The David Robert Mitchell film “Under the Silver Lake” was released to mixed reviews in 2018. While the film ventures into many bizarre events, it’s depiction of the mundane aimlessness and isolation of Los Angeles during the 2010s is spot on. The film opens at this coffee shop in Los Feliz, where the words “beware the dog killer” have been written across the front window.
LOCATION: 1948 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam, played by Andrew Garfield, lives on the second floor at this apartment complex, located in Studio City.
LOCATION: 11966 Laurelwood Dr, Studio City, CA 91604
Sam watches his neighbors with binoculars, including a woman who walks around topless on the balcony of the second floor unit on the left.
LOCATION: 11940 Laurelwood Dr, Studio City, CA 91604
Sam also watches Sarah, played by Riley Keough, at the pool.
Here’s a view from the pool, looking back towards Sam’s apartment.
The street view of Sam’s apartment is a completely different location in Los Feliz. Despite the building address, this view is from the cul-de-sac on Veselich Ave.
LOCATION: 3205 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039 (at the cul-de-sac on Veselich Ave)
Sam makes inquiries about a local comic book writer at The Last Bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles. The book store also appeared in the film “Gone Girl.”
LOCATION: 453 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
After Sam discovers Sarah’s apartment empty, he follows one of her friends whom he observed gather the last of Sarah’s belongings. Sam hides behind this tree as he follows her, which is located on Veselich Ave, just up from his Los Feliz apartment exterior.
LOCATION: Garden Ave / Veselich Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Sam continues following Sarah’s friends to Echo Park Lake, where he hides behind another tree.
LOCATION: Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Sam continues following the girls down the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown Los Angeles. The tunnel is a popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “Blade Runner,” “Con Air,” “Independence Day” and many more.
LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Sam tracks down the author of the comic books at this home in Los Feliz.
LOCATION: 1977 N New Hampshire Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam visits his friend, played by Topher Grace, at a house perched on a hillside in Angelino Heights in East L.A. The same house was seen in the films “Seven Psychopaths” and “Crazy/Beautiful” and is located just around the corner from Jake Gyllenhaal’s apartment in the film “Nightcrawler.” The home has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 1016 White Knoll Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (now demolished)
The shot of Sam walking up White Knoll Dr to the home can still be matched up.
Sam follows a series of clues leading him to the iconic Griffith Observatory. The location is a staple of film, appearing in such movies as “Rebel Without A Cause,” “La La Land,” “The Terminator,” “Devil In A Blue Dress” and dozens more. Sam appraches from this path behind the observatory.
LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam is specifically searching for this statue of James Dean.
Sam then sits at the Astronomers Monument and waits, until he is approached by a mysterious man.
Late in the film, Sam follows more mysterious clues to the back of Bronson Cave, also known as the “Bat Cave,” which can be found in Griffith Park. A very popular hiking spot, 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. The caves have appeared in hundreds of productions, perhaps most famously in the 1966 TV series “Batman.”
LOCATION: 3200 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (the trailhead can be found at 2950 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068)
Sam finds a a man and three women living in a small hut behind the Bronson Cave.
Sam is held captive at the Old Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park. The zoo permanently closed in 1966, but the enclosures remain in tact and visitors can freely explore inside. The zoo has appeared in many films, including “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “The First Power” and “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment”
LOCATION: 4801 Griffith Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam is seen climbing near Bee Rock, which can be seen easily from the Old Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park. There is a trail from the zoo leading to Bee Rock.
In the 2007 film “Transformers,” Shia LaBeouf plays Sam Witwicky. The Witwicky residence can be found in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
LOCATION: 2187 W 24th St, Los Angeles, CA 90018
The car lot where Sam shops for cars with his dad can be found in Altadena. It was actually a composite of two locations on opposite sides of the street from one another. The location at 2012 Lake Ave still stands, but the other location at 2000 Lake Ave has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 2012 Lake Ave, Altadena, CA 91001
Bobby Bolivia, played by Bernie Mac, points down the street to where his mother lives.
Bumblebee gives himself an updated look inside the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown L.A. This is a popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “Demolition Man,” “Blade Runner,” “Con Air,” “Independence Day” and many more.
LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The police station seen in the film can be found in Highland Park. The building is no longer an active police station and operates today as a police museum. The building has been featured in countless films, including “Clerks 2,” “Gangster Squad” and “National Security,” as well as the TV series “Twin Peaks: The Return.”
LOCATION: 6043 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Sam and Mikaela, played by Megan Fox, watch a meteor shower at the iconic Griffith Observatory. The location is another staple of film, appearing in such movies as “Rebel Without A Cause,” “La La Land,” “The Terminator” and dozens more.
LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sam and Mikaela are taken into custody near this railway bridge, only for the Transformers to rescue them.
LOCATION: N Henry Ford Ave / Pier A Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90744
Sam and Mikaela are taken to the Hoover Dam in Nevada, which houses Megatron inside a bunker.
LOCATION: Hoover Dam, Boulder City, NV 89005
Ironhide lands in the pool of the Byrdview house in Chatsworth (also known as the Farralone Estate and Fox House). It has appeared in many films, including “Swordfish,” “Lords Of Dogtown,” “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” “The Salton Sea,” “Bewitched,” “Tomcats” and “Dreamgirls.” It has also appeared in such TV series as “Six Feet Under,” “Mad Men,” “Californication,” “The Last Man on Earth,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Aquarius,” “Moonlight” and “Good Girls Revolt.”
LOCATION: 9361 Farralone Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311
A full scale Optimus Prime truck used in the film could be seen on display in the prop room at Paramount Studios.
James Cameron’s original 1984 film “The Terminator” shot all around the Greater Los Angeles area. Early in the film, Arnold Schwarzenegger travels back in time, arriving at the iconic Griffith Observatory. The location is a staple of film, appearing in such movies as “Rebel Without A Cause,” “La La Land” and dozens more.
LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Kyle Reese, played by Michael Biehn, arrives back in time in this alley in Downtown Los Angeles.
LOCATION: Alley beside 214 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Sarah Conner, played by Linda Hamilton, works at this restaurant in South Pasadena. The building has since been remodeled a bit, but the roof still appears the same as it did in the film.
LOCATION: 815 Fremont Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
The Terminator visits a gun shop, located in Van Nuys. The building is now part of a used car lot.
LOCATION: 14329 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401
The Terminator looks for Sarah Conner at her apartment.
LOCATION: 420 S Lafayette Park Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Kyle follows Sarah as she approaches the Tech Noir club. The Tech Noir building is in the process of being remodeled, but the market next to it, now a jewelry shop, can still be seen.
LOCATION: 720 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
A big action sequence takes place at Grand Lower in Downtown L.A. This is a popular area for both filming and photography. It has been featured in countless films, including “Demolition Man,” “Cobra,” “Batman Forever,” “Repo Man,” “Double Dragon” and many more. It was also featured in the TV series “Westworld.”
LOCATION: Grand Lower, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The Tiki Motel where Kyle and Sarah stay can be found in Huntington Park.
LOCATION: 7301 Santa Fe Ave, Huntington Park, CA 90255
Another action sequence takes place at the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown L.A. This is another popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “Demolition Man,” “Blade Runner,” “Con Air,” “Independence Day,” “Double Dragon” and many more. The scene starts at the side of the tunnel facing S Figueroa St.
LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (facing S Figueroa St)
The Terminator crashes his bike and steals a truck on upper S Grand Ave. This is directly above Grand Lower, where the earlier action scene in the film takes place.
LOCATION: S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071 (near 340 S Grand Ave)
The big truck explosion near the end of the movie was filmed in front of this building owned by the Los Angeles Police Department. It is located next just past the Denny’s from “Drive” and very close to Union Station, which has been seen in countless films.
LOCATION: 555 Ramirez St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The gas station where Sarah’s photograph is taken at the end of the film can be found in the desert town of Littlerock. The same gas station, which has since been remodeled, was also seen in the Britney Spears movie “Crossroads,” as well as the Z.Z. Top music video for “Gimme All Your Lovin’.”
The memorable knife fight in the 1955 James Dean film, “Rebel Without a Cause,” was famously filmed at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California. The location is so synonymous with the film, there have been many other subsequent productions, directly inspired by “Rebel Without a Cause” to also shoot at the Observatory, including “La La Land” and Paula Abdul’s “Rush Rush” music video (featuring Keanu Reeves in the Dean role).
LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Here is the spot where the knife fight takes place, which is located on the back portion of the observatory.
There is even a statue of James Dean at the observatory, honoring his iconic performance.
Some of the interiors of “Dawson High” were filmed at John Marshall High School. A regular location in film and television, it has also appeared in such movies as “A Nightmare On Elm Street,” “Pretty In Pink,” “Can’t Hardly Wait,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Bachelor Party,” “Grosse Pointe Blank,” “Grease” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” as well as such TV shows as “Boy Meets World,” “Boston Public” and many more. It was even used in the Van Halen music video for “Hot For Teacher.” The exteriors were filmed at Santa Monica High School (601 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405).
