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  • Blog Post: How Disney's two-dimensional "Beast" became a 3D "Beauty"

    New and a bit alarming Who 'd have ever thought that this could be? Well, " Beauty and the Beast " co-director Kirk Wise doesn't seem all that surprised that this Academy Award-winning film (which was the first animated feature to ever be nominated for Best Picture) got selected for...
  • Blog Post: Who's who on Walt Disney Animation Studios' reboot of Winnie the Pooh

    It is the film that - when Andrew Mooney of Disney Consumer Products revealed that this project was in the works back in June of 2009 at the Licensing International Expo in Las Vegas - made a lot of people go "Huh?" By that I mean: A hand-drawn, feature-length Winnie the Pooh . Which was something...
  • Blog Post: Why For did Disney wind up giving Maleficent the bird

    Trina P. wrote in to say: Thanks for sharing those pictures from the Tim Burton exhibition at the MoMA . I’m a huge Burton fan and had wanted to get down to NYC while that exhibit was there, but never found the time. I noticed that you had a lot of pictures from Tim Burton movies that never got made...
  • Blog Post: Toon Tuesday: Disney’s “Dreams Come True” now drawing to a close at the New Orleans Museum of Art

    To hear Lella Smith , Creative Director of the Animation Research Library , tell this particular once-upon-a-time, it was John Lasseter who actually came up with the concept for this one-of-a-kind celebration of Disney fairy tale art. (L to R) John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar & Walt...
  • Blog Post: Batman follows the Fantastic Mr. Fox at the Cartoon Art Museum

    GnatteringGnate writes in to ask: So you were out in Southern California last week. Did you do anything cool? Did you get to see any celebrities? Well, I did get to see the cast of one Academy Award-nominated film up-close while I was out on the West Coast … Photo by Noe Valladolid … but they were all...
  • Blog Post: Toon Thursday: Dissecting Disney’s newest villain

    You know what they say in Hollywood. That your movie is only as good as your villain. Well, one of the main reasons that Disney’s “ The Princess and the Frog ” was so highly praised (Richard Corliss of “Time” Magazine flat-out called Disney’s return to hand-drawn animation “… the best film of the year...
  • Blog Post: Mary Blair concept art showcased in “Walt Disney’s Peter Pan”

    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...
  • Blog Post: Did you spot all of the in-jokes & Disney references in “Prep and Landing”?

    Okay. I know. JHM has already done a number of stories on “ Disney Prep and Landing ,” that new holiday special that Walt Disney Animation Studios produced exclusively for ABC (which – FYI – wound up being the highest rated Christmas special of the 2009 – 2010 season ). Copyright 2009 Disney Enterprises...
  • Blog Post: “The Art of The Princess and The Frog” takes you behind-the-scenes on Disney’s return to hand-drawn animation

    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 ...
  • Blog Post: Disney in-jokes add to the fun of “The Princess & The Frog”

    If you feel a slight breeze coming from the West Coast today, that’s that huge sigh of relief coming from all of the artists & animators who worked on “ The Princess & the Frog .” Given the estimated $25 million that this new John Musker & Ron Clements movie pulled in over its first weekend...
  • Blog Post: Disney’s timeless battle between the young punks and the old guard

    You probably already know the story. A group of young guys move into the establishment and begin to shake things up. The old guard naturally has issues with the young punks, and they begin to push back. It’s a story we’ve all heard before, and I find it amazing that it remains a story that never really...
  • Blog Post: “Walt Disney and the Good Neighbor Program” book is a really great read

    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...
  • Blog Post: “The Art of the Disney Princess” artfully re-imagines classic cartoon characters

    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...
  • Blog Post: Disney’s looking for Beatles sound-alikes to come climb aboard its “Yellow Submarine” remake

    If you keep an eye on DisneyAuditions.com , you’ll see that Casting is constantly looking for people to play the Characters . New hirers who’d be willing to climb inside one of those often hot walk-around suits and then go out & entertain Guests on a Disney cruise ship and/or in one of the theme...
  • Blog Post: Suspended Animation provides online showcase for the non-Disney art of noted Disney artists

    If you’re ever lucky enough to get inside of the Sorcerer Mickey building , you then HAVE TO go check out the 1300 corridor. Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved This is where the personal artwork of Walt Disney Animation Studios staffers is displayed. They literally just wrapped up this year’s Halloween...
  • Blog Post: Monday Mouse Watch : “Carol” makes cash registers ring, while “Frog” ‘s financial future makes Disney animators jumpy

    You’re going to read a lot of stories this morning about how Disney’s “A Christmas Carol” had a bad opening weekend. How – because this new Robert Zemeckis movie didn’t make $35 - $40 million during its first three days in domestic release – this rather expensive ImageMovers Digital production is now...
  • Blog Post: Toon Tuesday: Glen Keane goes back to the drawing board

    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...
  • Blog Post: Toon Tuesday: Remembering 2-C

    I’ve been spending a fair amount of time in Disney’s old Animation Building recently. A visit to the second floor always provokes a flood of memories. The structure has been renovated, and yet things look pretty much the same. At least enough remains to remind this Disney veteran of a time long gone...
  • Blog Post: Toon Thursday : Tickets for Lasseter / Miyazaki event go on sale today at 9:01 a.m.

    If you’re an animation fan – a SERIOUS animation fan – you’re going to want to be in Beverly Hills on Tuesday, July 28 th . Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki Why For? Because on that night – and for that night only – two animation legends will be sharing a stage. John Lasseter will be hosting...
  • Blog Post: Monday Mouse Watch : “Rapunzel” revealed; a “G-Force” sequel?

    How many of you remember what happened back in March? When the premiere issue of Disney twenty-three hit newsstands and then all the Internet movie news sites went crazy because that magazine featured an article on Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" ? Scans of the pictures that accompanied that piece...
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