I can be quite the museum junkie, so when I go a long time without visiting one, I get the museum itch! The museum itch must be controlled. I recently managed to soothe the itch by visiting The Museum of the Moving Image! Located in my home borough of Queens, it surprises me that I hadn't gone before. And yet, I'm glad I waited this long, being that the museum underwent a recent expansion. This place is an absolute Utopia for pop culture, television, and movie enthusiasts! I absolutely recommend it, you'll feel like a kid in a candy store! But the museum doesn't limit itself to just the big screen, inside you'll find everything from vintage video games, to an Egyptian movie theatre!
If names like Star Wars, Nintendo, Muppets, Carrie Bradshaw, and Charlie Chaplin make your heart run wild, then this is the place for you! There's something for everyone at the Museum of the Moving image!
Check out my experience at the Museum of the Moving Image!
A mouthful upon entering!
Alongside a handful!
Beauty and brains!
The design of this museum will have you in complete awe,
and it gets even better as you begin your explorations!
Spotless!
My explorations began with surrealist Czech animator Jan Svankmajer. Creator of "Surviving Life" Svankmajer presents a film about a middle-aged man living a double life- one real, and the other in his dreams. The animator uses a combination of photographic collages and luve-action photography in his film.
The film is played on a large screen (not the one pictured above) throughout the day in the Amphitheatre Gallery, alongside the exhibition "Surviving Life: Collages by Jan Svankmajer"showcasing 50 collages made during the production of the film. Both the film and exhibition portray Svankmajer's erratic humor and gentle surrealism.
Moving along...
I enter the world behind the screen!
Beginning with dozens of portraits that have embraced movie and televisions throughout the decades!
A roomful of familiar faces and not so familiar faces. Luckily they've outlined exactly who these gorgeous people are!
Take a look at some of the beautiful faces I found...!
Shirley.
Clint.
Lucille <3
Marilyn.
Jack.
Goldie.
Whoopie.
After gawking at the stunning portraits, I made my way into makeup and hair!
Something I'm quite familiar with ;)
Showcased were the other faces of Hollywood!
Eddie Murphy as Gumby for SNL!
One of my absolute favorites growing up... The Mask!
Special effects makeup has always been a process.
Telegrams came in handy back in the day, when needing more tools!
Today, we have texting.
Can you guess where this wrinkly face is from?
Another favorite of mine..
Robin Williams as Mrs.Doubtfire!!
Before this exhibition, I had no idea who Greg Cannom was. After discovering his incredible makeup talents, I've fallen in love! You can thank Cannom for his special effects makeup in gems like Nightmare on Elm Street, The Lost Boys, Takes from the Crypt, Alien 3, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Mask, Blade, Hannibal, Pirates of the Caribbean, Benjamin Button, and many more! An absolute special effects GENIUS!
Speaking of makeup, the gorgeous ladies from Sex and the City definitely didn't need special effects! Showcased is the makeup used on set!
And makeup from The Cosby Show! Classic!
But let's not forget hair! Check out this vintage styling set, complete with a curling iron and rolls!
Now that we got our hair and makeup done, I moved onto production design.
Check out this super cute set model for "The Muppets Take Manhattan"!
Went from cute to creepy as I stumbled upon "Silence of the Lambs" set designs!
Familiar with this setting? That was Hannibal's jail cell!
This was a design for Buffalo Bill's creepy basement!
Fantastic!!!!!
Remember the creepy "head turning" scene in The Exorcist?
Meet the mechanical puppet responsible!
Left hannibal's crib and stumbled upon The Wiz!
Mask exhibition and costume exhibition in the background.. let's proceed!
Costume design drawings from the late 70s to the early 80s!
So I basically need all three in my closet.
This was worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in the movie Honeymoon in Vegas. It's absolutely gorgeous!
Miami Vice, clearly!
Can you guess which costume belong to which movie?
Something for the Trekkies!
And the Star Wars fans!
These were released around the time the movie hit the big screen. They must be worth quite some cash!
How cute!
Star Wars toothbrushes and watches!
This totally stole my heart!
Moving on, I found some more vintage toys!
This Lamb Chops Play Along doll brought back so many memories from my childhood!
Died!
Back in the day, celebrities were featured in coloring books! Wild!
These vintage lunchboxes were too cute!
<3
Movie soundtrack records!
They also had a listening station where you could listen to any of these records and more!
Early soundtracks! I've never seen these!
Poster for one of the earliest 3D movies. Must have been such a thrilling experience at the time!
Under the 3D movie poster, was this awesome vintage Wheel of Fortune poster!
Moving along... I came across a pleasant surprise...
A timeline of
VIDEO GAMES!!
These were some of the earliest video arcade games via 1971... too amazing!
Computer Space and Pong!
Another early video game console, Odyssey! It was so awesome seeing these gems!
We have come quite far since this game!
