Harryhausen...the Man, the Myth the Restaurant!

Harryhausen...the Man, the Myth the Restaurant!
by Andrew Taylor

In the spirit of Ray Harryhausen's 90th birthday, we would like to pay tribute to two of the great monster men of film, Ray Harryhausen and Tim Burton.

One of Burton's most recognizable films, The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a stop animation classic he first dreamed up during his tenure as a Disney artist. Garnering an Academy Award nomination for special effects in 1994 (and getting eaten whole by Jurassic Park), the more recent digital 3-D release expands on the wow factor of the original in spades. Now if they could only make the music 3-D....

Burton sites Ray Harryhausen as one of his greatest influences, as do Spielberg and Lucas. Harryhausen was a monster man through and through, creating such classics as Clash of the Titans and Jason and the Argonauts.

The skeleton fight scene from Harryhausen's 1963 stop animation goldmine Jason and the Argonauts is mind blowing for the technology available at the time (Think Matrix-1963). Trust me....click on the link and watch the scene. Keep reminding yourself this was done in 1963!

Those of you truly well versed in Monstrology will note the nod to Harryhausen in Monsters Inc. If you don't know what I mean, just ask Googly Bear. Happy Halloween too you and yours. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to post some pics of Disney Geeks in Training, Lil' Mickey Mouse and Ariel.

Geek-End Update, Saturday, June 26, 2010

• Matt at Vintage Alice in Wonderland shares some original Bushman concept art. You can see the whole series here.
  
• Big Brian at Mousin' It Up looks at the Ward Kimball.
• Ryan at Main Street Gazette posts a fantastic photo of the Southern Seas I.
• SamLand posts Part Nine of his Disney's America series.
• AJ...oh, AJ...

A 2619 Hyperion Bibliography: Walt Disney World History

UPDATE! New titles added.

A frequent request we receive at 2719 is for books about the history of Walt Disney World. While there isn't one book that covers it completely, there are several titles you can digest that will give you a very good picture. There are a lot of titles available and they come from different sources; check out the ones that look most interesting.

The definition of a bibliography is:

a complete or selective list of works compiled upon some common principle, as authorship, subject, place of publication, or printer.
--http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bibliography

This bibliography is by no means a complete list of books available on Walt Disney World; I have only added books that I own. Feel free to leave a comment if I have missed something good!

You can always keep up with the Walt Disney World-related titles we have reviewed by clicking here.


General Interest
The books included in this set focus on more than just Walt Disney World. I consider each title an essential part of any Disney enthusiast's library.

• The Imagineers. Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind-the-Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real. 1998. A spectacular title that looks at how the Imagineers create the theme parks. Concept art, anecdotes and pictures fill the volume. Has information on the development of attractions, lands and resorts. A must have!
  
  
• The Imagineers. Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real. 2010. A completely re-vamped update to the 1998 classic. Shares concept art, photos and paintings from Disney Parks around the world. The focus is mainly on developments of the past 15 years.You can read my review here.

• Kurtti, Jeff. Walt Disney's Imagineering Legends and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park. 2008. Kurtti looks at Imagineering's (WED) heavy hitters and discusses their contribution to the modern theme park. Rare concept artwork and loads of biographical anecdotes present a look at early Imagineering. You can read my review here.
  
  
• Ridgway, Charles. Spinning Disney's World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent. 2007. Mr. Ridgway recounts his years with the Walt Disney Company and what it was like to work at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. It reads like a love letter to the theme parks.
  
  
• Smith, Dave. Disney: The First 100 Years. 1999. An essential part of every collection, Disney Archives Head Smith has put together a chronological look at the Disney Company.

History
The following titles are specific to Walt Disney World and cover more than just an attraction. The Kurtti, Koenig and Beard titles are a must!

• Beard, Richard F. Walt Disney's Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow. 1982. This is the book that every fan of Epcot should own. An amazing amount of conceptual artwork and photos of the park during its first few months. In-depth information on the pavilions and anecdotes from the Imagineers. There are three editions: a pre-opening, post-opening and a short version. The difference in the post- and pre- is whether some of the pictures are in-park photos or close-ups of models.
  
  
• Emerson, Chad. Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World. 2009. Emerson takes an in-depth and straightforward look at the creation of Walt Disney World. It covers the purchase of the land and the political machinations tat took place. It includes a great timeline and listing of key players. You can read my review here.
  

