August, 2006

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Jim Hill

Will "Cars" poor overseas performance & Silicon Valley's expanding stock options scandal eventually knock Pixar off its pedestal?

Posted 08-13-2006

by Jim Hill
- 104 Comments
As the investment community and the mainstream media begins to turn on Pixar because of low foreign ticket sales & because John Lasseter, Ed Catmull & Steve Jobs' names have begun popping up in the stock options scandal coverage, Jim Hill wonders: What can the Walt Disney Company do to turn this particular PR problem around?...
Jim Hill

Monday Mouse Watch: How Disney plans to drive up sales of the DVD version of "Cars"

Posted 08-20-2006

by Jim Hill
- 69 Comments
First up, Jim Hill offers some corroboration of his Wall-Street's-initial-financial-projections-has-been-having-a-negative-impact-on-Hollywood's-attitude-toward-this-year's-crop-of-top-grossing-films theory. Then Jim goes on to talk about Mickey's plans to increase "Cars" DVD sale levels at the Big Box stores...
Jim Hill

Is the Hundred Acre Woods due for an extreme makeover when the Disney Channel's new CG series, "My Friends Tigger & Pooh," debuts in 2007?

Posted 08-22-2006

by Jim Hill
- 46 Comments
Since when does Winnie the Pooh need a bicycle helmet? Ever since A.A. Milne's beloved character was slated to appear in this somewhat controversial addition to the Playhouse Disney line-up. Jim Hill brings you all the details...
Jim Hill

"But obviously, we're still not completely safe" ... Not even at Walt Disney World

Posted 08-10-2006

by Jim Hill
- 37 Comments
President Bush's remarks yesterday prompted Jim Hill to share a story about a bomb threat at the Magic Kingdom. One that actually occurred just six months after the WDW resort had first opened to the public ...
Jim Hill

Why For does JHM keep posting articles that annoy so many of this site's longtime readers?

Posted 08-17-2006

by Jim Hill
- 35 Comments
It's a glimpse into this website's future as well as a trip into the distant past, as Jim Hill explains the recent change in JHM's editorial focus as well as sharing a detailed description of Disneyland's never-built "Voyage Through Time" ride ...
Jim Hill

$175 million? $200 million? $225 million? $250 million? $300 million? Which number will wind up being the real final pricetag for "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" ?

Posted 08-08-2006

by Jim Hill
- 35 Comments
While the Mouse continues to crow about how much "Dead Man's Chest" has earned worldwide to date, Disney officials have been surprisingly mum when it comes to discussing how much it actually cost the company to produce this "Pirates" sequel. Jim Hill explains why (WARNING: Article contains some mild "Pirates III" spoilers)...
Jim Hill

Mickey's looking to get even richer off of romance with the launch of the company's new "Disney Engagements" & "Disney Couture Weddings" programs

Posted 08-08-2006

by Jim Hill
- 31 Comments
If you're a Disneyana fan who's also an incurable romantic, you'd best start saving your pennies. For Disney's about to roll out two pricey new programs at its stateside resorts that will guarantee you a memorable engagement and/or a truly stylish wedding...
Jim Hill

Monday Mouse Watch: "That's why I invited you here ... So that we can avoid the mistakes of the past"

Posted 08-27-2006

by Jim Hill
- 29 Comments
From consulting with old Imagineers to greenlighting a big budget film that prominently features traditional animation, Bob Iger's reign as the new head of the Mouse House has been a marked departure from the Michael Eisner era. Jim Hill provides the details...
Jim Hill

Toon Tuesday: Will too much competition for DVD dollars eventually spell the end for today's CG boom?

Posted 08-21-2006

by Jim Hill
- 28 Comments
Expanding the focus of the site a bit, Jim Hill takes a look at how a number of recently released CG films have done at the box office. With particular attention being paid to what happens when virtually all of these new animated features come out on DVD within the same 13-week-long period ...
Jim Hill

"Disney Dragonkind" roars into stores & "Disney Bunnies" hops onto bookstore shelves in early 2007

Posted 08-09-2006

by Jim Hill
- 28 Comments
Whether you like your characters furry or fierce, Disney Consumer Products has now got it covered. Jim Hill shares what he knows about these two new product lines ...
Jim Hill

