Tag Archives | Soap Plant

2/24: tokidoki x iHasCupquake Launch Event & Signing


tokidoki x iHasCupquake Launch Event & Signing
Saturday, February 24, 11am–3pm

La Luz de Jesus Gallery
Soap Plant / Wacko
4633 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 663-0122
www.laluzdejesus.com

tokidoki has teamed up with iHasCupquake for an adorable collaboration!
To celebrate, we’re hosting a pop-up shop, signing and a bunch of fun activities!

Event details:
Get a chance to shop the full collaboration
We will have a signing with Simone Legno from tokidoki and Tiffany + Mario from IHasCupquake

Photobooth
Sweets
tokidoki costume character
Games
Giveaway poster for the first 300 people

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2/23: Young Frankenstein a Mel Brooks Book signing / Q&A at La Luz de Jesus


Young Frankenstein: A Mel Brooks Book – The Story of the Making of the Film

Book signing and Q&A with film producer Michael Gruskoff. Moderated by Daniel Pour.
Thursday, Feb 23, 6-9 PM

La Luz de Jesus
Soap Plant/Wacko
4633 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.laluzdejesus.com

Mel Brooks‘ own words telling all about the players, the filming, and studio antics during the production of this great comedy classic. The book is alive and teeming with hundreds of photos, original interviews, and hilarious commentary.

Young Frankenstein was made with deep respect for the craft and history of cinema, and for the power of a good schwanzstucker joke. This picture-driven book, written by one of the greatest comedy geniuses of all time, takes readers inside the classic film’s marvelous creation story via never-before-seen black and white and color photography from the set and contemporary interviews with the cast and crew, most notably, legendary writer-director Mel Brooks.

With access to more than 225 behind-the-scenes photos including production stills, and with captions written by Brooks himself. This book will include interviews with gifted director of photography, Gerald Hirschfeld, Academy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman, producer Michael Gruskoff, and the larger than life Gene Wilder.

All books sold that night will be pre-signed by MEL BROOKS.

Young Frankenstein
A Mel Brooks Book: The Story of the Making of the Film
Hardcover: 200 pages
Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal (October 18, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316315478
ISBN-13: 978-0316315470
Product Dimensions: 10 x 0.9 x 11.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
Price: $29.95
Contact the Book Store for advance purchase info: (323) 663-0122 or sales@soapplant.com or click here to Buy Now

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3/20: Wacko, Soap Plant, La Luz de Jesus / Ozzie Dots Sale & Swap!


Wacko & Ozzie Dots Parking Lot Sale
Sunday, March 20th, 2016
1-7PM

Wacko / Soap Plant
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.laluzdejesus.com

LaLuzMarch20th-toyswapA RARE SALE & SWAP EVENT!

You may have noticed that WACKO, SOAP PLANT & La Luz de Jesus Gallery very rarely hosts sales of any kind, so you KNOW this is a special event not to be missed. We’ll have Books, Toys, Posters, and the Tchotchkes that made us famous along with a selection of Vintage Clothing from our neighbors, OZZIE DOTS!

In addition to marked-down samples and overstocked items, the parking lot will be filled with merchandise that has never even graced our aisles, so don’t go thinking that this is a garage sale. We’ll also be hosting a Toy Swap for collectors of blind-box and art toys, affording a chance to trade for the pieces that will complete your collections.

Contact the book store for more information.
(323)663-0122 or sales@soapplant.com

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7/29: Late Nights w/ Dylan book event w/ Cisco & Dewey Performance

LaLuz_LateNightsLate Nights with Bob Dylan by Tony Marsico
Book Reading, Signing and Performance
Live Music by Cisco & Dewey
Wednesday, July 29th, 2015
7-10 PM

La Luz de Jesus Gallery
Soap Plant / Wacko
4633 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.laluzdejesus.com

Written in a plain-spoken style that mirrors his own down to earth personality, Tony Marsico‘s book Late Nights with Bob Dylan takes you on a journey from the mean streets of Philadelphia, where he got his start playing in cover bands, to the main stage of David Letterman’s late night variety show, where Marsico and his friends found themselves backing Bob Dylan in a one-off performance that Dylan fans are still talking about today. If you’ve ever dreamt of a successful career in the music business, Marsico’s book will give you hope that anything’s possible as long as you work hard and enjoy yourself as much as possible along the way. Tony Marsico has been involved in making music for over 30 years.

