L.A. Confidential (1997)

August 24, 2019March 12, 2023 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 1997 Curtis Hanson film “L.A. Confidential” is one of the most iconic Los Angeles movies of all time, shown through the lens of a 1950s noir film. Aside from two scenes being built as sets; Bud holding the D.A. from the window and the motel shootout at the climax of the film, all other scenes shot at real locations. A vast undertaking, the locations span all over the city.

The Hush Hush office of Sid Hudgens, played by Danny DeVito, can be found at the Crossroads of the World plaza on Sunset Blvd, a former shopping mall featuring a building in the shape of a sea vessel. The location has also been seen in such films as “Indecent Proposal” and “Cafe Society.” Sid’s office is located near the back of the property.

LOCATION: 6671 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

The house where Bud White, played by Russell Crowe, reports to a scene of domestic abuse can be found in Long Beach. It has since been remodeled.

LOCATION: 4216 Rose Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807

This location, a cane and basket supply, serves as the liquor store where Bud first meets Lynn Bracken, played by Kim Basinger.

LOCATION: 1279 S Cochran Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019

Jack Vincennes, played by Kevin Spacey, makes a drug bust at this house, using it as an opportunity to get some press for himself.

LOCATION: 1714 N Gramercy Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90028

He stands on the street in front of the house speaking to Sid Hudgens, with the camera facing toward Hollywood Blvd. The building in the distance is a former bank, designed by the same architects of the L.A. City Hall. It was dressed to look like a movie theater in the film.

The interior lobby of the police station can be found in Venice. The same building has appeared in numerous films, such as “Assault On Precinct 13,” “The Net,” “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension” and many more.

LOCATION: 685 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Two of Mickey Cohen’s men are gunned down in front of this home.

LOCATION: 4439 Victoria Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90019

The exterior of the police station is the Los Angeles City Hall. It’s been featured in endless movies, such as “Liar Liar,” “Ray,” “Chinatown” and “Gangster Squad,” just to name a few. The interiors were a combination of the old Pacific Electric Building (610 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90014), now converted into lofts, and the Old Venice Police Station (685 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291).

LOCATION: 200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

The Nite Owl Coffee Shop location can be found in Downtown Los Angeles. It’s next to Wild Bill’s Leather from “Seven” and across the street from where Forrest and Lieutenant Dan celebrate New Year’s in “Forrest Gump.”

LOCATION: 119 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Bud follows a lead to the house of Pierce Patchett, played by David Strathairn. Known as the Lovell Health House, the property is located in the hills of Los Feliz, up some very narrow roads at the hilltop, not far from the Griffith Observatory.

LOCATION: 4616 Dundee Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Here is the home of Lynn Bracken, the Veronica Lake lookalike, which sits next to a golf course.

LOCATION: 501 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Jack Vincennes and Ed Exley, played by Guy Pearce, follow a lead on the Night Owl Massacre to this home, which is located just across the street from Bob’s Market from “The Fast And The Furious,” which can be seen briefly in the background.

LOCATION: 1255 Bellevue Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026

The investigation leads to this house on N Bronson Ave, which has since been destroyed by fires. What’s left of the house is still standing, but will almost certainly be razed altogether soon.

LOCATION: 1241 N Bronson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

A woman is held captive at this home in Lincoln Heights.

LOCATION: 496 E Ave 28, Los Angeles, CA 90031

The property is also seen from this hilltop view in the film.

The suspects escape, but are tracked down at the home of Roland Navarette, where a shootout ensues.

LOCATION: 2618 San Marino St, Los Angeles, CA 90006

Pierce Patchett throws a party at the John Snowden House in Los Feliz. A famous architectural design by Lloyd Wright, the house gained infamy when a book alleged that one of the former owners tortured Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia victim, inside the home, although this has never been proven. The house is only seen from interior views in the film. It pops up again in another scene, when Vincennes and Dudley Smith, played by James Cromwell, discuss their investigation in the kitchen. The house has been featured in Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator,” as well as the TV series “I Am the Night.”

LOCATION: 5121 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Jack Vincennes and Sid Hudgens meet up at the Frolic Room on Hollywood Blvd. The famous bar was also seen in such films as “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood” and “The Little Things.”

LOCATION: 6245 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

A dead body is found at this motel on Sunset Blvd.

LOCATION: 6720 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Bud visits the house of Meeks.

LOCATION: 1704 Morton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Exley meets with Vincennes at the famous Formosa Cafe, an iconic spot in West Hollywood. The restaurant has also been seen in such films as “Swingers,” “The Big Empty” and “The Majestic.”

LOCATION: 7156 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Jack visits the house of Captain Dudley Smith.

LOCATION: 5668 Berkshire Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90032

While the climactic motel shootout was built as a set, it was not constructed on any studio lot. Instead is was built on the grounds of the Inglewood Oil Field in Culver City, giving it the strong illusion of being a real location.

