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Why For? : Enjoy a Kreuzfahrt down the Rhine on Epcot’s never-built Germany boat ride

Once again, it's JHM readers to the rescue. This time around, you folks provide additional information about that "Applecore, Baltimore" gag, those mysterious "Wuzzle" costumes as well as Epcot's Rhine River ride. Plus we announce Fab's next round of Disneyland tours, then pass the hat.

Published

21 years ago

on

Okay. Picking up where we left off last week (when JHM readers actually came forward with answers to earlier "Why For" questions), it would appear that veteran Disney animator Bill Justice actually *WAS* wrong about the origin of that "Applecore … Baltimore" gag that's featured so prominently in the studio's January 1952 animated short, "Donald Applecore."

During an interview I had with Mr. Justice back in the early 1990s, Bill claimed that this memorable bit of business was something that he and the other gagmen had invented specifically for "Donald Applecore." Well, if that was really the case, then please explain this e-mail from Jeff D.:

Hi Jim–

I don't know the exact origin of the whole "Applecore-Baltimore" thing, but–

The gag was used prior to "Donald Applecore" — back in "Melody Time" during the Johnny Appleseed sequence. It is incorporated into the song the pioneers are singing during the Apple Jubilee. This at least proves that the whole thing didn't originate with the Donald short.

Love your site–keep up the great work!

Jeff D.

And you know what? Jeff D.'s right. I pulled out my copy of "Melody Time" (which was originally released 'way back on May 27, 1948) and fast forwarded to the "Legend of Johny Appleseed" sequence. And — sure enough — here are all this animated settlers square dancing to a tune that prominently features the refrain "Applecore? Baltimore! Bite that apple to the core!"

So — if Disney didn't really invent this intriguing bit of business — then who did? To be honest, I'm not sure. But — a recent e-mail from Charles suggests that this gag may go back a whole lot further than the 1940s.

Thanks to Google, Charles was able to unearth a letter that had been written by a man who was born in 1892. In part of this letter, the man — as he reminisces with an old friend about what they used to do in the school yard back when they were kids — listed some of their favorite games:

When I began to recall the events that you and I shared, starting almost 60 years ago, it took some mental gymnastics to reach that far back–probably to the second grade in Miss Birdie Brock's room.

I remember the favorite time for the two of us in those days was recess. Besides tag football and softball, we added "One-and-over," "Keepers marbles," "Apple core, Baltimore" and a demolition derby we played with spinning tops in a circle.

According to Charles, the letter in question was written back in 1990. So — if you take into account that reference to "almost 60 years ago" (as well as assuming that the author of this letter was just 7 years old when he originally attended second grade) — that would suggest that this "Applecore Baltimore" game was still a fairly popular schoolyard game in the late 1920s / early 1930s.

Charles also (again, thanks to Google) came up with a fairly funny story about how this "Applecore! Baltimore!" actually ended up in both "Melody Time" as well as "Donald Applecore." According to the amusing anecdote that this loyal JHM reader recently unearthed:

… that classically cryptic "Apple core! Baltimore!" joke (the one you have seen in the old Chip and Dale shorts with Donald Duck). I once asked one of the old Disney animators what it meant, and he just shrugged and said, "I never understood it either — Walt told us to put it in."

Those of you who'd like to read the above Googled quotes in context, Charles was nice enough to provide the appropriate links. A full length version of that letter that looks back on childhood games circa 1930 can be found here. And those of you who'd like to read for that "Walt told us to put it in" story will want to visit here.

Before we continue here, let me offer up a special thanks to Charles. For really going above and beyond the call to uncover a definitive answer to this particular Disney-related trivia question.

Okay. Moving on now … let's deal with the somewhat more bizarre question. I.E. What's the deal with those "Wuzzle" costumes that keep popping up in movies and on the tube? Are they the real deal? The actual costumes that Disney cast members used to wear back in the mid-to-late 1980s, when they'd walk around the theme parks and portray Bumble-Lion and Eleroo?

And the answer is … apparently yes.

I've had a number of veteran Disneyland employees chime in over the past few weeks. And each of them told me pretty much the same tale. That — back in the mid-1990s — the Mouse sold off a large number of older, worn costumes that the Disney Company used to use in the theme park. Both to clear out some old inventory as well as create some room on the racks.

