Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

La Twilight Zone Tour De Toons?

The story of the French version of the Tower of Terror could very well be featured in its very own episode of Rod Sterling’s “The Twilight Zone”, since it features so many surprises, dark corners and 11th hour twists that even folks in those Paris offices don’t know exactly what happened…

Published

23 years ago

September 17, 2002

Andrea Monti

Hey there hi there ho there gang,

So, who actually shed a tear whilst reading Jim’s amazing description of the Toon area planned for Disney-MGM?

That whimsical Sunset Boulevard with its trolley line leading to the “Maroon Studios” area? The “Roller Coaster Rabbit” coaster? The ToonTown trolley simulator ride? All these rides (and more) left quite a few Imagineers sore, and Disney fans bitter about WDI not going forth with rendering a real for real wacky and crazy Toon studios area!

Of course we are all happy in the end all this gave way to another amazing Disney masterpiece as “the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror”, and now that also Disney’s California Adventure is seeing the day to day progress in the rising of their brand new version of this Florida favorite freefall ride, by 2004 Disneyland Resort guests will “drop by” this Spanish architecture Hollywood hotel and get a whole new twist of the fears and mysteries of “the twilight zone”.

Also Tokyo Disney Sea’s park model (which was on display in TDL up until before park opening) featured this Hollywood Tower Hotel as a prominent feature of the American water front area, a district of the park which, according to many, had been designed majorly with the goal of providing a good enough setting for this future attraction…which kind of made all Disney fans say “there we have it again; Disney is placing the Tower of Terror (TOT) as a staple ride in all its theme parks, much like the salty old Pirates or the Grimm Grinning Ghosts present in the four Disney Corners of the world”.

But no sign of this amazing freefall ride was ever seen for the new Paris Studios, sure it was always a strong rumor from the day the Park project was presented (after all in Florida the TOT is in the studios theme park), but when it came to thrills the Imagineers decided to have their brand new Aerosmith Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster send guests in an amazing light show…instead of having thunder strike them on an elevator.

Why for? Well, my friends, the story of the French version of the Tower of Terror could very well be featured in its very own episode of Rod Sterling’s “Twilight Zone”, since it features so many surprises, dark corners and 11th hour twists even folks in those Paris offices don’t know exactly what happened…and what will happen by the episodes ending!

All this majorly because DLP-I /SETEMO (the WDI division situated in the Paris offices actually developing the French resort) had other plans for their brand new Studio’s Park and the freefall elevator idea behind the Tower of Terror… they actually didn’t want the Twilight Zone to enter into France!

Sounds weird right? Well let’s start from the beginning; as most of you should know the European Imagineers actually had a limited budget for their new theme park (reportedly slightly less then 600 Million US $), therefore they voluntarily designed the “skeleton of a park”, devising an elaborate plan which divided the park in four expansion phases; the opening, a major expansion with a new area and a few rides in the existing park, night time entertainment area (i.e. some lagoon and a hub for some form of Fantasmic or firework show) and finally a real working studio area.

The “circular layout” of the park would have meant that guests could have ventured on from the Backlot into the real studios; the tram tour station would have been relocated here and performed the “outside top perimeter” of the park, having therefore always on it’s inner side sets and working soundstages (which would have been added in the expansion phases). This idea would have finally allowed for some sense in the backlot’s story line…since this would have been the area SFX and stunts would be trained, before venturing into the actual working studio!

On the other side of the park the Animation courtyard would have served as the entrance point to that very idea Imagineering had cooked up more than 10 years before; the “Toon studios concept”.

Yes, my friends, you read it right; DLP-I was seriously considering elaborating that old Toon Studios idea and crossing it with the Disneyland ToonTown in order to provide a brand new area of the park for kids of all ages to enjoy.

Walt Disney Studios guests would have seen this area divided into two districts: the downtown area featuring shopping and ride opportunities and the studios area featuring soundstages and wacky Toon rides. The actually story line for this being that Toons actually shot their movies here in the Walt Disney studios therefore they needed both soundstages and sets and a commercial area where to live and do their Toon shopping.

