The house from the 1990 Bill Cosby comedy “Ghost Dad” can be found in South Pasadena, California. Located on Bushnell Ave, the road is famous for many iconic movie homes, from such films as “Back To The Future” and “Teen Wolf.”
LOCATION: 1621 Bushnell Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Elliot works at the Eastern Columbia Building in Downtown Los Angeles. The same building has appeared in the films “Predator 2,” “(500) Days Of Summer,” “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” “The Last Hour” and more.
LOCATION: 849 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Elliot rides in a taxi cab than nearly crashes into a train in Port Hueneme, California, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The same intersection and train tracks also appear in the film “Back To The Future Part III.”
LOCATION: S Ventura Rd / Shoreview Dr, Port Hueneme, CA 93041
The 2012 Steven Soderbergh film “Magic Mike” depicts the behind the scenes life of a stripper played by Channing Tatum, loosely based on the actor’s own experiences in the world of male stripping.
The film was shot mostly in the Tampa, Florida area. The group performs at Club Xquisite, where they are led by Dallas (Matthew McConaughey). The club was actually a composite of two separate buildings. The exterior was filmed at Wilson’s Sports Lounge in St. Petersburg.
LOCATION: 3030 4th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704
The interiors were filmed across the country at the former Platinum Live in Studio City, California (11345 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604), which shut down not long after the film was shot.
In the town of Oceanside, California, about 40 miles north of San Diego, you’ll find the iconic house from the 1986 hit “Top Gun.” Charlie, played by Kelly McGillis, lives at this beachfront cottage, where she is visited by Maverick, played by Tom Cruise. The two make love while Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” plays, in one of the most famous love scenes of the 1980s.
The house sat vacant and boarded up for years, having fallen into a state of disrepair, with fencing erected around it in an effort to minimize vandalism. At the time of filming, several other houses existed along the block, but all were demolished except for this one. Hotel development has since taken place in 2020 on this block, but the “Top Gun” house drives tourism to Oceanside, so rather than demolition, the house was relocated about a block away and restored (much like what happened with the Michael Myers house from the original “Halloween“). While the restoration is much needed, we were able to capture it at it’s original site while it still remained there. The house now sits in it’s permanent location across from the Oceanside Fishing Pier, on N Pacific St, between Pier View Way and Mission Ave.
LOCATION: Originally located at 102 N Pacific St, Oceanside, CA 92054, permanently relocated to N Pacific St, between Pier View Way and Mission Ave
Here is a front facing view of the house before the 2020 restoration, where you can see a poster for the film over one of the boarded up windows.
For scenes set at the back of the house, a completely different location stood in, behind the medical building of Paramount Studios.
LOCATION: 5555 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
In San Diego, you’ll find the bar where Maverick and Goose sing “Great Balls of Fire.” Kansas City Barbeque, located not far from the city’s convention center where their famous Comic Con takes place, makes no secret of their connection to the film. In fact, it’s one of the main themes of the restaurant. Here is the room where Goose played the piano, which was on the wall to the left.
LOCATION: 600 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
The piano itself has been relocated to a different room in the restaurant.
The walls are adorned with tons of imagery and promotional items from the film.
In a later scene, Maverick sits at this bar.
They even have a neon sign for the film in the front windows.
It’s always nice to see places embrace their film history so much. Be sure to check it out if you’re in the San Diego area.
For Tim Burton’s 2016 film “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” the filmmaker returned to his old stomping grounds of West Central Florida, where he famously shot “Edward Scissorhands” sixteen years prior. Jake’s house can be found in the town of Largo, in a small neighborhood built on a peninsula.
LOCATION: 101 Poinciana Ln, Largo, FL 33770
One of the more memorable locations in the film, besides of course the titular home of Miss Peregrine (located in Belgium), is the house of Abe, which sits before of a long row of ominous looking trees. The house can be found in Sun City Center, Florida.
LOCATION: 1007 Hacienda Dr, Sun City Center, FL 33573
For the 1989 sequel “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” most of the story is set in Chicago, Illinois, but production took place primarily in Burbank, California, with a few exteriors filmed in Chicago and Colorado. The Griswold house was not a real house, rather a set on the Warner Bros. Ranch. The ranch was located separate from the main Warner Bros. Studio lot and not open to public tours. The entire ranch was demolished in 2023, with sound stages taking over the space. The same house could be seen in “American Beauty,” “WandaVision,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Small Soldiers,” “Pleasantville” and more.
LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 (demolished)
Just next to the Griswold house was the house of Todd and Margo, played by Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It too was a set, but of all the houses on the ranch, it had the most functional interior, having been used in many productions. The house was mostly shown from side angles or close-ups, likely due to having been used in another popular film series at that time, such as “Lethal Weapon,” where it served as Danny Glover’s house. Known as the Lindsay house, it has also appeared in “American Beauty,” “WandaVision,” The Three Stooges serials, “Pushing Daisies,” “The Middle” and many more. It too has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 (demolished)
Clark flirts with an attractive woman working at a department store, before his son busts him. This was filmed at Bullocks Wilshire, a famous art deco building on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles. Once a luxury department store, the building now operates as a law school. The building is only seen from interior views in the film. While the inside is typically closed to the public, there are occasional public tour opportunities. The building has also been seen in the films “Mank,” “The Aviator,” “The Public Enemy” and “Dunston Checks In,” the TV series “Moonlighting” and Areosmith’s music video for “Love in an Elevator,” as well many other productions.
LOCATION: 3050 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Later in the film, Clark fantasizes about the same department store woman, undressing at a pool in his back yard. The pool was also located at the Warner Bros Ranch. While located fairly close to the Griswold house, it was actually on the opposite side of the street (known as Blondie St), not in back of the house as depicted in the film. If not for the trees in the background of the photo below, you could see the Griswold house in the distance. This area has likewise since been demolished.
LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 (demolished)
Near the end of the film, Cousin Eddie, played by Randy Quaid, abducts Clark’s boss from his home after he stiffs his staff on their Christmas bonuses. This was filmed at the Mattison Boyd Jones house in Glendale, California. The house can be a bit tricky to see from the road, as the front of the property has a long fence with high shrubs and the driveway is gated. However, from the right angle you can still catch a view. Currently a private residence, the house has been seen in many television shows, primarily from the 70s and 80s, including “Flamingo Road,” “Columbo,” “Knight Rider” and “Emerald Point N.A.S.”
Bradley Cooper directed and starred alongside Lady Gaga in the 2018 remake of “A Star is Born,” which was filmed largely around Los Angeles. Early in the film, Ally, played by Lady Gaga, quits her job at a restaurant. This was filmed in the kitchen of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. Ally can be seen walking up the loading ramp just past the hotel on S Grand Ave. The same alley can be seen in the film “Chinatown” (on the upper ramp to the right) and from the reverse angle in the film “Seven.”
LOCATION: 530 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Ally’s house can be found in Angelino Heights, almost directly across the street from Dominic Toretto’s house in “The Fast And The Furious.”
LOCATION: 739 E Kensington Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Another view of Ally’s house.
Jack and Ally sit in front of the Super A Foods market late at night as Ally nurses an injured hand. The same market was used in the films “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood” and “Crossroads.”
LOCATION: 2924 Division St, Los Angeles, CA 90065
The famous Chateau Marmont is where Ally sees the billboard promoting her album release.
LOCATION: 8221 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
Jack and Ally begin living together in a house near the woods, located in Calabasas. Since filming completed, the property is now surrounded by a fence. However, due to the downward slope of the land from the road, the house is still easily visible from several areas.
LOCATION: 481 Cold Canyon Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302
Jack’s garage, seen in several scenes in the film, is not fenced off and sits very close to the road.
Jack is awoken on the street curb in front of his friend Noodles’ house, supposedly located in Memphis. The real home can be found in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of East L.A.
The home itself is only seen from interiors and side angles from the opposite side of the fence in the film. The same house can be seen as the party house in the 1980s comedy “Teen Wolf” and was featured on an episode of the TV series “This Is Us.” Directly next door is also the house of Chloë Grace Moretz’s character in “(500) Days Of Summer.”
The 2018 superhero action film “Black Panther” shot in numerous locations, including Argentina, Busan, South Korea and Atlanta, Georgia. In the early scenes of the film, some kids play basketball in a parking lot in front of an apartment tower, supposedly located in Oakland, California. The real building is the Wheat Street Towers, located in Atlanta, Georgia.
LOCATION: 375 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312
T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, makes his way to Busan, South Korea, along with Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Okoye (Danai Gurira). The three of them enter an exclusive casino in search of Klaue, played by Andy Serkis. The exterior scenes were an elaborate recreation of Jagalchi Market, a famous fish and seafood market. However, it was actually a heavily set dressed portion of the MET Atlanta business park in Altanta, Georgia (675 Metropolitan Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30310). The casino interior was built at EUE Screen Gems Studios in Atlanta (175 Lakewood Way SW, Atlanta, GA 30315).
The real Busan does feature in the film, however, during the ensuing car chase in pursuit of Klaue. Black Panther flips a car over as it crosses Gwangan Bridge.