Related articles: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992)

Baby Driver (2017)

May 11, 2019October 7, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Edgar Wright’s 2017 film “Baby Driver” was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia and the surrounding areas. The opening shot of the bank was filmed at the Candler Building on Peachtree St in Atlanta. However, the entrance seen in the film faces John Wesley Dobbs Ave NE.

LOCATION: 127 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

Baby, played by Ansel Elgort, parks the getaway car across the street.

LOCATION: 140 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303

For the opening titles, Baby exits the Healey Building, which is where his boss Doc, played by Kevin Spacey, sets up the heists. The camera looks up to the sky, with some visual effects added to make the building look even taller than it actually is.

LOCATION: 57 Forsyth St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303

The camera pans down to Baby exiting the building.

He then starts dancing as he walks down the sidewalk listening to his music.

After making his way down Forsyth St, he crosses here and nearly gets hit by a car.

LOCATION: 63 Forsyth St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303

His arrives at a coffee shop, where he first sees Debora, played by Lily James, passing by outside. His entire walk during the opening credits is an unbroken shot, meaning you can follow Baby’s exact path if you’re so inclined.

LOCATION: 85 Poplar St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303

Debora works at the former Uncle Chucky’s Diner in Forest Park, which has since closed. The building currently sits vacant. It can be tricky to access, as the address is on GA-85, but the restaurant actually sits bit further back from the road, with no direct entrance from GA-85. Instead, you need to take a couple side roads to access it.

LOCATION: 5116 GA-85, Forest Park, GA 30297

The next bank robbery, which goes awry, is a bit north of Downtown Atlanta. This building also currently sits vacant.

LOCATION: 84 Perimeter Center E, Atlanta, GA 30346

Baby and Doc case the post office for their next potential heist. The exterior was filmed at Dahlberg Hall in Atlanta.

LOCATION: 30 Courtland St SE, Atlanta, GA 30303

The climax of the film was shot at the Jerry Wadley Memorial Bridge in Juliette, about 70 miles south of Atlanta. It’s located very close to another famous filming location in Juliette; the Whistle Stop Cafe from “Fried Green Tomatoes.”

LOCATION: Jerry Wadley Memorial Bridge, Juliette, GA 31046

Seven (1995)

March 15, 2019January 8, 2023 / filmoblivion / 1 Comment

David Fincher’s 1995 thriller “Seven” filmed primarily in downtown Los Angeles, against muted color tones and an onslaught of rain towers. Detective Mills, played by Brad Pitt, first meets Detective Somerset, played by Morgan Freeman, at a murder scene in the Flower District of downtown. As they exit the building, Somerset invites Mills for a drink, but is promptly declined. The two walk along the building as they continue talking.

LOCATION: 746 1/2 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

The pair are introduced to the seven deadly sin killings with the “Gluttony” murder scene, filmed in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 720 Beacon Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017

They make their way across a then-vacant lot, along the side of the property to a rear entrance.

Somerset researches the seven deadly sins at the city library. This was filmed at the A.G. Bartlett Building in downtown Los Angeles. The building is currently used for a variety of businesses and lofts. The property has been seen in countless other films, including “They Live” “The Mask,” “The Wedding Singer,” “L.A. Story,” “The Prestige,” “Ghost,” “Bridesmaids,” “13 Going On 30” and many more. This area cannot normally be accessed by pedestrians. However, portions are visible from the street in a couple areas through the windows.

LOCATION: 650 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Mills runs across the street in the rain to his car, parked across from this ramp to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel on S Grand Ave. Lady Gaga walks up the same ramp in the opening of “A Star Is Born” and it can also be seen from the opposite view on S Olive St in the film “Chinatown.”

LOCATION: 530 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071

After the “greed” crime, Mills and Somerset speak with Mrs. Gould at the at the former Ambassador Hotel, where she notices a painting is upside down in one of the crime scene photos. The hotel was a staple of film and television, appearing in such films as “The Graduate,” “Forrest Gump,” “True Romance,” “Bobby,” “True Lies,” “L.A. Story,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Mask” and dozens more. The hotel has since been demolished, with only this post and statue from the original building remaining.

LOCATION: 3400 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (now demolished)

Thinking they’ve located the killer, the police raid leads instead to the discovery of the “Sloth” victim at the former Pan American Building, now known as the Pan American Lofts. The building had a distinctive “Giant Penny Store” sign along the bottom, which is now gone. However, much of the architecture otherwise remains the same. The shots seen in the film are actually from the side of the building on W 3rd St.

LOCATION: 253 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tracy asks Somerset to meet her at a diner, which was the former Quality Cafe in downtown. The diner was a one-time staple of films, appearing in “Training Day,” “Ghost World,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and many more. However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public. Instead it was used solely for filming (much like Johnie’s Coffee Shop in mid-town L.A.). Unless the building was being set up for a production, most of the time it was closed up and locked by a large metal door covering the front windows. So catching a glimpse of it was rare. Sadly, it ceased to function as a filming location and was completely renovated in 2014. The interior of the property no longer bears any resemblance inside to how it appeared in so many films.

