A Trio of Snoozers
It's Snoozer Time! Everyone's least-favorite feature. But it gives me an opportunity to use up some scans that are generally not ready for prime time.
First up, from sometime in the 1980s, comes this very dark and moody photo with Sleeping Beauty Castle peeking up over the blackest, shadowiest forest (that's what it looks like, anyway), which must be full of monsters and witches and things that eat children. I think I'll walk back to well-lit Main Street where it is safe.
Next, from August 1965, is this photo that is almost pretty, but is a bit too dark, featuring the moat (no swans), a charming little bridge, the Wishing Well ("I wish for a billion dollars!"), and the Snow White Grotto, with the ghostly forms of Snow White and her Seven Dwarfs staring at us with blank eyes. Wait! Did one of them just move?!
And lastly, from July 1969, is a photo that is certainly not bad, really; it's just one of those scenes that we've seen over and over. And over. There are many design details that one could enjoy, but I like the arch through which the Disneyland Railroad passed. The lack of soot on the top of the arch must mean that it had been painted fairly recently.
I hope you have enjoyed today's Snoozers!
26 comments:
Major-
'Snoozers' they may be; but at least the spires and roofs of Sleeping Beauty Castle are still sporting 'proper' colors-! That CM at IaSW appears to be leading the guests in song-! Tra-la.
Thanks, Major.
Major, the first pic (and your description) reminds me of the forest from Babes In Toyland. I can hear the scary talking trees now: "Thiiiis is the forest of no returrrrn!" The castle actually looks quite nice in the setting sun.
I downloaded the 2nd pic and increased the Clarity and Color Saturation a bit. It went from sorta nice to beautiful. A keeper.
"Wait! Did one of them just move?!" That reminds me of the Dr. Who episode where the angelic marble statues move every time you blink (or close) your eyes.
I also saved the Small World image. It has nice composition plus the color and lighting are very nice indeed.
Nanook, yeah, what IS that CM doing anyway?
Thanks for the (not) snoozers, Major.
I think that cast member is saying, "Welcome aboard!" Either that or, "Howz about a great big kiss!"
That cast member is describing the size of the carnivorous fish in the canal and explaining how, at the end of the ride, “a perpetually singing doll will follow you home,” followed by maniacal laughter. She was transferred to the Haunted Mansion when it opened a month later.
Hard to believe that our beloved castle, properly painted, could look so foreboding.
JB, I agree, photo 2 has a lot of charm. That scene is none the worse for having been enjoyed before.
Oh man, Snow White as one of the Dr. Who villains, with Little Orphan Annie “blunked out” eyes, there is a mash-up.
The boundless variety of decoration on the IASW facade is fascinating. What about that big gold “palm frond”? From whence do these things arise in the fevered imagination of Rolly Crump?
I think the CM is explaining to guests how they are all going to board the boat in one smooth motion stepping forward like a chorus line so the boat won’t sink.
Thanks Major, happy-making scenes today before a morning of hard yard work.
JG
Nanook, even in that first dark photo, I think I can detect a slightly more pronounced pink on that spire. Maybe it’s just my bias? I wonder if people would actually sing if a CM at It’s a Small World tried to lead them?
JB, I’ve actually never seen “Babes in Toyland”, having heard that it is a tough watch. The only thing that makes we want to watch it is that Annette is in it. I sometimes resist amping up the color too much, but I probably should have done so a bit more on picture #2. That “Blink” episode of Doctor Who was the first one I ever saw! Since then I’ve watched more, but it has been a real mixed bag.
TokyoMagic!, I’m sure that big gesture from the IASW cast member was taught - “You need to make it clear to the guests what you want them to do”.
Chuck, any fish that could survive in that heavily-chlorinated water would be a horror, for sure! I swear once one of the IASW dolls looked right at me. It had a knife, and the doll winked. I cried.
JG, I really do love all of the various decorative doilies and doo-dads that adorn the façade of IASW. Mary Blair’s concept art tends to dispense with the small details and concentrate on the geometric shapes, so I’m sure that you are right about Rolly being the person behind things like the “palm frond” or whatever that thing is. I hope you have some ice-cold lemonade for after the yard work!
The Snow White grotto pic is nice.
Major, in the Disney+ segment on IASW, there is a bit with Rolly sorting through the MB concept art. She did a bunch of idea sketches and retired. It fell to Rolly to implement 3D versions of the concept and design the clock, which was a late addition.
He mentions having to create 3D things that would evoke the MB spirit in real life. He was a resounding success, imho.
JG
I'm about to snooze off on this Sunday, but not due to snoozer photos. Great to see the Castle without its dent...that dent is so distracting! That little bridge by the wishing well is so cute. I'm sure I walked over it hundreds of times without even seeing it. You can see the wire fencing by the water on the right...so the swans were still there, just not in this shot. They probably liked to destroy petunias. This is such a pretty place in the park- I hope they didn't ruin it with kiosks of plush things. The Small World employee absolutely is not saying "give me a big kiss, or leading anyone in song. This was a tough ride, and a tough crowd if I remember correctly. Don't mess with Small World employees. They will cut you. Since the ride is international, so goes the guests. Communication was a lot of hand signaling and loud directions. You had the music of the clock. The music of the queue. The train and its sounds. The exit spiel with multi language "keep your arms in the boat"...and the actual noise of the ride. It was very organized chaos, but the load-in was a little lost in translation as "shiny objects" would distract...I can't say that I blame them. There was also the every 15 minute distraction of the clock where people would not move in the line as they were waiting for that little parade to pass by. There is a lot to look at- thanks Rolly! I have many stories about this ride- for another time. I did get stuck in the finale for over 45 minutes once. Let's just say this was before they re-inforced ballasts for the more "robust" guest. We were scraping bottom for the entire ride...then came to an immovable full stop in the finale. We took on water- a lot of water. I was soaked to the skin. My trousers anyway. Not a good look. The boats behind us kept pushing us deeper and deeper. They found the biggest guys working on the ride (in Fantasyland that was kind of tough- they didn't have the machismo of the West side- , and brought over re-inforcements from Skyway...we were dragged the rest of the way. Lots of scraping. They probably threw away that boat. We were in a place where an evac. wasn't possible. I ultimately got out, but my 125# didn't really make too much of a difference. I wasn't built for the West side either at that juncture of my life.
Tokyo!, (as Major suggests) could that CM actually be leading a sing-along of the IASW theme with the guests standing in line? (Maybe the musical Clock was down that day.) Or maybe she's just drying out her armpits. (Late addition: Bu says no.)
Chuck, "a perpetually singing doll will follow you home".... Looks like someone is getting into the Halloween spirit (or spirits). Nice that the CM found a more suitable locale. Maybe we should start calling you "Chucky". (At least for the Halloween season.)
JG, I think that 'palm frond' is just a bit of form-fitting decor to fill that particular space. But I like 'palm frond' better.
Major, I think the setting sun is bringing out the Castle's natural blush.
About the BIT movie, I was totally fascinated by the toy-making contraption made by Tommy Kirk's character (I heard that Tommy Kirk passed away a few days ago). Also the 'ray gun' that shrunk things (and people) down to toy-size. And of course, the scary, singing trees. I think I tend to forget the 'unwatchable' parts.
JG, interesting that the Clock was a late addition to IASW. Didn't know that.
Bu, the swans were probably just out-of-frame feasting on a wayward guest. Man, I don't know whether to laugh or cry at your deluged IASW boat story! Sounds like you were a scrawny kid. ;-)
Bu, I LOVE your IASW story! hahahaha! Nothing worse than walking around in wet underwear all day. And, in public.
Thanks, Major and all - Snoozer Sundays are always the BEST!
K. Martinez, I guess I am judging that one by comparing it to better examples, but it’s not so bad!
JG, Heritage Auctions has had quite a lot of Mary Blair concept art in some of their big animation articles, and the pieces frequently go for many tens of thousands of dollars. I’m unclear as to why Mary seemed to drop out mid-project, perhaps she just didn’t want the stress of a job like that anymore.
Bu, the dent has to be there, it’s just hidden by trees in that photo. As far as I know, it’s been there since opening day. Too bad the swans were removed, they seemed surprisingly popular among guests. You are probably right about Small World employees, they have to deal with constant crowds of people who do not listen! I feel bad for the guest who’s size made the vehicle scrape bottom, but at some point maybe they have to be told “no” for a boat ride that has its limits. Again, not nice, but… physics can’t be ignored. Man, I’d be mad if I wound up soaked because of something like that! I thought that IASW often had a raised area right next to the boats, couldn’t they have unloaded some passengers, rather than let them get wet? From what I understand, they finally had to redesign boats and put in a new waterway due to the increased size of many guests.
