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Idle hands … make a really funny musical

In honor of “Spamalot” opening on Broadway tonight, Jim Hill looks back on Eric Idle’s association with the Walt Disney Company … as well as revealing a really great scene that wound up getting cut out of the original screenplay for “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”

Published

20 years ago

on

In case you’ve been living in a cave somewhere, let me quickly bring you up to speed here. There’s a new musical opening on Broadway tonight: “Spamalot” .

A project that features the very apt subtitle “Lovingly ripped-off from the motion picture, ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail,’ ” “Spamalot” is a ridiculously hot ticket right now. “How hot?,” you ask. So hot that the Broadway run of the play is already sold out for months in advance. And that’s before the sure-to-be glowing reviews come in from the New York papers later tonight.

Now, you’d think that — what with somebody else’s show about to be the new hot ticket in NYC — that the guys over at Walt Disney Theatrical Productions would be somewhat jealous. Envious, even. But that’s not really the case.

As one WDTP insider that I spoke with on the phone yesterday explained it to me:

Having a hot new show on Broadway that’s really hard to get tickets to is actually a good thing for a select number of older shows in the city.

You see, if people can’t get into “Spamalot,” they’ll usually then just opt to go with their second choice. Which — typically — is another hit show that used to be really hard to get tickets for. Which — these days — describes “The Lion King,” “Mamma Mia!,” “Avenue Q,” “Hairspray” & “The Producers.”

So — in the weeks after “Spamalot” initially opens up — we’ll actually probably see our box office numbers for the New Amsterdam go up rather than go down. As “The Lion King” becomes someone’s default choice.

Which is why Disney Theatrical is perfectly happy to let “Spamalot” become the hot ticket in town. At least for a while. After all, “Mary Poppins” blows into town in 2006. Followed by “Tarzan” and “Mermaid.” So we’ll be back on top again soon enough.

Besides, Eric Idle is a really nice guy who’s been really good to the Walt Disney Company. So we’re happy for his success.

What’s that you say? You’re shocked hear that someone at Disney could be that gracious to a person that the Mouse would typically view at competition? Well, you have to understand that Eric Idle really is a very nice guy. At least in Disney’s eyes.

“How so?,” you query. Well, picture this: You’re the Walt Disney Company. You’ve just spent over a million dollars on the development and preproduction of a new 3D movie for your theme parks. But the day before you’re supposed to shoot “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience,” the actor that you hired to play Nigel Channing (I.E. The head of the Imagination Institute in the film) suddenly falls ill and can’t take part in the shoot.

So what do you do? Obviously, you have to recast. But — meanwhile — the clock’s ticking. And each day that goes by when film isn’t moving through the camera means that hundreds of thousands of dollars is going down the drain.

A situation like this is every producer’s worst nightmare. But — thankfully for Disney — “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” only lost a single day of shooting.

How come? Well, You see, the day that the cast got the call about production being postponed, Marcia Strassman (You know? The actress who plays Diane Szalinski in the “Honey” movies?) stops by the lounge in her hotel. And who does she discover seated at the bar but “Monty Python” vet Eric Idle.

Copyright 1994 The Walt Disney Company

So Marcia walks up to Eric and introduces herself. These two thespians strike up a conversation. And — after a couple of drinks — Strassman casually mentions what happened to the actor who was originally slated to play Nigel Channing.

And Idle thinks for a moment, then says: “Well, I’m not doing anything tomorrow …”

Strassman quickly gets on the phone to “Honey” ‘s director, Randal Kleiser. Kleiser — in turn — calls Thomas G. Smith, the producer of this Theme Park Productions production. Smith gets ahold of someone much higher in the Mouse House food chain (I.E. The money guy). Who — in turn — calls Idle’s agent. And a deal is quickly reached.