Walt Disney Studios guests would have found themselves much in the same situation as Eddie Valiant in the Roger Rabbit movie; the actual soundstages would have been interactive areas themed to the Maroon Studios warehouses, with crashing props, and all sorts of Toon gags performed, also in this area some sort of “Benny the Cab” dark ride would have been featured. Most discussions about this ride claim that it would have been a Wild Mouse ride through a Toon movie shooting…making it sound a lot like a cross Between Disneyland’s’ Car Toon Spin and that never built Roller Coaster Rabbit ride!

But the real excitement was to be found in the Downtown part of Toon Studios; here guests would have seen how Toons actually live, shop and eat visiting the area’s signature “ACME gag Store”, “Toon Dinner” and ventured into the “Toon Tower Hotel”.

Yes, my friends, you got that last line right (though the name has changed in countless versions) The Walt Disney Studios design team hoped to use the Florida freefall ride technology and redress it to a Toon hotel setting.

Guests would have been right in the center of the Toon Studios Downtown area this completely wacky building, with no straight lines and with red bricks all different in size providing that “Toonish look” (one version proposed by a few Imagineers placed even Eyes on the building but Tom Morris- DLRP head Imagineer reportedly said “now let’s not exaggerate ok”).

On its facade (much like in Florida) the “Toon Tower Hotel” name emblazing the building, and all sort of sounds and gags would have been featured in the buildings cue!

Want an Idea? Well, as guests ventured through the hotel’s queue even before entering the lobby, they would have wound through this Toon garden with tilted plants and even a fountain which featured water “going up” (like in that gag prop which you sometimes can find of the glass which fills the bottle). Even more interactive where the “sound gags” proposed for this cue: much like in Anaheim’s Indy ride guests in the cue could have pressed and touched all sorts of Toonish gags on the level of Toon-holes (featuring Goofy’s trademark scream), electric doors (like in Anaheim’s ToonTown) and many other gags.

As guests finally entered the ToonTower Hotel lobby they would have been greeted by the sign “Toon Tower Hotel; the home of the stars” (an in-joke to the “Hollywood home of the stars” phrase) and a video would be shown of all Disney’s (plus a few more) Toon stars relaxing and enjoying this Luxurious hotel where the Toons supposedly stayed whilst shooting their best gags.

The video would have ended with a Toon bellhop saying “now that your room is ready we invite you to step into the elevator whilst we escort you to your room”. Obviously Imagineering had a whole twist to all this video (and the room in which it was shown); guests would have noticed that the windows now presented the outside view of a busy bustling ToonTown (much like in the Roger Rabbit movie) thanks to some rear projection trick, also the video would have featured al sorts of gags and strange sounds happening in the background: picture a cross between Muppet vision 3-D and the Honey I shrunk the Audience waiting room video and you get the idea…Toon madness at it’s best!

As guests entered this lift supposedly to get to their rooms (and hopefully see some Toon stars as presented in the brochure) they would have had this amazing “deja-vu” since the elevator would have featured a terrible resemblance to that lift controlled by Droopy in the Roger Rabbit movie!

Using the same audio track from the movie Droopy’s voice would have said (via on board speaker) once the doors closed “hold on sir” and the lift would have started its climb up.

As the doors opened guests would have seen this bustling corridor full of many Toon stars making the hotel waiters (the unmistakable Mary Poppins penguins) run from one door to the other…whilst Toon madness would have been seen in the hotel!

Droopy’s voice would have then said “I’m sorry sir wrong floor” and the doors would have closed for the lift to climb up…only to open a few floors higher to reveal this amazing room with a view of the whole Toon studios.

