The 1985 William Friedkin film “To Live and Die in L.A.” was shot, as the title suggests, in Los Angeles, California The film made use of nearly every corner of L.A. County. In the opening scenes of the film, the Secret Service escort the President down Santa Monica Blvd in Century City, as they make their way to a hotel.
LOCATION: Century Park E / Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
The convoy arrives at The Beverly Hilton hotel, where Agent Richard Chance, played by William Peterson, stops a terrorist assassination attempt. Many films have shot scenes at the hotel, including “Frost/Nixon,” “Coffy” and “Micki + Maude.”
LOCATION: 9876 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Eric Masters, played by Willem Dafoe, lives at this home in Santa Monica. Most of the property is not visible from the street. Eric burns a piece of art on the balcony on the left. The same home as appeared in such films as “Cafe Society” and “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.”
LOCATION: 757 Kingman Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Chance is seen bungee jumping from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro. The bridge has appeared in countless films, such as “Gone In 60 Seconds,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” “Lethal Weapon 2,” “Wrath Of Man,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “City of Angels,” “Knight of Cups,” “Blind Rage,” “Charlie’s Angels” and more. It has likewise appeared in such TV shows as “Mission: Impossible,” “CHiPs,” “Columbo” and more. It it also where director Tony Scott tragically ended his life.
LOCATION: Vincent Thomas Bridge, San Pedro, CA 90731
Masters runs a counterfeit cash operation out of this building in Lancaster. Despite the address being on 170th St E, this area is on the back side of the building, closer to the intersection of 171st St E / Glenfall Ave.
LOCATION: 40038 170th St E, Palmdale, CA 93591 (near the intersection of 171st St E / Glenfall Ave)
Masters is seen speeding off in his car down this area to the right of the building.
To the left is where the dumpster and trailer were located and the murder scene takes place.
Chance’s house can be found in Malibu. There is a Public Beach Access Point that runs directly beside the property, located at 22664 Beach Access Path, Malibu, CA 90265, which makes it relatively easy to access from Pacific Coast Hwy, unlike many of the properties in Malibu.
LOCATION: 22664 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
Chance runs a stakeout from this church in Pasadena. The home he surveillances was located around 445 E Walnut St, Pasadena, CA 91101, but it has since been demolished. The church, however, still stands.
LOCATION: 464 E Walnut St, Pasadena, CA 91101
Chance drives down N Pacific Ave in San Pedro to his girlfriend Ruth’s house. The route he takes in the film is geographically accurate.
LOCATION: 981 N Pacific Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731
Chance continues up Knoll Hill, with the Vincent Thomas Bridge visible in the distance.
LOCATION: N Center St / Knoll Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90731
Ruth’s house has long since been demolished, with a baseball field now in its place. Here is the approximate area where it stood.
LOCATION: 255 Viewland Pl, San Pedro, CA 90731 (now demolished)
The start of the foot chase scene begins at this building, which is located across the street from the prison from “Wild At Heart.”
LOCATION: 1701 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Masters walks with Jeff Rice, played by Steve James, where they make plans to kill a man in prison. This same location appeared in the film “Wassup Rockers.”
LOCATION: 11231 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90061 (on W 113th St)
Jeff Rice’s house is located in Wilmington.
LOCATION: 1442 W F St, Wilmington, CA 90744
The walk to the judge’s office passes through the Citigroup Center in Downtown Los Angeles. The same area appeared in such films as “Heat,” “Fight Club,” “The Hidden” and more.
LOCATION: 444 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The hospital scenes were filmed at this building.
LOCATION: 610 S St Louis St Los Angeles, CA 90023
The strip club, which was located in Wilmington, has since been demolished. It’s now just some empty land at the corner of S Figueroa St and W Harry Bridges Blvd. Prior to being demolished, the same building appeared in the films “Fight Club” and “Blood In, Blood Out.”
LOCATION: S Figueroa St / W Harry Bridges Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90731 (now demolished – original address was 1331 W B Street, Wilmington, CA 90731, but that address no longer exists)
The 1980s film “Some Kind of Wonderful,” written by John Hughes, was filmed entirely around Southern California. Amanda, played by Lea Thompson, lives at this house located in Wilmington.
LOCATION: 1319 W E St, Wilmington, CA 90744
Here is another view of the home.