Marsico’s bands The Plugz and Cruzados were staples of the California music scene throughout the late 70’s and early 80’s. The bands’ wide-open, desert sound was a hybrid of Tex Mex and rock and roll that helped set the tone for the L.A . scene that consisting of X, The Blasters, Los Lobos, Dwight Yoakum and more. Marsico would go on to record as a session bassist with Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Roger Daltrey, Marianne Faithful, Dr. John, Matthew Sweet, and of course, Bob Dylan among others. Tony’s lounge band, The Martini Kings, have a large and faithful following throughout the southwest.

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It was on a session for songwriter Gerry Goffin where Marsico would first run into Darran “Dewey” Falcone who had been putting down some vocals and harmonica on the tracks. The two struck up a friendship and started writing songs together. Marsico got called on the road for the next ten years with Matthew Sweet and Dewey pulled up stakes in Los Angeles for a simpler life. In April of 2014 Marsico started thinking about his friend Dewey and after a long search tracked his pal down who had settled into Joshua Tree, California ten years prior. Dewey had built his house and took up racing motorcycles full time. Now Cicsco & Dewey have been reunited, and will perform a live set at this book reading and signing event.

Tony Marsico – Late Nights With Bob Dylan
Retail price $17.99
Paperback: 102 pages
Publisher: Scam-Co (October 5, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0557015456
ISBN-13: 978-0557015450
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounce

Only books purchased at the gallery will qualify for signing.
Reserve your signed copies today!
Contact the book store for purchase information.
(323)663-0122 or sales@soapplant.com

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4/19: Fred Ladd Father of American Anime @ La Luz de Jesus


Glitter Red Gigantor Hikari Exclusive USA Toy Release & Signing Party
LaLuz_FredLaddFlyerwith Fred Ladd

Sunday, April 19, 2015, 3-6pm
Wacko / Soap Plant
(La Luz de Jesus Gallery)
4633 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com

Fred Ladd, the “Father of American Anime” will be making an in-store appearance at Wacko / Soap Plant to promote the new Funko GIGANTOR Hikari vinyl robots on Sunday, April 19th, between 3:00 pm ~ 6:00 pm. This is a very rare opportunity to meet, and have merchandise signed by the man who introduced Japanese animated cartoons to North America. Mr. Ladd is one of the true pioneers from the Golden Age of Television and recently celebrated his 88th birthday.

Fred will autograph any Funko GIGANTOR toy purchased at Wacko for FREE. For any other GIGANTOR item (Japanese toys, DVDs, books, comics, etc.) he will charge $ 20.00 (same for any ASTRO-BOY or KIMBA THE WHITE LION items).

The limited edition “Glitter Fire” Red Glitter Gigantor Hikari Sofubi figure manufactured by American toy company, Funko, will be available exclusively at Wacko / Soap Plant in Los Angeles, CA. The total run of this edition is 500 with 84 pieces going overseas and the remaining pieces for sale only at Wacko / Soap Plant. The retail price is $50 each and there will be a strict limit of only two per customer. BUY YOURS NOW!

Funko has licensed the classic black and white, 1960’s GIGANTOR TV series property for all new GIGANTOR merchandise, from writer/producer/director Fred Ladd (GIGANTOR, KIMBA THE WHITE LION, ASTRO-BOY) and his company Entercolor Technologies Corp., thru GIGANTOR official merchandise licensing agent William Winckler Productions, Inc. Fred Ladd / Entercolor Technologies Corp. is the owner of the classic GIGANTOR TV series and its merchandising for all English speaking world territories, and has owned and exercised all English speaking rights since the 1960’s.

