Film & Movies
“Shrek 3D” makes for fun home viewing
Not heading down to Orlando or out to Hollywood anytime soon? Well, now you can enjoy Universal Studios’ latest 3D attraction right in your own home by picking up a copy of “Shrek 3D.”
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Okay. Let’s start with the obvious: Watching “Shrek 3D” in the comfort of your own home ISN’T really the equivalent of getting to see the “Shrek 4D” attraction at the Universal theme parks in Orlando, Hollywood and Tokyo. Unless — of course — you have friends or relatives who are willing to shake your chair and/or spray mist in your face at appropriate moments as you’re watching this DVD.
But — that said — “Shrek 3D” is still a lot of fun. A sweet little 16-minute-long movie that basically bridges the gap between the first “Shrek” film and “Shrek II.” Revealing what happened to our favorite ogre, Princess Fiona and Donkey after they left the wedding reception.
And I’ll say this much about “Shrek 3D” : The folks at Dreamworks really didn’t stint when it came to putting together this project for the Universal theme parks. Rather than fobbing this 3D movie off to underlings (so that the A Team could just concentrate on “Shrek 2”), Jeffrey Katzenberg insisted that Dreamworks’ top guys actually work on “Shrek 3D.” To make sure that “Shrek” ‘s story would shift seamlessly from the first film to “Shrek 3D” right into “Shrek 2.”
This is why you’ll find guys like Simon J. Smith — the Head of Layout on the first “Shrek” feature — serving as the director of “Shrek 3D.” Making sure that the distinct look of Shrek’s fractured fairy tale world would stay consistent from the first film right through to the theme park film. And — to make sure that the characters looked just as we remembered them — Raman ***, “Shrek” ‘s supervising animator was brought on board at “Shrek 3D.” (And — as soon as he finished with this theme park movie — *** began riding herd on these same set of characters again . In his role as Supervising Animator on “Shrek 2.”)
The key to this project (at least to Jeffrey Katzenberg’s point of view) was consistency. Which was Dreamworks persuaded Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow to all come back and do the necessary voice work for the “Shrek 3D” film. Jeffrey even convinced Harry Gregson-Williams — the talented composer who did the score for both the first “Shrek” film as well as “Shrek II” — to do the music for the theme park film.
Why all this attention to detail? Because Katzenberg honestly believes that Shrek is Dreamworks’ Mickey Mouse. So — what with “Shrek III” already penciled in for the Summer of 2006 (And supposedly with a “Shrek IV” due to arrive in theaters several years after that) as well as a “Shrek” musical heading to Broadway sometime over the next few years — a lot is obviously riding on this character now. Which is why Jeffrey couldn’t afford any slip-ups right now. Have some lackluster theme park film undercut any of Shrek’s future earnings potential.
Which is why Katzenberg assigned himself the job of producing “Shrek 3D.” And — immediately after taking charge of this project — Jeffrey then roped in David Lipman, the co-executive producer of the first “Shrek” film, to help this Dreamworks senior exec keep this theme park project on track.
Eventually, Katzenberg assigned Lipman additional duties. Putting David in charge of pulling together a script for “Shrek 3D.” This Lipman did with the help of Steve Hickner, who was one of the directors of Dreamworks’ first animated feature, “The Prince of Egypt.”
Okay. By now, I think you get the idea. Dreamworks didn’t just fob “Shrek 3D” off on the folks at Universal Creative. Saying” “Do whatever you’d like with these characters.” The crew at Dreamworks Animation / PDI were actually active participants in this theme park project. Making sure that the Shrek you encounter at the Universal theme parks looks, acts and sounds the same as the ogre that movie-goers met in the first film first. And (hopefully) will rush out to their local multiplex to see again when “Shrek II” officially opens tomorrow in theaters nationwide.
Alright. That’s enough back-story on the creation of “Shrek 3D.” Now let’s talk about the film itself.
Like I said earlier: Watching this DVD in your own home, while admittedly fun, isn’t quite the same as seeing “Shrek 4D” at one of the Universal theme parks. After all, you miss out on all those great in-theater effects. Plus you don’t get to experience this theme park attraction’s great pre-show and post-show area.
Particularly in Orlando (Where USF’s “Shrek 4D” attraction replaced that theme park’s enormous “Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies” facility), Universal Creative and the folks at Dreamworks had the room they needed to tell the “Shrek 4D” story right. The attraction’s storyline actually starts out in the queue. Where — via some cleverly written posters — we get a quick recap of what happened in the first film. With the most important bit of news being that Lord Farquaad (Who we last saw being eaten by Donkey’s dragon lady-friend) has risen from the grave, determined to have his revenge on Shrek and Princess Fiona.
From the outside queue area, we now transition into “Shrek 4D” ‘s pre-show area. Which is done up to look like a dungeon. In overhead cages, we see that the Three Little Pigs & Pinocchio have been imprisoned. As Farquaad’s ghost — working with the Regent’s old dungeonmaster, Thelonius — tortures them to try get this quartet to reveal the information that he needs. Which is the exact location of those happy honeymooners, Shrek & Fiona.
On an overhead monitor, we see that the Gingerbread Man too is back in the dungeon. But — before Fraquaad’s Ghost & Thelonius can actually get to prying this info out of Gingy — he runs, runs as fast as he can away. Right straight out of the dungeon. And he urges us to follow his lead.
Unfortunately, we don’t listen to the Gingerbread Man. Which is why Farquaad’s Ghost — finally noticing all of us standing there in “Shrek 4D” ‘s pre-show area — orders us to enter the dungeon (AKA the show’s main theater) for questioning.
So we enter the theater (Which — sadly — doesn’t continue the queue & pre-show’s castle / dungeon motif. It just looks like your standard theme park theater), take our seats … and this is where the film that you’ll see (should you purchase “Shrek 3D”) is screened.
Now, what follows is a fairly spoiler filled description of the first half of this Universal theme park attraction. So — if you don’t really want to know what happens during the first portion of “Shrek 3D / 4D” — now might be a good time to bail out of this story.