Keith, played by Eric Stoltz, lives at this home, also located in Wilmington.
LOCATION: 1441 W I St, Wilmington, CA 90744
The high school scenes were filmed at the San Pedro High School.
LOCATION: 1001 W 15th St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Hardy Jenn’s house can be found in Central Los Angeles.
In the 1998 film “Primary Colors,” John Travolta plays Governor Jack Stanton, a Southern politician with many similarities to Bill Clinton. Stanton serves Thanksgiving dinner on the front lawn with his wife, played by Emma Thompson, at the Banning House in Wilmington, California. Built in 1863, the property was also seen in the 1992 Danny Aiello film “Ruby,” as well as 1995’s “Tales From The Hood” and the TV shows “Quantum Leap” and “Bronk.” The house currently operates as a museum and is open the the public.
LOCATION: 401 E M St, Wilmington, CA 90744
Late in the film, Stanton visits the home of Governor Fred Picker. Picker’s house was filmed at the Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana. The plantation is likewise open to public tours. This house and its distinct row of trees can actually be seen from the road of LA-18. However, you might find it difficult to stop and get a photo, as there is no parking along the street. The plantation was also famously used in the film “Interview With The Vampire.”
David Fincher’s 1999 film “Fight Club” was shot primarily around Los Angeles, California. Early in the film, the unnamed narrator, played by Edward Norton, attends support groups for diseases he does not have. He visits the St. Brendan Catholic Church, which has appeared in numerous productions, including “The Curse Of La Llorona,” “Spider-Man 3,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors,” “Armageddon” and the Guns N’ Roses music video for “November Rain.”
LOCATION: 310 S Van Ness Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020
After meeting Marla Singer, played by Helena Bonham Carter, he follows her to this laundromat, where she takes clothes that don’t belong to her. The laundromat is still in business.
LOCATION: 4371 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029
The vintage clothing store where she sells the clothes was located just across the street.
LOCATION: 4314 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004
The narrator’s apartment can be found near downtown Los Angeles. It’s located just across from the 2nd Street Tunnel, a popular filming location seen in such films as “Blade Runner,” “Kill Bill,” “The Terminator” and many more. Known as the Promenade Towers, the property consists of two main towers. The one seen in the film is closest to the W 1st St overpass. He calls Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt, from a phone booth at the front entrance between the two towers.
LOCATION: 123 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Fight Club begins at Lou’s Tavern. The building was a real bar, located near Wilmington. It had closed by the time the production came along, which added the neon signs. Not long after filming completed, the building was demolished altogether. It’s now just some empty land at the corner of S Figueroa St and W Harry Bridges Blvd. Prior to being demolished, the same building appeared in the films “To Live And Die In L.A.” and “Blood In, Blood Out.”
LOCATION: S Figueroa St / W Harry Bridges Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90731 (now demolished – original address was 1331 W B Street, Wilmington, CA 90731, but that address no longer exists)
The building where Tyler holds a man at gunpoint and urges him to go back to school was also filmed at a nearby liquor store at 1109 W Harry Bridges Blvd, Wilmington, CA 90744, but was also demolished.
Tyler’s house, supposedly located on Paper Street, was a set built by the production on Neptune Ave in Wilmington. It was removed at the completion of filming and is likewise now just empty land.
LOCATION: 240 N Neptune Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744 (now demolished)
As Fight Club begins to expand, the club begins taking on homework assignments by trying to start fights with the public. A man sprays a preacher with a hose as he walks by this tire shop.
LOCATION: 505 N Avalon Blvd, Wilmington, CA 90744
Another public fight takes place in front of these geometric art pieces, found in the Citigroup Center in Downtown Los Angeles. The same area appeared in such films as “Heat,” “To Live And Die In L.A.,” “The Hidden” and more.
LOCATION: 444 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The car dealership fight was filmed at 5151 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, but the building has since been demolished, with a new building standing in its place.
As the assignments escalate, things go wrong when the space monkeys try to destroy a piece of corporate art. This was filmed at Two California Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles. There is no actual ball or fountain there. To get to this area, look for signs for the Water Court from S Grand Ave.
LOCATION: 350 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Three scenes were filmed at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. The first is where Tyler appears in a corporate video, welcoming the narrator to his hotel room. The second is when Tyler works in a hotel restaurant where he defiles the food. This was filmed in the hotel’s Emerald Room. In a third scene, Tyler threatens to cut off the police commissioner’s balls in the men’s restroom of the Regency Room.