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Funko will be producing 7-8 inch tall HIKARI Japanese Vinyl Robot Figures, 4-inch tall Pop! style Vinyl Robot Figures, and 3-inch tall Mini Blind Box Vinyl Figures from the GIGANTOR series. The HIKARI vinyls are all “hand-made” using the exact classic Japanese style of Vinyl toy making pioneered by companies such as Bullmark. The Funko GIGANTOR Hikari figures are set to be platform released in March and April 2015, and the Pop! Vinyls around August 2015.

FRED LADD
In 1963 Ladd wrote, produced and directed the American English version of Osamu Tezuka’s MIGHTY ATOM series (Japan’s very first major anime TV series) as ASTRO-BOY and it aired all across America on major network television on NBC-TV. ASTRO-BOY was the first successful anime series ever dubbed in English for American TV audiences and it became a hit. Following ASTRO-BOY’S success, in 1965 Ladd wrote, produced and directed the American English version of TETSUJIN 28-GO, known in the U.S. as GIGANTOR. GIGANTOR ran 52 half-hour episodes and became a huge hit in syndicated television throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s. Mr. Ladd actually purchased all rights to the original GIGANTOR series for all English speaking territories of the world, and has owned the show and its merchandising rights ever since. The late Peter Fernandez (original voice of SPEED RACER) was one of the talented voice actors on GIGANTOR, and the series became the most popular show Ladd ever wrote, produced and directed. In GIGANTOR, a little boy named Jimmy Sparks uses a remote control device to control a powerful giant robot, GIGANTOR, in order to stop diabolical villains (who often have their own evil giant robots), and to help people whenever they are in danger.

Ladd had yet another English language anime hit in 1966 with KIMBA THE WHITE LION, another syndicated television success based on Osamu Tezuka’s anime series JUNGLE EMPEROR. It has been widely stated that Disney’s THE LION KING was a blatant copy of KIMBA THE WHITE LION.

Ladd went on to writing and producing the animated feature films PINOCCHIO IN OUTER SPACE and JOURNEY BACK TO OZ, the animated series THE BIG WORLD OF LITTLE ADAM, G-FORCE GUARDIANS OF SPACE (aka BATTLE OF THE PLANETS), and even a new updated color series of GIGANTOR in 1980. Other animated series writing work included shows at Filmation studios – GHOSTBUSTERS, MASK, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, SHAZAM!, and TARZAN.

Ladd also wrote, produced and directed the English language dubbed versions of the famous live-action children’s movies based on PIPPI LONGSTOCKING starring Swedish child actress Inger Nilsson – PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS and PIPPI ON THE RUN (co-produced by Swedish & German production companies). PIPPI IN THE SOUTH SEAS was theatrically distributed all over America, and the rest of the English speaking world, to great success. In the film, Pippi Longstocking must rescue her father who was kidnapped by pirates.

Ladd served as creative consultant on the hit 1992 anime series SAILOR MOON, and he was also a pioneer in the colorization of black and white cartoons to color, for classics such as Looney Tunes, Betty Boop, Popeye and Merry Melodies. Today he is working with William Winckler Productions, Inc. on licensing his classic GIGANTOR series and related merchandise, as well as his BIG WORLD OF LITTLE ADAM series. FUNKO is currently releasing Hikari vinyl and Pop! Style vinyl figures of the classic GIGANTOR robot, and MEZCO TOYZ will soon be releasing a very large GIGANTOR figure of their own.

FUNKO
Funko was established in 1999, and has produced licensed goods for Marvel, Hello Kitty, Star Wars, Disney/Pixar, Transformers, Elvis Presley, Simpsons, Family Guy, Hanna-Barbera, Looney Tunes, Betty Boop, Austin Powers, Cat in the Hat movies, Scooby Doo, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and many more. The company now adds GIGANTOR to its list of classic TV icons. Funko is one of the world’s leading collectibles companies with distribution in Europe, Australia, and North America. Funko produces stylized vinyl, tin, plush, action figures, and licensed electronics.

