Stranger Things

October 28, 2018October 18, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The popular TV series “Stranger Things” is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. The real locations of Hawkins are actually a composite of a number of small towns scattered around the Greater Atlanta Area of Georgia. Many of the locations are fairly distanced from one another, so it takes some dedication to see them all. Here we’ll take a look at many of these locations.

The Hawkins National Laboratory, where all of the supernatural mysteries seem to originate, can be found in Atlanta. The building is actually a former clinic, which is part of Emory University.

LOCATION: 1256 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Mike’s house, which is seen frequently on the show, can be found in the town of East Point. Most of the kids’ houses from the show are all not only in East Point, but all in the same neighborhood.

LOCATION: 2530 Piney Wood Ln, East Point, GA 30344

Hawkins High School can be found in the town of Stockbridge. The real school is Patrick Henry High School. The same school also appeared in the film “Brightburn.”

LOCATION: 109 S Lee St, Stockbridge, GA 30281

Hawkins Middle School is actually the same location as the high school, just different buildings on the same property. Quite a number of scenes take place around these school buildings.

LOCATION: 109 S Lee St, Stockbridge, GA 30281

The kids can be seen parking their bikes here. This and many scenes were filmed towards the back of the school property, away from the road. So if you don’t immediately spot recognizable areas, look for the tall field lights and head toward the back of the school.

This building can be seen pretty close to the road, in which the giant creature from the alternate universe known as the “Upside Down” can be seen towering over it. The building is still painted with the fictitious school name from the show.

This entrance is seen prominently is Season 2 of the show, with the kids dressed as Ghostbusters. This same area of the school was also featured in Season 2 Episode 10 of the TV show “Atlanta.”

Max, played by Sadie Sink, is seen walking up these stairs as the other kids spy on her.

The kids look for Dart in another Season 2 episode at this spot.

Another wide view of the school, as seen from the field at the back of the property.

Most of the town square of Hawkins is comprised of buildings from the town of Jackson, Georgia. Melvad’s General Store is one such example. The interior was dressed for filming when we visited, so here’s a couple glimpses inside.

LOCATION: 4 2nd St, Jackson, GA 30233

Eleven uses her mind control powers to kill a man inside of this restaurant in Litha Springs, known as Tiffany’s Kitchen.

LOCATION: 7413 Lee Rd, Lithia Springs, GA 30122

The Hawkins Library is actually the Butts County Probate Court building (25 3rd St, Jackson, GA 30233).

Switching back to East Point, this house, where Lucas lives, is located right beside Mike’s house.

LOCATION: 2550 Piney Wood Ln, East Point, GA 30344

Jonathan and Steve get into a fight in this alley as Nancy is caught in the middle. It can also be found in Jackson, not far from Milvad’s General Store and the Hawkins Library. It is located at the alley between N Oak St / Pittman St, Jackson, GA 30233 (the building seen across the street is 124 W 2nd St, Jackson, GA 30233).

While the kids are being pursued, Eleven uses her powers to flip a van over in front of these houses, found in Tucker, Georgia.

LOCATION: Between 3782 and 3788 Sarahs Ln, Tucker, GA 30084

The police station, where Sheriff Hopper works, can be found in the town Douglasville, not far from the arcade seen in Season 2. Finding the building can be slightly confusing. Many online resources state the address as “48 Pray Street” in Douglasville. The number above the doorway of the building is indeed 48. However, the street name is actually Courthouse Square West. Google lists the address as 8485 Courthouse Square West. If you find yourself confused, just locate the intersection of Church St and Courthouse Square West and you’ll have no trouble spotting the building.

LOCATION: 8485 Courthouse Square West, Douglasville, GA 30134

Dustin’s house, nested in trees, can also be found near the houses of Mike and Lucas in East Point.

LOCATION: 2886 Piney Wood Dr, East Point, GA 30344

Barb’s house is likewise located on the same road.

LOCATION: 2980 Piney Wood Dr, East Point, GA 30344

Jonathan pays a visit to Lonnie’s house, which can be found in Atlanta.

LOCATION: 930 Garibaldi St SW, Atlanta, GA 30310

Season 2 kicks off with police in pursuit of a van carrying another girl with supernatural powers, much like Eleven. As they approach this overpass, the girl seizes control of the cop’s mind to make him envision the structure collapsing.

