Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood (2019)

July 26, 2019August 10, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

When word began to spread that Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood” would be using practical set dressing to convert Los Angeles back to 1969 block by block, we knew this rare occurrence was something we should capture as much as possible for the fleeting moments it took place.

We typically avoid visiting filming locations while a project is in active production. There are so many moving pieces, restricted areas and things in the way, it almost always proves best to wait until a production has left. However, this film proved to be an exception. Documenting the locations in real time made for a much different, more challenging process. Some areas, such as Hollywood Blvd, were lined with large crowds actively watching for nights on end. Other places, such as the Spahn Ranch set, were quite low profile and known to very few. The locations were so impressive, we’ve deviated a bit from our usual format to show some set dressing and behind the scenes photos. Not everything made it to camera, so we thought it was worthwhile to showcase the level of detail that went into the project. While there are some minor spoilers in this article, we did our best to avoid any major ones.

The early scenes of Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt, on the set of “Bounty Law” were filmed at Melody Ranch in Newhall, California. This is not Tarantino’s first time filming at Melody Ranch. Some scenes from”Django Unchained” were also filmed there. Melody Ranch does offer tours to the public, which is a rarity among movie ranches in Southern California. However, the challenge is that it’s a very popular filming location, often booked for months at a time. There are only a few opportunities a year you can successfully book a tour and it is typically on very short notice. Here’s a look at several buildings seen in the film during the “Bounty Law” advertisement.

LOCATION: 24715 Oakcreek Ave, Newhall, CA 91321

Rick and Cliff sit down for an interview along the boardwalk in front of this building. The interior was used extensively as the brothel where Thandie Newton’s character works in “Westworld.”

Rick and Cliff head to Musso & Frank Grill to meet Marvin Schwarzs, played by Al Pacino. Musso & Frank Grill is the oldest restaurant in Hollywood, founded over 100 years ago. The restaurant has popped up in numerous films, including “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Ed Wood” and “Swingers,” as well as the TV shows “Mad Men” and “Bosch.”

LOCATION: 6667 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Rick and Cliff sit at the bar when Marvin first arrives.

After the meeting, Rick and Cliff head to the parking lot in back and have a quick chat in front of this sign.

The flashback of Rick crashing his car is in front of the Frolic Room on Hollywood Blvd. The same bar was used in the film “L.A. Confidential.”

LOCATION: 6245 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Rick Dalton lives on Cielo Drive next door to Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie. The real entrance to Cielo Dr is seen multiple times in the film. The houses seen in the film are not actually located on the real Cielo, but the Tate house is a pretty close representation of what was there in 1969. Most of Cielo is actually public, but the path up to the former Tate residence is private. The entrance area seen in the film is visible from the public portion of the road.

LOCATION: Cielo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The actual home used as the exterior for Rick Dalton’s house can be found in a cul-de-sac in Studio City. It’s actually one of three locations used in the film to composite Rick’s home, as each of the individual locations lacked specific features needed for the story. The Studio City home was used extensively, however, with many scenes recognizable to it. Unlike Cielo Dr, Alto View Dr is a public road.

LOCATION: 10969 Alta View Dr, Studio City, CA 91604

The driveway is featured in many scenes in the film, with a large painting of Rick placed on the left side.

Here is the front entrance of the home. The door was painted green in the film.

Rick’s pool overlooking the city is a real pool at the home.

The house next door plays a key role as well, serving as the home of Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski. The layout is a notable departure from how the real house entrance on Cielo appeared, but it serves Tarantino’s story well.

LOCATION: 10974 Alta View Dr, Studio City, CA 91604

Here’s a closer look at the gate to the Tate residence.

Here is the area where Charles Manson, played by Damon Herriman, parks a Twinkies delivery truck. Cliff observes him from the roof as he goes looking for Terry Melcher.

Here is the road leading into the cul-de-sac of the Dalton and Tate/Polanski residences, which is seen a few times in the film.

After dropping Rick off at his home, Cliff drives at high speeds down Hollywood Blvd as he heads home.

LOCATION: Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Here is Brad Pitt waiving to the crowd on the street.

Tarantino acknowledging the crowd of onlookers as well.

Here’s a deeper look at the set dressing around Hollywood Blvd, which was completely transformed back to 1969 for the film.

