The Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic “Psycho” filmed largely in California, but some of the early scenes shot in Phoenix, Arizona. Marion Crane, played by Janet Leigh, takes her lunch break to meet a man she’s having an affair with at this hotel.
LOCATION: 101 S Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004
The car dealership where Marion changes her vehicle can be found in North Hollywood, California.
LOCATION: 4270 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91602
The iconic house from the film can be found on the Universal Studios lot, as part of their studio tour. It is indeed the actual house from the film, although the back part of the house, not seen on camera in the film, was added later on by the studio, after the film had been released. There is also a Bates Motel set on the tour, but that set is actually from the sequel film, not the original.
LOCATION: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
Another view of the side of the house.
This was Alfred Hitchcock’s office on the Universal lot, which is commemorated with a drawing of the director’s famous silhouette.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2014 adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel, “Inherent Vice,” shot all over Southern California. Much of it is set in the fictional town of Gordita Beach. These scenes were actually shot in Manhattan Beach, which is worth checking out if you’re interested in beautiful ocean views, without the crowds of such places as Santa Monica or Venice Beach.
This shot, seen at both the beginning, as well the end of the film, is overlooking Manhattan Beach and a scenic walkway called The Strand. However, the shot is actually taken from Ocean Drive, one block up, at the intersection of Seaview Street.
LOCATION: 4210 The Strand, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (this exact shot is from behind the house, on Ocean Drive at Seaview Street, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, looking out towards the water)
Doc, played by Joaquin Phoenix, lives in this house, which is close to the above shot. The house was mostly used for interiors in the film, but the exterior can also briefly be seen.
LOCATION: 214 El Porto St, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
This cafe in San Pedro pops up a couple times in the film. First, Doc sits outside reading a newspaper about real estate developments. The interior is seen later in the film, albeit dressed heavily to appear as a Japanese restaurant, as Bigfoot, played by Josh Brolin, delivers the immortal lines, “Motto panukeiku, motto panukeiku.” The same cafe appeared in the films “Chinatown,” “Gods and Monsters” and “Lovesick,” as well as such TV shows as “T.J. Hooker” and the 2020 version of “Perry Mason.”
LOCATION: 700 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731
Doc follows leads on the mysterious Golden Fang boat, which is believed to bring in drugs, as well as having carried Shasta, played by Katherine Waterston, on board the last time it sailed. The schooner is seen in darkness, off in the distance in the film. The actual boat is the Tallship American Pride, which can be found at the Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach, California. The boat is located at Dock 3, though it does sometimes set sail into the waters. If you’re unfamiliar with this area of Long Beach, just search for Gladstone’s Restaurant (330 S Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802) or Toyko Wako (310 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802) at the Long Beach Pike. The pier and the boat are located directly behind them.
LOCATION: Rainbow Harbor, Dock 3, Long Beach, CA 90802
Doc talks with Sauncho Smilax, played by Benicio Del Toro, at the Chowder Barge in Wilmington. These restaurant shots are provided courtesy of Christian Hernandez at Boogie Sights, who also identified the location.
LOCATION: 611 N Henry Ford Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744
Later in the film, Doc pays a visit to Bigfoot at the old Los Angeles Police Department in downtown Los Angeles. As he’s approaching the building, an officer bumps into him, knocking him to the ground. The building has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 150 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (now demolished)
One of the most memorable scenes in the film is a flashback sequence, when Doc and Shasta get caught in the rain, while Neil Young’s “Journey Through the Past” plays. This song was a major inspiration for the film and Doc’s look was even modeled after a 1970s photograph of Neil Young. The scene was shot in Pomona, Californa, about an hour east of Los Angeles.
Sophia Coppola’s slow-paced, 2010 film “Somewhere” takes place almost entirely at Hollywood’s famed Chateau Marmont. The hotel has been a beacon for celebrities over the years, at times hosting everyone from Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski, to Jim Morrison, to Hunter S. Thompson, to Keanu Reeves. Comedian John Belushi passed away at the hotel in 1982. The hotel is known for it’s privacy and discretion. It made for a perfect location for Coppola’s story about an aimless actor reexamining his life.
