Pirates of the Caribbean: Black Flag...

I've loved pirate adventures since I was old enough to hold a toy sword...

Honestly, I believe my first experience with pirates was the "Swiss Family Robinson" film with my mom and uncle.  Followed by watching and then reading "Treasure Island" as an adolescent.  The ultimate experience of riding Pirates of the Caribbean in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.  I remember seeing old pirate films on cable growing into my adulthood.

In college I read the screenplay for the remake of "Captain Blood" that was to star Alec Baldwin when he was at right age with the right amount of buzz to star in it.  The adventure and excitement of being a pirate and sailing into the unknown with the chance of finding treasure was so alluring.  An aquatic Indiana Jones type of adventure almost if you think about it.

So when Disney announced that they were going to make a film adaption of their famous attraction I was both excited and worried about how it would turn out.  And when I saw it, I loved it.   I even like the slow, heavy layered story, but visually exciting sequels (the second was good, but overblown, and the third was bazaar and filled with bloated fun, the last one was simply an experiment carried too far in the wrong direction).

And then they began videogame adaptations of the films.

And most of what Disney Interactive came up with was disappointing to uninspired; a collection of mediocrity, with the exception of the Lego game.  It seems all Lego games are fun or at least playable.  From the original Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl for Gameboy to the Pirates of the Caribbean Online game, nothing was inspired, everything was average to unworthy.  With a franchise of so much potential, nothing was worthy of the film(s) they were trying to exploit.

Sounds a bit like Lucasarts with Star Wars doesn't it?

And then there was Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned and Pirates of the Caribbean: Master of the Seas.  Monumental games with hugely ambitious goals.  Put together by teams that were filled with disfunctional supervision and divided goals.  The companies that we're doing these games were not up to the task of such an epic scale.  Studios like Naughty Dog and companies like Electronic Arts should have done these, not the middling companies that Iger acquired as part of his digital strategy (still his greatest error as CEO).

So it looks like we'll never see a great Pirates game.

But it seems we will.  But it's actually not a Pirates of the Caribbean game, and it's not even made by Disney Interactive.  It's made by Ubisoft.  And if you want to see what a POTC game could/should have been, this is it:

Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag.

For anyone wanting to see the potential of what could have been, or someday might be, then check out the latest trailer for it.  Or check out the reviews and you'll know that it is possible to make a pirate game worth playing.  And therein, worth purchasing.  Are you watching Disney Interactive?  Here is solid proof that there is treasure out there if you care to find it.

You now have a map to find that treasure...

Forecast, Extended Reign…

It looks like Bob Iger is going to be around a few more months than expected…

Those of you that haven't seen it yet, the news came out yesterday that Bob Eiger will retain his CEO title in addition to his chairman title until the expiration of his contract in 2016.  Originally, he was supposed to relinquish the CEO title in April 2015, while retaining the chairmanship title until the expiration of his contract in 2016.  Now they both will end together.  This means his leadership will not be split, and it also gives him and the board more time to decide on a successor.

It's going to be a difficult position, many people will be vying for that title as I mentioned in a previous post.  Right now, the odds on favorite is Tom Staggs, but other powerful people are still in the running.  This includes two people who weren't even at the company a year ago, Kathleen Kennedy and Alan Horn.  Lastly, there is the Dark Overlord, Jay Rasulo.  Let's cross our fingers that that one doesn't happen.

So what does all this mean?  Well, it means that Iger will be there through the end of his contract, and the players have a little more time to show their worth.  Three years worth.  That's a long time in the entertainment business, a lifetime compared with any other.  It'll be interesting to see how the jockeying goes over the next couple of years.  The CEO and Chairman of the largest entertainment company in the world is leaving it in an even bigger position that it was under Eisner.  His successor will have to do a lot of shuffeling to compete in this global market that entertainment has transformed into over the last decade.  The world is a lot different than it was at the beginning of this century.

Even the Disney World…

A Themed World...

News of paramount importance... 

Walt Disney had it right when he created Disneyland...

