Occasionally, I come across something on my Facebook feed that begs to be clarified. This week someone asked if the burning car scene from "Smack in the Middle" was filmed near or at Bronson Cave. Mark Racop shared the footage that A Pennyworth shared back in 2012 of the filming and said it was on the main drag of a building called "The Club House." Based on the footage, this was almost right. No fault of Mark's, but this made me realize that although Ben and I have been compiling Bat location data and have shared it here and there during VBC sessions and have plans to put together a guide book of sorts, most of this stuff has not publicly seen the light of day. So, various people and some (not all) YouTube videos are still putting out info that don't accurately post, investigate or even prove the information.
Soooooo, I'm going to make an effort to periodically share some Bat Location tidbits here on the good ol' "All Seeing All Knowing."
Let's talk about it!
Scene: Flipped car and escape before fire scene from "Smack in the Middle"
Location: Behind Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, CA (Next door to 20th Century Fox Studios)
Still standing: Century Plaza Hotel, Fox Studios
What is the main spot now?: Multi level parking structures for nearby businesses
Bat Locations - "Smack in the Middle" Burning Car Scene
I narrate this BTS footage once shared by A Pennyworth.
Great post, Scott! I imagine those folks staying at that hotel had a pretty sweet view of the action at times. I'm also struck by how skinny Adam's legs look in some of the photos.
Researching the locations from the TV show continues to be a ton of fun, with lots of miles being covered both online and on-foot
One of the silver linings of the initial lockdowns in 2020 was getting to devote a ton of time to the guide book project that Scott mentioned. But more on that when the time comes...
AndyFish wrote: ↑Sun Feb 06, 2022 3:00 pm
Great post, Scott! I imagine those folks staying at that hotel had a pretty sweet view of the action at times. I'm also struck by how skinny Adam's legs look in some of the photos.
Hotel wasn't finished yet (not until June 66) so probably some construction workers got a cool view.
Would really enjoy getting this info in book form. Good luck and please keep us posted.
The scene is filmed like it’s in a secluded backroad. It’s amazing what was happening mere feet from filming. This leads to the question...where is the stretch of road that “leads” from the Batcave to police headquarters? It was obviously reused over and over. I presume it looks nothing today like it did in ‘65-66?
BatMite wrote: ↑Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:08 pm
Would really enjoy getting this info in book form. Good luck and please keep us posted.
The scene is filmed like it’s in a secluded backroad. It’s amazing what was happening mere feet from filming. This leads to the question...where is the stretch of road that “leads” from the Batcave to police headquarters? It was obviously reused over and over. I presume it looks nothing today like it did in ‘65-66?
Funny you should mention that...the road in question is actually where i'm stood clutching a Batmobile in my profile photo! All things considered, it actually looks remarkably similar today as it did back then. After we had painstakingly identified the actual location in the Hollywood Hills (not Mulholland Drive as has been purported for years) we actually filmed a sequence for the beginning of Scott's "On My Way" music video on the same stretch.
Maybe we'll continue this one in a thread all of its own, because the research part of this one was a lot of fun!
Great information on where that scene was shot. I was glad I was able to find that silent clip and share it back then. Wonder how much more footage is left that we have NOT seen!
I do have a type of location thing to post and I'm sure you guys know the answers but I will save that for another day, another post.
Great stuff again Scott and I look forwards to the guide book you mentioned with Ben!
A. Pennyworth wrote: ↑Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:50 pm
I do have a type of location thing to post and I'm sure you guys know the answers but I will save that for another day, another post.
A Green Hornet site in there as well - just below the words "Burning Car Scene" is a modified Douglas DC-6 airliner; first used in the 1964 film Fate is the Hunter, it appeared in the opening scene of the episode "Crime Wave".
And as I've mentioned before, the wrecked/burning car was a '53 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 limousine, very likely the one crashed in the opening scene of Fantastic Voyage.
"To the medical eye, such childish claptrap means only one thing, young man: You need some sleep."
A. Pennyworth wrote: ↑Sun Feb 06, 2022 7:50 pm
Great information on where that scene was shot. I was glad I was able to find that silent clip and share it back then. Wonder how much more footage is left that we have NOT seen!
I do have a type of location thing to post and I'm sure you guys know the answers but I will save that for another day, another post.
Great stuff again Scott and I look forwards to the guide book you mentioned with Ben!
--john
Thanks! And, color me excited. I'm looking forward to your location post.
chrisbcritter wrote: ↑Mon Feb 07, 2022 5:10 am
A Green Hornet site in there as well - just below the words "Burning Car Scene" is a modified Douglas DC-6 airliner; first used in the 1964 film Fate is the Hunter, it appeared in the opening scene of the episode "Crime Wave".
Following up on this, here's a look at Solar Way as it looks today...
Sadly we only get a glimpse of the original and iconic curved Century Plaza Hotel building as their expansion in 2016 resulted in the addition of two towers that loom way above the height of the original structure.
You guys blow my boy wonderful mind. Thanks for sharing this in such an entertaining post. I'm with A.P. and BatMite - a guide book penned by you two would be great!
Ben Bentley wrote: ↑Mon Feb 07, 2022 11:06 am
Following up on this, here's a look at Solar Way as it looks today...
Sadly we only get a glimpse of the original and iconic curved Century Plaza Hotel building as their expansion in 2016 resulted in the addition of two towers that loom way above the height of the original structure.
To elaborate on what Ben was showing. Century Plaza Hotel area now.
There was a similar book done many years ago showing the original shooting locations for The Three Stooges shorts in the 30s and 40s-- it was given to me as a gift and I really enjoyed it-- I took it with me on a visit to California and had fun one day checking out those locations, some of which were also where the Batman serials were filmed, since those too were from Columbia Pictures Short Subject division.
