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• Tube Thursday: "Castle" fans storm SoHo's Apple Store

  Jim Hill reports in from NYC. Where Nathan Fillion recently made an appearance to help promote the second season on this ABC series Read More... Posted Thursday, October 01, 2009 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: book, TV, ABC, Fox, ABC Studios, New York City, Hollywood, hotel, DVD, 2008, 2009, September, October, TV show, feature film , 2005, Apple Store, New York, Barnes & Noble, 2002, One Life to Live, Barnes and Noble, TV series, Nathan Fillion, Castle, Captain Hammer, Dr. Horrible, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Heat Wave, tie-in, Hyperion, Serenity, Firefly, iTunes, Emmys, first season, Nova Scotia, Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Mal, Joss Whedon, Serenity sequel, feature film project, never say never, Dollhouse, The Grove, Farmers Market, The Grove at Farmers Market, novel, romantic dramedy, dramedy, shooting schedule

• Gary Vaynerchuk wants you to think outside of the box wine

  Jim Hill reports in from the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Where the “King of Social Media” held court this past Friday Read More... Posted Monday, September 28, 2009 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Orlando, World Showcase, Brazil, Mickey Mouse, Hollywood, 2009, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, international, Variety, November, Food & Beverage , Green, Red, marketplace, Walt Disney World Resort, rock star, Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival, International Food and Wine Festival, Food and Wine Festival, wine seminar, education, entertainment, Gary Vaynerchuk, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, sheep butt, socks, Odyssey, Odyssey restaurant, vintage, vintages, WDW visitor, King of Social Media, mantra, You gotta try new things, chianti, Chianti Classico, Shiraz, Green Point Reserve, Green Point Reserve Shiraz, Satori Di Verona, wine world, wine, Napa, Washington State, Walla Walla, reds, white, whites, vintner, vintners, authentic experience, Misha, WDW visitors, food, drink, U.S., Pinot, varieties, webcast, The Thunder Show, confidence, box wine, cuisine, international marketplaces, marketplaces, Rio de Janeiro, Bangkok, foodie, 14th annual International Food & Wine Festival

• “Mickey’s Sweatshop,” “Tink My Ride” and … “Enchanted 2” ?!

  Want a peek at The Walt Disney Company’s future? Then take a look at this list of recently registered domain names that Jim Hill just compiled Read More... Posted Thursday, August 20, 2009 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: Disney, TV, Disney Channel, Walt Disney Pictures, Disneyland, Tinker Bell, The Walt Disney Company, Disneyland Resort, Kevin Lima, Hollywood, movie, Disney Channel Original, 2007, TV show, TV movie, animated series , home premiere, 2012, 2010, Disney Studios , domain name , domain names, Walt Disney Company, Enchanted, 2013, Ever After, Ever, Disney XD, TV series, Disneyland Park

• Remembering Virginia Davis (1918 - 2009)

  Jim Hill looks back over the life & career of Disney’s first star, that talented little girl who lit up the “Alice Comedies” Read More... Posted Tuesday, August 18, 2009 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, Walt Disney, Disney Legend, Walt Disney Productions, Virginia, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hollywood, 1920s, Walt Disney Studios, animated character, Pinocchio, cartoons, Disney Feature Animation, animated short, Virginia Davis, Virginia Davis McGhee, Hollywood history, Disney animation rarities, cartoon series, Snow White, Alice Comedies, Alice's Wonderland, animation historian

• Just because a behind-the-scenes story is fun to tell doesn't mean that it's actually true

  Jim Hill uses Michael Sragow’s new book, “Victor Fleming: An American Movie Master,” as an excuse to debunk a famous Hollywood myth. Which alleges that – back in 1930 -- MGM passed on the opportunity to distribute Disney’s “Mickey Mouse” cartoons because Louis B. Mayer was afraid of mice Read More... Posted Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: book, Walt Disney, Disney-MGM Studios theme park, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Mickey Mouse, Hollywood, film, movie, Disney-MGM Studios, MGM, cartoons, hardcover, shorts

• "I'm Hosting as Fast as I Can" is a different sort of show business bio

  Jim Hill reviews Tom Bergeron's inspirational book. Which tracks the complex but still comical career path that this New England native followed in order to become the host of two hit ABC series Read More... Posted Wednesday, April 15, 2009 12:00 AM | 0 Comments Filed under: ABC Studios, Dancing with the Stars, Hollywood, ABC reality series

