Here are more DISNEYLAND DETAILS - photos that have zoomed in on some tiny aspect of a ride or building. Both of these are undated, but definitely from the 1950s.
First up is a detail that fascinated me as a child... the big blue eye of Monstro the Whale, the "host" (?) of the Storybook Land Canal Boats. I guess most hosts don't swallow you, but Monstro has always thought outside the box. I would happily watch a 30 minute documentary about how this eye was made; is it cast resin? The iris was surely hand-painted on the inside of the clear semi-sphere. The addition of the blinking eyelid (perhaps once a minute?), along with the occasional spray from his blow-hole made him feel just a little bit "alive".
I've seen a number of photos of the Mark Twain in which you can see somebody looking down at the turning paddle wheel at the stern. I feel like it's usually a boy, or an older man, but I'm sure plenty of girls and women have looked too. I wonder how long those wooden paddles can last, being constantly wet? Do they still use wood, or something that just looks like wood? I just scanned another slide that is almost exactly the same as this one, but I'll share it some other time.
Major-
ReplyDeleteMonstro's eye - almost as famous as those of Elizabeth Taylor; just less 'violet'-!
Thanks, Major.
"Host"? I'd say he was more of a glutton. He must have devoured hundreds of boats, and thousands of guests every day! Insatiable! He looks sooo much better wearing his formal black and white outfit than the happy, colorful blue that he sports today. He also had some plastic surgery done, didn't he? He no longer has the fierce, threatening countenance that he has in this photo. Now he looks like he's part of My Little Pony Land. How embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteThe water looks kinda milky here; must be the lighting. The water is also exhibiting much churnfulization from the paddles. Maybe somebody dumped a boatload of nonfat dried milk powder into the ROA. Yes, I bet that's it. I have the urge to drop something down into those whirling paddle blades just to see it get all mangled up. Sort of a sadistic version of Pooh Sticks.
Nanook, Liz's eyes were also just less 'violent'.
Details are fun. Let's see some more! Thanks, Major. Are you back yet? I'm getting a powerful urge to do some mischief!