Tim Burton’s 1994 film “Ed Wood,” starring Johnny Depp as the notorious, titular filmmaker, was mostly shot around Hollywood, California.
After the premiere of Ed’s play “The Casual Company,” he and the cast read the scathing reviews at Boardner’s bar in Hollywood. The same bar appeared in the film “Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles.”
LOCATION: 1652 N Cherokee Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Ed sees Bela Lugosi, played by Martin Landau, at a funeral parlor. This was filmed at the doorway to the left of Boardner’s, which has no distinguishable separate address.
Bela Lugosi’s house can be found in Gardena.
LOCATION: 1933 W 147th St, Gardena, CA 90249
Ed’s first apartment can be found in Hollywood.
LOCATION: 448 N Ogden Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Bela Lugosi delivers a speech to his fans here.
LOCATION: 1714 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
This building served as Ed’s second apartment.
LOCATION: 6383 Yucca St, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Wood visits this church in Toluca Lake to get baptized, in order to obtain funding for his next film.
LOCATION: 4301 Cahuenga Blvd, Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Ed Wood meets Orson Welles, played by Vincent D’Onofrio, at Musso Frank & Grill in Hollywood. The restaurant has popped up in numerous films, including “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood,” “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Blonde” and “Swingers,” as well as the TV shows “Mad Men” and “Bosch.”
LOCATION: 6667 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
The premiere of “Plan 9 from Outer Space” takes place at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. The famous theater likewise appeared in “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood,” as well as such films as “The Aviator,” “The Bodyguard,” “Species,” “Batman Forever” and many more. Only the exterior of the Pantages was used. The interiors were filmed at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles (842 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014).
LOCATION:6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
The 2004 comedy “50 First Dates” was filmed primarily in Oahu, Hawaii, with some additional scenes filmed in Southern California.
The Hukilau Cafe, where Henry, played by Adam Sandler, first meets Lucy, played by Drew Barrymore, was a set built for the film. Contrary to some information online, it definitely no longer exists. It was filmed near the Moli’i Fishpond, which is adjacent to Kualoa Ranch. The ranch in fact owns this land and it has been featured in many films, including “Jurassic World,” “Triple Frontier,” “Snatched,” “Tears of the Sun,” “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates,” “You, Me and Dupree” and the TV show “Lost.” There are some buildings there, but they were not used as the restaurant set, which was torn down after filming.
There are a couple ways to see this area. The local shops near the pond, which rent their buildings from Kualoa Ranch, offer tours of their own near the water for a small fee. However, the Premier Movie Site Tour offered by Kualoa Ranch itself stops at this area and covers it in detail, which is our recommended way to see it. Here is a view of the general area where the cafe set was built.
LOCATION: 49-243 Kuukama St, Kailua, HI 96734
Here is a small sign nearby marking it as the filming location.
It is a challenge to find the house of Lucy and even more of a challenge to photograph it. There is a lot of conflicting information about its location and GPS does not offer a definitive address. So the easiest way to pinpoint the general area is to find the Waikane Store on Kamehameha Hwy, located at 48-377 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744. There is an unnamed road sitting right beside the store. That is the road that leads to Lucy’s house. You can in fact walk down this road, as we did, but the houses do not appear to have any registered addresses. From where the road dead ends, you still can’t see the house very well, as you’re facing behind it and from a distance. You would need to actually continue onto the property, which is private, in order to obtain a good view.
The best alternative we could find by land was traveling a bit down Kamehameha Hwy over to Waiahole Beach Park at 48-199 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744. Despite the name, the area is quite grassy, with little sand. There is a small section around the trees that extends out from the shoreline a bit, offering the best view of the house. It’s still not ideal, but it is the closest point on public land to obtain a view of the actual house. If you have a long-focus lens, you can probably obtain a better view. It should also be noted there is no parking on Kamehameha Hwy at Waiahole Beach Park. There are some nearby side streets, however, where you can park and walk over.
LOCATION: GPS coordinates: 21°29’34.1″N 157°50’50.6″W (nearest registered address is 48-377 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744)
Here is a wider view of the area. The pier, known as Waikane Pier, is also seen in the film, though only remnants of it exist now. The TV show “Lost” also featured the pier.
Further out in the water, you can see a small island known as Mokolii, or sometimes referred to as Chinaman’s Hat, which can also be seen in the film. It is a popular photo spot for tourists.
The road where Henry keeps finding creative ways to stop Lucy can be found on Kualoa Ranch. Countless other films have shot in this area, ranging from “Jurassic Park” to “Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle” to “Windtalkers.” If we have one complaint about the Kualoa Ranch tours (which are otherwise great), even on their Premier Movie Site Tour, they drive through this area rather quickly and do not stop. This makes getting decent photographs a challenge.
