The Pirate Ship looks swell here; I wonder if any real pirate ship looked even half as cool back in the good old days on the Spanish Main? I think Howard Pyle had more to do with this one.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tomorrowland and Fantasyland, 1957
I'm not sure what the photographer was aiming at in this photo, but he was apparently way more interested in those bent palm trees than the futuristic moon rocket. The little wire garden fences look a bit ridiculous, don't they? The Imagineers should have installed laser beam perimeters that would remove the limb of anybody foolish enough to attempt to walk where they shouldn't be walking. I call it "tough love". Looks like there might be a show going on at the Flight Circle, but it is too far away to glean any details.
The Pirate Ship looks swell here; I wonder if any real pirate ship looked even half as cool back in the good old days on the Spanish Main? I think Howard Pyle had more to do with this one.
The Pirate Ship looks swell here; I wonder if any real pirate ship looked even half as cool back in the good old days on the Spanish Main? I think Howard Pyle had more to do with this one.
This photo captures the highly effective camouflage erected in Tomorrowland to protect the secret technology being developed there. Moon rocket? What moon rocket?
ReplyDeleteTrue: the wire looks ridiculous. Or seems to. It's... an ultra-modern absurbist artistic statement! Yeah. Yet I'm drawn into that picture in part thanks to its very incidental perspective. How 'bout Ruth on the left, in her '40s/'50s hair, black heels and pink dress. One thing in common between '57 and today: Tomorrowland is relatively ragged. But it's a beautiful sunny Cal day in that pic isn't it? I'd still love to be there.
ReplyDeleteGreat catch on the Pyle! I tink you're onto 'em. ;)
Wow, check out the Maroon color Autopia car in the middle of the image. It looks like it is being highlighted on an auto dealer's showroom.
ReplyDeleteWas that maroon car that was on display Walt's personal Autopia car? I thought I read that on one of the blogs.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the first photo, maybe the photographer was from back East and really admired all the Bird of Paradise plants? Or...maybe it was a teenage boy and he was checking out the attractive lady on the left? LOL...
ReplyDeletehehe I tend to like the 2nd idea, Connie.
ReplyDeleteBut it's interesting (well, to me) to consider a non-Disneyland difference between then and now: unlike the ubiquitous digital cameras and cell cameras etc of today, in 1957 not every teenager had access to any kind of camera let alone film and processing - and even fewer would be working in quality color transparencies. Safe to say most of the photos we enjoy on Gorillas, Daveland etc were taken by adult males and more than a few of those shutterbugs by hobby. Besides, if it was a teenager taking these, the perspective would have been radically shifted toward Miss Pink. ;)
1957 Guide book spotted in the second photo, in the lady's hand near the umbrella! Oh, neato umbrella liners too!
ReplyDeleteYes, that is Walt's personal car. I remember it being on display for quite a while, but later moved under the covered area of the art exhibit (at the right). The weather was getting to it. It didn't last long there.
ReplyDeleteThese are some real beauty shots. The Tomorrowland shot has to be earlier than 1957. No Skyway! It opened on June 23, 1956.
ReplyDeletethe first thing that i noticed is that there are none of the yellow/white striped benches around any of these planters. that seems odd because in many photos we see benches everywhere/anywhere one could be placed makes it like barren :(
ReplyDeletebut i still wish that i was there!