The Hollywood Sign – Backdrop to Hancock Park and Many Films

The Hollywood sign appears as the backdrop of our lives here in the greater Hancock Park area.  We hardly take note of it shining white-bright above us in the Hollywood Hills as we unload our groceries, drive north on local streets, or walk our dogs through the neighborhood.

In film however, the Hollywood sign has done real duty. As the establishing shot defining ‘we’re in California’ or a place to leave dead bodies or envelopes of cash, the Hollywood sign appears in some 73 films from the black and white era to modern day.

We found this compilation film of the Hollywood sign from Westhoff on Vimeo, who edited together clips from some of the greatest sign references to make this 15 minute short. “This montage started out as a round in a film quiz with 20 movies. Hereafter it grew and grew, leading to this supercut with shots from 73 films,” he says in the description.

Test your own film knowledge by trying to identify from which film each clip was taken . If you need help, a full list of the films is included below the film.

See also Larchmont Buzz: The Hollywood Sign Reborn

Hollywoodland resident Hope Anderson produced a full length documentary on Hollywood: Under the Hollywood Sign

Shots from the following films were used:

The Hollywood Sign
Hollywood Boulevard (1936)
Pretty Woman
Bewitched
Win a Date With Tad Hamilton
Nancy Drew
Savage Intruder
Earth Girls are Easy
Death Wish 2
The Hollywood Knights
Joe Dirt
Hollywood Boulevard (1976)
The Day of the Locust
Chaplin
Hollywood Canteen
Bugsy
The Black Dahlia
Gangster Squad
1941
The Rocketeer
The Wizard of Speed and Time
The Runaways
Argo
The Muppet Movie
Aloha, Bobby and Rose
Bowfinger
Tenacious D. and the Pick of Destiny
Bruno
Mulholland Drive
Scream 3
RKO 281
The Majestic
187
Man on the Moon
Miss March
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
Orgazmo
Valentine’s Day
Earthquake
Crossroads
Weekend Pass
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
Shrek 2
Starstruck
Hollywood Hot Tubs
Career Opportunities
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Freddy Got Fingered
Friends With Benefits
Bolt
Rock of Ages
Dragnet
Fun and Fancy Free
Mighty Joe Young
Ed Wood
Austin Powers in Goldmember
S.W.A.T.
Down Three Dark Streets
Ellie Parker
City of Angels
The Italian Job (2003)
Big Fat Liar
Lost Highway
Slam Dance
Demolition Man
Escape from L.A.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
10.5
The Day After Tomorrow
U.H.F.
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Terminator Salvation
The Truman Show