The Year of the Diamond!

_______________

2012

____________________________

75th DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY

of

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS!

_____________________________________________

Image via Snow White...An Art in Its Making 1994, p.137.

It's still nearly a year away, but on December 21, 2012, Walt Disney's first feature-length film will be 75 years old! As the months tick off, we might be experiencing a stream of commemorative events, promotions, and collectibles in honor of Miss White. We've already seen the very first items in the special edition wall calendar released back on August 1, 2011. Then there was the It's Off To Sleep We Go baby doll collection made available this past Fall.

If Snow's 75th is anything like her 50th, then Disney will have a number of anniversary events in the works. At least one has already been announced. According to Steven Clark, head of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club...

In the summer, D23 will offer an all-new “Destination D” event, Destination D: 75 Years Of Disney Animation, held over the course of two days at the Disneyland Resort in California (August 11-12). As Disney marks the 75th anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, D23 marks the occasion by gathering many renowned Disney animation legends along with top Disney animators, voice talent (past and present), and composers—plus interesting demonstrations, fascinating presentations, autograph sessions, and the chance to see entertaining animation rarities from the Disney vaults—all in celebration of 75 years of Disney feature animation. Source: D23 webpage

_______

It's also no coincidence that several live-action movies featuring the Snow White character are being released in 2012. The two productions getting the most hype include Mirror, Mirror starring Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen and Lily Collins as Snow White, and Snow White and the Huntsman with Kristen Stewart as the Princess, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, and Charlize Theron as the Queen. More on these as their release dates approach.

  The Brothers Grimm: Snow White

Snow White and the Huntsman

Lily Collins and Kristen Stewart backstage 2011 MTV Movie Awards

Film Comparison Chart via The Hollywood Reporter, p.10, August 5, 2011.

_______

As we wait to see what all unfolds for this year's Diamond Jubilee, it seems only fitting to continue our examination of the other anniversary commemorations. Not long ago we took a look back at the Golden Anniversary of Snow White. Over this next month we'll do the same for the 60th, 65th and 70th.

We've already had a glimpse of a few collectibles that were produced:

• 60th Radko and Hallmark ornamnets.
• 65th Radko ornament, Marie Osmond doll and Jody Daily snow globe
• 70th lobby card lithographs

But there's lots more where that came from. Sit back and enjoy the new year as we explore all-month-long the anniversaries of Snow White's past.

New baby, New Year

It's Saturday peeps, which must mean it's time for a new challenge at Allsorts and this week the lovely Emma is hosting the theme which is "New Beginnings", what better theme to start off the New Year.

So I figured a baby card would fit the bill along with a recent order I needed to fulfil and as is so often the case nowadays they knew it was a little girl well in advance.................I really do have mixed feeling on that, call me old fashioned, but to me waiting for the birth to know the sex was always part of the excitement.

I used the pretty little bootee image from A Passion for Stamps  printing it first onto the base card and again onto some DP from stash, but pretty sure it's Daisy Bucket. After cutting out the bootees, I ran a ball tool over the back of them to give a bit of dimension and added some lace. The background is embossed with a Sizzix folder, a bow using seam binding and the sentiment is Darkroom Door.

Happy New Year to you all and I hope you enjoy whatever you have planned this evening.

Snow White "Pook-a-Looz"

We'll say goodbye to 2011 with a Pook post...

Stock images via Disney Store.

You may have asked, as I did when I first heard the name, "What the heck is a Pook-a-Looz?" With the tagline, "Too cute for their own good," these flattened, stylized soft fleece collectible toys were released to the general public spring 2010--in conjunction with a good dose of promotional hype.

What the Pooks are, according to lead designer Jose Zamora, are caricatures of classic Disney character personalities. Zamora says he tried to zero in on one unique feature for each. Over 30 classic characters were "pooked" and sold at the Disney Store, Wal-Mart, Toys-R-Us and the other usual chains. Each of the 12" polyester plush dolls retailed for $12.50 (USD).

The buzz was high when they first hit the market. Disney Consumer Products even created a separate Pook website and promoted them on their Facebook page. On youtube, Disney Living put out a series of "Pook-a-Sodes", short videos starring of course the Pook-a-Looz.

The Snow White episode is so ridiculously adorable, that I can't help but like it. Look for the hidden Pook-A-Looz character at about the 25 second mark.

Video posted by Disney Living.

Dopey and Grumpy Pooks.

