Sunday, October 31, 2010

TRONcore...


The special added trailer/advertisement of "Tron Legacy" debuted over the weekend to guest at DCA...

As we reported back in September, the post show after World of Color ends is now a two plus minute promotion for the new film that comes out this holiday season. Having seen it, I can say it comes off as a fantastic bonus for those watching the show. Watching it Friday night was humorous since I knew it was coming but the other guests did not. The reaction was pricesless as people tried to figure out what was happening. If you haven't seen the show yet, this is a great extra value. If you have seen the show, this is definitely worth seeing. It makes you imagine what they're working on for next summer with "Cars 2" after the show.

Seeing Tron projected onto California Screamin' gives a whole new meaning to get on the grid...

Hat Tip to Peter at /Film for inspiring the title of this post.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Animated Progress...

Yeah, but will it be a musical???


Over at Progress City, they've got a really big rumor...

We all know that after "Winnie the Pooh" next year, there is a hole in the schedule and then there is a mystery as to what will come out in 2013/2014. The site is reporting a rumor that Ron Clements and John Musker's next film will be an adaptation of Terry Pratchett's book "Mort." Blue Sky reported that the next hand drawn film from the Mouse would again be by the duo back earlier this year. At the time we knew it was a fantasy. I was told, but didn't reveal that it was based on a book by a famous fantasy author that was published in the 80's. This book fits the period when the book came out and the type of author that would provide this source material.

But is it true?

Yes, kinda. I will say that the film does take place in the Discworld series which is where the Mort book (fourth in the line of books, btw) takes place, but remember that this is an adaptation that won't necessarily be literal (no film adaptation really is). I got confirmation from the Bothans of this. The hero of the book shows that this is an entirely different kind of story than Walt Disney Animation Studio has told before, but it does have a princess in it. Remember that this is early in the process and things can change. It's at least three years before it will come out and the animation process is a long, bumpy and slow road. This project as well as "Reboot Ralph" and another to be announced "untitled project" give you a sense as to how the course will change in the Mouse's animation direction after that one year break. Interesting, no?

So now you know what the next hand drawn is, but you still don't know how different it really is...

Friday, October 29, 2010

Seaing Wishes...


Christmas at Tokyo DisneySEA is a magical place...

Truthfully, every Disney park is special this time of year. I personally love Disneyland's decorations and theming best. But there is something to be said about what goes on in Tokyo. While I like the Tokyo Disneyland's Christmas Fantasy theming, the decorations over at Tokyo DisneySEA are unique just like the park. I'm going to miss the Harborside Christmas that they've had going on over the past few years. That "Candlelight Reflections" is so beautiful to experience. Well this year the holiday theming and decorations are known as Christmas Wishes. In fact, the official website for it just went live the other day so go take a look at it. But be warned, it's in Japanese, but the graphics are puuuurty, and it gives you a sense of what it's going to be like.

For more information about the Christmas offerings head over to Joe in Japan's blog. He offers a lot of great info and some interesting details. Maybe you should book a trip to this special place?

If so, better get those gifts soon, it's just around the corner...

Brave New Tron...




Last night I had the pleasure to attend Tron Night and see 23 minutes of Disney's Tron Legacy which, for the most part, was presented in Imax 3D. I was awestruck. I can tell you this… Tron Legacy is a game changer. Like the original Tron was before it, Legacy has raised the bar for visual effects again and will mark a whole new era for film. The future of cinema has arrived. It's a brave new world.

A few days ago I posted that Disney had curiously postponed releasing the original Tron on bluray out of fear that its now-dated visual effects, costumes and abstract narrative might not be very well received by modern audiences. That's a tough pill to swallow for a lifelong Tron fan such as myself who holds the original very near and dear to my heart but after watching the mind-blowing preview I am forced to admit that in their wisdom they were right. It's a whole new Tron and, sadly, I will never again be able to look at the original Tron the same way. Unlike last year's Avatar, this may very well be the first science fiction film that truly lends itself into creating a fully immersive world with visually mind-blowing CGI effects unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. Frankly, Legacy makes Avatar look like Ferngully: The Last Rainforest.

I have been no advocate of 3D… at all… in fact, I have been against it but even I have to admit that after watching the preview I was far more impressed by the stunning immersive visuals in Legacy than anything I saw in James Cameron's overrated cartoonish blockbuster. This may very well be the film that makes me a true believer that 3D is here to stay and the future of film. I still hate wearing the clunky polarized glasses which make the image look somewhat dim and blurry and I don't think that all movies are deserving of the 3D treatment, especially conversions, but I would welcome any shot in full 3D that have the exhilarating imagination that Legacy has in creating a visually stunning world unlike anything we've ever visited before and I will gladly pay the price of an expensive premium ticket to see it. Legacy has already won me over.