LOCATION: 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Marla lives in the Hotel Bristol, also in Downtown L.A.
LOCATION: 423 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
A computer store gets blown up in Downtown L.A., near the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.
LOCATION: 501 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Video tapes are erased with magnets at a former video store on Wilshire Blvd.
LOCATION: 6340 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Marla is put on a bus at the corner of S Broadway and W 8th St in Los Angeles. The narrator is then seen walking towards the former Olympic Theater.
LOCATION: 313 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
The final scenes with the buildings collapsing were a CGI composite. Many of the most iconic locations from the film were either sets, CGI or since demolished. However, if you’re a fan of the film, there’s still a lot of locations to be seen.
Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 Elmore Leonard adaptation was shot primarily in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, where the director also lived for much of his youth. In the 20 years since the film was released, many of the locations have long since been remodeled or demolished, but many still stand as well.
In the opening scenes, Jackie Brown, played by Pam Grier, is seen hurrying through LAX Airport. The opening titles play over the wall tiles of Terminal 3. These tiles can be found along the pedestrian tunnel in the lower level and are only accessible to airline passengers and staff, as they make their way to baggage claim or the exits. Tarantino returned to this area for a scene in “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood.”
LOCATION: Terminal 3, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (lower level, arrivals area)
Jackie is seen passing this area, which is at Terminal 5 in the departure level. This area too is only accessible to airline passengers and staff. It’s since been remodeled a bit from how it appeared in the film.
LOCATION: Terminal 5, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (departures level)
Another section of Terminal 5 Jackie is seen walking through.
As we’re introduced to the rest of the cast, we meet a beach bunny named Melanie, played by Bridget Fonda. Several scenes were filmed at Melanie’s apartment, which was actually a composite of two different locations. The interior, where most of the scenes take place, can be found at this beachfront property in Hermosa Beach.
LOCATION: 6403 Ocean Front Walk, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293
The outside of Melanie’s apartment, where Jackie and Ordell, played by Samuel L. Jackson, walk down a long corridor talking, was actually filmed at the building right across the street, which was much larger. Together the two buildings create what you see in the film.
LOCATION: 6309 Ocean Front Walk, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293
Ordell finds himself in need of a bail bondsman and meets Max Cherry, played by Robert Forster. Cherry Bail Bonds was filmed at Carson Bail Bonds in Carson, California. Unfortunately it was demolished around 2009 and replaced by some apartment buildings.
LOCATION: 724 E Carson St, Carson, CA 90745 (now demolished)
Carson City Hall, which can be seen in the background across the street, still matches up. It is seen in several shots through the front window, such as when Ordell and Louis, played by Robert De Niro, park in front of Cherry Bail Bonds.
Ordell makes his way to the apartment of Beaumont, who he has just bailed out of jail. In the film, the apartment is said to be located in “Hollywood, two blocks up from Hollywood Blvd and Western.” In reality, it’s nowhere near there. The real apartment can be found in Wilmington, California. Beaumont’s apartment was unit #16, which is the same unit number seen in the film. Today, the building is no longer accessible to the public.
LOCATION: 1030 Lakme Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744
After Ordell convinces Beaumont to tag along as backup while he sells some guns, the two make their way down the stairs.
Ordell explains the situation as they talk at the front entrance of the building.
After Ordell convinces Beaumont to hide in his trunk and slams it shut, he drives a very short distance into a vacant lot and kills Beaumont. The vacant lot was located exactly across the street from Beaumont’s apartment location in Wilmington. This scene was done as a single take with a crane shot. This vacant area has since been filled with numerous homes. This is what the area looks like today from the street.
In the shot, you can see a church with a long steeple in the distance. That church is still there, known as the Calvary Light Christian Center. Here’s a closer view of the church, seen as Ordell turns left down Denni Street.
LOCATION: Lakme Ave and Denni St, Wilmington, CA 90744
Right across the street from the church is this small parking lot, which is about the closest remnant to what the area looked like in the film.
