The 2002 Alexander Payne film “About Schmidt,” like much of the director’s work, was primarily filmed in Nebraska, with additional filming in Iowa and Colorado. In the film, Warren Schmidt, played by Jack Nicholson, begins retirement from working for an insurance company. The building featured as Schmidt’s workplace, Woodmen Tower, can be found in Omaha.
LOCATION: 1700 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68102
Schmidt lives with his wife Helen, played by June Squibb, at this home, also located in Omaha.
LOCATION: 5402 Izard St, Omaha, NE 68132
Schmidt embarks on a journey to Denver for his daughter’s wedding. Along the way he decides to stop off and visit his childhood home, only to discover it has been razed and a tire shop now stands in it’s place. This scene was filmed in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is just over the state border from Nebraska.
LOCATION: 2103 W Broadway, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Schmidt arrives at the home of Roberta, played by Kathy Bates, which is supposedly located in Denver, Colorado. The real home can actually be found back in Omaha.
The found footage horror film “Paranormal Activity” takes place in a single setting, at a house in San Diego. The front of the home, however, is never seen in the film.
The 1988 sequel “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers” was filmed in Utah. The Carruthers house can be found in Salt Lake City. The same house appeared in the next installment, “Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers.”
LOCATION: 509 3rd Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Over in the town of Midvale, you’ll find Vincent Drug, which served as the exterior of the drug store. Vincent Drug has long since closed, but the signage and decor largely remain in tact. The trees out front have grown considerably since filming took place, so it’s a bit difficult to see from across the street. The same location was also featured in “Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers,” “The Sandlot” and the Stephen King mini-series “The Stand.”
LOCATION: 7696 Main St W, Midvale, UT 84047
Jamie Lloyd, played by Danielle Harris, goes trick or treating at this home, also located in Salt Lake City.
LOCATION: 282 N Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Jaime also visits the house next door trick or treating.
LOCATION: 278 N Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
The 2000 Steven Soderbergh film “Traffic” depicts the international drug trade in the United States through three storylines. The production shot in quite a few different places, including Cincinnati, Ohio, Washington, D.C., El Paso, Texas, San Diego, California, Mexico City, Mexico and more.
In the film, Robert Wakefield, played by Michael Douglas, a is a conservative Ohio judge appointed to head the National Drug Control Policy. However, Wakefield faces a losing battle with his own daughter’s addiction problems. The Wakefield home can be found in Cincinnati, Ohio.
LOCATION: 1242 Edwards Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45208
The Ayala house, where Carlos Ayala, played by Steven Bauer, lives with his wife Helena, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, can be found in La Jolla, California. While the house itself was not modified for the film, the production changed property to appear to have a false front yard and entrance gate to the right. In reality, the home faces directly toward the street and there is no gate.
LOCATION: 7757 Whitefield Pl, La Jolla, CA 92037
Here is a view closer to what is seen in the film, with the road depicted as the home’s front yard and gated driveway. A wall was added to cover the fact that it was part of the road. In one scene, Helena approaches two DEA agents parked in a van, Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman), who are surveilling her home and offers them beverages.
Helena meets with Francisco Flores, played by Clifton Collins Jr., to arrange an assassination of a witness against her husband. The two meet inside the Botanical Building at Balboa Park in San Diego. At the time of our visit, the building was closed off for renovation, so we were unable to enter. The same building is briefly seen in “Citizen Kate.”
LOCATION: 1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
Francisco Flores attempts to assassinate Eduardo Ruiz, played by Miguel Ferrer, in a parking lot next to some municipal buildings in Downtown San Diego. The parking lot is located along Front St between W B St and W A St.
LOCATION: Near Front St / W B St, San Diego, CA 92101
Here is a view through the fence of the parking lot.
Unbeknownst to Francisco Flores, he himself is the target of a second assassin from the window of this building, facing W A St and overlooking the parking lot.
LOCATION: 1300 Front St, San Diego, CA 92101 (facing W A St)
The 2022 sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” much like the original film, shot all around Southern California, from San Diego to Los Angeles. This article contains some minor spoilers for those who haven’t seen the film.
The movie made use of numerous Military Operating Areas (MOAs), closed off from the general public, including Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) in Coronado, California, Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon in Nevada, NAS Lemoore in Central Valley, California, Naval Air Facility (NAF) in El Centro, California, Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake near Ridgecrest, California and Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island near Oak Harbor, Washington. The film’s third act was largely filmed in the Cascade Mountain Range.
