True Detective (Season 2)

September 8, 2020October 18, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Our article on Season 1 of the TV series “True Detective” remains one of the biggest location searches we’ve ever done, through the small towns of Southern Louisiana. For the second season of the show, writer Nic Pizzolatto shifts the setting to Southern California in the fictional city of Vinci, loosely based on the city of Vernon, which had a corruption scandal not unlike what is depicted in the show.

The locations are just as plentiful as the first season, spanning from Santa Paula to Santa Ana, from Mt. Baldy to Beverly Hills and everything in between. The show presents a more gritty look into Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Visiting the locations is a deep dive into Southern California and one that should only be done if you’re a fan of the show, as it won’t take you to any tourist destinations. Sometimes you’ll even find yourself in somewhat unsafe neighborhoods.

The following article contains numerous spoilers for the show, so we recommend only reading if you’ve seen the complete second season. As is often the case with TV shows, many of these locations appear in multiple episodes, so we’ll cover each location by where they first appear.

Episode One – “The Western Book of the Dead”

The season begins with Detective Ray Velcoro, played by Colin Farrell, dropping his son off at school.

LOCATION: 2125 Lincoln Ave, Torrance, CA 90501

The Black Rose bar, where Ray frequently meets Frank Semyon, played by Vince Vaughn, over the course of the series is located in Vernon. It is mostly seen from interior views in the show, but the building is not actually a bar. It is a private building closed to the public and it is unclear if the interiors were actually filmed here or elsewhere. The exterior is seen a few times in the show as well, however. Frank gives Ray info on who assaulted his ex-wife, leading Ray to seek revenge on the assailant.

LOCATION: 2465 E 53rd St, Vernon, CA 90058

The establishing shots of the fictional city of Vinci were shot around Vernon.

LOCATION: Seen from the parking lot behind 3666 S Soto St, Vernon, CA 90058

The casino where Frank works could be found in Gardena. The actual casino has since closed down.

LOCATION: 1045 Rosecrans Ave, Gardena, CA 90247

Detective Ani Bezzerides, played by Rachel McAdams, runs an eviction raid on this home, which is located in Santa Paula, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 593 Orcutt Rd, Santa Paula, CA 93060

Ray’s house can be found in Vernon. It is located right next to City Hall, also seen in the show.

LOCATION: 4322 Furlong Pl, Vernon, CA 90058

Bezzerides follows a lead on a woman to the Panticapaeum Institute, a spiritual retreat run by her father. These scenes were filmed at Wayfarers Chapel in Ranchos Palos Verdes. The same location was featured in the 1980s comedy “Innerspace.”

LOCATION: 5755 Palos Verdes Dr S, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

Here are the stairs from which the detectives approach.

The chapel is a very scenic place to visit, offering views overlooking the ocean.

The California Highway Patrol Station where Highway Patrol officer Paul Woodrugh, played by Taylor Kitsch, works could be found in Hawthorne. It was a real police building, also featured in the TV series “True Blood” and the film “Zodiac.” The building has since been demolished. Here is the area where it formerly stood.

LOCATION: 4440 W 126th St, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (now demolished)

Ray parks outside of this apartment building, where he plans to attack the man he believes raped his ex-wife Gena.

LOCATION: 15464 Moorpark St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

The apartment where he stages the attack is located across the street.

LOCATION: 15445 Moorpark St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Ray visits this house at night, where a boy who has been bullying his son lives. Ray beats the boy’s father in front of him at the front door, as a warning to stop bullying.

LOCATION: 19825 Needles St, Chatsworth, CA 91311

Bezzerides gets escorted out of a casino when she receives a call about a new case.

LOCATION: 6580 Auto Center Dr, Ventura, CA 93003

Woodrugh discovers the body of Ben Caspere sitting on a picnic table at Point Magu Rock, overlooking the ocean. Detectives Ray Velcoro and Ani Bezzerides are called to the scene, where the three officers meet and the stage is set for the case. There are no picnic tables at the actual location, but it is a popular scenic overlook.

LOCATION: Point Magu Rock, 799 Pacific Coast Hwy, NAS Point Mugu, CA 93042

Episode Two – “Night Finds You”

Ray visits the city of Vinci, where he sees kids playing in the toxic water draining into this river channel. In the same area, he meets with Frank. The drainage hole was a visual effect added by the show.

LOCATION: Near 2715 E Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Woodrugh visits his mother at this trailer park.

LOCATION: 4456 Naval Air Rd, Oxnard, CA 93033

A brief transition shot is shown of these train tracks in Vinci.

LOCATION: Near 2552 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Ray visits this shopping plaza to see his son, but is instead greeted by his ex-wife Gena. Angry over Ray’s violent assault on the bully’s father, Gena tells him she will be petitioning for sole custody. The scene was filmed at the Northridge Mall. It’s a large place, so we’ve provided GPS coordinates below to the specific parking lot.

LOCATION: 9301 Tampa Ave, Northridge, CA 91324 (GPS coordinates: 34.240655, -118.556896)

After some men attack a man on the street, Frank pretends to be a bystander, before threatening the man himself. This scene was filmed near the same freeway overpass seen in the films “Heat” and “Scarface.”

LOCATION: Near 749 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Ray and Bezzerides visit the clinic of Ben Caspere’s doctor. These scenes were filmed at the Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley. The property regularly hosts weddings and special events. It is otherwise a private estate, only allowing guests by appointment. The only road leading to the ranch is typically gated shut with no trespassing signs. The property has also appeared in Oliver Stone’s “Savages,” “Jobs” starring Ashton Kutcher and in the TV series “Too Old To Die Young.”

LOCATION: 2940 Kuehner Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93063

Frank visits the mayor at the Vinci City Hall. The opposite side of the building is where Ray’s house can be found.

LOCATION: 4305 S Santa Fe Ave, Vernon, CA 90058

Episode Three – “Maybe Tomorrow”

Bezzerides and Woodrugh visit the house of the mayor of Vinci, which can be found in Beverly Hills.

LOCATION: 1091 Laurel Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Ray and Bezzerides follow up on a lead when their car is set on fire under this freeway overpass.