Perhaps no movie has inspired more interest in it’s filming locations over the past several years than the love letter to the City of Los Angeles, “La La Land.” The 2016 musical, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, filmed at a wide variety of locations all over the greater Los Angeles and Orange County areas. There are so many locations, in fact, one would be challenged to see them all in a single day.
The opening dance scene in traffic was filmed on the Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange, which connects the 110 and 105 freeways in Los Angeles. The scenes were shot on the express ramp, which requires a non-cash toll. The bus jump from “Speed” was also filmed on the same interchange when it was still under construction.
LOCATION: I-110 / I-105, Los Angeles, CA 90061
Mia, played by Emma Stone, works in a coffee shop on the Warner Bros. Studio lot. The real building is indeed located on the Warner lot, however, it is not actually a coffee shop. Rather it is just a building facade, used for any number of settings for productions, such as the toy store in “Small Soldiers.” After the success of the film, however, Warner Bros. did decorate the building again to make it appear as it did in the film, for a few select weeks. The building can be seen as part of their studio tour.
LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505
Mia lives at this pink apartment building in Long Beach, known as El Cordova.
LOCATION: 1728 E 3rd St, Long Beach, CA 90802
The production filmed inside of unit 16.
Mia exits through the courtyard to join her roommates for a dance number.
She and her roommates then dance on E 3rd Street in front of her apartment.
Later in the film, Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling, visits the apartment and picks up Mia at this back entrance to the building.
They then drive down this back alley.
Mia is walking alone past this famous mural in Hollywood, known as the “You Are A Star” mural, when she hears music inside. She enters to find Sebastian playing piano. The mural can be found at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Wilcox Ave. It can also be seen in the 1999 film “8MM.”
LOCATION: 1648 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
After reconnecting at a party, Sebastian walks with Mia along Mt Hollywood Drive towards the viewpoint where the film’s most famous scene takes place; the dance sequence over the night skyline.
A lot of creative license was used by the filmmakers here, as to get to the dance spot, the characters would’ve had to hike nearly an hour. The spot is known as “Cathy’s Corner” in Griffith Park and it requires a bit of commitment if you wish to see it in person.
LOCATION: Cathy’s Corner, Mt Hollywood Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
There’s surprisingly little information online about how to accurately reach Cathy’s Corner. Here we’ll attempt to detail that. First and foremost, the spot is completely inaccessible 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. Many GPS systems will offer different routes to drive to Cathy’s Corner, but rest assured, you’ll only get so far before you’ll encounter signs or gates preventing you from proceeding any further by car.
The viewpoint is accessible a couple different ways on foot, but the best way to do it 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. There are a few free auxiliary lots, but those fill up quickly as well, plus they get you pretty far away from where you need to be to get to Cathy’s Corner. 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 Cathy’s Corner 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 2.2 miles to reach Cathy’s Corner.
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 and a water fountain along the way, it’s certainly manageable for most. A couple bottles of water should suffice, unless it’s an extremely hot day.
If you use GPS for walking, it should be accurate from Griffith Observatory to Cathy’s Corner. The hike takes anywhere from 90 minutes to a couple hours round trip, depending on your foot speed. Cathy’s Corner can be found along a winding corner of Mt Hollywood Drive and should be distinct from all other corners for it’s skyline view. Contrary to some information online, you do not likely need to worry about traffic, snakes or mountain lions. It’s a heavily used trail on a paved road. Your biggest challenge will be to simply bring adequate hydration and know where you are headed. You can visit there at sunset or night, but you’ll likely have a difficult time finding a parking space.
Taking a closer look at the viewpoint, Sebastian hangs from a lamppost here, which was added by the production.
Sebastian and Mia then sit at a bench, which was located here. The bench was likewise added by the production.
After their famous dance routine, Sebastian walks Mia to her car, which is also located at Cathy’s Corner, simply looking the opposite direction as the scenic view. The production added cars and lampposts all along the road.
As a final tip to film location enthusiasts, a location from the David Lynch film “Lost Highway” can be found along the same trail, much closer to the Griffith Observatory.
Excited about their budding romance, Sebastian sneaks onto the Warner Bros lot to visit Mai at her workplace and the two take a stroll together down the studio backlot. This area was famously also seen on Pink Floyd’s album cover for “Wish You Were Here.”
LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505
The pair then go see a jazz show at the Lighthouse Cafe, near the Hermosa Pier in Hermosa Beach. The Lighthouse Cafe really is a jazz bar.
