Flynnsbiggestfan writes in to say:
Thanks for sharing all that great info about "Tangled." But
could you please be a bit more specific about this new Disney animated film?
Maybe talk about "Tangled" songs or action sequences? Any additional
information you can share would be great.
Sorry, Flynnsbiggestfan. No can do. You see, the only way
that Disney would agree to let me (and about 100 – 150 other media types) see "Tangled"
this past Wednesday night is if we agreed not to review it. So it's okay for me
talk in generalities about this new Walt Disney Animation Studios production.
But as for specifics (i.e. song lyrics, bits of dialogue, etc.) … That's a
no-no 'til the second or third week of November.
Sam Flynn's lightcycle was on display just outside of the theater where Disney's Holiday
Showcase event was presented this past Wednesday night. Photo by Jim Hill
But how about this? As kind of a make-good, why don't I tell
you about what else Disney showed us on Wednesday night. Which was 23 minutes
from the first half of "TRON: Legacy."
Rich Ross, Chairman of Walt Disney
Studios, was on hand to introduce this footage. Ross first talked about how
impressed he was with Joseph Kosinski's work. How it was kind of amazing that
someone who's just begun in long form film for the very first time (Joseph initially
rose to fame on the back of the many clever commercials that he's created over
the past 10 years) could have produced something that looks as polished as "TRON:
Legacy" does.
For Kosinski's part … To be honest, he seemed pretty nervous
about how this footage might be received. Joseph talked about how this 23 minutes
of film we were about to be shown was still pretty rough, how it had come " … straight from the editing bay."
Kosinski also mentioned that – immediately following Wednesday night's
screening – he'd be headed up to Skywalker Ranch for a month to help out with "TRON:
Legacy" 's final sound mix.
(L to R) Garrett Hedlund, Steven Lisberger, Jeff Bridges and Joseph Kosinski on the set
of "TRON: Legacy." Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
But beyond that … Before this selection of scenes was
screened, Joseph went out of his way to praise all of the people who'd been associated
with this project. Including Steven Lisberger, the director of the original "TRON."
Kosinski sang Lisberger's praises, talking about how far head of the curve
Steve was in regards to design, concept & technology.
Joseph also took time to praise " … the thousands of people
who are still working on this picture," making sure that "TRON: Legacy" will
actually be ready for its December 17th release date. Kosinski also
talked a little bit about his vision for this "TRON" sequel. How it's not so
much a sci-fi extravaganza, but – rather – a story about " … people trying to
make a human connection in this digital age."
And after that, the house lights went down and the press & their guests
were then treated to 23 minutes worth of selected scenes from "TRON: Legacy."
Bruce Boxleitner & Cindy Morgan in the original "TRON."
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"So how was this footage?," you ask. Well, I guess I should
probably tell you folks that I'm not all that big a fan of the original "TRON."
I mean, I thought that this 1982 Walt Disney Productions release had some terrific
visuals & amazing special effects. But as for the story that actually drove
the characters & plotline of this Steven Lisberger film … To be honest, I
thought that it was something of a snooze.
But as for "TRON: Legacy" …
WARNING !! There be spoilers ahead. If you don't want to
know about some key plot points for "TRON: Legacy" almost three months ahead of
when this Walt Disney Pictures release is scheduled to roll into theaters, NOW
would be a very good time to bail out of today's JHM article.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Still here? Okay. Here goes …
… I have to admit that I was impressed by the nuanced,
intelligent approach that Kosinski took with "TRON: Legacy." Meaning that – in order
for us to buy into the digital world of TRON, to get us to actually care about
what goes on inside of this virtual realm – Joseph first had to give us some
characters that we could care about.
And Joseph actually pulls this off with the character of Sam
Flynn (who's played by Garrett Hedlund). This character basically serves as our
guide through the world of TRON. Which has changed significantly since the
original 1982 film (More on this later).
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Anyway … In the introductory scene that was screened on
Wednesday night, young Flynn must have just pulled one hell of a stunt at ENCOM's
annual meeting given those huge bruises on his back. Alan Bradley (Bruce
Boxleitner) comes by for Sam's garage / apartment for what Kevin Flynn's kid thinks
is the next in a series of "You-have-to-clean-up-your act" speeches.
But Bradley has a surprise for young Flynn. In the scene that
we've all already seen from the "TRON: Legacy" trailer, Alan tells Sam that he's
just been paged by his father from a number that's been disconnected for over
20 years. Young Flynn first scoffs at the idea that his Dad might still be
alive. "He's dead or chilling in Costa Rica. Maybe both," Sam says. But Bradley
still tosses him the keys to Flynn's Arcade. Which then sets this "TRON" sequel's
lightcycles in motion.
Wednesday night's screening then jumped ahead to the scene
where Sam rides his bike over to Flynn's Arcade to investigate that mysterious
page. Which is where I really had to give kudos to the filmmakers for their
musical choices. Given that – when young Flynn hits the circuit breakers,
sending power surging through the long-shuttered Arcade – what song comes
blaring out of the jukebox but Journey's "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" ? Which
all you 1980s music fans will remember features lyrics like …
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Here we stand
Worlds apart, hearts broken in two, two, two
Sleepless nights
Losing ground
I'm reaching for you, you, you
… which does a nice job of underscoring / foreshadowing Sam's
search for his Dad.
