General

Did Stan, Kyle and Cartman really save “Raiders of the Lost Ark”?

Hey, you “Indiana Jones” fans. Before you rush on out to buy that Indy 4-disc DVD set (which goes on sale today), why don’t you offer up a little thanks to the guys who supposedly kept Steve Spielberg and George Lucas from digitally altering “Raiders”: “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

Published

21 years ago

October 20, 2003

Jim Hill

Okay. Quick show of hands here: How many of you actually like the new improved version of “The Lion King” that made its DVD debut earlier this month? Particularly that Jeese-I-thought-that-this-was-a-lousy-song-in-the-Broadway-show-but-it’s-even-worse-now new musical number, “The Morning Report”?

For the life of me, I can not understand why – these days – certain movie makers feel that they MUST revisit their earlier films and make unnecessary changes and additions. In Disney’s case, this usually involves reanimating various sequences that supposedly weren’t up to snuff but actually contain some questionable content that the Mouse wants quietly excised. Or folding in a new song – with the hope that this move will be enough to convince people who already own this particular picture on video to now spring for the DVD.

But – in this one particular instance — I have to acknowledge that the Walt Disney Company is NOT the worst offender here. For – if we’re really going to talk about the two people who have made the most unnecessary changes to their own motion pictures – then we have to turn our attentions to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

Arguably, these two gentlemen have directed and/or produced some of the greatest popcorn flicks of the late 1970s and early 1980s. “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Films that were perfect pieces of entertainment – just the way they were.

But then — with the advent of digital filmmaking – Lucas and Spielberg suddenly decided that perfection could be improved upon. Which is why these two once-brilliant filmmakers opted to such lame-brain changes to their earlier films. Like as having Greedo shoot first in “Star Wars IV: A New Hope” and replacing all the federal agents’ rifles with walkie-talkies in “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.”

That’s why (me personally) I was dreading the release of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” on DVD. The very thought of what George and Steven might do to “improve” one of my favorite films just sickened me. Why for? Because I didn’t want a new, improved Indy. I liked “Raiders” just the way it was.

So – through friends at Skywalker Ranch — I had been keeping track of the “Raiders” redo. What sequences were supposedly slated for improvements, etc. And – based on what I’d been hearing from folks deep inside ILM – this project really was a go for Fall 2002. With the new, enhanced version of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” scheduled to make its debut on DVD in the Fall of 2003.

But then … late in the Summer of 2002, Lucas and Spielberg abruptly changed their minds. The word now was that the DVD version of “Raiders” would have no improvements made to it whatsoever. Other than cleaning up the print, rebalancing the color and remixing the sound, the film that we’d watch on our home entertainment center would be the exact same movie that we’d all seen in theaters back in June 1981.

What supposedly caused George and Steven to change their minds? Two words: “South Park.”

As strange as this may sound, but – allegedly – it was “Free Hat,” a particularly brutal episode of this animated Comedy Central TV series (which originally aired on July 10, 2002) that supposedly made Spielberg and Lucas have second thoughts about adding any digital enhancements to “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

What was it exactly about this one episode that reportedly made George and Steve cancel the “Raiders” redo project? Funny you should ask …

“Free Hat” opens with Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Tweak seated in South Park’s cinema, the Bijou. A preview is unspooling as an off-screen announcer is heard to say:

“Coming this summer. It’s the classic film that changed America. “E.T.: The Extraterrestrial,” the new, redone version for 2002. All the E.T. effects have been digitally upgraded. All the guns have been digitally changed to walkie-talkies. And the word ‘terrorist’ has been changed to ‘hippie.’ “

Stan complains, saying “Aw, dude, why would they do that?” Cartman concurs, given that “… hippies and terrorists are the same thing.” Kyle corrects Cartman, explaining that the real reason that “… they changed ‘terrorist’ to ‘hippie’ to make ‘E.T.’ more P.C.” Which – to Stan’s way of thinking – is “Gay.”

But then another trailer appears on the screen, as the off-screen announcer dramatically proclaims:

“Coming this summer! It’s the motion picture that changed America. “Saving Private Ryan,” the re-release. Where the word ‘Nazi’ has been changed to ‘Persons with Political Differences,’ and all their guns have been replaced by walkie-talkies.”

And – sure enough – up on the Bijou’s big screen is a scene from the revamped “Saving Private Ryan.” The Landing at Normandy in all its bloody glory. Only – in this version – all of the soldiers are carrying walkie-talkies instead of guns.

Stan continues to complain, saying “Why the hell do these directors keep updating their movies?” But then the previews are over and the main feature is about to begin. As the house lights dim, the off-screen announcer is heard for one final time:

“And now for our feature presentation: the classic re-re-re-release of ‘Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.’ In this version, the word ‘Wookie’ has been changed to ‘Hair Challenged Animal” and the entire cast has been digitally replaced by Ewoks.”