Okay. Still with us? Alright, let’s continue …
This 3D movie starts off with a pretty obvious poke at Disney. As a Tinker Bell look-alike flies out from behind the curtain and starts waving her magic wand around over the audience’s heads. “Wonderful World of Color” -like fireworks magically erupt as the curtains part. Just then, a frog’s pink tongue shoots out — snagging the sprite. As the giant bull frog swallows Tinker Bell with a satisfied smile, this is your first clue that you’re NOT watching a Disney theme park show.
Of course, Tinker Bell refuses to go down without a fight. So — zooming out of the frog’s mouth, even though the fairy is still attached to his tongue — she now drags the surprised amphibian all over the enchanted forest. Eventually bringing us out onto the road where we encounter Shrek, Princess Fiona and Donkey.
Now these characters are pretty much as we left them at the end of the first film. With Shrek & Fiona off to begin their honeymoon. With Donkey along for the ride because he’s the ogre’s “noble steed.” Only — when we meet up with this trio again — they’re not going anywhere fast.
Why for? Because — as they were making their way to the Honeymoon Hotel — Shrek somehow made a wrong turn with their enchanted onion coach. And now they’re lost.
So — as “Shrek 3D” officially gets underway — our favorite ogre is standing in the middle of the road, trying to figure out where he went wrong. He has a map in his hands that lists such fearsome sounding destinations as “The Forbidden Forest,” “Death Canyon” and “Dead End Cemetery.”
As Shrek continues to look at the map, Donkey tries to noodge him along:
Donkey: Come on, Shrek. Who needs a map when you’ve got animal instincts? I say we take the 10 to the 305 and then get off at Fairy Tale Falls.
When Shrek refuses to listen to him, Donkey wanders over to the enchanted onion carriage. Where he feeds Princess Fiona weeping.
Donkey: What’s wrong, Princess? You shouldn’t be this unhappy ’til years into the marriage.
Princess Fiona: What? This is the happiest day of my life.
Donkey: Oh, oh. Let me guess. You’re overwhelmed by love.
Princess Fiona: No. I mean yes. I mean. That isn’t why..
Donkey: The shrimp platter was bad?
Princess Fiona: No!
Donkey: Wait, Wait. I got it. I got it. You always wanted a puppy. But all you got was toasters.
Princess Fiona: NO! I’m sitting in an onion! This carriage is one big onion.
Donkey: Oh. Why didn’t you say so? I’ll turn on the air.
Donkey steps on a pedal (or that petal?) on the side of the enchanted onion coach. Its side roll down, exposing the base / interior of the carriage to the open air. Shrek’s bride immediately begins to breath easier.
Princess Fiona: Much better.
Donkey: Noble steed at your service.
Shrek — now consulting a copy of “The Sir Thomas Guide” — announces that he thinks that he’s finally found a shortcut to the Honeymoon Hotel. All they have to do is taking their coach through the Forbidden Forest.
The camera quickly pans to the Forbidden Forest. Which is full of gnarled, evil looking trees. Lightning flashes ominously as vultures wheel overhead.
Donkey: Are you crazy?… That forest could be hexed or voodooed or anything. Uh uh. I ain’t going in there.
Shrek: Listen, I’m an ogre. I’m the one who does the scaring. What’s there to be scared of?
Donkey: (Gesturing off-camera) That.
The camera turns to catch Lord Farquaad’s somewhat loyal henchman, Thelonius, riding up on a dark horse. The horse & rider leap over Shrek, Donkey and the audience before coming to a stop in front of Princess Fiona in the onion coach.
Princess Fiona: Hey, what are you doing?
Thelonius: Sorry, Princess. Honeymoon’s over.
Thelonius quickly ties up the Princess. Then — throwing her on the back of his horse — Farquaad’s henchman takes Fiona off into the Forbidden Forest. Seeing his bride being carried off, Shrek turns to Donkey and says:
Shrek: To the carriage.
The two of them scramble into the coach. Then — riffing on “The Blues Brothers” signature speech — Donkey turns to the camera and says:
Donkey: We got a donkey driving a carriage that’s made from an onion, it’s dark and our horses are wearing sunglasses.
Shrek: Cut to the chase, Donkey. Just cut to the chase.
And that’s just what “Shrek 4D” does: Cuts to the chase. While bouncing along in their enchanted onion coach, Shrek and Donkey frantically pursue Fiona & Thelonius. At one point in this chase sequence, the road becomes so bumpy that Donkey actually bounces right out of the coach. Via the magic of 3D, it looks like he’s about to fall into the audience’s lap. But — at the last moment — Shrek grabs Donkey’s tail and yanks him back into the coach.
Donkey: (to audience) Wow, this 3D is pretty cool! (To Shrek) I saw into another dimension.
Shrek: Oh, for the love of Pete.
As the chase sequence continues, the Gingerbread Man is just up ahead. Putting the finishing touches on his brand new Gingerbread house. Which involves using a pastry bag to finish writing “Home Sweet Home” on his front door in icing.
But then Gingy hears the hoofbeats of the horses bearing down on his new home. He turns in horror to see Thelonius. Who somehow manages to makes his horse jump over the Gingerbread House with minimal damage to the structure.
On the other hand, Shrek & Donkey take their enchanted onion carriage straight through the Gingerbread House. The collision seems to send a shower of candy corn flying out into the audience. As they emerge on the other side, Gingy cusses them out.
Gingerbread Man: Hey, Shrek! I hope you’re insured. That house cost me a lot of dough.
The chase ends suddenly with Shrek & Donkey — having somehow survived their leap over Death Canyon — stranded in Dead End Cemetery. As they wander around the fog-filled graveyard, searching for Fiona, they stumble upon Farquaad’s tomb. Which depicts the diminutive Regent standing on top of this enormous column as he makes ready to do battle with a ferocious dragon.
