New book about Action Park:
An early survey of visitors to Action Park, a Vernon, N.J., theme park that opened in 1978 and operated for nearly two decades, asked guests to list what they “didn’t like” — and collected the following answers: “Bees.” “Lost my teeth.” “Rides are scary.” “Almost drowned and lifeguards laughed.”
Beyond painting a compelling portrait of Gene Mulvihill, “Action Park” captures the frenetic energy of a place very much a function of its time: parental supervision and safety precautions — low; teen hormones, illusion of infallibility and recklessness — high. In keeping with pop culture’s romanticizing of the 1980s, Hulu has a chance to bring the book to life after winning the rights in a 10-way bidding war. If the studio, indeed, attempts to faithfully re-create Gene’s empire, let’s hope it has legitimate insurance.
An early survey of visitors to Action Park, a Vernon, N.J., theme park that opened in 1978 and operated for nearly two decades, asked guests to list what they “didn’t like” — and collected the following answers: “Bees.” “Lost my teeth.” “Rides are scary.” “Almost drowned and lifeguards laughed.”
Beyond painting a compelling portrait of Gene Mulvihill, “Action Park” captures the frenetic energy of a place very much a function of its time: parental supervision and safety precautions — low; teen hormones, illusion of infallibility and recklessness — high. In keeping with pop culture’s romanticizing of the 1980s, Hulu has a chance to bring the book to life after winning the rights in a 10-way bidding war. If the studio, indeed, attempts to faithfully re-create Gene’s empire, let’s hope it has legitimate insurance.