What exactly is a Disney film?
That’s the question that Oren Aviv (I.E. The new president of production of Walt Disney Pictures) and Dick Cook (I.E. The longtime chairman of Walt Disney Studios) have supposedly struggled with these past seven months. As these two execs have tried to define what makes a Disney film different from all the motion pictures that the other studios in Hollywood release.
Mind you, we’re not talking about what a Disney film was like back in Walt’s day. But — rather — a modern Walt Disney Pictures release. Something along the lines of “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” Which is a motion picture that appeals to the broadest possible audience while — at the same time — remains family-friendly.
So far, Oren & Cook seem to have nailed down at least some of the aspects that they look for in a new project for Disney Studios:
- The script should feature appropriate dialogue (Given its subject matter), but no adult language
- The story should have lots of action, but no violence
- It’s okay if the screenplay features some romance, but keep it vertical
Mind you, even though “The Curse of the Black Pearl” provides a pretty good template for the sort of picture that Walt Disney Studios wants to produce in the future, not everything the Mouse makes from here on in will have to be a $100 million tentpole. Truth be told, Disney’s upcoming production slate is going to have room for films of all shapes, sizes & (more importantly) budgets.
Take — for example — “South of the Border,” the new live action comic-adventure that Walt Disney Pictures plans on releasing in 2008. Which — believe it or not — was inspired by an August 2004 incident where Paris Hilton‘s pet chihuahua, Tinkerbell, went missing for a couple of days.
Mind you, eventually this Teacup Chihuahua did turn up again. It seems that Paris forgot that she had left Tinkerbell at her grandparents’ home. However, once this airheaded heiress noticed that the miniature mutt was no longer in her purse, Hilton immediately jumped to the conclusion that Tinkerbell had been dognapped. Hence all the stories in the tabs about Paris’s missing pooch.
But then “Mad TV” writer Jeff Bushnell took this bit of non-news and used it as the inspiration for a screenplay about this Beverly Hills Chihuahua who gets lost in Mexico after its owner takes the dog along on a spa vacation. In order to get back home to Hollywood, this pampered pooch must first befriend some actual Mexican Chihuahuas and then persuade these crude canines to help this Tinkerbell stand-in find her owner again.
Photo courtesy of Google Images
Anyway … Disney originally optioned this screenplay back in 2004. When it was originally thought that the studio would do “South of the Border” as a project that would mix live action & CG. However, given how well “Eight Below” performed last year, Mouse House officials now seem determined to use real-live Chihuahuas to get most of the shots that they need for this moderately budgeted motion picture.
FYI: Disney plans on using the same lip-syncing technology that’s now being used in the production of “Underdog” to make it look as though the Chihuahuas in “South of the Border” can actually talk. As to the celebrities that Mickey hopes to hire to voice various canines in this film … I’m told that Disney would really like to sign Carlos Mencia to play at least one role in this picture.
Speaking of casting … While there is no official word yet on who Walt Disney Pictures hopes to hire to play the title role in “Prince of Persia,” a number of other aspects of this upcoming Jerry Bruckheimer production have already been nailed into place. This film’s sub-title will be “The Sands of Time.” And per the terms of Bruckheimer’s current contract with Disney Studios, the final cut of this highly anticipated motion picture must receive a PG / PG-13 rating.
Given that “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is currently slated to be Walt Disney Pictures’ big release for the 2008 holiday season, serious pre-production work is already underway on this film. A series of elaborate concept paintings (Which suggest that “PoP” is hoping to achieve the modern equivalent of the cinematic grandeur that was seen in Alexander Korda‘s “The Thief of Bagdad“) have already been completed. And some preliminary special effects tests have reportedly been done on the film’s sandstorm sequence.
As for this movie’s proposed storyline, Disney & Bruckheimer are both being rather tight-lipped about this, To date, all that’s leaked out in-house about “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is that this film will deal with …
” … a young prince (who) must prove his innocence with the reluctant help of a conquered princess and a magic dagger that can reverse time.”
I’m also told that the movie version of Jordan Mechner‘s classic video game franchise will feature an enormous enchanted hourglass. But as to where this particular item fits into the “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” storyline … I have no idea.
Speaking of action-adventure, Walt Disney Pictures is looking to put a martial arts spin on the studio’s animated masterpiece, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” with the studio’s 2008 release, “Snow and the Seven.” This live action feature (Which the studio hopes to shoot on-location in China) is set in the 1880s, when an reluctant English princess suddenly finds herself in need of protection while traveling overseas. And who then comes to her aid? Seven Shaolin monks.
Photo courtesy of Google Images
I know, I know. “Snow and the Seven” sounds kind of bizarre. Though — truth be told — this production has a pretty amazing pedigree. The film’s screenplay has been written by Michael Chabon, the 2001 Pulitzer Prize-winner who also crafted the scripts for “Spider-Man 2” and “Wonder Boys.” And for Woo-ping Yuen, the movie’s director … This is the guy who choreographed all of the fight sequences in the “Kill Bill” films as well as the “Matrix” trilogy.
And Yuen … According to what studio sources have told me, Woo-ping is looking to make “Snow and the Seven” the “Ocean’s 11” of martial arts movies. Meaning that Yuen is out to recruit some of the biggest names in martial arts film history to make appearances in this motion picture. Then add to this Chabon’s clever concept that each of the Shaolin priests will have at least one trait that will remind viewers of the dwarfs from Disney’s 1937 animated version … And it sounds like “Snow and the Seven” could be one fun flick.
Alright. I know that there are those of you out there who are already upset that Disney would even think of remaking “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Much less turning this animated masterpiece into a martial arts movie. But you have to understand that this isn’t the first time that the Mouse has actually thought about remaking “Snow White.”
How many of you remember back to 1979, as Walt Disney Productions was getting ready to release “The Black Hole” ? More importantly, when then-studio head Ron Miller — as he was meeting with members of the press — began talking up the studio’s next sci-fi-based project. Which (depending on when you talked with Ron) was either known as “Snow Star,” “White Star” or “Star White.”
Anywho … The film’s storyline dealt with this Princess Leia-like royal who was fleeing from an evil sorceress who’s out to destroy the princess’s home world. When the Leia-lookalike’s spaceship suddenly developed engine problems in deep space, the princess sought shelter in this supposedly abandoned space station.
Only (surprise, surprise) this space station isn’t actually abandoned. When the original colonists left eons ago, they left behind seven little droids to maintain the facility. And it’s these robots who now become the princess’s protectors and keep her safe from that evil space sorceress.
So you tell me, folks: What sounds worse? “Snow and the Seven” with its Shaolin monks or “Snow Star” / “White Star” / “Star White” / Whatever. Which was basically “Snow White and the Seven Droids.”
And speaking of cute little robots … If you want to learn something about the storyline for Pixar’s 2008 release, I suggest you come back to JHM tomorrow and check out my “Toon Tuesday” column.
Your thoughts?