LOCATION: 11502 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90061

Episode Four – “Down Will Come”

Woodrugh is unexpectedly confronted by the press in front of this hotel.

LOCATION: 7023 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Frank pays a visit to this apartment, where he informs the owner he is now 40% partner of the property. The apartment complex is seen from the interior courtyard in the show. The apartment next door was also featured in the film “Collateral.”

LOCATION: 1029 S Union Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90015

Woodrugh’s girlfriend informs him she’s pregnant at this restaurant.

LOCATION: 2601 S Soto St, Vernon, CA 90058

Woodrugh locates a stolen watch at this pawn shop.

LOCATION: 5901 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

After Bezzerides find out she has a sexual misconduct complaint filed against her, she has an argument with her partner outside the police department. The same location was featured in the film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” This building has since been demolished. It formerly stood at 333 N Prairie Ave, Inglewood, CA 90301.

The pawn shop lead brings the detectives to a suspect. While the cops are watching the area ahead of their raid, workers file into this building.

LOCATION: 615 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Protesters gather in front of this building.

LOCATION: 560 S Mission Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90033

Bezzerides and her team approach past this building to begin the raid.

LOCATION: 607 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, CA 90023

A shootout ensues from this building, with a large explosion on the top floor.

LOCATION: 621 S Anderson St, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Ray and Woodrugh make it through the gunfire over to this door at foot of the building.

They then cross these stairs in front in pursuit of the suspects in a vehicle.

The suspect vehicle then crashes into a bus at this intersection, where another shootout ensues.

LOCATION: Jesse St / S Anderson St, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Episode Five – “Other Lives”

Burdened by financial issues, Frank is forced to move into a more modest home.

LOCATION: 1400 N Spaulding Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Bezzerides meets the woman she ran a raid on in the first episode at this hotel. While speaking to her, she obtains information on a private party.

LOCATION: 401 S Westlake Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Ray follows a group of prostitutes to a nondescript building. He parks in front of this building.

LOCATION: 1951 Staunton Ave, Vernon, CA 90058

He sees the prostitutes enter into this building.

LOCATION: 2001 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90058 (seen from E 20th St)

Frank has a business meeting, where a man offers him a deal to own some land again, if Frank can locate a hard drive owned by Ben Caspere. The location is next to Union Station and the establishing shot shows Union Station, then pans slightly toward the building to the right, where the meeting takes place.

LOCATION: 800 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, panning towards 700 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Ray meets his ex-wife Gena at this scenic area overlooking Dodger Stadium and Downtown Los Angeles. His wife informs him her rapist was captured and it wasn’t the man Ray believed it was, therefore the information Ray had was incorrect. This area is the Elysian Park Helipad. There is parking nearby and a path that leads up directly to this area. It is not a difficult walk to reach it. This area is located close to where a dream sequence in “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” was shot.

LOCATION: Elysian Park Helipad, Solano Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (GPS coordinates: 34.082766, -118.236997)

Bezzerides and Woodrugh follow a lead in the Caspere case to a lodge in the woods. Known as the Harwood Lodge, it can be fount in Mt. Baldy, about 50 miles away from Los Angeles. There is a dirt road that leads up to the lodge, which is sometimes best reached by walking, depending on weather conditions.

LOCATION: 6700 Mt Baldy Rd, Mt Baldy, CA 91759

Bezzerides notices birds circling in the air in the woods nearby, leading them to the discovery of another crime scene.

Episode Six – “Church in Ruins”

Frank and his crew arrive at this home in search of a prostitute. Instead, he finds out the home belongs to the Mexicans criminals seen previously in the show, when Frank refused to form a partnership with them. Frank now renegotiates.

LOCATION: 1521 Colton St, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (seen from Lake Shore Terrace)

After the Mexicans put Frank in touch with the woman he’s been searching for, he arranges to meet her at this location, only to discover her dead body there. The Mexicans have killed her as retribution against Frank for not accepting their initial terms.

LOCATION: 2901 Fruitland Ave, Vernon, CA 90058 (seen from E 50th St)

Episode Seven – “Black Maps and Motel Rooms”

After Ray and Woodrugh rescue Bezzerides from a party in which she was drugged and attacked, the three stay at this motel in Mt. Baldy, located not far from the cabin seen in episode six.

LOCATION: 6867 Mt Baldy Rd, Mt Baldy, CA 91759

Woodrugh searches police records at the LAPD building in Downtown Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 100 W 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Woodrugh goes to meet a man who is blackmailing him at the Hall of Records. It turns out to be a set-up.

LOCATION: 320 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (seen from N Hill St)

Woodrugh is shot at the steps of old Los Angeles Police Department in Downtown Los Angeles, which has since been demolished. The same building was featured in the film “Inherent Vice.”

LOCATION: 150 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (now demolished)

Episode Eight – “Omega Station”

Frank sends his wife Jordan, played by Kelly Reilly, away at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center. The same location was featured in such films as “Rain Man” and “Memoirs of an Invisible Man.”

LOCATION: 1000 E Santa Ana Blvd, Santa Ana, CA 92701

Jordon refuses to leave until Frank finally persuades her.

Ray and Bezzerides enter this home and discover a lot of evidence about the case, as well as the fact that Laura and Leonard Osterman were behind the attack on Caspere.

LOCATION: 1000 El Mirador Ave, Long Beach, CA 90815

Bezzerides sends Laura Osterman away on a bus at this station. The real location is not a bus station at all, rather a boarding terminal for cruise ships in San Pedro.

LOCATION: 100 Swinford St, San Pedro, CA 90731

Frank makes his way to the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center to meet the corrupt cops under the agreed plan of exchanging incriminating evidence in his possession.

LOCATION: 2626 E Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92806

Ray makes his way to the upper level inside the building.

Leonard Osterman then attacks one of the men and a shootout begins.

Ray parks at this intersection to see his son one last time, only to discover a tracking device on his vehicle. The intersection really is located next to the school, seen in the first episode.

LOCATION: Lincoln Ave / Apple Ave, Torrance, CA 90501

The Mexican criminals kidnap Frank at this intersection.

LOCATION: E 16th St / Hooper Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021

They proceed onto the freeway here.