*******Below are spoilers with a breakdown of what was shown*********

The first scene which was presented in 2D only was Sam returning to his warehouse flat to find Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) waiting for him. Alan was the computer programmer working for the Encom corporation who wrote the security program called Tron. The scene was a bit long on exposition but we learn that Sam, son of the missing Encom CEO Kevin Flynn, is a typical rebellious youth who would rather embark in reckless motorcycle riding than accepting the responsibilities of running his father's empire. The rest of what follows was seen in the trailers where Alan tells him he was paged (yes, PAGED) by Flynn from his office at the arcade where Sam goes to look for his dad.

Sam arrives at Flynn's Arcade (this scene again was shown in 2D) full of old familiar 80's arcade stand-ups with dust covers. Sam flicks a switch, the lights come up, and the jukebox plays Journey "Separate Ways" and the Eurthymics' "Sweet Dreams" and for those of us old enough to have remembered what it was like are immediately taken back to this nostalgic period in our lives. Joseph Kosinski brilliantly and wisely captures the retro-chic of the original Tron and the 80's making it appeal to fans who grew up with the original film. Everything is exactly as it was and no small detail has been overlooked including Flynn's back room overlooking the arcade floor. He even added Flynn's electronic hand-held LCD football game sitting on the couch in his secret office behind a Bally Tron coin-op that Flynn was playing in the original film. It's like 28 years have passed and everything is still exactly as it was. Sam finds the old glass touchscreen tabletop Encom computer, wipes off the dust, and activates the molecular digitizing laser that was designed for teleporting physical objects.

Once Sam is digitized into the laser we are transported back to the grid in full 3D and just like Dorothy arriving in Oz we've gone from black and white to full color. Recognizers, those big monolithic hovering red sentinels from the first film appear only far more evolved now immediately spot and capture Sam where he is taken by intimidating guards with freakish voice modulators to be sent to the games. We also see other programs, some of which bare the wounds of fierce gladiatorial battle. One program in particular looks like half his face has been derezzed. Another program when sentenced to the games runs and leaps from the edge of a platform where he suicidally falls and derezzes into thousands of glass-like particles of bits. Sam is taken away to another room and is then approached by several beautiful and very retro chic looking Sirens who cut away his clothing with illuminated fingernails to be fitted in full gaming attire and given his identity disk, or what could be considered the "Lightsaber" of the Tron universe. Next we briefly see Michael Sheen's character Castor as a sort of master of ceremonies and briefly see Daft Punk in a sort of DJ booth. Sam is then sent to the arena to fight for survival in a game of Disc Wars very reminiscent of the old Bally game Discs of Tron. Sam survives his first battle, the crowd cheers and he shouts "I won now get me out of here!"

The next scene shows Sam escaping the grid on a lightcycle where he is picked up by Quorra on a Light Runner four-wheeler who takes him to the Safe House far outside of the grid where other programs cannot follow them and where his father resides isolated in a white Kubrickian estate with antique furniture that invokes images resembling 2001: A Space Odyssey. Flynn is shown on his knees in a meditative yoga-like trance with dripping electronic droplets of water flowing upwards around him. He tells Quorra he had a vision about Tron (interesting because we never really see the title character Tron and we know that Jeff Bridges is playing his alter-ego Clu and that the technology has de-aged him 30 years and seeing as how Bruce Boxleitner has returned as Alan Bradley why not use the same technology to show him in character as Tron? Hopefully that question will be addressed in the film). Quorra tells Flynn that they have a visitor. Flynn tells Q there are no visitors here but turns to see Sam and a tearful father/son moment ensues as we learn that much time has passed since they last saw each other and Sam is now fully grown and Flynn is now old. Flynn tells Sam he will reveal all to him once they have had dinner and goes to a balcony overlooking the grid while Quorra shows Sam his father's white lightcycle which she describes as being "vintage."

What follows is a montage of images seen mostly in the trailers concluding with the film's logo and the Real3D and Imax 3D logos. The presentation went by very quickly but it was well worth the long wait in line. I was already anticipating seeing Legacy on December 17th but now I am even more exciting and enthusiastic to see it than ever before. I need to get back to the grid.

End of Line.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

$oldier Of Fortune$...

America, F&(*$$K YA!!!



This just keeps looking better and better...

You know I love Indiana Jones and serials as much as I love comics, so these pics just make me look forward to this even more. That Entertainment Weekly cover. Sigh... Chris Evans IS Steve Rogers.

As much as I loved the Rocketeer comic, the film seemed to be a pale representation of what I loved about the character. I've always felt that Joe Johnston has never had a script good enough to show us what he's made of as a director. From what I hear about the Captain America script is it's really good. And this time he has no excuse. Judging by all we've seen I think he's spot on so far.

Go over to /Film and check out the pics they've got from the magazine. But this film is shaping up to be one of my top pics in 2011. And if it lives up to the pics and the hype, it's going to make a ton of money for Marvel and then the Mouse. A ton.

I'm lovin' it...

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Miscast Member...

What happened? Did Paul Pressler suddenly become in charge of Disney Entertainment...




Someone at Disney Entertainment did not get the memo...

