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"Discover a new world with Epic the Movie by Blue Sky Studios , a brand-new 3D animated film from the people who brought you Ice Age ." That's the message that the folks who work in promotions at 20th Century Fox have been hammering home for the past few weeks. As they try & make sure...

Did you need a distraction from all of the sad news coming out of Boston tonight? I know that I do. Which is why -- rather than watch that footage of the explosion at the marathon's line yet again -- I picked up a copy of Doug Lipp 's terrific tome, " Disney U: How Disney University develops...

So what does it actually take for D23 to pull together those Fanniversary events that they've been presenting around the country for the past few weeks? According to Jeffrey Epstein, spokesman for the Official Disney Fan Club, it takes a solid six months of behind-the-scenes effort to produce each...

It is arguably the best-loved film of that trio of fairy tales that Walt Disney Animation Studios produced during its Second Golden Age. The first hand-drawn animated feature ever to be nominated for Best Picture, " Beauty and the Beast " has been discussed, dissected and written about so often...

The tale of the Sorcerer's Apprentice and The Walt Disney Company have been intertwined ever since Walt Disney invited famed conductor Leopold Stokowski to come join him for dinner at Chasen's . Which is where the old Mousetro supposedly asked the Maestro if he'd be interested in working with Disney...

If you read my March 16 th non-review of that Showest screening of “ Toy Story 3 ,” then you already know that I’m a huge fan of this Lee Unkrich film. But you know what truly impressed me about this Pixar production? That in the months leading up to the release of this acclaimed animated feature, no...

It’s that time of year again. When high school and college students all over the country are graduating. More importantly, when JHM readers reach out and ask for my suggestions when it comes to the perfect graduation gift for the would-be animators and Imagineers in their families. This year, though...

Did you see where the purchase price of DreamWorks Animation shares dropped 6% yesterday because some investment analyst said that “ Shrek Forever After ” was projected to only make $315 million during its initial domestic run? Care to guess how many movies released last year sold more than $300 million...

Good God. Are we really already be up to Volume 9 in the “Walt’s People” series? I can recall when Disney Historian Didier Ghez initially proposed these books (which – if I’m remembering correctly – was sometime back during the Pleistocene Epoch) that would collect & then reprint the very best Mouse...

Did you see where “ How to Train Your Dragon ” was No. 1 again at the box office this past weekend ? According to Box Office Mojo , if this Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois film keeps up this pace, it will soon become DreamWorks Animation’s highest grossing non-Shrek movie . Which is kind of ironic....

Do you recall – just a few weeks back – how quick industry analysts were to write off “ How to Train Your Dragon ”? That – because this Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois film “only” earned $43.3 million over its opening weekend (as opposed to the $59.3 million that DreamWorks Animation ’s “ Monsters vs...

For a guy who spends much of his time among the stars (the Hollywood kind, anyway), author and film historian Leonard Maltin is surprisingly down-to-earth. Which is why – when Leonard and I chatted on the phone yesterday about how he’d been selected to receive the very first NFFC-Disneyana Fan Club Heritage...

It’s always been one of the great what-ifs of Disney history. What if … All of the Studio’s overseas markets hadn’t been cut off by the start of World War II? It’s well known that – as of the late 1930s -- Walt was well into development of full-length animated versions of “ Alice in Wonderland ,” “ Peter...

Okay. I know. It’s verging on panic time when it comes to holiday gifts. Especially if you’re still looking for something for the Disneyana fan on your Christmas list. You know, the one who’s always so difficult to shop for? Not to worry, though. The always reliable Jeff Kurtti (i.e. the guy behind ...

Last week, the International Animated Film Society revealed who was in the running for this year’s Annies (which are the animation industry’s equivalent of the Academy Awards). And among those singled out for recognition this time around were writer, teacher, animator, historian and all-around-nice-guy...

Do you have a Disney fanatic in your family? Then this must be the time of year that you dread most. When you’re expected to come up with a suitable holiday gift for this problematic family member. Not to worry, though. Jim Hill Media is here to help. Over the first four Wednesdays in December, we’ll...

As lucky moviegoers who live in New York & LA get their very first glimpses of “ The Princess and the Frog ” today, Global Disney Consumer Products is taking a look back at all the Disney Princesses that proceeded Tiana. Of course, you may not remember ever seeing a picture of Snow White as she might...

We're still six weeks out from the release of the diamond edition of " Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ." But some of the merchandise that's supposed to piggyback on the hi-def Blu-ray version of this Disney Classic is already starting to show up in stores. With Cynthia Rylant & Gustaf Tenggren ...

He’s ba-a-ack. After taking a six month sabbatical from the Mouse House, master animator Glen Keane is back. Keane – who stepped down from his directorial position on “ Rapunzel ” last October due to health-related reasons – is now back supervising animation on that project. Master animator Glen Keane...

When it comes to putting together a good "Art of" book, especially one that covers the creation of a new animated feature ... Well, it's a lot harder than it looks. Sometimes the authors of these over-sized coffee table books take themselves a bit too seriously. Which is why they then make the mistake...