The house from the 2003 Eddie Murphy comedy “Daddy Day Care” can be found in Pasadena, California.
LOCATION: 351 Congress Pl, Pasadena, CA 91105
Daddy Day Care (2003)
California
The Smashing Pumpkins – Today
The classic 1990s music video for “Today” by The Smashing Pumpkins was filmed in the small town of Taft, California. In the early scenes of the music video, singer Billy Corgan parks his ice cream truck next to the former Schmidt’s Fotoshop and sits on the sidewalk. Although the building has long since been abandoned, it hasn’t changed much and is still recognizable.
LOCATION: 112 4th St, Taft, CA 93268
It’s actually not the only music video to film there. The Weeknd’s video for “Call Out My Name” filmed on the same street and the same building can be seen in many shots.
Deadwood
The David Milch TV series “Deadwood,” despite garnering critical acclaim and a loyal fan base, prematurely ended after three seasons back in 2006. Since then, various attempts to tie the story up have been made, with many doubts it would ever happen. In 2019, however, it finally did and the show was given the opportunity to reach a satisfying conclusion with “Deadwood: The Movie.” Please note if you’ve not watched the film, this article contains spoilers.
While set in the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, both the original TV series, as well as the movie, were primarily shot in Newhall, California at Melody Ranch. Another renowned HBO series, “Westworld,” shot at the same ranch, where it served as the town of Sweetwater. The production designers did a great job of giving each show a much different look from one another.
Melody Ranch is private property, inaccessible to the general public most of the time. However, the ranch does in fact offer tours (something of a rarity for movie ranches), with the caveat being that no tours occur whenever active production is taking place on the ranch. The challenge is the fact that production is almost always taking place there. So opportunities for the general public to see it are rare and not something you can plan much in advance. You simply need good timing or a lot of persistence. In years past, the ranch also hosted the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, which also allowed the public inside, but due to the heavy demand of productions over recent years, the festival has relocated elsewhere.
Given that the “Deadwood” show and movie are tied together as one narrative, this article is intended to cover both, but once it was clear the original show would not return after the third season, many of the sets were remodeled, dismantled or shifted around, as often happens on studio lots. When filming for the movie finally got up and running in 2018, much of the sets had to be recreated. Since the story in the film picks up 10 years later, as South Dakota is entering into statehood, many of the sets also had to be updated to reflect the passage of time. The photographs in this article showcase the movie’s sets.
Much like the original show, most of these sets have since been repurposed or dismantled after filming completed, in order to make way for new productions coming in. Here we offer a glimpse into that brief moment in time where Deadwood stood in full glory once again.
LOCATION: 24715 Oakcreek Ave, Newhall, CA 91321
The most famous location is of course the Gem Saloon, owned by Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), who would often stand on the balcony overlooking the activities of the town.
The Grand Central Hotel is where the villainous Senator George Hearst, played by Gerald McRaney, takes residence. He too often stood out on the balcony, engaging in verbal jousts with the residents of Deadwood.
Seth Bullock, played by Timothy Olyphant, lives in this house at the end of the main street of Deadwood. This location had long been demolished since the original show, with the original blueprints lost. The production designer had to study the original show footage in detail in order to rebuild the set for the film.
Here is a look inside Seth’s house, where he is seen walking down these stairs.
Here are the train tracks and station platform where visitors arrive.
After running a hardware store with Seth, Sol Star, played by John Hawkes now lives with Trixie at the Bullock & Star Hotel. In the film, as Hearst rides through the streets in a parade, Trixie stands on the hotel balcony and berates him.
The Bella Union, owned by Cy Tolliver (Powers Boothe) in the series, is now owned by Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens) in the film. The same building was famously used as the brothel in Westworld where Thandie Newton’s character works. It’s also seen in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” when Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt’s characters are interviewed on a western set.
Here is the interior of the Bella Union, which viewers of “Westworld” should immediately recognize as the The Mariposa Saloon, where Maeve works. It also appeared in the film “Django Unchained.”
Here is a view of the upstairs.
This is the bar where Wild Bill Hickok, played by Keith Carrodine, is killed in the show.
In the film, Calamity Jane, played by Robin Weigert, returns to the bar to pay her respects.
The outside of the jail of Marshall Seth Bullock.
The interior of the jail.
This is the area where Seth tracks down Charlie’s killers and has a brief standoff with them.
Mr. Wu is relieved when his son escapes unharmed.
We leave you with a view down the main street of Deadwood, where the sets stood tall one last time.
Jurassic Park (1993)
Steven Spielberg’s classic 1993 film “Jurassic Park” takes place on the fictional island of Isla Nublar, supposedly near Costa Rica. The real locations were filmed mostly in Hawaii, on the islands of Kauaʻi, O’ahu and Maui, with some additional scenes filmed on studio lots near Hollywood, California.
