Man About Tinseltown

Cop (1988) Filming Locations

2010-02-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

Julia Niemeyer's Apartment
The Harper House
1424 n Harper Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Lloyd runs into Joanie Pratt at the post office
USPS Hollywood Station
1615 N Wilcox Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028
The coffee shop across the street is now a parking lot
for Shin Korean BBQ.

Lloyd asking around for "Birdman" Henderson
In front of the 7-11 at 7950 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA

Lloyd finds "Birdman" in his hotel room
Saharan Motor Hotel
7212 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Lloyd's meeting with the killer
Daniel Webster High School
(really Alexander Hamilton High School)
2955 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Dead Heat Locations

2010-01-26T22:41:00.000-08:00

Jewelry Store Robbery
8471 Melrose Place, Los Angeles, CA 90069

Dante Pharmaceuticals
The Japanese Garden (Admin Building)
6100 Woodley Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91406

Mortis at the Drug Store
Mid-West Pharmacy - 8733 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Mortis & Bigelow in Chinatown (on the way to see Mr. Thule)
N Broadway and Gin Ling Way, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Mortis & Bigelow Visit Library
Pasadena Central Library - 285 East Walnut Street Pasadena, CA 91101

The Terminator Locations

2010-01-25T21:49:00.000-08:00

Aside from the few pictures I've posted, I had help on the other locations. The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations and Herve Attia's blog can be considered definitive sources on the subject.

Griffith Observatory
2800 E Observatory Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Gun Store
14329 Victory Boulevard, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Big Buns
Carrow's Restaurant - 815 S Fremont Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Reese Arrives in 1984
Alley just East of 6th & Broadway, Downtown L.A.

Tech Noir
718 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90014 (now JPB jewelry)

Car Chase (interior)
Dept Water & Power Parking Garage - 111 N Hope St, Los Angeles, CA, 90012

Tiki Motel
7301 Santa Fe Ave, Huntington Park, CA 90255

Motorcycle Chase
2nd St Tunnel (between Hill and Figueroa in Downtown, L.A.)

Showdown in the factory
Kern's of California - 13010 East Temple Ave, La Puente, CA 91746

The Big Lebowski locations

2010-01-23T17:08:00.000-08:00

The Dude's Apartment
609 Venezia Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90291

Bowling Alley
Hollywood Star Lanes - 5227 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
(Alas, the building was razed a few years back. In its place now stands an elementary school. That's just not right.)

Lebowski Mansion
Greystone Mansion - 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Sobchak Security
6757 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Jesus Walk of Shame
Kenmore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029
(As seen in the film, we're facing north on Kenmore. Jesus walks up to 814 N Kenmore Ave)

Maude Lebowski's Loft
Palace Theater - 630 S Broadway St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Marty's Dance Quintet
Palace Theater - 630 S Broadway St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Little Larry's House
1824 Stearns Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Family Restaurant (The Dude and Walter having coffee)
Johnie's Coffee Shop - 6101 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
This is the infamous coffee shop from Miracle Mile. The rotating sign's no longer there, and the restaurant's closed to the public (now used exclusively filming).

Creedence Crash
La Mirada Ave, Hollywood, CA (between Vine and Cahuenga)

Dude kicked out of taxi
Jefferson Blvd and Duquesne Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

Nihilist Breakfast
Dinah's - 6521 S Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90045

Beverly Hills Cop locations

2010-01-22T23:24:00.000-08:00

Axel Foley's Apartment
685 Witmer Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Beverly Hills Hotel (Axel pulls up, interior lobby)
The Biltmore - 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA

Axel drives past the actual Beverly Hills Hotel in the montage, but is seen pulling up in front of the Biltmore (downtown L.A.). Makes sense when you think about it - The Biltmore is one of the most versatile hotels used for shooting. Not only that, but permits are easier (and cheaper) to come by when you're not actually shooting in Beverly Hills.

Maitland's Office (Axel thrown through the window)
3699 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Beverly Hills Police Dept
455 N Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA
(Axel is led into the door on Crescent Ave)

The Harrow Club
Athenaeum - 551 S Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

Another location found nowhere near Beverly Hills. Again, permits being a big reason. That, and Pasadena is rife with fruitful filming sites, as an alternative.

Bonded Warehouse
Korean Air terminal (LAX) - 6101 W Imperial Hwy, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Maitland's Warehouse
3550 W 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Maitland's Estate
609 E. Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA

Not much luck with this one. Channel Road's been blocked off every time I've made an attempt. Maitland's front gate was also used as the front gate for Buckaroo Banzai's house. But hey, sometimes these places are a crap shoot, eh?

Demolition Man locations

2010-01-21T21:25:00.000-08:00

Cocteau's Office
L.A. Convention Center - 1201 S, Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015

San Angeles Police Department
Baxter Pharmaceutical - 1 Baxter Way, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

Museum Exterior (Cocteau arrives, Phoenix escapes)
Park Place Campus - 3345 Michelson Dr, Irvine, CA 92612

En Route to Taco Bell
San Diego Convention Center - 111 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101

Taco Bell
Hughes Aircraft - 909 N Sepulveda Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

En Route to Spartan's Apartment
American Plaza Trolley Station - 600 W Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101

Spartan's Apartment
Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Car chase begins
The Pyramid - 7310 Miramar Rd, San Diego, CA 92126

Poltergeist locations

2010-01-21T21:24:00.001-08:00

The Freeling House
4267 Roxbury Street, Simi Valley, CA

Dr. Lesh & Co.
Langson Library, UC Irvine

Some Kind of Wonderful locations

2010-01-18T13:23:00.001-08:00

Special thanks to somekindofwonderful.org for all of the locations.

Keith's House
1441 West I Street, Wilmington CA 90744

Watts' House
1443 Emden St, Wilmington, CA 90731

Amanda's House
1319 West E Street, Wilmington, CA 90744

High School
San Pedro High - 1001 W 15th St, San Pedro, CA 90731

Hardy's House
516 South Hudson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020

L'Ermitage (the French restaurant)
Now Koi Restaurant
730 North La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069

The Hollywood Bowl
2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068

Free Enterprise locations

2010-01-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

The El Rey Theater (Star Trek: The Motion Picture premiere)
5515 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Robert's House
445 S Doheny Drive, Los Angeles, CA

Full Eclipse Entrance
1416 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA (south side of Jim Henson Studios)

L.A. Burger
6001 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Laser Blazer
10587 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Site of the former Galaxy Theater (Wrath of Khan screening)

7021 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA

Golden Apple
8967 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91325
Now Earth 2 Comics, and moved down a few doors. The mural that Mark and Robert pass on the way in is no longer there, but was on the south side of that building.

