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• Why For

• "The Pixar Touch" shares seldom-told tales about the early days of this animation studio

  Jim Hill talks with author David A. Price about how he went about writing this unauthorized history of Pixar Animation Studios Read More... Posted Thursday, May 15, 2008 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: book, movies, Pixar, John Lasseter, Leslie Iwerks, Pixar Animation Studios, Emeryville, "The Pixar Story", "To Infinity and Beyond: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios", Karen Paik, Steve Jobs, movie, animated feature, 1980s, Chronicle Books, coffee table book, Lucasfilm, short, "Tin Toy", shorts, David A Price, SEC, "The Pixar Touch : The Making of a Company", "Monkey", Microsoft, Hallmark, Knopf, authorized history, Alvy Ray Smith, revisionist history, 1985, 1986, Shogakukan, Pixar archives, Pixar saga, Japanese legend, Chinese legend, Hollywood gossip

• National Treasure 3 & 4 ?! Big Thunder Mountain ... The Movie ?!

  Why For returns with answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, Jim Hill talks about the company's plans to expand its "National Treasure" franchise as well as reveals the studio's next theme park-based film. WARNING ! There be spoilers ahead ! Read More... Posted Friday, February 01, 2008 12:00 AM | 20 Comments Filed under: book, attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, Imagineering, Jerry Bruckheimer, Walt Disney Pictures, The Jungle Cruise, Disney Press, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", Big Thunder Mountain, Jack Sparrow, WDI, Imagineer, Walt Disney Imagineering, writers' strike, movie, WGA, theme park attraction, the Writer's Strike , books, "National Treasure", "National Treasure: Book of Secrets", "National Treasure 3", "National Treasure 4", "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl", "The Lone Ranger", "Big Thunder Mountain", "Big Thunder Mountain: The Movie", "The Jungle Cruise", "The Jungle Cruise: Heart of Darkness", "The Jungle Cruise: The Movie", Nicholas Cage, John Turtletaub, "Midnight Ride", "Changing Tide", "National Treasure" book series, Aqua de Vita, The Water of Life, Water of Life, Fountain of Youth, Atlantis, The Fountain of Youth, Captain Jack Sparrow, Barbossa, Captain Hector Barbossa, The Black Pearl, Black Pearl, "Pirates of the Caribbean 4", "Pirates 4", Pirates 4, "AVP", "Alien vs Predator", Captain Barbossa, Benjamin Gates, Ponce de León, Page 47, "National Treasure" theme park attraction, The Gates Family, Gates Family, Gates Family Mystery, Gates Family Mysteries

• Jerry Beck to be honored at this year's Annie Awards

  Jim Hill pays tribute to this noted author & historian, who will receive the June Foray Award next week for the positive impact that he's had on the animation industry Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 30, 2008 12:00 AM | 5 Comments Filed under: animation, book, DreamWorks, CG, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, television, Jerry Seinfeld, ASIFA-Hollywood, animated character, Jerry Beck, "The Hanna-Barbera Treasury", October, comedian , animated feature, 2007, feature film , Chronicle Books, cartoons, coffee table book, hardcover, animated short, short, animated features, animators , books, article, articles, magazine article, magazine articles , Cartoon Brew , Amid Amidi , writer , historian , animation community, animation industry, June Foray award, June Foray, spotlight , November, Insight Editions, Saturday morning cartoons , Saturday morning cartoon, HB, Hanna-Barbera, William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, model sheets, model sheet, comic book, comic books , tchotchke , high profile project, movers , shakers , jaded, animation fan, Viacom International, Viacom, DK Adult, DK, Nickelodeon Studios, animated series , "SpongeBob SquarePants" , "Rugrats", "Not Just Cartoons: Nicktoons!", process , production phases, ironic , detail , character , show business , household name, Hollywood history, library, 12, James Brown, the hardest working man in show business, hardest working man in show business , store shelves, 20th, 25th , "The Art of Bee Movie" , production history , CG feature, feature films, shorts, gaming, UCLA, Royce Hall , 35th , Annie Awards

