While attending a program at Stanford this summer, I took advantage of the trip to visit some locations in the area surrounding San Francisco. One of the films I focused on was John Carpenter's Village of the Damned. Shot in many of the same spots as The Fog, I was able to track down and hit up many of the buildings. The entry below is not all inclusive as there are some spots I didn't have time to visit or had not been found yet.
As the movie reuses a number of locations, I'll try to keep this in chronological order for the most part, revisiting different locations and scenes as they occurred in the narrative. First up are a few town shots in the opening credit sequence. These were mostly shot on Shoreline Highway in Point Reyes Station, California. (We also get a glimpse of Jill's house here, but we'll come back to that later.)
Next up is a quick driving scene, shot on Nicasio Valley Road on the east side of the Nicasio Reservoir.
Next is our first visit to the school, located at 5555 Nicasio Valley Road in Nicasio, California. I've included some shots before the blackout here. The school has had some renovations and additions since filming, but there are still parts very recognizable. There is also a small schoolhouse in the background seen in many shots.
Here we catch up with Barbara who is showing a couple a house, located at 4299 Nicasio Valley Road.
At Harold's Garage, we witness a cameo by director John Carpenter, and a small exchange between Alan and Frank. The garage is located at 12786 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Inverness, California.
Right before the blackout begins, Frank turns on this corner at Bear Valley Road and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard outside of Point Reyes Station, California. Did I try to match the shots with the truck that was passing by on purpose? Of course!
Now we will hit up some blackout and post-blackout scenes. First is a shot looking down Shorely Highway in Point Reyes Station.
Returning to the area where Barbara was showing the house, we see a couple shots of accidents during the blackout and later return here so Alan can connect with his wife.
And back to the school where Jill realizes that Frank has died after seeing his burnt truck being towed.
The cemetery is located at 11 Church Road in Tomales, California, not too far from Stu's party house in Scream. I had some difficulty lining up the different shots here, but did my best. First is the tracking shot at the funeral.
Here is the spot where Callie and Jill talk as they leave the funeral.
A few more tracking shots as Barbara and Alan leave as well as Reverend George and Sarah.
We return now to Jill's house which was briefly seen during the credits. it is located at 281 B Street in Point Reyes Station, California.
Here is our first scene at the Midwich Clinic. Surprisingly, it is a real clinic located at 3 6th Street in Point Reyes Station. As you see in the current shots, there is a lot more foliage so recreating the exact shots wasn't always feasible.
A quick visit back to the school when Jill realizes she is having some morning sickness.
A quick, but nice establishing shot of the clinic again.
The town hall is located at 4499 Nicasio Valley Road in Nicasio, California. This is just down the street from the house Barbara was showing in the beginning of the film. For the second shot, you can see me experimenting with the "out of focus" option on pictures to replicate the shot.
Nine months later and this barn is used to help all the women give birth. It is located at 1 Bear Valley Road in Point Reyes Station, California.
Next are a few shots of the town, all in Point Reyes Station.
Next is a sequence of the children walking from school to the clinic. They start by leaving the schoolyard at the 5555 Nicasio Valley Road location.
Next is a shot of the Midwich Clinic sign with a church in the background on B Street in Point Reyes Station.
Just to the right of the church, the children walk up 6th Street towards the clinic.
Something has gone wrong at the clinic! Reverend George watches the ambulance speed through on Shoreline Highway in Point Reyes Station.
Back to the clinic for a couple more scenes.
The children are walking along C Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets in Point Reyes Station, when David strays from the group.
David returns to the cemetery and talks to Melanie here. Again, I had a hard time getting the shots to line up exactly as they did in the film, but you get the idea of the locale. Meredith Salenger must be pretty tiny, the tombstone looked huge next to her!
The children decided to check out the barn.
Back to the cemetery where David tells his father he is looking for the grave of the one baby who died.
At the school, the children have a little run in with the janitor. As with the previous scenes, the school has had additions and renovations, but this particular spot in front of the classroom is still recognizable.
Susan reveals the secret of the dead baby to Alan. Here they exit the clinic through the side door on B Street.
The children have decided to live at the barn. Here they are being dropped off by the parents.
The fire truck and ambulance race to the scene of Ben's accident. This stretch of road is located near 6th and C Streets. I forgot to grab pictures while I was there, so this particular shot is from Google.
Hearing the sirens, Alan runs to his car from the side entrance of the clinic at 6th & B Streets in Point Reyes Station.
Back at the barn, Mara shares a few choice words with David.
Poor Susan runs out of the clinic, but unfortunately goes back in to meet her fate.
The town decides to revolt against the kids and gather at the corner of 6th and A Streets in Point Reyes Station.
Sarah leads the townspeople down A Street to the intersection at Shoreline HIghway in Point Reyes Station. This same street is used to show the law enforcement arriving.
Alan returns to the clinic one last time to gather supplies.
After Jill escapes the school, she decides to steal Sarah's car back at 6th and C Street.
Finally, the big showdown occurs back at the barn at 1 Bear Valley Road in Point Reyes Station.
Jill and David are getting the hell out of that town! Here they drive down Shoreline Highway. (You think for the final shot I would have done a better job and lining it up, but no!)
Little did I realize until I was putting this together, that little David was played by Thomas Dekker! Also pictured is me with producer Sandy King and actor Peter Jason.
