Maps of Movies

Best of the Best (1989)

Where Best of the Best says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

A Seoul showdown in a Korean gymnasium that, by one fan account, was really shot in Los Angeles

Scenes and places

Alex is picked for Team USA (1989)

Alex, a widowed auto plant welder with a shoulder injury that ended his competing career, is chosen for the US team. He has to leave his son and job behind for a tournament against South Korea.

Set in Portland, Oregon — Alex's home city, where the story begins. Google Maps · Apple Maps

The American tryout tournament

Fighters from across the US compete in a tent arena for the five places on the American team. The winners include Alex and Tommy, who barely know each other yet.

Set in US team tryout (location not named in the film) — The tryout where the American team is selected.

Filmed at Devore, California — Per one fan account, the American tryout tournament was filmed in the city of Devore. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Filmed at University of La Verne, California — Per a second fan contributor on the same page, the tryouts were filmed in the tents at the University of La Verne. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The team trains together

Travis antagonizes his teammates and the team struggles to bond. Coach Couzo's hard training clashes with the spiritual approach of the second coach, Catherine Wade.

Set in US team training (location not named in the film) — Where the five American fighters train under their coaches.

Filmed at Burbank, California — Per one fan account, the training scenes for the five American team members were filmed in the city of Burbank. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The tournament in Seoul

Team USA falls behind in the early matches. Alex takes an axe-kick that dislocates his shoulder, has Tommy pop it back into place, and keeps fighting one-armed.

Set in Jangchung Gymnasium, Seoul — The Korea-vs-USA tournament hall, named in a Korean plot summary. Google Maps · Apple Maps

Characters

• Alex Grady — A widowed auto plant welder from Portland, Oregon, with an old shoulder injury, picked for the US martial arts team.
• Tommy Lee — A martial arts instructor from Fresno, California, whose brother was killed by Team Korea's best fighter in an earlier tournament.

Questions answered on the map

• Where was the Seoul tournament in Best of the Best really filmed?