Invasion of the Body Snatchers
San Francisco Movie Locations Tour
The scenes from Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) provide an interesting perspective on how San Francisco has changed in the last 25 to 30 years. This tour takes you to some of the most prominent locations that were used for shooting Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The movies stars Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Carwright and Leonard Nimoy. You'll see prominent locations where the main characters lived and worked. You'll also see some of San Francisco's most famous landmarks.
To enhance your enjoyment of the tour, watch the movie before you come to San Francisco. Read through this tour and while watching the movie, try to pick out the locations that you'll be visiting when you come to San Francisco.
Before You Begin
This tour is designed so that you can get to the various locations either using public transportation or by walking. The public transportation system beats trying to locate and pay for parking in San Francisco. I recommend that you purchase a San Francisco CityPass and use this for your tour. Otherwise, you can pay for Muni bus rides individually (be sure to get and use transfers). Of course, you may drive your own vehicle if you want. You should plan an entire day for this tour. There will be places for you to stop and eat or rest during the tour. If the tour mentions a private residence or building, please do not disturb the occupants.
1. Alamo Square
The Body Snatchers tour begins at the same location as the first scenes in the movie, Alamo Square park on the corner of Hayes and Steiner. You can reach Alamo Square via the 21 or 5 bus from downtown or the 22 bus from the Marina or Mission.
Brooke Adams' character in the movie lived in 720 Steiner, one of the Painted Ladies across from the Park. In the movie, there is also a playground scene where she finds the first "flower". This scene was also filmed at Alamo Square. If you look closely at 720 Steiner, you'll notice that in addition to the new paint colors, a garage and butterfly gate have been added.
2. 101 Grove and Civic Center
At the corner of Steiner and Hayes, catch the inbound 21. Get off at the corner of Grove and Van Ness. Walk one block to Polk. On the right, you'll find 101 Grove, which still houses the San Francisco Department of Health. Donald Sutherland and Adams worked for the San Francisco Department of Health. In addition to the Department of Health, the Civic Center and City Hall were featured in the movie.
Even though it's nearly 30 years later, you should still recognize many of the features of the Civic Center that appeared in the movie. The City Hall building was featured in several shots including the final classic scene of the movie. The park in front of City Hall was also featured prominently. Visitors are welcome to visit the City Hall, so you may want to step inside to view the grandeur of the main hall.
3. 1231 Market Street
Walk by the park along Grove. At Larkin, turn right and walk one block to Market Street. Turn left and walk one block to Market and 8th. On the south side of Market, you'll see the Ramada Plaza Hotel, formerly the Hotel San Francisco. Indicating how times change, the Starbucks location was formerly the Black Bart Saloon. The Black Bart Saloon was featured in one of the many shots of Market Street.
Though the saloon is no longer, it's namesake remains an indelible part of San Francisco histor. Black Bart was a bandit the only held up Wells Fargo stagecoach lines in the 1870s and 80s. Black Bart committed his robberies without ever firing a shot at a driver or harassing the passengers. He often left quirky poems in the emptied strongboxes of his robberies. One of his poems read:
So here I've stood while wind and rain
Have set the trees a-sobbin'
And risked my life for that damned box,
That wasn't worth the robbin'.
Black Bart Po8
Black Bart was eventually caught when he left behind a handkerchief with a inked laundry mark, which was traced back to the San Francisco laundry and then to Black Bart. Black Bart true identity was that of a mild-mannered bank clerk named Charles Bolton who lived just 4 blocks from the Wells Fargo headquarters.
4. F-line Street Car
On the south side of Market Street at 8th board the F-line streetcar headed downtown. If you board a streetcar with a cream bottom and green top, you may be riding on the same car that was featured in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The green top streetcars were purchased in 1957 from the city of St. Louis, not to be confused with the streetcars with the green bottom and cream top.
5. Powell at Ellis
Get off the F-line streetcar at 5th street, cross over Market to the Powell Street cable car turnaround. Donald Sutherland made emergency calls from a telephone booth that was located on Powell between Market and Ellis (one block up).
