Visit five iconic filming locations from ‘L.A. Confidential’
The 1997 movie L.A. Confidential is one of the definitive efforts of the decade and one of the greatest neo-noir films to date. An almost flawless masterpiece helmed by Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland, the film was based on James Ellroy’s novel of the same name. The picture, it goes without saying, did wonders in bringing his authentic reimagining of 1950s Los Angeles to life.
The film tells the story of three LAPD officers in 1953 striving to undo a web of police corruption that has spread into the seedy world of Hollywood celebrities. Notably, the title is an explicit reference to the infamous gossip magazine of the day, Confidential, which is imitated in the form of the rag Hush-Hush.
A wonderful homage to the era when Hollywood’s facade was starting to crumble under the weight of unfettered human vice, L.A. Confidential is one of the most immersing films you’re likely to see, and it remains one of the essential crime thrillers of contemporary cinema.
With that, one of the glittering aspects of the movie is the cast. The film confirmed Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe as stars, with the pair supported by a raft of talent that included DeVito, Kim Basinger, James Cromwell, and the controversial actor Kevin Spacey.
The acting is so great that it immediately pulls audiences in, with the calls for the sequel never faltering, as the story is crying out to be concluded on the big screen. For a time, Chadwick Boseman was even tipped to be in the follow-up, but it never came to fruition following the actor’s tragic passing in 2020.
Lauded for its authenticity, apart from the acting, the most astounding facet of the film is the cinematography. The characters embark on a tour of Los Angeles on their quest to uncover the conspiracy, backed by a host of landmarks and iconic locations that are a crucial part of the city’s social fabric and history. From nightclubs to the halls of power, the film is brimming with places that those in 1950s Los Angeles would have walked past every day as the vice bubbled under the surface.
Join us, then, as we list five iconic filming locations from L.A. Confidential.
Five iconic filming locations from L.A. Confidential:
Crossroads of the World
The Crossroads of the World on Sunset Boulevard is one of the Californian city’s most iconic landmarks, and there was no way it wouldn’t be included in the film. Designed by Robert Vincent Derrah and built in 1936, it is an open-air mall that features the legendary central building resembling an ocean liner surrounded by a “village” of cottage-like bungalows.
It was America’s first outdoor shopping mall and is a relic of the golden age of Hollywood. In the film, it is the location of Danny DeVito’s character, Sid Hudgens’ office of Hush-Hush.
Boardner’s
A classic Hollywood speakeasy, Boardner’s was opened back in 1927 and has managed to survive and adapt to the many shifting epochs of the city of angels.
Prohibition, The Great Depression, and even the cocaine-fuelled cultural boom of the 1980s have all come and gone, whilst this nightclub has held its own and remains one of the go-to haunts in Hollywood. Selected by the film’s designers for its period art deco design, this is the location where Captain Smith gives Bud his gun and badge back.
Lovell Health House
Perhaps the most exciting construction on the list, the Lovell Health House has been one of Los Angeles’ most iconic buildings for nearly 100 years. A hillside residence built in an international style of modernism with flecks of cubism in the interior, it was designed and built by Richard Neutra between 1927 and 1929.
Located in the Los Feliz neighbourhood in Hollywood, it was built by Neutra at the request of respected physician and naturopath Philip Lovell, who already had the Lovell Beach House to his name. Representing a monumental point in the history of architecture, it was also one of the highlights of Neutra’s career, and he would continue to go from strength to strength afterwards.
The Lovell Health House was the location of Pierce Patchett’s home in the film and represented a rather stark differentiation from what Ellroy wrote in his book. Hanson and his team wanted their version of Patchett to have “modern taste and live in a modern building”, as reported by the movie’s production designer Jeannine Oppewall in LA Curbed. There was nowhere more fitting for such a man.
Frolic Room
Another vital part of the history of L.A. nightlife is the Frolic Room, one of the most authentic clubs still standing from the era of L.A. Confidential. Not only is it featured in the 1997 film, but it is also featured in Brian De Palma’s 2006 adaptation of the James Ellroy novel The Black Dahlia, reflecting just how perfect it is to convey the essence of the time.
Situated on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Frolic Room is deeply connected to the culture of Los Angeles and is rumoured to have been one of celebrated author Charles Bukowski‘s favourite watering holes. This seedy dive on Hollywood Boulevard is character Vincennes’ favourite meeting place.
Los Angeles City Hall
Arguably the most iconic building in Los Angeles and California, Los Angeles City Hall is a marvel of art deco architecture. Its majestic white colour conveys the hope that the earliest denizens of the city felt when everything was starting to come together.
Completed in 1928, this giant structure comes complete with an observation deck offering grand views of the sprawling metropolis. Memorably, this is where Bud and Lynn opt to leave the city at the end of the film.
