Racing With The Moon
This film stars Sean Penn and Nicolas Cage as two teenagers dealing with coming-of-age problems in a small coastal CA town in the 1940s. It was filmed in Fort Bragg and Mendocino, CA.
The film opens with Penn smoking while walking on the tracks as a freight train approaches. This was filmed on the California Western RR ("Skunk Train") tracks behind Rose Memorial Park in Fort Bragg, CA. The engine is California Western #45, a former logging Mikado from 1924 which started pulling the "Super Skunk" excursion train to Willits way back in 1965. It was renumbered #44 for this film. Diesel trains still operate on portions of this route today (including this stretch), but #45 still remains out of service.
GPS Coordinates:
39.450553, -123.802822
Opening shots of "Point Muir" are Mendocino, seen from the south.
After leaving his house, Hopper can be seen running north up Kelly Street at Little Lake Street while practicing his football moves. He then jumps a fence and heads southwest toward Point Mendocino.
Here he spots Caddie (Elizabeth McGovern) dancing on a bluff. This was filmed at Point Frank to the north.
GPS Coordinates:
39.324651, -123.806245
Hopper works at what was Green Parrot Ice Cream, but is now The Book Store & Vinyl Cafe at 137 Laurel St. in Fort Bragg.
While playing with his dog, Hopper finds Sally (Suzanne Adkinson) at Arch Rock in Mendocino.
GPS Coordinates:
39.305931, -123.809477
The spot where he sees the plane flying overhead was filmed just south of downtown Mendocino.
GPS Coordinates:
39.303899, -123.801137
This leads him to follow Caddie into the library at 45100 Main Street.
Later, he meets back up with Caddie at her secret spot at Point Frank. The exact tree she's sitting under appears to be gone but this is approximately the same spot.
The spot where the high schoolers are training to be nurses was filmed in front of Cotton Auditorium at Fort Bragg Middle School at 500 N. Harold Street.
Hopper and Caddie have a heated discussion back at the Skunk Train tracks in Fort Bragg.
Their hot n' heavy makeout sesh in the middle of the street was Main Street of Mendocino, with Point Mendocino behind them.
Later the couple can be seen walking down the boardwalks of Main Street.
At one point we catch an early morning view of Pudding Creek Trestle on the north end of Fort Bragg. As evidenced by my lucky timing, it's an even better spot for sunsets!
The bowling alley where Nicky and Hopper work throughout the film (but we don't see the front of till later on) is now part of Harvest Market at Mendosa's at 10501 Lansing Street in Mendocino.
The train depot at the end of the film is the Skunk Train depot at 100 West Laurel Street in Fort Bragg. The view cuts to another track on the other side of the water tower as they jump on the train and head off to the north toward West Pine Street.