Between The Mouse & The Moon...

Sabbatical or retreat...







Some interesting stirrings in the Hat Building of late...

Or perhaps that should be out of the Hat Building? With the stunning hit that is Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Tangled," one would think that the success has everyone with their heads a bit in the clouds. This starting out as Glen Keane's pet project, it would seem that his head would be up there as well. And it is, or was. Right now Glen is on sabbatical from Disney and enjoying a much needed, and much deserved break from the grind of animating.

That said...

It appears that some folks (Bothans included) think that Glen isn't happy with the current slate of projects at WDAS and is looking for greener pastures to ply his trade. Or maybe he's simply just looking for a change? And a certain animation studio knows this. They dream of working with the likes of someone of Keane's stature. And it has the Suits at this particular place in Glendale trying/attempting to woo him over to this side of the valley. And they're wooing him very aggressively.

Glen has had meetings with people at that studio recently and while no decision has been made, they want him and are wooing him with opportunities and dangling carrots in front of his face to get him to make that walk across the long yard from Burbank to Glendale.

Nothing is set in stone, but losing Glen Keane, who is one of the premiere talents and master animators that have defined the Second Golden Age of Disney Animation, would be a major blow to the recently revived studio. He's my favorite living animator, a living legend, a true talent and a genuinely nice guy. Hopefully, he'll decide to stay, but the very fact that he's entertaining the offer is something that is frightfully scary. It would be like Babe Ruth leaving Boston Red Sox for the New York Yankees. A truly monumental leap for someone who has been iconically linked to the Disney name for over three decades.

Then again, maybe with starting the Third Golden Age for Disney, he feels it's time to move on to a new, and different chapter of his life?

Time will tell...

End Of An Era...

Hakuna Matata...



What a wonderful thing...
On this day sixteen years ago, the Second Golden Age of Disney Animation ended...

The fourth and last film of this animation renaissance went out into theaters everywhere and became the Mouse's highest grossing film up until that time. We didn't know it then, but "The Lion King" would become the high watermark for Walt Disney Feature Animation (now, Walt Disney Animation Studios). Nothing since has risen to, or equalled these four films in modern Disney history. Nothing since the Old Maestro at least. We're all still waiting for that Third Golden Age to begin.

All part of the Circle of Life, I guess...

The Awakening...

Walt Disney Pictures has released the trailer to the documentary "Waking Sleeping Beauty" about the Second Golden Age of Disney Animation...

Take a look at this and tell me you don't want to see this. If you don't, then you're not a fan of Disney Animation like myself. It's a compelling story that doesn't try to hide all the ugly warts and human complexities of business, art the compromise that comes somewhere in between.

Enjoy...

Awaiting Tiana...

Three months from today, "Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee!" premieres at the Happiest Place On Earth...

Time flies when you're waiting for life to begin. I have a feeling with this show during the holidays and the actual film itself, we're going to get to an extravaganza like we haven't seen in a long, long time. If you plan on going during the Christmas season, it's going to be quite an experience.

Bring on Disney's Third Golden Age...