In the 2017 live action adaption of the classic manga “Ghost In The Shell,” Major Mira Killian, played by Scarlett Johansson, rides this motorcycle as she searches for Hideo Kuze. The motorcycle is a custom Honda, inspired by the original manga. It 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
In the opening of the 1992 comedy “Sister Act,” a flashback scene is shown at “Saint Anne’s Academy” in 1968. A young Deloris, Goldberg’s character, is seen misbehaving in a Catholic school. The building can be found in Reno, Nevada.
LOCATION: 310 W 2nd St, Reno, NV 89503
An adult Deloris is now a singer in Reno, Nevada. Early in the film, the famous Reno Arch is prominently featured.
LOCATION: 345 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501
After witnessing a murder, Deloris goes to a police station. They agree to put her under witness protection until she can testify in court.
LOCATION: 50 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501
The exterior of the church where Deloris becomes a nun is the St Paul’s Catholic Church, which can be found in San Francisco.
The 1932 Laurel & Hardy film “The Music Box” won the Academy Award for Best Short Subject. The stairs from the film still exist in Los Angeles. Named the “Music Box Steps,” they can be found in the neighborhood of Silver Lake. For those interested, the film can be found online for free.
LOCATION: Music Box Steps, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (between 923 / 935 N Vendome St, Los Angeles, CA 90026, at the intersection of Del Monte Dr / N Vendome St)
The idea for the film came about when a writer for director Hal Roach passed by the stairs and thought it would be amusing to see Laurel & Hardy try to carry something heavy up them. The property on the right existed at the time of the film, but the area to the left was just empty land.
The median in the road on the right can be seen in the film.
The stairs consist of 131 steps.
At the top of the stairs is not a house, as depicted in the film. Those scenes were shot on the Hal Roach Studio lot. At the real location, there is another street at the top of the stairs. Both the top and bottom of the stairs have a street sign for the Music Box Steps.
At the base of the stairs, there is a plaque commemorating the film. However, it has become worn and faded, making it difficult to read. According to the plaque, the same location location was also featured in the lost 1927 Laurel & Hardy short film, “Hats Off.”
The stairs can either be accessed from N Vendome St at the bottom or Descanso Dr at the top.
Our article on Season 1 of the TV series “True Detective” remains one of the biggest location searches we’ve ever done, through the small towns of Southern Louisiana. For the second season of the show, writer Nic Pizzolatto shifts the setting to Southern California in the fictional city of Vinci, loosely based on the city of Vernon, which had a corruption scandal not unlike what is depicted in the show.
The locations are just as plentiful as the first season, spanning from Santa Paula to Santa Ana, from Mt. Baldy to Beverly Hills and everything in between. The show presents a more gritty look into Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Visiting the locations is a deep dive into Southern California and one that should only be done if you’re a fan of the show, as it won’t take you to any tourist destinations. Sometimes you’ll even find yourself in somewhat unsafe neighborhoods.
The following article contains numerous spoilers for the show, so we recommend only reading if you’ve seen the complete second season. As is often the case with TV shows, many of these locations appear in multiple episodes, so we’ll cover each location by where they first appear.
Episode One – “The Western Book of the Dead”
The season begins with Detective Ray Velcoro, played by Colin Farrell, dropping his son off at school.
LOCATION: 2125 Lincoln Ave, Torrance, CA 90501
The Black Rose bar, where Ray frequently meets Frank Semyon, played by Vince Vaughn, over the course of the series is located in Vernon. It is mostly seen from interior views in the show, but the building is not actually a bar. It is a private building closed to the public and it is unclear if the interiors were actually filmed here or elsewhere. The exterior is seen a few times in the show as well, however. Frank gives Ray info on who assaulted his ex-wife, leading Ray to seek revenge on the assailant.
LOCATION: 2465 E 53rd St, Vernon, CA 90058
The establishing shots of the fictional city of Vinci were shot around Vernon.
LOCATION: Seen from the parking lot behind 3666 S Soto St, Vernon, CA 90058
The casino where Frank works could be found in Gardena. The actual casino has since closed down.
