Looking a little bit farther down the rabbit hole...

I'm so curious about 'Alice in Wonderland', I think I could BURST! Yes, we've all seen the trailer (You have seen it, right?), but that's just a teaser... Like only peeping through a keyhole. I'm more than ready to fall down that rabbit hole with Alice to explore all the wondrous things our delightfully twisted Tim Burton has dreamed into cinematic reality! But, sadly, we must continue waiting for that "very important date": 3/5/10. And when it does finally get here, you can bet I won't be late!

In the mean time, I want to share a few more Alice-related goodies that I've come across lately. The first three images are new movie posters that were recently released. The images that follow those are from a photo shoot that was featured in Vanity Fair magazine, back in August of this year. So you might have already seen the magazine shots, but maybe not.

Please, enjoy...




~ MOVIE POSTERS ~





This is so very pleasing!
It's total eye-candy! Notice, if you
will, the Mad Hatter sitting at the
head of his table, waaaay in the
background (left).






Why, here comes Hatter, now!
Such a dapper fellow, that one...
Love the giant mushrooms, too!
Did you happen to notice Caterpillar
sitting on one (upper right), having
a smoke on his hookah?







Cheshire Cat, Red Queen, White
Queen and the Tweedle's. Don't
even ask which one is Dum or Dee
'cuz I have no clue!
I'm liking Carter's huge-headed
Red Queen. What do you think?




~ VANITY FAIR PHOTOS ~




Photograph by Mary Ellen Mark

Mia Wasikowska, in character as a
teen-aged 'Alice'.







Photograph by Mary Ellen Mark

Johnny Depp, in character as the
very colorful 'Mad Hatter'.






Photograph by Mary Ellen Mark

Anne Hathaway, in character as the
beautiful 'White Queen'.






Photograph by Mary Ellen Mark

Helena Bonham Carter, in character
as the short-tempered and somewhat
clownish 'Red Queen'.




That's about all I can see for now. The rabbit hole is pretty deep, and very dark... Of course, I would willingly jump right in if it weren't for the invisible barrier keeping out riffraff like us from the real world! I just hope that the next 3 months go by quickly, and I'll bet Mr. Burton feels just as anxious. He probably can't wait to grant us access into his Wonderland, so we may all see the fantastic, mind-bending vision he has conjured from Lewis Carroll's original story.

Until then, I'll just keep peering over the edge trying to see whatever I can. Maybe, if I got a really BIG searchlight and aimed it at just the right angle... Hmm.



*All 'Alice in Wonderland' movie images, other than Vanity Fair photos, are Copyright Walt Disney Pictures.
**Photographs of Wasikowska, Depp, Hathaway and Carter taken by Mary Ellen Mark for Vanity Fair magazine.

My Disneyland Birthday!

August 22nd is my birthday, and since I registered for Disneyland's FREE Birthday Admission, both Tommy and I spent Saturday playing in the Magic Kingdom! But, of course, even though I was getting in for nothing, we still had to purchase a $72.00 ticket for Tommy. Can you believe what they charge now? And that only gets you in the gate! You still have to eat and drink... If I remember correctly, water alone goes for almost $4.00 a bottle! So, obviously, I didn't really go to Disneyland for FREE. That was just another one of Disney's many illusions!

Don't get me wrong, I loves me some Disneyland! I just also happen to be a realist, therefore I tell it like it is. And what it is, is expen$ive! However, it's also a whole lotta fun!

We started my special day by arriving at the park around 9 am. When we redeemed my admission and paid for Tommy's, the ticket booth lady gave me a big "I'm Anthony and It's My Birthday!" button to wear. She also gave Tommy one that said "I'm Celebrating with Him!" or "I'm with Stupid!", something like that... My instinct was to not wear mine, but Tommy suggested that it might get us special treatment, maybe even front-of-the-line type treatment (wink, wink). So we pinned 'em on, and began our adventure!

As I'm sure most of you can guess, or may even know from experience, we were not allowed to circumvent any of the lines, and had to wait just like the common folk. Oh, well. At least, everyone that worked there who saw my magic button (except one or two, and they will be reported) said, "Happy Birthday!" to me. It's pretty funny how obvious it is that all of the "cast members" must have been programmed to say it as part of their basic training. Several of them even delivered their line in a bored, robotic monotone. After a while, it wasn't funny anymore. And besides, we weren't getting any real privileges, so we took off our birthday badges and blended right into the crowd.