Chevy's
16705 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91436
(Alas, no longer in business)

Iliad Bookstore
4820 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood, CA
(Also no longer in business)

Cartoonsville
12121 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049
The restaurant occupied the bottom floor of Wilshire Bundy Plaza. But it is another location that is no longer open.

Robert & Claire on a date
The Japanese Garden - 6100 Woodley Avenue Van Nuys, CA 91406

Robert & Claire Photoshoot
Vasquez Rocks Park, Green Valley, California 91390
What better place to take your date than the site of the infamous battle between Capt. Kirk and the Gorn?

Donnie Darko locations

2010-01-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

The Darko House
4225 Country Club Drive, Long Beach, CA

Donnie's Bus Stop -
Corner of N Country Club Drive and W San Antonio Drive

Jim Cunningham's House
4252 Country Club Drive, Long Beach, CA

The Aero Theater
1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA

Middlesex High School
Loyola High School - 1901 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

Holiday Inn
150 E Angeleno Ave, Burbank, CA

The hotel was featured in the Director's Cut (the Darko family stayed here after the jet engine fell in the house). The angle of the Hotel seen in the movie can be seen standing at the corner of S 1st St and E Verdugo Ave (looking north).

Red Dawn (1984)

2010-01-14T02:25:00.000-08:00

"They can have my gun when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers." - Old John Milius proverb

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, Jennifer Grey, C. Thomas Howell
Written by: John Milius, Kevin Reynolds
Directed by: John Milius

And over on the left, we have a quaint little war movie from 1984, called Red Dawn. For those of you who missed out on the 1980s, Red Dawn is a veritable time capsule. Just by popping this bad boy into your video machine and sipping some nice cognac, you can learn a remarkable amount of information about the Reagan years. To put it simply, people were street rat crazy in those days. The threat of the Ruskies was hyper-real and ever present, permeating our subconscious with thoughts of hammers, sickles and borscht on Christmas morning.

Red Dawn tells the story of a heroic group of teenagers who band together, and raise hell after invading Russians occupy a large part of the United States. Dubbing themselves The Wolverines (after the local high school football team), they take up any arms they can find and begin an armed resistance against the Soviet occupation. That's as simple as it gets - and really, what more do you need? What we have here is the perfect 1980s WWIII nightmare scenario. The Red Menace finally takes the Cold War to a whole new level, and storms the American Midwest. And only one group of warriors can stop them: a bunch of kids. Just imagine The Breakfast Club in a salad bowl with Platoon, and even a dash of Star Wars, for good measure. The Brat Pack vs. the Evil Empire. Now look at the 80s cinema landscape and tell me that's not the greatest foundation for a movie you've ever heard. I didn't think so.

Before we go any further, we must address the movie's politics. Back in '84, Red Dawn was panned as a Conservative wet dream; a love letter to Reagan and the 2nd Amendment. When the Soviets rain from the sky and take our country right out from under us, what do we do? We arm the youth of America and fight back! Any liberal in his/her right mind would obviously take issue with this. But that's where the politics of Red Dawn actually work in the movie's favor. How else would you handle the nightmare invasion scenario? This is reflective of the Cold War paranoia of the mid-80s. Liberals scoffed when Red Dawn was released, but the message to young America was clear: This could happen! And who better to direct such a cautionary tale than "zen-fascist" John Milius, the primary inspiration for The Big Lebowski's Walter Sobchak?

But therein lies the problem. Red Dawn works best as a message. As a movie, not so much. Everything about Red Dawn is the setup; there's no payoff. Looking at this as a war movie, the most gripping action clearly takes place in the opening twenty minutes. We are treated to the idyllic serenity of Calumet, Colorado on a crisp September morning. High school football is a big draw, the pickups have gun racks; life is simple. "Pure" America, as it were. This is until Russian paratroopers rain down from the sky and open fire on the local high school. Milius uses reactionary images of bloody students hanging out of classroom windows and a history teacher riddled with gunfire to snap the audience to attention. But it works, because the godless Commies are ruining our serenity - and we're pissed, dammit!

In the mass panic and confusion during the initial attack, a small group of high school students manage to escape into the mountains. Using whatever weapons they can find (hunting rifles, mostly), they form an armed resistance against the occupation, dubbing themselves The Wolverines (after the high school football team). They spend most of their time living off of game in the wilderness and training in the art of guerrilla warfare (apparently it's up to the viewer to figure out where they learned said tactics). This is where the movie falls off a cliff. The problem here, is that the remaining action scenes are restricted to The Wolverines getting into small skirmishes with the Ruskies, and tagging their territories, gang-style (attack, run, repeat). Intermixed between these skirmishes are scenes of the teenagers dealing with feelings of isolation, self-reliance, and the ravages of killing other human beings. This is most apparent in the dehumanization of Robert (C. Thomas Howell). Every kill adds another notch to the butt of his AK-47, and the death of his humanity. Now we have a movie that's at once glorifying violence, and condemning the act of guerrilla warfare.

Even if you were to praise this film as the ultimate in Conservative movies, in the end you have a film that's at odds with itself. There's a coming-of-age teen story buried somewhere deep within the conflicted war movie, but unfortunately it isn't fleshed out, as the actors have no chemistry among one another. One could argue that the wilderness isolation and domestic defense force these kids to grow up, but there isn't enough character to make us care about any of these people.

With such a delightfully absurd premise, I was expecting at least some 80s cheese. But Red Dawn doesn't even constitute a "bad" movie (a la The Apple), as it just tends to bore the audience (especially at an overly long 144 minutes). You look at this movie, and you hope for something so bad, it's good. Hey, Patrick Swayze gifted us with the sheer awesomeness that is Road House - there's gotta be something here, right? Unfortunately, Red Dawn just isn't bad enough. The only person who had anything to work with here was Swayze. As the leader of The Wolverines (and the glue that holds them together), he's the most captivating to watch, as he slowly loses his focus and determination. Alas, Red Dawn is a movie that's all about its ideology, with nothing else beneath the surface.

3/10

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

2010-01-13T00:08:00.000-08:00

Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Stephen Collins
Written by: Alan Dean Foster (story), Harold Livingston (screenplay)
Directed by: Robert Wise

It's been three years since the five-year mission of the Original Series. The USS Enterprise has been in drydock, undergoing an extensive refit under the new command of Captain Willard Decker. The re-designed starship is called back into service when Starfleet gets wind of a massive energy cloud on its way to Earth. Assuming command of the Enterprise is her storied captain, Admiral James T. Kirk. After rounding up the original members of his crew, Kirk and co. head off to stop the looming alien threat before it can reach Earth.

The 1979 release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture marks ten years since we've seen the original crew in action. And a lot has changed, since then. Capt. Kirk has been languishing behind a desk after his promotion to Admiral; Spock has been on Vulcan, in preparation for the Kolinahr ritual (the purging of all remaining emotion); and the Enterprise, herself, has been undergoing massive refits - the result of which is a starship of such size and grandeur, that it's rightful place is on the silver screen.

