Hunting for Movie Locations on Bing Maps

As you know, Bing Maps helps you understand your world. Last month I described how you can use imagery on Bing Maps to interactively learn about history by exploring where important events like the Civil Rights Movement took place. This month I’m going to focus on a lighter topic—learning about filming locations from your favorite movies. I like movies and love seeing places featured in movies I’ve seen. With Bing, you can explore these locations and get a new perspective on the associated movies. I’ve provided a few of my favorite examples below, and while you’re exploring, be sure to check out the new imagery we’re publishing this month listed at the bottom of this post.

The Great Outdoors

Mother Nature provides directors with many and varied locations to use in their films. Some locations are iconic, others simply offer the right environment to help support the movie’s theme or emotional point of view. One impressive manmade structure that’s had a supporting role in numerous films is the Sepulveda Dam Spillway outside of Los Angeles:

Sepulveda Dam spillway

Sepulveda Dam Spillway in Los Angeles, CA on Bing Maps

 

Don’t recognize it from the air? It’s been a backdrop in films as diverse as Gattaca and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. Click the links to refresh your memories.

A more obscure location was featured in the movie Six Days and Seven Nights, starring Harrison Ford and Anne Heche. It was the backdrop for the “cliff jump” scene, where Ford and Heche’s characters were being chased by “South Asian pirates”:

Cliff from Six Days and Seven Nights

Dramatic cliff location from Six Days and Seven Nights on Bing Maps

 

The scene takes place on an unnamed desert island near Tahiti, and the cliff sure does look isolated. If only the characters in the movie had Bing Maps! Zoom out a bit and you can see it’s only a short walk down Shipwreck Beach to The Point at Poipu, one of Hawaii’s top resorts:

Poipu, Hawaii

Much nicer accommodations in Poipu, Kauai on Bing Maps

 

They could even have walked a little further down the coast and taken in the natural water show at the Spouting Horn.

Movie Sets on a More Human Scale

I’m a big fan of the Indiana Jones movies—well, except for, you know. I was in high school when Raiders of the Lost Ark came out and was blown away by the story as well as the sets and cinematography. Even George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg couldn’t afford to build a set for every scene and therefore made good use of existing locations. Indiana Jones’ day job was as an archeology professor at the fictitious Marshall College. Setting the scene was this beautiful Faye Spanos Concert Hall at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA:

University of the Pacific

Faye Spanos Concert Hall at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA on Bing Maps

 

Other notable locations from the movie include the holy city of Kairouan, Tunisia, which doubled as pre-World War II Cairo, and Rickmansworth Masonic School in England where interiors were used for scenes at the college and Washington, DC.

Closer to home, but no less inspirational is the Philadelphia Museum of Art, home to the iconic scene from Rocky, where Sylvester Stallone charges the steps to the unforgettable sounds of “Gonna Fly Now” by composer Bill Conti:

Philadelphia Museum of Art steps

Philadelphia Museum of Art steps in Philadelphia, PA on Bing Maps

 

The scene has become so iconic that thousands have recreated it in person and, for better or worse, posted videos online.

This next scene isn’t directly related to any single movie but is a symbol of the entire film industry in the United States:

Hollywood Sign Streetside

The iconic Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, CA on Bing Maps

 

Located near Mount Hollywood and Griffith Park, the Hollywood sign has an interesting history and was never meant to represent the motion picture industry. Nonetheless it was adopted by movie goers and movie stars alike. And, by the way, rumor has it the latter are getting together for a big awards show on Sunday night.

 

I’ll leave you with one more famous location, or more specifically lots of locations:

Universal Studios back lot

Universal Studios backlot in Los Angeles, CA on Bing Maps

 

That’s the “backlot” of Universal Studios Hollywood. It’s been used to film scenes in literally hundreds of movies, including Back to the Future (see the “city hall” building and square in the right center of the image), To Kill a Mockingbird and Psycho. You can also see a giant “green screen” used to fill in backgrounds using special digital effects. Many a movie star has spent time on those streets.