After Jackie is arrested by LAPD Detective Mark Dargus (Michael Bowen) and ATF agent Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton), she is taken to a police station and asked to give up Ordell in exchange for her freedom. The police station scenes were filmed at what was, at the time of filming, part of the production offices. The building is only seen from interior views in the film, but here is what it looks like outside. The interior of the building was used for another scene, when Jackie is exchanging the money inside a department store dressing room. Both the police interrogation room and dressing room were sets built inside the building.
LOCATION: 6025 W Slauson Ave, Culver City, CA 90230
Max Cherry picks up Jackie from jail at the Sybil Brand Institute, which at the time of filming, was a real, operational women’s prison in Los Angeles. It was here that Manson Family member Susan Atkins confessed to a cell mate named Virginia Graham about the Tate Murders. Graham in turn shared what Atkins had told her, which eventually helped lead to the capture of Charles Manson. The prison shut down in 1997, but today the grounds are still owned by the Los Angeles sherrif’s office, where it’s used by warehouse companies and for filming purposes. Walking the grounds in person, however, it still very much feels like you’re at a prison.
LOCATION: 4500 City Terrace Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90063
Here’s a wider view of the premises, though it’s never seen from this angle in the film.
Max and Jackie grab a drink at the former Cockatoo Inn in Hawthorne, exactly as stated in the film. It appears in another scene whenever Jackie meets Ordell, then a third time whenever Ordell and Louis have a discussion. Sadly the location closed down in 1996 shortly before filming took place. While the property was not razed altogether, it has since been so heavily remodeled, it no longer appears anything like it did in the film. The signs are long gone and the interior is completely different, but it is still the original building. You can find old images online of how it used to appear.
LOCATION: 11500 Acacia Ave, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (heavily remodeled)
Max drops Jackie off at her apartment, where Ordell soon pays her a visit. The apartment can be found in Torrence.
LOCATION: 17575 Yukon Ave, Torrance, CA 90504
Much of the film takes place at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrence, which is correctly stated as such in the film.
LOCATION: 3525 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503
A couple scenes take place in the food court, including when Max runs into Jackie and when Jackie does the trial run for the money exchange. The mall has since been heavily remodeled and the food court not only looks nothing like how it appeared in the film, it’s actually now located in a completely different section of the mall. However, we photographed the original food court years ago, back when it still appeared similar to how it did in the film.
At the start of the “trial run” money exchange, Jackie is seen exiting an elevator after her flight and being met by Ray and Mark. The scene supposedly takes place at LAX, but it’s actually another part of Del Amo Mall. This is the East Parking Garage, but unfortunately the scene was filmed on the second level and all upper levels of this structure have since been closed off for an indeterminate amount of time.
LOCATION: GPS coordinates: 33.828457, -118.348661
Just before the actual money exchange, Jackie is seen driving down Sepulveda Blvd. The vehicle she’s driving is the same car Butch drives in “Pulp Fiction,” as she listens to Randy Crawford’s “Street Life.”
LOCATION: 2407 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
At the start of the second, “for real this time,” money exchange, Jackie is seen entering the mall in front of these distinctive blue bricks of what was formerly a Marshall’s store on Del Amo Cir Blvd. Marshall’s relocated to a new location at the mall in 2018 and these blue bricks were sadly removed in 2019, due to remodeling.
LOCATION: 365 Del Amo Cir Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503 (heavily remodeled)
Back at Del Amo Mall, Melanie and Louis meet up with Jackie for the money exchange at the fictional Billingsley Department Store in the mall, which is currently a Macy’s store. The store has changed quite a bit over the two decades since filming, so things don’t appear as they did back then. This is the approximate area where Jackie heads for the dressing room, which is located on the third floor of Macy’s. The actual dressing room, as mentioned earlier, was a set built at the film’s production offices.
Here is the approximate area where Louis and Melanie observe what’s happening and argue.
Max Cherry arrives outside of the store on the upper level. A prop Billingsley sign was mounted on the wall.
While the exchange goes down, Ordell keeps himself far away from the eyes of the A.T.F. by going to a strip club. The same bar, Sam’s Hofbrau, a real topless bar, would appear again in Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” where Budd works as a bouncer.
LOCATION: 1751 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Late in the film, Max meets up with the very angry and suspicious Ordell, over at Raynelle’s house. This is right around the corner from Beaumont’s apartment location.