Looking up at the statue of Farquaad, Shrek stops to think:
Shrek: I wonder if he’s behind all this.
Donkey: Can we get out of here?
Shrek: Sure. Of course. Now you wouldn’t happen to have another carriage in your pocket, would ya?
Donkey: Donkeys don’t have pockets. But some of us do have wings.
With that, Donkey begins to whistle for his lady love. You know, the female dragon that he wooed & won in the course of the first “Shrek” film? But — instead — Donkey’s whistling seems to bring the stone dragon on top of Farquaad’s tomb to life. As it turns toward Shrek & Donkey and roars, the frightened ass turns to the ogre & says:
Donkey: Uh oh. Wrong dragon.
Shrek: Wrong whistle.
As if things weren’t already bad enough, now Farquaad’s Ghost appears.
Donkey: Farquaad!
Shrek: What have you done with my wife?
Farquaad: Your wife? Don’t you mean your widow?
Donkey: I know I seen you die in the first movie.
Farquaad: You fools! This time, it’s your turn to be the entree. (To dragon) Okay, my sweet. Take care of them. Bon appetit!
The stone dragon now steps down off of Farquaad’s tomb and begins chasing after Shrek & Donkey. Things look pretty bleak until …
You don’t want me to give away the entire picture, now do you? Well, I know that the folks at Universal Studios as well as Dreamworks certainly wouldn’t want me to.
So what happens next? Well — Given that “Shrek 2” arrives in theaters tomorrow — you can obviously assume Shrek, Donkey and Fiona survive their ordeal and that this story ends somewhat happily. Except for Lord Farquaad, of course.
But the stuff that I won’t get into here (I.E. The mid-air battle with all of its witty “Star Wars” references, Fiona’s rescue at Fairy Tale Falls … which doesn’t go quite as well as Shrek had hoped it would, as well as who’s waiting for these two when they finally arrive at the Honeymoon Hotel) is just as entertaining as the scenes that came before them. Which do a beautiful job of recapturing the look & the feel of the first “Shrek” film. Not to mention doing a superb job of setting the stage what happens next in the “Shrek” sequel.
Now I won’t lie to you, folks. The people who run Universal’s theme parks aren’t exactly thrilled that “Shrek 3D” is now available for sale. They do feel that — by choosing to release this film at this particular time — Dreamworks has really undercut the marketability of Universal’s less-than-one-year-old attraction.
But — at the same time — the folks at Universal Studios are fairly philosophical. After all, the Orlando studio theme park has its new “Revenge of the Mummy” ride opening this Friday. With Universal Hollywood’s version of this attraction due to open a month later. And — given that this new state-of-the-art attraction was obviously going to become the centerpiece of those theme parks’ marketing efforts for the next year or so — “Shrek 4D” was going to be shunted out of the spotlight anyway … So why cry over spilled milk?
Besides, Universal is sure to move a ton of these “Shrek 3D” DVDs in the attraction’s post-show gift shop. After all, what better way is there to remember an attraction than to bring home your very own copy of the film you just saw. Here’s hoping that — should these “Shrek 3D” DVDs prove to be a popular item in the “Shrek 4D” gift shop — that Disney follows Universal’s lead. I mean, wouldn’t be great if we could all finally purchase a copy of “Muppetvision 3D”? To take home with us to commemorate our visits to Disney-MGM or DCA? Paging Chris Curtin — the Mouse House’s main Muppetmeister. If the Walt Disney Company’s really serious about trying to make some money of of its recent acquisition of Jim Henson’s characters, selling a DVD of “Kermit the Frog Presents Muppetvsion 3D” might be a great way to start …
Anyway … As I said at the start of this article: While owning your very own copy of “Shrek 3D” is nice, it really isn’t a replacement for getting to see “Shrek 4D” in the theater where it was intended on being seen in. I mean, just to experience all the in-theater physical effects in perfect synchronization with the movie is great fun.
Plus the end gag! Sure, you see Tinker Bell get nailed by that champagne cork at the end of “Shrek 3D.” But you don’t get to see where this unlucky sprite ends up after that. Audiences exiting “Shrek 4D” in Orlando, Hollywood and Tokyo have been just howling when they see what’s become of Peter Pan’s pal.
But I’m not going to give that away …Sorry, folks. But if you want to experience that gag, you’re going to have to buy an admission ticket to a Universal theme park.
But if you’d to experience a stripped down version of this attraction (As in: No queue, no pre-show and no post-show shop. Just the “Shrek 3D” film itself), all you really have to do is chase down a copy of this DVD. Which — according to the folks that I’ve spoken with at Universal Home Entertainment — isn’t going to be on the market for all that long.
So — if you’d to bring home a little bit of Universal theme park magic (Not to mention find out what really happened to Shrek, Fiona and Donkey on their way to the Honeymoon Hotel) — go pick up a copy of “Shrek 3D” today, okay?
Would you like to own your very own copy of this Universal Studios theme park film as well as help support JimHillMedia.com? Then pick up the DVD of “Shrek 3D” from Amazon.com by clicking the link to the right. Your cost will (unfortunately) remain the same. Though Amazon.com is currently selling its “Shrek” / “Shrek 3D” two pack for 30% off! But — if you go to that site through JHM — you help support JimHillMedia.com because we get a tiny cut of whatever it is you spend. So — if you’d like to help keep Jim Hill behind a computer where he belongs — pick up a copy of the “Shrek 3D” DVD through the link to the right. |
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Film & Movies
How Disney’s “Bambi” led to the creation of Smokey Bear
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When people talk about Disney’s “Bambi,” the scene that they typically cite as being the one from this 1942 film which then scarred them for life is – of course – the moment in this movie where Bambi’s mother gets shot by hunters.
Which is kind of ironic. Given that – if you watch this animated feature today – you’ll see that a lot of this ruined-my-childhood scene actually happens off-camera. I mean, you hear the rifle shot that takes down Bambi’s Mom. But you don’t actually see that Mama Deer get clipped.