In addition to the 12" dolls, a variety of other "Pook" products popped up in stores too. Miniature plush versions of Snow White and Grumpy appeared in the form of keychains attached to mouse ears carabiners. Figures approximately 3.5" tall.

Key chain images shot at Toys-R-Us, March 2011.

Grumpy Pook-a-Looz keychain.

Then there were the Topplers, Walkers, Yappers, and Spinners; released August 2010.

Packaging image via Cutetastic Disney Finds.

Snow showed up as a Toppler (Weebles wobble but they don't fall down).

Toppler images courtesy of xClaribelx.

This past March, almost one year from when the first Pooks began to appear, I visited Toys-R-Us. There were no signs of them anywhere except in the discount section. The few remaining store stragglers were marked down and priced to sell. It looked as though the Pook craze had died down...but in fact, it had not yet pooped out. New 2011 releases did occur at the theme parks.

So we say "goodpye" to the "pold" year with a peek at some pics of Pook madness! Also see the Pook pin.

Pook Pin

Disneystore.com released a limited edition Pook-a-Looz pin series on September 13, 2010. It included a Snow White pin with her holding Dopey's hand. Edition size 250. Enamel cloisonné; 2" wide. Retail $14.95.

Coming Soon! The Carthay Circle to DCA!

The Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles was of course home to the 1937 world premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Built in 1926, the theater's...

...exterior design was in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, with whitewashed concrete trimmed in blue, with a high bell tower and neon sign that could be seen for miles. From the book, Wilshire Boulevard: Grand Concourse of Los Angeles

Vintage Carthay, circa 1926. Courtesy of vokoban.

[CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE]

Sadly, by the late 1960s, the Carthay could no longer compete with the more modern suburban cinemas of the time. The once grand Golden Age movie palace was demolished in 1969 to make way for office buildings.

The yellow square on this satellite image below marks the spot where the theater once stood...

Modern day satellite with 1927 overlay. Image courtesy of vokoban.

It was 1994 that Disney theme parks first celebrated this historic icon with the expansion of their Sunset Boulevard at Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando. A replica of the facade was built to house one of the gift shops along this street.

In 2007, the $1.1 billion expansion plan was announced for Disney California Adventure. Among the many new additions to the park would be a centralized replica of the theater facade. Set as a visual anchor at the end of the entry plaza on Buena Vista Street, the Carthay Circle Theatre would again find a home.

October 2007 - Concept art of Buena Vista Street with the Carthay at the end...

Early blue prints showing the Carthay Circle Theatre and its plaza. A fountain will be placed in the center with the "pump house" set across the street...

Images via Disneyland News Today.

April 2011 - Construction framing...

Images copyright Loren Javier. Creative Commons License.

May 2011 - Construction framing...

Image provided by TokyoMagic! of Meet the World.

Images courtesy of Original D.

July 2011 - Construction tarps...

Photo by Andy Castro via MiceAge.

August 2011 - Construction tarps...

Image courtesy of Original D.

August 19-21, 2011 - Model on display at the D23 expo, Anaheim Convention Center...

Image via Walt's Magic Kingdom Blog.

September 2011 - Construction videos from the Disney Parks blog...

October 2011 - Construction tarps, cupola in place...

Image courtesy of Connie at Life is a Journey.

October also saw some new Carthay display items at DCA's Blue Sky Cellar, including the scale model building set within the park entrance diorama...

Blueprints on the table...

Photos on the wall...

And posters up above...

Images courtesy of TokyoMagic! at Meet the World.

December 2011 - These shots were taken December 16th...

The left side facade is out from behind tarps and looking mighty fine...

The tower and right side remain mostly covered...

Across the street from the "theatre" is a small building with a matching facade. This is the "pump house" mentioned in the blue prints above. Currently, it's an information booth, but word is that it will also serve as the actual pump house for the plaza fountain...

On December 23rd, the tarps were removed from around the top portion of the theatre tower. On Christmas Eve, even more of the tower was revealed...

Above December shots all generously provided by TokyoMagic! of Meet the World.

And on the 28th, the tarps are nearly gone from the right side too...

Image courtesy of Connie at Life is a Journey.

The memory of the Carthay Circle Theatre will be forever linked to Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And while this Golden Age movie palace may be long gone, thanks to theme park imagineers, it won't soon be forgotten.

So what's going to be inside? We'll find out in 2012!