General
Why For do those raccoons have such big …
Jim Hill is back with even more answers to your Disney-related questions. This time around, he talks about where you can find Oswald the Lucky Rabbit on the Disney lot, one of the more memorable aspects of “Pom Poko,” those strawberry fields in Anaheim, the Winnie the Pooh ride that Disneyland almost got as well as some travel magazine that features an article that was written by … Oh, it’s not important …
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jim-hill-media-featured-1200x675-1.png)
First up, Michael F. writes in to ask:
Jim —
Do you know if the Walt Disney Company ever has plans to release the Oswald the Lucky rabbit shorts on DVD? As a Disney history buff, I’d love to be able to take a look at Walt’s pre-Mickey work. See of there are any hints of the greatness yet to come.
Have you heard anything about Disney putting together an Oswald collection, Jim? And if so, when can I expect to see this set of DVDs available for purchase in stores?
Michael F.
Dear Michael F.
I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Michael. But I doubt that you’re ever going to see the Walt Disney Company release the “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” shorts on DVD.
Why for? Well, you have to remember that the Disney Company doesn’t actually own the “Oswald” character and/or the 26 shorts that Walt & Ub Iwerks produced. The rights to those films (and — indeed — the “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” character itself) actually belong to Universal Studios.
To explain: It was Carl Laemmle himself (I.E. The then-head of Universal Studios) who reportedly told film distributor Charles Mintz in early 1927 that he wanted a new cartoon series for Universal. To be specific, Carl wanted a cartoon that starred a rabbit.
As luck would have it, Mintz’s wife — Margaret Winkler Mintz — had been the producer of Walt’s “Alice” comedies. And given that that series of shorts (which cleverly mixed live action & animation) had pretty much run their course, Disney was now looking for a new project to tackle. Which is why Margaret suggested that Walt might be the perfect guy to make Carl’s wish come true.
Given that he was still really just getting started in Hollywood, Disney was grateful for the work. So Walt quickly signed the contract that Mr. & Mrs. Mintz were offering and immediately got to work on the “Oswald” series.
Of course, if Walt had read the fine print in his contract, he might have been not so quick to sign the deal that Charles & Margaret had offered him. For it turned out that — in spite of all the time & effort that he had poured into the creation of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit — Disney didn’t actually own the rights to that character. The Mintzs did. Why is why Charles & Margaret were able to successfully wrestle Oswald away from Walt in 1928.
Mind you, turnabout is fair play. It seems that the Mintzs didn’t read the fine print of the contract that they’d signed with Universal. And — when it came right down to it — Charles & Margaret didn’t own the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit either. Universal Studios did.
Which is why — in 1929 — the Mintzs got squeezed out entirely. With Walter Lantz (who would later become known as the “father” of Universal Studios’ most popular cartoon character, Woody Woodpecker) then taking over as that studio’s in-house supervisor for the “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” shorts.
Anyway … Getting back to Walt now …
Obviously, that was a hard lesson that Walt Disney had to learn back in 1928. That — in order to maintain control over the characters that you create — that you have to make sure that you retain all rights to your creations. But clearly Walt did learn something from the “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” debacle. For Disney made sure to retain all of the rights on the next character that he created: Mickey Mouse.
And the rest of that story … I think you know.
Getting back to “Oswald” now: If you’d really like to see those shorts available for purchase on DVD, Michael, then the people you need to talk with are over at Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Perhaps if someone were to start an on-line petition and gather enough signatures, USHE might eventually consent to making a DVD of these early Walt Disney cartoons available to animation history buffs. Hey, it’s worth a shot …
Before I move onto my next “Why For” question, I think that it’s also worth mentioning that — while the Walt Disney Company doesn’t actually own the rights to the “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” character — that doesn’t stop the Mouse from occassionally paying tribute to the Rabbit. Acknowledging Oswald’s important role in Disney Company history.
Of course, because of all the rights issues involved here, these tributes usually have to be done on the sly. My personal favorite is the mural that’s used to decorate the ceiling area of the studio store. You know, that retail establishment that’s located right on the Disney lot in Burbank?
Anywho … If you look over this mural, you’ll see Mickey & Minnie strolling up Mickey Avenue …
Copyright The Walt Disney Company
… The Three Little Pigs and Daisy Duck helping out with the studio’s prop and costume department (Please note that Mickey arch nemesis, Pete, now seems to be working with Disney Security and making life very difficult for Donald).
