We did some movie binging over the weekend, including both the new and original versions of Jumangi – Rock and Robin respectively. I’m not sure if I had ever seen the 1995 version, but that is typical for me. I have no movie memory, either long-term or short-term. This is why I’ve written them all down for the last twenty years, while this animatronic classic predates my diary entries. My wife was insistent that I watch it, recalling memories of the fascinating moving creatures that were unique to that era. They were comparatively primitive with regard to today’s technology, but it was still a fun movie to view. I could have sworn that I had seen it twenty years ago, but not a single frame looked familiar.  

Leonardo da Vinci was the first to build a Automata Lion in 1515 for the King of France. Four-and-a-half centuries later, I do remember marveling over the Enchanted Tiki Birds at Walt Disney World, their magical movements and voices defined by the term “Audio-Animatronics.” The 1964 Disney film Mary Poppins was then the first motion picture to utilize that technology, evolving into live restaurant entertainment like the Chuck E. Cheese characters a decade later. The chain recently announced that they will no longer use their signature animatronic band to attract customers in favor of costumed human beings portraying their lovable pizza-loving mouse. It goes the way of the “ancient” Atari game, whose founder Nolan Bushnell created the original Chuck E. Cheese concept. Times are changing and there’s probably no better examples than Show Biz Pizza and Jumangi through the years. 

Chuck E. Cheese brings back memories of the radio business that initially launched my broadcasting career. I was doing sales work for a station in Ft. Wayne, Indiana when the chain opened there in the early 80’s. To help promote our WMEE 97FM call letters to teenage listeners and to raise money for charity, we formed a traveling basketball squad that would play exhibitions against grade school faculty teams. We even got the chance once to play against the famed Harlem Globetrotters and Meadowlark Lemon. I was on the team not for my basketball skills but rather because my client, Chuck E. Cheese, was our sponsor and their mascot would act as our coach. I remember this vividly for two reasons. First, the woman who dressed in the costume wore nothing else underneath, was not modest, and would change in the station van on the way to our gig. She gave new meaning to promotional exposure! Secondly, there were times when she wouldn’t show up and I had to play the part. The costume was very hot and bulky, so I understood her need to wear as little as possible underneath.

I spent entirely too much time with costumed characters throughout my career. I had to wear the Burger Chef and/or Jeff costumes when I worked for an advertising agency that handled the fast-food account. (See Post #279). I also worked with Disney characters Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto when they were part of a television promotional campaign for the Indianapolis 500. I was responsible for setting up appearances, and in the process uncovered that Mickey was a woman, Minnie was a man, at least two were smokers, and all of them were Teamsters with very strict demands when in the public eye. They would never uncover like Chuck E. Cheese, but under every costume is a story. It was a logistical nightmare getting them from place to place and dealing with large, hostile crowds when they needed to grab a smoke, or take a break from being confined in the stuffy costumes. “Who was that masked man?”

The Lone Ranger and Zorro were the beginning of the modern Superhero phenomenon.  Some are human beings in costume, while others mutate into unrecognizable forms. In the new Jumangi, Spencer mutates into Dwayne Johnson “The Rock,” an archaeologist named Smolder Bravestone, while beautiful young Bethany takes the form of Jack Black the cartographer named Sheldon Oberon. Just like putting on a costume, they each take on a new persona and become the character of their disguise. In the movies though they all get super powers. There are people that make a living playing roles like this at theme parks, sporting events, and grand openings. In my case, although initially I was embarrassed to wear any costume, it soon became fun impersonating someone or something else. It reminded me of Halloween, when ordinary people escape reality and become their extraordinary alter-ego. Speaking of such disguises, I was once even “Dickeled Pink.” (See Post #260). However, whenever costumed humans are providing the movement, it’s more like muscle-tronics as opposed to animatronics, something that dates back a lot further back in time than Walt Disney, Nolan Bushnell, or Leonardo da Vinci.  Just remember, under every costume is a naked body, so don’t be surprised like I once was!