5 Questions About Lucha Libre

So yeah, in case you didn't notice we like the Mexican form of professional wrestling known as Lucha Libre - especially Lucha Libre from 1950's and 60's Mexican pop culture. And even if you don't know the much about it (we're far from experts here at All-Pop, though we're learning more all the time), I think most everyone will agree that the look of the wrestlers is cool, amusing, and fascinating all at the same time. What's it all about? Here are five common questions answered to get you started:

1. What does "Lucha Libre" mean?

The words "lucha libre" in Spanish literally mean "free fight." The name has come to stand for Mexican professional wrestling, which is similar in many ways to professional wrestling in the U.S. The idea with the phrase "free fight" is that there are few official rules and few limits to the amount of violence allowed in the ring.

2. What is a "luchador?"

In Spanish, "luchador" means "fighter." In the context of lucha libre-style wrestling, a luchador is a wrestler.

3. Why do lucha libre wrestlers wear masks? What are the masks all about?

They're super cool looking, right? The idea seems to be that the mask helps create the character that the luchador portrays. In a way the mask transforms the person wearing it from an average Joe to a larger than life figure who exemplifies the special attributes of his character - whether it be that he's good or evil, has special skills, has certain vices or virtues, etc. The mask also creates an air of mystery that intrigues the crowd and intimidates his opponents. Given that the mask does all this, to be unmasked is a big deal! To unmask an opponent is the ultimate victory for the winner and the ultimate humiliation for the loser. The unmasked luchador in effect gets cut down to size, loses his status as hero or villain, appearing only human and average, just like the rest of us.

4. How did lucha libre wrestling start and how long has lucha libre-style wrestling been going on in Mexico?

One version of the story is that Don Salvador Lutteroth Gonzalez attended a wrestling match in Texas in 1929 and decided to bring the sport to Mexico. Things started off well enough, but it wasn't until the advent of television in the early 1950s that really launched the sport into the immensely popular and unique form of Mexican entertainment that it is today.

5. Who is the most famous luchador of all time? Who are some other famous luchadors?

It seems pretty well agreed upon that El Santo (The Saint) is the biggest luchador of all time. Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta, the man beneath the mask, innovated constantly, adding many new moves that are now commonplace in lucha libre. He had a certain presence that endeared him to the crowds. In the late 1950s he began starring in movies, further popularizing lucha libre and making him a superstar.

Other classic luchadors: Blue Demon, Mil Mascaras, Rayo de Jalisco, Fuerza Guerrera, Perro Aguayo - really the list goes on and on.

As lovers of retro kitsch, we're particularly fascinated by lucha libre in Mexican pop culture of the 50s and 60s, but of course, lucha libre is still huge today and only getting more popular!

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucha_libre
http://maskalucha.com/history-of-lucha-libre.aspx
http://www.bongo.net/papers/lucha.htm

Happy New Year +

Happy New Year All-Pop customers and those who just happen to be dropping by. Welcome! Here's to a great 2012 for all of us.

Happened across this artist the other day and had to blog about him. Jiro Bevis, check him out.

This is an aesthetic I can relate to, lmao. There's definitely some sort of spiritual connection between his work and the sensibility behind All-Pop, even if it's not completely obvious. Enjoy!

Luchador Figures Back in Stock

Just a quick note to say that if you've been waiting, the Luchador Figures are back in stock (again).

Stocking Stuffers For Under $10

Did you know that ALL-POP sells A LOT of things for under ten bucks - and that a lot of them are great stocking stuffers? You probably did, but we're going to remind you anyway :)

And... this isn't even ALL of them! When you're done here, browse around on the shop some more and you'll find even more hard to find, but always affordable cooliosities.

Things for your house:

Pinup Girl on Vinyl Record Magnet $2.49

Cute red headed pin up girl calls out to you on this magnet.

Paint by Numbers Coasters $4.99

Amusing examples of paint by numbers kits from days gone by make for great coasters. Check 'em out.

Lucha Libre Magnet $2.99

Mil Mascaros, Octagon, Fuerza Guerrera, Perro Aguayo show up in this magnet!

Pinup Girl Coasters $2.49

Know someone who can't get enough vintage images of pin up girls? They'll love these coasters.

Stuff for kids:

Cat and Canary Slide Whistle $4.49
It's a delightful inexpensive little slide whistle that makes an extra-amusing bird-ish warbling sound.

