Props

Black Panther (2018)

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The 2018 superhero action film “Black Panther” shot in numerous locations, including Argentina, Busan, South Korea and Atlanta, Georgia. In the early scenes of the film, some kids play basketball in a parking lot in front of an apartment tower, supposedly located in Oakland, California.  The real building is the Wheat Street Towers, located in Atlanta, Georgia.

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LOCATION: 375 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30312

T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, makes his way to Busan, South Korea, along with Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Okoye (Danai Gurira). The three of them enter an exclusive casino in search of Klaue, played by Andy Serkis. The exterior scenes were an elaborate recreation of Jagalchi Market, a famous fish and seafood market. However, it was actually a heavily set dressed portion of the MET Atlanta business park in Altanta, Georgia (675 Metropolitan Pkwy SW, Atlanta, GA 30310). The casino interior was built at EUE Screen Gems Studios in Atlanta (175 Lakewood Way SW, Atlanta, GA 30315).

The real Busan does feature in the film, however, during the ensuing car chase in pursuit of Klaue. Black Panther flips a car over as it crosses Gwangan Bridge.

LOCATION: Gwangan Bridge, Millak-dong, Busan, South Korea

Black Panther rides on the roof of a car down Gwanganhaebyeon-ro, a popular street near Gwangan Bridge. This area has a small beach with a great view of the bridge. Often boats are out on the water lighting fireworks. It attracts a young crowd and is a great area to visit, particularly at night, if you find yourself in Busan.

LOCATION: Near 195 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro, Gwangan 2(i)-dong, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea (GPS coordinates: 35.151638, 129.116886)

After Klaue is captured, he is taken to a CIA site, supposedly still located in South Korea. This is actually back in Atlanta, where the streets were set dressed to appear Korean.

LOCATION: 223 Mitchell St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303

This 2018 Lexus LC 500 Inspiration Series was featured during the aforementioned Busan chase scene. Black Panther rides atop the remotely driven vehicle, leaping onto other vehicles to disable them on the streets of South Korea. The vehicle could be found on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, which ran an exhibit entitled “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles Of Science Fiction and Fantasy” from May 2019 through May 2020.

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

Lastly, we leave you with a Black Panther statue, which could be found at the Busan Museum of Movies. There were actually a couple statues placed outdoors near the filming locations in Busan, including the beach near Gwangan Bridge covered in this article. Two of the statues were unfortunately destroyed, however, within a month of going on display. They were identical to this one, which is still in tact in the lobby of the Busan Museum of Movies.

LOCATION: Busan Museum of Movies, 12 Daecheong-ro 126beon-gil, Donggwangdong 3(sam)-ga, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea

Right next to the statue in the museum, you can find this information on the Busan filming locations. The locations are scattered all over the city, so unfortunately we didn’t have time to visit them all, but hope to in the future.

Labyrinth (1986)

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As part of the Jim Henson “Imagination Unlimited” Exhibition at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, some costumes and memorabilia from Henson’s 1986 fantasy film “Labyrinth” were on display. The exhibition ran from June 1 through September 2, 2018.

Sarah, played by Jennifer Connelly, wore this dress in the film.

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Jareth, played by David Bowie, wore this costume.

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Here is one of the set models from the film.

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And some concept art.

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A poster for the film.

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Lastly, some alternate titles for the film, hand-written by Jim Henson.  The titles include “The Labyrinth,” “Magic Maze,” “Into The Labyrinth,” “Sarah’s Maze,” “Lost in the Maze,” “Trapped in the Mind-Maze,” “Inside Outside,” “Outside Inside,” “Turning Inside Outside,” “Outside In” and “Inside Out.”

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Related articles: The Dark Crystal (1982)

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008)

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The 2008 David Fincher film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” shot mostly in the New Orleans area, with some additional sequences filmed in Quebec, Canada and the Los Angeles County area.