The scene from the movie features the One Powell building (now luxury condominiums) and the Woolworth's building (now the Gap). Walk up Powell Street to Ellis and you'll see another building that was shown in the movie.
6. Union Square
Continue up Powell Street. On the left, you'll pass the Gold Dust Lounge at 247 Powell, which was established in 1933. You may want to stop in for a drink. Otherwise, you may want to come back in the evening when there's likely to be live entertainment and a lively crowd, which makes this bar one of my favorites in the downtown area. Continue up Powell until you reach Union Square (at O'Farrell Street).
Union Square has undergone an extensive remodel, so it doesn't look anything like it did in the 1978 movie. However, you can still see the Saint Francis Hotel (on Powell Street), which looks nearly identical to its appearance in the movie.
7. Chinatown at Sacramento and Grant
Now, don't be distracted by all the luxury shopping that you find in the Union Square area. The best part of the tour, featuring city skyline views and hidden stairways still awaits. Walk diagonally through Union Square park, turn left on Stockton and walk three blocks to the Stockton Street tunnel. Here you can either wait for a 30 or 45 bus to take you through the tunnel (and get off at the very first stop afterward), or you wan walk through the tunnel (about two more blocks). Either way, head downhill on Sacramento Street to reach Grant.
This intersection of Chinatown is featured in the scene where Donald Sutherland drops his clothing off at the Dry Cleaners. In the scene, he walks along Grant past the Four Seasons Restaurant (731 Grant) and through the intersection. In your tour, you'll be walking in the opposite direction. Turn left and walk along Grant past the Four Seasons to Clay. As you pass the Four Seasons, you'll notice that menu boards now cover some of the decorative features of the building that were shown in the movie. The doors still feature some inlay work, though they've been painted red.
8. 1227 Montgomery (between Union and Green) and Castle Street End.
At Clay street (one block), turn right and walk to Kearny (one block). At Kearny board the number 15 bus. Ride the bus until you arrive at the corner of Columbus and Union (at Washington Square). If you're up for a snack, break or refresher, try Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe (566 Columbus), which has a slightly misleading name. Mario's is also a great place for lunch where you can enjoy sidewalk dining across from the park as well as delicious focaccia sandwiches, but there are no cigars.
After disembarking walk to the other side of the park along Union. Now, you can either continue walking (three blocks uphill) or you can catch the 39 bus. If you decide to catch the bus, wait for it at the corner of the park at Stockton and Union. Get off the bus at the top of the hill before it makes its turnaround. Walk right on Montgomery 1/2 block.
The home on 1227 Montgomery is on the right perched atop a staircase that descends to Green street. This is the home where Donald Sutherland lived in the movie. The view from the deck was featured many times in the movie. Though there are now trees on the stairway, the view of the Transamerica Pyramid and the city skyline is fantastic. You may even want to descend the stairway for an unobstructed view.
The Invasion of the Body Snatchers tour ends here. If you still have the energy, you may want to explore the dead end streets that surround the intersection of Montgomery and Union on Telegraph Hill. You can continue along Union until you reach a dead end stairway that descends about 20 feet to a steep cliff offering views of Treasure Island and the piers. If you walk along Montgomery in the other direction, you'll find more stairways. Some lead up to Coit Tower and some wind down through beautifully kept gardens to the Embarcadero. While exploring, keep your eyes open for a flock of wild parrots that call Telegraph Hill their home.
At the end of this section of Montgomery at 1541, you'll find the Julius' Castle Restaurant perched on the side of Telegraph Hill. The castle, which opened in 1922, is an official San Francisco Historic Landmark. You can make reservations for evening dinners where the main course is sweeping bay views.
When you have finished exploring walk back or take the 39 bus back down to Washington Square where you'll have access to taxis and several bus lines including the 15, 30, 39, 41 and 45.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the Northern California Movies website. The information contained on the site was invaluable in preparing this tour.
