California

Scarface (1983)

/ filmoblivion / 1 Comment

The 1983 Brian De Palma film “Scarface,” starring Al Pacino, is set in the underworld of Miami, telling the story of the rise and fall of Tony Montana. While Miami was used for several locations, Los Angeles also stood in for the city for quite a bit of the film, due to the fact that the Miami Tourist Board declined the producers several filming requests, fearing the subject matter would deter tourism. Some later scenes in the film were also shot in New York.

When they first arrive in Miami by way of Cuba, Tony Montana, played by Pacino, stays in a detention center with his friend Manny Ribera, played by Steven Bauer. The detention center scenes were filmed under the I-10 Freeway, near the I-110 interchange in Los Angeles. In the film, Tony and Manny are mostly seen beneath the Eastbound lanes, near W 17th St and Georgia St. However, that area is within a fenced off, gated parking lot. The Westbound lanes on the opposite side, while not seen from that angle in the film, run over Venice Blvd and offer a bit easier photography and general view of the area. This area is located very close to the opening robbery scene from “Heat.”

LOCATION: Beneath I-10, near W 17th St & Georgia St, Los Angeles, CA 90015 (GPS coordinates: 34.037791, -118.273057)

As Tony and Manny arrive in Miami Beach for a drug deal, the pull up next to “The Carlyle.” The same hotel was famously featured in the film “The Birdcage,” as well as the TV shows “The Golden Palace” and “Miami Vice.”

thebirdcage1

LOCATION: 1250 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

On the same street is the location of the infamous hotel where Tony’s drug deal goes bad and one of his crew is killed with a chainsaw. The building has since been remodeled and is now a drug store. However, the facade out front, as well as the staircase, remain in tact.

LOCATION: 728 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

The drug deal takes place on the top floor.

This sign is posted at the front of the building to the right of the stairs, noting it as the filming location. There are also a few photos from the film inside, behind the cash registers.

Here is the area across the street where Manny waits.

The violence spills out onto the streets as Tony executes the man with the chainsaw in front of the hotel next door.

LOCATION: 720 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Tony meets with drug kingpin Alejandro Sosa at his home in Bolivia. The real location is actually in Montecito, California. The house sits far back from the road and is not visible from the street. This estate is located just minutes away from Tony’s mansion in the film.

LOCATION: 656 Park Ln, Montecito, CA 93108

Frank Lopez, played by Robert Loggia, owns this auto dealership, where he yells at Tony for making a deal without consulting him beforehand.

LOCATION: 8825 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

As he rises in power, a montage is shown of Tony expanding his empire. He and his crew deposit large amounts of money at this bank, located in Encino.

LOCATION: 16000 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91436

Tony is shown emerging from this building, which has the name “Montana Management Co.” in the film. The building can be found in West Hollywood, California.

LOCATION: 8623 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

This building has the name “Montana Travel Co.” in the film. It is located directly across the street from the above location. Despite the addresses on Sunset Blvd, both buildings actually face Sunset Plaza Dr. This same area has also been featured in the films “Armed and Dangerous” and “Model Shop.”

LOCATION: 8619 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

In the same montage, Tony is seen opening a beauty salon for his sister Gina, played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. This is again located next to the above two locations in West Hollywood, on the opposite side of the street on Sunset Blvd. All three locations are in very close proximity to one another.

LOCATION: 8648 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

The exterior used as Tony Montana’s house can be found in Montecito, California, near Santa Barbara. Tony marries Elvira, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, at the home, which added a second story facade for the production. Known as El Fureidis, the property sits far back from the road and is not visible from the street. Many Miami-based tour guides tell tourists the home is located in Miami, which is incorrect. El Fureidis hosts over 100 species of palm trees and is famous for being the source of the rare species of palm trees found in Disneyland’s Adventureland and Jungle Cruise ride. Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill are among the many famous guests said to have visited the estate.

LOCATION: 631 Parra Grande Ln, Montecito, CA 93108

Manny’s home can be found in the Mt Olympus neighborhood of Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 2271 Hercules Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Thanks to Phil Savenick for contributing a note on El Fureidis.

