Has anyone seen the recent Nicholas Cage movie Season of the Witch? Anyone? Anyone? You can't fool us, Nic. You're just trying to pay off your credit cards and you're forcing your fans to suffer. It's time to go back to the great quirky films that made you famous like Moonstruck, Raising Arizona, Wild at Heart, Leaving Las Vegas and ... Valley Girl.
Valley Girl is not a great film and truthfully, I didn't see it when it came out back in 1983. I watched it a couple of years ago when I decided to move to the San Fernando Valley and felt entertained, a little nostalgic but it isn't great cinema and probably wouldn't be remembered except for the fact that a valley girl has become such a cultural icon. To be fair, I don't think the filmmakers were aiming for an Academy Award. At the time, the movie made a decent box office and in that context, the movie has been a success.
The movie has a very simple Romeo-Juliet plot. Julie is from the San Fernando Valley and uses words like bitchin', whatever and fer sure!! She's cute, well dressed and even though her parents are aging hippies, she's as wholesome as a box of cornflakes. Randy is from Hollywood (the other side of the valley) and has crazy hair, puppy dog eyes and a rock n' roll soul. He's dangerous but that's just what Julie wants because Tommy, her current boyfriend is a dork and his brains are just bad news. Unfortunately, Julie's friends don't approve of Randy and they want her to date cardboard cut-outs like Tommy for the rest of her life.
What's a bummed out teenage girl to do?
She goes to Dupar's for some comfort food!
Dupar's is a local diner that still exists on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. I've been there many times and it serves up some great food.
I don't think the decor has changed in 60 years. Nothing matches in this place but the atmosphere is "homey" especially if your home has navy blue carpets and fuschia banquettes.
At Dupar's, you can usually find a waitress that calls you "hon", an old guy reading a newspaper and a faded tv star from a show that nobody can remember.
On this visit, I ordered the Californian sandwich with a tall ice tea. I didn't want ketchup which shocked the waitress.
"You don't want ketchup? Are you sure??"
Apparently it is a requirement to order ketchup in a diner. I hate to disappoint anyone so I requested the damn ketchup which seemed to make the waitress very happy.
Dupar's isn't cheap. For a sandwich and an ice tea, the total was about $20. I remember when lunches were $5 and I'm not talking McDonald's or Taco Bell.
Ventura Boulevard is the primary commercial road through the San Fernando Valley. It travels from Woodland Hills, through Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks and comes to an end in Studio City.
Welcome to the valley (at least the rich part), my friends!
Dupar's is at 12036 Ventura Boulevard and if you drive a couple of miles, you'll come to another filming location for Valley Girl, The Sherman Oaks Galleria.
In the movie, the Galleria is a typical mall with a food court, clothing stores, escalators and teenage girls who are happily charging up their parents' credit cards.
But all has changed.
Presently, the Galleria is an open air business-office-y kinda thing and for me, the only reason to go there is to see a movie at the Arc Light cinemas or maybe have a deep fried avocado springroll at The Cheesecake Factory.
I wanted to get some good photos for the blog so I took out my camera and took ONE picture.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a guy wearing sunglasses and a trenchcoat appeared.
"Sir, you can't take pictures of the Galleria."
It was like an episode from The Simpson's when that nasally-voiced guy appears whenever someone violates a copyright.
He explained to me that I could take pictures of buildings OUTSIDE the Galleria while STANDING in the Galleria but I definitely could not take pictures of buildings INSIDE the Galleria even if I were STANDING OUTSIDE the Galleria. It was all very technical.
When I had a dumbfounded look on my face, he told me that is was a "911 thing".
Apparently, DSW Shoes is a huge terrorist target and they don't want anyone planning their attacks with a point-and-shoot camera.
This is my one photo of the INSIDE Galleria. Actually it was taken outside so it's all very confusing.
After my encounter with trenchcoat man, I was a little freaked out. I had no idea where he came from so I was a little paranoid that he was following all my moves from a satellite.
I wanted to get some more photos but all I could do was take a picture of the sign--and even then I was flustered and practically snapped the photo from inside my jacket. I was afraid someone was going to jump me and smash my camera and throw me into jail.
Here is my illegal photo.
At the end of Valley Girl (SPOILER ALERT), Julie chooses RocknRoll Randy after Randy beats the crap out of Tommy at the prom.
The movie ends with Julie and Randy driving by the Sherman Oaks Galleria in their limo. They are sooooooo in love and the Modern English song "I Melt with You" fills the air.
80s nostalgia. You either get it or you don't.
HOW TO GET THERE: The San Fernando Valley is located in the northern part of Los Angeles county. Dupar's in located in Studio City which is to the east and the Galleria is located in Sherman Oaks to the west.
WORTH THE TREK? 8/10 for Dupar's. The good is great, the waitresses are efficient and mom-like and you never know which wrinkled celebrity you might run into. 5/10 for the Galleria. The days of being a real mall are as dead as 80s fashion. The Arc Light cinemas are great (you get to reserve an individual seat and with some shows, you can even order alcohol) but other than that, this place always seems to be way busier than it deserves to be.
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