Actually, one special thing my birthday badge did get me was a li'l cup-o-chocolate mousse with whipped cream and a candle. That was presented to me after we finished our "nighttime" lunch beneath the glowing lanterns of the Blue Bayou. Located in New Orleans Square, Blue Bayou is easily the most beautiful and atmospheric dining experience to be had in all of Disneyland. Imagine dining alfresco under moonlight (even though it's actually sunny and about 90 degrees outside) on the banks of a swampy Louisiana bayou, complete with fireflies and chirping crickets. And the occasional sound of screaming tourists, as their boat plunges down the first drop on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. That is what the Blue Bayou experience is like! The menu is a bit pricey, but I think that it's well worth it... at least, once! If/when you do go, and you're not a vegetarian, make sure to try the Monte Cristo sandwich (the crispy, battered ham & cheese one that you dip in jelly) because it's absolutely wonderful, and probably the best thing they serve! It's also quite obviously not for the health-conscious! But it was my special day that only comes once a year, so I said, "Screw it!"






Photo via Google Images

For those who've never been, this is a good shot of the Blue
Bayou's (exterior) interior. The lanterns are more colorful
in person, and the actual (artificial) bayou is to the right. It's
like you're dining on the veranda of a southern mansion,
somewhere along the Mississippi River...






Photo via Google Images

This must be an official Disneyland press release photo, or
something. It might even be from around the time they first
opened the restaurant? It just has that perfect, unique Disney
quality. Whatever the case, it's a good shot of the bayou view
that diners get to enjoy. Only, it's a bit darker than this in reality.







Not the best shot from a technical standpoint (nor the least
bit flattering), but we had to document the moment. It was
my FREE special birthday treat, you know! Also, being that
it was so dark and atmospheric, we didn't want to risk ruining
anyone's fine dining experience by using the flash. Besides,
we thought this might look pretty neat.





We had a blast on all 11 of the rides we managed to cram into our day. Some of the highlights included the carefully (Thank goodness!) updated It's a Small World and Haunted Mansion. On It's a Small World, they've added several iconic main characters from Disney animated film classics like Pinocchio, Lilo & Stitch, Alice in Wonderland, Toy Story, Cinderella, The Three Caballeros, Little Mermaid and others I can't recall. When I first heard about this "embellishment", I was a bit scared that it was going to completely ruin the ride, but now having actually seen it, I'm relieved to say that it's mostly unobtrusive. The people at Disney really worked at trying to match the art style of the original doll/puppet/marionette children, and for the most part they do blend in quite nicely. There was only one or two that made me cringe a little. Woody, from Toy Story, comes to mind. That one just plain sucks, and whoever worked on him must have been lazy!







The Mad Tea Party spinning teacup ride is one of my favorites,
not only because of its dizzying fun, but I also really like the
look of it. All the eye-popping colors... and those lanterns!







Tommy, being a teacup cutie!







Me, just taking the cup out for a spin.







Here we both are, about to take off on Peter Pan's Flight.





The update in the Haunted Mansion was well integrated, too. There may have been more done than what we noticed, but here's what Tommy and I compared notes on: In the hallway, right after exiting the elevator, a few of the changing portraits on the gallery wall have either been tweaked or replaced. So if you have a particular favorite, you might be disappointed. One that I'm fairly confident is popular among fans, and was not there any longer, is the one of a pretty young lady that morphs into an ugly old biddy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember it being called 'April-December'. It was one of my faves, as well, and the gallery just didn't feel right without it. Once on the ride, the main changes we noticed were in the attic. It was almost completely different, in fact. There are now 5 (?) wedding portraits of the bride with each of her doomed grooms, so to speak, and as you pass each one, the groom's head disappears. In case you don't know, this ties in nicely with the background story of how the bride beheaded all of her husbands. Then, you see that the bride herself has gotten a total make-over. She even has an animated face now, done in much the same way as the singing busts out in the graveyard. It's a neat effect, and executed (No pun intended) quite well. She's also been moved from the right side to the left. Purist fans of the Haunted Mansion will probably have issues with these revisions, but I found most to be very well done and kind of cool. Tommy did, too, I think.







This shop window display, in New Orleans
Square, caught my artistic eye. I'm drawn
to this kind of collage-type arrangement.







Here's the same window, a bit closer.







And even closer, yet!
This particular half-bird/half-child trinket just
pulled me right in. I think that dressing a shop
window in this style would be a lot of fun!





Well, I could go on (and on...), but this has already become another one of my MEGA-posts! That being said, I will now pick up my toys and go. Thank you, for letting me share my exciting Disneyland birthday adventure with you!

Curiouser and Curiouser...

LOOK!
It's the first official Disney movie trailer for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland!