JB, “drying out her armpits”, EW. Your comment to Chuck made me think how cool it would be to do a Halloween overlay on IASW! Just imagine, all of the kids looking like zombies, the famous song played in a minor key, spiderwebs and skeletons everywhere… I WANT IT NOW. It makes me sad that Tommy Kirk passed, it sounds like he had a tough life after his acting career ended, though he was surprisingly gracious when talking about his time with Disney.
Major, about the drying armpits, I'll quote you: "physics can’t be ignored". I really would like to see zombie children of the world, shambling together to a mournful tune. (well, at least once.) For a second I thought you were going to suggest a Halloween overlay for GDB. We've already got 'Chucky' and I could be 'Just Buried'. I'm sure we could come up with some more spooky sobriquets.
Just Buried, I could be ‘Lou and Sue and Boo!’
As talented as Mary Blair was , her story is sad. While working on Small World for Disneyland Mary was having problems with her husband ( also a artist and very jealous of her) at WED/WDI there is a saying that is a warning to concept designers : “you can’t pick the best from just one” .... meaning if you present a concept be prepared to develop several variations or “options”. Mary Blair would go into the other extreme of creating dozens and dozens of variations of the same idea. After lots of time was passing with a very limited amount of time to get a show building underway for Disneyland , Walt was getting really impatient and frustrated .... in a meeting Walt started to blow up looking at the walls and piles and piles of exterior Small World concept art - almost all of it going in total different design directions . Walt in frustration exclaimed to the fragile Mary Blair ... “ these are great! They are beautiful ! .... but Mary: we have to build something out of this!! I dint want any more sketches .... we need to be progressing to something ... not a bunch of colored shapes floating in the air!!!” Walt then replaced Mary with Rolly as the exterior’s art director and Walt told Rolly to get in there and figure out how to MAKE something we can actually BUILD outta all THIS ( Mary’s sketches).
As with Small World the Tomorrowland Corridor murals featured hundreds of concepts before the final selections had been made. Mary also designed a mural for Tomorrowland Terrace for the space between the order panels and the kitchen/service windows. She was to also create a Tomorrowland mural for the “wall” of the Skyway building facing the Tomorrowland Train Station. That was to also feature a fountain. Time ran out for for that project. However in the Mary Blair Disney Gallery exhibit some of the vertical concept art for the fountain mural was shown but only labeled as “tomorrowland mural concept” and it implied it was Entry Corridor concept art.
After Tomorrowland 1967 Mary left Disney and had two other life “blows” design firms and advertising agencies told her her work was amateurish and out dated. Mary started REALLY drinking. She was brought back to WED for the Contemporary Resort after she told fiends she was having problems getting work. Her son also a very talented artist was going to a prestigious art school when at a party he was slipped a drug which ended up causing neurological- behavioral problems and he had to drop out of the school and the son had an attack so bad Mary had to call for help and crawl out of a window to her house. Alice Davis said “during all this Mary was literally drinking herself to death.... and you can tell something was wrong because Mary’s colors are all off on the WDW mural ...”
I left out the worlds Walt really used to keep GDB family friendly, despite everyone in this post was completely TOPPLESS — not a single person wore a hat.
Did you get that this time Major?? Lol!
WALT : WORLDS should be WORDS
Welcome to Ghouls Don't Blog, Lou and Sue and Boo. It's a wonderfully dreary day here in the graveyard. The air is foggy and dank. The trees are bare and boney-looking. The tombstones are worn and mossy. The dead grass is as high as a (dead) elephant's eye.
- Just Buried
(P.S. I hope the Major is OK with this nonsense.)
P.P.S. Wow, Mike. That is a riveting, but sad history of Mary Blair. I guess it's (sometimes) true that artists are tortured souls.
JB, the Major doesn’t put up with ANY nonsense!
What are you talking about, Sue? I write nonsense here all the time. ;-)
I hope I didn't step over the line. It IS the Major's Blog, after all; it's his show. The Major strikes me (Ow!) as a person who enjoys a good bit of nonsense... but only up to a point.
Chuck(y), your nonsense is one of the highlights here at GDB. Hey! Mrs. Chuck could be "Bride of Chucky"! This stuff just writes itself. (Hope I didn't step over the line again.)
-Just Buried
JB and all, keep that nonsense coming!!!
I think I'll cool it until the Major chimes in with his approval, or disapproval. Or until I receive a flaming email telling me to cease and desist and keep at least 300 ft. away.
