Curtis Hanson’s excellent, overlooked 2000 film “Wonder Boys” takes place within the literary circles of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the film was also shot. The film ranks among Hanson’s finest works and features an impressive, ensemble cast. We highly recommend it if you’ve never seen it.
This house is where Michael Douglas’ character lives in the film, disheveled and struggling to finish writing his second book.
LOCATION: 359 S Atlantic Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Later in the film, the confrontation with “Vernon Hardapple” takes place in the parking lot of this bowling alley. The bowling alley is also seen in the Farrelly Brothers comedy “Kingpin,” where Woody Harrelson’s character loses his hand.
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.
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
The frat house from the 2003 Will Ferrell comedy “Old School,” where “Mitch-a-palooza” takes place, can be found at this South Pasadena home.
LOCATION: 1803 Bushnell Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Frank the Tank, played by Ferrell, lives at this home in Altadena.
LOCATION: 2284 Mar Vista Ave, Altadena, CA 91001
Mitch, played by Luke Wilson, discusses ways to save the fraternity at this restaurant, which was also featured in the film “Role Models,” as well as such TV shows as “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Scandal” and “The X-Files.”
LOCATION: 601 Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Cameron Crowe’s 1989 directorial debut, “Say Anything…” was filmed in Washington, Southern California and Vancouver, Canada. The exterior of the house of Corey, played by Lili Taylor, can be found in Seattle. Interiors were filmed in California at 2545 Ganesha Ave, Altadena, CA 91001.
LOCATION: 3627 NW 65th Ct, Seattle, WA 98117
Mike, played by Jason Gould, lives at this home, located in Sherman Oaks.
LOCATION: 4936 Sunnyslope Ave, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Lloyd, played by John Cusack, walks with Diane, played by Ione Skye, out of a convenience store and kicks glass out of her way. The store can be found in North Hollywood.
LOCATION: 11340 W Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
Diane has lunch with her mom at this restaurant in Pasadena, which has changed a lot since filming took place.
LOCATION: 1978 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107
Lloyd teaches a kickboxing class at this location, which was more famously used as the Cobra Kai dojo in “The Karate Kid.” It’s located just a few blocks away from the convenience store.
LOCATION: 5223 Lankershim Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91601
Here’s a look inside the building.
The most iconic scene in the film is of course when Lloyd Dobler holds a boombox outside of the bedroom of Diane. The real scene wasn’t filmed at any house at all, rather a park in North Hollywood. It’s actually located right across the street from the convenience store seen earlier in the film, at the North Hollywood Park, on the SW corner of Magnolia Blvd and Tujunga Ave. The same park was seen in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.”
LOCATION: North Hollywood Park, 11430 Chandler Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
In one of the film’s deleted scenes, Diane asks Lloyd to take her back to Lloyd’s workplace, mentioned above. This scene, which can be found on the home video edition, was filmed at the Community Room of the South Pasadena Public Library. The same building appeared in Rob Zombie’s remake of “Halloween.”
LOCATION: 1115 El Centro St, South Pasadena, CA 91030
The 1993 Robin Williams film Mrs. Doubtfire is set around the neighborhoods of San Francisco, California. The house from the film can be found in the upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood.
LOCATION: 2640 Steiner St, San Francisco, CA 94115
The house from the 1984 short film “Frankenweenie,” directed by Tim Burton, was filmed in South Pasadena. Burton later remade the film as an animated feature in 2012. Here is the home of the Frankenstein family, played by Shelley Duvall, Daniel Stern and Barret Oliver.
LOCATION: 816 Stratford Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
As snow falls on “O’Hara’s Pub” in the opening scenes of Terry Zwigoff’s “Bad Santa,” the sunny streets of Venice, California are probably the last thought in the minds of the viewers. However, that’s exactly where the scenes were shot, at a store front along the famous Abbot Kinney Boulevard. A wooden facade was partially built over the store front, along with a neon sign, with only the outer brick lining still visible. It’s located just a couple doors down from the record label where Paul Rudd works in “This Is 40.”
LOCATION: 1100 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Willie, played by Billy Bob Thorton, lives at this apartment, located in Long Beach.
