Roadhouse is a 1989 American action film directed by Rowdy Herrington and starring Patrick Swayze, Sam Elliott, and Kelly Lynch. It tells the story of Dalton (Swayze), a bouncer with a reputation for being able to control any bar fight who is hired to clean up the Double Deuce, an infamous nightclub in Jasper, Missouri.
For many movie buffs and fans of Roadhouse alike, there has always been one burning question on their minds – where was the movie Road House filmed?
The answer is not as easy or straightforward as you might think. While much of the film takes place at The Double Deuce night club in Jasper Missouri – most of it was actually shot in California.
The film’s opening sequence features footage filmed in Arizona’s Monument Valley Navajo Indian Reservation where we see Swayze riding along his Harley Davidson motorcycle across picturesque canyons accompanied by that famous ambient guitar riff from Jeff Healey Band’s “I’m Tore Down.”
However, beyond that point all scenes were done elsewhere.
Most parts of The Double Deuce nightclub exterior shots were actually filmed at a location called Club 22 Ranch which sits nestled deep inland within California’s Kern County region.
Another Kern County location used for filming included Red Rock Canyon State Park – situated some distance north-west from Club 22 Ranch – which provided stunning backdrops during shooting of several major desert scenes featuring both Swayze and Elliot.
One crucial element missing however was the iconic swinging “double doors” entrance shown hundreds’ times throughout the movie. That scene turns out it wasn’t even located within Club 22 ranch: but instead just built solely as part an elaborate set-piece constructed exclusively for “Roadhouse”, closeby Studio City Studios located at Laurel Canyon Boulevard about two hours’ drive time South-West down Los Angeles freeway network from those rural Californian settings previously described.
Studio City Studios also acted as key site-host providing interior backdrops for both The Double Deuce and various local Jasper haunts shots.
Meanwhile, most of the exteriors and driving scenes depicted within Jasper town limits were filmed in nearby Ontario California’s downtown core just south from the legendary Route 66.
Some important locations that can be easily matched with real-hand experience includes the movie’s Main Street scenes featuring iconic sites like Hotel Braymore, timelessly-presented streetlight fixtures along a stretch of historic neon signs still standing at same location known as Euclid Avenue famed throughout San Bernardino County largely due to influential promotions commissioned by Chamber Commerce dating back over decades; recognizable modernist structure now home to City Hall plus part of the Downtown Historic District which has numerous buildings dates back well into late-19th-century while also moseying up close for route signpost celebrating famous Hollywood-born Western star Roy Rogers stationed next-to Pinal Villa apartments.
Finally some filming took place in Long Beach’s Pine Avenue Gallery area where several scenes shot cityscape establishment shots focused on setting stage for Roadhouses showdown between Dalton and notorious kingpin clubs named Mr Wesley (Ben Gazzara) – who constantly had been pressuring other smaller business entrepreneurs trading within club district area some distance away from Jasper (Ontario).
So altogether there were a number of diverse filming locations scattered across California State landscape deployed during production process key to bringing vibrant context any successful commercial motion picture those days required- definitely making “Roadhouse” no exception.
Roadhouse is a classic 1989 American action movie directed by Rowdy Herrington, starring Patrick Swayze as the protagonist Dalton, Sam Elliott, and Kelly Lynch. The film tells the story of Dalton who is hired to take control of Double Deuce, a notorious nightclub located in Jasper Missouri. However, one burning question that many fans have is where was the Road House filmed?
Well, it turns out that most parts of the filming were done in California despite being set entirely in Jasper Missouri. The opening sequence features footage filmed at Arizona’s Monument Valley Navajo Indian Reservation with breathtaking sceneries showcasing Swayze riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle against picturesque canyons accompanied by Jeff Healey Band’s iconic ambient guitar riff “I’m Tore Down.”
After this scene, we are transported to Club 22 Ranch deep inland within California’s Kern County region for most of The Double Deuce exterior shots scenes. This location provided an ideal setting for those wide-angle camera shots capturing detailed images giving us a sense of reality towards everything happening on screen.
The bouncers’ quarters and VIP rooms inside Double Deuce were all built using sets prepared at Studio City Studios situated two hours’ away from those countryside Krauts previously described along Laurel Canyon Boulevard.
Various desert scenes featuring both Swayze and Elliot were shot at Red Rock Canyon State Park – another Kern County location with stunning backdrops unique to this area during production phases.
One memorable element missing though was the swinging “double doors” entrance continually shown throughout Roadhouse; however not part of any existing ranch structures! These grand patio-like markers eventually turned out constructed separately standing alone just as part an elaborate set-piece created mainly for aesthetic purposes depicted only during specific plot points strategically placed between interior sequences depicting club life within Double Deuce used repeatedly throughout film up until its dramatic conclusion.
Meanwhile, Ontario California’s downtown core just south from Route 66 furnished backdrop for most exteriors within Jasper itself, where several walking and driving shots filmed as well that helped add to much of the set’s realism.
One location principle was an area referred to as Main Street featured various iconic sites like Hotel Braymore, timelessly-presented streetlight fixtures running several blocks along historic neon signs still located at same Euclid Avenue. This place has been famed throughout San Bernardino County largely due to extensive promotions commissioned by Chamber Commerce dating back decades and now moseying up close for route signpost celebrating famous Western star Roy Rogers stationed next-to Pinal Villa apartments.
Lastly, some filming took place in Long Beach’s Pine Avenue Gallery area; here camera crew staged establishing shots of cityscapes used essentially only in Roadhouse’ finale scenes featuring Dalton’s showdown with Mr Wesley (Ben Gazzara), allowing moviegoers’ imaginations free-flowing thoughts on what happens if both parties ultimately go head-to-head against one another!
In conclusion, “Roadhouse” utilized a diverse range of filming locations scatteredin different parts across the California state landscape, bringing vibrant contexts that perfectly fit into any successful commercial motion picture catering to audiences’ appetites and expectations for such movies during its era.