The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

November 25, 2019November 24, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The 2013 sequel “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” was primarily filmed in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Celebrating their victory, Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence, and Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson, are invited to a party at the estate of President Snow, played by Donald Sutherland. This was filmed at the Swan House, located on the grounds of the Atlanta History Center. This is the back side of the estate. The same building appears again in the sequel, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2,” as well as the 1980 film “Little Darlings.”

LOCATION: 130 West Paces Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30305

The victors’ living quarters was filmed at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, where Johanna Mason, played by Jena Malone, strips nude in one of the elevators.

LOCATION: 265 Peachtree Center Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

The Master (2012)

July 24, 2018August 9, 2018 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Admiration for Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2012 film “The Master” has steadily grown since the film’s release. The mystique of the movie initially left audiences a bit puzzled, but with time, many have begun to admire it’s nuances and now consider it one of the filmmaker’s finest works. The film was shot primarily around Northern California, with a couple scenes also being filmed in Hawaii and Nevada.

Freddie Quell, played by Joaquin Phoenix, meets “The Master” Lancaster Dodd, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, as he sneaks aboard Dodd’s boat as a stowaway. That boat is the USS Potomac, which is docked in Oakland, California. You can actually take tours aboard the boat.

LOCATION: 540 Water St, Oakland, CA 94607

A view of the back of the boat. The production added a canopy to the upper deck, where guests were seen dancing when Freddie first approaches.

Another, wider view of the USS Potomac, where it regularly docks.

Freddie is seen visiting his sweetheart, Doris, at this house in Crockett, California. The house has since received a paint job.

LOCATION: 619 Winslow St, Crockett, CA 94525

A full view of the home, though it is never seen from this angle in the film. It sits perched on a steep hilltop of a very narrow, one way road overlooking a lake.

The Master’s house can be a bit tricky to find, which we’ll attempt to better pinpoint. The house is known as the Captain’s Mansion, a former event space on Mare Island in Vallejo, California. The first challenge is that many houses spanning several blocks on this street look almost identical and are used for similar purposes. There are subtle differences from house to house, however, be it minor architectural variations, trees and shrubs, views in the background, etc., which do allow for identifying the exact home from the film, which is located at 822 Walnut Ave. The second challenge is that GPS may not take you to that correct location. To get exactly to “The Master” house, make sure you arrive at the intersection of Walnut Ave and 8th St on Mare Island and you’ll successfully find house 822 from the film. The house number can be seen on the front steps.

LOCATION: 822 Walnut Ave, Vallejo, CA 94592 (near Walnut Ave and 8th St)

Magnolia (1999)

November 19, 2017April 25, 2020 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 film, “Magnolia,” named after a street that spans the San Fernando Valley, was shot mostly, as you might expect, around the Valley. However, in the opening “coincidences” sequence, there is a memorable scene in which an attempted suicide becomes an accidental homicide. That scene was shot at the Bryson Apartments in Los Angeles. The same apartments were seen in the film “The Grifters.”

LOCATION: 2701 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Early in the film, Quiz Kid Donnie Smith, played by William H. Macy, crashes his car into this liquor store in Winnetka. The same liquor store also appeared in Kevin Smith’s “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”

LOCATION: 20001 Roscoe Blvd, Winnetka, CA 91306

Officer Jim Kurring, played by John C. Reilly, investigates a crime scene at this apartment complex in North Hills. As he walks back to his police car, he is approached by a young boy.

LOCATION: 15150 Parthenia St ,North Hills, CA 91343

As the two stand on Burnet Ave, the boy performs a rap for him.

Linda, played by Julianne Moore gets upset with a pharmacist after he insinuates she may be abusing the medications. These scenes were filed at the A to Z Pharmacy in North Hollywood, although it is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 12626 Riverside Dr # 100, North Hollywood, CA 91607

Donnie visits the Foxfire Room, located on the titular Magnolia Blvd in Valley Village. In a slight bit of movie trickery, Donnie parks in the lot at the rear of the building, but is seen entering through the door facing the street on opposite side.

LOCATION: 12516 W Magnolia Blvd, Valley Village, CA 91607

The Firefox Room is a staple of the San Fernando Valley and in the two decades since filming took place, it still looks nearly identical. The bar opens at 7AM daily and it’s dark and inconspicuous. Yet the staff is friendly and the vibe is welcoming. Donnie enters through the door on the right.