It wasn't that people just wanted a collection of cheap thrills to stimulate the senses, it was that they wanted it structured, and filled with a narrative: a theme.  A purpose.  It took a while for others to catch on to this concept, but for the past few decades the idea of theme parks has exploded.  Disney had it correct from the beginning though.  What better way to have a theme park than build it around stories that people already know?  Movies.  The visual medium has a built in brand awareness.  A film studio is a factory churning out these stories, these dreams.  A dream factory, if you will.

Now, it's taken a while for other studios, (Universal was the only other studio to "get" it) but the Suits at the rest of the Hollywood entertainment companies have moved to compete in this area.  Not only do we have Universal expanding their brand all throughout the world, but Warner Bros. is licensing their properties to them (a mistake, if you ask me), Dreamworks Animation is doing the same, and now Paramount Pictures is starting to mine their properties.

Of course the deal is for an international park, the United Kingdom, specifically.  The famed studio is partnering with the London Resort Co. Holdings to turn 872-acres on Swanscombe Peninsula in Kent into a European destination to rival Disneyland Paris.  And at a cost of $3.2 billion, it might look quite pretty depending on what the theming looks like, as well as the properties they choose.  I can see a "Mission: Impossible" attraction, but properties like "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" are owned by Hasbro, and we know that the films they distributed like "Iron Man" and "Captain America" are now owned by, uhm, someone else.

The deal looks similar to the agreement that Disney has with the Oriental Land Company.  It looks like the London Resort Co. Holdings will be the one making the decisions with Paramount getting a percentage of the earnings from the gate, merchandise and food.  Let's hope that they hire brilliant designers to create this park.  Possibly some brilliant, former Imagineers?

It'll be interesting to see what takes shape when this opens in 2018...

Know Flakes...

Deck the halls, just not before November...

The Holidays are the best time of the year in Disneyland, but not everything goes according to plan...


No sooner had the digital ink dried on our post about the decorations for Halloween than the Suits and higher-ups in Disneyland Entertainment decided to put a halt to the theming for this year.  The plan to slowly add layers of theming to the park, particularly Buena Vista Street and Cars Land is still on, but this year, since most of the prep has gone toward Christmas, the plans were scrapped.

Apparently the minimalist plans for the front entrance and Radiator Springs were too minimalistic.  They will add more and more detail to the holiday theming, but the Suits wanted to have a bit more for the areas and not look as though they were skimping.  They actually start planning for these things almost a year ahead, and the main plans have always focused on Christmas, with much less on the Halloween decorations.

It was determined that the focus for DCA's rebranding shouldn't have anything that looks as an afterthought, so the designers are hard at work focusing on a grander, more elaborate and period themed, spooky decoration extravaganza for 2013.  Fear not, it'll be grand, but it won't be here this Halloween.

Now, with that done, the Christmas decorations over in Buena Vista Street and Cars Land as well as other areas are going to shine.  You will truly walk back into a 20's/30's Los Angeles during the winter holidays.  The way Walt would have celebrated it, had you been around to see it.  The music, decorations and characters are going to make DCA a place to be.  California Adventure was never in competition with Disneyland over the past decade during X-Mas.

This year, that will not be the case.

The garlands, lights and music when you walk down that early 20th century street way toward the beauty of the Carthay Circle Theater will take you out of the problems of the modern world and pull you into a nostalgic view of what this great city could have/would have been like at this time.  That circular area in front of Elias and Company?  That's where the new Christmas tree will go, all bright and lit up to stun guests.  Walking into Elias, you'll get the feeling you've entered an early Macy's store, complete with a display set up for that jolly old man himself.  That's right, Santa will now be located inside the main store on BVS, instead of being in that little gazebo on Paradise Pier.  It will evoke a very Macy's Christmas feel and Mr. Claus will have plenty of elves around him to greet kids young and young at heart.

Cars Land will have a toon themed Christmas that could only exist in a world populated by cars.  The theming will correspond to each character and how they celebrate this holy holiday, from Mater, to Filmore, to Lightning.  Everyone will have their own decorations.  And wait until you see how Radiator Springs musically celebrates the holiday with the entertainment offerings.  Walking down the Mother Road with the songs playing and the decorations surrounding you will be accentuated by the color theming of the Cadillac Mountain Range as it envelopes you and creates that Yuletide feel.

