If you’re a movie buff, Highland Park is a great place to be. It has acted as a backdrop to many well-known and important movies. If you want to take a tour of the many filming locations in the Highland Park area, choose any of these movies and start planning your trip.
“Gran Torino”
Clint Eastwood’s 2008 “Gran Torino” was mainly shot in the Highland Park area. The main character, played by Eastwood, lived on a house on Rhode Island Street, between Oakland Parkway and Brush Street. A scene in the movie was also filmed on Highland Park’s Pilgrim Street. There’s also a scene shot at the St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe Park, which is open to the public. If you’re taking a “Gran Torino” tour, stop by the Pointe Hardware Store while you’re in Grosse Pointe Park.
“Real Steel”
The 2011 film “Real Steel” uses the Highland Park Ford Plant — where the old Model T was built — for one of the scenes in the movie. In fact, the entire movie is filmed in the Detroit area, though it’s set in a futuristic Texas. You’ll also be able to continue your “Real Steel” tour at the Detroit Fire Department HQ on Washington Boulevard in downtown Detroit. There’s also a scene filmed at the old Detroit Lions’ home, the Silverdome. There are plenty more locations in and around Detroit if you’re up for the driving tour.
“8 Mile”
One scene in “8 Mile” was filmed in Highland Park, but its location may be difficult to visit. It was at 122 Beresford Street, where a group of characters from the movie burned down a house. Though, plenty of other scenes from the movie were filmed in Detroit locations. The main character Rabbit lived at a trailer park on Schultes Avenue in Warren. On Clifford & Griswalk Streets, you’ll find the venue where Rabbit had his rap battle. You could easily spend the whole day traveling from location to location for this movie.
“True Romance”
Though there weren’t any Highland Park proper locations in the movie, Quentin Tarantino’s “True Romance” was filmed in the Detroit area. A notable location worth checking out is the Wayne County Building at 640 Temple St. The film was written by Tarantino and starred some big Hollywood names at the time, arguably helping launch his career to where it is today.
“61*”
Another Detroit-based movie was “61*,” which gave Tiger Stadium a lot of screen time. The 2001 movie recounted the Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle race to top Babe Ruth’s home run record in a single season. If you love sports dramas, this film is worth visiting, as is the location it was filmed in Detroit.
Highland Park has been immortalized in these movies, and we’re sure to see more in the future. The Detroit area as a whole has been a place that inspires stories to be told, and visiting the spots in the city that inspired them is a fun way to spend a day.
Photo by Nathan Engel from Pexels
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