Most of the cast and crew return to their posts onboard the Enterprise - with the exception of Kirk, who's been chomping at the bit to get back out there with his ship. We have a captain who is irritated with where his career has landed him. He uses any and all clout to reclaim command of his beloved vessel - and there's tension on the bridge, with Kirk having usurped Decker's rightful place in the Captain's chair. The term "muscled his way in" is taken quite literally here, as Kirk has never looked more fit on the bridge of the Enterprise than he does in The Motion Picture (the result of Shatner's heavy fitness regimen and starvation diet before cameras rolled).

One of the movie's signature scenes is the re-introduction of the Enterprise. Wise makes full use of the cinematic wide screen, as every angle of the ship is on display. We've never seen the ship this big before, and we share in Kirk's loving admiration as we are reacquainted with the massive starship. And it's the perfect scene to catapult the fans of Star Trek into a big screen adventure - the small screen could never do the ship justice. The sequence (and entire movie, for that matter) are bolstered ten-fold by Jerry Goldsmith's incredible score - one of the composer's very best.

While the financial success of The Motion Picture can be credited with ensuring the future of the Trek film series, its critical success is certainly a mixed bag. The Motion Picture is a great science fiction story, but it doesn't capture the magic of the Original Series. It's sort of like having a "thinking man's sci-fi" film with the Enterprise crew members along for the trip. Step back and look at the Original Series, and the original crew movies in the film series, The Motion Picture feels like an awkward stepping stone between the two - not only in tone, but in costume and set design, as well. Wise was able to go back and re-edit the movie for a 2001 DVD release (the version being reviewed), and it helped lessen the soporific feeling of the original '79 release. So pacing wasn't an issue for me. It just didn't feel like Star Trek.

5.5/10

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

2010-01-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Starring: William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Pankow
Written by: Gerald Petievich (novel, screenplay), William Friedkin (screenplay)
Directed by: William Friedkin

To Live and Die in L.A., William Friedkin's stylish 80s crime thriller, is notorious for one of the greatest car chases ever captured on film. Which is completely deserved, as the chase scene featured in the movie is a true nail-biter. But unlike Bullitt (that other "great car chase" movie), there's a lot more going on story-wise in the film.

From the opening credits with the smog-choked skies of the city and the industrial wastelands of L.A., it's clear we won't be spending any time in the scenic landscapes and upscale neighborhoods Hollywood usually has us visit. The L.A. that Friedkin is showing us is the seedy underbelly, the trainyards, dilapidated architecture and gritty urban cityscape. The skies run blood red in the opening shots, and the haze makes the vistas almost alien in appearance. A different setting indeed, when "Miami Vice" ruled the airwaves.

When his partner is found dead while tracking down counterfeiter extraordinaire Rick Masters (Dafoe), hotshot Secret Service agent Richard Chance vows to bring him down at any cost. Together with his new straight-laced (and spineless) partner, John Vukovich (Pankow), Chance hits the mean streets of Los Angeles with a vengeance, using everything from blackmail to robbery just to get close to his prey.

Chance is an adrenaline junkie - he's quick to jump headfirst into a situation and damn the consequences. Masters has been untouchable for years and loves to flaunt this in his criminal enterprise. At times, the lines of distinction between these two men bleeds, and one wonders if there's even a good guy.

Counterfeiting becomes a major theme in the film, beyond just the act of printing money. The entire movie is counterfeit - from the relationships, to the motives, to the world in which these characters live. Everyone's being played by somebody else, you don't know who to trust, and it leaves the entire movie shaded in ambiguity that throws you off the scent. Together with the hard-hitting action scenes (and an ending no one saw coming), you're left reeling from the roller coaster chase of it all.

8/10

Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

2010-01-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci
Written by: Shane Black (story, characters), Warren Murphy (story), Jeffrey Boam (screenplay)
Directed by: Richard Donner

Two things come to mind when people think of the Summer of '89: sequels and the uber-blockbuster media event known as Batman. And that summer was a bitter pill to swallow, as most of the sequels released were disappointments (to say the least). Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was one of two contenders left standing after the dust settled. The other was Lethal Weapon 2.

Returning to the big screen is the Odd Couple of buddy movies: Roger Murtaugh and Martin Riggs. This time around they're going head to head with a group of South African drug smugglers, led by Arjen Rudd, the minister of affairs for the South African Consulate. The only snag is that Rudd's group is protected under diplomatic immunity; the police can't touch him. Riggs and Murtaugh are reassigned to the protection of Leo Getz (Pesci), a federal witness who laundered half a billion dollars for Rudd's outfit. Riggs and Murtaugh take the fight to Rudd's doorstep - picketing outside the consulate ("END APARTHEID NOW!") and harassing Rudd in his office. When the drug smugglers wage war on the police, Riggs and Murtaugh take the law into their own hands.

There's a distinct tonal shift toward comedy in the Lethal Weapon series starting with Lethal Weapon 2. The score heard over the opening title screen is a Looney Tunes-esque theme, setting the tone for a more comical entry in the series. What follows is a five minute car chase that emphasizes explosions, frenetic pacing, and lighthearted bickering between the two leads.

For most of the movie's running time (up until the third act), Riggs is still crazy - but this time it stems less from psychosis, and more from a comic sense of mischief. He's a lot more well-adjusted in this film. He spends a lot of time at the Murtaugh residence (Mrs. Murtaugh often does his laundry), and lives for getting into trouble ... usually at the expense of Murtaugh's nerves.

Adding to the film's comic tone is the introduction of Getz. He's a blabbermouth, slimy and eager to please. He's the star witness to the state, but ends up being pushed around by two cops that want nothing to do with him. He's a great foil for Riggs and Murtaugh - instead of focusing on the infighting between the pair, the movie has fun with Getz's mistreatment by the two detectives. His drive-thru rant is one of the movie's more memorable moments (unfortunately to be rehashed in Lethal Weapon 4).

It's when we reach the third act that we're reminded of the ever-present darkness that lurked in the first film; that Lethal Weapon brand of violence. There's a sadism that effects most of the characters involved - it's almost a footnote to remind us this isn't solely a comedy.

But the movie stands as a rare example of a sequel that doesn't glide on repeating the magic of the first film. There's a progression in the relationship between Riggs and Murtaugh; these guys are growing closer together with each step. It's no longer an issue of just working together - there's a great deal of trust involved. And that's the key to this movie's success: once the credits start rolling, we miss these characters already.

7/10

Author's note:
(SPOILER)

This movie would've been an 8/10 for me, except for one irritating story point: Vorstedt's admission to killing Riggs' wife.