• "Dream Worlds" offers look at abandoned Disney animated features

  Jim Hill reviews Hans Bacher's new "Production Design for Animation" book. Which features visual development art from "My Peoples," "Fraidy Cat" and "Wild Life" Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 23, 2008 12:00 AM | 6 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Broadway, Andreas Deja, Disney Theatrical, "Beauty & the Beast", "101 Dalmatians", "Aladdin", "Dinosaur", Walt Disney Animation Studios, France, WDAS, "The Lion King", the New World, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", LA, Germany, film, Broadway musical, stage version, animated feature, 2007, Disneyana fans, Walt Disney Feature Animation, "Mulan", Hans Bacher , logo, visual development, visual development artist , production designer, paintings, drawings , inspirational material , artists , animators , "Dream Worlds: Production Design for Animation" , Focal Press, December , canvases , "China Doll", emperor, Shang, "My Peoples" , "Elgin's Peoples" , "Angel and Her No Good Sister", "Once in a Blue Moon" , "A Few Good Ghosts", "Fraidy Cat" , Alfred Hitchcock , crime story , London, development art , "Wild Life", The Secret Lab, urban, hipster, George Bernard Shaw, "Pygmalion", story points, BS-free , edited, massaged , Disney Publicity , production notes, European version, Loire , generic-looking , Mulan

• Tons of Toontown's secrets revealed in "Animation Magazine: 20 Year Collection"

  Jim Hill reviews this new coffee table table that commemorates the 20th anniversary of this very popular publication. Which includes some great behind-the-scenes stories from animation industry vets Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 09, 2008 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, Walt Disney, John Lasseter, "Ratatouille", Walt Disney Animation Studios, coffee table book

• "Anything Can Happen If You Let It" chronicles Mary Poppins' journey from page to stage

  Jim Hill reviews Brian Sibley & Michael Lassell's great new making-of book. Which -- through a trio of artfully designed books -- covers the history of this much beloved character Read More... Posted Wednesday, December 19, 2007 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: book, Broadway, musical, Walt Disney, Disney Theatrical, Disney Editions, Chicago, Disneyana, Walt Disney Archives, "Mary Poppins", Walt Disney Studios, Academy Award, film, movie, stage version, 2008, 2009, show, Thomas Schumacher, Broadway production, Brian Sibley, Michael Lassell, Bert, Cameron Mackintosh , scenic designer , 17 Cherry Tree Lane , Cherry Tree Lane , nursery, touring version , Plymouth , North American tour , "Jolly Holiday", Bob Crowley, design folio , Mary Poppins, costume concept, Guardsmen, Busby, "Mary Poppins: Anything Can Happen If You Let It", PL Travers, Gregory Wakabayashi , Clark Wakabayashi

• The Pixar TV special you never got to see, "A Tin Toy Christmas"

  Jim Hill shares what he's learned about this abandoned project. Which (in a roundabout way) provided the inspiration for Pixar Animation Studios' first feature-length production, "Toy Story" Read More... Posted Friday, December 14, 2007 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Pixar, John Lasseter, Disney Press, Pixar Animation Studios, "Toy Story", "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas", Tim Burton, Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, Jack Skellington, movie, Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas", Walt Disney Feature Animation, SIGGRAPH, short, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, "Luxo Jr", "Red's Dream", "Tin Toy", "A Tin Toy Christmas", Joe Ranft, Peter Schneider, Pixar Image Computer, "Batman"

• Suffering from "Pirates" withdrawal? Then treat yourself to a peek at "The Secret Files of the East India Trading Company"

  Jim Hill reviews this entertaining new interactive volume from brecker&mayer! LLC. Which brings the world of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" to life right in your hands Read More... Posted Wednesday, December 12, 2007 12:00 AM | 7 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean, Walt Disney Pictures, Disney Press, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End", film, movie

• 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, "The Little Mermaid", 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

• "How Does the Show Go On?" lifts the curtain on what goes on behind-the-scenes at a Broadway musical

  Jim Hill reviews Thomas Schumacher & Jeff Kurtti's interactive introduction to the theater. Which uses stories & images from various Disney Theatrical productions to reveal what's actually involved with putting on a professional show Read More... Posted Thursday, December 06, 2007 12:00 AM | 2 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, theater, Broadway, musical, Disney Theatrical, "Beauty & the Beast", Disney Press, "Tarzan", New York City, Jeff Kurtti, Disney Editions, New Amsterdam Theatre, "Mary Poppins", NYC, Local One, stagehands, Broadway musical, show, Thomas Schumacher, Broadway production, "How Does the Show Go On? An Introduction to the Theater", backstage

• "To Infinity and Beyond!" is an entertaining look back at Pixar's first two decades

