Arka Mukhopadhyay
Actor-director Dave Franco’s ‘The Rental’ is a compelling horror thriller movie that leaves the audiences with a trailing strand of thought. The story begins like one of those typical thrillers where people go to a cabin in the woods, and things go south. Things do go south, but you can never see the origin of the threat until it creeps up and engulfs the protagonists. The beginning is serene, as the two brothers and their girlfriends head to the disclosed location. However, the double exposure shots prepare the viewers for some more surprises.
Upon its release, the 2020 movie garnered recognition from fans and critics, sitting among the top ten titles in several on-demand charts. The rental house, “Cliffside Home,” is a two-storied chalet presenting a view of the endless ocean. But you may wonder where the movie was filmed, and if that is the case, allow us to guide you to the locations.
The Rental Filming Locations
‘The Rental’ was filmed in its entirety in and around the US, especially in Oregon. Filming commenced on April 22, 2019, and came under wrap on May 24 of the same year. Due to its vast range of dramatic landscapes and its proximity to Hollywood, Oregon has been a coveted filming destination for filmmakers and producers throughout the history of cinema. Productions in the state date back to 1897, when ‘Fast Mail, Northern Pacific Railroad’ was captured in the Portland area. Since then, Oregon has been a busy filming state, featured in critically acclaimed movies such as Milos Forman’s ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.’
Moreover, Oregon’s OPIF (The Oregon Production Investment Fund) features lucrative tax incentives for productions that spend more than $1 million in the state. Thanks to the fund, eligible productions receive a 20% cash rebate on goods and services-related expenditure in the state and an additional 10% waiver on wages paid for productions filming there. Christian Sprenger of ‘Atlanta’ fame came on board as the Director of Photography for the movie. Meredith Lippincott, whose past credits include ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always,’ handled the production designing department. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was filmed.
Bandon, Oregon
The director and his crew chose to film most of the scenes in Bandon, a sleepy town situated in Coos County, on the mouth of the Coquille River. The movie is about a rental house, and amusingly enough, the director recalled staying in an Airbnb looking over the ocean off the Seven Devils Road while filming the movie. The sparsely populated township is home to two of the best golf courses in the country. Tourists do not frequent the town, and thus, even with a small crew, the director felt as if they had overwhelmed the entire township.
Meanwhile, the local businesses got some economic boost due to the production filming there. The director found the place “beautiful” and “ominous” – as it presents a panoramic view of the Pacific. The house in which the crew filmed most of the sequences on the lavish Seawinds Estate, situated on top of a cliff between the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort and the southern base of Cape Arago. The spacious house, complete with a private beach, flaunts 5600 square feet of area.
Portland, Oregon
Additionally, some segments were filmed in Portland, especially the ones that appear early on in the film. While they were in the state, the cast and crew members had to visit the iconic city situated on the mouths of Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Complete with the backdrop of Mount Hood, the city has been a famous filming location for its lack of identifiable skyscrapers.
From Gus Van Sant’s ‘My Own Private Idaho’ to Michael Sarnoski’s indie masterpiece ‘Pig,’ Portland has been featured in cinema from the early days of film history. The city is also known for its eco-friendly culture, bicycle paths, and microbreweries.
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