TOYLAND: A DOCUMENTARY

When I want to know something about classic playthings I consult my copy of Timeless Toys by Tim Walsh. Then I might have a look online for additional scraps of information. Tim's tome is that comprehensive. His follow-up was the definitive look at the Wham-O toy company in which he assembled an impossible amassment of photos and history.

For his most recent endeavor, a film called Toyland, Mr. Walsh teamed up with documentarian Ken Sons to capture a collection of classic toy stories, and offer a look into the modern toy industry.


Toyland offers a series of exclusive interviews with toy experts and the inventors of some of America's most legendary playthings including Play-Doh, Slinky, Nerf and the game of Operation. Seeing these faces for the first time was a strange experience. These people have impacted our culture far beyond most any modern celebrity and yet they've remained unknown for decades. Sounds like a pretty sweet setup, actually.

Witnessing the personalities and hearing the anecdotes behind the plastic was a joy for me. I finally got to put a face on Uncle Milton, inventor of the Ant Farm and a slew of other mail order trinkets that I so cherish. And I was delighted that they included a segment dedicated to toy legend Marvin Glass. (I've since suggested to Mr. Walsh that Mr. Glass is ripe for his own documentary.)

Walsh also happens to be a successful fun-maker in his own right. He invented the game Blurt! and co-created Tribond. Toyland devotes roughly half of its run time to Walsh's recent quest to usher his latest toy concept onto store shelves. Following Walsh's mission to bring his dream to life is engaging in its own way. Whether or not you believe in his idea, his devotion is inspiring and the backstage glimpse into the toy world is fascinating. I felt genuinely nervous as he walked into pitch meetings, and I was reminded that sometimes the toughest part of the creative process is getting others to share your vision.

While the production value is not slick, Toyland delivers the goods, and I kept being thankful that the filmmakers put forth so much effort to immortalize this rarely seen facet of American history. (And there's vintage toy commercials and factory footage of toys and games on the assembly line!) If you're on this site you're probably into this stuff. If you're into this stuff then I'll bet my vintage Ant Farm that you'll like it.

Toyland is available on DVD or on Video on Demand.

Oh, and here's the trailer...

IN PRAISE OF LONG JOHN SILVER'S KRUMS- ON MONKEY GOGGLES

The crunchy pieces of batter at Long John Silvers are my favorite food byproduct. Officially known as "krums," they are a topic that the internet has been too afraid to discuss—until now. Visit Monkey Goggles to read about my lifelong love affair with these guilty little pleasures.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATION ART SHOW

(click to enlarge)

I just tricked you into looking at my latest colored pencil creation. It's for an art show called Private Investigation which starts on September 15th at the Mastodon Mesa gallery in Los Angeles. The concept required artists to "choose a found photograph of unknown provenance, and use it as a jumping off point to make a piece of art."

Here it is hanging in the gallery

My submission (called Soft Focus Phantom in Pigtails) is based on a mysterious snapshot from the 1970s. I picked it because it initially grabbed my attention with the costume, but when I noticed that the ferocious subject is a little girl it became even more appealing. Also, I tend to have Halloween on the brain this time of year and I happen to own a mask similar to the one in the photo (though the blur and the glare from the flash distort it nicely in the found snapshot.)

Including the original photo alongside the art was optional. I wrestled with the decision until I concluded that my take on it just can't measure up to awesomeness of the authentic article.

At first I had grand plans to do a more creative interpretation of the image, but I quickly fell in love with it and couldn't bring myself to deviate too much. Though somehow I subconsciously became a human PhotoShop, deepening the colors and trying to sharpen the focus some.

The project was especially enticing because it's a step away from my film family portraits, and it's my foray outside the walls of the beloved Gallery 1988. For this I can thank curator Graham Kolbeins, who also wrote a nice write-up on my portraits on the official site for Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are movie.

For more info on the show and the other artists check out Mastodon Mesa's site.

EVERY POSTCARD FROM THE OPENING TITLES OF NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION

I just got back from my summer vacation and I have sooo much to do. (Blogging about the trip is certainly on the list.) Regardless of this, I couldn't resist the urge to watch National Lampoon's Vacation within hours of my return. My geekiness prompted me to turn on the director's commentary, and that's how I learned that the vintage postcards in the wonderful title sequence were contributed by John Margolies, a name that shows up on a half dozen books on my bookshelf. He's spent decades documenting roadside America in books such as Roadside America.

Roadside America by John Margolies

Signs of Our Time by John Margolies

In fact, many of the images used in the film appear within his bibliography. Vacation director Harold Ramis explains that a number of the postcards were actually "invented" by taking John's photographs and fashioning them into postcard format.

This new-found connection between one of my favorite movies and one of my favorite authors got me so excited that I threw my schedule to the wind and took screenshots of every postcard. They appear onscreen in frustratingly short intervals but now you can take a leisurely look at this magnificent collection. (Click any to enlarge)...



















































As you may recall, this last card featuring the Chicago skyline seamlessly transitions into the first shot of the film. I can't imagine a more appropriate or effective introduction to the quintessential vacation movie.