The rest of the park will have decorations as well, but not to the degree of these two new lands, but the plan, as was the Halloween plan, would be to add more and more detail to the other areas of the park as the years go by.  World of Color will help ring in the holidays as well, but the planners have not yet decided if a pre-show celebrating the holidays or the full out Christmas themed show that some creatives want.  But DCA will be a memorable alternative to the original park this year.


It won't be an afterthought as guests will finally have a choice for their holiday experience...

The Entertainer...

Now appearing at the Golden Horseshoe...






On this day Ninety-two years ago, the mold of entertainment in Disneyland was filled...

Wally Boag (the original Wally B.) was born today. He would go on to perform in Disneyland and create the standard of high excellence that guests have come to expect from Disney Entertainment. He not only would go on to make many a fan of the people seeing his routines, but would inspire many Cast Members (including a young Steve Martin, who idolized him) as well.

The joy that you experience in the parks is a result of the talent and hard work of this creative and kind man...

A Future Without Rules, A World Without Walls...

You can connect, but will you disconnect...








The future isn't written, it's a path...

Media companies have come to rely less and less on the Big Four Networks as time has gone by. The days of sitting down to watch what was on the tube started to crack when Cable came out. Then with various other media sources, HBO, Showtime, etc. it slowly started to release the grip that those few networks had on the content viewers would get.

With the introduction of the Net, the world of Cable suddenly had competition. Not just from websites, but content that could be independently generated. But the promise of the Internet hasn't yet been fully realized. The potential that was there hasn't been able to break apart and show that it can be of the same quality as Network/Cable show.

Until now.

Take a look at this trailer for the new series produced by Brian Singer, entitled "H+" that just premiered. It looks incredibly professional, intriguing, disturbing and high quality. Like something that I'd find on network television or FX, or possibly A&E. But it's not on any of those channels. In fact it's not on a channel at all. It's a digital series that will premiere on YouTube on August 8. And it shows you not only what the future looks like in this apocalyptic series, it shows you what the world will be like in entertainment in the future as well.

I know that the Mouse is experimenting with a Disney YouTube Channel that is supposed to have original content ("Where's My Water," etc.), but they and other media giants need to take note of this kind of platform and focus on it.

It is the future...

Halloween By The Sea...

It's almost eight years old, but there hasn't been a Halloween themed event in Tokyo DisneySEA like there is in Tokyo Disneyland, but that's all about to change...

The Tokyo Disney Resort's very own Disneyland, just like the original here in California, has had a seasonal Halloween themed time of the year where the park is decorated and the holiday is celebrated Disney style. Even DCA celebrates Halloween, albeit not as lavishly as Disneyland. But despite being around as long as California Adventure, DisneySEA hasn't had a consistent entertainment for guest entering the most stunningly beautiful theme park in the world... until now.

Starting September 10th, Tokyo DisneySEA will have "Mysterious Masquerade," its first park-wide Halloween event. The typical things you would expect to see on Halloween will be there from pumpkins, eerie music, dusty old cobwebs with flickering candles, all of which will be layered in details. The Masquerade will be a special twenty-plus minute show featuring Mickey and Minnie going to a costumed dance party at which it's revealed that all the other guest are ghost. Another smaller show called "Masquerade Dance" will feature various Disney characters and a special Halloween themed fireworks celebration called "Night High Halloween" will delight guest throughout the park. The event will run till November 3rd. As if they couldn't make TDS anymore desirable to go see... Scary, isn't it?

Can't wait for the Tricks and Treats...

Spring Forward...

I meant to put this up last week but computer problems put it on the back burner...

The 2009 DisneySEA Spring Carnival is going on right now at the Tokyo Disney Resort. If you attend the DisneySEA theme park you'll get to see some incredibly beautiful garden decorations, entertaining shows and scenery that makes an already pretty park even prettier, if that's possible. Here are a few links:

If you'd like to check out more, here's the TDR official website for it... HERE.

