Butterflies Are Free (1972) – Although Goldie Hawn and sight-impaired Edward Albert, Jr. spend most of their time in his Haight Ashbury apartment getting to know each other, they do venture out briefly to buy new clothes. This is San Francisco at the height of the flower child movement in the late 1960s.

Dirty Harry (1971) – Vigilante Dirty Harry Callahan is a cop in this action-packed Clint Eastwood movie. The bad guy here is named "Scorpio" and one can assume that's a take-off on the real Zodiac killer. You can also catch the entire Dirty Harry series, including Magnum Force, The Enforcer, and Sudden Impact. Lots of outdoor scenes in local neighborhoods and the wharf area are featured.

The Competition (1980) – Richard Dreyfus and Amy Irving star as two pianists in a hot and heavy competition held at the Museum in Golden Gate Park. Though fierce competitors, they end up falling in love. Dreyfus drives into San Francisco from Chicago traveling over the Golden Gate Bridge. He obviously took the scenic route!

High Anxiety (1977) – Mel Brooks’ farce on Hitchcock's many thrillers, including The Birds, Vertigo, Psycho, and Spellbound, is probably his crowning achievement. As a bonus, there are enough San Francisco landmarks used as a backdrop to satisfy any homesickness for the City.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers – You'll want the 1978 version starring Donald Sutherland, Veronica Cartwright, Leonard Nimoy, and Brooke Adams. In this incarnation of the famous sci-fi thriller, San Francisco appears to be the magnet city of the body snatchers, and the closing scenes features San Francisco City Hall.

Class Action (1991) – This movie stars Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as feuding father and daughter lawyers who oppose each other in a multi-million dollar class action case. Lots of city scenes abound, with Coit Tower and Chinatown prominently featured, as well as many great shots inside City Hall. This movie also features the murals on the lower level of the Beach Chalet Restaurant, located on the western edge of Golden Gate Park and overlooking the Pacific.

Basic Instinct (1992) – Who could forget this steamy movie starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone? There's chills, there's thrills, there's blood. If you can manage to keep your gaze away from the no-underwear and sizzling sex scenes, you will notice some great shots of the city. (As an aside, stay away from Basic Instinct II. It's not nearly as good as the original.)