The 2008 David Fincher film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” shot mostly in the New Orleans area, with some additional sequences filmed in Quebec, Canada and the Los Angeles County area.
Benjamin Button, played by Brad Pitt, is born at this house, known as the Lanaux Mansion Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans. In the film, the house belongs to Benjamin’s father, played by Jason Flemyng, who, upon seeing Benjamin at birth, grabs him and takes him away from the home. Later in the film, an adult Benjamin returns to the home to visit his ailing father.
LOCATION: 547 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116
The house where Benjamin lives for much of the film and where he meets Daisy, played by Cate Blanchett, is known as the Nolan House. The shrubs lining the property have grown much higher since filming completed, making portions of the house and yard unfortunately more difficult to see.
LOCATION: 2707 Coliseum St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Mr. Oti, played by Rampai Mogadishu, takes Benjamin to this peristyle, where they sit and talk as they look out onto the water. The peristyle can be found at the New Orleans City Park.
LOCATION: 42 Dreyfous Dr, New Orleans, LA 70119
Another view of the peristyle.
Daisy dances for Benjamin at the Newman Bandstand in Audubon Park. Some extra decor was added to the bandstand for the film.
LOCATION: Newman Bandstand, Golf Club Dr, New Orleans, LA 70118
We leave you with some props from the film. One of the aged, prosthetic masks worn by Brad Pitt can be seen on the Paramount Studio Tour.
LOCATION: 5555 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Also located in the Paramount prop room is the clock that runs backwards in the film.
The challenge in capturing the filming locations for a TV series such as “True Detective” is that the list become so voluminous, the pursuit can become staggering. We did our best to capture as many of the most well-known spots as we could, but it remains an ongoing progress. This only covers the first season. We’ve split the locations up by episode as well, but some of course appear over numerous episodes.
Season one, starring Matthew McConaughey as Rust Cohle and Woody Harrelson as Marty Hart, is set against the green, empty landscapes and the industrial detritus of the Southern Louisiana bayou. The story immerses us in the lives of two detectives over a span of seventeen years, as they try to solve a murder investigation.
The series shot all over Southern Louisiana, mostly in the small towns surrounding New Orleans. Many of the locations chosen are impressive, as some are so far off the beaten path, they’re certainly not your run of the mill places for a big budget production to film. Some spots are actually quite a challenge to access and others aren’t the safest of places. We’ll attempt to break it all down.
Episode One – “The Long Bright Dark”
The detectives are introduced to the case in 1995, when they discover the body of Dora Lang under a tree. The tree in question is found at the Oak Alley Plantation. Many productions have shot there, including “Interview With The Vampire,” “Primary Colors” and more. While the plantation is open to tours, the tree is not included on their tours. Most plantations in Louisiana run several miles deep, full of sugarcane or other crops. This tree is located back in the farming area of the property. You can in fact drive on a bit of the plantation’s dirt roads, but you’ll not likely access the tree from the main entrance of Oak Alley along LA-18, as the roads to most of the crops are usually gated off. The tree is much closer to LA-3127 on the back side of the plantation, near the intersection of LA-3127 and Oak Alley Dr (the latter being an unmarked dirt road). We’ve provided exact GPS coordinates below.
LOCATION: 3645 LA-18, Vacherie, LA 70090 (GPS coordinates: 29°58’16.71″N, 90°46’9.32″W)
Marty and Rust work at the Criminal Investigative Unit, which can be found in New Orleans. This building is actually tucked back a bit from the road, past a couple other parking lots, so you may not immediately spot it upon first approach.
LOCATION: 155 Brookhollow Esplanade, New Orleans, LA 70123
Later in the series, Marty and Rust get into altercation in the parking lot out front.
Episode Two – “Seeing Things”
In the second episode, the detectives discover a second body at a burned out church. That church was a set constructed by the production, but the location it was built at can still be visited. Locating it is not the easiest of tasks, however. It can be found near the Bonnet Carre Spillway in LaPlace. From CC Rd, you must take a slight left up an unmarked embankment, just before you reach the railroad tracks. If you pass the tracks, you’ve gone too far. If you follow the dirt road a short distance to the GPS coordinates listed below, you’ll arrive at the correct spot. While it is not private property, depending on the weather conditions, you might not want attempt it. The dirt roads flood very easily and depending on the time of year, the place can be swarming with insects as well.
LOCATION: GPS coordinates: 30° 1’8.83″N, 90°26’19.35″W, down an unmarked dirt road, just off of CC Rd, LaPlace, LA 70068
Episode Three – “The Locked Room”
Marty lives at this house in the town of Marrero. The home is seen several times in the series, such as when Rust comes and mows Marty’s lawn, much to his anger.
LOCATION: 2541 Fawnwood Rd, Marrero, LA 70072
Rust visits the Light of the Way Christian Academy where (*spoilers*) he unknowingly speaks to the killer, Errol Childress, who is mowing the lawn. Marty calls Rust away none the wiser as they follow a lead on Reggie LeDoux. The building itself is the Old Kenner High School in Kenner, which was subject to a fire by arson in 2018. This is what’s left of the building in the wake of the fire, the remnants of which, in all likelihood, will eventually be demolished.
LOCATION: 1601 Reverend Richard Wilson Dr, Kenner, LA 70062
Episode Four – “Who Goes There”
Rust meets Marty’s wife Maggie, played by Michelle Monaghan, at this diner and donut shop, where he informs her that Marty wants to see the kids while they are separated.