Upon hearing this, Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Tweek are furious. The boys exit the theater and immediately demand their money back. Only to be told by the Bijou’s manager that they’re out of luck.

As the boys walk away from the theater, Kyle starts complaining.”Why don’t they leave those movies alone?” he says. “We liked them the way they were.” Tweek chimes in with a somewhat deep thought: “Don’t you see what this means? All our favorite movies are going to be changed, and updated, until we can’t even recognize them anymore.”

Stan decides to take a stand. He says that “It isn’t fair for those a**hole directors to keep changing their movies and making them different! Movies are art, and art shouldn’t be modified!” Which is why he proposes starting a club that will protect classic films from their directors. So that these movies can’t be messed with.

Of course, given the way the world operates in the “South Park” universe, the boys soon find themselves on “Nightline” with Ted Koppel. With Kyle saying things like “We believe that films have to be taken away from people like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas because they’re insane.”

Which – of course – is the cue for Spielberg and Lucas to suddenly pop on the program. The animated version of Steve offers a spirited defense of his decision to alter “E.T.,” insisting that “… all we’re doing is trying to reach a new audience with our movies. As the makers of dreams, we like to speak for the children.” Kyle then chimes in: “Ah, I thought that we were speaking for the children.” With Cartman backing him up by saying: “Yeah, we’re children.”

Angered by Cartman’s comments, Spielberg sputters: “You little brat!” Quickly regaining his composure, the animated version of the Academy Award winning director continues his defense. “You darling children don’t know what you’re talking about. Changing ‘E.T.’ was the best thing I ever did.” Kyle tries to reason with Steven: “Dude, don’t you see that it’s not? It’d be like changing ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’!”

Spielberg and Lucas both immediately spark to Kyle’s comment. “Wait a minute,” says Steven. “What’d you say?” George chimes in: “That’s brilliant!” Spielberg continues: “Yes. Change ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’! Why didn’t we think of it before?!” Kyle – immediately regretting that he ever made this suggestion – screams “Noooo!”

Of course, now that Spielberg and Lucas have decided to digitally alter “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” it’s up to Kyle, Stan, Cartman and Tweek to save the day. And the only way to do this is to break into Skywalker Ranch and steal the original negative of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

It’s in this sequence that “South Park”‘s writers really being pouring on the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” references. After the boys are caught in Skywalker Ranch’s film library, Kyle appeals directly to George – using dialogue that was lifted straight from “Return of the Jedi.”

Kyle: It’s not too late to do what’s right. Give us the print. There’s still some good in you, Mr. Lucas. We know there is.

George Lucas: (Hanging his head in shame and turning away) It is too late for me, boys.

Kyle tries to lure Lucas back from the Dark Side, so to speak. He reminds George that “You yourself led the campaign against the colorization of films. You understand why films shouldn’t be changed.” Lucas counters with “Well, that’s different. These are my movies. I made them, and I have the right to do whatever I want with them.”

That’s when Stan steps forward and – speaking for film fans everywhere – says: “You’re wrong, Mr. Lucas. They’re not your movies. They’re ours. All of ours. We paid to go see them, and they’re just as much a part of our lives as they are of yours.”

Kyle then chimes in: “When an artist creates, whatever they create belongs to society.” Lucas – clearly wavering under the power of the boys’ argument — says: “Have I become so old that I’ve forgotten what being an artist is about?”

Seeing his chance, Stan says “Give the print to us so that we can protect it from Spielberg and anyone else who wants to alter it.” Lucas – as he starts to hand the boys the “Raiders” original negative – states “Perhaps… you are right.”

But — just as Stan is about to claim the can of film from George – a door bangs open and someone cries “Stop!” It’s Steven Spielberg, accompanied by three walkie-talkie toting goons. Spielberg convinces Lucas to give him the “Raiders” negative by muttering darkly “Don’t forget: You belong to me.” After telling the boys that “I’m sorry,” George gives the film can to Steven.

Cackling wildly, Spielberg tells his guards: “Now take the children prisoner! You troublemakers shall be my guests of honor at the premiere of the NEW ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’!” The boys try to elude the goons, but only Tweek is actually able to escape.

A few moments later, in a scene that’s lifted directly out of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Spielberg is leading a group of people through a desert canyon on their way to the premiere of the revamped version of the movie. Just as they did in the original film, four litter-bearers are carrying a large packing case on two poles. But – instead of containing the Ark of the Covenant – this box contains the “Final Print – Raiders of the Lost Ark – 2002.”

Steve, George and their old friend Francis Ford Coppola (Who is also infamous for reworking his own earlier films. Witness “The Godfather Saga” as well “Apocalypse Now Redux”) are leading the three goons as well as Stan, Kyle and Cartman (who have their hands tied behind their backs). It’s just then that Tweek appears on a nearby hillside. And – just like Indy did in the original film – the freaked-out fourth grader is packing a bazooka.