Actually, it came out a few weeks ago, but YouTube (or Disney) wasn't allowing any linking to it until now. You're not going to believe how "wonderful" it looks!

I can't wait, I can't wait... for its very important release date! The adventure will begin on March 5th, 2010.



Enjoy it, and try not to hit your head on the way down!

San Diego Comic-Con... We Went, We Saw and We Conquered!

Well, we did it! Four days of comics, toys, lots of people, people in costumes and even more people! Did I mention the people? It's just insane. I wish that I'd taken more photos, but once you're afloat in that crowded sea of humans, you kind of lose your bearings and don't think about such things as cameras. Especially, if you're weighted down with bags of purchased goodies!

Speaking of goodies, we were anxious to get our hands on two of this year's Comic-Con exclusives: a My Little Pony that has two different sides (one side is green, the other purple), for Tommy, and a Littlest Pet Shop super-hero kitty, for me. We got 'em, too! It's weird, though, because on the first day, in order to buy them, people had to be somewhere at a certain time to get a ticket just so they could get in line, then they had to wait in that HUGE line which looked like something you'd see at an amusement park. But the second day was completely different. Tommy and I just walked right up to the Hasbro booth and bought both toys instantly! No tickets, no line. I'm sure glad we didn't have to go through all of that first day rigamarole. If we had, and then saw how easily people could get them the next day, we would've surely been pissed!

One side of Tommy's two-faced super pony...

... And here is the other side.

Look! Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

No, it's my Comic-Con super kitty

from Littlest Pet Shop!

Another highlight, for me anyway, was shortly after we entered the convention on Thursday. We must've only been walking the floor for about 10 minutes when, suddenly, I spotted her... A lady dressed as Alice (in Wonderland) who also happened to look like Bette Davis! I mean, she could've been Bette's stunt double! Not that Miss Davis ever did a movie role that would require such a thing, but man, this lady could've done it! Check out the pics below, and then let me know if you agree...

Curiouser and curiouser... Is that Bette Davis in Wonderland?

I'm sure that must be the Mad Hatter on the left. And Bette

is clearly holding the Cheshire Cat, so who/what is that on the

right? A human Cheshire? Creepy.

She's ready for her close-up, Mr. DeMille...





Of course, there were also real celebrities in attendance for various reasons. Among them were Zachary Levi (Chuck), Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory), Amanda Palmer (Dresden Dolls), Robert Pattinson (Twilight, duh!), Kristen Stewart (Twilight, double duh!), Tim Burton (Nightmare Before Christmas, super duh!), Johnny Depp (If you don't know what he's from, you probably aren't reading this because you're so out of touch with the world that you don't even have internet access, or a computer!), Lou Ferrigno (Incredible Hulk), Matt Groening (The Simpsons) and many, many more! I didn't get any photos of them, unfortunately.

Friday night, we went to an exclusive Disney Press cocktail party at a hip restaurant/bar in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter known as Bondi. It's really neat. They have these huge basket pods you can sit in, like private booths! We didn't get to sit in one because we were in the bar, but they were sure cool to look at. And the ones that weren't "in-service" were actually raised up and hanging from the ceiling. I'd never seen anything like it! Here, take a look...

Bondi basket pods. I sooo wanted to sit in one of these!

Oh, well. There's always next year...

That just about covers the main highlights. I could bore you with a day-by-day itinerary, but I will spare you. Maybe, next year I will manage to take more photos. Ones of real celebrities, too!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

And beware of humans disguised as cats... Cheshire Cats.





"Meow."

San Diego Comic-Con, Here We Come!

It's that time, again!

Every Summer for the last decade or so, Tommy and I have been attending the San Diego International Comic-Con, here in California. For those of you who don't already know, Tommy Kovac is a comic book creator who writes and illustrates his own works for publisher, Slave Labor Graphics. So far, his body of work includes the books 'Stitch', 'Skelebunnies', 'Autumn' and, most notably, the highly acclaimed Disney Press published 'Wonderland'. That last one was a collaboration with artist Sonny Liew, who did all of the beautiful illustrations complimenting Tommy's well-crafted story. If you have any appreciation for Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland' movie, or Lewis Carroll's original books, you would probably like 'Wonderland'. Tommy based his tale on both, while creating something entirely new and inventive. You really should check it out!

Cover of the Disney Press 'Wonderland'

graphic novel.

(To be clear, SLG first published the story

as a series of 6 single-issue comic books.

Then, Disney Press published them all

together in one graphic novel.)

