Tim Burton’s sequel to his Alice in Wonderland adaptation from a few years ago is once again based on a book by Lewis Carroll, this time Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, published in 1871.

As far as adaptations go, this is very liberal. Burton doesn’t follow the book much at all, uses very little elements of it and weaves them into what is essentially a sequel to his previous Alice movie. If you haven’t seen that one, make sure you do before you see Alice Through the Looking Glass or you’ll be very confused.

Dapper Day at Disneyland Paris

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Hilde HeyvaertOctober 12, 2015February 26, 2018

Dapper Day Disneyland Paris France — Dapper Day at Disneyland Paris, France, September 26, 2015 (Hilde Heyvaert)

Many people into fashion, Disney parks or dieselpunk know Dapper Day. The US initiative where on some days Disney Parks in California and Florida are turned into a veritable congregation of people dressed in retro fashions of the diesel era and contemporary chic and rockabilly styles. In the US they are huge, they are the bees-knees, there are even Dapper Day Expo events, and now they started bringing them to Disneyland Paris also. Albeit in much more modest form. Continue reading “Dapper Day at Disneyland Paris”

Poster Art of the Disney Parks

Atomic

Hilde HeyvaertMarch 10, 2015March 30, 2019

This amazing book of illustrations isn’t just a must-have for fans of the Disney parks, but also for those who love beautiful retro and vintage posters. That’s exactly what the many advertisements in Disney parks are famous for.

It’s a great way to get acquainted with beautiful art of parks you’ve never visited and get reacquainted with those you have.

Big Hero 6

Atomic

Hilde HeyvaertFebruary 18, 2015April 1, 2019

Big Hero 6 may seem like the umptieth Disney movie, especially the umptieth digitally animated one. Considering it’s by the team of Frozen, people may expect something along those lines. Nothing could be further from the truth. Big Hero 6 is one of the best things released by Disney since well, quite a while.

This Marvel/Disney collaboration is proof that both companies should work together more often. The film is not only a magnificent feat when it comes to animation, but also has the same kind of imaginative storytelling and feel of adventure that Marvel movies have become famous for in the last decade.

De Gouden Jaren van Mickey Mouse

Diesel

Hilde HeyvaertJanuary 19, 2015September 26, 2020

The first volume of De Gouden Jaren van Mickey Mouse (“The Golden Years of Mickey Mouse”) covers the 1930–37 works of Floyd Gottfredson, who was instrumental in turning Mickey Mouse into the icon of animation he is today.

Aviator Mickey (which was actually a line of steampunk and dieselpunk merchandise in Disneyland Paris some years back) on the cover isn’t a misleading piece of art, as several of these stories tie in right with the dieselpunkian sense of adventure of the pre-World War II times.

Photographic Impressions of (Halloween in) Disneyland Paris

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Hilde HeyvaertOctober 14, 2014March 6, 2018

On Friday the 3rd of October, 3 days into this year’s Halloween season at their Disneyland Park, myself and Bert (a regular Gatehouse photographer) visited Disneyland Paris for exactly that, the Halloween celebrations, going on from October 1st to November 2nd.

That Disneyland Paris is a veritable treasure throve for steampunks and dieselpunks isn’t news, in fact, I wrote an article about it in the 2nd and 15th editions of the Gatehouse Gazette.

So in this post I won’t repeat myself, I will, however, share photos from (Halloween specific) steampunk in the Disneyland Park for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy! Continue reading “Photographic Impressions of (Halloween in) Disneyland Paris”

John Carter

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Hilde HeyvaertMarch 13, 2012April 1, 2019

First of all, allow me to admit I have not yet read the original book A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs on which this movie is based. What I do know from reading on the subject and talking to people who read it is that Disney has — as is to be expected with these things — taken some liberties with the story.

Visually, this movie is fantastic. The costumes, effects and characters are beautifully done. The airships, well, I could rave on for quite a while on how fabulous these Davincian flyers look. This entire movie is aesthetically pleasing and has quite a few steampunk elements to it.