LOCATION: 1045 Rosecrans Ave, Gardena, CA 90247
Detective Ani Bezzerides, played by Rachel McAdams, runs an eviction raid on this home, which is located in Santa Paula, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
LOCATION: 593 Orcutt Rd, Santa Paula, CA 93060
Ray’s house can be found in Vernon. It is located right next to City Hall, also seen in the show.
LOCATION: 4322 Furlong Pl, Vernon, CA 90058
Bezzerides follows a lead on a woman to the Panticapaeum Institute, a spiritual retreat run by her father. These scenes were filmed at Wayfarers Chapel in Ranchos Palos Verdes. The same location was featured in the 1980s comedy “Innerspace.”
LOCATION: 5755 Palos Verdes Dr S, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Here are the stairs from which the detectives approach.
The chapel is a very scenic place to visit, offering views overlooking the ocean.
The California Highway Patrol Station where Highway Patrol officer Paul Woodrugh, played by Taylor Kitsch, works could be found in Hawthorne. It was a real police building, also featured in the TV series “True Blood” and the film “Zodiac.” The building has since been demolished. Here is the area where it formerly stood.
LOCATION: 4440 W 126th St, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (now demolished)
Ray parks outside of this apartment building, where he plans to attack the man he believes raped his ex-wife Gena.
LOCATION: 15464 Moorpark St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
The apartment where he stages the attack is located across the street.
LOCATION: 15445 Moorpark St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Ray visits this house at night, where a boy who has been bullying his son lives. Ray beats the boy’s father in front of him at the front door, as a warning to stop bullying.
LOCATION: 19825 Needles St, Chatsworth, CA 91311
Bezzerides gets escorted out of a casino when she receives a call about a new case.
LOCATION: 6580 Auto Center Dr, Ventura, CA 93003
Woodrugh discovers the body of Ben Caspere sitting on a picnic table at Point Magu Rock, overlooking the ocean. Detectives Ray Velcoro and Ani Bezzerides are called to the scene, where the three officers meet and the stage is set for the case. There are no picnic tables at the actual location, but it is a popular scenic overlook.
LOCATION: Point Magu Rock, 799 Pacific Coast Hwy, NAS Point Mugu, CA 93042
Episode Two – “Night Finds You”
Ray visits the city of Vinci, where he sees kids playing in the toxic water draining into this river channel. In the same area, he meets with Frank. The drainage hole was a visual effect added by the show.
LOCATION: Near 2715 E Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023
Woodrugh visits his mother at this trailer park.
LOCATION: 4456 Naval Air Rd, Oxnard, CA 93033
A brief transition shot is shown of these train tracks in Vinci.
LOCATION: Near 2552 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023
Ray visits this shopping plaza to see his son, but is instead greeted by his ex-wife Gena. Angry over Ray’s violent assault on the bully’s father, Gena tells him she will be petitioning for sole custody. The scene was filmed at the Northridge Mall. It’s a large place, so we’ve provided GPS coordinates below to the specific parking lot.
LOCATION: 9301 Tampa Ave, Northridge, CA 91324 (GPS coordinates: 34.240655, -118.556896)
After some men attack a man on the street, Frank pretends to be a bystander, before threatening the man himself. This scene was filmed near the same freeway overpass seen in the films “Heat” and “Scarface.”
LOCATION: Near 749 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Ray and Bezzerides visit the clinic of Ben Caspere’s doctor. These scenes were filmed at the Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley. The property regularly hosts weddings and special events. It is otherwise a private estate, only allowing guests by appointment. The only road leading to the ranch is typically gated shut with no trespassing signs. The property has also appeared in “Babylon,” Oliver Stone’s “Savages,” “Jobs” starring Ashton Kutcher and in the TV series “Too Old To Die Young.”
LOCATION: 2940 Kuehner Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93063
Frank visits the mayor at the Vinci City Hall. The opposite side of the building is where Ray’s house can be found.
LOCATION: 4305 S Santa Fe Ave, Vernon, CA 90058
Episode Three – “Maybe Tomorrow”
Bezzerides and Woodrugh visit the house of the mayor of Vinci, which can be found in Beverly Hills.
LOCATION: 1091 Laurel Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ray and Bezzerides follow up on a lead when their car is set on fire under this freeway overpass.