LOCATION: Glenn St SW, Atlanta, GA 30312 (nearest address is 562 Glenn St SW, Atlanta, GA 30312)

The cop slams his breaks, with many cop cars crashing into him, only for his partner to inform him his vision wasn’t real. The tunnel appears much longer and deeper on the show than it is in real life. It’s actually just a short overpass. The same overpass was seen in the 2018 film “Game Night,” when Kyle Chandler’s character throws himself from a moving car.

It isn’t the safest or cleanest of areas, we wouldn’t recommend coming out here alone at night.

The arcade, seen in Season 2, still has the paint job from the show, although the sign is no longer there. The building currently sits vacant in Douglasville, the same town as the Hawkins Police Department.

LOCATION: 6501 Church St, Douglasville, GA 30134

A couple glimpses inside the empty arcade building…

Max lives at this small house, which can be found in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

LOCATION: 5280 Moore St, Stone Mountain, GA 30083

While you’ll spend a lot of time driving across Georgia to see all of these places, one upside is that most of these locations still bear a strong resemblance to how they appeared on the show, with some still continuing to be used for production.

Twins (1988)

October 25, 2018February 9, 2023 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

In the 1988 Ivan Reitman comedy “Twins,” Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger play two long-lost brothers who reconnect. The film was shot in California, New Mexico and Texas. Julius (Schwarzenegger) and Vincent (DeVito) first encounter each other in front of the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, although they don’t realize it. The theater has appeared in countless films, such as “Valley Girl,’ “The Aviator,” “Iron Man 3” and many more.

LOCATION: 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

Julius visits an orphanage seeking information on Vincent. The actual building isn’t an orphanage, rather an apartment building. This same building has appeared in the films ”The Cable Guy,” “American Pie 2,” “Changeling,” “Annabelle: Creation,” “Ouija,” “Oujia: Origin of Evil,” “The Ring 2,” “Puppet Master II,” “Truth or Dare,” “Where Sleeping Dogs Lie,” “Species III” and many more. It has also appeared in numerous TV shows, such as “Westworld,” “You,” “American Crime Story,” “Teen Wolf,” “Bosch: Legacy” and more.

LOCATION: 306 Loma Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Julius bails Vincent out of jail from this police station, located in Van Nuys. While the entrance seen in the film faces Erwin St, it is a section only accessible to pedestrian traffic. The same building appeared in another Arnold Schwarzenegger film, “Kindergarten Cop.”

LOCATION: 14400 Erwin St, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Vincent’s office can be found in Hollywood at the Hollywood First National Bank Building. The same building appeared in the films “The Retrievers” and “The Atomic City,” as well as briefly appearing in the background in “Reservoir Dogs.”

LOCATION: 6777 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Webster, played by Marshall Bell, goes to meet his clients at the Japanese Garden of the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys, after a car he was supposed to pick up isn’t in a parking garage. The location has been used in countless TV shows and films, notably serving as the “Starfleet Academy” in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.” Other TV shows to film there include the original “Knight Rider,” “Murder She Wrote” and the original “Charmed.” Films such as “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,” “Bio-Dome,” “Rising Sun,” “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,” “Zoombies” and “Most Wanted” also filmed at the location.

LOCATION: 6100 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406

Vincent lives at this Santa Monica house. The house has since been remodeled from how it appeared in the film, but does still bear some resemblance.

LOCATION: 323 11th St, Santa Monica, CA 90402

Julius walks up this Pasadena driveway in search of their father.

LOCATION: 1126 Hillcrest Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

Vincent and Julius embark on a trip to New Mexico, accompanied by Linda (Chloe Webb) and Marnie (Kelly Preston). They are seen crossing the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge in El Prado, New Mexico. The bridge is far removed from most tourist destinations, requiring hours of driving through mountains and winding terrain to reach it. Once you’re there, however, it’s instantly recognizable. The same bridge appeared in the films “Natural Born Killers,” “She’s Having A Baby,” “Wild Hogs,” “Vacation,” “Paul,” “Terminator: Salvation,” “The Signal,” “Catchfire” and “White Sands.” It gets extremely windy on this bridge, so much so, you can feel the vibration on the bridge as you stand on it.