WACKO/SOAP PLANT
In addition to housing La Luz de Jesus Gallery, the birthplace of Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow Art, Wacko / Soap Plant has one of Southern California’s most extensive selections of vinyl art and sci-fi toys including long out-of circulation limited editions.

Only toys purchased at the shop will qualify for free signing, but Mr. Ladd will sign other items for $20 each. Reserve your signed copies today!
Contact the book store for purchase information.
(323)663-0122 or sales@soapplant.com or click here to purchase online.

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2/26: Ben Vendetta “Wivenhoe Park” Book Signing at La Luz de Jesus

LaLuz_WevenhoePark


Ben Vendetta: Wivenhoe Park
Book Reading and Signing Party
Thursday, February 26th, 7-9pm

La Luz de Jesus Gallery / Soap Plant / Wacko
4633 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.laluzdejesus.com

Elephant Stone Records founder and novelist Ben Vendetta signs and tells stories about the indie music scene of 1985-86 and the legacy of college rock as depicted in his acclaimed novel, Wivenhoe Park (published by Cooperative Trade)

A world that included The Jesus and Mary Chain, Easterhouse, Primal Scream, The Cult, The Sisters of Mercy, Meat Whiplash, and all things Creation Records is the backdrop to this coming of age novel set in both the US and the UK.

DJ set courtesy of Lee Joseph. Grab your favorite 80s band t-shirt and dust of those mix tapes.

A blast from the post-punk past that brings back mid-Eighties Britain in one wired, synaptic rush, a coming-of-age story that is as poignant, political, hormonal and hilarious as the sounds it celebrates.
— Cathi Unsworth, author of Weirdo, Bad Penny Blues, The Singer

Forget the Great American Novel: what people really want is great rock & roll fiction. It’s just a shame it seems such a difficult thing to do. It’s an addictive read, an affirmative and faithful story of sex, drugs and rock & roll. Where an equivalent novel such as Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity becomes ever more unrealistic to get to its happy ending, Wivenhoe Park retains a believable optimism through sheer faith in rock & roll.
— Paul Rayson, Muso’s Guide

What a fun novel with sneaky depth. Vendetta brings back an ’80s era when a stunning, now-legendary post-punk/indie rock scene was blazing in Britain, yet this time, unlike with punk rock, a smaller slice of Americans followed its brilliance. He slyly evokes this in a coming-of-college-age story of throwing off the influence (and snares) of normal Middle American life by instead immersing himself into the thick of the NME/Melody Maker/Sounds-fed maelstrom in England itself.
–Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover

If you were a post-punk kid growing up in the suburban Midwest in the ‘80s, London was your Mecca. Not all of us made the trip that decade, but now we can, thanks to Vendetta’s vivid portrayal of a young Anglophile abroad, drowning out the ache of first heartbreak in a mad dash through the British music scene. If John Hughes were still alive… well… he’d never touch this story. It’s too full of the sort of gritty realism that never made it into his well-scrubbed coming-of-age stories.
– Robert Cherry (former Editor-in-Chief, Alternative Press)

“Wivenhoe Park wrenched me back to a mid-80s Britain where punk was dead and alternative/goth ruled. If birds, booze and Bunnymen are your thing, as they are mine, then dust off your Sisters of Mercy LPs, squeeze into your Meat Is Murder t-shirt and enjoy the ride.”
-Dave Hawes (Catherine Wheel)

Title: Wivenhoe Park
Author: Ben Vendetta
Paperback: 191 pages
Publisher: Cooperative Press Trade (distributed by Ingram)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1937513300
ISBN-13: 978-1937513306
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
Retail price: $14.99

Only books purchased here will qualify for signing.
Reserve your signed copy today!
Contact the book store for purchase information.
(323)663-0122 or sales@soapplant.com

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2/13: Mortensen American Grotesque Slide Show & Signing


Feral House Presents: William Mortensen: American Grotesque 
Slide Show, Book Release & Signing Party
Valentine’s Eve: Friday, February 13th, 7-9pm

La Luz de Jesus Gallery / Soap Plant / Wacko
4633 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.laluzdejesus.com

LaLuz_AmericanGrotesqueAmerican Grotesque is a lavish retrospective of grotesque, occult, and erotic images by the forgotten Hollywood photographer William Mortensen (1897–1965), an innovative pictorialist visionary whom Ansel Adams called the “Antichrist” and to whom Anton LaVey dedicated The Satanic Bible.

