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A house. A school. A boat. There are many places where movies can take place. And whilst most movies take place over multiple locations, some of the best are able to tell an engaging story using just a single location.
When most people think about films that take place in a single location, it’s likely that they think about tales of murder mystery and horror. But this is not all that exists. There are in fact a wide range of movies that, for the most part, take place in a single location. And, for some, this simple part goes a long way to crafting a great cinematic story.
The Breakfast Club (1985) - A High School Library
An athlete, a brain, a rebel, a princess and a basketcase, all forced together into a high school library for Saturday detention. Not only does this classic John Hughes film take place exclusively at a high school, it also takes place over the course of one day.
While there are numerous films that centre around teenagers and the high school experience, where this film excels is by focusing on a small group of unrelated teenagers brought together by circumstance. All have flaws and struggles that teenagers deal with. And all are from different social groups that wouldn’t normally interact. Therefore, by taking them out of their comfort zone and forcing them together, the resulting tensions and hostilities lead to confrontations with each other and themselves.
Exam (2009) - An Exam Room
A lesser known release of the 2000s, this psychological thriller opens with eight job candidates brought together in a room together for an exam that could result in a lucrative position. But only for one of them. They are given a piece of paper and 80 minutes. So when the timer starts, and they turn over their exam papers to find them blank, drama ensues.
Most obvious element that makes this film so compelling is the literal timer proceedings. It creates instant tension that grows slowly into pandemonium as the characters, perhaps like the audience, become more and more desperate to figure out what is taking place. This is compounded by the fact that the audience doesn’t know where or when the events of the film are taking place, which is intriguing enough to keep interest throughout.
Lifeboat (1944) - A Lifeboat
This 1944 classic from Alfred Hitchcock tells the story of a group of individuals stranded at sea when a German and a US ship both sink following a confrontation. Though the majority of those present are British and American, the presence of a German soldier leads to tension as the group work together to preserve rations and get to safety.
Perhaps not quite as known as Hitchcock’s one location film, the experimental thriller Rope, this film deserves just as much praise. Apart from the controversial inclusion of a German character, the use of a lifeboat as a setting turns the expanse of the sea into a watery prison (a possible fate) for the characters. What results is a film filled with tension from its opening moments as the ocean looms large, the threat of being thrown overboard a death sentence
Buried (2010)- A Wooden Coffin
Featuring a supurb performance by Ryan Reynolds, this 2010 film takes place in the tightest of spaces, a wooden coffin buried somewhere in the Iraq desert. Inside, American civilian Paul Conroy wakes to discover he has been taken by terrorists for ransom, with only a lighter, a pen and a cell phone to help him secure his survival.
Claustrophobia is the name of the game with this simple yet brilliantly executed film. As Reynolds’ character, Paul, is the only character ever seen on screen its through him that the film creates a sense of suffocating desperation. And as the darkness of the coffin mirrors that of the cinema, the audience can also feel the same separation from the outside world, and any hope of rescue.
12 Angry Men (1957) - A Jury Room
Released in 1957, 12 Angry Men centers on 12 jurors who must decide the fate of a young man on trial for killing his father. Needing a unanimous vote in order to leave, the jury room becomes more and more heated and the jurors try to reach a verdict.
This classic film is very much a character study. Every character is named only by their juror number, with only snippets of background information given. It's the clashing of personalities and ideals that make for an absorbing narrative. In the end, this film is an excellent example glimpse at the complexities of the justice system and unconscious assumptions made by all.
Snowpiercer - A Futuristic Train
A 2013 film based on a French graphic novel, the setting here is onboard an ever moving train in a dystopian future where the world has frozen over as the result of human interference with the atmosphere. The narrative follows a group of civilians led by Chris Evans’ Curtis who leads a revolt against the elite front carriage residents by those living in the slums at the rear.
This film is memorable not just for its well unique concept but also for the way it deals with issues of class and climate change. Both are themes that could seem heavy handed if presented the wrong way but here there is a good balance between message and the action of the narrative. Additionally, the characters on both sides of the revolt are well written with even the villains being allowed to be realistic and well-rounded.
Lord of the Flies (1963) - A Desert Island
Based on a novel by the same name, this 1963 film focuses on a group of schoolboys who are marooned on a desert island following a plane crash. As the boys try to figure out how to survive until help arrives, personality clashes evolve into tribal wars and violence.
Maybe more recognized by modern audiences for the parody in The Simpsons, this classic film is a brilliant portrayal of the potential human nature freed from the constructs of society. Though the boys try to establish a more civilized society at first, survival of the fittest prevails. Brilliantly shot and acted by the young cast, this film tells a familiar tale but maybe a disturbingly familiar one even in today's world.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) - An Underground Bunker
The stand-alone script turned sequel, this 2016 thriller is vastly different to its found footage predecessor. Shot in the traditional way, this film swaps city streets for a mysterious bunker where Mary Elizabeth Winstead's Michelle awakens to be told she has been saved from an alien invasion by John Goodman's Howard. Along with fellow rescue Emmett, Michelle begins to suspect that perhaps the domineering Howard is not the savior he claims to be.
It's precisely the differences from the original Cloverfield that make this film such a good one. The single location and minimal characters allows for a film focused more on suspense and suspicion than action. Additionally, despite being a sequel, the film still manages to sincerely create doubt whether the alien invasion is actually taking place as Howard insists it is, which adds to the tension in every character interaction.
Panic Room (2002) - A New York Brownstone
Written by David Koepp and directed by David FIncher, this 2002 film takes place almost entirely in a New York City brownstone. Inside, a mother and daughter lock themselves in their panic room after burglars break in looking for bearer bonds hidden by the houses previous owner.
Brilliantly shot and well paced, this film central cat-and-mouse game fully takes advantage of the space (or lack thereof) on offer. The central 'panic room' is central to the plot as the burglars try and coax the women out and the daughter suffers a diabetic seizure and requires medication.
It’s A Disaster (2012)- A Suburban House
This 2012 black comedy sees four couples come together in a suburban house for a regular brunch. While awaiting the arrival of a fifth couple a major disaster strikes the US when dirty bombs are dropped on major cities. The group try to band together and survive the fallout, which is made difficult by the strains in the friend group and the secrets people have been hiding.
Though it went mostly under the radar upon its release, this film does manage to tell a compelling character driven that is unique to most single location films. It's use of humor is refreshing, as is the juxtaposition of suburban mundanity with a possible society ending event.