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Mastrap · Sep 2, 2006, 11:07 PM

John Travolta's movie, Hairspray, is being shot around the corner from our house. An entire street and junction (Dundas and Roncesvalles if you know Toronto) has been dressed to look like a 1960's cartoon. Very cool and so convincing we thought at first that new businesses were opening.

The first house to be dressed. This is the one that fooled us, we thought 'excellent, new bar' when we first saw this.

They kept the actual business name.

The white 'brick' hides an ultra modern architect practice. The completely hid the entire house.

Check the launderette behind the 'butcher' facade.

IceEnclosure · Sep 2, 2006, 11:14 PM

cool

turtle777 · Sep 2, 2006, 11:17 PM

You live on a set ?

-t

Mastrap · Sep 2, 2006, 11:20 PM

Damn close. We live two minutes drive away. I'll take some better pictures tomorrow.

Eug Wanker · Sep 2, 2006, 11:21 PM

Can you still actually shop there? If so maybe I'll go for a visit.

Mastrap · Sep 2, 2006, 11:25 PM

Lee's coin laundry is open for business

Nai no Kami · Sep 3, 2006, 01:09 AM

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

You live on a set ?

-t

Actually, Mastrap's real name is Truman.

Dark Helmet · Sep 3, 2006, 01:37 AM

WEIRD. The first pic is 2 blocks from my house and my boyfriend walked by it a week ago and took a pic with his camera. He called me and ask if they were re-marking Hair Spray because of the hefty hideaway. I had no idea and I sure didn't know Travolta was in it. Guess my gayness did wear off on him

forkies · Sep 3, 2006, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

my boyfriend

1

Jellytussle · Sep 3, 2006, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Damn close. We live two minutes drive away. I'll take some better pictures tomorrow.

You've been in the new world too long. How about walking next time? :-).

turtle777 · Sep 3, 2006, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by forkies

+1

Correctinated.

-t

Doofy · Sep 3, 2006, 09:32 AM

"Hefty Hideaway". "Parking At Rear".

turtle777 · Sep 3, 2006, 09:34 AM

Mr. Pinkey's, furthermore. WTF ?

-t

Doofy · Sep 3, 2006, 09:37 AM

Disclaimer: I am not at all thinking of any MacNN members nor actually in physical pain from laughing so hard.

turtle777 · Sep 3, 2006, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Disclaimer: I am not at all thinking of any MacNN members nor actually in physical pain from laughing.

Well, to be honest, it's hard.

Mr. Pinkey's "Hefty Hideaway". "Parking At Rear"
Canada
John Travolta

This thread has all that it needs to go berzerk

-t

Mastrap · Sep 3, 2006, 10:02 AM

Only if you're so inclined.

turtle777 · Sep 3, 2006, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Only if you're so inclined.

We're at 'NN, don't forget.

-t

forkies · Sep 3, 2006, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

Correctinated.

-t

no i was starting the count now, just to be nice.

Zeeb · Sep 3, 2006, 10:15 AM

How cool, I can't believe John Travolta is going to play Edna Turnblad--this I have to see.

turtle777 · Sep 3, 2006, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by forkies

no i was starting the count now, just to be nice.

Ok.

-t

Dark Helmet · Sep 3, 2006, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by forkies

1

Yup, I'm gonna start doing it on purpose now since it is illegal word #1.

forkies · Sep 3, 2006, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

Yup, I'm gonna start doing it on purpose now since it is illegal word #1.

nice. it's just so terrible when those homos talk about their boyfriends like they're a real couple

Dark Helmet · Sep 3, 2006, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by forkies

nice. it's just so terrible when those homos talk about their boyfriends like they're a real couple

Ya even worse when they use offensive words like "boyfriend" when they aren't locked behind closed doors out of sight from the normals.

ghporter · Sep 3, 2006, 01:24 PM

Subject = "Hairspray Set" in Toronto. Subject <> nastiness about anything at all, and specifically about the orientation of members or how some people are uncomfortable about any particular orientation. So sayeth the mod...