Related articles: Carrie (1976), Dressed To Kill (1980), Body Double (1984)

Mac And Me (1988)

/ filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The house from the dubious 1988 film “Mac And Me” can be found in Calabasas, California,

LOCATION: 26017 Farmfield Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302

The McDonald’s seen in the dance sequence can be found in City of Industry. However, it is not an actual dining restaurant. It is used solely as a production studio for commercials and filming projects. The same location can be seen in the films “Bye Bye Love.”

LOCATION: 17030 Green Dr, City of Industry, CA 91745

Taken (2008)

/ filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 2008 action thriller “Taken,” starring Liam Neeson, was largely filmed in France. Some early scenes in the film, however, are set in Los Angeles, California. Bryan Mills, played by Neesan, visits the home of his ex-wife several times in the film to see his daughter. The home can be found at Fremont Place in Hancock Park. Despite being a popular neighborhood for filming, Fremont Place is one of the few gated communities in Los Angeles, making it inaccessible to the general public. Other films showcasing locations inside Fremont Place include “The War Of The Roses,” “Zodiac,” “Rocky III” and more. This home is a popular filming location, also appearing in such films as “Taken 2,” “Rocky IV,” “The Artist” and “Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills,” as well as such TV shows as “Charlie’s Angels,” “Paper Dolls,” “CHiPs,” “CSI: Miami,” “Cold Case,” “Beverly Hills, 90210” and many more.

LOCATION: 56 Fremont Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Bryan Mills lives at this apartment, which is located in Sherman Oaks. The apartment appears once again in the sequel, “Taken 2.”

LOCATION: 4660 Kester Ave, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

The House Bunny (2008)

/ filmoblivion / Leave a comment

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.

LOCATION: 2151 W 20th St, Los Angeles, CA 90018

The Lost Boys (1987)

/ filmoblivion / 1 Comment

The 1987 film “The Lost Boys,” directed by Joel Schumacher, is set in the fictional beach town of Santa Carla, California. In reality, the film was famously shot in Santa Cruz, with some additional scenes filmed in Southern California. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk plays a prominent role in the film. In the opening scenes, David, played by Kiefer Sutherland, can be seen riding the carousel with his crew.

LOCATION: 400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

As the boardwalk closes down for the night, a security guard is attacked as he exits to a parking lot.

Later in the film, Michael, played by Jason Patric, meets Star, played by Jami Gertz, in this area of the boardwalk. The 2019 Jordan Peele film “Us” also shot scenes at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. The film’s opening scene is set in 1986, at the same time “The Lost Boys” was filming. The characters in “Us” even reference this film when they walk past this area, mentioning a movie is being filmed nearby. The film “Sudden Impact” also shot on the boardwalk.

Michael meets David and his crew at this area of the boardwalk.

David invites Michael to come along on a bike ride and the boys all ride their bikes down these stairs.

Sam, played by Corey Haim, moves with his family from Phoenix to Santa Carla to live at his grandpa’s house. The building seen in the film is known as the Pogonip Clubhouse. Built in 1911, the building operated as everything from a golf club, to hosting women’s polo matches, to briefly serving as a rehab facility for servicemen during WWII. The building opened and closed again many times throughout the years, before being condemned in 1986, right around the time of filming. Only the exteriors of the building were used in the film, interiors were filmed at Warner Bros. Studios.

LOCATION: Near 333 Golf Club Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (GPS coordinates: 36.995416, -122.038388)

Today, the building is part of Pogonip, a scenic hiking and biking trail. The building is open to the public and there’s a few ways to reach it. From the nearest trailhead on Golf Club Dr, you can take a paved path straight up to it, or the Lower Meadow Trail. The Lower Meadow Trail, while offering scenic views, is overrun by homeless people, to such a degree that we found ourselves inadvertently walking right into their campsites more than once. While no one was confrontational, as the paths do receive a lot of pedestrian traffic, we recommend sticking to the paved path if you wish to see the building from the film. Either route is about a half mile walk, with some uphill portions, but not terribly difficult. Remember to bring water if you do hike there.

The comic book shop where Sam meets Edgar and Alan Frog, played by Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander, still exists, but no longer at it’s original location. While made to appear on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, the actual shop seen in the film was formerly located on Pacific Ave. The building suffered severe damages in a 1989 earthquake, resulting in the comic book shop changing locations.