LOCATION: 11502 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90061
Episode Four – “Down Will Come”
Woodrugh is unexpectedly confronted by the press in front of this hotel.
LOCATION: 7023 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Frank pays a visit to this apartment, where he informs the owner he is now 40% partner of the property. The apartment complex is seen from the interior courtyard in the show. The apartment next door was also featured in the film “Collateral.”
LOCATION: 1029 S Union Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Woodrugh’s girlfriend informs him she’s pregnant at this restaurant.
LOCATION: 2601 S Soto St, Vernon, CA 90058
Woodrugh locates a stolen watch at this pawn shop.
LOCATION: 5901 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
After Bezzerides find out she has a sexual misconduct complaint filed against her, she has an argument with her partner outside the police department. The same location was featured in the film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” This building has since been demolished. It formerly stood at 333 N Prairie Ave, Inglewood, CA 90301.
The pawn shop lead brings the detectives to a suspect. While the cops are watching the area ahead of their raid, workers file into this building.
LOCATION: 615 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, CA 90023
Protesters gather in front of this building.
LOCATION: 560 S Mission Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Bezzerides and her team approach past this building to begin the raid.
LOCATION: 607 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, CA 90023
A shootout ensues from this building, with a large explosion on the top floor.
LOCATION: 621 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, CA 90023
Ray and Woodrugh make it through the gunfire over to this door at foot of the building.
They then cross these stairs in front in pursuit of the suspects in a vehicle.
The suspect vehicle then crashes into a bus at this intersection, where another shootout ensues.
LOCATION: Jesse St / S Anderson St, Los Angeles, CA 90023
Episode Five – “Other Lives”
Burdened by financial issues, Frank is forced to move into a more modest home.
LOCATION: 1400 N Spaulding Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Bezzerides meets the woman she ran a raid on in the first episode at this hotel. While speaking to her, she obtains information on a private party.
LOCATION: 401 S Westlake Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Ray follows a group of prostitutes to a nondescript building. He parks in front of this building.
LOCATION: 1951 Staunton Ave, Vernon, CA 90058
He sees the prostitutes enter into this building.
LOCATION: 2001 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90058 (seen from E 20th St)
Frank has a business meeting, where a man offers him a deal to own some land again, if Frank can locate a hard drive owned by Ben Caspere. The location is next to Union Station and the establishing shot shows Union Station, then pans slightly toward the building to the right, where the meeting takes place.
LOCATION: 800 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, panning towards 700 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Ray meets his ex-wife Gena at this scenic area overlooking Dodger Stadium and Downtown Los Angeles. His wife informs him her rapist was captured and it wasn’t the man Ray believed it was, therefore the information Ray had was incorrect. This area is the Elysian Park Helipad. There is parking nearby and a path that leads up directly to this area. It is not a difficult walk to reach it. This area is located close to where a dream sequence in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” was shot.
LOCATION: Elysian Park Helipad, Solano Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (GPS coordinates: 34.082766, -118.236997)
Bezzerides and Woodrugh follow a lead in the Caspere case to a lodge in the woods. Known as the Harwood Lodge, it can be fount in Mt. Baldy, about 50 miles away from Los Angeles. There is a dirt road that leads up to the lodge, which is sometimes best reached by walking, depending on weather conditions.
LOCATION: 6700 Mt Baldy Rd, Mt Baldy, CA 91759
Bezzerides notices birds circling in the air in the woods nearby, leading them to the discovery of another crime scene.
Episode Six – “Church in Ruins”
Frank and his crew arrive at this home in search of a prostitute. Instead, he finds out the home belongs to the Mexicans criminals seen previously in the show, when Frank refused to form a partnership with them. Frank now renegotiates.
LOCATION: 1521 Colton St, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (seen from Lake Shore Terrace)
After the Mexicans put Frank in touch with the woman he’s been searching for, he arranges to meet her at this location, only to discover her dead body there. The Mexicans have killed her as retribution against Frank for not accepting their initial terms.
LOCATION: 2901 Fruitland Ave, Vernon, CA 90058 (seen from E 50th St)
Episode Seven – “Black Maps and Motel Rooms”
After Ray and Woodrugh rescue Bezzerides from a party in which she was drugged and attacked, the three stay at this motel in Mt. Baldy, located not far from the cabin seen in episode six.