The Velociraptor pen seen in the film was a set built at Limahuli Garden & Preserve in Northern Kauaʻi. It was removed after filming and a visitor’s center building now stands in it’s place. However, the mountains in the background can still be matched up. If you want to visit the garden itself, it has a very small parking lot that fills up quickly, so advanced reservations are recommended.
LOCATION: Limahuli Garden & Preserve, National Tropical Botanical Garden, 5-8291 Kuhio Hwy, Hanalei, HI 96714
Grant and Ellie, played by Sam Neill and Laura Dern, are introduced discovering dinosaur fossils at a dig site supposedly located in the Badlands, near Snakewater, Montana. These scenes were actually filmed at Red Rock Canyon State Park in Cantil, California, a couple hours north of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert. To get to the area seen in the film, you can take the Red Cliffs Nature Trail from the Red Rock Cliffs Parking Area, which will lead you most of the way there. We’ve provided GPS coordinates below.
LOCATION: Red Rock Canyon State Park, Cantil, CA 93519 (GPS coordinates: 35°22’26.2″N, 117°58’18.2″W)
Here is the area where Grant talks to the young boy about the hunting techniques of the raptor.
Here is one of the angles from the area where the monitor canopy was set up. Closer to the rocks is also the area where the camper trailer is parked and Hammond, played by Richard Attenborough, opens the champagne.
This area is not seen in the film, but we’ve included it for reference to those who wish to visit. From the Red Rock Cliffs Parking Area, you start where this Red Cliffs Nature Trail sign is located. It is roughly a 20 minute hike from here, which we’d describe as moderate with some hills. Once you get over the hills from the parking lot, there is a trail most of the way. You can follow the cliffs to the left as a reference to keep your bearings most of the way. We highly recommend knowing your route before you go, as cellular service is spotty. We also recommend plenty of water and avoiding hiking during excessive heat.
Nedry, played by Wayne Knight, meets Dodgson at an outdoor dining area, supposedly located in San Jose, Costa Rica. The real location is just off the Kuhio Highway in Kapaʻa, Kauaʻi. There are numerous food trucks there where motorists can stop and enjoy local food. This is the spot where Dodgson first arrives by the side of the road.
LOCATION: 4-1620 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaʻa, HI 96746
This is the general area where Nedry and Dodgson sit and discuss plans to steal dinosaur DNA from InGen and sell it to a rival company. As you can see, the area has changed a little bit. While there are tables you can sit and eat, they are closer to the road at the food trucks. In the film, the two sit further back near the palm trees.
One of the most memorable scenes in the film is of course the first dinosaur sighting. For years, it also remained one of the most elusive locations to fans. The brachiosaurus encounter was filmed at Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi. The land is a private ranch for horse, sheep and cattle. For decades, it did not offer tours of any kind and only a select few ever made it onto the property. That changed in 2019, when the ranch began offering public tours for the first time, including a tour dedicated to filming locations around the ranch. The tours were unfortunately suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic, but they may resume in the future. Besides the original film, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “Jurassic Park III” and “Jurassic World” also filmed at the ranch.
Here is where Hammond rides with Grant, Ellie and Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) in the Jeeps, as they first approach a hill towards the brachiosaurus.
LOCATION: Jurassic Kahili Ranch, 5-1771D, Kuhio Hwy, Kilauea, HI 96754
The vehicles continue driving past this row of trees.
Here is the exact spot where they first see the brachiosaurus. It is eating from the tree on the right. As iconic as this scene is, the ranch itself is so vast, it would be quite easy to miss if you didn’t know the general vicinity. However, once you’re there, if you know the film, it’s very identifiable.
LOCATION: Jurassic Kahili Ranch, 5-1771D, Kuhio Hwy, Kilauea, HI 96754, USA (GPS coordinates: 22°11’09.7″N, 159°23’19.4″W)
As Grant sits on the ground bewildered by what he’s just seen, he looks the opposite direction and sees a herd of dinosaurs at a lake. This is made to appear as if it’s right near the trees where the first brachiosaurus is seen, but in reality is a completely different part of the ranch. Visual effects were used to composite the actors into the shot, to appear to be overlooking the lake.
This was filmed at the Pu’u Ka Ele Reservoir, located on the ranch. After a breach of the nearby Ka Loko Reservoir in 2006, located about 2 miles east of the ranch, the owners decided to decommission the Pu’u Ka Ele Reservoir in 2009 and downsize it into a lake. This is how it appears now. This same lake was featured again in “Jurassic Park III,” when Dr. Grant and the survivors ride a barge along the water and pass herds of dinosaurs standing along the banks.
