MovieChat Forums > Hot Rods to Hell (1967) Discussion > Let's play 'Find 'The Arena''

Let's play 'Find 'The Arena''

posted 17 years ago by Avenger69
17 replies | jump to latest

Where the hell is the "Arena" location? I know fans have been trying to locate it for a while, but I haven't heard that anyone has actually found it.

We've located Charlie's Last Chance gas station (Wilsona Gardens), and the roads where they filmed a majority of the chase scenes (near Wilsona Gardens), the lake (MGM backlot), Mayville (MGM backlot in Culver City), and Hanesburg (Culver City - Motor Avenue and Palms Boulevard north of MGM), but the last big hole is "The Arena."

After reviewing the DVD, more details about the "Arena" location are apparent. Someone has likely noticed these details before, but here they are:

1) A sign in the back that reads "Steak Ranch" and "Cocktails." This is to the right of the "Arena" building (if you're facing the "Arena" neon sign).
2) A busy, fast-moving freeway in the background right behind the "Arena" building.
3) Going by the shadows on the ground in the parking lot, the highway seems to be moving north-south.
4) A Shell gas station to the left (south) of the "Arena"

Based on this, I am going to assume that the location is near Castiac, California near the "Grapevine." Any takers?

Of course, it may be easier just to ask Tim Stafford where the location is... LOL!!!

"As god as my witness... I thought turkeys could fly."

[–] cover_ghoul 17 years ago

Avenger69, I'm on the case!...
I just got my dvd copy in the mail today. I've wanted to know the Arena's location for many years. The first new clue i got was on Lank Dailey's travel brochure/pamphlet that lists the Arena at the 66 and 93 junction.. I know it's just a movie prop, but i was hoping that they just mocked up an actual motel advertisment and changed the name, but so far i can't see that old 66 ever crossed 93. At least in California. The photo of the motel on the booklet looks to me like it might actually be somewhere in the Barstow area, near 66, but I still beleive it was probably in the area you've suggested. How about Gorman/Hungry Valley? I wonder what that place looked like 40 years ago.
CG

[–] Avenger69 17 years ago

It's tough looking for a location that, no doubt, has been torn down in the 40 years since! It could be in Barstow, but the hills in the background are green with vegetation... Barstow would likely be more brown.

Also, since the budget wasn't there to go to far from Culver City, it would have to be either between Los Angeles and Wilsona Gardens, or at least nearby. I looked around Acton, but that doesn't seem to work (although, I did come across the locations for "Duel"). It could be near Gorman / Leona Valley though. The terrain looks about right.

"As god as my witness... I thought turkeys could fly."

[–] Balberith 17 years ago

It was more likely in the Santa Clarita area or Castaic area. I sure would like to know the exact location too!

"A real man would rather bow down to a strong woman than dominate a weak one"

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Hoohawnaynay 17 years ago

Hard to say as all those areas have undergone major changes since 1966. I grew up in California and wa sa kid in the 60's, it sure was prettier back then. No ugly mini-malls, buildings that had charm and no gaudy overbuilt homes or businesses like today. It is sad what they call progress! My guess would be Newhall or Saugus as that was not too far from the other location shots! Could be off highway 99 (which later was near Interstate 5 built in 1968).

[–] alls-4 17 years ago

I'm for the Newhal Saugus area too. The view after Daily's "she's all yours" line, has clear terrain features from this shot taken along side of the Arena front gable. On and off been looking at topo maps and aerials at work, and this fall we are going to visit some possibles. Just me personally thinking, I believe it is right on the way from movie lot to Wilsona Gardens, and probably for that time, just out of city to put up the cast and crew - cheeply for a night. That view looks to the San Fernando valley after the ridge line far off I am pretty sure. Will keep posted.

[–] Avenger69 17 years ago

There's one guy who could answer this for sure... Paging Jeffrey Byron (Jamie in the film).

"What am I gonna do with 40 subscriptions to 'Vibe?' "

[–] alls-4 15 years ago

Think at least have located the Steak Ranch that was next to the Arena. Found articles on Steak Ranches in Los Angeles Times archives of restaurant articles, and nailed down the one next to the Arena as Billingsley's Steak Ranch on Ventura Boulevard in Calabasas along the 101. Couldn't get a street address, but Ventura Boulevard ends in Calabasas where Mulholland Drive crosses 101. One of the articles "Restaurant Roundup" from the mid 60s mentions "TV location troops nearby" so Bailey's motel, the coffee shop, Steak Ranch may have been already used for filming television scenes. I drove by this area going from Ventura back to Los Angeles and surroundings at Mulholland Drive and 101 sure fit. Next time I go I will take my laptop with the movie and some still captures I have, and start comparing the topography around there to if can get anywhere close to a site.

We annually have a HRTH Special Event for amateur radio near Edwards AFB during a weekend each January to commemorate the movie release date. Last year our group wanted to camp at the spot where at the beginning of the movie Duke and Gloria made out and told Ernie to get lost. A few weeks before that weekend, some of us tried to find the exact spot. The area is now built over in Lake Los Angeles. "Wait a minute you're out of your mind, you better not be putting us on, what do think I'm crazy?" But it all checked out from still catches of when they drove up to the rock formation and back azimuth to Piute Mesa. We instead camped at the bridge spot where Phillips cracked up the Corvette. Going to these filming spots, even after much time, still you can feel the vibes just being there, but finding the site of the Arena and just being there will be ultimate. "Everybody will be turned on." As of last January, Charlie's is a Mexican Taco BBQ place. The bridge wreck site and the mailbox road turn are as they were. We think we may have found the site of the 24-hour truck stop stand off, but not sure on this one.

