Movies can transport viewers to completely different worlds, but sometimes they limit their scope to just a few settings or locations throughout the world. A smaller number of films take it one step further, only filming the entire movie in one location. While some filmmakers find it a limitation, others are attracted to the challenge of telling a worthwhile, cohesive story in a single setting. Below are six movies filmed in a single location, testing the abilities of both the filmmaker and the actors.
6. Coherence (2013)
Starting our list of movies filmed in a single location is Coherence. A slightly underrated sci-fi film, the film focuses on a group of friends who gather for a dinner party. On the same night, a mysterious comet passes by, unleashing a series of bizarre events. The film takes place over one night, set entirely in one house, and a lot of the film was even improvised by the cast. It’s a fun film to dive into the weird side of sci-fi.
5. The Whale (2022)
Fifth on our list of movies filmed in a single location is The Whale. Brendan Fraser’s comeback film, the film centers around him as Charlie, a morbidly obese and reclusive English professor who wants to mend the relationship between him and his daughter. The film is based on a stage play, so the director kept the intimate nature of the production by setting the film completely in Charlie’s cramped apartment. Fraser went on to win the Oscar for Best Actor for his role.
4. Locke (2013)
Next on our list of movies filmed in a single location is Locke. While the film technically takes place in many locations since it’s during a real-time car trip as a man drives back to London, the camera is confined to one car. The locations outside are just a group of glittering lights, making it seem as if Locke is in a different world completely. Since there’s only one man in the car, played by Tom Hardy, his facial expressions and lines truly carry the film.
3. Frozen (2010)
Rounding out the top three movies filmed in a single location is Frozen, but not the Disney animated film. It centers around three friends who head up a mountain for a night of skiing. As they ride the chairlift for their last run, the lights go off and the lift powers down. The employees have gone home for the weekend, leaving the three stranded, two stories above the hard ground. For the rest of the film, viewers are stuck on the chairlift with them, creating a truly horrifying ambiance, especially as a storm rolls in.
2. Buried (2010)
Second on our list of movies filmed in a single location is Buried. While a car may seem like a small place to film an entire movie, this one takes it one step further, with the whole film being inside a coffin. Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is a U.S. truck driver working in Iraq who gets buried alive after his convoy is attacked. With just a lighter, a pen, and a cellphone, Conroy must figure out an escape plan before his time runs out.
1. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Last but not least on our list of movies filmed in a single location is 12 Angry Men. The film centers on twelve angry men, or jurors, who are deliberating the guilt of a teenager charged with murder. While there are a few quick peeks at the main courtroom itself, the majority of the film takes place in a deliberation room. The film does so well due to the script and the actors’ performances, creating an unbelievable amount of tension.