General

Erasing Roy

Back in from the cold, Jim Hill serves up a hot new story about what’s going on now with the Roy, Stanley and Michael situation. So what does any of this have to do with Wave 3 of the “Disney Treasures” DVD series? Read and learn.

Published

21 years ago

December 10, 2003

Jim Hill

Okay. Quick question: How many of you have heard about what happened with those “Disney Treasures” DVDs?

For those of you who don’t know: Wave 3 of this extremely popular, limited edition series of Disney DVDs was supposed to have rolled into stores on December 2nd. And — this time around — the titles that were to have been offered in collectible tins would have been “The Chronological Donald,” “Mickey Mouse in Living Color, Vol. 2,” “Tomorrowland” and “On the Front Lines.”

But then — back on November 13th — Buena Vista Home Entertainment suddenly issued a press release, which stated that — due to unforeseen circumstances — the release of Wave 3 of the “Disney Treasures” DVDs was going to be pushed back ’til May 18, 2004.

So what exactly was BVHE’s excuse for pushing back the release of “The Chronological Donald,” “Mickey Mouse in Living Color, Vol. 2,” “Tomorrowland” and “On the Front Lines?” Well … this is where this story gets kind of convoluted.

Were you to call the Buena Vista Home Entertainment guys directly (as I did) and ask them what was going on, they’d have told you that the real reason that they’d opted to put off the release of Wave 3 of the “Disney Treasures” collection was because their production facilities had just been overwhelmed by retailers’ requests for additional copies of “Finding Nemo” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” DVDs to sell this holiday season. Which is what supposedly forced BVHE to push the release of Wave 3 of the “Disney Treasures” ’til May of next year.

Which is a perfectly logical explanation, don’t you think? Except that the press release that Buena Vista Home Entertainment put out about this “Disney Treasures” situation says something entirely different. It says that:

Due to the overwhelming consumer demand and retailer orders for Buena Vista Home Entertainment’s WALT DISNEY TREASURES Wave 3, we have rescheduled the release to May 18, 2004.

Growing in popularity with each of the two previous debuts, demand for the four titles in the upcoming wave has exceeded BVHE’s ability to manufacture enough of the highly-collectible, individually numbered, limited series.

Now where this gets truly weird is that — if you were to e-mail the Walt Disney Company and ask what became of Wave 3 of the “Disney Treasures” DVDs — you would have gotten a third explanation of the delay. Which was:

“Yes, it is true that the new releases from “Walt Disney Treasures” will be postponed until May 2004. This is due to a vendor delay. We do not have any further information.”

So that’s three explanations for the delayed release of four highly collectible Disney DVDs. So which is the real reason we won’t be able to purchase any copies of Wave 3 of the “Disney Treasures” DVDs ’til next May?

Roy E. Disney.

How does Roy E. factor in here? Well, how many of you have purchased copies of any of the titles in Wave 1or Wave 2 of the “Disney Treasures” series? Do you recall how each of these collectible tins had a decorative blue wrapper on the outside? Now whose signature was on that wrapper?

You guessed it. Roy E. Disney.

According to my sources within the corporation, Disney CEO Michael Eisner — in a fit of pique — allegedly ordered early last month that Roy E. Disney’s name be stricken from the packaging of the “Disney Treasures” DVDs. And that — in addition — that supposedly an effort should be made to lessen and/or remove any additional references to any or all contributions that Walt’s nephew had made to the Walt Disney Company.

Sounds kind of extreme, doesn’t it? Well, this should give you some idea how long this feud between Michael and Roy has been festering. I mean, just because Roy E. Disney chose to officially announce his resignation from Disney’s Board of Directors on Sunday, November 30th doesn’t mean that things weren’t terrible between these two for weeks (and even months!) before the mainstream press latched onto this story.

And it’s not like Eisner hasn’t done something like this before. How many of you recall how — in the Fall of 1994 — Michael allegedly ordered that all references to former Disney studio head Jeffrey Katzenberg be removed from all of the company’s books, videos and laser discs?

