Michael Jackson - Thriller (Music Video) (1983) - Filming Locations - Part 2 of 4

Watch the Quick Preview Video below, and scroll down for information about the filming locations.

Featured Filming Location Photo

The first ghoul emerges!
Filming location then and now from the music video Thriller.
The first of many ghouls that we see in the music video for Thriller. This filming location then and now view is looking at the south side of Union Pacific Avenue at Calzona Street in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Historical Production & Location Reference

Music Video: Thriller (1983) - Part 2
Artist: Michael Jackson
Album Origin: Thriller (Epic Records)
Director: John Landis
Featured Historical Landmarks:
  • Union Pacific Ave & S. Calzona St: The iconic setting for the "zombie dance" sequence, capturing the gritty, industrial atmosphere of East Los Angeles.
  • South Side Evolution: The original warehouses south of Union Pacific Avenue have been replaced by the modern Union Commerce Center and its accompanying parking infrastructure.

Production & Preservation Note: While the north side of the street remains largely unchanged from its 1983 appearance, the south side has undergone significant redevelopment. The loss of the original warehouses illustrates the steady industrial evolution of this historic district, yet the site remains instantly recognizable as the birthplace of the most famous choreography in music video history.

Here's the second Quick Preview excerpt of Thriller then and now filming locations, showing some of the changes to the "Zombie dance" street since the music video was filmed in 1983.

There have been many changes on the south side of the street, with the old warehouses torn down and replaced by the new Union Commerce Center building and parking lot. However, the north side of the street is exactly as it was when this site served as a filming location for this music video.

See More Of The Filming Locations

There are four Quick Preview filming locations then and now videos for this movie. If you missed Part 1, you can see it here:

Michael Jackson - Thriller - Quick Preview Video #1

And here is the link to Part 3:

Michael Jackson - Thriller - Quick Preview Video #3

If you've made a small donation to the site and are a current member, you can view the COMPLETE filming locations video in the Music Video Filming Locations Videos section of the site by clicking here to Login and then clicking here:

Michael Jackson - Thriller - Filming Locations Then and Now - Complete Documentary Video


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