Rhett Wickham: To All Who Come To This Happy Place
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There's a historic plaque in Disneyland, which, as the Disney catalogue rather ominously puts it, “is still on Display in the park�? and which reads as follows:
Go on. Read it again, slowly and in a kind of whisper.
Be it Eisner or Iger, I have a great deal of trouble believing that either man truly understands the impact of these words to people living in the modern times of 1955, let alone their impact on visitors in attendance at the opening ceremonies of a replicated profit-center built solidly on reclaimed land in the bay of a city that until recently was ruled by England and now is the property of the largest populated nation on earth; larger and older than America, and profoundly different than ever before in these modern times.
I have absolutely no faith whatsoever that they really “get it.�? But you can.
For $59.95 you can even take it home with you. They're selling history on-line right now, and it can be purchased with a keyboard stroke and a little bit of personal financial information followed by your address. You can possess a little icon cast in bronze and set in wood and plastic, and own it. Or, you can visit it if you come to Anaheim, depending on your ability to afford the plane ticket or the gasoline to drive, and photograph it. Or you can read it here, right now, and think about it a little and remember – if you're old enough – or dream if you are not.
Even if you don't have $59.95 you can have faith, and can come to LaughingPlace.com and share your faith, immutable as it may be. You can always have faith. I do, and I will until I too am gone.
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-- Rhett Wickham
Rhett Wickham is an occasional editorial contributor to LaughingPlace.com. and works as creative development and story consultant in Los Angeles. He is the founder of Creative Development Ink©®™ coaching screenwriters and story artists and layout artists in acting, character development and story analysis. Prior to coming to CA to work for studios such as DreamWorks Feature Animation, Mr. Wickham worked as an actor and stage director in New York City. Following graduate studies at Tisch School of the Arts he was named as a directing fellow with the Drama League of New York, and in 2003 he was honored with the Nine Old Men Award from Laughing Place readers, “for reminding us why Disney Feature Animation is the heart and soul of Disney.�? He lives in Los Angeles with his husband of ten years, artist Peter Narus.
The opinions expressed by our Rhett Wickham, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted September 19, 2005