Thursday, April 28, 2016

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)




Times weren't quite as fast at my prep school as they were at Ridgemont High but Amy Heckerling's directorial debut about high school life seems to be spot on according to those attended it in the early 80s.  Much of that is thanks to a twenty-two year old Cameron Crowe going undercover for a year as a high school student to gather intel for his book.  Although Fast Time At Ridgemont High's plot is nonexistent, any scene with Spicoli makes up for it, not to mention Phoebe Cates in a bathing suit.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High was filmed in Brentwood, Van Nuys, Encino, Canoga Park, North Hollywood, Santa Monica, Valley Glen and Los Angeles, CA

Location: Ridgemont Mall Exterior
Address: Broadway & 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA

It's gone under major reconstruction and is now a parking lot entrance to the shopping center.



The interiors were filmed at The Sherman Oaks Galleria.  The mall closed in 1999 and reopened in 2002 after extensive renovations.


Location: Ridgemont High
Address: 6535 Cedros Avenue, Van Nuys, CA
Van Nuys High School








This was also used as Merced High School in I Know My First Name Is Steven (1989)


Location: All American Burger
Address: 11698 San Vicente Boulevard, Brentwood, CA  Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf





There's still a dry cleaners across the street...







Location: Stacy Passes Third Base
Address: 17301 Oxnard Street, Encino, CA

This is the third base dugout on Field 4.










Location: Mark & Stacy's Date
Address: 13726 Oxnard Street, Valley Glen, CA  
Barone's Restaurant















Location: Mike Damone's Apartment
Address: 5988 Riverton Avenue, North Hollywood, CA  







Location: The Hamilton House
Address: 24124 Welby Way, Canoga Park, CA



Location: The Bowling Alley
Address: 1735 W Manchester Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA





Location: Stacy's Clinic
Address: 1704 W Manchester Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA

She exits out the back off Harvard Boulevard...








Locations Visited: March 2016, October 2016, September 2023




A League Of Their Own (1992)





Batter Up.  Here That Call.  The time has come for women to get out of the kitchen while the boys are overseas fighting in World War II.  Virtuous Dottie Hinson and her bratty, ungrateful kid sister Kit join some colorful characters to play baseball.  Initially scoffed at, particularly by their manager Jimmy Dugan, the public soon embraces the ladies as they bat, slide and do the splits catching foul balls.  Dottie becomes the breakout star, much to the chagrin of Kit.  The sisters' rivalry escalates as they compete agains each other in the World Series.  The nail-biting climax at the bottom of the 9th leaves some to question whether Dottie dropped the ball on purpose.

After Big (1988) success in the 80s, Penny Marshall hits the ball out of the park ;-) in the 90s with her tribute to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.  Geena Davis leads an all-star cast in this heartwarming dramedy.  Tom Hanks rebounds from Bonfire of the Vanities. Madonna rebounds from, well, her entire movie career while Rosie O'Donnell steals third base, er, several scenes, as wisecracking Doris.  If you should find yourself tearing up during the emotional scenes, just remember - there's no crying in baseball!


A League of Their Own was filmed in Union, Wheaton, Berwin, and Chicago, IL, Huntingburg and Evansville, IN, Cooperstown, NY, Huntington, KY, and Studio City, CA


Location: Dottie Hinson's House
Address: 4222 Agnes Avenue, Studio City, CA







Location: Willamette, Oregon Baseball Field
Address: 11216 Creamery Road, Mount Vernon, IN  St. Philip Field


























Location: Dottie & Kit's Farm
Address: 1980 Saint Phillip Road, Evansville, IN

The house was torn down and although there is another structure around that area, it does not appear to match the barn seen in the film...









Location: The Train Station
Address: 7000 Olson Road, Union, IL  Illinois Railway Museum










Location: Marla Hooch's Tryout
Address: 433 Tavern Street, New Harmony, KY  Ribeyre School






You can catch a quick glimpse of Jackie's apartment from Roseanne (1988-2018) to the right of the building.



Location: Baseball Tryouts
Address: 1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL  Wrigley Field




Location: Walter Harvey's Mansion
Address: 373 Winfield Road, Wheaton, IL Cantigny Gardens















Location: Rockford Peaches Baseball Field
Address: 203 S. Cherry Street, Huntingburg, IN  League Stadium

League Stadium takes great pride in the fact that A League Of Their Own filmed there.  There's no "get off my baseball field!" here.  Much thanks to Chas at Itsfilmedthere.com for arranging and to Dale for being a magnificent tour guide...




































The St. Louis Cardinal Rule...








Before the movie set up shop, this portion of the stadium was all there was to League Stadium.  The production team built additional bleachers on both sides...












The film also donated the lockers, which came with the original handwritten names.  An unfortunate erasing accident occurred a while back so now they all have the same handwriting...














The original ads seen in the outfield remain today...














Location: Suds Bucket Exterior
Address: 2607 W. Baseline Road, Evansville, IN


The building has undergone some remodeling over the years...








Location: Racine Belles Baseball Field
Address: 1701 N. Main Street, Evansville, IN  Bosse Field
























 

The ending of the movie was retooled so part of the final scene with Dottie and Kit was filmed on a soundstage in LA, but they did try and make it look like it was Bosse Field...




















Location: The Boarding House
Address: 612 N. Main Street, Henderson, KY











Good advice indeed...













Location: Marla & Nelson's Church
Address: 2101 N Fremont Street, Chicago, IL  St. James Lutheran Church












Location Visited: March 2016, October 2016, July 2020