Aventures en Californie

I saw this in the movie theater back in 1979 when I was in my early twenties. I remember being enchanted with the California surfing lifestyle... the chicks, the promiscuity, the absolute optimism. I emulated the cheating fun loving surfers, I fell in love with Marcia and Stephanie. I thought back then that Duke was a foolish old man trying to relive his glory days with his ancient over the hill ex-wife. I laughed at his pathetic attempts to hold on to his youth. I just got a vcr copy on ebay and watched it with my 10 year old daughter. She couldn't understand the tears I cried while watching Duke, such a young man now, with a vibrant, beautiful ex-wife - finally getting up the courage to grasp out for his life long-dream, coming so close - and yet, so far...Just another run of the mill surfing movie? I don't think so. The pity is that most movies don't move us the way this one does, and that with just a little creativity, they could. **** out of ****

I've been looking for the title of this movie since San Luis Obispo County made Unocal clean up funky little Avila Beach. It seems a pipeline under the street from their oil terminal was leaking oil under the stand. This led to Unocal buying up most of the downtown and then selling or trading properties.

Back to how I found it. It played last year on one of the premium channels, but I couldn't recall the title. Then last week I saw Seymour Cassel co-starring in TV's new "HEIST" show on one of the networks. I recognized his face, but not his silver hair. It was blonde in California Dreaming, so I checked his bio and found the film.

I agree, I thought it was an early seventies film, not 1979. But then the old central coast town of Avila was timeless. Small beach, volleyball court sloped to the ocean, unpainted building on the corner where he lived was an abandoned property owned by an eccentric who held on to everything he owned.

All of the old Avila Beach is torn down now. Even the only historic building in town--the Custom House. The name now exists as a new restaurant down the street at the foot of the pier.

For those who want to see what a small California beach town once looked like, rent or buy "California Dreaming". It's all that's left of the once funky town of Avila, where no one has ever drowned playing in the local surf. Reason? There is very little undertow. The waves crash and take you back to the beach. Board surfing is non-existent.

I thought I was dreaming, "California Dreaming" that is, when I stumbled across this movie on cable early this morning. But the dream soon turned into a recurring nightmare. The movie itself was as good as I remembered it, but what happened to the outstanding version of The Mamas & The Papas song California Dreamin' performed by the 1970s band America.

I have considerable history with this movie. I saw it for the first time on cable in the early '80s. I thought it was a very enjoyable movie but it was the version of the song California Dreamin' that hooked me. I recollect putting a lot of time into trying to find the soundtrack. Alas, my efforts were futile.

A decade or so later I saw part of the movie again on cable. I was stoked about getting to hear this song again. I cranked up the volume and prepared to groove, but the song never appeared. I could not remember at what point in the movie this song played. I missed the first few minutes of the movie so I figured it must have been in the opening credits. This rekindled my desire to find the soundtrack. I searched for weeks, again to no avail.

Fast forward to this morning. I watched the movie end to end. But where was this damn song that has eluded me for decades? I began to wonder if I had imagined this song or maybe it was in a different movie.

The IMDb came to my rescue. After reading the user comments about this movie I thankfully realized I was not crazy. The soundtrack was apparently altered. I searched the Internet for the soundtrack but after all these years I still can't find it. I did, however, find the song. It is on the CD, America - The Complete Greatest Hits available on Amazon.com.

Closure at long last. Thank you IMDb and Amazon.com!!!

I have just recently seen this movie for the first time in almost 20 years. Originally, the final credits rolled while we heard the Eagles signing their great version of California Dreaming. But the current version has some mindless, goofy music at that point. I find it unbelievable that the movie California Dreaming no longer is shown containing the song of the same name.

This movie starts out like some light hearted goof. I thought it was going to be like caddyshack or meatballs or something. Then about half way through, I'm getting into it. It feels like a bunch of people I know, and its almost like hanging out with them.

As the movie winds down toward the end of summer, you can feel it like a kid who just wants 20 more minutes before he has to go to bed. The drama starts to creep into the comedy and you never see it coming. Finally, you get blindsided and before you know it, you're moved almost to tears.

Someone said it felt more like 75 than 79. I agree. It actually felt older than that, except for the cars.

Great movie.