Double Dragon (1994)

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The 1994 film “Double Dragon,” based on the popular 1987 video game, was filmed in Cleveland, Ohio and Los Angeles, California. Billy and Jimmy Lee, played by Scott Wolf and Mark Decascos, get chased around the streets of “New Angeles” by Bo Abobo. Part of the chase was filmed 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 “The Terminator,” “Robocop,” “Demolition Man,” “Cobra,” “Batman Forever,” “Repo Man,” “The Hidden,” “Whore” and many more.  It was also featured in the TV series “Westworld.”

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LOCATION: Grand Lower, Los Angeles, CA 90071

The chase continues into the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown L.A.  This is another popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “The Terminator,” “Blade Runner,” “Con Air,” “Independence Day,” “Demolition Man,” “Freakier Friday” and many more.

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LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

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The chase continues down the ramp on the left, past the “Uptown Rocker” public art piece in Downtown Los Angeles, which also appears in such films as “Southland Tales” and “The Hidden.”

LOCATION: W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90071 (GPS coordinates: 34°03’06.3″N 118°15’10.2″W)

Billy and Jimmy walk beneath the Detroit-Superior Bridge in Cleveland (Detroit-Superior Bridge, Cleveland, OH 44113), where they talk about needing help to get the other half of a medallion.

Marian Delario, played by Alyssa Milano, sends a group of skaters into the Shuko Center shopping plaza to create a diversion with security as they enter the building. These scenes were filmed inside the Tower City Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The same shopping mall was seen in the film “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

LOCATION: 230 W Huron Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113

The closing scenes were filmed at the Sixth Street Viaduct in Downtown Los Angeles. The original bridge was demolished in 2016, due to a flaw in the original concrete used to build the bridge, which gave it a high likelihood of eventual collapse. A new bridge was built in it’s place and opened in 2022. The original bridge appeared in countless films, including “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “Ghost World,” “Drive,” “Repo Man,” “Grease,” “Blade,” “Swordfish,” and dozens more.

LOCATION: Sixth Street Viaduct, E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Fargo (1996)

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The 1996 Coen Brothers film “Fargo” is set in North Dakota and Minnesota and while some filming did occur in both states, none took place in the titular city of Fargo, North Dakota. The majority of the film was shot around the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, but due to some unusually low snowfall in the winter of 1995 when filming took place, some shots were done in Northern Minnesota and North Dakota.

Jerry Lundegaard, played by William H. Macy, meets with Carl Showalter and Gaear Grimsrud, played by Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare, at The King of Clubs, supposedly located in Fargo. The real building was located near 929 NE Central Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55413, but was demolished in 2003.

The home of Jerry Lundegaard is supposedly located in Minneapolis. The real home is located nearby in Eden Prairie.

LOCATION: 6358 Ginger Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55346

The Blue Ox Motel, where Carl Showalter and Gaear Grimsrud have sex with two prostitutes, was actually a truck stop in South St Paul, which was dressed to look like a motel for the film

LOCATION: 501 Farwell Ave, South St Paul, MN 55075

Police chief Marge Gunderson, played by Frances McDormand, interviews the two prostitutes at the Lakeside Club in Mahtomedi. The building looked nearly identical to how it appeared in the film, but was demolished in 2022. However, we were able to visit while it still stood.

LOCATION: 10 Old Wildwood Rd, Mahtomedi, MN 55115 (now demolished)

According to several sources online, the interior kitchen of the Gunderson house was located at 2215 Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404. There are real estate listings online and while the garage seen through the kitchen window appears to match up to the current property.

Related articles: The Big Lebowski (1998), No Country For Old Men (2007), Hail, Caesar! (2016)

About Schmidt (2002)

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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.

LOCATION: 3215 Poppleton Ave, Omaha, NE 68105

To see our “About Schmidt” location page, click here.

Related articles: Citizen Ruth (1996), Election (1999), Sideways (2004), The Descendants (2011), Nebraska (2013), Downsizing (2017)

Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers (1988)

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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.”

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LOCATION: 7696 Main St W, Midvale, UT 84047

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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

Here is the location of the Meeker house.

LOCATION: 607 E 2nd Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84103

Related articles: Halloween (1978), Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989), Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers (1995), Halloween (2007), Halloween II (2009)

Traffic (2000)

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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)

Related articles: The Limey (1999), Erin Brockovich (2000), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Magic Mike (2012), The Laundromat (2019)

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

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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,” “Babylon,” “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

Related articles: Top Gun (1986)