Boulevard Nights Filming Locations - The Ultimate

[@ddlp8252]

Good job, brother!! I consider it a great honor to have been given the once in a lifetime opportunity to play the role of Chuco in Boulevard Nights. It is almost 45 years since we shot it, in the summer of 1978. I really appreciate your meticulous research it took to uncover all these iconic locations after such a long time and so many changes. Good on you!! I will make one of these videos perhaps for the 45th anniversary in 2024.

[@player4life11111]

Thank you for bringing the character of Chuco to life in such a mesmerizing performance! Boulevard Nights was the iconic embodiment of life on Whittier Boulevard as the “Cruising” Era was coming to an end. Very few movies/films captured the essence and gritty reality of youth in East Los Angeles. This movie is timeless because it represents the youth trying to find a path forward in an unforgiving world.

[@Mr-lj9tp]

I just saw this video and you don't remember where the motel is lol I lived next door and around the corner as well. Let me if you want to know and I'll send my email info

[@MrFb65]

This is my all time favorite movie 🎥. Hope you can come to El Paso Lowrider Car Show (Chuco Town) 2023. For autographs ✊🏽😎Danny De La Paz

[@sluurr6171]

@ddlp8252 thank you for such a memorable performance and ever iconic character. 👏🏼 My fiancé lived on McBride and Whittier Blvd (between Porky's restaurant and Wengers furniture) for over 25 yrs and nearly 35 yrs in ELA. His Mama was like the Mexican Godfather! They knew of or about everyone within the area and visa-versa. He knew every street around no matter where we went, but took pride in his neighborhood.. a true "East Los Boy". Even though I was one of those kids who was moved around from city to city all my childhood and teen yrs, he taught me so much more than I ever thought I knew (or even wanted to know) about "The Boulevard" and ELA and I'm proud of that. BOULEVARD NIGHTS has always been a favorite movie classic of mine because it covered much of what I was growing up in and around, but now, it will always have an even deeper meaning to me since my fiancé passed away two months ago today.. and only four months after his Mama's passing 💔😥 (May They both rest in eternal paradise🙏🏼) God willing, we're all here and around to see that 45th Anniversary video special! 🙏🏼

[@FEEDER.396]

The motel was Rancho motel Location was on Garvey and marguerita ave in Monterey park

[@davidlara4102]

One of my favorite movies & I have it on dvd. My uncle (my dad’s brother) came out in the scenes as a member of The Imperials car club. Til this day my uncle is still with The Imperials.

[@f430ferrari5]

Just a quick side note. Boulevard Nights was written by a Japanese American. Desmond Nakano. He also co-wrote American Me. There was a fairly large Japanese American community in East LA back in the day. Relationships were pretty good amongst all. There are some pretty cool ties between Mexican Americans and Japanese Americans. Ralph Lazo was interned at Manzanar. He volunteered to go! Guy Gabaldon US Marine WW2 grew up with Japanese American friends and he even had an adopted family the Nakano’s but no relation to Desmond above. He was actually a gangster too before being taken in and he learned some Japanese. He then used the Japanese he learned to get Japanese soldiers to surrender on Saipan and Tinian Islands. Hollywood made a movie also about him and he later married a Japanese woman. Has quite a few kids named Yoshio, Aiko, Hanako, etc. The last crazy part is that his adopted family had two brothers similar to Guy’s age who were small time actors. Lane and Lyle Nakano.

[@Mike4metal]

This Movie was Big for Me in 1979! I was 14 and saw it in The Drive In! The Impact of That Movie Reached The Bay Area and Influenced Many of Us Kids! We Started Dressing Like the Cholo Style of East LA, Lowriders we’re Cruising and Oldies were Played! I Will Never Forget Those Days🔥Best Video! Thanks for Giving Us The Tour!✨

[@thecandyman9308]

Interesting. It was said that the movie Superfly inspired all the flamboyant "pimp" style in black neighborhoods in the 70s.

