| Address |
| 2655 Glendower Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA (Los Angeles, California)
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| Information |
The Ennis House
This historical landmark sits on a hill near Los Angeles's Griffith Park and has been the setting for numerous genre and non-genre productions over time. Famed architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the building for Charles and Mabel Ennis and modeled it after ancient Mayan temples, along with some of his other buildings. It was built completely out of 16-inch concrete blocks that were either plain or featured patterns designed by Wright. It would be built in 1924 and become known as the Ennis-Brown House for some time, but today is known by its original name. Its unique appearance has attracted a variety of different filmmakers and the house has been featured in several television shows and movies over the years.
The House on Haunted Hill
Probably the most famous use of the house came in 1959 when the house became the central "character" in William Castle's film, House on Haunted Hill. The story features an eccentric millionaire, played by Vincent Price, who invites five people to his home and tells them that whoever can survive one night in the haunted mansion will get ten thousand dollars. The Ennis House would only serve for the exterior shots of the house in the movie, as the filmmakers were not allowed to shoot inside. The 1999 remake of House on Haunted Hill would not use the house again, but instead would combine minatures, matte paintings, with real shots of the entrance to the Griffith Park Observatory.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The Ennis House would also play a role in the second and third season of the WB/UPN television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. During the second season, the house would serve as the mansion of Spike and Drusilla and later Angel (in the form of Angelus). Following his return from hell in the third season, Angel would again occupy the mansion until his departure for Los Angeles and his own television series. Again, only the exteriors of the house were used for the production.
Twin Peaks
The interior of the house would serve as the backdrop to the show-within-a-show, Invitation to Love, in the first season of the David Lynch series Twin Peaks. The soap opera would play out on the television screens of the characters of Twin Peaks and serve as something of a commentary; closely mirroring the events that were taken place in "real life."
Other Works
The interiors of the Ennis House would also serve as the location of the main character's (played by Harrison Ford) apartment in Ridley Scott's 1982 film Blade Runner. It was also the scene of a grisly voodoo ritual in the 1990 film, Predator 2 and the layered, virtual reality world of The Thirteenth Floor (1999). The Ennis House would also appear in such non-genre works as Black Rain, The Day of the Locust, The Rocketeer, The Glimmer Man, Grand Canyon, Rush Hour, and more.
The House Today
The Ennis House suffered severe deterioration over the years and 1994 earthquake and record-amount of rainfall in 2004-2005 further caused damage, leading the house to being placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2005 list of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Restoration efforts immediately began and were completed in August 2007. However a second phase of restoration is currently underway to further stabilize the house and it remains closed to the public at this time. |
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| Related Sites |
Ennis House
Web site for the Frank Lloyd Wright house used in multiple genre films. |
The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations
A thorough guide to movie locations around the world. |
Buffyverse Wiki: Filming Locations
An entry on the Buffyverse Wiki for filming locations associated with the television series as well as the 1992 motion picture. |
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| Similar Destinations |
| The Flavel House Museum |
| Ghost Tour of Old Town Albuquerque |
| Buffalo Central Terminal |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| Blog: William Castle in Blog-O-Rama! (05/31/08) |
| Blog: House on Haunted Hill Turns 50! (02/17/09) |
| Blog: Invitation to Love and Twin Peaks (04/08/09) |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations (NEW updated edition) |
House on Haunted Hill |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Complete Second Season (Slim Set) |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Complete Third Season (Slim Set) |
Twin Peaks - The First Season (Special Edition) |
Twin Peaks - The Definitive Gold Box Edition (The Complete Series) |
Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition) |
Predator 2 (Two-Disc Special Edition) |
The Thirteenth Floor |
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