Guests would have then had a few seconds to realize that the actual room had its walls completely absent and that therefore (thanks to a clever illusions devised by DLP-I) they where going to fall exactly like Eddie in the Hotel scene in ToonTown…

…And there you would go down whilst the inner walls of the drop shaft would have featured this amazing projection of the Toon skyline during your descent; as in Florida there was the possibility of modifying the drop sequence at the Imagineers’ wish…and as in Florida the finale of the ride would have featured a movie: only this time we would have seen that the reason of our continuous drops was that (in pure Toon style) the bottom of our drop featured a bouncing carpet (tada…. incredibly clever if you ask me)…and the final effect shown would have been of stars right over the passengers heads…in pure Toon style!

Sounds like a cool ride? A sure hit with guests of all ages and a great way to update the Tower of Terror ride with a new theme, most of all it would have served as a good reason to finally have some sort of ToonTown area in the Paris resort (ToonTown was at first to be part of a Euro Disneyland Expansion but the financial problems lead to it’s indefinite red lighting).

Imagineering, in order to cut costs and increase capacity even decided to place 3 shafts instead of 2 and forget that horizontal movement (AKA “5th Dimension room) in order to have a more reasonable budget, Disney studio’s planners also voluntarily cut much of the kid oriented rides and theming, as well as any “really big” shop from the park’s opening phase in order to have the necessary funding for this Toon Studios.

Euro Disney SCA (the company actually owning the Paris resort) management was reportedly impressed with the ride’s potential; here was a ride which could be remembered as the most wacky Toon ride on the planet, and as part of the expansion it had the potential to do what Space Mountain had done to Disneyland in 1995… i.e. re-market the park and make teenagers wet there appetite to ride this “Toon Tower”.

Most of all what Euro Disney SCA management realized was that with this new area, and it’s trade mark ride, would heavily improve what has been the sore spot of Euro Disney from day 1: people per capita spending on in-park food and merchandise! After all who wouldn’t spend tens of Euros on Toon gadgets, toys and gizmos…after all Anaheim’s “ACME warehouse” was the number 2 shop after the emporium. Also this expansion area could feature amazing eating possibilities…who wouldn’t love to eat in eateries filled with all sorts of Toon gags and props?

During those 1999 meetings the hopes were really high for Walt Disney Studios to succeed and have a great future ahead, this was the park that – with a small budget – could provide the necessary relief for Euro Disney; and could soon expand into a great second gate.

…then Disney’s California Adventure results proved below expectations and messed up most of the WDS expansion plans!

But what has DCA to do with Paris? I hear you say! Well Once it was obvious that DCA desperately needed some sort of Thrill ride to boost it’s marketing potential Disneyland management kind of went “hey, the folks in Paris have redesigned the Tower of Terror technology increasing its capacity, reducing its costs and avoiding that (which anyway never really worked as we planned) 5th Dimension room why not use that already designed project?”

And within a few minutes (and a few intercontinental phone calls) latter Barry Braverman and his design team were redesigning the exterior fagade of “Their Tower” to fit better into the California theme (David Fisher was assigned to the interior show and is reportedly doing wonders with the ride considering the limits he had been given).

Obviously all this left Euro Disney in a awkward position, as “the Accountaneers” were now pressing to cancel all Toon studio expansion plans (with it’s tower) and save hundreds of Million of Dollars by simply using the same ride being constructed in DCA! Corporate directives directly from Burbank and Glendale therefore made Paris imaginers redesign the area opposite Cinemagique into “La Terrase”, an outdoor food court designed in the same style used in California’s TOT (and WDS’s Front lot) and right up there on the area’s main gate the “HTH” (Hollywood Tower Hotel) logo in guests plain view.

With this smart move management believed that guests would understand that the Tower would one day come in that area, and thanks to it’s style, a duplicate of the California one would have been the obvious choice. Also to fix the “lack of kid attractions” Tokyo’s Mermaid lagoon area was believed to represent a good answer to both the “indoor area problem” (providing shelter in Paris’ inclement weather) and a good substitute to the Toon Studios.

More to this Disney has made quit a few hints for this obvious during the whole course of the summer when Disney fans watched a strange building, designed in the same style as “La Terrase” be erected next to Armageddon, only to prove a restroom facility (now AKA “Toilets of Terror”), and as this wasn’t enough during a French program about the making of the studios an Imagineer was interviewed and right behind him was this giant map of the studios; with a huge building creating the same shadow of the TOT, in that empty area behind “La Terrase”.