In a beautiful little twist to the story, the Steven Spielberg character in “Free Hat” now starts acting like the villainous Belloq from “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Fanning himself with his hat, Spielberg says: “Your persistence surprises even me.” Also stepping in another character from the movie (I.E. the sadistic Nazi), Coppola states: “Surely you don’t think you can escape from this premiere.” Tweek – in Indiana Jones mode – says: “That depends on how reasonable we’re all willing to be. All I want are my friends.”

This sequence in this episode of “South Park” is a film geek’s dream. A beat-for-beat riff on the similar scene in “Raider of the Lost Ark.” The sequence reaches its satirical apex when Spielberg – again channeling for Belloq – challenges Tweek to “… Blow (the box) back to God. All your life has been the pursuit of seeing a great film! This new version of ‘Raiders’ has digital effects beyond your wildest dreams! You want to see it screened just as much as I. Son, we are simply passing through history. This is improved history.”

In the end, Tweek can’t bring himself to blow up the new, improved version of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Which is why he eventually finds himself tied up in the theater, along with Kyle, Stan and Cartman. As the premiere begins, Stan (Just as Indy warned Marian) warns his friends: “Close your eyes … Don’t watch the movie, you guys. It’ll be terrible. Close your eyes!”

And – as it turns out – Stan is right. The digital enhanced version of “Raiders” really is terrible. So horrible that (in another great life from the original film) it causes Lucas and Coppola’s faces to melt and Spielberg’s head to explode. The revamped version of the film also manages to kill everyone else who’s attending the premiere.

Everyone except Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Tweek. Who – after everything goes quiet – open their eyes again and survey the carnage.

Stunned by the devastation that they’re seeing, Cartman pretty much sums it up for everyone by saying: “Man, that new version must have sucked b*lls.”

This was – without a doubt – one of the strongest, meanest and funniest episodes of “South Park” ever produced. By that I mean: Spielberg, Lucas and Coppola had been teased before. By other TV shows, comics and comedians, even “Mad” magazine. But never before had this trio of supposedly revered filmmakers been so brutally filleted.

For days afterward, it was all that people in Hollywood could talk about: “Did you see this week’s episode of ‘South Park’? Man, they totally trashed George and Steven. Made them both look like greedy idiots.”

And Lucas and Spielberg didn’t like being thought of as greedy idiots. Being the subject of this much ridicule really didn’t appeal to these two filmmakers. Which is why George and Steve supposedly began talking about whether it was actually wise to go forward with the redo of “Raiders.” To leave themselves open to this sort of criticism.

Mind you, Lucas and Spielberg wouldn’t ever admit that this particular episode of “South Park” was what eventually persuaded them to leave “Raiders of the Lost Ark” alone. If anything. George and Steve made an elaborate public show out of shrugging that particular program. Insisting that – yes – they got the joke. That they were both honored and very flattered to be the subjects of such ripe satire on Comedy Central’s No. 1 program.

Spielberg even went so far as to send a letter to Trey Parker and Matt Stone, thanking them for including him in their show. Matt described Steve’s note as being almost schizophremic. “The nicest, nastiest letter I’ve ever gotten.”

But – seriously, folks – can it really be a coincidence that – just weeks after “Free Hat” originally aired on Comedy Central – Spielberg and Lucas opted not to go forward with production of a digitally enhanced version of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”?

Matt and Trey certainly don’t think so. They seem almost gleeful in their recent appearance on the VH1 TV special, “VH1 Goes Inside South Park,” when Stone and Parker claim that they’re the ones who actually got the “Raiders” redo cancelled.

If you’d like to hear this story in Matt and Trey’s own words, VH1 will be re-airing this particular program a few more times over the next few weeks. In fact, today “VH1 Goes Inside South Park” is airing twice: Once starting at 1 p.m. (12 Noon Central Time) and again at 11:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m. Central Time).

There will also be additional repeats of this VH1 special on Wednesday, November 5th (11:30 p.m. / 10:30 p.m. Central Time), Thursday, November 6th (6 p.m. / 5 p.m. Central Time) and Sunday, November 16th (1 p.m. / 12 Noon Central Time).

So – those of you who are sitting down tonight to watch that all four discs of your newly purchased collector’s edition of the “Indiana Jones” DVD and are thrilled to find that “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is just as you remember it (with no appearances by a CG Jabba the Hutt or unexpected celebrations on Coruscant) – please keep in mind that you have Stan, Kyle, Cartman and especially Tweek to thank.

It’s pretty amazing what a cartoon character can accomplish, don’t you think?

Your thoughts?

General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

10 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

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

… 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

Published

10 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

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

Published

10 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.' "

"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.

"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.

"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.

"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.

"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?

"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