You know the one? About the retheming of the park into period-centric areas. The last time I looked, the Hollywood Backlot, soon to be Hollywoodland, was themed more to a studio with plans to slowly turn the theming more towards the 40's and the Golden Era of movies. Debuting the new blinking eyes/talking mouth technology is an important step in evolving entertainment in the parks. Putting Mickey here to do a dance show is a great idea. Theming him to hip-hop/gangsta culture is a terrible mistake. I can't see how this got past so many people that had to sign off on it. I mean, taking classic songs and hearing the lyrics altered to a variation of: "Drink up my gangstas, yo ho!" Someone actually thought that this was good? You're kidding me, right?

Shows should reflect the place they're in as well. Look at the Mickey and Minnie "Over the Waves" show over in the American Waterfront port of Tokyo DisneySEA. It's perfect for the area and totally blends in with the theme of the port. There was no attempt to "contemporarize" this cultural icon. Mickey isn't supposed to be hip. He is square. He is safe. He is the friend that you know you can count on to be there for you in times of trouble. He is not meant to symbolize whatever cultural fad is of the day (Disco Mickey, anyone?). He's an example of American Exceptionalism and a model for how others could be. He's not a thrill seeker looking for acceptance from a fickle public. For that, please see Donald Duck. But don't just listen to my rantings. Judge it for yourself.

After seeing this you might want to go (or contact) see Guest Relations and let them know your opinion of this move...

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Legacy 23...

A real page turner...




The latest issue of D23 Magazine has some nice stuff in it...

Best of all is that article about some movie coming out in December. But its name escapes me.

Check it out...

Raiders Of The Third Dimension...

Dadadada, dadada...


It looks like Star Wars will have some company...

When George Lucas revealed that the Star Wars Saga was getting converted to 3D, many wondered was this just the start of something for Lucasfilm?

It is.

Someday soon, Lucasfilm will likely announce that they're converting the Indiana Jones Saga to 3D as well. The films will be converted and released in a similar fashion as the Star Wars films with "Raiders of the Lost Ark" the first out of the gate.

Lucas has been bitten by the 3D bug since "Avatar" showed the possible/promise of the technology, so other parts of the Lucasfilm catalog could be on the horizon as well.

It's only a matter of time before the announcement...

Monday, October 25, 2010

Tron Blu-s...

Someone doesn't have a Clu...





Earlier this year, Steven Lisberger, the Father of Tron, mentioned that a new high definition remaster of Tron was currently in the works to be released by the end of the year to coincide with Disney's theatrical release of Tron Legacy. Since then there has oddly been no official announcement and with just over 8 weeks to go no pre-release date in sight it's beginning to look like Tron will be MIA on blu-ray this year.

Word has it that earlier this summer the original Tron was screened at one of the theme parks and was laughed at by people who had not seen the original film and mocked it for its now-outdated effects and silly attire of leotards and hockey helmets parodied by the infamous "Tron Guy." Rumor has it that some Disney execs witnessed their reactions and it made them very, very nervous.

Understandable since they've spent millions marketing their "new and improved" Tron Legacy which they hope will be embraced by a new generation of fans. Since then plans to release the original Tron on blu-ray to generate interest in the sequel seem to have been scrapped out of fear that this product of a by-gone era would backfire and turn off their vital demographic from flocking to theaters to see Tron Legacy in December.

Word has it the original Tron will not be released now until sometime next year around the time Legacy is released on DVD and Blu-ray, long after all the box office grosses for Legacy are in. Normally, studios will strategically time the release of catalog DVD and Blu-ray sales to generate hype for a franchise installment and reciprocally to give home video sales a push but this seems to mark the beginning of what could become a counter-trend for studios looking to capture a new fanbase without any expectations or preconceptions.

Could the same fear and paranoia apply to Disney's marketing plans for their eminent remake of The Black Hole? As a fan of both of these classic Disney films I am disappointed that I will not be able to enjoy seeing Tron remastered in glorious high definition before going to see Legacy but I am deeply concerned by how this could impact reception of it my millions of people who have not even seen the original film and how they could potentially regard Legacy as the defacto Tron film and shrug off the original 28 year-old film as a relic of the Atari age.

Tron was cutting-edge for its day and decades ahead of its time but like all films in retrospect is a product of the period in which it was made and should be appreciated as such for what it is and its rightful place in cinematic history. Is Disney deliberately trying to sweep memories of it under the rug to be forgotten so that Legacy will be received as the definitive start of a new franchise? The very thought of it gives me pause and sends a shudder of discomfort up my spine. It almost seems like they are trying to re-write the program.

End of Line.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Threequels...

A long, long, long time ahead in the future...


Here we go again...

So the rumors of another Star Wars trilogy are flying again. The guys over at IESB are quoting anonymous sources inside the walls of Fortress Lucas that say it'll happen. It's a long way off, but it'll happen. They say that once George gets done with the 3D versions of the current Prequels/Originals, he'll set his sights on creating a whole new saga. One that takes place in the far future of the Star Wars Universe, perhaps a hundred or a thousand years out.

