Where was River's Edge filmed?

The movie opens at a footbridge, we see Tim holding a doll. He lifts it over the bridge and drops the doll down to the river below. The frame holds on to the doll floating in the water, before panning to the right side of the footbridge. Tim rides his bike to the center of the bridge, and then the camera pans to the left revealing a dead naked woman. The frame holds on to her lifeless face and then to a man on the left of the frame sitting next to the cadaver. When Tim later encounters the man from the riverbank, John, arguing with a store checker (Taylor Negron) who won’t sell him a beer, he mentions, “ I saw you this morning. River Bend Park in Sacramento, at 2300 Rod Beaudry Drive, served as the setting for the River’s Edge scene. The 444-acre riverfront park is popular among equestrians, hikers, rafters, horseback riding enthusiasts, campers, picnic goers, and wildlife watchers. It is part of the American River Parkway and the Sacramento Regional Parks manages the area. The bridge offering a breathtaking view of the American River is nearby.

When Tim gets back home, he finds his brother Matt and mom Madeleine (Constance Forslund) frantically searching for his sister Kim’s doll. Annoyed with him, his mom starts asking where the doll is, and Tim cuts in saying, “I killed her… I drowned her.” Matt scolds his brother for not only pulling a stunt like that but also bragging about it. Trying to console Kim, Madeleine assures her that she will make Tim buy her another one. Madeleine's boyfriend Jim (Leo Rossi) keeps shouting out all along that he is trying to sleep, and he couldn’t be bothered with helping solve the issue. Standing at 9933 Redmont Avenue, Tujunga, the residence used to film the River’s Edge scenes went on the market in 2017. The listing offered the abode for $740,000, and the residents had reportedly occupied the house since 1986. Realtor.com reveals that the swanky four-bedroom mansion covers 1,698 square feet. It’s also reportedly near Paul Walker’s childhood residence, and the film star who worked for his family’s septic pumping business pumped out the residence’s tank on numerous occasions. Other highlights include the extraordinary location, given that the property backs into the Los Angeles National Forest. The occupants have access to miles of hiking trails and wilderness to explore in their backyard!

After the group goes to see the body a few times, Layne goes back to the bank again. He drags Jamie’s body and rolls her into the river and pushes Jamie’s body into the water. He later meets up with John at the grocery store, and driving to his house, they notice police cars parked nearby. Layne stays calm telling John, “We’re just going to drive around here a little while… we’re going to have to get you out of town somehow.” They drive off to Feck’s where John hides out while the cops continue the investigations. Some of the other river scenes were filmed at the William B. Pond Recreation Center, at 5700 Arden Way, in Carmichael. It is near the American River Parkway offering access to hiking and biking trails. The Park also serves as a gateway to the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail. It’s the perfect spot to have a picnic lunch, and the man-made fishing pond lures anglers. Outdoorsy folks will find plenty to do around the park; from exploring various habitats to camping on the expansive grounds. To get to the River’s Edge location, exit Highway 50 onto the northbound off-ramp on Watt Avenue. At Fair Oaks Boulevard, turn right and go right once again at Arden Way. From there, the drive leads you to the park’s entrance.

Vice described the River Edge teens as an “anti-Brat Pack” lot who drank, popped pills, smoked weed, and essentially didn’t have any moral compass. The article on the teen film further says that they perfected the “grunge” look years before it became an American mainstream term. It’s best exemplified by the scene when the group smokes on the steps of the school. Tony asks Layne for a cigarette and he reminds him about giving up smoking. Tony replies, “I gave up yesterday, not today.” Matt, Clarissa, and Maggie join them before John appears and tells them about killing Jamie. Verdugo Hills High School, at 10625 Plainview Avenue, Tujunga provided the setting for the school scenes. The public school opened its doors in 1937, and some of its notable alumni include actor A. Michael Baldwin, model/actor Ivan Dorschner, and travel blogger Ryan Starr. The River’s Edge filming location has hosted several productions through the decades including Heathers, Little Fires Everywhere, My So-Called Life, Quantum Leap, and Beverly Hills, 90210. It also provided the backdrop for Selena Gomez’s Bad Liar music video and Marilyn Manson’s Fight Song.

After the debacle with Kim’s missing toy, Tim once again defaces one of his sister’s toys. Matt, who arrives back from the police station after his interrogation isn’t in the best of moods, and seeing what Tim did, he gives him a beating. After pleading with his brother to stop beating him, Tim vows, “You're going to pay for what you did. You’re going to die.” He runs off to his friend Moko’s (Yuzo Nishihara ) house, and they plan to break into Feck’s house to steal a gun. The two boys break into the dealer’s house and find his stash of weed instead. They get stoned and pass out. The residence that stood in for Moko’s house, at 8630 Wentworth St, Shadow Hills, has since gone through some major remodeling. It is right across the street from 8635 Wentworth Street, which was used to film the scenes at Clarissa’s house. According to Zillow, the River’s Edge filming location is a two-bedroom abode resting on 1,118 square feet. The Los Angeles International Golf Course is three minutes away, and the San Gabriel Mountains are visible from the front window.

Matt and Clarissa run into John at a store, when they are unsuccessfully trying to buy some beer. The checker kept saying that he couldn’t sell them alcohol past two in the morning. John pulls out Feck’s gun and tells the checker saying that he is there to turn back the hands of time. After leaving with their beer, John hits up a hardware store and steals bullets. With the burglar alarm blaring, he flees the scene in Feck’s waiting car. He tells Feck, “Now, we’ll see if that gun of yours still works. In a heinous twist, Feck used the gun to shoot John and explained his actions saying, “There was no hope for him.” The now-defunct Foothill True Value Hardware store at 8256 Foothill Boulevard, Sunland-Tujunga, served as the River’s Edge film set. It is right across the liquor store where the gang repeatedly gets their alcohol. Bus 90 can get you to Sunland, and even though the store is closed, the building stands and it’s worth a visit for the photo-op.