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Given this documentary’s title, it’s kind of ironic that “ Waking Sleeping Beauty ” got its start the way most of us do when we’re just trying to wake up. Which is with a good, strong cup of coffee. As director Don Hahn recalls, it was November of 2006. Peter Schneider’s latest project – a stage musical...

Why are all these people racing through the streets of New Orleans? * Photo by Nancy Stadler Because “ Dreams Come True: Art of the Classic Fairy Tales from Walt Disney Studios ” is closing on March 14 th . Which means that you now only have six short days to catch this acclaimed exhibition. Photo by...

It was late summer 1958 and things had been going well. The mad rush to wrap the animated feature film, “ Sleeping Beauty ” was finally succeeding, and the film was well on its way to completion. Taking a break from the drawing board, I headed up to the second floor of the Animation Building...

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...

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...

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. 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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

A group of young guys and gals gathered in the office of a Disney veteran on the third floor of the Animation Building. “Boy, you missed it,” the old timer rhapsodized as he spoke about the good old days of the late 1930s and early 1940s. “This used to be a great place to work, but the strike ended all...

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...

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...

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...

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...