LOCATION: 348 E Opp St, Wilmington, CA 90744
To see our “Jackie Brown” location page, click here.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2014 adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel, “Inherent Vice,” shot all over Southern California. Much of it is set in the fictional town of Gordita Beach. These scenes were actually shot in Manhattan Beach, which is worth checking out if you’re interested in beautiful ocean views, without the crowds of such places as Santa Monica or Venice Beach.
This shot, seen at both the beginning, as well the end of the film, is overlooking Manhattan Beach and a scenic walkway called The Strand. However, the shot is actually taken from Ocean Drive, one block up, at the intersection of Seaview Street.
LOCATION: 4210 The Strand, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (this exact shot is from behind the house, on Ocean Drive at Seaview Street, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, looking out towards the water)
Doc, played by Joaquin Phoenix, lives in this house, which is close to the above shot. The house was mostly used for interiors in the film, but the exterior can also briefly be seen.
LOCATION: 214 El Porto St, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
This cafe in San Pedro pops up a couple times in the film. First, Doc sits outside reading a newspaper about real estate developments. The interior is seen later in the film, albeit dressed heavily to appear as a Japanese restaurant, as Bigfoot, played by Josh Brolin, delivers the immortal lines, “Motto panukeiku, motto panukeiku.” The same cafe appeared in the films “Chinatown,” “Gods and Monsters” and “Lovesick,” as well as such TV shows as “T.J. Hooker” and the 2020 version of “Perry Mason.”
LOCATION: 700 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731
Doc follows leads on the mysterious Golden Fang boat, which is believed to bring in drugs, as well as having carried Shasta, played by Katherine Waterston, on board the last time it sailed. The schooner is seen in darkness, off in the distance in the film. The actual boat is the Tallship American Pride, which can be found at the Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach, California. The boat is located at Dock 3, though it does sometimes set sail into the waters. If you’re unfamiliar with this area of Long Beach, just search for Gladstone’s Restaurant (330 S Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802) or Toyko Wako (310 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802) at the Long Beach Pike. The pier and the boat are located directly behind them.
LOCATION: Rainbow Harbor, Dock 3, Long Beach, CA 90802
Doc talks with Sauncho Smilax, played by Benicio Del Toro, at the Chowder Barge in Wilmington. These restaurant shots are provided courtesy of Christian Hernandez at Boogie Sights, who also identified the location.
LOCATION: 611 N Henry Ford Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744
Later in the film, Doc pays a visit to Bigfoot at the old Los Angeles Police Department in downtown Los Angeles. As he’s approaching the building, an officer bumps into him, knocking him to the ground. The building has since been demolished.
LOCATION: 150 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (now demolished)
One of the most memorable scenes in the film is a flashback sequence, when Doc and Shasta get caught in the rain, while Neil Young’s “Journey Through the Past” plays. This song was a major inspiration for the film and Doc’s look was even modeled after a 1970s photograph of Neil Young. The scene was shot in Pomona, Californa, about an hour east of Los Angeles.
As time has passed, appreciation for Michael Mann’s crime saga masterpiece “Heat” has continued to grow. Few films have ever captured Los Angeles so magnificently as Mann did here. Even after all of these years, a few locations remain secret, but most have surfaced.
The opening shots of the film show Neil McCauley, played by Robert DeNiro on the Metro Green Line, arriving at the Redondo Beach Station. Director Michael Mann would return to this same station for the closing scenes of “Collateral.” If you plan to visit this station, the only way to access the platform is by purchasing a fare.
LOCATION: 2406 Marine Ave, Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Neil steals an ambulance from the St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach. The same hospital shows up again later in the film, when Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino, rushes his step-daughter Lauren, played by Natalie Portman, to the emergency room.
LOCATION: 1050 Linden Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
Chris, played by Val Kilmer, purchases explosives from a company in Whittier. However, the building seen in the film was later demolished. Here is how the area appears now.
LOCATION: 10006 Rose Hills Rd, Whittier, CA 90601 (demolished)
Vincent and his wife Justine live in what is known as the “Sixth Street House” in Santa Monica. A famous architectural piece, the house has the designation of historical landmark. Much of the front of the home is obscured by a wall and shrubs, making it a bit inconspicuous. The side of the home offers better visibility. In the film itself, only the interiors of the house are seen.
LOCATION: 2634 6th St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
The Mexican food stand where Waingro gets picked up has since been demolished. This is what the area looks like now.