Copyright The Walt Disney Company
While over by the studio’s cafeteria, some of the Seven Dwarfs has sitting down for a snack. Pinocchio is going off for a stroll with a pair of the enchanted broom from “Fantasia” (Little wooden boy pals around with little wooden brooms. Makes sense to me). Jose Carioca is chatting with Panchito.
Copyright The Walt Disney Company
But who’s that sharing a park bench with Snow White?
Copyright The Walt Disney Company
You guessed it. It’s Walt Disney’s first cartoon star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Reading the sports page.
Here’s hoping that the folks at Universal are good sports when they learn that there’s an unauthorized image of Oswald on display in Disney’s studio store.
Next up, Richard T. writes in to ask:
Dear Jim,
Please, oh please tell us anything you know about Disney’s decision to release Studio Ghibli’s Pom Poko to the home market in the U.S. I just (unsuspectingly) bought it at Target (it was in the KIDS’ section, by the way) and took it home ready for another magical Ghibli experience.
What I got was two hours of magical transforming raccoon testicles. Literally. That’s what the movie’s about.
What a surreal, hilarious, appetite-killing experience! I’m never gonna watch this film again, but I’m definitely keeping it for the sheer collector value. I mean, it’s got Disney’s name on the cover…it starts with a preview of Cinderella…and then…WHAM!
Okay, as you probably know, there’s much more to the story than…pouches. Warring tribes of raccoons make peace and band together to try to stop the devastation of their forest, brought on by the ever-expanding human population. It’s a sad tale, beatifully drawn.
But, within the first coupla minutes, you can’t help but notice that all the male raccoon warriors are drawn anatomically correct. And it’s not long after that an elder takes them aside and demonstrates how they have the power to…um…enlarge and transform…their…um…organic family jewel pouch.
Soon after, they start using these magic scrotums as weapons, attacking the construction workers. And nothing can prepare you for the tragic final battle in which…it literally starts raining Volkswagen-sized…um…
And I don’t even want to try to describe an elder’s final act of having the whole tribe stretch his…uh…and turning it into…er….
Now, I’m a bit of a prude, but I try to be open-minded. There’s an important, sad environmental tale here. But this has got to be the most weird-ass movie I’ve seen since Eraserhead. Chalk up another huge East/West cultural barrier, I guess.
So, I gotta know, did Disney WANT to release this to the U.S. market or is it a contractual obligation tied to the acquisition of the other Ghibli films? I would have loved to be a fly on the wall during corporate discussions on the content. The movie’s rated PG, by the way. No mention of magic scrotums on the box.
What I really missed was a documentary on the U.S. dubbing. I wanna see this cast laughing their heads off and staring in open-mouthed shock!
So, please, Jim, can you enlighten us on any behind-the-scenes info on the release of the strangest film ever to have Disney’s name attached?
Thanks! Keep up the great work!
– Richard
Richard —
Aw, come on. “Pom Poko” isn’t nearly as shocking as you make it out to be here. Okay, sure. The raccoon “pouches” portion of the story is a little bizarre. At least from the western point of view.
But when you get right down to it, the whole raccoons-using-their-testicles-to-attack-construction-workers is a relatively minor portion of the picture. The rest of the film is this rather sad tale about what happens to the native wildlife when man comes into the forest and then levels the animals’ habitat to make room for more housing.
Interestingly enough, Dreamworks currently has a new animated feature in the works — “Over the Hedge” — that features this exact same storyline. It even stars a raccoon. Though — when I saw some work-in-progress footage from that movie earlier this month — I don’t recall R.J. using his “personal area” to frighten away any suburbanites. But — then again — maybe that scene will turn up as an extra feature on the “Over the Hedge” DVD … So who knows …
Anyhow … As for your main question, Richard: “Did Disney WANT to release this (film) to the U.S. market?” … My understanding is yes. You see, all of the other Studio Ghibli titles that Walt Disney Home Entertainment has released (to date) have been pretty solid sellers. Which is why the company also wanted to bring “Pom Poko” to the marketplace too.
Copyright The Walt Disney Company / Studio Ghibli
Of course, Walt Disney Home Entertainment knew that there was some risk involved here. That there would undoubtedly be parents out there who would pick up “Pom Poko” sight unseen, just because the Disney name was on the box. And then these same people would pretend to be outraged because the Mouse had released a DVD where raccoons could magically inflate their scrotums. As if the very sight of such a thing would be enough to permanently scar their children.
