The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
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The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
There is already a fantastic thread "Locations ?" on this forum.
Here, I want to post the locations of the beginning and ending
scenes in the pilot episode. I thought they were very meaningful,
especially the desert ending scene, where 'One Man Can Make A
Difference!'
# Beginning scene (not the street scenes of Las Vegas):
The scene where Michael Long ran out of the casino and
kickstarted the Knight Rider series!
It's not surprising that the same locations appeared at different perspectives
in different episodes. This hotel also appeared in "The Topaz Connection"
and "Goliath Returns".
Actual location:
Sheraton Gateway Hotel
6101 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90045
(lower left: from KR scene) # Ending Scene:
"One man can make a difference Michael.
Michael Knight, a lone crusader in the
dangerous world, the world of the Knight Rider."
The desert ending location is almost impossible to find.
In brief, I found other scenes on Big Pines Highway, which
leads to the discovery of this remote location.
I always thought it was an endless road in the desert.
Well, now we know where this road is heading!
Actual location:
Latitude: 34°28'6.33"N, Longitude: 117°49'34.98"W
Bobs Gap Road, between Valyermo & Llano, CA
Here, I want to post the locations of the beginning and ending
scenes in the pilot episode. I thought they were very meaningful,
especially the desert ending scene, where 'One Man Can Make A
Difference!'
# Beginning scene (not the street scenes of Las Vegas):
The scene where Michael Long ran out of the casino and
kickstarted the Knight Rider series!
It's not surprising that the same locations appeared at different perspectives
in different episodes. This hotel also appeared in "The Topaz Connection"
and "Goliath Returns".
Actual location:
Sheraton Gateway Hotel
6101 West Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90045
(lower left: from KR scene) # Ending Scene:
"One man can make a difference Michael.
Michael Knight, a lone crusader in the
dangerous world, the world of the Knight Rider."
The desert ending location is almost impossible to find.
In brief, I found other scenes on Big Pines Highway, which
leads to the discovery of this remote location.
I always thought it was an endless road in the desert.
Well, now we know where this road is heading!
Actual location:
Latitude: 34°28'6.33"N, Longitude: 117°49'34.98"W
Bobs Gap Road, between Valyermo & Llano, CA
Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Rats, you beat me to it. Good find.
Try looking toward the southwest from the same location on Bob’s Gap road toward the San Gabriel Mountains for the location below.
From the picture, looking at the shadows from the car, it could only be traveling between west and north. Figured it was around either the San Gabriels or San Bernadinos. Only east and west mountains around and in the area of other filming locations.
Try looking toward the southwest from the same location on Bob’s Gap road toward the San Gabriel Mountains for the location below.
From the picture, looking at the shadows from the car, it could only be traveling between west and north. Figured it was around either the San Gabriels or San Bernadinos. Only east and west mountains around and in the area of other filming locations.
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
That is a great find! Well done!
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
The fact that you found this location is simply amazing!! Now, who has a Trans Am and a helicopter so we can recreate this scene???
Joe
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Great find! I wish I noticed that...
Congratulations!By reading this signature,KITT's AWESOMENESS has increased by ONE POINT!
So far KITT's power level is OVER 9,000!!!!
Petition #9
So far KITT's power level is OVER 9,000!!!!
Petition #9
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Uh, yeah, wow!
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
An aerial view of the above picture:
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Hi, Joe,Joe Huth wrote:The fact that you found this location is simply amazing!! Now, who has a Trans Am and a helicopter so we can recreate this scene???
Joe
How about mounting a camera on a remote controlled helicopter
Here is a video filmed in the same desert (not the same location) using RC helicopter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXLLLFkqoQ8
There is also a "GREAT WESTERN SOARING SCHOOL" one mile north of the KR scene
(Bobs Gap Rd ends and becomes 165th St).
http://www.greatwesternsoaring.com/id79.htm
I asked them about the filming location, never got reply. However, people soaring there
must have a good aerial view of the desert ending scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41kYI5KWP3s
between 0:16 and 0:19, you can see the same mountain ridges in KR-scene
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
I have a LA region map at hand. They are part of San Gabriel Mountains.1982 wrote:Rats, you beat me to it. Good find.