If you're not familiar with Comic-Con, let me enlighten you. The San Diego International Comic-Con is the annual convention for all-things comic related. And even some stuff that isn't! It's been drawing thousands upon thousands of attendees each year for about 40 years, now. You would not believe the crowds unless you'd been amongst them personally! It really is an "experience" being at the convention. And when we go, we always attend all 4 days of it, so I'm always more than ready to leave when the final day approaches! I do have some fun, and I like being a supportive husband, but 4 whole days of that craziness and crowd congestion is quite exhausting for most anyone.

This is but a mere taste of what it's like walking around

on the convention hall floor.

Here is what it looks like outside the convention center, at the

end of each day. It's chaos in the streets, I tell you!

One of the most entertaining things to see at the convention, is the people. Well, the people who are not afraid to wear a costume, anyway. You see all manner of dress, too! Everything from total head-to-toe Klingons (with those big prosthetic foreheads and face make-up) to barely there, skimpy, flesh exposing "outfits". And believe me, you don't want to see some of the people who choose to share their physical attributes! For some reason, they seem to think that they're quite a hot property, and most of them are soooo not...

Look at this gaggle of giddy girls in their goofy getups!

Of course, the skimpier ones are tame compared to some...

A Cylon from Battlestar Galactica attempts to intimidate his

way through the thick crowd of humans.

I rather like this one! I guess that

she's supposed to be like some kind

of burlesque interpretation of

Batman's Joker?

No, they're not martians. It's the Shreks, of course!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this one

actually is a martian! (...with a coordinating

green Starbucks drink, natch!)

O.k., I just threw this one in for the ladies...

No, I didn't. I really threw it in for the boys!

(But if the ladies enjoy it also, that's great.)

This one kinda scares me, and I'm not sure why. Is it some sort

of Super Panda Girl? What would her powers be, I wonder?

This one might be my absolute favorite! I mean, it's

Darth Vader on a rickshaw! I just don't think it gets

any better than this.

Well, that's about all I have time for. I still have to pack my suitcase and fill the gas tank so that we're ready to take off to San Diego tomorrow morning...

I know it's only mid-week, but have a great weekend once it gets here! I'll be having a weekend full of sensory overload, while wading through tons of people just like I've shown you.

Bye-bye!

All photos via Google Images

What's Down the Rabbit Hole?

Tim Burton is about to "wow" us, again. This time, with his unique vision of Alice in Wonderland. We'll have to wait until March of 2010, but I have a feeling that it will be well worth the wait! I'm extra excited about it because I've always loved Alice, and I had even said many times early in Burton's career that his version of a Wonderland would be an incredible one.

The actress who was cast in the title role is somewhat unknown. And by that, I mean she hasn't really made it BIG, yet. The 20-year-old actress is Mia Wasikowska, and she is probably best known for her role as a patient named Sophie on the 1st season of HBO's In Treatment. That is a great show, by the way. If you like watching drama, I highly recommend it. I haven't seen any of Mia's Sophie episodes, though. I'll have to find and watch those, soon...

Mia Wasikowska is Alice.

Anyway, in Burton's version of Wonderland, Alice is now much older than in Lewis Carroll's original book. Here, she is a 17-year-old revisiting a Wonderland she has completely forgotten. Burton has said that he thinks other versions have suffered because they were basically "just one weird event after another". He says he's "trying to ground it a little bit" while also making a story that uses the Alice mythology and characters in a way that's "true to the spirit of what Alice is about."

The official movie title logo.

(Looks quite Burton-esque, huh?)

Another part of his retelling, is a Mad Hatter with a much bigger role in the story. "With him we are always trying to find a subtext and layer to it, so it's rooted in humanity to some degree - something deeper than just being nuts", Burton said. I'm sure that you must have heard by now that Johnny Depp will be the one inhabiting that character. His talent, combined with Burton's, almost assures an excellent film all by itself!

Johnny Depp is the

Mad Hatter.

Adding to the challenge of concocting such a different take on Alice, is the filming process. The film will be presented using a mix of animation, live-action and motion-capture. And according to Burton, it has proved to be a "mysterious puzzle that's frightening and exciting at the same time."

Anne Hathaway is the

White Queen.

Helena Bonham Carter is

the Red Queen. (Her head was

enlarged to 3x the normal size.)

Matt Lucas is both

Tweedledee & Tweedledum.

Now, the following images are just conceptual, but if the film comes anywhere close to these... we're gonna be treated to some great eye-candy!

Could this be when Alice first enters

Wonderland and encounters the

White Rabbit?

Alice, in a garden of live flowers, and

approaching what looks like a gateway

into a forest of giant mushrooms.

