Reddy Kilowatt Says. . .

It's Reddy Kilowatt flying a kite!!!

Sometimes one comes across a couple random sights that synch up perfectly for a blog post. It's a rare situation, but, when it happens, sharing is so much fun.

So when I came across this reproduction of a vintage "Reddy Kilowatt" ad, I was filled with enthusiasm. Just a few days previously, I had spotted a warning sign at some electric powerlines. Although I took a photo, it seemed to be the type of image that would go unused. The image didn't have enough narrative or aesthetic voltage to justify even an "Image of the Day" type of post.

And then Reddy and his kite saved the day!!! ;-)

Danger! Danger! High Voltage!!!

ZZZAAAPPP!!!!!

Tickling the Tummy

Tummy Ticklers featuring the heads of Dora the Explorer and Iridessa, a Disney Fairy

I wonder why children would want to drink their juice from the heads of their favorite cartoon characters. Something seems very disturbing about such a desire. Yet, it is apparently "100% Fun"!!!

Who am I to judge? ;-)

Enjoy!!!

Second Star to the Right

"You can fly! You can fly! You can fly!!!" - Disney's Peter Pan was released on February 5, 1953

Today marks the 60th anniversary since the release of Walt Disney's Peter Pan. Although I wasn't around to see the first run of this movie, I caught it on a subsequent re-release during the 1970s. It is one of the first movies that I remember seeing and, therefore, it has always had a special place in my imagination.

As a child, my interest was in the fantasy adventure elements of the story, as well as the mischievous antics of Tinker Bell, always the troublesome pixie. However, looking at it again in adulthood, the themes of nostalgia for the carefree days of youth create a bittersweet counterpoint throughout the story. I eventually read the original work by J.M. Barrie and, though it was a bit of a grind, my appreciation for the story grew.

There's something very pertinent about Peter Pan to those who cultivate artistic aspirations. The desire to express how one feels through an aesthetic work is a very intense engagement with the imagination, an act of innocence which presumes that others would actually wish to receive one's creative vision. Every time one reaches within one's mind to engage in artistry, it is as if the artist is journeying to their own personal Neverland.

Tinker Bell stuck in a keyhole

Yet, it is so hard to make a living as an artist, of any type. There is always a nagging pressure to "grow up" and "be responsible" by getting a "real" job or accepting assignments that pay the bills but have little to do with artistry, in other words, selling out. Moreover, there is nothing fun about being a starving artist, working part-time minimum wage jobs in retail or food services to barely get by.

Even with supportive friends and family, it is hard to ignore the social expectations into which we are born. An inner voice will always criticize the "perpetual childhood" of the artistic life.

But, when the creative spirit flows, all the troubles of this world fall away. You can fly!!!

Amusing Guitars

The "Don Ho" ukulele made of shells and plywood by Joann Yates


I was over at the Long Beach main library a little while back. A few of the walls were decorated with assembled guitar images. It looked to be a school child project, but it caught my fancy.

I figured they would make for a nice post. After all, who doesn't like "pearly shells" and jelly beans. ;-)

The "Blue Bayou" made out of blue jelly beans


Fun stuff!!!

Kelly Vivanco: Curious Snail

Curious Snail (2011) by Kelly Vivanco


Just an "Image of the Day" post. I adore Kelly Vivanco's work. It's whimsical, wonderful, and weird.

The Curious Snail makes for a nice weekend image. ;-)

And some music. . .

Hit the Road to Parts Unknown

Image for The Legend of Sleeping Hollow (1958)

"On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless!--but his horror was still more increased on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle!"

It's been a while since we enjoyed a ghost story. ;-)

This time we're celebrating the birth date of Washington Irving, born on April 3, 1783. Perhaps his best known story is the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow", which has spawned numerous adaptations since it was first published in 1820.

Although I really liked Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, my favorite adaptation is still the Disney version that originally was part of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad in 1949. It has an unforgettable art direction, with superb animation. Excellent visual storytelling.

Image from Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Remember, you can't reason with a headless man. ;-)

Somewhere Under the Sea

Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989), based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale.


Hans Christian Andersen was born on April 2, 1805. I figured we would think about one of his most famous stories, "The Little Mermaid".

Except for the preachy ending, I always enjoyed this story. It captured the thrill of exploration, the wonder of being someplace new. I could empathize with the mermaid as she learned a whole new way of life. The dilemma that she faces when her time starts to run out would twist at my heart; I always wished she could find a way to win out.