LOCATION: 6867 Mt Baldy Rd, Mt Baldy, CA 91759
Woodrugh searches police records at the LAPD building in Downtown Los Angeles.
LOCATION: 100 W 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Woodrugh goes to meet a man who is blackmailing him at the Hall of Records. It turns out to be a set-up.
LOCATION: 320 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (seen from N Hill St)
Woodrugh is shot at the steps of old Los Angeles Police Department in Downtown Los Angeles, which has since been demolished. The same building was featured in the film “Inherent Vice.”
LOCATION: 150 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (now demolished)
Episode Eight – “Omega Station”
Frank sends his wife Jordan, played by Kelly Reilly, away at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center. The same location was featured in such films as “Rain Man” and “Memoirs of an Invisible Man.”
LOCATION: 1000 E Santa Ana Blvd, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Jordon refuses to leave until Frank finally persuades her.
Ray and Bezzerides enter this home and discover a lot of evidence about the case, as well as the fact that Laura and Leonard Osterman were behind the attack on Caspere.
LOCATION: 1000 El Mirador Ave, Long Beach, CA 90815
Bezzerides sends Laura Osterman away on a bus at this station. The real location is not a bus station at all, rather a boarding terminal for cruise ships in San Pedro.
LOCATION: 100 Swinford St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Frank makes his way to the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center to meet the corrupt cops under the agreed plan of exchanging incriminating evidence in his possession.
LOCATION: 2626 E Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92806
Ray makes his way to the upper level inside the building.
Leonard Osterman then attacks one of the men and a shootout begins.
Ray parks at this intersection to see his son one last time, only to discover a tracking device on his vehicle. The intersection really is located next to the school, seen in the first episode.
LOCATION: Lincoln Ave / Apple Ave, Torrance, CA 90501
The Mexican criminals kidnap Frank at this intersection.
LOCATION: E 16th St / Hooper Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021
They proceed onto the freeway here.
LOCATION: E 17th St / Naomi Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Bezzerides escapes to what is supposedly Venezuela. In reality, the scenes were shot in Downtown Los Angeles, with a lot of set decoration and some visual effects to fill the city backdrop.
LOCATION: E 11th St / Wall St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
There remain dozens more locations we did not document from the second season. Some are minor, others are major, but not easily visible for photography. Los Angeles is a constantly changing city and just a few short years later, several locations already no longer exist. We’ve tried to document as any as we could here. If you do plan to visit the season 2 filming locations, it requires a lot of time and distance, so do your research and allow yourself many days to navigate it all.
The 2007 Farrelly Brothers comedy “The Heartbreak Kid” was filmed in both Northern and Southern California, as well as in Mexico. The opening shot of the film takes place on the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco.
LOCATION: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Eddie, played by Ben Stiller, has pie with Lila, played by Malin Akerman. The interiors were filmed at the former Quality Cafe in Downtown Los Angeles. The cafe was a one-time staple of films, appearing in “Seven,” “Training Day,” “Ghost World,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Rules Of Attraction,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and dozens more. However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public. Instead it was used solely for filming (much like Johnie’s Coffee Shop in mid-town L.A.). Unless the building was being set up for a production, most of the time it was closed up and locked by a large metal door covering the front windows. So catching a glimpse of it was rare. Sadly, it ceased to function as a filming location and was completely renovated in 2014. The interior of the property no longer bears any resemblance inside to how it appeared in so many films.
LOCATION: 1238 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (since closed and remodeled)
Late in the film, Eddie sneaks back into the United States from Mexico, in search of Miranda, played by Michelle Monaghan. He visits her parents’ house, supposedly located in Mississippi. The real home can be found in Pasadena.
LOCATION: 1480 N Michigan Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
Eddie then finds Miranda’s house, also supposedly located in Mississippi but actually found in Pasadena.
LOCATION: 939 N Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104
The filming angles were clearly chosen as to avoid showing the mountains and palm trees in the distance.
The 1996 Robert Rodriguez film “From Dusk Till Dawn,” written by Quentin Tarantino, is set in Texas and Mexico. Production actually took place at neither, however. Instead, the film was shot primarily in California.