From there, young Flynn discovers his Dad's secret computer lab. Which
prominently features the laser that zapped the original Flynn into the world of
"TRON" back in 1982. And before we know it, Sam's following in his father's
footsteps. Being blasted into bytes by that laser and then being reassembled inside
of the virtual realm.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Once young Flynn arrives in the digital world, he's almost
immediately captured by a Recognizer. Which then flies Sam – along with several
other hapless programs – high above this futuristic cityscape before it then
lands at the Game Grid. And given that one of these programs actually commits
suicide (i.e. jumps to his death into an enormous fan, which immediately shreds
his body) rather than submit to the horrors of the Game Grid … Well, that then gives
you some idea how things have changed in the World of TRON over the past 28
years. Not to mention that program who's locked in place right next to young
Flynn on board the Recognizer. Who's clearly had half of his face sheared off
by a far-too-close encounter with somebody else's identity disc. This is a far
rougher, darker place now than the world that we visited back in 1982.
From here, Sam is suited up for competition. But to prove once
again that this isn't your Daddy's "TRON" movie, young Flynn first has his
clothes lasered off by four statuesque sirens ("This thing has a zipper, you
know," Sam whines) before he's then given armor and his own identity disc. Even
so, the sirens note that there's something unusual about young Flynn ("He's
different," whispers one sleek plastique beauty to the other as they select his
breast plate and knee guards).
And then Sam finds himself high up on the Game Grid, with
thousands of programs below cheering and applauding, waiting for the bloodsport
that's about to begin. As young Flynn looks across the playing field, he
actually recognizes the warrior that he's about to go up against. "I've got a
three-inch action figure version of you at home on my shelf," Sam says. But
this warrior seems singularly unimpressed by that fact as he pulls out his
identity disc and then flings it directly at young Flynn's head.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
Okay. Rather than literally go through every single piece of
"TRON: Legacy" footage that was unspooled on Wednesday night, let me now jump ahead to the most important scene shown
at that press screening. Which was when Sam was finally reunited with his long
lost father, Kevin Flynn. In this sequence from his film, we actually get a
sense of what Joseph Kosinski was saying. That – if you can totally disregard
this film's great visuals and awesome design – when you get right down to it, "TRON:
Legacy" – in its heart of hearts — is about people struggling to make a human
connection in this digital age.
And young Flynn … Given that it's been decades since he last
saw his father, Sam is clearly overcome by emotion as he hugs his Dad. Whereas
Kevin Flynn … Clearly all this time that he's spent alone away from real humans
in the world of TRON has fried Flynn's circuits. In a truly inspired
performance by Jeff Bridges, you get to see this man genuinely struggling to
reconnect, trying to step away from the monk-like routines that he's created
for himself in order to stay sane in this virtual world. Where (to quote from
The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever") nothing is real. As the elder Flynn steps
away from his son, saying that they'll talk over dinner, all will be explained
then, you can see Sam wondering what's really going on with his father. Why he
seems so distant now.
And as for what Kevin Flynn is actually been through , what
caused him to become the way he is today … Well, you're going to have to wait 'til
December 17th in order to get the full skinny on that aspect of "TRON:
Legacy."
Copyright 2010 New York Comic Con. All rights reserved
If – on the other hand – you'd like to get a bit more back story
ASAP about what happened in the World of TRON over the past 28 years and you happen
to live on the East Coast … Well, New York Comic Con is next weekend. October 8
– 10th at the Jacob K. Javits Center to be exact.
And among the many great panels that will be presented at
this three-day-long pop culture celebration is a "TRON: Legacy" panel. Which
will be held on Saturday, October 9th in Room 1A21. And at this
presentation, the developers of "TRON: Evolution" will reveal how this soon-to-be-released video
game will link the world that we saw at the end of
1982's "TRON" (when all of the programs were freed) with the darker, far more
sinister world of "TRON: Legacy." How did this place come to be? More importantly,
how did Kevin Flynn wind up being trapped inside of this virtual prison that he
himself helped to create?
For answers to these and any other "TRON" -related questions
you have, you should probably make plans now to be in Room 1A21 next Saturday
from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. to catch that "TRON: Evolution" presentation. During which (hopefully) some new details about Kevin Flynn's back story will be revealed.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
But beyond that … I have to say that I was quite impressed
by what I saw of "TRON: Legacy." Which took the strengths of the original "TRON"
(i.e. great design & visuals) and then supplemented those with far better
acting as well as a much more intriguing storyline. The end result is a motion
picture that (based on just that 23 minutes of footage, that is) looks like it's
going to appeal to a far larger audience than just the sci-fi crowd. That –
just like last year's "Star Trek
" reboot from J.J. Abrams – this new Walt
Disney Pictures release has lots of crossover potential.
Provided – of course-that the other hour+ of "TRON: Legacy"
are just as entertaining as the 23 minutes that were screened for the press
this past Wednesday night.
Your thoughts?