Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

July 21, 2017March 17, 2024 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

James Cameron’s iconic sci-fi action sequel, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” shot all around California, primarily in the Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley and Fremont areas. Here we’ll take a look at some of these spots.

The T-1000 travels back in time and arrives underneath the 6th St bridge in Downtown Los Angeles, where he kills a police officer and takes his car, beginning his search for John Conner. The 6th St Bridge has been used in countless films. The original bridge was demolished in 2016, with a new bridge built in its place in 2022. The area where the scene took place has changed quite a bit.

LOCATION: Under the 6th St. Bridge, at the intersection of lower E 6th St / Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (heavily remodeled)

John Conner lives at this house in Canoga Park with his foster parents. The T-1000 later arrives searching for John.

LOCATION: 19828 Valerio St, Canoga Park, CA 91306

John Conner and a friend rob an ATM at this former bank in Van Nuys, California. The building is now a pharmacy and is fenced off from the street, with no trespassing signs. It’s still fairly easy to photograph from the sidewalk, however.

LOCATION: 14400 Roscoe Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91402

After the T-1000 spots John Conner, he begins to pursue him, as John flees down the stairwell of a parking garage. This is a garage at the Santa Monica Place shopping center. Despite appearances, it’s actually not too difficult to match up the areas used in the film.

LOCATION: 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, CA 90401

John races over to his bike.

The T-1000 chases him at an inhuman speed.

A look at some other shots seen during the bike chase…

In one of the most famous scenes in the film, after thinking he’s finally escaped the T-1000, due to some help from the T-800, John is surprised when the T-1000 drives a semi truck through the overpass wall of Bull Creek, a flood control channel located in North Hills.

LOCATION: Bull Creek, SW corner of Plummer St, near Hayvenhurst Ave, North Hills, CA, 91343

Here is a view of the Bull Creek channel, where John Conner is chased on his dirt bike by the T-1000.

After The Terminator saves John Conner, Conner asks him to stop the bike at this alley in Van Nuys, where he questions him on his mission. The alley is located very close to the bank where John Conner robs the ATM.

LOCATION: Alley on Wakefield Ave, between Burton St and Roscoe Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91402

Sarah Conner, played by Linda Hamilton, is being held at the Pescadero State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. These scenes were shot at the Phoenix House for Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation. We did not replicate the exact angles seen of the building in the film, as those sections are now entirely obscured by a row of trees.

LOCATION: 11600 Eldridge Ave, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342

Sarah has a dream in which she approaches a playground as Judgment Day begins. This was filmed at Elysian Park, overlooking Dodger Stadium and Downtown Los Angeles. The park has changed quite a bit and the chain link fence is long gone, but the city skyline can still be matched up. This area is near Elysian Fields on Park Road, where it ends in a cul-de-sac. The playground has been moved up closer to the road and the area seen in the film is now a lookout point.

LOCATION: Near Elysian Fields, Park Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (GPS coordinates: 34°04’56.8″N, 118°14’23.4″W)

The T-800, Sarah and John stop off at this desert market and gas station, as they make their way to the Salceda ranch. Although long since closed, the property is still recognizable from the film. However, a fence has since been erected around it, blocking some of the views. The same building was featured in the film “From Dusk Till Dawn.”

LOCATION: 46551 140th St E, Lancaster, CA 93535

The house of Miles Dyson, played by Joe Morton, can be found in Malibu. The home sits up a long, gated driveway, so the only views are looking up from Pacific Coast Highway. The same home appeared in the film “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!”

LOCATION: 30068 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Later in the film, the Terminator, John and Sarah Conner all break into the Cyberdine Headquarters, where Skynet will be created, launching Judgment Day. The real building is located in Northern California in the city of Fremont. Ironically, the building actually belongs to a real tech company, Mattson Technology.

LOCATION: 47131 Bayside Pkwy, Fremont, CA 94538

A closer look at the entrance, where the SWAT truck crashes through.

The exterior of the factory where the ending takes place can be found in Long Beach. The same building appeared in the film “Child’s Play 2.”