• How sometimes being in the wrong place is the right thing to do

  In this week's "Why For" column, Jim Hill shares a story that Wally Boag once told him. Which explains how -- thanks to being accidentally upstaged by Steve Martin -- this Disney Legend wound up appearing on "The Muppet Show" Read More... Posted Friday, October 31, 2008 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: Muppets, Jim Henson, Disneyland, Anaheim, Disney Legend, Saturday Night Live, YouTube, Hollywood, Steve Martin, Steven Spielberg, Golden Horseshoe , Wally Boag, opening night, backstage, London, audience, Universal Studios Hollywood , Woody Allen , 1978, Ellen Boag, The Muppet Show, The Golden Horseshoe Revue, Muppet Show, Golden Horseshoe Revue, Universal Amphitheater, Jake, Dan Ackroyd, Elwood, John Belushi, vaudeville, Jack Nicholson, vaudevillian, vaudevillians, Elwood Blues, Hollywood royalty, Jake Blues, Hollywood party, Jake and Elwood, Hollywood crowd, The Blues Brothers, Adam, Blues Brothers, first class, Bernadette Peters, comfort zone, dressing room, right place, wrong place, Wild and Crazy Guy, A Wild and Crazy Guy, Pecos Bill, Mexican, opportunity, engagement, 80% of success is showing up, apology, special guest, special guests

• Disney World postpones Fantasyland's facelift

  Citing concerns over the economy, Mouse House managers have quietly pushed back a project that was to have revitalized the most popular section at WDW's oldest theme park. Jim Hill has the details Read More... Posted Thursday, October 09, 2008 12:00 AM | 17 Comments Filed under: Disney, Imagineering, Disney Vacation Club, Dick Cook, Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom, Beauty and the Beast, Playhouse Disney, The Magic Kingdom, Space Mountain, The Hall of Presidents, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Disney Princess, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hollywood, Disney Parks & Resorts, WDI, Glendale, Burbank, Times Square, WDW, Imagineer, Fantasyland, Walt Disney Imagineering, DCA, show building, World of Disney, Disney World, The Walt Disney World Resort, attractions, shows, rides, Hollywood history, Imagineers, 2012, Disney Studios , thrill ride, queue, motion picture, The Princess and the Frog, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Disney theme park, Wall Street, The Great Depression, Great Depression, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, economic downturn, facelift, revitalization, revitalization plan, queue area, gift shop, hitting the brakes, tough times, spinner, East Coast, stock price, Alice Comedies, Central Florida tourism, 2013, 2014, 2015, economy, rehab, overhaul, fiscal year, retail area, Little Mermaid, Little Mermaid ride, Little Mermaid attraction

• What's so significant about that shaving creme can?

  Jim Hill reveals how Universal Creative used a particular prop in one of its USH attractions to help tie up a loose story thread from "Jurassic Park," the movie Read More... Posted Thursday, September 18, 2008 12:00 AM | 11 Comments Filed under: theme park, Universal Studios, attraction, Hollywood, Universal, ride, Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park River Adventure, Universal Creative, Universal Studios Hollywood , ride designer

• Universal Studios Hollywood freshens up for the Fall

  During a recent trip to Southern California, Jim dropped by USH and discovered that lots of changes have been made to both the Upper & Lower Lot Read More... Posted Friday, September 12, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: movies, musical, Universal Studios, Visual Effects, attraction, Brad Bird, Labor Day, Lucille Ball, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Halloween Horror Nights, Southern California, Audio Animatronics, Steven Spielberg, movie, 1974, Universal, tourists, studio theme park, 1976, 2008, 2009, Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, October, animated feature, attractions, shows, rides, ride, show, 2005, 1975, soundstage , November, 1955, blueprints , 2006, March, June , interactive, 1986, screenplay, Summer, attendance levels, Universal Studios Hollywood , USH, Upper Lot , Lower Lot , The Simpsons Ride, slow season, theme parks, special event, special events, park, newish, guest experience, fire, New York Street, King Kong , tram , ride-thru attraction , Bob Gurr , Tram Tour, remake, original, 1933, Peter Jackson, V-Rex, ride designer, ride designers , battle sequence , Naomi Watts , animatronic , replacement, Collapsing Bridge, studio insiders , Lucy: A Tribute, exhibit, Lucy, walk-through attraction , The Universal Experience, archives , poster , Carl Laemmle, Universal City, 1915 , Robert A Mattey , blockbuster, Jaws, Curious George, 1999, maquette , Imagine Entertainment , Nickelodeon Blast Zone, The Adventures of Curious George, kiddie play area, cartoon series, PBS Kids, full-length animated feature, Creature from the Black Lagoon -- The Musical, press release , storyline , horror film , stagecraft, choreography, source material , Little Shop of Horrors, Spring , Autumn , Fall, Castle Theatre, Fear Factor Live, audience participation, Universal City Plaza, The Simpsons, Simpsons