So going into this DVD release, WDHE officials knew that that sort of reaction to “Pom Poko” was a very real possibility. But even so, they still went ahead and sent this Studio Ghibli film out into stores uncut (If you feel compelled, insert your own circumcision joke here).
So (forgive me for being somewhat impolite here) but it really took balls on Disney’s part to release a DVD that so prominently features … Well … balls. And while this Isao Takahata film may not be the strongest or most magical thing that Studio Ghibli ever produced, it’s still a pretty entertaining two hours. So if you’re looking for something different to slap in your DVD player, then I recommend that you pick up a copy of this new Walt Disney Home Entertainment release.
Next up, Carl writes in to ask:
After visiting Walt Disney World several times, I recently made my first trip to Disneyland. It was great! It seems like they have pretty much maxed out what the can do in the available space, but a tour bus driver (non-Disney) said that they are acquiring nearby land and plan to build one more theme park and one or two more hotels. Is this true? I never heard about these plans.
Ooh, there’s actually a couple of greats stories out there about that piece of property that that bus driver was referring to. Here. I’ll let Scott Liljenquist of Mouseketrips fill you in on the particulars. Scott?
Thanks, Jim. Hello to Carl, and thanks for the great question. Disneyland, situated on its 116 acres, certainly is more space constrained than Walt Disney World on it 47,000 acres. Space has always been at a premium at the Anaheim resort, and that has caused no end of problems for TDA (Team Disney Anaheim) as they have tried to find ways to move from the original one-park Disneyland to the two-park-plus-entertainment-district Disneyland Resort. Lack of space has necessitated such projects as North America’s largest parking garage, which had to be constructed when the former Disneyland parking lot was converted into Disney’s California Adventure.
One solution to the space problem has long been the strawberry farm located kitty-corner to Disneyland on the opposite corner of Katella and Harbor Boulevards. This property, originally owned by the Fujishige family, has long been sought after by Disney for future expansion.
Unfortunately, Disney did little to develop a friendly relationship with the Fujishige family. Various purchase attempts were made over the years, but mutually agreeable terms could never be reached. However, that didn’t stop Disney from listing the strawberry field in various Disney publications as a “future development site” which served only to further anger the property’s owner. Things got so bad that Carolyn Fujishige sent a not-so-pleasant letter to Disney in June of 1993 which stated, in no uncertain terms, that her family “would never sell [its] property to the Disney Company or to anyone that is affiliated in any way to the Walt Disney Company.”
Apparently Carolyn and her family forgot the old adage to never say never, as they finally gave in after decades of pressure from the Mouse and sold their 52+ acres to the Walt Disney Company in August 1998 for an estimated $90 million. Combined with the 28 acres or so of land adjacent to the old strawberry farms that Disney already owns (it’s currently used as Cast Member parking), a prime location for an additional theme park was finally available for planning and construction.
Copyright Anaheim / Orange County Visitor & Convention BureauBut, as we all know, the strawberry field sits vacant and Cast Members are still parking their cars on some of the most valuable real estate in California. Why For? It all has to do with the last new theme park Disney built on an old parking lot.
Disney’s California Adventure, which consumed the old Disney main parking lot, was, from the outset, considered by the suits at TDA to be a slam-dunk, no-brainer cash generating machine. Why, there was no way that visitors to the California resort wouldn’t flock to the second gate after spending a day or two at Disneyland. Disney was sure that they finally had the beginnings of a multi-day vacation destination similar to that other company property in Florida. Once the tourists flocked to the new Disneyland Resort, and the new resort hotels were filled to overflowing, well, there would be no choice but to build yet another theme park to handle the crowds.
Only it didn’t work out that way.
Disney’s California Adventure, built on an impossibly tight budget and with overly modest standards and objectives, has failed to pull the number of visitors that were originally planned. In fact, various sources report that the park has never, since its opening day, met its expected daily visitor count as it was originally designed. Only since that visitor count goal has been revised drastically downward has the park been able to be considered a “success” of any kind.
Faced with this meager reception to its costly (about $1.4 billion) new theme park, Disney quickly shelved any plans for a third gate. The focus now, according to those inside the company, is on continual and gradual improvements to try and salvage DCA. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the new Block Party Bash, and the upcoming Monsters, Inc.- themed attraction are all a result of this emphasis on improving the overall visitor experience and driving the attendance numbers to more acceptable levels.