If you get a chance to visit Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi, we certainly encourage you to do so if you’re a fan of the film. There are other, very recognizable locations from the other “Jurassic Park” films to be seen there as well. The staff is very friendly and welcoming to photography and video and eager for fan input on how to improve the experience. With the ranch now open to tours, it will likely grow as a tourist hot spot in the years to come.
Later in the film, a storm arrives on the island, which was filmed at Nawiliwili Harbor in Kauaʻi. The very real Hurricane Iniki hit Kauaʻi during filming in 1992. Spielberg and the cast were safely holed up at the Marriott Resort in Lihue when the hurricane struck. The hurricane resulted in many scenes initially planned for filming in Kauaʻi to be shifted to O’ahu, as well as the studio lots in California. However, they managed to use footage of the actual hurricane in the film, taken at the hotel looking out over the harbor. If you don’t want to visit the hotel, there is a nearby park, from which the harbor can also be seen pretty well.
LOCATION: Nawiliwili Harbor, Lihue, HI 96766 (seen near 3610 Rice St, Lihue, HI 96766)
The T-rex attack was filmed at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California, on their tallest sound stage. The T-rex chasing Malcolm and Ellie was originally intended to be shot in Kauaʻi, however. Due to the hurricane, this scene was also shifted to the Warner lot and can sometimes be seen on their studio tours, depending on the production schedules around the lot (4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505).
Perhaps the most widely known location for this film is Kualoa Ranch in O’ahu. The Gallimimus stampede, with Grant and the two children, was not initially intended to be filmed at Kualoa Ranch. Instead it was meant to be another location in Kauaʻi. Kualoa was a replacement location, due to the hurricane. Here is the main valley at the ranch, where the stampede takes place.
LOCATION: Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744
Another view where Grant and the children are running. The valley appears again in both “Jurassic World” and “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.”
The original log they hide behind as the T-rex hunts and eats the Gallimimus was replaced by the ranch in 2012, due to deterioration. However, the ranch still has a small piece of the original log behind the replacement. They added a sign for the film and it has since become the most popular photo location on the ranch. It’s right next to the main tour trail, so it’s very easy to access.
These mountains were seen in the background as Grant and the kids hide and watch the T-rex.
While “Jurassic Park” was not the first movie to film at Kualoa, it certainly became the most famous. After this film, countless other films, TV shows, commercials and music videos began filming on the ranch, bringing with it quite a lot of tourism. The ranch has so many filming locations, it’s almost like a studio tour. There are a wide variety of tours available at the ranch, many of which are not film related. While the locations from this film can be seen on quite a few of the tours, we recommend the Premier Movie Site Tour, as it takes you to many locations from other films that are only seen on that particular tour.
If you get a chance to visit Hawaii, there are quite a few “Jurassic Park” locations to be seen. Some are quite a challenge to visit, however, involving hiking or private helicopter rides as the only way to reach them. For the casual fan, we recommend Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi and Kualoa Ranch in O’ahu. Both offer spectacular views and very recognizable locations from multiple different “Jurassic Park” films. As a reminder, these are private ranches closed to the general public for unauthorized experiences. Please do not trespass. The only way to see them is by booking a tour.
Thanks to Sean Mello for providing the GPS coordinates of the brachiosaurus tree.
To see our “Jurassic Park” location page, click here.
Related articles: The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Jurassic Park III (2001), Jurassic World (2015), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Matchstick Men (2003)
In the 2003 Ridley Scott film “Matchstick Men,” Roy Waller, played by Nicolas Cage, lives in this Los Angeles home.
LOCATION: 3508 Meier St, Los Angeles, CA 90066
The market where Roy shops and takes an interest in the cashier is Fields Market in Canoga Park. In the film, the market is called Cambridge Farms, which was in fact the name of the business at the time, before later changing names. The store is a staple of film and television, appearing in such films as “Bird Box” and “Lady Bird,” as well as such television shows as “Desperate Housewives,” “American Horror Story” and dozens more. It has also been seen in countless commercials and music videos.
LOCATION: 23221 Saticoy St, Canoga Park, CA 91304
Angela, played by Alison Lohman, attends school at Venice High School, which also appears in the films “American History X,” “Heathers,” “Grease” and more.
LOCATION: 13000 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Prince Of Darkness (1987)
The church from the 1987 John Carpenter film “Prince of Darkness” can be found in Downtown Los Angeles.
LOCATION: 120 Judge John Aiso St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Related articles: Assault On Precinct 13 (1976), Halloween (1978), Christine (1983), Starman (1984), They Live (1988)
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
Dan Gilroy’s 2019 thriller “Velvet Buzzsaw” is set in the Los Angeles art scene. Morf, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, lives at this house, which would appear to be located in Hollywood, with the famous sign visible in the background. However, this was digitally added. The home, a famous architectural landmark known as the Case Study House, can actually be found in Altadena.