The only real problem is that Paris management realized that this Toon Studios idea was one of those Imagineering masterpieces which needed to be built (Jay Rassulo, Euro Disney’s CEO, is reportedly a major Imagineering fan himself – one of his first goals was to refurbish the park to 1992 standards), more to this they realized that any shop or restaurant themed to this area could make millions (and Disney, whether in the USA, France or Japan, cannot resist this) and therefore couldn’t give up so easily on the Toon Studios idea!

So guess what gang: This X-mas season, the area reportedly marked for the Twilight zone Tower of Terror will be dressed as “Mickey’s secret Garden” a sort of “Alice’s curious labyrinth” (which is a beloved attraction in the Disneyland park next door) a botanical garden only with Mickey in the leading role, making it really difficult for Disney management to construct the California and French tower simultaneously (Anaheim’s version is plainly in vertical construction), probably hinting to Euro Disney management trying to “buy some time” for thinking about which moves must be taken in order to go forth with the Walt Disney Studio’s expansion plans.

On my part I would at least wait until after those 4 new hotels in the “Val de France” owned and operated by outside companies but on Disney property open and allow for 1.600 new hotel rooms to be available for guests willing to spend a few days in Europe’s leading tourist destination…. only then will Euro Disney management be actually able to evaluate the actual demand for a major studio expansion.

Ttfn – ta-ta for now!

Television & Shows

The Untold Story of Super Soap Weekend at Disney-MGM Studios: How Daytime TV Took Over the Parks

Published

2 weeks ago

April 24, 2025

Jim Hill

Super Soap Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios

A long time ago in a galaxy that … Well, to be honest, wasn’t all that far away. This was down in Florida after all. But if you traveled to the WDW Resort, you could then experience “Star Wars Weekends.” Which ran seasonally at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Disney World from 1997 to 2015.

Mind you, what most folks don’t remember is the annual event that effectively plowed the road for “Star Wars Weekends.” Which was “Super Soap Weekend.” That seasonal offering — which allowed ABC soap fans to get up-close with their favorite performers from “All My Children,” “General Hospital,” “One Life to Live” and “Port Charles” — debuted at that same theme park the year previous (1996).

So how did this weekend-long celebration of daytime drama (which drew tens of thousands of people to Orlando every Fall for 15 years straight) come to be?

Michael Eisner’s Daytime TV Origins and a Theme Park Vision

Super Soap Weekend was the brainchild of then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner. His career in media began with short stints at NBC and CBS, but it truly took off in 1964 when he joined ABC as the assistant to Leonard Goldberg, who was the network’s national programming director at the time.

Eisner quickly advanced through the ranks. By 1971, he had become Vice President of Daytime Programming at ABC. That meant he was on the scene when One Life to Live joined the lineup in July 1968 and when All My Children made its debut in January 1970. Even after being promoted to Senior Vice President of Prime Time Programming in 1976, Eisner stayed close to the daytime division and often recruited standout soap talent for ABC’s primetime shows.

Fast forward nearly two decades to July 31, 1995. The Walt Disney Company announced that it would acquire ABC/Cap Cities in a $19 billion deal. Although the acquisition wasn’t finalized until February 1996, Eisner was already thinking ahead. He wanted to use the stars of All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital to draw people to Disney’s theme parks.

He had seen how individual soap stars were drawing huge mall crowds across America since the late 1970s. Now he wanted to bring dozens of them together for something much bigger.

Super Soap Weekend Takes Over Disney-MGM Studios

The very first Super Soap Weekend was announced in June 1996, just a few months after the ABC deal closed. The event was scheduled for October 19 and 20 at Disney-MGM Studios and was a massive success.

The weekend featured panel discussions, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities with the stars of ABC’s daytime dramas. Thousands of fans packed the park for the chance to meet their favorite actors. Due to the overwhelming response, the event became an annual tradition and was eventually moved to Veterans Day weekend each November to better accommodate attendees.

