General
Scrooge U: Part XXXV — How “A Carol Christmas” kick-started William Shatner’s career
Jim Hill continues his look at many of the adaptations of Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale. In today's installment, Jim talks about how a Hallmark Channel version of "A Christmas Carol" eventually led to Captain Kirk being cast as Denny Crane
Are you a fan of William Shatner's Emmy Award-winning work on ABC's "Boston Legal"? If so, then you should be aware that one of the main reasons that William was cast as daffy Denny Crane was because "The Practice" creator David E. Kelley supposedly caught Shatner's performance as the Ghost of Christmas Present in "A Carol Christmas."
Copyright 2005 Goodtimes Entertainment
Strange but true, folks. This is the story that sorry-can't-reveal-my-source-on-this-one once told me about how William Shatner allegedly won the part of that Mad-Cow-Disease-stricken attorney. Late in 2003, Kelley had learned that the Hallmark Channel was putting together a new TV movie version of Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale, "A Christmas Carol." Only this time around, the role of Ebenezer Scrooge was going to be played by Tori Spelling.
This Hallmark holiday special — to David E.'s way of thinking, anyway — reportedly sounded like it had the makings of some spectacularly bad television. I mean, "Empty Nest" 's Dinah Manoff playing the Jacob Marley part, "Diff'rent Strokes" star Gary Coleman as the Ghost of Christmas Past, the spokesman for Priceline.com as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Aaron Spelling's baby girl as Dickens' memorable miser? The casting alone made "A Carol Christmas" sound like it was going to be the TV equivalent of a train wreck.
So Kelley supposedly tuned in when this Matthew Irmas TV movie initially aired on the Hallmark Channel back on December 7, 2003. And much to David E.'s surprise, this veteran television producer allegedly found that there was a lot to like about "A Carol Christmas."
Copyright 2005 Goodtimes Entertainment
Of course, the fact that this satiric take on "A Christmas Carol" (Which reimagines Ebenezer Scrooge as Carol Cartman, the selfish hostess of a highly successful syndicated television talk show) even works at all … Well, writer Tom Amundsen deserves the lion's share of the credit for that. Given that he's the one who got the balance of elements just right here. Piling on the Hollywood in-jokes (So that this program would then appeal to the cynics in the crowd) while — at the same time — retaining just enough of the style & structure of Dickens' original holiday story that this TV movie still manages to tug at your heart strings.
As "A Carol Christmas" gets underway, Ms. Cartman's talk show is just hours away from a special live Christmas Eve broadcast. And Carol is being a b-i-t-c-h. She's running her crew ragged, sparring with Hal, (Holmes Osborne) the program's producer. This self-centered TV hostess is even abusing her loyal assistant, Roberta Timmons (Nina Siesmaszko). Sending this poor woman back to the malls on December 24th to do even more of Carol's holiday shopping. When all Roberta really wants to do is spend a quiet Christmas Eve at home with her daughter, Lily (Holliston Coleman).
But all that matters to Ms. Cartman is … Well … Ms. Cartman. Which is why Carol is really surprised after she leaves specific orders to not be awaken from her pre-show nap 'til 3 p.m. Only to find her slumber disturbed by her late Aunt Marla (Dinah Manoff).
Copyright 2005 Goodtimes Entertainment
Now given that her long-dead aunt is the one who taught Ms. Cartman everything she knows about how to treat people (EX: "Always keep your production staff waiting. It makes them realize how important you are"), Carol is somewhat shocked to hear Marla say "I was wrong." Because of all of the misery & ill-will that she caused during her time on Earth, Aunt Marla is now doomed to wander forever. Dragging her (admittedly stylish) gold chains behind her.
Anyway, Marla is there because there's still a chance to save poor self-centered Carol. And after warning her niece about the three holiday spirits who will soon be arriving, Aunt Marla disappears. Ms. Cartman … Well, she's quick to dismiss what she's just experienced as a hallucination. With Carol wondering aloud what Roberta put in her tea.
With that, Ms. Cartman tries to resume her pre-show nap, only to be disturbed by the Ghost of Christmas Past. Who Carol recognizes as the star of that old 1980s sitcom, "Little Pete."
Anyway, Gary takes Carol on a quick tour of her childhood. Which was far from idyllic, given that Aunt Marla was always push-push-pushing her to become a star. Doing everything that she could to put Ms. Cartman in the spotlight. Whether it be hectoring Carol's third grade teacher until her niece was finally given the lead in the school's Christmas pageant to deliberately sabotaging Carol's budding relationship with kind-hearted John Joyce (Jason Brooks). Who — though he only had a low-paying job working with Hollywood's homeless — still had planned on asking Ms. Cartman to marry him. Until — of course — Aunt Marla broke them up.
Copyright 2005 Goodtimes Entertainment
One particularly eye-opening moment comes when Carol & Gary find themselves in the back of a limousine. Where these two observe Aunt Marla cutting a secret deal with Hal, the producer of Ms. Cartman's talk show. Which involves slowly turning "The Carol Show" from a classy, high end chat show into a "Jerry Springer" -esque freak show. Which — while this change-on-focus will almost certainly ruin Ms. Cartman's reputation — it will also drive the program's ratings through the roof.
