Daveland On Location: Citizen Kane

The filming of Orson Welles' cinematic masterpiece, "Citizen Kane" took place between June 29, 1940 and October 23, 1940, in what is now Stage 19 on the Paramount lot in Hollywood. Xanadu, the fictional estate owned by the title character, Charles Foster Kane, was represented by aerial shots of Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York in the film's opening newsreel montage.



The grounds of Xanadu were represented by Busch Gardens and Arroyo Boulevard in Pasadena, CA. There was also some location filming in Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. Many shots of Xanadu were surrealistic, highly stylized matte paintings. Since I live near Balboa Park, I have always wanted to attempt to match images from the film with the locations used in Balboa Park. Here goes…



The above shot might be a matte painting (the sky probably is at least), but the tower is obviously based on this one in Balboa Park, which is part of the California Tower.



This Balboa Park location was one of my best matches.









This one was difficult; because of the plantings in front, I could not match the angle of the original.





Attempting to recreate the original angles, it seemed that overall, the photographer was trying to shoot up as much as possible. Maybe it was a way to try to disguise the buildings being used. I know it made it difficult for me to figure out which buildings were actually used.





Here, the San Diego Museum of Art stands in for Xanadu.





Just a little farther down, the Museum of Man also substitutes for Xanadu.





The Casa del Prado Theater:





This shot was impossible to match. The park's main boulevard is under construction, so I couldn't stand back far enough to match the angle.





Here's the one shot that I couldn't match. I was unable to find this building; whether it still exists or not, I am not sure.



The Botanical Building is a striking structure at the center of the park. This cupid statue no longer stands here. UPDATED: I just discovered that this statue, known as "The Youthful Diana" (circa 1924 by Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington) still exists in Balboa Park, but has been moved to a different location. When I do find it, I'll post it!





These two show the reflecting pond in front of the Botanical Building





Time to get out "Citizen Kane" and view it for yourself!

See more vintage & current Daveland Hollywood Movie photos on my main website.

April at Disneyland: Disney California Adventure

California Here I Come! I really like the "new" entrance to DCA, done in Streamline Moderne. Here's a grainy 1957 shot of its inspiration, the long-gone Pan Pacific Auditorium.



Back to Anaheim, this vintage-style billboard is difficult to see unless you are outside of the gates to Buena Vista Street.



My destination was the Tower of Terror; along the way I got to see the gleaming Red Car Trolley:



I still hold hope that one day they'll turn the Hyperion into a real theater with a lobby instead of a cheap faux façade.



Sharp eyes would have noticed this Chip and Dale Easter "egg" perched atop the theater.



The Red Car was parked outside of the Tower of Terror. This new "old" mode of transportation is one of my favorite parts of the revamped DCA.



This will sound crazy to some, but the main reason I love the Tower of Terror attraction is the lobby. I don't mind standing in line, as it gives me time to view all of the vintage details.



I wonder what Room 403 looked like?



Those are some crazy cobwebs.



The Shirley Temple doll and Oz book are still sitting on the couch.



The overstuffed furniture sure looks comfy.



Think there's anything to eat inside of that covered dish?



Don't bother ringing the bell. Nobody is going to answer, except maybe DCA security.



Lunch was at the Carthay.



What a lovely entrance to this stylish restaurant.



Inside the lobby area, there was a display of vintage Dumbo items.



I cannot rave enough about the beautiful interior.



Lunch was inside the sun room area, which has some great views of Buena Vista Street from above.







My soup was tasty, with just the right amount of spice.



The Chicken Scallopini was flavorful, providing a delicious finale to a very fun day.



There you have it readers. You have now shared my April trip to the Disneyland Resort!

See more vintage & current Daveland Disney California Adventure photos on my main website.

April at Disneyland: Disneyland RR Dioramas

It was time to head over to Disney California Adventure, and what better way to finish a day at Disneyland than to take The Grand Circle Tour on the Disneyland Railroad? Today's post is centered on the grand finale, beginning with the Grand Canyon Diorama.



The beautiful panorama painting, the lighting, the taxidermy…it all comes together for a real "wow" experience that I always enjoy. Add in the music by Ferde Grofé and you have a winner every time.



Love the rainbow.



And then, we head back in time to the Primeval World!



Those crazy animatronics that came from the New York World's Fair may be a bit corny, but I enjoy them, too!







What a finish…dinosaurs, lava, and dramatic lighting!



As a final treat for today, here's an image from the UCLA Digital Archive, showing the Triceratops being put together, July 14, 1966.



See more vintage & current Daveland Disneyland Railroad Diorama photos on my main website.