The Taking of Pelham 123 directed by Tony Scott is an action thriller that revolves around the hijacking of a subway car in New York City by a group of 4 armed criminals. The hijackers hold 18 passengers hostage and demand a $10 million ransom to be delivered within the next hour. Every minute of delay would result in the execution of one passenger. Their leader Ryder (John Travolta) communicates with narrator Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) throughout the incident, and their exchange is the driving force of the film.
Based on the novel of the same name by John Godey, the 2009 film is a remake of the 1974 film that serves as a sleeker, more modern version of the latter’s portrayal of New York. It includes a technologically advanced MTA control room with live surveillance systems and autonomous machines. Much of the film moves back and forth between the enclosed spaces of the control room and the carriage, leaving many wondering if the Taking of Pelham 123 film was shot on location.
Where Was The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Movie Filmed?
“The Taking of Pelham 123” was filmed extensively in New York state in the northeastern part of the country, especially in New York, where the story actually takes place. A small portion of the film was also shot in the province of Ontario on the Great White North. Filming reportedly began in February or March 2008 and ended in June of that year.
Although the remake includes a high-tech control room, the metro’s aura has transcended the passage of time, making it a sort of temporal gateway to an earlier era. The dynamism of New York City, with its busy streets, busy subways, and eccentric bridges, makes it a living character in its own right. The restless atmosphere makes it the perfect thematic background.
New York
Most of The Taking of Pelham 123 was filmed in New York, New York. An actual subway tunnel near Court Street Station, which is no longer in use, served as one of the prominent filming locations. Located on the Fulton Line, Downtown Brooklyn, it now functions as the underground New York Transit Museum. The wagons used in the film are clearly not the ones actually used today.
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The actual transport authority insisted that the subway experience be painted as clean as possible, as a countermeasure against the negative press surrounding it and as an appeal to potential commuters.
The authorities have given permission for the production team to use the real subway tunnels, as long as the graffiti adorning the walls is not included in the film. The director was aware of the amused reactions of New Yorkers when they saw a pristine version of the subway in the film, but he had no choice but to oblige the MTA.
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The Waldorf Astoria Hotel between East 49th and 50th Streets at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan was one of the few other locations in the film. Ryder is expected to escape from the abandoned tunnel under the hotel after releasing the hostages.
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The final scenes of The Taking of Pelham 123 film were shot on the famous Manhattan Bridge, which has appeared in several films such as King Kong, Ghostbusters, The Lonely Man, and others. The film shoots its final scenes on the lower level of the suspension bridge, which is built over the East River and connects Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn with subway tracks and a sidewalk.
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