LOCATION: Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, US-64, El Prado, NM 87529

At the end of the film, Vincent and Julius pose for family photos in front of the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round. It has appeared in many other films, including “The Prestige,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Beautiful” and “Destroyer,” as well as such TV shows as “Alias,” “CSI: NY” and the TV series adaptation of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” It also famously served as an inspiration to Walt Disney in his decision to create Disneyland.

LOCATION: 4730 Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Matinee (1993)

October 24, 2018October 28, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Joe Dante’s 1993 film “Matinee,” starring John Goodman, is set in Key West, Florida. Much of the film centers around a movie theater known as The Strand. There is a real, historic theater by that name in Key West, the exteriors of which still stand, but the interior is now a pharmacy store. It also was not the theater used in the film.

The building which served as The Strand for filming wasn’t in Key West at all. It’s the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, which can be found in the town of Cocoa, Florida. While the theater does still show films on a limited basis, it primarily serves as a playhouse. Only the playhouse exteriors were used in the film. The interior theater scenes were filmed at Universal Studios Florida.

LOCATION: 260 Brevard Ave, Cocoa, FL 32922

Related articles: The ‘Burbs (1989), Small Soldiers (1998)

Tangerine (2015)

October 21, 2018October 18, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Sean Baker’s 2015 film “Tangerine” made waves at the Sundance Film Festival for being shot entirely with iPhones. The film depicts the life of a transgender Los Angeles prostitute, Sin-Dee, played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, as she discovers her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her.

The opening scene, as well as later scenes, were filmed at the former Donut Time on Santa Monica Blvd. The filmmakers aimed for authenticity in their choice of locations, as this section of Hollywood is widely known for prostitution. The Donut Time has since been replaced by Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts, owned and operated by actor Danny Trejo.

LOCATION: 6785 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Sin-Dee makes her way down to the Vermont / Santa Monica Metro Station.

LOCATION: 1015 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029

She sits at this bench in front of the station, considering her next moves.

Sin-Dee makes her way to a motel full of drug addicts and prostitutes, in search of another prostitute, whom she believes is cheating with her boyfriend. This is the former Grand Motel, which has since closed. Amy Winehouse also filmed scenes for her music video for “Tears Dry On Their Own” at the motel.

LOCATION: 1479 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Another view of the former motel property, which is now fenced off until it is either remodeled or demolished.

Related articles: Starlet (2012), The Florida Project (2017)

Three’s Company

October 18, 2018December 21, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The apartment exterior seen in the first three seasons of the 70s / 80s sitcom “Three’s Company” can be found in Santa Monica, California. The building, which is actually a house, is tucked away behind tall shrubs and a fenced gate, but at the right angle, you can still manage a good view. The property still mostly resembles how it appeared on the show.

LOCATION: 2912 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90405

The opening credits for season 4 were filmed at the Santa Monica Pier. John Ritter can be seen riding this carousel, which is still in operation. This same location was featured in the film “The Net.”

LOCATION: 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401

The cast is seen walking near the entrance of the pier. The building on the right is where the carousel is located. The same building was seen in the 1961 Dennis Hopper film “Night Tide.”

The People Under The Stairs (1991)

October 14, 2018November 3, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The house featured prominently in the 1991 Wes Craven horror film “The People Under the Stairs” can be found in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The home is known as the Thomas W. Phillips Residence.

LOCATION: 2215 S Harvard Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008)

October 11, 2018October 12, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 2008 David Fincher film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” shot mostly in the New Orleans area, with some additional sequences filmed in Quebec, Canada and the Los Angeles County area.

Benjamin Button, played by Brad Pitt, is born at this house, known as the Lanaux Mansion Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans. In the film, the house belongs to Benjamin’s father, played by Jason Flemyng, who, upon seeing Benjamin at birth, grabs him and takes him away from the home. Later in the film, an adult Benjamin returns to the home to visit his ailing father.

LOCATION: 547 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

The house where Benjamin lives for much of the film and where he meets Daisy, played by Cate Blanchett, is known as the Nolan House. The shrubs lining the property have grown much higher since filming completed, making portions of the house and yard unfortunately more difficult to see.

