This set of pictures, collectively called Dreams Of Flying, are both pretty amazing and aptly titled. We don't have to abandon the whimsical imagination of our childhood. Parhaps we channel it differently, through these pictures for instance, but it never should be left behind.
Ellie Greenwich was a prominant and seminal figure in 60's pop music as a creative mind behind such hits as "Be My Baby", "Then He Kissed Me", "Do Da Ron Ron", and one of my personal childhood favorites, "Leader Of The Pack".
When I was younger, this song played soundtrack to numerous daydreams. We listened to the local oldies station more than anything else, and I became familiar with some particular artists over time due to the lack of imagination on the part of whoever decides what gets played on those stations. There were some gems that stuck, though, and Leader of the Pack was definitely one of them.
Maira Kalman's blog over at the New York Times,And the Pursuit of Happiness, is one of the more inspiring to read. It is also without a doubt the most aesthetically pleasing to view. Check it out.
I can't remember the name of the program that I first saw this on. I do know that it was part of a collection of similar animated shorts telling different folk tales from around the world. My parents had just happened to tape it off of Nickelodeon one day along with a bunch of other random shows, and that tape was a constant in the part of my childhood spent in front of the TV. I really wish we still had it as there were some classics on there that my memory hasn't held on to as well as I would have liked. This one has held up pretty well, though.
If you're looking to get your fix of something fantastically whimsical later on this year, I believe that this will be your best bet/ Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is looking less than promising, and I am a shameless Gilliam apologist. It also has Tom Waits in it. So, y'know, duh?
