The 1996 Alexander Payne film “Citizen Ruth” was primarily shot in Omaha, Nebraska, with a bit of additional shooting just over the Iowa border. Early in the film, Ruth, played by Laura Dern, gets kicked out of her boyfriend’s apartment.
LOCATION: 2454 Harney St, Omaha, NE 68131
Ruth asks to stay at her brother’s house. He refuses and gives her some money instead.
LOCATION: 411 Hickory St, Omaha, NE 68108
Ruth buys some patio sealant from a hardware store, where she heads to the back of the building and gets high.
LOCATION: 4949 Underwood Ave, Omaha, NE 68132
The abortion clinic scenes were filmed in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is just over the state border from Nebraska.
LOCATION: 200 S 29th St, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
At the end of the film, Ruth is seen running away down this alley, located across the street.
LOCATION: Alley across from 200 S 29th St, Council Bluffs, IA 51501 (GPS coordinates: 41.259361, -95.890616)
Portions of the 2017 Alexander Payne film “Downsizing,” like much of his work, filmed in the director’s home state of Nebraska, with additional filming in Canada and Norway. Early in the film, Paul and Audrey Safranek, played by Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig, live at this duplex, located in Omaha. In one scene, they are seen selling their belongings in a yard sale out front, as they prepare to downsize.
LOCATION: 4629 Douglas St, Omaha, NE 68132
The back of the property and garage also appear in the film. An alley runs behind Douglas Street to this area.
Paul sits with his buddies watching a news program debating the benefits of downsizing at this restaurant.
LOCATION: 4432 Leavenworth St, Omaha, NE 68105
The Safraneks look at this home in Elkhorn as they evaluate the local housing market. The interior was filmed at a different house in the same neighborhood.
LOCATION: 18676 Oregon Cir, Elkhorn, NE 68022
Paul and Audrey attend an alumni gathering at this school, where they run into an old friend Dave, played by Jason Sudeikis. Dave has been downsized and tells Paul all about the benefits of his life after the procedure. The entrance seen in the film is at the back and has been slightly remodeled since filming took place.
LOCATION: 7400 Western Ave, Omaha, NE 68114 (back entrance at 41°16’19.5″N, 96°01’39.8″W)
Paul and Audrey have a going away gathering at Jams Old Market (1101 Harney St, Omaha, NE 68102).
The 1990 David Lynch film “Wild At Heart,” starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, filmed in Southern California, New Orleans, Louisiana and El Paso, Texas. The opening scenes were filmed at the MacArthur in Los Angeles, formerly known as the Park Plaza Hotel. No longer a functioning hotel, the MacArthur today serves primarily as a property for hosting filming and special events. However, it is under renovation with apparent plans to open a portion up once again as a hotel in 2022. While we have been inside the hotel, the Grand Staircase seen in the opening was crowded at the time and we weren’t able to get photos the way we wanted. You can find plenty of shots of it online, the staircase is located just through the lobby doors of the main entrance.
LOCATION: 607 S Park View St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
We did get better shots inside the restroom of the MacArthur, where Marietta Fortune, played by Diane Ladd, makes a pass at Sailor Ripley, played by Nicolas Cage. The same bathroom has appeared in such films as “Reservoir Dogs” and “Barton Fink.” It has since been remodeled a bit, but remains largely recognizable.
The Pee Dee Correctional Institution, where Sailor is released from prison, is actually the property of the city’s Department of Water and Power.
LOCATION: 1630 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Lula, played by Laura Dern, picks up Sailor and they take off down Main Street.
Sailor and Lula drive past this restaurant as they travel across the country. The same restaurant was featured in the film “Duel,” as well as the TV series “Sharp Objects.”
LOCATION: 12625 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
As Sailor and Lula arrive into New Orleans, they are seen driving past Antoine’s Restaurant, which still operates today.
LOCATION: 713 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130
They stay at the Hotel Brazil, also located in New Orleans.