LOCATION: 8221 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
Few filmmakers have ever captured adolescence as well as John Hughes did with a string of hit films in the 1980s. Most of his films were set in the fictitous town of Shermer, Illinois and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is no exception.
While much of the film did indeed film in the Greater Chicago area, Ferris’ house is actually located far from the neighborhoods of Chicago, in Long Beach, California. The same house appears in the films “Red Dragon” and “Not Another Teen Movie.”
LOCATION: 4160 Country Club Dr, Long Beach, CA 90807
Ferris’ high school scenes were filmed at Glenbrook North High School, in Northbrook Illinois. Hughes had previously used the hallways of the school in another of his 80s hits, “The Breakfast Club.” Later in the film, Ferris poses as his girlfriend Sloane’s father, coming up with a scheme to get her out of school. This scene was actually filmed at the Center for Performing Arts, a separate building on the grounds of the high school. The stairs still look exactly the same as they did in the film.
LOCATION: 2300 Shermer Rd, Northbrook, IL 60062
A reverse view at the parking lot from the stairs, where Ferris posed as Sloane’s father.
The police station where Jeanie, played by Jennifer Grey, meets a mysterious man, played by Charlie Sheen, can be found in Downtown Los Angeles. It is only seen from interior views in the film. The building has been featured in countless films and television series, including “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Divergent,” “The Muppets,” “Wrath Of Man,” “License To Drive,” “Unlawful Entry,” “Inspector Gadget,” “Child’s Play 2,” “Enough” and dozens more.
LOCATION: 635 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Ferris’ best friend Cameron lives at this house in Highland Park, Illinois. It has unfortunately since been remodeled, but we were able to capture it long before remodeling took place.
LOCATION: 370 Beech St, Highland Park, IL 60035
Late in the film, disaster strikes when Ferris and Cameron accidentally reverse Cameron’s father’s car through the glass wall of this building, down a steep canyon. The building really does exist behind the above house and there really is a steep canyon beneath it, exactly as depicted in the film. This building has not been remodeled.
Some outfits worn by Ferris and Cameron in the film can be seen on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.
LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Like most of Rob Zombie’s films, “The Devil’s Rejects,” which is arguably his finest, shot around Southern California. The opening standoff at the Firefly house was shot at Sable Ranch in Santa Clarita, California, which is not open to the public. Quite a number of buildings at Sable Ranch were lost, due to a wildfire in 2016. The Firefly house, however, was one of the buildings which survived the fires. In case you’re wondering, the Firefly house is not very visible from the road, if you were to drive up to the ranch entrance. The same location appears in OutKast’s music video for “Ms. Jackson.”
LOCATION: 25933 Sand Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91387
Captain Spaulding’s house can be found in Lancaster. No address seems to show up on GPS, but the house can be found on E Ave J, between 60th St E and 65th St E. Exact GPS coordinates are listed below.
LOCATION: E Ave J, between 60th St E and 65th St E, Lancaster, CA 93535 (GPS coordinates: 34.689478, -118.018095)
On the run, Baby, played by Sheri Moon Zombie, makes a phone call to Captain Spaulding from this gas station. It’s never seen in a wide shot in the film, which is why it may not look immediately recognizable. The gas station is located right beside the motel location seen later in the film.
LOCATION: 42848 150th St, Lancaster, CA 93535
Otis and Baby make their way to the “Kahiki Palms Motel,” where some unsuspecting guests have the unfortunate luck of crossing their paths. The real location is the Club Ed movie set, out in Lancaster, California, in an area of mostly desert terrain. The building is not an actual running business and is used strictly for filming purposes today. This too is private property and closed to the public. However, unlike Sable Ranch, these locations can be seen quite easily from the road.
LOCATION: 42848 150th St, Lancaster, CA 93535
Another angle of the motel, including the rooms to the left, where many scenes with the hotel guests were shot. Club Ed has been in many films, including “Nothing To Lose,” “Rubber” “Woman of the Hour” and “Eye Of The Storm.”