LOCATION: 1233 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006 (demolished)
What matches up better is the plaza across the street, seen in the background as Waingro walks to the truck.
The robbery of the armored truck takes place on Venice Blvd, exactly as Hanna states in the film. It’s near the Los Angeles Convention Center, just underneath the interchange of the 10 and 110 freeways. The detention center scenes from “Scarface” were filmed nearby as well.
LOCATION: Venice Blvd / Convention Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90015
The robbers emerge from underneath this split overpass for the collision.
This is where Vincent arrives to investigate the aftermath.
McCauley’s crew torches the ambulance here.
LOCATION: W 22nd St / Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90007
McCauley meets with Nate, played by Jon Voight, at a parking garage in Downtown L.A. They are seen on the ninth level, which is now private and monitored by a security guard. Here is a view of the same area a couple levels down, which is public.
LOCATION: 333 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
McCauley’s crew takes Waingro to the former Johnie’s Broiler in Downey, where they attempt to kill him in the parking lot, but he ultimately escapes. The restaurant has a unique history, having appeared in many other films, such as “Short Cuts,” “License To Drive,” “The Game,” “My Stepmother Is An Alien,” “One Hour Photo,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It” 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.
LOCATION: 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241
The location of Neil’s oceanfront home, where Chris sleeps off a domestic spat, has long been subject to debate. The house most commonly believed to be the correct location can be found on Malibu Cove Colony Drive, a private road just off the Pacific Coast Highway. Old real estate listings showing the interior of the home match closely with what was seen in the film, down to fixtures and appliances. The same house was also featured in the film “Less Than Zero,” where Jami Gertz tells Andrew McCarthy she’s not going to college. However, since then portions of the home have been remodeled, making it a difficult task to match up in person.
The entrance to Malibu Cove Colony Drive has a gate and guard on duty, preventing any public access (most beachfront roads in this area are likewise private). On the opposite side, however, are the outskirts of Escondido Beach, which is open to the public, but also presents its own challenges. First and foremost, the houses sit very close to the water. All of them are perched on stilts, as the tides can reach all the way up to the base of the properties. Visitors should use caution if they walk these narrow shores, as the high tides can leave you little room to cross. It also makes photography a challenge, unless you plan to take a swim. The next challenge is simply identifying the correct home. Many of these beachfront homes have been heavily remodeled. If you attempt to match them to satellite views, many details won’t align in person, due to remodeling. Some of the homes also resemble one another, particularly their patios, making it even more confusing. It’s easy to see why, after decades, the location has remained subject to debate. To be certain we found the correct home we were seeking, we used a combination satellite imagery and GPS. A drone (or jet ski) is likely a better method to view the house, but if you do attempt it on foot, use caution and do your research.
LOCATION: 26940 Malibu Cove Colony Dr, Malibu, CA 90265
The home of Chris Shiherlis can be found in Northridge. The house has since been remodeled some.
LOCATION: 19514 Romar St, Northridge, CA 91324 (remodeled)
This view, seen as Chris drives away, still matches up.
The bookstore where Eady, played by Amy Brenneman, works is located at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. The entire area, an outdoor pedestrian mall, was heavily renovated and the bookstore is long since gone.
LOCATION: 1254 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (remodeled)
The cafe where Eady gets to know Neil was likewise part of the 3rd Street Promenade. Much like the bookstore, the cafe is long since gone and the building has been remodeled.
LOCATION: 1457 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (remodeled)
Eady’s house sits perched on stilts in the hills of West Hollywood, offering a magnificent view over the city. There’s not much to see from the front of the house itself on Blue Heights Dr. Signs declare the cul-de-sac where it sits to be private property, but you can still see it well from the public section of the road. The floor to ceiling windows and patio area are much better seen from lower streets, such as Viewmont Dr (near the 1600 block, just before it reaches a dead end). The house found renewed interest in 2014 with the TV series “Bosch,” where it serves as the home of the titular detective.
LOCATION: 1870 Blue Heights Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90069 (best seen from around the 1600 block of Viewmont Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90069, just before the road hits a dead end)
Here is a view of the city, as seen from Blue Heights Dr, just before you reach Eady’s house, closely resembling what you’d see from the home.