LOCATION: Gwangan Bridge, Millak-dong, Busan, South Korea
Black Panther rides on the roof of a car down Gwanganhaebyeon-ro, a popular street near Gwangan Bridge. This area has a small beach with a great view of the bridge. Often boats are out on the water lighting fireworks. It attracts a young crowd and is a great area to visit, particularly at night, if you find yourself in Busan.
LOCATION: Near 195 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro, Gwangan 2(i)-dong, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea (GPS coordinates: 35.151638, 129.116886)
After Klaue is captured, he is taken to a CIA site, supposedly still located in South Korea. This is actually back in Atlanta, where the streets were set dressed to appear Korean.
LOCATION: 223 Mitchell St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
This 2018 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series was featured during the aforementioned Busan chase scene. Black Panther rides atop the remotely driven vehicle, leaping onto other vehicles to disable them on the streets of South Korea. The vehicle could be found on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, which ran an exhibit entitled “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles Of Science Fiction and Fantasy” from May 2019 through May 2020.
LOCATION: Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Lastly, we leave you with a Black Panther statue, which could be found at the Busan Museum of Movies. There were actually a couple statues placed outdoors near the filming locations in Busan, including the beach near Gwangan Bridge covered in this article. Two of the statues were unfortunately destroyed, however, within a month of going on display. They were identical to this one, which is still in tact in the lobby of the Busan Museum of Movies.
LOCATION: Busan Museum of Movies, 12 Daecheong-ro 126beon-gil, Donggwangdong 3(sam)-ga, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea
Right next to the statue in the museum, you can find this information on the Busan filming locations. The locations are scattered all over the city, so unfortunately we didn’t have time to visit them all, but hope to in the future.
The cult 1980s film “The Monster Squad” shot mostly on studio lots, but there are a couple real world locations. The school the boys attend is the Richland Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles.
LOCATION: 11562 Richland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90064
One of those more memorable locations was the house of the “Scary German Guy.” It could be found in Santa Monica, but as is often the case around Southern California, new owners came along, demolished the property and built a more modern house in it’s place. Here is what it looks like now.
LOCATION: 229 12th St, Santa Monica, CA 90402 (now demolished)
Sean’s house was a facade, located on the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank. This studio lot was separate from the main Warner backlot and was not open to public tours. The same house was used in the 1970s TV series “The Partridge Family.” The entire ranch was demolished in 2023, with sound stages taking over the space.
LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 (demolished)
The climactic battle against the monsters was filmed on the main Warner backlot, which is of course open to tours. The boys make their way to this church, which was also seen in another 1980s horror classic, “The Lost Boys.”
LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505
Here is a wider view of the town square, which was also famously used as the fictional town of “Stars Hollow” in the TV show “Gilmore Girls.”
Dracula stands in front of this house, which is another facade on the Warner lot. The same home was seen in “Gremlins” and “Deadly Friend,” as well as the TV series “Growing Pains” and “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.”
Seeing the locations of “The Monster Squad” is a tricky proposition, as it involves a mixture of studio and real world locations, not all of which we covered here. Whether you’re a nostalgic fan from the film’s initial release, or a new fan just discovering it for the first time, “The Monster Squad” continues to have an undeniable cult following.
Michael Bay’s 1990s action film “Bad Boys” and it’s sequel, “Bad Boys II,” are famously set in Miami, Florida. Marcus, played by Martin Lawrence, lives in this house in the first film, which is located near the Marlins Park baseball field.
LOCATION: 737 NW 15th Ave, Miami, FL 33125
The police station where the pair work is actually the Dade County Courthouse. The building was also seen in the 1981 Sydney Pollack film “Absence of Malice” and the 1998 thriller “Wild Things.”
LOCATION: 73 W Flagler St, Miami, FL 33130
“Club Hell,” where Marcus gets into a fight in the bathroom, was the heavily dressed Scottish Rite Temple. The same building appears in Michael Mann’s 2006 film adaptation of “Miami Vice.”
LOCATION: 471 NW 3rd St, Miami, FL 33128
The apartment where Mike, played by Will Smith, lives was the former Collins Park hotel in Miami Beach, which was also seen in the original “Miami Vice” television series. The property is currently undergoing remodeling.
LOCATION: 2030 Park Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Julie, played by Téa Leoni, is kidnapped and a large action sequence takes place, ending with Mike and Marcus failing to rescue her. In one of director Michael Bay’s trademark shots, a low-angle, 360 degree shot around the pair takes place in front of the Tropics Hotel.
Film Oblivion 