The Tropics go Technicolor at the American Cinematheque's Tiki Luau Weekend at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. See a classic island musical romance PAGAN LOVE SONG (starring Esther Williams and Howard Keel), a hot-blooded Hawaiian soap opera DIAMOND HEAD (with Charlton Heston), and the volcanic adventure THE DEVIL AT 4 O'CLOCK (featuring Spencer Tracy and Frank Sinatra.

The Egyptian's courtyard will host a "Southern California-style" Luau Dinner with live musical entertainment by King Kukulele and the Polynesian Paradise Dancers on July 25.  

Visit the American Cinematheque's Site.

Pointy Silver Thing

Can you guess the purpose of the shiny object in these photographs from July 14, 1955?

It's the tip - and final detail - being added to the Disneyland Moonliner Rocket,  three breathless days before the Park's opening.

    I can tell you this much- I would not want this guy's job.  Suspended from a crane 76 feet above the  terra firma of Tomorrowland, he's left his shoes on the ground, preferring sock feet. One soft footstep for man on that polished Kaiser aluminum surface...

Cartoon Bruins

Look out!  Cute on the loose!  Tuffy and Tubby wreak havoc on vacationing humans in Walt Disney's fluffy live-action comedy Yellowstone Cubs (1963).

This is the original publicity artwork - (click on it to make it huge) - hand-painted by, I think, artist Paul Wenzel.  Anybody know for certain?

The painting was auctioned in 2006. I like it a lot.  It's not perfect, but it's got that funky, sixties sweetness that was so well conveyed with paintbrush and gouache. 

You don't have to agree with me, though. In fact, Cartoon Brew's Jerry Beck wondered just last week if this very illustration could be the "Worst. Disney Poster. Ever."

As for the movie itself, I recently got the new DVD release and found that it still offers much to enjoy, such as Rex Allen Jr.'s folksy narration and these simplistic, punchy title cards:

On the other hand, here's the current packaging that Disney is using to sell the DVD...
I bet you can guess which art I prefer.