By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Fyvush Finkel, center, readies for another take
of a scene for the series "Fantasy Island."

---

‘Fantasy’
draws media

National magazine
and TV coverage could mean
plenty of free advertising
for the state

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

The Hawaii-based television series "Fantasy Island" isn't airing for another month but already is getting the "hit" treatment from magazines and syndicated entertainment news programs.

In the last week, reporters and photographers for TV Guide, the E Channel and "Access Hollywood" have been here doing stories about the hourlong drama starring Malcolm McDowell. Entertainment Weekly magazine did its story a month ago and "Entertainment Tonight" is scheduled to come to Hawaii for a story airing sometime this month.

"The best news for the show and Hawaii is that the major critics in the largest markets have embraced 'Fantasy Island,' " said Paula Askanas, the show's publicist.

Critics for national publications such as Time, Newsweek and People have cautiously praised the new "Fantasy" for its familiarity, darker spin and McDowell's twist on the character created by Ricardo Montalban.

Last week's flood of media to the "Fantasy" set, including local newspapers and television stations, was organized by the studio to create "tremendous awareness" about the show before the late September premiere because there's a flood of new programs on the fall schedule, Askanas said. Secondly, the producers, Barry Sonnenfeld and Barry Josephson, and ABC, want to distance themselves from another '70s revival, "The Love Boat" on UPN.

The new "Love Boat" is essentially the same except for the actors and the decade. But the tagline in ABC's promotions for "Fantasy" is, "It's not the same old trip."

TV Guide, the nation's largest weekly magazine with a circulation of 13 million and nearly 40 million readers, did a photo shoot with McDowell and his co-stars at a windward beach location. The reporter spent two days interviewing the actors and producers for the story expected to run in early October, Askanas said.

"For a publication like TV Guide not only to cover a show before it airs but to go to the expense to come here as well is very remarkable," she said. When the show debuts, "Access Hollywood" plans to send an anchor to Hawaii for more stories, Askanas said. The E Channel spent three days here filming.

The photos shot for the TV Guide article were all taken in Hawaii. If purchased, such nationwide coverage for the state would cost $43,000 for a half-page black-and-white advertisement. A page of advertising in Entertainment Weekly, which shot its "Fantasy" pictures in Los Angeles, costs $50,000 to $60,000, Askanas said.

"Fantasy Island" will be broadcast in the United States, Germany, South America and India.

The studio also is considering promotional ties between the program and the state, and airline, food and beverage companies, Askanas said.

Though details are far from being worked out, Askanas suggested that Hawaii might offer trips to contest winners while the studio would provide exclusive access to the film set."The bottom line," Askanas said, "is we we want to help each other."