LOCATION: 532 N Rampart St, New Orleans, LA 70112
The interiors of Mr. Reindeer’s home were filmed at the Castle Green Apartments in Pasadena. Castle Green has been featured in countless films, such as “True Romance,” “The Sting,” “The Little Rascals,” “Deja Vu,” “Sneakers,” “Bugsy,” “The Last Samurai,” “Puppet Master” and many more.
LOCATION: 99 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
Lula nearly gets into an accident at the intersection of E 4th Pl and Mateo St.
LOCATION: E 4th Pl / Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Sailor tells Lula he’s leaving near the intersection of Naud St / Wilhardt St. This is located very close to the Pee Dee Correctional Institution location.
LOCATION: 1709 Naud St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
As Sailor is walking, some gang members approach him. He insults them and gets attacked.
LOCATION: E 2nd St / S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Sailor runs back to Lula, jumping on top of cars in a traffic jam along Banning St, very close to the above location. The large building behind him is no longer there. Sailor sings “Love Me Tender” to Lula near the intersection of Banning St and N Vignes St.
LOCATION: Near Banning St / N Vignes St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
The 2019 Noah Baumbach film “Marriage Story,” starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, tells the story of a couple whose lives are split between New York City and Los Angeles. Production likewise took place in both cities. Nicole, played by Johansson, visits her mother’s house several times in the film. The home can be found in Altadena.
LOCATION: 1145 New York Dr, Altadena, CA 91001
Charlie, played by Driver, picks up some food for his son Henry at this plaza. As Charlie talks on the phone, Henry drops his food.
LOCATION: 5270 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Charlie and Henry can be seen walking to Bert Spitz’s office in this alley.
LOCATION: 8118 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (back alley behind building, GPS coordinates: 34.071805, -118.366658)
Charlie takes Henry trick or treating to this home.
LOCATION: 1325 Miller Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Charlie then takes Henry trick or treating inside this store, which is located very close to the above house, making it geographically accurate to where the characters would have walked.
LOCATION: 8495 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Charlie rents an apartment in Los Angeles. Both the interior and exterior are seen in the film and both have since been remodeled. You can still recognize it as the building, but it looks a bit different now. The interior is where the long argument scene between Nicole and Charlie was filmed.
LOCATION: 1530 N Formosa Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
The closing Halloween party scenes were filmed in front of this home in Altadena.
The 2010 film “Everything Must Go,” starring Will Ferrell, was filmed around several cities in Arizona. Ferrell plays Nick Hasley, a man who holds a yard sale on his front lawn as a means to begin his life anew. The house can be found in Scottsdale.
LOCATION: 6101 E Calle Rosa, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Nick rides his bike down the street on his way to the liquor store.
LOCATION: E Calle Del Paisano / N 56th St, Phoenix, AZ 85018
The liquor store itself can also be found in Scottsdale.
The 2001 film “Jurassic Park III” was filmed in Hawaii and Southern California. Early in the film, Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill, visits the home of Ellie, played by Laura Dern. Ellie’s house can be found in South Pasadena, California. The same house was featured in the film “Bringing Down the House,” as well as the TV shows “Family” and “Fatal Attraction.”
LOCATION: 1230 Milan Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Much like the original “Jurassic Park” and the sequel “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” this third installment also shot scenes at Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi, Hawaii. In Spring 2019, the ranch began offering tours to the public for the first time. However, it is unclear if they are still offering them, as most of their tour information has been removed from their website. It’s difficult to pinpoint specific scenes from the film, as the ranch is quite large and mostly credited for being featured in general outdoor and jungle scenes. The ranch’s movie tour focused primarily on the original film and the 2015 hit “Jurassic World,” with little mention of where scenes from the third film specifically shot. Here are some looks around the grounds of Jurassic Kahili Ranch. Please note that this land is private and unless you have express permission from the owners, it is trespassing to attempt to enter the grounds.