LOCATION: 1161 Magnolia Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
Willie finds someone searching through his motel room. This scene was also filmed in Long Beach.
LOCATION: 446 W Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90806
Willie hides out at Thurman Merman’s house, which can be found in West Hills, California.
In the 1989 film “The Wizard,” Corey, played by Fred Savage, along with his brother Jimmy, played by Luke Edwards, run away to California. Their father and brother, played by Beau Bridges and Christian Slater respectively, follow on their trail in hopes of finding them. Sam (Bridges) and Nick (Slater) stay at this hotel and play video games. These scenes were filed at the Sierra Pelona Motel in Santa Clarita. The motel also appeared in the films “Near Dark,” “The Grifters” and “Crossroads,” as well as the TV shows “Too Old To Die Young” and “Westworld.”
LOCATION: 12117 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
Corey and Jimmy make their way to Reno, which is home to Haley, played by Jenny Lewis. The famous Reno Arch is featured prominently during this scene.
LOCATION:345 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501
The casino scenes were filmed at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno. The same casino, which has since been remodeled, also appeared in the film “Hard Eight.”
LOCATION: 2707 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89502
Near the end of the film, Jimmy makes his way to the Cabazon Dinosaurs to relive some family memories. The dinosaurs are a roadside attraction in Cabazon, California and can be seen from the 10 freeway. Originally built by a sculptor and theme park artist as a way to attract customers to his nearby restaurant, the dinosaurs now operate as a small museum and gift shop. The dinosaurs were also seen in the 1984 film “Paris, Texas” and the 1985 film “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.”
LOCATION: 50700 Seminole Dr, Cabazon, CA 92230
To see our “The Wizard” location page, click here.
While the majority of Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 film “There Will Be Blood” was shot on location at McGuire Ranch in Marfa, Texas, the film’s third act was shot mostly in Beverly Hills, California. However, the brief establishing shot of Daniel Plainview’s mansion was shot at Thornewood Castle in Lakewood, Washington. Completed in 1911, the property is located within a private, gated community. However, the estate currently serves as an event space and bed and breakfast. The Stephen King miniseries “Rose Red” also filmed at Thornwood, as well as the prequel film “The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer” and the 1927 silent film “The Eyes of the Totem.”
LOCATION: 8601 N Thorne Ln SW, Lakewood, WA 98498
All of the interiors of the Plainview mansion were shot at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. While the outside of the Greystone grounds is open daily and free to the public, getting inside is a bit more challenging. The property is owned by the City of Beverly Hills and regularly accommodates productions and private events. Therefore, only a few times a year is access to the inside of the estate possible. Planning ahead is required if you’d like to see inside.
Daniel Plainview, played by Daniel Day Lewis, can be seen firing his gun in his house from this hallway.
LOCATION: 905 Loma Vista Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
The objects he is shooting at, which his son later steps over when arriving to visit, is seen from the reverse perspective.
Daniel Plainview can be seen writing checks at this kitchen counter.
Plainview’s son comes to visit Daniel in his office, which is lit much darker in the film. This same room can also be seen in “The Big Lebowski,” when The Dude visits The Big Lebowski, as well as in the films “Air Force One” and “Flowers In The Attic.” This room can actually be seen without gaining entry inside the building. Just left of the main windows at the front of the mansion, you can usually look through the windows and see this room, unless curtains are blocking it.
Daniel sits at his desk in front of this window, which again is much darker in the film.
A drunken Daniel Plainview is seen stumbling down these stairs, as the film approaches it’s final scenes.
Eli Sunday, played by Paul Dano, pays Daniel a visit and fixes himself a drink at this bar.
In this corner of the bowling alley is where Eli Sunday and Daniel Plainview sit and talk, with Plainview seated on the bowling ball rack. Daniel demands Eli declare himself a false profit and delivers the famous “I drink your milkshake” speech. The bowling alley was completely restored by the production and the room remains identical to how it appeared in the film.
The film’s violent ending takes place on these bowling lanes. “I’m finished.”
Film Oblivion 