After Captain Spaulding’s truck runs out of fuel, he stops at Buck’s Grab ‘N Go, where he steals the vehicle of a mother and her son. The same location appeared in the film “The Last Starfighter.”
LOCATION: 9411 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
The film’s climactic standoff with the police was filmed on a closed section of Golden State Hwy in Castaic. We’ve provided GPS coordinates below.
LOCATION: Golden State Hwy, Castaic, CA 91384 (GPS coordinates: 34°37’21.6″N, 118°44’40.6″W)
The police set up a barricade at this bridge, which runs over Piru Creek.
Here’s a wider view of where the car speeds towards the police.
While this last shot is not seen in the film, this is the furthest point you can drive on Golden State Hwy before the road is blocked. The road to get to this point from the 5 freeway is a bit rough, but it is also a scenic drive, free from traffic. It is permissible to continue on foot or bike from this point and its about a half mile to reach where the scene was filmed. The path is flat and a modest walk for most.
White Goodman, played by Ben Stiller in “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” runs “Globo Gym,” where he heads up the “Purple Cobras” dodgeball team. The lobby of the former Nikken Building in Irvine, California, now known as the Masimo Building, served as the location of “Globo Gym.” The same building has been used in many other productions, including “Iron Man,” “You, Me And Dupree” and “All About Steve.”
Given the title, it’s a given that David Lynch’s 2001 film “Mullholland Drive,” like many of his other films, is based around Los Angeles. When Betty, played by Naomi Watts, first arrives in L.A., she stays at this apartment complex.
LOCATION: 450 N Sycamore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
In the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, you’ll find the “Sierra Bonita” apartments, where Diane lives. Located just a few blocks from the original site of Walt Disney Studios, the eight cottages are said to have inspired the animation designs for the dwarf houses in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
LOCATION: 2900 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
The iconic Pink’s Hot Dogs is seen where the hitman speaks with a prostitute. Pink’s has appeared in many films, such as “The Muppets,” “The Golden Child,” “Minnie and Moskowitz,” “loha, Bobby and Rose,” “Hickey & Boggs” and more.
LOCATION: 709 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
The Winkie’s Diner on Sunset Blvd is not actually on Sunset or even in Hollywood. The building can actually be found in the city of Gardena. The “Winkie’s” name was also created by the filmmakers. The real restaurant was at one time a Denny’s, before later becoming Caesar’s Restaurant. It currently sits vacant.
LOCATION: 1016 W El Segundo Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
In one of the film’s more unsettling scenes, Dan, played by Patrick Fischler, is haunted by the image of a man behind a wall in the back lot of the restaurant. He makes his way down the sidewalk and stairs to the wall behind the restaurant, to face his nightmare.
As he approaches the wall, he collapses when he sees the man in his nightmares personified. As you can see, the wall appears a bit different now than how it appeared in the film, no longer extending out as far.
In Downtown Los Angeles, you’ll find the entrance to Club Silenco. This is actually the back of the Palace Theatre, facing S Spring St
LOCATION: 630 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014 (rear entrance, near 621 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014)
The interior of Club Silenco was filmed at the Tower Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. It has since been converted into a retail store and is open to the public. Lynch revisited this location for “Inland Empire,” as well as “Twin Peaks: The Return.” The same building has also appeared in the films “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “The Omega Man,” “Fight Club,” “The Prestige,” “Coyote Ugly,” “Last Action Hero,” “Transformers,” “Ed Wood,” “End of Days,” ““She’s So Lovely,” “The Replacement Killers,” “The Good German,” “Dark Streets” and “The Mambo King.”
“The 40 Year-Old Virgin” introduced us to the films of Judd Apatow, who would go on to make a string of hit comedies. Andy, played by still Steve Carell, lives in this Studio City, California apartment, which still closely resembles how it appeared in the film. The same building was used in the film “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo.”
LOCATION: 12012 Moorpark St, Studio City, CA 91604
Andy works in this shopping plaza in Encino, California.