LOCATION: Jurassic Kahili Ranch, 5-1771D, Kuhio Hwy, Kilauea, HI 96754
One scene that can be matched up comes late in the film is when Dr. Grant and the survivors ride a barge along the water and pass herds of dinosaurs standing along the banks. This was filmed at the Pu’u Ka Ele Reservoir. After a breach of the nearby Ka Loko Reservoir in 2006, located about 2 miles east of the ranch, the owners decided to decommission the Pu’u Ka Ele Reservoir in 2009 and downsize it into a lake. This is how it appears now. This is the same area where Grant sees the dinosaur herds at the lake in the original film.
Steven Spielberg’s classic 1993 film “Jurassic Park” takes place on the fictional island of Isla Nublar, supposedly near Costa Rica. The real locations were filmed mostly in Hawaii, on the islands of Kauaʻi, O’ahu and Maui, with some additional scenes filmed on studio lots near Hollywood, California.
Early in the film, Grant and Ellie, played by Sam Neill and Laura Dern, are introduced discovering dinosaur fossils at a dig site supposedly located in the Badlands, near Snakewater, Montana. These scenes were actually filmed at Red Rock Canyon State Park in Cantil, California, a couple hours north of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert. To get to the area seen in the film, you can take the Red Cliffs Nature Trail from the Red Rock Cliffs Parking Area, which will lead you most of the way there. We’ve provided GPS coordinates below.
LOCATION: Red Rock Canyon State Park, Cantil, CA 93519 (GPS coordinates: 35°22’26.2″N, 117°58’18.2″W)
Here is the area where Grant talks to the young boy about the hunting techniques of the raptor.
Here is one of the angles from the area where the monitor canopy was set up. Closer to the rocks is also the area where the camper trailer is parked and Hammond, played by Richard Attenborough, opens the champagne.
This area is not seen in the film, but we’ve included it for reference to those who wish to visit. From the Red Rock Cliffs Parking Area, you start where this Red Cliffs Nature Trail sign is located. It is roughly a 20 minute hike from here, which we’d describe as moderate with some hills. Once you get over the hills from the parking lot, there is a trail most of the way. You can follow the cliffs to the left as a reference to keep your bearings most of the way. We highly recommend knowing your route before you go, as cellular service is spotty. We also recommend plenty of water and avoiding hiking during excessive heat.
Nedry, played by Wayne Knight, meets Dodgson at an outdoor dining area, supposedly located in San Jose, Costa Rica. The real location is just off the Kuhio Highway in Kapaʻa, Kauaʻi. There are numerous food trucks there where motorists can stop and enjoy local food. This is the spot where Dodgson first arrives by the side of the road.
LOCATION: 4-1620 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaʻa, HI 96746
This is the general area where Nedry and Dodgson sit and discuss plans to steal dinosaur DNA from InGen and sell it to a rival company. As you can see, the area has changed a little bit. While there are tables you can sit and eat, they are closer to the road at the food trucks. In the film, the two sit further back near the palm trees.
One of the most memorable scenes in the film is of course the first dinosaur sighting. For years, it also remained one of the most elusive locations to fans. The brachiosaurus encounter was filmed at Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi. The land is a private ranch for horse, sheep and cattle. For decades, it did not offer tours of any kind and only a select few ever made it onto the property. That changed in 2019, when the ranch began offering public tours for the first time, including a tour dedicated to filming locations around the ranch. The tours were unfortunately suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic, but they may resume in the future. Besides the original film, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “Jurassic Park III” and “Jurassic World” also filmed at the ranch.
Here is where Hammond rides with Grant, Ellie and Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) in the Jeeps, as they first approach a hill towards the brachiosaurus.
LOCATION: Jurassic Kahili Ranch, 5-1771D, Kuhio Hwy, Kilauea, HI 96754
The vehicles continue driving past this row of trees.
Here is the exact spot where they first see the brachiosaurus. It is eating from the tree on the right. As iconic as this scene is, the ranch itself is so vast, it would be quite easy to miss if you didn’t know the general vicinity. However, once you’re there, if you know the film, it’s very identifiable.
LOCATION: 22.186017, -159.388725
As Grant sits on the ground bewildered by what he’s just seen, he looks the opposite direction and sees a herd of dinosaurs at a lake. This is made to appear as if it’s right near the trees where the first brachiosaurus is seen, but in reality is a completely different part of the ranch. Visual effects were used to composite the actors into the shot, to appear to be overlooking the lake.
