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Hollywood Star Lanes, 5227 Santa Monica Blvd, L.A. |
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Tragically the main Lebowski location (and prime example of Googie architecture), the great Hollywood Star Lanes, has closed for good. The L.A. School Board, in it's infinite wisdom, has decided that the site would be ideal for an elementary school. Knowing the neighborhood pretty well (I live right down the street from HSL) I have to say this is a patently ridiculous idea. Or maybe I'm underestimating the average parent's desire to have their child exposed to strip clubs, seedy bars, violent lunatics and disease-ridden crack whores.
Don't despair though. There will be a chance for some Lebowski related bowling later in the tour... |
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Greystone Mansion, 905 Loma Vista, Beverly Hills |
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The Dude confronts the "other" Jeffrey Lebowski in his elegant Pasadena mansion and demands he do something about his tainted floor covering. After being soundly rebuked by the Big Lebowski, the Dude engages in some creative larceny and tells BL's houseboy Brandt (the ever superb Philip Seymour Hoffman) that the old man told him to take any rug in the house.
This was actually two different locations. The interiors were shot at the historic Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, which has been featured in numerous other films, including the ultra-catastrophic 'Batman & Robin' where it served as Wayne Manor.. The interior of the house is not generally open to the public, but you can see the fountain where the promisicuous Bunny Lebowski crashes her sports car in front of the mansion. The other exterior scene, where the Dude first encounters Bunny, was filmed at a residence on Charing Cross Road, also in Beverly Hills. |
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N Kenmore Ave, L.A. |
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In this flashback sequence we see John Turturro's pederast bowler Jesus Quintana making the rounds to explain his "checkered past" to his new neighbors, presumably as a result of Megan's Law. |
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This residential street in the shadow of Griffith Park is not too far from the former Hollywood Star Lanes. If you haven't seen the film, Turturro's reaction when his burly, dirty, beer drinking neighbor opens the door is worth the price of the rental alone.
Once again, if you are going to have a look, go no further than the sidewalk. Have a quick gander, then move it along. Don't be Un-Dude, man.. |
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6757 Santa Monica Blvd, L.A. |
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The Dude picks up Walter (replete with brown paper-wrapped Uzi and undie-filled ringer) outside the storefront for "Sobchak Security", Walter's business. Located in a strip mall, this is also as stone's throw from the late Hollywood Star Lanes. And like HSL, this is a very seedy section of Santa Monica Blvd. Use extreme caution. |
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There also seems to be some confusion floating around as to the make and model of the Dude's car. Please be assured that it is a 1973 4-door Ford Gran Torino. Click here to see a picture of the Gran Torino logo. |
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Torrey Road at Santa Clara River, Piru CA |
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Just outside of the tiny hamlet of Piru, CA in the Santa Clara River Valley (not Simi, as implied in the film. The Simi Valley Road sign is a prop) lies the wooden bridge where The Dude and Walter hopelessly mangle the ransom drop. This also marks the spot where The Dude's car suffers the first of several incidents of damage, crashing into a telephone pole as stray bullets from Walter's wayward Uzi pelt the back end and blow out a tire. This location is not the middle of nowhere, but it is close. Incidentally, the bridge is not actually wooden. Planks were laid over the top for the shoot. For an interesting story about how Jeff Bridges solved a perplexing technical obstacle for the Coen's during the filming of this scene, check out the book described in this Lebowski link. |
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