LOCATION: 1238 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (since closed and remodeled)

Later in the film, Somerset emerges from this doorway of the Chester Williams Building.

LOCATION: 215 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

The fictitious Wild Bill’s Leather could be found on E 6th St in downtown Los Angeles, next to the Nite Owl from “L.A. Confidential” and across the street from where Forrest and Lieutenant Dan celebrate New Year’s in “Forrest Gump.”

LOCATION: 123 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

The police station was a composite of a few different buildings, but the exterior can be found on Mateo St.

LOCATION: 673 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

The film’s infamous ending was shot in Lancaster. While there are quite a few electrical towers out there, it’s not as dense as what’s seen in the film, indicating some use of visual effects.

LOCATION: 10482 W Ave I, Lancaster, CA 93536

American Beauty (1999)

January 15, 2019October 5, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

It is common practice in Hollywood to film exteriors of homes on location, while filming interiors on studio lots. For the 1999 Sam Mendes film, “American Beauty,” an unusual approach was taken to film the exteriors on a studio lot and the interiors in real locations.

Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey, lives at this house, the exterior of which is located on the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank, California. The ranch is a small lot located apart from the main studio lot, and is unfortunately not open to public tours. The house is also well known for having been used as the Griswold home in 1989’s “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” It has also appeared in “WandaVision,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Small Soldiers,” “Pleasantville” and more. As is often the case with houses on studio lots, the outer facade has since changed a bit from how it appeared in the film.

LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505

The interiors of Lester’s home were filmed at this house, located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. The exterior of the house was also featured in the TV series “Lizzie McGuire,” starring Hilary Duff.

LOCATION: 11388 Homedale St, Los Angeles, CA 90049

To the right of the Bernham house at the Warner Bros. Ranch is the exterior of the Colonel’s house. This house is most well known for being Danny Glover’s home in the “Lethal Weapon” films. Known as the Lindsay house, it has also appeared in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “WandaVision,” The Three Stooges serials, “Pushing Daisies,” “The Middle” and many more. Once again, the outer facade has changed a bit from how it appeared in the film.

LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505

The interior of the Colonel’s house was filmed at this home near Hancock Park. The same house appeared in the film “Lady Bird.”

LOCATION: 330 S Windsor Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90020

To the left of the Burnham house is the house of the two Jims, played by Scott Bakula and Sam Robards. To stand on Blondie Street at the Warner Bros Ranch, where all three of the house exteriors are located, it really does feel like you’re standing in a real neighborhood. It’s only when you approach up close that the facades begin to show.

LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505

Lester takes a job at a fast food restaurant, where his wife unknowingly visits him at the drive through.

LOCATION: 20105 Saticoy St, Winnetka, CA 91306

Carolyn, played by Annette Bening, has an affair at the Top Hat Motel. The building can be found in North Hills.

LOCATION: 8525 Sepulveda Blvd, North Hills, CA 91343

The Usual Suspects (1995)

August 13, 2017October 11, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 1995 film “The Usual Suspects” was filmed mostly in Southern California, with a few scenes shot in New York City.

Keaton, played by Gabriel Byrne, needs to catch a flight from New York to California. At the Flatiron Building in Manhattan, he wants to tell his attorney girlfriend goodbye, but Verbal Kint, played by Kevin Spacey, pushes him to leave without doing so, as they are running late. The building has appeared in countless films, such as “Spider-Man,” “As Good As It Gets” and many more.

LOCATION: 175 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

The suspects meet up with Redfoot at the Korean Bell of Friendship in San Pedro, California. Perched right in front of a spectacular ocean view, it’s a great place to visit, even if you’re not a fan of the film. The bell was given as a gift by South Korea to celebrate the U.S. bicentennial in 1978.

LOCATION: 3601 Gaffey St, San Pedro, CA 90731

The flashback scenes of Keyser Söze’s Turkish home, where his family is attacked, were actually filmed at the McNally House in Altadena. The home has been featured in such films as “Elizabethtown,” “Beautiful Boy” and “Kingdom Come,” as well as such TV shows as “Entourage,” “Ghost Whisperer” and more. The house is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 654 E Mariposa St, Altadena, CA 91001

The police station seen in the film is the San Pedro Municipal Building. The same building appeared in the film “C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud.”

LOCATION: 638 S Beacon St, San Pedro, CA 90731

Near the end of the film, after he posts bail, Verbal Kint walks down this sidewalk out front.

Dave Kujan, played by Chazz Palminteri, just misses a vehicle as it turns down W 6th St in San Pedro.

Film Oblivion

Movie and TV locations, points of interest.

Kevin Spacey

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Baby Driver (2017)

Seven (1995)

American Beauty (1999)

The Usual Suspects (1995)