It is astonishingly lazy screenwriting to retcon Vorstedt as Victoria's killer. I understand why the writers did this - they needed a reason to get the bloodlust back into Riggs' eyes; get him pissed off again. But it comes off as amazingly transparent, when it's obvious that Vorstedt wasn't even a glimmer in a writer's eye back in '86 when Lethal Weapon was written. Here's an idea ... if you allow Riggs to move on with his life and fall in love with Rika (as he did) then kill off Rika! That should be enough to get Riggs thirsty for vengeance. Reawaken the psychopath, so to speak. Instead, Riggs goes ballistic after hearing the news, gets tossed into the water, and then finds Rika's body at the bottom of the ocean.

It's lazy writing like this that blows a pretty big hole in the story. And to be honest, it was irritating enough when I watched the movie that I considered a 6/10 because of it. But at some point, it becomes an inability to see the forest for the trees. There's rating, and then there's being overly picky.

Lethal Weapon (1987)

2010-01-12T12:44:00.000-08:00

"Have you ever met anybody you didn't kill?"

"Well, I haven't killed you yet."

Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey
Written by: Shane Black
Directed by: Richard Donner

If there's one good movie to emerge from the 80s buddy film genre, it's Lethal Weapon - a movie chock full of action, suspense and most importantly, chemistry between the two leads.

In the days leading up to his retirement from the force, LAPD sergeant Roger Murtaugh has been assigned the case of Amanda Hunsacker, a young woman found dead after taking a nosedive from her high-rise apartment. Things get personal for Murtaugh after he discovers Amanda was the daughter of Michael Hunsacker, an old friend from his days in the army. Further complicating matters is Murtaugh's new partner, sergeant Martin Riggs, a burnt-0ut cop who's registered as a Lethal Weapon from his combat experience in Vietnam. Riggs has been on the edge since his wife's death three years prior. The two reluctant partners are forced to work together to solve Amanda's murder, which leads to the discovery of Shadow Company, a drug-smuggling cartel importing heroin into Los Angeles. Murtaugh vows to bring down the drug cartel, if only he can survive his partner.

There's no shortage of gunplay, fistfights, explosions and high-speed chases in this gripping action movie from the mid-80s, and Donner clearly wasn't shy about the violence; much of it is the in-your-face variety. But it's the relationship and the interplay between the two leads that elevates this film over other genre fare, and adds loads of character to the story. Riggs and Murtaugh couldn't be a more disparate duo. One enjoys his time on the job neat and by the book - the other lives on the edge, an adrenaline addict and nearly too dangerous for his own good. Their settings are at odds with one another.

We first see Murtaugh on the morning of his 50th birthday. He's surrounded by a loving family, lives in the big house with a boat in the driveway, and enjoys the life of the domesticated family man in his autumn years. As we're introduced to Murtaugh, all he has to worry about is the gray hair, the pains of raising a teenage daughter with her budding sexuality, and finishing out the last few days of his fairly tame routine on the job. Riggs on the other hand, lives by himself in a trailer on the beach; no one around but a dog to keep him company. He lives the life of a lonely man, his surroundings are in disarray, and there's no solace in his existence. He wakes up every day, going through the motions. We soon find out that it's the job that keeps him going. Not only is Riggs at odds with Murtaugh, he's at odds with himself. He very nearly actually kills himself with his pistol, but can't do it with his wife's wedding picture staring him in the face. He desperately wants to end it, but it's her that's keeping him alive, plugging along, day after day.

There's a definite edge to this movie, most of which stems from Riggs, himself. His wife's death has reduced him to little more than a badge-wearing killing machine. His aim is lethal, and his hands quick to snap one's neck. He's a loner, as no one in the department wants anything to do with him. More often than not, he's got the look of a manic wild man, thanks to Gibson's crazy eyes and long hair (somewhat reminiscent of the vagrant appearance of John Rambo in First Blood).

Much of the movie's humor is derived from the bickering between Murtaugh and Riggs. When Riggs isn't making fun of Mrs. Murtaugh's cooking, he's poking fun at Murtaugh's overly professional approach to the job. Riggs derives pleasure from the chase, Murtaugh's happy with staying alive. It's almost like a sadistic action movie version of Bert and Ernie. And the movie could easily veer off into a married couple on the job (as the sequels will, in time), but the duo's infighting is offset by the violence and the very dangerous nature of the film's bad guys. In the end, these two detectives are only trying to survive to see tomorrow.

8.5/10

Prince of Darkness (1987)

2010-01-11T02:44:00.000-08:00

Part VI in a John Carpenter film quest.

Starring: Donald Pleasence, Jameson Parker, Victor Wong, Dennis Dun
Written by: Martin Quatermass
Directed by: John Carpenter

After the death of a priest in a Los Angeles church leads to the discovery of a cylinder in the church basement (containing a swirling green liquid), a group of physics graduate students from a local university is asked to investigate. After translating a manuscript found near the cylinder, it is discovered that the liquid contains the essence of the Anti-Christ. The manuscript portends that when the son awakens, he will then awaken the father (the Anti-God), trapped in another dimension. The remains of the Anti-Christ have been stirring in the preceding days, and the students' research finally awakens the demon. He assumes control of the students (one by one) from the inside of the church, while controlling the group of homeless people living outside. As their numbers decrease, the research team must stop the Anti-Christ and sever the portal before the devil is released.

Critics weren't kind to Prince of Darkness upon its release in 1987 (and for that matter, neither were audiences). And it left me feeling odd as the credits rolled. The movie is downright creepy, and it wasn't lacking in the scary department, either (to be fair, I don't have the stomach that horror fans do). And the movie certainly has a great setup. But it's the payoff that's disappointing, for me. There were some good scares in the second half (along with some unsettling makeup), but these weren't characters I really cared for. There was a romance in the beginning of the film that was never really fleshed out, reducing any impact that would have on the movie's climax. And the only character that had any personality was Walter (Dennis Dun), and he was the jerk of the group (any humor was derived from that particular role).

The zombie-movie elements of the possessed humans grew a little outlandish, as limbs were chopped, and heads hacked away (the zombie-movie angle was used to greater effect in Assault on Precinct 13) , which took away from the psychological thriller aspect; one of the movie's strengths. The overly technical dialog (which many a critic had a beef with), I didn't mind, at all - especially when you had the intriguing idea of people in the future broadcasting messages back to the present through neural stimulation (dreams). Prince of Darkness faded from theaters and found a cult following in the years ahead. I have a feeling my attitude toward this film will change with another viewing.

6.0/10

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

2010-01-07T21:21:00.000-08:00

Part V in a John Carpenter film quest.

