20K
It was just a coincidence, but I had planned on posting these images for about a week. But Daveland posted his own amazing images yesterday, so it's a nice tie-in!
My Viewmaster collection doesn't get much love these days, since my obsessive desire to get every variation available has abated. Somewhat. I did manage to get many very rare packets, but there are still a few that continue to elude me! Anyway, I had scanned these images from the first Tomorrowland packet (which has an entire reel devoted to the 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea walk-thru attraction) a long time ago, and forgot to post 'em. So here you go!
Here's Captain Nemo's distinctive pipe organ. Whoever came up with the idea of the organ's pipes arranged in that fan shape was a genius! When nobody was around, old Nemo liked to come down and play "Polly Wolly Doodle" and "Beautiful Dreamer". He wasn't always surly! Most of you know that this organ survives (minus those pipes) in the Haunted Mansion.
When Cap'n Nemo had to write home to mom, he did it here. "My underwear made from seaweed has left me terribly chafed, mama". One of my favorite scenes from the book. Those books are for show, he hasn't read a single one of them, the big showoff! His sea chest had many well-worn issues of "Mad" magazine, and that's nothing to be ashamed of.
The GIANT SQUID! There aren't too many color images of this famous guy, who is well-remembered by anybody lucky enough to have experienced this attraction. I, unfortunately, never saw it. I think I see wires in this picture, probably the ones that made the tentacles flop up and down menacingly. Is it possible that the squid just wanted to be friends? Poor squiddy.
12 comments:
I wish Disneyland still had neat exhibits like this.
Nice scans. Good job.
Wow you extracted a lot from those tiny viewmaster frames, nice work! I have this reel, but somehow it looks much better looking at your scans on my PC, now if I just had 3D on the computer....
Great scans, Matterhorn!
I really appreciate all of the work that you do!
ooops!
Apologies...got my favorite Vintage Disneyland guys confused!
Thanks Major!
Great photos! I have these View-master reels too. It was always my fav exhibit. I always liked it when the Tomorrowland space man would stand in the shadows of the exhibit (in the dive suit room) as though he was part of the display. Then, when some cute girls would go by, he would do the "Frankenstein" thing, and the screams would echo.
I'm glad everybody liked these photos, especially since they are kind of a cheat!
Great memory, coxpilo, thank you for sharing it!
It would be cool if Viewmaster put out a book some time with all of their fantastic images; I wonder if the original negs are around and in any kind of decent condition?
Excellent scans, major! Brings back great memories of TL '55.
Truly fantastic viewmaster pics. You'll have to explain sometime how you get these to come out so good. (If you don't mind) :-)
This was an attraction that truly mezmorized me when I first saw it. As did most all of Tomorrowland at the time, it was fantastic. Thanks Major.
The 20K walk through was a great exhibit because you could linger as you went. Sort of like walking through a dark ride. I sure remember the "diving" room with the water overflowing the access "tube". BTW, if you haven't seen the 20K DVD with the rare footage you gotta get it. The scenes of them filming the squid fight in the storm are unbelievable! Wind machines, wave machines, and all in a Disney sound stage. Whoa Nelly!
Great Pictures!
Here is a tidbit of info for View-Master fans. Charles Harrison was recently awarded a lifetime achievement award for design, which included designing the original 1958 View-Master.
You can see it here:
http://www.nationaldesignawards.org/2008/honoree/charles-harrison
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