Now for the scariest part of that movie that you actually see on-camera … Hands down, that has to be the forest fire sequence in “Bambi.” As the grown-up Bambi & his bride, Faline, desperately race through those woods, trying to find a path to safety as literally everything around them is ablaze … That sequence is literally nightmare fuel.
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Mind you, the artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios had lots of inspiration for the forest fire sequence in “Bambi.” You see, in a typical year, the United States experiences – due to either natural phenomenon like lightning strikes or human carelessness – 100 forest fires. Whereas in 1940 (i.e., the year that Disney Studios began working in earnest of a movie version of Felix Salten’s best-selling movie), America found itself battling a record 360 forest fires.
Which greatly concerned the U.S. Forest Service. But not for the reason you might think.
Protecting the Forest for World War II
I mean, yes. Sure. Officials over in the Agricultural Department (That’s the arm of the U.S. government that manages the Forest Service) were obviously concerned about the impact that this record number of forest fires in 1940 had had on citizens. Not to mention all of the wildlife habitat that was now lost.
But to be honest, what really concerned government officials was those hundreds of thousands of acres of raw timber that had been consumed by these blazes. You see, by 1940, the world was on the cusp of the next world war. A conflict that the U.S. would inevitably be pulled into. And all that now-lost timber? It could have been used to fuel the U.S. war machine.
So with this in mind (and U.S. government officials now seeing an urgent need to preserve & protect this precious resource) … Which is why – in 1942 (just a few months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor) – the U.S. Forest Service rolls out its first-ever forest fire prevention program.
Which – given that this was the early days of World War II – the slogan that the U.S. Forest Service initially chose for its forest fire prevention program is very in that era’s we’re-all-in-this-together / so-let’s-do-what-we-can-to-help-America’s war-effort esthetic – made a direct appeal to all those folks who were taking part in scrap metal drives: “Forest Defense is National Defense.”
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And the poster that the U.S. Forest Service had created to support this campaign? … Well, it was well-meaning as well. It was done in the WPA style and showed men out in the forest, wielding shovels to ditch a ditch. They were trying to construct a fire break, which would then supposedly slow the forest fire that was directly behind them.
But the downside was … That “Forest Defense is National Defense” slogan – along with that poster which the U.S. Forest Service had created to support their new forest fire prevention program didn’t exactly capture America’s attention.
I mean, it was the War Years after all. A lot was going in the country at that time. But long story short: the U.S. Forest Service’s first attempt at launching a successful forest fire prevention program sank without a trace.
So what do you do in a situation like this? You regroup. You try something different.
Disney & Bambi to the Rescue
And within the U.S. government, the thinking now was “Well, what if we got a celebrity to serve as the spokesman for our new forest fire prevention program? Maybe that would then grab the public’s attention.”
The only problem was … Well, again, these are the War Years. And a lot of that era’s A-listers (people like Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, even Mel Brooks) had already enlisted. So there weren’t really a lot of big-name celebrities to choose from.
But then some enterprising official at the U.S. Forest Service came up with an interesting idea. He supposedly said “Hey, have you seen that new Disney movie? You know, the one with the deer? That movie has a forest fire in it. Maybe we should go talk with Walt Disney? Maybe he has some ideas about how we can better capture the public’s attention when it comes to our new forest fire prevention program?”
And it turns Walt did have an idea. Which was to use this government initiative as a way to cross-promote Disney Studio’s latest full-length animated feature, “Bambi.” Which been first released to theaters in August of 1942.
So Walt had artists at Disney Studio work up a poster that featured the grown-up versions of Bambi the Deer, Thumper the Rabbit & Flower the Skunk. As this trio stood in some tall grasses, they looked imploring out at whoever was standing in front of this poster. Above them was a piece of text that read “Please Mister, Don’t Be Careless.” And below these three cartoon characters was an additional line that read “Prevent Forest Fires. Greater Danger Than Ever!”
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According to folks I’ve spoken with at Disney’s Corporate Archives, this “Bambi” -based promotional campaign for the U.S. Forest Service’s forest fire prevention campaign was a huge success. So much so that – as 1943 drew to a close – this division of the Department of Agriculture reportedly reached out to Walt to see if he’d be willing to let the U.S. Forest Service continue to use these cartoon characters to help raise the public’s awareness of fire safety.
Walt – for reasons known only to Mr. Disney – declined. Some have suggested that — because “Bambi” had actually lost money during its initial theatrical release in North America – that Walt was now looking to put that project behind him. And if there were posters plastered all over the place that then used the “Bambi” characters that then promoted the U.S.’s forest fire prevention efforts … Well, it would then be far harder for Mr. Disney to put this particular animated feature in the rear view mirror.
Introducing Smokey Bear
Long story short: Walt said “No” when it came to reusing the “Bambi” characters to promote the U.S. Forest Service’s forest fire prevention program. But given how successful the previous cartoon-based promotional campaign had been … Well, some enterprising employee at the Department of Agriculture reportedly said “Why don’t we come up with a cartoon character of our own?”
So – for the Summer of 1944 – the U.S. Forest Service (with the help of the Ad Council and the National Association of State Foresters) came up with a character to help promote the prevention of forest fires. And his name is Smokey Bear.
Now a lot of thought had gone into Smokey’s creation. Right from the get-go, it was decided that he would be an American black bear (NOT a brown bear or a grizzly). To make this character seem approachable, Smokey was outfitted with a ranger’s hat. He also wore a pair of blue jeans & carried a bucket.
As for his debut poster, Smokey was depicted as pouring water over a still-smoldering campfire. And below this cartoon character was printed Smokey’s initial catchphrase. Which was “Care will prevent 9 out of 10 forest fires!”
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Which makes me think that this slogan was written by the very advertising executive who wrote “Four out of five dentists recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum.”
Anyway … By the Summer of 1947, Smokey got a brand-new slogan. The one that he uses even today. Which is “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.”
