Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

The 2004 Michel Gondry film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” shot around many parts of New York, from New York City to Mauntauk, at the far end of Long Island, with some additional filming in New Jersey. The beach house Joel and Clementine, played by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, break into can be found in Wainscott in Long Island. The home is part of the Georgica Association, a private enclave of upscale houses. There is limited street parking nearby, but it requires permit ID. As for the beach itself, the house is perched on a small stretch that is privately owned by the Georgica Association beginning at Beach Lane. If you stop by outside of peak times and keep your visit brief, in our experiences, the neighborhood residents were accommodating, but your experience could differ from ours.

LOCATION: 40 Association Rd, Wainscott, NY 11975 (GPS coordinates: 40°55’45.4″N, 72°14’00.2″W)

The house has also appeared in the film “The Nanny Diaries” as well as the music video for “Seasons Change” by Expose.

Later in the film, the house is seen collapsing as a visual representation of Joel’s memory being erased. This was of course a visual effect.

Clementine’s house was formerly located in Booklyn (59 Orient Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211), but has since been demolished.

Joel’s apartment can be found in Yonkers. He is seen walking along the sidewalk as Stan and Patrick, played by Mark Ruffalo and Elijah Wood, drive past.

LOCATION: 123 Valentine Ln, Yonkers, NY 10705

Joel is seen turning into his apartment driveway here.

As Stan and Patrick perform the memory wipe, we see into Joel’s memories of an argument he had with Clementie as she approaches this corner.

LOCATION: Saratoga Ave / Caryl Ave, Yonkers, NY 10705

Joel walks after Clementine past the Saratoga Market, but every time he reaches the end of the building, it looks the same as where he began, with Clementine now walking the opposite direction.

LOCATION: 208 Saratoga Ave, Yonkers, NY 10705

Here is the other side of the building.

Here is a panoramic view of the full building where Joel walks back and forth, always ending up where he began, with the store signage going blank as his memories continue to be erased.

Midway through his memories of Clementine being erased, Joel decides he no longer wants to proceed and begins trying to hide her in unrelated memories from his life, in the hopes that he can prevent losing her altogether. They are seen running through New York City’s famed Grand Central Terminal, with people around them disappearing as Joel’s memories are zapped. The two run down these stairs. Grand Central Terminal has been seen in countless films, such as “Midnight Run,” “North By Northwest,” “Carlito’s Way,” “Seconds,” “The Fisher King,” “The Avengers,” “The Ice Storm,” “Unfaithful,” “Hackers,” “The French Connection,” “Armageddon,” “Revolutionary Road” and many more.

LOCATION: 89 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017

Joel’s childhood home could be found in Bayonne, New Jersey (105 E 23rd St, Bayonne, NJ 07002), but it has since been demolished.

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Catch Me If You Can (2002)

In Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can,” Frank Abagnale Jr., played by Leonardo DiCaprio, lives at this home early in the film. Supposedly located in New York, the real home can be found in Studio City, California. It is located next door to the house from “My Stepmother Is An Alien.”

LOCATION: 12075 Valleyheart Dr, Studio City, CA 91604

Frank and his family are forced to move into a smaller apartment at this building, which can be found in Yonkers, New York.

LOCATION: 110 Buena Vista Ave, Yonkers, NY 10701

Frank Abagnale Sr, played by Christopher Walken, reads a letter from his son as he walks into the Abagnale Stationers store, which can be found in San Pedro.

LOCATION: 421 W 6th St, San Pedro, CA 90731

After posing as an airline pilot, Frank begins forging payroll checks at the former Ambassador Hotel. The hotel was a staple of film and television, appearing in such films as “The Graduate,” “Forrest Gump,” “Seven,” “Bobby,” “True Lies,” “L.A. Story,” “True Romance,” “The Mask,” “Calendar Girl” and dozens more. The hotel has since been demolished, with only this post and statue from the original building remaining.

LOCATION: 3400 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (now demolished)

Carl, played by Tom Hanks, is on the hunt for Frank, who stays at the Tropicana Motel in Hollywood.  While the Tropicana was a real motel at one time, it was demolished in 1988.  Instead, the Hollywood Roosevelt was used.  It’s actually the rear of the Roosevelt building that is seen in the film.

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LOCATION: 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (rear of the building on Hawthorn Ave)

Carl eats at a diner, where a waitress tips him off that the alias Frank has been using is the name of “The Flash” in the comic books, cluing him in that his suspect may be younger than he originally thought.

This was filmed at the former Quality Cafe in downtown Los Angeles.  The diner was a one-time staple of films, appearing in “Seven” “Training Day,” “Ghost World,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Rules Of Attraction,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and dozens more.  However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public.  Instead it was used solely for filming.  Sadly, it ceased to function as a filming location and was completely renovated in 2014.  The interior of the property no longer bears any resemblance inside to how it appeared in so many films.

LOCATION: 1238 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (since closed and remodeled)

The Miami Airport where Frank slips past the FBI by surrounding himself with attractive flight attendants was actually filmed at the Ontario Airport in Ontario, California.  This particular terminal is not in active use and has popped up in countless other films, including “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Zodiac,” “Blow,” “Argo” and many more.

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LOCATION: 1940 Moore Way, Ontario, CA 91761

Another view of the same airport, depicted as the baggage claim terminal in the film.

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Later in the film, Frank takes his father to an upscale restaurant, where he tells him he bought him a Cadillac.  The actual location is not a restaurant at all.  It’s the famous “Pompeian Room” of the Doheny Mansion, located on the campus of Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles.  While the mansion does offer occasional tours to the public, some of the guides can be strict about allowing photos inside.  Many films have shot at the mansion, including “The Princess Diaries,” “Drag Me To Hell,” “Flowers In The Attic,” “Spider-Man 3,” “The Three Amigos” and more.

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LOCATION: 10 Chester Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90007

The bank scenes were filmed at Union Station, a train station in downtown Los Angeles.  It has featured in many films as well, such as “Blade Runner,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Species,” “Bugsy,” “Pearl Harbor” and more.

LOCATION: 800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Frank strikes up a romance with Brenda, played by Amy Adams, who brings him to the house of her father, played by Martin Sheen.  Frank has to make an abrupt departure with the FBI hot on his heels.  The house used in the film can be found in Pasadena.  The address is on E Crary St, but the back of the house faces that direction and the perimeter is surrounded by a wall, so you won’t see much from there.  The front side of the house is actually around the block on Layton St, which dead-ends into the driveway of the home.  The same house has also been seen in the films “Matilda,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Scream 2” and “The Midnight Hour.”  Unfortunately, the property owners have since posted no trespassing signs near the end of Ladyton St, making it much more difficult for pedestrians to see the house anymore.

LOCATION: 2186 E Crary St, Pasadena, CA 91104 (front of the home faces Ladyton St)

Frank is arrested in front of his mother’s house, which can be found in Pasadena. The same location appears in the film “Disturbia.”

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LOCATION: 3077 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107

Late in the film, Frank passes this store and stops as he sees a pilot’s uniform on display. This can be found just a few buildings up from the Abagnale Stationers store seen early in the film.

LOCATION: 446 W 6th St, San Pedro, CA 90731