The Freeling house from the 1982, Steven Speilberg produced “Poltergeist,” can be found in Simi Valley, California. Some trees have since been added to the front yard, obscuring the house a bit.
LOCATION: 4267 Roxbury St, Simi Valley, CA 93063
Related articles: Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
The Victorian home of horrors from the 1985 film “House” can be found in Monrovia, California. It’s an impressive house to see, even if you’re unfamiliar with the film.
LOCATION: 329 Melrose Ave, Monrovia, CA 91016
Related articles: House II: The Second Story (1987)
Martin Scorsese’s classic Boston crime saga “The Departed,” a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film “Infernal Affairs,” used a mixture of Boston and New York to comprise the locations of the film. After Warner Bros. purchased the rights to the film, director Martin Scorsese deliberately avoided viewing it until after he completed “The Departed.” Here we’ll take a look at some of the Boston locations from the film.
The Massachusetts State House plays a recurring role in the film, as Matt Damon’s character Colin Sullivan stares in awe at it and rents an upscale penthouse apartment with a view of it’s iconic golden dome at the center of the Boston skyline. The same building was featured in the films “Amistad,” “The Boston Strangler,” “The Verdict” and “Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol.”
LOCATION: 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133
Matt Damon’s penthouse “apartment” isn’t really an apartment at all. It’s the library on the top floor of the Suffolk University Law School. For this obvious reason, the building is never seen from an exterior view in the film, but this is what it looks like from the street. Unfortunately, you must have a university ID to enter the building, so recreating the apartment view from the library is not possible for the public.
LOCATION: 120 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108
Frank Costello, played by Jack Nicholson, lives at this apartment overlooking the east waterfront of the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston. The building is known as Flagship Wharf. Much like Matt Damon’s apartment, the exteriors of this building are scarcely seen in the film. However, some shots of the windows and a view out over the water can be seen as Costello talks on the phone to Sullivan.
LOCATION: 197 8th St, Boston, MA 02129
Outside of Costello’s bar, two of Costello’s crew, Fitzy and Delahunt, stand and observe pedestrians walking by, claiming anyone who avoids looking at the pair are cops. As Billy, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, exits the building without looking at them, Fitzy jokingly says to him “You’re a cop.” Two buildings were actually used for this location; this exterior can be found in Boston, while the interior was an entirely different building in New York (Raul’s, 180 Prince St, New York, NY 10012).
LOCATION: 17 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114
Late in the film, Billy meets Queenan, played by Martin Sheen on a rooftop of what is supposedly 344 Washington Street. There is a hand-drawn sign in front with the numbers 344. Costello’s crew is informed of the meeting and Delahunt mistakenly tells Billy to meet them at “314 Washington.” Despite his error, Billy meets Costello’s crew at the correct address, cluing in Delahunt to Billy’s real identity.
The entrance to real building seen in the film is not on Washington Street, but rather along an alley running between Farnsworth Street and Thompson Place, just north of Congress Street in Boston’s Fort Point.
LOCATION: 11 Farnsworth St, Boston, MA 02210 (this entrance is along a side alley of the building, running between Farnsworth Street and Thompson Place)
Billy narrowly escapes from the rooftop to avoid exposure as an undercover cop. He races down a fire escape into this alley, just beside the entrance seen above. The real building does not have a fire escape, but some skillful editing makes it appear as if this is where the fire escape reaches the streets.
LOCATION: Alley between 11 Farnsworth St and 12 Thompson Pl, Boston, MA 02210
Just as Billy reaches the front of the building, he is shocked as Queenan is thrown from the rooftop. His body falls in front of these windows. Director Martin Scorsese had X marks taped over all the windows, as an homage to the 1932 film “Scarface.”
Billy looks in horror back in front of the building entrance, as Costello’s crew pours out and meet up with him, unaware he was the undercover cop they were just seeking. The police observe the scene and, against Sullivan’s orders, engage in a shootout with Costello’s crew. Billy and Sullivan’s fateful meeting also takes place in this building and on the rooftop.
Related articles: Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013), The Irishman (2019)
In the U.S. version of “The Office,” the Scranton Business Park, home of the Dunder Mifflin, Inc. Paper Company, is located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The real building can be found in Panorama City, California. The building is actually the Chandler Valley Center Studios, which was used as production offices for the show, while the show itself filmed in the studios right next door.
LOCATION: 13927 Saticoy St, Panorama City, CA 91402
Primm, Nevada might not be the first place you’d think of to find the death car of the infamous American outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, yet a casino right along the California / Nevada border is where you’ll find it.
The car was originally stolen by Bonnie and Clyde and used in a series of crimes. After being lured into an ambush in rural Louisiana, police littered the car with bullets, killing the couple and sending the car into infamy. The car began a long, strange life after that, circulating around state fairs, carnivals and amusement parks for decades. For a time, it made it’s way into museums in Massachusetts and Nevada, before later making it’s way into a couple different casinos in Nevada.
