Famous Movies Filmed at Bronson Canyon

Ever heard of Bronson Cave?

Bronson Cave, also known as Bronson Canyon or the Bronson Caves, is a man-made tunnel in Griffith Park in the heart of Los Angeles. The tunnel was carved into the rock wall of an old quarry in the early 1900s and has been used as a filming location for many movies and television shows since — most famously the 1960s Batman TV series. Clever camera angles and strategic lighting made the tunnel seem much more cave-like than it actually is, but the magic of Hollywood never disappoints and the 'cave' has been popular with sci-fi and western productions since the Golden Age of Hollywood.

 It’s a great destination for movie buffs of all generations, but it’s also a pretty neat spot to visit and get some prime-time views of the famous Hollywood sign just nearby.

If you do make it up there and start wondering just who and what was filmed in Bronson Caves, then come back here to hear about some of the movies that were made right here in Los Angeles’ favorite cinematic cave!

14 popular movies filmed in Bronson Cave

‘Lightning Bryce’ (1919)

The first recorded movie serial filmed in Bronson Canyon was this 1919 American Western following two friends on the hunt for a lost treasure. “Lightning Bryce” was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and it helped to launch Jack Hoxie's career as one of the most popular Western stars of the silent era.

'Sagebrush Trail' (1933)

“Sagebrush Trail’ tells the story of John Brant (played by John Wayne), a man who is wrongly convicted of murder and escapes from prison. He goes on the run and joins a gang of outlaws, hoping to find the real killer and clear his name. The film was a critical and commercial success upon its release and helped to solidify John Wayne's status as a rising star in Hollywood. It’s even considered to be one of the best early Westerns ever made!

'The Three Musketeers' (1933)

Set in early 20th century North African regions, this film follows an American pilot (played by John Wayne) who joins the French Foreign legion and becomes friends with an Irishman and a German, creating a modern retelling of Alexandre Dumas’ “Three Musketeers” story.

'Flash Gordon' (1936)

This popular film serial tells the story of Flash Gordon, a football player who is accidentally transported to the planet Mongo by the evil scientist Dr. Alexis Zarkov. Zarkov has discovered that Ming the Merciless, the ruler of Mongo, is planning to destroy Earth, and he needs Flash's help to stop him. 

This almost-century-old film serial is a classic example of the early science fiction film serial genre. It’s full of action, adventure, plenty of space battles, monsters and cliffhangers — it was also notable for its special effects, which were considered to be state-of-the-art at the time.

'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1956)

“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is a tense and suspenseful film that explores themes of paranoia, conformity and the loss of identity. The film noir-style movie is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of totalitarianism and is considered to be one of the greatest science fiction films ever made

Neat, huh? 

'They Saved Hitler's Brain (Madmen of Mandoras)' (1963)

Okay, so if the title of this movie made you take a double-take, then you’re not alone. In fact, that same sense of “wow-this-is-a-pretty-bad-movie” is what has made it famous for being, well, one of the worst movies ever made. 

In short, The film tells the story of American agent who is sent to a remote island in the South Pacific to investigate rumors that the Nazis are trying to revive Hitler's brain. The agent discovers that the rumors are true, and he must find a way to stop the Nazis from succeeding. Chaos ensues, et cetera, et cetera.  

The film was not a critical or commercial success upon its release, but it has since become a cult classic for fans of bad movies and low-budget science fiction.

'Raise the Titanic' (1980)

Based on a Clive Cussler novel of the same name, this science-fiction movie tells the story of a joint American-Soviet operation to raise the RMS Titanic from the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean. The operation is motivated by the discovery that the Titanic is carrying a valuable cargo of byzanium, a rare mineral that is essential for the development of a new type of nuclear weapon.

'Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives' (1986)

This sixth installment of the movie saga is famous for its humor, its clever kills and its memorable storylines. After all, we all know that surviving a horror movie is never memorable until you’ve survived to make six of them!

'Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country' (1991)

The seventh movie in the franchise and the sixth movie in the saga, this installment follows the  crew of the USS Enterprise on a mission of peace to Klingon, the home world of the Klingon Empire, which has been devastated by the explosion of its moon, Praxis. The Enterprise escorts Klingon Chancellor Gorkon to Earth for peace talks, but a conspiracy is afoot to derail the negotiations and start a war between the two species.

Space, adventure, mystery, subterfuge… what more could you want?

'George of the Jungle' (1997)

This well-loved family film tells the story of George, a man who was raised in the jungle by apes. He’s kind-hearted and naïve but also strong and agile, so when he falls in love with an American heiress, he must travel to the city to learn how to fit in. It’s a fun and lighthearted movie that is made better by Brendan Fraser’s great slapstick humor and physical comedy.

'The Scorpion King' (2002)

Starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and a host of famous actors at his side, this spin-off of “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns” is an adventurous story of an assassin sent to free the land of an evil conqueror. The movie has since become a cult classic and is packed with actin, adventure, fantasy and fantastical world-building. 

'Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus' (2010)

This movie makes the list because it perfectly represents the genres of movies that Bronson Cave is so popular for hosting: low budget, sci-fi, horror and, to be pretty honest, bad. 

And also because the name is pretty cool.

The film tells the story of a megalodon, a prehistoric giant shark, and a crocosaurus, a prehistoric giant crocodile, that are awakened by human activity and begin to wreak havoc on the world. The two monsters eventually clash in a massive battle, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. 

I mean, what more could you expect from the title? 

'Hail, Caesar!' (2016)

The star-studded cast in “Hail Caesar” includes the likes of George Clooney, Jonah Hill, Josh Brolin,  Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum and Michael Gambon — which should tell you how great the film is just on the credit list alone!

In all seriousness, the movie is set in 1951 Hollywood and follows a studio fixer who is tasked with covering up the disappearance of a star actor who has been kidnapped by a group of communist screenwriters. The fixer must also deal with a number of other problems, including an unmarried pregnant actress, a singing cowboy, and a British director who is struggling to make a biblical epic. 

It’s a super well-made movie and a must-see for those interested in the Golden Age of Hollywood. 

'Palm Springs' (2020)

This Groundhog-Day-esque-time-loop story follows two unlikely wedding guests stuck reliving the same day over, and over, and over, and… well, you get the picture. We won’t tell you how they get out of it — you’ll just have to watch it yourself!

These fourteen movies are just a handful of many, many more that have been filmed at Bronson Canyon. As you watch them, keep an eye out for the famous Hollywood filming location and see if you can spot where it pops up. If you live in or near our luxury Southern California apartments, then you can even go check the place out for yourself!

Enjoy!

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/dimitrisvetsikas1969