But then again, Lucas has said things about the prequels before he filmed them that contradicted a bunch of what came later. Plus the fact that they're denying this story. But really, even if it were true, would he talk much about it now? The last of the 3D conversions will be in theaters in 2017. So presuming he announce them a few years earlier, he'd have that first new film out in 2018. That's almost a decade out. And I personally don't think it'll be announced till the last film or darn near the release of it. This means it'll have to be filmed first and being as Lucas takes three years between films, this wouldn't likely see the light of day till 2019/20 at the earliest. That is a decade out. So we've got some ways to go before any of this will be concrete, if it's real at all.

Then there is my hope or dream that you know of. That within this decade, Bob Iger gets the nerve to have a meeting with Lucas and see about bringing all these projects into the Disney family. That way a new series of films would have the Disney logo right before you see the Lucasfilm logo. That would be nice and welcome. If there is any franchises that belong in the Mouse's catalog, it's Star Wars and Indiana Jones. They're identified with and inextricably linked with the parks, they might as well be Disney.

And if this third trilogy is actually made, they belong there...

Friday, October 22, 2010

Taste Of Tick...


Walt Disney Pictures has released a couple of previews of the Dean Wellins short "Tick Tock Tale" which has yet to be released...

I know that some have felt it would be with "Tangled," but as of last month the decision was that there was no short that matched the tone of the film and one wouldn't be included. This could change and I hope it does, but as of a few weeks ago it wasn't the case. Hopefully Ed and John will change there minds and give a platform to this little gem from the director of their possible 2014 animated feature.

And after they give us this, give us more shorts please...

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Del Toro's Secret DreamWorks Film Revealed...

With del Toro, Jeffrey has a big opportunity...



I really think Katz's House is going to start being greater competition with the Mouse...

And I'm not talking just box office. I'm talking quality. If Guillermo del Toro is going to be more involved in producing some of the upcoming releases then we may see a lot less fart jokes. The last two films that DreamWorks Animation has done are the best they've ever made, in my opinion. "Kung Fu Panda" is their best and only film that is equal to a film from the Lamp, "How to Train your Dragon" came close as well, but I still prefer Panda.

Now we've known from the press that del Toro was helping out on "Megamind" and working on "Trollhunters," but that he had a secret project he couldn't reveal. We now know what that project is.

"Alma."

For those that don't know or haven't yet clicked the link, the short was written and directed by Rodrigo Blaas, a former Pixar animator that did the film in his spare time. It's about a young girl that becomes facinated with a toy doll in the front display of a window and the enchantingly creepiness that follows. Blaas will direct and Guillermo will produce the film for the company. Rodrigo will also co-direct Trollhunters with del Toro. Another project by someone from Pixar or Disney that got away.

I wonder what other projects Guillermo del Toro was thinking up that might someday wind up as a DreamWork film instead of a Disney film...

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Pirates For Programs, Pistons For Princesses...

Get 'er done...


I knew I shouldn't have sat on this...

I was told this last week and chose to wait until later this week or next to post it. Then Disney decides to put the trailer for "Cars 2" out on the Net a couple weeks before it was going to be put out. Sneaky Mouse. I hadn't seen it, but had the teaser described to me. And it's a teaser trailer, not an actual trailer with much (if anything) from the film. That will come closer to X-Mas/New Years.

Below is what I had prepared to come out later this week. Already dated... Sigh.

I'm sure many of you saw all the blogs/sites mentioning the news about the trailer for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" being in front of "Tron Legacy" this December...

Well, if they're able to finish it this week, you're going to get another trailer in early November. No, not for Jack Sparrow's new film, but Lightning McQueen's new film.

That's right. Work is being done so that a teaser trailer to Pixar's "Cars 2" will be attached to Walt Disney Pictures "Tangled" this November.

Now, if enough boys show up to that film to see this...

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

More Programing: Nine Tuesdays 2 Go...

Get yer programs...






With nine more weeks left, the last "Tron Legacy" one-sheet is released...

I really like the homage to the original film while adding a whole new feel to it.

Awaiting a legacy...

A bigger version of the poster awaits you over at Yahoo.

Monday, October 18, 2010

May Is Marvel Month...


On the heels of the announcement that Disney will distribute all films come 2012 they give us this as well...

The release date of the next Iron Man film. It looks like Marvel is staking a claim to the month of May. Notice a pattern here?

Thor released on May 6, 2011

Avengers released on May 4, 2012

Iron Man 3 released on May 3, 2013

The only question now is what will be released in May,2014...

Mars Needs MoCap...

Earth to Mars, Earth to Zemeckis, Earth to Disney...






The poster for one of the last projects from Robert Zemeckis' ImageMovers company is out...

"Mars Needs Moms" is based on the book by Berkeley Breathed, directed by Simon Wells and scheduled for release March 11, 2011. Zemeckis was/is supposed to direct an adaptation of "Yellow Submarine" for the Mouse, but it appears that it's not going to happen according to David Tennant.