  Jim Hill reviews Karen Paik's inspired (more importantly, inspiring) new history of Pixar Animation Studios. Which offers a lot of insight about how John Lasseter became the Big Kahuna of the CG world Read More... Posted Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, movies, Pixar, computer animation, CG, John Lasseter, John Musker, "The Little Mermaid", "Cars", "Ratatouille", Leslie Iwerks, Brad Bird, "Aladdin", Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Ron Miller, "Toy Story", "Toy Story 2", WDAS, featurette, "Monsters Inc.", "The Pixar Story", "To Infinity and Beyond: The Story of Pixar Animation Studios", Karen Paik, Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney Studios, film, movie, Mouse, Disney / Pixar, 2007, "Tis the season" , feature film , Chronicle Books, "The Art of Animation", Bob Thomas, cartoons, epiphany, coffee table book, hardcover, church, pew, gourd, sermon, pencil, pencil time, award, The Headless Horseman, "The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr Toad", station wagon, Casper the Friendly Ghost, California Institute of the Arts, CalArts, character animation, Walt Disney Feature Animation, Disney Feature Animation, calcified, middle management, "The Fox and the Hound", old guard, Tom Wilhite, Maurice Sendak, picture book, "Where the Wild Things Are", Thomas M Disch, "The Brave Little Toaster", Marin, Lucasfilm, "The Adventures of Andre & Wally B", SIGGRAPH, animated short, short, character comedy, cutting-edge technology, money pit, Jane Eisner, Roald Dahl, "James and the Giant Peach", human costs, keyboard, repetitive-stress injury, "The Art of Ratatouille", aspiring animator, holiday shopping list

• Steve Martin's "Born Standing Up" is an outstanding show business memoir

  Jim Hill reviews this Disney Legend's latest book, which traces the beginnings of Martin's comedy career back to the days Steve spent at Disneyland selling guidebooks to tourists Read More... Posted Thursday, November 22, 2007 12:00 AM | 5 Comments Filed under: book, Disneyland, Disney Legend, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Los Angeles, Fantasyland, Steve Martin, movie, stand-up, comic , three-piece suit , "Grandmother's Song”, 1970s , arena , dime trick, "Roxanne" , "The Jerk" , Mexican cat juggling, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" , "The Underpants", "Shopgirl" , "Pleasure of My Company", "Pure Drivel", "Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life" , Scribner , guidebook , Pepsi Cola , Golden Horseshoe , Frontierland, Wally Boag, comedian , gags , gun twirling , wig , balloon animals , magic act , Merlin's Magic Shop, Jim Barlow, Bird Cage Theater, Knott's Berry Farm , behind-the-scenes stories , 1950s

• Good Grief ! Family members very unhappy with new Charles M. Schulz bio

  Jim Hill doesn't quite know what to make of "Schulz and Peanuts." Given that David Michaelis's biography of the late "Peanuts" creator has really upset the surviving members of the Schulz clan Read More... Posted Wednesday, October 17, 2007 12:00 AM | 17 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Walt Disney, "Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography", "Walt Disney : The Triumph of the American Imagination", "The Animated Man : A Life of Walt Disney", Neal Gabler, Charles M. Schulz, Monte Schulz, Diane Disney Miller, Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy, Peppermint Patty, Michael Barrier

• "The Mickey Mouse Treasures" features a fun assortment of Disneyana facsimiles

  Jim Hill burrows down deep into Robert Tieman's latest book for Disney Editions. Which features nearly 8 decades worth of Mickey Mouse-related ephemera Read More... Posted Wednesday, October 10, 2007 12:00 AM | 3 Comments Filed under: book, Disney, Disneyland, Disney Editions, Mickey Mouse, Timothy J. Mouse, "Dumbo", Blue Bird Shoes for Kids, income tax, MM, WWII, Disneyana, Hyperion Studios, Bacchus, "The Disney Experience", "The Disney Keepsakes", "The Disney Treasures", "The Mickey Mouse Treasures", Walt Disney Archives, Robert Tieman, "Mickey Mouse Club Magazine", "Fantasia", Mickey Mouse Club, World War II

• "Walt Disney's Cinderella" is a picture-perfect picture book

  Jim Hill reviews this new hardcover from Disney Press. Which features a spectacular selection of Mary Blair's concept art for Walt Disney Productions' 1950 release Read More... Posted Thursday, October 04, 2007 12:00 AM | 4 Comments Filed under: animation, book, Disney, DVD / Video, movies, Walt Disney, traditional animation, Disney Press, "Peter Pan", Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Productions, "Walt Disney's Cinderella", "Cinderella", "Alice in Wonderland", Mary Blair, concept art, Newbury Medal, Cynthia Rylant, Animation Research Library, ARL, Jon Scieszka, WDAS