PalCinema Review: The House From...
PalCinema Review: The House From...
A new documentary explores the current life of some favorite film/television homes.
October 29, 2024
FILM: THE HOUSE FROM…
DIRECTED BY: TOMMY AVALLONE
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Do you have a favorite house from a movie or TV series? Most of us know that the exterior shots of such places usually look nothing like what is actually inside. Yet people will often attempt to visit such places to feel that connection with a place that has become iconic in their eyes. The new documentary The House From… is a very satisfying and entertaining look at some of the most famous homes that have graced our screens in the last forty years or so. Narrated by Jason Lee (Chasing Amy, My Name is Earl), the film takes viewers to homes made iconic by The Goonies, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Halloween, Home Alone, A Christmas Story, Full House, Sex and the City, and many more.
There are so many elements to this film that make it such an enjoyable watch. Of course, seeing the houses as they look today is a thrill (or disappointment if you expect them to look exactly like they did at the time. The Golden Girls home is a good example.) In some cases, director Tommy Avallone takes us inside to see how different they are because, well, most interiors are shot on soundstages. In the case of Home Alone, shot in Winnetka, Illinois, both the outside and inside were used. There was even a replica of the interior made on a sound stage for some of the filming. Details like this are fascinating for those of us who geek out over film/television productions. The people who owned the Home Alone house at the time the film was shot embraced the experience. There’s a strong warmth to much of this documentary because so many people have taken great care to also preserve the famed houses.
This isn’t the case with Walter White’s house in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I know, because I’ve been there myself. The owner despises people who try to take photos or throw pizzas on the garage roof (which I guess anyone would be…) Avallone includes lots of footage from various tourists who have documented their own experiences with the woman who has put up a large fence and usually sits outside yelling at anyone who comes near the famed White house. I get it, but as the film so lovingly illustrates, there are people who have done the complete opposite and welcomed tourists to their homes.
It’s fascinating to see how, for instance, the man who owns the A Christmas Story house has turned it into a museum where people can touch the iconic leg lamp and walk through its various rooms. He’s embraced it and has made millions off of the love people have for the place. There are other examples of current owners welcoming people to stand and take photos on the front porches of houses from Halloween and Friday. Others have renovated famous homes, such as those found in The Outsiders, Twilight, and Short Circuit, and turned them into vacation rentals. These owners want to preserve the homes and give them back to the fans rather than trying to kick them off their properties.
Avallone takes us to Pasadena, San Francisco, Astoria Oregon, Cleveland, and many other locations that people will recognize. Sure, it would be great to see some structures from earlier eras (how about the Dark Shadows estate?!) I’m also surprised there’s nothing here about The Brady Bunch house which the actors from the show famously renovated a few years ago on HGTV to make its interiors look exactly like what we remember.
Still, what I came away with is a warmth people associate with these many homes that current owners understand and respect. They come across as very loving and giving people who want to share the treasures they own with the people who feel a strong sense of connection and nostalgia with them. That’s pretty special. Yes, you should be able to do whatever you want with a house you buy. But when it is so iconic for so many people you have choices: you can move, gate it off, or recognize how important these places are for people.
The House From… is now available to rent/purchase on Amazon Prime.
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I'll have to check this one out!
Every time I have been to San Francisco, there are always people at 710 Ashbury (the Grateful Dead's house) standing or sitting on the steps or posing in front. I often wonder if the owner grows tired of it. Then again, if you buy a house like that or the ones in your post, you gotta expect it. It's like buying a house next to a school. You wouldn't do it if you were annoyed by the noise or kids.