In the opening scene, the Gecko Brothers, Seth and Richie, played by George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino respectively, visit Benny’s World of Liquor. The same location also appeared in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and still stands today. The building can be found in Lancaster, California. However, a fence has since been erected around the property, obscuring some of the views.
LOCATION: 46551 140th St E, Lancaster, CA 93535
Here is the area next to the building, where Texas Ranger Earl McGraw, played by Michael Parks, first arrives, much in the same way he does (as the same character) in “Kill Bill.” The church he visits in that film is also located in Lancaster, just minutes away from this location.
Seth and Richie speed off down 140th St E as the opening credits begin.
The Dew Drop Motel where the Gecko Brothers meet Jacob, played by Harvey Keitel, can be found in Mojave. The same motel, actually called the Budget Inn Motel, was featured in the film “Nocturnal Animals.” Other than some slight renovations to the front of the motel, it still looks similar to how it appeared in the film.
LOCATION: 16698 Sierra Hwy, Mojave, CA 93501
The restaurant where Jacob eats with his daughter Kate and son Scott, played by Juliette Lewis and Ernie Liu respectively, has since been demolished. It was formerly located in Victorville, on I-15 Frontage Rd, just off Interstate 15. Here is where the building once stood.
LOCATION: GPS coordinates: 34.557037, -117.287256 (nearest address is around 16801 I-15 Frontage Rd, Victorville, CA 92394)
The Titty Twister bar and strip club is not located in Mexico, as depicted in the film. It was a set built on a dry lake bed in Yermo, just off Interstate 15, near Calico Blvd and Ghost Town Rd. There are, of course, no longer any remnants of the set. However, the mountains in the background allow the ability to coordinate where the sets approximately stood. Facing west on the lake bed, looking towards Ghost Town Rd is where the Titty Twister was located.
LOCATION: GPS coordinates: 34.915563, -116.876034 (near Calico Blvd / Ghost Town Rd, Yermo, CA 92398)
Looking the opposite direction is where the dirt path up to the bar was located. There is of course no Aztec temple to be found there, which was a visual effect.
The whip used by Sex Machine, played by Tom Savini, could be found on display at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Washington as part of their horror exhibition, “Scared to Death: The Thrill of Horror Film.”
LOCATION: 325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
To see our “From Dusk Till Dawn” location page, click here.
The third installment in the “Crocodile Dundee” trilogy, “Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles,” was primarily filmed exactly where the title suggests. Early in the film, when Mick Dundee, played by Paul Hogan, arrives into the city, numerous landmarks are shown, such as Angels Flight, also seen in the film “La La Land.”
LOCATION: 50 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Another iconic location seen in the montage is Randy’s Donuts, featured in countless films, such as “Iron Man 2,” “Get Shorty,” “2012,” “Dope” and “The Golden Child.”
LOCATION: 805 W Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301
Sue, played by Linda Kozlowski, walks with Jean, played by Aida Turturro around Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The two discuss how they might be onto a big news story about an upstart film company acting as a front for criminal activity.
LOCATION: Dayton Way / N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Paramount Studios is seen several times in the film, as Dundee becomes a mole to uncover the crime activities of a movie company shooting on the lot.
LOCATION: 5555 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Dundee is seen walking with his family near the B tank and water tower on the Paramount lot.
Dundee and his friend Jacko mistakenly enter a gay bar, which was filmed at Boardner’s bar in Hollywood. The same bar appeared in the film “Ed Wood.”
LOCATION: 1652 N Cherokee Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
The 2007 David Fincher film “Zodiac” is primarily set in the San Francisco Bay area. However, production was split between Northern and Southern California, with quite a few scenes shot in the Greater Los Angeles area. The opening scenes show a young Mike Mageau, played by Lee Norris, being picked up for a date by Darlene Ferrine, played by Ciara Moriarty on July 4, 1969. While set in Vallejo, California, the scene was actually filmed in Long Beach. The camera rolls past a series of houses on Gundry Ave, beginning around 3938 Gundry Ave and stopping five houses down at Mike’s place.
LOCATION: 3964 Gundry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807
The couple drives to this diner, also located in Long Beach, where Darlene says it’s too crowded and decides to go some place quiet. The same diner has also appeared in the films “Corrina, Corrina,” “The Real McCoy” and “A Cinderella Story.”