LOCATION: 30 Pier Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Right next to The Lighthouse Cafe is the Hermosa Beach Pier, where Sebastian does a dance at sunset. Lampposts were added along the pier by the production. After the success of the film, the City of Hermosa Beach began hosting occasional special events at the pier celebrating the film, where they add temporary lampposts.
LOCATION: 1 Pier Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
The two watch “Rebel Without A Cause” at the Rialto Theater in South Pasadena. The theater has appeared in numerous other films, including “Scream 2” and “The Player.”
LOCATION: 1023 Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
After watching the movie, the couple makes an impromptu trip to the Griffith Observatory to check out the filming locations.
LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sebastian drives his convertible, with Mia in tow, down the sidewalk on the right.
They then dance around this pendulum inside the Observatory.
The two gaze up at this mural inside.
They also pause to take a look at this Tesla Coil.
During a romantic “summer” montage, the two can be seen walking along the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena.
LOCATION: 504 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105
The pair can also be seen visiting the Watts Towers. The Watts Towers have appeared in many films, including “Colors,” “Menace II Society,” “Ricochet,” “CB4,” “Good Times,” “Melinda” and more, as well as the TV shows “Six Feet Under,” “Dragnet,” “Southland,” “Dark Skies” and more.
LOCATION: 1727 E 107th St, Los Angeles, CA 90002
Sebastian and Mia can also be seen riding up Angels Flight in downtown Los Angeles. They dance together briefly at the top.
LOCATION: 50 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Directly across the street from Angels Flight is the Grand Central Market, where another scene in the montage takes place. A popular eating spot, Grand Central Market has appeared in many films, including “Color Of Night,” “Busting,” “City Of Angels,” “I Am Sam” and many more.
LOCATION: 317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Mia walks past this motel as she tries to call Sebastion.
LOCATION: 995 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Later in the film, Mia, now a successful actress, can be seen staying at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood.
LOCATION: 8221 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
Near the end of the film, Mia accidentally stumbles upon Sebastian, who has opened his own jazz bar, called Seb’s. In reality, Seb’s was a combination of two film locations. The exterior is a Los Angeles bar known simply as Black.
LOCATION: 6202 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Here is the angle from the sidewalk seen in the film.
The interior is a bar far from Los Angeles, located in Long Beach, known as The Blind Donkey. After the success of the film, The Blind Donkey hosted an evening based around the film, where they once again dressed the space to appear as it did in the film.
Here is the stairway Mia walks down to enter the bar.
Here is the stage where Sebastian played his piano. In the actual bar, it’s just an enclosed seating area.
LOCATION: 149 Linden Ave Ste. B100, Long Beach, CA 90802
As many locations as we’ve covered here, there are still countless more seen in the film. We hope we have covered most of the highlights.
The Griffith Observatory is one of the most iconic locations in Hollywood, perched atop the Hollywood Hills. It offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and even the ocean. The building opened in 1935 and has remained free and open to the public every since. It has been seen in so many films, we felt it deserved an entire article unto itself.
The observatory is perhaps most famously know for it’s use in the 1955 James Dean film, “Rebel Without A Cause.” However, the grounds have also been seen in such films as “The Terminator,” “La La Land,” “Back To The Future” and dozens more. It has also appeared in countless television shows, such as “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The Wonder Years,” “24” and even “The Simpsons” (as the “Springfield Observatory”). The observatory has also appeared in music videos, such as Paula Abdul’s “Rush, Rush,” video games, such as “Grand Theft Auto V” and on album covers, for bands such as The Byrds.
Here we’ll take a look at some of the sights of Griffith Observatory.
LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Arnold Schwarzenegger could be seen walking nude in the original “The Terminator” film on the sidewalk to the right. He is approached by some street thugs, including one played by Bill Paxton, before the Terminator makes short work of them. The scene has also been recreated in some of the film’s sequels.
Ryan Gosling drives his convertible, with Emma Stone in tow, down the sidewalk on the right in “La La Land.”
A bust of James Dean can be found at the observatory, in honor of Deen’s classic performance in “Rebel Without A Cause,” where the film shot a memorable knife fight scene.
The best views of the observatory are of course at night.
The inside of the observatory has several interesting sights as well. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone can be seen dancing around this pendulum in “La La Land.”
In the same film, the two gaze up at this mural on the ceiling of the observatory.
The two also pause and look at this Tesla Coil.
Overall, whether you’re a movie lover, a tourist, a science fan, or someone who simply enjoys beautiful views, the Observatory has something to offer almost anyone.
Film Oblivion 