Walt kowalski is the main protagonist of the 2008 movie gran torino. Gran torino is a film directed by clint eastwood, with eastwood also taking on the key role as main character and protagonist. Where was gran torino filmed discover the gran torino. He doesnt do well with change, including the changes his neighborhood is going through. Area, rhode island street, highland park, mi, united states walt kowalskis house built in 19 more info. Fireproof is an independent christianbased film by alex and stephen kendricks. Gran torino also marks the seventh clint eastwood film rob lorenz has produced, and fellow producer bill gerber attests, clint couldnt ask for a better producing partner than rob. What would a gran torino film tour be without a visit to. I know of two the street corner scene charlevoix st. Where is the house located from the movie gran torino. Please remember this is a private residence do not tresspass or disturb the ownersneighbours.
Charles borromeo would have probably been their real parish churchits southeast of the house a few blocksbut i went in there and it looked much too dark. He is represented throughout as a tough, worn, old man whos had enough of the people around him, constantly telling tales from the war to establish this. I saw the movie gran torino last week, and since i live not too far from detroit, id thought id like to take a tour of the filming locations sometime. The house depicting walt kowalskis house is on rhode island street in highland park. What about the scripts portrayal of thaos masculinity. In the final scene, thao is driving the gran torino with walts dog, daisy, next. Dirty harry on a pension, were thinking, until we realize that only the autoworker retired. A critical and commercial success, the movie was entirely filmed in metro detroit, united states.
He also directed and starred in the wellreceived drama gran torino 2008 as a widowed korean war veteran who becomes a neighborhood vigilante after befriending a teenage neighbor. Jan 09, 2009 he is a korean war veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 gran torino he keeps in mint condition. Gran torino is a tale with many facets to it,such as the loss of male identity that was orginally brought about by working in skilled bluecollar employment which eastwoods character didhe was a ford auto worker in the movie and the male characteristics and bonding that this employment developed,and the repercussions regarding the decline and. Where was gran torino filmed discover the gran torino film. There are 24 separate stages down two long buildings that used to be a steel company. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film.
Swank and freeman also won oscars for their performances. A group of hmong gang members rape and assaults thaos sister, then shoots up his home in retaliation of walters attack on one of the gang members. Dec 24, 2008 the title character in clint eastwoods motor city morality tale is, by the reaching light of history, a fairly negligible hunk of machinery. We know that there have been a number of popular films that were set in michigan, but that does not necessarily mean they were filmed here think robo cop, for instance. Walts a tobacco chewing, chainsmoking korean war vet and a no nonsense kind of guy. Jan 26, 2009 gran torino was filmed in the detroit area. This movie was released on december 12, 2008 in united states. As the end credits proudly announce, the movie was filmed on location in the 3, the area code for inner urban detroit, traditionally separated from the posher northern suburbs by the titular 8 mile road and right on 8 mile road itself, in the suburb of warren, is 8 mile mobile. What movies were filmed at oak alley plantation answers. To support this view, we show that the subject of the movie is the mechanical logic of violence, its evolution and the possible ways of. The finale of eastwoods gran torino car cruising down lake shore drive is as gorgeous as a pure michigan ad. The house gran torino is also known as kowalskis house. The main charachter, walt, house is in highland park. Clint eastwoods gran torino is about a racist old man named walt who overcomes his prejudice by helping his teenager neighbor thao.
Clint eastwood tells of a korean war veteran whos the only american left living on the street while other families and people from different cultures move in around him. The 2008 film gran torino stars clint eastwood as the grisly retired war vet, walt kowalski. Louisa schein, hmong media expert, discussed the truth of what happened behind the scenes of the movie gran torino. He sees a carload of hmong gangstas trying to enlist the quiet, studious thao into their thuggery. Producers of the tv series starsky and hutch, however, saw acting potential in the fourwheeled behemoth.