LOCATION: 118 Pier S Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802

We leave you with some props from the film. The T-1000’s crowbar arms, stabbing finger and liquid metal bullet wound can be found on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.

LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

July 17, 2017December 21, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The house from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” is notoriously difficult to see from the street, as is it obscured by a gate, fencing, shrubs and trees. However, if there are a few areas you can get a fairly unobstructed photo.

LOCATION: 251 N Bristol Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

July 9, 2017April 4, 2024 / filmoblivion / 1 Comment

The comedy classic “National Lampoon’s Vacation” is set all across the United States, but a good portion of the filming was based in Southern California.

Early in the film, Clark, played by Chevy Chase, visits a car dealership with his son Rusty, to trade in their vehicle. After the dealership fails to stock the vehicle they requested, Clark asks for his old car to be returned, only to find it has been destroyed. These scenes were filmed in Glendale, Califonia.

LOCATION: 900 S Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91204

The Griswold house, set in Chicago, Illinois, is actually located in near Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. You’ll likely drive right past if it you visit the Griffith Observatory.

LOCATION: 2310 N Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027

The hotel where Clark goes skinny dipping with “The Girl in the Ferarri,” played by Christie Brinkley, is the Guesthouse Hotel in Norwalk, California. Despite some remodeling and changes in ownership, the pool area is still fairly recognizable to how it appeared in the film. The scene where Clark runs into The Girl in the Ferrari at thehotel lounge was also filmed here, but that section, while still a lounge, has unfortunately been remodeled beyond recognition.

LOCATION: 12500 Firestone Blvd, Norwalk, CA 90650

The gas station where Clark has trouble finding the gas tank can be found in Flagstaff, Arizona.

LOCATION: 2515 E Butler Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86004

When the Griswolds get lost in a bad neighborhood, the rough streets were actually filmed on the Warner Bros. Studio lot. This is the spot where Clark is getting directions, while the guys on the street steal his hubcaps.

LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505

When Aunt Edna dies, the family drops her off at Cousin Normie’s house, which can be found in Flagstaff.

LOCATION: 3025 W Wilson Dr, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

The production was clever when it came to filming the “Walley World” entrance at the end of the film. While the amusement park used in the film was Six Flags Magic Mountain (26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy., Valencia, CA 91355), the memorable entrance was a totally different location; the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. This overpass was used as the entrance, with a matte painting of the Walley World sign and the roller coasters in the background. The overpass is actually on the outskirts of the park, right beside the Westfield Santa Anita mall. In this case, the exact address is tricky, as the grounds are large and it only navigates you to the general vicinity. A tip on how to find the exact spot is to drive down W Huntington Dr. towards S. Baldwin Ave. As you near the mall’s parking lot, drive past the overpass entrance and proceed to the next entrance, into the mall parking lot. As soon as you turn off of Huntington Dr. to the mall, you’ll immediately see this view of the Santa Anita Park parking lot on your right, with the Walley World overpass in the distance.

LOCATION: 285 W Huntington Dr, Arcadia, CA 91007

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

July 8, 2017June 18, 2026 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The house from Steven Spielberg’s beloved 1982 film “E.T.” can be found in the town of Tujunga, California.

LOCATION: 7121 Lonzo St., Tujunga, CA 91042

The ending of the film, when Elliott begins to fly with E.T. on his bike, was filmed near Granada Hills, at the intersection of Tulsa St and White Oak Ave. The bike heads north on White Oak as it begins to take flight.

LOCATION: Intersection of Tulsa St / White Oak Ave, Los Angeles, CA 91344

A full scale animatronic of E.T., one of three created for the film, can be found on display at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California.

LOCATION: 6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Kill Bill (2003)

June 29, 2017April 3, 2025 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Quentin Tarantino’s revenge drama “Kill Bill,” was shot around California, China, Japan and Mexico. Here we will cover locations from both volumes of the film.

