Embedded Files
Post date: Feb 09, 2011 10:46:56 PM
Today's announcement is perhaps the biggest one so far, but at the same time one of the saddest. Since I began this project, I noticed many common features in the city street scenes - the same lampposts and the same buildings (though altered from show to show) that led me to believe they were all shot on the same street. I searched through town photos all through the Wilmington, NC area and found many locations that were close, but not exact.
A Chicago street scene, enhanced by a matte painting in Mystery of the Blues.
One of the more obvious conclusions I came to was that this had to be a backlot set somewhere. I knew it was none of the Los Angeles studios, because I've been to nearly all of them and there was no record of the show filming there. My search continued to Barrandov Studios, where I could find no record of a "New York Street" style backlot set. I did the same for Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington (then called Carolco Studios), where much of the show was shot. Still, I could find no record of a backlot set and nothing showed up in satellite images:
Then, it struck me. I opened Google Earth and scrolled back the date on the satellite image as far as it would go - February 2, 1993...and there it was:
This New York-style backlot set was likely built when the studio opened in 1984, and was torn down sometime in the late 90's. In its place now stands the immense Stage 10, completed in 2009. It is the 3rd largest soundstage in the world and includes a giant water tank.
What is strange to me is that there is essentially no record or photos of this backlot set anywhere. So, it was time to dig in with some serious research. I got my hands on every movie I could that had a record of filming at Carolco/Screen Gems and watched out for any scenes that looked like "Young Indy Street." Sure enough, this set has seen a lot of use over the years: from its first appearance in Year of the Dragon with Mickey Rourke in 1985 to the last picture on record, The Road to Wellville in 1994. Now for the results of that research:
Here is an aerial map to show approximately where the backlot set was in relation to the rest of the studio & surrounding area (Click to make it larger).
And here is your detailed map of the film set. I thought I would go ahead and map out not only the Young Indy locations, but all the others as well so you can see how it changed over the years. This is as accurate as I could get it going off screenshots from the films, so I can't guarantee that it is 100% correct (Click to make bigger!).
Map Legend
1. This was Harper's Cafe in Princeton 1916, the ice cream shop where Indy works. The inside was used as well, and was converted to the cafe where Indy, Eliot & Ernest have a bite in Mystery of the Blues. It was also a bakery in the movie 29th Street, which used the set extensively.
(Click to enlarge)
2. Another movie that took place almost entirely on this set was The Butcher's Wife, starring Demi Moore and Jeff Daniels. However, many of the storefronts were updated to more modern theming. This was an antique store in the film.
3. This was converted into a large apartment building where Jeff Daniels lives in The Butcher's Wife.
(Click to enlarge)
4. Norville (Tim Robbins) takes notice of a flying piece of paper while walking down the street here in The Hudsucker Proxy.
5. This building on the corner was seen many times in the background as a movie theater in The Butcher's Wife.
6. This is approximately the spot where Sidney gives Indy some lessons on playing the saxophone.
7. This was "Altobellis Bros. Cafe," where Sidney & Indy have a nighttime walk in Mystery of the Blues, and where the gang watches Colosimo's funeral procession go by. This same building can also be seen in the background of nearly every other movie shot on the lot. It's hard to tell for sure, but this may have been used in the fire escape fight sequence in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
(Click to enlarge)
8. This row of apartments were featured in 29th Street with Danny Aiello & Anthony LaPaglia. In Mystery of the Blues, the entrance to the "Pekin Inn" was down a set of subterranean stairs here. And in the finale of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, this is where Shredder falls and lands in a garbage truck.
(Click to enlarge)
9. This building was a market in The Butcher's Wife, seen in the opening when Leo (George Dzundza) first arrives in town with Marina (Demi Moore).
10. This unique-looking storefront played the part of "Colosimo's Restaurant" in Mystery of the Blues and was redressed as a funeral home for Scandal of 1920. Leonardo practices some moves out front while walking with April in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But the most extensive use of this location was when it was remodeled into the titular butcher shop where Leo & Marina work in The Butcher's Wife.
