Hey, Gang!
My apologies for not having anything new up on the site for the past two days. But Nancy and I arrived back home from Georgia late on New Year’s Eve only to find two feet of heavy, wet snow waiting for us. Then — just as soon as we got the house dug out from under all of that crud — another eight inches of the white stuff came falling out of the sky.
So – what with all of the shoveling involved in clearing this crud away – there just wasn’t time to sit down at the computer these past few days and hammer out any new stories for the site. Which is why Michelle has been raiding the archives for me (Special thanks to both Michelle and David Gasior for keeping JimHillMedia.com up and running these past few days).
Unfortunately — given that the weatherman is now saying that New Hampshirites can expect to be hit by no less than three different snowstorms this coming weekend — I only have a few moments to spare to before I have to get started on my pre-storm errands (I.E. Go to store. Buy a loaf of bread, a bottle of milk and a connector cable for Alice’s new Gamecube).
Even so, I wanted to answer at least a few “Why For” questions before I headed off to Walmart. So let’s get started, shall we?
Eric recently wrote to ask:
Dear Jim:
I’m glad to see you have made yourself a home on the net. Chasing you around the net has sometimes been awkward 😉
Anyway, I’ve been wondering about WDFA. And – after watching “Treasure Planet” – I am wondering even harder.
Where is the talent? Where is the skill? Where is the story telling experience? You have said that many animators have been fired, quit, retired, walked, (been) put out to pasture or died.
Again, I would like to know where the talent went? Who learned their art from the “Nine Old Men”?
Are their apprentices still at Disney? If not, where did they go? I want to see the genealogy of animation talent that starts with Disney. Why does Pixar tell better stories than Disney? What happened to Don Bluth? Who has Walt’s baton?
You seem to be the man to ask.
Sincerely, Eric
Um … Maybe I’m the wrong guy to answer this question, Eric. Why? Because I actually liked “Treasure Planet.” Certainly, it wasn’t my favorite Disney Feature Animation film of the past five years (That honor would have to go to “The Emperor’s New Groove.” I mean, I caught the last 20 minutes of this film again on Tuesday, while Nancy was shopping at the Disney Catalog Outlet Store. And I still found “Groove” to be incredibly entertaining. Loaded with lots of wonderful animation and design. Not to mention dozens of great gags). But “TP” was still A-OK in my book.
That said … I have to acknowledge that I am very much in the minority here. For the majority of American moviegoers seem to have absolutely no interest in going to check out this long-in-the-planning John Musker and Ron Clements project. (EX: A few weeks back, Jeff, Flo, Nancy and I went to a IMAX theater in Hartford, CT. to check out “Treasure Planet” on the really big screen. Even though we went to the 7:30 p.m. showing on a Saturday night — a time when every other theater in this multiplex was filled to capacity — up until five minutes before showtime, we were the only four people in that entire theater. A situation that I just found to be absolutely astounding.)
So what exactly went wrong with “Treasure Planet?” To be honestly, I’m not sure that it’s really the film that’s at fault here, Eric. I’ve been hearing a lot of talk lately about how “TP” was actually a summer picture (I.E. a movie that would probably have had no problem connecting with an audience had it been released to theaters between the months of May and August) that should NEVER have been released in the depths of November. There’s also been a lot of grumbling from the folks over at WDFA about the tired old ad campaign that Disney’s marketing department slapped together for “Treasure Planet.”
Tell you what, Eric. If you promise to come back to the site on Tuesday, I promise that I’ll try to answer at least some of your questions as part of a full-blown feature that I’ll be posting about the trouble with “Treasure Planet.” Just be warned that this story runs a lot deeper than some of you may expect. I fear that we may not just be talking about the unfortunate failure of one film. Given what’s going on behind-the-scenes at Disney Feature Animation these days (as well as the recent under-performance of Paramount’s traditionally animated “Wild Thornberrys” movie), there are some people at Disney who are now saying that traditional hand-drawn animation may be going the way of silent film. Falling out of favor as well as out of fashion.
Check out that story on Tuesday, Eric. Hopefully, my “Trouble with ‘Treasure Planet'” article will answer at least some of your questions.
Next, Matt writes to say:
Hello Jim, I love your site and plan on making a small financial contribution in the near future. I am confused about the recent Muppet sale. It seemed that the purchase of the Muppets, by Disney, was almost a done deal according to the media and then without a peep Disney lost the bid and nothing was said about it. Do you have any insight about how this deal fell through for Disney? Thanks! Matt
Matt, the reason that the Walt Disney Company opted not to go forward with the corporation’s most recent attempt to acquire the Jim Henson Company is that — at the very last moment — EM.TV changed the conditions of the deal. Instead of selling Disney the entire Jim Henson Company (which would have given the Mouse the right to do whatever it wanted with the Muppets), the German broadcast consortium suddenly announced that it wanted to retain a majority share in the Henson Company. To be specific, EM.TV was offering to sell the Walt Disney Company just 49.9% of Henson, while it retained the other 50.1%.
Well, anyone who’s even remotely familiar with the history of the Walt Disney Company knows that the Mouse doesn’t like to share. More importantly, that Mickey likes to likes to call the shots. Which is something that Disney wouldn’t have been able to do with the Jim Henson Company had they accepted the new terms that EM.TV had suddenly placed on the table. Which is why the Mouse decided to walk.
