The Blue Parrot

Technical Difficulties

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:00:09 -0700

I’m in the midst of some changes to the software and the hosting of the site.

And as you may have noticed, things are somewhat... delayed.

While I have yet to reach the Windows “screaming and shouting” stage, I have had a few choice words to say about the new and improved. Hopefully a few more phone calls will solve the more irritating issues.

Back next week, if not sooner!

Big Doings at Bay Area Classic Movie Palaces

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 14:34:13 -0700

In the San Francisco Bay Area, we are lucky to have a group of classic movie palaces that still offer audiences the chance to see films as they were intended to be seen. And from time to time, some of those films are rare and treasured.

Well, this Sunday in San Francisco brings a rare opportunity indeed!

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival has really dug deep to offer a true gem with a look at Oswald The Lucky Rabbit on Sunday, July 12th. Check out the details from the Castro Theater website:

OSWALD, THE LUCKY RABBIT (1927-28, USA) 10:30am

“Oswald was Walt Disney’s first attempt to build a series around a cartoon character, but he lost the character in a legal dispute. Now, at long last, the original Oswald—straight from the magic pencil of Ub Iwerks—has come home to the Disney archive, and Leonard Maltin will host a side-splitting selection of Oswald at his innovative best! Piano accompaniment by Donald Sosin.”

More information? Sure thing...

Sunday, July 12
10:30am OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT
Walt Disney (USA, 1927-1928)

If Walt Disney hadn't lost Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in a legal dispute, we might not have Mickey Mouse! Oswald was Disney's first attempt to build a series around a cartoon character.

Now, at long last, the original Oswald straight from the magic pencil of Ub Iwerksha's come home to the Disney archive, and we have lined-up a side-splitting selection of Oswald at his innovative best! Leonard Maltin will guide us through this enchanting animated program:

TROLLEY TROUBLE (1927)
OH TEACHER (1927)
GREAT GUNS (1927)
MECHANICAL COW (1927)
ALL WET (1927)
THE OCEAN HOP (1927)
BRIGHT LIGHTS (1928)
OH WHAT A KNIGHT (1928)

LIVE ACCOMPANIMENT BY DONALD SOSIN ON PIANO.

35mm prints from Disney Studios. Program runs approximately 60 minutes.

With Special guests Leonard Maltin and Leslie Iwerks

Tickets? $14 here plus a $1 handling fee.

Meanwhile, across the Bay in Oakland, there’s more!

At Oakland's art deco wonder, the Paramount Theater, the Summer Movie Classics series kicks off Friday night, July 10th with Creature From The Black Lagoon in 3D! Free 3D glasses, too!

Other films upcoming include Rear Window - August 21st, The Women - August 7th and The Adventures of Robin Hood (with Errol Flynn) - July 24th. Great movies, the Mighty Wurlitzer and DecoWin! All for $5 each! A bargain you can't beat!

If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, a fan of great films in classic theaters, then these are events that you should not miss!

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 12:36:57 -0700

Don’t know about you, but on some afternoon’s, a time out in the air conditioned splendor of Adventureland’s Tiki Room is just the thing.

The classic Disneyland Pana-vue image of the entrance to
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

So, let’s do just that! Take a few minutes to set a spell and let the bird’s, flower’s and tiki’s all do their part to entertain us. Why, you can even bring that Dole Pineapple Whip along with you!

Okay, I was one of those folks who was glad - make that overjoyed - to see the Tiki Room all fixed up with a new thatched roof.

Didn’t want to wait in the big line outside the Tiki Room for your Dole Whip?
Just walk up to the counter here in the Tiki garden instead.

Take a seat next to Koro. He’s the real party guy here...

And I have no problem admitting that Pele is my favorite among
the Gods and Godesses that call the Tiki garden home.

Yet, Tangaroa still makes the show out here...

Let’s go inside! Find a good seat.

Just remember - please carry out any trash with you after the show!

He may be getting along in years, but as the emcee of the show, he’s tops!

“Where the birds sing words and the flowers croon...”

And who doesn’t love the Birdmobile? Hello Fifi!

Enchanted? Well how about chanting, instead?

Michael warns us that “the Gods have been angered by all of our celebrating.”

That won’t stop us from coming back to enjoy another show!

Here’s hoping that you’ll get the chance to do just that soon...

A safe and sane Independence Day!

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 00:20:21 -0700

Here’s an inspirational view from my recent visit to Orange County.
 Can’t get more American than John Wayne and a very big Stars & Stripes behind him. Yes, sir!

Have a safe and sane weekend. Drive safe, play safe, etc...

We want to have you back here next week!

The Walt Disney Family Museum - Updates

Thu, 2 Jul 2009 12:36:54 -0700

Today, we are only going back a few months...

Wanted to share some of the coverage we have been lucky enough to share about the Walt Disney Family Museum with you, our loyal readers here in this space.

And just a small heads up! We will be updating some software over the weekend as well as moving the archives from all of the postings before July 1st, 2009 to a new server. The idea is to preserve all of the wonderful content so that folks like yourselves can still sift through it at your leisure. That and a hoped for improvement in how this site works. We aren’t going away any time soon!

Big news this week? The Walt Disney Family Museum announced plans to open to visitors in October of this year. Check out the story in these links from SF Gate, ArtDaily.Org, and the New York Times. Time to mark those calendars!

Leo Holzer and I have had the honor to be guests of Diane Disney Miller and Ron Miller as well as the staff of the Museum on several occasions. It has indeed been a pleasure to be able to share some previews of the project with you here.

In case you may have missed them, check out these links -

First, a look at the San Francisco Presidio and some history.