Vincent and Drucker visit Albert’s chop shop in Wilmington. At the time of filming, the area was rumored to host an actual chop shop, though now it’s just a train maintenance area. The distinct, yellow sulpher pile still remains and there is a very strong smell in person.
LOCATION: 1017 Foote Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744 (near the railroad tracks)
Plans for the bank heist are first offered to Neil and Nate when they visit Kelso, played by Tom Noonan. The house was filmed on Dodds Circle in Los Angeles, which is also where Trejo’s house is located in the film. Neil and Nate first park here, overlooking the 10 freeway.
LOCATION: Dodds Cir, Los Angeles, CA 90063 (just off Dickson Ave)
McCauley then discusses the plan with Kelso at his house, which is fenced off around the entire perimeter.
LOCATION: 1235 Dodds Cir, Los Angeles, CA 90063
The restaurant where Donald, played by Dennis Haysbert, begins working under the abuse of a crooked manager is Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank (not to be confused with the Downey location covered earlier in this article).
LOCATION: 4211 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505
Later in the film, Neil happens to be dining inside with his crew and spots Donald cooking and immediately recognizes him as a former prison buddy.
Neil speaks to his driver, Trejo, from a phone at the restaurant, where he is informed Trejo is being tailed by cops and cannot join their heist. In need of a last-minute, replacement driver, Neil offers Donald a job on the spot.
McCauley follows Charlene, played by Ashley Judd, to this hotel in Burbank.
LOCATION: 3901 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505
Vincent later meets up with Albert at a club to speak with another informant.
LOCATION: 3548 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005
The drive-in theater where a deal goes wrong was demolished not long after filming took place. The area has since been redeveloped. This is how it appears now.
LOCATION: 5700 W Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (demolished)
The restaurant where Neil’s crew dines can be found in Santa Monica, near the pier.
LOCATION: 1535 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
The motel where Hanna investigates a crime scene linked to Waingro has long since been demolished. A parking lot now stands at the site, but many of the buildings seen in the background still match up.
LOCATION: 944 Georgia St, Los Angeles, CA 90015 (demolished)
Lauren is sitting on a bus bench in Santa Monica when she sees Hanna passing by in a car.
LOCATION: Hollister Ave / Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
The police car u-turns and picks up Lauren.
McCauley’s crew proceed to take down a metals repository, only to abandon the job midway, after McCauley hears a noise and correctly surmises the police are watching.
LOCATION: Near 1309 Factory Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Vincent stands in this general area after the failed operation.
After realizing the police are on to them, McCauley’s crew considers splitting up at this power station in Torrance. Here is a view of the general area.
LOCATION: 17680 Yukon Ave, Torrance, CA 90504
Neil’s crew stages a fake scout of an industrial area, where they are surveilled by the police, only to discover Neil’s true intent is actually surveilling the LAPD back. Hanna’s crew can be seen exiting down the stairs of this large drum, located in Wilmington.
LOCATION: 841 S La Paloma Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744 (facing S Fries Ave)
The police stand in this area at Terminal Island in San Pedro, as Hanna realizes they’ve been tricked. The area they stand is just past the fencing of this parking lot. To get here, you travel down New Dock Street. There is a checkpoint to the right for trucks, but if you keep left, the road bypasses the checkpoint for passenger vehicles. You can reach this parking lot, which is as close as you can get to the exact spot. If you plan to visit, we recommend doing so on a weekend, as weekdays the road can be backed up with long lines of trucks arriving to the port.
LOCATION: Near 700 New Dock St, San Pedro, CA 90731 (GPS coordinates: 33°45’18.5″N, 118°15’21.6″W)
You can see this building in the background of the shots.
You can also see the right side of this building, confirming they would have been standing directly to the right beyond the fencing.
Hanna is seen landing in a helicopter in this area, which is actually a church parking lot.
LOCATION: 1430 Imperial Hwy, Los Angeles, CA 90047
Hanna drives down the 110 freeway, connecting to the 105 freeway, in pursuit of McCauley. The express ramp to the left was also where the opening of “La La Land” was filmed. The bus jump from “Speed” was likewise filmed on the same interchange, when it was still under construction.
LOCATION: I-110, Los Angeles, CA 90061 (GPS coordinates 33°55’58.1″N, 118°16’50.6″W)
Hanna is then seen driving down Interstate 105 past these signs, in pursuit of McCauley.
