Naomi Watts Tribute

Australian Movies
 

Top 5 Movies

Mulholland Drive
"Aunt Ruth's" apartment
"LAX"
"Sierra Bonita" apartments
"Winkies" diner

Ring

Sleepwalkers

Unicorn Killer

Wyvern Mystery
 

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Pictures and commentary by Los Angeles resident Scott G. Lloyd.

Hi Anthony,

I went over to the "Sierra Bonita" Apartments on Griffith Park Blvd in the Silver Lake District yesterday and took some quick photos.  I didn't get a lot of courtyard shots.  The woman who lives in the "Diane Selwyn" apartment came out looking very annoyed, so I beat a hasty retreat, but I'll go back at a later time.

This is the view looking West on Griffith Park Blvd.  David Lynch's shot of the Taxi arriving was from this view.  By the way, I am standing in front of the Red Wall where the two mysterious "hit men" were parked.  The apartment closest to the camera is the back of the "Apartment 12," Diane's old place.

Important to note.  Lynch and crew put a fake wall in front of the complex (in some courtyard scenes) to give the illusion that the complex was larger than it really is.

This is the alley adjacent to the complex.  Lynch shot another scene of the Taxi going in the back way, probably from the middle of the alley, approximately where the man in the blue shirt is standing.

This is the central courtyard. Notice that it is straight up and back.  The portal near the center of the photo is the rear doorway where Rita and Betty first came it.  It is really amazing how Lynch made the complex seem so much larger and maze-like.

This is "Apartment 12" from the side.  Betty and Rita met the Diane's Girlfriend/Neighbor in the doorway.

This is the back of the complex, or the garage area where Betty and Rita exited the Taxi.  Notice that the nice doors are gone.  A new fence has just gone up.  I may be one of the last non-residents to visit inside this area.

Here is the Rear Entrance to the complex.  Notice the new gate. The passage is dark and narrow with a wonderful "belfry" at the end, directly under the tower.  Very spooky.

In the movie, the view of the courtyard was blocked with a listing of apartments. 

This is the belfry portion of the rear passage.  My wife, who scanned the pictures, tried to lighten it up, but it is dark in there.

Here is the Rear Entrance from the courtyard.  Betty and Rita stopped here to read the Apartment listings.  Just to the Left of this doorway is the "Diane Selwin" apartment.  Right after I snapped this photo, a young woman came out of the apartment looking very annoyed.  I wanted to shoot the doorways, which are very ornate, but I didn't want to wear out my welcome.  I'll go back again for a second round of photos.

This is the cottage (2409 Griffith Park Blvd.) and driveway next door to the complex where the mysterious woman and driver that frightened Rita and Betty were parked.  Lynch shot the scene from the left behind a wall that separated this house from the complex.  To get a shot that matched the scene in the movie, I would have had to traipse through someone's backyard.  Notice that the plants in the foreground were missing at the time the movie was shot.
 

Best Regards,

Scott Lloyd