The Dark Knight Rises
Trip Start
May 16, 2011
1
108
203
Trip End
Jul 31, 2012
Where I stayed
Santa Monica, California
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Batman moves in downtown ... Every hero has a journey
Today we are back in downtown LA. More to see and do that we didn't manage on our bus tour yesterday ... this damn place is so big it's untrue, however being a Saturday we are hoping the city will be empty and the beaches busy instead ... we are correct.
After our long express bus ride into town (you can't get anywhere here quickly that's for sure!) we are dropped off on the edge of the Jewellery district, somewhere I'm not too keen to hang around.
It's a short walk into Pershing Square, the hub of historic Downtown, LA's first park and now a post modern concrete patch with public art.
Then up to Grand Central market with it's sawdust-sprinkled floor, where we grab some cooked food. It was yummy, but I made sure my was cooked in front of me, nice and fresh like!! All sorts of nationalities mingle and rub shoulders here ... a very different scene to up market Santa Monica.
It a short ride on Angeles Fight and then a wander through the empty Financial District (which I'm sure is bustling during the week).
It's as we are walking down Grand Avenue that we hit upon a film crew and a snow dressed scene in the middle of summer! A chat with a friendly young man whilst I get an eyeball from a remote controlled camera ... that literally looks me up and down ... I kid you not ... and we are informed that they are filming "Magnus Rex" and we need to clear the street.
Wanting to hang around and see what's happening we take our time at clearing the street ... only to have what looks like a Batcycle / Batpod pushed right past us. I get a quick photo before we are told to stop. A quick consultation with Sarah's other half by text and we learn that "Magnus Rex" is the working title for "The Dark Knight Rises". The third and final installment in Nolan's Batman film series, sequel to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Hell yeah!
Apparently the premise is that following the death of District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman assumes responsibility for Dent's crimes in order to protect his reputation and is subsequently hunted by the Gotham City Police Department. Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Batman must return to face the villain Bane, who seeks to destroy Gotham, and discover the truth regarding the "enigmatic" Selina Kyle...
Eventually we move on, to discover more film crews, catering and stunt cabins and a very friendly policeman at the edge of a closed street.
Next up is a walk around the Walt Disney Concert Hall, a gravity defining sculptured building of stainless-steel walls. Oh and a great view from the summit over Grand Aveune and the filming crews.
A pit-stop for cake and a drink in the Museum of Contemporary Art as well as a look through the gift shop ... a great selection of books ... and we leave the film crews behind to head back to Santa Monica.
p.s. As much as I tried to spy, there was no sighting of Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman or Gary Oldman ... oh well, maybe next time.