Which is why — 36 hours later — Eric Idle finds himself on set, dealing with mice cloning devices and over-sized sneezing dogs …

This one gracious gesture on Idle’s part (I.E. Stepping in at the last possible moment. Saving the company tens of thousands of dollars) bought him years of good will from the folks working at Disney. Which was why — when the folks at Disney Television animation were looking for new celebrity voices to use in the “Hercules” direct-to-video sequel, “Zero to Hero” — they immediately gave Eric a call. As did the crew that produced the “Mickey Mouse Works” TV show, when they were looking for someone unusual to play the voice of Pluto’s conscience in a “Minnie Takes Care of Pluto” cartoon.

Copyright 1997 The Walt Disney Productions

And let’s not forget about Idle’s vocal performance in Disney’s “102 Dalmatians.” Where he did the voice for Waddlesworth, the macaw that thought he was a rottweiler.

Obviously the folks at WDI also love Eric. Otherwise, why would they have called him back to play Dr. Nigel Channing not once, but twice? (I.E. First in the dismal “Journey into Your Imagination” ride. Which initially opened in October of 1999. Then in the revamped version of this same Future World attraction, “Journey into Your Imagination with Figment.” Which opened to the public in June of 2002.)

Yeah, Idle has sort of become Disney’s go-to guy when it comes to adding additional whimsy & fun to some fairly troubled projects. It was Eric who helped give “Ella Enchanted” a little extra oomph by agreeing to become that film’s on-screen narrator. Idle also helped raise the profile of a Disney Channel Original film (Thereby making it okay for parents to sit & watch this cable flick with their kids) by playing Coffin Ed, a disgraced Revolutionary War soldier, in the 2002 made-for-TV movie, “The Scream Team.”

Even the folks at Disney Publicity love Eric Idle. Back in the summer of 2003, when they needed a little extra star power for the world premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (After all, who wants to battle traffic all the way out to Anaheim just to see a movie that’s based on some theme park attraction?), the Mouse’s PR department made a call to Idle. Eric graciously accepted Disney’s invitation. Which is how Idle, his wife, Tania and their daughter, Lily found themselves on the red carpet.

Copyright 2003 The Walt Disney Company

And if the rumors that I’ve been hearing lately are true … The post-Weinstein version of Miramax Pictures may soon be making Eric Idle’s acquaintance as well. Several sources at the studio have recently told me that Disney execs feel that — on the heels of “Spamalot” — the public will probably take a renewed interest in “Python” related projects.

Well, as it turns, Eric Idle has written a movie that he’d dearly love to get made: “The Remains of the Piano.” This is a feature length parody of all those oh-so-proper British class struggle films like Merchant Ivory’s “Howard’s End,” “Room with a View” and “Remains of the Day.” This motion picture came within inches of being filmed in the Summer of 2003, only to to have its financing fall through at the very last moment.

Anyway … In many of his pre-opening interviews for “Spamalot,” Idle has mentioned that he wants to try & get “The Remains of the Piano” off the ground again. And this seemingly casual comment has not gone un-noticed back in Burbank. Given that Miramax’s Dimension Films’ division made a buttload of money off of feature-length parodies like “Scary Movie” & its sequels, the thinking now is that — once Harvey & Bob are gone — that “The Remains of the Piano” might be just the sort of movie that Disney would want to make with its new version of Miramax / Dimension.

So the plan (As I understand it) is that — during “Spamalot” ‘s post-opening hoopla — a senior official from the Disney corporation will contact Idle to offer the company’s congratulations on the musical’s enormous success. And then — as the conversation unfolds — this Disney rep will then bring up the topic of “The Remains of the Piano.” And what happens next … Well, that “Remains” to be seen …

Anyway, getting back to “Spamalot.” What makes this new musical so exciting to so many Python fans is that their favorite bits from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” are now being acted out live on stage. In fact, I’ve been hearing that — at some previews of the show — some members of the audience have actually been calling out punchlines ahead of the performers. As if “Spamalot” were the second coming of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

(Well, I gues that’s what you get when you cast “Rocky Horror” vet Tim Curry as King Arthur. Anyhow … )

Me personally? I’m really looking forward to seeing “Spamalot.” Particularly with its current cast (I.E. Tim Curry, Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce et al). I’m just not sure when I’m next going to get down to NYC to see the thing.