Cliff’s trailer, supposedly located on the grounds of the Van Nuys Drive-In Theatre, was a combination of two locations. The drive-in sign was built by the production at the Saugus Speedway in Santa Clarita, which now serves as the site of the Santa Clarita Swap Meet. Cliff drives past the white fencing and enters here.

LOCATION: 22500 Soledad Canyon Rd, Santa Clarita, CA 91350

The drive-in itself is the Paramount Drive-In Theaters (7770 Rosecrans Ave, Paramount, CA 90723).

Sharon Tate and husband Roman Polanski attend a party at the Playboy Mansion. This was filmed at the real Playboy Mansion. The property sits in a residential neighborhood and if you didn’t know what you were looking for, it would be very easy to drive past without any idea. It should be noted this is a private residence and from the street you can mostly just see the front gate.

LOCATION: 10236 Charing Cross Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

The Manson Family girls are introduced digging through the dumpsters at the Super A Foods market. The same market was seen in “A Star Is Born.”

LOCATION: 2924 Division St, Los Angeles, CA 90065

It’s difficult to see, but the actresses playing the Manson girls, including Harley Quinn Smith, are gathered by the dumpster in the center of this shot.

The Manson girls then walk away with their haul, making their way past this mural of James Dean from the film “Giant.” This was located at a pharmacy just across the street from the Super A Foods market. It was added by the production and is unfortunately no longer painted on the actual location.

LOCATION: 2922 Division St, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Here’s a look at some more of the shoot from Super A Foods.

While driving, Cliff spots Pussycat, played by Margaret Qualley, sitting in front of the Pandora’s Box nightclub looking for a ride. Pandora’s Box was a real nightclub in West Hollywood, which was at the center of protests over a curfew in 1966. The building was eventually demolished in 1967. For the film, the production recreated the former nightclub at Jospeh’s Cafe on Ivar Ave. Here’s a view of when the production was setting up for the scene.

LOCATION: 1775 Ivar Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Here’s a couple more shots from when the Pandora’s Box shoot was prepping.

Sharon stops by the Bruin Theater to watch herself in the film “The Wrecking Crew” with Dean Martin. The Bruin is still in operation, though the marquee is now digital. Fatboy Slim’s music video for “Praise You” shot in front of the same theater.

LOCATION: 948 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

The Fox Theater right across the street is also seen in several shots.

LOCATION: 961 Broxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Here’s a closer look at the Fox Theater, with the finished marquee for the film.

Here is the view across the street from the Bruin Theater, when it was dressed for filming.

Here is the exterior of the book store Sharon Tate visits. It’s not a book store in realty, but this is what it looked like when it was fully dressed.

LOCATION: 10909 Weyburn Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

This travel agency was also seen in the film. It was another creation of the production and not an actual travel agency.

Here are some more views of the area when production was in progress.

Cliff takes Rick down Hollywood Blvd and they pass the famous Pantages Theater.

LOCATION: 6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Cliff runs into Pussycat once again in front of Jackalope Pottery in North Hollywood.

LOCATION: 10726 Burbank Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601

Here is the area when filming was taking place. It was overflowing with crew at the corner.

Just across the street, Quentin Tarantino stood on the right, along with Rick Dalton’s car on the street.

Pussycat takes Cliff to Spahn Ranch, which was a very accurate recreation built at Corriganville Park in Simi Valley. Originally the production hoped to film at the real Spahn Ranch, but due to the fact that the entrances were bulldozed over, it made the land difficult for building sets. Much like Spahn Ranch, the nearby Corriganville is also a former movie ranch which hosted many westerns in during the 1950s and 1960s, before being destroyed by widlfires. The land now operates as a public park, but there are many signs explaining the land’s film history and the frames of the old buildings are still in the ground.

The Spahn Ranch set took a couple months to build, but when it was finished, it shot very quickly and was demolished just a few weeks later. Having done plenty of research on the real Spahn Ranch and The Manson Family long before this film was ever announced, we were quite well versed in the subject matter. Standing in person at what was a near exact, full scale replica of Spahn Ranch remains one of the most memorable location experiences we’ve ever had. The production design and attention to detail was incredible. If you go there now, it’s empty land again, but here we’ll take a look at when the set existed.

LOCATION: 7001 Smith Rd, Simi Valley, CA 93063 (Spahn Ranch sets now demolished)

George Spahn’s house plays a key role in the scene, as Cliff insists on speaking with the old man, played by Bruce Dern.

Some more views of the Spahn house.

