Eastern Sierra residents can check out the film's DVD from any Mono Country library. I'm the curator of the "Mono in the Movies" collection. Here's my notes on the film: "All the ship deck scenes were shot in a flooded sound stage, so the stars were never at Mono Lake. In the volcano sequence, the long shots were two volcano sets actually built on islets in Mono Lake. The lakeside villages are sets that were matted (combining of two different filmed images, the lake on the top, and the villages on the bottom) or small models (shot close range to appear full size against the lake’s backdrop.) Notice the switching of locations, from lakeshore to ocean shore. Fred MacMurray often joked with the cast, “Why am I in this picture?” It was the Indiana Jones film of its time, from a matinee-producing studio known for only two things; action and special effects. In this film you get both, and that’s it. Filmed in “Trucolor,” Mono Lake’s dramatic scenery was the most noted feature of this film, although the flogging of the woman love slave raised a few eyebrows at the time."
I loved this, in fact all of the Mona lake stuff. I can't get out like used to. I had 3 kids (who are all in their 30s and 40s now) and we went on little adventures every where ! We lived in a small town in Utah up in the mountains and went all over the western US, It shaped who they are today, Kind, enviromently concious and parents of their own children who are the same! I had a bad surgen put a hole in my colen during a opperation a few years back and then I became septic. It damaged all my major organs and left me barely alive. I can't get out and go like I used to. Even a trip to the store kills me. They said I would only live 2 to 5 years, that was 8 years ago. I always knew my bullheadedness would work in my favor one day ! Your movies ( I call them that because they are beautifly produced ) give me so much wonderful pleasure !!!!!!!!! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart !!!!!!
Thanks for posting. I spent the Summer of 1967 doing geological research out there. The "volcano" was still intact then and had a huge furnace under it. Great memories of the area!
Another strange thing about Mono Lake you have found, wow who would have thunk it! The sanitorium was so strange, this was cool information as always. Thank you again for a fun video.
That was great Wonder Hussey, a most excellent adventure. I first went to Mono Lake and Bodie in 1977, but I have to say you really added a new perspective of the terrain for me to enjoy, thanks again. Damn that was fun.
Another fun video! Thanks! Remember when you said you wish you could travel like this all the time to explore all over? It looks like you made it. Good for you!
I attended a graduation ceremony for the sister of a friend at Marymount High School in the late 1960s. This was a girl's high school on Sunset Blvd. across the street from UCLA. We craned our necks to look for Fred Mac Murray, who had a daughter in the school and was allegedly going to attend for our friend's benefit, but dude never showed. Anyway, another great one WH!
Wow ,early snow 2 yrs in a row. I remember that movie, was pretty cheezy! Planning on riding past Mono lake in April. Hope it's warm by then ! Nice vid.
As mentioned in a few other comments,Clint Eastwood’s classic High Plains Drifter was filmed there. Still one of my all time favourite movies. Thanks Sarah for documenting this area a little bit. Cheers to you from Calgary Alberta Canada.
Who would have thought! Clint Eastwood made a movie at Mono Lake called High Plains Drifter in 1973. They built an entire town set on the edge of the lake and then when it was all finished they had to take it all down. They moved a lot of the buildings to Bishop where they sat for a while before being dismantled.
I was to the site of the High Plains Drifter set on Mono Lake a couple of years ago. You can find rusty nails, broken glass, pieces of burnt wood, etc from the movie set. I'm not big into that kind of thing but I love the movie and visiting the site was pretty cool.
And now the volcano in a movie would be some CGI piece of shit. People should buy my "Impact" a James Grider novel on Amazon so I can afford to visit a lake.
I'd seen that tower in assorted photos over the years, but they were from a distance and never showed detail. I had always thought it was some sort of leftover from quarrying lava rock. Thanks so much for your great video.
Whenever you hike in flip-flops you might krakatoa! - Fred MacMurray's best film was "Double indemnity" in 1944. One of the best Film Noirs ever made. - Sam Adams & WD-40 the Breakfast of Champions!