Donnie sits at this corner booth. The lighting in the bar is so dark, any brightness quickly overexposes a shot, so photography can be a challenge inside.

He sits and admires Brad the bartender.

Donnie then sits at the corner of the bar and talks to a mysterious older man, credited as Thurston Howell.

Late in the film, as a biblical storm hits, Officer Jim finds himself at the intersection of Reseda Blvd and Sherman Way in Reseda. This is located right beside the “Hot Traxx” night club from “Boogie Nights.”

LOCATION: Sherman Way / Reseda Blvd, Reseda, CA 91335

He makes an emergency stop at a gas station, only see Donnie climbing on a pole, where he has just attempted to rob his workplace. Donnie then falls to the ground. The pole and payphone are both still standing at the location.

LOCATION: 7222 Reseda Blvd, Reseda, CA 91335

The two take shelter at the gas station.

LOCATION: 7208 Reseda Blvd, Reseda, CA 91335

Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

May 5, 2017July 27, 2019 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2002 romantic drama, much like his previous films, was shot largely around the Valley, north of Los Angeles, where the filmmaker grew up. However, some key sequences also took place in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The film begins at Eckhart Auto Body in Chatsworth, CA, where Barry, played by Adam Sandler, houses his offices.

LOCATION: 10101 Canoga Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311

The view when Lena, played by Emily Watson, approaches and introduces herself.

Standing at the driveway, looking to your left out onto Canoga Ave., you’ll see the spot where the car crashes at the beginning of the film.

At the driveway entrance is where the harpsichord is dropped off.

Perhaps the film’s most iconic location and the one immortalized on the movie poster is far away from Southern California, on the beaches of Waikiki, Hawaii. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel is where Adam Sandler and Emily Watson embrace for their kiss, with the backdrop of Waikiki behind them. Despite being a fairly upscale resort, access to the lobby is easily available to the general public. If you’re coming from Kalakaua Ave., the hotel is behind a large shopping plaza and housed on the beaches, right next to the Sheraton. Entry from the beach is also possible. Just make your way to the Mai Tai Bar of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (same address as the hotel itself, only facing on the beach), which is where Barry and Lena enjoy a meal together in the film, with the band singing and the beautiful Diamond Head peak in the background at sunset. From there you can easily see and enter the hotel lobby where the pair kiss. We’ve opted to exclude photos of the Mai Tar Bar here, because the layout has changed a bit from how it appeared in the film. There is no band performing at the real beach restaurant, in case you had your hopes up for that. It was added by the production. Just do a quick google search if you’re looking for pictures of Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach or the Mai Tai Bar (just make sure it’s the Royal Hawaiian one, as Honolulu has a couple other bars by the same name).

LOCATION: Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 2259 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815

Back in California, Barry and Lana have dinner at this table at Le Petit Chateau in North Hollywood. The specific table can be found through the main entrance, on the opposite side of the wall. There is a painting and plaque on the wall above the center of the table.

LOCATION: Le Petit Chateau, 4615 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91602

Barry excuses himself to the bathroom, where he quickly proceeds to destroy it, after Lana repeats an embarrassing story about him that his sister told her. The scene really was filmed inside the actual restaurant’s bathroom, which has changed only slightly since filming.

Barry is confronted by a staff member here and subsequently gets kicked out of the restaurant for destroying their bathroom.

Barry and Lana make their way out of the restaurant through this entrance way.

The couple then walks out of the restaurant, which is seen in a night shot.

Elsewhere in the the Valley, in Sherman Oaks, you’ll find Barry’s apartment.

LOCATION: 14926 Moorpark St., Sherman Oaks 91403

The reverse view out onto Moorpark St. is where Philip Seymour Hoffman’s thugs crash into Barry and Lana’s car.

Near the end of the film, Barry supposedly travels to Utah to confront Dean Trumbell at his mattress store. The real building can be found in Pamona.

LOCATION: 390 W Foothill Blvd, Pomona, CA 91767

Last, but not least, we leave you with a quick shot of Paul Thomas Anderson and Adam Sandler discussing the film.

Film Oblivion

Movie and TV locations, points of interest.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

The Master (2012)

Magnolia (1999)

Punch-Drunk Love (2002)