Many replicas of the car also exist around the country, as well as the car from the 1967 film, starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. This caused a fair amount of confusion as to the location and authenticity of the car for a time. The real car can now be found at Whisky Pete’s Casino in Primm, Nevada, placed right on the casino floor.
LOCATION: 100 W Primm Blvd, Primm, NV 89019
The entire car is littered with bullet holes, particularly the driver’s side door where Clyde drove.
Even the back of the car has bullet holes in it.
Accompanying the car is a display with news articles about the killing, death certificates and a certificate of authenticity for the car.
Clyde’s shredded shirt he wore at the time of his death is also on display. This too is the authentic shirt.
While there is something strange about the car being on display on a casino floor, it is nevertheless an interesting exhibit if you find yourself near the Nevada border. Located right next to the Bonnie and Clyde car is another vehicle, once belonging to mobster Dutch Schultz.
On the legal comedy-drama series “Ally McBeal,” which ran from 1997 until 2002, the lead character, played by Calista Flockheart, worked on the 7th floor at the fictional Boston law firm Cage And Fish. The real building can be found in Boston, but it is actually home to the Congressional Library and Archives.
LOCATION: 14 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108
In Robert Zemeckis’ 1992 black comedy “Death Becomes Her,” Madeline, played by Meryl Streep and Ernest, played by Bruce Willis, live at this estate in San Marino, California. Later in the film, Helen, played by Goldie Hawn, pays the couple a visit with sinister plans. The same home can be seen in the film “The Last Boy Scout.”
LOCATION: 1125 Oak Grove Ave, San Marino, CA 91108
The funeral home seen in the film is actually the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. Ernest does reconstructive work on bodies in what is actually the kitchen. The mansion is owned by the City of Beverly Hills and frequently hosts productions. The building has been used in countless films. This room alone has also been seen in “Spider-Man 3,” “The Bodyguard,” “The Loved One” and “The Witches Of Eastwick.” While the exterior grounds of the mansion are open the the public, the interior usually is not. However, once or twice a year, the city does allow the public access inside. It is one of our most highly recommended places if you’re a movie fan and can manage to get on one of these self-guided tours. Short of a film studio, you’ll be hard pressed to find another place with so many film locations.
LOCATION: 905 Loma Vista Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
At the end of the film, the story jumps ahead several decades as Madeline and Helen attend a funeral. After they leave, the two fall down these stairs. The exterior scenes were filmed at Mary Chapel on the Chalon Campus of Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles, while the interior scenes were filmed at St James Episcopal Church (3903 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010).
LOCATION: 12001 Chalon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Related articles: Used Cars (1980), Back To The Future (1985), Back To The Future Part II (1989), Back To The Future Part III (1990), Forrest Gump (1994), Cast Away (2000)
“Benson,” a spin-off of the television series “Soap,” about a butler becoming the Governor’s “Director of Household Affairs,” ran from 1979 until 1986. The Governor’s house from the show can be found perched atop a hill in Pasadena, California and is much larger than you might expect. The same house was featured on an episode of the TV series “GLOW,” as well as in the films “American Gigolo” and “Monster-In-Law.”
LOCATION: 1365 S Oakland Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106
The 2005 Steven Spielberg remake “War Of The Worlds,” starring Tom Cruise, was filmed in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Connecticut and California. The home of Ray Ferrier, played by Cruise, can be found in Bayonne, New Jersey.
LOCATION: 11 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Bayonne, NJ 07002
Ray is seen driving past the Bayonne Bridge on his way home, which runs right beside the house.
In one scene, Ray stands in the street in front of his home and notices a disturbance in the sky.
On the Universal Studios Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, you can see the plane crash set from the film. It is a very intricate set, with lots of full-scale, realistic wreckage. Cars, ambulances and even an actual, out of use, Boeing 747 were all used for film. Universal made it an interactive exhibition, with fires and smoke as you pass through.
LOCATION: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
One tip for those perhaps not interested in paying the full price for admission into Universal Studios Hollywood, this set can actually be seen free of charge from a hilltop behind the studio. Just head up to the 3400 block of Blair Dr in Los Angeles for a view of the crash set. It’s obviously not as good as viewing it up close from ground level, but if you’ve got some time to spare, it’s still an interesting sight.
LOCATION: 3400 block of Blair Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Just a few miles from the Las Vegas Strip, you’ll find the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, also known as the “Pawn Stars” shop from the hit TV series. The shop is open 24 hours, with security always posted at the front entrance. Depending on the level of business at a given time, the staff will sometimes form a line outside for visitors to enter if it becomes too crowded inside.
LOCATION: 713 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Video inside the store is strictly forbidden. However, photography is permitted. Here is the famous sales counter from the show.
Film Oblivion 