Thank you WH,Fantastic.Stay safe n warm...Lol on you thinking this is the weirdest thing you seen.You will have to start pulling them in Memory folders .You are such a cool Traveling Lady.!!:-)TY73s
wow!all the times i’ve been to mono lake and never knew about this,especially since i’m a motion picture tech up here in vancouver bc. you have no idea how much i’ve explored of ca,as,nv,wa,or and other states. luuuuuuv the desert! i grew up in the canadian version. i always enjoy when you go to a place i’ve been before😊 next time i’m at mono lake i’m bringing my kayak😉
A Good Video. Thanks for taking us on a trip to Mono Lake Volcano. In their cupboard they had an empty Samuel Adams lager Beer bottle. Samuel Adams does brew Good Beers.. Now time for a cold bottle of Beer. !
That island is a REAL volcano. It's all thick viscous type lava. The most recent eruption in rhat area was a little more than 250 years ago. Mono Lake is part of an active volcanic system that includes the Inyo and Mono chains of craters, Mammoth Mountain, and the Long Valley Caldera where the town of Mammoth Lakes sits right in the middle of it, and right on top of the resugent dome on US highway 395, which crosses the middle of the caldera and the resurgent dome. Mammoth Mountain's most recent eruption was about 600 years ago. There was also a period of elevated volcanic unrest of that system in the early 1980s. A future eruption of that general system would break highway 395.
Those can opener holes were made by the kind of can opener a Boy Scout knife has. Just kind of a blade with a hook that grips under the rim. Usually has a flat screwdriver on the tip.
Yeah, that's an old flat top steel beer can alright and I'll bet you are right about what was used to puncture it. That's what I used to open them in my misspent youth. lol
Great vignette thanks for exploring the wonders in our backyard of America. BTW hows the 4 Runner been treating you? From the vlog so far looks good from this angle!
Wow u did a lot at mono lake ! :) Such a nice ride. U need to go to the alabama hills, its just west of Lone Pine. lots of history, western movies, commercials filmed there. I drive up the 395 all the time my parents live in Minden. I'm in L.A.
You're so young. Indeed a beer can, The holes were made by the hook shaped part of a pen knife, the "can opener", no pop tops back then. Also the Miro pot was most likely the bottom part of a pressure cooker. I can see how that could be used as a smoke generator. Any old fart can answer at lot of these questions. BTW on the Majave Road trip Those cans you found were a C Ration meal/ the little can was peanut butter, jelly, or cheese. The 'tinned meat ' was exactly that. should have been one more can.
My favorite endorheic lake. At one time it was larger and much higher at one time as the white rocks called tufa towers are the remains of fresh water from the surrounding mountains and the alkaline water mixed that was once from the Pacific Ocean which was far inland here millions of years ago. Nice finding a campsite there.
Wonder Hussy Rocks.....Love all your vids.....When are you doing the haunted hotel in Goldfield......I've been there and it's pretty well preserved. The hotel closed in 1945!A local has the key and will let you go in.....
I have drove by this lake several times on the way to Bridgeport etc. You would never think that much went on there. That "volcano" probably would have made a great Duck Blind.
The weird holes in the can were from an implement you would need to drink a beer backthen. There would have been no pop tops. The tool would hook onto the lip of the can andmake a v shaped opening. Usually people would make one on the opposite side to makethe beer (or soda) flow smoothly. The pop tops that we have today have a tapered ovalshape that allow for air to come into the can to allow for the liquid displacement.
Wonder Hussy, wanted to check in to see if you were ok and send all or love and prayers from Portland Oregon. This is the only social media I have to check on you. Hope all is well. It'll be reassuring to see your face. Maybe you aren't even in town but I wanted to check in just on case. Much LOVE!
I'd love to get some friends with supplies of chicken wire, plaster, paint finish the build of the Volcano and reinforce the platform and water proof the volcano and hidden shack, add hidden look out windows that blend in, as so not to be seen,
Two knife slits on one side, one on the other. Makes for a vent/pour arrangement. I’m gonna guess that it was a can of evaporated milk for coffee creamer, NOT a can someone would drink out of. Like you said, triangular opening for drinking from can. The slits allow dispensing a small amount.
If I drop a can on the ground out there and not pick it up the gov can give me a bad wedgie. But if holly wood drops a volcano and leaves it that is A O K ?!?! Dude! Thanks for the video Hussy ;)
