Howard the Duck (1986)
One of the few Marvel Comics film adaptions of the 1980s, the live-action retelling of an alien duck arriving on Earth was not as popular as George Lucas might have hoped. The goofy film is still a lot of fun to watch and features a terrifically cheesy soundtrack. Howard makes his landing in Cleveland - actually filmed in the San Francisco area.
The interior of Beverly's warehouse loft apartment was a set built on a stage at ILM's studio in San Rafael. The unemployment office and spa were also sets built in warehouses in San Rafael.
Shortly after taking Howard under her wing (see what I did there?), Beverly (Lea Thompson) takes him on a taxi ride through the city. They turn off of 9th Avenue onto Irving Street in downtown San Francisco, heading east.
The interior cab scenes actually follow in sequence, as they continue down the 800 block of Irving Street.
Beverly pulls Howard up the steps of the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
The African Hall inside the California Academy of Sciences was also featured in one scene.
Howard is in for a shock when he gets off the bus and sees a TV display at the corner of 11th Street & Natoma Street.
Exterior shots of the "Dynatechnics" lab were filmed at the front entrance to the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company Building at 777 San Marin Drive in Novato. This same location was also used seen in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
Exterior shots of "Joe Roma's Cajun Sushi" truck stop diner were done at a set built especially for the film along the Carneros Highway just east of Napa. Interiors were filmed on a giant stage set. Today, nothing remains of the set.
One establishing shot of the "Cuyahoga Nuclear Plant" is actually the Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station in Herald, CA.
The ultralight police chase leads down Main Street in downtown Rio Vista, heading toward the Sacramento River.
However, just before splashdown, the location changes to Petaluma as Howard and Phil (Tim Robbins) escape over the Petaluma River and leave the police to crash into the water off of Western Avenue.
With Phil hanging, Howard executes a perfect loop-de-loop under the Sears Point Bridge (Highway 37) at Black Point.
The sequence culminates in a splashdown in the fountain at the Fireman's Fund Building, the very same one seen in Star Trek VI.