As Aunt Marla gleefully signs her new executive producer contract, she burbles: "I've worked my whole life for this." Which is when Carol realizes that — when her aunt had been pushing her all those years, taking Ms. Cartman to auditions, cold-calling agents — it wasn't because Aunt Marla really wanted what was best for Carol and/or believed in her talent. But — rather — because her aunt just thought of Ms. Cartman as a meal ticket.
From there, Gary takes Carol to Aunt Marla's funeral. Which — given how badly she treated people over the years — is pretty sparsely attended. Then Mr. Coleman sends Ms. Cartman to her dressing room. Where Carol tries (without much success, I might add) to dismiss everything that she's just experienced as some horrible dream.
Copyright 2005 Goodtimes Entertainment
So now that we've gotten through the Ghost of Christmas Past portion of the program, it's now time to bring on William Shatner as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Now in this TV movie, the Ghost of Christmas Present assumes the form of Dr. Bill, an on-air therapist who works for the same network as Carol. Which is kind of ironic. Given that the Ghost of Christmas Present is obviously in need of some therapy. Since he constantly talks in cliches and hates to be touched.
As you might expect, Shatner has a field day with this character. He brings the Ghost of Christmas Present to life in all his twitchy glory. Literally stepping out on the television set in Ms. Cartman's dressing room to try & make her aware of how those around her are spending Christmas Eve.
For Carol's assistant, Roberta, this is not a very happy holiday. Given that her ex-husband, Frank (David Chisum) — after years of being away — has just come out of the woodwork. Announcing that he now plans to fight Roberta for custody of Lily.
Copyright 2005 Goodtimes Entertainment
From there, the Ghost of Christmas Present whisks Ms. Cummings out to the suburbs. Where — after complaining about how all the grass & shrubs aggravate his allergies — this holiday spirit then takes Carol to the cozy home of her estranged sister, Beth (Paula Trickey). Which makes Ms. Cartman realize what she actually missed out on as she & Aunt Marla were relentlessly pursuing that career in show business.
The last stop of this Christmas Eve tour is a visit to the homeless shelter where John Joyce is now prepping a holiday meal for those less fortunate. Given how longingly Carol looks at John, it's clear that Ms. Cartman still has some feelings for Mr. Joyce.
With that, the Ghost of Christmas Present (In a clever nod to Mr. Shatner's old gig as the captain of the Starship Enterprise) beams Carol out into the middle of nowhere. Mumbling something about how a car will be along for Ms. Cartman shortly before William wanders off into the dark.
Copyright 2005 Goodtimes Entertainment
Carol is just about to freak out when she notices the black stretch hummer parked right behind her. As well as the driver dressed in black carrying the sign that reads "C. Cartman."
This — as you might expect — is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be. Who takes Ms. Cartman on a chauffeured tour of her future. Which shows Carol first walking off of her talk show, then falling into obscurity. Eventually being forced to accept low-paying gigs like cutting the ribbon at a retirement home opening.
From there, following in Aunt Marla's footsteps, Carol winds up at her own sparsely attended funeral. As the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be slowly lowers the lid on her coffin, Ms. Cartman begs for another chance.
Copyright 2005 Goodtimes Entertainment
From there, "A Carol Christmas" follows the usual path. With Ms. Cartman making amends to all those around her. She raises Roberta's salary, reconciles with her estranged sister Beth. Carol even manages to rekindle her long-dormant romance with John.
So — as Ms. Cartman & Co. gather on the couch to enjoy a reading of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" — the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Be all peer in at this happy gathering. As this Hallmark holiday special draws to a close, William Shatner smiles and says "I think we scared her real good."
Getting back to David E. Kelley now … He was reportedly so taken with Shatner's twitchy performance in "A Carol Christmas" that Kelley created a similar character to spar with James Spader in what was supposed to be the eighth & final season of "The Practice." And that character was — of course — Mr. Mad Cow himself, Denny Crane.
David then signed William to play Denny in February of 2004. And (if Kelley is to be believed) Denny was only supposed to appear in the last six episodes of "The Practice." In effect sending that Emmy Award-winning series out with a bang.
But audiences were so taken with Spader & Shatner's chemistry that the ratings for those last few episodes of "The Practice" surged. Which then revealed David E.'s real agenda. As in: Kelley was actually looking to create a "Practice" spin-off. Which was originally supposed to be called "Fleet Street."
Given the strong ratings that those last few episodes of "The Practice" received (As well as the wildly enthusiastic reviews that William Shatner got for his performance as Denny Crane), ABC executives agreed to allow David E. to go forward with a spin-off. But only if Kelley agreed to drop that "Fleet Street" name. Which is why "Boston Legal" wound up being called "Boston Legal."
So (just to review here) — by agreeing to accept a supporting role in a Tori Spelling TV movie that was meant for cable — William Shatner was given a chance to redeem himself. Where once Shatner had been kind of an industry joke (Captain Kirk / T.J. Hooker / Mr. Priceline), William is now a two time Emmy Award-winner. The star of one of ABC's top rated dramas. Shatner's hotter now than he's ever been.
All because William Shatner agreed to play the Ghost of Christmas Present back in 2003. Now if that's not an inspiring holiday-related story, I don't know what is.
Tomorrow … Will the good times roll when JHM checks out GoodTimes Home Video's animated version of "A Christmas Carol"? Wait and see …
Your thoughts?
General
Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District
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
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
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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