the house in the movie
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jetliner-theduke — 16 years ago(February 16, 2010 04:04 PM)
Some possible newsI met up with a friend who works in the film biz. She had been out of town for nearly a year. The subject of this film came up.and of course, the "House". She hadn't seen the film however when I described the house and the area where it is locatedshe swears up and down that she'd been there at a party. The party was back in 1995 when she first moved to Hollywood
So, soon as both of our schedules permit, we are going to go up there and see if she can find the house with me. If we find itwe'll be prepared to take some photos and document our visit.
In an interesting note, she say that during the 60's the Beatles were often there for parties that were given at the house.
Let's keep our fingers crossed that we finally find this joint !! -
jetliner-theduke — 15 years ago(September 16, 2010 07:21 PM)
No news on the house. I will at some point find this place or if it is no longer there (which I can't imagine) I want to find out its storylike who designed it, who lived there and owned it and how it became involved in the film industry having not only been the home of Arthur Bishop in "The Mechanic" but as well a location in the film "Truck Turner".
My friend who had an idea where the house's location is out of town at the moment. So when she returns, I'll bring it up again to her.
In the meanwhileI guess the next big turn of events for "The Mechanic" will be its Jan '11 release of its re-make. -
layton59 — 15 years ago(October 07, 2010 08:50 AM)
I think it is COOL that nobody can find this house. That is just what Arthur would want to happen. He was very secretive.
I do applaud everyones hard efforts in looking for the house.
There needs to be a DVD release with commentary by someone attached to the film that will spill the goods.
The DVD for FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH has an extra feature that has a map of many of the locations used in that film. Sadly many of the places have been demolished.
Hopefully THE MECHANIC's house did not end up like the estate know as PICKFAIR did.
D_MN YOU, Pia Zadora.
Here is a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickfair
Ye Olde Sig Line:
It should be "I can NOT care less."
You are at the lowest level of caring. -
george-walter — 13 years ago(March 18, 2013 04:37 AM)
1235 Sierra Alta Way - http://goo.gl/maps/UXYUH It has been vastly refurbed since - as this video shows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5OJ90dVsjY
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kristendavis — 15 years ago(November 15, 2010 01:44 AM)
This is the house:
In 1953, contractor Hal B. Hayes built a swank bachelor pad in the western part of the Hollywood Hills. It had an artificial beach, an orchid grotto, and parking on steel tracks that cantilevered out past a retaining wall. It also had what a 1960 Time article called "a figure 6-shaped swimming pool half inside the living room" that flowed outside to the lanai. In a nuclear attack, Hayes thought he could decontaminate in the pool and swim through "an underwater tunnel leading to a sealed, underground cave aerated with oxygen tanks," as described by the LA Times this past weekend. Hayes was a paranoid. He was also a one-time fianc of Zsa Zsa Gabor and a cheat who eventually fled to Mexico. And his house's life story is almost as good.
http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/11/bomb_shelter_bachelor_pad_turned _into_prince_purple_paint_house.php
also:
House for the Atomic Age
http://books.google.com/books?id=8NsDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA108&dq=hou se%20for%20the%20atomic%20age%20popular%20mechanics&pg=PA108#v=one page&q&f=false
and: by 1960 things ended badly for him: "I haven't been hiding from anyone," said Hal Hayes. "Everybody is going to get paid. As of tonight, we've written $40 million worth of ch(more)
Then he went off to a Hollywood nightclub. Later, he was heard muttering, "I'm ruined, a ruined man" - and collapsed from what his secretary described as exhaustion and intoxication.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,874158-1,00.html
and how it looks now:
http://www.redfin.com/CA/Los-Angeles/Sierra-Alta-Way-90069/home/683559 7 -
jetliner-theduke — 15 years ago(November 28, 2010 01:28 PM)
Thank you for finding this house !! And the history of it and its creator. I have been curios about this property for many years and have even driven around looking for it as well as using the aerial shots from Google maps. Ironically, I've seen the current incarnation of the property on Google manps.
I have long suspected that over the years the house may have been remodeled and significantly changed. Its sad that such an architectural innovation such as this house was wasn't preserved. But that is the typical Los Angeles CA mentality about architecture, culture and style. -
pacwarbuff — 15 years ago(November 29, 2010 05:24 AM)
Though I'm quite impressed that someone found the housefinally!I'm a bit let down by how the place has been altered so much. Florida has that same narrowminded view when it comes to preserving buildings. If Europe can preserve thousand-year-old places, why can't Americans even preserve a fifty or sixty-year old house?
Consilio et prudentia -
jetliner-theduke — 15 years ago(November 29, 2010 12:02 PM)
I agreethe people who have had the privilege of dealing with this unique property should have had more respect for it. And as far as Europe goes, I was over there last year and was amazed at all the centuries old buildings that are still standing and well maintained. When I stayed with friends in Switzerland, I was at a 500 year old house !! Most of it was still the same and very fascinating. Of course, electricity, gas and modern plumbing had been worked in but the idea of being in a house that old was amazing.
I can only imagine what life in the Hays house was like. A while back I stayed for a couple of days in the Frank Lloyd Wright house at the Stanford University and being in a house that unique was quite an experience.
Wellit's been an an interesting thread here on IMDB about this house !! I guess now the next thing is to see how this remake of "The Mechanic" is gonna stack up.but I doubt there is any "mystery" about that !!! -
batemanskip — 15 years ago(December 15, 2010 12:48 AM)
How sure are we that this is the house? Even with its renovations, is still seem to match the elevations and location . Is there an article that links this home as the one being featured in the Mechanic film?
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batemanskip — 15 years ago(December 15, 2010 12:48 AM)
How sure are we that this is the house? Even with its renovations, is still doesnt seem to match the elevations and location . Is there an article that links this home as the one being featured in the Mechanic film?
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etharper-1 — 15 years ago(December 02, 2010 07:58 AM)
1235 Sierra Alta Way, Los Angeles, California, USA
You can Google Earth is and see a bird's eye view of the place. It's clearly the house. The street view is obscured by an enormous wall, however (not surprising, given the neighborhood). -
billyglenn — 12 years ago(November 27, 2013 05:42 PM)
Interesting thread. Saw the movie for the first time in years last night on this-TV. Always like groovy 70s pads. One thing you don't see anymore are the open fireplaces with the dome chimney sitting over it.
Nice work.