LOCATION: Century Fwy, Inglewood, CA 90304 (GPS coordinates: 33°55’58.2″N, 118°21’32.4″W)
Just slightly further ahead, Hanna pulls McCauley over in this area and invites him for a cup of coffee.
LOCATION: Century Fwy, Inglewood, CA 90304 (GPS coordinates: 33°55’54.7″N, 118°21’44.6″W)
One of the film’s famous scenes is of course the face to face meeting between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. The conversation took place at the excellent Kate Mantilini, an institution of Beverly Hills which closed in 2014 after the restaurant could not afford a rental increase by the building owners. We managed to capture some photos from when the place was still open.
LOCATION: 9101 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (now closed)
Above the entrance to the restaurant, this image from the iconic scene was hung.
After meeting Neil, Vincent returns to a hotel where he’s staying, only to discover his step-daughter Lauren has attempted suicide in his bathroom. This was filmed at the Hotel Angeleno, just off the 405 freeway. The hotel was mostly seen from interior views in the film, aside from a shot of Vincent looking down at the freeway from his balcony.
LOCATION: 170 N Church Ln, Los Angeles, CA 90049
The exterior of the famous bank robbery scene is set in downtown Los Angeles at the Citigroup Center. This same location was also featured in such films as “Fight Club,” “To Live And Die In L.A.,” “The Hidden” and more.
LOCATION: 444 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The bank interiors were filmed at this building, also located in Downtown L.A.
LOCATION: 350 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The robbery then spills out onto the streets, in what many consider one of the greatest shootouts ever filmed.
LOCATION: Intersection of W 5th St / S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
McCauley and Chris attempt to escape in the parking lot of a grocery store. At the time of filming, this was just a parking garage, dressed to appear as a grocery store. The entire area has since been redeveloped and a large building now stands in it’s place. However, you can still match up some of the buildings seen in the background.
LOCATION: Near 831 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (GPS coordinates: 34°02’45.9″N, 118°15’36.8″W)
Cheritto, played by Tom Sizemore, takes a hostage in this area, which is actually the rooftop of a small parking garage. There is a walking path directly onto the rooftop from 4th St.
LOCATION: 445 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Trejo’s house, much like Eady’s, sits on stilts over a hillside of L.A., where he is discovered by McCauley near the end of the film. It sits on the same small road as Kelso’s house from earlier in the film, which was discovered as a result of finding this home for the film.
LOCATION: 1219 Dodds Cir, Los Angeles, CA 90063
The home of Van Zant, played by William Fichtner, can be found near West Hollywood, not far from Eady’s house. The back area where McCauley approaches is not visible from the street.
LOCATION: 9024 Thrasher Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Nate’s bar was filmed at The Blue Room in Burbank. The same location appears in “Memento” and the 1997 film “Touch.”
LOCATION: 916 S San Fernando Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502
Neil talks with Eady as the two look out over the ocean next to this tree. It’s located next to a popular park in Pacific Palisades known as The Point at the Bluffs, which has a beautiful view over the water.
LOCATION: Via de Las Olas, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 (GPS coordinates: 34°02’08.0″N, 118°31’53.5″W)
After the robbery, the police try to bait in Chris by setting up a meeting with his wife Charlene. After she tips him off with a subtle gesture (on a patio at 119 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291), he leaves the scene. He’s stopped next to Venice Beach by the police, where he presents false identification and escapes.
LOCATION: Navy St / Speedway, Los Angeles, CA 90405
Thinking Neil is gone for good, Hanna leaves the police station and kicks a TV out of his car onto the street at this intersection. This same intersection has appeared in such films as “Speed” and the 2001 remake of “Ocean’s Eleven.”
LOCATION: W 5th St / S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The hotel where Neil tracks down Waingo can be found right next to LAX airport, just as depicted in the film. Neil parks in this alley next to the hotel.
LOCATION: 5711 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045
McCauley flees from Hanna into LAX airport.
LOCATION: Los Angeles International Airport, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045
The final standoff between Hanna and McCauley actually takes place in a field just across the street from the end of the LAX runway. You can see some similar structures still standing there.
LOCATION: Near Aviation Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 (GPS coordinates: 33°56’21.0″N, 118°22’36.7″W)
Film Oblivion 