Saturday, October 6, 2012
The Haunted Mansion
Disney's "The Haunted Mansion" book from Golden Press, 1970, is a favorite of mine, capturing everything that is fun and spooky about the real Haunted Mansion rides located all around the world, and featuring wonderful painted art as only their studio could produce. I originally posted these scans at THOIA back in Dec '08, but thought I'd share them again as I've since created this blog which is more aimed at featuring this sort of thing. So, without further adieu: "Welcome Foolish, Mortals!"
Love that it has a Kresge sticker on it!
ReplyDeleteVery nice, very nice indeed! Shame the illustrator isn't credited. I've got a similar book for Pirates of the Caribbean, only it has photos of the models being made as well. It also has a map of the ride, and is one of my favourite Disney-based posessions.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how stylistically discombobulated this is (or maybe collagey? I mean, it looks great this way). Check out that spread at pages sixteen and seventeen (scan 10): the facing page is really cartoony with thickly inked variable outlines and stiff character-model clothing. Whereas the verso page is all painted with values indicating drapery and stuff. Throughout the book, some of the ghosts are ethereal and strange, some look like caricature spooks from animated shorts. It's a neat, juxtaposed look for sure.
ReplyDeleteThose two-page architectural spreads are my faves in this one (scans three through seven, four being the tip-top). What awesome use of that weird, unearthly cyan/green. Funky tungsten light colors seem woefully underused in modern print illustration.
>Love that it has a Kresge sticker on it!
ReplyDeleteMost of my kid's books came from either K-Mart or Woolworth's back in the day!
>I've got a similar book for Pirates of the Caribbean
Would love to see it! Let us know if / when you post it!
>Funky tungsten light colors seem woefully underused in modern print illustration.
And if you've ever been on the ride you'll know that they've really captured the varied colorful lighting in these illustrations as well. There's really nothing in the world like the Haunted Mansion ride!
I found this in our local library bargain bin and it's my son's favorite bedtime storybook now.
ReplyDeleteMy kid loves it too... I've actually seen this one sell for over $50 before at some book shows.
ReplyDeleteLoved this when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteListened to it non-stop on my little Fisher-Price record player.
The B side to the record had the classic Disney Haunted House track that scared the crap out of me with the barking dogs and all.
Thanks for posting these great scans!
I want one....
ReplyDelete