General

Disney Deja View: Sorting out the sequels II

JHM guest columnist Dan Weckerly continues his multi-part series on the various film series that Walt Disney Studios has produced over the years.

Published

19 years ago

October 20, 2005

Jim Hill

By the 1960s, as the Disney Studios learned well that, despite founder Walt’s original hesitance to repeat himself, thar was money in them thar box office revisits. For instance, 1961 became a watershed year in terms of fodder for future sequels and remakes.

A No Brainerd

“The Absent Minded Professor” (1961) was one of the results, a screwball setup wherein a university science teacher accidentally invents an elastic goo with amazing powers, including zero-gravity. Through the course of this 97-minute romp, Ned Brainerd fixes a basketball game, thwarts a plot to steal his formula, derails a plot to steal his *girl,* and advises the U.S. military on his new secret weapon. All in glorious black-and-white.

The comedic possibilities were just too ripe, so in 1963, “Son of Flubber” hit the screens. This time, Professor Brainerd deals with Flubber derivatives, including the glass-shattering notion of “dry rain.” But once again, financial disaster looms at the hands of the greedy Alonzo Hawk (Keenan Wynn, who is paired with his flustering dad, Ed Wynn), and a rigged football game substitutes for the hoops in the original.

Technology advancing as it did, Disney saw fit to remake the original “Absent Minded Professor” in 1997, titling it “Flubber.” Robin Williams took over for MacMurray, with a new first name, Philip versus Ned. He also got a cutesy sidekick, a flying personal assistant named Weebo. Weebo, looking like one of those little aliens from “*batteries not included,” is voiced by Jodi Benson, whose pipes brought Ariel to life in “The Little Mermaid.”

There are missed weddings, a flying red convertible, and a Flubberized sports here, too, as well as a number of inept burglar gags. Flubberbabies also dance a Mambo and perform Busby Berkeley moves. All that and a fart joke.

Seeing Double… and Triple

1961 also brought forth “The Parent Trap,” an eye-popping variation of “The Prisoner of Zenda,” this time with identical twins (a double-shot of Hayley Mills) swapping places to get their divorcing parents back together. There’s comedy and heart (and a terrific stop-animation title sequence), and although the pacing flags just a little in the second act, it’s a gem.

The small screen saw “The Parent Trap II” in 1986. Sharon has divorced, and her daughter Nikki (and sister

Susan) plot to repair her love life. Eagle-eyed Disneyphiles will get some of the inside jokes that revolve around character names (Nikki, Mary, Walter and Lillian Elias), but other than that, this TV sequel is more fondly remembered by the girls who were preteens when they saw it on The Wonderful World of Disney.

It did spawn yet two more outings with Sharon and Susan in 1989: “The Parent Trap III” and “Parent Trap IV: Hawaiian Honeymoon.” There are triplets now involved, but more meddling over parents marrying the “wrong” person. In Hawaii, the plot echoes Disney’s “Snowball Express,” with everyone trying to keep an aging resort afloat.

Although “PTII” is fun to see the still-gorgeous Hayley Mills in action, as the concept wore on, it definitely petered out.

The *original* “Parent Trap” was then given a complete theatrical overhaul in 1998, with Lindsay Lohan replacing Hayley Mills. She juggles conflicting accents well, but the charm and innocence of the original aren’t quite there. In a nod to the 1961 cast, Joanna Barnes plays her own mother (Barnes played Vicki in the original, and Meredith’s mother, Vicki again, in the sequel).

Dots a Lotta Dogs

One more Disney release from 1961 supported a virtual assembly line of sequels: “101 Dalmatians.” Based on a novel by Dodie Smith, this is one of Disney’s most enjoyable animated features of the 1960s, a clever spy-escape story with a passel of pups and one of the most vicious villains to ever grace the screen, Cruella De Vil.

Disney dipped into the doggie dish again to launch a live-action version in 1996, shortening the title to a better-marquee-fitting “101 Dalmatians.” Cruella was embodied by Glenn Close, who comes pretty close to her cartoon inspiration in both vocal delivery and physical shtick. The live action version juiced up the “Home-Alone”-style violence and misses opportunities like the original’s clever Twilight Bark, but all is well in the end.