• Gordon, Bruce; Kurtti, Jeff. Walt Disney World Then, Now, and Forever. 2008. Theme Park Exclusive. Gordon and Kurtti have written a history/souvenir guide for Walt Disney World. It does act more like a family scrapbook than a history book, until you delve into its pages. You can read my review here.

• Koenig, David. Realityland: True-Life Adventures at Walt Disney World. 2007. Koenig looks at the creation, construction and development of Walt Disney World. There is not another title that talks to as many former employees to reveal anecdotes and what happened politically. You can read my review here.

• Kurtti, Jeff. Since The World Began: Walt Disney World, The First 25 Years. 1996. The seminal title in any theme park enthusiast's library. Kurtti explores the first 25 years of Walt Disney World with photographs and rich historical detail. 

• Malmberg, Melody. The Making Of Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. 1998. This book goes into an incredible amount of detail on the initial ideas, design and implementation of Disney's Animal Kingdom. You can read my review here.

• Mannheim, Steven.Walt Disney and the Quest for Community. 2003. This book could almost be considered a biography of the Epcot that could have been. Mannheim writes a very through-provoking and enjoyable work on Walt Disney's plans for EPCOT Center and how they germinated and became reality (or didn't, in some cases). You can read my review here.

• The Story of Walt Disney World, Commemorative Edition. Various Years (1971, 1973, 1976). An official publication that looks at the first few years of Walt Disney World. It focuses on the building of the Magic Kingdom, the resorts and the rest of the vacation kingdom. It has a great stylized map and lots of pictures.

• Walt Disney World, The First Decade.1982. An official publication that looks at the development of the Magic Kingdom, hotels and the Village Marketplace. The book is like a time capsule with lots of great photos. You can read my review here.

• Walt Disney World, 20 Magical Years. 1991. An official publication that is part history and part souvenir guide. Great for pictures and as a time capsule. Updates Walt Disney World, The First Decade. You can read my review here.

Attraction Specific

• Broggie, Michael. Walt Disney's Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination That Led to a Full-Scale Kingdom. 1998. Broggie presents a fascinating look at Walt's Railroad--part biography and part theme park history. The majority of the book focuses on the Carolwood-Pacific, but Broggie does discuss the Magic Kingdom and Ft. Wilderness Railroads. You can read my review here.
  
  
• Surrell, Jason. The Disney Mountains: Imagineering At Its Peak. 2007. Surrell takes an in-depth look at every Disney mountain, from Matterhon to Everest, with side trips to some un-built mountains.
  
  
• Surrell, Jason. The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies. 2006. If you are a fan of the Haunted Mansion, you need to own this book. Surrell starts at the earliest concepts and takes us through to the final incarnations, step-by-step. The concept art is wonderful.
  
  
• Surrell, Jason. Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies. 2006. An in-depth history of Pirates of the Caribbean, from concept stages to Disneyland Paris. We experience all versions of the attraction through the script, artwork and photographs.

Artwork
There would be no Walt Disney World without these artists.

• Hench, John. Designing Disney. 2009. Hench shares his thoughts on helping to design every Disney theme park. The text is insightful and the artwork is astounding. There is also a 2003 edition.
  
  
• Kurrti, Jeff; Gordon, Bruce. The Art of Walt Disney World. 2009. Theme Park Exclusive. Jeff and Bruce have collaborated again to create a sister volume to the wonderful Art of Disneyland. This large-scale book presents concept artwork from every phase of Walt Disney World's history. Many of the images are seen here for the first time. Every fan of Walt Disney World should own this title. You can read my full review here.
  
  
• Mumford, Dave; Gordon, Bruce.A Brush with Disney : An Artist's Journey, Told through the words and works of Herbert Dickens Ryman. 2000. A look at Herb Ryman's art--not just work done for Disney, but over his entire career. You can read my full review here.

Miscellaneous
Detailed-inspired travel guides, academic treatises and amazing photographic titles. Usually more of a time-capsule than a history title.

• Burns-Clair, Pam and Peri, Don. Walt Disney's First Lady of Imagineering Harriet Burns. 2010. Harriet's daughter Pam and Disney Historian Don Peri craft a fascinating and beautiful collection of anecdotes and tributes to Harriet Burns, as told by her family, friends and co-workers. You can read my review here.
  
