The 1997 Gregg Araki film “Nowhere” was shot around Southern California. The whale mural where Montgomery, played by Nathan Bexton, gets picked up can be found at 3795 Beethoven St, Los Angeles, CA 90066.
Dark, played by James Duval, spots an alien in front of this famous mural in Hollywood, known as “You Are A Star,” which can also be seen in such films as “La La Land” and “8MM.”
LOCATION: 1648 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Bart and Cowboy, played by Jeremy Jordan and Guillermo Diaz, talk on top of the roof of the Rosslyn Hotel, located at 112 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013.
Zero, played by Joshua Gibran Mayweather, picks up Zoe, played by Mena Suvari, at the Japanese Garden of the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys, California. The location has been used in countless TV shows and films, notably serving as the “Starfleet Academy” in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.” Other TV shows to film there include the original “Knight Rider,” “Murder She Wrote” and the original “Charmed.” Films such as “Bio-Dome,” “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,” “Twins,” “Ghost In The Machine,” “Rising Sun,” “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,” “Zoombies,” “Cyber Tracker” and “Most Wanted” also filmed at the location.
In the 1996 thriller “Eye For An Eye,” Sally Field and Ed Harris play a couple who live at this home, located in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.
In the 2008 comedy “The House Bunny,” a former Playboy model Shelley, played by Anna Faris begins staying at a house full of sorority girls. The film was shot around Los Angeles, California. Early in the film, Shelly is seen living at the Playboy Mansion. This was filmed at the real former Playboy Mansion. The property sits in a residential neighborhood and if you didn’t know what you were looking for, it would be very easy to drive past without any idea. It should be noted from the street you can mostly just see the front gate. Since the passing of Hugh Hefner, the property has transitioned over to new owners, into a place for corporate functions, private events and film and television production, as well as undergoing substantial renovations.
LOCATION: 10236 Charing Cross Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
The mansion has appeared in countless films, such as “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood,” “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” the 2014 version of “The Gambler,” “The Phantom” and many more.
The first sorority house Shelley visits, where she gets turned away, can be found in Hancock Park. The same home appeared in the films “Bugsy” and “Hollywoodland.”
LOCATION: 425 S Plymouth Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90020
The Zeta sorority house, where Shelley lands a job, can be found in the West Adams neighborhood.
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.”
In the 1998 Tony Kaye film “American History X,” Derek, played by Edward Norton, lives at this house in Venice, California. After a racially motivated assault in front of the house, Derek is sent to prison.
LOCATION: 2206 Meade Pl, Venice, CA 90291
Derek and his friends play a basketball game at the Venice Beach Recreation Center in order to determine which race wins rights to play on the court.
LOCATION: 1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291
Derek and his skinhead crew vandalize the former Archie’s Ranch Market in North Hollywood, which has since closed and is now a gym. This angle seen in the film is from the rear parking lot. The same market appeared in the film “10 Items Or Less.”
LOCATION: 7500 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91605
Danny, played by Edward Furlong, attends school at the famous Venice High School, most well know for its use in the film “Grease.” It also appears in such films as “Matchstick Men” and “Heathers.”
LOCATION: 13000 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Derek escapes a confrontation with his former supremacist friends and disposes of a gun in a dumpster at this intersection. This is located just one block up from the basketball court seen earlier in the film.
LOCATION: 18th Ave & Speedway, Los Angeles, CA 90291
Later in the film, Derek and his brother Danny visit Johnie’s Coffee Shop Restaurant in midtown Los Angeles. The restaurant closed many years ago, but still operates as a filming location. It has appeared in “Reservoir Dogs,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Miracle Mile,” “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” the 1983 film “Suburbia” and many more.
LOCATION:6099 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Film Oblivion 