John Travolta and Robin Williams are filming movie scenes at the Santa Ana Zoo this week, according to the O.C. Register. Apparently the Zoo closed on Tuesday through today so the actors could do their thing.
I wonder what they thought as they drove through Santa Ana? They could not have missed the “China-Mex Buffet” on First St. Or the DMV on First and Grand (with its horribly long lines). And i’m sure they felt like there were in L.A., with all our graffiti and shopping carts on display.
The movie being shot at the Santa Ana Zoo is called “Old Dogs.” Travolta and Williams play two friends and business partners who find their lives turned upside down when they are placed in the care of 7-year-old twins, according to imdb.com.
Sounds like a typical Disney movie, which it is. And it sure is nothing like one of Travolta’s action movies, “Battlefield Earth,” where he played an evil alien from a book by the founder of the religion Travolta adheres to, Scientology.
I think Travolta should have worn his alien gear while hanging out in Santa Ana – just so the gang bangers would give him a wide berth.
I hope Travolta and Williams enjoyed their stay in Orange County’s grungy “Downtown.” I wonder if Mayor Miguel Pulido tried to get them to buy one of his pal Robert Bisno’s overpriced “luxury” condos?
you can’t just report,ya gotta add all the extra unneeded crap.
That’s right, Rick. Art is, last I checked, a “blogger.”
Leave it to Art to turn something positive into a screed on the ills of Santa Ana. That’s the spirit!
Don’t worry Art, the “revolution” will save us all.
Last time I checked the “ills” of Santa Ana are nothing to be positive about. The fact the zoo would draw these stars here is a fitting metaphor.
Rick,
The capper to this story is that the movie itself smells like a dud. And yes, as Vern put it, I am a blogger, not a reporter.
Too bad that the movie was filmed before Jose Solorio’s Giant Anteater exhibit opened up – if Travolta had run into Solorio he might have had the idea of doing a remake of Fantasy Island, with our friend Jose yelling “da plane, da plane!” Not sure who we could cast as Ricardo Montalban, but Al Amezcua would make a great bad guy!
#4,
To say you missed my point, or purposely twisted it, would be the understatement of the century.
If you don’t think having the entertainment industry doing a shoot in Santa Ana is a positive thing, then you clearly have your head buried in the same sand as Art.
#6,
The filming is interesting but it does NOT matter to the working poor of Santa Ana who have had their water rates raised twice in the last nine months, their sewage rates raised 60% over the next few years, and who are now paying extra property taxes for THREE bond measures passed by the corrupt local elected Democrats in town.
And when this movie flops no one will remember that it was shot at a little zoo in a run-down city that is overrun with crime and malaise.
#6 I didn’t miss your point. You missed mine. Art seemed to sum it up excluding one point. THE CITY GOT PAID FOR USE OF THE ZOO so the city didn’t loose a dime and probably made a profit because they inflated the visitor rate to the production company.
I’m sure Travolta and Williams jumped on the nearby onramp of the freeway and headed back to their nice Hotel rooms in Irvine near John Wayne Airport where they wouldn’t have to worry about the “shoot”. By the way, an interesting choice of word since this is Santa Ana.
#8,
And so if a city in dire need of cash made some money, as they should, that is a negative thing because…??
I mean c’mon, this city has it’s problems, but to twist this event into some nefarious occurrence just to give oneself license to write about all the UNRELATED ills the city faces is the height of insanity.
#8,
I think actually that the zoo got paid, at least that is what the Register appeared to report. While the city pays for much of the zoo’s operation, the zoo is run by a foundation.
I do wonder where Mssrs. Travolta and Williams stayed. Irvine is probably right. There are a lot of nice gourmet restaurants in that area too.
What exactly would these guys do in Santa Ana? It isn’t safe and while Mike Harrah does run an overpriced restaurant in the downtown area, it is in the downtown area. The same area where Clowncilwoman Michele Martinez had her purse snatched off her arm by a guy on a bike.
I doubt that Travolta and Williams saw much of our city…and they didn’t miss much either. I wonder if Pulido and the Clowncil Members came by the set? Travolta probably asked Pulido to get him a cup of coffee…or to wash his car. And I’m sure Clowncilman Sal Tinajero helped himself to the food these sets provide for the film crew!
#9
The height of insanity? This city is in dire need of cash because of mismanagement and any reminder of that is not a bad thing, no matter if it is a shooting of a movie or a gang banger.