[@Mike4metal]

@@thecandyman9308 that’s very true! Also the Movie “”The Warriors”” inspired Gang Culture and Gang Violence, I know because I was a kid and saw the rise of fighting in the 70”s like Scarface in 1980, there was a moral to that story but nobody got it✨

[@robertjaime6808]

BOULEVARD NIGHTS was one of those movies that had a big impact on me when I was 11yrs old back in 1979; low riders, oldies, East Side Story’s on cassettes & vinyl, the Cholo fashion, the boom boxes & more importantly cruising the blvd, Northern Califas famous King & Story in the East Side of San Jo✊🏾shaaaaa!🇲🇽🇺🇸

[@Mike4metal]

@@robertjaime6808 Bro! I was Cruising Story & King Right Along With You! East Side Story Albums! Khakis! Pendleton’s and Winos or Stacy Adams! And of Course wearing a Brim was Essential🔥I will Always Remember Those Times✨

[@Mike4metal]

@@sapoloko3886 ha ha! I always preferred the gold paint!😎🔥

[@bradsmith9919]

Haven't seen or even thought of Boulevard Nights since about 1985! Maybe your best and most deep find yet!

[@franciscobriseno9525]

My favorite movie of all time …. Thanks for this….

[@spookymorales]

The first thing I notice when I watched this video is the passion we share for some of my favorite movies such as Blood In Blood Out, Colors and Boulevard Nights. Your hard work and thorough research are evident and your editing is on point! Very well done. Gracias for all the trips down memory lane 🙏🏼👻 Big fan, so glad I found your channel!

[@elizabethharrison7306]

80 Life you tube channel Love my favorite one fan Big 80 Life Best 💖💖💖⭐️ Happy St Patrick Day 🍀🍀🍀🍀

[@john_from_eastcoast.]

THANK YOU for this video!! You are AWESOME!! 👍👍 I remember the movie "Boulevard Nights" and I lived in LA during that time period! I remember the movie was banned in some places in LA or shown by limited time. And hard to find out the showtimes! I also remember 2 other gang movies that also came out in 1979 it was "The Wanderers" and "The Warriors" both filmed in New York, the east coast! And later "Class of 1984" from Canada. All these gang movies caused fights and mayhem in the movie theaters and cops were called in! I remember watching the TV News talking about the problems these movies caused or a stabbing. Ah good old memories in LA! 🙂 "Where you from vato?!!" 💀

[@7601jrod]

Nice video ! Boulevard Nights is a classic movie

[@quailstreetcoffeeroastersm6674]

I was 10 when this movie came out, It nailed the Chicano / Gang lifestyle we were exposed to & living in. Thank you for another great video Kurt, or for today lets call you..."El Crucial"

[@johnlopez7243]

Awesome video. Just wanted to let you know that the name of the motel was “El Rancho Motel” which was located right off of W. Garvey Ave. between Electric Ave. and Marguerita Ave. in Monterey Park. Unfortunately it was torn down in the early 80s if I remember correctly. Great job researching the movie. 👍🏼

[@CandyBlomfield]

Very interesting comment

[@michaelschafler3159]

It was on Monterey pass rd as your going east right before Atlantic.... once you pass Atlantic the street turned into Garvey... you're absolutely right though about the location..

[@rettop9757]

I visited that motel a few times late 80s😅

[@ddlp8252]

THE BIG VGV thanks you for clearing that up! LOL!!

[@hypasteve]

I came here for your kickass Sami. That thing is srt8 90's, I love it!

[@Mike-wl5xy]

Always cruising down Whittier on a Sunday afternoon good job Kurt

[@captainn2094]

Man I was waiting for this video to made after you did the Blood in, blood out video. Great stuff… this is going into my favorites list! keep it up Kurt.

[@orlinguerra7226]

Wow,great story about this great movie...Way before American Me and Blood in Blood Out..Thank you again for taking the time to show LA 40 +years ago..the time when place where I grew up..I'm 51 years old and I really appreciate you taking me back!!!👍🥰

[@80sLife]

It was my pleasure. Thank you so much for watching

[@MrFb65]

Glad you finally did my all time favorite movie 🎥 Boulevard Nights ✊🏽

[@jdcfink6920]

Great job on knowing the Gil's location.

