The Lobster is a surreal 2015 film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos that offers a dystopian view of society’s obsession with romantic coupling. Starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz the dark comedy is set in an alternative reality where single people are forced to find a partner within 45 days or be turned into an animal.
This absurdist premise required a unique setting that felt familiar yet strangely alternate So where did The Lobster production choose to bring this offbeat world to life? Here’s a look at the primary filming locations used for the cult favorite movie
Parknasilla Resort, Kerry
The central location for The Lobster is the hotel where unpaired individuals check in for their 45 days of courtship. This was filmed at the Parknasilla Resort overlooking Kenmare Bay in Sneem, County Kerry in southwest Ireland.
Parknasilla provided exterior shots of the beautiful but haunting seaside hotel where guests mingle awkwardly during structured activities. Interiors were actually shot about 15 miles away at the Eccles Hotel in Glengarriff, but Parknasilla was the main establishing location for the hotel.
Set on a stunning inlet of the Atlantic coastline, the real Parknasilla Resort looks nothing like the grim retreat depicted in the film. But the production made use of the gorgeous real estate to create their fictional facility for singletons searching for partners.
Dublin City and Suburbs
After checking out of the hotel, guests who fail to couple are transformed into animals and released into the woods. These forest scenes were filmed far from Kerry at the Dromore Nature Reserve in County Clare.
But later in the film, the protagonists sneak back into civilization disguised as a married couple. Their public outings in the city were filmed on location in Dublin, about 190 miles from Parknasilla Resort.
Specific Dublin locations included the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre in the greater Dublin area and the strikingly modern Joels Restaurant in Newlands Cross. Dublin’s urban streets and shopping centers stood in for the future metropolis.
Dromore Wood Nature Reserve
The Loners who escape transformation dwell deep in the forest away from the hotel and city. These woodland scenes were captured at the Dromore Wood Nature Reserve near Ennis in County Clare, Ireland’s largest nature reserve encompassing nearly 1,000 acres.
The secluded forests of Dromore Reserve allowed the production to create the mysterious woodlands housing runaway Loners. Situated in western Ireland along the Atlantic coast, the nature reserve offered the perfect natural backdrop.
Why Ireland?
The entire film was shot on location in Ireland over a period of 8 weeks. While the story’s setting is fictional, filming took place across southern and western Ireland.
Using Ireland for principal photography provided several advantages:
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Stunning landscapes – Ireland offered visual variety from the Atlantic coastline to vast nature reserves and cities like Dublin.
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Tax incentives – Ireland’s tax credit made it an affordable filming location.
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English-speaking – The story required an English setting and speech.
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Existing infrastructure – Ireland has an established film industry and crew base.
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Welcome production – Ireland embraces projects filming on location.
Shooting in Ireland enabled The Lobster team to tap into the country’s natural beauty while containing costs and taking advantage of film funding opportunities.
Behind the Scenes
The Lobster had an estimated $4 million dollar budget, modest for such an ambitious genre film with elaborate sets, costumes, and locations. Filming on location was cost-effective and enhanced the surreal atmosphere.
Certain scenes feature obvious CGI effects, like transforming people into animals. But using practical real-world locations grounded the absurd premise and avoided the need for excessive green screen filming.
The hotel interior scenes shot at Eccles Hotel were outfitted with set decor transforming the hospitality venue into the bleak retreat portrayed on screen. Location shooting allowed the actors to immerse themselves in the environment.
Lead actor Colin Farrell even gained 40 pounds to portray the doughy, awkward David who chooses to become a lobster. The filmmakers went to great lengths to bring the strange universe to life through on-location filming.
Critical Response
The Lobster earned positive reviews from critics and was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Reviews praised the imaginative premise, comedic irony, and effective world-building.
The New York Times applauded the film’s “brilliantly realized atmosphere of strangeness” while The Atlantic called the locations “dreamlike.” Reviewers felt the setting formed an integral part of the film’s surreal style and satirical perspective.
Audiences have also responded favorably, making The Lobster a cult favorite. Its $15 million worldwide box office gross made it one of Greek director Lanthimos’ most commercially successful films.
Impact on Pop Culture
While often obscure, The Lobster has infiltrated pop culture through its unique and unsettling vision of modern romance. References have cropped up on shows like Peep Show, and the film inspired Skins star Kaya Scodelario’s music video “Bunk Bed.”
Memes and jokes about turning into animals if you can’t find love have spread online. The Lobster earned a reputation similar to offbeat classics like Donnie Darko or Fight Club that draw in new fans continuously through word of mouth and social media shares.
Nearly a decade since its release, people still point to The Lobster as a quintessential “weird movie” recommendation. Its creativity and dry humor appeal to those with specific tastes. Fans find it rewarding to peel back the layers and analyze the commentary on relationships.
The haunting locations in Ireland provided the perfect starting point to craft this dystopian fable. Next time you watch The Lobster, appreciate how the production’s utilization of real-world places grounded the absurdity in an eerily plausible reality.
Where was The Lobster Filmed?
Blanchardstown Center, Chimney Park, Dromore Woods, Eccles Hotel, Grand Canal Dock, Joel’s Restaurant, and Parknasilla Resort were some of the places where The Lobster was filmed.
The complete list of the locations with latitude and longitude coordinates are listed below in the table.
Giant Lobster Catch And Cook With My Family
Where was the lobster filmed?
Filming largely took place in Dublin and County Kerry. The film is a co-production by Ireland, the United Kingdom, Greece, France, and the Netherlands . The Lobster premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival on May 15, where it competed for the Palme d’Or and won the Jury Prize.
Who directed the lobster?
The film was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Lanthimos is known for his unique and unconventional storytelling style, and “The Lobster” is no exception. The film captivated audiences with its dark humor and thought-provoking narrative. “The Lobster” premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.
Which hotel was used in ‘the lobster’?
Two hotels were utilised to create the perfect setting in which to host these emotionless single people. Eccles Hotel in County Cork provided most of the interiors of the ‘Hotel’ where David checks into. And the hotel scenes take up the entire first half/one hour of The Lobster. Looks like quite a nice hotel to stay in, to be honest!
Who are the actors in ‘the lobster’?
The Lobster is a 2015 absurdist black comedy drama film directed and co-produced by Yorgos Lanthimos, from a screenplay by Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou. It stars Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Jessica Barden, Olivia Colman, Ashley Jensen, Ariane Labed, Angeliki Papoulia, John C. Reilly, Léa Seydoux, Michael Smiley, and Ben Whishaw.