LOCATION: 7271 Jefferson Hwy, Harahan, LA 70123
Things take a darker turn when Rust goes undercover as “Crash” to reconnect with a biker gang known as the Iron Crusaders, in an attempt to find Reggie LeDoux. Rust heads to this biker bar, where he meets up with Ginger, a member of the gang. Marty arrives soon after looking for Rust, but he is quickly kicked out by the bikers. The building can be slightly tricky to find, as it sits behind a truck stop.
LOCATION: 65583 Pump Slough Rd, Pearl River, LA 70452
A view of the back of the property, where Rust makes a deal to help Ginger with a robbery, in exchange for a drug connection. Marty spots them boarding a boat just before he’s thrown out.
One of the most memorable sequences of the series is the six minute long, single take of Cohle and the Iron Crusaders robbing a drug house. Recreating the shot is no easy task. While set in Beaumont, Texas, the scene was actually filmed in Woodland Acres, a low-income housing unit located in Westwego, Louisiana. While nowhere near as extreme as what’s depicted on the show, it is nevertheless a tough neighborhood where tourism is certainly not common. There are only a few streets and all of them loop back together, meaning there is one way in and one way out (bad spot for a robbery, as the characters in the show quickly discover). Many of the residents like to sit outside and, due to the very self-contained layout, you will undoubtedly attract attention if you visit. Walking around photographing their properties, the reaction can be unpredictable. Sound judgment should be used as to how much you choose to impose. Another challenge is simply figuring out where all the shots take place. Even with plenty of research and preparation, it still takes a bit of time to figure out your bearings once you’re there. Other than one or two minor shots, which we voluntarily refrained from as not to be too disruptive to the tenants, we were more or less able to capture what we wanted unimpeded. However, prospective visitors should be aware your experiences may differ from ours, so use caution.
The Iron Crusaders pose as police officers with a shotgun held on one of the drug dealers, as they force their way into this drug house.
LOCATION: 212 Jackson St, Westwego, LA 70094
As the robbery proceeds, an angry crowd gathers outside and their control of the situation unravels after one of the robbers opens fire. Bullets flying, Cohle, no longer concerned with his cover, immediately turns on the Crusaders and takes Ginger hostage, as he still needs the information on LeDoux. Cohle and Ginger spill out the back door of the same apartment.
The camera pans up to see a police helicopter arriving above. Rust kicks in the back door of this adjacent unit with Ginger in tow, as he makes a call to Marty to pick them up at a nearby street.
LOCATION: 205 Lake St, Westwego, LA 70094
They make their way out the front door of the same building when Cohle is struck in the back with a baseball bat by one of the gang members. He fights off the assailants and pistol whips them in this front yard.
Rust and Ginger hide behind a bush as gang members and cops both head down Alaska Street to the scene of the robbery.
LOCATION: Alaska St, next to 202 Lake St, Westwego, LA 70094
Rust and Ginger run over to this unit, where they hide right behind the divider wall, as armed gang members spill out from the unit right behind them, looking to defend their turf.
LOCATION: 710 Texas St, Westwego, LA 70094
They then hurry over to this fence on the same property and climb it.
They cross through the grassy area on the right, where Marty picks them up to narrowly escape the chaotic scene.
Rust takes Ginger to Sportsman’s bar, where Ginger reluctantly introduces him to Dewall LeDoux, Reggie’s cousin and cook partner. In reality, this is a composite of two locations. The exterior is actually a sporting goods and bait shop, while the interior is the Spillway Bar (15641 US-61, Norco, LA 70079), located just a short distance away. The exterior also appeared in the film “Escape Plan.”
LOCATION: 15611 US-61, Norco, LA 70079
The compound of Reggie LeDoux, where more violence occurs and LeDoux gives his “time is a flat circle” speech, was in fact a set built by the production. The set was built off of Florissant Hwy in the town of St Bernard.
Episode Six – “Haunted Houses”
Marty stops for a drink at what was formerly Fox & Hound. There he meets Beth by chance, a former teenage prostitute who he once helped out, and the two have a conversation over drinks. The building has since been remodeled a bit and is currently a discount shop. It can be found in the Elmwood Shopping Center in New Orleans.
LOCATION: 1200 S Clearview Pkwy, New Orleans, LA 70123
Marty and Beth meet up for more drinks, before heading back to Beth’s place. In the show, the bar is depicted as “The Keg,” but it’s actually the Rickshaw Lounge in Harahan.
LOCATION: 378A Hickory Ave, Harahan, LA 70123
Episode Seven – “After You’ve Gone”
Rust follows a lead and meets a transvestite prostitute at the Dragon’s Den in New Orleans, located not far from the famous French Quarter. The same location was seen in the film “The Lovebirds.”
LOCATION: 435 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116
Rust breaks into the home of Billy Lee Tuttle, where he obtains incriminating photos and videos.
LOCATION: 4717 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
Seventeen years after the murder of Dora Lang, Hart and Cohle resume their investigation at Marty’s private investigation business, Hart Investigative Solutions.
LOCATION: 5703 Read Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70127
In 2012, an older, alcoholic Cohle now works as a bartender at this bar, known as Fisherman’s Wharf.
LOCATION: 4381 Bayou Gauche Rd, Des Allemands, LA 70030
Rust lives in this small house, which is located directly behind the Fisherman’s Wharf bar location.
