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Most of us have probably at some point wanted to explore the universe we’ve seen in a movie or TV show in real life. Sometimes it seems as if characters live in parallel realities and those movie locations don't exist in our world. Of course, with the help of special effects and editing, some locations look nothing like those in actual life. However, the places that do still seem magical when one sees them with their own eyes. 

Let us introduce you to Paul Slattery (or Paul S.), the man that revealed what houses, buildings, parks, and streets in popular movies and TV shows look like in real life today. He satisfies the curiosity of all movie fans by making incredible compilations of film locations then and now.

If you wonder where each picture was taken, the addresses for every single location are listed on Paul's website.

More info: Instagram | thennowmovielocations.com | Facebook

Bored Panda contacted Paul to learn more about this hobby of his. Paul introduced himself as a big movie nerd and it's impossible not to notice it looking at these comparison pictures. The man revealed that ever since he was a young child, he has loved movies and horror movies in particular.

"I always thought how fascinating it would be if I could ever visit where they happened, the exact places I've seen on the television screen countless times. So in 2001, when I was driving from Kentucky to California, I decided to take a detour while driving through Texas and track down a location from one of my favorite films, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It turned out to be an experience I'll never forget and well worth the 200-mile detour. It was around 2009 that I started visiting movie locations more frequently. As for the 'Now' images, they're all my own. I've personally traveled to every one of the locations I've posted a comparison photo to. I'd say I've visited well over 1000 locations."

#3

Home Alone

Home Alone

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nathaniel avatar
Nathaniel
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Watching American movies how many of you thought that the average American family had houses like this?

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Paul continued, "I launched my website in 2011 but with new social media platforms constantly becoming available, you're always looking for new ways to present what you do to more people who may have the same interests. My friend Gina actually suggested that I should start an Instagram account and she helped me kickstart it."

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#5

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series

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Otter
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've been there! Several times! It's an easy drive from the LA Basin, and every nerd who finds themselves in the area should drop by some time. And it's really an awesome place, you can climb on the rocks, look for desert wildflowers, just take pics, or do some serious cosplay. Seriously, the last time I was there, there were people in superhero cosplay outfits up on the rocks.

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Rissie
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not just the Original Series, not just Star Trek. These rocks have been used in so many films.

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jk nbt
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is the Vasquez rocks in the CA desert, https://www.google.com/search?q=vasquez+rocks&tbm=isch&hl=en&chips=q:vasquez+rocks,g_1:star+trek:dWS0g-RY_do%3D&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiE3ZLQjIf2AhU0lGoFHeniBeUQ4lYoAHoECAEQGw&biw=1343&bih=663

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Tiggy Darling
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The alien/lizzard thing called Gorn was played by Ted Cassidy, better known as Lurch from the Adams Family.

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Stefan van der Klooster
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lurch was played by Carel Struyken, a Dutch actor, made famous as The Giant in Twin Peaks

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Nikki Sevven
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This episode was based on a brilliant short story called "Arena" written in 1944 by American author Fredric Brown. The volume in which I read it is entitled "The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929–1964," edited by Robert Silverberg, and I highly recommend it. Every single story is fantastic. As a bonus, it also contains "Mimsy Were the Borogroves" by Lewis Padgett, on which the movie "The Last Mimsy" was based.

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Orkel
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2 years ago

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Paul Hershey
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a view of Vasquez Rocks State Park located about 60 miles N of Los Angeles off of Hwy 14, which runs NE from the I-5 Freeway near Santa Clarita, California. A very well known location locally. Nice visitors center...I believe they sell replica Gorn masks there. Also shown in the comedy classic: PAUL. (A personal favorite of mine...lol)

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Jody Whitmarsh
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Vasquez Rocks just north of Los Angeles. Cool place to hike astound

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Paul started visiting movie locations because they were something that had always intrigued him. "How neat would it be to stand in the exact same spot of one of your favorite scenes from one of your favorite movies you'd seen on the screen countless times? And since I couldn't be there when it was shot, I figured this was the next best thing."

When Paul started documenting the locations he visited on his website, it was primarily for the purpose to store them and be able to look back at them, similar to a scrapbook. The man never started posting with the intent of becoming famous or gaining mass recognition. "Almost everyone collects something, whether it be baseball cards, comic books, vinyl records, etc. I collect movie locations and for me, it's all about the memories. Since it's not a physical possession, documenting all of the locations I've visited and looking back at them whenever I feel the need allows me to instantly remember that particular moment in time when I was there and the experience I had. I like to say that I collect memories, not things."

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#6

Back To The Future

Back To The Future

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They say you never forget your first and for Paul, the most memorable place he visited was the primary location from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) where the majority of the film was shot, in Round Rock, Texas.

"To this day it's still my favorite location I've visited, for a multitude of reasons. It being one of my favorite movies was certainly a huge factor. But also the fact that I visited it in 2001 (only a couple of years after the house had been moved) and the area was still very similar to how it was seen in the film. At the time, there still weren't many online sources showing where movies or television shows were filmed."

#8

Back To The Future

Back To The Future

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#11

Cast Away

Cast Away

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Kookamunga
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish Paul S. would of let us know the general location of these. The Castaway crossroads above are in Canadian, TX

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#12

The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air

The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air

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Kookamunga
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Roberto Clemente Playground at 1800 Wallace Street, in North Philadelphia, not West!

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#18

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

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#20

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey

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#30

Cat's Eye

Cat's Eye

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Note: this post originally had 76 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

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