The Real Smokey Bear
Now where this gets interesting is – in the Summer of 1950 – there was a terrible forest fire up in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico. And over the course of this blaze, a bear cub climbed high up into a tree to try & escape those flames.
Firefighters were finally able to rescue that cub. But he was so badly injured in that fire that he was shipped off to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and nursed back to health. And since this bear really couldn’t be released back in the wild at this point, he was then put on exhibit.
And what does this bear’s keepers decide to call him? You guessed it: Smokey.
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And due to all the news coverage that this orphaned bear got, he eventually became the living symbol of the U.S. Forest Service’s forest fire prevention program. Which then meant that this particular Smokey Bear got hit with a ton of fan mail. So much so that the National Zoo in Washington D.C. wound up with its own Zip Code.
“Smokey the Bear” Hit Song
And on the heels of a really-for-real Smokey Bear taking up residence in our nation’s capital, Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins decide to write a song that shined a spotlight on this fire-fightin’ bruin. Here’s the opening stanza:
With a ranger’s hat and shovel and a pair of dungarees,
You will find him in the forest always sniffin’ at the breeze,
People stop and pay attention when he tells them to beware
Because everybody knows that he’s the fire-preventin’ bear
Believe or not, even with lyrics like these, “Smokey the Bear” briefly topped the Country charts in the Summer of 1950. Thanks to a version of this song that was recorded by Gene Autry, the Singing Cowboy.
By the way, it was this song that started all of the confusion in regards to Smokey Bear’s now. You see, Nelson & Rollins – because they need the lyrics of their song to scan properly – opted to call this fire-fightin’-bruin Smokey THE Bear. Rather than Smokey Bear. Which has been this cartoon character’s official name since the U.S. Forest Service first introduced him back in 1944.
“The Ballad of Smokey the Bear”
Further complicating this issue was “The Ballad of Smokey the Bear,” which was a stop-motion animated special that debuted on NBC in late November of 1966. Produced by Rankin-Bass as a follow-up to their hugely popular “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (which premiered on the Peacock Network in December of 1964) … This hour-long TV show also put a “THE” in the middle of Smokey Bear’s name because the folks at Rankin-Bass thought his name sounded better that way.
And speaking of animation … Disney’s “Bambi” made a brief return to the promotional campaign for the U.S. Forest Service’s forest fire prevention program in the late 1980s. This was because the Company’s home entertainment division had decided to release this full-length animated feature on VHS.
What’s kind of interesting, though, is the language used on the “Bambi” poster is a wee different than the language that’s used on Smokey’s poster. It reads “Protect Our Forest Friends. Only You Can Prevent Wildfires.” NOT “Forest Fires.”
Anyway, that’s how Disney’s “Bambi” led to the creation of Smokey Bear. Thanks for bearin’ with me as I clawed my way through this grizzly tale.
Film & Movies
“Indiana Jones and the Search for Indiana Jones”
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News came late last week that NBC was cancelling the “Magnum PI” remake. This series (which obviously took its inspiration from the Tom Selleck show that originally debuted on CBS back in December of 1980 and then went on run on that network for 8 seasons. With its final episode airing on May 8, 1988).
Anyway … Over 30 years later, CBS decided to remake “Magnum.” This version of the action drama debuted on September 24, 2018 and ran for four seasons before then being cancelled. NBC picked up the “Magnum” remake where it ran for one more season before word came down on June 23rd that this action drama was being cancelled yet again.
FYI: The second half of Season 5 of “Magnum” (10 episodes) has yet to air on NBC. It will be interesting to see when that final set of shows / the series finale gets scheduled.
This all comes to mind this week – out ahead of the theatrical release of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” because … Well, if CBS execs had been a bit more flexible back in 1980, the star of the original version of “Magnum PI” (Tom Selleck) would have played the lead in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Which was released to theaters back on June 12, 1981.
That’s the part of the Indiana Jones story that the folks at Lucasfilm often opt to skim over.
That Harrison Ford wasn’t George Lucas’ first choice to play Doctor Jones.
Auditions for Indiana Jones – Harrison’s Not on the List
Mind you, Steven Spielberg – right from the get-go – had pushed for Ford to play this part. The way I hear it, Lucas showed Spielberg a work-in-progress cut of “The Empire Strikes Back.” And Steven was so taken with Harrison’s performance as Han Solo in that Irwin Kershner film that he immediately began pushing for Ford to be cast as Doctor Jones.
Whereas Mr. Lucas … I mean, it wasn’t that George had anything against Harrison. What with Ford’s performances first in “American Grafitti” and then in “A New Hope,” these two already had a comfortable working relationship.
But that said, Lucas was genuinely leery of … Well, the sort of creative collaboration that Martin Scorcese and Robert DeNiro. Where one actor & one director repeatedly worked together. To George’s way of thinking, that was a risky path to follow. Hitching your wagon to a single star.
Which is why – when auditions got underway for “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1979 — Mike Fenton basically brought in every big performer of that era to read for Dr. Jones except Harrison Ford. We’re talking:
- Steve Martin
- Chevy Chase
- Bill Murray
- Jack Nicholson
- Peter Coyote
- Nick Nolte
- Sam Elliot
- Tim Matheson
- and Harry Hamlin
Casting a Comedian for Indiana Jones
Please note that there are a lot of comedians on this list. That’s because – while “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was in development — Spielberg was directed his epic WWII comedy, “1941.” And for a while there, Steve & George were genuinely uncertain about whether the movie that they were about to make would be a sincere valentine to the movie serials of the 1930s & the 1940s or more of a spoof.
