The house from the late 80s/early 90s sitcom “Empty Nest,” supposedly located in Miami, Florida, can actually be found in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The show is a spin-off of “The Golden Girls” and much like that show, a replica of the house was later built at the former Disney-MGM Studios backlot in Orlando. While the facade in Orlando has long since been demolished, the original home in Brentwood still stands.
LOCATION: 1457 Jonesboro Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049
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 house from the 2013 horror sequel “Insidious: Chapter 2” can be found in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The same home appeared in such films as “Spider Baby,” “The Silent Scream” and “H.O.T.S.,” as well as the television series “Falcon Crest.”
LOCATION: 5905 El Mio Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Elise Rainier’s house can be found in the Highland Park neighborhood. The same house was seen in the sequel “Insidious: Chapter 3.”
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 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. 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, which leads to Lucy’s house. However, where the road dead ends, you still can’t see the house very well. Here instead is an aerial view of the property.
The pier, known as Waikane Pier, also appeared in the TV show “Lost.” Only remnants of it exist now. Further out in the water, you can see a small island known as Mokolii, 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.
Henry and Lucy have a series of “first” kisses, including one at Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse. To reach the lighthouse, you must take a hike from the Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail. Parking is free there, but the lot often fills up. However, there is parking available on the shoulder of the road leading up to the parking lot as well. This is a popular spot and can get crowded. The trail itself is paved and most of the path to reach the scenic overlook is at an incline. The trail round trip runs about two miles and can take a couple hours depending on your pace. There are several scene viewpoints along the way.
LOCATION: Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse, Waimanalo, HI 96795
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 “Robocop,” “Demolition Man,” “Cobra,” “Batman Forever,” “Repo Man,” “Double Dragon,” “The Hidden,” “Whore” 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.
Film Oblivion 