Arka Mukhopadhyay
Directed by Simon West (‘Con Air,’ ‘The Mechanic’), ‘When A Stranger Calls’ is a home invasion horror thriller that puts a refreshing twist on the age-old horror legend. The movie is a loose remake of the 1979 classic horror film of the same name by Fred Walton. The story follows Jill Johnson, a 16-years-old high school student, who takes up a job of babysitting as punishment for expending her allotted telephone hours.
While her friends are raving at a bonfire party, Jill reaches the sprawling residence of the Mandrakis family, where an invisible threat awaits her in the shadows. Camilla Belle brings a dark tint in character, and the indie movie ambiance is a treat for the eyes. Although the critics thought the movie to be pretty low on the spook-o-meter, it proved to be a modest success for the audiences. However, the house where most of the movie unfolds is far from modest, and if you seek to revisit the locations where the film was shot, let us be your guide.
When A Stranger Calls Filming Locations
‘When A Stranger Calls’ was filmed in locations in and around the US, specifically California. Interestingly, principal photography commenced on January 1, 2005, and was wrapped up by February 28 of the same year. This transpired in Vancouver. Due to its relevance to the history of cinema, its abundance of diverse landscapes, and the ready availability of technical hands, the production district of Hollywood has established its name in the global cinematic production map. The lucrative tax credit program promoted by the local government does enough to compel producers and filmmakers to take their projects to the state. Without further ado, let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was shot!
Los Angeles County, California
Although the movie is set in Colorado, the principal filming was carried out in the Los Angeles County of California. The early carnival sequence was filmed in Signal Hill, a community and enclave in the county almost entirely surrounded by Long Beach. Jill attends the fictional Fernhill High School in the movie, but the school scenes were filmed at Bellarmine-Jefferson High School. A private Roman Catholic high school once located at 465 East Olive Avenue in the Californian suburbs of Burbank, the institution was closed off in 2020.
The bulk of the story unravels in the state-of-the-art Mandrakis residence. The cast and crew visited Franklin Canyon Park, a public municipal park situated in the same county between San Fernando Valley and Beverly Hills, to film the exterior sequences of the house. The interior arrangements were, however, filmed at a studio location. The scenes were captured at Culver Studios, a vast movie production hub located at 9336 West Washington Boulevard, in the Culver City neighborhood of LA County.
Running Springs, California
Additional sequences were captured at Running Springs, a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, around 80 miles west of Los Angeles. In a memorable scene early in the movie, Jill’s father, Ben, drives her off to her babysitting job. The street scenes were filmed in the region.
Vancouver, British Columbia
It comes as no surprise that Vancouver — often colloquially referred to as “Hollywood North” — was used to film some scenes for ‘When a Stranger Calls.’ Although information is scant on the exact locations that were used to capture the narrative, the city has always been a popular filming destination. This could just be attributed to its lush landscapes, exhilarating art scene, and lucrative tax incentive for shooting, making the film join a long list of productions that have used the British Columbia city for lensing.
Read More: Is When A Stranger Calls (2006) Based on A True Story?