LOCATION: 4381 Bayou Gauche Rd, Des Allemands, LA 70030 (behind the Fisherman’s Wharf building)
Gilbough and Papania, the two detectives interviewing Rust and Marty throughout the series, encounter the killer, Errol Childress and much like Cohle, are unaware of his true identity. Errol is mowing the Fleming Cemetery in Jean Lafitte. It is located very close to the filming location for Errol’s house.
LOCATION: Fleming Cemetery, Jean Lafitte, LA 70067 (GPS coordinates: 29°44’39.12″N, 90° 8’4.91″ W)
Episode Eight – “Form And Void”
In the final episode, Errol is seen on a ladder painting a school where children are playing. The building can be found at the Buddy Lawson Playground in the town of Kenner.
LOCATION: 1800 Short St, Kenner, LA 70062
Another view of the building.
As the series reaches it’s climax, Marty and Rust finally make it to the home of the killer, Errol Childress. The house has been renovated a bit from how it appeared in the show, with a staircase notably being added. Otherwise, it appears more or less the same. This portion of the house is unfortunately not visible from the road and sits on private property.
LOCATION: 2258 Jean Lafitte Blvd, Jean Lafitte, LA 70067
Errol flees into the tunnels of Carcosa, which is actually the ruins of Fort Macomb State Historic Site in New Orleans. Unlike the layout depicted in the show, the ruins are quite a distance away from Errol’s house. Built in 1822 by the United States, the fort was intended to defend the port of New Orleans from potential invading forces. The fort was decommissioned in 1871. Since then, there have been some attempts to open it up for public tourism, but due to the condition of the ruins, it has unfortunately been deemed unsafe for tourism at this time. Today, the area is surrounded by barbed wire fencing and is not open to the public. However, we’ve also seen the gates open and completely accessible. The ruins have appeared in a few other productions as well, including “NCIS: New Orleans” and Beyonce’s music video “Lemonade.”
You can actually see the perimeter of the ruins along the water on public property, but not the inner tunnels seen in the show. A tip for anyone considering visiting this general area, since the grounds are not currently maintained, they can become overgrown and the presence of insects is significant, especially in the summer months. Winter is a bit more suitable.
LOCATION: Fort Macomb State Historic Site, New Orleans, LA 70129 (GPS coordinates: 30° 3’53.30″N, 89°48’15.16″W)
In the final scenes, Marty visits Rust at the “Lafayette General Hospital.” This is actually the St. Bernard Parish Hospital in Chalmette, located nowhere near Lafayette. The pair discuss light versus dark and each offers their perspective on which is winning.
LOCATION: 8000 W Judge Perez Dr, Chalmette, LA 70043
For as many places from the show as we captured, there remain just as many we didn’t. Visiting these spots can be both enjoyable and very challenging. Some places, we recommend only for the most avid of fans. Other spots, we suggest plenty of research and preparation before visiting. It is a unique way to explore the Southern Louisiana bayou and you can take the odyssey as far as you want to go with it. For us, it served as one of the most extensive location searches we’ve ever done.
The 1994 live action adaptation of “The Flintstones” was filmed in California and Utah. Early in the film, Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble, played by John Goodman and Rick Moranis, are seen driving through the Bronson Cave, which can be found in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. A very popular hiking spot, to reach it, simply take the Bronson Cave Trail for about a quarter of a mile and the caves are on the left. Although the walk is uphill, it’s so short that anyone without medical issues should be able to handle it with ease. The cave is a bit larger than it appears here. Those who walk through it will also be treated to a nice view of the Hollywood sign on the other side. The cave has been featured in countless productions, most famously as the “Bat Cave” in the 1966 “Batman” TV series.
LOCATION: 3200 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (the trailhead can be found at 2950 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068)
Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce, California are featured prominently in the film as the town of Bedrock. Fred Flintstone’s house is featured as a set directly in front of the rocks. Countless films have also shot scenes at Vasquez Rocks, including “Dante’s Peak,” “Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Jingle All The Way,” “Starship Troopers,” “Hail, Caesar!,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Paul,” “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,” “Hell Comes to Frogtown” and dozens more. Television shows which featured Vasquez Rocks in episodes include “The Fugutive,” “The A-Team,” “MacGuyver” and perhaps most famous of all, the original “Star Trek” series, where the rocks were seen in numerous episodes, serving as multiple different planets. The rocks have also been seen in music videos for Michael Jackson, 311 and many more, as well as countless commercials. The rocks are part of a Natural Area Park and open to the public from sunrise to sunset. They receive a steady amount of visitors, many of whom attempt to climb the steep rocks, which are larger than they might appear in the photograph.
LOCATION: 10700 Escondido Canyon Rd, Agua Dulce, CA 91350
Fred Flintstone’s car from the film could be seen on the Universal Studios Hollywood Tour.
LOCATION: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
Barney Rubble’s car was also on display on the tour.
Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 Elmore Leonard adaptation was shot primarily in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, where the director also lived for much of his youth. In the 20 years since the film was released, many of the locations have long since been remodeled or demolished, but many still stand as well.
In the opening scenes, Jackie Brown, played by Pam Grier, is seen hurrying through LAX Airport. The opening titles play over the wall tiles of Terminal 3. These tiles can be found along the pedestrian tunnel in the lower level and are only accessible to airline passengers and staff, as they make their way to baggage claim or the exits. Tarantino returned to this area for a scene in “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood.”
