Village of the Southwest Giants

They say everything is bigger in Texas.  That may or may not be true, but New Mexico sure proves that the closer one gets to the Texas state line, the larger everything begins to appear.  

As a native Californian, I used to assume that the "Golden State" had the richest deposits of wacky tacky roadside.  I've discovered that as our state's population grows denser (in every sense), the weird attractions of which we are so fond are either shrinking into nothingness or relegated to distant outposts.  What I so appreciated about journeying through New Mexico was that the "Land of Enchantment's" many giant attractions are seamlessly integrated into the cityscapes.  It is wonderful to know that generations of residents are enchanted by these bits of roadside whimsy on a daily basis.  At the very least, it is comforting to know that I wasn't the only thyroid case to be found in these Southwestern hamlets!

World's Largest Chili Pepper
47 feet long, NuMex Big Jim varietal

The Big Jim is so big that it can't be concealed by the six-foot cinderblock wall surrounding it.
The early-model Saturn is shown for scale; you know, like a penny in an eBay listing.

World's Largest Propane Tank Disguised as a Rocket
And in other records that nobody cares about breaking (or even verifying)...

World's Largest Pistachio
What a couple of nuts!!!

The World's Largest Cake Dome

Okay, so technically this building was never built with a larger-than-
life theme.  It was only ever a bank building dedicated to Mr. & Mrs.
R.D. Champion...but it is so awesome and totally could pass for Jane
Jetson's futuristic cake dome.  If you have any pull with a citizen of
Alamogordo, NM, please encourage them to buy this jazzy jet-age
building (it is currently listed for $245K) and make it something
awesome...maybe a cake shop or the most awesome house in town!!!

There are plenty more giants where these came from - the drive-thru town of Hatch, NM - but

I like these gentlemen for their straightforward simplicity.  A muffler man holds the hapless 

inhabitants of a mini-Winnebago hostage in the hollow of his hand as he decides whether to 

eat them or allow them to continue northward to Santa Fe while Uncle Sam offers us Hatch's 

most famous foodstuff, the eponymous hatch chile.

And just for good measure, Santa Fe's Museum Hill showed our intrepid troupe of
travelers that the biggest and best things in New Mexico are always influenced
by the spirit and culture of the indigenous populations.

With all of these monolithic marvels, I think I could fit right in this Southwestern "Village of the Giants!"

Dance sequence from Village of the Giants (1965)

World's Largest Chili Pepper

America's Best Value Inn

2160 W Picacho Ave

Las Cruces, NM

(575)524-8627

World's Largest Propane Tank Rocket

2210 S Valley Dr

Las Cruces, NM

World's Largest Pistachio

McGinn's Pistachio Tree Ranch

7320 US Hwy 54

Alamogordo, NM

(800)368-3081

"World's Largest Cake Dome"
The Champion Building
1901 Tenth St
Alamogordo, NM

The Giants of Hatch
Sparky's Burgers (and surrounding environs)
115 Franklin St
Hatch, NM

Santa Fe Museum Hill
710 Camino Lejo
Santa Fe, NM


Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

wacky tacky icons: Tommy Kirk

Tommy Kirk
(Source)

Tommy Kirk was born in 1941 and the world has never been the same.  He is known for his tender portrayal of Travis Coates in Old Yeller, a telepathic brainiac in The Misadventure of Merlin Jones, and a martian in search of earth women in two films....?!?!  That's right, a martian in search of earth women in both Pajama Party and Mars Needs Women.  He began his Hollywood career at age 13 and, as is the case with many child stars, he had a difficult time transitioning from adolescence into adulthood.  At wacky tacky we choose not to gravitate toward the pejorative.  Instead, we delight in the fantastic film career of a true wacky tacky icon.

Tommy Kirk developed his "boy next door" sensibility at Disney in such films as:

"The Hardy Boys" (1956-1957)
A serial on The Mickey Mouse Club
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Old Yeller (1957)
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The Shaggy Dog (1959)
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Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

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The Absent Minded Professor (1961)
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Babes in Toyland (1961)
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Bon Voyage (1962)
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The Misadventures of Merlin Jones (1964)
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The Monkey's Uncle (1965)
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He earned his wacky tacky credibility with masterpieces like:

Pajama Party (1964)

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Village of the Giants (1965)
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The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966)
(Source)

Mars Needs Women (1967)

In 2009, the D23 COnvention was held in Anaheim, CA.  My good friend invited me to go and the highlight of the day was getting to meet Tommy Kirk!

We got to meet Tommy at the D23 Expo.
Would you believe that he posed for this one?

Okay, so he didn't pose for the photo.

But he did film a "Get Well" message for our friend, Lisa.

For Christmas, I received a very special gift.  It was a hardbound copy of The Misadventures of Merlin Jones based on the 1964 film of the same name.  Now I don't like to brag, but yes, it is a first edition.

"Merlin Jones" is one of my favorite movies for many reasons; not the least of which is the inspired pairing of Tommy Kirk with fellow wacky tacky icon, Annette Funicello.  Their combined star power was so great that even after both had left the Disney Studios, they continued to make movie magic at American International Pictures. 

Kirk as "Dop" in Mars Needs Women

Examining Kirk's motivation for his strange career choices - including a full, rubber bodysuit with metal earmuffs - one wonders "why."  There has to be a reason.  Uh oh, I feel a song coming on.  Take it away Tommy and Annette...

"There Has to be a Reason"

Pajama Party (1964)

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny