Treasure
I was a rather big pirate fan in my youth (way before it was popular)… the ride at Disneyland had a great deal to do with it… and so did their version of RL Stevenson’s Treasure Island. I dreamed about being a pirate and sailing off to adventurous places… of wielding a sword and trudging through swamps escaping capture from “the authorities.” Ahhhh…
So thank you, RLS (this being your birthday) for an amazing story that inspired the imaginations of generations. I raise my glass of grog to you (blecht… no rum for me!)
Treasure Planet, anyone? š My favorite animated Disney movie~ Pirates of the Caribbean follows right after. :3
The novel is said to have been written ,at least in part, during Stevenson’s Napa Valley sojourn (Silverado Squatters was published in the same year). Scenery descriptions from his notebooks seve as source material for descriptive details in the novel. I’m sure Ryan is aware of this.
That second sentence is ugly, let’s try it again:
His notes on the local scenery serve as source material for descriptive details in the novel.
Too bad Randie’s too whacked out to be sketching her pirate interpretations.
At least she wasn’t so groggy that the story knocked her into sleepyland.
Ha. “Grog” is an alcoholic drink that wikipedia says is a blend of weak beer and rum.
And, “groggy” means sleepy, dazed, weak, unsteady, confused…..as a result of, oh, Grog?
Randy and Ryan are just too cute together. DadaHyena must be puking right now. They ought to make one of those friendship pacts, that if neither one finds or stays with anyone better by the time they’re 35 or so, they swap a pair of wedding rings.
Beetle… Point Lobos was definitely an inspiration. Mr. Stevenson spent a few months out this way when he was trying to secure the hand of his Fanny. It nearly cost him his life, as he was most sickly whilst here.
Chase…. I did like the first Pirates of the Caribbean film… but feel that Disneyland should have left the ride alone.
Stick…. those crazy Brits do something called a Lemon Shandy which is beer and bitters or lemon-lime soda. Since I’m not fond of rum or beer…. I’ll raise my glass of absinthe, mead… or… jagger… or old vine zin.
Ryan makes a good Long John. I mean, he’s no Tim Curry, but who else could reach that height of greatness?
I actually have a bit of a pipe dream of buying (or having built) an old-fashioned schooner and offering people a chance to be a pirate for 2 weeks in the summer. I’m more and more thinking it might actually be a viable business prospect!
Viable? Put your pirate vessel in a busy shipping lane, outfit your guests with full-auto AK’s and big Kaboom RPG’s, set your sights on pricey yachts, cargo carriers and oil tankers, and let the millions in ransom roll in for your kidnapped hostages (those still alive) and stolen vessels. Only, the real pirates may not like the competition so you’ll have to sink them before they sink you.
Sorry, but romanticizing organized criminal activities lacks much joy as I have had to deal with some on the periphery, Johnny Depp’s campy Jack Sparrow notwithstanding.
The band Running Wild has a great song called “treasure island.” If you like german metal from the 80s.
What a pal that Ryan is!
Last panel reminds me of The Princess Bride.
Back when I worked at Disneyland, we were allowed to go on the ride sets before the park opened. (I worked the graveyard shift.) And back in the early 80s, believe it or not, we were allowed to take photos of the rides while on the set. Only two rules: No flash and no “backstage” shots. (Meaning photos that gave away the secrets of the special effects or showed things the guests couldn’t see.
Because of that, I have some OUTSTANDING photos of the rides, including Pirates of the Caribbean. Closeups of the pirate skeletons; wonderful area shots of the pirate ship attack on the fort – there’s a walkway between the water and the horizon – and all the other nifty sets and animatronics there. All photos taken with Nikon 35mm w/tripod and delayed exposure.
If I get a chance, and if you’d like, I’ll send some copies along, Brig! š
Dada… Arghhh… Tim Curry…
Mischug… will YOU provide the grog? or would it be byog?
Jack… metal (shudder)….
EofO…. that’s such a good film…. I’ve seen it a bazillion times! It holds a special place in my heart.
Pete… excellent! That’d be most excellent!
stick-figurer–
Then you don’t have to come. Problem solved.
brig–
Sorry, no grog, or rum. Those were the cause of more drownings, and I’m not paying that kind of liability insurance.
I learned to read with Treasure Island.
My mother read it to me as I sat across from her at the table, running her finger across the page as she read.
Naturally, I learned to read upside down.
Wasn’t a problem until I started school.
When the teacher told me that I couldn’t read like that, my reply was “But I can!”
I got into trouble, my father got involved, and nobody at the school could explain to him why what I was doing wrong.
But I still had to learn to read “the correct way”.
“See Spot Run” is really, really boring when you’ve cut your teeth on the masters.
Treasure Island taught me many things:
A good book is worth the time
Authority is not always right
“Everyone does it” is not good enough”
If you are ahead of the pack, the pack will drag you down
Don’t stand out until you can fight back