Benjamin Button, played by Brad Pitt, is born at this house, known as the Lanaux Mansion Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans. In the film, the house belongs to Benjamin’s father, played by Jason Flemyng, who, upon seeing Benjamin at birth, grabs him and takes him away from the home. Later in the film, an adult Benjamin returns to the home to visit his ailing father.

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LOCATION: 547 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

The house where Benjamin lives for much of the film and where he meets Daisy, played by Cate Blanchett, is known as the Nolan House. The shrubs lining the property have grown much higher since filming completed, making portions of the house and yard unfortunately more difficult to see.

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LOCATION: 2707 Coliseum St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Mr. Oti, played by Rampai Mogadishu, takes Benjamin to this peristyle, where they sit and talk as they look out onto the water. The peristyle can be found at the New Orleans City Park.

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LOCATION: 42 Dreyfous Dr, New Orleans, LA 70119

Another view of the peristyle.

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Daisy dances for Benjamin at the Newman Bandstand in Audubon Park.  Some extra decor was added to the bandstand for the film.

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LOCATION: Newman Bandstand, Golf Club Dr, New Orleans, LA 70118

We leave you with some props from the film. One of the aged, prosthetic masks worn by Brad Pitt can be seen on the Paramount Studio Tour.

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LOCATION: 5555 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Also located in the Paramount prop room is the clock that runs backwards in the film.

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The Dark Crystal (1982)

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As part of the Jim Henson “Imagination Unlimited” Exhibition at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, some puppets and props from Henson’s 1982 film “The Dark Crystal” were on display.  The exhibition ran from June 1 through September 2, 2018.

Here are the Kira and Jen puppets.  Jim Henson served as puppeteer for Jen in the film.

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This is the puppet for SkekSil the Chamberlain, for which Frank Oz served as puppeteer.

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Some miscellaneous props used by the Skeksis, Mystics and Pod People.

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Some tie-in books to the film.

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While the exhibition has since closed, all of these pieces were on loan from New York’s Museum of Moving Image (gifted by the family of Jim Henson) and will likely go back on display there at a future date.

Related articles: Labyrinth (1986)

Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)

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The Peyton house from the 2005 remake “Herbie: Fully Loaded,” starring Lindsday Lohan, can be found in South Pasadena, California.

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LOCATION: 1120 Buena Vista St, South Pasadena, CA 91030

The iconic Herbie, the Love Bug was also revived for the film.  One of several 1963 Volkswagen Beetles built for the production, this particular model was seen being driven by Lindsay Lohan during the racing sequences.  The car can be found at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

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

Ghostbusters (1984)

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One of the most famous movie locations in the world, the fire station that served as the headquarters for the Ghostbusters in the original 1984 film can be found in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City.  The building was chosen because the screenwriters imagined the Ghostbusters as a public service, much like firemen.  Cast member Dan Aykroyd knew the neighborhood well and suggested the building.  Still an active firehouse, the location draws countless visitors each year.

LOCATION: 14 N Moore St, New York, NY 10013

Not quite as well known is the Los Angeles fire station location used in the film.  While the Hook & Ladder Company 8 building in Tribeca was used for exterior shots, interiors were filmed at Fire Station No. 23 in downtown L.A.  The fire station was closed in 1960 and has currently fallen into quite a state of disrepair.  Currently the building is boarded up, covered in graffiti and prohibited from entry.  Perhaps someday the interior will be restored to resemble the film, but it sits in a pretty bad area not far from skid row, so a restoration seems unlikely at this time. The same building also appeared in such films as “The Mask,” “Lost Highway,” “Flatliners,” “Set It Off,” “Big Trouble In Little China” and more.

LOCATION: 225 E 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

The Ghostbusters capture their first ghost at the fictional Sedgewick Hotel.  These scenes were filmed inside the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.  The hotel is a staple of film, having appeared in such movies as “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Independence Day,” “Fight Club,” “Blonde,” “Enough,” “Cheaper By The Dozen,” “Oppenheimer” and dozens more.  Here is the lobby where they first enter.