[@angusorvid8840]

WOW! What an awesome episode! I LOVE Boulevard Nights. I grew up watching that film on cable. They used to play it late at night. My uncle was a little bit of a lowrider in his youth, and it's always been one of his favorite movies as well. I used to hang out on Whittier and watch the tricked-out cars go by.

[@john_from_eastcoast.]

I remember they played it on the cable service "SelecTV" in Los Angeles. Then they also played "The Warriors" gang movie and "The Wanderers" too. I don't know if you remember that. I'm 58.

[@Primevals33]

Bro your a legend man. I really applaud your dedication and skills to find movie locations like this. I know it's not easy. Great work..

[@80sLife]

Thank you so much for that!

[@michaelarmenta8289]

Boulevard Nights was one of the most realistic gang movies ever made. That's what life was like in ELA in the 70's. Thanks for the time and effort you put into this video.

[@player4life11111]

How do you do it to read the minds of all of us?! I have been watching Boulevard Nights almost a whole month, and seeing your video today is a super welcome addition to a beautiful movie! Thanks for doing such a magnificent project!😻☺️

[@stevelozano9523]

This movie brings back memories. My aunt was an extra at the church wedding and we were at location where Raymond's hopping was at (was the Choc Thrift Store parking lot).

[@gustavocardenas6044]

I used to get my new clothes for school at this thrift shop. It was the Robin's May compared to the other thrift shops. Éramos y seguimos siendo pobres!.hahahahahaha

[@pigjubby1]

Thank you for calling it correctly, "Brooklyn Avenue" not Chavez, but that part passed Boyle was Macy Street.

[@player4life11111]

P.S. The scene where the jumping contest happens in Whittier Boulevard was a Thrift Shop that sold clothes and stuff to fund the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). The building caught fire in the late 1990s ironically on a rainy day.

[@SBarsinister]

One of my favorite childhood movies. I remember my dad taking me to go see it in the movie theater.

[@PrettyHarleyChickG]

One of my favorite movies of all time! Thank you so much for sharing this incredible movie location documentary. Today is my birthday and what a cool treat to enjoy watching today!☺️🥹❤️💯👍🏽

[@Principlesofpleasure]

Bro no one talks about this film thank you so much 🙏🏽 it’s my favorite classic 🔥❤️🔥

[@80sLife]

My pleasure. Thank you!!

[@brianmcgill9434]

Another great video Kurt! One of my favorites! Born into the Lowrider scene in the 70s! Currently own a 63 Impala convertible on fluid . Keep up the good work bro

[@Edgarmajin]

Great video man! You nailed all of the important scenes and where they were filmed. Have you ever considered doing a filming location video for a movie called "Walk Proud"? It has a lot of great filming locations around the Los Angeles area as well. Anyway, thanks again for this video, I know it took a lot of time and effort to pull this off.

[@LaXihuatl]

This is an AMAZING video!!! 🙌🏽❤️ My ex-boyfriend was the little boy on the bike, wearing a sports jersey, pedaling downhill towards the very end of the movie. His homeboy was on the back of his bike. LOL. He remembers that the director asked him if he wanted to come out in a movie. I believe he said they recorded him going down hill twice.

[@80sLife]

Wow. That is SO cool. And thank you!! Thank you for watching

[@fernloc722]

One of my favorite movies bro! good job!!!

[@chrisstephens5310]

good video great place to visit stay safe out there on those crazy good night have a good day tomorrow....

[@TheBlackDog73]

Wow above and beyond! Excellent

[@80sLife]

Thank you so much

[@davefilms345]

Brillaint video Kurt, never seen this film so will give it a watch, but as always I bloody love your content and everything's on point

[@dudemister8629]

Classic movie!! Great video....👍

[@ChrisLML12]

Phenomenal video Kurt, you always come through with great videos! Thanks for taking the time and effort to put these together!👍

[@programtime8117]

Great video 💯💥

[@johnmartin7182]

Awesome content thanks for your time to do this video 📸

[@mrjc12]

I love that you go through the entire movie in order! Amazeballs!! Can’t waiting see all your vids😎

[@frankiehernandez2066]

One of my favorite movies thank you for the video 👍👍👍👍👍

[@timdaugherty5921]

YES!!! I love these!!