Maverick, played by Tom Cruise, tests high-hypersonic speed and destroys a prototype jet. Afterwards, he roams into a roadside cafe. These scenes were filmed at the Halfway House Cafe in Santa Clarita, California. The same location has appeared in many productions, such as “Waitress,” “Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny,” “Space Cowboys,” “The Twilight Zone: The Movie” and “Westworld.” The cafe also appeared in a famous commercial starring Cindy Crawford.
LOCATION: 15564 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
The Hard Deck Bar where Penny, played by Jennifer Connelly, works was a set, built at Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) in Coronado, California. It was dismantled at the end of filming.
The private hanger of Marverick was filmed at Inyokern Airport in Inyokern, California (1669 Airport Rd, Inyokern, CA 93527).
The home of Penny can be found in San Pedro.
LOCATION: 391 W 40th St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Here is a wider view of Penny’s house.
Maverick is seen approaching on his motorcycle with Penny from Bluff Pl and turning right onto W 40th St. The production altered several elements of the neighborhood, such as swapping out the street sign for a lamp post and adding numerous palm trees.
The scene where Maverick meets with Admiral Beau ‘Cyclone’ Simpson, played by Jon Hamm, was filmed inside the First Baptist Church Pasadena. The building is only see from interior views in the film.
LOCATION: 75 N Marengo Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
The home of Admiral Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, played by Val Kilmer, was filmed at Wattles Mansion and Gardens in Los Angeles. The home is owned by the City of Los Angeles and is open to the public, regularly hosting special events. It is only seen from interior views in the film. The mansion has appeared in many films, including “Troop Beverly Hills,” “Rain Man,” “Queen of the Damned,” “My Family” (“Mi Familia”), “Ghoulies,” “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa,” “The Lost Empire,” “A Better Life,” “Knock Knock 2” and many more. It has also appeared in the TV shows “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “The O.C.” and “Scandal,” as well as the Diana Ross music video for “Eaten Alive”.
LOCATION: 1824 N Curson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
The David Robert Mitchell film “Under the Silver Lake” was released to mixed reviews in 2018. While the film ventures into many bizarre events, it’s depiction of the mundane aimlessness and isolation of Los Angeles during the 2010s is spot on. The film opens at this coffee shop in Los Feliz, where the words “beware the dog killer” have been written across the front window.
LOCATION: 1948 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam, played by Andrew Garfield, lives on the second floor at this apartment complex, located in Studio City.
LOCATION: 11966 Laurelwood Dr, Studio City, CA 91604
Sam watches his neighbors with binoculars, including a woman who walks around topless on the balcony of the second floor unit on the left.
LOCATION: 11940 Laurelwood Dr, Studio City, CA 91604
Sam also watches Sarah, played by Riley Keough, at the pool.
Here’s a view from the pool, looking back towards Sam’s apartment.
The street view of Sam’s apartment is a completely different location in Los Feliz. Despite the building address, this view is from the cul-de-sac on Veselich Ave.
LOCATION: 3205 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039 (at the cul-de-sac on Veselich Ave)
Sam makes inquiries about a local comic book writer at The Last Bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles. The book store also appeared in the film “Gone Girl.”
LOCATION: 453 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
After Sam discovers Sarah’s apartment empty, he follows one of her friends whom he observed gather the last of Sarah’s belongings. Sam hides behind this tree as he follows her, which is located on Veselich Ave, just up from his Los Feliz apartment exterior.
LOCATION: Garden Ave / Veselich Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Sam continues following Sarah’s friends to Echo Park Lake, where he hides behind another tree.
LOCATION: Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Sam continues following the girls down the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown Los Angeles. The tunnel is a popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “Blade Runner,” “Con Air,” “Independence Day” and many more.
LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Sam tracks down the author of the comic books at this home in Los Feliz.
LOCATION: 1977 N New Hampshire Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam visits his friend, played by Topher Grace, at a house perched on a hillside in Angelino Heights in East L.A. The same house was seen in the films “Seven Psychopaths” and “Crazy/Beautiful” and is located just around the corner from Jake Gyllenhaal’s apartment in the film “Nightcrawler.” The home has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 1016 White Knoll Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (now demolished)
The shot of Sam walking up White Knoll Dr to the home can still be matched up.
Sam follows a series of clues leading him to the iconic Griffith Observatory. The location is a staple of film, appearing in such movies as “Rebel Without A Cause,” “La La Land,” “The Terminator,” “Devil In A Blue Dress” and dozens more. Sam appraches from this path behind the observatory.
LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam is specifically searching for this statue of James Dean.
Sam then sits at the Astronomers Monument and waits, until he is approached by a mysterious man.