  
• Childs, Valerie. The Magic of Disneyland and Walt Disney World. 1979. I reviewed the book here. This work is mainly a pictorial essay about Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Geared mainly for park detectives and people who visited the parks in the 1970s. You can read my review here.
  
  
• Hannaford, Dee. The Gardens of Walt Disney World Resort. 1988. One of the most beautiful coffee-table books ever produced about Walt Disney World. Amazing photographs of the gardens and natural areas help to create a snapshot of Walt Disney World Resort in 1988. Absolutely gorgeous and belongs in every collection.
  
• Imagineering Field Guide Series: Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdomand Disney's Hollywood Studios. 2005-2009. Written by The Imagineers, this series of guidebooks discusses some of the details and histories of the parks. They are designed to be taken into the park with you; hence the artwork can be fairly small, but exciting.
  
  
• Marling, Karal Ann. Designing Disney's Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance. 1998. Marling presents a series of academic articles written by historians, critics and architects that look at the development of the Disney theme park. Wonderful photographs.
  

Geek-End Update, Saturday, June 19, 2010

• Designing Disney looks at the Lost Treasures of the Disney Village.
• Princess Fee at DF'82 shares some photos on mom from Boot Hill.
• Ryan at the Main Street Gazette drops in to deliver some terrorizing history!
• Jack Spence visits Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. 
• Michael Crawford at progress City, USA shares the circus of the future!
• Foxxfur at Passport To Dreams shares a comical comic and relates some photographic memories.
• Shane at Parkeology ruminates on vaudeville in O-Town. TeevTee says, "Shhhh..."
• Davleand wishes our favorite Island a Happy Birthday and shares some great Disneyland pictures. 
• SamLand presents part eight of his Disney's America series. 
• Yesterland goes Mythbuster on two World Showcase rumors!
• Cory at Voyages Extraordinaires does a little bump bump!
• Jennifer (from Those Darn Cats) relays a wonderful tale on her weekly Jentasmic! column at Studios Central.

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite Animation Historians!

• http://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/happy-70th-birthday-michael-barrier.html
• http://mayersononanimation.blogspot.com/2010/06/happy-birthday-michael-barrier.html

World Pup Soccer!

Air Bud: World Pup Special Edition DVD

My oldest son is a huge fan of the Air Bud series. He promised to write a small review for Imaginerding. After his daily Xbox 360 time, he sat down to pen a few thoughts:

Personally, I'd recommend this movie to families, sports fans, Disney fans and dog lovers across the world. The Air Bud movie#1 started off as a single sport then depending on the sports time calender they make a movie out of it. Such as they made the first one during the NBA championship and made it basketball themed. The second was made during the Super Bowl and was football themed. This one was made during the World
Pup!Oh! Sorry! World Cup and it was soccer themed. It is completely amazing and definitely worth the MOOLAH. With a cute sense of romance and laughs this movie definitely takes place on Ruff grass. From the wicked villains to the charming dogs. This is a sure keeper.

The whole family will get a kick out of the spectacular Special Edition of Disney's timeless canine adventure AIR BUD: WORLD PUP, including the all-new exclusive bonus, The Buddies' Sports Channel: Soccer Edition – and including a free limited edition sports bag to continue the fun after the film is done!

The world's most talented pooch is back in a heartwarming and hilarious sports adventure. When Buddy meets Molly and they have puppies, the hotshot hound is in for an all-new challenge, but the fun is just  beginning. This exciting family favorite features Buddy joining his teenage owner Josh on the field in pursuit of the state soccer championship. From the creators of Santa Buddies and Space Buddies, the new AIR BUD: WORLD PUP SPECIAL EDITION will give audiences of all ages something to cheer about!

Bonus Features:

• All-New: The Buddies Sports Channel: Soccer Edition: Join Rosebud in the broadcasting booth as she and the rest of the Buddies, B-Dawg, Mudbud, Buddha and Budderball, review the instant replay on the amazing soccer career of their dad, Air Bud. Using on-camera footage and voiceover, the Buddies check out highlights from AIR BUD WORLD PUP

• Making Of Air Bud World Pup Production Featurette (from the original release)

• Exclusive In-Pack “Air Bud” Sport Cinch Bag – a cool collectible sports bag, branded with the AIR BUD logo, to carry the fun from the family room to the playing field

Book Update

Whether you are a fan of modern architecture or a fan of Disney buildings (and architecture), these volumes will satisfy you. Both architects created major projects for Disney (Team Disney, Yacht & Beach Club, etc.) and you are presented with gorgeous exterior and interior photographs, artwork and layouts of the projects.