[@maxstone1277]

As an la native this is golden Pachuco style 🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@johnnyjesus8]

Wow brilliant location video. Me and my wife stayed in the sun spot motel back in 1987 right after we got married the motel was actually just about to close put we stayed in it for about a week.

[@Gabmil138]

Absolute awesomeness!!!👍🏼❤️

[@lnrb-rock1879]

I absolutely loved this video. Thank you so much!

[@323ricroc]

Some of your best work!!!!!

[@vectorhold6489]

I somehow missed seeing or even hearing about this movie! Great work man.. I need to see if Amazon has it available.

[@BigJim_909]

Just realized today that I’ve been driving through that Whittier location for a few months now, trucking at night! I saw all the old locations here now! How F’n Awesome!!! It’s been my favorite movie since I saw it in my early teens in the 90s!

[@zappzapper]

I love the ending with the memories of Chuco. Great job with the filming location.

[@UAPREALITY]

Hell yeah bro thank you for this !!! 👍👍👍

[@Danny-di2zk]

Thank you for this !! 🙌👏👏👏👏

[@80sLife]

My pleasure. Thank you!

[@orlinguerra7226]

Amazing 👏, Bravo👍Thank you for taking me back to Los Angeles where I grew up...I saw this movie in Santa Monica around 1980 sometime.Sometime around 1984 my mom and I would go to a house on Gless and 4th st.which was a alley colvasack next to the projects..Anyways Thank you for taking the time to present this old footage..I grew up in Hollywood Ca.and I frequented many neighborhoods around LA.in the 80s and 90s..Crazy times but with great memories for sure!!🥰❤👍

[@billybudd8085]

Oracle vato!!!I There is a Grande Vista st.there.Its near Lorena St.and 7th.St.Its in front of Garcia Park formerly Fresno Park.

[@jonathanflores7287]

What a trip! I’ve always loved Boulevard Nights! What are the odds! I used to work right across the street at the Los Ángeles Community Hospital back in 2018. Just now watching this vid and realizing it 😭

[@sonnyday6727]

Great video again! One of my favorite movies ever.

[@dangregg3189]

I used to live Maywood Calif. Just a few miles from where they filmed Blvd night's. I was 21 in 79. I'm 64 now. It's always been one of my favorite movies. I was around East LA all around that area growing up. It brings back so many memories.

[@tonygomez620]

Great work,thnk u from Phoenix

[@80sLife]

Thank you!

[@adonismapother]

OMG I love this movie so much!!!!!!!!! It’s a very classic movie from the 1970s I watched this movie when I was 13 years old back when I was living in Michigan good memories 🙏🏻😃

[@spunkhead]

Just saw your name and subbed to your channel..appreciate you💯💯💯💯🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@80sLife]

Thank you so much!!!

[@titan9m]

Great movie! I must have watched that movie at least 20x ! 👍👍

[@curbcreature666]

A fun fact...American me pays homage to boulevard nights,in the scene where Santana meets up with JD at juvie hall..introducing him to "chuco" "Raymond" & "big happy"..

[@ClydeDahler-v3q]

My brother and i with our next door neighbor brothers all lived in Pico Gardens housing projects close to the 4th street bridge back in the mid 1950s, went down to the LA river a lot. Moved to East LA in 1956 on Ferris St started Griffith Jr High then Hollenbeck Jr High, some times walking down Whittier Blvd.Loved that low rider 1970 Monte Carlo. This movie clip brings back memories when we were kids. Thanks KZbin. 8-25-23

[@CycolacFan]

You put so much effort into these it’s fantastic. Ever find out anything about what happened to the cars?