This was filmed at the Pu’u Ka Ele Reservoir, located on the ranch. After a breach of the nearby Ka Loko Reservoir in 2006, located about 2 miles east of the ranch, the owners decided to decommission the Pu’u Ka Ele Reservoir in 2009 and downsize it into a lake. This is how it appears now. This same lake was featured again in “Jurassic Park III,” when Dr. Grant and the survivors ride a barge along the water and pass herds of dinosaurs standing along the banks.
If you get a chance to visit Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi, we certainly encourage you to do so if you’re a fan of the film. There are other, very recognizable locations from the other “Jurassic Park” films to be seen there as well. The staff is very friendly and welcoming to photography and video and eager for fan input on how to improve the experience. With the ranch now open to tours, it will likely grow as a tourist hot spot in the years to come.
Later in the film, a storm arrives on the island, which was filmed at Nawiliwili Harbor in Kauaʻi. The very real Hurricane Iniki hit Kauaʻi during filming in 1992. Spielberg and the cast were safely holed up at the Marriott Resort in Lihue when the hurricane struck. The hurricane resulted in many scenes initially planned for filming in Kauaʻi to be shifted to O’ahu, as well as the studio lots in California. However, they managed to use footage of the actual hurricane in the film, taken at the hotel looking out over the harbor. If you don’t want to visit the hotel, there is a nearby park, from which the harbor can also be seen pretty well.
LOCATION: Nawiliwili Harbor, Lihue, HI 96766 (seen near 3610 Rice St, Lihue, HI 96766)
The T-rex attack was filmed at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California, on their tallest sound stage. The T-rex chasing Malcolm and Ellie was originally intended to be shot in Kauaʻi, however. Due to the hurricane, this scene was also shifted to the Warner lot and can sometimes be seen on their studio tours, depending on the production schedules around the lot (4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505).
Perhaps the most widely known location for this film is Kualoa Ranch in O’ahu. The Gallimimus stampede, with Grant and the two children, was not initially intended to be filmed at Kualoa Ranch. Instead it was meant to be another location in Kauaʻi. Kualoa was a replacement location, due to the hurricane. Here is the main valley at the ranch, where the stampede takes place.
LOCATION: Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744
The ranch still has a small piece of the original fallen tree they hide behind as the T-rex hunts and eats the Gallimimus. They added a sign for the film and it has since become the most popular photo location on the ranch. It’s right next to the main tour trail, so it’s very easy to access.
These mountains were seen in the background as Grant and the kids hide and watch the T-rex.
While “Jurassic Park” was not the first movie to film at Kualoa, it certainly became the most famous. After this film, countless other films, TV shows, commercials and music videos began filming on the ranch, bringing with it quite a lot of tourism. The ranch has so many filming locations, it’s almost like a studio tour. There are a wide variety of tours available at the ranch, many of which are not film related. While the locations from this film can be seen on quite a few of the tours, we recommend the Premier Movie Site Tour, as it takes you to many locations from other films that are only seen on that particular tour.
If you get a chance to visit Hawaii, there are quite a few “Jurassic Park” locations to be seen. Some are quite a challenge to visit, however, involving hiking or private helicopter rides as the only way to reach them. For the casual fan, we recommend Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi and Kualoa Ranch in O’ahu. Both offer spectacular views and very recognizable locations from multiple different “Jurassic Park” films. As a reminder, these are private ranches closed to the general public for unauthorized experiences. Please do not trespass. The only way to see them is by booking a tour.
Thanks to Sean Mello for providing the GPS coordinates of the brachiosaurus tree.
Not to be confused with the 1994 Jim Carrey comedy, the 1985 film “Mask,” directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Eric Stoltz, Cher and Sam Elliot, was a drama about a teenager with a facial deformity and his mom, struggling to live a normal life. The house where Rocky and his mother live in the film can be found in Monrovia, California.
Film Oblivion 