Longtime fans like Nancy Stadler, her mom Mary, and their close friend Angela Ragno returned year after year, making the event a personal tradition and building lifelong memories.

West Coast Events and the ABC Soap Opera Bistro

Disney even tried to recreate the event out west. Two Super Soap Weekends were held at Disneyland Resort, one in April 2002 and another in June 2003.

At Disney’s California Adventure, Eisner also introduced the ABC Soap Opera Bistro, a themed dining experience that opened in February 2001. Guests could dine inside recreated sets from shows like General Hospital and All My Children, including Kelly’s Diner and the Chandler Mansion. The Bistro closed in November 2002, but for fans, it offered a rare opportunity to step into the world of their favorite soaps.

SOAPnet, Port Charles, and the Expansion of Daytime TV at Disney

Eisner’s enthusiasm for soaps extended beyond the parks. In January 2000, he launched SOAPnet, a cable channel dedicated to prime time replays of ABC’s daytime dramas.

During his time at Disney, General Hospital also received a spin-off series titled Port Charles, which aired from June 1997 to October 2003. The show leaned into supernatural plotlines and was another example of Eisner’s commitment to evolving and expanding the soap genre.

The Final Curtain for Super Soap Weekend

In September 2005, Eisner stepped down after 21 years as head of The Walt Disney Company. Bob Iger, who had previously served as President of ABC and Chief Operating Officer of ABC/Cap Cities, took over as CEO. While Iger had deep ABC credentials, he didn’t share Eisner’s passion for daytime television.

In the fall of 2008, Disney hosted the final Super Soap Weekend at what was then still called Disney-MGM Studios. That same year, the park was rebranded as Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney began shifting away from television-focused experiences.

Within the next five years, the rest of Eisner’s soap legacy faded. One Life to Live was canceled in January 2012. SOAPnet was rebranded as Disney Junior in February 2013. Later that year, All My Children ended its 41-year run on ABC.

Only General Hospital remains on the network today, the last standing soap from the golden age of ABC Daytime.

A New Chapter for Daytime TV and Super Soap Fans

The soap genre may have faded from its former glory, but it’s not gone. On February 24, 2025, CBS premiered a brand-new daytime drama called Beyond the Gates, marking the first new soap launch in years.

Meanwhile, All My Children alum Kelly Ripa has been actively working on a revival. In September 2024, she mentioned a holiday-themed movie set in Pine Valley that would bring back many original cast members. The project was in development for Lifetime, though its current status is unclear.

And what about Super Soap? Fans like Nancy and Angela still hope Disney will bring it back. Even if it only featured the cast of General Hospital, it would be a welcome return for longtime viewers who miss that one weekend a year where the magic of Disney collided with the drama of daytime TV.

If you want to hear firsthand what it was like to be part of Super Soap Weekend, be sure to listen to our I Want That Too podcast interview with actor Colin Egglesfield. He shares behind-the-scenes memories from his days as Josh Madden on All My Children and what it meant to be part of one of the most unique fan events in Disney park history.

History

The Super Bowl & Disney: The Untold Story Behind ‘I’m Going to Disneyland!’

Published

3 months ago

February 6, 2025

Jim Hill

One of the highlights of the Super Bowl isn’t just the game itself—it’s the moment when the winning quarterback turns to the camera and exclaims, “I’m going to Disney World!” This now-iconic phrase has been a staple of post-game celebrations for decades. But where did this tradition begin? Surprisingly, it didn’t originate in a stadium but at a dinner table in 1987, in a conversation involving Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and aviation pioneers Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager.

The Unlikely Beginning of a Marketing Sensation

To understand the origins of this campaign, we have to go back to December 1986, when the Rutan Voyager became the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. Pilots Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager completed the nine-day journey on December 23, 1986, flying over 26,000 miles before landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Their historic achievement earned them national recognition, and just days later, President Ronald Reagan awarded them the Presidential Citizen Medal at the White House.