[@chucke9715]

El junkyardcito

[@sluurr6171]

@@chucke9715 you mean, "el yonke"! Lol But really, I wanted to know the same.. if any of those carruchas are still known to be around?? I go to many car shows and wonder if any of the lowriders are from these good old flicks or even the ones from the Lowrider and Q-VO magazines?? Would be interesting to know, que no?!

[@Kamikazebat3923]

They're ranflas ese!

[@mrsig7381]

That hotel you couldn't find, was on Garvey Ave. just west of Atlantic Ave in Montery Park. I worked on Monterey Pass Rd, which Garvey turned into about an 1/8 mi west of where that motel was. I passed the motel every day on the way to work. It was tore down sometime in the late 80's as I recall. I took that route to work from 1979 to 2015 when I retired! BTW, Loved that movie! Thanks for the memories.

[@krlm2280]

U did it cool can't wait to watch 🙌🏿🙌🏿 u and Scott never disappoint and the garage is the same garage turbo and o'zone use in breaking 2 '84 and 21:37 is where everyone was dancing in breaking 2

[@Klaygrinch]

Thanks for sharing its good stuff. When I saw it at Long Beach California they screamed when the east LA in the movie came out.

[@davebudrus46]

Great then and now about a cool old flick thank you!

[@albertoaguirre857]

That's Eastman Elementary which I attended from 1980 to 1987,behind Gil's Body Shop. I remember vividly all the beautiful lowriders they worked on.

[@keepitgwithme]

I went to eastman also, i remember going under the road and poppin out the other side, jeez did it stink in them tunnels.

[@albertoaguirre857]

@@keepitgwithme that's where all the winos hung out

[@sonnypillay9462]

Love this movie , thanks for sharing

[@80sLife]

My pleasure. Thank you!

[@rickonassis]

Huge that you are doing this!!!

[@johnniebravo5985]

Another awesome video Kurt! Just watched this movie for the first time & thought it was pretty good!

[@noelsolo61]

I always enjoy your videos. It brings back to the good old day. The only way I can be in LA but "not be" in LA. I current live in Colorado Springs. By the way, a lot of Californians and Angelenos have and are moving to Colorado. In the '70s, my friends would cruise Whittier Blvd. Some Cholos from the neighbor would claim certain corners of Whittier Blvd hit them up. If rivals Barrios cruised a rival's corner, they would get into it. Sign of the times. They only fought with fists or chains. No guns. In the '70s, one can still be a gang member usually not worrying about getting shot and killed. Times have changed.

[@romanordunez3095]

Wow, this world is going crazy and people need to carry a gun all times, they can't use fist anymore to fight anymore. I also live in Colorado Springs too, outside of the Springs

[@noelsolo61]

@@romanordunez3095 I love here. I'm also because Colorado is a "Green" State. I'll never to LA to live. The Los Angeles I knew is gone.

[@romanordunez3095]

@@noelsolo61 right on, maybe who knows we might see each other one day

[@eddiel.4108]

noelsoto61 - sorry dude but you're wrong. Having grown up just four blocks from Gil's Auto Body Shop and being a 17 years old gang member at the time I can tell you with certainty that guns we're also used in settling fights. A homie can either get bumper jacked, jumped or shot if they found themsves in the wrong neighborhood. Me and my cousin were shot at while we were driving off of Olympic Boulevard way back in 79. Hollywood has romanticize the cruising on Whittier Boulevard. But there was a lot of violence there also. It was also a very dangerous place to be late at night. Your comment almost sounds like one of those Republicans trying to hate on California by saying that we have a lot of shootings here. There are shootings anywhere you going in the United states.

[@virginiamartinez3920]

Thanks for sharing this . I was An Extra in The Movie . I was at The Chapel and Cemetery. I was 16 . It was So much fun . I made $50 for 1 day and They had great food . 👍 I was only able to do it 1 day because I started School bummer .

[@joewestcoast2565]

Thanks for this epic video. Blvd nights is my second all time favorite movie after the warriors. Thanks bro. VGV for ever

[@riprydah5391]

GOOD VIDEO

[@TyhlerNovac]

Do you know where The TV Show Small Wonders was Filmed..

[@RMS1983]

Does anyone know where the spot was when Raymond & Shady get food? Great video!!

[@killabob6329]

You Nailed it Bro.... Good Job👍👍👍

[@TBF101988]

False. @2:10 the narrator says “grande vista” is nowhere near here. It’s around the block maybe 1 minute or less away. It’s the East Side WhiteFence hood, this location under the 4th street bridge on 4th and Lorena is called “The Hole Locos” click of WF.

[@bebo653]

Nice work 80s

[@80sLife]

Thank you

[@vibeofthee80s_]

Another great video :-) grew up watching this movie as a kid as well thanks for locating these awesome filming locations✌ 11/23/22

[@youngpedro2165]

Shady’s job on 6th and flower is caddy corner to what was The Standard Hotel. A popular hotel with an infamous rooftop. It was a pioneer in the hospitality industry that helped spearhead the nightlife scene.

[@peteg4482]

Bro your stuff is the greatest!!! hey have you thought to find the move Walk Proud, it was filmed in Venice and Santa Monica please try to find this one. it is one of the most slept on movies. keep up the good work!!

[@yoejoe6292]

Amazing doc! SUBSCRIBED!

[@chrisharjo3875]

Never knew that this movie existed. I was born in 1975, so it was definitely before my time. My sister lives close to these locations now so some of the locations are familiar to me. This is kind of the same time frame and area that "Blood In Blood Out" took place in. I remember some of the gangster kids still wearing the khaki pants and Pendleton shirts when I was going to school in Whittier. The archetypal look is timeless, and lowrider culture is, too.

[@3s3loko77]

It's from 1979

[@williamlopez4934]

I love that movie. I remember when I was a kid my uncle show me this movie. Back then he had a 50 chevy pick up.

[@marcosrubalcaba9891]

You got everything right on point GOOD job.

[@jerryvillavicencio2578]

Nice work bro! I was sixteen at the time. You should’ve stopped to see the beach. 😅😊

[@80sLife]

For what? Haha. Thank you for watching!

[@a.c.6475]

Boulevard Nights I believe was the first to expose Southern California underground/street culture! I still watch it every year!

[@WS21310]

Dope video very detail and well explained amazing how a lot has changed

[@DWINC]

Your research skills deserve a new nick name…. Kurt Columbo. You should do American Me. I spoke with Danny Trejo about the hit ordered on Edward James Olmos about that one. Look into that, fascinating stuff.

[@AzBigD]

Nice vid Bro, love it🤟😎👍

[@80sLife]

Thank you!

[@RMS1983]

Great work!

[@migzo3375]

cool movie. Awesome work researching. so many memories. Thanks.

[@gustavocardenas6044]

Brings me back memories. Used to live on Duncan St. Between Hubbard and Whittier When they shot the film.

[@80sLife]

Awesome. Thank you for watching

[@pablopicazocastillo]

Great job. A lot work done into getting the right locations. Are you planning on doing American me filming locations? That's another iconic La Movie.

[@JorgeOrtiz-ui4fy]

Thank you ese❤👍👍👍👍👍💯

[@johnvalentino8735]

Hi, I grew up there in Pico Gardens...Old man Diaz place was at 4th and Gless across the street from the liquor store, the exact location is crossing the where the new Pico Gardens was the parking lot of the old building and the building was to the right of the new Pico Gardens office..

[@80sLife]

So I basically got it right. Nice!! Thank you for confirming that.

[@johnvalentino8735]

Yes, you got it right, parking lot on the South side and big building on the North side...my brother came out on that movie as an extra...we were all watching them making the movie and they told my brother...You kids with the tops, you want to come out in the movie, and they said yes, so they told them just play you tops here on the corner, right across from the building you we're talking about..it was my brother and his friends, So when you play the movie as the cars go out of the projects and make a right, you will see my brother and his friends for just a second.... Check it out!! It's cool, part of history and I was there with my friends and family watching them making that movie.

[@kevinjenkins692]

Although not an 80s movie,it gained a second life when it was released on VHS in 1988.