• "Character Animation Crash Course !" is a terrific how-to-toon book

  Jim Hill reviews Eric Goldberg's 25-years-in-the-making instructional manual, which shares this animation master's secrets on how to do great character animation Read More... Posted Wednesday, September 10, 2008 12:00 AM | 1 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Brad Bird, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Hollywood, DVD, Eric Goldberg, animation student, 2008, September, hardcover, pencil, California Institute of the Arts, CalArts, character animation, hand-drawn animation, animation industry, high profile project, character , August, Comic-Con , Comic-Con International, key franchise, Woodbury University, RISD, SCAD, Ricardo Mestres, school, school supplies, pencils, erasers, lined paper, son, daughter, paperback, Barnes & Noble, art of books, hardcovers, conceptual paintings, preproduction art, would-be animator, medium, Character Animation Crash Course !, Silman-James Press, nuts-and-bolts, instructional book, craft, timing, how to, break down a scene, squash & stretch, squash, stretch, instructions, lessons, teacher, Genie, Aladdin, Care package, East High Wildcats, bookshelf, fledgling, foreword, professionals, beginners, Hercules, satyr, Phil, ASUS, industry vet, The Princess and the Frog, Donald Duck, Pink Panther, classic cartoon character, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, supervisor of animation, Pocahontas, co-director

• Toon Tuesday: The story behind "The Pixar Story"

  Jim Hill chats with acclaimed filmmaker Leslie Iwerks about her new documentary. Which will be screening this evening at Hollywood's Egyptian Theater and will be followed by a panel discussion with Roy E. Disney Read More... Posted Tuesday, December 11, 2007 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: animation, Disney, Pixar, computer animation, CG, John Lasseter, Michael Eisner, Leslie Iwerks, Roy E. Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Emeryville, The Walt Disney Company, Toy Story, Animation Research Library, Hollywood, The Pixar Story, Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, film, Pixar campus, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, holiday special, Walt Disney Feature Animation

• A meet the author / artist / filmmaker edition of Where For

  Jim Hill bounces from Orlando to Anaheim, New York to Hollywood and then back again. As he talks up a number of signings & screenings that are being held all over the country over the next eight days Read More... Posted Friday, December 07, 2007 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, theme park, Disneyland, Anaheim, Orlando, Disney Press, Disney Legend, Disney's Contemporary Resort, New York City, Disney Editions, Hollywood, The Pixar Story, NYC, The Walt Disney World Resort, Disney / Pixar

• Monday Mouse Watch: Is there really such a thing as putting too much Walt into a Disney theme park?

  Jim Hill offers a different take on the upcoming DCA redo. Where the proposed revamp of this theme park has more to do with appeasing specific market segments than it has to do with making California Adventure better Read More... Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 12:00 AM | 37 Comments Filed under: Disney, theme park, Pixar, Walt Disney, attraction, Imagineering, Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure, Pixar Animation Studios, The Walt Disney Company, Disneyland Resort, Main Street U.S.A., television, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyana, Hollywood, WDI, Southern California, Imagineer, DCA, dark ride, tourists, theme park fans, nostalgia, 1923, Disneyana fans, tribute, tributes, critic, critics, vocal critics, too much Walt, window dressing, Walt-centric, per-square-foot sales ratio, retail corridor, annual passholders, Main Street USA, 2001, entrance area, girl-friendly, 5-to-8-year-old girls, Golden Dreams, The Indiana Jones Adventure, GM Test Track, Radiator Springs Racers, Cars Land, Jeff Hornaday, E-Ticket, corporate symbol, Colonel Sanders, Frank Finlay, The Disneyland Resort, Generation X, Generation Y, Disneyphiles, Disneyphile, guest, guests, pie-eyed Mickey, The Partners statue, Partners statue, attractions, shows, rides, Ol' Mousetro, ride, show

• Could you please have the Rat whip me up some crow?

  Here (finally) is the JHM column that Pixar fans have been waiting for. Where Jim Hill talks about how well "Ratatouille" has been doing overseas ... as well as other Disney-related matters Read More... Posted Friday, November 23, 2007 12:00 AM | 31 Comments Filed under: Disney, movies, TV, Visual Effects, Gore Verbinski, Walt Disney Pictures, Ratatouille, Brad Bird, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Pixar Animation Studios, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, television, The Game Plan, Hollywood, WDSHE, DVD, box office, film, movie, Thanksgiving, leftovers, seas, international, worldwide box office, Disney / Pixar, animated feature, production costs, release date, stateside, exhibitors, ticket sales, top selling, FX, effects, The Michael Eisner building, Michael Eisner building, character-based merchandise, 2007, Wild Hogs, Wild Hogs 2, titles, floss, promotional costs, The Best Reviewed Film of the Year, domestic performance, The Ivy, opening weekend grosses, opening weekend, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, strip-mining, wild-assed guess, Magic 8 Ball, television program, TV show, television programs, TV shows, The Hollywood Reporter, The Nielsen ratings, Nielsen ratings, domestic box office numbers, entertainment industry, initial domestic run, evergreen title, franchise, film franchise, film franchises, merch, nuturing, long term profit potential, long term profitability