Snoozles, April 1973
After a few days of frantic scanning (accompanied by the music from the opening credits of "Psycho") I was a bit perturbed to find so many Snoozles™ in the mix. As a rule, many tended to be too dark for some reason. I have enough Snoozles to satisfy the nation's demand for several months (let's try to find that silver lining)!
Here's a perfect example. Who wouldn't want a cute photo of Pooh-bear in the plaza in front of the park? He's everybody's pal! But seeing him lurking in the shadows, shrouded in semi-darkness, he looks a little scary. At first I thought that he had a knife in his right hand. Behind him is a souvenir stand full of wondrous treasures, but we can't really tell what's what.
Mickey Mouse avoids the direct sunshine, indicating that he is probably a "daywalker" - a vampire who can go to the dry cleaners and 7-11, as long as he steers clear of direct sunlight. Right after this photo was taken, his hand slipped out of the shadows, and there was a distinct sizzling sound, and the aroma of fried mouse. But he carried on like a trouper! At first I thought he was in front of the Bank of America, but that round window to the right can only be in front of the Hills Bros. Coffee House.
17 comments:
Major-
It would appear the young lady in the 2nd image has brought her groovy autograph book to Disneyland for Mickey to provide his signature. (The last time I was heading to Disneyland I discovered too late I had sent my autograph book to the cleaners. Silly me-!)
Thanks, Major.
"Behind him is a souvenir stand full of wondrous treasures, but we can't really tell what's what."
Silly Major, you underestimate your Jr. Gorillas. I can see O'Malley and Duchess stuffed animals in two different spots, and possibly their kittens in a couple locations. Stuffed Eyesore is lurking on a shelf, too, along with decorative plates of the castle (I believe). I know others will recognize more.
Major, I'm impressed you recognize the location of that second image, by just a window. It's like how Mike recognizes a location by a paint chip.
Am looking forward to the comments for today's creepy snoozles. I'll check back.
Thanks, Major.
Don't let the cuddly bear with the happy smile deceive you! He's hopped up on hunny, and he (maybe) has a knife! The slurry is flowing pink with the blood of his victims. (Switch from the opening credits music of "Psycho" to the shower scene music.) TOO LATE! HE'S SEEN US!!!
The fact that Pooh is so far back in the photo, with all that emptiness in the lower half of the pic, and Pooh being off center really adds to the malevolent look of the photo.
Ah yes, the disinctive odor of "fried mouse". I'm sure we're all familiar with it, so no need to describe it. Looks like he's signing autographs [as Nanook noted]. I guess the CM is looking out through Mickey's mouth. But the view must be very limited, making the signature pretty scrawly. I wonder what it looks like?
Sue, to the left of O'Malley Cat and the kittens(?), I think I see Donald. And to the left of him, Tigger (or maybe Pooh, sans knife).
Fun Snoozles to make fun of. Thanks, Major.
JB, I do believe you are right about those stuffed critters.
That drain grate [or whatever it is] adds nicely to the photo composition, too.
Pooh looks like he's standing in a nest of spiders.
Side note: I once found myself standing in a 'disturbed' nest of MANY daddy-long-legs. Am serious. It's the stuff that nightmares are made of.
OK.....my last comment before I'm calling it 'a night':
That bee looks psycho!
I don't think that's a knife in Pooh's hand. Everyone knows that he prefers to use an ice pick. In addition to the souvenir items that Sue and JB pointed out, we can also see one of the Disneyland "wall maps" posted on the back wall of the souvenir stand (left side).
JB, the cast member would look out through Mickey's eyes! It looks like that boy with the glasses is holding the Fall-Winter '72-'73 Disneyland Guidebook, which had the Country Bear Jamboree artwork on it's cover.
Ooops, make that the right side of the souvenir stand, for the Disneyland wall map!
That bee looks psycho!
Sue, from this angle, the bee looks like a Muppet! It definitely looks like a different bee figure, than the one in Major's post from this past Thursday.
Has anyone seen that horror movie "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey"? It's really bad. Truly bad. Not even a so bad it's good bad. Just plain bad.
Thanks for the pics, Major.
Be wary of bears with inane smiles and no pants, who can’t spell.
That drainage grate offends me, either that or the paving pattern must change!
Just imagine the EBay prices today of the stuff in that booth. The mind reels, who needs Bitcoin when we have gate flyers!
Mmm, fried mouse. My favorite, goes great with coffee! Yes, that is definitely the wall near the Hills Brothers Coffee garden. That general area was a meet and greet location from early days. There’s a gate to backstage close by, so the characters in cumbersome outfits have a short escape route.