Mortensen’s countless technical innovations and inspired use of special effects prefigures the development of digital manipulation and Photoshop. Includes a gallery of more than one hundred striking photographs in duotone and color, many of them previously unseen, and accompanying essays by Mortensen and others on his life, work, techniques, and influence.

Publisher Adam Parfrey and authors Larry Lytle and Michael Moynihan will be present to sign copies of American Grotesque as well as The Command to Look: A Master Photographer’s Method for Controlling the Human Gaze, with Lytle speaking about Mortensen with a slide show. Other special collaborators are scheduled to appear as well.

Title: American Grotesque: The Life and Art of William Mortensen
Authors: Larry Lytle, A.D. Coleman, Michael Moynihan
Hardcover: 300 pages
Publisher: Feral House
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1936239973
ISBN-13: 978-1936239973
Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 9 x 12.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
Retail price: $45.00

LaLuz_Command-to-Look

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Soap Plant / Wacko / La Luz de Jesus Xmas Shopping Hours

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The most eclectic selection of unique merchandise you will find in all of Southern California, and beyond!  Rows of books, shelves of toy robots, vinyl toys, tiki mugs, soaps, scents, jewelry, clothing, Dr. Who merchandise, posters, stuffed animals, kitsch novelties, movies, music, art – this list doesn’t even scratch the surface of what you will find at Soap Plant / Wacko / La Luz de Jesus Gallery. Literally something for everyone’s tastes. Plus they have a great selection of gift wraps!

With only one week left until Christmas, come to La Luz de Jesus in the Soap Plant/Wacko Complex and get all your shopping done at once!

Now through December 24th, they have extended Xmas shopping hours 10 AM to Midnight. Need your gifts mailed? They can do that for you, too!

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11/14: Poubelle Twins Calendar Party!


The Poubelle Twins Calendar Release & Signing Party featuring The Bar Kisses and The Howling Hobo DJ

Friday, November 14th 8-11pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027


LaLuz_poubelles-hula


The Poubelle Twins, longtime darlings of Los Angeles’ legendary Lucha VaVOOM, as well as countless burlesque stages (the iconic French Maids of The Velvet Hammer, s’il vous plait!), comedy venues and wrestling rings from TJ to Stockholm, are releasing their 2015 calendar and to celebrate, they’ve been given the run of the La Luz de Jesus Gallery for one night only!

Inspired by Studio Manasse’s surrealist miniature work of Vienna in the 30s, the calendar features 13 months of tiny twins in a big, often fantastic, world. Each lush, lyrical image is a close collaboration with Kate Turning, whose innovation with lighting and bold use of color has earned her the title of Reigning Queen of Fantasy Photographers (Katy Perry, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are a few of her loyal subjects).
$10 –Click here to buy now!

In addition to the 2015 calendar, there also will be a small number of Turning’s limited edition prints available for coveting and claiming -attendees are encouraged to arrive early.

Hosted by Blaine Capatch (LuchaVaVOOM, @midnight), look forward to a calendar themed costume photo booth (#WackoTwins), films from the archive, live music from 1920’s deathrock outfit The Bar Kisses, The Howling Hobo DJ spinning real live records, sparkling refreshments, and calendar signing Poubelle Twins!

Friday, November 14th, 2014 8pm-11pm

Wacko/La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Feliz, CA 90027

One block North East of the Vermont and Sunset metro station, self parking is available at the nearby Chase bank, or you may valet at neighboring Umami Burger (who might even offer up a little discount for those who purchase a calendar!)

Only calendars purchased here will qualify for signing.

Reserve your signed calendar today!
Contact the book store for purchase information.
(323)663-0122 or sales@soapplant.com.

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