Try looking toward the southwest from the same location on Bob’s Gap road toward the San Gabriel Mountains for the location below.
From the picture, looking at the shadows from the car, it could only be traveling between west and north. Figured it was around either the San Gabriels or San Bernadinos. Only east and west mountains around and in the area of other filming locations.
Possibly include Mt Williamson (EL. 8214), Pallette Mtn (EL. 7780), Bare Mtn. (EL 6388)
Pleasant View Ridge, ... we need someone who knows the geography of this region
see also http://www.greatwesternsoaring.com/id79.htm
Here is another view on Bobs Gap Rd using Google Earth: Here is a comparison of ridges in the background:
(Top: KR scenes; Bottom: pictures took on Valyermo Rd. of my last trip (so close!)
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Interesting that the mountains had snow back in the '80s and now they appear not to. Global warming, perhaps?
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
According to Joe Huth:Lost Knight wrote:Interesting that the mountains had snow back in the '80s and now they appear not to. Global warming, perhaps?
"The Pilot was filmed July 8-26 and August 18, 19 and 26, 1982...HOWEVER, that footage of the ending desert scene features KITT's stock looking nose...so that means that footage was shot for the one hour Presentation video that Larson had made to sell the series to the networks....I believe that was shot earlier in the year, perhaps as early as March."
This is one major mystery when I tried to identify the location. Because the pilot was aired in Sept., you
would think they filmed in the summer, where there was no snow. I took the pictures on June 21, 2008.
If I visit there again Mar-May next year, I may see some snow!
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
The first round of photoshoots involving Hasselhoff, Mulhare and the 1st-Generation K.I.T.T. (which was used in that sequence) took place in May, 1982. It's possible that the 2nd Unit were filming around this time, as the driving footage didn't require Hasselhoff's presence.
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Supplementary info for the pilot episode.
Latitude: 34°26'9.35"N, Longitude: 117°50'12.69"W
This is a location just 3.7 miles south of the "desert ending" scene.
This contextual info in the pilot episode (and other locations on
Big Pines Highway) leads me to find the "desert ending" location.
A.
(left) bridge scene in the pilot episode; you can see some snow on the peaks
(right) picture taken on Bobs Gap Rd. (a little bit north to the bridge)
B. C. Appeared in Season 2, "Silent Knight"
The location of the bridge is indicated by a red circle in the following map.
(desert ending location marked as "A"). The blue circle indicates the location
of a 'hairpin' switchback location posted in the other "Locations ?" thread.
(note that Valermo Rd. becomes Big Pines Highway)
Latitude: 34°26'9.35"N, Longitude: 117°50'12.69"W
This is a location just 3.7 miles south of the "desert ending" scene.
This contextual info in the pilot episode (and other locations on
Big Pines Highway) leads me to find the "desert ending" location.
A.
(left) bridge scene in the pilot episode; you can see some snow on the peaks
(right) picture taken on Bobs Gap Rd. (a little bit north to the bridge)
B. C. Appeared in Season 2, "Silent Knight"
The location of the bridge is indicated by a red circle in the following map.
(desert ending location marked as "A"). The blue circle indicates the location
of a 'hairpin' switchback location posted in the other "Locations ?" thread.
(note that Valermo Rd. becomes Big Pines Highway)
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
one man's dream ...
This is my field trip to the desert ending location. It was one hour before the sunset,
so the lighting in the photos was not ideal. It's still Oct. and there was no snow over
the ridges yet.
If you are not in S. California, you can take a virtual tour (street view) on Google Maps:
simply enter: 34°28'6.33"N 117°49'34.98"W
This is my field trip to the desert ending location. It was one hour before the sunset,
so the lighting in the photos was not ideal. It's still Oct. and there was no snow over
the ridges yet.
