Hana hotel has
key role in new
‘Fantasy Island’
Filming for a TV pilot
By Tim Ryan
will be based on Oahu and also
travel to Kauai
Star-BulletinWAILUKU -- Residents in rural Hana are looking forward to the additional business generated by the film production of the new "Fantasy Island" pilot in their community of 2,000 residents.
"That will be very good business for us," said Lita Mahadocon, a supervisor for the Hana Ranch Restaurant.
She said the restaurant plans to provide breakfast and lunch for some 100 people who will be working on the pilot next month.
Harry Hasegawa, president of Hasegawa General Store, said he welcomes the business as long as it doesn't adversely affect the environment.
"If it works right, it will be nice for Hana," Hasegawa said.
He said the Hana Business Council of about 25 members will meet tomorrow with people organizing the production.
Hotel Hana Maui will be the key location and veteran actor Malcolm McDowell will star as Mr. Roarke in the hour-long ABC pilot "Fantasy Island," which begins filming April 6 on Oahu and April 14 on Maui.
Mayor Linda Lingle announced what could be Maui's first television series -- and its second pilot -- at a news conference this morning at the Maui Tropical Plantations during a Maui Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting.
It's been 14 years since pint-sized actor Herve Villechaize last offered his famous opening to the old Aaron Spelling Saturday night staple, which ABC has picked up for a remake. The original "Fantasy Island" ran on ABC from 1978 to 1984, starring Ricardo Montalban. As Mr. Roarke, he ran a tropical resort where guests could live out their fantasies. Villechaize, now deceased, played Roarke's sidekick, Tattoo.
The Columbia TriStar production will base its production team on Oahu "at least" for the pilot, but lots of principal photography will be done on Maui, with second-unit filming -- that means without actors -- on Kauai, said Greg Prange, "Fantasy Island" producer.
"The primary location (of 'Fantasy Island') is Hotel Hana Maui," said Maui Film Commissioner Georja Skinner.
Larry Mayo, general manager of the hotel, said a good portion of the resort property will be used during the two weeks of filming.
A centerpiece in the pilot is expected to be the resort's Plantation House, once occupied by a sugar plantation manager. The hotel, with 93 rooms, employs a little more than 200 people.
"I'm very happy they're coming here," Mayo said.
"It has been a little slow. It's a good shot in the arm."
Maui can expect to have one week of filming for each episode if the show is selected by the network as a series, Skinner said. Six additional episodes of "Fantasy Island" optioned by ABC would be filmed in Hawaii July through October and broadcast in the fall.
The pilot will be filmed on Oahu April 6-12 then move to Maui April 14-18; second-unit filming on Kauai will be April 21-22.
"Fantasy Island" would be the first television series in Hawaii history to be filmed on three islands, a logistically difficult and tremendously expensive venture.
"We needed a special look, and it doesn't solely exist on one island," Prange said. "For one thing, the 'Fantasy Island' resort is supposed to be the only one in the middle of an island."
The production also will film in Los Angeles on the actual "Jeopardy" set, a plan that was already scheduled, Prange said.
"Creatively, filming in so many locations is what is best for the show," he said.
"But logistically it's the hardest thing I've ever done."
Skinner said the difficulties in filming on three islands, primarily financial, is "a major reason why we really need the support of the business community and government."
"TV shows don't have a lot of money, contrary to popular belief, and we feel helping this would be a good investment. We're trying to arrange the best deals with airlines, hotels, and inter-island shipping companies."
When the production films on Maui, it will hire about 10 area crew members out of about 70, including 30 from Honolulu, Skinner said.
Neither Skinner nor Prange would say how much the pilot would cost, but generally Hawaii pilots have cost from about $1.1 million to $3 million.
When on Maui, the cast and crew will stay at the Hotel Hana Maui and other area accommodations. Another major location will be in the La Perouse area.
Co-stars are expected to be cast within a week. However, Villechaize's character Tattoo will not be replaced. Two new characters will take his place, Prange said.
McDowell has starred in numerous stage productions and films including "Clockwork Orange," "Blue Thunder," "Time After Time," "Star Trek: Generations," and "Tankgirl."
