Airborne (1993)

December 27, 2021January 21, 2024 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 1990s skating classic “Airborne” was primarily filmed around Cincinnati, Ohio and just across the Ohio River into Kentucky, with a few additional scenes filmed in Southern California. In the film, Mitchell Goosen, played by Shane McDermott, uproots from his Southern California home to Cincinnati to stay with his cousin’s family, while his parents work abroad. His cousin is Wiley, played by a young Seth Green. Wiley’s home can be found in the town of Newport, Kentucky, which is just a short distance away from Cincinnati over the state border.

LOCATION: 711 Linden Ave, Newport, KY 41071

Wiley’s house is mostly seen in brief glimpses from a side angle, but here is a full view of the home.

Mitchell begins attending school at Western Hills University High School, where he struggles to fit in with the other boys, but catches the interest of a girl named Nikki, played by Brittney Powell.

LOCATION: 2144 Ferguson Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45238

Mitchell ends up taking Nikki on a date to the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati. Mitchell skates around inside the conservatory, which hasn’t changed all that much since filming took place. The property does charge an admission fee, but is open to the public.

LOCATION: 1501 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Mitchell and Nikki end up on another date along the riverfront of the Ohio River, with the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge and Cincinnati skyline in the background. This area is known as Covington Plaza, but it has been remodeled a bit and the area where the characters stand in the film was actually off to the left of Covington Plaza. The same location appears in the film “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.”

LOCATION: Near 1 Madison Ave, Covington, KY 41011 (GPS coordinates: 39.090460, -84.511880)

Mitchell and Wiley go on a double date at this restaurant in Newport, Kentucky, where Nikki’s brother Jack, played by Chris Conrad, spoils their evening. Outside, Mitchell and Wiley get into an argument. Inside, there is a sign for the film, featuring autographs from the cast and crew, but it was closed at the time of our visit. The same restaurant was famously featured in the film “Rain Man.”

LOCATION: 600 Washington Ave, Newport, KY 41071

The parking lot hockey game, where Mitchell finally wins over his classmates, was filmed at the Longworth Hall Parking Lot in Cincinnati.

LOCATION: Longworth Hall Parking Lot, W Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202

This climax of the film is when Mitchell’s classmates are challenged by a rival crew to an inline skating race down what is known as “Devils Backbone.” While there is a real Devils Backbone Rd in Cincinnati, the version seen in the film is a composite of multiple roads scattered around Cincinnati and Kentucky. The race first begins on the street in front of 7012 Springdale Rd Cincinnati, OH 45247 and continues past this intersection.

LOCATION: Fairview Park Rd / Ravine St, Cincinnati, OH 45219

They continue past this building.

LOCATION: Sycamore St / Dorchester Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45202

As the race winds down, the skaters make their way into the city.

LOCATION: Near Wareham Dr / Van Meter St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

They head into this pedestrian overpass on the right.

Mitchell jumps his way down these stairs on the other side of the overpass.

LOCATION: Near Gilbert Ave / E Court St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

After passing through the former Riverfront Stadium (201 East Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202), which has since been demolished, the race finally ends at the intersection of Broadway / Ohio River Scenic Byway, Cincinnati, OH 45203.

To see our “Airborne” location page, click here.

For even more “Airborne” filming locations, we recommend this excellent video from Going To the Movies, which extensively covers most of the locations and uncovers a couple previously unknown spots as well.

A Kind Of Murder (2016)

November 7, 2021October 22, 2022 / filmoblivion / 2 Comments

The 2016 thriller “A Kind of Murder,” starring Patrick Wilson and Jessica Biel, is set in New York, but actually filmed in Southern Ohio and Kentucky. In the film, Walter and Clara Stackhouse, played by Wilson and Biel, live in this home which is located in Cincinnati.

LOCATION: 7900 Rollingknolls Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45237

Judas And The Black Messiah (2021)

October 10, 2021January 21, 2024 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 2021 Shaka King film “Judas and the Black Messiah” is set in the Chicago area, but was actually shot in Cleveland, Ohio. In an early scene, Bill O’Neal, played by LaKeith Stanfield, impersonates an FBI agent and steals a car at Leon’s Bar. The real building is the Croatian Tavern.