Now somehow (and no one seems to know exactly how this happened ) the "Wuzzle" costumes ended up in the middle of that pile of old theme park outfits that Mickey sold off. When this error was brought to Disneyland execs' attention, they supposedly shrugged it off. After all, what's the worst thing that could happen in this situation?

What these Disney executives hadn't counted on was that these "Wuzzle" walk-around character costumes would eventually end up in the hands of one of Hollywood's top costume houses. Supposedly Western Costume of North Hollywood, CA. So — for the past two or three years — Western Costume has reportedly been renting these "Wuzzle" outfits out to any production that's looking for Disney-esque costumes to use in their film, video or TV shoot.

And — based on the e-mails that I've been getting over the past two or three weeks — these "Wuzzle" costumes have really been getting around. Witness this note from Sketch105:

The movie "Old School" with Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Luke Wilson features a cameo appearance by the infamous Eleroo costume…Theres a birthday party sequence where the boys are hosting a party for Vince Vaughn's character's son, and on of them is dressed in the costume. It also appears in a deleted scene on the dvd, and they refer to it as "the elephant" costume.

As well as this note from Dan Alexander:

Hey Jim,

I've been wondering about the Wuzzle costumes also—–because they also appeared in an episode of the sitcom "Grounded for Life" a while back in an episode that was a take-off of "Gay Days" at Disney parks. The characters on the show were at a theme park (not a Disney park) with the Wuzzles in the background.

I think they may have been on an episode of "Malcolm in the Middle" as well.

Yes, Disney did have costumes for the Wuzzles—-they made an appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on a Disney Float. I'm thinking Disney must have sold off these costumes to make money, since they wouldn't be used to promote the show in the parks (maybe like what they are doing with the stuff on Ebay).

As far as Disney not getting mad about their usage—–maybe today's Disney executives don't know who the Wuzzles are.

One wonders what the folks back in Burbank are going to do now. Once word gets back to them about how these "Wuzzle" walk-around costumes were supposedly accidentally sold off. More importantly, how these outfits are now being used to make fun of the Walt Disney Company. Do you suppose that the Mouse will then attempt to do a little damage control? Maybe contact Western Costume and see if they can buy back these "Wuzzle" costumes?

Continuing with expanding on earlier "Why For" questions … in response to that photo that we ran back on August 29th (as part as Rob S.'s explanation about the precise location of the entrance of Epcot's long-postponed "Rhine River Ride"), JHM columnist Andrea Monti (AKA Mickeyfantasmic) recently sent along a note that offered up quite a bit more information about this cancelled World Showcase attraction.

At the resort where I was staying this summer, I encountered a Chef de range who used to work at Alfredo's over in EPCOT from 1983 to 1987. This gentleman and I had a number of conversations about that theme park. I really gave him the third degree. Pumping him for information for anything and everything he knew about Epcot. And this guy had some really interesting things to say about the park's proposed Rhine River Ride.

He did confirm that Epcot's Germany pavilion had a huge empty space inside of it and that this area was often used for storage and/or rehearsals. (How'd he know this? Because Alfredo's backside is actually face to face with this area in the German pavilion.)

When I asked this guy for specifics on the Rhine River Ride, he said he didn't have any. Other than to say — during the time when he worked at Epcot — every World Showcase pavilion was supposed to get its very own ride or show. Italy was supposed to have gotten a gondola ride (probably something similar to the one featured in TDS's Mediterranean Harbor area), Japan was supposed to have gotten its infamous "Meet the World" Carousel-of-Progress type show, while Germany was supposed to have gotten something that was modeled after "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Since I didn't really get of new info out of this guy (But what did I expect? After all, this Chef de range worked in a restaurant. Not as an Imagineer), I was kind of frustrated. But — after reading today's "Why For" article — I had a brainstorm.

You see, Jim, I know ******** ********. Who's the *** ******** at Gardaland, Italy's leading theme park. And (20 years or so ago) this guy used to be an Imagineer who worked on both EPCOT and TDL.