LOCATION: Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744
Later in the film, Lucy is admitted to the Callahan Institute for Brain Injuries. This was filmed at the Cabrillo Beach Bath House in San Pedro, California. The same location was famously featured in the film “Face/Off.”
LOCATION: 3800 Stephen M White Dr, San Pedro, CA 90731
The Cabrillo Beach Bath House interiors were also used in the film. The staff is very friendly there and welcoming to the public, so don’t hesitate to visit.
Much like the first “It” film in 2017, for the sequel, the studio set up a pop-up to promote the film, located at the corner of Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood, California. While the first pop-up highlighted the Neibolt house, for the sequel, the experience was based around The Derry Canal Days Festival and Funhouse.
The pop-up featured games, merchandise and a haunted funhouse. It was on display during August and September of 2019, but has since closed. The actual film was shot primarily in Ontario, Canada.
The 2013 Denis Villeneuve film “Prisoners” is set in suburban Pennsylvania, but the film was actually shot in the surrounding towns of the Greater Atlanta area in Georgia. Keller Dover, played by Hugh Jackman, lives at this house, located in in the town of Conyers.
LOCATION: 700 Deering Rd SE, Conyers, GA 30094
Keller’s family visits their friends Nancy and Franklin Birch, played by Viola Davis and Terrence Howard respectively, at this house for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s located one block away from the Dover house. The trees in the front yard have since been cut down.
LOCATION: 2903 High Brook Way SE, Conyers, GA 30094
Detective Loki, played by Jake Gyllenhall, spots an RV belonging to Alex Jones, played by Paul Dano, at this gas station in Monroe. The RV matches the one spotted near where the girls were last seen, making Jones a primary suspect.
LOCATION: 1605 Troy Smith Rd, Monroe, GA 30656
The police station can be found in the town of Tucker.
LOCATION: 4916 N Royal Atlanta Dr, Tucker, GA 30084
Alex Jones lives at his aunt’s house in Lithonia. It should be noted that this house sits on a somewhat busy road, with no shoulders to park on.
LOCATION: 1634 Phillips Rd, Lithonia, GA 30058
Keller brings Franklin to this apartment where he used to live, located in Atlanta. The production added an extension to the front of the building for filming.
LOCATION: 651 James P Brawley Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
James Cameron’s original 1984 film “The Terminator” shot all around the Greater Los Angeles area. Early in the film, Arnold Schwarzenegger travels back in time, arriving at the iconic Griffith Observatory. The location is a staple of film, appearing in such movies as “Rebel Without A Cause,” “La La Land” and dozens more.
LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Kyle Reese, played by Michael Biehn, arrives back in time in this alley in Downtown Los Angeles.
LOCATION: Alley beside 214 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Sarah Conner, played by Linda Hamilton, works at this restaurant in South Pasadena. The building has since been remodeled a bit, but the roof still appears the same as it did in the film.
LOCATION: 815 Fremont Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
The Terminator visits a gun shop, located in Van Nuys. The building is now part of a used car lot.
LOCATION: 14329 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401
The Terminator looks for Sarah Conner at her apartment.
LOCATION: 420 S Lafayette Park Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Kyle follows Sarah as she approaches the Tech Noir club. The Tech Noir building is in the process of being remodeled, but the market next to it, now a jewelry shop, can still be seen.
LOCATION: 720 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
A big action sequence takes place at Grand Lower in Downtown L.A. This is a popular area for both filming and photography. It has been featured in countless films, including “Demolition Man,” “Cobra,” “Batman Forever,” “Repo Man,” “Double Dragon” and many more. It was also featured in the TV series “Westworld.”
LOCATION: Grand Lower, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The Tiki Motel where Kyle and Sarah stay can be found in Huntington Park.
LOCATION: 7301 Santa Fe Ave, Huntington Park, CA 90255
Another action sequence takes place at the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown L.A. This is another popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “Demolition Man,” “Blade Runner,” “Con Air,” “Independence Day,” “Double Dragon” and many more. The scene starts at the side of the tunnel facing S Figueroa St.
LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (facing S Figueroa St)
The Terminator crashes his bike and steals a truck on upper S Grand Ave. This is directly above Grand Lower, where the earlier action scene in the film takes place.
LOCATION: S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071 (near 340 S Grand Ave)
The big truck explosion near the end of the movie was filmed in front of this building owned by the Los Angeles Police Department. It is located next just past the Denny’s from “Drive” and very close to Union Station, which has been seen in countless films.
LOCATION: 555 Ramirez St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The gas station where Sarah’s photograph is taken at the end of the film can be found in the desert town of Littlerock. The same gas station, which has since been remodeled, was also seen in the Britney Spears movie “Crossroads,” as well as the Z.Z. Top music video for “Gimme All Your Lovin’.”