"I once made the mistake of asking Walt a question ... and he replied by saying, 'Let me check that with my Jew.' "

Posted 08-15-2006

by Jim Hill
- 27 Comments
Want to read an unvarnished version of Hollywood history? Then Jim Hill suggests that you pick up a copy of Peter Bart's brand-new book, "Boffo! How I Learned to Love the Blockbuster and Fear the Bomb"...
Jim Hill

WDFA hopes that movie-goers will be bowled over when they finally "Meet the Robinsons" villain, the Bowler Hat Guy

Posted 08-07-2006

by Jim Hill
- 27 Comments
Jim Hill's back with yet another SIGGRAPH 2006-related story. This time around, Jim talks about how the folks from Pixar worked with Steve Anderson's team to try & improve this new animated feature...
Jim Hill

Loose story threads ultimately lead to box office gold for Disney's "Dead Man's Chest"

Posted 08-28-2006

by Jim Hill
- 27 Comments
How do you turn a single "Pearl" into a suitable springboard for the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy? Jim Hill details Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio's struggle to produce plausible as well as entertaining screenplays for these sequels. WARNING: This article contains spoilers for both "Dead Man's Chest" & "At World's End"...
Jim Hill

Disney Feature Animation hypes "Meet the Robinsons" at SIGGRAPH 2006

Posted 08-01-2006

by Jim Hill
- 26 Comments
Disney's big promotional pitch for Steve Anderson's time travel adventure officially got underway yesterday at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Jim Hill shares shots of some of the early concept art for this new animated feature as well as talking up some of the technical positions that WDFA is now trying to fill ...
Jim Hill

"Really? But I thought that you hated the Walt Disney Company ..."

Posted 08-21-2006

by Jim Hill
- 24 Comments
Jim Hill finally answers some of the more pressing questions that JHM readers have. Like what does Jim really think of "Cars"? And why does this site keep taking pokes at Pixar? (WARNING: This article does contain a few minor "Pirates" spoilers) ...
Jim Hill

Waise the woof! It's a special going-to-the-dogs edition of Why For

Posted 08-24-2006

by Jim Hill
- 22 Comments
Since he's already in the doghouse with so many JHM readers, Mr. Hill decided to go totally canine with this week's column. As Jim now answers your questions about how Pluto really got his name, who actually came up with the basic premise for "Lady & the Tramp" as well as revealing some of the better Disney spoofs that are hidden in the "Teacher's Pet" movie...
Jim Hill

Storytelling on an epic scale: "Expedition Everest -- Legend of the Forbidden Mountain"

Posted 07-31-2006

by Jim Hill
- 20 Comments
As part of his keynote address at SIGGRAPH 2006, veteran Imagineer Joe Rohde reveals the subtle & not-so-subtle ways the guys from WDI tried to clue tourists into what this DAK attraction was actually all about...
Jim Hill

Lucasfilm Ltd. gives SIGGRAPH attendees a peek at "Dead Man's Chest" gag reel & production goofs

Posted 08-03-2006

by Jim Hill
- 16 Comments
As the 2006 edition of this computer graphics & interactive techniques conference draws to a close, Jim Hill looks back at one of this year's more memorable presentations. When ILM's FX team shared its private stash of "Pirates of the Caribbean" footage...
Jim Hill

Great photography & practical gardening tips make “Secrets of Disney’s Glorious Gardens” a secret worth sharing

Posted 08-29-2006

by Jim Hill
- 16 Comments
Jim Hill takes a look at Kevin Markey’s newest book, which reveals how you can bring a little Disney theme park magic to life right in your own backyard...
Jim Hill

Ever wonder what a toon funeral might be like? Then check out these deleted scenes from "Who Shot Roger Rabbit?"

Posted 08-30-2006

by Jim Hill
- 16 Comments
Jim Hill shares an excerpt from Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman's early screenplay for this Robert Zemeckis movie. Which deviates in some rather interesting ways from the finished version of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"...
Jim Hill

The truth behind the tunes: "Mouse Tracks" offers an entertaining & affectionate look back at the history of Walt Disney Records

Posted 08-23-2006

by Jim Hill
- 14 Comments
Jim Hill sings the praises of this new University Press of Mississippi publication, which pays tribute to the unsung performers who helped create some of your favorite Disney recordings...

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