The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

 While Ed and I were out in LA for the doctor visits, we went to see the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Which is a mouthful so I will shorten it here to Academy Museum, like they do.

First, it was so much better than I thought it would be. I expected either a pean to the Academy OR a general overview of the movies, which have plenty of museums. It was different.

First, you have to love that they put it in the old deco May Company Department store flagship. Here is a comparison of then and now.

Then there are some excellent exhibits.

In the first area they take 6 film makers in different areas and walk through their details. I don't remember them all, but they used Orson Wells as the director and Bruce Lee as the actor. Somehow I missed takingmost pictures

This was one of the three original - Rosebuds. The first burnt in the fire for the movie, but wasn't a good shot. The second was perfect, so they kept the third sled.

Then there was a section on making of The Wizard of Oz. It wasn't the lore, but how each department contributed to it.

Yes, these are the slippers, but behind this was the mat painting section.

First attempt at the Wicked Witch was a glamorous Gale Sondergard

The Wizard of Oz technicolor camera

Then there was the costume section. I liked this because of the costumes they used.

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall's outfits from the fabulous The Big Sleep

Taron Egerton as Elton Jone in Rocketman

Brad Pitt's outfit from Once Upon a time in Hollywood

Brad's costume was how it was used in Once...Hollywood.
That is one handsome 55 year old (at the time of the movie)

Brad's costume was how it was used in Once...Hollywood.

And of course there was the section where each year they spoke of a different Academy Award winner, highlighting less know departments. But they had to show Cher's original Bob Mackie dress.

Ed. For scale. FYI - Orange wrist band meant you paid. Red was you were vaccinated.

It was a little odd how strict they were on vaccinations. A couple from Las Vegas were not vaccinated, and the Museum would not let them in! This despite the wife complaining (loudly) that this was the only thing she really wanted to do in LA. They were unmoved.