“What’s your favorite scary movie?” For countless horror fans (including this writer), the answer to that question is “Scream,” the 1996 meta feature from slasher king Wes Craven and then newbie screenwriter Kevin Williamson. As summed up in Entertainment Weekly’s “The Ultimate Guide to ‘Scream,’” at the time of its release “the Hollywood slasher film was as dead as a promiscuous camp counselor on the eve of Friday the 13th” thanks to “a dozen or so years of countless sequels, increasingly formulaic premises and onscreen violence that had grown more and more tedious with each new offering.” A true game-changer, “Scream’s” satirically witty script and self-aware characters resurrected the genre, officially turning horror cinema on its head while poking endless fun at it along the way.
Thoroughly embraced by audiences, the film’s unexpected popularity paved the way for a slew of sequels (four to be exact, with a fifth to be released in 2023), which have grossed over $740 million worldwide, thereby cementing the franchise’s status as a veritable horror juggernaut.
Originally envisioned as a trilogy, “Scream’s” third installment was released in 2000 and seemingly wrapped up the gory storyline of resilient Woodsboro resident Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her bloody battles with Ghostface – until “Scream 4” was released a decade later, that is. Currently streaming on Paramount+, the tertiary flick sees our heroine facing off against the masked knife-wielding killer yet again, this time in Hollywood, where “Stab 3,” the film-within-the-film, is being lensed.
Showcasing the City of Angels in all of its glory, the production makes use of several famed area locales, including West Hollywood’s historic Harper House, which portrays the apartment complex where Cotton Weary (Liev Schreiber) is murdered in the harrowing opening sequence. The American Cement Building pops us as the high-rise office of horror movie producer John Milton (Lance Henriksen), complete with a diving board propped several stories above the adjacent MacArthur Park Lake. And standing in for the fictional Sunrise Studios is Radford Studio Center, a production facility in Studio City that has served as a home to everything from “Seinfeld” to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” throughout its nearly 100-year history.
-
Image Credit: Dimension Films -
billkennedyphoto.com
Image Credit: Elsewhere California The rural cabin Sidney and her golden retriever, Cherokee, call home is a definite standout, though! Purported to be near the Central California coast in Monterey, the dwelling can actually be found at the end of a private road in the heart of Topanga, just a few miles north of Malibu. As Craven said of the property in the film’s DVD commentary, “This was way up in the hills. It was quite a schlep for the Teamsters to get everything up there, but it was a great location.” Truly! Surrounded by vast acreage and dusty roadways, the dwelling proved both perfectly secluded, allowing Sidney a place to securely retreat from the torment of her past, and supremely isolated, leaving her thoroughly vulnerable to the many killers long out to get her.
And now fans have the chance to experience the place in person! In real life, Sid’s cabin is part of a sprawling three-parcel, 30-acre, multi-home compound that currently serves as a vacation rental and special events venue, offering all those hoping to walk in a Scream Queen’s footsteps the exclusive opportunity to do so!
Formerly known as Windwalk Ranch, the property was owned by “Silver Spoons” actor Ricky Schroder and his then-wife Andrea from 2005 through 2019, at which point it changed hands in an off-market deal for $9.3 million, per the Los Angeles Times. The complex was then exquisitely rehabbed and rebranded by Elsewhere California as The Estate, a chicly rural compound of seven unique spaces, each available for special events, short and long-term stays, filming and photo shoots.
The venues, each seemingly more striking than the last, include a main residence, a barn, a guest house and several carriages, all set amidst meandering trails, flowering gardens, a large riding ring for horses and a smattering of one-hundred-year-old oak trees.
-
Image Credit: Elsewhere California The structure used as Sidney’s residence in “Scream 3” is known as The Gate House and, in real life, there’s nothing scary or macabre about it aside from its cinematic history! Boasting gem tones and a distinctly bohemian/Old Hollywood glam vibe (one that is, ironically, very reminiscent of the Canfield-Moreno Estate, which also had a starring role in “Scream 3”), the cabin comprises two bedrooms and one large bath in 1,053 square feet. Rates on Airbnb start at around $600 a night for groups of up to six guests. Though not exactly bargain accommodations, you truly get what you pay for here!
-
billkennedyphoto.com
Image Credit: Elsewhere California The quaint but luxe digs feature a living room, a dining area, a peak-roofed loft and a fully-stocked kitchen complete with a farmhouse sink, a professional range, an espresso machine and a stainless steel appliance suite with an oversized two-door fridge.
Outfitted with richly-hued vintage furnishings and handsomely sleek fixtures, The Gate House makes for a dreamy mountain retreat, affording guests all the modern comforts of home (and then some!) as well as tranquil seclusion from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, despite being situated minutes from Topanga Canyon’s charming shops and restaurants. (Fun fact – the dwelling is also just five miles south of Calabasas High School, which not only appeared as Rockbridge High in John Carpenter’s 1983 supernatural horror classic “Christine,” but just so happens to be the alma mater of former owner Ricky Schroder!)
Additionally, the property includes an onsite washer/dryer and high-speed WiFi for those who are unable (or unwilling) to fully unplug during their stay.
-
Image Credit: Elsewhere California Outside, you’ll find two massive decks – the front stocked with chaise lounges, a fire pit, a dining area, a BBQ, a shower and a cedar soaking tub offering seating for six and outstanding views of the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains. The secondary terrace wraps around the rear of the home and is equipped with rocking chairs, a seating area and access to the main bedroom.
It is on the main deck that Deputy Dewey Riley (David Arquette) very sweetly proposes to Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) at the end of “Scream 3.”
-
billkennedyphoto.com
Image Credit: Elsewhere California The Gate House currently boasts over 200 reviews on Airbnb, all of them glowing, with various guests deeming it a “seriously magical property,” “a beautiful little slice of nature that makes you feel like you’re very far from L.A.,” and “everything I would hope every Airbnb would be.” Shockingly though, no vacationers seem to have recognized the place from its big-screen cameo!
-
Image Credit: Dimension Films -
Image Credit: Elsewhere California The pad is featured several times throughout “Scream 3,” most notably in the closing scene in which Sidney, confident that Ghostface has been killed once and for all (until the next installment, of course), finally feels comfortable leaving her front door standing open. The moment is a poignant one. As Craven expresses in the film’s DVD commentary, “We all felt very much Sidney had earned the right to have the doors open.”
As evidenced above, the place exuded a far more rustic aesthetic at the time of the shoot and, thanks to the recent remodel, looks considerably different today.
-
Image Credit: Dimension Films -
Image Credit: Elsewhere California But “Scream” aficionados will be delighted to note that the barn doors, brick wall covering and bay windows visible in the movie, as well as the home’s general layout, remain intact and thoroughly recognizable today! I suspect it’s only a matter of time before uber-fans are clamoring to book a stay – especially during the spooky season!
Those looking for larger or smaller accommodations have a slew of other options to choose from on the property, from the Red Carriage, a cozy and exquisitely-decorated 10-foot “gypsy wagon” featuring a full-sized bed and outdoor kitchen, to The Villa, an expansive three-bedroom, six-bath estate furnished with two fireplaces, a library and multiple patios and balconies.
-
Image Credit: Dimension Films -
Image Credit: Elsewhere California Guests should be forewarned that they may encounter surprise visitors during their stay, though! Thankfully, the unexpected callers are nowhere near as scary as Ghostface or the specter of Maureen Prescott. As noted (and pictured) on the Elsewhere California website, “You’ll most likely be greeted by deer upon arrival!”