The sitcom “Modern Family” is set in suburban Los Angeles and the exterior shots of the houses in the show are all real locations. First up is the home of Jay and Gloria Pritchett.
LOCATION: 121 S Cliffwood Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Here is the Dunphy house.
LOCATION: 10336 Dunleer Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90064
This is the home of Mitch and Cam.
LOCATION: 2211 Fox Hills Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90064
At Wendover Airfield, located near the border of Nevada and Utah you’ll find one of the planes used in the Nicolas Cage action film “Con Air.” The plane isn’t the only attraction to be seen, however, as the area was also used as one of the major locations of the film.
First, we’ll cover the plane. There were actually several planes used during filming. The plane used during flight scenes has a rather tragic history. After being sold to a variety of owners, both military and private, in 2010 the plane crashed into Mt Healy, Alaska, killing three flight crew on board. However, the Jailbird plane used for filming taxi scenes fared much better and now sits on display at Wendover Airfield and it’s completely free to see. It can be found near the parking lot and while it is surrounded by fencing, during daytime business hours at the nearby museums, the plane is accessible for free to the public. Here are several different views of the plane.
LOCATION: 345 Airport Way, Wendover, UT 84083
Here is a view inside the plane. The interiors seen in the film were actually a set built at Sunset Las Palmas Studios (1040 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038). Nevertheless, we’ve included a few shots inside the plane at Wendover.
Here is a view of the cockpit, facing out towards the airfield.
Wendover Airfield is still an operational airport, which has a long history dating back to World War II. Bomber groups trained here during the war, which included three Medal of Honor recipients. There’s a museum documenting the history of the airfield, which attracts a lot of tourism. However, our focus is of course on the filming history.
Wendover Airfield has often been used in films, dating back to 1982’s “The Philadelphia Experiment.” “Independence Day,” “Mullholland Falls,” The Core” and Ang Lee’s 2003 version of “The Hulk” all filmed at the airfield as well. The scenic vistas have also been filmed as plates and stock footage in untold numbers of productions. However, arguably the film most widely associated with the airfield is “Con Air.”
The bad news is that all of the filming locations are located away from the main roads, out on the airfield. The good news is, for a fee, you can arrange a personal escort out to the filming locations. Simply look up the Historic Wendover Airfield and reach out to management to arrange a tour. Do not book one of the regular museum tours, as that is a separate attraction and they typically do not venture out to the filming locations. Instead, contact management and tell them exactly what you’re wanting to see and when. They are very friendly and accommodating.
Now we’ll take a look at which scenes filmed at the airfield. Midway through the film, the plane makes a stop at the fictional “Lerner Airfield” for a rendezvous, where the criminals are supposed to change planes and escape the country. When they arrive however, the other plane does not appear to be there, leaving them waiting at the airfield for an extended portion of the film.
The filming area is surrounded by this barbed-wire fencing. In the movie, Steve Buscemi plays a Hannibal Lector like killer named Garland Greene. Garland roams off from the others out past the fencing. Due to the fact the fence runs the entire perimeter, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact spot of the shot, but here is a general view of the fencing.
Garland spots a little girl at a nearby trailer park having tea time in this empty pool. He comes over and joins her.
This is the airstrip where the plane takes off again, dragging a car in tow.
This tower was featured prominently in the film, including when Johnny-23, played by Danny Trejo, warns the others they’ve got company. It’s also where the car crashes into the tower and detaches from the plane. There is a similar looking tower visible from the road near the entrance of Wendover Airfield. That is not the one seen in the film. The filmmakers saw the real tower and had a replica built specifically for the film, which is seen below. It is not visible from the main road.
Vince Larkin, played by John Cusack, stands beside the inept Duncan Malloy near these buildings, as they watch Malloy’s car crash back down to the ground.
Near the end of the film, an action sequence takes place at in a tunnel supposedly located in Las Vegas, as Poe pursues Cyrus The Virus, played by John Malkovich, on a fire truck. This was actually filmed in the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown Los Angeles. The tunnel is a popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “Blade Runner,” “The Terminator.” “Independence Day,” “Double Dragon” and many more.
LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
If you’re a filming location fan, we highly encourage a visit to Wendover Airfield. Just be sure to plan a bit in advance with management to confirm you can get an escort out to the locations. It’s well worth the time and expense if you can make the trip.
The exterior of the family house from the TV series “The Goldbergs,” set in the town of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, can actually be found in the Cheviot Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 western “Django Unchained” is set in various locations across the USA. The filming locations also span across several states, including California, Wyoming and Louisiana. In the opening of the film, Django, played by Jamie Foxx, is shown as a slave. The was filmed at Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, California. Alabama Hills is a staple of old westerns, having been used in dozens of films, such as “How the West Was Won” and “The Gunfighter.” It appears in more modern films as well, such as “Iron Man,” “Tremors,” “Gladiator” and more.