Cards and Paper Goods:
Veracruz Card $1.50
Delight the eyes of your friends and family with this beautiful greeting card featuring vintage Mexican travel art.

Hindu Hanuman Postcard $.99
The monkey faced Hindu deity graces this authentic Indian postcard.

Huracan Ramirez Card $1.50
The famous masked Mexican wrestler peers out fiercely on this example of Mexican lucha libre movie poster art.

Acapulco Greeting Card $1.99
A stylish, fun, colorful greeting card that will make you or whoever you give it to imagine they're there.

NyankoLand Memo Pad $3.49
Little nyanko kittens everywhere! The cute factor is off the charts with this sweet little memo pad.

Japanese Desserts Erasers $2
Little erasers in the form of cakes that you can take apart and use to erase things. Too cool.

Japanese Soup Erasers $2
Little erasers in the form of Japanese instant soups. Of course you want them - who doesn't?

Japanese Burger and Fries Erasers $2
Little erasers in the form of All-American burgers and fries. Yum!

Lucha Libre Blue Demon Notebook $3.50
Blue Demon is watching! This is a good thing!

Lucha Libre Postcard $1.50
Mil Mascaros, Octagon, Fuerza Guerrera, Perro Aguayo all pose on this muy macho postcard.

Soaps:
Be Good Elf Soap $8
A festive fun soap in the shape of an elf figurine. Cute!

Be Nice Elf Soap $8
A lavender colored soap in the shape of an elf figurine. Cute too!

Stuff for your car:
Virgin of Guadalupe Dashboard Saint $6
Ride with Mary!

Luchador Mexican Wrestler Keychain $6
There's something so right about a keychain with a luchador on it.

Bags:
Oilcloth Ditty Bag $9.50
Check out all the different, vibrant, lovely colors we have of this very useful small bag.

Good luck stuff for the new year!
Fortune-Telling Book of Dream Interpretation $9.95
This book will help you interpret dreams and then be able to tell the future. Now, tell me that won't come in handy!

Palmistry Poster $4
The human palm is loaded with mysteries. Discover what they are!

Little Good Luck Cat $6
Cute and lucky this little ceramic cat is (says Yoda).

Glow in the Dark mini Saint Figurines $1.95
Have a friend who needs some small little glow-in-the-dark saints? Of course you do!

Artificial Christmas Tree Madness continues

Our festival of fake Christmas tree photos comes to an end with this last post's worth of beautiful, old pics from a time when Kodachrome film and low quality printing produced such photos full of kitschmas loveliness. We learned some fun facts about artificial Christmas trees and enjoyed many old photos of fake Christmas trees. Hopefully we'll do it again next year.

Just a child with their dog, walking through a snowy landscape, looking for that perfect artificial Christmas tree.

Another idyllic, wintery tableau of fake Christmas trees.

Kitschmas Tree Festival (cont'd)

Do I ever tire of old photos of fake Christmas trees.

No!

And so we continue with more artificial Christmas trees, celebrating the kitschier side of Christmas.

The pinkish white fake tree above is a bit odd, no? You could pull off a branch and clean your bathroom with one of those. And what a lovely, tainted meat color too.

Lovely gold tree with blue balls.

Yes, you're right! That's Vincent Price posing with his prized artificial Christmas tree. Or something like that. It's a festive sight indeed.

Krazy About Kitschmas Trees Part Deux

All-Pop's artificial Christmas tree extravaganza continues.

Some fun facts about artificial Christmas trees (courtesy of wikipedia):

The first fake Christmas trees were made in Germany in the 19th century, and made from goose feathers dyed green. Huh.

In 1930 the Addis Brush company made the first artificial Christmas tree with brush bristles.

In 1958 the first aluminum artificial Christmas trees were made.

In the midcentury US, artificial Christmas trees became increasingly popular until they hit the peak of their popularity around 1965. That year the animated Christmas special, A Charlie Brown Christmas aired for the first time. Artificial Christmas trees were portrayed negatively in it, and the cartoon is credited for the decline in popularity of fake trees.

Nowadays, artificial trees are more popular again and sales are growing.

Kitschmas Trees

Okay, now that we've got Thanksgiving out of the way we can move on to the main attraction - Christmas.

Christmas has a rich history of kitsch. I mean, the trappings of modern Christmas are almost entirely made up of kitsch. It's practically an annual celebration of kitsch. And I say this as someone who loves Christmas in every sense.