LOCATION: E 17th St / Naomi Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Bezzerides escapes to what is supposedly Venezuela. In reality, the scenes were shot in Downtown Los Angeles, with a lot of set decoration and some visual effects to fill the city backdrop.

LOCATION: E 11th St / Wall St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

There remain dozens more locations we did not document from the second season. Some are minor, others are major, but not easily visible for photography. Los Angeles is a constantly changing city and just a few short years later, several locations already no longer exist. We’ve tried to document as any as we could here. If you do plan to visit the season 2 filming locations, it requires a lot of time and distance, so do your research and allow yourself many days to navigate it all.

Related articles: True Detective (Season 1)

Zodiac (2007)

August 22, 2020October 30, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 2007 David Fincher film “Zodiac” is primarily set in the San Francisco Bay area. However, production was split between Northern and Southern California, with quite a few scenes shot in the Greater Los Angeles area. The opening scenes show a young Mike Mageau, played by Lee Norris, being picked up for a date by Darlene Ferrine, played by Ciara Moriarty on July 4, 1969. While set in Vallejo, California, the scene was actually filmed in Long Beach. The camera rolls past a series of houses on Gundry Ave, beginning around 3938 Gundry Ave and stopping five houses down at Mike’s place.

LOCATION: 3964 Gundry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807

The couple drives to this diner, also located in Long Beach, where Darlene says it’s too crowded and decides to go some place quiet. The same diner has also appeared in the films “Corrina, Corrina,” “The Real McCoy” and “A Cinderella Story.”

LOCATION: 4390 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807

Robert Graysmith, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, lives in a house that is only seen from interior views in the film. However, a couple shots help pinpoint the neighborhood to Angelino Heights in Los Angeles. For example, the street outside of his home can be seen here when he takes his son to school early in the film.

LOCATION: Near the intersection of Douglas St / Kellam Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (approximately in front of 1406 Kellam Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026)

Robert drops his son off at for school at Roosevelt Middle School in San Francisco (460 Arguello Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118).

Robert works as a cartoonist at the San Francisco Chronicle. For exterior shots, the real newspaper building was used.

LOCATION: 901 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Interiors for the San Francisco Chronicle were filmed at the old United States Post Office – Los Angeles Terminal Annex in Downtown Los Angeles. The building has also been used in such films as “City of Angels” and “Dear God,” as well as such TV shows as “Southland,” “EZ Streets” and “No Ordinary Family.”

LOCATION: 900 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

The Zodiac kills a taxi driver at the corner of Washington and Cherry in San Francisco. This film shot at the real location where the murder took place, however their access was limited, as the neighborhood did not want the production there or the attention it would draw. The location is revisited several times in the film, as the characters hope the killer might return to the site on the anniversary of his crimes. For the night scenes, the Presidio Heights neighborhood was actually recreated on a studio lot at the former Downey Studios (12214 Lakewood Blvd, Downey, CA 90242), with blue screens used to add further backgrounds to the practical sets. Downey Studios has since been demolished.

LOCATION: 3893 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94118

Robert stops his son from getting on the school bus at this location. This is again in the Angelino Heights neighborhood, just around the corner from the spot where he drives his son to school early in the film.

LOCATION: Near the intersection of Douglas St / Kellam Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (approximately in front of 908 Douglas St, Los Angeles, CA 90026)

Detectives visit the house of Melvin Belli, played by Brian Cox, after the Zodiac writes him a letter. Later in the film, Robert also visits the home. Belli’s house is located in Hancock Park at Fremont Place, which is one of the few gated communities in Los Angeles and therefore inaccessible to the public. A popular filming location, many productions have shot inside Fremont Place, such as “Taken,” “The War Of The Roses” and “Rocky III.” Fincher himself returned to the same neighborhood for “Gone Girl,” where the house of Desi Collings can also be found.

LOCATION: 72 Fremont Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Paul Avery, played by Robert Downey Jr., has an argument with Inspector David Toschi, played by Mark Ruffalo, outside of the Riverside Police Department. The building used in the scene is actually located in Culver City. The same location was also featured in the film “The Lincoln Lawyer.”

LOCATION: 4130 Overland Ave, Culver City, CA 90230

Toschi shares a sandwhich with his partner William Armstrong, played by Anthony Edwards, at the former Callahan’s Diner in Santa Monica. The location actually appears in three separate scenes in the film, with the latter two featuring Toschi meeting with Robert. According to information online, some shots were done on a set. Callahan’s Diner, formerly located at 1213 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403, has long since closed and a different restaurant now operates there.

A time lapse is shown of the construction of the Transamerica Pyramid building. This was of course a CGI creation.

LOCATION: 600 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Toschi catches a screening of “Dirty Harry,” where he is unimpressed with the depiction of the Zodiac inspired villain “Scorpio.” The exterior of the building still exists (295 Bay St, San Francisco, CA 94133). However, the interior scenes were filmed at the former National Westwood Theatre in Los Angeles, which was demolished in 2008. Here is the area where it formerly stood.

LOCATION: 10925 Lindbrook Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90024

The Golden Gate Bridge is briefly seen in a transition shot when Robert makes his way to the Vallejo Police Department. The bridge is one of the most often seen locations in film, having appeared in “Vertigo,” “The Rock,” “Pacific Rim,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Terminator: Genisys,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Superman: The Movie,” “San Andreas,” “A View To A Kill,” “Dirty Harry,” “Hulk,” “Lords Of Dogtown,” “The Bridge” and many more.

LOCATION: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA

The Vallejo Police Department, where Robert obtains more information on the case, could be found in Hawthorne. It was a real police building, also featured in the TV series “True Blood” and the second season of “True Detective.” The building has since been demolished. Here is the area where it formerly stood.

LOCATION: 4440 W 126th St, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (now demolished)

Robert meets up with Toschi at the Wilshire Collonade to tell him about the progress of his own personal investigation. Toschi encourages Robert to keep investigating and directs him to seek out Melvin Belli. The same location was featured in numerous films, such as “Wrath Of Man,” “Stealing Harvard” and “Earthquake,” as well as such TV series as “Californication,” “American Crime Story: Impeachment” and more.