It'll be interesting to see if this film adapts Breathed's artwork style for the MoCap...

A Paramount Ending...

Make mine Marvel...



Interesting, but not too surprising news...

The Walt Disney Studios has bought out the remaining pictures that Paramount Pictures were supposed to distribute after 2011. Mighty Marvel will be in the free and clear come 2012, at least in terms of the characters that were or will be launched under the original agreement. Translation: "Thor" and "Captain America" will be Paramount's last films and "Avengers" in 2012 and "Iron Man 3" in 2013 will be under the Marvel Studios banner and distributed and marketed by the Mouse.

It's not likely that the deals with Fox or Columbia will be affected, as those would be far more expensive to resolve. That said, this makes you wonder if the theme park deals with Universal Studios could come to a similar resolution? Maybe Iger will make a deal to pay for the retheming/design of the Spider-Man attraction? Slowly, as the years pass most if not all the agreements and deals will expire or be bought out. By the end of this decade most outside sources of Marvel entertainment will disappear and by the beginning of the next decade nearly everything done with these underwear clad money makers will be done under Disney.

And the growing lads and testosterone filled tots will never know a time when Spider-Man, Hulk and the rest of the Super-Heroes/Villains were not Disney characters...

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio Turns 87...


The Walt Disney Company, which was called Walt Disney Productions until the mid-80's and began life as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio is 87 years old today...

Funny, it doesn't look that old, does it? What do you get it? A revised Second Gate at Disneyland? A Third Gate? A revived Animation Studio? So many things, so little time...

Thursday, October 14, 2010

ABC Sees Green...

Hulk not want screw up film adaptation...


It appears that Jeph Loeb is working at getting an old series rebooted...

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that the Alphabet Network is in the very early stages of commiting to a live-action "Hulk" series. I wonder how this will play out versus the actual cinematic version of the Big Green Guy? As much as I enjoyed the original, I don't think there is any way you're going to get away with spray painting a guy and saying he's a giant monster. Not for today's audiences. The FX had better be pretty good, which means it's going to be expensive and they had better have Super-Villains, not normal guys facing him. That would be lame. Just like the 70's "Spider-Man" series were he faced normal guys. That was lame. Just like the first half of the season of the early 90's "The Flash" series where he faced normal guys. That was lame (I mean, really, a biker gang? Really?). So, perhaps we can see other characters like "The Abomination" or "Rhino" and most obviously, "The Leader."

This better not be my daddy's Hulk or Honor SMASH...

Truth In Labeling...


With all the new films coming out under the Mouse's House I thought it was time focus on what's what and who's who...

First off, it's amazing how times have changed since Michael Eisner became CEO in 1984. When he came to power, the Disney name was in so disrepair that to have that name attached to it was considered box office poison. The films that were coming out of Walt Disney Productions were either bombs or disappointments. So much so that Ron Miller created the Touchstone Pictures label to produce films that would not have the stigma. Many were under the misconception that Eisner created it. He didn't, but he did exploit it to make films that Disney wouldn't make before. Times have changed. Here's how.

The film division of the Walt Disney Company now is powered from a different place. The Disney brand is the most valuable asset of any of its divisions. A generation after the company when outside to the name to be successful, it now is reaching inward.

Walt Disney Studios encompasses several brand names. Bob Iger is all about branding in this highly competitive environment. The divisions of each department are focused on delivering different, specific types of entertainment.




Walt Disney Pictures - This, most known division is responsible for all live-action family entertainment and through Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, all animated family entertainment.





Touchstone Pictures
- This division that was used to distribute all adult or mature content will now be a shingle that handles all the films that DreamWorks Studios creates. Over the next five years, between five and six films a year will come out under this label. There is the off chance that the odd film from Disney will be released from this division, but that will be very rare. From now on this logo will adorn Steven Spielberg & Co.'s films that used to be under Paramount Pictures and before that Universal Pictures.



Hollywood Pictures - This division is currently viewed as unneeded. It's been literally shuttered for the time being. If a purpose comes up for the use of it, they may try and restart this as a specialty house for genre-specific films, but for the most part of the coming decade don't count on it.



Marvel Studios - This new division will be it's own entity, like the Lamp, it will handle it's own films working from properties in its 5000+ character library.

It's interesting and amazing that for family films the company has reached out to its past to create and focus on film content. It's equally interesting and amazing that for it's other live-action films not under the Disney label it has reached out to the man that is considered the modern day Disney.

It will be interesting times/films to watch...

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Epic Tomorrow...


Man, if this keeps up I'm gonna have to buy a Wii...

I hate that. I like my PS3, but these videos make Disney Interactive's "Epic Mickey" game look like a fun buy. It seems very intricately detailed and filled with addictive gameplay. Of course, I may just wait and see if it comes to the Playstation then all I have to buy is one of those Playstation MOVE controllers.

That said, I really hope the Mouse is listening to what game Warren Spector has said he wants to do next because I would definitely put some green down on that...

