One location film making

indybones

indybones

Well-known member
Hi peeps

I was wondering...

I'm researching films that have either been shot entirely in one location, (I mean like one room) or that one location/room takes a significant predominance within the film....

Can any one help me out with a few films please...

the start of my list

1. Session 9 (Lunatic Asylum)
2. Saw (doesn't really belong but I guess the basement when they are both locked up)
3. Reservoir Dogs (again doesn't really belong but the warehouse takes a dominant place)
4. Coffee and Cigarets (I think)
...

Many thanks

Indy
 
There was a thread like this a while back. My smartass answer was Sin City (think about it).
 
Farnsworth said:
Cube - all in a... well, a cube
Click to expand...

If you like Cube, there are two sequels that also take place in one location, but are different enough to not be a complete rehash of the original. The second film takes place in another cube-like environment, but adds time travel elements. The third film is very different. It focuses on two guys whose job is to observe the people trapped in the cube.

The Old Dark House -- classic horror film that influenced many more one location suspense and horror films. A lot of horror films use single locations I would imagine (haunted houses, dead spaceships, ghost ships, etc...).

Alfred Hitchcock used single locations in some of his films:
Lifeboat -- takes place during World War II on a lifeboat after a ship has been sunk.
Rope -- the entire film takes place in one apartment in real time; as well as being shot in a series of eight uninterrupted 10 minute takes.
Rear Window -- a great suspense classic. You've probably already seen it, but I can't leave this one out.

Night of the Living Dead -- with the exception of the opening scene, the whole thing takes place in a remote country farmhouse. Of course there is also the sequel Dawn of the Dead which takes place in an empty mall. Obviously influenced other one location films like The Evil Dead and countless zombie films.

Alien -- after the first act, it takes place entirely aboard the Nostromo.

Das Boot -- primarily takes place on the sub. Good film for getting the sense of claustrophobia. There are probably a lot of submarine films that would be good examples as well.

Die Hard -- takes place in the Nakatomi building.

Lifepod -- made for TV science fiction remake of Hitchcock's Lifeboat.

Apollo 13 -- this one has a bunch of locations early on in the film, as well as cutaways to Houston control, but overall the majority takes place in the cramped space module.

The Others -- starring Nicole Kidman. A really atmospheric ghost story that takes place entirely on a foggy estate during World War II.

Like Mr. Hitchcock, M. Night Shyamalan has also chosen to use single locations for several of his films as well:
Signs -- almost all of the film takes place in and on the property around a farmhouse.
The Village -- like Signs, about 80% of the film takes place in a small wilderness village.
Lady in the Water -- say what you will about the plot, the location is pretty cool here. The whole film is set in an eccentric apartment complex. The whole film. No excursions outside like Signs or The Village.

Battlestar Galactica: The Face of the Enemy (webisodes) -- these just started on Friday, but the whole weekly series is supposedly going to take place in a single disabled Raptor (which is their recon / search and rescue vehicle), where the people stranded inside begin to die off mysteriously. The whole thing sounds slightly reminiscent of Lifeboat and Lifepod.

Not every example is strictly shot in one location, or if you want to get technical, something like Die Hard or Alien is a large single location with various smaller sub-locations inside the main one.
 
Last edited:
The movie 1408, the one about the hotel room that is haunted. Was not very good but had an interesting concept.
 
Austinv said:
The movie 1408, the one about the hotel room that is haunted. Was not very good but had an interesting concept.
Click to expand...

Good suggestion. I can't believe I didn't think of that one.

You're right, it's not that great overall, but has several moments that scared the crap out of me. Definitely worth a rental though for the sheer inventiveness of the concept.

I forgot to add a few more to my first post:

The Thing From Another World and the John Carpenter remake simply titled The Thing.
 
O ya the concept was sweet!!! Scared me a few times in there. I found in some spots they just over did it. IE when he crawls into the vent and the corpse comes alive and chases him around, that was just painful to watch and was totally un-needed.
 
I like the scene where Cusack is looking out the window across the way at the other building. I won't ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but man, that was some eerie stuff that I didn't see coming.

Darn it, here's another one... speaking of Stephen King and single location films, how about The Mist? One of my new favorites. If you like Carpenter's Thing remake, then this is right up your alley.
 
That was a good part! I should have thought off the mist, that was ok so glad he shot her though that ruined a lot of the movie for me. in the mist i wish that they would have shown less of the creatures to make them more scary, the ending was rather amusing and completly unexpected.
 
bosindy said:
Hard Candy
Click to expand...


Thanks guys some great films there.....

I can't believe I forgot Hard Candy, dam good film. And the shining...

Not all of these films I've seen so got a few to watch..

Keep em coming if pos....

Thanks :thumbup:

Indy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top