I’ve shown you just a fraction of the locations that you can find with Bing Maps. Take the challenge yourself and let me know in the comments what other famous backdrops you find.

Mike Gilbert, Principal Lead Program Manager, Bing Maps

 

New 2D and 3D cities this month include:

United States Italy
Dayton, OH (and surrounding areas) Naples
Edison, NJ (and surrounding areas)
Milwaukee, WI (and surrounding areas) Spain
Minneapolis, MN (and surrounding areas) Pamplona
Norfolk, VA (and surrounding areas)
Ocala, FL (and surrounding areas)
Omaha, NE (and surrounding areas)
Santa Cruz, CA
Wichita, KS (and surrounding areas)

 

New Streetside cities this month include:

Arizona California (cont.) California (cont.) North Carolina
Green Valley 85614 Los Angeles 90006 Visalia 93292 Bahama 27503
Green Valley 85614 Los Angeles 90012 Woodlake 93286 Browns Summit 27214
Green Valley 85622 Los Angeles 90019 Florida Burlington 27215
Marana 85653 Los Angeles 90020 Auburndale 33823 Burlington 27217
Marana 85658 Los Angeles 90022 Bartow 33830 Chapel Hill 27516
Nogales 85621 Los Angeles 90023 Dade City 33525 Chapel Hill 27516
Rio Rico 85648 Los Angeles 90024 Davenport 33837 Chapel Hill 27517
Rio Rico 85648 Los Angeles 90025 Fort Meade 33841 Clemmons
Sahuarita 85629 Los Angeles 90026 Haines City 33844 Clemmons
Sahuarita 85629 Los Angeles 90027 Hialeah 33010 Durham 27712
Tucson 85704 Los Angeles 90029 Hialeah 33012 Efland 27243
Tucson 85705 Los Angeles 90031 Hialeah 33013 Elon College 27244
Tucson 85706 Los Angeles 90042 Hialeah 33014 Franklinville 27248
Tucson 85710 Los Angeles 90048 Hialeah 33015 Gibsonville 27249
Tucson 85711 Los Angeles 90057 Hialeah 33016 Graham 27253
Tucson 85712 Los Angeles 90063 Hialeah 33018 Graham 27253
Tucson 85713 Los Angeles 90065 Kathleen 33849 Greensboro 27405
Tucson 85714 Los Angeles 90068 Key Biscayne 33149 Greensboro 27406
Tucson 85715 Los Angeles 91040 Lake Alfred 33850 Greensboro 27407
Tucson 85716 Los Angeles 91042 Lakeland 33801 Greensboro 27410
Tucson 85718 Los Angeles 91303 Lakeland 33803 Greensboro 27455
Tucson 85719 Los Angeles 91316 Lakeland 33805 Haw River 27258
Tucson 85730 Los Angeles 91325 Lakeland 33809 High Point 27260
Tucson 85735 Los Angeles 91331 Lakeland 33810 High Point 27262
Tucson 85737 Los Angeles 91342 Lakeland 33811 High Point 27263
Tucson 85739 Los Angeles 91352 Lakeland 33812 High Point 27265
Tucson 85741 Los Angeles 91356 Lakeland 33813 Hillsborough 27278
Tucson 85742 Los Angeles 91401 Lakeland 33815 Jamestown 27282
Tucson 85743 Los Angeles 91402 Lithia 33547 Kernersville
Tucson 85745 Los Angeles 91604 Miami Beach 33139 Kernersville
Tucson 85746 Los Angeles 91605 Miami Beach 33154 Kernersville 27284
Tucson 85747 Los Angeles 91606 Miami Gardens 33056 Kernersville 27284
Tucson 85748 Los Angeles 91607 Miami 33125 Lewisville
Tucson 85749 Malibu 90265 Miami 33126 Liberty 27298
Tucson 85750 Monrovia 91016 Miami 33127 McLeansville 27301
Tucson 85755 Monterey Park 91754 Miami 33133 Mebane 27302
Tucson 85756 National City 91950 Miami 33134 Mebane 27302