Starring: Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Victor Wong
Written by: Gary Goldman, David Z. Weinstein, W.D. Richter (adaptation)
Directed by: John Carpenter

"When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: 'Have ya paid your dues, Jack?' 'Yessir, the check is in the mail'."

Way before the East-meets-West action movie became profitable with American audiences, there was 1986's Big Trouble in Little China. This is one of those movies that was tailor-made for the 80s Summer blockbuster crowd. It's an action/adventure/comedy/monster movie/kung fu/ghost story/western that hits the ground running and leaves the viewer working to keep up. It's got it all: swordfights, damsels, demons, gunfights, standoffs, high-flying kung fu, Chinese black magic and enough witty banter to keep things light and comical.

The story centers around loudmouth truck driver Jack Burton (Kurt Russell). After delivering his freight in San Francisco, Jack meets his old friend, Wang Chi, and drives him to the airport to meet his fiancée, arriving from China. Also awaiting the flight are the Lords of Death, a street gang operating under the rarely seen David Lo Pan in Chinatown. A scuffle ensues, and in the confusion, the Lords of Death make off with Wang's bride-to-be, with Jack and Wang hot on their heels. The chase leads our heroes deep beneath Chinatown, in the criminal underworld ruled by the mysterious Lo Pan - a 200 year-old sorcerer cursed to walk the earth until he marries and sacrifices a woman with green eyes. When they find out Lo Pan seeks to marry Wang's fiancée, so begins a daring adventure into the murky waters of Lo Pan's domain.

Carpenter keeps the action moving from the start, leaving the movie jam-packed with high-flying martial arts, gunplay, and snappy dialogue. When there's no physical action onscreen, the audience is preoccupied with the mystery surrounding just what Lo Pan actually is (and Burton's comic inability to comprehend this information).

But if there is a fulcrum on which everything in Big Trouble in Little China rests, it is the film's main character. Because Jack Burton has never seen anything that's going on in the movie (nor heard any of the myths), he is the audience's guide through the adventure. He shares our reactions, and grounds the movie in some kind of reality we can work with. Burton is also Carpenter's stab at the quintessential 80s action hero. He's the mulleted meathead, who's quick with the one-liners (and this is Carpenter's one-liner factory if ever there was one) , and charming with the ladies (or at least he thinks he is).

But what separates Burton from the Stallone, Norris, and Seagal characters of the decade ... well, to put it simply, he's an idiot. He's a bit of a braggart, brash, and overly self-confident, and he would fit the Indiana Jones mold if he actually got things done. But he's more talk than action - all swagger, no substance, as it were (one gets the sense that Russell's playing Burton as an inept John Wayne, which only makes things funnier, in this case). And as the movie gets going, it becomes evident that the Jack and Wang roles are reversed; Wang becomes the ever capable leading man, while Jack ends up becoming the trusty sidekick (he just doesn't know it). What kind of action hero tosses his knife across the room after jerking it out of its sheath, and then spends the entire fight looking for the weapon while his partner does all the work? Or knocks himself out with falling rubble after shooting his gun in the air (and again, leaving Wang to all the fighting)? For me, Jack Burton is Carpenter's most entertaining character to date; you just end up sitting there wide-eyed at this guy's shenanigans.

Big Trouble in Little China is the very definition of a cult film. Virtually ignored upon release in 1986, the movie rightfully gained a cult following on home video (which was really a godsend in the 80s). I guess it's just one of those movies where you either get it, or you don't. In my opinion, I think Big Trouble in Little China stands as Carpenter's most entertaining work. It's escapism in its purest form, from back in the days when escapism ruled the multiplexes.

9.5/10

Starman (1984)

2010-01-04T17:37:00.000-08:00

Part IV in a John Carpenter film quest.

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen
Written by: Bruce A. Evans, Raynold Gideon
Directed by: John Carpenter

John Carpenter's Starman is often referred to as a mature E.T., or "E.T. for adults", if you will (an all-too-common comparison). And indeed the movie does appear to be an about-face from his other work (thus far). There's a distinct optimism at work here, as this is definitely a benign, romantic movie. And I don't mean that in a negative light, but if you take the pessimism of Escape from New York, this movie is a complete opposite. It's almost as if Carpenter's showing the other side of himself. It's a John Carpenter love story (and all that that implies). I've heard people say this "isn't really a Carpenter movie". And while it is different in tone, it definitely does have a few Carpenter touches (think the noted disdain he has for authority).

Karen Allen plays Jenny Hayden, a woman stranded in life without hope or faith. She still hasn't gotten over the death of her husband, Scott (Jeff Bridges), from an accident a few months back. Her nights are spent reliving the happy days with home movies and wine, before retiring to a fitful rest to endure the next day. It is on one of these nights that an alien visitor lands in her rural Wisconsin home. The visitor came in response to the Voyager II probe (launched back in 1977 with a message of peace and invitation), and was knocked off-course by the armed welcoming party of the U.S. government (you can tell who the bad guys are, already). Inside Jenny's house, the visitor (thus far, a pinpoint of blue light) finds a lock of Scott's hair, and proceeds to clone an earthly vessel, in his exact image. The visitor explains that he can't survive for long in Earth's atmosphere, and must reach the Great Meteor Crater in Winslow, Arizona in three days' time. Feeling sympathy for the alien stranger, Jenny agrees accompany him on the road trip.

No doubt there are E.T. comparisons to be made with this sci-fi setup. But one of the remarkable things about Starman is that Carpenter pulls a 180 and handles it like a road movie (think Capra's It Happened One Night). Both Starman and Jenny start out as two opposing characters, who eventually begin to grow closer and even love each other. As they draw further away from Wisconsin, Jenny learns more about Starman's people and life on his home planet.

The movie hinges on the strength of the lead actors. And this is certainly one of Bridges' finest performances (completely deserving of his Oscar nomination for this movie). There is no Jeff Bridges here - only Starman. We truly believe he is a visitor, grappling with the insane customs and people of this planet; someone who is pure at heart, and lacking the savagery of the people of Earth. And Karen Allen skillfully plays the emotionally vulnerable (and resonant) widow, forced to interact with an alien being in the guise of her dead husband; as if to ask, "can you imagine the pain that woman is going through?" - but it's all there in her performance. Allen was in top form in this movie.

The comparisons to E.T. are evident, though Carpenter steers clear of the cliches that audiences will see in the tasteless knockoff, Mac and Me (1988). Starman, like E.T. is a benevolent visitor; he received our message and he's here out of curiosity. And there's a broken home (in a sense) in both movies. With Elliott's family, there's the void left by his missing father. For Jenny, it's the emptiness in her life left by her dead husband. And both alien visitors are pursued by the U.S. government (along with friendly scientists Peter Coyote, and Charles Martin Smith), providing the looming threat of capture.