Don’t believe me? Then go chase yourself down a copy of the 1993 edition of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” on laser disc. Now take a look at this disc’s additional features. Given the multiple number of times that Jeffrey pops on this laser disc, you’d think that Katzenberg himself had animated every single frame of the film.

Now contrast that to the “Platinum Edition” of “Beauty and the Beast: The Special Edition” DVD that Buena Vista Home Entertainment put on sale last Fall. You could search through all the features on both discs in this set and I doubt that you’d hear more than one or two brief references to Jeffrey. It’s now as if Katzenberg never existed. As if this talented producer never ever worked at the Mouse Factory.

Well, it’s one thing to supposedly order that all references to a former studio head of the Walt Disney Company be deliberately stricken from the record. But quite another when the CEO Of the corporation tries to pull the same move on Walt’s nephew.

Said one studio insider:

“This is a truly stupid maneuver on Eisner’s part. This ham-handed attempt to get back at Roy is going to totally blow up in Michael’s face. You can’t just pretend that Walt’s nephew never existed. Particularly now that Roy and Stanley are on the outside, trying to convince Disney shareholders that they too can make a difference.

This is the sort of thing that they used to do during Stalin’s time in the Soviet Union. Not something you try and pull in today’s Hollywood. Particularly when there are people like you out there, Jim. Who are happy to shine a spotlight on Eisner whenrver he’s behaving like an ass.

I honestly don’t know what the deal is with Michael, Jim. You’d think that — given what PR disasters Mike Ovitz and Jeffrey’s exits turned out to be for Eisner — that this guy would finally learn from his mistakes. But not Michael. Every time Eisner gets mad, this guy loses IQ points.

Mark my words, Jim. It’s this stupid petty stuff that’s ultimately going to cost Eisner his job at Disney. The fact that the price of the company’s stock is holding steady isn’t going to matter much to the media once they find out that Disney’s CEO likes to act like some Soviet dictator.

The very idea that he even try to erase all references to Roy E. Disney within the Walt Disney Company … That’s going to come back and bite Eisner in the ass big-time, Jim.”

I’m afraid that I have to agree. If this allegation proves to be true — that Eisner did in fact order that Roy E. Disney’s name be removed from the wrappers on the “Disney Treasures” DVDs — this is going to make Michael look pretty bad. That Eisner would stoop to this sort of Stalinist behavior, and then think that he could get away with it without anybody ever noticing is just beyond arrogant. It’s ignorant.

Of course, once this story breaks today, I’d imagine that Buena Vista Home Entertainment will quickly be issuing a damage control press release. Which will attempt to explain why BVHE had three different explanations as to why Wave 3 of the “Disney Treasures” DVDs wasn’t actually released on December 2nd.

It’ll be interested to see how these guys handle the whole “Is Roy’s signature still on the DVDs’ wrapper or not?” issue. I’m betting that — just to play it safe — Buena Vista Home Entertainment will issue a non-denial denial. Which is PR talk for an answer that sounds pretty good, but doesn’t actually get around to answering anyone’s question.

But — if these are the sorts of moves that Mike’s going to make — maybe it’s good that he and a team of his trusted executives reportedly quietly slipped away from Disney headquarters in Burbank yesterday afternoon. To meet in secret some 30 miles away from the lot. With the hope that whatever it was that they were talking about wouldn’t leak back to Walt’s nephew and Stanley Gold.

And what is it exactly that Eisner and Co. supposedly talked about? Allegedly, they were putting together a battle plan for the next few weeks. Something that would take the wind out of Roy and Stanley’s sails. Undercut the momentum of the “Oust Eisner” movement.

And what might that plan be? When I know … You’ll know. I’ll post what I learn right here as soon as I get my hot little hands on the info.

But — for now — let’s all reflect back on the idea of a CEO that’s so out of touch, so arrogant, that he actually allegedly thought that he could erase Roy E. Disney from the Walt Disney Company.

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