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Ten Weeks, 10 Peeks...

Come on, Flynn...





It's hard to believe there are only ten weeks between now and the release of "Tron Legacy" from Walt Disney Pictures...

Over the next ten weeks the Mouse will have what is known as Tron Tuesday in which they will release clips/surprises from the upcoming film. This week the first is a clip from Daft Punk's score with the track: "The Game has Changed." Enjoy it and await each week until you can purchase that ticket. What a difference twenty-eight years makes.

The game really has changed...

Monday, October 11, 2010

Believing In Fairies...

More Pixie Dust...



Pixie dust is still popular, apparently...

Last week when the details came out about the top selling DVDs of the week, it was no surprise that "Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue," the latest Disney Fairies film was number one right after its debut. Now, it's not the kind of film that I would normally watch, but I have seen these films and they're far more engaging as well as being remarkably higher quality than you would expect coming from a straight-to-DVD background. While they're aimed at girls, the tales have been far richer and the animation more detailed than I would have imagined from such a product.

And there is one reason for this: John Lasseter.

When he came to head animation at the Mouse he was handed the job of shoring up the division known (at least right now) as Disney Toon Studios. They're the division that put out all those Cheapquels that most Disney fans came to despise. Lasseter was responsible for putting a stop to milking all these franchises that had been going on since the late Eighties. There were still a couple in the production pipeline that had to be finished, but he made it clear that all new product would have to focus on a different direction. The Disney Fairies were just starting out and the plan was to focus on these as the next major DVD franchise. All this was started before the Pixar purchase and before he was put in charge and when he finally got a look at the first film in the series, John was clearly not happy with the direction of the story. Within a matter of months the film was delayed till the following year, the Suits in charge were gone and the division would report directly to John and Ed Catmull. These two guys are essentially in charge of all Disney animation with the exception of Walt Disney Television Animation, which should not be confused with DTS. Lasseter set about fixing the story of the first film and setting up a chronology for the entire series. There are still two more films to go in the series (Tinker Bell and the Mysterious Winter Woods and Tinker Bell: Race Through the Seasons) and no decision has been finalized as to if the series will continue after 2012. That will ultimately be determined by the sales/merchandising of the next two films. But as the Fairy series moves toward an eventual end, another series will start to take the place it had in the production pipeline: "Planes."

I've heard a lot of people venting about this series and many have felt as this as something along the lines of a desecration of the Lamp's label. But this series is something that has been in the planning for a couple years. As the Tink series was in full production, the powers that be realized that they had to address a couple of things. First, the focus on characters and issues that play primarily to girls/women. Second, the missed opportunity to maximize boys obsession with the "Cars" franchise. This gave John and the crew over at the Toon Studios the opportunity to work more in the world of Cars and focus on that male demographic. Unlike the Disney Fairies, this is a series that has had Lasseter's blessing from the get go. Tink was a series that he was given with the expectation of delivering, which he has in spades. This series, which storyboard artists will begin working on a second draft of the film in November after John's note are analyzed, will have even more focus than Fairies. The film is currently set for a late 2011/early 2012 release if everything continues running smoothly. Should this film be successful, the crew has plans to work on many of the other humanized vehicles of this world: Trains, Boats, ect. He's done a great job of turning the DVD series into a credible and profitable franchise, now he's got the opportunity to focus on expanding and growing the offerings of this division.

Which, judging by the sales figures of the latest film should make Suits quite happy...

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Imagine...




October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980


Friday, October 8, 2010

Bragging N(r)ight(s)...

Program Night...



Walt Disney Pictures has announced that October 28t will be TRON Night...

Fans of the film can go to IMAX theaters and experience twenty minutes of the film if they register on October 12th.

This move marks a point of confidence by the Mouse that this film is indeed a future franchise (Uhm, trilogy).

December can't come quick enough, Programs...

More Metal, I Mean Mater...

Get 'er done...


Tonight, don't miss the seventh Cars Toons short featuring Pixar's Goofy...

On the Disney Channel, "Heavy Metal Mater" premieres later tonight. It's the last short before the DVD/Blu-Ray release of "Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales" on November 2 with two additional shorts.

I guess that'll tide you over till those new "Planes" DVD/Blu-Rays debut in a little over a year...

The Opening Of The Portal...


So last night ElecTRONica debuted in Disney California Adventure...

I've been gone a few days so pardon the silence. But yesterday I was able to see the opening of the new entertainment offering at the Second Gate thanks to a few Bothans there. It was a surreal experience that didn't go off without a few hitches. It was in essence, a dress rehearsal and tonight will be the first official showing. But it was interesting.

I first saw the original "Tron" as a child in a darkened, empty theater. The film that Ron Miller had hoped would set Walt Disney Productions on a new path became a bit of a disappointment. While it wasn't a box office failure; it did make a profit, it was not the "Star Wars" type of film that everyone at the studio had hoped for. This began the momentum that led to the firing of Ron and the hiring of Michael Eisner, and the rest is history.