LOCATION: 4390 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807
The site of the first killings can be found in Santa Clarita on Bouquet Canyon Rd. The area had been dressed to look like a campground for another production and the filmmakers kept some of the design for this film. A rock wall, seen in some shots, as well as the entrance where Zodiac parks behind Darlene and Mike, can all be seen in historic aerial images. The landscape has changed over the years, but the general layout remains the same, with the hills in the back, trees on the right and layout of the road all still matching.
LOCATION: 30570 Bouquet Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91390 (GPS coordinates: 34°29’42.8″N, 118°27’28.3″W)
Here is the area the Zodiac is seen driving away, only to return. The scene itself is very dark in the film, but some of the behind the scenes features show the area in daylight before sets had been built. We confirmed with some of the filmmakers this was indeed the location seen in the film.
Robert Graysmith, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, lives in a house that is only seen from interior views in the film. However, a couple shots help pinpoint the neighborhood to Angelino Heights in Los Angeles. For example, the street outside of his home can be seen here when he takes his son to school early in the film.
LOCATION: Near the intersection of Douglas St / Kellam Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (approximately in front of 1406 Kellam Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026)
Robert drops his son off at for school at Roosevelt Middle School in San Francisco (460 Arguello Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118).
Robert works as a cartoonist at the San Francisco Chronicle. For exterior shots, the real newspaper building was used.
LOCATION: 901 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Interiors for the San Francisco Chronicle were filmed at the old United States Post Office – Los Angeles Terminal Annex in Downtown Los Angeles. The building has also been used in such films as “City of Angels” and “Dear God,” as well as such TV shows as “Southland,” “EZ Streets” and “No Ordinary Family.”
LOCATION: 900 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The Zodiac kills a taxi driver at the corner of Washington and Cherry in San Francisco. This film shot at the real location where the murder took place, however their access was limited, as the neighborhood did not want the production there or the attention it would draw. The location is revisited several times in the film, as the characters hope the killer might return to the site on the anniversary of his crimes. For the night scenes, the Presidio Heights neighborhood was actually recreated on a studio lot at the former Downey Studios (12214 Lakewood Blvd, Downey, CA 90242), with blue screens used to add further backgrounds to the practical sets. Downey Studios has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 3893 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94118
Robert stops his son from getting on the school bus at this location. This is again in the Angelino Heights neighborhood, just around the corner from the spot where he drives his son to school early in the film.
LOCATION: Near the intersection of Douglas St / Kellam Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (approximately in front of 908 Douglas St, Los Angeles, CA 90026)
Detectives visit the house of Melvin Belli, played by Brian Cox, after the Zodiac writes him a letter. Later in the film, Robert also visits the home. Belli’s house is located in Hancock Park at Fremont Place, which is one of the few gated communities in Los Angeles and therefore inaccessible to the public. A popular filming location, many productions have shot inside Fremont Place, such as “Taken,” “The War Of The Roses” and “Rocky III.” Fincher himself returned to the same neighborhood for “Gone Girl,” where the house of Desi Collings can also be found.
LOCATION: 72 Fremont Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Paul Avery, played by Robert Downey Jr., has an argument with Inspector David Toschi, played by Mark Ruffalo, outside of the Riverside Police Department. The building used in the scene is actually located in Culver City. The same location was also featured in the film “The Lincoln Lawyer.” The building has since been slightly remodeled, but is still recognizable.
LOCATION: 4130 Overland Ave, Culver City, CA 90230 (since remodeled)
Toschi shares a sandwhich with his partner William Armstrong, played by Anthony Edwards, at the former Callahan’s Diner in Santa Monica. The location actually appears in three separate scenes in the film, with the latter two featuring Toschi meeting with Robert. According to information online, some shots were done on a set. Callahan’s Diner has long since closed and the building was being renovated at the time of our visit.
LOCATION: 1213 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403 (since remodeled)
A time lapse is shown of the construction of the Transamerica Pyramid building. This was of course a CGI creation.