-Just Buried
JB, all the following from Disney+ so buyer beware: the Worlds Fair edition of IASW was designed and constructed in an absurdly short time frame and was housed inside the Pepsi pavilion with no or very little external decor. On moving the show to Disneyland a show facade was needed. As the program presents, MB was asked for exterior concepts and Rolly tasked with completing them. No hint of the sad story Mike relates. Something was needed to spice up the pre-show queue and the clock became the solution. It is known that Walt was fascinated with various facade clocks of similar type in Europe, and off it went.
So that what I meant by late addition, not part of the world fair show. The clock was fully integrated in the DL design.
I did see that Disney Family Gallery show of MB work and wondered about those vertical murals, thanks Mike.
Bu has the best stories. I’ve wondered about the physics of loading, I’m a big slob and often get the last row at POTC on solo rides. I assume this is so the bow will ride up on the brake pads and the winch at the end. Don’t want to be awash about the bow for those events. I suppose the CMs consider physics in loading, especially when crowds are light.
Major, I sadly report that I am no longer suited to breaking up concrete, and will be seeking professional assistance for the balance of the effort.
Thanks everyone, so much fun.
JG
JG, thanks for the extra info on IASW. So, Disney+ didn't go into all the sordid details about how Walt cussed MB out and how she turned to drink... can't imagine why. ;-)
- Just Buried
JB, I think I can ignore THOSE physics! I’ll just think about topless waitresses some more. I like the idea of a Halloween overlay for GDB, but… I already spend so much time just to do the “regular version”.
Lou and Sue, it’s like the credits on the SImpsons “Treehouse of Horror” episodes!
Mike Cozart, I have read a lot about Mary Blair, and even worked with somebody who knew her (and her husband Lee) personally, visiting them at their home in Soquel, CA. It’s hard to say after the fact, but it seems that it was Mary’s responsibility to do her concept art, but there should always be an art director to guide things along. If Walt wasn’t doing that, and nobody else was either, she was in a tough position. “What do you WANT?”. I feel bad for her, though of course there could have been much more to the story. Rolly did a great job making her style a reality. Thanks to you I saw a photo of that amazing new mural in Tomorrowland based on one of MB’s concepts, it’s so nice. I didn’t know that Alice Davis considered the Contemporary Resort mural to have “wrong colors”, but I have to admit that I have seen some of MB’s later work and it seems like she had lost something. I’m not even that crazy about Alice’s “Lemonade Girl”, seen in several books. Thanks Mike!
Mike Cozart, I knew what you meant!
JB, I guess I’m too pooped (it’s been a long day) to even try to come up with anything, so I will leave it to you guys. I’m totally OK with nonsense!
Lou and Sue, hm, maybe I’m NOT OK with nonsense?
Chuck, you can’t argue with incontrovertibile facts.
JB, that’s right, don’t rile me, or I turn into the Not-So-Incredible Hulk!
Lou and Sue, you are an instigator.
JB, you can go nuts, I am totally OK with it. But I might just sit back and enjoy while I let my brain recharge for the evening.
JG, I know that the story is that John Hench actually turned Pepsi Co. down when they asked the company to design their ride, and Walt insisted that they do it. I have posted many photos of the World’s Fair exterior, and yes, other than the Tower of the Four Winds, there was not much in the way of decoration on the outside of that attraction. And I’m not surprised that MB’s personal life was not delved into - for one thing, it’s not really that relevant to the general story, and I wouldn’t like things to get too “tabloid”. I’m sure that organizing queues and moving large numbers of people is a science/art form all its own. Hey, get your kids to break up that concrete! That’s what they’re for!
JB, I think that alcohol was a big part of the lives of many Disney artists, going back to the earliest of days. The same friend who I mentioned (the one who knew MB) and I went to a gallery with some Mary Blair pieces, and he said, “That looks like an after lunch piece”. Meaning, after three or four martinis. And he loved Mary Blair, so he wasn’t just being mean and snarky.
Major, thanks for not issuing that restraining order. ;-)
And I would never expect you to go to the trouble of decorating your Blog. I was just thinking that those who wanted to, could come up with Halloweeny type usernames for the season... Although, maybe if you hung some nice dusty cobwebs up in the corners with crawly spiders, add a few flickering Jack-o-lanterns and some yammering skulls; you know, all the usual stuff. (joookiiing)
- Just Buried
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