LOCATION: 17401 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91316
The house where Trish, played by Catherine Keener, lived could be found in North Hollywood. Sadly, it has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 4433 Cartwright Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91602.
David Lynch’s “Lost Highway” shot around Southern California, Death Valley and the Nevada desert. Early in the film, Fred and Renee, played by Bill Pullman and Patricia Arquette respectively, receive a mysterious video tape at their doorstep. David Lynch used his own home as the location.
LOCATION: 7035 Senalda Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Fred plays his saxophone at the Luna Lounge. This was filmed at the Lankershim Arts Center in North Hollywood.
LOCATION: 5108 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
Fred ends up on death row for the murder of his wife. The cell block wasn’t a prison at all, rather a creative re-purposing of a decommissioned fire station in downtown Los Angeles. The same station was used for interior scenes for the original “Ghostbusters” firehouse, as well as “The Mask,” “Flatliners,” “Set It Off,” “Big Trouble In Little China” and more. Only the interiors were used in the film, but here is a view of the exterior. Today, the surrounding area has become run down and it isn’t the safest of places.
LOCATION: 225 E 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
After some mysterious events, Pete, played by Balthazar Getty, awakens in Fred’s jail cell. Baffled by this phenomenon, the police decide to release him. Pete returns to his home, located in Northridge.
LOCATION: 16706 Citronia St, Northridge, CA 91343
Pete’s girlfriend Sheila, played by Natasha Gregson Wagner, lives at this house, located just a few blocks away from Pete’s place.
LOCATION: 9532 McLennan Ave, Northridge, CA 91343
Pete works as a mechanic at Arnie’s, which was filmed at the Firestone building in Los Angeles. No longer in service, the building, built in 1937, is designated as an historical monument by the city.
LOCATION: 800 South La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
The place where Mr. Eddy becomes enraged at a tailgating driver requires a bit of effort if you want to visit the location. It was filmed on Mt Hollywood Dr, near the Griffith Observatory. Contrary to what is seen in the film, the road is actually completely inaccessible to the public by vehicle. It is found along a fully paved road, but the road is gated off in all directions from motor vehicles. Aside from park rangers, the road is primarily used by hikers and bicyclists.
The easiest way to visit is by parking at the Griffith Observatory. The lot at the Observatory itself is almost always full. You’re unlikely to find a spot in the actual lot. However, you can park along East or West Observatory Road. Unfortunately, these are now paid parking spaces and somewhat expensive. There are a few free auxiliary lots, but those fill up quickly as well, plus they put you pretty far away from where you need to be to get to the location. You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding a paid parking space on Observatory Road, unless you’re arriving at peak evening hours. Your best bet is to arrive early.
The easiest way to spot the trail head to reach the location is to look for the tunnel when approaching Griffith Observatory. Most traffic to reach the Observatory passes through it. The tunnel was famously seen in Back To The Future Part 2, when Biff and Marty McFly (riding a hoverboard) fight over a sports almanac. The very first road on your right, once you pass through the tunnel, is where you will need to hike. It will either be gated off, or if the gates are open, a guard will be parked there, making sure no motorists attempt to drive up it. The road is freely accessible to pedestrians on foot or bike, however, and you’ll likely see a lot of both. You simply take that road for about 0.5 miles to reach the location. At least you can take photographs in relative safely here, without concern for traffic on the road.
LOCATION: Mt Hollywood Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (GPS coordinates: 34.126026, -118.306921)
It is a moderate hike. Much of it is uphill, but considering you can walk a paved road the entire way, as well as the fact that there are resting spots, it’s certainly manageable for most. A bottle of water should suffice, unless it’s an extremely hot day.
If you want to get the most out of your money for paying for a parking space near Griffith Observatory, we recommend continuing along the same path to the location of the dance scene in “La La Land.” That location is another 1.5 miles up the same road.
After Alice meets Pete at the mechanic’s, the pair begin an affair. Alice is waiting at the Palm Tree Inn in North Hills, calling down to him from the second floor to say that she already got them a room.
