Filmed in Flatbush: Wanted

I got really excited last winter when I saw signs that said the Angelina Jolie movie "Wanted" was taking over my block. How would they use Beverley and Ocean? Some sort of inner city scene? Or maybe a shootout between Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy at St. Marks Methodist church? Not exactly. My street was used for the catering trucks. The real action went down a few blocks west at Albemarle and Argyle.

1306 Albemarle Road, which loyal FV readers know as "the Gossip Girl house," was used as the childhood home of Angelina Jolie's character, Fox, in a quick flashback scene. Although it didn't get a lot of action in the film, the house was still mentioned in a Times article about renting out houses for TV and film shoots:

“You definitely have to get your nervous system ready for it,” said Susan Cleary, who owns a 10-bedroom house in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, that last year earned $30,000 and can now be seen in the Angelina Jolie movie “Wanted.”

Ms. Cleary said she was a little unnerved when she learned that for a Thanksgiving dinner scene, a character would be set on fire in her dining room. Special effects and flares were used and the walls were protected, but the ceiling was still singed. It was promptly repainted, she said, but having something like that happen inside your home “is not for the faint of heart.”

It's a shame the ceiling was singed from the shoot, because the scene in the movie doesn't actually show the character being set on fire. Instead, the light of the flames is seen bouncing off the face of young Fox and the wall behind her. The only flames seen on screen are from candles and one of those Scripto lighters.

But far more entertaining than this scene in the movie was the discussion that broke out on this blog in response to the Times article. Lots of fun info about the biz and some insulting comments too!