Walt kowalskis neighborhood, in gran torino, has an obvious shift in culture, class, and stigma. Actordirector clint eastwood born may 31, 1930 is best known for his portrayals of various tough characters on film, including cowboys and san fransisco police officer dirty harry callahan. A mid70s gran torino, with white hockeystick paint scheme, starred in the tv series starsky and hutch and the 2004 retread movie. Licensed under fair use via wikipedia this 2008 film directed by clint eastwood is full of michigan representation, with scenes shot in highland park, grosse pointe, detroit, royal oak, and center line.
House bill gives movie production tax rebates seven more years before they expire. Gran torino 2008 filming locations, highland park, clint eastwood, christopher carley, ahney her, bee. Gran torinos hmong lead bee vang on film, race, and masculinity. Famous movie cars clint eastwoods 1972 gran torino sport. Gran torino is an awardwinning 2008 american drama film, directed and produced by clint eastwood. A new tax incentive package offered to film productions by the state of michigan clinched the deal, and gran torino became the first film to benefit.
The symbolism in gran torino is highly clustered around the main setting of the suburban neighborhood in detroit, michigan. Most of the film rad is set and filmed in cochrane ontario canada. Where are the exact filming locations for the movie gran torino. As the end credits proudly announce, the movie was filmed on location in the 3, the area code for inner urban detroit, traditionally separated from the posher northern suburbs by the titular 8 mile road. Wanna go to the place where ray walston rides his bike with his coffee. Eastwood thought it would be more realistic to shoot the film in the detroit area. Im an extra on most of the shows filmed here that appear on nbc and on fox. Ole walt didnt like very many people, but he sure loved his mint condition, dark green, 1972 gran torino. Furthermore, gran torino shows how the actions that led to the sacrifice of the main character in the movie, walt kowalski played by clint eastwood, represent the only true way to definitively break with violence.
In his will, walt leaves his house to the church, and his gran torino to thao, much to the suprise of his family. May 22, 2019 im an extra on most of the shows filmed here that appear on nbc and on fox. Well first off, the girlfriend part is totally crazy. Where are the exact filming locations for the movie gran. These are the most popular movie scenes filmed in your state.
Clint eastwood starts filming the mule with bradley cooper. This article presents a thematic analysis of the latest movie that clint eastwood has directed and participated in as an actor, gran torino. The importance of this shift however, is not as evident. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. John r street near buena vista avenue east, highland park, michigan, united states 4. Jan 26, 2009 at the glitzy golden globes, gran torino was mentioned in just one category. Gran torinos hmong lead bee vang on film, race and. Michigans 50 most essential movies detroit free press. Starting with mystic river, eastwood composed the scores and other original music for many of his films.
Walt sits on his porch all day long, when hes not doing house repairs or working on his prized 1972 gran torino, a car he helped assemble on the ford assembly line. The film costars christopher carley, bee vang and ahney her. Dec 12, 2008 but, i think the whole point of gran torino is to teach you a life lesson, and, yes, gangs ranging from mexican to chinese do use a lot of language. The story focuses on walt kowalski, an angry, widowed war veteran, and people from the hmong community. Ive just been walking around brooklyn heights and found the house on cranberrybut would also love to know what church loretta and her mother were in.
This is the first time eastwood is acting and directing a movie since 2009s gran torino the ensemble of the mule includes laurence fishburne, michael pena, dianne wiest, taissa farmiga and. Filming locations for clint eastwoods gran torino in detroit, michigan. This isnt the cars first brush with popculture fame. Zeeland, 90th district, who was in the audience with his wife to see the film and her. Locations, all within metro detroit, included highland park, center line, warren, royal oak, and grosse pointe park were used. When they threaten thao to make him try to steal the gran torino. Gran torino actor reveals behindthescenes racism the. Visit gran torino filming locations in detroit legendarytrips. The film features a large hmong american cast, as well as one of eastwoods younger sons, scott. Kowalski clint eastwood lived at 268 rhode island street, highland park, michigan. When the oscar nominees were unveiled last week, gran torino was shut out of the competition completely.
