Boat

Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2012 film “The Master” was shot primarily around Northern California, with a couple scenes also being filmed in Hawaii and Nevada. Early in the film, Freddie Quell, played by Joaquin Phoenix, is seen serving in the military, stationed somewhere in Hawaii. These scenes were filmed at Papa‘Iloa Beach on the North Shore of Oahu, as identified by Reel News Hawaii.

LOCATION: Papa‘Iloa Beach, Haleiwa, HI 96712

Here is another photo of the same location, kindly provided to us by Christian Hernandez at Boogie Sights.

Freddie is seen working aboard a Navy vessel. These interior scenes were filmed aboard the USS Hornet in Alameda. Public tours are available for those interested. There is actually an exterior shot of the aircraft carrier, but only in the “Back Beyond” deleted scenes and outtakes feature. These photos of the USS Hornet were also provided to us by Christian Hernandez at Boogie Sights.

LOCATION: USS Hornet – Sea, Air and Space Museum, 707 W Hornet Ave, Alameda, CA 94501

Freddie meets Lancaster Dodd, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, as he sneaks aboard Dodd’s boat as a stowaway. That boat is the USS Potomac, which is docked in Oakland, California. You can actually take tours aboard the boat.

LOCATION: 540 Water St, Oakland, CA 94607

A view of the back of the boat. The production added a canopy to the upper deck, where guests were seen dancing when Freddie first approaches.

Another, wider view of the USS Potomac, where it regularly docks.

Freddie is seen visiting his sweetheart, Doris, at this house in Crockett, California. The house has since received a paint job.

LOCATION: 619 Winslow St, Crockett, CA 94525

A full view of the home, though it is never seen from this angle in the film. It sits perched on a steep hilltop of a very narrow, one way road overlooking a lake.

Freddie and Doris sit on this park bench. These park shots are provided courtesy of Christian Hernandez at Boogie Sights, who also identified the location. It can be found almost directly across the street from the Lancaster Dodd house, past the concrete structures and to the left. We’ve provided GPS coordinates below.

LOCATION: Alden Park, 8th St, Vallejo, CA 94592 (GPS coordinates: 38°05’51.6″N, 122°16’15.4″W)

Lancaster Dodd’s house can be a bit tricky to find, which we’ll attempt to better pinpoint. The house is known as the Captain’s Mansion, a former event space on Mare Island in Vallejo, California. The first challenge is that many houses spanning several blocks on this street look almost identical and are used for similar purposes. There are subtle differences from house to house, however, be it minor architectural variations, trees and shrubs, views in the background, etc., which do allow for identifying the exact home from the film, To get exactly to “The Master” house, make sure you arrive at the intersection of Walnut Ave and 8th St on Mare Island and you’ll successfully find house, which has the number “822” on the front steps.

LOCATION: 1075 Walnut Ave, Vallejo, CA 94592 (near Walnut Ave and 8th St, GPS coordinates: 38°05’49.9″N, 122°16’18.2″W)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2014 adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel, “Inherent Vice,” shot all over Southern California. Much of it is set in the fictional town of Gordita Beach. These scenes were actually shot in Manhattan Beach, which is worth checking out if you’re interested in beautiful ocean views, without the crowds of such places as Santa Monica or Venice Beach.

This shot, seen at both the beginning, as well the end of the film, is overlooking Manhattan Beach and a scenic walkway called The Strand. However, the shot is actually taken from Ocean Drive, one block up, at the intersection of Seaview Street.

LOCATION: 4210 The Strand, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (this exact shot is from behind the house, on Ocean Drive at Seaview Street, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, looking out towards the water)

Doc, played by Joaquin Phoenix, lives in this house, which is close to the above shot. The house was mostly used for interiors in the film, but the exterior can also briefly be seen.

LOCATION: 214 El Porto St, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

This cafe in San Pedro pops up a couple times in the film. First, Doc sits outside reading a newspaper about real estate developments. The interior is seen later in the film, albeit dressed heavily to appear as a Japanese restaurant, as Bigfoot, played by Josh Brolin, delivers the immortal lines, “Motto panukeiku, motto panukeiku.” The same cafe appeared in the films “Chinatown,” “Gods and Monsters” and “Lovesick,” as well as such TV shows as “T.J. Hooker” and the 2020 version of “Perry Mason.”

LOCATION: 700 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731

Doc follows leads on the mysterious Golden Fang boat, which is believed to bring in drugs, as well as having carried Shasta, played by Katherine Waterston, on board the last time it sailed. The schooner is seen in darkness, off in the distance in the film. The actual boat is the Tallship American Pride, which can be found at the Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach, California. The boat is located at Dock 3, though it does sometimes set sail into the waters. If you’re unfamiliar with this area of Long Beach, just search for Gladstone’s Restaurant (330 S Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802) or Toyko Wako (310 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802) at the Long Beach Pike. The pier and the boat are located directly behind them.

LOCATION: Rainbow Harbor, Dock 3, Long Beach, CA 90802

Doc talks with Sauncho Smilax, played by Benicio Del Toro, at the Chowder Barge in Wilmington. These restaurant shots are provided courtesy of Christian Hernandez at Boogie Sights, who also identified the location.

LOCATION: 611 N Henry Ford Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744

Later in the film, Doc pays a visit to Bigfoot at the old Los Angeles Police Department in downtown Los Angeles. As he’s approaching the building, an officer bumps into him, knocking him to the ground. The building has since been demolished.

LOCATION: 150 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (now demolished)

One of the most memorable scenes in the film is a flashback sequence, when Doc and Shasta get caught in the rain, while Neil Young’s “Journey Through the Past” plays. This song was a major inspiration for the film and Doc’s look was even modeled after a 1970s photograph of Neil Young. The scene was shot in Pomona, Californa, about an hour east of Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 406 W 2nd St, Pomona, CA 91766

Film Oblivion

Movie and TV locations, points of interest.

The Master (2012)

Inherent Vice (2014)