Meanwhile, Disney was gearing up for the grand opening of Star Tours at Disneyland, set for January 12, 1987. Following its usual playbook of associating major theme park attractions with real-world pioneers, Disney’s PR team invited astronauts Gordon Cooper and Deke Slayton to the launch event. But in a twist, they also invited Rutan and Yeager, who were still making headlines.

A Dinner Conversation That Changed Advertising Forever

After the Star Tours opening ceremony, a private dinner was held with Disney CEO Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and Eisner’s wife, Jane. During the meal, Eisner asked Rutan and Yeager, “You just made history. You traveled non-stop around the planet on a plane without ever refueling. How are you ever going to top that, career-wise? What are you two gonna do next?”

Without hesitation, Jeana Yeager replied, “Well, after being cramped inside that tiny plane for nine days, I’m just glad to be anywhere else. And even though you folks were nice enough to fly us here, invite us to your party… Well, as soon as we finish eating, I’m gonna go over to the Park and ride some rides. I’m going to Disneyland.”

Jane Eisner immediately recognized the power of Yeager’s statement. On the car ride home, she turned to Michael and said, “That’s a great slogan. I think you should use that to promote the theme parks.” Like many husbands, Michael initially dismissed the idea, but Jane persisted. Eventually, Eisner relented and pitched it to his team.

The Super Bowl Connection

With Super Bowl XXI just around the corner, Disney’s PR team saw an opportunity. The game was set for January 25, 1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena—just miles from Disney Studios. What if they convinced the winning quarterback to say, “I’m going to Disneyland” live on-air?

Disney quickly struck a deal with both quarterbacks—Phil Simms of the New York Giants and John Elway of the Denver Broncos—offering each $75,000 to deliver the line if their team won. Simms led the Giants to victory, making history as the first athlete to say, “I’m going to Disney World!” on national television.

A Marketing Triumph

That year’s Super Bowl had the second-highest viewership in television history, with 87 million people watching Simms say the famous line. The next day, Disney turned the clip into a national commercial, cementing the phrase as a marketing goldmine.

Since then, “I’m going to Disneyland” (or Disney World, depending on the commercial) has been a staple of championship celebrations, spanning the NFL, NBA, and even the Olympics. What started as a casual remark at dinner became one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history.

A Lasting Legacy

Jane Eisner’s keen instinct and Disney’s ability to act quickly on a great idea created a tradition that continues to captivate audiences. The “I’m going to Disneyland” campaign remains a testament to the power of spontaneous inspiration and smart marketing, proving that sometimes, the best ideas come from the most unexpected places.

To learn more about Disney’s ties to the world of sports, check out I Want That Too: A Disney History and Consumer Product Podcast.

Television & Shows

How the Creators of South Park Tricked A-List Celebrities to Roast Universal – “Your Studio & You”

Published

4 months ago

January 12, 2025

Jim Hill

Universal Studios has a rich and storied history, but few moments are as peculiar—and as hilariously cutting—as the creation of Your Studio & You. This 14-minute parody film, commissioned in 1995 to celebrate Universal’s new ownership under Seagram’s, brings together an all-star cast, biting humor, and the unmistakable comedic fingerprints of Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

Long before South Park debuted on Comedy Central in 1997, Stone and Parker were already carving out a reputation for their irreverent style, and Your Studio & You perfectly encapsulates their knack for turning even the most corporate project into something delightfully subversive.

Matt Stone & Trey Parker Before South Park

Stone & Parker were already known out in Hollywood as funny guys. Thanks largely to “The Spirit of Christmas,” which was this video greeting card that they’d crafted for a Fox executive – who then distributed this infamously funny thing (which had Our Lord Jesus Christ & Santa Claus literally duking it out for the holiday affections of Cartman, Kenny, Stan & Kyle) to friends & family.

This was the early 1990s. No internet. Each copy of “The Spirit of Christmas” was made on VHS tape and then mailed. Went viral the old-fashioned way. It’s rumored that George Clooney made over 300 copies of “The Spirit of Christmas” and passed these VHS taps along to friends and family.

