Zabriskie Point
Date: 1970
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Trianon Productions
Stars: Mark Frechette, Daria Halprin, Rod Taylor
Location(s): Los Angeles, Death Valley, California, Carefree, Arizona, USA.
Region(s): N. America
Storyline:
Gloriously-shot protest pic in which youth is wanted by police for allegedly shooting a cop and definitely stealing a plane meets free spirit who’s working for a property developer. SJ
Additional Information:
With thanks, as is often the case, to Tony Reeves, whose site is so helpful.
Can you help:
If you have any information regarding this production, the locations or, even better, some comparison shots please contact us. Images submitted must be in Landscape orientation, as would be seen on the cinema screen, not Portrait.
We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.
- Capture 1
- 'Now' required
Frechette drops off a flatmate at a college demonstration in LA. This is the intersection of University Avenue (now renamed Trousdale Parkway) with West 34th Street, in the campus of the University of Southern California, found by Steve Randall.
- Capture 2
- 'Now' required
The first gun shop Frechette visits.
- Capture 3
- 'Now' required
Leaving with guns from the second shop.
- Capture 4
- 'Now' required
Frechette leaves his college digs (on the left). I wonder how much of this survives: maybe the church on the right.
- Capture 5
- 'Now' required
Taylor drives to his office. Stated to be the old Mobil Oil Building, now Pegasus, 612 Flower Street at Wilshire Boulevard in the heart of LA.
- Capture 6
- 'Now' required
Taylor tries to contact Halprin from his office. The eye-catching deco tower behind his left shoulder was the Richfield Oil Building, demolished and replaced by City National Bank Tower, 555 South Flower Street.
- Capture 7
- 'Now' required
Frechette approaches Hawthorne Aerodrome (Jack Northrop Field), 12101 S Crenshaw Blvd, LA, and finds an open door next to the Bates Aviation Inc. hangar.
- Capture 8
- 'Now' required
Halprin outside the Rumpus Room cafe.
- Capture 9
- 'Now' required
Frechette buzzes Halprin and throws down a nightie from the cockpit.
- Capture 10
- 'Now' required
Frechette begs a lift from Halprin and they leave the plane here, only to return to decorate it later.
- Capture 11
- 'Now' required
We never see this sign but it probably indicates Death Valley, CA... pb the Zabriskie Point sign at 36.419926,-116.807569 as seen from the north-west (with the car approaching from the south-east). One can check the modern sign on streetview, with a comparable mountain skyline on the right. Our thanks to pb. It's been 10 years to settle this. (SJ)
- Capture 12
- 'Now' required
The pair at Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, when the car-park was at the viewing point. Now it's a short walk from just off 190.
- Capture 13
- 'Now' required
Just to make it clear.
- Capture 14
- 28 Jul 2014
The famous view.
Now, but don't visit between October 2014 to March 2015 as access will be closed. SJ
- Capture 15
- 'Now' required
Below the marker.
- Capture 16
- 'Now' required
Even further below on the dry river bed.
- Capture 17
- 'Now' required
Figures in a landscape.
- Capture 18
- 'Now' required
A cave or hole in the badlands.
- Capture 19
- 'Now' required
Bodies adorn the landscape.
- Capture 20
- 'Now' required
Halprin is questioned by a cop while Frechette hides behind one of the red port-a-loos.
- Capture 21
- 'Now' required
Halprin hears news of a death. The Saguaro cacti suggest southwest Arizona.
- Capture 22
- 'Now' required
Halprin drives to an intersection, possibly in Carefree, AZ... and again, pb improves my lack of accuracy by citing the crossroads of Whileaway Rd and Stagecoach Pass in Cave Creek, AZ, a little further west of Carefree, as seen from the driveway of the Boulder Reign house. The vehicle is approaching on Whileaway Rd from the east. (SJ)
- Capture 23
- 'Now' required
Boulder Reign, just to the east of Carefree Grandview Estates, on the south slopes of Black Mountain, Carefree AZ.
- Capture 24
- 'Now' required
Bet this will prove tricky to match as it looks rather private. Also seen in Cancel My Reservations.
- Capture 25
- 'Now' required
A detail from this stunning house, designed by Hiram Hudson Benedict.
- Capture 26
- 28 Jul 2014
Taylor and business partner take in the view.
This is taken from Stagecoach pass Road near the corner of Whileaway Road. Google/SJ
- Capture 27
- 'Now' required
Halprin watches the house about to explode. This, fortunately, is a model built to the east of Summit Shopping Centre (site of the former Summit studios).
- Capture 28
- 'Now' required
And so it does! … This may be near E Camino Salida Del Sol, as a cursory look from Google suggests.