If you are not in S. California, you can take a virtual tour (street view) on Google Maps:
simply enter: 34°28'6.33"N 117°49'34.98"W
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
check out the plants in the circles!
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Very cool
I wonder if those could really be the same plants after all these years. Its probably just a fun coincidence.
I wonder if those could really be the same plants after all these years. Its probably just a fun coincidence.
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Yes. IMHO, the following figure (google steet view) suggests that they are the same.Sue wrote: I wonder if those could really be the same plants after all these years. Its probably just a fun coincidence.
The major cue is the 'dirt road' branch next to the plant (maybe yucca tree) in the lower right
part of KR scene above. It's amazing that the terrain and vegetation didn't change much
after 25 years!
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Oh wow, thats cool! I guess those desert plants live a long time.
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
I finally found the location of a classic scene in the pilot episode.
It appears at 28 min 26-35 sec right after Michael took off with KITT,
and briefly at 1:34:42 right before the 'One man can make a difference' desert ending.
Approximate address:
29212 Bob's Gap Rd, Llano, CA
coordinates:
34°26'57.32"N 117°49'55.71"W
(black arrows indicate matching cues; also pay attention to the cues inside red ellipses)
Note that the perspective on Google Map -- Street View was limited to one side of the road,
so the bend on the road doesn't match exactly.
If you enter the address and rotate 90 degrees to your left, you can see where the cameraman was standing!
Finally, this location (A in the following map) is on the road of the final desert ending scene (red ellipse)!
It appears at 28 min 26-35 sec right after Michael took off with KITT,
and briefly at 1:34:42 right before the 'One man can make a difference' desert ending.
Approximate address:
29212 Bob's Gap Rd, Llano, CA
coordinates:
34°26'57.32"N 117°49'55.71"W
(black arrows indicate matching cues; also pay attention to the cues inside red ellipses)
Note that the perspective on Google Map -- Street View was limited to one side of the road,
so the bend on the road doesn't match exactly.
If you enter the address and rotate 90 degrees to your left, you can see where the cameraman was standing!
Finally, this location (A in the following map) is on the road of the final desert ending scene (red ellipse)!
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Amazing find!!! I won't even ask how you did it
Joe
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
I started the search two days ago with the assumption that this 'Yucca tree' location couldJoe Huth wrote:Amazing find!!! I won't even ask how you did it
Joe
have been near the final 'desert ending' scene. So I began google street view from the lower
end of the road in the map above, and found it in a few minutes.
The matching cues (arrows) can be attributed to the 360-degree street view, even though
it was in a different perspective from the original KR scene.
I actually passed this location on the way to the final 'desert ending' location two years ago,
but I was not aware of it.
case closed
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
Amazing. I get the impression from a lot I read about the KOTP that it was made in a bit of a hurry in stages, so it would make sense that they put a lot of the road scenes together, in a fairly close-nit area. That said, they were great shots.
I bet when you drive down Bobs Gap (I live in the UK) past that right turning and the large left plant, that it does feel special in a way, but because you cannot see the perspective from the helicopter shot, that it feels sort of empty too.
I hope to get back to CA sometime in the next year or so. If I do, I aim to drive down that very road. And even see if I can stop by those yukkas and take some shots.
Has anyone here ever done that - parked up and tried to get that shot, with the original in hand?
I bet when you drive down Bobs Gap (I live in the UK) past that right turning and the large left plant, that it does feel special in a way, but because you cannot see the perspective from the helicopter shot, that it feels sort of empty too.
I hope to get back to CA sometime in the next year or so. If I do, I aim to drive down that very road. And even see if I can stop by those yukkas and take some shots.
Has anyone here ever done that - parked up and tried to get that shot, with the original in hand?
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Re: The Beginning and Ending Scenes of The Pilot Episode
the serie´s images could be uploaded to panoramio, so, found in googleearth later.