Things didn’t move as fast as they do today. “The Spirit of Christmas” still became a sensation out West.

Zucker Brothers

Matt & Trey also had other supporters in the entertainment industry. Among them David Zucker, who was one of the members of ZAZ (i.e., Zucker Abrahams Zucker), the talented trio that made “Airplane!” in 1980, “Top Secret!” in 1984 and the three “Naked Gun” movies.

The original “Naked Gun” in 1988
“Naked Gun 2 & 1/2 : The Smell of Fear” in 1991
and “Naked Gun 33 & a 1/3: The Final Insult” in 1994

All five of these parody films had been made for Paramount Pictures. But in the Late Winter / Early Spring of 1995, Universal had persuaded the Zucker Brothers to come over and set up shop in a bungalow on their lower lot. With the hope that – at some point further on down the line – David & his brother Jerry would start making funny films for Universal.

Zucker Brothers featured in "Your Studio and You"

And it’s during this same window of time (We’re now talking April of 1995) that news breaks that Seagrams (Yep, the adult beverage company. Who – at the time – was making an absolute fortune on the sales of wine coolers) was about to buy a majority stake in MCAUniversal. We’re talking control of 80% of that company’s stock. Which would effectively make Seagrams the new owners of Universal Studios.

Edgar Bronfman

And Edgar Bronfman – the owner of Seagrams – knew that Universal had had a tough time with its previous owners – which had been the Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. of Japan. Matsushita had bought MCA back in November of 1990 for $7.5 billion but had never really understood the entertainment industry.

This is why – after repeatedly butting heads with Lew Wasserman & Sidney Sheinberg (i.e., the heads of Universal Studios & the Universal theme park respectively) when it came to creative control of this company – Matsushita decided to wash it hands of the entire enterprise. Agreeing to sell their holdings in MCA to Seagrams for $5.7 billion (effectively taking a nearly $2 billion loss on this investment).

And Bronfman … He knew that some bad feeling had developed between Hollywood’s creative community and the Japanese owners of Universal. The thinking was that executives at Matsushita Electric had just not gotten what it took to make movies & TV shows.

And Edgar? Right from the get-go, he wanted to show that Seagrams was NOT going to be Matsushita Electric Redux. Bronfman was looking for a way to send a clear message to Hollywood’s creative community that Universal’s new owners got it. That they were willing to work with Hollywood to make the best possible movies & TV shows at Universal.

And how did Edgar decide to get this message across? By making a funny movie.

Zucker Commissions Trey Parker for “Your Studio & You”

Mind you, Bronfman himself didn’t make this film. The owner of Seagrams reached out to David Zucker. Who – after initially agreeing to produce this introduction-to-Universal film – then farmed out the production of the actual project to Trey Parker. Who – just two days before shooting was supposed to star on the Universal Lot – persuaded Matt Stone to come help him on this project.

Which brings us to “Your Studio and You.” Which is a parody of an educational film from the 1950s, right down to being shot in black & white and featuring a very generic soundtrack.

Now what’s amazing about watching “Your Studio and You” today is that this 14-minute-long film features some of the biggest names working in Hollywood back in the mid-1990s. We’re talking about people like recent Golden Globe winner Demi Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Michael J. Fox and Angela Lansbury. Not to mention two of the most powerful men in all of Hollywood, Steven Spielberg & Jeffrey Katzenberg.

And what’s especially interesting about watch “Your Studio and You” is that – as you watch these performers go through their paces in this motion pictures (which – most of the time – involves doing some innocuous task while holding a Seagram’s wine cooler) – you often get the feeling that this star is not in on the gag.

So how did Matt & Trey get away with this? Simple. There was never actually a script for “Your Studio and You.”