Here is a view of the front of the Spahn set, including the famous truck. The signs for the Longhorn Saloon and Rock City Cafe are spot on to the original ranch.

Here is the horse stable area where Clem sits on the fence.

Here are some more views around the ranch.

Rick is photographed with a new love interest in tow at a restaurant, supposedly located in Rome, Italy. This is actually the Cicada Restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 617 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Rick returns from Italy with his costar. The couple is seen walking past the wall tiles of Terminal 6 at LAX Airport. 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 also filmed Pam Grier in this area in the opening of “Jackie Brown.”

LOCATION: Terminal 6, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (lower level, arrivals area)

In the third act, a montage of businesses are shown leading up to the end of the film, including the famous Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.

LOCATION: 6360 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

An old Taco Bell is also shown. This was located much further south in Tunstin. The building was abandoned and the production came and made it look like an operational Taco Bell from 1969.

LOCATION: 14232 Newport Ave, Tustin, CA 92780

Chili John’s in Burbank is also briefly seen.

LOCATION: 2018 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506

Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger and Voytek Frykowski have dinner that evening at the El Coyote restaurant. This is where the real people ate that night and the film shot at the actual location.

LOCATION: 7312 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Here is a view of the front entrance of El Coyote, which remains in business to this day.

We leave you with Quentin Tarantino’s hand and foot prints in front of the Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. While in no way a filming location, we felt it was nevertheless fitting to include.

LOCATION: 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

It was a unique experience walking through 1969 with the production and we hope these photos help you share in that experience. There’s actually many locations we captured where the production shot, but were not featured in the final film. Perhaps there will be a longer or alternate cut someday. For now, we’ll keep to the places that made it into the film.

The Manson Family

June 26, 2019July 21, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The history of The Manson Family and their victims is long and vast, scattered all across California and beyond, spanning through the heart of Hollywood, into the far reaches of the desert. We’ve previously we posted articles covering Spahn Ranch and Barker Ranch. Here we will take a look at many additional sites related to the history of The Family, in semi-chronological order. We do not endorse any of the crimes related to this subject matter. This article’s sole intention is to simply acknowledge the places where these events happened and show them as they stand today.

Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, who would become the second member of The Manson Family and one of the most devoted, did not get along with her father from a young age. Not far from LAX airport, you’ll find the childhood home of Lynette.

LOCATION: 6511 W 82nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Of particular interest is the lamp post in front of the home. On the cement in front of it, Lynette scrawled her name as a child, which remains there to this day. Eventually Lynette ran away from home, leading her to Venice Beach, where she met a recently paroled Charles Manson.

When released from Terminal Island in San Pedro in 1967, Charles Manson headed north to the Bay Area. He played guitar at the UC Berkeley campus, where he would meet Mary Brunner, the first member of the Manson Family. Here is the famous Sather Gate at the Berkeley campus.

LOCATION: Sather Gate, Sather Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720

Just inside the gate is the courtyard area where Manson played his guitar and met Brunner. Here are some views of what the general area looks like today.

Mason became a resident of the famous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Fransisco during the “Summer of Love” in 1967, renting an apartment unit in this building. It was in San Francisco that he also met future family member Susan “Sadie” Atkins.

LOCATION: 636 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Around this same period, Bobby Beausoleil, who would later become involved in the first of the Manson Family murders, was also in San Francisco. He posed for a famous photo on the front stairs of this house, which at the time was occupied by underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger. Anger filmed portions of his short film “Invocation of My Demon Brother” at the house, which featured Bobby Beausoleil and Anton LaVey, with music by Mick Jagger.

LOCATION: 1198 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Here are the stairs where Bobby posed for his photo. While serving his sentence for his murder conviction, Beausoleil later composed the score to Anger’s film “Lucifer Rising,” after a score by Jimmy Page was rejected. You can read a bit more about this home in our separate article about the Kenneth Anger House.

Eventually Manson would make his way back down to Southern California. Susan Atkins joined Manson in his trek south, along with other Family members. Sadie worked as a stripper at the Candy Cat One in Chatsworth, California. The Candy Cat remained open for decades until 2017, when it finally closed its doors. You can still see the faded letters where the sign once was.

LOCATION: 21625 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, CA 91311

Just across the street from the former Candy Cat One is The Munch Box, a staple of the San Fernando Valley that has been in business since 1956. Charles Manson used to sit and eat at The Munch Box, waiting for Sadie to finish her work shifts. A market also once stood in this area, which was one of the spots the women of the Manson Family would go digging through the dumpsters, looking for discarded food.

LOCATION: 21532 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, CA 91311

There are conflicting stories about how Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys came to know The Manson Family. The most common story is that he picked up members Patricia Krenwinkel and Ella Jo Bailey in 1968, who were hitchhiking, and brought them back to his place on Sunset Blvd. The story has been disputed, but what is known is that the Family began staying at Dennis Wilson’s home for a time. During this period, Wilson and Manson undertook some musical collaborations. Manson’s song “Cease to Exist” ended up being recorded under the name “Never Learn Not to Love” on The Beach Boys’ “20/20” album, though the sole songwriting credit went to Dennis Wilson.

Eventually the Family would overstay their welcome and Wilson split from them by selling the home. The house still stands, but it is fairly difficult to get a decent view. Fencing and trees surround the entire property along the street. Here is a view of the driveway gate.

LOCATION: 14400 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Here is a view within the property, when one of the gates was open.

Across the street on Will Rogers State Park Rd, the road goes up an incline, allowing for views over the fence. The trees still obscure most of the property though. It should be noted that parking is difficult here. Sunset Blvd is quite busy along this stretch and has no parking shoulder. You can go up Will Rogers State Park Rd, but the nearest parking area is at the top, meaning you’d have a long walk down and back up to return to your vehicle. Your best bet is to take one of the side roads in the vicinity, but many of them are private, so it can be tricky.

Here is a view of the horse stables at the property.

Both Charles Manson and Charles “Tex” Watson visited the famous Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood. Watson is said to have lived on the road just behind it for a time.

LOCATION: 8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Members of the Family attended parties at the house of Harold True on multiple occasions. This is Harold’s former house, which was located directly next door to Rosemary and Leno LaBianca.

LOCATION: 3267 Waverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Over in Beverly Hills is the original home of Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate, before they moved to Cielo Drive, where the fateful murders took place. It was here that they first met their maid, Winifred Chapman, who would continue working for them at the Cielo house and would have the unfortunate role of discovering the bodies the morning after the murders.

LOCATION: 1600 Summitridge Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Jay Sebring, another victim of the Manson Family, was a celebrity hair stylist prior to the murders who had connections all over Hollywood, including Warren Beatty and Bruce Lee. His hair salon could be found on Fairfax Ave in Los Angeles. The space remains a hair salon to this day, albeit under different ownership.

LOCATION: 725 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Sebring’s house could be found in Benedict Canyon, about a mile from Tate and Polanski’s house on Cielo.

LOCATION: 9860 Easton Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

In early 1969, Charles Manson rented a house in Canoga Park, where members of The Family stayed with him. They called the house the “Yellow Submarine,” due to its paint color. By this time, Manson had already discovered Spahn Ranch, but he felt it was too disorganized for musical recording and wanted to use the home as a studio. The Family’s time there would be brief and the house was eventually demolished. Today, an apartment complex stands in its place.

LOCATION: 21019 Gresham St, Canoga Park, CA 91304

The most well-known home of The Manson Family was of course Spahn Ranch in Chatsworth, California. This is where the murders were ordered. You can read much more detail about the history of Spahn Ranch in our article here.

LOCATION: Formerly 1200 Santa Susana Pass Rd, Chatsworth, CA 91311 (now defunct), nearest present address is 22601 Santa Susana Pass Rd., Chatsworth, CA 91311

The events that set the stage for the Tate-LaBianca murders really kicked into full motion in 1969 with the shooting of Bernard “Lotsapoppa” Crowe. Crowe had agreed to a drug deal with Charles “Tex” Watson, who burned him and kept the money. An angry Crowe called Spahn Ranch and asked for Charles. The name mix-up put him on the phone with Charles Manson, rather than Watson. Crowe threatened to harm Watson’s girlfriend if the situation wasn’t fixed, so Manson headed to his apartment in the middle of Hollywood. There things escalated and Manson ended up shooting Lotsapoppa. Leaving under the belief he had killed Crowe, when Manson watched the news, he saw reports of a murdered member of the Black Panther party. Crowe had in fact survived the shooting and was not a member of the Panthers. However, Manson erroneously believed he was on the hook for murder and that the Panthers would soon visit Spahn Ranch seeking retaliation. Manson also believed that Watson owed him big for having taken care of his situation.

The apartment where Lotsapoppa was shot has long since been demolished. It is now a parking lot for the famous Magic Castle.