The “Two Pines Wedding Chapel,” supposedly located in El Paso, Texas, is actually in the Mojave Desert in Lancaster, California. First called the “Hi Vista Community Hall,” the building served as a community center and did not originally feature the Spanish style front facade, which is so recognizable today. The Mission-style facade was actually added by another film production, 1981’s “True Confessions,” starring Robert De Niro and Robert Duvall. The building also later featured in Talking Heads’ music video for “Road To Nowhere.” The building wasn’t widely known, however, until “Kill Bill.” Tarantino’s production team added the wooden porch on the front and heavily remodeled the interiors. Sometimes known as the Sanctuary Adventist Church, most people today just refer to the building as the “Kill Bill Church.” It’s location is a bit remote, being out in the middle of the desert, but well worth a visit if you’re a fan of the film. The owner now keeps a truck parked out front, however, blocking much of the view of the front. According to comments online, some have stated he will move the truck in exchange for a “donation.” We did not encounter any issues during our visit, but some have expressed negative experiences in attempting to photograph it.

LOCATION: Approximately 19809 E Ave. G, Lancaster, CA, 93535 (near the corner of 198th St E)

Earl McGraw, played by Michael Parks, arrives at the church much in the same way he does (as the same character) in the opening of “From Dusk Till Dawn,” also written by Tarantino. The two locations are, in fact, just minutes apart from each other. Also located almost directly across the street from the church is the gas station from the end of the film “Straight Time.”

The Bride’s “Death List Five” brings her to the house of Vernita Green, which is set in “The city of Pasadena, California.” The real house is near South Pasadena, but actually located in East Los Angeles. The house can also be seen in the 2003 “Project Greenlight” film, “The Battle Of Shaker Heights” and “Mysterious Skin.”

LOCATION: 5500 Atlas St, Los Angeles, CA 90032

After The Bride ends up in a coma, Elle Driver, played by Daryl Hannah, comes to the hospital to kill her. Elle is briefly seen entering St Luke’s Hospital at this entrance, which has since been boarded over. The same hospital appeared in the films “Million Dollar Baby,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” “La La Land,” “Faster,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “Halloween II” (1981) and more.

LOCATION: 2632 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107

After waking up from her coma and escaping the hospital, The Bride makes her out into the hospital parking garage on a wheelchair, where she finds her “Pussy Wagon” truck. The real garage building is not a hospital, rather an apartment complex known as the American Cement Building, located near MacArthur Park. The bride wheels past this P2 marker, placing her on the second floor of the garage.

LOCATION: 2404 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Here is the spot she finds the Pussy Wagon parked. It can be found by walking straight ahead from the above spot, up on the left. There is another P2 sign, which can be seen in the background behind The Bride as she spots the truck, which lines up the exact area where the vehicle was parked. The garage is open to public parking (via paid parking) on weekdays, but it is gated off for private residents only on weekends. There is also a lot of security present around the building and garage.

The Bride drives her Kawasaki bike along the streets of Tokyo, riding behind Sofie Fatale’s car down Yasukuni Dori. It’s difficult to replicate the exact angles, as they were filmed by cameras mounted on moving vehicles in the middle of the street in a high traffic area. The shots are also mostly quick cuts against moving backgrounds. Here are a couple views of the general area used in the sequence. First up is a shot looking down Yasukuni Dori at night.

LOCATION: Yasukuni Dori, Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō-to, 160-0022, Japan

Here is another view of the same street in the day, which is near Kabukicho, a red-light district of Tokyo where parts of Gaspar Noé’s “Enter The Void” were also filmed.

After a few shots in Tokyo, The Bride pulls up beside Sofie at this tunnel entrance, which is actually in Los Angeles at the Second Street Tunnel. The tunnel is also well known for it’s use in “Blade Runner,” “The Terminator,” “Double Dragon” and many more films.

LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (facing S Figueroa St.)

Budd, played by Michael Madsen, lives in a remote trailer on a dirt road near Barstow. At the base of these hills toward the right is where Budd’s trailer sat. Mule Canyon Road is a popular site for off road vehicles. While you may be able to reach it in a regular vehicle (this site is about 1 mile down from the nearest paved road), we recommend a 4×4 vehicle or at least something that doesn’t sit low to the ground, as there are many rocks and dips along the way. Also keep in mind this area gets very hot in the summer months.