LOCATION: 3244 St Clair Ave NE, Cleveland, OH 44114

Here is a full view of the building.

Daniel Kaluuya plays Fred Hampton, the leader of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party. Fred and the Panthers meet The Crowns at this church.

LOCATION: 4015 Superior Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103

Here is a full view of the church building.

Jimmy, played by Ashton Sanders, gets into a shootout with the police at this market.

LOCATION: 6501 St Clair Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103

This building served as the headquarters of the Black Panther Party, where a major shootout scene takes place.

LOCATION: 5450 Broadway Ave, Cleveland, OH 44127

The back of the building is also seen as Bill escapes. There is an alley that runs behind the building, offering a clear view of this area.

The Menard prison where Fred gets released is none other than the Ohio State Reformatory, which is of course most famous for being the prison from “The Shawshank Redemption.” It has been featured in other films as well, however, such as “Air Force One” and “Tango & Cash.” No longer an operating prison, the facility is now run by The Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society, which offers seasonal tours in and around the property. We highly recommend it if you’re in the area.

LOCATION: 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905

Fred gives his “I am a revolutionary” speech inside this church, which is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 2131 E 46th St, Cleveland, OH 44103

Late in the film, Fred’s apartment is featured in a climactic scene.

LOCATION: 1953 W 65th St, Cleveland, OH 44102

To see our “Judas and the Black Messiah” location page, click here.

American Splendor (2003)

September 12, 2021October 27, 2026 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 2003 film “American Splendor” tells the story of local Cleveland, Ohio legend Harvey Pekar and his autobiographical comic book series of the same name. The film was likewise shot primarily around the Cleveland area, with a few additional scenes filmed in New York City and Los Angeles. Early in the film, a young Harvey is seen trick or treating at this house.

LOCATION: 9806 Newton Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106

As young Harvey continues walking down the street, the film transitions into adult Harvey, played by Paul Giamatti, walking down the same street.

LOCATION: 9801 Newton Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106

Harvey lives at this home, located in Lakewood.

LOCATION: 12962 Clifton Blvd, Lakewood, OH 44107

Harvey has lunch with famed cartoonist Robert Crumb at Shay’s Restaurant, a local favorite which is still going strong.

LOCATION: 4007 St Clair Ave, Cleveland, OH 44103

Just before Harvey enters a bakery, the Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral is seen in one of the establishing shots. The church was also famously featured in the film “The Deer Hunter,” as well as making a brief appearance in “Major League.”

LOCATION: 733 Starkweather Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113

The bakery where Harvey runs into an old college classmate is the Elmwood Home Bakery, exactly as depicted in the film. It too is still going strong at the same location nearly twenty years after the film.

LOCATION: 15204 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107

The comic book store where Joyce, played by Hope Davis, works is supposedly located in Delaware. The exterior can actually be found in Cleveland.

LOCATION: 12413 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107

Harvey takes Joyce to dinner at Gene’s Place. The restaurant is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 3730 Rocky River Dr, Cleveland, OH 44111

A quick shot in California takes place when a stage production is held for “American Splendor.”

LOCATION: 703 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

To see our “American Splendor” location page, click here.

The Kings Of Summer (2013)

August 8, 2021October 28, 2026 / filmoblivion / 1 Comment

The 2013 coming of age comedy “The Kings of Summer” was filmed entirely in Northeast Ohio. Joe Toy, played by Nick Robinson, lives with his father Frank, played by Nick Offerman, at this house located in the town of Lyndhurst. After some family disagreements, Joe and his friends decide to leave and build their own home out in the woods.

LOCATION: 4867 Edsal Dr, Lyndhurst, OH 44124

The Chagrin River is seen several times in the film as Joe rides his bike down Cleveland St. In another scene, the boys are walking through the water.

LOCATION: 218 High St, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 (as seen from Cleveland St)

Joe attends school in Chagrin Falls. The high school and middle school are on the same property and the area seen in the film is actually the middle school at the rear of the property.

LOCATION: 342 E Washington St, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

Patrick, played by Gabriel Basso, lives with his parents at this home in North Royalton.

