First up, Peter S. writes in to ask:
Jim —
Sorry to hear about you missing out on the Disneyland’s 50th celebration. But look on the bright side: This was just the kick-off of the “Happiest Homecoming” festivities. Disneyland’s real birthday isn’t ’til July 17th. So why don’t you have Angela & Jeff stay home and watch the site then while you come to Southern California and party?
Speaking of the 17th … Do you have any idea what sort of festivities Disneyland has planned for its real 50th birthday?
Peter S.
Dear Peter S.
Boy, it’s funny that you bring this up. For — just this afternoon — an old friend of mine gave me a “heads up” on Disneyland’s potential guest list for July 17th. Some of the people who’ve already agreed to appear (EX: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who’s scheduled to read an official proclamation which pays tribute to the huge impact that “The Happiest Place on Earth” has had on Southern Californian tourism) aren’t really all that surprising. While still others (EX: President George H. W. Bush. As well as every other living ex-President) have at least indicated their willingness to appear … Provided (of course) that all the necessary security precautions can be addressed.
But here’s the real surprise. Guess who Disney Company management has allegedly asked to stand in for Walt during the theme park’s official rededication ceremony? As in: Who gets to read the famous “To all to come to this happy place, welcome! Disneyland is your land …” speech?
Would you believe Roy?
That’s right. Mr. “Save Disney” himself. Roy E. Disney, the former chairman of Disney Feature Animation. The nephew of the company’s founder. More importantly, the guy who’s been calling for Michael Eisner’s head on a platter for the past 20 months.
But wait. It gets better. Guess who supposedly suggested that the Walt Disney Company reach out to Roy and ask him to play a prominent part in the festivities on July 17th? CEO-to-be Robert Iger.
Now before everyone gets giddy about the long-range ramifications of all this, I should caution you that Walt’s nephew hasn’t said “Yes” yet. And — to be honest — given the personal note that Roy posted over on SaveDisney.com yesterday, in which he wrote:
Having been present on Opening Day, July 17, 1955, it will be sad for me not to be around for this momentous piece of history, and certainly this July I’ll feel a pretty strong pang of nostalgia…
The early signs aren’t all that encouraging. Particularly since TransPac (I.E. That biennial yacht race from LA to Honolulu that Roy usually takes part in) is being held this year between July 11th – 17th. Which means that — if Walt’s nephew is out in the middle of the Pacific, sailing “Pyewacket” in competition … Well, then obviously the man would be physically unable to attend the event.
More to the point — strictly as a matter of principle — Roy may steer clear of Disneyland on that official anniversary date. Just to make sure that people understand that Walt’s nephew will still have nothing to do with the Walt Disney Company as long as Michael Eisner remains in a position of power.
But — that said — there have recently been some signs of Roy softening his stance. Take — for example — his surprise appearance inside the Anaheim theme park this past Sunday.
Roy was seen on the balcony of the Disney Gallery being interviewed for Australian television. And — based on comments I’ve heard from JHM readers down under who actually caught this interview when it aired on a morning chat show — Roy was his usual folksy self. Clearly getting across how much he cared about Disneyland and (more importantly) the creative legacy of the Walt Disney Company.
So what should we make of Roy’s appearance in the park this past weekend (FYI: That was the very first time that Walt’s nephew had been back to Disneyland since he’d officially resigned from the corporation back on November 30, 2003)? Was this just a one-time-thing? Or an early indicator that Roy might be willing to play ball … If certain conditions were met (I.E. Michael Eisner has next to nothing to do with Disneyland’s rededication ceremony come July).
As I said earlier, that note that Roy just posted over on SaveDisney.com doesn’t seem all that encouraging. But — that said — there are still 10 1/2 weeks ’til July 17th finally rolls around. So who knows what might happen between now & then?
Now — as of right now — it looks like July 17, 2005 is going to be a very interesting day to be inside the park. To see who does (And — more importantly — who doesn’t) take part in Disneyland’s rededication ceremony.
Speaking of things that are missing, Jeremy H. writes in to ask:
Jim,
I didn’t know if you were going to cover it at all, but the newly released Pocahontas DVD features a seamlessly integrated re-animation of that excised love ballad, “If I Never Knew You” and I was curious about the history of this Stephen Schwartz song and how it came to be excised.
Thanks!
Jeremy H.
Dear Jeremy —
Actually, yes. There is a sad but still rather telling (in a Hollywood insider sort of way) tale to be told about this terrific Stephen Schwartz & Alan Menken ballad.
Virtually everyone who heard “If I Never Knew You” while “Pocahontas” was still in production thought that this heartfelt song was the film’s hit single. That this would be the tune that everyone would be humming as they exited the theaters. Having just seen this beautiful & ambitious new Disney animated feature during its initial theatrical release in June of 1995.
Well, imagine WDFA executives’ surprise when — as they initially began test-screening “Pocahontas” in the late summer & early fall of 1994 — and they saw how the kids in the audience reacted to Pocahontas & John Smith’s love song. It was if — from the very second that “If I Never Knew You” began — someone threw a switch that made all of the children in the auditorium whine, fidget and/or race to the bathroom.
According to one “Pocahontas” vet that I spoke with:
“Adults just loved that song. Loved the scene that it was in. ‘If I Never Knew You’ was an absolute winner with anyone over 18.
But the kids in the audience? As soon as that ballad started, they went bezerk. Children 10 and under just hated the idea that ‘Pocahontas’ — a picture that they already thought was far too serious & slow moving — slowed down even more to allow John Smith & Pocahontas to profess their love for one another in song.
I mean, it just killed us to have to cut that song. Particularly since — by removing ‘If I Never Knew You’ — a lot of the heat & emotion went out of the last act of the movie.
