MIAMI VICE
2006
Original release date: 07/28/2006 U.S.A.
I was fortunate as a big fan of the original series to be able to see this movie on it’s opening night in Miami Beach at the theater on Lincoln Road. It was quickly apparent that this movie was based mostly on episode 15 Smuggler’s Blues, but it would be much darker than, and really nothing like the original Miami Vice. It starts out with a scene reminiscent of # 8, The Great McCarthy (well the updated, DVD version does). With go fast boats racing off Miami Beach.
South Florida is only one of the locations used in this film but I cover all the locations. I do cover the Florida locations in more depth.
They race north up South Beach, turn and head back south. Then we see them headed east between Dodge and Fisher Islands with the mainland (Brickell area) in the background.
Then we see them pull into the Miami Beach Marina on Alton Road.
There Crockett and Tubbs hear a prostitution deal being set up for the after party at Mansion. Condos on Fisher Island are seen in the background.
Next we go to Mansion nightclub. At least for the interior shots. This is located at 1235 Washington Ave. In Miami Beach. This same location was used in the Pilot for the original series posing as a New York nightclub.
Then we see Larry tapping into surveillance video. He is on the roof of the Greenberg Traurig Building, Brickell and SE 12th Ter. In the background we see the lighted top of Vue, 1250 S. Miami Ave.
Then we see the pimp Neptune, pull in with the prostitutes. This is suppose to be the entrance to Mansion but it is not. They are in the tunnel entrance to Espirito Santo Plaza, 1395 Brickell Ave. This is the building just south of the Greenberg Traurig Building. This entrance is in the middle of the building passing from the north side (SE 13th St.) to the south ( SE 14th St.). They pull in from SE 14th Street.
In the middle of the deal Alonzo, a confidential informant, calls Sonny. Alonzo is on I95 headed south. Crockett makes his way out of the club and onto the roof so he can hear Alonzo. When Crockett steps out through the doors he is on the roof of the Greenberg Traurig Building on Brickell Ave., not Mansion in Miami Beach.
Reflected on the building seen behind Sonny (the Espirito Santo Plaza) is the white sign (white arrow below) atop the Greenberg Traurig Building. Appearing backwards it reads Greenberg Traurig. To the right in the screen capture below (yellow arrow) is the One Broadway Building, 1451 S. Miami Ave.
While on the roof Crockett calls the Miami office of the F.B.I. Location unknown.
If you recognize where this or any other unknown location was filmed please let me know at cglide@floridamovielocations.org
At first I thought Sonny was on a roof top much closer to the Miami River and the Bank of America tower. Then the DVD came out and it states Brickell and 7th which is not true. I noticed that we can see in the background at different points in the scene not only the prominent BOA tower (light blue arrow below), and Stephen P. Clark Government Center (yellow arrow below) but closer we see among others the old Washington Mutual bank building at SW 1st Ave and SW 9th Street (green arrow below) and the Credomatic/ U.S. Century Bank building at 848 Brickell Ave. (red arrow further below). Both of these buildings would be impossible to see if this was filmed at 7th and Brickell. These are some of the clues to the discovery that the scene was filmed at Greenberg Traurig.
Next we cut to where the F.B.I. Is doing their deal. This was filmed on the north bank of the Miami river between S. Miami Ave. and SW 1st Ave. This lot is no longer vacant, The Ivy condo towers were built shortly after the movie was filmed here. Across the river can be seen a small building with 4 round, neon lit windows. This is the Frame Art art gallery on SW 7th Street. The Washington Mutual Building is seen behind the art gallery.
After that deal goes south in a big .50 cal. way we see Alonzo being chased down by the vice crew. Crockett and Tubbs catch up to him on I95 south going through downtown. They stop over the Miami River about in the spot where Mary McDermott was thrown from in the episode, Little Prince.
Little Prince location
While here Ricardo calls the team at Alonzo’s house on Sunset Island 3. After they enter the house, and they find his wife dead, Alonzo checks out by walking in front of a south bound truck.
While on the roof we also cut briefly to Alonzo’s house to see his wife dead on the floor. Alonzo’s house is on Sunset Island 3 at the intersection of W 23rd Street and Regatta Ave.
Next C+T are driving down a neighborhood road toward Alonzo’s house. Their is a
rotary up ahead. Rotaries are rare in Miami so this location should be find-
Then Castillo talks to them on the phone and waves them off. They set up a meet at the standard park. This meet was filmed at the parking garage at 30 SW 2nd Street in downtown Miami. Again the BOA tower can be seen in the background.
Then Crockett and Tubbs go to Sal Maguda’s warehouse on the river. There they break in and steal his drugs and damage his go fast boats. Location unknown.
Then we see Crockett and Tubbs driving along the MacArthur Causeway headed east toward the beach.
They make a phone call to Nicholas at his condo. C+T continue driving as they talk. Now they are back on the mainland driving south on Brickell Ave. Past 848, U.S. Century Bank.
They continue south as they talk, passing Total Bank (1110 Brickell Ave.).
Then we see the crew at Nicholas’ condo. This was filmed at the Continuum at the south tip of South Beach.
There they talk Nicholas into vouching for Sonny and Ricardo.
Then we see Tubbs and big booty Trudy at the safe house hooking up. This was likely filmed at 6381 N. Bay Rd. but I have not been able to confirm this 100% yet.
Then we see an aerial shot over a river. The movie states this is Ciudad Del Este in Paraguay, and it is. We have left Florida.
Next, Crockett and Tubbs fly to Haiti. The Haiti scenes were actually filmed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Tubbs calls Trudy at the safe house. This was most likely filmed at 6381 N. Bay Rd., Miami Beach.
Then Crockett and Tubbs have returned to Miami. Tubbs meets Trudy in a diner. Thanks
to an e-
Crockett and Tubbs leave Florida to fly in a shipment of drugs.
They return and Crockett makes a call from the Miami River. Location unknown.
Greenberg Traurig
Vue