LOCATION: Mule Canyon Rd, Newberry Springs, CA 92365 (GPS coordinates are 34.936439, -116.837655)

The area to the right is where Bill parks his car, with these rock formations in the background. This is located in the same general vicinity as Budd’s trailer.

Looking back towards Calico Rd is the view where Elle Driver races down the road with a dust trail kicking up behind her. This is also in the same general area as Budd’s trailer.

The interior of the bar where Budd works is Sam’s Hofbrau, a real topless bar, also featured in “Jackie Brown.”

LOCATION: 1751 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90021

After The Bride escapes being buried alive, she wonders into this roadside diner in Victorville.

LOCATION: 17143 N D St, Victorville, CA 92394

Here is the exterior of the diner, although it is never seen from this angle in the film.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

June 25, 2017December 13, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Throughout the long-running comedy series, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Larry David’s character has lived at a couple different locations. In more recent seasons, this Brentwood house has been his home.

LOCATION: 537 Moreno Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049

For much of the series, Larry’s manager Jeff and his temperamental wife Suzie lived at this house in the Pacific Palisades.

LOCATION: 745 Alma Real Dr, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Drive (2011)

June 21, 2017September 14, 2026 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Set upon the streets of Los Angeles, Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Drive” utilized locations both in the city and spread out across the Valley.

The opening robbery was filmed at Maestro DJ and Electronics warehouse in L.A.

LOCATION: 1710 Naomi Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021

The Driver, played by Ryan Gosling, is filming a stunt scene in what looks like a public street, but is actually part of Los Angeles Center Studios in Downtown Los Angeles. This area is actually behind gates and part of the studio. The address of the studio itself is on S Bixel St, but this particular area is near S Beaudry Ave. You can see the area from some public spots, such as near the intersection of W 6th St / S Beaudry Ave, but it only offers a side view from a distance. The studio has been used in hundreds of productions, with this particular area appearing in the films “Frailty,” “Constantine,” “Inspector Gadget,” “Grandma’s Boy,” and “Wrath Of Man,” just to name a few.

LOCATION: 450 S Bixel St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (the address of the studio complex is S Bixel St, but this spot is closer to 451 S Beaudry Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017)

The Driver meets Carey Mulligan’s character at the Big “6” Market.

LOCATION: 550 S Rampart Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

The Driver lives a few doors down from Irene, in what is supposed to be an apartment building. These scenes were actually 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. It has been featured in many films, such as “Wild At Heart,” “Reservoir Dogs,” “Gangster Squad,” “Tango & Cash,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “The Hidden” and many more. The building is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 607 S Park View St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

The Driver makes a deal with the criminals pressuring Oscar Isaac’s character Standard at MacArthur Park in front of the water. The same park was seen in the 1993 film “Falling Down.” For those unfamiliar with Los Angeles and planning a visit, MacArthur Park used to be considered a popular drug hangout. While there has been an effort to improve safety conditions at the park, it is still frequented by some addicts and homeless people. Visitors are advised to use some caution.

LOCATION: 2230 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Nino’s Pizzeria is a real pizza place, however the name of the restaurant is actually Vincenzo’s Pizza, located in Granada Hills. The sign was swapped out by the production, which also added the checkerboard paneling over the front windows.

LOCATION: 11045 Balboa Blvd, Granada Hills, CA 91344

The pawn shop’s robbery gone wrong was filmed at the Santa Clarita Elk’s Lodge, which is a bit of a distance from the other locations.

LOCATION: 17766 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91351

The motel where a violent gunfight ensues is the Pink Motel in Sun Valley. It is not an operational motel, rather a set used for filming or special events. While we encountered no issues when visiting, according to many online comments, the property is not receptive to public visitation these days, preferring only professional clients. So be sure not to trespass. The motel property has been featured in countless productions, such as “The House Bunny,” as well as the TV shows “GLOW” and “Dexter” Due to the frequent use in productions, the director deliberately chose to film only the interiors of the motel, as to avoid immediate recognition.

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

Die Hard (1988)

June 19, 2017October 15, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

One of the most well known film locations in the Los Angeles area is Nakatomi Plaza from “Die Hard.” The building is actually Fox Plaza.

