tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76692808140192583042024-03-12T22:25:05.732-07:00Reel HistoryDemostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-33466015246543279462021-03-14T16:12:00.005-07:002021-03-14T16:12:58.479-07:00Pollyanna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let's play the Glad Game! Just think of something that makes you glad in every situation. It could be the warmth from drinking hot chocolate when frost bite nibbled at your toes or watching rainbows dance through prisms after a storm and the sun peak through the clouds. One thing that makes me glad is Walt Disney's next film, <i>Pollyanna</i>. This lovely story by Eleanor Porter tells of a little girl who comes to live with her stern aunt. With a chipper attitude, Pollyanna shows a town full of Gloomy Guses that life is more enjoyable if you are positive, appreciative, and show a little bit of kindness to one another. <br />
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Written in 1913, <i>Pollyanna</i> became an instant best seller, ranking 8th when released and continued to gain popularity ranking 2nd in 1914 and 4th in 1915. <i>Pollyanna</i> was in high demand with 47 reprints from 1915-1920. Eleanor Porter continued Pollyanna's story with a second novel <i>Pollyanna Grows Up</i> in 1915. This Glad Girl with her Glad Game became gold with merchandise, even Parker Brothers got in on the action and created a Parcheesi like style board game called The Glad Game ( 1915-1967).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZBdK4JrBWffnvTKDLjFzI8fuDUezNmSXp9F54Z1Y8AFnpmwcupbLxG8QTT3urAXUgmgOc40qQdaNHvp54Y0Fv8vo0Zklxl-3ApT5njXbE-7DMfcO0k7UmOoKgHqHyAWlvO8j2eyPzSHH/s1600/31680795_1_x.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1100" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZBdK4JrBWffnvTKDLjFzI8fuDUezNmSXp9F54Z1Y8AFnpmwcupbLxG8QTT3urAXUgmgOc40qQdaNHvp54Y0Fv8vo0Zklxl-3ApT5njXbE-7DMfcO0k7UmOoKgHqHyAWlvO8j2eyPzSHH/s200/31680795_1_x.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Several adaptations of <i>Pollyanna</i> were created a Broadway play starring Helen Hayes and a silent film produced by and starring the famous Mary Pickford. She loved the story so much she paid $115,000 to bring it to the screen. In Eleanor's hometown of Littleton, New Hampshire every year they honor the author by having an official Pollyanna Glad Day on June 8th. Of course even with its popularity there is still criticism (these people are not playing the Glad Game very well). Some feel Pollyanna's character is too optimistic and naive. So if someone calls you a Pollyanna, it's not meant as a compliment, which in my opinion is sad and wrong. Eleanor Porter felt disheartened by this, stating "You know I have been made to suffer from the <i>Pollyanna</i> books. I have been placed often in false light. People have thought that Pollyanna chirped that she was 'glad' at everything. I have never believed that we ought to deny discomfort and pain and evil; I have merely thought that it is far better to 'greet the unknown with a cheer."<br /><br /><div>There is several differences from the novel and Disney's version as is the custom it seems when Disney or Hollywood creates their own adaptations. Some would say Disney's <i>Pollyanna</i> was a little more believable than in the book. She saw the nicer side of life, but showed other emotions like sticking out her tongue when angry. The biggest difference is the ending to the film and how Pollyanna hurts her legs. In the film she falls from a tree after returning home from sneaking out to go to the town's bazaar. In the book she is hit by a car. They both have the whole town coming to Pollyanna's aid when she becomes depressed about her paralysis, encouraging her to look for the silver lining just as she had taught them to do. <br />
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To direct, Walt picked David Swift, whose background actually started as an office boy for Disney studios. He then worked his way up to the animation department working on films like <i>Snow White</i> and <i>Peter Pan</i>. "He had a certain joie de vivre, a kind man whose enthusiasm was infectious," recalled actress Nancy Olson. Not only did David direct the film but he wrote the screenplay and made illustrations of what he thought Aunt Polly's house should look like. Filming took place in Santa Rosa, California. They looked high and low for a three story Victorian mansion that could pass as being in the state of Maryland. They were unsuccessful with finding a three story mansion, but found the Mableton (McDonald) Mansion that fit the time period , being built in the late 1870's. David Swift would use some Disney magic and overlaid a matte painting in post adding the needed look to the house.<br />