Tucson 85757 Orange Cove 93646 Miami 33136 Pittsboro 27312
Vail 85641 Orosi 93647 Miami 33138 Randleman 27317
California Parlier 93648 Miami 33142 Randleman 27317
Agoura Hills 91301 Pasadena 91103 Miami 33143 Reidsville 27320
Alhambra 91801 Pasadena 91106 Miami 33144 Rural Hall
Alpine 91901 Pasadena 91107 Miami 33145 Rural Hall
Altadena 91001 Porterville 93257 Miami 33147 Sophia 27350
Beverly Hills 90212 Poway 92064 Miami 33150 Stokesdale 27357
Burbank 91501 Poway 92064 Miami 33155 Summerfield 27358
Burbank 91504 Ramona 92065 Miami 33156 Thomasville 27360
Burbank 91505 Ramona 92065 Miami 33157 Thomasville 27360
Caruthers 93609 Reedley 93654 Miami 33157 Tobaccoville
Chula Vista 91910 Riverdale 93656 Miami 33158 Trinity 27370
Chula Vista 91911 San Diego 92037 Miami 33161 Walkertown
Chula Vista 91913 San Diego 92101 Miami 33162 Walkertown
Chula Vista 91914 San Diego 92102 Miami 33165 Walkertown 27051
Chula Vista 91915 San Diego 92105 Miami 33166 Whitsett 27377
Clovis 93619 San Diego 92106 Miami 33168 Winston-Salem
Corcoran 93212 San Diego 92108 Miami 33169 Winston-Salem 27107
Coronado 92118 San Diego 92109 Miami 33170 South Carolina
Del Mar 92014 San Diego 92110 Miami 33172 Anderson 29621
Dinuba 93618 San Diego 92111 Miami 33173 Anderson 29624
Dulzura 91917 San Diego 92113 Miami 33175 Anderson 29625
El Cajon 92019 San Diego 92114 Miami 33176 Anderson 29625
El Cajon 92020 San Diego 92115 Miami 33177 Anderson 29626
El Cajon 92021 San Diego 92116 Miami 33178 Belton 29627
Exeter 93221 San Diego 92117 Miami 33179 Central 29630
Farmersville 93223 San Diego 92120 Miami 33180 Central 29630
Fowler 93625 San Diego 92121 Miami 33182 Central 29630
Fresno 93706 San Diego 92122 Miami 33183 Clemson 29631
Fresno 93723 San Diego 92123 Miami 33185 Easley 29640
Fresno 93725 San Diego 92124 Miami 33186 Easley 29642
Fresno 93730 San Diego 92126 Miami 33187 Easley 29642
Glendale 91205 San Diego 92127 Miami 33189 Easley 29642
Glendale 91206 San Diego 92128 Miami 33193 Liberty 29657
Glendale 91208 San Diego 92129 Miami 33196 Pelzer 29669
Hanford 93230 San Diego 92130 Mulberry 33860 Pendleton 29670
Ivanhoe 93235 San Diego 92131 Opa-Locka 33054 Pickens 29671
Jamul 91935 San Diego 92139 Opa-Locka 33055 Pickens 29671
Kerman 93630 San Diego 92154 Plant City 33563 Piedmont 29673
Kingsburg 93631 San Diego 92173 Plant City 33565 Salem 29676
La Canada Flintridge 91011 Sanger 93657 Plant City 33566 Seneca 29672
La Crescenta 91214 Santee 92071 Plant City 33567 Seneca 29678
La Mesa 91941 Selma 93662 Polk City 33868 Six Mile 29682
La Mesa 91942 South Pasadena 91030 Thonotosassa 33592 Walhalla 29691
Lakeside 92040 Spring Valley 91977 Winter Haven 33880 West Union 29696
Lakeside 92040 Strathmore 93267 Winter Haven 33881 Westminster 29693
Laton 93242 Tulare 93274 Winter Haven 33884 Williamston 29697
Lemoore 93245 Visalia 93277 Zephyrhills 33540
Lindsay 93247 Visalia 93291 Zephyrhills 33541

 

Leave a comment here and tell us what you think or let us know on Twitter (@BingMaps).