Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Hollywood Gets it Wrong, Again



So, I mentioned that we moved here to Temecula a couple of months ago. There’s a movie out, claiming that it was filmed here in Temecula. Read this short article and my comments will follow:

By JEFF HORSEMAN
The Press-Enterprise

Sal Rosales is a car salesman in Temecula. But that's about all he has in common with Don Ready, the fictional protagonist of "The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard."

At The Movie Experience in Temecula, Rosales and Scott Messier took in the crude comedy, which opened Friday. Afterward, the two said they enjoyed the film, which more than earned it’s R-rating with enough profanity, sex jokes and just plain sex to fill an auto mall.

"The movie (took) any type of stereotype of a car salesman and ... put it in a movie," said Rosales, who works at Toyota of Temecula Valley with Messier, a sales manager.


While Temecula was the setting for a plot about traveling car sellers hired to save a sinking dealership, the city took a back seat to characters played by a group of familiar actors, led by Jeremy Piven of "Entourage" fame.
The movie actually was filmed in Alhambra, not that "The Goods" aimed for accuracy. There are references to "downtown Temecula" -- whatever that means -- and a scene at a strip club. Temecula doesn't have any.
At one point, an "angel" says Temecula is "not even (expletive) Fresno." No one from the movie or its distributor, Paramount Vantage, was available for comment.
Dan Taylor, deputy director of the Inland Empire Film Commission, said Alhambra was likely the filming location because it's within 30 miles of Hollywood. Unionized crewmembers get daily per diems and lodging for films outside the 30-mile zone, he said.
In the real Temecula, most auto dealerships line a stretch of Ynez Road. Auto sales comprise 16 to 18 percent of Temecula's sales tax base, and dealers donated nearly $700,000 in 2007 to local charities and school sports teams, according to city figures.
When asked about "The Goods," Temecula Mayor Maryann Edwards started rattling off Temecula's goods -- selected as one of the top 100 places to live in America by a national real estate Web site; low crime rate; top-notch schools and Wine Country and attractions aplenty.
"If (the movie) doesn't fit with those guidelines, I'd say it's not a fair representation of Temecula," said Edwards, adding she avoids R-rated movies and catches a flick "maybe once a year."
Reach Jeff Horseman at 951-375-3727 or jhorseman@PE.com



MY TAKE:
Okay. My husband works in Hollywood off and on, my oldest son and youngest daughter work in Hollywood, so you could say that I know a little about the town and the attitude of some of the people, (I’ll just say this, most of the people that work there), believe that L.A. is the center of the damn universe. And, (this is coming from somebody that does not think there’s a there there), I’m tired of hearing the Hollywood machine make fun of anyone and anything that does not fit into their narrow view of the world.

Given the choice, and we did have the choice…when we made our move, we considered several options in and around L.A., and we chose Temecula. Why? It’s still somewhat rural out here, but there’s a lot to do. Lots of restaurants, wine country, the weather is pleasant, and the real estate is super-affordable. For what it costs to live in a nice house here in the Temecula Valley, you would have to settle for a hovel in L.A. The sense of community is very strong out here. It’s a family oriented area. My husband has noted, many, many times over the years, people in the Hollywood community tend to think that residing in The Inland Empire, and Orange County is akin to choosing to live on Mars. “You live where?” They like to ask, with a frown on their face. (Even when we lived in L.A. County, not thirty miles away, they would act as if he’d chosen to live in Nome, Alaska.)

In the article above, a line from the movie is quoted saying that Temecula isn’t even f#*&ing Fresno. Fresno is a farming town located in Central California. Hollywood LOVES ragging on poor Fresno. I’m sure the citizens of Fresno are sick and tired of being picked on. They’re accustomed to being picked on. But Temecula?

What’s so great about L.A./Hollywood, anyway? Maybe it’s the freeway gridlock? The Botox/martini parties? The smog? The high ratio of plastic surgeons to the general population? The gangs? The homeless that flock downtown and piss on the streets and in doorways? The flash-in-the-pan starlets that like to climb in and out of cars in front of flash-in-the-pan nightclubs, flashing the paparazzi with their private parts? The over-crowded beaches with sewage pollution?

Chalk it up to ignorance; Hollywood gets it wrong, again.



All Rights Reserved. © 2009 by Elizabeth Bradley.

14 comments:

Rosaria Williams said...

Uh, darn, another Hollywood pretend movie. You know the real Temecula; and that is all that counts.

Mr. Shife said...

Sorry to hear they painted your town in such a bad light, but on the bright side it looks the movie is kind of a bomb so not too many people are seeing it. And your take is just another reason for me to never to want to visit Hollywood. I just don't see the appeal in living in a town or area like that.

Elspeth Futcher said...

I think this attitude is common for any big city. I live just outside (50 miles) from a major Canadian city and when I tell people where I live they look as if I just sledded in from Ice Station Zebra.

I like it here. There are lots of trees and quiet parks and I don't take my life in my hands if I want to go for a walk. Not to mention real estate prices.

Hollywood makes me laugh. I know a few people who work there and all of them thought they'd come for a few months to finish a project and have never found their way out. Maybe the freeways only go one way!

Elspeth

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Yes, I guess city slickers think that big cities are the only place to live. The nature of the beast so to speak. There are some cities I wouldn't mind living in, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Victoria B.C., to name a few, but L.A.--no thanks.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Ha, Elspeth, hope the view from Ice Station Zebra is fantastic!

Marguerite said...

I totally agree that L.A. is a big bad city and I don't understand why anyone would want to live there, either. Hollywood is well, Hollywood. They do not care, as long as they make money. Temecula looks like such a beautiful place. Cheers!

Cloudia said...

Tell it Sister!

Aloha from out of it Hawaii ;-]

Comfort Spiral

Jennysmith said...

What an incredible place. I certainly think you made the right decision.

Hollywood always reminds me of Day of the Locust anyway and my pal says Los Angeles is a really ugly city.

xxxx

The Victorian Parlor said...

Well said! I think it's terrible that Hollywood portrayed your town in a negative light and by their standards. I'm glad that you posted about the wonderful town in which you live so that people who do see this movie might know the diference.

Blessings,

Kim

Unknown said...

When my husband & I traveled to San Diego in 2007 we decided to do a ton of day trips as well (since most of SD can be seen in about 2 days really). One of those trips was to Temecula. We both just loved the sound of the name of the town and when we got there to see all the beauty in the valley we were both impressed beyond words! If I didn't want to retire to SD, Temecula would be way near the top of the list. The only thing LA has going for it is the LA they have created in everyone else's mind. If they admitted there are other places that "compare" out there then the fantastical mystery of the "awesomeness" of LA would suddenly fall away (much like a sound stage right?) and no one would throw their life away to be there anymore. Over here on the east coast we Bostonians feel the same way about NYC but shhh, don't tell.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

So Jenn, you're saying that NYC isn't the center of the universe on the East Coast? I'm shocked!

Kim said...

We sort of get this with Toronto. I work for a company that spans across the country and there is definitely some bad blood between Toronto and the rest of the country.

Nancy said...

I agree. LA was the one place I told my husband I wouldn't move. There, and El Paso, TX. Your little valley sounds heavenly. Your pics are certainly pretty. This is one movie that wasn't on my list to see, anyway.

Speaking of picking on a city - Reno - my hometown? "Reno 911" - need I say more?

Boozy Tooth said...

Well THAT certainly cured me of ever wanting to live in LA (I was thinking of picking up some real estate next to Miss Crotchflasher). But tell me more about Temecula!