It’s worth noting here that three of the more ridiculous set pieces found in “Temple of Doom” …
- the shoot-out at Club Obi Wan in Shanghai
- Indy, Willie & Short Round surviving that plane crash by throwing an inflatable life raft out of the cargo hatch
- and that film’s mine cart chase (which was not only inspired by Disney theme park favorites the Matterhorn Bobsleds & Big Thunder Mountain Railroad but some of the sound effects that you hear in this portion of “Temple of Doom” were actually recorded after hours at Disneyland inside of these very same attractions)
… all originally supposed to be in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” I’ve actually got a copy of the very first version of the screenplay that Lawrence Kasdan wrote for the first “Indy” movie where all three of these big action set pieces were supposed to be part of the story that “Raiders” told. And I have to tell you that this early iteration of the “Raiders” screenplay really does read more like a spoof of serials than a sincere, loving salute to this specific style of cinema.
Casting Indiana Jones – Jeff or Tom
Anyway … Back now to the casting of the male lead for “Raiders” … After seeing virtually every actor out in LA while looking for just the right performer to portray Indiana Jones, it all came down to two guys:
- Jeff Bridges
- and Tom Selleck
Jeff Bridges as Indiana Jones
Mike Fenton was heavily pushing for Jeff Bridges. Having already appeared with Clint Eastwood in 1974’s “Thunderbolt & Lightfoot” (Not to mention that “King Kong” remake from 1976), Bridges was a known quantity. But what Fenton liked especially liked about Bridges when it came to “Raiders” was … Well, at that time, Jeff was just coming off “Heaven’s Gate.”
Mind you, nowadays, because we’ve all now had the luxury of seeing the director’s cut of this Michael Cimino movie, we recognize “Heaven’s Gate” for the cinematic masterpiece that it is. But 40+ years ago, that honestly wasn’t the case. All audiences had to judge this movie by was the severely truncated version that United Artists sent out into theaters. Which – because “Heaven’s Gate” had cost $44 million to make and only sold $3.5 million of tickets – then became the textbook example of Hollywood excess.
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/jeff-bridges-heavens-gate-1024x576.jpg)
Long story short: Given that being associated with “Heaven’s Gate” had somewhat dinged Bridges’ reputation for being a marketable star (i.e., a performer that people would pay good money to see up on the big screen), Jeff was now looking to appear in something highly commercial. And the idea of playing the lead in a film directed by Steven Spielberg (the “Jaws” & “Close Encounter” guy) and produced by George Lucas (Mr. “Star Wars”) was very, very appealing at that time. Bridges was even willing to sign a contract with Spielberg & Lucas that would have then roped him into not only playing Indiana Jones in “Raider of the Lost Ark” but also to appear as this very same character in two yet-to-be-written sequels.
Better yet, because “Heaven’s Gate” had temporarily dimmed Bridges’ star status, Jeff was also willing to sign on to do the first “Indy” film for well below his usual quote. With the understanding that – should “Raiders of the Lost Ark” succeed at the box office – Bridges would then be paid far more to appear in this film’s two sequels.
That seemed like a very solid plan for “Raiders.” Landing a known movie star to play the lead in this action-adventure at a bargain price.
Ah, but standing in Mike Fenton’s way was Marcia Lucas.
Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones
Marcia Lucas, who had seen Tom Selleck’s audition for “Raiders” (And you can see it as well. Just go to Google and type in “Tom Selleck” and “Indiana Jones.” And if you dig around for a bit, you’ll then see a feature that Lucas & Spielberg shot for “Entertainment Tonight” back in 2008 [This story was done in support of the theatrical release of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”]. And as part of this piece, George and Steve share Tom’s original audition for “Raiders.” And what’s genuinely fascinating about this footage is that Selleck’s scene partner is Sean Young. Who – at that time, anyway – was up for the role of Marion Ravenwood) and kept telling her husband, “You should cast this guy. He’s going to be a big star someday.”
And given that George was smart enough to regularly heed Marcia Lucas’ advice (She had made invaluable suggestions when it came to the editing of “American Graffiti” and the original “Star Wars.” Not to downplay George Lucas’ cinematic legacy, but Marcia Lucas was a world-class storyteller in and of her own right), Lucas then reached out to Spielberg and persuaded him that they should cast relative unknown Tom Selleck as Doctor Jones over the already well-known Jeff Bridges.
Now don’t feel too bad for Jeff Bridges. When he lost out on playing the lead in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Jeff then accepted a role in the very next, high profile, sure-to-be-commercial project that came along. Which turned out to be Disney’s very first “TRON” movie. Which was eventually released to theaters on July 9, 1982.
Back to Tom Selleck now … You have to remember that – back then – Selleck was the handsome guy who’d already shot pilots for six different shows that then hadn’t gone to series. Which was why Tom was stuck being the guest star on shows like “The Fall Guy” and “Taxi.” Whereas once word got out around town that Selleck was supposed to play the lead in a project that Spielberg was directed & Lucas was producing … Well, this is when CBS decided that they’d now take the most recent pilot that Tom had shot and then go to series with this show.
That program was – of course – the original “Magnum PI.” And it’s at this point where our story started to get complicated.
“Magnum PI” – Two Out of Three Say “Yes”
Okay. During the first season of a TV show, it’s traditionally the network – rather than the production company (which – in this case – was Glen A. Larson Productions. The company behind the original versions of “Battlestar Galactica” & “Knight Rider”) or the studio where this series is actually being shot (which – in this case – was Universal Television) that has all the power. And in this particular case, the network execs who were pulling all the strings behind-the-scenes worked for CBS.
And when it came to the first season of “Magnum PI,” CBS had a deal with Glen A. Larson Productions and Universal Television which stated that the talent which had been contracted to appear in this new action drama would then be available for the production of at least 13 episodes with an option to shoot an additional 9 episodes (This is known in the industry as the back nine. As in: the last nine holes of a golf course).
Anyway, if you take those initial 13 episodes and then tack on the back nine, you then get 22 episodes total. Which – back in the late 1970s / early 1980s, anyway – was what a full season of a network television show typically consisted of.
Anyway … The contract that Selleck had signed with Glen A. Larson Productions, Universal Television & CBS stated that he had to be available when production of Season One of “Magnum PI” began in March of 1980. More to the point, Tom also had to be available should CBS exercise its option to air 22 episodes of this new series on that television network over the course of “Magnum PI” ‘s first season.
