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Elf Filmed in Haunted Mental Hospital!
6 Nov
Summary
- Elf's interior scenes were filmed in an abandoned mental institution.
- Limited studio space due to a vampire movie forced the unusual location.
- Some actors, including Andy Richter, found filming unsettling due to patients.
- A new book, Elf Unwrapped, details behind-the-scenes stories.
The production of the popular Christmas film Elf faced an unusual challenge: its primary interior filming location was an abandoned mental institution. This choice, made partly to adhere to a $33 million budget, was also necessitated by limited studio space. A large vampire movie being filmed concurrently occupied the available soundstages, forcing the Elf production design team to transform the unsettling site into believable sets for Gimbels department store, Greenway Press, and the Hobbs' apartment.
Actor Andy Richter, co-writer of the new book "Elf Unwrapped: Behind the Scenes of a Modern Christmas Classic," shared insights into the filming experience. He revealed that parts of the mental hospital were still inhabited by patients, making the process unnerving for some cast members. Richter speculated about the patients' potential reactions to seeing Will Ferrell in his iconic Buddy the Elf costume. Despite these eerie circumstances, the film was successfully completed and has since become a cherished holiday viewing tradition for families worldwide.