LOCATION: 3701 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010

Robert calls Toschi from a payphone in front of San Francisco City Hall, following a lead on Zodiac’s birthday.

LOCATION: 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl., San Francisco, CA 94102

Robert approaches Inspector Toschi again at the Earl Warren Building in San Francisco, seeking more information on the case. Toschi lets Robert know the case is unlikely to ever be solved at that point and tells him to not disturb him anymore.

LOCATION: 350 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102

The building is located next to City Hall, which can once again be seen in the background of some shots.

Robert is picked up by Bob Vaughn in front of the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro. The same theater also appeared in many other films, including “Pearl Harbor,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “Seabiscut,” “Remote Control,” “Win A Date With Tad Hamilton,” “Ghosts Of Mississippi,” “Boys And Girls,” “Live By Night,” “Worth Winning,” “Mark Of Love,” “Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here” and “From Wharf Rats to Lords of the Docks.” It has also appeared in such television series as “The O.C.,” “Party Of Five,” “Melrose Place,” “T.J.Hooker,” “7th Heaven” and “Cousin Skeeter.”

LOCATION: 478 W 6th St, San Pedro, CA 90731

Near the end of the film, Robert tracks down a suspect he believes may be the Zodiac working inside this hardware store in South Gate. The building is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 3948 Tweedy Blvd, South Gate, CA 90280

In the closing scenes of the film, an older Mike Mageau is brought in at the Ontario Airport to look at photos of potential suspects. The airport has appeared in many other films, including “Catch Me If You Can,” “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Blow,” “Argo” and more.

LOCATION: 1940 Moore Way, Ontario, CA 91761

Westworld

March 23, 2020December 21, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The early seasons of the TV series “Westworld” were largely shot around various western movie ranches in Southern California, with additional vistas shot in Utah and Arizona. However, as the series narrative expanded, production followed suit, filming in places like Singapore and Spain.

One of the most heavily used locations in the series is Melody Ranch in Newhall, California. Melody Ranch is private property, inaccessible to the general public most of the time. However, unbeknownst to most, it does in fact offer tours, with the caveat being that no tours occur whenever active production is taking place on the ranch. The challenge is the fact that production is almost always taking place there. So opportunities for the general public to see it are rare and not something you can plan much in advance. You simply need good timing or a lot of persistence.

Endless productions have taken place at the ranch over the years, including “Deadwood,” “Django Unchained,” “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood,” “Peaky Blinders” and many more. It’s a utopia for movie lovers, so if you ever get a chance to visit, we highly recommend it.

Here are the train tracks at Melody Ranch, where park visitors first arrive. In the show, CGI was added to make it appear the train was rolling in from an open, Western landscape.

LOCATION: 24715 Oakcreek Ave, Newhall, CA 91321

In a repeating scene, Teddy, played by James Marsden makes his way through this area, into the main street of Sweetwater. The android hosts play out scenes and stories in which they are programmed to perform.

Here is a look further down the main street of Sweetwater.

The Mariposa Saloon is one of the central locations of the early seasons of the show. Maeve Millay, played by Thandie Newton, works as the brothel madam there, helping visitors indulge in their fantasies. The same building was used as The Bella Union in the TV series “Deadwood.” The front boardwalk is also seen in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood,” when Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt’s characters are interviewed on a western set.

This interior view of the Mariposa Saloon should be quite familiar to fans of the show, as it’s one of the most prominently featured locations in the series. Many scenes take place in front of the bar. The same interior was seen in the film “Django Unchained.”

Here’s some additional looks at the inside of the Mariposa Saloon.

Here are some views of the upstairs.

Teddy first meets Dolores, played by Evan Rachel Wood, in front of this building. This is another scene that repeats over and over on the show and where Dolores typically ties her horse up when she visits the town.

Here’s an alternate angle of the same location, with the Mariposa Saloon a few buildings down on the right.

Here’s a couple additional shots of Melody Ranch, seen in various shots in the show.

Outside of the park is the Delos corporate headquarters, built inside a large mesa. Quite a number of different locations were used as a composite of Delos. Many of the lab scenes were built on sound stages at Melody Ranch.

As the hosts begin to show signs of malfunctioning, Bernard, played by Jeffrey Wright, heads down to sub-level 84 accompanied by security. This is the cold storage area where the defective hosts are stored in the nude. These scenes were filmed at the former Hawthorne Plaza Shopping Center. The plaza has been abandoned for years, with on-again, off-again plans for demolition. In the meantime, it has become a popular spot for filming and photography. It has been seen in such films at “Gone Girl,” “Minority Report,” “John Dies At the End” and “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” as well as the TV series “Too Old To Die Young.” The building is closed to the public and regularly patrolled by security, so unless you have permission from the city or someone filming, it is trespassing to enter the grounds. It is a popular spot for abandon building enthusiasts, however, and quite a few people have managed to sneak inside over the years.

LOCATION: 12124 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (closed to the public)

The Mesa Gold Resort is another area where guests and staff can relax outside of the park. We first see the area when Theresa talks with Lee about the hosts, but the location pops up repeatedly throughout the series. These scenes were filmed at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Quite a lot of visual effects were added. In the show, the characters are seen overlooking a beautiful western vista. As you can see in the photos, the actual location faces the side of a hill. The vistas composited into the shot were filmed in Utah.

LOCATION: 2701 N Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

The area of Skirball seen in the show is known as Taper Courtyard. The building is open to the public, but there is an admission price, as there are many exhibits on display.

In the first episode, one of the hosts goes on a killing spree in the Mexican border town Las Mudas, drinking milk as he kills. This scene was filmed at what many people refer to as the Veluzat Movie Ranch. However, the ranch has since changed its name to the Melody Ranch Studio Backlot. It is owned by the same family who owns the Sweetwater sets, although it’s an entirely different location and backlot. To make matters more confusing, right next to the Veluzat Backlot in Santa Clarita sits the Diamond V Movie Ranch. This is owned by other members of the family, but not the same ones as those who own Melody Ranch and the Melody Backlot (a.k.a. Veluzat Movie Ranch). People often mistake Diamond V and Veluzat Ranch as being one in the same, but they are two separate properties with different ownership.