The house depicting the residence of one of walts sons is on ballantyne road in grosse pointe shores. Visitors are asked to be respectful of the owners privacy as this is a private home. Gran torino is a brilliant movie from start to finish, i cant believe i waited so long to watch it, its completely different to what i expected, two thirds of the film had a very light tone at. The other things that may be offensive would be the shooting, bullying, and the rape scene. This was eastwoods first starring role since 2004s million dollar baby. In 1974, the ford gran torino, hefty fourthgeneration descendant of the original 68 torino, was built more as a family car than the earlier, highperformance models. He is a retired polish american assembly line worker and korean war veteran, who has recently been widowed after 50 years of marriage. Similar to my grandfather is walt kowalski clint eastwood, the main character in gran torino. One of clint eastwoods best films, gran torino was almost shot. T he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in. The entirety of the 2008 drama gran torino was filmed throughout michigan. When his neighbor thao lor bee vang, a young hmong teenager under pressure from his gang member cousin, tries to steal his gran torino, kowalski sets out to reform the youth.
Jan 24, 2009 in his will, walt leaves his house to the church, and his gran torino to thao, much to the suprise of his family. The church, the hardware store were filmed in grosse point and so was the closing scence, on. The authenticity of clint eastwoods gran torino intellectual takeout. Conversations with louisa schein, spring 2010, hmong studies journal, 11. Disgruntled korean war vet walt kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a young hmong teenager, who tried to steal kowalskis prized possession. Others just wanted to congratulate the supporting actress in clint eastwoods new film, gran torino, which opened friday and was filmed entirely in detroit for a. Dec 03, 2015 while the motor city might not be the most filmed location in the nation, it does make an appearance in a myriad of films, including batman v superman. While the motor city might not be the most filmed location in the nation, it does make an appearance in a myriad of films, including batman v superman. Choosing detroit as a backdrop for the movie gran torino was.
The ultimate detroit movie map, from batman to 8 mile. Gran torino actress ahney her returns to michigan for. His house goes to the church and his cherished gran torino goes to thao, with the condition that he does not modify the vehicle. In that sense, gran torino is, in an explicit way, a.
Disgruntled korean war veteran walt kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, thao lor, a hmong teenager who tried to steal kowalskis prized possession. Jan 25, 2011 bee vang, actor and secondyear student at brown university, and dr. Bee vang, actor and secondyear student at brown university, and dr. Locations used in the filming of fireproof our pastimes. Clint eastwoods gran torino michigan shooting locations. Today im going to take you around detroit to see the filming locations of my favorite film, gran torino. The thrills come when the wouldbe thieves are trapped inside the house with a. After years of acting in movies, eastwood became an oscarwinning director and producer. Determined to stay in his old house, walt spurns his son and daughterinlaws. Jan 16, 2009 i saw the movie gran torino last week, and since i live not too far from detroit, id thought id like to take a tour of the filming locations sometime. The hmong gang house is located on pilgrim street in highland park.
Eventually, a korean family moves next door to him, and he has difficulty accepting them due to his past experiences he is portrayed by famous actor clint eastwood, who also played william. Gran torino is an english drama movie which is directed by, produced by and starring clint eastwood. Gran torino identify critical moments in the film gran torino where walt kowalski is transformed from a racist tormented character to a compassionate father figure. Gran torino 2008 filming locations the movie district. Clint eastwood starts filming the mule with bradley.
Gran torino is a 2008 american drama film directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also starred in the film. Jul 21, 2017 a group of hmong gang members rape and assaults thaos sister, then shoots up his home in retaliation of walters attack on one of the gang members. Nov 22, 2010 gran torino film analysis posted on november 22, 2010 by nevnewton gran torino usa 2008. Jimmy smith jr, aka brabbit struggles to escape a deadend life in the stars home town of detroit. Kowalskithe main character in the 2008 film gran torino a film mr.
Gran torino is a 2008 american drama film directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also. Its located at 521 1 st w, cochrane, ab t4c 0a4, canada. Gran torino actress ahney her returns to michigan for opening. Looking at locations with the two of them and seeing the stuff that rob had preselected, there was so little back and forth. It is certainly one of the least likely blockbusters in some time.