Fans of the horror movie franchise ‘Halloween‘ should instantly recognize the Halloween movie house. In recent years, it has had a change in appearance and, believe it or not, a change in location (we will go into more detail on that later). However, it still looks recognizable almost fifty years on, as you’ll see later in the article.
The Halloween movie house was the house where Michael Myers lived with his family in the original Halloween movie (1978). It’s also where he began his killing spree, starting with his sister in the family bathroom…
The History Of The Halloween Movie House
The Michael Myers house, or ‘Halloween movie house’ as it is often known, was originally built in 1888. The property was located at 709 Meridian Avenue in South Pasadena, California. However, the house was later moved…
When John Carpenter was looking for filming locations for the Halloween movie house, he came across the property at 709 Meridian Avenue, which was already abandoned and left rotting. While they wanted the house to look spooky, it couldn’t look abandoned, as this was supposed to be the Myers family home, so the production team got to work.
They began fixing up the inside and outside of the property, as both the interior and exterior were to be used in the movie. This included floorboards, lighting, and all the typical stuff a fixer-upper would require. Then they whitewashed the exterior, rather than paint it in fresh white paint, to make it look like it still needed a coat of paint.
The Michael Myers House In The Movie
Anyone who has seen the original Halloween movie will know that Michael Myers killed his first victim at this house. Stabbing to death his sister Judith in the bathroom on Halloween night when he was just six years old.
After the incident, Michael was sent away to Smith’s Grove Sanitarium, where he remained for 15 years before escaping and returning to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. While the movie was set in Haddonfield, Illinois, it wasn’t filmed there. All filming took place in locations around Los Angeles.
The Halloween House After The Movie
After filming at the property ended in 1978, the house at 709 Meridian Avenue was abandoned again. It was then set to be demolished in 1987, along with many other nearby properties. However, it was saved by a South Pasadena council member, David Margrave, who purchased the property for next to nothing.
As part of his deal when buying the house, it had to be immediately removed so redevelopment of the area could take place. David had the house moved from 709 Meridian Avenue to where it is now, 1000 Mission Street, just 160 yards down the road. The property now sits next to a railway track opposite some commercial buildings.
In the years since the house was moved to Mission Street, the property has been transformed into an office building known as ‘Century House.’ It houses offices for four different companies, and while you can’t just walk in and have a look, apparently, the office workers are happy for fans to come and sit on the steps and take photos.
One of the commercial buildings that the house now sits opposite is an Indian restaurant. However, in 1978, at the time of filming Halloween, it was a hardware store. This was the same store where Michael Myers found his mask in the movie.
Below is a photo of the staircase as it looked in the movie and how it looks today, over four decades later.
Other Houses From The Halloween Movie
Those who have watched the original Halloween movie will know that the Michael Myers house is not the only Halloween movie house worth mentioning.
Laurie Strode’s house, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, also gets a fair bit of screen time. Her house is also located in South Pasadena, at 1115 Oxley Street. Unlike the Michael Myers house, this property has not moved and still looks much like it did in the movie, despite its color change.
The Doyle house, where Laurie ends up in a grueling battle with Micahel Myers at the end of the movie, was built in 1920. It is located on Orange Grove Avenue in Hollywood.
Much like the Strode house, it still looks very recognizable today. Some would even argue this is the true Halloween movie house, as it is where the finale occurs.
If you like the Halloween movie house, check out the Paranormal Activity house and the A Nightmare On Elm Street house, two other iconic horror movie houses.