Both volumes present a fascinating look at some of today's most celebrated architectural design.

• Robert A. M. Stern: Buildings And Projects 1987-1992

• Michael Graves: Buildings and Projects 1990-1994

Geek-End Update, Saturday, June 12, 2010

Don't forget about the 2719 Hyperion Sweatbox this Saturday night in Archdale, NC. Everyone is welcome! Doors open at 6:00 pm. Our theme is Hooray for Hollywood! We will do a live Theme Parkeology of the Disney Hollywood Studios and screen four classic animated shorts.

• Princess Fee at DF'82 looks at Corsets and Coffee at Disneyland Paris.
• Michael Crawford at Progress City, USA relates the project the brought George McGinnis to Walt Disney.
• AJ at the Disney Food blog ruminates on a new Disneyland restaurant.
• Jack Spence takes us to Tokyo Disneyland's Clubb 33.
• DisneyShawn looks at a fantastic place to shop! HeE also explains the Donkey and Cart at Epcot.
• Ryan at the Main Street Gazette looks at some modular construction. 
• Major Pepperidge at Gorilla's Don't Blog shares a Monsanto brochure from Disneyland.
• SamLand posts Part Seven of his Disney's America series.
• Amid at Cartoon Brew links to a great video on CalArts produced by Walt Disney.
• Nate at WedWay Radio enlightens Norway.
  

The Foxxy Cornucopia
I featured some great articles by Michael Crawford of Progress City, USA a few weeks ago. Not wanting to slight Foxxfur from Passport2Dreams, I compiled some of my favorite Passport Posts to share with you:

• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2009/09/see-village-tonight-part-one.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2009/09/see-village-tonight-part-two.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2009/06/park-mystery-history-lesson.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2009/04/eight-great-moments-of-design-at-walt.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2009/03/iconography.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2009/02/walt-disney-world-village-list.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2008/06/vanishing-walt-disney-world-7.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2008/03/now-is-time.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2008/02/two-by-yale-gracey.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2008/01/disneys-new-spectatorship-three.html
• http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2007/11/epcots-modern-aesthetic.html

Book Review: Queens In the Kingdom

From the Archives:
Recently, Jennifer, from Broke Hoedown, posted a podcast episode (Those Darn Cats) about Gay Days at Walt Disney World. Two years ago, she posted this review on Imaginerding and I chose to dust it off and present it again. Unfortunately, it has not been updated since 2007, but there is a Kindleversion.

Enjoy!

Jennifer, from the entertaining, insightful and often irreverent site Broke Hoedown, agreed to do our latest Be Our Guest Post. Instead of a regular article or post, I asked Jennifer to review Queens in the Kingdom,a gay and lesbian travel guide to Disney. Jennifer describes her blog:

She’s also noticed that most Disney fan sites require participants to keep everything PG at all times. Jennifer herself is rated NC-17, and while she can keep it in check when she needs to, why bother in her own personal blog? She hopes that a few people here and there might enjoy her blog, but doesn’t promise that it’ll always be appropriate reading for children. She’s also not the type to keep her political opinions to herself, so they’ll show up here too.

I have been a fan of Broke Hoedown since we started Imaginerding. Jennifer has been blogging for a long time! She is also one half of Those Darn Cats, a semi-weekly podcast that, in their own words, rambles. But it is always a lot of fun!

Queens in the Kingdom: The Ultimate Gay and Lesbian Guide to the Disney Theme Parks by Jeffrey Epstein and Eddie Shapiro (2006, 403 pages)

I saw this book when it first came out, but didn’t pick up a copy until after I’d heard the authors on one of my favorite podcasts, WDW Today. I figured, hey, I don’t need a queer guide to the Disney Parks. I know how to tour the parks, Disney’s a fairly gay-welcoming destination, what do these guys have to tell me?