But last night there were many, many young people gathered for this event. Men and women, boys and girls that weren't even a twinkle in their parents eye when the first film came out. Watch them dancing and laughing as those awkward dancers welcomed the Programs and Users was bizarre and revealing. Seeing them dance around to Journey's "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" was a through back to the era when this film came out and the audiences didn't embrace it. This audience did embrace it. Many of the people coming out of the screening of the 9 minute clip of "Tron Legacy" were shaking their heads. One girl screamed: "Amazing!" So as I sat there watching the same scene I would tend to agree with her. It was some very visually impressive images. This isn't your daddy's Tron. And yet, it was/is.

After watching that clip, going into Flynn's Arcade, having a seat at the End of the Line Club, watching the holographic projections, the rave atmosphere and the people all enjoying this, it hit me. I've always had a soft spot for Tron. It was never a favorite, but I enjoyed it. The story was a little wooden and the characters two-dimensional, but I felt the concept was ahead of it's time. Last night proved it. My friends were shaking their heads watching this experience. I asked them what they were thinking about and they said they never thought they'd see a day when that film or anything about it would be so well received. And we all talked about how it was going to be a hit. You could tell, it was in the air. It's going to be a hit. Someone said that Disney had a new franchise on its hands. "Trilogy," I said, jokingly correcting them. But the hit that Ron Miller wanted for his company twenty-eight years ago has finally materialized.

The Portal has opened...

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

55/55...


On this day, fifty years ago the Disneyland Hotel opened...

Not only is the Happiest Place on Earth celebrating its fifty-fifth year in Anaheim, the original hotel is as well. Many of you knew that the Resorts first hotel is going through a three year renovation, but not everyone know that it's birthday is today. Originally owned by Jack Wrather, the hotel was bought by the Mouse back in 1988, when Eisner first decided to look into turning the park into an actual resort.

Come 2012 the hotel will look greatly different than it did a decade ago. Gone will be the bland, dated, concrete appearance in favor of a retro-contemporary look and feel. The idea is to makeover the hotel into the West Coast version of Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort. Not to clone it so-to-speak, but to give the building its own distinctive variation of that kind of concept. Once those picturesque monikers run across the tops of each tower it'll look a whole lot swankier. While my own desire is to have a hotel with a V(m)ictorian feel like the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel/Disneyland Paris Hotel, plans for a hotel such as this won't likely arrive until the later part of the decade. Still, with all the new offerings, this classic hotel will finally move into this century and help turn the resort into an actual resort.

Happy Birthday, Disneyland Hotel...

Monday, October 4, 2010

Man Of Steal...

Up in the sky, it's a bird, a plane...


No, it's a sloooooooooow mo shot!



Wow, this was unexpected news...

Zach Snyder to Direct "Superman: The Man of Steel." Just when you think Darren Aronofsky was going to get it, someone else steals the job. And I'm not saddened by it, but I am surprised. A couple of years ago Snyder revealed that he was offered the directing gig on "Superman Returns" and he turned it down. So I thought that there was no way he'd accept this gig. I was wrong.

Deadline Hollywood
is reporting that Snyder has indeed accepted the offer to turn around the Granddaddy of all Super Heroes and make him a twenty-first century property. I personally think that this is a good move. Snyder has a definite eye for the camera and I don't think the major complaint everyone had about the last one will be a problem with this one (that it was boring and not enough action). I tend to agree and feel that Singer's film was an attempt to make a "chick-flick" out of Superman. With Nolan producing, Goyer writing and Snyder directing this could turn out to be an intense film. Now all they have to do is deliver it by the holidays of 2012. And this isn't all to think about when it comes to Marvel's competition.

Expect to hear more about this and other DC franchises in a few weeks at a major Warner Bros. announcement...

UPDATE:
The Hollywood Reporter says that the villain will be General Zod. Kneel before me!

The Price Of Happiness...

Happy Birthday 2 U...





This year is not only the ninth anniversary of Tokyo DisneySEA, it's also the fiftieth anniversary of the Oriental Land Company...

Last year Tokyo Disneyland celebrated a quarter of a century just as the parent company passes the half century mark. The OLC is a company that plans out ahead, and is a vast business with many real estate holdings all across Japan. The primary one, and obviously most valuable one of course, is the Tokyo Disney Resort. Last week the company released a preliminary plan for the next few decades, giving us a peek at what lies ahead for the resort and its two parks.

It the report, which spans out the next twenty-five years is just an estimation, but there are signs that give you an idea of what lies ahead. Like? Well, starting next year there will be over 2.4 billion dollars spent on the Tokyo Disney Resort over the next decade. That's enough to create an entirely new gate (Tokyo DisneySEA cost approximately 2.2 billion dollars). No, I don't believe this spending will be earmarked for a creation such as that. There may someday be a third gate in Japan, but it's not in the near future. So that model in Glendale will just have to sit and wait, unless the Suits of WDI are able to work some real Disney magic; convincing them to pony up for another park. Since it hasn't even been a decade since the Second Gate was built, it's not yet time for another. In fact, I don't want to see another park built right now. The main thing that needs to be done is to add more attractions to DisneySEA. Although it's the most stunningly beautiful theme park the Mouse has every built, it's still has less than thirty attractions. The smartest thing that can be done right now is to increase the attraction count so that this beautiful theme park can compete with the offerings over at Tokyo Disneyland.

