Fantasy Island (1978 to 1984)

Fantasy Island is one of those tv shows that should never be recreated today.  The world has lost the magical touch of Aaron Spelling, not to mention the indelible Ricardo Montalban and Herve Villechaize.  That sort of creative lightning does not strike twice.

So, just like one of Mr. Roarke's fantasies, we have to take a step back in time and enjoy the original series when it was first made in the late seventies and early eighties.  With DVDs and syndication, it's an easy step and those dinner jackets look as white as the day when they were first worn.  Of course, if you're planning on watching this show after a long absence, I must warn you about the cheese factor; the outrageous storylines, the polyester clothes, and the hairy chests (among other things) can cause serious nostalgic heartburn if you're not careful. 

Perhaps the most recognizable of all the Fantasy Island filming locations was the house which was featured during the opening credits.  Tattoo ran up its stairs to ring a bell in the tower and yell "Ze plane!  Ze plane!" thus announcing the arrival of the guests who were going to get their fantasies fulfilled.  This house, formally called the Queen Anne Cottage is located in the Arboretum of Los Angeles County.   
          

The Arboretum is in Arcadia.  For those people who have never visited the land of smog and shallow people, Arcadia is about thirteen miles northeast of downtown L.A sitting in the San Gabriel Valley.

I toured it during the end of March when a lot of the flowers and plants were dormant.  It was windy and cold but at least there were very few people. 

With the map provided, it was a quick ten minute walk to find the Fantasy Island house. 

As you can see from the plaque, this beautiful example of Victorian architecture was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  I guess they won't be bulldozing it anytime soon. 

The cottage is in pristine condition and the bell tower where Tattoo made his announcement is clearly visible. 

I wondered how many people have thought about yelling out "Ze plane!  Ze plane!" while standing in this very spot. 

Herve has passed away but his catch phrase will live on forever! 

Here's the downside:  you can tour the grounds and peek inside but you can't actually GO inside the cottage.  Sadly, I was not able to climb the stairs and ring the bell and fulfill one of my fantasies. 

This is the lagoon where the plane arrived.  You can see why the tv series was filmed here; it's very exotic looking and was probably much cheaper than hauling the crew to Hawaii. 

We're not talking the budget of LOST here. 

HOW TO GET THERE:  Arcadia is located on the 210 just east of Pasadena.  You can't miss the Arboretum; it is easily accessible from the Baldwin exit. 

WORTH THE TREK:  9/10 If you live in LA, you look for ways to escape the craziness of everyday life and a trip to this manicured nature park will make you forget all about TRAFFIC.  The Queen Anne Cottage is the bonus in this neat little trip. 

L.A. Story (1991)

It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly 20 years since I got my first taste of L.A. in the form of a movie.

L.A. Story was released in 1991 and focused on the romantic struggles of Harris K. Telemacher, a meteorologist living in the titular city. The romantic aspects of this movie were the least interesting to me; boy meets girl, boy gets sidetracked by much younger girl, boy comes to his senses and gets girl back. It was fairly generic romantic comedy stuff. Well, except for that talking freeway sign who gave love advice.

What was interesting was all the stuff about Los Angeles. Steve Martin (who wrote the screenplay) poked fun at his city in a very affectionate way. There were lots of easy targets; the beautiful but superficial people, the road rage, the lack of culture, the obsession with money and celebrity, the difficulty of reserving a table at some restaurants and even the health craze. How about a colonic? Anyone?

There were many locations used to shoot the movie but some of my favorite scenes took place at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, otherwise known as the LACMA. If you remember, Mr. Telemacher liked to do performance art in the gallery while his friend videotaped it. This “art” involved Harris roller skating through the exhibits. These scenes had nothing to do with the plot of the movie but they were fun to watch and perhaps showed how Angelenos like to do weird, creative things.

The LACMA isn’t difficult to find and there is easy parking across the street. With validation, the parking  cost me $7.

The cost of the general admission was $12, although on the second Tuesday of every month the admission is FREE!  As you can see from my ticket stub, I found this out a little too late. 

 

As Harris flew by on his roller skates, he passed by this painting.  I have no idea who painted it or what the painting is called but I definitely recognized it from the movie.  I found it hiding in a closed gallery and there was no sign to give me more information. 

Harris passed by other paintings but I guarantee you that The Scream by Edvard Munch was never at the LACMA.   

This masterpiece was obviously shocked at Mr. Telemacher's antics.   

HOW TO GET THERE:  The LACMA is very easy to find.  It's right on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile area of L.A.   As might be expected, it is located on Museum Row. 

WORTH THE TREK?  9/10  Absolutely.  The museum is a good size and if you're a fan of modern art, they have some nice surprises.  There is usually a special exhibit and for the next couple of months, Renoir is in town.  Just a warning though, don't try strapping on a pair of skates.  I'm sure this kind of performance art is strictly forbidden!