Which then made things complicated for George Lucas & Steven Spielberg because … Well, in order for “Raiders of the Lost Ark” to make its June 12, 1981 release date, that then meant that production of the first “Indy” movie would have to get underway no later than June 23, 1980.
But here’s the thing: Production of Season One of “Magnum PI” was scheduled to run through the first week of July of that same year (1980). So in order for Tom Selleck to play Indiana Jones in “Raiders,” he was going to need to be wrapped on production of “Magnum PI” by June 22, 1980 at the absolute latest.
So Spielberg & Lucas went to Glen A. Larsons Productions and asked if Selleck could please be sprung from his “Magnum PI” contractual obligations by June 22nd. And they said “Yes.” Then Steven & George went to Universal Television and asked executives there for their help in clearing Tom’s schedule so that he’d then be available to start work on “Raiders.” And they say “Yes” as well.
Spielberg & Lucas now go to CBS. But instead of the quick “Yeses” that they got from officials at Glen A. Larson Productions and Universal Television, it takes those suits at the Tiffany Network weeks before they then decided to say “No, they couldn’t release Tom Selleck early to go work on ‘Raiders’ “ because …
I’ve never really been able to get a straight answer here as to why CBS execs dug in their heels here. Why they flat-out refused to release Selleck early from his “Magnum PI” contractual obligation and allow him to go shoot “Raiders.”
Payback from “The Star Wars Holiday Special” Trash Talk
That said, it is worth noting that “The Star Wars Holiday Special” aired on CBS back in November of 1978. And given that – in the years that followed — Lucas wasn’t exactly shy when it came to saying how much he hated that two hour-long presentation (Or – for that matter – how George really regretted caving into the requests of CBS execs. Who had insisted that television stars long associated with the Tiffany Network – people like Art Carney, Harvey Korman & Bea Arthur – be given prominent guest starring roles in “The Star Wars Holiday Special”). And I’ve heard whispers over the years that CBS executives preventing Tom Selleck from appearing in “Raiders” could be interpreted as the Tiffany Network getting some payback for what George had said publicly about the “Star Wars Holiday Special.”
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/lucas-quote-1024x576.jpg)
Harrison Ford Comes to Rescue “Indiana Jones”
Anyway … It’s now literally just weeks before production of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is supposed to begin and Spielberg & Lucas have just learned that that they’ve lost their film’s star. CBS is flat-out refusing to release Tom Selleck early from his “Magnum PI” contractual obligation. So Steven & George now have to find someone else to play Indy … and fast.
The real irony here is … The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists would go on strike in the Summer of 1980. Which then shut prematurely shut down production of the first season of “Magnum PI.” (As a direct result, the first full season of this action drama to air on CBS only had 18 episodes, rather than the usual 22). And because this job action lasted ‘til October 23rd of that same year … Well, this meant that Tom Selleck would have actually been free to start shooting “Raiders of the Lost Ark” on June 23, 1980 because production of Season One of “Magnum PI” was already shut down by then due to that AFTRA strike.
But no one knew – in May of 1980, anyway – that this job action was going to happen in just a few weeks. All that Steven Spielberg & George Lucas knew was that they now needed a new lead actor for “Raiders.” And circling back on Jeff Bridges was no longer an option. As I mentioned earlier, Jeff had agreed to do “TRON” for Disney. And – in the interim – Bridges gone off to shoot “Cutter’s Way” for MGM / UA.
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/tron-jeff-bridges-1024x576.jpg)
So this is where Harrison Ford enters the equation. As he recalls:
In May of 1980, I get a call from George Lucas. Who says ‘I’m messaging a script over to you this morning. As soon as it gets there, I need you to immediately read this script. Then – as soon as you’re done – I need you to call.
So the script arrives and it’s for ‘Raiders.’ I read it and it’s good. So I call George back and say ‘It’s good.’ And he then says ‘Would you be interested in playing Indy?’ I say that it looks like it would be a fun part to play.
George then says ‘ That’s great to hear. Because we start shooting in four weeks. Now I need you to meet with Steven Spielberg today and convince him that you’re the right guy to play Indy.’
Of course, given that Spielberg had been pushing for Ford to pay Indy ever since he had first seen that work-in-progress version of “The Empire Strikes Back” … Well, Harrison’s meeting with Steven was very, very short. And just a few weeks later, Spielberg, Lucas & Ford were all at the Port de la Pallice in La Rochelle. Where – on the very first day of shooting on “Raiders” (which – again – was June 23, 1980)– the scene that was shot was the one where that Nazi sub (the one that Indy had lashed himself to its periscope by using his bullwhip as a rope) was arriving at its secret base.
And all of this happened because Harrison immediately agreed to do “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when the part of Indy was first offered to him in mid-May of 1980.
Before “Star Wars” was “Star Wars”
So why such a quick yes? Well, you have to remember that “Empire Strikes Back” wouldn’t be released to theaters ‘til May 21, 1980. And no one knew at that time whether this sequel to the original “Star Wars” would do as well at the box office as “A New Hope” had back in 1977 (FYI: “Empire” would eventually sell over $500 million worth of tickets worldwide. Which is roughly two thirds of what the original “Star Wars” earned three years earlier).
More to the point, the four films that Harrison had shot right after “A New Hope” / prior to “Empire Strikes Back” (i.e., “Heroes” AND “Force 10 from Navarone” AND “Hanover Street” AND “The Frisco Kid”) had all under-performed at the box office. So to Ford’s way of thinking, taking on a role that Tom Selleck was no longer available to play – one that had the potential of spawning two sequels – seemed like a very smart thing to do. Especially after three years of cinematic stumbles.
By the way, whenever this topic ever comes up, Harrison Ford is very gracious. He always makes a point of saying that he’s grateful to have gotten this career opportunity. More to the point, that he still feels kind of bad that Tom Selleck never got the chance to play this part.
