Where Was Cop Land Filmed? James Mangold’s Multi-Starrer Crime Thriller!

If you’re fond of the crime drama genre, then I’m sure you’ve seen the movie Cop Land (1997). Now crime drama films are usually shot in an interior setup, but this particular movie has many scenes that were filmed on location. If you wish to discover those filming spots then stick with me. I’m here to tell you all about it. In this article, I’ll discuss the movie and tell you where was Cop Land filmed.    

Cop Land follows two honest detectives who investigate a staged murder case. While investigating the case they discover corruption in their own police department and find out their connection to the mob. The crime thriller drama movie features a star-studded cast including veteran and A-list actors like Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, and Michael Rapaport. The movie actually showcases a cast that one could only dream of. 

Now to get back to your main concern regarding where was Cop Land filmed, the crime thriller drama movie was filmed in New Jersey, United States of America.

From top director and screenwriter James Mangold, Cop Land had its premiere in New York City on August 6 1997, followed by its theatrical release in the United States on 15th August 1997. The crime thriller drama flick is a Woods Entertainment Production and was distributed in America by Miramax films. However, let’s not delay any more and get to know about the filming locaton.

Where Was Cop Land Filmed? Cop Land Filming Locations!

James Mangold’s Cop Land is one of those crime thriller dramas that inspired numerous young filmmakers who nowadays make crime thrillers. The movie was a success at the box office as it earned over $63 million against a budget of $15 million. It goes without saying that De Niro, Keitel, Stallone, Liotta and all others showcased their best performances. 

Rolling Stone’s Peter Traverse and San Francisco Chronicle’s Mick La Salle gave the movie constructive reviews along with several other critics. They praised the performance of the cast as well as Mangold’s direction and screenplay. The crime thriller drama film received a score of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 7 on IMDb. However, let’s check out where was Cop Land filmed.

New Jersey, United States of America

The majority of the multi-starrer crime drama movie, Cop Land was filmed in New Jersey, except for a few sequences that were shot in New York City and California. Principal photography of the movie commenced on 11th July 1996 and was wrapped up on 7th October 1996. 

The movie is set in the town of Garrison, New Jersey, but filming actually took place in the town of Edgewater, and several other locations. Some of the scenes involving Freddy Hefflin were filmed at Fairleigh Dickinson University at 1000 River Road, Teaneck, New Jersey.

A number of vital scenes were filmed in the city and town of Fort Lee and Cliffside Park. Ray Donlan’s house scenes were shot at 381 Esplanade Pl, Cliffside Park. The scenes involving the Sheriff’s office and the street sequences were filmed at 913 River Road, Edgewater. 

Apart from filming in New Jersey the production team also shot a portion of the movie in New York City and California. The opening sequence of the crime thriller drama was shot at George Washington Bridge, Manhattan, New York City. A couple of scenes were filmed at the Manhattan Municipal Building, which is situated at 1 Centre Street, Manhattan. 

The nightclub scenes in the movie were filmed at Scores New York, which is a strip club, situated at 333 E 60th Street, New York City. A handful of scenes were also filmed at the Silver Screen Studios at 62 Chelsea Piers, Manhattan. Only the underwater sequence in the movie was filmed at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.

Plot Of Cop Land (1997) | When The System Is Corrupted!

The story of Cop Land is set in the 1970s and revolves around Moe Tilden, played by Robert De Niro and Freddy Heflin, played by Sylvester Stallone. Both are serious and honest detectives who believe in the work they do. They work in the Internal Affairs department. Soon, they get pulled into an investigation that involves cops from their department.

When the short-tempered nephew, Superboy, played by Michael Rapaport, of a New York City cop, gets involved in a racially-motivated crime, his uncle, Ray Donlan, played by Harvey Keitel, a corrupt police officer, tries to cover it. Donlan faked the death of his nephew to keep him out of the case. Eventually, Tilden and Heflin take an interest in the case and begin their investigation and find out the corruption in their department and their connection to the mob.

Final Word

If you wish to check out the filming locations I mentioned, well, now you know where to visit. The crime thriller drama Cop Land is highly recommended for people who are suckers for movies with dark themes. If you haven’t watched the movie yet, you better hurry up and watch it as soon as possible. It is currently streaming on a number of digital platforms. And keep in mind that it contains strong language, nudity and violence so no one under 18 is allowed to watch the film.