LOCATION: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, CA 93545
Dr. King Schultz, played by Christoph Waltz, arrives with Django in the town of Daughtrey, Texas. This was actually filmed at Melody Ranch in Newhall, California. The sets are sometimes moved around at Melody, depending on the needs of the latest production. So it can be tricky matching up every shot, but there remains a lot of areas that do match up almost exactly. The same ranch is also briefly seen in the early scenes of Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood,” on the set of the fictional “Bounty Law.”
The two are first seen arriving into the town between these two buildings.
LOCATION: 24715 Oakcreek Ave, Newhall, CA 91321
They are seen passing this building.
They proceed down this main street, as the locals stare them down. This section has changed a bit from how it appeared in the film.
Schultz parks his wagon in front of the building on the left. Most of this area still looks the same as it did in the film.
The enter this saloon, where the bartender quickly runs out to fetch the sheriff. The doors were switched to swinging doors in the film. This same set was featured prominently in the TV show “Westworld,’ as the brothel where Thandie Newton’s character works.
After the bartender runs out, Schultz prepares some beer for himself and Django.
Here are some views from upstairs.
Dr. Schultz has a confrontation with the sheriff between these two buildings. The boardwalk on the left is where Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt sit for their “Bounty Law” interview at the beginning of “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood.”
The marshall, played by Tom Wopat, has a short standoff with Dr. Schultz and Django in front of these buildings, before Schultz reveals he is a bounty hunter with a valid warrant. Schultz and Django are also seen walking past these buildings earlier when they first entered the town.
Later in the film, Dr. Schultz and Django make their way to Tennessee. Django picks out a new set of clothes for himself at the Chattanooga Haberdashery. This was also filmed at Melody Ranch.
Unlike most movie ranches in Southern California, Melody Ranch does in fact offer tours to the public. However, the challenge is simply finding availability. The ranch is sometimes booked for months or years at a time, hosting such shows as “Deadwood,” “Westworld” and “Peaky Blinders,” as well as numerous films and commercials. With such high demand as a filming location, the opportunities for tours are quite limited and require much diligence or good timing.
In search of the Brittle Brothers, Schultz and Django make their way to a plantation owned by Big Daddy, played by Don Johnson, supposedly located in Tennessee. This was filmed at the Evergreen Plantation in Edgard, Louisiana. The Evergreen Plantations was formerly available for tours to the public, but has since stopped offering them. This main house can actually be seen from the road, but it is a busy road, so it’s not the safest area to try to grab photos. The same plantation was featured in the films “The Beguiled,” “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” “Antebellum” and “Free State of Jones,” as well the TV shows “Preacher,” “Into the Badlands” and the 2016 version of “Roots.”
LOCATION: 4677 LA-18, Edgard, LA 70049
The pair are seen entering through this front gate. The dirt trail leading to the house has since grown back over with grass.
There is a flashback scene of the Brittle Brothers beating Django’s wife Broomhilda, played by Kerry Washington. This was filmed at the back of the Evergreen Plantation, where real housing communities were set up for slaves.
Django confronts the Brittle Brothers in this area, also located behind the main house at the Evergreen Plantation. John Brittle is about the beat a woman who is tied to the base of the tree located next to the white barn. After Django exacts his revenge, Dr. Schultz soon joins him at the scene.
As Django and Schultz gear up and mount their horses to go in search of Broomhilda, we are back at Melody Ranch. They first ride out of this building.
Candyland, the estate of Calvin Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, was a set constructed for the film. The exterior was built on the grounds of the Evergreen Plantation, which has since been removed. The interiors were filmed at Second Line Stages in New Orleans (800 Richard St, New Orleans, LA 70130).
Back in Lone Pine, where the opening of the film takes place, you’ll find the excellent Lone Pine Film History Museum. During the production, Tarantino would hold screenings for crew members at the museum’s screening room. At the completion of the film, Tarantino donated the dentist wagon of Dr. Schultz, where it is currently on display. If you have the opportunity, we highly recommend visiting the museum, which dives deep into the history of the many films shot in the Lone Pine area.
LOCATION: 701 S Main St, Lone Pine, CA 93545
Also on display at the museum is a photo of Tarantino and the cast, as well as a signed copy of the script.
Here is a director’s chair from the film.
Over at Melody Ranch, they also have their own museum, known as the Melody Ranch Motion Pictures Studio Museum. The collection contains a mixture of memorabilia acquired by the owners over the years, as well as items donated by productions shot at the ranch. There is a small area focused on “Django Unchained.”
Film Oblivion 