Fantasyland, April 1973, Pt. 1

A few images of Fantasyland from the Polyester Decade, beginning with a shot of the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction exit. Who cares if the guests are blurry? The fabulous painted door is razor sharp!



Over on King Arthur's Carrousel, junior looks a little wary about riding on one of the horses.



Dad obviously has no issues, but the crying little boy is probably hiding his head in shame.



He seems much happier with mom on Dumbo.



Happy Birthday today to James Marsden, aka Prince Edward from "Enchanted."



See more Daveland Fantasyland photos at my main website.

Favorite Movies: 2000 to Present

Today marks the final installment for my Favorite Movies by the Decade series, and it begins with "Chocolat," (2000) a rich little film that will definitely make your sweet tooth ache. A little uneven at times, overall it is a highly enjoyable story with a little touch of magic to it. Need I even mention how wonderful Dame Judith Dench is in this film? No...I didn't think so.



"My Dog Skip" (2000) is a beautiful story of how a dog helped a little boy transition through his awkward childhood. As always, Diane Lane is a treasure to watch, even though she has tough competition from Skip and Frankie Muniz.



"Best in Show" (2000) is one of Christopher Guest's "mockumentaries." I typically get bored with the rambling improvisation that are a hallmark of his films, but for once, it all clicks. Jennifer Coolidge's bits are a highlight for me; I'd watch her in just about anything.



I had no idea what to expect when I first saw "Amélie" (2001), and enjoyed every moment of it. Audrey Tautou's signature role as the girl in the title of the film is pure magic. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face.



"Legally Blonde" (2001) is "Clueless" for the next generation. Reese Witherspoon portrays a not-so-dumb blonde who is determined to get her boyfriend back, even if it means she has to get into Harvard.



Do yourself a favor though; skip the sequel. No lightning striking twice in this franchise.



"Sweet Home Alabama" (2002) is another Reese cream puff. Not much to think about in this movie; just sit back and enjoy the fireworks as two guys (Patrick Dempsey and Josh Lucas) fight over Reese. For once, both guys are nice.



"The Incredibles" (2004) blew me away; I thought it was one of the most refreshing and well done movies to come out of the Pixar Studio. Absolutely loved the fresh take on what happens to Super Heroes (and Heroines) in "the later years."



"Dreamgirls" (2006) was a long time in the making, but well worth the wait. Jennifer Hudson made an impressive debut on the silver screen and nabbed a Best Supporting Oscar along the way.



"The Devil Wears Prada" (2006) succeeds because of Meryl Streep. With her consummate skill as an actress, Streep avoids the temptation of making the lead character (the editor-in-chief of a style magazine) a one-sided b#$%h. Anne Hathaway makes a good foil as her fresh-faced assistant.



Pixar had another winner with "Ratatouille" (2007). A fresh story, classic (albeit computer-generated) animation, and memorable characters. I still remember how great I felt walking out of the theater after watching this one.





I doubt that I would ever get tired of watching "Enchanted" (2007). Amy Adams is the damsel in distress in this one as an animated fairy tale princess-to-be who finds herself in present-day New York City thanks to a spell from her wicked mother-in-law to be (Susan Sarandon). The only misstep in this film is (surprisingly) Sarandon, who fails to provide the right note of menace.

"It's Complicated" (2009) is another feel-good adult romantic comedy. The most surprising performance in this one came from Steve Martin, who plays a very low-key suitor of Streep's. Gone is the "wild and crazy" guy, and instead we have a very convincing performance of a recently divorced man who is fearful about getting his heart broken again. Wonderful film!



"Up" (2009) is the only movie I can think of that created an emotional bond during the first few minutes of the film and produced a tear from my eye ducts. And it only got better as the film progressed. Pixar's finest work. Ever.



"Midnight in Paris" (2011) is somewhat familiar territory for Woody Allen, but who cares...I enjoyed it and was swept up in its magical time traveling story which shows that the past (and fantasy) are not always all that we credit them for.



"The Artist" (2011) put a smile on my face with its combination of "Singin' In The Rain" and "A Star Is Born." No dialogue necessary for this silent film to be a winner!



And there you have it. Until the next decade...

See more Classic Movie and TV photos on my Classic Movie and TV web page.

July 1957 Batch, Pt. 3 & More Disney Studio

Mom and dad look charming, posed on the bridge near the Castle; and this wooden bridge looks absolutely authentic for the Frontierland area that it leads to. A veritable FEAST for termites! Munch! In the background we can see the Monsanto House of the Future as well as the state flags at the entrance of Tomorrowland.