LOCATION: 7001 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

More trouble would soon come when Gary Hinman set up a drug deal with a biker gang through Bobby Beausoleil. While Beausoleil denies ever being a member of the Manson Family, he held many ties with them. After the bikers claimed the drugs were bad, they demanded their money back from Beausoleil. Beausoleil went to the house of Gary Hinman, along with Mary Brunner and Susan Atkins and held Hinman captive. Believing he had received a large inheritance, they demanded money from him. Hinman denied having money and also disputed that the drugs were bad. Eventually Charles Manson would visit the house as well, slicing Hinman with a sword.

Bobby Beausoleil would then murder Gary Hinman, with words written in blood on the walls, in an attempt to make it look like a crime committed by the Black Panthers. Not long after, Beausoleil was found asleep in Hinman’s car and charged with murder. Here is the former Hinman house, which has since been remodeled and is obscured by trees and shrubs. There used to be stairs leading up to the house, which have also since been removed.

LOCATION: 964 Old Topanga Canyon Rd, Topanga, CA 90290

With Beausoleil arrested for murder, the events fell into place for the first night of the Tate-LaBianca murders. Many members of the Family have claimed the murders were intended to appear as copycat crimes, to make it appear as if Hinman’s killer was still on the loose, thus resulting in Beausoleil’s release. Others have disputed this motive, however.

Steven Parent lived at this house in El Monte, California. Parent had the misfortune of trying to sell William Garretson a clock radio on the night of the murders on August 8, 1969. Garretson was staying in a guest house at the Tate residence when Parent paid him a visit. As Parent was leaving, he encountered Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda Kasabian. Watson shot and killed Parent in his car in the driveway.

LOCATION: 11214 Bryant Rd, El Monte, CA 91731

Earlier the same night, Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger and Voytek Frykowski had dinner at the El Coyote restaurant. The Mexican restaurant was a favorite of Tate’s. It would unfortunately turn out to be their final meal.

LOCATION: 7312 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Here is a view of the front entrance of El Coyote, which remains in business to this day.

This is alleged to be the table where the group ate their dinner.

This is the entrance to the private road of Cielo Drive. Much of Cielo is actually a public road. It is only the portion leading up to the houses that is marked private. It is at the foot of the private road where the killers parked their car, heading up the rest of the way on foot in darkness.

LOCATION: Formerly 10500 Cielo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (now defunct), changed to 10066 Cielo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

While that portion of Cielo Drive is private, the road directly across the street, Bella Drive, is not. It too goes up an incline and from the top you get a clear view of all the homes along Ceilo Dr. The house furthest to the left in front of the city skyline is where the Tate/Polanki residence once stood. The killers’ original plan was to murder the occupants of every house along the block. The Tate murders proved more difficult than they had anticipated, however, so they abandoned plans to enter the other homes. While neighbors did hear sounds the night of the murders, the canyons echoed sounds and it was difficult to place where the noises came from.

LOCATION: Cielo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, as seen from 1436 Bella Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Here is a better view of where the Tate/Polanski home once stood, taken from Beverly View Drive. The home has since been demolished and a mansion belonging to “Full House” creator Jeff Franklin stands in it’s place.

After the murders, the killers traveled about 1.5 miles up Benedict Canyon Drive and stopped at this home on Portola Drive. Here they used a hose to wash off the victims’ blood. However, the homeowner discovered them and wrote down their license plate, which would become a heavily incriminating piece of evidence during the murder trials.

LOCATION: 9870 Portola Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The killers then made their way further up Benedict Canyon. They pulled over to this section of the road, across the street from 2901 Benedict Canyon, where they tossed the clothes they wore during the murders. In 1969, this area was a wide shoulder where cars could pull over. Now a guard rail blocks it, but there is still a strip of land there with enough space to fit a car. Based on descriptions later provided by Susan Atkins, which described the area as mountain on one side and a ravine on the other, a local news station recreated the drive from Cielo, traveling at a moderate speed and changing their clothes. When they finished, they pulled over to the nearest shoulder they could find, leading them to the precise location where the clothes were tossed.

LOCATION: 2901 Benedict Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Here’s another view of the area.

Upon making the discovery, the reporter headed across the street to notify the police.

The killers then made their way over to Beverly Glen Blvd, where they tossed the gun. They believed this area to be an empty canyon where the weapon would not likely be recovered. From the road above, this is the view they would have seen. It was not an empty canyon, however. At the bottom of the hill was a neighborhood and the gun was tossed into one of the back yards.

