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As Summer gives way to Fall, Disney executives are now reviewing the revenues that the Studio's films produced over the past few months. And to be honest, the sharp pencil boys aren't all that happy. Everywhere you look, there are disappointments. Be they big (" The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian...

There's a popular television show called " Survivor ." I've never been able to watch this show or even take it seriously. It's difficult to consider the consequences of surviving on a desert island when craft services is located nearby. However, I did see some real survivors a few weeks ago as I walked...

It's one of the main reasons that people just can't stop talking about " WALL-E ." And -- no -- I'm not talking about the opening weekend grosses for this new Andrew Stanton movie (Though -- now that we've broached this subject -- while "WALL-E" didn't earn the $70-million-plus that Mouse House officials...

Peter S. writes in to say: Jim I caught the midnight show of " Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull " last night. And for the most part, I agree with your review of this film. "Crystal Skull" wasn't nearly as good as " Raiders of the Lost Ark " was. But it wasn't as bad as " Temple of Doom...

If you were to ask David A. Price when Pixar Animation Studios first came on his radar, he'd probably tell you about this tech conference that he attended in the late 1980s where the work-in-progress version of "Tin Toy" was shown. "Tinny had just gotten stuck in that box," Price recalled. "And as he...

Hey, folks -- Jim Hill here. Before this month's Floyd Norman column officially gets underway, I thought that I'd take a moment to let JHM readers know that Mr. Fun recently launched his very own blog. Appropriately titled Mr. Fun's Blog . So if you want more than just the usually once-a-month dose of...

How do you create two Hayley Mills out of one? Well, the Disney effects experts had come up with a matte system that was far superior to anything the other studios had been using. The Sodium Matte Process was in such demand, that other production companies sought out Disney for their effects expertise...

Was your darling daughter one of those tweens who helped make that " Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both World Concert " film such a smash this past weekend? If she just can't get enough of Ms. Montana, then you may want to schedule a trip to Disney's Hollywood Studios in the not-so-distant...

"Maybe Tuesday will be my good news day ..." -- lyric from "The Man I Love" by George & Ira Gershwin Well, if you worked on the Miramax Films side of the Mouse House, Tuesday definitely was a "good news day." Disney's art house arm snagged Academy Award nominations for four of its most recent releases...

Did you know Walt Disney Studios once provided what could be considered the finest animation course ever offered? That's right, kids. If you've shelled out the big bucks for an animation education at such institutions as California Institute of the Arts or Sheridan College , you might be surprised to...

How many of you know the story of the blind men and the elephant ? I bring up this ancient Indian fable because ... Well ... I have to admit that I was highly amused by what happened last Wednesday. When the on-line animation community went completely bananas over those "Bolt" pre-release images . Copyright...

It's a standard thing this time of year. Travelers loaded with gifts are trying to make their way home to spend the holidays with family and friends. This scenario is often played out in movies where our hero finally makes his or her way home just in time to spend Christmas with the family. After all...

There's this genuinely eerie passage in Karen Paik 's " To Infinity and Beyond! The Story of Pixar Animation Studios " ( Chronicle Books , November 2007), which talks about how a single book basically changed the course of John Lasseter 's life. In ninth grade, Lasseter was searching the art section...

Everyone out there enjoying the day after Thanksgiving? Particularly all of those delicious leftovers that you've got stashed in the fridge? Not me. I mean, sure. I'll get to them eventually. But first ... I have to choke down a rather large portion of crow. By that I mean ... Have you seen the international...

It's been a little over a week and I'm still trying to deal with reality. Sometimes, reality is hard to take. Although much has already been said and written , I feel there is still a little more to say about the loss of Disney Imagineer Bruce Gordon . It's difficult to believe that only two weeks ago...

A couple weeks ago, we had a visit from John Lasseter and two hundred of his wizards from Pixar Animation Studios . The Pixar team was getting a special tour of both the Burbank and Glendale facilities of the Walt Disney Company. It was good to see so many old friends & colleagues again. And I couldn...

Given that gossip is basically a form of currency within the Broadway community, it's almost refreshing to run into someone like Kissy Simmons . Who really does know how to keep a secret. Take -- for example -- what happened when I asked this talented young actress (Who's currently appearing at the Minskoff...

"Hakuna Matata ! What a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata ! Ain't no passin' craze ..." If ever there's anyone on this planet who understands that Disney's " The Lion King " ain't no passin' craze, it's Danny Rutigliano . For almost a decade now, he's been appearing in the Tony Award-winning stage version...

Given that " The Game Plan " was No. 1 at the box office for the second weekend in a row, I'd imagine that Oren Aviv (i.e. the president of production at Walt Disney Pictures), is feeling pretty happy right about now. Of course, that's probably because this Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson comedy was the very...

How are you supposed to celebrate Columbus Day anyway? I mean, I suppose -- if Walt Disney Animation Studios had actually completed that Mickey Mouse featurette back in the early 1990s (You know? That half-hour-long film in which the world's most famous mouse was supposed to have portrayed Christoper...