General

The Mummy Unwrapped – Part I

In preparation for next week’s grand opening of Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Curse of the Mummy” attraction, JHM contributor Rick Guitterez offers up a brief history this film franchise.

Published

20 years ago

June 14, 2004

Rick Gutierrez

It’s kind of sad when the attraction that’s based on a particular motion picture is actually more entertaining than the movie itself. But such is the case with Though you can currently see billboards all over Southern California (as part of the promotion for next week’s grand opening of Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride”) talking about revenge & mummies, it may surprise you to learn that mummies aren’t really a vengeful lot.

Oh, sure. I know. Over the past 70 years, Hollywood has cranked out hundreds of movies about mummies who rise from the grave to wreak havoc on those who would dare to defile their tombs. But – truth be told, folks – the Egyptians never actually placed curses on the tombs of their dead.

“So where did this whole ‘Curse of the Mummy / Revenge of the Mummy’ concept come from?,” you ask. Well, most folks date this urban legend back in the 1920s, when English archeologist Howard Carter first discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamen. The “Mummy’s Curse” rumors seem to haves started when Carter’s sponsor – a Lord Carnarvon — died of what had been called “mysterious circumstances.”

Those “circumstances” eventually turned out to be an infected mosquito bite. But you know the British tabloid press, folks. They never let the truth stand in the way of a good story. So they took Lord Carnarvon’s really rather undramatic death and used it as the springboard for the whole “Curse of the Mummy” legend. Introducing this admittedly creepy concept into our popular culture.

In this “Mummy’s Curse” myth, execs at Universal Studios saw the makings of a movie. Which is why – in 1932 – they engaged the services of “Dracula” cinematographer Karl Freund as well as an actor named William Henry Pratt. With the hope that this pairing might produce some cinematic gold.

What’s that? William Henry Pratt’s name isn’t all that familiar to you. Well, maybe you know this actor better by his stage name: Boris Karloff.

Anyway … The “Mummy” movie that Freund & Karloff were able to cobble together pretty much set the tone for all “Mummy” movies that followed. The mummified body of Imhotep is brought back to life after an English archaeologist reads a forbidden spell from the scroll of Toth. Taking the mortal form of Ardeth Bey, Imhotep then searches for his lost love Anck Su Namun.

This first Universal Studios’ “Mummy” movie is probably best known by cinema fans for a number of things. Most notably the Mummy make-up that was created for this film by Hollywood legend Jack Pierce. Pierce — who designed the make up for Universal’s first two horror classics, “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” – was once again called to work his magic on Boris’ memorable mug as production of “The Mummy” initially got underway.

Using a combination of spirit gum, cotton, greasepaint, beauty clay, rice paper, and mud, Pierce was able to transform Karloff into a truly impressive creature. How impressive? So impressive that a magazine of the day went out of its way to recognize Jack’s achievement. Making Pierce the very first makeup artist in the industry to receive any real recognition outside of the industry prior to the 1960s.

Film technology buffs also have a soft spot in their hearts for Universal’s “Mummy” movie. Not so much for Jack Pierce’s spectacular make-up effects. But – rather – because this 1932 Universal Studios release was the one of the first films to successfully make use of traveling (or steady cam) shots.

Director Karl Freund was considered to be very revolutionary with his use of the camera on this production. Decades before the invention of the “steady cam,” Freund was able to strap a camera to his chest & move about the set while filming. Which produced many memorable shots for “The Mummy.” Years later, Karl went on to create & design the first multi-camera set up for TV’s “I Love Lucy.” Which went on to become the industry standard. A camera set-up that is used to produce sitcoms to this very day.

Like “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” before it, “The Mummy” proved to be a real monster at the box office. So much so that Universal eventually decided to create a series of sequels based on this 1932 release.

Unfortunately, given that Karloff had grown tired of being swaddled in cotton & spirit gum during the making of the first “Mummy” movie, Boris refused to return & play the role for the 1940 sequel, “The Mummy’s Hand.”

Lucky for Universal, another noted horror actor – Lon Chaney Jr. (Probably best known today for his portrayal of the Wolfman) – agreed to be wrapped up in cotton to play Imhotep in the next three “Mummy” sequels: 1942’s “The Mummy’s Tomb,” 1944’s “The Mummy’s Ghost” and 1944’s “The Mummy’s Curse.” ( “The Mummy’s Curse” remains a bit of curio among horror fans. Given that it’s somewhat infamous for having been shot in just 12 days.)