LOCATION: 2275 Santa Rosa Ave, Altadena, CA 91001
Josephina, played by Zawe Ashton, lives in this apartment building, located in Koreatown.
LOCATION: 620 S Ardmore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005
The offices of Rhodora Haze, played by Rene Russo, can be found in Downtown Los Angeles, near the Staples Center. The same location appears in the film “Malignant” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” as well as the TV show “Supergirl.”
LOCATION: 1200 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Morf meets Josephina at the Colburn Cafe. While the address is on S Grand Ave, it’s not visible from that street. It’s actually located directly behind another location in the film; the “LAMA” museum, covered later in this article. There are walkways on either side of the building from S Grand Ave to access this area.
LOCATION: 201 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Gretchen, played by Toni Collette, visits the LAMA museum, which is actually the Colburn School. Directly behind this building is the Colburn Cafe previously mentioned.
LOCATION: 200 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Across the street is The Broad museum, with the Walt Disney Concert Hall in the distance. Both of these are seen as Gretchen visits LAMA.
LOCATION: 221 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The art studio of Piers, played by John Malkovich is the H.D. Buttercup building in Downtown Los Angeles.
LOCATION: 2118 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021
This is the view seen whenever Dondon pays Piers a visit at the same location.
Bryson is transporting some art to storage when a fire starts inside his vehicle, causing him to crash in front of this gas station. The same building, which is not an active business, has been seen in many films, such as “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” and Alfred Hitchcock’s “Family Plot,” as well as the television show “Quincy M.E.”
LOCATION: 22124 Sierra Hwy, Sylmar, CA 91342
Rhodora and Josephina examine the wreckage of Bryson’s vehicle near the Arts District of Downtown L.A. This area is very popular for filming, with the bar exterior from “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” notably located at the end of the street.
LOCATION: 1326 Palmetto St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Later in the film, Josephina has upgraded to a new apartment in Downtown L.A. Morf can briefly be seen exiting out front.
LOCATION: 1100 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Josephina can be seen at a bar located at this building. This exterior is just a few buildings away from the art studio of Piers.
LOCATION: 2053 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Related articles: Nightcrawler (2014)
The Partridge Family
The house from the 1970s sitcom “The Partridge Family” could be found on the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank. This studio lot was separate from the main Warner backlot and not open to public tours. The house had since changed a bit in appearance, due to being used for an explosion during the filming of “Lethal Weapon.” The same house can be seen in “The Monster Squad.” The entire ranch was demolished in 2023, with sound stages taking over the space.
LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 (demolished)
Duel (1971)
Steven Speilberg’s dazzling debut, the 1971 thriller “Duel,” was mostly filmed around the Santa Clarita and Acton areas of California. David, played by Dennis Weaver, lives at this house in Toluca Lake, which has unfortunately since been heavily remodeled from how it appeared in the film.
LOCATION: 10414 Bloomfield St, Toluca Lake, CA 91602
As the film unravels, David unwillingly embarks on a terrifying cat and mouse game with a sadistic truck driver. The film does a great job of making most of the locations look quite desolate, but in reality the majority are located pretty close to civilization.
David stops off at this distinct looking restaurant with a stone facade in Santa Clarita after an encounter with the mysterious truck driver. The same restaurant was featured in the film “Wild At Heart” and the TV series “Sharp Objects.” Just a few buildings up the road is the motel from “Too Old To Die Young.”
LOCATION: 12625 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
The tunnel where the kids on the school bus are stranded can be found on Soledad Canyon Rd in Santa Clarita, just past Capra Rd. From there you would pass through to the shoulder on the other side of the tunnel, as the view seen in the film is looking back westbound.
LOCATION: 34°25’55.1″N, 118°20’59.9″W (nearest address is 11540 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91390)
David hides and tries to get some sleep further down Soledad Canoyn Rd, near the entrance of Middleton Ranch.
LOCATION: 6201 Soledad Canyon Rd, Acton, CA 93510
The truck follows David up this mesa next to Vasquez Canyon Rd in Santa Clarita. In fact, the name of the road is Mesa Dr, though it is now fenced off.
LOCATION: Mesa Dr / Vasquez Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
If you’ve never seen the film, we encourage you to seek it out. While the plot is pretty minimal, the execution stands the test of time and is so well done, it’s easy to see why Spielberg quickly made a name for himself.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
The house from the TV series adaptation of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, can be found in Torrance, California.
LOCATION: 1313 Cota Ave, Torrance, CA 90501
Located just a few blocks away is Torrance High School, which served as Sunnydale High School. The same high school was used in the TV series “Beverly Hills, 90210” and in the film “She’s All That.”
LOCATION: 2200 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90501
Related articles: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992)
Film Oblivion 