Two large albums of the soon to be closed attractions...

Movieland Wax Museum....

http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/919424

Ripley's Beleive it or Not!

http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/921261

ENJOY!:fez:

Wow, some of those are better than the postcards I bought! Thanks for sharing, Darkbeer!

Darkbeer, thanks for the walk down memory lane. I had not been to Movieland since 1990. I wanted to go again before it was closed, but was not able to.

I am glad that they fixed "Singing In The Rain". I have a photo of it where Gene Kelly was wearing a yellow rain slicker. We all know that wasn't accurate to the film. It really bugged me.

Thanks Darkbeer for the pictures THEY ARE GREAT OF Moveland Wax Museum. I will miss it

Why did they close it? It looks really nice.

Snow White and Walt look a bit dodgy though!

Why did they close it? It looks really nice.
Snow White and Walt look a bit dodgy though!

Why?
Yes, it was nice.
But, no, it was not worth the price of admission.

The newpaper article (Los Angeles Times) mentioned "competition" with other non-Disneyland, non-Knotts tourist choices.
Where tourists have 2 or 3 days in Southern California, they were not choosing the MOVIELAND WAX MUSEUM, they claim.
Thus, they were dropping off in volume, which means DOLLARS.

Having visited MOVIELAND last week, I think the word-of-mouth would be negative.
The displays of some stars were not good.
Yes, some were fine. (I think the best ones were John Wayne and Catherine Zeta Jones.)
But I cannot imagine a reviewer, or a neighbor, who tours MOVIELAND will recommend it to others as a "must see."

I have seen the Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, in New York City and in Las Vegas, and there is quantum leap in quality.
Those museums are indeed worth the price of admission.
The figures are truly life-like, and the detail is just as it should be.

That is my opinion, and my reading, of why MOVIELAND has gone to that big star trailer in the sky.

I have to say that a few of those waxworks on Darkbeer's photos did not look very life-like!

Dave, thanks for the awesome photos!

It seems that a lot of people prefer Mdm. Tussaud's over Movieland. I don't get it. When my family visited Tussaud's in LV we thought it was too short, not enough to see or keep our interest.

One of the things that made Movieland that much more of an experience for us were the elaborate sets and dioramas used to display the figures. At times, it was like walking into the movie or tv screen. Granted, the likenesses were not always accurate, but that didn't detract from the total experience. And, there were so many things to see and explore along the tour path. Lots of tidbits of information and background data everywhere you went. If you took your time you could find all sorts of fascinating details and trivia.

As for the comparison to DVDs and videos. I'm not sure how watching a film on the tube (or flat for some folks) can compare to standing next to an actual 3D display? Or, how about being able to see with your own eyes the very article of clothing or prop used in the original film sequence represented?

Yes, the museum was showing its age, it probably was priced too high for what you got, it was cheezy, and whatever else. But, it was still a wonderful memory for those of us who grew up with it and I will miss it a lot.