LOCATION: 600 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Toschi catches a screening of “Dirty Harry,” where he is unimpressed with the depiction of the Zodiac inspired villain “Scorpio.” The exterior of the building still exists (295 Bay St, San Francisco, CA 94133). However, the interior scenes were filmed at the former National Westwood Theatre in Los Angeles, which was demolished in 2008. Here is the area where it formerly stood.
LOCATION: 10925 Lindbrook Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90024
The Golden Gate Bridge is briefly seen in a transition shot when Robert makes his way to the Vallejo Police Department. The bridge is one of the most often seen locations in film, having appeared in “Vertigo,” “The Rock,” “Pacific Rim,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Big Eyes,” “Terminator: Genisys,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Superman: The Movie,” “San Andreas,” “A View To A Kill,” “Dirty Harry,” “Hulk,” “Lords Of Dogtown,” “The Bridge” and many more.
LOCATION: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
The Vallejo Police Department, where Robert obtains more information on the case, could be found in Hawthorne. It was a real police building, also featured in the TV series “True Blood” and the second season of “True Detective.” The building has since been demolished. Here is the area where it formerly stood.
LOCATION: 4440 W 126th St, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (now demolished)
Robert meets up with Toschi at the Wilshire Collonade to tell him about the progress of his own personal investigation. Toschi encourages Robert to keep investigating and directs him to seek out Melvin Belli. The same location was featured in numerous films, such as “Wrath Of Man,” “Stealing Harvard” and “Earthquake,” as well as such TV series as “Californication,” “American Crime Story: Impeachment” and more.
LOCATION: 3701 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Robert calls Toschi from a payphone in front of San Francisco City Hall, following a lead on Zodiac’s birthday.
LOCATION: 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl., San Francisco, CA 94102
Robert approaches Inspector Toschi again at the Earl Warren Building in San Francisco, seeking more information on the case. Toschi lets Robert know the case is unlikely to ever be solved at that point and tells him to not disturb him anymore.
LOCATION: 350 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102
The building is located next to City Hall, which can once again be seen in the background of some shots.
Robert is picked up by Bob Vaughn in front of the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro. The same theater also appeared in many other films, including “Pearl Harbor,” “Babylon,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “Seabiscut,” “Remote Control,” “Win A Date With Tad Hamilton,” “It’s Pat: The Movie,” “Ghosts Of Mississippi,” “Boys And Girls,” “Live By Night,” “Worth Winning,” “Mark Of Love,” “Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here” and “From Wharf Rats to Lords of the Docks.” It has also appeared in such television series as “The O.C.,” “Party Of Five,” “Melrose Place,” “T.J.Hooker,” “7th Heaven” and “Cousin Skeeter.”
LOCATION: 478 W 6th St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Near the end of the film, Robert tracks down a suspect he believes may be the Zodiac working inside this hardware store in South Gate. The building is only seen from interior views in the film.
LOCATION: 3948 Tweedy Blvd, South Gate, CA 90280
In the closing scenes of the film, an older Mike Mageau is brought in at the Ontario Airport to look at photos of potential suspects. The airport has appeared in many other films, including “Catch Me If You Can,” “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Blow,” “Argo” and more.
The 2003 Rob Zombie horror film “House Of 1000 Corpses” was shot entirely in Southern California. Captain Spaulding’s “Museum of Monsters and Madmen” was filmed at the Four Aces Movie Ranch in Palmdale, California. The set has been seen in countless films, such as “Identity,” “Palm Springs” and “Faster.” It has also appeared in such TV shows as “Twin Peaks” and “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” as well as numerous commercials and music videos.
Please keep in mind the property is private and there are “no trespassing” signs posted. However, it is easily visible from the road. The set is a popular filming location, so you may encounter a shoot in progress when you visit. If it’s a particularly secretive set, sometimes the roads next to it are closed off to the public.
LOCATION: Four Aces Movie Ranch, 14499 E Ave Q, Palmdale, CA 93591
The Firefly house was another set, this time located on Universal Studios Hollywood lot, where it can be seen as part of their studio tour. The same house facade was featured in the film “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas,” as well as the TV show “Sliders.”
LOCATION: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
Also on the Universal lot is the house of Don Willis. The same house was featured on the classic television series “Leave It To Beaver.”
Film Oblivion 