Storybook Land Snoozles™, March 1961
I've been scanning slides from a box that seems to have a lot of duds (unfortunately); especially this batch from March, 1961. They've been blurry (a lot of them!), or poorly-composed (kind of a lot of them, too). I almost wonder if they weren't taken by a child with a camera. Anyway, Here are three Storybook Land photos that are lousy!
"Up ahead, you'll see where the Three Little Oinks lived. There's the house of sticks, and the house of bricks, and one Oink ate his house, which happened to be a house of pancakes". (Guests in the boat mutter to each other in amazement - "Pancakes? Well I never!"). You can tell that the fellow to the right is can't stop thinking about his TPS reports... double-spaced, perfect indents and margins... things of beauty!
"Next we see Geppetto's Village, which the toymaker rules with a wooden fist. The streets are deserted because they are afraid that if Mr. G sees them, they'll be iced". (More excited murmuring from the guests. "My Uncle Leonard was iced!").
Never take a photo if it 1/3 of it is going to be the backs of people's heads, OK? Listen to your pal, the Major. "To the left I'm sure you'll recognized the village where Cinderella lived with her wicked stepsisters, Monkey-wrench Mary and Head-lock Harriet" - yes, they were both professional wrestlers". (Gasps from nearby: "Wrestling is the Greatest Sport, everyone says so!").
9 comments:
Major-
(Gasps from nearby: "Wrestling is the Greatest Sport, everyone says so!")
Everyone knows it's Roller Derby - please-!
Thanks, Major.
“house of pancakes”
I see what you did there, Major! :oD
Those miniature gondolas fit perfectly, in that scene!
No pumpkin! Definitely a lousy shot.
Thanks, Major.
I've never noticed this before in similar photos, but at that distance, the Skyway (second pic) looks in perfect scale with the miniature mountains.....almost like a ski lift or gondola ride up into the mountains.
Nanook, I remember clicking by Roller Derby on Sundays (never watched it), and it was taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center, across the street from Disneyland. I wonder if it was being televised "live"?
Well, at least the people in the boat aren't blurry. I guess that's something. You can look at this photo two different ways: 1) The people in the boat are taking up too much of the composition and distracting from the carefully crafted miniature scenes in the background. Or, 2) Those blurry things in the background are distracting from the nice people in the boat.
Ooh! This is actually a nice one! As Sue and Tokyo! mentioned, It looks just like real-life aerial gondolas making their way over a village in the foothills of the Alps. The people in the foreground look better all blurred up here. They provide a point of view without being overly noticeable.
Dang, as Sue noted, no pumpkin coach... not even a blurry one! I suppose we can't blame the photographer too much. He, or she, is stuck in the boat with all those other people in front of him. He can't stand up in the boat, that would a violation of the Disney Constitution, and he would be taken away by Security and fed to the Swans!
Two pics worthy of Snoozledom, and one that's pretty good... I'll take it! Thanks, Major.
@ TM!-
I remember flipping the TV dial [in prime time] in the 1960's and hearing Dick Lane announcing the 'action', live, for KTLA when the Los Angeles Thunderbirds (the T-Birds) were playing at the Olympic Auditorium. Dick is fondly remembered for his use of the phrase "whoa Nellie-!!" when some excitement took place on the roller rink - the phrase subsequently becoming quite famous.
Nanook, wow! Is that the origin of that phrase? Or was he just responsible for reviving an old phrase? I remember watching only briefly and seeing the women push each other down. Gee, they were mean!
@ TM!-
It originated back in the days of horses; but Dick Lane is responsible for bringing it back during the days of Roller Derby - later becoming a catchphrase for Keith Jackson.
Nanook, got it! Thanks for clarifying!
I remember the T-Birds, but as a kid I didn't really understand what was going on...other than girls pulling each others hair: which I suppose has it's own entertainment value. I thought it wasn't really efficient to just go around in circles on the skates and not get anywhere, but just back to the same place over and over again. That being said, I really enjoyed seeing these photos of Storybook Land. The ride is so very calming and soothing...and charming of course. I was inspired to make my own little models given the very basic materials I had: basically things taken from the trash, and I set up scenes in my closet so that my brother wouldn't disturb them: "Don't mess with my stuff!!". I hope this attraction inspires more kids like myself, it's way better than a machine that sits in your hand taking away brain cells. My opinions only. Smart phones are wonderful, but let's not forget the other things too. It would be a sad day if Storybook Land took a trip to Never Never Land. Thanks Major for the SBLS!!
Post a Comment