But Carpenter makes it clear this isn't just another E.T. knockoff. He makes Starman his own, and as a result, produces the warmest and most heartening movie of his career.

8.0/10

The Fog (1980)

2009-12-05T21:36:00.000-08:00

Part III in a John Carpenter film quest.

Starring: Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, John Houseman, Hal Holbrook

Written by: John Carpenter, Debra Hill

Directed by: John Carpenter

Continuing in the horror genre, John Carpenter follows up his massive Halloween success with The Fog: the story of a small seaside town in the grip of a spooky weather anomaly. But where Halloween was a slasher movie featuring a stalker, The Fog veers down a different path. This time offering more of a ghost story.

The events occur over two nights, centered around the 100th anniversary of Antonio Bay, California. The town is slowly invaded by an unforeseen fog, carrying with it the remains of an old ship (as well as its murdered passengers, out for revenge from an incident that happened 100 years prior). The story is told in essentially three parts: the night before (fog rolls in, town wonders why everything suddenly went haywire), the day of (discovering the damage from last night), and the night of the anniversary (lead characters must solve the mystery and end the curse).

In a direct nod to past horror films, Jamie Lee Curtis headlines the film with real-life mother Janet Leigh (of Psycho fame). Hal Holbrook gives an ominous performance as Father Malone, and Adrienne Barbeau gives some of her best work as the owner of the town's sole radio station.

The movie (like Carpenter's others, up to this point) takes its time establishing the characters and the setting before presenting the primary threat. But where Assault on Precinct 13 exploded at a certain point, and the Halloween did the same toward the end, there is not a sudden quickening of pace in The Fog. Although the movie does feature scenes of distinct shock value (Carpenter's great at eliciting shock from his audience).

At this point in his career, Carpenter is becoming increasingly proficient in the use of music, mood and atmosphere to ratchet up the suspense during tense scenes. Not to mention sound effects to scare the crap out of his audience. The film's inherent strength lies in the creepy atmosphere, with the fog looming as the omnipresent threat.

7/10

Halloween (1978)

2009-12-03T23:05:00.000-08:00

Part II in a John Carpenter film quest.

Starring: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Charles Cyphers

Written by: John Carpenter, Debra Hill

Directed by: John Carpenter

John Carpenter became a household name in 1978 with Halloween, his landmark entry into the horror genre. Made on a shoestring budget ($320,000) the film went on to gross nearly fifty million in the U.S. alone, and became the biggest independent movie in history.

Fifteen years prior, six-year-old Michael Myers is locked up in an institution after killing his teenage sister with a butcher knife. On the night he's to be transferred to court (to be tried as an adult), Myers escapes, his psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasance) trailing after him.

Myers returns to his childhood home in Haddonfield, Illinois, on Halloween, and proceeds to stalk Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her friends relentlessly. No one knows why, but it's clear Myers will stop at nothing.

Put simply, the movie is horror, in its most raw and purified form. With Halloween, Carpenter proved that he could scare the hell out of his audience without a big budget. Instead of special effects, he uses lighting, sound design, and music to do the work for him. The music - a seemingly simple and unsophisticated piano melody serves to add a distinct mood to the movie, and us used to a very creepy effect. It's a style that punctuates the minimalist approach to the actual film (just as he did with Assault on Precinct 13).

And like the film's style, Carpenter keeps Myers simple. There's no "why" when it comes to Myers - nothing supernatural or outlandish. He's just some kid who snapped. And the fact that we have no reason why he's after Laurie just heightens her role as victim. She's done nothing wrong, nothing to atone for. But he's out to kill her, and there's no reasoning with Myers.

Carpenter's third movie as a director fires on all cylinders. It's spartan, basic and undiluted.

And scary as hell.

8.5/10

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

2009-12-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Part I in a John Carpenter film quest.

Starring: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer

Written by: John Carpenter

Directed by: John Carpenter

It's been said that the Western would pop up in several movies throughout John Carpenter's career. But his sophomoric effort, Assault on Precinct 13, remains his love letter to the genre.

The story unfolds in the "Anderson ghetto", a gang-ridden neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles. CHP Lieutenant Ethan Bishop (Austin Stoker) is assigned to oversee the neighborhood police precinct on its last night in operation. This is on the same day that the members of Street Thunder have sworn a blood oath against the police, following a raid that kills several of their own. Adding to that (in the grand tradition of coincidence), a prison bus on its way to Sonora is using the precinct as a way station until one of the prisoners can receive medical treatment for a sudden illness ..... thus setting the stage for the night's onslaught.

On the surface, Assault on Precinct 13 is your standard siege movie. Most of the action takes place in and around an aging police station, undermanned and out gunned. But it's the mishmash of genres going on here that sets the movie apart from other actioners of the time: part noir, part exploitation, and part zombie movie (with the largely unseen gang members stalking outside).

And there is the distinct homage to Howard Hawks, as well. Not only to the great Rio Bravo, but also to his entries into the noir genre. Evidenced by the tough-as-nails secretary Leigh (Laurie Zimmer), the anti-hero prison inmate Napoleon Wilson (played by the late Darwin Joston), and even the slashed lighting of the venetian blinds in the station.

And just like the Western, Assault on Precinct 13 takes its time setting up the characters and the locale. If the movie were done today (there was indeed a remake in 2005), much of the slow pace of the first 30 minutes would be sped up, and a lot more would be happening. But in slowing down the pace of the first half, the action breaks out in parts, and becomes one of the movie's distinct strengths. You're not continuously "assaulted" by a siege. But once things get going, the action comes out of nowhere, often relentlessly. And you're left with the all-too-rare feeling of wanting more.

8/10

Vampires - Now in moody emo flavor!

2009-11-27T10:07:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that there was a point in American history when a large number of people thought of this guy when they heard the word "vampire"?

22 years later:

And The Lost Boys was directed by Joel "Batman and Robin" Schumacher! Can you believe that? The guy who killed the Batman franchise made a better vampire movie than anything we have now! Doesn't that just piss you off?

.....

Hey, anybody wanna see Pattinson meet Sutherland in a dark alley?

C'mon. I can't be the only one.

Happy Black Friday!

2009-11-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

Star Trek: The Exhibition at Hollywood and Highland

2009-11-25T20:14:00.000-08:00

If you're a Trekkie and love looking at musty old costumes in glass cases, then get ready to part with some greenbacks. Star Trek: The Exhibition is currently running at the Hollywood and Highland complex through Dec. 27th.

I'm not gonna lie - I'm a Trekkie (mostly TNG), and I'd been to the Exhibition when it was at the Queen Mary Dome in Long Beach, last year. The good news is that it's back in Southern California for anyone who missed it. The bad news is that the venue is considerably smaller. There were more than a few attractions that were M.I.A., this time around. Most notably the Original Series bridge (Kirk's chair was there, but it's surrounded by a green screen - so the rest of the bridge is superimposed for photo ops).