While perhaps not quite as well known as Melody Ranch in Newhall, the Melody Backlot is actually larger. To get to the ranch, you make a turn from Copper Hill Drive. There is a very unassuming dirt road there (GPS coordinates: 34°27’36.5″N 118°30’32.0″W). If you follow the long dirt road, you’ll sure enough arrive at the ranches. However, a locked fence is at the entrance and you can proceed no further without permission of the owners. The good news, however, is that the ranch is available for public tours. You must book by appointment only and if productions are in active progress, that may inhibit their availability.

The ranch was also featured in Rob Zombie’s “3 From Hell” and “House of 1,000 Corpses,” as well as such films as “Dante’s Peak,” Friday the 13th: Part III,” “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter,” “Last Man Standing,” “Chaplin,” “The Laundromat” and many more. It was also featured in the TV series “The Young Pope.”

LOCATION: Melody Ranch Studio Backlot (a.k.a. Veluzat Movie Ranch), Forest Rte 5N28, Santa Clarita, CA 91390 (GPS coordinates: 34°29’03.5″N 118°30’25.1″W)

In the first episode, Arnold later arrives with security to inspect the malfunctioning host.

Las Mudas appears numerous times over the course of the series. The Man in Black, played by Ed Harris, searches for the elusive maze, killing anyone in his path, while Dolores arrives in the aftermath.

The Man in Black ties Teddy to a tree on the outskirts of the park. These scenes were filmed at the iconic Vasquez Rocks. Films which shot scenes at Vasquez Rocks include “Dante’s Peak,” “Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Hail, Caesar!,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Paul,” “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey” and dozens more. Television shows which featured Vasquez Rocks in episodes include “The Fugitive,” “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.

LOCATION: 10700 Escondido Canyon Rd, Agua Dulce, CA 91350

Logan, played by Ben Barnes, attacks Dolores and a massacre takes place on a Confederate soldier campground. These scenes were filmed at the Blue Cloud Movie Ranch in Santa Clarita. This same area was seen in the film “Iron Man.” Blue Cloud Movie Ranch very rarely offers public tours, but it does happen once in awhile. The staff there is quite friendly if you do make it there.

LOCATION: 20019 Blue Cloud Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91390

Another major location in the first season is the town of Escalante. An early testing site for the park, Dolores has visions of a massacre there. This white church was featured prominently in the show, with a large steeple added by the production. These scenes were filmed at the “Paramount Ranch.” Paramount Ranch is unusual in that it is managed by the National Parks Service and is public property. Even though the sets were frequently used for filming, the productions could not close the area to public visitation. So visitors were free to roam the grounds any time during open park hours.

Paramount Ranch has also made notable appearances on such TV shows as “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” “The X-Files” and “Carnivàle.” Countless films likewise shot at the ranch, including “Reds,” “The Flintsones in Viva Rock Vegas,” “Bone Tomahawk,” “The Great Outdoors,” “American Sniper” and many more.

Unfortunately in November 2018, the ranch fell victim to wildfires and nearly every building was burnt to the ground. However, plans have been announced to rebuild the sets. One of the few to survive the fires was the church set.

LOCATION: 2903 Cornell Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (now mostly demolished, but being rebuilt)

Here is a look inside the church.

The climax of Season 1 takes place at this saloon and gazebo, with Dr. Robert Ford, played by Anthony Hopkins and Dolores causing a chaotic scene. These structures were all destroyed by fires, but we were thankfully able to visit Paramount Ranch prior to the destruction.

“Shogun World,” an alternate park attraction, is introduced in the second season of the show. This too was filmed at Melody Ranch. Much of the sets still stand, which were a combination of new designs and re-purposing of existing sets to give them an ancient Asian appearance.

Here is a quick look inside one of the Shogun World buildings.

The house of Bernard can be found in Pasadena. Seen in the second season, the home is known as the Millard House. This is the back of the property, which is private and not available for tours. Unlike what is depicted in the show, the home is not on a hilltop. It is instead located in the middle of a neighborhood. This back area is surrounded by fencing, but from certain spots on the sidewalk, you can still catch a glimpse.

LOCATION: 645 Prospect Crescent, Pasadena, CA 91103

In Episode 10 of Season 2, the hosts can be seen at the Trona Pinnacles, as they journey towards the Valley Beyond. The otherworldly geological formation has appeared in many films, such as “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier,” Tim Burton’s 2001 version of “Planet of the Apes,” “Priest” and “Mom and Dad Save the World” as well as such TV shows as “Lost in Space,” “Battlestar Gallactica” and “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.” It also appeared in Lady Gaga’s music video for “Stupid Love.”

LOCATION: Trona Pinnacles, Trona, CA 93562 (GPS coordinates: 35.617777, -117.368211)

Ashley Stubbs, played by Luke Hemsworth, stays at the Pink Motel in Sun Valley in Season 3. Bernard crosses the back of the property past the empty pool to visit Ashley. The motel is never seen from the front, as its retro look is not in keeping with the show’s aesthetic. The Pink Motel is not an operational motel, rather a set used for filming or special events. According to many comments online, the property is not receptive to public visitation these days, preferring only professional clients. The motel property has been featured in countless productions, including “The House Bunny” and “Drive” (interiors only), as well as the TV shows “GLOW,” “Dexter” and “The O.C.”

LOCATION: 9457 San Fernando Rd, Sun Valley, CA 91352

In Season 3, Dolores and Caleb, played by Aaron Paul, are pursued by Serac’s men into Grand Lower in Downtown L.A. This is a popular area for both filming and photography. It has been featured in countless films, including “The Terminator,” “Demolition Man,” “Cobra,” “Batman Forever,” “Repo Man,” “Double Dragon” and many more.

LOCATION: Grand Lower, Los Angeles, CA 90071

The chase then proceeds to upper S Grand Ave, directly above Grand Lower.

LOCATION: S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071 (near 340 S Grand Ave)

Caleb fires a specialized weapon, which shoots into the air, then back down, exploding a car directly in front of The Broad Museum.