So no new theme park will be added in the Land of the Rising Sun with that budget. But still, that's a lot of money to go into the parks/hotels/retail. The majority of new entertainment and attractions will be focused on from present to 2016. Then next five years will be focusing on "renewals and improvements." The OLC and WDI aren't going to be releasing any info until probably next year, but several projects are being planned. If everything goes well, we should hear about a new E-Ticket for TDS by late 2011/early 2012 that will hopefully be opening in late 2013/early 2014 (presuming nothing changes); with plenty of surprises set up to be opened by the Fifteenth Anniversary of the aquatic wonder.

Now, when they're talking about new attractions between 2011-2016, I don't think they're referring to some of what has currently been announced. If you look at the cost of Fantasmic!, that's $33 million and 2012's Toy Story Mania is coming in at $116 million (DCA's cost $80 million). That leaves four years and well over two billion to be spent. The question that most Disney Geeks/Fans have is what exactly will it be spent on? I know the Imagineers have a few ideas they're working on.

And they've got a prospective buyer...

Friday, October 1, 2010

Experiment Turns Twenty-Eight...


Ok, so EPCOT didn't turn out to be the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow" that Walt envisioned. But it still has his spirit, his sense of optimism and wonder. It is still something for the Mouse to be proud of... even if over the last decade or so they've not treated her well.

Today she turns 28. And she looks much nicer than she did a few years ago since having that plastic surgery to remove the wart... I mean wand from her nose. I figure we should start seeing greater attention to the details of the Second Gate over the next few years (I only hope that they approve getting rid of the graveyard below Spaceship Earth). The Suit in charge happens to be an Epcot employee, which is good. The focus on the words; "EPCOT Center" are a good sign...

The Walt Disney Company spent 1.4 Billion dollars to build it... I want to sound like Dr. Evil saying that. In 1982 that was a lot of money. Well, it's still a lot of money, just not near as much as it was then. The Mouse hasn't spent anywhere near that amount on a theme park since. The only company that has spent those kinds of numbers to create elaborate Disney attractions is the Oriental Land Company... the only company other than the Mouse with the right to build Disney attractions. When WDW's Third Gate, Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) was built in 1989 at a cost of less than 800 million. The fourth gate, Disney's Animal Kingdom was around 800 million(after cutting the "Beastly Kingdom" section) when it opened in 1998. The Second Gate in California, Disney's California Adventure was 650 million(after Pressler ordered Braverman to cut the budget by a third) in 2001 and Disney's investment in Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005 which cost 3.5 billion was in the hundreds of millions... 314 million dollars to be exact, with the Hong Kong Government footing the rest of the bill . I won't mention Walt Disney Studios Paris which opened in 2002, because I don't consider it having a budget, especially if you've seen it (granted, it's slowly improving and in a few years will look much more nicely themed). But enough of that... that's old hat. We're in a new time with lots of exciting things happening to the Mouse.

The future of the Second Gate at America's Second Disney Resort's is positive and full of promise with the Thirtieth Anniversary around the corner. I'm sure Staggs, unlike Rasulo, won't let Epcot go by without some TLC and a few surprises. Happy Birthday, EPCOT Center!

Now, let's work on covering up those bad show areas around the World Showcase...

A Televised Wonder...

Eat your heart out, Kal-El...



A Princess prepares for the small screen...

So that Joss Whedon script for a theatrical film of the Amazon was scuttled a couple years ago. Now David E. Kelly wants to bring Diana back into another television series. If there is anyone that can write good female characters, it's Kelly. Whedon also pens great female roles, but the Warner Suits didn't want to go in his direction. Luckily for Marvel fans that now allows him to work on the "Avengers" film. I hope Kelly's version respects the character (unlike William Dozier's horrible pilot) and follows some of the Greek mythology that was built up over George Perez's run on Wonder Woman. Hey, maybe Kelly can get his wife to play Princess Diana's mother? That would be some cool casting there.

Just don't write in an invisible plane...

Thirty-Nine And Growing...


Wow, it happened thirty-nine years ago today...

The very first guest descend on a new plot of land outside Orlando, Florida for the grand opening of Walt Disney World. The new park, the Magic Kingdom, the first since Walt Disney's original Disneyland is built on land that is twice the size of Manhattan, with its own police force, its own fire department and its own working government. The Walt Disney World Resort as it will be called, opens up with two hotels, the Contemporary and the Polynesian and a world of possibilities. It's still so today, just a wee bit bigger is all. And it's still growing.

I just hope that Tom Staggs puts his stamp on the resort and his own Suits...