Voyage to the Moon

Hand tinted film from Voyage to the Moon 

The rule of thumb for blog posting is “write about what you know”, and since you likely don’t care about my uncontainable love of band and military jackets, or my vast plastic dinosaur collection (although I’m sure I can discuss both endlessly….and, maybe you ARE interested. Hmmmm….Mental note: write about jackets and dinosaurs), I’ll tell you what I know, about what I love: the 20^th Century as it pertains to Pop Culture, how I see it.  

My modest Facebook page (I’ve never “Facebooked” until now, and it’s like having a new cell phone; it’s very user friendly, just a matter of learning the buttons) has a few “Voyage to the Moon” photos and I’m asked about them this week. They are from the famous George Melies film, "Voyage dans la Lune". It was a silent film from the late 19^th Century/very early Art Deco era, created by one of the most revolutionary filmmakers in history. He was nearly forgotten (it was impossible, for years, to find pictures of his amazing moon) until the fame of Hugo, where Martin Scorsese masterfully honored him and used actual footage from a number of Melies’ films.

The most notable thing, in my mind, about the life of George Melies, is that he was profoundly revolutionary in prop and filmmaking (his studio was made out of glass to take advantage of natural light, like a greenhouse. You can see it replicated, exactly in Hugo). He was a master prop maker, and was revolutionary in the advent of special effects, yet he spent the latter part of his life in poverty, selling toys in a train station booth in France (also depicted in the film). It keeps me pondering: How many of us are touched by absolute genius in our daily lives? All of us know someone who has extraordinary talent, yet is unsuccessful in it.  Why? Lack of discipline? Organization? Marketing? And we’re all faced with the annoying injustice of famous people with endless amounts of money and zero talent (I’m looking at you, Kardashians).  It’s unjust, and somewhat insulting, but it reminds me to always move back to center, hone my own talent, and constantly try to “Live in the body of my beliefs”. Wouldn’t you agree? (At least in theory?)

Other mentions of silent films from the late 19^th Century to the early 20^th Century to follow in future posts. In this remarkable age of technology, it is vital for our brains to regain some level of brilliant simplicity. (It’s hard to multitask while watching a silent film….you must sit quietly in the dark and follow the story, in the way the brain was arguably designed).

Homework: Watch Voyage Dans La Lune (or at the very least, watch HUGO!)

"Laugh, my friends. Laugh with me, laugh for me, because I dream your dreams."

             -George Melies

The official revival of the Ducky Shincrackers blog! To correlate, directly with the opening of Ducky Shincrackers first brick and mortar on 56^th Street and Thomas Rd, in Phoenix:

PAPER MOON PHOTO BOOTH

photo from the film "Paper Moon" 

Paper Moon photos (also known as “Man In The Moon” photos) were popular in the late 19^th Century into the early 20^th Century, and were a beloved attraction at carnivals, circuses and fairs. For a small price, you could have your photo taken “On The Moon” and it could be developed (via a makeshift darkroom, usually behind the booth) in mere minutes! (Impressive technology for the day).

 Studio photos, at the time, were far more formal, so the carnival style photo booth was a chance to “ham it up”, to smile and cavort for the camera.  Because of this, these old photos exhibit a warmth and appeal that still captivate those who are lucky enough to come across them today (authentic paper moon photos can be tricky to find).

With the development of the personal camera in the mid 20^th Century, and the dwindling popularity of traveling carnivals, the Paper Moon faded into the atmosphere, like so many things from this bygone era.

Ducky Shincrackers aims to revive this old trend with its painstakingly handmade 'Man in the Moon'.

It’s available for family photos, wedding portraits, and small private parties. And! When you sign our email list, we'll take your photo and send it to you for free. Stop by and check it out….you won't be disappointed.

Homework: Search the Internet for photos of Paper Moons. Watch the movie "Paper Moon". Revisit the stages of a waxing and waning moon. The phases of the moon are spellbinding, and have been inspiring Mankind since the beginning of time.