LOCATION: 8424 Sepulveda Blvd, North Hills, CA 91343
Pete pulls up to this spot in the parking lot, where he talks to Alice.
The cops watch from the parking lot as the two go into the hotel room. The same motel has also been seen in the TV series “My Name Is Earl.”
Near the end of the film, Fred arrives at the Lost Highway Hotel. This was actually a composite of two separate buildings. The exterior, seen below, is an abandoned building located at Death Valley Junction, near the California / Nevada border. The same building was seen in the 1986 film “The Hitcher.” The interior corridors were actually filmed across the street at the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel (608 Death Valley Jct, Death Valley, CA 92328). This area is very much in the middle of nowhere.
LOCATION: Near the intersection of State Line Rd / CA-127, Death Valley Junction, CA 92328 (nearest address is 608 CA-127, Death Valley Junction, CA 92328)
A deleted scene with Pete and Sheila was was filmed at the former Johnie’s Broiler in Downey. Some footage can be seen in the film “Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch.” The restaurant has a unique history, having appeared in many other films, such as “Heat,” “Short Cuts,” “License To Drive,” “The Game,” “My Stepmother Is An Alien,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “One Hour Photo” and many more. In 2007, the building was demolished. However, Bob’s Big Boy purchased the property years later and rebuilt it based on the original blueprints and even some of the same materials. So what stands now closely resembles what was there before.
LOCATION: 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241
To see our “Lost Highway” location page, click here.
While set in the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the 1993 film “Groundhog Day” was actually shot in Woodstock, Illinois. Visiting the town is a unique experience. Most films shoot in many, scattered locations around a city, or sometimes multiple different cities, then edit it together to make their proximity seem much closer than they actually are in the real world. With “Groundhog Day,” however, most of the locations from the film really are in as close of proximity as they appear on film. The filmmakers chose a town square to film in, giving a greater a sense of enclosure within a singular place, just as Bill Murray’s character of Phil Conners is experiencing in the film. It makes for an interesting feeling, as if you’ve really walked into the film’s universe when you visit.
The “Cherry Street Inn” bed and breakfast in the film actually is a real bed and breakfast where you can stay. However, Phil’s room seen in the film was built in a warehouse by the production.
LOCATION: 344 Fremont St, Woodstock, IL 60098
“Gobler’s Knob,” where the groundhog is shown, is the Woodstock Square Park, located right in the center of the town square.
LOCATION: Woodstock Square Park, Main St, Woodstock, IL 60098
“The Tip Top Cafe,” where Phil gorges himself on excessive amounts of food, has changed ownership many times since the film was shot, with many restaurants coming and going. It’s the sidewalk out front where Bill Murray keeps stepping in the watery, ice-filled hole in the street while talking to Ned Ryerson.
LOCATION: 108 Cass St, Woodstock, IL 60098
There are many plaques like this, located at nearly every location from the film in Woodstock, IL. It’s refreshing to see when a town embraces their film history, as Woodstock does.
The “Alpine Theater” where Phil arrives dressed as Clint Eastwood is the Woodstock Theatre. It is also seen briefly at the beginning of the film, when the crew first arrives in Punxsutawney.
LOCATION: 209 Main St, Woodstock, IL 60098
The bar where Phil drinks is the Old Courthouse Arts Center. The same location appears in the film “Planes, Trains & Automobiles.”
LOCATION: 101 N Johnson St, Woodstock, IL 90068
“The Pennsylvanian Hotel,” where Andie MacDowell’s character stays, and where Phil later hurls himself from the tower, is actually the Woodstock Opera House.
LOCATION: 121 W Van Buren St, Woodstock, IL 60098
The alarm clock from the film can be found on display as part of the Sony Pictures Studio Tour.
LOCATION: 10202 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
If you find yourself in the greater Chicago area and are a fan of the film, we highly recommend a visit to Woodstock, IL, for a unique experience of entering the film’s universe, while being hosted by locals who warmly embrace the film and its fans.
Film Oblivion 