LOCATION: 2707 Coliseum St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Mr. Oti, played by Rampai Mogadishu, takes Benjamin to this peristyle, where they sit and talk as they look out onto the water. The peristyle can be found at the New Orleans City Park.

LOCATION: 42 Dreyfous Dr, New Orleans, LA 70119

Another view of the peristyle.

Daisy dances for Benjamin at the Newman Bandstand in Audubon Park. Some extra decor was added to the bandstand for the film.

LOCATION: Newman Bandstand, Golf Club Dr, New Orleans, LA 70118

We leave you with some props from the film. One of the aged, prosthetic masks worn by Brad Pitt can be seen on the Paramount Studio Tour.

LOCATION: 5555 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Also located in the Paramount prop room is the clock that runs backwards in the film.

Halloween II (2009)

October 6, 2018October 1, 2022 / filmoblivion / 4 Comments

For Rob Zombie’s 2009 sequel, “Halloween II,” various towns in Georgia were used as a composite for the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois. The opening scenes of the film, however, used footage from the first film for Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. The location is a Veteran’s Hospital in North Hills, California. There are quite a number of buildings on site and it can be tricky finding the exact spot used in the film. To locate it, you must first turn onto Puller Rd. Each building has a large number on it. A bit down Puller Rd, you’ll see the building from the film, which is building 4. It can be easily identified by the long wall surrounding the yard in front of it.

LOCATION: 16111 Plummer St, North Hills, CA 91343

The story picks up moments after the first film, even though the two productions took place far across the country from one another. Laurie walks the streets of the town square of Covington, Georgia, which has been seen in dozens of productions, such as “Doctor Sleep,” “Cannonball Run,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “The Vampire Diaries” and many more. This shot is from Covington Square, looking toward the courthouse.

LOCATION: 2101 Washington St SW, Covington, GA 30014

The Myers house can also be found in Covington, not far from the town square.

LOCATION: 2166 Conyers St SE, Covington, GA 30014

Sheriff Brackett’s house can be found over in Newborn, Georgia. The house sits far back from the road.

LOCATION: 1981 Broughton Rd, Newborn, GA 30056

Back in Covington, Laurie comes across a new book by Dr. Loomis at a local bookstore.

LOCATION: 1113 Floyd St NE, Covington, GA 30014

The Haddonfield Police Department is actually a courthouse, located in Madison, Georgia.

LOCATION: Morgan County Court House, Madison, GA 30650 (at the corner of Hancock St / Jefferson St)

Last, but not least, we leave you with Rob Zombie’s star paver, located in Covington, Georgia. Sometimes referred to as the “Hollywood of the South,” Covington began their own walk of fame, lining the sidewalks with engraved pavers noting the many stars and productions that have graced the town.

Silicon Valley

October 5, 2018December 21, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

While set in Palo Alto, Northern California, the headquarters of Pied Piper can actually be found in Woodland Hills, in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California.

LOCATION: 5230 Penfield Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91364

Bully (2001)

October 1, 2018March 5, 2023 / filmoblivion / 2 Comments

Larry Clark’s overlooked 2001 masterpiece “Bully” shot mostly in the suburban towns of Pembroke Pines and Hollywood, Florida. The film is based on true events, using the real neighborhoods (but not the actual locations) where the tragic events unfolded as a backdrop. These areas are relatively small and most of the filming locations are actually within minutes of each other.

Lisa, played by Rachel Miner, lives at this lakeside residence, when she begins dating Marty, played by the late Brad Renfro.

LOCATION: 2251 Dogwood Ct, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026

Lisa’s concerned friend Claudia works at this Pizza Hut, which is still in business.

LOCATION: 11091 Sheridan St, Hollywood, FL 33026

Donny, played by Michael Pitt and Derek, played by Daniel Franzese, hang out at this store, which was depicted as an arcade in the film. It can be found behind the Pizza Hut in the same shopping plaza.

LOCATION: 2505 N Hiatus Rd, Hollywood, FL 33026

Bobby, the titular bully played by Nick Stahl, lives at this house.

LOCATION: 1820 NW 113th Ave, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026

Derek, Lisa’s cousin, lives at this residence, which is similar looking to Lisa’s place.

LOCATION: 11080 Redwood Ave, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026

Film Oblivion

Movie and TV locations, points of interest.

Month: October 2018