Friday, July 5, 2013

Uncle Sam (1996)




Uncle Sam (1996) was filmed primarily in La Verne, California.  



Baker House (3rd St)
Baker House (3rd St)
Baker House (3rd St)
Neighboring Houses (3rd St)
Neighboring Houses (3rd St)
Neighboring Houses (3rd St)


Sally and Jody Baker's house is located on 3rd Street in La Verne.  This is the house where Uncle Sam's body is kept before he wakes up.  The house was built in 1912.  The neighboring houses are shown a few times as well.  It appears that a business is run out of the house called Brent's Antiques & Restoration. 
Location: La Verne, CA
Coordinates: 34.099687, -117.767722
Visible On Street View: Yes
Links:
N/A



Jed's Apartment (D Street)
Jed's Apartment (D Street)
Jed's Apartment (D Street)
Jed's Apartment (D Street)


Early in the film, we see a small downtown area.  This was filmed on D Street, just around the corner from the Baker house.  The window next to the flashing DELI sign is the apartment of Jed Crowley (Isaac Hayes).  The DELI sign appears to be gone, and the building now houses a restaurant called Roberta's Village Inn.  Both D Street and 3rd Street are also featured in the movie Magic Christmas Tree (1964). 
Location: La Verne, CA
Coordinates: 34.100941, -117.769829
Visible on Street View: Yes
Links:
The David Allen Blog



National Application Center - University Of La Verne
National Application Center - University Of La Verne


Just down the road from the Baker house is the school in the film, also located on 3rd Street.  This building is the National Application Center for the University Of La Verne.  It's also known as the Founder's Hall.  The college was established in 1891, but the building wasn't constructed until 1926.  This is also where Jed Crowley gets the cannon used to kill Uncle Sam at the end of the movie. 
Location: La Verne, CA
Coordinates: 34.100885, -117.773229
Visible on Street View: Yes
Links:



Peeping Tom House (5th St)
Peeping Tom House (5th St)
Peeping Tom House (5th St)


Also nearby on 5th Street is the house where Willie the peeping tom spies on the girl changing in her bedroom.  This house was built in 1914.
Location: La Verne, CA
Coordinates: 34.104780, -117.777385
Visible on Street View: Yes
Links: 
N/A



Kuns Park
Kuns Park
Kuns Park



After Willie is caught and flees on stilts, he heads directly across the street to Kuns Park.  The area shown in the movie (and where Willie is killed by Uncle Sam) appears to be the southeast corner of the park, near the intersection of Bonita Avenue and Park Avenue. 
Location: La Verne, CA
Coordinates: 34.104041, -117.777740
Visible on Street View: Yes
Links:


Heritage Park
Heritage Park
Heritage Park


The big fourth of July celebration throughout the finale of the film is located in Heritage Park, north of the other La Verne locations.  The park's gazebo can be spotted several times throughout the film.  The sack-race scene through the orange grove was also filmed here, as a small little orange grove is situated right next to the park. 
Location: La Verne, CA
Coordinates (gazebo): 34.128124, -117.774921
Coordinates (bridge): 34.127802, -117.774776
Visible on Street View: Partial
Links: 
Campus Times (orange grove)


I didn't bother looking for the location of Louise Harper's (Sam's wife) house, since it is blown up at the end and you don't get much of a look at the surrounding area.  Supposedly, it was somewhere near Kuns Park.  Neighbors were surprised when the house was blown up at 2AM, as they weren't notified ahead of time.  The explosion was heard throughout the entire area, even breaking the windows of several neighboring homes.  

News articles about the upset locals are included on the Blue Underground blu-ray of the film.  According to IMDB, the city decided to reject all future requests to film there after this, even though IMDB also states that Bubble Boy (2001), Dark Blue (2002), and Torque (2004) were all partially filmed in La Verne. 

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