Well, as it turns out, they’ve got plenty to tell me, and you might just be interested in a bit of this yourself, regardless of your personal sexual orientation. Queens in the Kingdom should really be required reading for any irreverent Disney fan, for those of us with a slightly offbeat aesthetic. Obsessive Disney trip planners won’t find it a likely replacement for books such as The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (my personal fave basic text for WDW trip planning), but should instead consider it a companion piece, for when you just need a bit more fabulous, a slightly less mainstream look at our beloved parks.

Queens in the Kingdom is an overview of Disney Parks worldwide, plus the Disney Cruise Line. Predictably, the Orlando and Anaheim locations comprise the vast majority of the content, with brief teasers about Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. There are also brief reviews of other nearby attractions in Southern California and Orlando. Most Walt Disney World and Disneyland attractions are reviewed, as are many resorts and restaurants, with “Fairy Facts” dispersed liberally throughout the guide. Were it not for this guide, I might never have known that the Indiana Jones figure in the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction has nipples, and perhaps the world is a richer place because they have shared this information with us all.

On a sadder note, this guide is also where I learned that a group of (presumably gay) men were harassed by other Guests at my default Disney resort, Pop Century. I of course am hoping that this was an isolated incident. It does though provide a reminder that there are special travel considerations for same-sex couples (and individuals who are perceived as queer, regardless of their actual orientation), and this guide does provide those tips. Scattered throughout the book are tips about quiet places where one might have the privacy to hold hands or even share a quick smooch with one’s sweetie. While these tips may be appreciated even by the heterosexually-inclined, they’re more important for those for whom any publicly-displayed affection might trigger harassing or even violent reactions from other Guests.

The back pages of the book include a “Compare and Contrast” of the attractions located at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. It’s a brief section, and Lord knows plenty of us have mentally constructed such lists ourselves, but the authors’ aesthetic provides welcome humor. The difference between Disneyland’s Astro Orbitor and Walt Disney World’s Astro Orbiter? One vowel, they tell us, and leave the rest open to debate.

Bottom Line: Important resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Disney travelers. An amusing and irreverent read for everybody. Hipster Disneyphiles, this should be in your bookcase!

Thanks, Jennifer! Be sure to stop by Broke Hoedown and leave her some Disney Geek love!

Hooray for Hollywood!

The Next 2719 Hyperion Sweatbox is scheduled for this Saturday at the Archdale Public Library!

Check out the Facebook page for more details.

We will be featuring our very first live Theme Parkeology lecture, featuring an up-close examination of Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.  Discover the real Hollywood behind the theme park incarnation as presented by 2719 Parkeologists Jeff Pepper, George Taylor and Andrew Taylor.

We will also be presenting our very first Sweatbox Cartoon Exposition, showcasing classic Disney animation.  Our Hooray for Hollywood! program will include:

• Mickey's Gala Premiere
• Mickey's PoloTeam
• The Autograph Hound
• Mother Goose Goes Hollywood

We have received a few Waking Sleeping Beauty giveaways from Don Hahn, the film's director.

Bloggers and podcasters from all over the Carolinas will be in attendance. Don't miss the chance to learn more about Disney's Hollywood Studios and view classic Disney animated shorts.

Geek-End Update, Saturday, June 5, 2010

• Robert at A Filmic Light takes a look at an amazing animation historian.
• Samland posts Part Six of his Disney's America series.
• Ryan at the Main Street Gazette presents a scan of the first issue of the ECCN! 
• Jack Spence takes us on a massive photo tour of the Wilderness Lodge and the adjacent Villas. 
• Brian Sibley at decidedly disney recounts his tale of an autograph and a book.
• Disney Shawn takes us back to Endor Vendors.
• Met the World spends some time with Beacon Joe from Tokyo Disneyland.
• Richard at Photos From the Parks says farewell to Start Tours. 
• John Frost at the Disney Blog channels his inner AJ... 

Not Disney-related, but cool anyway:

• Dave at Daveland posts about a gorgeous Frank Lloyd Wright house.

Oraculum

One of the more visually stunning pieces of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderlandis the Oraculum. It is used to help push the film forward and as a way of keeping the story flowing from character to character and from scene to scene. The artist behind the Oraculum is Dermot Powers. Tim Burton hired him in 2009 to do post-production work on the film. One of his tasks was designing the pages of the Oraculum, which are also being used as the BD Live menus on the Blu-ray copy of the film.

Disney provided the following images and I wanted to share them with everyone.

Alice views the Oraculum with the Dormous.