The animated feature produced a live-action remake, which then produced a live-action *sequel* in “102 Dalmatians” (2000). Cruella is released from prison, but her 12-step canine addition program was a few installments short. Before long, she’s lusting after spotted fur once more. She is aided by Monsieur le Pelt, played by Gerard Depardieu in a god-awful mullet. The law of diminishing returns is definitely in effect.

So the thought became to return to the 1961 animated movie and make a sequel to *that.* Hence 2003’s direct-to-video “101 Dalmatians II: Patch’s London Adventure.” Patch, the TV-addicted dal from the original, goes off to London to help his hero, Thunderbolt. Cruella, Jasper, and Horace still want puppy fur, so they tail along, blah-de-blah. The under-10 set, who can identify with the desire to be 1 dog, not 1 of 101, seem to accept this Saturday-morning TV-style animation and color-by-numbers scripting best.

SPCA Meets AAA

“The Incredible Journey” (1963) is a beautifully filmed animal adventure in which a Siamese cat (Tao), a Bull Terrier (Blodger), and Yellow Labrador Retriever (Luath) traverse 200 miles of wilderness to return to their family. The film, based on Sheila Burnford’s novel, follows the pets as they face predators and perils, with Disney staple Rex Allen providing a warm, homespun narration.

In “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” (1993), the original story is remade and updated. There’s no narration — and even the pets’ names have been changed: dogs Chance and Shadow, and kitty Sassy. They speak for themselves (thankfully with no “Babe”-like mouth manipulations) in the voices of Michael J. Fox, Don Ameche, and Sally Field, respectively. The emphasis is more on one-liners, ad libs, and slapstick, but the movie finds the right amount of heart to be effective.

“Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco” (1996) stretches the original concept to the breaking point. The family is going on vacation to Canada and loses the pets in the airport, stranding them in the City by the Bay. Will someone please advise this family of the value of microchipping their pets? Chance, Shadow, and Sassy continue cracking wise and (barely) avoiding trouble. There’s also a romance thrown in for Chance. And, Shadow now sounds like Pa Walton, with good reason: Don Ameche’s passing opened the role to Ralph Waite.

Jonesin’

“The Misadventures of Merlin Jones” was conceived for the Disney television show, where Walt figures a series starring Tommy Kirk as sort of a Ned Brainerd Jr. would work nicely. A number of comedic vignettes were developed, but in the process, the decision was made to string ’em together and release them as a feature film. “MOMJ” came out in 1964 and although critics were unimpressed with Tommy Kirk’s abilities to read minds and engage in hypnotism, kiddy audiences lapped it up. The beautiful Annette Funicello didn’t hurt things, either.

The following year, the formula was re-mixed and re-served in “The Monkey’s Uncle.” Merlin tries his hand at sleep-learning and man-powered flight, to big laughs.

Neither of these movies, in the vein of the “Crockett” films, escapes their TV look and feel. “The Monkey’s Uncle” gains a slight edge for its deeper visual humor. The very notion of man-powered flight contains more gags, and the movie plays these to the hilt (including a funny dream sequence). It also has the advantage of a boppy title tune by the Beach Boys.

Darn It!

“That Darn Cat” (1965) involved a more grown-up Hayley in a bank-robbing/kidnapping plot, when her feline, DC, arrives home with a wristwatch mysteriously around the neck. The FBI is brought in, and dual romances evolve, as sisters Ingrid (Dorothy Provine) and Patti (Mills) get involved with men (Dean Jones’ cat-allergic Agent Kelso and Tom Lowell’s surfer-dude Canoe). Nosy neighbors provide comic relief.

Remade in 1997, “That Darn Cat” retained the original plot elements but scrambled the details. There’s a cat and a kidnapping and a message scratched into a collar, but the laughs are gone. Christina Ricci takes over for Hayley Mills, and Agent Kelso is now the grossly unfunny Doug E. Doug. Not even a cameo by the original Kelso, Dean Jones, can save this dog of a cat movie.