Not too far away, mind you. You see, there’s always been this tacit understanding among Mouse House insiders that, were Dean Valentine and Mort Marcus (who are both former Walt Disney Company executives, by the way) ever to close their deal with EM.TV to acquire the Jim Henson Company, that sooner or later these two guys would be bringing the Muppets back to Disney. Whether it would be to make more Muppet direct-to-video projects and/or new feature films or TV shows, who can say?
But the smart money has always been on Marcus and Valentine using their old corporate ties with the Mouse House to help Kermit & Co. to find a new home in Hollywood. And — perhaps, sometime further on down the line — a new generation of Muppet-related rides and shows for the theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando and Paris.
But now that all the financing that Dean and Mort reportedly had in place to acquire Henson appears to be falling through, who can say for certain what’s going to happen to the Jim Henson Company next? The only thing that is CERTAIN is … this story isn’t over yet, folks. Which is why it’s wise not to count the Mouse out just yet. Who knows? There may be a few more twists left in this tale after all.
And finally, R. Ramjet wrote to say:
Mr. Hill:
I can not believe that you were so stupid as to nominate internet muckmeister Al Lutz as JimHillMedia.com’s person of the year. Are you on drugs, Jim? I mean, did you actually ever read any of the nasty trash that Lutz used to post over at MousePlanet? Al is a loathsome, negative person who doesn’t deserve ANY recognition – let alone being recognized as a “man of the year.”
How could you do this, Jim?
Actually, I didn’t. It was C.W. (Chuck) Oberleitner AKA DizBiz who actually wrote that story. But — given that the piece was published at JimHillMedia.com — I guess it’s easy to understand how you could have made that mistake, R. Ramjet.
But — as for recognizing Al Lutz’s contributions to the web — I actually thought that this was a pretty good idea. Which is why I gave Chuck the “go ahead” when he first suggested this story to me a week or so back.
Oh, sure. I don’t agree with absolutely everything that C.W. had to say in his story. But then again, I’m fairly certain that you folks don’t always agree with absolutely everything that I put in my stories either. So why quibble over minor crud like this?
The real point that I (and Chuck) are trying to get across here is that Al Lutz usually writes a pretty entertaining and informative column. Maybe I don’t always agree with what the guy has to say. But 9 times out of 10, by the time I finish reading an article by Al, I’ve usually learned something that I never knew about the Walt Disney Company and/or had a hearty laugh at some incredibly caustic comment that Al has made about the Mouse.
Yes, Lutz can be extremely negative. And sometimes he can go WAY over the top. But there’s also no denying that Al has some absolutely killer sources. I mean, I honestly don’t know how he does it. But the guy regularly gets his hands on this absolutely incredible inside info about the Walt Disney Company. Stuff that no one else ever gets access to.
Which is why I always make a point of trying reading Al Lutz’s latest column. Which is why I followed the guy when he and Kevin Yee left MousePlanet to go form MiceAge. Just so my steady flow of juicy Disney inside info wouldn’t be interrupted.
“Wait a minute, Jim,” I hear some of you saying. “Why are you saying nice things about Al Lutz? Isn’t this the same guy who fired you from MousePlanet a year or so back? Why would you ever want to be kind to someone who treated you like that?”
Okay. It’s true. Al DID fire me from MousePlanet back in March of 2001. Which was pretty embarrassing. At the time, anyway.
But — given the way things whiz along on the Web — I figure that time here has to be measured in dog years. Which means — in order for me to still be angry with Al Lutz — I would have to have carried a grudge for over 10 years now. And life’s just too short for nonsense like that, isn’t it?
These days, I prefer to think of Al Lutz as the guy gave me my very first job on the Internet. Who did such a nice job with the layout of all of my old “View from a Hill” stories. A guy who could probably use a little help right about now as he and Kevin get their new website up out of the ground.
Look, based on personal experience, I can tell you guys how hard it is to start over again (and over again and over again …) on the Internet. Which is why I’m perfectly happy now to shine a spotlight on Al’s new website. To lend a hand. To try and make as many potential readers as possible aware of “MiceAge.” With the hope that it will send some sizable traffic their way.
Sure, I’m sure that there are people out there who will be extremely upset that I’ve taken this stance (two come immediately to mind). But I don’t care. It’s my website and I can say whatever the hell I want. So there! Nyah!
Anywho … I hope you all enjoyed Chuck Oberleitner’s latest column; I know I did. Which is why I’m now recommending that you all go check out Al Lutz’s new website, “MiceAge.” (Just be aware that this week’s column — the 2002 MouseTrap Awards — really isn’t the best introduction to Lutz’s stuff. Over-written and under-entertaining, the piece just tries too hard. Better you should go check out Al’s “Stitch Mountain” story from December 23rd. Just so you get a sense of what Al’s really capable of.)
As for me … Well, Nancy just informed me that the weatherman said we’ll be getting another 8½ inches of snow tomorrow. Which is why I’d better go pull on my boots and head out for the mall.
Speaking of the mall … so far, we’ve had a very nice response to last week’s offer of a free $10 off coupon for the Disney Catalog Outlet store to anyone who wrote in. Just be aware that the clock’s ticking, folks. That these coupons are in increasingly short supply and will only be good now through January 31st. So — if you’d like some of your own to use — send a self addressed stamped envelope ASAP to:
Jim Hill Media P.O. Box 261 New Boston, N.H. 03070
And — provided that our local post office is not buried in an avalanche in the next week or so — I’ll put your $10 off coupon in the mail just as soon as I get your request in hand.
That’s it for now. Have a safe (and hopefully snow-free) weekend, okay? And I’ll talk to you all again on Monday.
jrh