LOCATION: 13940 Quail Oval, North Royalton, OH 44133

The pipe where the boys drum with broken tree branches and dance was featured prominently, both in the film itself, as well as the marketing campaign leading up to its release. While it appears to be a remote location, the spot is not as difficult to find as you might expect. It can be found in Whitesburg Park in Chagrin Falls. We’ll explain how to reach it.

LOCATION: Whitesburg Park, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 (GPS coordinates approximately: 41.440071, -81.380063)

These final two photos are not shown in the film itself, rather they are included here in an attempt to illustrate how to get to the above location. To reach the pipe, you simply drive down High St, which is initially a paved, residential street. If you continue down it, the road becomes unpaved and will lead you straight to the trailhead. It’s not a particularly far drive and there are some unmarked parking areas available. The ground can get muddy, however, so be mindful of weather conditions. If you take the road until it dead ends, you’ll be pretty close to the right spot. There’s a couple different trails in that vicinity. The one pictured below is on the left side, just before the road dead ends. This is what the trailhead looks like on the ground, the GPS coordinates are approximately 41.439869, -81.380259. If you proceed ahead on the trail, the pipe would be in the woods on the right side and you can start to see it pretty quickly.

However, the easiest way to identify it is by simply continuing straight up the trail until you reach this pedestrian bridge. It is only a couple minutes walk from the trailhead and it directly overlooks the area of the pipe where the scene was filmed. It is a good spot for photography and recommended to those not wanting to wander off the trail. The park seemed safe from our experiences, with many people from the community out walking the trails. The pipe is within sight of the main trail, so you don’t need to walk far to reach it. However, going off trail of course presents possible hazards, such as loose debris on the ground or any of the usual risks involved in roaming around the woods, so proceed at your own risk.

In a deleted scene, the boys are seen buying snacks from this convenience store, although the signage has since changed. It the film, it reads “Clark Avenue Groceries.”

LOCATION: 4074 Clark Ave, Willoughby, OH 44094

Milk Money (1994)

July 1, 2021January 21, 2024 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 1994 comedy “Milk Money” was filmed around Cincinnati, Ohio. In the film, a young boy named Frank, played by Michael Patrick Carter, lives at this home with his father Tom, played by Ed Harris.

LOCATION: 1330 Hayward Ct, Cincinnati, OH 45208

Frank’s school can be found about one block over from the house. Both locations are easily within walking distance from one another.

LOCATION: 1339 Herschel Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45208

Frank and his friends travel to the city, where they end up meeting a prostitute named V, played by Melanie Griffith. V brings the boys back to her hotel, which was filmed at the Fort Washington Hotel in Cincinnati. The large sign is gone, but the building otherwise still looks similar to how it appeared in the film.

LOCATION: 621 Main St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Tom and V kiss in from of an ice cream parlor, which is located in Lebanon, about 30 minutes north of Cincinnati.

LOCATION: 22 S Broadway St, Lebanon, OH 45036

The same ice cream parlor was seen in the 1978 film “Harper Valley P.T.A.”

The interior can be seen as some confused locals are under the impression Tom and V are siblings.

The building across the street is also seen briefly in the film. Tom and V are out for a date and run into one of the families of Frank’s friend. The father has clearly been a past client of V and the encounter ends awkwardly, with V leaving.

LOCATION: 27 S Broadway St, Lebanon, OH 45036

To see our “Milk Money” location page, click here.

Take Shelter (2011)

June 23, 2021November 26, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

In the 2011 film “Take Shelter,” Curtis, played by Michael Shannon, has visions of an apocalyptic storm. Curtis lives at this home with his wife Samantha, played by Jessica Chastain. The house can be found in the town of Lagrange, Ohio.

LOCATION: 41800 Biggs Rd, Lagrange, OH 44050

The house is mostly seen from a side view. The front of the home is only briefly seen in one shot when Curtis is driving.

Air Force One (1997)

August 16, 2019October 5, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 1997 Harrison Ford action movie “Air Force One” was filmed in several different locations, including Ohio, California, Washington D.C. and Russia.

When Vice President Kathryn Bennett, played by Glenn Close calls Russian President Petrov, he speaks to her from his bedroom. This was filmed at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. The same room was used in “The Big Lebowski,” “There Will Be Blood” and “Flowers In The Attic.”