Herbie!

March 13, 1969 saw the beginning of what was to become one of the most prolific franchises the Studio ever saw, with the release of “The Love Bug.” The tale of the scrappy Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own, the washed-up racecar driver who finds it/him (Dean Jones), his wacky mechanic (Buddy Hackett), a dark villain (David Tomlinson), and the girl (Michele Lee) caught audiences’ fancies and drove off with significant box office returns. “The Love Bug” out-earned numerous notable films of that year, including “Midnight Cowboy,” “True Grit,” and “Easy Rider.”

The studios revved up the first sequel in 1974 with “Herbie Rides Again.” None of the original cast returns, which caused this movie to sag like a leaky tire. Still, the film — with Ken Berry, the venerable Helen Hayes (who plays Tennessee Steinmetz’ aunt!), and Stephanie Powers — is enjoyable enough, thanks again to some great stunt work and camera tricks from director Robert Stevenson.

Dean Jones returned as racer Jim Douglas in 1977’s “Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo,” but mechanic Tennessee is apparently still on that mountaintop, nursing his guru. Replacing him as both grease monkey and comic relief is Don Knotts. At stake is the purse for a Paris-to-Monte Carlo race. The villains this time are a pair of British jewel thieves who hide a gem in the Beetle’s gas tank. Herb also has a love interest. It all starts to feel like so much retread.

In “Herbie Goes Bananas” (1980), the anthropomorphic car becomes the property of Jim’s nephew, Pete (Steven W. Burns). Pete and his friend Dave (Charles Martin Smith) go south of the border to pick him up and get involved with an orphan boy on the lam. They all go shipboard, where Herbie predictably creates havoc, and another race is needed to make everything right.

The needle in the Herbie franchise was beginning to hover around E at this point.

In March of 1982, Herbie crossed over from the big screen to the small, as CBS green-lighted a weekly sitcom with the car. Jim Douglas has retired from racing and holds Herbie’s registration card once again. Herb thwarts a bank robbery, rescues the pretty captive (played by Claudia Wells), and arranges a marriage. Jim runs a driving school and supplements his income teaching drivers’ ed at a local high school. The series lasted exactly five episodes and was cancelled in April 1982.

Herbie was revived again in 1997, this time in a TV movie that went back to the original title “The Love Bug.” Hank Cooper (Bruce Campbell) wins the Volkswagen in a lottery, and soon learns of his quirky talents and madcap capabilities. Evil Simon Moore III (John Hannah) let the car slip through his fingers inadvertently, and so, out of revenge, creates a black anti-Herbie Beetle. About the only thing this TV remake has going for it is a brief appearance by Jones, one more time as Jim Douglas.

Disney recognized finally that Herbie deserved a rest, so for the next eight years, he was garaged. In 2005, amid much trumpeting (and press reports on bad-girl behavior from Lindsay Lohan), “Herbie: Fully Loaded,” roared out of the studio lot.

Herbie is languishing away at a junkyard but “chooses” Maggie (Lindsay Lohan), a plucky 20-something whose family — imagine! — is into racing. Dad (a grizzled Michael Keaton) was good years back, but there’s some sort of family curse going on, affecting both him and his wanna-race son, Ray Jr. (Brecklin Meyer). Villain this time is a slick racecar driver with Whitestripped sharky teeth, played by Matt Dillon. Mechanic/comic/love interest (!) is Kevin (Justin Long).

The 2005 edition makes much more use of CGI effects to give Herbie his personality, and he’s never been more animated. He blinks. He winks. He smiles and frowns with his bumper. He lusts. He pants. He shakes like a dog. In fact, “Herbie: Fully Loaded” plays like a live-action version of “Speed Buggy” (sputtering voice of Mel Blanc), the Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the 1970s, which is ironic, considering “Speed Buggy” ripped off “The Love Bug” in the first place.

But best of all, Herbie races. And as he’s done five times hence, he comes through in the — excuse the expression — clutch.

Next up: The Disney live-action movies of the 1970s-1980s and their sequels.

General

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

Published

9 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

9 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

9 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