Time to call security, as these ladies appear to be trampling the flowers outside the castle. This was 10 years before Tiny Tim’s “Tip-Toe Through The Tulips!”



In front of the castle, one of the tots decides to wear his hat at a rakish angle. This is the same hat shown in photo #1 of post #1 on his younger brother. In this shot, you can almost hear, “Gimme my hat back, you creep!” Meanwhile, sister is just posing happily, ignoring all of the drama between her brothers.



Back to the Walt Disney Studio in Burbank…



Thanks to the folks at D23, I was able to tour the Studios again. Although the Eisner building has been criticized for its design which does not blend into the 1930’s deco campus look of the rest of the studio, there is some truth to it: Dopey & the Seven Dwarfs are the ones who started the whole thing and made it possible...after Mickey, of course! How fitting that they are holding the building up! It’s pretty cool to be able to get up close and personal with Blaine Gibson’s Partner’s Statue; definitely not something you can do at Disneyland in Central Plaza.





Having the WDW Roy Statue nearby is also touching; and being able to see the two brothers holding Mickey & Minnie’s hands...well, it can get a little emotional here!





Here’s a vintage overview of the studio when there were actually sets on the backlot:





Today, all that remains of the outdoor sets is one lonely street that constantly has to change the name of its tenants, depending upon the project being filmed:





I understand how times change and how economies and new technologies make these changes necessary, but from the standpoint of a fan, it does make me a little sad. When you watch characters and their environments on the big screen or at home in the setting of your living room, it is easy to form an attachment to these fictional plays. Can you imagine the thrill of being able to walk onto a studio lot and seeing the ACTUAL setting that Zorro fought the bad guys? Or the street that Pollyana lived on? But times marches on...

Back at the archive, the display cases were full of fun memorabilia, including famous hats from Disney:







Let’s zoom in for a closer look at Mary Poppins’ chapeau:



And from one of my favorite Disney films of recent years comes a dress from “Enchanted”:



Inside the actual archives we were welcomed with an evolutionary depiction of Mickey Mouse:



And another gem from Mary Poppins: the original snow globe from the “Feed the Birds” sequence...amazing that this stuff is still around!



And how’d you like to have this piece of furniture? The wardrobe from the “Chronicles of Narnia” film:





And a statue of James McAvoy as Mr. Tumnus, frozen by the evil White Witch:



Speaking of McAvoy, I happened to stumble upon him in Savannah last week as he was filming “The Conspirator.” You might also recognize the director of the film.





But I digress. Time to wrap this post up and save some photos for tomorrow. See more Studio photos at my website.

Suzy’s Tour Pt. 2: June 1968

When we were last with Suzy, she had herded us onto the Fred Gurley at the Tomorrowland Depot; this morning, we exit at the Frontierland/New Orleans Square Station, with this lovely detail shot of some of the props nearby. Although this building (used as a breakroom for cast members) is not original to the "So Dear To My Heart" inspired depot, it definitely fits seamlessly into this area. You can find these same buckets atop the Mark Twain:



Suzy took our group over to Adventureland next, where we marveled over the wonders of the Jungle Cruise:





I could have cropped out the perfectly coifed and lacquered blond hairdo on the right, but it’s such a part of the times that I decided to leave it in.





Everyone was hungry after taskmaster Suzy walked them from the depot to Adventureland, so the gang was taken to the Tahitian Terrace, everyone’s favorite Disneyland restaurant of days gone by. Just before they went in, Suzy raised her riding crop and told the tour group there was no time to eat...they must march on. That Suzy sure is brutal!





Last stop on Suzy’s tour is Fantasyland, where we see an accident literally waiting to happen. At first glance, this cute little girl with Chip & Dale steals our hearts; but something more sinister is occurring on the right, causing us to shift our attention. The wacky hipster on the right in the bright yellow poncho continues to push her stroller of death while gabbing to grandma behind her. I am sure some guest had his feet crushed shortly after this photo was snapped. All he got was an "Oops, sorry.” This is one of those behind-the-scenes stories that Disney doesn’t want you to know.



In her last effort to be merciless to her tour group, Suzy herded them over to "It’s A Small World,” where she allowed one of her group to fraternize with a dwarf, but only because it was Grumpy. Do I even need to point out the fashion statement on the left of this shot?



Last one for today, Suzy pushes the tour group onto “It’s A Small World,” while telling them that listening to the song has not been proven to have any long-term side effects on your brain. One smart tour group member stayed behind to snap this photo of Suzy:





See more vintage & current Disneyland photos at my website. Last batch of Disney publicity stills pointing out the comparisons between Classic Disney flicks & “Enchanted”: