Sunday, October 14, 2012

My Own Private Idaho (1991)

dir. Gus Van Sant

The Idaho road - Route 216 near Maupin, Oregon

Hustling in Seattle – Gatewood Hotel (now closed), 107 Pine Street, Seattle, Washington. It has been converted into an apartment house.

St. Regis Hotel (now closed), 116 Stewart Street, Seattle, Washington. It has been converted into an apartment house.

Mike (River Phoenix) wakes up in the street and meets Hans (Udo Kier) – W. 8th Avenue at W. Galer Street, Seattle, Washington

Waking up in Portland – Elk Fountain, SW Main Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues, Portland, Oregon. The actual sculpture has no rider - Van Sant painted one of his production assistants green, and placed him on top. The engraving at the base was changed to "The Coming of the White Man," as a reference to a Washington Park monument known, in the 1970s and early 1980s, as a marketplace for those seeking late-night male company.

The restaurant where Mike and his friend Scott (Keanu Reeves) hang out – 213 SW Broadway, Portland, Oregon. It was a Chinese restaurant at the time but it's Bailey's Tap Room now.

The hotel where the guys squat – Governor Hotel, 614 SW 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon

The robbery under the bridge – St. John's Bridge, Cathedral Park, Portland, Oregon

Scott and Mike’s motorbike ride – SW Broadway at SW Stark Street, Portland, Oregon

Mike is looking for his mother at the hotel where she used to work – Thunderbird on the River Hotel, 1401 N. Hayden Island Drive, Portland, Oregon. Closed in 2005, the hotel was destroyed by a fire on September 2, 2012. Many thanks to John Denny for pointing out this location.

Leaving for Italy – Boise Airport, Boise, Idaho

Waking up in Rome – Piazza del Popolo, Rome, Italy

Hustling in Rome – Via Celio Vibenna at Piazza del Colosseo, Rome, Italy

Back in Portland – Henry’s Tavern, 10 NW 12th Avenue, Portland, Oregon

Bob (William Richert) sees Scott and his wife entering a restaurant – Jake’s Famous Crawfish, 401 SW 12th Avenue, Portland, Oregon

The restaurant’s interior is Hubers, 411 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon. It’s the city's oldest restaurant.

26 comments:

  1. Great website! Cheers!
    - Mark in Canada

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  2. Fun--thanks for doing the research!

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  3. this is in seattle but im not sure where exactly. does anyone know?

    http://s23.postimg.org/5uz2ghemj/seattle.png

    http://s8.postimg.org/k1n8b78rn/seattle_2.png

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    1. I don't think this scene is in the movie.

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    2. Its not but it is in My own private River

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    3. The photos in question are taken on the corner of 1st and Virginia in Seattle. I used to work in the Terminal Sales Building right across the street.

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  4. I'm pretty sure that unknown hotel exterior is a red lion hotel in either Vancouver wa or near sea tac airport...

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  5. Thank you very much!

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  6. The mystery hotel is the Thunderbird Portland Oregon.
    http://www.wicksakit.com/Other/Thunderbird-Hotel-Portland/i-rLbWVpc/A

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  7. Just as an FYI.... The scene right after your "St. Regis Hotel" picture, where the guy walks into the adult book store: That "Video Follies" business was housed at 915 SW 3rd Ave in Portland. The building no longer exists, but if you watch the beginning of the crane shot you can see the building to the right with the doorway and a small window (window has since been covered) which matches. Additional info here:

    http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCgQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.portlandoregon.gov%2Fbds%2Farticle%2F93088&ei=cWPAU6f4N6HE0QX42oCgBw&usg=AFQjCNFp-8r2PoCO8PVKus4_TjXoDLyoCA&sig2=KIgPhS8HmRuSWj8lptU-pQ&bvm=bv.70810081,d.bGQ

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  8. Great stuff! Any idea on how I might track down the rural home in Italy?

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    1. No idea. There are no clues there.

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    2. We'd have to ask Gus himself!

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  9. Chris Bungo, your video was great! Good job! But, the 1401 N. Hayden Island Dr. was not the spot for the "Family Tree Motel- Snake River". The location STILL exists, but it is in a different place. I've got a map of every filming location for MOPI, thanks in part to those that were there during filming.

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  10. Have seen your video previously. A wonderful look at the famous "road!" Where was/is the house that is seen at 2:00 in the video?

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  11. Thanks a lot <3 Is there any way I could subscribe to your blog or something? Like I find it very interesting :3 Thanks for your commitment tot his :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Gabriella,
      There's "Follow by Email" button on the left side below "Members". If you subscribe, you'll be getting notified when a new post is published. If you are viewing my blog on Mobile, you might not see that button.

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  12. I love this page! I'm visiting Rome next summer so I can't wait to relive all those moments there. Hoping to visit the states one day and tick off all of the places in Oregon too. Thanks for this, great post.

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  13. I was wondering if anyone can identify the location of the lighted overhang that the boys are hustling under in Portland. I can see a US Bank in the background and a service station across the street. It looks vaguely familiar, but I can't place it

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  14. Awesome Job..My Favorite River Movie..Thanks

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  15. I worked at that hotel as a night auditor! The one labeled "thunderbird" hotel where Mike was asking about his mom. It used to be called Double Tree Hotel.

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  16. The bookstore with the Gay Magazines is torn down now and a park with gates in front, but the truth is, it was the only bookstore around 'camp" (the block the gay hustlers hung out on) that did NOT have gay books. It was totally heterosexual porn and even had bestiality (heterosexual bestiality presumably) on the film loops in their back room.

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