But even so … I’m betting that my very favorite “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” gag didn’t make it into the musical. Why for? Well … Because this particular gag didn’t even make it into the finished film.

To explain: Were you to pick up a copy of the “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” screenplay (Which Metheun was nice enough to reprint back in 2002), you’d find that this book actually contains two separate drafts of the script. The first draft — which was originally entitled, appropriately enough, “Monty Python’s Second Film” — was a movie that kept shifting back and forth from medieval & modern times. Which — at one point — had King Arthur & his Knights of the Round Table searching for the Holy Grail inside of Harrods department store!

By the time the second draft of the script was complete, most of “Holy Grail” ‘s sidetrips to modern times had been cut from the screenplay. Along with one really wonderful gag. Which went something like this:

Picture — if you will — King Arthur and his knights assembled at the top of a wind-blown heath. They’re all about to depart on their quest to find the Holy Grail. To cover as much ground as possible, Arthur has decided that each of his Knights of the Round Table should head off toward a different point on the compass.

KING ARTHUR: You, Sir Lancelot, to the North. And you, Sir Gawain, to the South.

LANCELOT: Oh, couldn’t I go South?

GAWAIN: Yes, and I have some relatives in the North.

KING ARTHUR: Shut up.

Given how long & treacherous this search is sure to be … No one knows if — or when — they’ll ever see each other again. So there is much roman handclasping as well as a heartfelt speech by Arthur. Who thanks his good knights for agreeing to take part in an enterprise that is sure to be fraught with hardship & peril. And yet it will also be a glorious campaign on behalf of God & country.

With the film’s soundtrack creating this beautiful underscore to the speech that the King is giving, Arthur wishes them all Godspeed. With a fanfare of trumpets, the knights all turn and — each heading out in separate directions — set off on their certain-to-be long quests.

As the music swells, the camera pulls back as Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table all ride triumphantly out of the shot. The camera holds on the now-empty windblown heath for a moment. There’s the briefest of pauses. And then …

GALAHAD: (Off-screen) Found it!

Arthur and his knights now come stumbling back into the shot. Seemingly incredulous that the object of their sure-to-be epic adventure has been found less that 30 seconds into the quest.

KING ARTHUR: What did you say?

GALAHAD: I found it.

Galahad now holds aloft the Holy Grail. Its other-worldly glow immediately reveals the cup to be the real thing.

KING ARTHUR: The Holy Grail? Just now? Where?

GALAHAD: (Gesturing off-camera) Over there. In the weeds.

KING ARTHUR: “In the weeds”?!

LANCELOT: (Clearly disappointed) Well, that wasn’t much of a challenge, now was it?

No. It probably wasn’t. But — that said — it’s one of my favorite moments that never quite made it into a movie.

Anywho … We here at JHM wish to pass along a hearty “Break a leg!” to the cast & crew of “Spamalot.” We also hope to hear — sometime very soon — that Walt Disney Company has agreed to underwrite the cost of producing Eric Idle’s “The Remains of the Piano.”

And — while we’re cramming in the gratitious plugs here — Eric Idle has written a book about about his recent American tour, “The Greedy *** Diaries.” Which — being a greedy *** myself — I highly recommend that you purchase this very funny volume by clicking on the Amazon.com link that you’ll find at the bottom of this article.

Sooo … Do you folks have any Idle thoughts that you wish to share?

Related Topics:

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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General

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

Published

10 years ago

on

June 23, 2015

By

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. 

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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

on

June 10, 2015

By

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?

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General

It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

10 years ago

on

June 9, 2015

By

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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