LOCATION: Terminal 3, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (lower level, arrivals area)
Jackie is seen passing this area, which is at Terminal 5 in the departure level. This area too is only accessible to airline passengers and staff. It’s since been remodeled a bit from how it appeared in the film.
LOCATION: Terminal 5, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (departures level)
Another section of Terminal 5 Jackie is seen walking through.
As we’re introduced to the rest of the cast, we meet a beach bunny named Melanie, played by Bridget Fonda. Several scenes were filmed at Melanie’s apartment, which was actually a composite of two different locations. The interior, where most of the scenes take place, can be found at this beachfront property in Hermosa Beach.
LOCATION: 6403 Ocean Front Walk, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293
The outside of Melanie’s apartment, where Jackie and Ordell, played by Samuel L. Jackson, walk down a long corridor talking, was actually filmed at the building right across the street, which was much larger. Together the two buildings create what you see in the film.
LOCATION: 6309 Ocean Front Walk, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293
Ordell finds himself in need of a bail bondsman and meets Max Cherry, played by Robert Forster. Cherry Bail Bonds was filmed at Carson Bail Bonds in Carson, California. It was demolished around 2009 and replaced by some apartment buildings.
LOCATION: 724 E Carson St, Carson, CA 90745 (now demolished)
Carson City Hall, which can be seen in the background across the street, still matches up. It is seen in several shots through the front window, such as when Ordell and Louis, played by Robert De Niro, park in front of Cherry Bail Bonds.
Ordell makes his way to the apartment of Beaumont, who he has just bailed out of jail. In the film, the apartment is said to be located in “Hollywood, two blocks up from Hollywood Blvd and Western.” In reality, it’s nowhere near there. The real apartment can be found in Wilmington, California. Beaumont’s apartment was unit #16, which is the same unit number seen in the film. Today, the building is no longer accessible to the public.
LOCATION: 1030 Lakme Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744
After Ordell convinces Beaumont to tag along as backup while he sells some guns, the two make their way down the stairs.
Ordell explains the situation as they talk at the front entrance of the building.
After Ordell convinces Beaumont to hide in his trunk and slams it shut, he drives a very short distance into a vacant lot and kills Beaumont. The vacant lot was located exactly across the street from Beaumont’s apartment location in Wilmington. This scene was done as a single take with a crane shot. This vacant area has since been filled with numerous homes. This is what the area looks like today from the street.
In the shot, you can see a church with a long steeple in the distance. That church is still there, known as the Calvary Light Christian Center. Here’s a closer view of the church, seen as Ordell turns left down Denni Street.
LOCATION: Lakme Ave and Denni St, Wilmington, CA 90744
Right across the street from the church is this small parking lot, which is about the closest remnant to what the area looked like in the film.
After Jackie is arrested by LAPD Detective Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen) and ATF agent Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton), she is taken to a police station and asked to give up Ordell in exchange for her freedom. The police station scenes were filmed at what was, at the time of filming, part of the production offices. The building is only seen from interior views in the film, but here is what it looks like outside. The interior of the building was used for another scene, when Jackie is exchanging the money inside a department store dressing room. Both the police interrogation room and dressing room were sets built inside the building.
LOCATION: 6025 W Slauson Ave, Culver City, CA 90230
Max Cherry picks up Jackie from jail at the Sybil Brand Institute, which at the time of filming, was a real, operational women’s prison in Los Angeles. It was here that Manson Family member Susan Atkins confessed to a cell mate named Virginia Graham about the Tate Murders. Graham in turn shared what Atkins had told her, which eventually helped lead to the capture of Charles Manson. The prison shut down in 1997, but today the grounds are still owned by the Los Angeles sherrif’s office, where it’s used by warehouse companies and for filming purposes. Walking the grounds in person, however, it still very much feels like you’re at a prison.
LOCATION: 4500 City Terrace Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90063
Here’s a wider view of the premises, though it’s never seen from this angle in the film.
The courthouse scenes were filmed inside of the Torrance Courthouse.
LOCATION: 825 Maple Ave, Torrance, CA 90503
Max and Jackie grab a drink at the former Cockatoo Inn in Hawthorne, exactly as stated in the film. It appears in another scene whenever Jackie meets Ordell, then a third time whenever Ordell and Louis have a discussion. Sadly the location closed down in 1996 shortly before filming took place. While the property was not razed altogether, it has since been so heavily remodeled, it no longer appears anything like it did in the film. The signs are long gone and the interior is completely different, but it is still the original building. You can find old images online of how it used to appear.
LOCATION: 11500 Acacia Ave, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (heavily remodeled)
Max drops Jackie off at her apartment, where Ordell soon pays her a visit. The apartment can be found in Torrence.
LOCATION: 17575 Yukon Ave, Torrance, CA 90504
Much of the film takes place at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrence, which is correctly stated as such in the film.
LOCATION: 3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503
A couple scenes take place in the food court, including when Max runs into Jackie and when Jackie does the trial run for the money exchange. The mall has since been heavily remodeled and the food court not only looks nothing like how it appeared in the film, it’s actually now located in a completely different section of the mall. However, we photographed the original food court years ago, back when it still appeared similar to how it did in the film.
At the start of the “trial run” money exchange, Jackie is seen exiting an elevator after her flight and being met by Ray and Mark. The scene supposedly takes place at LAX, but it’s actually another part of Del Amo Mall. This is the East Parking Garage, but unfortunately the scene was filmed on the second level and all upper levels of this structure have since been closed off for an indeterminate amount of time.
