Cobra (1986) is an American action thriller directed by George P. Cosmatos and starring Sylvester Stallone as LAPD officer Marion “Cobra” Cobretti. The film follows Cobretti as he investigates a wave of brutal murders linked to a violent cult known as the New World, while also protecting model Ingrid Knudsen after she becomes a target. Written by Stallone and released during the height of his 1980s action-star period, Cobra is a hard-edged, highly stylised crime film built around its anti-hero persona, urban decay, night-time violence and exaggerated action set pieces. The film was not warmly received by critics, but its look, attitude, one-liners, custom 1950 Mercury and Brian Thompson’s performance as the Night Slasher have helped it become a recognisable cult title from the Cannon era.
Cobra was filmed in California, with Los Angeles and the surrounding area forming the core of the film’s urban setting. The production used real streets, alleys, bars, industrial areas and public locations to create the film’s grim version of Los Angeles, while additional filming took place in Long Beach and Piru. Cobra’s apartment is one of the film’s most recognisable locations, set by Venice Beach, giving the character a distinctive home base close to the ocean but still connected to the film’s rough city atmosphere. The Rock Store on Mulholland Highway in Cornell also appears in the film, adding one of Southern California’s well-known biker and road culture locations to the story. Piru is used for several of the later sequences, including the small-town and chase material as the film moves away from central Los Angeles and into a more isolated setting. The result is a film that uses Southern California not as a glossy backdrop, but as a mixture of beachfront apartments, night streets, industrial edges, roadside landmarks and small-town locations suited to its violent 1980s action style.
Rock Store
Rock Store has appeared in Panic in Year Zero!, Charlie’s Angels, Dallas, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, Cobra, The Wonder Years, Twin Peaks, and many more.
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