(Click to enlarge)
11. On the sidewalk here was where Michaelangelo makes a deal with the pizza guy in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In The Hudsucker Proxy, these buildings are seen behind Norville as he watches a reader board for job openings. John Cusack's character advertises cereal in front of this building in The Road to Wellville.
(Click to enlarge)
12. This small shop was altered numerous times in Scandal of 1920: first as a fruit stand when Indy & Peggy first arrive in New York, then as "Blake's Frankfurters," where they grab a quick lunch, and finally as the exterior entrance of Kate's apartment.
13. This corner building was a bank in both Scandal of 1920 (seen above), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. The inside & outside were used in The Road to Wellville as a hotel, and it appears the inside was also used in 29th Street.
(Click to enlarge)
14. The view from here facing north was used most commonly as an establishing shot of the street, in No Mercy, The Crow, The Butcher's Wife, The Road to Wellville and Scandal of 1920. In Mystery of the Blues, this is the view of Colosimo's funeral procession. In the first Ninja Turtles film, the turtles battle foot soldiers on the north end of the street. In TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze, Shredder's mutants Tokka & Rahzar cause mayhem on the opposite end.
(Click to enlarge)
15. This trapezoidal building is the most recognizable location on the lot, having appeared in some form in nearly every film shot here. It was set ablaze in No Mercy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and The Crow. It was a restaurant in 29th Street and Betsy's Wedding, "Dinty Moore's Pool Hall" in Scandal of 1920, and "Dellago's Bar" in The Butcher's Wife.
(Click to enlarge)
16. This distinct stone building is visible in the background of many of the films. Most notably, it was the police station where Jennifer Jason Leigh's character works in Betsy's Wedding.
(Click to enlarge)
17. This same building was used for the "Royal Garden Club" in Mystery of the Blues & the "Horseshoe Lounge" in Scandal of 1920. This dead-end street is visible in The Crow & 29th Street, and in the reverse angle of Indy and Peggy eating hotdogs in Scandal (#12).
(Click to enlarge)
Rooftop scenes are also common in a few of the films. It's difficult to tell if the same set was used, and whether or not it was inside or out. I'm guessing the set was in one of the soundstages with a rear-projected or bluescreen background. However, in the first Turtles film, there is at least one shot of Shredder hanging that appears to be from the top of the apartment building on the NW corner looking down.
(Click to enlarge)
And that pretty much covers the information I have on the Screen Gems/Carolco set, whew! If you have any more info to add - especially any still photos of the set before its destruction, send them my way!
Here is a rough timeline of major films shot at the studio during this time period. Ones marked with a "*" were filmed on the backlot set.
1984 – Carolco studio purchased for production of Firestarter
May 11, 1984 – Firestarter released
August 16, 1985 – Year of the Dragon* released
Sept. 19, 1986 – Blue Velvet released
Dec. 19, 1986 - No Mercy* released
July 5, 1989 – Weekend at Bernie’s released
March 30, 1990 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* released
June 22, 1990 – Betsy’s Wedding* released
October 25, 1991 – The Butcher’s Wife* released
March 22, 1991 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze* released
May 13, 1991 – Nov. 15, 1991 – Young Indy shoots in Europe
Nov.1, 1991 – 29th Street* & Billy Bathgate* released
November 11, 1991 – December 3, 1991 - Young Indy* begins studio shoot at Carolco
May 13, 1992 – Aug. 27, 1992 – Young Indy* studio shoot for Season 2
March 31, 1993 – Brandon Lee killed while filming The Crow*
May 11, 1994 – The Crow* released
March 11, 1994 – Hudsucker Proxy* released
July 28, 1994 – August 10, 1994 – Young Indy* shoots elsewhere Wilmington
October 28, 1994 – The Road to Wellville* released
1996 – Studio changes ownership/name to EUE/Screen Gems Studios
1998 - Last remnants of set still visible on satellite image
Mystery solved! R.I.P. cool backlot movie set...
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