So, Carl, that’s the long answer to your question. The short answer is that, although Disney does indeed own the old strawberry field property, and although they would love to put that land to use as a third gate for the Disneyland Resort, there just isn’t any budget right now to do so with all of the emphasis ear-marked for DCA.
As for what is/was/has been planned for the old strawberry fields – I know a guy who knows a whole lot about that subject. Someone who has lots of rumors and inside info on the various concepts that have been batted around at WDI. Maybe we could convince Jim to further enlighten us. Well, after he finishes his Light Magic series, of course. And after he finishes his Star Tours series. And after he finishes his Tower of Terror series. And after…..oh, never mind.
Hey! I am actually working on completing that “Star Tours” series (See the bottom of this article for details). Anyway …
Next up, Buzz Lightbeer writes in to say:
Jim —
My family and I just got back from Disneyland. This was our first trip to the park since “Country Bear Jamboree” got torn out to make room for that new “Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” ride. What a disappointment. To be honest, after hearing all about Tokyo Disneyland’s “Pooh’s Hunny Hunt,” I was expecting something pretty amazing from the Disneyland version of this attraction. But what I got instead was a standard dark ride.
I know Disneyland’s version is basically a clone of Disney World’s “Winnie the Pooh” ride. But why did the Anaheim theme park get the cheapo Orlando version rather than the super-cool Tokyo version? Doesn’t Disneyland deserve E-Ticket rides anymore?
Love the site. Keep up the good work.
Buzz Lightbeer
Dear Buzz —
Well, here’s the thing. The Imagineers actually did want to bring “Pooh’s Hunny Hunt” to Disneyland. But Paul Pressler, the then-President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, vetoed WDI’s proposal. Opting instead to put a clone of the more affordable Orlando version into the Anaheim theme park.
Don’t believe me? okay. Then let’s take a look at Bruce Gordon & Jeff Kurtii’s “The Art of Disneyland” book. Which features early concept art for a number of rides, shows and attractions that have been constructed at the Anaheim theme park over the past 50 years. Below, you’ll find an early presentation image for Disneyland’s “Winnie the Pooh” ride. (“How early?,” you ask. The book lists this painting as being created back in 1998. Which means that the Imagineers were talking about putting a “Pooh” attraction into Disneyland before WDW’s “Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” ride even opened at the Magic Kingdom back in June of 1999).
Copyright The Walt Disney Company
“Big deal,” you say. “I see an attraction just like the one that was eventually built at Disneyland. It’s in the same location. It seems to feature some of the same show scenes. What’s so significant about this concept painting?”
Well, as they say, the devil’s in the details. If you look at this close-up of the painting …
Copyright The Walt Disney Company
And this close-up …
Copyright The Walt Disney Company
You’ll notice that the Disneyland version of this attraction doesn’t have the exact same vehicles that the WDW version has. Or even the “bee-hicles” that the Anaheim version of “Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” eventually ended up with. But — rather — the hunny pots that guests ride in as they do through Tokyo Disneyland’s “Pooh’s Hunny Hunt” ride.
So you see what I’m saying here, folks. The Imagineers tried to get “Pooh’s Hunny Hunt” built at Disneyland. Only to have Pressler shoot that idea down. Insisting that this E-Ticket be trimmed back to a more affordable (and much less exciting) C-Ticket.
The end result is … Disneyland is now stuck with a virtually brand new attraction that is already a walk-on. People just aren’t all that excited about a plain vanilla version of a “Winnie the Pooh” dark ride. Which is why they no longer hustle all the way out to Critter Country in order to get on line for “Many Adventures.”
Would Disneyland guests have still been excited if the Imagineers had built “Pooh’s Hunny Hunt” instead? An attraction that featured a state-of-the-art ride system, full blown AA figures as well as elaborate special effects? To be honest, it’s hard to say. But I can’t help but think that that sort of attraction would have be a lot more appealing to tourists than what Disneyland actually ended up with.
And speaking of “appealing to tourists,” our last question this week comes from Soshanna C. Who writes in to say:
Jim —
I just received the September issue of Arthur Frommer’s “Budget Travel” magazine in the mail. And I noticed that the cover mentions an article where “Two ‘Disney Dweebs’ spill their juiciest secrets.” Since I only know of one person on the planet (You!) who calls people “Disney Dweebs,” I quickly opened up the issue and found your & David Koenig’s article.
