19 March 2015

CASA LOMA'S SCREEN APPEARANCES

THROWBACK THURSDAY 

BY: MALLORY HORRILL

Calling all television and movie buffs! Remember when Toronto’s iconic Casa Loma was featured in these productions?

1. Cocktail (1988)
This less than thrilling film starred Tom Cruise as the highly successful bartender Brian Flanagan. Casa Loma graced the screen in the film as the setting of Flanagan’s wealthy father's home. 

Colour photo of blue upper class room. Tom Cruise speaking with an older man who has his back to the photo.
http://torontoist.com/2009/01/reel_toronto_cocktail/
2. Goosebumps, A Night in Terror Tower (1996) 
While you may not remember this exact episode, I’m sure you remember the series! In this episode Sue and her brother Eddie while on a family trip to the UK get scared out of their wits at an old historic castle. 

3. X-Men (2000)
Casa Loma was used as the interior of Dr. Xavier’s (Patrick Stewart) school for ‘gifted youth’.

http://torontoist.com/2007/12/reel_toronto_th_1/
4. Chicago (2002)
The lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Geere) uses Casa Loma’s Oak Room for the setting of his office. 

Rich looking man behind desk, 1920s style, upper class room.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/style/tmagazine/11tgere.html?_r=0 
5. Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)
The outside staircase of Casa Loma was used as the site of Pilgrim’s (Michael Cera) showdown with Ramona Flowers’ (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) second evil ex, Lucas Lee.

Night scene. A young couple (male and female) are standing side by side looking at the castle (Casa Loma).
http://torontoist.com/2010/11/reel_toronto_edgar_wright_talks_scott_pligrim_vs_the_world/
These five films and television shows are by no means the only famed filming that has taken place at Toronto’s castle. Can you name any other productions that have used Case Loma?

7 comments:

  1. The Netflix TV show "Hemlock Grove" has filmed there, as well as the movie "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones".

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    1. Thank you for adding these productions to the list! It’s amazing how much filming has taken place at the site.

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  2. Fantastic article, Mallory. I've always appreciated a good museum - movie set story because, through the big screen, it brings in a whole new group of "visitors," which is especially valuable for those places that deserve more attention but don't always get it. I'm glad you featured one in Toronto because now I'm even more motivated to go check out Casa Loma to see it's beautiful interiors for myself!

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    1. Thank you Madeleine. I always enjoy identifying a site in a movie or television show. When you do visit Casa Loma be sure to check out the basement hallway by the gift shop, as they display production posters of many of the movies they are featured in.

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  3. I love recognizing film sites in movies! I still haven't seen Scott Pilgrim; I feel like such a bad Torontonian.

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    1. Be sure to check it out Anya, the movie features many Toronto sites.

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  4. And one full episode of Being Erica was filmed on site at Casa Loma (http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/Shows/Being+Erica/ID/2464206023/) I had no idea so many others movies/TV shows were filmed there as well. Thank you for the info, Mallory! These are good to know for moments of procrastination when one does not wish to feel too guilty (after all, watching movies about museums is part of our job :)

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