The star attraction in this venue is the bridge from The Next Generation - complete with Picard mannequin and clips from this year's Star Trek playing on the viewscreen. It's pretty cool to walk around the bridge - although it was a lot more brightly lit on the actual show (photogs beware).

But to a geek like me, the props are worth the price of admission.

http://www.startrekexhibition.com/

Dark Skies in the Southland

2009-09-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

Well it's been five years, and I can finally say I've been to Randy's donuts. Why it's taken me so long, I can't say. But it was definitely worth it. Just the roadside kitsch of it all made me happy to be a residential tourist.

I'll preface this by saying that normally I try to make the L.A. pilgrimage on a day when there's ample SoCal sunshine. Hell, the day started off beautifully, but for some reason on our way home, the overcast rode in like the Four Horsemen (things were going great while I was driving through Long Beach ... Inglewood apparently had other ideas). But that's what made the stop so great. As a card-carrying member of the Dirt People (desert dwellers), we haven't had a drop of moisture in months. Man, I can't even remember the last time we had rain. So just the first sign of a cloudy and/or angry sky just fills my soul with boundless optimism (sure, nothing came of the gray sky, but the false promise is what we live for!).

So in the spirit of wishing for water from the heavens, here's a dreary picture of Randy's Donuts! And should I do a "Roadside California" post in the near future, I'll actually throw in some history behind the place.

Until then, back to the land of brushfires and infertile soil!

Wandering the streets of Old Detroit (locations featured in the movie RoboCop)

2009-08-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

"Excuse me, I have to go. Somewhere there is a crime happening."

In scouting the ideal metropolis for the decayed urban landscape of Old Detroit, Dutch import Paul Verhoeven eventually chose the city of Dallas, Texas. Detroit, while it had the seedy underbelly, lacked the futuristic skyline of Dallas. Detroit does make one appearance in the film's opening shot. But aside from the title screen, filming took place almost exclusively in and around Dallas.

And as there was very minimal shooting inside a studio, most of the movie is made up of location filming. As is expected with a 20-year-old movie, some of the buildings are no longer standing. But there are more than a few that you can still drive to.

The bad news is, I've never been to Texas. And it'll be a long while before I do get there. So this entry is kept to mere online sightseeing.

Following the opening Media Break sequence, our first location seen in the film is the Detroit Police Department, which is actually the Old Dallas High School, at. Though no longer used in an educational capacity, the building still stands at 2214 Bryan St. What we see in the film is actually the rear of the school (in Google street view™, look NW from Live Oak St.).

According to Verhoeven in the DVD commentary, the basement of the Police Dept (where the lockers are located) was the real basement of the Old Dallas High School. The main office (where we meet Alex Murphy), was built in an unspecified building.

The film cuts to Bob Morton and fellow OCP execs Johnson and Kinney as they board the elevator to ascend the interior of OCP Headquarters. When the executives step into the elevator, they are actually on the ground floor of the Plaza of the Americas building at 700 N Pearl St. (you can see the interior here). The real building is nowhere near as tall as depicted in the movie. That was done using a matte painting, making the interior of the building appear to be 100 stories tall.

After the brief elevator ride, the executives enter the OCP boardroom, which was a set built on the top floor of the Renaissance Tower, located at 1201 Elm Street. The space is now used as a law library for Winstead Attorneys - but it's notable because, in keeping with the filmmakers' use of practical locations, it's not everyday you see a set built inside a working skyscraper.

We cut to Murphy and his partner while on a coffee break. In reality, the actors are sitting in a parking lot just SW of the KDFW Channel 4 building. The coffee shop (as seen in the film) is a brick building, and there is indeed a brick building at the corner of San Jacinto and Lamar, but other than that, the images from Google Maps™ and Maps Live™ aren't precise enough to pinpoint any closer than that. You can see the Channel 4 building behind Murphy, and judging from the placement of the broadcast tower, they're filming the scene in the block just west of the Channel 4 building (you can see another image here).

The officers' break is interrupted when they get an "all units" call in pursuit of Clarence Boddicker's gang, after an apparent bank robbery. It's been said that this pursuit was filmed on a street running parallel to I-35E (as you can see the Reunion Tower in the background), possibly Houston St. As near as I can place it (judging from the buildings' placement in the scene), they filmed the pursuit on Reunion Blvd E (which becomes Hotel St). Unfortunately, it appears the Dallas Convention Center has been built over that street, and street view doesn't help. And since you see Boddicker's truck both heading towards and fleeing from the Reunion Tower, they filmed the length of the pursuit driving back and forth on Reunion.

Officers Murphy and Lewis trail Boddicker's gang to an abandoned steel mill on the outskirts of town. This location marks the only time production was moved out of Texas for filming. The exteriors of the steel mill (and the officers' entrance therein) were filmed at the (abandoned) Wheeling-Pittsburgh mill, in Monessen, PA. The actual room in which Murphy finds Emil, and where he meets his violent end was filmed at an unspecified building in Long Beach, CA, after production wrapped (according to writer Ed Neumeier).

The Wheeling-Pittsburgh mill was razed in 1989.

While on street patrol, (after Murphy's death and subsequent resurrection as the film's titular character), RoboCop responds to a '415 in progress'. We cut to a woman fleeing her attackers through a parking lot. This lot is located at the corner of S Central Expy & Main St. The building behind her when the chase begins (with the red strip of neon) is the Dallas Public Safety Supply Building. She rounds a corner in front of a brick building (Brajay Salon at 2222 Elm St), and turns screen left to stop in another parking lot with a billboard. This is the SW corner of S Central and Main. This scene features one of the most stark, yet interesting set designs in the movie (the billboard for Delta City). The good news is, the billboard is still standing.

After (violently) dispatching the two would-be rapists, RoboCop proceeds to a hostage situation at City Hall. That building still stands, and was the Old Dallas City Courthouse, located at 2014 Main St. As it was seen in the movie, RoboCop enters through the door on N. Harwood St. (the camera is looking N from the corner of S. Harwood St. and Commerce St.

One of the unfortunate casualties of the last twenty odd years is the Shell Station Emil blows up during his altercation with RoboCop. As of this date, you can still see the gas station standing on Maps Live™ - but Google Maps™ has a barren lot, which means the building was razed in the last two or so years. At any rate, the station stood at the N corner of Ross Ave and Boll St, adjacent to the Dallas Black Dance Theater.

Following the police strike, Boddicker's gang is seen blowing up an electronics store front. This building is still standing and is located at 2548 Elm St, in the Deep Ellum arts district. The dark brick building on the left was used for both 'Smith Electronics', and the strip club.