LOCATION: Beverly Glen Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (near 3627 Longview Valley Rd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423)

This is the home where the gun was discovered.

LOCATION: 3627 Longview Valley Rd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Here you can see a view of Beverly Glen Blvd in the distance, where the gun was tossed as the killers passed.

Not content with one night of murders or with how they were carried out, Charles Manson decided to accompany the group for a second night of killings. After roaming around in search of a suitable site, they made their way over to the neighborhood of Harold True and eventually selected the house next door, belonging to Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. The group consisted of Manson, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten, and Steve “Clem” Grogan. Manson entered the LaBianca house and tied up the victims, telling them they were only there to rob the place and would not be harmed.

He then returned to the car with Rosemary LaBianca’s wallet and sent Watson, Krenwinkel and Van Houten in to do the killings. He told them to hitchhike back to Spahn Ranch and he would take the remaining group out to perform a different set of murders. Here is what the LaBianca house looks like today. A gate and garage have been added and trees planted to obscure the view. Much like the Cielo house, the address was also slightly changed.

LOCATION: Formerly 3301 Waverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027, changed to 3311 Waverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Manson then took the second group to this gas station in Sylmar and had Linda Kasabian dispose of Rosemary LaBianca’s wallet in the restroom. Here is the side of the building where the restroom once was. During the trial, the prosecution alleged that this gas station was chosen in a predominantly black area, as to implicate black killers and bring about a race war called “Helter Skelter.” One of the few blows against the “Helter Skelter” motive came when the defense noted that Sylmar was not a predominantly black area.

LOCATION: 12881 Encinitas Ave, Sylmar, CA 91342

Manson then walked over to this Denny’s and ordered a chocolate shake. The Denny’s still stands there today.

LOCATION: 12861 Encinitas Ave, Sylmar, CA 91342

Manson, Grogan, Kasabian and Atkins then went to this apartment building on Venice Beach, looking to commit the next murder. They came here because Kasabian remembered a resident there she disliked. After knocking on a door and failing to find the correct apartment unit, which Kasabian later claimed to have done intentionally to avoid more killings, the group abandoned plans to commit murder here. Upon making their way down the stairwell to exit, Susan Atkis deficated in the building before leaving.

LOCATION: 1011 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291

The morning after the LaBianca murders, the family arrived at the house. Noticing some unusual activity; the fact that the LaBianca’s boat had been left out and the curtains were drawn closed, then went across the street to phone the police.

LOCATION: 3306 Waverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

In the wake of the murders, The Manson Family fled to Barker Ranch in Death Valley. It was here that Charles Manson was eventually captured. You can read our article about Barker Ranch here.

LOCATION: Just off of Goler Wash Rd, Death Valley National Park, Panamint, CA 93592 (easiest access is via Ballarat, CA, GPS coordinates: 35°51′34.57″N 117°5′18.76″W)

While at the Sybil Brand Institute, Susan Atkins confessed to a cell mate named Virginia Graham about the Tate Murders. Graham in turn shared what Atkins had told her with homocide detectives, which eventually helped lead to the indictment 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 is used by warehouse companies and for filming purposes. Walking the grounds, however, it still very much feels like a prison.

LOCATION: 4500 City Terrace Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90063

The trial for the Tate/LaBianca murders was held at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 211 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Members of the Manson Family who were not incarcerated sat at this corner on Broadway and Temple, speaking with media throughout the duration of the trail. After Manson shaved his head and carved an X into his forehead, the members followed suit.

LOCATION: Intersection of N Broadway / W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

After Manson was convicted and sent to Folsom Prison, Family members Sandra Good and Lynette Fromme moved into the attic unit of this house in Sacramento, in order to be nearer to him.

LOCATION: 1725 P St, Sacramento, CA 95811

There used to be an outdoor starcase on the side of the house leading to the attic unit, which has since been removed.

Over at the Historic Sacramento City Cemetery, a famous photo of Lynette Fromme and Sandra Good wearing robes was taken for a German magazine at this grave plot. The gravestone is marked Heintz at plot B83 276. It actually sits very near the entrance at the intersection of Broadway and Ninth St. From there it can be found 2 plots forward, 4 plots to the left.