LOCATION: 2121 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067

Here is the opposite side of the building, also seen in the film. While the front of the building facing the street is easily visible to the public, this back area is typically off limits to public access. This same plaza also appeared in the film “Airheads,” with the building on the bottom right of the image below featured as the radio station.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

June 15, 2017March 17, 2024 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Unlike the first two installments of Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy, which used Chicago to double as Gotham City, the third and final installment, “The Dark Knight Rises” used an amalgam of cities, which included Pittsburgh, New York City and Los Angeles. Here we take a look at some of these locations.

Bane robs the Gotham City Stock Exchange, which was filmed in the heart of New York’s financial district on Wall Street. However, the production used the JP Morgan building, located directly across the street from the New York Stock Exchange.

LOCATION: 23 Wall St, New York, NY 10005

As Bane unleashes an explosion at the Gotham football stadium, as well as all across Gotham, Blake, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is rocked by one of the explosives and his car flips over as he drives down this alley. While many of these shots were filmed in Pittsburgh, this particular alley can be found in downtown Los Angeles. It’s located on Terminal Street, which intersects with 7th Street, just past Alameda Street.

LOCATION: Terminal St, Los Angeles, CA 90021 (a nearby address to arrive around the alley would be 1371 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021)

The police get trapped in a tunnel under the 6th Street Bridge, also in Downtown L.A. The bridge has been seen in countless films over the years, including “Grease,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” “Drive” and many more. The original bridge was demolished in 2016, with a new bridge built in its place in 2022. The area where the scene took place has changed quite a bit.

LOCATION: Under the 6th St Bridge, at the intersection of lower E 6th St / Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (heavily remodeled)

The scenes of Scarecrow sentencing people to punishment was filmed at Union Station, a train station in downtown Los Angeles. It has been featured in many films, such as “Blade Runner,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Species,” “Bugsy,” “Pearl Harbor” and more.

LOCATION: 800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Over at the 3rd Street Tunnel in downtown Los Angeles is where Catwoman, played by Anne Hathaway, uses the Batpod to blow up some cars, which have been piled up to obstruct the entrance. The view seen in the film is on the side of the tunnel that faces Flower Street. The same tunnel was also seen in “Darkman.”

LOCATION: W 3rd St., at the entrance facing S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90810

The Batpod Catwoman rides can be seen on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum, also in Los Angeles.

LOCATION: Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Moving over to Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Mellon University was used for a couple key sequences, near the film’s climax. Bane released the prisoners from Blackgate Prison, which was shot at Carnegie Mellon’s Software Engineering Institute. The building’s address is on Fifth Ave., but you’ll actually have to turn the corner to the side of the building facing Dirthridge St. to see the spot used in the film.

LOCATION: Software Engineering Institute, 4500 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (facing Dirthridge St)

The Mellon Institute, which is located right beside the Software Engineering Institute, served as Gotham City Hall, where Bane and Batman do battle on the steps of the building.

LOCATION: Mellon Institute, 4400 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Lastly, we leave you with a shot of the Batmobile Tumbler from the film, which is on display at Warner Bros. Studios, as part of their tour.

LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505

The Bad News Bears (1976)

June 13, 2017November 4, 2023 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The original version of “The Bad News Bears” shot at Mason Park in Chatsworth, California. The field was mostly unchanged for the production, with the biggest addition being a fence. The field still exists today, though it has been heavily remodeled. Curiously, there isn’t even so much as a sign denoting the field’s connection with the film. You would think the parks and recreation would better embrace their history.

Los Angeles appears to better acknowledge their film history. There is a field in the city actually named The Bad News Bears Field (1411 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025). While no filming took place at the L.A. field, it also has a connection with the film. Screenwriter Bill Lancaster enrolled his son in little league at the field. He drew upon the experiences as the basis for the film’s screenplay.

Below is a photo of the Chatsworth field, where the film was shot. Note that there are two baseball fields at the park. The one used in the film is the one nearest to Mason Ave, not the one near Fullbright Ave. The field also appeared in parts of the sequel “Bad News Bears in Breaking Training.”

LOCATION: 10500 Mason Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311

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