Philadelphia Locations Stand Out in New Liam Hemsworth Film ‘Paranoia’

Gary
L to R: Gary Oldman, Liam Hemsworth and Harrison Ford in Paranoia
By A.D. AMOROSI

Last night in Philadelphia, the local crew and cast of Paranoia gathered at the Ritz 5 in Old City for a private screening of the film they worked on throughout summer and late autumn of 2012. The Robert Luketic-directed film, adapted from Joseph Finder’s novel of the same name, stars Liam Hemsworth, Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman and Amber Heard; a partial listing of Paranoia's filming locations in Philadelphia is detailed below.  Paranoia opens in theaters nationwide today, Friday, August 16.

I was happy to have been welcome at last night’s private screening of Paranoia. The local cast and crew of the film along with several of the chiefs from the Greater Philadelphia Film Office (GPFO) could be heard talking about Paranoia’s locations, as well as previously shot-in-Philly films using grand buildings throughout the city (one conversation that questioned which movie used DelFrisco’s as a train station never got an answer). Sharon Pinkenson, the Exec Director of the GPFO wasn’t at the Philly screening. She told me the other day that she had been to Paranoia’s premier in Los Angeles and thought the film was great.

Director's chair at Paranoia location in Philly
Though Paranoia is set in Manhattan and Brooklyn, many of the locations Luketic used will be familiar to people who live in or are familiar with Philadelphia. My wife Glamorosi and I covered the Paranoia shoot extensively last year (including some scenes filmed right outside of our front door), and during the screening last night I recognized the following locations (to see all of our Paranoia coverage including photos and gossip from on and off set, click here).

  • The opening scene of Paranoia with Hemsworth running down an alley takes place on Moravian Street (alongside Sofitel and Hotel Palomar).
  • Hemsworth & Co. can be seen running past Philly landmarks such as Domenick’s Men’s Hairstyling (267 S 20th Street) and through the lobby of the Four Seasons (One Logan Square).
  • The façade of Gary Oldman’s character’s company, Wyatt Inc., is the Comcast Building (1701 JFK Boulevard); its inside offices appear to be shot at the Kimmel Center, based on its view of Broad Street.
  • Club Riz (pronounced “rise”) looks like the former home of Stephen Starr's Tangerine building in Old City (232 Market Street), but then again Luketic also filmed bar and party scenes at Rogue’s Gallery (11 S 21st Street), the Philadelphia Bank Building (421 Chestnut Street) and a private home at 8th and Lombard.
  • Lucas Till, Josh Holloway and Hemsworth can be seen inside and outside of the El Bar (1356 N Front Street).
  • Harrison Ford’s Eikon corporate headquarters uses Lowe’s Hotel on Market Street.
  • Holloway and Ford can be seen locking horns in front of the old Second Story disco (1200 Walnut Street).
  • Josh Holloway stalks Hemsworth in the subway concourse on Broad Street.
  • The house that Hemsworth’s character shares with his movie father, Richard Dreyfuss, displays South Philly’s 5th & Morris in all its blue collar glory.

Paranoia film still ©Relativity Media 2012
Location photo ©Glamorosi 2012

Posted on Friday, August 16, 2013