LOCATION: 705 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (now demolished)

The store, Atlantis Fantasyworld, is now located on Cedar St in Santa Cruz. While not an actual filming location, they do still have a prop from the film inside; the original “Vampires Everywhere!” comic book. It sits on display behind the front counter.

LOCATION: 1020 Cedar St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

The cave where David’s crew is based, known as Hudson’s Bluff Sea Cave, is located far from Santa Cruz in Rancho Palos Verdes. The cave sits next to Terranea Beach, which is easily accessible on foot along the Terranea Trail, a public trail which runs behind the Terranea Resort. Seeing the cave up close requires a bit of climbing up some rocks, however, so use caution if you wish to proceed beyond Terranea Beach. The same area has been seen in such films as “Charlie’s Angels,” “Lethal Weapon 2” and “Batman: The Movie,” as well as such TV shows as “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Wonder Woman,” “The Munsters” and more.

LOCATION: Hudson’s Bluff Sea Cave, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 (GPS coordinates: 33.738747, -118.393196)

Another Southern California location is the bridge where David and Michael hang underneath as a train passes. It can be found at the Iron Horse Trailhead near Valencia. The actual bridge is a pedestrian crossing with no train tracks. This same location appeared in the film “Nothing But Trouble.”

LOCATION: 25311 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Unlike what is depicted in the film, the bridge is nowhere near the height above ground suggested in the scene. Here is a view of the actual elevation, with Six Flags Magic Mountain seen in the distance.

The church where Sam and Edgar collect holy water can be found at Warner Bros. Studios.  The same church has been seen in many productions, such as “Gremlins” and “The Monster Squad.”

gremlins6

LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

/ filmoblivion / Leave a comment

In the opening scene of the 2017 sequel “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,”  Star-Lord’s father Ego, played by Kurt Russell, drives through 1980 Missouri in this 1978 Mustang II King Cobra. The vehicle 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

The Little Things (2021)

/ filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 2021 crime drama “The Little Things,” written and directed by John Lee Hancock, is set in Bakersfield and Los Angeles, California. Production likewise took place around Southern California. In the opening scene of the film, a woman is pursued by a mysterious motorist. She pulls over at a gas station, which is closed. The real location is not actually a gas station, rather a steakhouse and bar, located in Lancaster. The gas pumps were added by the production.

LOCATION: 46643 60th St W, Lancaster, CA 93536

Deke, played by Denzel Washington, is called to the scene of a petty vandalism at this restaurant in Acton. The interior of the same restaurant appears later in the film, when Deke meets with his ex-wife.

LOCATION: 533 Sierra Hwy, Acton, CA 93510

Deke visits the Los Angeles County Forensic Unit to collect some evidence. These scenes were filmed at the former City of Glendale police department.

LOCATION: 140 N Isabel St, Glendale, CA 91206 (rear parking lot)

The police station where Jimmy Baxter, played by Rami Malek, works is part of an actual jail facility in Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 450 Bauchet St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Deke gets coffee at a restaurant, where Jimmy invites him to ride along to a crime scene. The restaurant is supposedly located across the street from the police station. In reality, it can be found about 7 miles away in Eagle Rock. The restaurant is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 5056 N Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041

Jimmy and Deke investigate a murder scene at this building, which is located in the middle of Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles. It is located just a few buildings down from Robin Williams’ apartment in the film “One Hour Photo.” It is obviously not in the safest of areas and caution should be used if visiting.

LOCATION: 512 Wall St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Deke stops for a meal at this restaurant in Alhambra.

LOCATION: 1000 E Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801

Deke stays at at this hotel, which is changed to the “St. Agnes Hotel” in the film. The real hotel can be found in Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles and is another location we don’t recommend visiting, but if you do, use caution.

LOCATION: 423 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Jimmy investigates a crime scene at the Mullholland Dam in Hollywood.  He is joined by Deke, who gives him a lead on appliance store workers. The dam is accessible to the public, however, it does require a minor walk to reach it.  You have to drive up Weidlake Drive and the nearest parking is at the Hollywood Reservoir Trailhead.  From there it’s just a short distance on foot. The same area can be seen in the opening of “Seven Psychopaths.”

sevenpsychopaths1

LOCATION: Mulholland Dam, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (nearest parking area is the Hollywood Reservoir Trailhead at 6381-6399 Weidlake Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068)

Jimmy visits a victim’s family’s house, where they tell him she always wore a red barrette.