For me, few things sum up Kitschmas - the kitschy side of Christmas - like artificial Xmas trees. Or is it that I love old photos of fake Christmas trees? Actually, yeah, I think it's the photos. The best have a certain atmosphere and aura to them that is amusing, but also quite beautiful in their way.

I like the boy and his father - as if they're out in some snowy landscape looking for the perfect tree to cut down and drag back to the family farmhouse. Should they pick 2, 3 or 4?

You Want to See the Future??

Of course you do! Who doesn't? Okay, maybe you don't, but at least it's fun trying. And we've got three new products that will help you try :)

The Fortune Teller Oracle postcard makes for a fun way to say hello to a friend who might be wondering what the future holds in store for them. They simply cut out the spinner, use a pin to attach it to the 4 different dials, and then ask any question they want of the Oracle!

Or, you can just put this cool looking card on your fridge :)

Another postcard, to get answers to your questions ask the Daisy Fortune Card, then lift up the petals of the daisy to get your answers.

The Firelite Fortune Teller set is a handy kit you can use to repurpose a standard deck of playing cards into a powerful tool to "tell your fortune the way the gypsies do!"

All three are very nicely made replicas of items originally made back in the early half of the 20th century - around 100 years ago. Interesting how there was apparently so much interest in such products, no?

Obsession of the Day: Schlager

Learn more about Schlager music here. Basically, it's schmaltzy easy listening pop that you would have heard on the radio in Europe in the 50s, 60s and 70s. A lot of it is pretty damn good, or at least entertaining in a kitschy campy sort of way. Just as there's been a renewed interest in light jazz and exotica from the 50s and 60s here in the US, there's a similar sort of Schlager revival that's been going on in Europe.

Happy Birthday Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad

Happy Birthday to Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad!
  
Interesting fact: Did you know that according to this, Frida is also known as "Her Serene Highness Princess Anni-Frid Synni Reuss, Countess of Plauen." Pretty badass.

This isn't the greatest ABBA song ever by any stretch, but there's something kinda cool and raw about this video for the song "Ring, Ring" - and Frida looks particularly great (in case you don't know - she's the brunette).

Luchador Figures ARE BACK!

Some of you have asked when they're going to be back in stock, and now, finally,  plastic lucha figures are here!

And just like always, they're already getting snatched up. So order soon.

My favorite thing is seeing my kids have their luchadors fighting all the other toys in the house. Up to now, I've seen them take on a few dinosaurs, a couple of stuffed animals and an evil plastic wizard. They've won so far!

It's Like Eating Fall

So Seasonal, So Delicious. Must have it!

Santo and Blue Demon vs. The Mummies of Guanajuato (Las Momias de Guanajuato)

Damn! Santo and Blue Demon are fighting the Mummies of Guanajuato? Crazy! It's a good thing Santo sends Mil Mascaros to go get the golden fire pistols! Mummies go right up. Those mummies are a major tourist attraction, so good job Santo and Blue Demon - you just put some Guanajuatans out of work.

Also, check out Mil Mascaros' super cool green dune buggy hot rod.

Happy Halloween! Day 31: Bauhaus "Bela Lugosi's Dead"

Have a great Halloween!

Ghoulish Day 30: More Chrisitan Death "Electra Descending"

 Okay, so we like Christian Death a lot.

Deathly Day 29: Priscilla Paris "Stone is Very Very Cold"

So this isn't a goth tune per se, but it certainly has the right mood.

Fearsome Day 28: Combichrist "Sent To Destroy"

Now if you grab your big black sharpie and draw a line from the drum machines that the Sisters of Mercy used I think you could wind around through a dozen or so other bands and end up somewhere close to the angsty, dark sonic territory that Combichrist has staked claim to, maybe.

Sickening Day 27: White Lies "To Lose My LIfe"

Are these guys a goth band? I don't know. I'm calling them a goth band. Or influenced by death rock/goth. Or something. You know, in the grand tradition of deep voiced vocalists singing about love and death in songs laden with gloomy hooks.

Gloomy Day 26: Rasputina "Transylvanian Concubine"

Larger than life male figures in the goth pantheon like Peter Murphy, Rozz Williams, Nick Cave or Dave Vanian notwithstanding, the oddball bad neighborhood of pop culture called goth has always had its fair share of female artists. In fact, I would wager that most "goths" you're ever likely to see on the streets of real life are female. So it's only natural that truly artistically unique female figures like Rasputina (lol, awesome name) will find their spiritual home here.