Max follows Simone from this area of the Del Amo Mall parking lot. The building in the distance still matches up.
LOCATION: Near 3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503 (GPS coordinates: 33°49’54.7″N, 118°20’47.4″W)
Max is seen driving down this road in Culver City.
LOCATION: 5413 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230
Just before the actual money exchange, Jackie is seen driving down Sepulveda Blvd. The vehicle she’s driving is the same car Butch drives in “Pulp Fiction,” as she listens to Randy Crawford’s “Street Life.”
LOCATION: 2407 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
Jackie continues driving past this area.
LOCATION: 19720 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
At the start of the second, “for real this time,” money exchange, Jackie is seen entering the mall in front of these distinctive blue bricks of what was formerly a Marshall’s store on Del Amo Cir Blvd. Marshall’s relocated to a new location at the mall in 2018 and these blue bricks were sadly removed in 2019, due to remodeling.
LOCATION: 365 Del Amo Cir Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503 (heavily remodeled)
Back at Del Amo Mall, Melanie and Louis meet up with Jackie for the money exchange at the fictional Billingsley Department Store in the mall, which is currently a Macy’s store. The store has changed quite a bit over the two decades since filming, so things don’t appear as they did back then. This is the approximate area where Jackie heads for the dressing room, which is located on the third floor of Macy’s. The actual dressing room, as mentioned earlier, was a set built at the film’s production offices.
Here is the approximate area where Louis and Melanie observe what’s happening and argue.
The area where Louis and Melanie park could be found here. Much of this area of the parking lot has since been fenced off and only a couple background buildings are still standing.
LOCATION: Near 3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503 (GPS coordinates: 33°50’04.4″N, 118°20’46.3″W)
The view of the mall itself has been heavily remodeled in this area since filming took place.
Max Cherry arrives outside of the store on the upper level. A prop Billingsley sign was mounted on the wall.
While the exchange goes down, Ordell keeps himself far away from the eyes of the A.T.F. by going to a strip club. The same bar, Sam’s Hofbrau, a real topless bar, would appear again in Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” where Budd works as a bouncer.
LOCATION: 1751 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Late in the film, Max meets up with the very angry and suspicious Ordell, over at Raynelle’s house. This is right around the corner from Beaumont’s apartment location.
LOCATION: 348 E Opp St, Wilmington, CA 90744
To see our “Jackie Brown” location page, click here.
While set in the state of Alabama, the 1991 film “Fried Green Tomatoes,” starring Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy, was filmed almost entirely in Georgia.
Early in the film, the Threadgoode house, where a young Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and her brother Buddy (Chris O’Donnell) live, can be found in the town of Senoia. This house is known as the Travis-McDaniel house. Decades after “Fried Green Tomatoes” completed filming, the same house was featured in a much different kind of film; “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.” Senoia filming locations would also become synonymous with the TV series “The Walking Dead.” The home sits at the corner of Travis St and Bride St.
LOCATION: 204 Bridge St, Senoia, GA 30276
The bridge and train tracks where Buddy gets into an accident is literally right across the street from the Travis-McDaniel house, at the same corner of Travis St and Bridge St. There is even an early shot in the film showing Buddy cross the street from the bridge to the house. For those looking to get to these tracks beneath the bridge, there’s no need to attempt to climb down the steep embankment. It levels off with the tracks for easy access about one block down, at the corner of Travis St and Clark St, where you can walk your way back up the tracks. The train tracks more or less reach a dead end there as well, running off into a reclaimed horizon of trees and woods.
LOCATION: Intersection of Travis St and Bridge St, Senoia, GA 30276 (across from 204 Bridge St, Senoia, GA 30276)
The most famous location from the film is of course the Whistle Stop Cafe, found in the town of Juliette, Georgia. It is a real, operational cafe and they do indeed serve fried green tomatoes. Visitors should note, however, the cafe is open daily during only lunch hours. The entire town embraces it’s connection to the film and really, the businesses there survive because of it, attracting tourists from around the country seeking out the locations. Mostly, you’ll find food and antiques there, but there are a few other novelties, which we’ll try to cover. First, we’ll look at the cafe itself.
LOCATION: 443 McCrackin St, Juliette, GA 31046
The window advertises fried green tomatoes, just like in the film.
A view of the porch of the Whistle Stop Cafe.
And a look inside.
A poster for the film can be found on the wall, with a chair in front for photos.
A look at the train tracks next to the cafe. As you can see, the train depot building is no longer there.
This building across the street refers to itself as “Ruth and Idgie’s Place.”
A few other surrounding buildings, briefly seen in the film.
If you’re a film location fan like us, it’s definitely worth it to take the detour from Atlanta over to the smaller towns of Senoia and Juliette. While you’re in Juliette, be sure to also check out the bridge from the end of the film “Baby Driver.”
For those seeking out the filming locations of the 1991 film “My Girl,” prepare yourself for a lengthy journey. While the film was set in Madison, Pennsylvania, it was shot mostly around Central Florida, with many of the locations scattered far apart from one another, tucked away in small towns. To see the “My Girl” locations for yourself requires a lot of time and travel.
The Saltenfuss house, where Vada, played by Anna Chlumsky, lives with her father Harry, played by Dan Aykroyd, can be found in the town of Bartow, Florida. For quite some time after the film, the property operated as a bed and breakfast. Due to the property’s distance from major tourist destinations, however, it was unfortunately forced to shut down due to a lack of guest bookings. It has since returned to being a private residence. The house is very impressive and recognizable to how it appeared on screen, so if you have the time to venture to Bartow and are a fan of the film, it’s worth the journey.
