The 2006 comedy “Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny,” starring Jack Black and Kyle Gass, was filmed in Southern California. The film opens at the childhood home of JB, played by Jack Black, supposedly located in Kickapoo, Missouri. The real home can be found in Los Angeles.
LOCATION: 6956 W 85th St, Los Angeles, CA 90045
The exterior of the club the band performs at is located in Long Beach. However, most of the shots of the back area seen in the film can no longer be lined up easily anymore, as the bar has since erected an outdoor seating canopy and surrounded it in fencing.
LOCATION: 2913 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804
JB and KG, played by Kyle Gass, stop for food at the Halfway House Cafe in Santa Clarita. The same location has appeared in many productions, such as “Waitress,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Space Cowboys,” “The Twilight Zone: The Movie” and “Westworld.” The cafe also appeared in a famous commercial starring Cindy Crawford.
LOCATION: 15564 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390
The 1993 Robert Altman film “Short Cuts” is based on short stories by author Raymond Carver. Originally set in the Pacific Northwest, for Altman’s film adaptation, he switched the setting to Los Angeles. The film features intersecting stories performed by an ensemble cast.
The house of Ann and Howard Finnegan, played by Andie MacDowell and Bruce Davidson respectively, can be found in North Hollywood.
LOCATION: 4950 Bellaire Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91607
The house next door is where Zoe, played by Lori Singer, lives with her mother Tess, played by Annie Ross. After being injured by a car, the Finnegan’s son Casey returns home. Zoe is playing basketball with some friends in front of the garage and asks Casey why he’s not in school, but he does not answer.
LOCATION: 4946 Bellaire Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91607
The restaurant where Doreen, played by Lily Tomlin, works is the former Johnie’s Broiler in Downey. She is visited there by her husband Earl, played by Tom Waits. The restaurant has a unique history, having appeared in many other films, such as “Heat,” “The Game,” “License To Drive,” “My Stepmother Is An Alien,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “One Hour Photo” and many more. In 2007, the building was demolished. However, Bob’s Big Boy purchased the property years later and rebuilt it based on the original blueprints and even some of the same materials. So what stands now closely resembles what was seen in the film.
The 2005 Steven Spielberg remake “War Of The Worlds,” starring Tom Cruise, was filmed in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Connecticut and California. The home of Ray Ferrier, played by Cruise, can be found in Bayonne, New Jersey.
LOCATION: 11 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Bayonne, NJ 07002
Ray is seen driving past the Bayonne Bridge on his way home, which runs right beside the house.
In one scene, Ray stands in the street in front of his home and notices a disturbance in the sky.
On the Universal Studios Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, you can see the plane crash set from the film. It is a very intricate set, with lots of full-scale, realistic wreckage. Cars, ambulances and even an actual, out of use, Boeing 747 were all used for film. Universal made it an interactive exhibition, with fires and smoke as you pass through.
LOCATION: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
One tip for those perhaps not interested in paying the full price for admission into Universal Studios Hollywood, this set can actually be seen free of charge from a hilltop behind the studio. Just head up to the 3400 block of Blair Dr in Los Angeles for a view of the crash set. It’s obviously not as good as viewing it up close from ground level, but if you’ve got some time to spare, it’s still an interesting sight.
LOCATION: 3400 block of Blair Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068
While the film is set in Maine, tucked away in the fields of Mansfield, Ohio, the Ohio State Reformatory hosted the production of the “The Shawshank Redemption” in 1993, after it had permanently closed from active prison use three years prior. Originally built between 1886 to 1910, the facility was built in three architectural styles; Victorian Gothic, Richardsonian Romanesque and Queen Anne. In the wake of a class action suit by the prisoners, which cited overcrowding and inhumane conditions, the prison was shut down in 1990, with a replacement prison built directly behind it, which is still active today.
After the enduring success of “The Shawshank Redemption,” The Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society began work to restore the facility to its original state, as well as recreate many of the film’s sets. They offer daily tours from April to September and weekend-only tours during the remaining seasons. The restorations are funded through donations and tour fees. The building housed a great deal of horrors, which can be felt as you explore the facility. Over 200 people are said to have died inside the prison walls. During Halloween season, the Preservation Society offers haunted tours in lieu of the film tours and a number of ghost-themed television shows have filmed at the location. Yet outside, the place feels quiet and serene. Other films to have shot at the prison include “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Air Force One” and “Tango & Cash.”
LOCATION: 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905
The front of the prison. During tour hours, music from the film score plays over loud speakers.
The back of the prison is the yard where Red and Andy would meet.
The parole room, where Red keeps returning for his hearings. The table and chair props are not the originals, however, if I recall correctly.
This is where the inmates first line up to face the warden.
This is the warden’s office, where Andy locks the door and plays the music. The actor playing the captain really did break the window to the door in the scene, which is still missing today.
The warden’s office, where his fate is met.
This is where the production cut a hole in the wall, for the warden’s safe.
The showers seen in the movie were the prison’s real showers.
The hole Andy makes in the pipeline. This is the actual prop from the film.
This is a wide shot of the pipeline prop that Andy crawls through. Might ruin a little movie magic for you.
While similar looking, this is the prop used for the hole in the wall, behind the Rita Hayworth poster.
Brooks’ apartment. It was actually another room inside the prison.
This is unfortunately a replica. The real ceiling beam was, at one time, located in this room, but it was stolen. The Preservation Society recreated it.
Autographs from the film’s actors.
Autographed poster.
The cover from the crate prop, holding the library books that Andy had so frequently requested.
There’s really so much more to see inside the prison tour, such as the world’s tallest prison cell block. These were not the cell blocks seen in the film, however. The production opted to rent out a nearby warehouse and build their own set for the cell block, likely due to the unsanitary conditions of the real cell block. You are warned not to touch anything in this area, for risk of needing a tetanus shot. Since the rest of the features of the tour do not directly relate to the film, we will leave you with just one image of the many other, highly interesting things the tour has to offer.
Late in the film, Red has been released from prison and travels to Buxton to keep a promise he made to Andy. The spot where he’s dropped off was actually filmed in Worthington Township.
LOCATION: Snyder Rd / Hagerman Rd, Worthington Township, OH 44813
Pretty much all of the filming locations are conveniently marked with these signs, noting their film history.
The rock wall and tree from the end of the film could be found in the town of Lucas. The tree was hit by lightening in July 2011, which split it in two, with only half remaining standing. Eventually insects ate up much of the remaining portion and it fell over completely due to high winds by July 2016. Today, nothing is remaining at the location, as the rock wall and tree stump have all been removed. The area, which is now an agricultural field, is visible from the road, but the land itself is on private property. For a time, a section of the fallen tree was on display at the Ohio State Reformatory, but eventually it was removed, with portions of the wood being used to make souvenirs. This shot, which shows the tree and rock wall fully in tact, was taken in April 2011 and kindly shared with us by Come See With Me. They made a very comprehensive video about “The Shawshank Redemption” filming locations, which includes footage and more information about the tree, available here.
LOCATION: Near intersection of Bromfield Rd / Pleasant Valley Rd, Lucas, OH 44843 (GPS coordinates: 40°39’14.4″N, 82°23’30.3″W, now demolished)
Red takes a bus to leave town to Zihuatanejo, passing this barn on his way out.
LOCATION: Near the intersection of OH-95 / Butler Newville Rd, Worthington Township, OH 44813
Last, but not least, we leave you with one of Red’s prison shirts, which can be seen on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.
LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
If you find yourself in Ohio, we highly encourage you to take the prison tour, as it remains one of our all-time favorite film locations.
To see our “The Shawshank Redemption” location page, click here.
Film Oblivion 