I don’t care if the city or a foundation made any money on this deal but it certainly doesn’t change the dynamics of Santa Ana. The city police and park rangers provide the security for the zoo, so I’m sure the city didn’t lose any money and hopefully the zoo made a few bucks.
Santa Ana in the present form is a loser. The fact a movie company skipped through and out real quick is not an indication the city has magically turned into Irvine. The height of stupidity is anyone believing otherwise.
#11,
Did I say the city has magically turned into Irvine? Show me where I praised this city. Show me. I said in a comment above that this city has problems. My original point, which you seem blind to, is that using something positive that happened here and twisting it into a rant against the city makes no sense.
You naysayers can never step back from your biases, not even for a moment. For you to essentially say that any time the city makes some extra dough will only be a reminder for you that the city has mismanaged its money reveals a lot about you and far, far less about the city.
While we may have many ills in town, this is a good thing for the zoo. It gives them some extra funding, some sprucing up for the shoots, some down time for projects they wouldn’t normaly get. It also give some exposure to our city as well. May even spend a few bucks around town, food, fuel, supplies for the sets etc. in our local economy. Maybe even a few extras, although I don’t know that. All in all a good thing for Santa Ana.
“The world’s a theater, the earth a stage, which God and nature do with actors fill.”
Go to the Zoo and check out the movie site for yourself this Sunday night during the SunSet at the Zoo.
Blah Blah Blah about the problems of this “Hispanic-Mexican” City, enough s–t talking why don’t you guys talk about the people that are associated with this great city, such as Marlon Brando, Michelle Pfiefer, Rik Agnew, Philip k. Dick- Bladerunner-A Scanner Darkly -ect., Diane Keaton, David Bernal, Mike Ness-Social Distortion, Bill Medly, John Raitt-Bonnie, Rickenbacker Guitars (John Lenon)-the Makers of the first Electric guitar!!!!!! Charlie Chaplin ( do your research if you don’t believe me.) Its always negative with you Republican Wasps!! ready to sting without being provoked !!! Its like you are saying ” oh god that Mexican-enclave of a City- that is surrounded by white city’s is doing something positive, oh god the horror!! ” these days its easy to spot a wasp-fascist-republican-Hitler-loving-murderer-european-reject-land thieving pilgrim-toxic waste polluting-kyoto protocol rejecting-morbidly over weight- greedy suv driving so-called “American White” Because Canadians and Mexicans are Americans too and Mexico are United Sates also look at a peso it says that ( so what do I call you guys-I cant call you United Statesians? I can’t, Mexicans in Mexico are United states of Mexico?) Ignorant South County Orange, Tustin, Irvine, Fountain Valley ect. by the way they blog , Do some research and stop being so rascist be more humble as a people- like the Natives were when you Pilgrims arrived here!!! They where humble why did you take advantage of them? now suffer the dire bad consequences of bad karma–Rome is Falling — And you still don’t get the picture do you —this message goes for all of the bloggers here!!!!!!!
A disclaimer to my comment —I know you guys were thinking it that’s why I threw everything out, in segregated Orange County why do only Mexicans live there Um let me explain , Lack of opportunity= less money=lower income housing=santa ana, and dont give me that bull—- about going to school its a cycle there again, less opportunity, we need another revolution now!!!!!!! equality, I’ve seen it all !!!
I bet you if Mexican-American or Mexicans did not live there in such numbers and Americans of Nordic Anglo-Saxon or Eastern European descent we would’nt of had have this blog or problems in the city bottom line you can spin it how ever you want case closed!!!!! This country needs another MLK but one who fights for t (supposedly) The Largest Minority in the USA thats what I was trying to say , after all the civil rights movement started not to far away with Mendez v. Westminster Remember?
Who let Stanley in?
Hiram
You feel better now?
That was a lot to get off your chest.
And Charlie Chaplin? no record exist on the reported marriage on top of the Advertising Arts building on 1st St.
You guys are all just haters cause you wish they would of shot the movie in Irvine. That stupid ass city is so boring full of old white people who have no life!!!!
That’s right Pancha all anglo-nordic-germanic —American communities are boring as opposed to hispanic-Mexican-Mestizo-castizo-Mexican Cauasians of Mediterranean descent !!!!!!
Que chingado dices Hirman? U make no sense?
The kids will visit the santa ana prentice park area for the employee meeting of asset protection and estate planning with steven sears attorney irvine and mike searsatty saturday oc 8 am