LOCATION: 221 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Late into Season 3, Caleb learns about his history, as him and his partner stage an attack. The two are walking past the Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain in Grand Park in Downtown L.A., with City Hall in the background.

LOCATION: Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain, Los Angeles, CA 90012

They walk towards the John Ferraro Building and carry out their attack. A futuristic city skyline was added in behind the building.

LOCATION: 111 N Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

In the final episode of Season 3, William asks for his money while riots ensue just outside. This scene was filmed at the famed Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown L.A. The hotel is a staple of film, having appeared in such movies as “Ghostbusters,” “Beverly Hills Ninja,” “Independence Day” “Fight Club” and many more.

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

At the end of Season 3, Bernard and Ashley Stubbs hide away at a motel. These scenes were filmed at the Sierra Pelona Motel in Santa Clarita. The motel was also used in “The Grifters,” the 2002 Britney Spears film “Crossroads” and the TV series “Too Old To Die Young.”

LOCATION: 12117 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390

It is no easy task keeping up with the “Westworld” filming locations. Many of the early season scenes were shot on private ranches, which are difficult, but not impossible to be seen by the public. Later seasons went global, meaning you have to be well traveled if you hope to visit them all. TV shows are often a challenge, due to the volume of locations. Our photographs were taken over a period of years and some of these sets and locations have been scarcely seen outside of the show, so we hope you enjoy the areas we could showcase.

Too Old To Die Young

July 16, 2019September 23, 2022 / filmoblivion / 2 Comments

“Too Old to Die Young” from director Nicolas Winding Refn is, depending on how you look at it, either a TV series or a long film. Refn himself prefers to view it as the latter. Most of the production took place around the San Fernando Valley in Southern California, with some additional filming in New Mexico. Here we’ll cover the locations episode by episode. Some locations of course appear over multiple episodes. This article contains many spoilers for the show, so please do not proceed unless you’ve seen it in it’s entirety.

Volume 1 – “The Devil”

The first episode opens with Martin Jones, played by Miles Teller and his partner Larry, played by Lance Gross, standing in front of this mural along the side of a taco restaurant in Studio City.

LOCATION: 11401 Moorpark St, Studio City, CA 91602

Here is a wider view of the side of the building. The same building has appeared in the films “People Like Us” and “Up In Smoke.”

Also seen in the opening scene is this sports bar, located directly next to the taco restaurant.

LOCATION: 11411 Moorpark St, Studio City, CA 91602

Unbeknownst to Martin and Larry, they are being watched from across the street by Jesus, played by Augusto Aguilera.

Martin and Larry pull over a young woman in the parking lot of a largely abandoned shopping plaza in North Hollywood known as the Valley Plaza. The area is a popular filming location, having also recently appeared in “Captain Marvel.” The Blockbuster Video store where Carol Danvers first arrives is one of the store fronts in the background.

LOCATION: Near the intersection of Sylvian St / Vantage Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91606 (directly across from 12200 Sylvan St, North Hollywood, CA 91606)

The police car is parked in the area to the left near the tree.

After taking money from the girl they’ve pulled over, they let her go and Larry walks over towards a restaurant called “The Lone Drifter.” This is not a real establishment, rather a vacant building dressed up by the production. It too was seen in “Captain Marvel,” dressed as a music venue called “The Slow Club,” where Carol makes a call at a payphone.

Jesus is parked just beside the building, where he approaches and shoots Larry. The fire hydrant to the right is where Larry’s cell phone is recovered.

LOCATION: 2124 Sylvan St, North Hollywood, CA 91606

Martin returns fire on Jesus with the Regency Valley Plaza theater seen in the background.

After the shooting, Jesus escapes driving down Sylvian St and turning right onto Laurel Canyon Blvd. Martin calls in the shooting and surprisingly states the actual location of the scene to dispatch, rather than a fictionalized address, which is a somewhat rare occurrence in film and television.

The police station where Martin works, seen frequently throughout the show, is the Sunkist Headquarters building in Sherman Oaks. It is seen mostly from interior views in the show.

LOCATION: 14130 Riverside Dr, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

The building faces the 101 freeway and Westfield shopping mall, both of which are seen through the windows in various scenes.

Not far from the police station, Martin parks here and walks to a payphone to call Damian, played by Babs Olusanmokun. This area is the rear parking lot behind a shoe repair and dry cleaners, looking out over a gas station and bank building. There is no actual payphone there.

LOCATION: 13644 Riverside Dr, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (rear parking lot)

Damian runs his operation out of an ice skating rink in Van Nuys. The location appears many times in the show, from a variety of angles both from the interior and exterior. Here is the front entrance.

LOCATION: 14318 Calvert St, Van Nuys, CA 91401

In one scene, Martin is seen approaching past this sign.

The parking lot is featured in several scenes. First, Martin meets Damian to say he only wants to kill those who have committed horrible acts. In later episodes, Damian slices fruit with a sword and a would-be assassin named Gameboy watches as Damian and his crew perform a peculiar dance to “Ten Commandments” by Prince Buster.

Here is the corner where Devante, Jaime and Gameboy all stake out Damian’s ice rink.

LOCATION: Calvert St / Tyrone Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Gameboy mistakenly takes out the wrong man, killing Celestino. He attempts to speed off, but Damian returns fire and kills him in the street.

Martin’s apartment can be found in Sherman Oaks.

LOCATION: 14426 Addison St, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Janey, played by Nell Tiger Free, lives with her father Theo, played by Stephen Baldwin at this home. The distinctive, eye shaped front window was created by the production and does not exist at the real home.

LOCATION: 1623 N Benton Way, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Later, when Martin returns home with Janey, Damian and his crew are waiting on this street corner, where they violently persuade Martin to become a hitman for them.

LOCATION: Addison St / Tilden Ave, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Martin pays a visit to Amanda’s apartment in North Hollywood to pay her money.

LOCATION: 6837 Fulton Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91605

As Martin goes to perform the hit ordered by Damian, he parks at this liquor store.

LOCATION: 12500 Moorpark St, Studio City, CA 91604

His target is a man inside this auto shop.

LOCATION: 4350 Whitsett Ave, Studio City, CA 91604

Once inside, he finds the man nude on a couch and the two engage in a physical battle before Martin gets the upper hand.

