed by architect George Harwell Bond, it opened on December 23rd, 1939. It's Atlanta's longest continuously operating movie theater.

2020

Stone house - 1692 Friar Tuck Rd. NE Atlanta, Ga. 30309

The 6,408 square foot house was built in 2006.

2020

Bus stop - 1132 Floyd St. NE Covington, Ga. 30014

They exit the bus and walk west along Floyd St. NE.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2020.

Frazier town square - Floyd St. NE and Clark St. SW Covington, Ga. 30014

These scenes were filmed at the Covington town square. The protruding building seen behind the train is the Newton County Courthouse, built in 1884. On September 18th, 1980 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The entire area was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 6th, 1998. Other genre movies filmed near/on the town square include Friday the 13th Part 6 and Halloween II (2009). When they're sitting on the bench, they are facing Hays St. In reality, there is a bench in the same spot they're sitting, however it's not the one they use in the film. As a matter of fact, the bench they're sitting on is the same bench young Danny was sitting on earlier in the film.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2020.

Ethanol Plant - 6310 Ball Ground Hwy. Ball Ground, Ga. 30107

Travis, the owner of the property, was paid two-thousand dollars for the use of it in the film. He currently has the check in a frame on his wall.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2021.

Grocery store - 12160 County Line Rd. Fayetteville, Ga. 30215

(Eden Fresh Market)

In the film it shows Rose the Hat walking down isle 2. Whether or not it was really isle 2 during the time of filming, I don't know. I do know however, that what's now isle 3, is the one she was walking down in the film. The cooler the window explodes out of was just a prop cooler for the film, and a different one now sits in it's place.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2020.

Hotel - 6255 Memorial Dr. Stone Mountain, Ga. 30083

At the time of my visit, it was a Scottish Inns.

2020

Pure gas station - 50 Morningside Dr. Covington, Ga. 30014

At the time of my visit, it was the Pure Food Mart. The mountains were obviously CGI'd to make it appear that it was in Colorado.

2020

Halloween (2018)

Halloween (2018) was released into theaters on October 19th, 2018. Filming locations include Charleston, SC. It was directed by David Gordon Green. It was written By Green along with Jeff Fradley and Kenny Powers himself, Danny McBride. The anticipation of the film was huge, based on multiple factors. First off, it was going to be released on the 40th anniversary of the original Halloween film. Secondly, it was bringing back Jamie Lee Curtis to reprise her role as Laurie Strode. And third, John Carpenter was returning to the franchise as an executive producer as well as collaborator on the films score. Also, Nick Castle, one of the actors to portray Michael Myers in the original film, returned to share Shape duties with James Jude Courtney. It completely disregards every other sequel in the franchise, instead acting as a direct continuation and picking up forty years after the original. However, it does give several nods to many of the other Halloween films in the series. My personal favorite being the trick or treaters wearing the three Silver Shamrock masks featured in Halloween III. The score was done by Daniel A. Davies, John Carpenter and his son, Cody Carpenter. The films first DVD release was on January 15th, 2019.

Smith's Grove Sanitarium - 2950 Carner Ave. N. Charleston, SC. 29405

(Military Magnet Academy)

The school opened in August of 1997.

The following "Now" picture is courtesy of Robert Patterson at Set-Jetter.

Laurie's house - Collins Rd. N. Charleston, SC. 29420

The driveway to the house in the film, and in actuality, is located on Collins Road. At the time of my visit, the north entrance to Collins Rd. had been barricaded off so it's no longer possible to drive along the road.

All "Now" picture taken in 2020.

The spot where the hidden basement entrance was located.

Nelson house - 21 Stocker Dr. Charleston, SC. 29407

The 3,636 square foot house was built in 1993.

2020

Allyson, Vicky and Dave walk to school - Alamo St. and O'Hear Ave. Charleston, SC. 29405

They start out walking west on Alamo St. and then turn right onto O'Hear Ave.

All "Now" pictures taken in 2020.

Hotel - 4044 Rivers Ave. N. Charleston, SC. 29405

(Siesta Motor Lodge)

The structure has been there since at least the early 70's.

2020

Cemetery - 70 Cunnington Ave. Charleston, SC. 29405

(Magnolia Cemetery)

The cemetery opened in 1850. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 24th, 1978. As most Halloween fans have probably noticed, the Sinclair gravestone was a nice attention to detail.