Tom Selleck After “Indiana Jones”
That said, we shouldn’t feel too bad for Tom Selleck. After all, the original “Magnum PI” proved to be a long running hit for CBS. And in an effort to smooth over any residual bad feelings that may have resulted from Tom being forced to give up “Raiders” back in May of 1980, Selleck was eventually allowed to create his own production company (i.e., T.W.S. Productions, Inc. As in Thomas William Selleck Productions). Which – after the fact – was then cut in on some of those “Magnum PI” -related revenue streams.
More to the point, while “Magnum PI” was on hiatus following its second year in production, Selleck flew off to Yugoslavia. Where he then shot his own Indiana Jones-esque film for theatrical release. Which was called “High Road to China” in the States, but – overseas – was promoted as “Raiders of the End of the World.”
FYI: Warner Bros. released “High Road to China” stateside 40 years ago this year. On March 18, 1983, to be exact. It didn’t do all that great at the box office. $28 million in ticket sales versus $15 million in production costs.
And over the years, there’s even been some talk of finding a way to maybe set things right here. By that I mean: Finally finding a way to officially fold Tom Selleck into the world of Indiana Jones.
Could Tom Selleck Work with Indiana Jones?
The way I hear it, between the time when “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” was theatrically released in May of 1989 and when “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” debuted in May of 2008, there were a number of ideas for Indiana Jones sequels tossed around. And from what I’ve been told, there was at least one treatment for a fourth Indiana Jones film written that proposed pairing up Harrison Ford & Tom Selleck. With the idea here being that Selleck was supposed to have played Ford’s brother.
Obviously that film was never made. And – no – I don’t know what state Indiana Jones’ brother was supposed to be named after.
This article is based on research for Looking at Lucasfilm “Episode 80”, published on June 29, 2023. Looking at Lucasfilm is part of the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network.
Film & Movies
Will “Metro” – that “Cars” Spin-Off Which Disney Developed – Ever Get Made?
![Will Metro Ever Get Made?](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/will-metro-cars-spin-off-ever-get-made.jpg)
First came “Cars” in June of 2006.
This Pixar Animation Studios production did so well (Of all the high grossing films released that year, “Cars” was No. 2 at the box office. Only “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” sold more tickets in 2006) that Disney execs asked John Lasseter to develop a sequel.
“Cars 2” came out in June of 2011 and also did quite well at the box office (It took the No. 7 slot in the Top-Ten-for-ticket-sales that year). Which is why Disney then asked Pixar to prep a follow-up film.
“Cars 3” would eventually arrive in theaters in June of 2017. But in the meantime, Disney & Pixar began exploring the idea of expanding this film franchise. Largely because the amount of money that the Mouse was making off of the sales of “Cars” -related merchandise was … To be blunt here, mind boggling.
Don’t believe me? Well, then consider this: In just the first five years that the “Cars” film franchise existed, global retail sales of merchandise related to these Pixar movies approached $10 billion. That’s billion with a “B.”
So is it any wonder that – while Pixar was still trying to get a handle on what “Cars 3” would actually be about – the Mouse (through its DisneyToon Studios arm. Which produced home premieres like those “TinkerBell” movies) began actively looking into ways to expand this lucrative franchise?
“Planes” – The First “Cars” Spin-Off
The first “Cars” spin-off to arrive in the marketplace was “Planes.” This Klay Hall film (which was set in “The World Above Cars”) was released theatrically in August of 2013, with the Blu-ray & DVD version of “Planes” hitting store shelves in November of that same year.
“Planes: Fire and Rescue” followed in the Summer of 2014. And while a “Planes 3” was definitely put in development (At the Disney Animation panel at the 2017 D23 Expo, John Lasseter not only shared a clip from this film. But he also revealed that this project – which, at that time, was entitled “Space” – was slated to be released theatrically in April of 2019) … This animated feature was abruptly cancelled when DisneyToon Studios was shuttered in June of 2018.
But wait. There’s more … In addition to the aborted “Planes 3,” Disney had other “Cars” spin-offs in the works. One was supposed to be built around boats. While yet another was supposed to have shined a spotlight on trucks.
“Metro” – The World Below Cars
And then there was “Metro.” Which was supposed to have been set in the inner city and focused on what went on in “The World Below Cars.” As in: Down in the subway system.
Just in the past week or so, a few pieces of concept art for “Metro” have surfaced online. Giving us all an intriguing look at what might have been. These preproduction paintings suggest that this “Cars” spin-off would be far grittier than … Say … the sort of adventures that Lightning McQueen & Mater would typically have out in Radiator Springs.
![Metro - Cars Spin-Off Movie Poster](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cars-spin-off-metro-concept-art-8-645x1024.jpg)
![Metro - Cars Spin-Off Concept Art](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cars-spin-off-metro-concept-art-6-1024x570.jpg)
![Metro - Cars Spin-Off Concept Art](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cars-spin-off-metro-concept-art-4-1024x436.jpg)
![Metro - Cars Spin-Off Concept Art](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cars-spin-off-metro-concept-art-1-1024x429.jpg)
That said, it’s worth noting here that – just in the past year or so – we’ve seen Disney & Pixar attempt to expand the turf that these two characters could comfortably cover. Take – for example — “Cars on the Road,” that nine-part series which debuted on Disney+ back in September of last year. This collection of animated shorts literally sent Lightning McQueen & Mater off on a road trip.
So who knows?
Given that Bob Iger (at Disney’s quarterly earnings call held earlier this week) revealed that the Company now has sequels in the works for “Frozen,” “Toy Story,” and “Zootopia” … Well, is it really all that far-fetched to think that – at some point further on down the road – Disney & Pixar will put yet another sequel to “Cars” in the works?
One that might send Lightning McQueen & Mater off to explore the gritty inner-city world that we glimpsed in all that concept art for “Metro,” that never-produced “Cars” spin-off.
Time will tell.
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