Volume 2 – “The Lovers”

Don Ricardo’s estate, where much of episode 2 takes place, is the Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley. The property regularly hosts weddings and special events. It is otherwise a private estate, however, only allowing guests by appointment. The only road leading to the ranch is typically gated shut with no trespassing signs, making it unfortunately closed to the public. The property has also appeared in Oliver Stone’s “Savages,” “Jobs” starring Ashton Kutcher and in the second season of “True Detective.”

LOCATION: 2940 Kuehner Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93063

Volume 3 – “The Hermit”

In episode 3, the character of Viggo, played by John Hawkes, is introduced. As he is transporting a dead body in his trunk, he suddenly runs out of gas. He pulls over to this alley in Van Nuys.

LOCATION: 14524 Hamlin St, Van Nuys, CA 91411

Not thinking clearly, Viggo locks himself out of his car. In the neighboring parking lot, gunshots suddenly ring out as an unrelated crime takes place. Viggo decides to escape on foot, leaving the key with his fingerprint inside the car. The next morning Martin arrives and discovers the key, putting him on the trail of Viggo.

LOCATION: 6417 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401 (rear parking lot)

Diana, played by Jena Malone, orchestrates Viggo’s targets and regularly meets with him at the Hansen Dam Aquatic Center. The pool has a picturesque mountain range spanning the backdrop. It is depicted as quiet and isolated in the show, but in reality, it’s a popular spot for families to visit.

LOCATION: 11798 Foothill Blvd, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342

The slide at the pool is also seen in a later episode when the two once again meet up and talk.

Martin visits the family of an abused boy to gather more information on Viggo.

LOCATION: 6616 Langdon Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406

Janey forces a bartender to serve her a drink despite knowing she is underage. Most of the scene is out of focus, but when she exits the building, it is revealed to be a bar inside Highland Park Bowl.

LOCATION: 5621 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042

Here is a view of the full exterior, although it is never seen from this angle in the show.

Janey then walks over to meet her father at an art gallery. This is geographically accurate, as the location really is just a few doors down from the bar. It is seen only from interior views in the scene. This same building has appeared in the film “Lights Out,” as well as the TV shows “Leverage” and “Battle Creek.”

LOCATION: 5601 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042

Martin finally tracks down Viggo and follows him to his mother’s house in Sylmar.

LOCATION: 11370 Clybourn Ave, Sylmar, CA 91342

Martin then follows Viggo to the Northridge Fashion Center, which leads him to Diana. Viggo is seen driving up this ramp. To access the exact area seen in the film, you need to go to Nordhoff St and turn into the lot near Sears. The ramp is on the left and will take you to the upper lot where the scene was shot.

LOCATION: 9301 Tampa Ave, Northridge, CA 91324

Viggo parks along the wall on the right, while Diana parks beside the lamppost in the foreground. Martin photographs them from afar, looking at this angle.

Martin is told to meet Damian at a strip mall near the house. Damian gives him a key to enter the house of his next target. The plaza can be found in Studio City.

LOCATION: 11308 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

Martin meets with Viggo at the Olympic Coffee Shop in Sylmar. The two discuss what it feels like to kill. The same coffee shop has appeared in the films “Over The Top,” “Memento” and “Every Which Way But Loose,” as well as such TV series as “Bosch” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.” Across the street is another notable filming location, the motel from “The Addams Family.”

LOCATION: 12192 San Fernando Rd, Sylmar, CA 91342

Volume 4 – “The Tower”

Martin’s next target is a Korean man that he tracks down at this burger restaurant in Burbank.

LOCATION: 2320 W Victory Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506

Martin follows the man and he pulls over here to eat a burger. As Martin pulls the gun, he finds himself conflicted about whether the man really deserves death and decides to find an alternate solution. Once again, the route they drive is geographically accurate and just a short distance from the burger restaurant.

LOCATION: 2301 W Victory Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506

Volume 5 – “The Fool”

Episode 5 was filmed on location in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We do not yet have specific location information at this time.

Volume 6 – “The High Priestess”

Back in the Valley, Alfonso attempts to get in the good graces of Jesus by ordering a hit on Damian. He visits Devante at this auto shop in Van Nuys and hires him to perform the hit for $6,000.

LOCATION: 14101 Oxnard St, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Devante then outsources the job to Jaime for $2,000, who in turn outsources the hit to a junkie named Gameboy for $200 and some crystal meth. Gameboy stops by this apartment and does some drugs, tearing the photo of his target in two in the process and mixing up Damian with Celestino. The address is on Bakman Ave in North Hollywood, but the view seen in the show is actually the back side of the building, on an unnamed road next to the electrical towers.

LOCATION: 6607 Bakman Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91606 (rear side of the building on an unnamed road)

Gameboy is then seen passing the electrical towers and turning down Kittridge St to go kill Damian. Things do not go as planned.

Volume 7 – “The Magician”

Janey’s father Theo, played by William Baldwin, takes Martin to a screening room, where he plays a scene of a show within a show. The scene is very meta, mimicking the scene from episode 1 where Martin and Larry pull over a woman. This was filmed at an auto shop very close to the location of the final scene in the show.

LOCATION: 5547 Satsuma Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91601

After Viggo helps Martin dispose of a body, Martin asks him to pull over as he vomits.

LOCATION: 8981 Bradley Ave, Sun Valley, CA 91352

Volume 8 – “The Hanged Man”

Martin and Viggo’s next target takes them to an abandoned shopping mall. This is the former Hawthorne Plaza Shopping Center. The plaza has been abandoned for years, with on-again, off-again plans for demolition. In the meantime, it has become a popular spot for filming and photography. It has been seen in such films at “Gone Girl,” “Minority Report,” “John Dies At the End,” and “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” as well as the TV series “Westworld.” The building is closed to the public and regularly patrolled by security, so unless you have permission from the city or someone filming, it is trespassing to enter the grounds. It is a popular spot for abandon building enthusiasts, however, and quite a few people have managed to get inside over the years.

