Snoozles™! You know the drill. Seeing this first scan (from a slide dated "November, 1961"), it's clear why it's a Snoozle, having been drained of all color except for pink and a trace of yellow. It's not great, Bob.
But I decided, what the heck, why not try to do a little Photoshoppin'? It helped a bit. The photo was taken from the Disneyland RR - I appreciate that the somebody was moved to try to capture the Mark Twain as it churned along the west side of the Rivers of America - but the timing was off.
From July, 1972 comes this very pink (but not due to fugitive dyes) photo from The Enchanted Tiki Room. It's not terrible, per se, but the angle is odd, and it takes a moment to figure out what's what. I can't help hearing "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing" in my mind when looking at this picture!
Mark Twain Butt and Bird Butts…there is a theme here, I think.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Major, for today’s fun pics!
Major-
ReplyDeleteThe Enchanted Tiki Room has not aged well with me. On the other hand, I can still remember quite vividly to this day being there in June, 1963, watching the outdoor pre-show and looking-about in the theater at the many features of the entire show and being spellbound.
So, even for this guest, Disney clearly did something right-!
Thanks, Major.
"The timing was off"... Looks like the timing and the faded color were the least of this photo's problems. It's the motion blur that probably sent this pic to the Snoozle bin. Motion blur can add to a photo's appeal, if it's not too bad. But there's just too much here. The photographer should've told the engineer/driver/train guy to stop the train so he could get a decent picture. ;-p What is that structure sticking up in the background? Pretty good shot of Injun Joe's front door.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I have to agree with you on the 2nd pic. It's very difficult to tell what the heck we're looking at! It's pretty and artistic, but... At first I saw only one bird (Susette), finally I could see a couple more. The thumbnail looks like a dancing shrimp with a Carmen Miranda fruit-laden headpiece.
Sue, Major is going to remind you that this is a Family Blog. :-D
Nanook, the part of the Tiki Room I remember most is the clickity-clacking, carved chanting Tikis on the corners of the walls.
Fun Snoozles today, Major. Thanks.
Something fishy in that first picture. Is that a nasa guy on the other side of the river by the cave entrance? What would he be doing there? I smell sabotage!
ReplyDeleteJawohl! It's Offenbach! ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreat work on the color restoration, Major!
ReplyDeleteJB, that might be one end of the suspension bridge visible over the crest of the hill.
TM!, you stay offen my back and I’ll stay offen yours!
Great work on photo 1, Major. I can’t even find the keys to photoshop much less use it. I like this photo for the nice view of Injun Joe’s Cave, back when it still had that “New Cave Smell”.
ReplyDeleteAnd photo 2 is a very fine rendition, difficult result back before our modern whiz-bang digital photos. I’m a big fan of the Tiki Room, lots of history, corny humor, beautiful setting, short wait, Dole Whip, air conditioning, and you can sit during the show. A classic Disney experience not to be missed.
Thanks for these photos, Major. A good start to the day!
JG
Lou and Sue, I guess there IS a theme!
ReplyDeleteNanook, the thing I love about the Tiki Room is that it is like taking a time machine back to 1963, I’m so glad that the attraction is still there. And I love the 60 year old choral arrangements!
JB, yes, that first slide had many problems. Perfect for Snoozles though. I’d say that motion blur works about 1% of the time, otherwise it’s just another thing I wish wasn’t there. I’m not sure what that structure is! Could it be part of the suspension bridge? I can’t remember if it has tall poles at either end. I’m impressed that you remembered the name of Susette, I sure didn’t. That photo does make me hungry for shrimp cocktail. The clickity-clacking is part of the charm as far as I’m concerned!
Budblade, I figured that the “NASA guy” is just a guest with a white dress shirt, it happened back in those days. But maybe it was a real NASA guy preparing to experience an alien environment.
TokyoMagic!, there’s nothing more “tiki” than the French can-can!
Chuck, the color came out “just OK”, but I’m happy enough with it. Aha, confirmation that the structure could be related to the suspension bridge!
JG, I remember talking to a friend about Photoshop, and he said, “Is there a Photoshop on MY computer?”. Um, no. Although these days one could purchase a much-cheaper option. I still haven’t found anything that does all of what Photoshop does, plus I am somewhat comfortable with all the key commands. I understand that the Tiki Room is pretty “creaky” these days, but I still love it.
Budblade, you are right! While everything else is a blur, the mysterious man at the cave is captured perfectly. It shows the skills of the photographer. He must have been a sniper in WW2. -- Sheesh! All those birdies flapping their wings and singing granny songs. Bring on the drumming Tikis! Thanks for the effort Major! - Omnispace
ReplyDeleteThe color restoration is fantastic. I tried using an AI filter to make it better, and you actually did a better job! How great to see such an old rustic photo of the banks of Frontierland, it looks very authentic...even with the wire "do not step on the flowers" borders. Even in '61 it looks quite rural, and I'm sure the air was still resplendent of orange blossoms near by. Let's all sing like the birdies sing! YES! That's my favorite part of the show...so well orchestrated....and I loved all those pretty white birds floating down from the ceiling....right before rainstorms and the Tiki's scared me. Such a wonderful show, and please don't touch it "New Crew". Please. There are some things that are sacred, AND historic: both in art and in technology. Thanks Major for the most snoozely Sunday's!
ReplyDeleteThe majority of the Tiki Room show guests enjoy today is from the overhaul - rebuild for 2005. So if it’s “creaky” is about 20 years creaky. Very little of it is from 1963. But I guess 20 years is a long time . There were effects and lighting that were restored for 2005 … some which had not been working at all in the 80’s and 90’s. The sound system is also better than anything previously used , and with the exception of the removal of the OFFENBACH segment ( this was the point many guests were walking out of the show in later years ) the show you see today is probably closer to the 1963 show than anything guests were seeing in the 80’s and 90’s.
ReplyDeleteOmnispace, now that I look closer, I’m pretty sure that’s Jimmy Hoffa! “Granny songs”, whaaat? “Hawaiian War Chant”, a classic by any metric. That does have the drumming tikis, admittedly.
ReplyDeleteBu, what do you use for an AI filter? There are so many out there. I’ve tried one or two, with unsatisfactory results. I used to have some color-correction filters made by Kodak (MANY years ago), those things were amazing. I was very sad when they no longer worked with my newer computer. I realize that loving the rinky-dinkness of early Disneyland is a symptom of my nerdy fandom, today’s crowds would laugh or mock those features. As I said earlier, one of my biggest reasons for loving the Tiki Room is that it is such an artifact from the Walt years. Yes, it’s had some changes, but overall it feels the same. Wally Boag, Thurl Ravenscroft, etc… a true classic.
Mike Cozart, I know that the Tiki Room show was overhauled, but (without having been to the attraction in 1963) it still feels very much like the show that I heard on a record album that my friend Ronnie Smith had. Every time I read that the Tiki Room is undergoing a refurb, I’m so glad that it is still with us. FOR NOW. Anything can happen, but I will continue to sit on those padded benches and enjoy some vintage goodness.
Major, there is no way in heck I would've known Susette's name if it weren't written on the plaque under her perch. ;-)
ReplyDelete