Best part about the video game timeline, was being able to actually play the games! This girl was playing one of the early Nintendo consoles. I tried waiting my turn but there was no moving her lol I definitely don't blame her!
Another throwback.. Sega Genesis!
This was definitely one my my favorite parts of the museum!
Across the arcade was this groovy 60s living room!
And smack in the middle of it all, Tut's Fever movie theatre!!
And Ms.Monroe herself! Egyptian style!
Inside the theatre, you find your traditional concession stand.
But moving along, the theatre gives a spooky temple feel...
.... I even found a James Dean mummy!!
And a flirty Egyptian usher!
Alas! Tut's fever movie palace! They really do screen movies in this awesome theatre!
It was time to go upstairs and check out the 2nd floor exhibitions.
Featuring one of the museums main showcases: Jim Henson's Fantastic World!
The exhibition did not allow photography. But to put it as simple as I can, it is the museum's most valued showcase. A timeline of Jim Henson's work, from the beginning of The Muppets, to his involvement in Sesame Street and Dark Crystal. One of my favorite things about the exhibition were the framed memos Jim Henson would send to his team when working on a project. Notes, sketches, and memos on the designing process of everyones favorite Muppets characters. Every step you take, you see Jim Henson's world come to life as you walk through this incredible rare timeline!
I must admit, the most impressive and impressive exhibitions were definitely found on the second floor!
Came upon one of the earliest forms of animation... the zoetrope!
Check out this video on how these optical toys work!
Another early form of animation... the mutoscope!
The museum had 3 mutoscopes, two of them starring the legendary Charlie Chaplin! Looking through these superb inventions was like looking back through time...
Check out this video on how the mutoscope works!
They were so awesome, I wanted to take one home!!
After all of the optical fun came "Getting the Picture"... a timeline of movie technology!
Check out the devices that changed the world!!! The timeline starts a modest 35mm model from 1908...
This model shot the classic film "Meet Me in St, Louise" with the beautiful Judy Garland!
Check out this cute NBC News camera! Complete with a handy case!
In the middle of the timeline, was this 1950 model...
And one of the first cameras that brought color television to life!
A diagram of how the color camera worked! Through a prism!
And check out one of the early hand held cameras... valued at $52,000 and equipped with a backpack!
Oh how far we've come!!
Can't have vintage cameras without vintage microphones!
And so we took a trip back in time and checked out some pretty old-school cameras!
But what about the old-school televisions? The whole point OF the cameras...?
Voila!
Meet the grandfathers of the flat screen TVs we have today!
This 1946 television set was one of the first mass-produced models!
Moving along the timeline, we enter the nifty 50s with this Zenith model! Amazing!
And check out this 1959 model named the "Barber Pole"!
They loved the space-aged look in the 50s!
Color TV's were hella pricey back in the day. But the working man was saved with this 1955 ColorDapter! This device brought color to the black and white televisions around the nation! And it actually still works, but is deemed dangerous and noisy!
TV on the go! Now we have cell phones that do so!
My incredible time at the Museum of Moving Image was coming to an end...
And making your way towards the exit, you bump into Mayor Bloomberg!
Muppet style!
You also bump into an awesome gift shop, where you will want to buy everything! I especially fell in love with this Master of Cinema: Stanley Kubrick book! My favorite filmmaker of all time!
The spectacular museum will have you leaving with a smile!
I had an inspirationally amazing time at the Museum of Moving Image. A must-go for all movie lovers! The museum holds movie screenings and workshops too! For more information visit
Museum hours and location:
36-01 35 Avenue Astoria, NY 11106
Tue-Thu: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fri: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sat-Sun: 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Mon: Closed
$12 adults
$9 students with valid ID
$6 children ages three to eighteen
I recommend The Museum of the Moving Image to just about everyone!
.oxo.
.oxo.
4 comments:
Great post, I'll be visiting soon!
Let's face it you had me with movie lovwer's special. Since the movies are my life and i love them. I actually have a movie review show that i am apart of THE CINEFILES and my own movie editorial show UNFINISHED BUSINESS. Check it out on youtube if you have a chance. They are what i like to immerse myself in and the business i want to work in. I must go to this museum asap. Thank you for shining a light on it.
I want that NBC news camera. I want toplay the classic nintendo.
Let's face it you had me with movie lovwer's special. Since the movies are my life and i love them. I actually have a movie review show that i am apart of THE CINEFILES and my own movie editorial show UNFINISHED BUSINESS. Check it out on youtube if you have a chance. They are what i like to immerse myself in and the business i want to work in. I must go to this museum asap. Thank you for shining a light on it.
I want that NBC news camera. I want toplay the classic nintendo.
Hopefully one day something i work on will beinthat musuem or one of them. Interesting that your favorite filmmaker is Stanley Kubrick excellent choice. Proves that you have immaculate taste. Mine is cliched but for a reason. Mr. Martin Scorsese. Then Billy Wilder. Though Kubrick is on mylist ofthe grandmasters of filmmaking.
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