LOCATION: Greystone Mansion, 905 Loma Vista Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The scenes of General Alexander Radek being released from prison were filmed at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. The former prison is of course most well known for being featured in “The Shawshank Redemption,” but it was also featured in the 1980s action film “Tango & Cash.” This gate is seen in the establishing shot of the prison. It’s not a real gate and was built by the production specifically for the film. There was also a longer wall built on each side of the gate. After filming completed, the property had the wall taken back down but left the gate. Seeing it in person, it looks a bit strange, as it’s a gate to nothing on the side of the building.

LOCATION: 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905

The camera then moves above the gate and we see these stairs leading into the prison.

The Ohio State Reformatory does offer tours and inside they have a couple photos from the production. On the right, you can see the full wall.

Here is an autographed poster from the film.

If you find yourself in Ohio, it’s well worth it to make a stop at the Ohio State Reformatory. It’s one of the most memorable filming locations we’ve visited.

A Christmas Story (1983)

June 26, 2017October 12, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

For years, the house from “A Christmas Story,” located in Cleveland, Ohio, remained a private residence and had undergone many updates, until 2004, when a private developer purchased the home and restored it back to how it appeared in the film. The buyer purchased with the intent of converting it into a tourist attraction. Today, the home is available for tours and you can even book the house to stay in overnight. The owner also purchased two properties across the street, converting one into a museum of memorabilia from the film, while the other was turned into a gift shop.

Located in the Tremont section of Cleveland’s West Side, the house has become a beacon for film lovers since it first opened to the public in 2006.

LOCATION: 3159 W 11th St, Cleveland, OH 44109

The interiors were actually shot on a sound stage in Toronto, Canada, but the owner remodeled the inside as well, to make it appear exactly as it did in the film.

A replica of Ralphie’s father’s “major award.” The owner of the house and museum actually runs a business selling these replica lamps, which is how he came up with the capital to invest in purchasing the properties when they went on the market.

The back yard. The shed is the one structure on the property than has not been restored in any way. It is original to how it appeared in the film.

A few behind the scenes photos.

Some props and wardrobe from the film.

A miniature model of the house.

A French poster for the film.

The Avengers (2012)

June 20, 2017June 29, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 2012 Marvel film “The Avengers” shot in a wide variety of locations, including Cleveland, Ohio, New York City, New York, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Los Angeles, California and more. In an early scene in the film, Cleveland stood in for Russia. Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, is bound to a chair being interrogated at this warehouse when she gets a call from Agent Coulson.

LOCATION: 2175 Ashland Rd, Cleveland, OH 44103

Having visited a lot of filming locations throughout many cities, this stood as one of the more precarious spots we’ve been. As such, we caution visiting yourself. While there were no signs posted prohibiting entrance and the building appears to be abandoned, it is in a derelict area and the building itself is in very poor condition. Entire portions of walls were missing and only an old, narrow staircase leads you to this top level where the scenes were shot.

While we encountered no issues during our visit, the building and surrounding area houses many potential hazards. Standing there in person, it is hard to believe a major motion picture shot here, but there’s no denying it offers a unique and interesting appearance.

While it is never seen from this exterior angle in the film, we have included an image of what the building looks like from the outside.

Cleveland also stands in for Stuttgart, Germany, where Loki descends down these stairs as he grabs the attention of the party guests. They all flee when Loki attacks a man. These scenes were filmed inside the Probate Court of Cuyahoga County. The building is open to the public, albeit with a security screening required upon entry. Photos are permitted inside.

LOCATION: 1 W Lakeside Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113

As Loki makes his way outside what is supposed to be the same building, he orders the frightened crowd kneel before him. This is followed by a brief battle against Iron Man, Captain America and Black Widow. These exterior scenes were filmed at a completely different location in front of Tower City Center, part of Cleveland Public Square.

LOCATION: 230 W Huron Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113

Most of the climactic battle was filmed in New York City. Thor can be seen from the top of the Chrysler Building wielding his hammer to battle enemies in the sky. The same building can be seen in the background of Stark Tower, a CGI created building which does not actually exist.

LOCATION: 405 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10174

Related articles: Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)

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