Alpha Dog (2006) is an American crime drama written and directed by Nick Cassavetes, based on the real-life kidnapping and murder of Nicholas Markowitz in 2000. The film follows Johnny Truelove, a young drug dealer loosely based on Jesse James Hollywood, whose dispute with Jake Mazursky escalates into the kidnapping of Jake’s younger half-brother Zack. What begins as a reckless attempt to put pressure on Jake turns into a disturbing portrait of peer pressure, denial and moral collapse. The film stars Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Anton Yelchin, Ben Foster, Shawn Hatosy, Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone and Amanda Seyfried.
Alpha Dog was filmed across Southern California, with Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and Palm Springs standing in for the world around Johnny Truelove and his friends. Circus Liquor in North Hollywood is used early in the film when drugs are dropped into the boot of Johnny’s car, while West End Liquor in Canoga Park appears when Frankie stops to buy beer with Zack. Caliente Tropics Resort in Palm Springs is one of the film’s most important locations, used for the hotel and pool scenes where Zack is taken during what first appears to be a carefree party trip. The darker end of the story is connected to Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park near Agua Dulce, where the desert landscape is used for the grave-digging scenes.
Circus Liquor
Circus Liquor appears in several films, like Clueless (1995), Blue Thunder (1983), and Alpha Dog (2006).
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