During the final scene, RoboCop drives to the OCP headquarters for one last confrontation. The exterior of this building is the Dallas City Hall, located at 1500 Marilla Dr. In reality, the actual building isn't a skyscraper (like the interior, the skyscraper appearance was pulled off using a matte painting), but stands at only 7 stories. City Hall was designed by famed architect I.M. Pei, and completed in 1978. The inverted pyramid design, while unique in and of itself, also protects the city employees from the harsh Texas sun.

Comic Con® 2009

2009-07-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

First day of Comic Con, and I'm nowhere near San Diego.

Never thought I'd get twitchy.

Crazy 4 Cult: 3D

2009-07-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I'm addicted to, it's the influence of movies on American pop culture: the catchphrases, the toys, the homages, and the general love of cinema we have as Americans.

Over the weekend, while making a run to Golden Apple, the wife and I stopped in at Gallery 1988 for the third annual Crazy 4 Cult art show. The show features over 100 pieces of art paying tribute to cult movies and pop culture in general. The Big Lebowski is one of the more common movies being represented here, along with Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Back to the Future, Goonies, Clerks, Army of Darkness, and Edward Scissorhands (and that's just scratching the surface).

But aside from the amazing artwork, a lot of the fun of this show is just picking out and identifying the movies depicted in these scenes. Where else can you go to geek out this hard for free?

Gallery 1988
7020 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 937-7088

The Chemosphere

2009-07-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

On a list of great movie houses, this one sits at the top (right near the Sleeper House, and the Ennis-Brown house). Movie audiences were first introduced to the Chemosphere in Brian De Palma's Body Double (easily the movie's best part). But the house was a feat of engineering twenty years before that.

In 1960, John Lautner was commissioned by engineer Leonard Malin to build a house on a piece of land he inherited in the Hollywood Hills. The property offered sweeping views of the San Fernando Valley, but no solid foundation for a house (not much more than dry rock and a steep hill). Lautner's solution was both rushed and technically impressive: an octagonal structure sitting on a concrete post, several hundred feet above the ground. The residence is accessible by either a lengthy stair climb, or rail car.

If you can make the pilgrimage into the hills (although I wouldn't suggest driving on Mulholland at night), it's definitely worth it. Just making the turn onto Torreyson Drive and seeing the space ship hovering in the trees makes this one of the most surreal and amazing sightseeing trips L.A. has to offer. The Chemosphere is located at 7776 Torreyson Drive, just off Mulholland Drive.

The Garcia House

2009-07-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

Anyone who's seen Lethal Weapon 2 knows this house. Riggs (Mel Gibson) tied his truck to one of the support beams and proceeded to rend the structure from its very perch on the hillside.

Built in 1962, the Garcia House was designed by famed architect John Lautner. Located at 7436 Mulholland Drive, the house hovers over the hillside, using two V-shaped beams planted in the ground. This cantilevered approach is not uncommon in the Hills, where houses literally hang over the edge of the hill, seemingly suspended in space. Along with the Chemosphere (Malin House), this is a great example of California Modern architecture - shaped, in part, by Lautner.

You can see the front of the house while driving on Mulholland Drive, but this picture was taken from La Cuesta Dr., just southwest of the Mulholland.

Jeff Bridges' apartment in TRON

2009-07-08T13:43:00.001-07:00

In the movie TRON, Jeff Bridges' character, Kevin Flynn, lives in a small apartment over an arcade he runs in his spare time.

Most of the filming locations used in the movie are in Northern California. But for Kevin Flynn's apartment, they used a modest brick building in Culver City. On the commentary, Director Steven Lisberger mentions the building was across the street from the old MGM lot, which is now the Sony Studios.

Not much has changed since 1982. The only thing missing is the 'Flynn's Arcade' sign above the arched windows. The building is located at the corner of Washington Blvd and Watseka Ave (just down the street from Sony).

Moon

2009-07-06T08:56:00.001-07:00

A little off-topic, I realize, but if you get the chance to see this movie, it is very well worth it.

The film shares thematic similarities with 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and RoboCop that are both mesmerizing and heartbreaking.

Sam Rockwell plays astronaut Sam Bell, a technician mining the dark side of the moon for clean fuel to ship back to Earth. Except for a computer named Gerty (the very obvious H.A.L. connection), he is completely alone. The only interaction with humans being pre-recorded messages sent from his wife and baby on Earth. He spends his spare time carving a miniature wooden model of small town, hitting a speed bad, and maintaining his fraying nerves.

After an accident on the lunar surface, Sam is revived by Gerty in the infirmary, only to see a mirror image of himself watching over him. An anomaly that brings with it mystery, and some much-needed human interaction for Sam in his closing days on the Moon.

The movie is remarkable for (if nothing else) Rockwell's performance of Sam. And another Sam. He literally carries the movie on his shoulders. The only other faces we see are on pre-recorded video. The only skin contact he has is with himself (in more ways than one). Rockwell is truly an underrated actor and worth the price of admission.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit locations

2009-07-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

The first location in the movie is Ren-Mar Studios, standing in for Maroon Cartoons. A more detailed history can be found here, but the studio gained fame in 1953 when it became Desilu Productions. And since then, it's been home to many television productions and music videos. This picture was taken in 2006, and even today, the studio doesn't look much different than it appeared in the film.

After his meeting with R.K. Maroon, Eddie is seen boarding a trolley back to the Valiant Detective Agency. His office building still stands, although much of the street as changed dramatically (and with the fire damage seen in the picture, it's amazing it's still standing, at all). The Terminal Bar across the street is no more. In its place now stands a parking structure. And much of the surrounding area (only a few blocks southeast of The Staples Center) continues redevelopment.

Later in the film, as Eddie and Roger escape from the Weasels, Benny the Cab hops a bridge and speeds off. This is the Hyperion Bridge, in Glendale. As pictured, the bridge hasn't changed much in appearance from 1988.

Rounding out the last of the L.A. locations in the movie is the River Road Tunnel, serving as the entrance to Toontown. The tunnel is located on Vermont Canyon Rd (you'll drive through it on your way up to the Observatory). A little set dressing was used on the mouth of the tunnel for the Toontown entrance, and it still looks like it did when the movie was released.

My directions for getting to the Tunnel were from Los Feliz Blvd. From Los Feliz Blvd, go north on N. Vermont Ave., which will become Vermont Canyon Rd. when you pass the Greek Theater. Stay on this road through a few twists and turns, and you will approach the Tunnel.

The tunnel was also used in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension (Peter Weller zooms out the opposite end on a Harley), and again in
Zemeckis' next feature, Back to the Future Part II (this is where Biff tries to run down Marty in the Ford).