Here's a Japanese commercial for it that's playing on television right now... HERE.

Someone shot a video while walking around the TDS park showing you some of the sights and atmosphere you'd find... HERE.

This is an example of the stage show that goes on in the Mediterranean Harbor, but the video doesn't do seeing it live... HERE.

Enjoy...

UPDATE:

I also wish to add if you want to know even more about the Tokyo Disney Resort then check out Joe's Joe In Japan website(appropriate name, don't you think?). Here are his Spring Carnival links... HERE and HERE and his YouTube channel HERE.

Blue Notes: Color Is Cool...

Just a few notes I figured you might be interested in...

I happened to have seen a "World of Color" presentation the other day and I can tell you that when this show premieres next spring it will make a trip to DCA a much greater, more rewarding experience. Until now, I've only seen a few bits and pieces, not the entire(well most) of the staging.

It was fantastic. Oh, and for those of you waiting for Fantasmic!'s New Dragon to appear later this year. It looks pretty swanky. Much more detailed and representational of a fiery beast than the original. Fans will not want to miss the introduction of this new addition. Or "lavish enhancement" would be better words.

Those that are wondering what Tinkerbell will look like on her new float leading the Electrical Parade should take a page out of the Bug's Life float from the Pixar Play Parade. It's filled with large strands of grass and has a ball type balloon structure made out of leaves that Tink will be inside. The other fairies will be dancing around her outside as she waves at the crowds.

Also, The Little Mermaid has started preliminary construction on the attraction that will debut in summer 2011. Expect to see walls go up shortly and the building to start coming down.

Lastly, there have been rumors that Iger is getting worried John Lasseter is spreading himself too thin and hanging out in the parks too much. While it's true that John has been spending a good deal of time focusing on the theme park side of things, I don't think he's at a point where he can't handle it. When "Up" comes out, if the box office is in the normal Pixar range I don't think anything will be said about it. Now, if the film turns out to be a disappointment then those whispers could get louder and Iger may want to schedule a meeting with him.

Let's make sure that doesn't happen come May when the Lamp's new film debuts...

Blue Sky Buzz (Anaheim): Color Of Authority...

I got a lot of e-mails about that story of Tokyo DisneySEA possibly(very likely) getting DCA's "World of Color" show...

Mostly asking what exactly it was. Now, if you want to see exactly what it is you'll have to wait till next spring, but I can give you some insight. And yes, it's going to be a great show that'll quickly become the alternative to Fantasmic! for the Disney faithful. Not to mention the families that will swarm to this new viewing area to watch the closing show to the park...

Well, if you've ever seen Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color then you've seen how it's going to open. Lots of color, rolling kaleidoscope style stuff and then Tinker Bell makes her appearance. The show will be themed to emotions. You know, like love, anger, happiness, sadness and all. There will be amazing choreography with the water spouts. If you've seen Bellagio then you have an idea, but it'll be even more dazzling than that. This show uses a great deal of computer power and will be the most complex show that Disney Entertainment has ever put on. Each section of emotion will be separated from the other and you'll be able to tell what's going on my the music and images on the screen. An example is watching Simba see his father die... and you will see it on the screen and then the show will go black and you'll hear the characters talking. Then BAAM! The sky lights up... It's very emotional, very dramatic and filled with heart. I'm going to love it when people see Chernabog rising out of the water spewing fire all over the place. I do love those villains after all... And for the young ones you have Zurg and a host of other characters.

This will be the last thing that happens in the park as I mentioned earlier. Due to all the technical aspects of the show, Screamin', Mickey's Fun Wheel, Silly Symphonies Swings and Golden Zephyr will all be shut down for the show. So WOC will be the finale to the park as of next March/April. After it's over and the park announces that it is closed guest will make a run for the exits, unless they stop by that other wonder: the bath rooms. The largest in any Disney theme park(hehe). But as people leave the turnstiles they'll be talking about the beautiful show they just saw. And how Disney's California Adventure is actually becoming a "Disney" adventure for a change.

Imagine that...