POSTERAMA 11
Gather 'round, children! Today's poster is a goodie... Rainbow Caverns! This much-missed feature was originally part of the "Rainbow Caverns Mine Train"; for the first few years, you traveled through a bit of the Rainbow Desert, finishing with a trip through the glowing, magical caverns.
When the attraction was expanded and renamed "Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland" in 1960, I can only assume that this poster design was retired, since Nature's Wonderland got its own poster extolling all of the new wonders to be seen. Does anybody know if the caverns were expanded as well, or did they stay more or less the same? In any case, this is a scarce poster that I am very happy to have.
Here's it is, looking pretty awesome... the mine train and its passengers are reduced to an energetic line drawing, almost as if they are rim-lit. And of course everyone is oooo-ing and aaaa-ing over the colorful spectacle that was Rainbow Caverns. Notice the union "bug" in the lower right corner, found only on early posters.
As part of my black light experiment (they're still talking about it at the Université de Paris), I took another photo - a 25 second exposure - using ultraviolet light. And while it looked kind of neat glowing in that unique manner, I have to admit that it really works better under ordinary white light. C'est la vie! 
15 comments:
Aaaawesome! What an energetic, vibrant poster this is. In any spectra. ;) Excellent illustration. Captures the action of going into this amazing scene.
Love those richly saturated colors! One of my fave posters—simple yet very effective.
Sometimes less is more, and this poster is WAY more! I think if a design like this was submitted for an attraction today it would be quickly dismissed.
Wowie! It does look better under normal light, but looks great either way! Capt. TL is right, this would be dismissed today since it has no dream clouds or pixie dust!!!
Thanks Major, I know these are not easy to photograph, your time & effort is much appreciated.
You have received the Award of Excellence! Fantastic poster.
That CM has a mustache --- and it's a BIKER fu-man-chu. Report him!
Spectacular, and like the other Disneyland posters a rare case of truth in advertising, since the spirit of the ride is exactly conveyed through simple shapes and a few colors.
Originally many of the cavern's stalactites and rock formations were plywood cutout "flats", as in the Fantasyland dark rides; they were made 3-dimensional for the '60 expansion.
Hmmmm....I dunno, Major.
I think the blacklight effect REALLY captures the look or feeling of the attraction itself.
I LOVE the way the blue line characters look highlighted under super dark conditions as if they are only rim-lit by the glow of the cascade pools.
How does the effect look in person?
My poster is rolled up but if it looks anything like the glow in your time lapse pic, I'll have to frame it up and fire up a blacklight!
Thanks for doing this neat experiment!!!
Picklebarrel, it looks nice under the blacklight, although only the pink and the yellow really fluoresce - the other colors merely reflect the blue/violet of the blacklight.
I mentioned the rim light effect in my text, I agree that it looks just like it!
Of the posters I've tested so far, I think the Space Station X-1 looks the most impressive under ultraviolet light!
Jealous! Fantastic poster and fantastic photography work!
great work, Major. this is one of my favorites as well :D
Thanks Matterhorn! And thanks Nancy!
Seriously, one of the top-five posters ever. I mean...ever...of anything. Anywhere.
Droooooooool.
My most wanted poster that I never managed to pick up (back when I could afford such extravagances)... I'll still keep my 20K & Mansion - but I could be easily talked into a trade for my 70s Jungle Cruise that hung in the park!
When I was a kid, riding through the Rainbow Caverns was one of the highlights of any Disneyland trip. I especially liked the way they made the little rivers of water separate from each other so the colors wouldn't mix. The poster seems almost blacklight lit even when it's not!
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