Late in the film, Sam follows more mysterious clues to the back of Bronson Cave, also known as the “Bat Cave,” which can be found in Griffith Park. A very popular hiking spot, simply take the Bronson Cave Trail for about a quarter of a mile and the caves are on the left. Although the walk is uphill, it’s so short that anyone without medical issues should be able to handle it. The caves have appeared in hundreds of productions, perhaps most famously in the 1966 TV series “Batman.”
LOCATION: 3200 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (the trailhead can be found at 2950 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068)
Sam finds a a man and three women living in a small hut behind the Bronson Cave.
Sam is held captive at the Old Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park. The zoo permanently closed in 1966, but the enclosures remain in tact and visitors can freely explore inside. The zoo has appeared in many films, including “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “The First Power” and “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment”
LOCATION: 4801 Griffith Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam is seen climbing near Bee Rock, which can be seen easily from the Old Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park. There is a trail from the zoo leading to Bee Rock.
The 1984 Jim Jarmusch film “Stranger Than Paradise” was shot in New Jersey, Ohio and Florida. Willie, played by John Lurie, is visited by Eva, played by Eszter Balint, his cousin from Hungary. Willie’s apartment can be found in Hoboken, New Jersey, but it has since been extensively remodeled.
LOCATION: 464 Newark St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
The story jumps ahead one year, after Eva has gone to Cleveland to be with her mother. Willie and Eddie, played by Richard Edson, decide to take a road trip and head to Cleveland, passing this bus station.
The house from the 1945 film “Mildred Pierce,” starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson and Zachary Scott, can be found in Glendale, California.
LOCATION: 1143 N Jackson St, Glendale, CA 91207
The dress suit worn by Joan Crawford as Mildred Pierce in the film can be found on display at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California.
LOCATION: 6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Spike Lee’s seminal 1989 film “Do the Right Thing” was shot on a single block of Brooklyn, New York in the summer of 1988. You can walk Stuyvesant Ave today, between Lexington Ave and Quincy St and see all of the locations within minutes. Mister Señor Love Daddy, played by Samuel L. Jackson, works as a DJ for We Love Radio at this building, which has since been remodeled a bit.
LOCATION: 174 Stuyvesant Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
The Yes Jesus Baptist Church, while not immediately obvious, was filmed at this building. A facade was built around the first level to make it appear as a church. The upper levels, however, still match up to what was seen in the film.
LOCATION: 184 Stuyvesant Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Sal’s Pizzeria, the central location of the film, was a set built on an empty piece of land. The set was removed after filming and is currently a parking lot. It stood at the corner of Lexington Ave and Stuyvesant Ave.
LOCATION: Lexington Ave / Stuyvesant Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Here’s a couple more views of where the Pizzeria set stood.
This mural was seen in the film on the opposite side of Lexington Ave, in the background of many shots of Sal’s. A newer building now obscures the view, but the mural was repainted on the wall next to the parking lot where the set stood.
Directly across the street from Sal’s on Stuyvesant Ave is where the Korean fruit and vegetable store stood. Like Sal’s, this too was a set, which was taken down after filming and is currently a strip of empty land.
This mural paying tribute to the film is painted on the wall where the fruit and vegetable stand stood.
Here is the home where Mookie, played by Spike Lee, lived. It has since been updated a bit.
LOCATION: 173 Stuyvesant Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Here is the location where Radio Raheem, played by Bill Nunn, gives his famous love and hate speech. He is standing in front of Mookie’s home, located on the opposite side of the block from Sal’s, next to Quincy St.
Here is another view of where Radio Raheem gave his speech.
LOCATION: Stuyvesant Ave / Quincy St, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Here is the home where Mother Sister, played by Ruby Dee, lived. Mother Sister sat in the window next to the door on the right, although this home has likewise been updated a bit since filming.
LOCATION: 167 Stuyvesant Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Cee, played by Martin Lawrence, hangs out with his friends on the front steps of this home.
LOCATION: 165 Stuyvesant Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Directly in front of the same location, this fire hydrant was also used in the film, when they spray the man driving through the street.
The three older corner men sit in front of this building throughout the film, which was painted red specifically for the film.
LOCATION: 691 Lexington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11221
Here’s a closer look at where the men sat. Some of the windows were also covered for the film.
The block has been named “Do the Right Thing Way” in honor of the film. This sign can be found at Lexington Ave and Stuyvesant Ave, in front of where the the Korean fruit and vegetable store stood.
Although some of the buildings have been updated and some of the sets are gone, you undoubtedly feel like you’ve walked into the same world the characters lived when standing on Do The Right Thing Way in Brooklyn. It is an important place not only in cinema, but in culture and we highly recommend a visit.
Film Oblivion 