For those of us who are not exceptionally familiar with Toronto (I've been there a few times, but long ago, and only remember a few things, such as the Massey house, the Ontario Science Museum, and a few other spots around) where is this particular area?

I'm also curious why they chose Toronto, when it seems that Hollywood is in love with Vancouver.

Doofy · Sep 3, 2006, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by forkies

nice. it's just so terrible when those homos talk about their boyfriends like they're a real couple

Dude, you're missing the point. A couple of days back SWG stated that he never talks about his boyfriend. This is a continuation of that. End of story.

-- end of intermission --

turtle777 · Sep 3, 2006, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Dark Helmet

Yup, I'm gonna start doing it on purpose now since it is illegal word #1.

So basically, nothing is going to change.
You did it before, and you do it now. Alrighty then...

-t

Mastrap · Sep 3, 2006, 03:37 PM

You can't let it lie, right? You have to carry on baiting him, right? Jeez. Talk about ****ing playground behavior.

Mastrap · Sep 3, 2006, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I'm also curious why they chose Toronto, when it seems that Hollywood is in love with Vancouver.

Gh, Toronto has a huge film industry, partly because of the downtown core and it's similarity to major American cities. You'd be surprised how many movies that play in the US were actually shot up here. The high dollar is beginning to have an impact though, so has the willingness of US unions to be more flexible. This year a fair number of productions were shot back at home.

The area is on the western edge of what can be described as downtown. It's right between two very nice residential areas and is ripe for development.

Dark Helmet · Sep 3, 2006, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Subject = "Hairspray Set" in Toronto. Subject <> nastiness about anything at all, and specifically about the orientation of members or how some people are uncomfortable about any particular orientation. So sayeth the mod...

No kidding and I agree 100%.

The warped part is me mentioning my "boyfriend took a picture" is grounds enough to get Starman and what_the_heck all over me on the topic and then call me a de-railer.

Jens Peter · Sep 4, 2006, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

<snip>
The white 'brick' hides an ultra modern architect practice. The completely hid the entire house.

Off topic: What is that black cover-thing on the car? I've seen it a lot here in the US, but never in Europe... Is there a good explanation?

turtle777 · Sep 4, 2006, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by Jens Peter

Off topic: What is that black cover-thing on the car? I've seen it a lot here in the US, but never in Europe... Is there a good explanation?

Other than that American's tend to be a bit more weird than Europeans ? No, there is not.

-t

Mastrap · Sep 4, 2006, 12:15 AM

It's called a car bra and meant to protect your car from gravel chipping. Especially in the north a lot of roads are still dirt and gravel, these things protect the car's paint. You can almost guarantee that any car sporting one of these is owned by somebody who lives out in the sticks = except in winter when people put them on to protect against ice chipping.

turtle777 · Sep 4, 2006, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

It's meant to protect your car from gravel chipping. Especially in the north a lot of roads are still dirt and gravel, these things protect the car's paint.

We'd all like to believe that most people would put them on for that reason, don't we. Crappy 1990 Honda's, driven by 17 year olds, but yeah, they want to protect the paint. LOL.

-t

Mastrap · Sep 4, 2006, 12:20 AM

Here it's normally older drivers who have them on their cars. Go figure.

turtle777 · Sep 4, 2006, 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Here it's normally older drivers who have them on their cars. Go figure.

Maybe Canada is different.

I have never seen somebody older than 25 using it. And most of them had some Japanese car. Go figure.

-t

IceEnclosure · Sep 4, 2006, 03:18 AM

Mas, you and SWG live really close? SWG, why don't you invite him over to the Hideaway, have him park in the rear, and enjoy a double shot?

of espresso, dang.

Face Ache · Sep 4, 2006, 04:17 AM

Originally Posted by Jens Peter

Off topic: What is that black cover-thing on the car? I've seen it a lot here in the US, but never in Europe... Is there a good explanation?

They are masked getaway cars.

Jens Peter · Sep 4, 2006, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

It's called a car bra and meant to protect your car from gravel chipping. Especially in the north a lot of roads are still dirt and gravel, these things protect the car's paint. You can almost guarantee that any car sporting one of these is owned by somebody who lives out in the sticks = except in winter when people put them on to protect against ice chipping.