LOCATION: 555 E Stanford St, Bartow, FL 33830
Shelly, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, pulls her RV up from around this corner in front of the house.
The main street where Veda and Thomas J., played by Macaulay Culkin, ride their bikes can be found in Sanford, Florida. They can be seen crossing this road with the clock tower to the right, then riding down the sidewalk.
LOCATION: Intersection of E 1st St and Magnolia Ave, Sanford, FL 32771
They then ride their bikes up a ramp that specifically says “no bicycles,” taking a short cut through a mechanic’s garage. That building and ramp have since been demolished. The alley they exit onto can still be found, however, where the garage owner yells at them as they ride away.
As they approach Dr. Welty’s office, they continue riding their bikes down another alley, which features a “Nixon / Agnew ’72” poster on the brick wall. This alley really is just around the corner from the Dr. Welty’s office filming location.
LOCATION: Alley between 107 and 111 Magnolia Ave, Sanford, FL 32771
Vada visits Dr, Welty’s office, where, in spite of her claims that she’s sick, the doctor insists she’s in perfect health.
LOCATION: 113 Magnolia Ave, Sanford, FL 32771
The kids then come across their school teacher, Mr. Bixler, played by Griffin Dunne, who is painting his house.
LOCATION: 605 Magnolia Ave, Sanford, FL 32771
The tree where Vada and Thomas J. become “blood brothers” and later kiss in the film was a bit of movie magic. It was, in fact, an artificial tree, built in part using pieces of a real tree. After extensive location hunting for a willow tree beside a lake, the filmmakers failed to find what they were looking for and instead opted to make their own tree. A team was hired to cut down a large oak tree, tagging each branch for reassembly, then uprooting it and moving it to the lake location. The lake in question is Mirror Lake in Clermont, Florida, which is located somewhat far away from the other filming locations. The base of the tree was held in place by five tons of cement, with metal coupling sleeves to reinforce the branches. They then covered the entire thing with $15,000 worth of silk willow leaves to give you the tree you saw in the film, which appeared quite authentic. Today all that remains is the metallic base of the tree. Some say the dock has since been removed due to deterioration, while others say it is still there, submerged underwater.
This portion of the lake is not open to the public and is not visible from the road. However, the much of the surrounding land is currently up for sale, in an effort to develop more housing around the area. So while an eventual sale of the property could open it up for easier visibility, there is always the possibility that developing the land could in turn lead to the removal of the tree base. The reason it hasn’t already been removed is most likely due to the five tons of concrete beneath.
LOCATION: Mirror Lake, Old Hwy 50 W, Clermont, FL 34711 (closest known address is 15647 Old Hwy 50 W, Clermont, FL 34711, the GPS coordinates of the tree base itself are 28.565015, -81.700218)
A bit closer look at the tree base.
Vada sneaks over to Thomas J.’s house and asks him to go to the church with her to spy on her father’s date with Shelly.
LOCATION: 603 Myrtle Ave, Sanford, FL 32771
They church they head to is Ocoee Christian Church in Ocoee, Florida. The kids can be seen walking down the sidewalk on the left and passing the front steps as they make their way over to the bingo tent. Once again, Ocoee is not a short drive to get to and it’s somewhat puzzling why the filmmakers chose such a far-removed location, as surely there must have been other churches available that were closer to the other filming locations.
LOCATION: 15 S Bluford Ave, Ocoee, FL 34761
Here is the yard to the church, where the bingo tent was set up.
The school where Mr. Bixler teaches his creative writing class can be found at the 1914 Plant City High School Community Building, not to be confused with the present day Plant City High School. The 1914 building is an old landmark and serves as a community center.
LOCATION: 605 N Collins St, Plant City, FL 33563
Back in Sanford, near the end of the film, Thomas J.’s mother runs into Harry at The Breezeway Restaurant & Bar, which is located right by the clock tower on the main street, where the kids are seen riding their bikes early in the film. Harry is eating inside, when he comes out and speaks to her on this sidewalk at the corner.
LOCATION: 112 E 1st St, Sanford, FL 32771
If you’re a fan of the film, the good news is most of the filming locations are still well preserved. The biggest challenge, aside from the handful of locations found in the town of Sanford, is simply traveling to all of the towns distant from one another, which composite the small Pennsylvania town depicted in the film.
The 1996 Farrelly Brothers comedy “Kingpin” was shot mostly around Pennsylvania, but like many Farrelly Bothers films, it becomes something of a road trip movie, reaching Reno, Nevada by the film’s climax. In the opening scene of the film, a young Roy Munson practices bowling with his father at the Munson Service Center. The scene is supposedly set in Ocelot, Iowa. It was actually filmed in Mars, Pennsylvania.
LOCATION: 255 Mars Valencia Rd, Mars, PA 16046
Roy bowls with his father at the side of the building, using a homemade lane and bowling pins.
Roy’s father sees him off at P.J.’s Soft Serve. The building was in poor condition when the filmmakers first found it. It is shown in this state when Roy, played by Woody Harrelson, returns to his home town later in the film. The production then fixed it up for the early scenes. The building has since been completely demolished, with a different one now standing in its place, but the surrounding areas still match up. This is located one mile from the Munson Service Center, on the same road.
