Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store is going to the
dogs. And the cats.
In honor of the upcoming 25th anniversary of the November 1988 release of
"Oliver and Company
," this Hollywood
Boulevard hotspot (which is located right off of
the lobby of the El Capitan Theatre) is now offering a special commemorative
animation cel setup that S/R Labs created which then pays tribute to this Walt
Disney Animation Studios production.
Copyright Disney – S/R Labs. All
rights reserved
"Given that Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store was
looking for a special way to celebrate this particular animated feature, S/R
Labs knew we had to find just the right image to express the spirit of this
story and the characters that tell it. So, before we began work on this
particular Studio Replica, we first watched 'Oliver and Company' multiple
times. We searched for that single frame of film which manages to perfectly sum
up this hand-drawn animated feature," explained Ron Stark, Director of S/R
Laboratories Animation Art Conversation Center. "Eventually we settled on
this single frame that shows Dodger & Oliver standing together. Between the
coolness of Dodger's gaze and the innocent way that Oliver looks back at the
dog, I think this singular pose not only captures the style & tone of that
1988 Walt Disney Animation Studios production but it also does a nice job — in
a graphic sort of way — of paying tribute to the Artful Dodger and Oliver
Twist characters from the original Charles Dickens novel
."
Mind you, finding just the right image is only the beginning
of the whole Studio Replica process. S/R recreates the exact production
techniques that Disney's artists, painters, and inkers followed when they
created the cels that were originally used in the production of that Studios
hand-drawn animated features. And each of the cel setups offered in the Studio
Replica line comes with a special Soda Fountain and Studio Store certificate of
authenticity, and features a custom-cut hand-lettered mat reminiscent of the
way artwork was prepared at the Disney Studio in the 1940s & 1950s.
Copyright Disney – S/R Labs.
All rights reserved
And just so you know: Given how quickly the previous Studio
Replicas that S/R Labs created for Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store sold
out (i.e. The Cinderella
edition of 25 was gone within four days, the Captain
Hook edition of 25 in just 48 hours and the Lady & the Tramp
edition of 40
sold through in just three days), if you're an "Oliver and Company"
fan, you probably want to beat feet for to the El Capitan before this limited
edition piece of animation art sells out as well.
And once "Oliver and Company" sells out, what does
the future hold for the Studio Replica series? Ron wasn't ready to spoil any of
the surprises that Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store may have planned for
its customers in the coming months. All he would say is that perhaps some of
the other pieces that S/R Labs currently has in the works might pay tribute to Disney
animated features which also have significant anniversaries coming up.
Copyright Disney – S/R Labs.
All rights reserved
"Maybe if people come by for the in-store signing that
we'll be doing at the Soda Fountain sometime in July, I might let the cat out
of the bag in regards to our next Studio Replica," Stark concluded.
"But for now, I just hope everyone enjoys our 'Oliver and Company' art.
Because we certainly had a lot of fun working on this one."
The "Oliver & Company" Studio Replica edition of 50 is
available only at Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store. Which is located at 6384
Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood,
CA. 90028.