| 04/20/2006 MOVIE TOURISM IS A NATURAL IN “HOLLYWOOD NORTH” |
| Related Document: FILMTOURS.pdf |
MOVIE TOURISM IS NATURAL IN "HOLLYWOOD NORTH" Free Lonely Planet Film Tour Guide to Traces Santa Barbara's Cinematic History SANTA BARBARA, Calif., 2006 — Get "ready for your close-up" Gloria Swanson-style at Mission Santa Barbara, take a Walk in the Clouds (1994) on Jalama Road or round the track like Seabiscuit (2003) at Price Ranch — from the original film site of Return to Mayberry (1986, Los Olivos) to the scream scenes of Friday the 13th (1982, Zaca Lake), the Lonely Planet Santa Barbara County Film Tour gives visitors a chance to explore the cinematic side of Santa Barbara. The free four-color pocket guide is ideal for the Accidental Tourist who enjoys sleuthing the settings made famous in films, reliving history or sleeping where the stars slept. Produced by Lonely Planet and the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission, the 34-page guide is free for the asking by calling 800.676.1266 or visiting santabarbarafilmtour.com. MAKE YOUR OWN SCENE: The website also offers self-tour itineraries spotlighting the region's top film related haunts and updates on recent filming activity. TAKE ONE: TREND IN TOURISM Scouting film and literary locations is the new hot ticket, as evidenced by tours surrounding The Divinci Code, Bridget Jones Diary, Lord of the Rings and Pride & Prejudice. The UK's Guardian recently quoted a 30 percent increase in Brits visiting New Zealand as a direct result of watching Lord of the Rings. Similarly, The Beach (starring Leonardo Di Caprio) spurred tourism to Thailand by 19 percent*. And the trend shows no sign of slowing, NBC's "Today Show" Travel Editor Peter Greenberg recently reported. From packaged gal-only gallops through Tuscany (Under the Tuscan Sun tours) to treks to the Yorkshire Dales (Calendar Girls), travelers today are putting a new spin on film tourism by cashing in on ready-made tours or hitting the road solo, map in hand. Santa Barbara, home to California's first major movie studio — Flying "A" Studios (1910) — is definitely ready for its close up. In the early days of cinematic history, weather and dynamic backdrops were integral to year-round filming and Santa Barbara fit the bill from the seascapes of France to the sandscapes of Morocco. Between 1912 and 1921, the county set the stage for more than 1000 films including Damaged Goods (1914), The Perils of Pauline (1914)and Purity (1916). From the desolate dunes of Guadalupe, where Cecil B. DeMille's Ten Commandments (1923) sets still lie, to driving scenes from The Graduate (1967), the region's film credit history includes hundreds of feature films. TAKE TWO: MAKE YOUR OWN SCENERelive the lifestyles of Mayberry or savor the scenic back roads seen in Of Mice and Men (1992). The Lonely Planet Santa Barbara County Film Tour guide lets visitors steal their own scenes. Three regional tour companies also offer an in-depth look at Santa Barbara's celluloid past. Many of the film sites are historic landmarks or legendary icons including Mission Santa Barbara, the Montecito Inn, Cold Springs Arch Bridge, Lake Cachuma, La Purisima Mission and the stunning County Courthouse. Sample Day Tour Fuel-up and kick-start a day of star-trekking in the Santa Ynez Valley, reached via Highway 154. Key sites to see en route include Cold Springs Arch Bridge (Steal Big, Steal Little, 1985) and scenic Paradise Road (Star Trek Insurrection, 1998). The vista at Lake Cachuma (Postman Always Rings Twice, 1946) showcases the valley's gorgeous outback in all its glory. Daily tours of the lake's wildlife are also an option. Moving inland, rolling hills quickly morph into graceful vineyards, making one thirsty for a little local juice courtesy of camera-ready Gainey Ranch and Vineyards (Of Mice and Men) or Kalyra Winery (Sideways). On the road again, a few zigzags down rustic country lanes reveal Los Olivos, the original set for Return to Mayberry complete with Goober's gas station (now an antique store) and the flagpole at the roundabout anchoring town. Pop into the Los Olivos Café (Sideways)for lunch, and then drive along Foxen Canyon Road for a deep dip into wine country. After calling to get the access code, follow the signs down a private dirt road for a scary stint at foreboding Zaca Lake (Friday the 13th, Part 3), or continue on to the Guadalupe Dunes, where remnants of Cecil B. DeMille's sets from The Ten Commandments often peak through the lunar sandscape. The rustic town of Guadalupe, including the local hotel, Royal Theatre and Far Western Tavern, set the stage for the The Odd Couple II (1998). Rounding back via Highway 1, La Purisima Mission in Lompoc set many a scene in Seabiscuit. A wonderful site on its own (11th of the 21 California missions, originally built in 1787), the elegant La Purisima leads to downtown Lompoc (inspiration for WC Fields' The Bank Dick, 1940) where site-seers can enjoy a wonderful selection of public murals and the seasonal flowering fields (summer). Return to Santa Barbara via