Thanks Major!
JG
Good eyes on the Hills Brothers facade which was not in front of the Garden but associated with the building entrance facing Main Street. During busy season, that area would be filled with chairs and tables and a separate waitress station for service. As for Winnie, he could have made his exit going down the drain. Now that's one for Imagineers to conjure up! KS
Nanook, I’ve never really understood the concept of getting characters’ autographs, but I guess it’s harmless enough.
Lou and Sue, ha, I admit that I did not try very hard to ID the merch! Plus I forgot that the white cat in “The Aristocats” was named “Duchess”. It’s been a while. Decorative plates of the Castle… I once bought an example from the 60s, and have regretted it ever since. I see dozens of them on eBay, always listed as “rare”. I think I’ll take mine to the local thrift shop. Recognizing that round window is not that big of a deal, since it had to be somewhere on Main Street, and there aren’t that many options!
JB, so the denizens of the Hundred Acre Wood have pink blood?? Hmmm. I guess it checks out from a medical perspective (yes, I am a doctor). I think another reason Pooh looks weirdly menacing is that there is nobody near him, as if people are frightened. Where are the little kids who just want a hug? I think the CM in Mickey Mouse looks through the eye holes, but I am not totally sure. It would still be a very limited view.
Lou and Sue, for a while you could not avoid Pooh-related toys, especially plush dolls. To the point where people complained about it online! Wow, I’ve never seen a nest of daddy long-legs spiders, much less stood in one! It makes me itch just thinking about it.
Lou and Sue, we are not seeing the bee at his best.
TokyoMagic!, I like using ice picks, there is a certain elegance, as many would admit. I wonder if I have a 1973 wall map? I have a bunch, but I know I am missing some too. Wow I did not even attempt to identify the little Guidebook, good job!
TokyoMagic!, hey, getting left and right mixed up is MY thing!
TokyoMagic!, I can’t see the bee clearly enough to tell if he is different… I think he kind of blends in with the background, making him look more muppet-like.
K. Martinez, no, I haven’t seen it, I was sure it would be terrible! Now it is confirmed. Isn’t there a Steamboat Willie slasher out there too?
JG, the “no pants” thing is no big deal, pants just slow you down. Even Carl Sagan agreed. I can’t be too offended by the drainage grate, we’ve seen rare photos of extremely rainy days at Disneyland, with semi-flooded streets. I’m sure there was some now-valuable stuff in that souvenir stand, but it also looks like there is a LOT of plush dolls. I wouldn’t pay a dollar for one of those, even in “mint condition”! You’ll still find characters doing meet and greets near the same location where Mickey is in photo #2, though usually the characters are more to the east, near the gate that takes people backstage.
Pooh for President! YES! When it was slow, there was very often characters roaming around solo looking for people to play with. I also saw the Aristocats plushies..."which cats get to sleep on velvet mats?". I love the competitive response to Dalmatians with the Aristocats...everyone gets a movie! Even rats! AND mice of course! I really prefer this Mickey to today's kind of "possessed" looking Mickey...and it's not JUST because I like all the old stuff! Mickey used to be quite the humble ambassador....and it seems now he's jumping all over the place and nodding his head and waving his arms around....I prefer humility over "over-posing"....just my .02. I wouldn't call these Snoozles per se....there are some good things in here...AND in focus....and if I really tried, I could go on about the red concrete, and trees (I remember that one...) fretwork and gingerbread, Pooh in court fighting harassment (real story)...crowds or the lack thereof....vinyl autograph books...grout...Hills Bros/Egg House....old school souvenirs or "Sulveneers" as some people call them....or brochures or "Bro-Kewers" as some people call them....all true Disneyland stories. Thanks Major for the Snoozle Sunday!
I can convince myself I see a plush King Louie among the souvenirs, were those a thing? Almost everyone else is wearing sunglasses, so of course Mickey is avoiding the blazing sun. I had missed looking at Friday’s post, but wanted to pass on that the little girl’s wiener dog dress matches Pee-Wee Herman’s pajamas! Thanks, Major.
https://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Pajama-Party.jpeg?w=800
@ Kathy!-
Look at you... a Pee-wee Herman 'scholar'-! Thanks for the link.
Hi, Kathy! Yes, plush King Louie's were definitely sold in Disneyland at that time.
"I’ve never seen a nest of daddy long-legs spiders, much less stood in one! It makes me itch just thinking about it."
Major, I realized it once they were scrambling up my face, to the top of my head. Am serious.
Kathy, OMG! You're right, same wiener dog pattern!
Sue, the spiders just wanted to be friendly.
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