Next, a 2006 tour of the Museum offices and some of the many items in the collection as well as a brief interview with Diane and Ron.

Finally, from 2008, views and information from a hard hat tour of the Museum’s main building as it was under conversion from a former Army barracks to it’s new role, as given to us by Diane Disney Miller.

Closing out today, a few more images from some of those visits.

Diane explains a bit about a few of the awards given to her father.

Walt loved miniatures, collecting and building many items himself. Many of them will be on display in groupings that will relate to particular themes.

If you saw the Walt Disney exhibition at the Ronald Reagan Library, you’ll remember this World War 1 ambulance similar to the one Walt drove in France. Getting it into it’s new Museum home will require some disassembly as it’s bigger than any of the doors into the historic brick barracks building!

Something for every Disney fan? You bet! Here’s a Mary Blair original from the development of It’s A Small World.

Here’s a real treat, the special Oscar (and seven little ones) awarded to Walt for the achievement of “Snow White”. Keeping company with a few of it’s brothers, too!

Yes, rare indeed, these are original attraction posters from Disneyland.

The adaptive reuse of the historic structures of the Presidio’s Main Post has set standards that will shape the future of the area. Visitors will be able to take advantage of the planning and foresight of the Museum for years to come.

As soon as we have more information to share on the October 1st, 2009 opening of the Museum, you’ll see them here! Thanks for checking out these updates!

A special thanks to Brad Zweerink for some of the images used in these updates.

Walt Disney Family Museum Memberships

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 06:06:34 -0700

By Leo N. Holzer
Special to The Blue Parrot

Well, here’s something many of you have been waiting for: Details about the annual membership plans for the Walt Disney Family Museum.

There are three levels for basic membership — Individual, Dual and Family — and a premium “Founding Membership” with additional perks.

All memberships are annual from date the museum opens or your registration date. For example, if you sign up now, your membership would be good through Sept. 30, 2010; but if you make it a Christmas present to yourself, family or another and sign-up on Dec. 18, then the membership would be good through Dec. 17, 2010.

All memberships include admission into the museum with a timed-entry ticket, (best acquired) from the Museum’s Web site ticketing system, www.waltdisney.org once it becomes operational Aug. 1 or in person, as available.

The Web-based ticketing system will offer tickets up to 60 days in advance. During August, tickets may be obtained for any day in October, as available.

It’s possible that there may be very few tickets, if any, available at the door on some given days, especially weekends, until well after the museum’s opening.

What is a timed-entry ticket?

Well, the system has been designed to help avoid overcrowding in the galleries. Ticket-holders will have a 15-minute window for entry, 10-10:14 a.m.; 10:15-10:29, etc.

Additional basic membership benefits include: a quarterly newsletter mailed to a member’s address; a 10 percent discount in the Museum Store; a membership card and additional discounts for educational and public programs.

The price for an Individual Membership is $75; $55 for seniors over 65 and students with valid ID. It allows tickets for one person on any day of operation, as available.

Dual membership, which includes admission for two, is $125 general and $95 for seniors.

The Family Membership is $175 and includes tickets for four, as available, on any day the museum is open.

All basic memberships are fully tax deductible.

Now, let’s talk about the premium FOUNDING MEMBERSHIP plan. It’s $500 per person, of which $425 is tax deductible.

Founding Members get all the basic individual membership benefits along with an additional 5 percent discount in the Museum Store; a total of 20 admissions for guests; an exclusive membership card and pin; an autographed copy of a newly published book; a numbered certificate signed by Diane Disney Miller and Executive Director Richard Benefield; and, invitations to select events, lectures, concerts, receptions and openings.

Those 20 guest admissions may be used in one visit — with coordination with the membership office for any group larger than 8 — or the Founding Member could use six in October, four in December and hold the remaining 10 in reserve for later.

Only Founding Members who join before the end of 2009 will get the signed and autographed certificate. It will be retired on Jan. 1, 2010.

There’s an additional charge of $25 on all International Memberships.

To receive a membership application, send an e-mail to membership@wdfmuseum.org. For questions or to process an application over the phone, call (415) 345-6810.

Thoughts on coverage

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:50:56 -0700

I’m always amused by what news editors seem to find time to cover. Especially those in television. Assignment editors are the folks who hand out the plums. You know... what story what reporter (and crew) will head out and find more details.

Now, last week. I know that it seems like a fair number of folks passed away that we all should have taken note of. At least, that’s what these editors want us to think. Yes, I understand that the idea is to get a story before everyone else. The scoop is gold for some people because is also leads to better ratings. Got it.

But let’s be real. People pass away every day. In all kinds of situations and places. If we are lucky, we have let them know what they mean to us and how much we appreciate them - before this happens. In the case of celebrities, they understand that for many fans, there exists a bond on all kinds of levels. Everything from a passing interest to down right obsession. So at times, good news loses out to quick news. I really think that was the case last week, weekend and still going on...

As a fan, I have always tried to remember that these are people. On some level, regular folks, just like the rest of us. Even if sometimes, like Michael Jackson, they tend to show off a bit more in interesting ways than the rest of us.

But in their lives, they have many moments that are the kind of things we enjoy, too. The simple pleasures. Could be just a quiet moment at lunch with friends. Anything along those lines to be treasured and remembered.

Yet, when the inevitable happens and someone does pass away, I don’t get how people in some media outlets look to turn those simple pleasures into something sensational, just in the name of getting it first and fastest. Never will, but that’s no surprise.

So, here’s to an appreciation of folks who passed recently. Your fans will always remember you, for many reasons. What made you special to them is something personal. That you were able to make such a connection, even with people you never met, is indeed worth noting.

From Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”:

Sail on silver girl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.