So I called him just before I started writing this email to you and asked him what he knew about the Rhine River Ride. ******** said — according to the original plans for this proposed World Showcase attraction — Epcot guests would have boarded "Maelstrom"-like boats for a simulated night-time river cruise. The ride's first scene would have taken WDW visitors through a faux Black Forest. And then — from there — things would have gotten downright operatic.

What do I mean by that, Jim? Well, the storyline of this proposed German attraction would have been loosely based on characters and situations featured in Wagner's epic opera, "Der Ring des Nibelungen." So among the set pieces you were supposed to have floated past was a large statue of Odin, the northern god of ice and cold winds. (Cue the wind effects here.) You would also allegedly have seen a scene of the mighty Siegfried receiving the Ring from the elves as well as the Valkyries (complete with Wagner music if ******* was telling me the truth). The attraction's conclusion? A final plunge through the elves' caves of gold.

This concept admittedly was quite different from the one that you'd described in your original article about Epcot's Rhine River Ride. The one that would have taken Epcot guests on a scenic cruise past miniature recreations of various tourist spots in Germany. But maybe this version of the ride was created after Epcot Center opened, when Disney officials realized that they seriously needed to up the thrill & fun quotient at WDW's newest theme park.

What I really find intriguing is that — even though Disney opted not to go forward with construction of Epcot's Rhine River Ride — that this concept still survived long enough to serve as the inspiration for Norway's "The Maelstrom" ride. It looks like — in this case, anyway — all the Imagineers did was replace the elves with trolls and … Presto Changeo! Epcot's World Showcase had its first not-so-thrilling thrill ride.

Anyway … I just thought that I'd share what I'd heard with JHM readers. Look for another full-sized story from me sometime later this month, okay?

Speaking of JimHillMedia.com's old stalwarts: Some of you may have heard that it was my ex-wife, Michelle Smith (AKA the Fabulous Disney Babe), who (along with Jon Nadelberg) actually started up JimHillMedia.com back in August of last year. Well, starting next week, Michelle will go from being defacto publisher of JHM to contributing a regular column to the site. Her first article will supposedly be an in-depth report about the ABC Preview event that was held last weekend at DCA.

And — in addition to contributing a new column to JimHillMedia.com — among the other projects that Michelle will soon be starting up at JHM will be her very own line of Disneyland tours. In fact, next Sunday afternoon, Fab will be holding the beta test of her new set of DL tours. So — if you'd like to be among the first to get in on the fun (Michelle's Disneyland tours used to be incredibly popular with her LaughingPlace.com readers) — drop me a line here and I'll pass along the particulars.

On the other hand, if you're just not able to make it out to Anaheim this coming weekend … Well, starting this coming Monday, the Learning Tree University is offering an on-line version of my ex's extremely well received Disney history class, "Manufacturing the Magic: History of the American Theme Park." If you'd like a little more information about Michelle's class, follow this link and then scroll down to the on-line classes offered under the "Recreation" heading.

Beyond that … Michelle now tells me that (unfortunately) it's that time again. Time to pass the hat, that is.

Look, I won't lie to you, folks. I don't like asking for contributions. I honestly wish that JimHillMedia.com were in a position to start paying for itself. But it's not … yet. Maybe in a few months that will change. But — for now — JHM has to rely on the generosity of nice people like you in order to keep our doors open.

So do me a favor, okay? If you like the stuff that you've been reading at this website over the past few months, please kick in a couple of bucks. That way, my ex-wife will get off my back. And I can then get back to what I'm supposed to be doing … which is churning out even more long winded stories about the Walt Disney Company and the entertainment industry for all of you nice people.

Okay. That's it for this week, kids. Be sure to drop by the site this weekend for another intriguing two-part column by Jim Korkis (about Ub Iwerks, no less) that you won't want to miss out on.

See you on Monday, okay?

jrh

Related Topics:

Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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General

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

Published

9 years ago

on

June 23, 2015

By

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


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. 

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Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues

Published

9 years ago

on

June 10, 2015

By

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?

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General

It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

9 years ago

on

June 9, 2015

By

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.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved

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.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights
reserved

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.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

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.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved

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.' "


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

"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.


Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

"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.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

"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.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

"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.


Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved

"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?


Copyright Lucasfilm / Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

"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

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