British Castle From an Iconic Cult Classic Still Looks Stunning Nearly 50 Years Later
Since the dawn of movie history, films have often been shot on soundstages or studios that are broken down and reused for other productions once filming is done. They're impermanent by design. That's part of what is so cool when movies are shot on location instead of exclusively in a studio somewhere. That location will still be there long after the film has been produced and released, and fans can visit these locales for years and years down the line.
On April 19, one lucky travel vlogger got the chance to check out a certain stately castle tucked away in the British countryside that has roots dating back nearly 50 years through film history. This castle might not look familiar to everyone, but if you're a cult movie fan like I am, you'll recognize it instantly.
As an embarassingly diehard Rocky Horror fan, I didn't need the backing track to recognize that castle. The castle's real name is "Oakley Court," but to travel vlogger @dewidrogt and millions of others around the world, that's Dr. Frankenfurter's Castle from Rocky Horror Picture Show- aka, "the Frankenstein Place," if you will. The iconic cult classic was first released in 1975, and nearly 50 years down the line, its stately facade looks just like it did when the movie was first filmed. I think you can even see Riff Raff up in the tower, if you squint and look closely...
Even if you're not a fan of Rocky Horror like I am, there's still a chance that you've seen this place on the big- or small- screen, especially if you're a fan of other kinds of classic camp horror! Oakley Court was the shooting location for many classic British "Hammer Horror" films. According to IMDb, some of the movies shot at Oakley Court include 1978's The Hound of the Baskervilles, the 1976 murder mystery parody Murder by Death, 1974's Vampyres, and 1965's Die, Monster Die, which might win my top pick for best movie name on that list!
Oakely Court in 2024
Not much filming goes on at Oakley Court these days, but that doesn't mean the castle has fallen into obscurity. These days, the Victorian-era castle, located in Windsor, England, has found a new life as a chic four-star hotel!
With its beautiful countryside location sitting along the River Thames only about an hour from London, the Oakley Court Hotel is an absolutely charming locale, even if you have no knowledge of its film history background. The hotel especially prizes itself on fine dining, with guests chefs serving up exquisite Japanese omakase menus, hand-crafted pastas, and classic British afternoon teas.
From stately castle to cult classic movie locale to boutique hotel, the Oakley Court has been a lot of things over the years, but it's remained fabulous and eye-catching the whole way through. How many hotels can boast that kind of legacy?
For more WanderWisdom updates, be sure to follow us on Google News!
Have you had a funny, interesting, or just highly memorable experience while traveling? We'd love for you to submit a video of your travels for a chance to be featured on WanderWisdom and our social channels! Click here to upload your clip and share your adventures with the world.
