March/April 2023


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STARRY-EYED SPRINGS | 33


Head on Down To Tinseltown To See These Film Locations


HOLLYWOOD’S award season is well underway and, at the centre of it all are the fast-approaching Oscars drawing further excitement and attention to the glitz of Tinseltown. With its gorgeous beaches, spectacular national parks and array of dynamic cities,


it’s hardly surprising California is the chosen backdrop for much of the TV, film and music industry. The glamour and reach of the big screen stretch well beyond Hollywood and are truly reflected in all parts of California.


Current award nominee locations:


Los Angeles – The Fablemans & Everything Everywhere All at Once


Forever Marilyn. This one can be found outside the Palm Springs Art Museum, also in downtown, and it’s a 26ft tall likeness of Marilyn Monroe inspired by her famous pose in The Seven Year Itch, white dress billowing above her knees as she attempts to preserve her modesty. With her back to the art museum, she faces Palm Canyon Drive, the city’s main tourist strip, with its abundance of shops and restaurants. Here, she’s as much of a tourist draw as the works of art inside the museum itself.


Palm Canyon Drive is also home to VillageFest, which is held every Thursday evening. The street is closed to traffic for several blocks for the occasion, and


comes alive


with pedestrians browsing stalls selling original arts and crafts, photos and gifts.


With around 350 days of sunshine a year,


autumn and winter are perfect times to visit.


spring, There’s


a real feeling of space too, as buildings, by law, can’t be taller than the height of the tallest


palm tree


(around five stories high), so as not to block the view of the San Jacinto mountains.


been


The city has called


to a


living museum thanks


its


impressive display of modernist design, an abundance of vintage stores and its links to golden- era Hollywood. But it’s not stuck in the past – it celebrates its heritage without being suffocated by it. Take the Tracy Turco Modernism Museum, with its fun interactive and immersive rooms. Recently opened, it’s already an icon, offering a retro romp through the 20th century, with rooms devoted to how locals used to eat, sleep (in a pink ‘powder puff’ bedroom with a heart-shaped bath), party, hang out, vacation, and, if you’re Bob Hope, play golf. Some of the hotels, such as The Twist and the Ace Hotel; Swim Club, have revived the mid-1960s look and have become hip hangouts for those in search of a retro retreat. Some have had a name


change but kept their aesthetic appeal, such as the Rendezvous, where Monroe kept a permanent suite in the 1950s, when it was known as the Mira Loma. And where else can you slip on a sharp suit or cocktail dress and sip on a martini in the Riveria Hotel bar, just like Ol’ Blue Eyes Sinatra and his Rat Pack buddies did. My husband and I stayed in the luxury Colony Palms Hotel, which was originally built in 1936 in the Spanish Colonial style. It’s first owner was alleged to have been a mobster and a member of the infamous Purple Gang (as commemorated in one of the restaurant’s delicious cocktails, the Purple Gang Margarita). Over the years it changed owners but stayed a haven for famous names, including Kirk Douglas, Humphrey Bogart,


Howard


Hughes and Ronald Reagan. As well as the stunning architecture, Rat Pack hangouts and fabulous foodie scene, what I also loved about Palm Springs and the su rro undi ng area was the opportunity to also get close to many magnificent wonders of nature. As well as venturing up the A erial you


Tramway,


can visit the Indian Canyons, where indigenous


people settled gentle, easy centuries


ago, and where there are more than one hundred miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. I’m no hiker, but I thoroughly recommend a


foot trail


through part of the Andreas Canyon, past babbling brooks and 200-year-old palm trees. I’m sure even Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack pals would have enjoyed it, had they ever put down their martini glasses long enough to find out.


INFO:


www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com www.colonypalmshotel.com www.indian-canyons.com www.pstramway.com


Filmmakers created magic in Los Angeles this year, with two films, The Fablemans and Everything Everywhere All at Once, earning nominations at the 2023 Oscars. The Orpheum Theatre at 842 South Broadway in Los Angeles served as a pivotal production location in


Spielberg’s drama The


Fablemans. The plot of Everything Everywhere All at Once similarly unwinds through Los Angeles, prominently featuring downtown LA, including South Main Street and Mateo Street. Los Angeles has no shortage of film shoot locations, past and present, which visitors can visit on a tour, perhaps even stumbling across some in production.


Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley – Babylon


Starring big names such as Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, 2023 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award nominee Babylon includes equally jaw-dropping scenery as it was shot throughout California. The film features the stunning Castle Green in Pasadena – one of the oldest standing historic landmarks in Los Angeles – rustic views of Simi Valley and 1910s bungalows in San Fernando Valley, aptly ageing the film and authentically showing the audience this early 20th-century world. Past winner locations


El Dorado County – Modern Family Some of the most iconic films and


Born


A Star is Born, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, racked up 24 major award nominations in 2019. The popular film was shot at several spots in Greater Palm Springs including The Empire Polo Club, the Palm Springs Convention Center, Jalisco Tires and Dillon Road.


San Diego Maverick


Following the hugely popular release of Top Gun: Maverick, now is the perfect time for fans to head to San Diego, where much of the original film


and some of the latest film were shot. Film buffs will want to visit the Miramar Air Station, home to Top Gun’s training school, Kansas City Barbeque, where Kelly McGillis and Meg Ryan belt out “Great Balls of Fire,” and Mission Beach Plunge.


Other famous set locations Sonoma County – The Birds & The Scream


For years, Santa Rosa and Sonoma County have been the “It” spot for legendary


horror directors including


Alfred Hitchcock and Wes Craven. Hitchcock filmed his iconic The Birds at Sainte Teresa of Avila Church and the Potter School in Bodega Bay. He also shot scenes from Shadow of a Doubt in the area. Craven shot scenes from The Scream throughout Santa Rosa.


Lone Pine – Iron Man & Django Unchained


Jutting against the Sierra Nevada, the Alabama Hills in Lone Pine is a series of unique rock formations and hills that scream ‘Wild West’ to filmmakers. Nearly every major Western actor from Gene Autry to John Wayne saddled up a horse to film here from the 1930s-1950s. The site was also the setting for scenes from Iron Man and Django Unchained.


Death Valley – Star Wars Death Valley has long been a popular


film location for other worldly scenes so it’s no surprise that it caught the eye of the venerable George Lucas. Both Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi were filmed in the national park. Whether you opt to visit Basin Badwater, North America’s lowest point at 282 feet below sea level, or hike through the colourful rainbow rocks on Artist’s Drive, it is clear why Death Valley was chosen as a filming location with so many incredible sites.


Beverly Hills – Pretty Woman


Beverly Hills is synonymous with celebrities. Countless films and TV programmes including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Pretty Woman have been filmed in spots like the Beverly Wilshire, The Four Seasons and of course Rodeo Drive. If you’re trying to spot a celeb, book a table at their popular restaurant haunts like Maude, The Polo Lounge or Spago.


– Top Gun: Trona Pinnacles – Westworld


In the Central Valley, just 20 miles from Ridgecrest, lies the Trona Pinnacles. With more than 500 tufa spires, the unique geological features of this national landmark have provided a standout backdrop for many music videos and TV and film shoots, including the popular HBO series Westworld.


Greater Palm Springs – A Star is


TV programmes have used El Dorado County as their backdrop. With a diverse landscape featuring wide open ranch land to lush forests, the area has something for all genres. One of the most famous films to be shot in Gold Country was the beloved Modern Family TV series.


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