Some other cast members (whose character images have not yet been released) include Alan Rickman as the Caterpillar, Crispin Glover as the Knave of Hearts, Michael Sheen as the White Rabbit, Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat and Christopher Lee as the Jabberwock.

I tell ya, with a cast like that, this movie is going to be awesome! Or, at the very least, interesting. And quite colorful! I like color.

All images copyright Walt Disney Pictures

It's Christmas in July at Santa's Village!

I guess that I should have titled this post, 'It WAS Christmas in July at Santa's Village!' because it is, sadly, no longer there amongst the pines of Skyforest, California. Well, technically, it does still exist. Only, it hasn't been open since 1998 and what's left is falling into total ruins! The parking lot IS being used for a lumber yard, however. I wonder what they call that, Paul Bunyan's Village? It really is heartbreaking that after 43 years of bringing the enchantment of Santa Claus and the wonder of Christmas to life, it all just ended. Closed for business. Will return at... never o'clock! They just walked away and left it sitting there, discarded like some old worn-out shoe. It somehow seems even more depressing that it wasn't torn down, but was instead left for vandals and the elements to slowly devour.

Having been to Santa's Village only twice, once as a child and another as an adult, I am especially grateful for those memories now. The park's Grand Opening took place Memorial Day weekend in 1955, only 6 weeks before Walt opened the gates to Disneyland. But I didn't come along until the 1970s. I can just imagine how fresh and magnificent it all must've looked in the '50s... Still, I thought it was pretty great my first time. I know that somewhere there are old snap shots of me on many of the Christmas-themed rides, and I'm pretty sure that there's at least one shot of me screaming through tears while seated on Santa's lap. I WAS loving absolutely everything, EXCEPT that jolly old elf!

I can remember, as a little boy, thinking the place seemed truly magical. It looked alive with color, and the surrounding mountain air felt charged with an exciting sense of "anything-is-possible". I mean, I was frolicking around the place where Santa LIVED, after all! With all of his elves and reindeer, no less! Not to mention it looked as if you were in a fairytale, what with the storybook architecture of shops and houses populating the village. Also, those gigantic patterned mushrooms... WOW! I don't know how such a park would be perceived by the seemingly jaded young children of today, but back then, it certainly made an impression on me. Quite a happy one, too!





"Well, missy, you've got two choices. You can either hang
out with Blitzen, by that North Pole... Or you can reach
into these velvet pants and visit my SOUTH Pole!"






A couple of elves on their way back from the parking lot,
having just "caned" someone for not buying a souvenir.






This was the Whirling Christmas Tree ride. You hopped
into a giant ornament, and away you went!




Here are just a few random facts about Santa's Village in Skyforest, California:

• The park was created on 15 acres of wooded land.



• It cost $1 million to build.



• In 1955, Children 11 yrs. & under got in FREE, Juniors 11 to 18 yrs. paid 40 cents, and Adults paid $1.00 (Federal Tax included)



• At first, the park was open 364 days a year, and CLOSED on Christmas Day.



• Glenn Holland, the park's creator, insisted that in order to help sustain the theme and illusion of a Christmas fantasy land, money was never to be exchanged inside the park at any of the shops or eateries. Instead, a small passport ticket was used to keep track of the guest's expenses, then checked out and paid for at the end of the visit in the exit shop. He felt strongly that children's belief in the myth was paramount.



• When the park closed in 1998, all movable goods were sold at public auction. Today, the pastel-colored toadstools, Santa's sleigh, giant candy canes and a clock with months instead of numbers decorate homes and stores all around the mountainous area.

Elves communing with precious 'Bim the Burro'. He only
LOOKED harmless...






The Good Witch's Bakery. This was where nice little
children got cookies & donuts, but the ill-behaved ones
got stuffed into an oven! Guess she wasn't always so
"good", after all.






I don't remember seeing any scary clowns. They
probably caused that cute boy to eventually
become a serial killer!






Doesn't this just look like the ideal toy & doll shop?!
Well, this was where you bought 'em...






...but this was where Santa's helpers made 'em! It's
the Mill Wheel Toy Workshop.






"Tickets! Get your tickets here!" Eager children line
up for a ride on Santa's Magic Train.






I don't remember seeing this Jack
Pumpkinhead, either. But I do know
that if I had, I would've RUN the
other way!




I'm afraid that my follow-up to this post won't be as fun. In fact, it will be a bit sad as I'll be sharing a few examples of this park's slow deterioration into obscurity. But until that smack of reality, I hope you continue to enjoy this nostalgic look back at a true pop culture classic!


{All images via alamedainfo.com}