It's Sunday, and you know what that means. SNOOZLES. Someday perhaps I will have no more Snoozles, but I don't want to raise your hopes too much. This first one is hand-dated "3-15-1957", and would be a pretty nice look at the fanciful rock formations in the Rainbow Desert - if the durned thing was more in-focus. Still, I am charmed by the rather crude rock work, and I always get a kick out of the tiny pueblos atop some of the rocks, especially the "tumbling" rock to our left. The itty-bitty people in that pueblo must have been very dizzy.
Next, from "the 50s" comes this too-dark photo of the Davy Crockett Frontier Arcade, near the entrance to Frontierland. In addition to selling classic merchandise such as coonskin caps and toy rifles, there was an actual shooting gallery. I believe (but am not certain) that there were other arcade games as well, customized to the "frontier" theme.
Major-
ReplyDeleteIn spite of the out-of-focus condition of the 1st image, those darn power wires still managed to be quite visible.
"In addition to selling classic merchandise such as coonskin caps and toy rifles, there was an actual shooting gallery...."
You betcha-! There was a stand of light-emitting rifles all aimed at a 'wall' of rustic scenes with a bear, just ripe for shootin'. And naturally there was a sign identifying it as B'ar Country - Try your skill with "ol' Betsy".
Thanks, Major.
I can see getting away with some kind of forced perspective with the Pueblo structures atop the larger butte/mesa …. But placing one on the teetering rock seems a bit hokey to me. It would have also probably drawn attention and ruined any attempt of scale and perspective- probably why they were ultimately removed .
ReplyDeleteWellll... it's not too out of focus. The slight blur makes the Lilliputian pueblos almost believable... almost. And we get a great view of the Guardian of Forever. Looks like Kirk and Spock have already jumped through the portal to retrieve McCoy. There seems to be some sort of critter standing in that cave entrance... probably a hippo. And there are a couple of brown mounds in the lower left, armadillos maybe, or chocolate bonbons. And of course, POWER LINES!
ReplyDeleteA mighty fine look at the Davy Crockett Frontier Arcade sign... Yep. Mighty fine. The sign seems to be the entrance to Hell, judging by the darkness therein. It's even got evil demon owls guarding the entrance. Their glowing eyes looking right through our souls.
Don't ever run out of Snoozles, Major. They are a way for us (me) to release pent-up silliness. Many thanks.
Major, until you pointed it out, I never realized there was a Pueblo on top of one of the teetering rocks! Crazy! It would be like living in a funhouse!
ReplyDeleteThere was a very large room in the back of the Davy Crockett Arcade, which was devoted solely to Pachinko machines. ;-)
I remember the first time I saw pictures of those mini-pueblos and thought “What’re those supposed to be - birdhouses?” I agree - the one on the balancing rock was exceptionally ill-advised. These don’t work well as forced perspective at all.
ReplyDeleteKeppy Kap alert in the middle of the dark maw of the Davy Crockett Arcade.
Oh, wow, JB - they do look like evil owls. Or maybe two-eyed Cylons. Either way, I’m out.
Thanks, Major!
Another vote for “no mini-pueblos”. I don’t mind them too much since imagineering was just getting good started, and not every initial effort would be a success. They got so much right on the first pass, we can overlook a failure or two. They did include the Guardian of Forever just to the right.
ReplyDeleteDavy must have franchised his name, seeing as how he eventually ended. Still, Santa Anna ultimately may have had it worse, chasing his prosthetic leg across the Southwest.
I don’t recall a shooting gallery in here, just the one across the way? Nor does the Bonecarver sound familiar, but here he is. And a dark brown trash can, before the log models appeared.
A little out-of-focus is fine, Major. There’s still something to learn from these pics. Thank you!
JG
Nanook, if it weren’t for those power lines, the Indians would not be able to watch TV! As for shooting galleries, it is understandable that guns shooting real pellets could be a problem, but those light-emitting rifles are no fun. The current Frontierland shooting gallery is like that, and it is a profoundly unsatisfying experience. Did you “hit” the target? Who knows!
ReplyDeleteMike Cozart, I agree with you about the pueblos on top of the spinning rock, I can only assume that somebody (Walt?) thought it was too funny to omit.
JB, no, that first one is not too bad, I’ve certainly seen (and deleted) worse. The rare desert hippo is one of nature’s most elusive creatures, and I think it’s pretty neat that the Imagineers included one. Rule regarding “brown mounds” - AVOID. If only I had a time machine, I’d go back to early Disneyland on an uncrowded day, and take photo after photo of the inside of places like the Davy Crockett Arcade. Contribute to my Patreon, and maybe my dream will come true!
TokyoMagic!, maybe the tiny inhabitants of that pueblo would get used to the spinning, and a regular steady house would feel weird to them. Pachinko machines… I know what they are, I’ve seen plenty of photos, but I don’t believe I’ve ever actually laid eyes on a real Pachinko machine!
Chuck, the ill-advised pueblo atop the spinning rock reminds me of some of the ill-advised scenes in the True-Life Adventure films. The famous lemming controversy, which was my idea! Or the scenes in which they continually reverse footage of an animal so that it appears to be dancing. WHY? I love all Keppy Kap sightings. The owls are not what they seem.
JG, I don’t even mind the ones that are just on top of the regular mesas, you could talk yourself into believing that they are supposed to be far away (I guess). But the spinning-rock version is no bueno. That arch looks SO much like the Guardian of Forever that I can’t help wondering if an Imagineer was involved in that episode of Star Trek. “Bonecarver”, that’s a pretty badass name. But I am stuck with “Major Pepperidge”.
The owls are not what they seem...
ReplyDeleteJG
Oh, right. I guess they are just lamps, then.
ReplyDelete