Okay, thank you for the explanation. I guess it's the same people that wraps their iPods in all kind of plastic-coating...

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

Other than that American's tend to be a bit more weird than Europeans ? No, there is not.

-t

turtle777 · Sep 4, 2006, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by Jens Peter

Okay, thank you for the explanation. I guess it's the same people that wraps their iPods in all kind of plastic-coating...

No, it's those people that wrap their Creative MP3 players in plastic coating

-t

ghporter · Sep 4, 2006, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by mastrap

Gh, Toronto has a huge film industry, partly because of the downtown core and it's similarity to major American cities. You'd be surprised how many movies that play in the US were actually shot up here. The high dollar is beginning to have an impact though, so has the willingness of US unions to be more flexible. This year a fair number of productions were shot back at home.

The area is on the western edge of what can be described as downtown. It's right between two very nice residential areas and is ripe for development.

I remember Toronto being "the" place to shoot "generic American city" settings back in the 1980s, when U.S. unions got pretty expensive and lower budget productions were anxious to still get the right look. But then they discovered Vancouver, and all I've seen lately is "Vancouver is so great and so easy and the BC government is so cooperative and there's everything from gritty city scenes to mountains and ocean and everything" kind of gushing. (You can tell it's temperate rain forest just by looking at it, and that only describes a small portion of North America, but most movie viewers don't know the geography of their back yards, so they don't care.) I hadn't heard any buzz about productions in Ontario for years.

Thanks for the location description. That's a part of Toronto I had not been to, but it looks very friendly and neighborhood-like.

Originally Posted by what_the_heck

We'd all like to believe that most people would put them on for that reason, don't we. Crappy 1990 Honda's, driven by 17 year olds, but yeah, they want to protect the paint. LOL.

-t

In the case you mention, it's a "fashion statement" much like the ground effects and skeleton spoiler said 17 year olds also like to add to their cars. Dumb? You BET! Cool looking? Ask their dates. I have never though a "work in progress" look was desireable on a car, but apparently most Honda home-customizers have a different take on this than I do.

olePigeon · Sep 4, 2006, 08:36 PM

You know those plastics and stickers on laptops that people never take off? Same thing, but with cars.

Mastrap · Sep 4, 2006, 10:12 PM

Went for a walk through the set today and took some more pictures. The attention to detail is phenomenal. It's hard to tell at times where the set starts and reality ends.

All fake, including the bread and cakes.

An entire bar in what used to be a dry cleaners and alteration shop.

Note: We are not in Baltimore

Even the parking meters are faked

Interior of a hairdressers

Perfect to the smallest details

crabsandbeer · Sep 5, 2006, 10:36 AM

Great photos! It's strange that they didn't film it in Baltimore, a number of Hollywood pictures are shot here each year and we already have the infrastructure in place.

Can't wait to see Travolta in drag.

Jawbone54 · Sep 5, 2006, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

"Hefty Hideaway". "Parking At Rear".

How come no one else noticed this and laughed?

andi*pandi · Sep 5, 2006, 03:34 PM

great pix, but I wonder why remake it at all? Are they going to remake Rocky Horror too?

Eug · Sep 5, 2006, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

I'm also curious why they chose Toronto, when it seems that Hollywood is in love with Vancouver.

? Film and TV production approaches a billion bux per year in Toronto.

Good for the economy, but it kinda p!sses me off sometimes, because those bazillion parked trailers often wreak havoc with local traffic.

ort888 · Sep 5, 2006, 03:56 PM

Why on Earth are they remaking Hairspray? Is there something wrong with the original? Will they have a CGI Divine?

mitchell_pgh · Sep 5, 2006, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by ort888

Why on Earth are they remaking Hairspray? Is there something wrong with the original? Will they have a CGI Divine?

I wonder why they remake many films. I once read that it's because they have a built in audience. Example: Dukes of Hazzard. Budget 50Mil... it nearly made that back the first week...