But — that said — as soon as that ballad was cut, the picture as a whole started playing better to smaller kids. They stayed involved with the story right up to the end. They didn’t run up & down in the aisle and disrupt ‘Pocahontas’ for all the other people in the theater.”
So you see, Jeremy, even though the folks who made “Pocahontas” recognized that “If I Never Knew You” was a beautiful ballad, that this was a song that perhaps could have had a life outside of the motion picture … they still had to cut the number.
Why For? Because ultimately the audience’s word is law. And — if a large enough percentage of your audience tells you that a particular song is significantly slowing down your movie … Then — no matter how heartfelt that tune might be, how quickly that song moves members of the production team to tears — out it goes.
That’s what’s kind of neat about the new 10th anniversary edition of “Pocahontas” that Buena Vista Home Entertainment released this week. This 2-disc DVD actually features two different versions of this Academy Award-winning film: A kid-friendly version (where “If I Never Knew You” has once again been clipped out) as well as a more adult-oriented edition (where this Schwartz / Menken ballad is allowed to remain right where it was in the original cut in the picture).
Trust me, Jeremy. If you watch the longer cut of this movie (where that song is left right where it was supposed to be in the picture), the ending of “Pocahontas” will be that much more powerful, that much more meaningful to you. You’ll finally get a real sense of the huge personal sacrifices that John Smith & the Indian princess are making in order to maintain a fragile peace in the new world.
That — plus all the extras (I.E. The “Making Of” featurette, the nine deleted scenes, etc.) — make this new 2-disc version of “Pocahontas” well worth picking up. So make sure you pick up a copy of this DVD when it hits store shelves.
And — speaking of hits — Jasper J. writes in to say that he doesn’t think that Epcot’s nighttime lagoon is hitting on of all its cylinders anymore.
Jim —
What’s the deal with “Reflections of Earth”? Epcot has been presenting this same new-age-y fireworks extravaganza for nearly six years now. Once upon a time, my family and I really thought this World Showcase lagoon show was spectacular. But now it just seems tired & dated. Not nearly as much fun as “Wishes” is over at the Magic Kingdom.
So when is Epcot going to get a new fireworks show? Something that’s at least as good as “Wishes” is.
Jasper J.
Dear Jasper J.
You picked a great week to ask me this question. You see, right now, I’ve got friends in both Anaheim & Orlando who are attending Disney press events. So all it’s gonna take to get a highly detailed, almost instanteous answer to your question is one quick phone call.
Slight pause while I get KFO on the line.
Okay. KFO tells me that — based on a conversation that he had with some WDW pyro people yesterday — that Epcot officials are seriously looking into doing something with “Reflections of Earth.” Not so much because this World Showcase Lagoon extravaganza is really showing its age. But — rather — because all the fireworks barges that are used in this show are in really bad shape after nearly six years of continuous use.
Now here’s where KFO’s story gets kind of confusing. You see, one pyro guy that he spoke with told KFO that — given the sorry shape of those barges — “Reflections of Earth” will be overhauled sooner rather than later. Which means sometime in the next year.
Which sounds kind of encouraging, don’t you think? Until you hear that another pyro guy just told KFO that Epcot won’t get a new fireworks show ’til the Fall of 2007. And that this new nighttime extravganza would help celebrate this science & discovery park’s 25th anniversary.
Of course, there’s another factor here that could be causing Disney to hold off on replacing “Reflections of Earth” for another year or two. You see, Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure is supposedly getting ready to debut its own nighttime waterfront extravaganza sometime in 2006. And — based on what I’ve heard so far about this proposed IOA lagoon show — this new nighttime entertainment could potentially blow anything that’s currently being presented over at Disney right out the water.
Which is why (me personally) I think that Disney is going to hold off on staging a new nighttime show in World Showcase Lagoon ’til at least 2007. Just so the Mouse can first get a look at what Universal intends to do in IOA’s lagoon … then figure out a way to top it.
And — finally — here’s a nice surprise for all you JHM readers who live in the Orlando area and/or those of you who’ll be vacationing at the Walt Disney World resort over this coming weekend. The Mouse is desperately seeking people to take part in two tapings of “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Which are being held in the Magic Kingdom this coming Sunday, May 8th as well as on Monday, May 9th.
So — if you’ve always dreamed of appearing on ABC Television … Well, now here’s your chance. And the best part is — as a special “Thank You” gift for agreeing to take part in these “AFHV” tapings — participants will be given a free Disney theme park ticket for every taping they take part in.
Mind you, the hours that these shows are supposed to be taped could be a little off-putting to some folks. By that I mean: The Sunday night taping is slated to run from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., while the Monday night taping is supposed to go from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
But if staying up late doesn’t really bother you … Well, Mickey’s still looking for 400 people (ages 5 to 60) to take part in each of these tapings. So give this phone number a call — 407-851-8010 — and let them know you’re interested.
Speaking of interested … Jeff Lange wants me to remind you that — if you’re interested in getting on the official notification list for JHM’s Disneyland history CD — Well … Today’s basically the last day to sign up. Starting tomorrow, I’m going to be sending out e-mails to everyone who expressed an interest in getting this disc, explaining how they can pre-order this sure-to-be-fun recording at a fairly significant discount.
But — like I said — today’s the very last day to get on that list. Soooo … If you’d like to hear the tales that Disneyland Security felt (to borrow a phrase from Berkley Breathed) were “too ticklish to tell” inside the berm, please drop me a line at jim@jimhillmedia.com ASAP.
That’s it for this week. See you again on Monday!
jrh
Special thanks to Eric M. for providing additional research material for today’s column.