LOCATION: 1000 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95818

On September 5, 1975, Lynette Fromme left her house on P Street dressed in a red robe and came to the California State Capitol building in Sacramento. She stood at this tree and aimed a gun at then President Gerald Ford, who was walking past. Secret Service members immediately subdued her with no shots fired. For her crime, she served 34 years in prison before being paroled in 2009. The easiest way to reach the tree where the incident happened is from the intersection of 12th St and L St. Ford was leaving the Senator Hotel and crossed that intersection, heading for the California State Capitol building.

LOCATION: 1315 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814

The final tenant of the original Cielo Drive residence before it was demolished was Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. When Trent relocated from Los Angeles to New Orleans, he took with him one piece of the Cielo property; the infamous door that had “Pig” scrawled in Sharon Tate’s blood by Susan Atkins. Trent purchased this former funeral home in New Orleans in 1995 and converted it into a recording studio. He had the Cielo door installed as the front entrance to the studio. Trent would eventually relocate back to Los Angeles in 2004 and abandon the former studio, this time leaving the Cielo door behind for good. The building stood vacant until 2010, when it was purchased by a surgeon looking to convert the property into a retail area. It has since been remodeled beyond recognition, but we managed to visit back when the original building still stood.

LOCATION: 4500 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Here is the Cielo door at the front entrance to the former studio on Magazine Street, where it sat behind a steel gate. The door remained until around 2012, when the building was completely remodeled. The current whereabouts of the door is unknown.

After Charles Manson died in 2017, his funeral was quitly held in Porterville, Califonia and his ashes were spread in a nearby, undisclosed location.

LOCATION: 765 W Henderson Ave, Porterville, CA 93257

Here is the back of the funeral home.

There are countless more locations related to these events, which we have not covered. There are also many books that dive much deeper into the subject. We simply aimed to present a visual timeline of one of the most infamous crimes in American history. It is a fascinating, tragic story. It was very real and these are the places where it all unfolded.

Related articles: Spahn Ranch, Barker Ranch

Tangerine (2015)

October 21, 2018April 11, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Sean Baker’s 2015 film “Tangerine” made waves at the Sundance Film Festival for being shot entirely with iPhones. The film depicts the life of a transgender Los Angeles prostitute, Sin-Dee, played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, as she discovers her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her.

The opening scene, as well as later scenes, were filmed at the former Donut Time on Santa Monica Blvd. The filmmakers aimed for authenticity in their choice of locations, as this section of Hollywood is widely known for prostitution. The Donut Time has since been replaced by Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts, owned and operated by actor Danny Trejo.

LOCATION: 6785 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Sin-Dee makes her way down to the Vermont / Santa Monica Metro Station.

LOCATION: 1015 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029

She sits at this bench in front of the station, considering her next moves.

Sin-Dee makes her way to a motel full of drug addicts and prostitutes, in search of another prostitute, whom she believes is cheating with her boyfriend. This is the former Grand Motel, which has since closed. Amy Winehouse also filmed scenes for her music video for “Tears Dry On Their Own” at the motel.

LOCATION: 1479 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Another view of the former motel property, which is now fenced off until it is either remodeled or demolished.

Related articles: Starlet (2012), The Florida Project (2017)

Bully (2001)

October 1, 2018July 9, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Larry Clark’s overlooked 2001 masterpiece “Bully” shot mostly in the suburban towns of Pembroke Pines and Hollywood, Florida. The film is based on true events, using the real neighborhoods (but not the actual locations) where the tragic events unfolded as a backdrop. These areas are relatively small and most of the filming locations are actually within minutes of each other.

Lisa, played by Rachel Miner, lives at this lakeside residence, when she begins dating Marty, played by the late Brad Renfro.

LOCATION: 2251 Dogwood Ct, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026

Lisa’s concerned friend Claudia works at this Pizza Hut, which is still in business.

LOCATION: 11091 Sheridan St, Hollywood, FL 33026

Donny, played by Michael Pitt and Derek, played by Daniel Franzese, hang out at this store, which was depicted as an arcade in the film. It can be found behind the Pizza Hut in the same shopping plaza.

LOCATION: 2505 N Hiatus Rd, Hollywood, FL 33026

Bobby, the titular bully played by Nick Stahl, lives at this house.

LOCATION: 1820 NW 113th Ave, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026

Derek, Lisa’s cousin, lives at this residence, which is similar looking to Lisa’s place.

LOCATION: 11080 Redwood Ave, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026

The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas (1982)

April 4, 2018April 2, 2018 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The Chicken Ranch from “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” can be found on the Universal Studios lot as part of their studio tour.