Although Andersen gives a "happy" ending, I can't say that I ever liked it. It felt like a dodge. And the moralizing "good child/bad child" situation was simply a manner by which to browbeat the child audience. Very bad form!!! >:(

Detail form the 1989 theatrical release poster of The Little Mermaid


That's why I like the 1989 Disney retelling. Sure, it's a radically different story, but the premise is faithfully preserved. Moreover, it avoids Andersen's relationship angst issues and his sermonizing. All the magic that made the original so effective is kept, but all the dross is discarded. And the Sea Witch is somethin' fierce! ;-)

A Wish Your Heart Makes

Disney's Cinderella was released on February 15, 1950.

It's time to celebrate another Disney animated classic, Cinderella.

The Valentine's Day synergy works well with this film, probably the most overtly romantic of the Disney classics. Sure, Snow White or Sleeping Beauty can contend for the romance title, but I feel that their narratives don't focus on the "girl desires to meet boy" aspects nearly as much as Cinderella. And their antagonists command significant screen time, which some might argue makes the story more interesting overall, with greater imaginative conflict.

But Cinderella is more overt in dealing with wish fulfillment fantasies. Her goal is to attend the Prince's ball, not a matter of survival. She is an active seeker of romance, not the beneficiary of a rescuing Prince Charming. Yes, she must overcome oppression, but it is for love and not for life.

Running in glass slippers is difficult.

So, let's celebrate Cinderella and all the rags-to-riches, "scullery maid Princess" stories that this fairy tale has inspired. ;-)

I've Got No Strings

Pinocchio released from Stromboli's cage by the Blue Fairy

I can't let the day pass without posting a brief celebration for the anniversary of Pinocchio's release date, February 7, 1940.

As a child, this was my favorite movie. The plot, the music, and the characters all caught my imagination, sometimes with a thrill of terror, like when Pinocchio begins to transform into a donkey or the escape scene with Monstro the whale.

That whale scene put such a scare into me that I was not able to get on the Storybook Land boat ride at Disneyland, which begins by entering into the gigantic mouth of Monstro. ;-)

Pinocchio makes a jackass out of himself on Pleasure Island


I don't know if it's still my favorite Disney movie, but it's definitely a Top Five constant.

To Infinity . . . and Beyond!

Buzz Lightyear action figures


On November 22, 1995, Pixar's first feature film, Toy Story, was released.

It's hard to imagine that 16 years have passed. But when you pause to consider all the Pixar movies that have since come, things fall into perspective. Including Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and WALL-E, these films have set the standard for cinematic CGI animation. Yet, this success was founded upon a simple story about the secret life of toys.

The Toy Story trilogy is among my favorite series of films. Each movie is a "stand alone" feature, but continues to build upon character interaction and delineate personality nuances. Although accessible for children, the stories are equally as engaging for adults. In terms of plot, each movie presents a distinct type of conflict, resolved with a compelling mix of thrills and humor, in defiance of memorable antagonists.

Toy Story poster (1995)

Fun Stuff!

Random Images from Downtown Disney

Lion King Statue in Downtown Disney's World of Disney Shop


Yeah, the holidays keep me busy. ;-)

Here are a some images from my trip to Downtown Disney.

Sheriff Woody Pride from the Toy Story series, built out of Legos


I'd like to go visit Downtown Disney on a bright and less hectic day to take some less rushed photographs. There are actually a lot of cool little details scattered around.

Umbrellas and Brooms

Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice is featured in a scene of Fantasia (1940)

We've got a few Disney-related events to celebrate today.

The French composer, Paul Dukas, was born on this date in 1865. His most famous work was the Sorcerer's Apprentice, which has become inextricably connected with the Disney interpretation in the 1940 cinematic feature Fantasia. I have a special love for the Sorcerer's Apprentice because of how it serves as an example against the modern Disney-influenced concept of intellectual property.

Let me explain. The history of the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" story spans over 2000 years. In ancient Egypt, there was a believe that magical funerary figures, ushabti, could be enchanted so as to perform one's work in the afterlife. Playing off of this belief, the ancient Greek satirist, Lucian of Samosata, created the basic narrative as we now know it in his work, the Philopseudes, written c.150 AD. Centuries later, the German writer, Goethe, does a "remake" of the story in his poem Der Zauberlehrling. This poem inspired Dukas to create his tone poem. And Disney uses the music as the basis for the wonderful scene in Fantasia.

It's really cool to see how different minds shaped the underlying source material over the centuries. It's too bad that modern "property" restrictions make creating works of derived influence a risky legal endeavor. Fortunately, contemporary "mash up" projects in music and literature are bringing the Disney "property" paradigm into question.

Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins


And we're also celebrating the birthday of Julie Andrews. Happy 76th Birthday!!!