LOCATION: 441 Mars Valencia Rd, Valencia, PA 16059 (now demolished)
After winning a bowling tournament, Roy takes his car to a mechanic, who tells him someone put sugar in his gas tank. This scene was filmed just a few buildings down from the Munson Service Center and is easily within walking distance.
LOCATION: 229 Mars Valencia Rd, Mars, PA 16046
Only a small part of the building is seen in the film. However, this house across the street is also seen in the background of the scene, confirming the location.
“Big Ern” McCracken, played by Bill Murray, hustles some local bowlers and Roy finds himself in over his head. As they exit the bowling alley, they are confronted by the guys they’ve hustled. Big Ern lets Roy take the fall, as he speeds off and abandons him at the Beaver Valley Bowl in Rochester, with Roy losing his hand in the process. This same location was used in the Michael Douglas film “Wonder Boys” and the TV series “I Am Not Okay With This.”
LOCATION: 25 New York Ave, Rochester, PA 15074
The home of Roy Munson is supposedly located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The real building is actually located in the town of Trafford. Roy’s neighbors sit outside and complain about life, while his landlady lives next door as well. The building has been slightly updated, but is still very recognizable from how it appeared in the film.
LOCATION: 533 5th Street Ext, Trafford, PA 15085
Later in the film, Roy stages a purse snatching on his landlady, in which he rescues her in hopes she’ll cut him a break on his late rent.
Right around the corner from Roy’s apartment was another scene from the film. Roy helps a mother get her stroller up on the sidewalk and then steals the baby’s milk for his coffee.
LOCATION: 5th St / 5th Street Ext, Trafford, PA 15085
Roy first meets Amish bowler Ishmael, played by Randy Quaid, at the Lancaster Bowl. This scene was actually filmed at Mars Lanes, located right across the street from the Munson Service Center.
LOCATION: 262 Mars Valencia Rd, Mars, PA 16046
Ishmael lives at this farm, where Roy tries to persuade him to become business partners. Ishmael’s farm can be found in Fombell. The long path leading down to the farm is located at the intersection of Harvest Ln / PA-288.
When Roy first approaches Ishmael, who is riding his bicycle on the left side of the road, the barn on the right can be seen in the background. This is the same location as above, facing toward PA-288 (also known as Zelienople Rd).
After Ishmael loses a bowling match to a club player, Roy nearly decides to abandon their partnership. They stop on PA-528 (also known as Prospect Rd), where Roy quickly changes his mind and tells Ishmael he was just testing him.
LOCATION: PA-528, Slippery Rock, PA 16057 (near the 528 Boat Ramp, GPS coordinates: 40°57’03.3″N 80°02’34.9″W)
Depending on the map you use, this area may be listed as Slippery Rock, Prospect or Lake Arthur. It is located near the Frank W. Preston Conservation Area.
Roy and Ishmael unsuccessfully attempt to run the same hustle that cost Roy his hand at the former McKnight Lanes in Pittsburgh. The bowling alley has long since closed.
LOCATION: 7507 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 (since remodeled)
Roy and Claudia, played by Vanessa Angel, get into an argument the Jolly Jumper Motel, prompting Ishmael to run away. These scenes were filmed at 100 Blue Spruce Way, Murrysville, PA 15668, but the building has since been demolished.
Roy and Claudia go in search of him at Uncle Willees Reptile Farm, where a rattlesnake bites the owner in the face. The real building is a restaurant known as Willees Tavern and has operated for more than 80 years. The filmmakers clearly gave a nod to the real establishent when naming their fictional reptile farm. It is not far from the early locations seen in the film, such as the Munson Service Center and P.J.’s Soft Serve.
LOCATION: 11150 Babcock Blvd, Valencia, PA 16059
For the film’s climax, Roy and Big Ern square off at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada. The lanes are not open to public use, but there is a bowling museum inside that is open to the public, for those interested.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2012 film “The Master” was shot primarily around Northern California, with a few scenes also being filmed in Southern California, 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. There is a shot of a couple men jumping off the vessel into the water.
LOCATION: USS Hornet – Sea, Air and Space Museum, 707 W Hornet Ave, Alameda, CA 94501
These additional photos of the USS Hornet were provided to us by Christian Hernandez at Boogie Sights.
The department store where Freddie works as a photographer was filmed at the UCLA Downtown / UCLA Extension at The Trust Building in Downtown Los Angeles. While only seen from interior views in the film, in the behind the scenes featurette “Unguided Message,” offers additional views, including a shot from the street, continuing inside and up the stairs into the department store set. Here is what the exterior looks like.
LOCATION: 433 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Freddie meets Lancaster Dodd, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, as he sneaks aboard Dodd’s yacht as a stowaway. That yacht is the USS Potomac, which is docked in Oakland, California. The boat is most famous for having once belonged to former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
LOCATION: 540 Water St, Oakland, CA 94607
A view of the back of the yacht. 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.
There are tours available inside the USS Potomac, where you can see additional interiors featured in the film. This area is where Lancaster delivers a speech after his daughter’s wedding. While the majority of the tour is focused on Franklin Roosevelt and the history of the yacht, they do mention this film.
This bar area, which is only seen briefly in the background of a couple shots, was added by the production. The association which owns the yacht liked it and decided to keep it after the production ended.