Have a great summer. Will make it to Antelope Valley this January.

[–] Avenger69 15 years ago

Thanks Alls-4

By the way, If you're in the LA area on Saturday, 6/27, there is a big screen showing of "Hot Rods to Hell" as part of the LA Film Festival. Here is the site:

http://www.lafilmfest.com/tixSYS/2009/search/hot%20rods%20to%20hell/AL

As for the Arena site, I think you may be on to something with the 101 / Calabasas theory. The terrain certainly looks like the Calabasas / Agoura Hills area. Could be... of course it's been 42 years, and a lot has changed since then!

Did some quick research... UCLA Library has this...

http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=kt7r29n9n9&chunk.id=c01-1.2.7.4&brand=oac

It's the plans for a "Billingsley's Steak Ranch" on the 101 in Calabasas. If someone were to get into the library and check the plans, confirm the layout is the same as seen in the film, it would no doubt give the address as well... and then, we could probably say we found the location.

"It's people..."

[–] alls-4 15 years ago

I emailed that UCLA library and asked them to look in the Steak Ranch file for a street number. A librarian wrote back and said there was none and that the Ventura Blvd, Calabasas reference was it. I also wrote to the Calabasas city library and asked about archived phone books from the 60s and any business references for Steak Ranch. I Have not received a reply.

As soon as we get a little into fall, I will make a trip to Calabasas and try to line up features from the ground. I looked at some aerials of the area where Ventura Blvd ends in Calabasas along the 101, and the location is promising with the street layouts, gas station, and of course the hills.

Things really do change with time around LA. That scene at intersection of Palma and Motor could never have been found if going by the surroundings then in the movie comparing to what is there now. That school at the intersection is the only thing left. We had to get on the ground and line up topography features to find the area where Duke did Gloria at the beginning of the movie, which is now covered with a Lake Los Angeles housing subdivision. I wonder if someone who lives in a home at that spot realizes just what he or she is part of now. All the scene locations other than the Arena have just fallen into place.

It has been somewhat spooky how difficult it is to get a fix on the location of the Arena site. Anybody supposedly in the know just clams up. When I talk with reference librarians I use a cover story that I am interested in the Steak Ranch or a Shell station to find their addresses then because I want to visit the site where my mom worked and took my three sisters and me so often for family dinners when I was just a little kid. "Oh man."

Where I "work" we split into groups each with a theory of the Arena location. I was in the group that thought it was near the junction of Sepulveda Blvd and 405, but I came around recently to the Calabasas group. One group thinks the Arena was near Palm Springs. "They are way out," but one of them has a 1960s Sunset magazine ad or article that shows a scene and feature similar to Daily's Motel brochure that Phillip's brother was showing. The Victorville group thinks the Arena is near the cement plant just outside Victorville.

Have a great summer. Thanks for the info on the showing of HRTH. Take Care

[–] Avenger69 14 years ago

To throw in another theory on the location, the 101 between Chesboro Road and Kanan-Dume Road in Agoura Hills is quite possible.

"It's people..."

[–] Bdeezine 14 years ago

I always thought the scene where Duke and Gloria got it on was around Vasquez Rocks, off the 14 freeway.

"Sit down Mr. Muckle, honey."

[–] Avenger69 13 years ago

Actually, that's a pretty good guess, but that scene was shot about a mile from the gas station in Wilsona Gardens.

"It's people..."

[–] Rebecca1024 7 years ago

I just wanted you to know that I'm trying to archive any memorable content before IMDb closes the boards. The task quickly became overwhelming. I decided to just save three posts that really stick in my mind for some reason. Yours was one of them:

I wonder if someone who lives in a home at that spot realizes just what he or she is part of now.

That line represents to me what the IMDb boards were all about. The people living there probably don't know. But I do . . . thanks to you!

[–] francisbt2003 14 years ago

what about the picnic site that would be outta sit to find that and toss around afootball with my drunk dad

[–] Avenger69 14 years ago

That was the old MGM backlot on Overland and Culver. Covered by condos now.

"It's people..."

[–] alls-4 12 years ago

Mamamute started a topic "Arena Location" I read last week and it looks like they found it. Here is the post:

We may have found the Arena site. Here is the link to a club member page that shows and discusses pictures at the present site against stills from the movie. The remains of the motel, Arena, Steak Ranch as a large vacant pad look to be at Calabasas, California north of the 101 freeway just about to the west end of Ventura Blvd.

http://al7ls.tripod.com/arenalocation.htm

The radio club will have a special event this coming January (2013) near Wilsona Gardens. There is a link to the announcement on the arenalocation.htm page. A lot of fun. Soon though, hope to have some pictures of the filming sites at Antelope Valley. (It's reported from Edwards AFB members that Charlies is now a taco shop.) We want to find where Duke made out with Gloria at those rocks and setup at least near there for the event, otherwise we will be outside the south Edwards AFB gate.

But take a look at the Arena page. I am not hopeful about the Duke and Gloria site which may be completely built over by Lake Los Angeles from what I hear. In a way I feel sad about the Arena being gone and looks to be soon built over too. I know I'm a drag I know I know I know but "We'll be at the Arena tonight - everything will look different to me then - you'll see - everybody will be turned on!"