After that, Imhotep kind of laid low for a while. Sure, he popped up in Abbott & Costello’s last horror-themed comedy, “Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy,” in the late 1950s. And — in the 1960s — the character stomped through a couple of horror films created by Hammer Studios in the U.K.

But after that … Imhotep seems to have just sat out the 1970s. Emerging only in 1987 – along with Dracula, the Wolf man, Frankenstein’s monster and the Creature From the Black Lagoon – to appear in the under-appreciated “Monster Squad.” While this film is unintentionally funny in certain sections, the sequences featuring the Mummy are among “Monster Squad” ‘s most memorable scenes.

In 1997, Universal’s “Mummy” character popped up in a most unusual place: your local post office. The U.S. Postal Service – working on conjunction with Universal Studios – created a series of commemorative stamps that feature likenesses of Universal’s classic monsters. Which proved to be quite popular with the public.

That same year, Universal’s classic monsters got their very own maze at the Hollywood theme park’s annual “Halloween Horror Nights” celebration. That maze is remembered quite fondly by horror buffs. Given that – just like the films that inspired it – the maze was done entirely in black & white.

It wasn’t until 1999 that noted director Stephen Sommers arrived on the scene & put Imhotep’s career back on the fast track. Before 1999, Sommers was probably best known for the work that he’d done on three features for Walt Disney Studios: 1993’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” (Which starred a pre-Hobbit Elijah Wood), 1994’s “The Jungle Book” and well as Stephen’s first foray into horror, 1998’s “Deep Rising.”

It was “Deep Rising” that actually brought Sommers to Universal’s attention. This film (which actually didn’t do all that well at the box office) liberally mixed laughs and scares as the movie hurtles toward its climax.

Based on what he did with the undersea creature in “Deep Rising,” Universal execs saw Sommers as the man who could perhaps successfully revive the studio’s now faded Classic Monsters franchise. A set of characters that had been basically gathering dust since the late 1940s. Sommers accepted Universal’s offer, then chose “The Mummy” to be the first classic horror character that Stephen would try to breath new life into.

And – as all your horror fans already know — Imhotep came screaming back to life in this 1999 Universal Studios release. A big budget remake which took the very best elements of the studio’s “Mummy” movies of the 30’s and 40’s & then juiced them up for moviegoers of today. That movie (Which grossed $155 million during its domestic release) was embraced by film fans of all ages. Many critics said that Sommer’s “Mummy” movie was a film that expertly blended humor, scares, and thrilling action. Which resulted in a film that was very much in the style of George Lucas & Steven Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones” series.

But what impressed many “Mummy” fans even more was how faithful Sommers had been to his source material. If you’re paying particularly close attention, you may notice that there are several parallels between Steve’s 1999 special effects extravaganza and Karl Freund’s 1932 horror classic.

” In both films, the “Mummy” character is named Imhotep.
” In both films, the title character is mummified for unspeakable crimes.
” In both films, the Mummy is on a mission to reunite with their long lost loves.

This May 1999 release – which starred Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weiss, and Arnold Vosloo – proved to be so popular that Universal asked Sommers to serve up a sequel. Which Stephen did in May of 2001, “The Mummy Returns.” While – which this motion picture is generally acknowledged as being not quite as good as the original – “the Mummy Returns” racked up some very impressive returns at the box office. Grossing $202 million during its domestic release alone.

Many of the reviews that were written about “The Mummy Returns” compared this Universal Pictures’ release to a thrill ride. Which – as you might imagine – gave the folks at Universal Creative (I.E. The folks who actually created all the rides, shows and attraction for the Universal theme parks) an idea.

Given that Sommer’s “Mummy” movies had done such a great job of reviving Universal’s Classic Monsters franchise, Universal Creative wondered: Could Stephen’s characters also work their magic on Universal’s theme parks. Which hadn’t ever had a successful horror-themed thrill ride …

NEXT TIME: As the countdown continues for the unwrapping of Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Mummy” ride, Rick talk about the origins of “The Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride” as well as the key differences between the Hollywood & Orlando versions of the same attraction.

General

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

Published

9 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

9 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

9 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