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LOCATION: 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071

They try to capture Slimer in the hotel’s lobby.

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Over at the Sony lot in Culver City, California, there was even at attempt to build a replica of the Hook & Ladder 8 building.

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LOCATION: 10202 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

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Also on the lot is the Ecto 1 car, which can be seen on the Sony Pictures Studio Tour.

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Gravity (2013)

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On the Warner Brothers Studio Tour, you can find these props and costumes from the film “Gravity.”  First is one of the original capsules used in the film.

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Here is one of the light boxes from the film, which was used to perfectly simulate light, shadow and reflection in a way unobtainable via traditional green screen.

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LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505

Titanic (1997)

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The classic 1997 James Cameron film “Titanic” was of course filmed primarily on a recreated set of the famous ship, which was built at Fox Baja Studios in Mexico.  In 2017, however, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California held a unique exhibition on the ship, where it combined real artifacts from the sunken ship alongside props and sets from the film.  It was the largest collection of artifacts from passengers of the ship since the fateful night it collided with an iceberg a century before.

The exhibit has unfortunately since closed, but here we’ll take a look at some of the props, costumes and sets from the film that were on display.

This is the set of the famous scene where Jack, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, draws a nude Rose, played by Kate Winslet.

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Here are some props from the scene, including Rose’s mirror, butterfly hairpin and comb, as well as her “Heart of the Ocean” necklace.

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Here is Jack’s sketchbook and pencil case.  On top of the sketchbook is also the note Rose leaves for Cal, played by Billy Zane.  She places the note inside his safe, along with the necklace.  Her note reads, “Darling – Now you can keep us both locked up inside your safe.  Rose.”

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This is the set of Jack and his friend Fabrizio’s cabin, designed for third class passengers.

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Here is the Marconi Room, another set from the film, where the ship sent out it’s distress calls and communicated with other ships.  Without it, no one would’ve known why or where the ship had sunk.

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Jack Dawson’s suit as he boards the ship.

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Rose wears this dress while the ship is sinking.

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Molly Brown, played by Kathy Bates, wears this dress.

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Bruce Ismay, played by Jonathan Hyde, wears these pajamas and overcoat.

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Here is a dress worn by one of the first class passengers in the film.

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Moving on to more props from the film, here is the clock and cherub from the grand staircase of the ship, where Jack greets Rose.

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Some scale miniatures were also built for the film, including a 45 foot long model of the ship.  Here are some pieces from the miniature.

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The ax Rose uses to free Jack, who is handcuffed in his cabin.

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While the exhibit closed down in 2018, due to the enduring popularity of both the film and the history of the ship itself, these artifacts are bound to find their way into another, future exhibition.

We leave you with one last prop from the film, which was not part of the Reagan Library exhibit.  Rather, it can be found at Planet Hollywood in Florida.  It’s the piece of wood that Rose floats on at the end of the film.

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

Christine (1983)

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In the 1983 John Carpenter adaption of the Stephen King novel, “Christine,” the director returned to his old South Pasadena stomping grounds, where he famously shot “Halloween.”  Those locations can be found in the same proximity as the exterior of the house where Arnie lives in “Christine.”

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LOCATION: 1037 Buena Vista St, South Pasadena, CA 91030

The liquor store scene was filmed in Santa Clarita. The same location appeared in the film “Yoga Hosers.”

LOCATION: 22925 Lyons Ave, Santa Clarita, CA 91321

When people think of the film “Christine,” the first thing that comes to mind is of course the killer car.  The film follows a possessed Plymouth Fury as it wreaks havoc on it’s owner and those around him.  24 total Plymouth Fury vehicles were acquired for use in the film.  This was one of two stunt cars, which can be found at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.  At the end of the production, the vehicle was set to be destroyed.  However, a buyer stepped in and rescued the car, using parts from other screen-used “Christine” vehicles and restored it back to it’s original condition.

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

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