Inception, the new Christopher Nolan film about psychic espionage, includes a number of scenes in an extremely striking, obviously Greene & Greene home. Scenes in a hallway, dining room, kitchen and back yard show off cloud lift cabinet pulls, green ceramic mosaic tile in the kitchen, and Japanese-inspired lamps (and a front door with some very interesting stained glass inserts) that could be made by the Greenes or very talented imitators.
Does anyone know which house this is? It may be right on the Pasadena arroyo, if it is in that city, as the backyard is gently sloped down away from the back porch. I've heard much of the film was shot in and around Pasadena, so that gives a bit more weight to the idea that it's a real Greene & Greene, rather than a set.
Could have been the Lanterman house?
I’m relatively sure that it’s a Greene & Greene. I checked Inception’s page on IMDB and, unfortunately, the name of the house isn’t mentioned. I don’t think it’s the Gamble House, but it may be the Robert R. Blacker House (I believe other movies have been filmed in it before); however, I wasn’t able to find interior pictures of the home online that could confirm this.
it’s definitely not the Gamble, which I’m quite familiar with; I haven’t seen the interior of the Lanterman or Blacker, so it could be one of those.
What about the Thorsen House?
The guys over on the G&G Yahoo group are saying it’s the Freeman Ford house in Pasadena.
Yes, it is the Freeman Ford House in Pasadena. I believe filming happened shortly after the 2009 Craftman Weekend.
Saw the movie yesterday.
My immediate and far-from-expert thought was that it was Frank Lloyd Wright house (Hollyhock House?) In the background of one of the house scenes you can see what appears to be a model or drawing of Wright’s design for a mile-high skyscraper, “The Illinois.”
Was I dreaming? Give me the kick!
I too did some ‘research’ when I got home from the film and after erroneously speculating that it was the Gamble House–thought maybe the upper residential areas which were off limits on the tour I took back in ’07. From one of the G&G books on my shelf I found the plan of the Ford house, with it’s long hall leading from the living room and the adjacent porch. We actually toured the home–privately owned–but were not able to walk down the hall, which led to the bedroom ‘wing’. Wonderful to see such a beautiful home featured in an equally stunning film.
I’m sure neither the Gamble House nor the owners of the Blacker house would allow the disruption and potential damage that making a movie entails. I’ve been in both homes a few times, and modeled the staircase in my Greene and Greene inspired bungalow after the one in the Blacker House. Well, guess what my next netflicks order will be…
It’s the Freeman-Ford house by Greene & Greene.
I decorated the film….
Larry, I have a question for you regarding the set decoration in the Freeman-Ford house in Inception. Can you please shoot me an email at briansbills ( at ) gmail.com? Thanks!