LOCATION: 3447 Laurelvale Dr, North Hollywood, CA 91604

Jimmy’s house can be found in Studio City.

LOCATION: 4328 Ben Ave, Studio City, CA 91604

Deke visits his ex-wife at this house in North Hollywood.

LOCATION: 4242 Bakman Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91602

Jimmy and Deke meet at the famed Frolic Room on Hollywood Blvd, where they exchange thoughts on the investigation.  The same bar, which is only seen from interior views in this film, has also been featured in such films as “L.A. Confidential” and “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood.”

onceuponatimeinhollywood48

LOCATION: 6245 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Deke takes Jimmy to La Loma Bridge in Pasadena, where he recounts the details of a past murder scene. The same bridge was featured in the film “Mank.”

LOCATION: La Loma Bridge, 799 La Loma Rd, Pasadena, CA 91105

Albert Sparma, played by Jared Leto, becomes the lead suspect in the investigation. Sparma lives at this apartment in North Hollywood.

LOCATIONS: 10929 McCormick St, North Hollywood, CA 91601

Here is the area where Jimmy and Deke watch Sparma’s apartment.

Jimmy answers a pay phone in this spot.

Sparma heads to a bus stop, just up the same road toward W Magnolia Blvd.

LOCATION: 10929 W Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601 (rear parking lot)

Sparma heads to a bar, where he realizes he’s been duped in order to get him out of his apartment so the detectives can run an illegal search. These scenes were filmed at The Oaks Tavern in Sherman Oaks, which is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 13625 Moorpark St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Two locations were used for the appliance store where Sparma works. The exterior can be found in Whittier, where Deke monitors his activities.

LOCATION: 6744 Bright Ave, Whittier, CA 90601

The interior was filmed at an actual appliance store in Hollywood.

LOCATION: 1191 N Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Deke watches as Sparma crosses the street into this building.

LOCATION: 6739 Bright Ave, Whittier, CA 90601

Sparma visits this strip club in North Hollywood.

LOCATION: 12147 Victory Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91606

Jimmy and Deke watch his activities from their car, parked at this corner.

Rocky III (1982)

/ filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 1983 film “Rocky III,” starring Sylvester Stallone, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T, was filmed in Philadelphia, New York City, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Early in the film, a montage is shown of Rocky defending his title against challengers. The exterior of Radio City Music Hall in New York City is seen as one of the locations where he fights. The landmark concert hall has appeared in countless productions, such as “The Godfather,” “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Annie,” “Radio Days” and many more.

homealone2-1

LOCATION: 1260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020

The house where Rocky lives can be found in Los Angeles, California. It is located at Fremont Place in Hancock Park. Despite being a popular neighborhood for filming, Fremont Place is one of the few gated communities in Los Angeles, making it inaccessible to the general public. Other films showcasing locations inside Fremont Place include “Rocky IV,” “Taken,” “The War Of The Roses,” “Zodiac,” “Gone Girl” and more. It is also a popular location for TV shows, such as “Monk,” “Prison Break, “The Mentalist,” “CSI: Miami,” “Rizzoli & Isles” and many more. Rocky’s house in this film is actually located directly across the street from the house used as his home in the next installment, “Rocky IV.”

LOCATION: 55 Fremont Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Rock trains for his fight against Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T, inside the Crystal Ballroom at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. The hotel has appeared in dozens of productions, with this particular ballroom appearing in such films as “True Lies,” “Pretty In Pink,” “The Bodyguard,” “Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion,” “The Fabulous Baker Boys” and more. It has also appeared in such TV shows as “True Blood,” “Bridgerton” and more.

LOCATION: 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071

The most iconic movie location from all of the “Rocky” films appears once again when a Rocky statue is unveiled at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

rocky1

LOCATION: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130 (the actual steps face Spring Garden St)

Related articles: Rocky (1976), Rocky IV (1985)