LOCATION: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608

Ready Player One (2018)

March 25, 2018March 24, 2018 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

To promote the release of the Steven Speilberg film “Ready Player One,” Warner Bros. set up a pop-up, interactive maze called the “Ready Player One Challenge,” located on the corner of Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood, California. It’s the same spot they created “The IT Experience: Neibolt House Hollywood” in 2017.

Visitors were invited to explore the OASIS in an interactive maze, which included A/V installations, interactive displays, nostalgic gaming stations, a store, props and a full-scale recreation of the sets from the film. Here we’ll take a look primarily at the sets and the props. The exhibition runs from March 18 – April 1, 2018.

While the film was set in Columbus, Ohio, it was shot in England. This exhibition allowed visitors to get a real life glimpse at how those sets appeared, in full scale.

Wade, played by Tye Sheridan, wears this suit as he enters the OASIS.

The exhibit also included a time-traveling Delorean, most well-known of course from the “Back To The Future” films.

Some props from the film.

Pretty Woman (1990)

March 18, 2018August 11, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

In the 1990 romantic comedy “Pretty Woman,” Vivian, played by Julia Roberts, lives at this Hollywood hotel. The real hotel is located right off of Hollywood Blvd, exactly as depicted in the film. At the end of the movie, Edward, played by Richard Gere, climbs the fire escape with roses and the two passionately kiss.

LOCATION: 1738 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Vivan stays at a luxurious hotel in Beverly Hills.

LOCATION: 9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Vivian and Edward walk past the Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain at Grand Park in Downtown L.A. The same fountain was seen in “(500) Days Of Summer.”

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

Edward’s office can be found in Downtown Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 333 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90071

A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

December 6, 2017April 5, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

One of the more well-known filming locations in Los Angeles is the house from Wes Craven’s 1984 horror classic, “A Nightmare On Elm Street.” The house can be found, not on Elm Street, but a road just off of Hollywood Blvd, called Genesee Ave.

The house of Nancy Thompson, played by Heather Langenkamp, it a fairly popular spot and receives a regular stream of visitors and fans of the films.

LOCATION: 1428 N Genesee Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Just across the street, you’ll find the house of Glen Lantz, played by a young Johnny Depp.

LOCATION: 1419 N Genesee Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

The high school seen in the film is John Marshall High School. A regular location in film and television, it has also appeared in such movies as “Rebel Without A Cause,” “Pretty In Pink,” “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.”

LOCATION: 3939 Tracy St, Los Angeles, CA 90027

The cemetery seen in the film is Evergreen Cemetery, in particular the Ivy Chapel, which is located near the back of the grounds. The cemetery closes early, so if you’d like to see it, don’t plan for an evening visit.

LOCATION: 204 N Evergreen Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033

La La Land (2016)

December 3, 2017July 20, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

LOCATION: 317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

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.

True Romance (1993)

November 18, 2017July 20, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

In the 1993 Tony Scott directed, Quentin Tarantino penned film, “True Romance,” the outlaw couple of Clarence, played by Christian Slater and Alabama, played by Patricia Arquette, supposedly meet in Detroit. In reality, most of the film was shot in Southern California. Early in the film, they see a Sonny Chiba “Street Fighter” triple feature together. This was filmed at the Vista Theater, one of L.A.’s greatest vintage theaters.

LOCATION: 4473 Sunset Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

After the movies, the couple goes for coffee and pie at Rae’s Restaurant in Santa Monica. The restaurant has been used in countless films, such as “Lords Of Dogtown,” “Bowfinger” and “Starsky & Hutch.”

LOCATION: 2901 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

The billboard location where the two sit outside and talk could be found in downtown Los Angeles at the Dewey Hotel Apartments. Unfortunately, there is no longer an actual billboard on the side of the building.

LOCATION: 721 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

The comic book store, “Heroes For Sale,” where Clarence works, was actually “Fantastic Store,” a former comic book, music and vintage store located near the famous intersection of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave in Hollywood. The store has unfortunately long since closed and bears little resemblance to how it appeared in the film.

LOCATION: 1718 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Later in the film, the couple stays at this motel, supposedly located on the Sunset Strip. The real motel, the Safari Inn, is actually located just north of L.A., in Burbank, California.

LOCATION: 1911 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91506

Film Oblivion

Movie and TV locations, points of interest.

Hollywood