There is a shot of the yacht departing beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge is one of the most often seen locations in film, having appeared in “Vertigo,” “The Rock,” “Pacific Rim,” “Zodiac,” “Big Eyes,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “A View To A Kill,” “Dirty Harry,” “Hulk,” “Lords Of Dogtown,” “The Bridge” and many more.
LOCATION: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
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. This location was identified by Christian Hernandez at Boogie Sights. 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)
Here are some additional photos of the same location, kindly provided to us by Christian Hernandez.
There is another scene of Freddie and Doris at the same park, but at a different bench, featured as a deleted scene in the “Back Beyond” featurette. If you’re facing the bench that appears in the film, this is just a short walk down to the left.
LOCATION: Alden Park, 8th St, Vallejo, CA 94592
Supposedly located in Philadelphia, the home of Helen Sullivan, played by Luara Dern, can found on Mare Island in Vallejo, California. The property, known as the Captain’s Mansion, is a former event space and can be a bit tricky to find. 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. To located this house, make sure you arrive at the intersection of Walnut Ave and 8th St on Mare Island and you’ll see the 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)
The theater where Freddie and Clark, played by Rami Malek, hand out flyers in front of the ticket booth is the Los Angeles Theatre in Downtown L.A.
LOCATION: 615 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014
The Causes’s first congress, celebrating the release of Lancaster Dodd’s second book, was supposedly located in Phoenix, Arizona. The building is actually located in Norwalk, California. The same street has appeared in many films, such as “Another Day In Paradise” and “Frailty.” In some of the teaser trailers, alternate shots can be seen of some of the buildings across the street. At the time of our visit, the parking lot on the right was still open, but it has since been fenced off and filled with junk, making it no longer possible to match up many angles seen in the film.
LOCATION: 12124 Front St, Norwalk, CA 90650
In a deleted scene featured in the “Back Beyond” featurette, Freddie can be seen walking in a reverse view from the above shot, with this building seen in the background across the street, with a “Desert Hardware” sign.
In a deleted scene featured in the “Back Beyond” featurette, Freddie can be seen running along Torpedo Wharf, located near Golden Gate Bridge.
LOCATION: Torpedo Wharf, Long Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129
The area is a popular tourist destination and can get crowded.
The house from the 1997 Jim Carrey film “Liar Liar” can be found in South Pasadena, California. It’s actually located right next door to the house from “Space Jam.” It’s also on the same street as a scene in the original “Halloween” film, where Laurie and Lynda are walking home from school and being followed by a strange figure in a car.
LOCATION: 1004 Highland St, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Fletcher Reede, played by Jim Carrey, has a court case as the Los Angeles City Hall. The iconic building has been featured in endless films, such as “L.A. Confidential,” “Ray,” “The Nice Guys,” “Fracture,” “Gangster Squad,” “Impulse,” “Blind Rage,” “Big Man on Campus” and “L.A. Bounty,” as well as such TV series as “American Crime Story.”
For the 1992 sequel “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” the entire, original cast and crew returned, as well as a location from the first film. In the early scenes, the McCalister house is once again on display. The famous home can be found in Winnetka, Illinois. A fence has since been built around the property.
LOCATION: 671 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka, IL 60093
The bulk of the film, however, takes place in New York City this time around. Upon arrival, Kevin is seen riding in a taxi across the Queensboro Bridge. The bridge has been featured in countless films, such as “Manhattan,” “Death Wish” and many more.
LOCATION: 61 Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Path, New York, NY 10044
Kevin takes in many of the city’s landmarks, including Radio City Music Hall. The landmark concert hall has appeared in countless productions, such as “The Godfather,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Annie,” “Rocky III,” “Radio Days” and many more.
LOCATION: 1260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020
Later Kevin makes his way over to Central Park, where he first encounters the Pigeon Lady, a scary and mysterious woman covered in birds, who essentially serves the same role as Old Many Marley in the original film. Kevin is initially frightened when he sees her feeding birds in front of Gapstow Bridge in Central Park, though the two eventually strike up a friendship.
LOCATION: Gapstow Bridge, Central Park, New York, NY 10019
Very close to Gapstow Bridge is another major location in the film, the Plaza Hotel. “Guests of the new ‘Celebrity Ding, Dang, Dong’ stay at the world-renowned Plaza Hotel, New York’s most exciting hotel experience.” It is a real, well-known hotel in Manhattan, perched right above Central Park. Here is a view of the hotel from the park. The Plaza Hotel has appeared in countless films, such as “The Fisher King,” “They All Laughed,” “Annie Hall,” “King of New York,” “The Post,” “Megalopolis” and many more.
LOCATION: 768 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Later in the film, Kevin returns to Central Park at Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, where he flees from the Sticky Bandits. The terrace is another famous New York landmark seen in countless films.
LOCATION: 72 Terrace Dr, New York, NY 10021 (inside Central Park)
A reverse view of the fountain. Here Kevin hides in the back of a carriage, narrowly escaping the bandits.
A couple other, notable locations from the film were actually sets. Uncle Rob’s house, where Kevin once again wreaks havoc on the Sticky Bandits with homemade traps, was a set located on Brownstone Street on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood. The street suffered a fire in 2008 and portions had to be rebuilt.
While made to resemble Central Park, the scene where the Pigeon Lady throws bird seeds all over the bandits, saving Kevin from harm’s way in the process, was also a set.
Near the end of the film, Kevin is finally reunited with his mother in front of Rockefeller Center.
LOCATION:45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111
Some props from this film, as well as the first part, can be found on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.
LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