Filming “Your Studio & You” at Universal Studios Hollywood

Mind you, David Zucker would always insist that there was. Especially when he’d phone up celebrities on the Universal Lot and say “Hey, I’m sending over a couple of college kids later today. They’re working with me on a new parody film. It’s something that we’re doing for the new owners of Universal. I need just a half hour of your time. We’re shooting something special for the party we’ll be holding when the Seagrams people first arrive at the Studio. Absolutely. You’ll definitely get an invite to that party. So can I count on you to help these kids out? Beautiful. They’ll be over there later this morning.”

And then Matt & Trey would show up and say “… Dang, Miss Lansbury. We’re sorry. We must have left our copy of the ‘Your Studio and You’ script back in our office. Which is clear on the other side of the Lot. So – rather than waste your time – why don’t we do this instead? Follow us over to the Psycho House. Where we’re then going to get footage of you painting the front porch on Mother Bates’ house while you say ‘Gosh, with all of the wonderful improvements going on around here, everyone is going to want to work at Universal.’ Oh, and can we also get you to wear this button on the front of your blazer which reads ‘Universal is A-OK’ ? “

And over & over again, the biggest names who were working for Universal at that time took part in the production of “Your Studio & You” because A) David Zucker vouched for Matt Stone & Trey Parker and B) this was something that was being made for the new owners of Universal. And it’s just natural to want to get in good with the new boss.

Steven Spielberg, Jeffery Katzenberg, and Jaws

But no one at Universal anticipated that “Your Studio & You” would wind up being as sharp edged as the finished product turned out to be. I mean, it’s one thing to bite the hand that feeds you. But “Your Studio & You” ? It doesn’t just bite the hand. It takes the hand off at the wrist.

It’s a brutally funny film. With one of the meanest moments reserved for Steven Spielberg, who plays a driver on the Universal Studio Tour who’s trying to persuade a tram full of bored tourists (one of whom is played by Jeffery Katzenberg) that the “Shark Attack” scene down by Jaws Lagoon is actually exciting.

Spielberg actually says lines like “ … Whoa, whoa. What is going on here? Ladies and gentlemen, this never happens. Look out! It’s a shark! Whoa, that is one big scary shark.”

Mind you, as footage of this mechanical shark repeatedly coming up out of the water is shown, “Your Studio & You” ‘s off-screen narrator (who is voiced by Trey Parker says):

“But what about tomorrow? If we don’t keep in step with the times, things that were once neat and thrilling can become old and stupid.”

“Your Studio & You” Reception

This film was supposed to be shown only once at the welcoming party for Seagrams executive on the Universal Lot. And I’m told that – when Edgar Bronfman saw the finished product at that party – he reportedly turned to David Zucker and said “ … That’s a little more mean-spirited that I think it needed to be.”

And with that, “Your Studio & You” was supposed to go back into the Universal vault, never to be seen again. But when “South Park” debuted on Comedy Central in August of 1997 and then became a sensation for its biting humor, there was suddenly a lot of interest in what else Matt & Trey had done. Which is why copies of “The Spirit of Christmas” began to circulate. And – over time – copies of “Your Studio & You” began to bubble up.

Which – as Stone & Parker have repeatedly pointed out – was just not supposed to happen. Largely because none of the celebrities who appeared in “Your Studio & You” had never signed releases for Universal’s legal department. Because – again – this was for a movie that was only going to be shown once at a private function on the Universal Lot.

Matt mentioned (as part of a career retrospective at the Paley Center in LA back in 2000) that “ … they wouldn’t even let us keep a copy of the finished film.”

It’s a funny but brutal movie. And worth taking a look at today especially if you’re a theme park history buff because it shows Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Jurassic Park: The Ride” still under construction on the Lower Lot. That attraction would finally open to the public in June of 1996.

“Your Studio & You” became a lot easier to see after Seagrams sold off its share of Universal to Vivendi in 2000. Copies began propagating online after that. Though Universal Legal will periodically make an effort to get the latest copy of “Your Studio & You” taken off the Internet because – again – none of the performers who appear on camera ever signed the proper releases and/or were paid for their efforts.

That said, if you’re up for a mean-spirited laugh, “Your Studio & You” is well worth 14 minutes of your time. That said, once you watch this thing, be warned: