Tiki Pop, Musee du Quai Branley in Paris, France, June 2014 - Other Events

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Fri, Jul 18, 2014 10:50 PM The DVD has very little to do with the book. I am slightly disappointed by it. But that might be because I have seen 5 or 6 of Tiki documentaries by now and they start to look alike. Of all of them, only Jochen's DVD of Tiki and Plastic Paradise have managed to create a "mood" akin to the appeal of Tiki at times - something beyond mere talking heads spouting THEIR opinion of what Tiki is (ME included!). It's just so easy to run around and interview and film those kookie contemporary Tiki folks, some carvings, throw in some music and some cocktails, and voila, you have a Tiki documentary. But what about those old guys? Why has nobody interviewed William Westenhaver? Or dug up some other veterans that we don't even know about? These production crews all come to me, I give'em all the contacts, they film them, and done. What is missing most of all is an adequate portrayal of the heyday of the ORIGINAL Tiki culture - vintage eye candy that visually impresses on the viewer WHY there is a revival now! Something that brings across the grandeur of the old Tiki temples, the horn of plenty of Tiki apartment buildings and their concepts, the baroque outgrowths of the phenomenon in the middle class. Not that that can be expected from a foreign team that's only coming over for 2 ½ weeks with no prior knowledge of the culture…but when I think of all the original vintage photographs and graphics I scanned for them that they never used :roll: The typical argument will be "but there is so little vintage MOVING footage that shows Tiki culture" - yet just look at Ken Burns creating a whole documentary series out of still photographs. Sorry for the rant. [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2014-07-18 22:53 ]

The DVD has very little to do with the book. I am slightly disappointed by it. But that might be because I have seen 5 or 6 of Tiki documentaries by now and they start to look alike. Of all of them, only Jochen's DVD of Tiki and Plastic Paradise have managed to create a "mood" akin to the appeal of Tiki at times - something beyond mere talking heads spouting THEIR opinion of what Tiki is (ME included!). It's just so easy to run around and interview and film those kookie contemporary Tiki folks, some carvings, throw in some music and some cocktails, and voila, you have a Tiki documentary.

But what about those old guys? Why has nobody interviewed William Westenhaver? Or dug up some other veterans that we don't even know about? These production crews all come to me, I give'em all the contacts, they film them, and done.

What is missing most of all is an adequate portrayal of the heyday of the ORIGINAL Tiki culture - vintage eye candy that visually impresses on the viewer WHY there is a revival now! Something that brings across the grandeur of the old Tiki temples, the horn of plenty of Tiki apartment buildings and their concepts, the baroque outgrowths of the phenomenon in the middle class.

Not that that can be expected from a foreign team that's only coming over for 2 ½ weeks with no prior knowledge of the culture…but when I think of all the original vintage photographs and graphics I scanned for them that they never used :roll:

The typical argument will be "but there is so little vintage MOVING footage that shows Tiki culture" - yet just look at Ken Burns creating a whole documentary series out of still photographs.

Sorry for the rant.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2014-07-18 22:53 ]

Post #723040 by bigbrotiki on Fri, Jul 18, 2014 10:50 PM