Highway 101 south, exit Mission Street and pass Flying "A" Studios (on Mission Street between Anacapa and Chapala Streets) en route to Mission Santa Barbara, where Gloria Swanson had her close up in Sunset Boulevard (1950). Wrap the day with a stroll down State Street (Cutter's Way, 1981; Pelican Brief, 1993) and settle in for local lobster tacos and a cold one at Stearns Wharf, once owned by Jimmy Cagney and favorite haunt for the film My Favorite Martian (1999). TAKE THREE: STAR SLEEPS For a true taste of the Hollywood lifestyle, sleep where the stars slept at one of many hotels with Hollywood history. Roll out the red carpet for an ultimate stay at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore's Cottage #5 ($2040.00/night), better known as the digs where Rock Hudson wed Phyllis Gates in 1955. In Montecito, Charlie Chaplin's Montecito Inn was a magnet for Hollywood's "A" list when it opened in 1928. Among the regulars were Norma Shearer, Carole Lombard, Marion Davies and Lon Chaney, Sr. Just up the lane, San Ysidro Ranch ran a steady stream of celebrities through its rose-riddled gates. Book the Terrace Cottage ($2400.00/night) where John Huston put the finishing touches on The African Queen,or slip into the Kennedy Suite ($2990.00/night) where JFK and Jackie O honeymooned in 1953. A stroll in the gardens delivers the spot where Sir Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh wed at the stroke of midnight in 1940. Graucho Marx and Jean Harlow were also registered regulars. In the 1920s, "The Saint Barbara Hotel", now Hotel Santa Barbara, was the getaway for many of Hollywood's brightest stars. Clark Gable and Carol Lombard were frequent guests, and eye witnesses claim Leo Carrillo rode his horse around the lobby on several occasions. In Santa Barbara Wine Country, the 10,000-acre Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort was a favored western-style retreat for Clark Gable, who wed his fourth wife in the library (1949), and a regular hideaway for western star Roy Rogers (whose arrow remains above the bar in the Waggin' Tongue lounge). The Alisal also set the stage for the Sideways (2004) gents' golf excursion at the River Course. Farther north, the Historic Santa Maria Inn registered such Hollywood hunks as Rudy Valentino and Clark Gable. TAKE FOUR: POST PRODUCTION Film activity is a constant in Santa Barbara and a new feature on www.santabarbarafilmtour.com keeps visitors up-to-date with new locations and films to track. Walt Disney Pictures in conjunction with Jerry Bruckheimer Films were shot scenes for the third installment of their blockbuster trilogy, entitled Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Leads present for the 4-day shoot in October 2006 included Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. In November and December 2006, Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse production settled into the Santa Ynez Valley for a 2-month shoot which included major car chase scenes (Tarantino's first time directing a car chase) through back country roads.Cast and crew took advantage of our local flavors while on break from filming and were spotted at local watering holes (Mavericks in Santa Ynez and the Firestone Tap Room in Buellton), wineries (Foley) and restaurants (The Palace in Santa Barbara and AJ Spurs in Buellton). FILM TOUR COMPANIES Spend a day stargazing with a variety of guided film tours. Personal Tours, Ltd. (805.685.0552 or www.personaltoursltd.com) offers custom cinematic jaunts throughout Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley featuring locations from The Postman Always Rings Twice, Seabiscuitand Sideways with wine tasting and a catered picnic lunch. Avid bikers will enjoy Santa Barbara Adventure Company's (888.773.3239 or www.sbadventureco.com) "Biking on Location" tour, which traverses 20 miles of terrain in the heart of the city's film making history. The downhill route stops at various locations from Scarface (1983)to Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys (2005). En route, area gems such as Mission Santa Barbara, the County Courthouse and Stearns Wharf are also showcased. For the pampered set, Spencer's Limousine Location Tours (805.884.9700 or www.spencerslimo.com) steps up with plush transport to a variety of cinematic sites from the Moroccan dunes of Hidalgo (2004) to the original Flying "A" Studios. TRAVEL INFORMATION & FREE FILM TOUR GUIDE For a free copy of the Lonely Planet Santa Barbara County Film Tour guide, visit santabarbarafilmtour.com orcontact the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission at 800.676.1266, 805.966.9222 or tourism@santabarbaraCA.com. Visitor information and hotel booking is also available via santabarbaraCA.com. ANNUAL FILM EVENTS Film fanatics can plan their cinematic adventures on the American Riviera® around one of the many annual film festivals and events in Santa Barbara: September
November
January/February
March
April
May
# # # * The Guardian (August 9, 2005)
4/2007
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