Passamaquoddy

Hey friends, Just a programming note for KWDY.  This week is the premiere of “The Magic of Disney on Broadway”.  This particular episode spends 45 minutes backstage of The Lion King on Broadway.  While back there, we interview several of the performers and artists who help to put the magic into this phenomenal production.  Its an intriguing journey for anyone interested in the workings of a theatrical production. Here are additional airings.

Monday, August 18th at 7pm Eastern Time
Tuesday, August 19th at 2pm Eastern Time
Friday, August 22 at 11pm Eastern Time
Saturday, August 23 at 2pm Eastern Time

This series is intended as a monthly offering but is not limited solely to those of us in Passamaquoddy, there will be several other available over the course of the year.  In fact, the first episode is also available on iTunes…

Before Henry Jones Jr. ran from a rolling boulder, the heroic crew of the pointy little ship did the same in an exciting scene from “The Black Hole”.  Just another ingenious special effect under the eye of Peter Ellenshaw…

This week Passamaquoddy proudly introduces a new exhibit to the Ellenshaw museum.

 

 “Generations” will feature designs created by both Peter Ellenshaw and his son Harrison. The display is designed to be a bridge between each wing of the museum and features matte paintings and miniature work from Disney’s “The Black Hole.” That film, earned two Oscar nominations in nineteen seventy-nine for Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography.

 

In an age when studios were turning toward special effects made possible through the use of newer technologies, such as CGI, the Disney Studios created a science fiction fantasy using old school methods that visually still stands up today.

 

The DVD release of the film contains a bonus feature entitled “Through the Black Hole.”

This sixteen minute film contains an interview with Harrison Ellenshaw who makes this statement about computer generated graphics. “Photoshop is great, but it doesn’t have a slider for great composition”

 

Simply put, Harrison is saying that it is the input of the human element that is so important. And he is 100% correct. Take for example the recent Indiana Jones film “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Lucas Arts relies heavily upon digital scenery added to green screen sets. In my opinion the finished product lacks depth of field. Any forced perspective is lost because the computer leaves in too much detail. Scenes sometimes look flat or too picture perfect.

 

 

Beginning with Treasure Island and subsequent films Peter Ellenshaw was a master at his craft, painting scenery on glass mattes that look realistic even by todays standards.

 

 

The film itself was not a commercial success but it is a pleasant diversion.

The collaborative artistic vision which the Ellenshaws’ bring to the screen should not be missed.

 

 

Submitted by Fred Appleton July ‘08

There are many things we love here in Passamaquoddy.  Two of them are stage productions and listening to radio shows.  Of course our love of theatre is expressed through our Passamaquoddy players.  And our radio shows are the best.  This week at one of our favorites, the ALL ABOUT THE MOUSE Disney podcast was a pretty interesting discussion on Disney Theatricals.  It was a round table discussion featuring Marissa Gordon and Glenn Whelan hosted by Bryan Ripper and Jonathan Dichter. Check out the episode by clicking here.

Some of the shows mentioned on this show have been covered here in Passamauoddy.  Check them out by clicking the names below.

With the town running at about 35% of its computation capability, we’re working to get things done, especially with this website.  The security system at teh Ellenshaw is down so they’re back to the old “put each person in a net and lower them directly into the lagoon, therefore soaking and destroying any dangerous items or recording equipment” security screening technique.  (Note. If you plan on heading to the Ellenshaw, wear your gollashes.)

Back in 1956, the elder Ellenshaw was taxed with creating much of the coutryside of the Tennessee region.  As can be seen in the top picture, he wsa also responsible for increasing tehsize of the armies.

The Passamaquoddy Historical Society is pleased to announce “Progress of a Carousel” An exhibit showcasing the on going efforts to restore Sand Dollar Ella’s carousel.

 

The carousel was Passamaquoddy’s first attraction and provided children a pleasant diversion while their mothers shopped and dined inside. That is, until Ella’s brother Bart fell off the attraction and skinned his knee. Due to Bart’s propensity to slip and fall, the carousel was removed from the storefront and placed into storage.

 

The children in town were not too kind to Bart following that incident. Often they taunted him with names such as Slippin Barty. Ironically in later years Bart would win a lawsuit after slipping on a wet floor at the annual fish guttin’ contest. Since the slippin’ made Barty rich, he moved out to the west coast and opened his own restaurant Slippin’ Barty’s.

 

Local travel agent and fish cleaner Captain Slippy “Slip” Wampoo has taken a special interest in this project. We asked him to share his childhood memories of the carousel.

 

“Oh I recalls it well, the color of them ponies, the music that seemed to come from nowhere. Ma would trade her pennies with me so I could have enough dimes to ride it again and again. It may sound a bit silly today, but to a boy of four that was a lot of excitement and I’m not the only one which felt that ways bout it. Then Bart had to go and ruin all our fun, and to make matters worse, folks round town began calling him Slippin Barty. You wouldn’t believe the number of times I got in trouble with Miss Taylor because another classmate said something was Slippy’s fault.”

 

“I was there the day the carousel was rediscovered. It was in a storage container that was found when the giant fishing rod was removed from Chum Shop Earth. My memories came flooding back and that very day I went down to our Historical Society to inquire about restoring it.”

 

Members of the Historical Society were treated to a special preview last night. One society member, visiting from New Jersey, a Mr. Louis Mongello took a showed great deal of interest in a vintage photograph of Sand Dollar Ella’s. Oddly it was not the carousel that caught his eye. It was the trash can next to the front entryway. “Did you know this trash can was manufactured by Safco Products Company, a division of Liberty Diversified Industries, and was founded over 40 years ago with a small offering of corrugated storage products designed primarily for office use?” 

 

The exhibit opens to the general public next Wednesday and is free of charge, although a goodwill donation is suggested.