LOCATION: 12124 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (closed to the public)

The High Priestess of Death executes everyone in sight at the Sierra Pelona Motel in Santa Clarita. The motel was also used in “The Grifters,” the 2002 Britney Spears film “Crossroads” and the TV series “Westworld.” The motel is also located very close to the restaurant from “Duel.” The phone booth was not a prop and really exists at the motel.

LOCATION: 12117 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390

Most of the killings take place in front of rooms 3 and 4.

Volume 9 – “The Empress”

In the penultimate episode, Diana has a vision which changes her eyes. She visits a mysterious woman to explain her vision and fix her eyes. All of the decor seen in the front of the shop is real and was not a flourish of the production. This location is right across the street from the scene in episode 1 where Martin and Larry pull over the young woman.

LOCATION: 6316 Laurel Canyon Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91606

Diana makes her way out to the back of the building to speak to the woman.

Volume 10 – “The World”

In the final episode, Yuritza makes her presence known as the High Priestess of Death. She sits at the corner of Satsuma Ave and Cumpston St. This is on the same street as the show within a show that Theo plays for Martin in his screening room.

LOCATION: Satsuma Ave / Cumpston St, North Hollywood, CA 91601

The final scenes were filmed at the Limelight West, an event space in North Hollywood.

LOCATION: 5453 Satsuma Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91601

Jackie Brown (1997)

August 25, 2018October 12, 2022 / filmoblivion / 1 Comment

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. Unfortunately 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.

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.

LOCATION: GPS coordinates: 33.828457, -118.348661

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

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.

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

Pulp Fiction (1994)

July 29, 2017November 10, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

One of the most critically acclaimed films of the 1990s, Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” was shot in Southern California. The restaurant that opens and closes the film was the Hawthorne Grill in Hawthorne, California. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed in 1996 and is now an AutoZone.

LOCATION: 13763 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (demolished)

Butch discusses throwing a boxing fight with Marsellus Wallace at Starz, a former strip club in Gardena. This location was identified by Rayen Belchere after he spoke with the former management, who confirmed the club was used in the film. The location is only seen from interior views in the film, but photography was not permitted inside and the club has since permanently closed. Here is what the exterior looked like.

LOCATION: 2528 Rosecrans Ave, Gardena, CA 90249

Vincent Vega takes Mia Wallace to the memorable “Jack Rabbit Slims,” which is not a real restaurant. The interiors were built on a studio stage. However, the exterior is in fact a real place, albeit not a restaurant. Located in Glendale, California, the building was originally a bowling alley called Grand Central Bowl, which has long since closed. Today, the building is owned by The Walt Disney Company, which owned Miramax, the company which released “Pulp Fiction.” The building is part of Disney’s larger Grand Central Business Center, which consists of numerous buildings in the area used as business offices. The building is actually tucked away behind a wall and fencing, but the wall is not very tall and it’s easy to get a view over top of it. What is not so easily accomplished is getting a closer view of the building. The property is only open to business staff, so the closest the public can get is the sidewalk.

LOCATION: 1435 Flower St, Glendale, CA 91201

Vincent Vega pays a visit to his friend Lance, played by Eric Stoltz, early in the film, in order to purchase some heroin. After Mia Wallace mistakes Vega’s heroin for cocaine, she overdoses and is rushed to this house in the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, for a very tense scene in which they give her an adrenaline shot.

LOCATION: 3519 La Clede Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039

The building where Butch’s boxing match takes place can be found in Pasadena. The marquee has since been changed. The same building was also used in “This is Spinal Tap.”

LOCATION: 129 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103

Later in the film, after Butch has double-crossed Marsellus Wallace, he sneaks back to his apartment, located in North Hollywood, to retrieve his gold watch.

LOCATION: 11813 Runnymede St, North Hollywood, CA 91605

After a violent confrontation at his apartment, Butch is leisurely driving away, when a chance encounter with Marsellus occurs at this intersection of Fletcher Dr. and Atwater Ave., also located in Atwater Village. Butch is facing NW on Atwater Ave. when he spots Marsellus crossing Fletcher Dr.

LOCATION: Intersection of Atwater Ave. / Fletcher Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90039

Butch quickly floors it and hits Marsellus, before getting in a car collision in the intersection. Marsellus awakens and begins firing his gun at Butch, when a bystander is hit in front of Fosters Freeze, which is at the same intersection. Forsters Freeze was also featured on the television show “GLOW.”

LOCATION: 2760 Fletcher Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Marsellus chases Butch on foot SW down Fletcher Dr. from the same intersection.

LOCATION: Fletcher Dr., just past Atwater Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039

Marsellus fires one last shot in the distance at Butch, who is standing at the corner of this building in Canoga Park. This location is far away from the earlier shots in Atwater Villiage. It is actually the corner alley next to the Zed’s Pawn Shop, in which both characters make a grave mistake in entering.

LOCATION: The alley left of Crown Pawn Shop at 20933 Roscoe Blvd, Canoga Park, CA 91304

Zed’s Pawn Shop is where things take a bizarre, ugly turn for Butch and Marsellus. The real building actually is a pawn shop.

LOCATION: 20933 Roscoe Blvd, Canoga Park, CA 91304

The motel where Butch and Fabienne stay was demolished in 1996. Formerly known as the River Glen Motel, this building now stands in it’s place. Only the exteriors were used in the film. The interior of the motel was a set, albeit designed to resemble the River Glen Motel rooms.

LOCATION: 2934 Riverside Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90039 (now demolished)

What can be better lined up at the location is the view down Riverside Drive, seen as the couple leaves the motel on a chopper. Everything here still matches how it appeared in the film, with the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge visible in the distance. The same bridge was seen in the film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”

Near the end of the film, Jules and Vincent find themselves in “The Bonnie Indecent,” in which they are in sudden, urgent need of getting rid of a body. They arrive here at Jimmy’s house, played by Quentin Tarantino. It is here they meet “The Wolf,” played by Harvey Keitel.

LOCATION: 4145 Kraft Ave, Studio City, CA 91604

The site of Monster Joe’s Truck and Tow can be found in Sun Valley. The area has changed some since filming took place.

LOCATION: 12143 Branford St, Sun Valley, CA 91352

Film Oblivion

Movie and TV locations, points of interest.

Hawthorne