Congratulations! I really enjoyed that story and hope that it will be the first of many that you write for “Budget Travel.” Though I have to wonder why you haven’t yet told JHM readers about your appearance in this pretty prestigious publication. Are you embarassed by the article for some reason?
Just wondering,
Soshanna
Dear Soshanna
The reason that I haven’t mentioned the Frommer’s article (’til now, anyway) is that … Well … I’m not actually embarassed by the article. It’s more like I’m shy.
Look, I know. It seems somewhat bizarre that a guy whose website prominently features his own name is somewhat reluctant when it comes to self-promotion. But the fact of the matter is that I’m really kind of a goon when it comes to stuff like this.
I mean, it always feels like I’m bragging if I say something on the site like “Hey, I’m in ‘Budget Travel’ this month” or “I just wrote a new set of ‘Behind the Scenes with Jim Hill’ inserts for the 2006 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.” Which is why I tend to keep my mouth shut about my outside gigs.
I figure that people come to JHM not to hear me boast about what newspaper I’ve just been interviewed by and/or what documentary I’ll soon be appearing in. The way I see it, people come to this website for stories. Not stories about me, mind you. But stories about the Walt Disney Company, films that they’re working on, attractions that they almost built, interesting bits of history, etc. You get the idea, right?
Which is why I try and keep the self promotion stuff to a minimum around here. Though — what with that JHM unauthorized Disneyland history CD finally going on sale next month — I imagine that Cory & Nancy will want me to start doing some promotion for that product soon. Hopefully though we’ll be able to keep that from getting too obnoxious.
Anyway … I’m glad to hear that you like that “Budget Travel” article, Soshonna. Though — truth be told — I think that David Koenig did a much better job with his Disneyland story than I did with my Disney World piece. But hey, what are you gonna do?
Well, what I hope you folks are gonna do is have a great weekend. But be sure and come back on Monday for the start of a week-long look back at Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration. And — if you’re lucky — who knows? Maybe a new installment of my long overdue “Star Tours” series. Or two. Or possibly even three.
That’s it for today. Talk to you later, okay?
jrh
General
Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jim-hill-media-featured-1200x675-1.png)
Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.
Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.
Photo by Jim Hill
Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.
Photo by Jim Hill
Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…
Photo by Jim Hill
… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).
Photo by Jim Hill
But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.
Photo by Jim Hill
And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.
Photo by Jim Hill
Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …
Photo by Jim Hill
… the postman delivering the mail …
Photo by Jim Hill
… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …
Photo by Jim Hill
Photo by Jim Hill
… the street musician playing for tourists …
Photo by Jim Hill
Not to mention the tourists themselves.
Photo by Jim Hill
But right alongside the bronze businessmen …
Photo by Jim Hill
… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …
Photo by Jim Hill
… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …
Photo by Jim Hill
… or — for that matter — out-of-time.
Photo by Jim Hill
These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.
Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill
Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"
Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …
Photo by Jim Hill
… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …
Photo by Jim Hill
… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."
Photo by Jim Hill
But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.
Photo by Jim Hill
By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).
Photo by Jim Hill
By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.
General
Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jim-hill-media-featured-1200x675-1.png)
Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.
Photo by Jim Hill
I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.
Photo by Jim Hill
Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.
Photo by Jim Hill
Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.
Photo by Jim Hill
And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.
Photo by Jim Hill
Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.
Photo by Jim Hill
That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.
Photo by Jim Hill
And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.
Photo by Jim Hill
Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.
Photo by Jim Hill
I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.
Photo by Jim Hill
I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.
Photo by Jim Hill
Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.
Photo by Jim Hill
Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."
Photo by Jim Hill
Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.
Photo by Jim Hill
And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.
Photo by Jim Hill
"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.
Photo by Jim Hill
I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.
Photo by Jim Hill
And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.
Photo by Jim Hill
And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."
Photo by Jim Hill
And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."
Photo by Jim Hill
One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.
Photo by Jim Hill
Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.
Your thoughts?
General
It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse
![](https://jimhillmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/jim-hill-media-featured-1200x675-1.png)
You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?
Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved
Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights
reserved
Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.
Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved
Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.
"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"
Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.
Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."
But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."
And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.
Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."
So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?
Copyright Lucasfilm / Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."
This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015
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