May 10, 2011

How Walt Disney cartoons were made in the 1930s

Day 130 of Vintage 365

 

In this age of children's movies that are often comprised entirely of computer generated images, where nothing is beyond visual conception - so long as a team of graphic designers (artists, by all accounts) can turn pixels into images and create masterful stories - it can be all too easy to forget about the incredible degree of manpower that went into producing early animated films.

Today's clip peaks into the fascinating universe of the hundreds of individuals who came together to work on Walt Disney's first full length animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

From the fellows who crated all the wonderfully spot on sounds that helped bring this movie to life (such as glass breaking) to the many (to quote the narrator of this clip) "pretty girls" who inked the nearly countless cellulous frames it took to put together this landmark film, this video allows us to peer into a field that was utterly cutting edge in its day.



Though I don't consider Snow White to be amongst my absolute favourite Walt Disney movies, I certainly don't dislike it, and for as long as I've known that it hailed from 1937, I've held it in high regard. One must afford this motion picture further respect as well when you stop and ponder the fact that it was the first full-length cel-animated movie of all time.

Production for this delightful fairy tale - adapted from a classic German Brothers Grimms's children's story - began in early 1934 (mere years after speech had been introduced into films), though Walt Disney himself had to fight tooth and nail to get it put into production, encountering resistance to the idea from many people (including his very own brother and wife, Lillian!).

When, three years later, the film was completed, I would venture to guess most people (especially after they watched it) were quite ready to change their tune (and perhaps whistle while they worked, too Smile).

There is an deeply rooted elegance and sense of ageless happiness at play in this superbly beautifully illustrated film. It’s set against an attention-grabbing score (created by renowned Disney composer Frank Churchill) and laden with (what we now consider today to be) some of the most iconic Disney characters of all time, which come together to let the viewer know this historically significant movie was destined to be a masterpiece.

Set aside a few minutes when you have the time and peer into the intriguing behind-the-scenes view of how Walt Disney cartoons were made in the 1930s. It's an experience animated movie fans of all ages are bound to appreciate and enjoy.


May 9, 2011

This lovely hula girl shower curtain is sure to brighten your morning

 

Day 129 of Vintage 365

 

Do you ever have one of those days when you wake up and feel like you need a hefty dose of colour in your world? Perhaps it's been raining for ages (this being the season for such damp and monotonous weather) or maybe there's just been a lot going in your life and you feel like your energy level has been zapped to smithereens.

Sometimes one craves colour around them to help celebrate a special day or give then an extra boost of confidence (red in particular is said to be good in this regard), or simply because punchy hues can be so fabulously fun!

From the moment my lids snapped open this morning, I've been craving bright, joyful colours (and am sporting a cheery kelly green cardigan as we speak).

The immensely fun hula girl shower curtain below, which I found recently while pursuing the online pages of Perpetual Kid, is exactly the kind of home decor item that would ensure you were never short on colour in the morning ever again.



 

A little kitsch, very charming, and entirely fun, this 1950s inspired shower curtain packs a wallop of colour, yet - thanks to its citrus meets turquoise palette - stops short of potentially veering into tacky territory.

Made of easy-to-wipe-clean, waterproof vinyl, this Hawaiian tiki vacation worthy bathroom accessory measures in at 70 x 72 inches, retails for $16.99, and would definitely liven up even the most drab of powder rooms - or for that matter, listless of mornings, too! Smile


May 8, 2011

The most timeless and important role of all

Day 128 of Vintage 365


 

It is an incomparable role. Ageless as star dust, invaluable as air. From the dawn of time to this exact moment in history, women have been stepping into job, the honour, the right, the incredible joy of motherhood.

Life would be impossible if not for mothers, yet their role goes boundlessly beyond creating babies. To say that mothers are life itself, would not be a far stretch.



{Touchingly precious 1940s mother and child photo via Wampa-One on Flickr.}
 

Moms bring us into this world, shelter, guide, nurture, love, and protect us. They laugh with us, teach us, instil their beliefs in us. They are strength when the act of drawing air feels taxing, the champion of our every cause, the bearer of smiles that can set the cosmos right again in an instant.

To my mom, whom I could never in a million lifetimes even begin to describe how very much I love, cherish and respect, and to every women who has tread down the path of being a mom, grandma, step-mom, or mother figure, thank you for absolutely everything you have ever done, are doing now, and will continue to do for the children in your life now and forever.

Mothers,  you are the truest heroes in the world.