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Pollyanna</i> is full of stars. You may recognize a few if you had the pleasure of watching classic movies and TV shows like <i>Sunset Boulevard</i> (Nancy Olson), <i>Bewitched</i> (Agnes Moorehead), <i>The Yearling </i>(Jane Wyman), <i>Toby Tyler</i> (Kevin Corcoran), <i>Patton</i> (Karl Malden), <i>Paths of Glory</i>( Adolphe Menjou), <i>How Green was My Valley</i> (Donald Crisp), <i>Love Me Tender </i>(Richard Egan), <i>Green Acres </i>(Mary Grace Canfield), and about every TV western (James Drury). Then the leading role star Miss Hayley Mills who would go onto appear in six Disney films during her adolescence. The cast had nothing but compliments about each other and working for Mr. Disney. Nancy Olson was taking a break from Hollywood when Walt Disney asked for her to audition for the role of Nancy. She noticed a great difference between the Hollywood Studios and Walt Disney Studios, saying Disney Studios were much cleaner, an outgoing and friendly atmosphere, and had a sense of family. Hayley reminisced about her cast mate Karl Malden (Reverend Paul Ford); "Karl Malden used to make me laugh a lot. He always said, when we did a scene together, the scene was about our two noses, because I have and still have not the most aristocratic nose in the business, and neither did Karl." <br />
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Hayley Mills was one lucky girl when it came to being cast as Pollyanna. Over 300 girls auditioned for the role and another girl was about to be signed when Hayley was brought in at the very last second after Disney had seen her first film Tiger Bay, which also starred her famous father, John Mills, but Hayley stole the show, even winning a BAFTA ( Most Promising Newcomer). "Making Pollyanna was a wonderful experience. I'd made one movie before in England and we shot a lot of it on location in Whales, and it was terribly cold.... And suddenly I find myself for the first time in my life in not just California, but Hollywood and that was a huge impact," recalls Hayley. On the first day of shooting Hayley performed the scene with Karl Malden on the hill where the Reverend is practicing his fire and brimstone sermon. It was terribly hot and Pollyanna's costume was quite itchy and all together uncomfortable. Mills said she was distracted the whole time, just wanting to go to the catering truck where there was so much American food she had never seen and tasted before. The cameraman didn't get a single take in the can that morning. Even with this set back Hayley was seen as a professional, Nancy Olson remembers the young Miss Mills coaching her little brother before an audition. " Look straight at the camera and mean what you say." "It was simple and yet profound advice from such a young actress," said Olson.<br />
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Not only did cast mates and crew like Hayley Mills, but audiences and the Academy, too. She would be nominated for a BAFTA for Best Actress, win a Golden Globe for Most Potential Newcomer and then win the last special Juvenile Academy Award. Unfortunately for Miss Mills she had no clue about the Academy Awards and did not attend. Her parents made sure to keep her grounded and did not tell her. Instead she was stuck at Boarding School. In one interview you can tell she holds a slight grudge, missing out on meeting Shirley Temple, who presented the award. Annette Funicello accepted the Oscar on her behalf.<br />
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When asked in a later interview where she keeps her Oscar, she sheepishly admits that the statue was lost after coming back home from working on <i>Good Morning, Miss Bliss</i>. There must be a curse regarding juvenile Oscars because not only did Hayley's go missing but also Judy Garland' s and Margaret O'Brien's. <br />
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Pollyanna was released on May 19, 1960. Disney had a budget of 2.5 million to make the film and came back with 3.75 million back from the Box Office. Walt was disappointed, hoping for better results. "I think the picture would of done better with a different title. Girls and women went to it, but men tended to stay away because it sounded sweet and sticky." Director David Swift says he thought the film was too long and wanted to edit some scenes down, but Walt loved every minute and refused to let them cut anything. I bet after the box office results Walt would have been happy to listen to Swift. Disney just had to play the Glad Game and be happy with his new favorite star, Hayley Mills, who would be gold in her next film, <i>The Parent Trap</i>. There was so much positive that came from the film, showing audiences the power of love. Hayley Mills herself was struck by the power of positivity, saying " There's an awful lot about Pollyanna that stuck with me, that positive thinking creates good things in your life, it creates health in your body. It attracts life!" <br />
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So Readers, I hope you can all be a little like Pollyanna and find something about everything to be glad about. <!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_190510_230043_871.sdoc--><br />
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<br /></div>Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-18408388557459400972021-03-13T11:52:00.003-08:002021-03-13T11:52:34.704-08:00Kidnapped<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKj-fLBwGV9tofhA3CTkL1fLSn_gc1zao9u3l2VNrP9Cr2NgzAyIk4Frn7zD4UX8kbJe8SvCHq8GsXc2yZ4Q4gVEl9eNSNbOJMqnpwld4yaPHw9K-_83TWyomG4kgz2rR-yGDWBJFP6rE/s337/220px-Kidnapped1960poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKj-fLBwGV9tofhA3CTkL1fLSn_gc1zao9u3l2VNrP9Cr2NgzAyIk4Frn7zD4UX8kbJe8SvCHq8GsXc2yZ4Q4gVEl9eNSNbOJMqnpwld4yaPHw9K-_83TWyomG4kgz2rR-yGDWBJFP6rE/s320/220px-Kidnapped1960poster.jpg" /></a></div>While Robert Stevenson was directing <i>Darby O'Gill and the Little People</i>, Walt Disney visited the set and suggested that the next project they tackle should be Robert Louis Stevenson's<i> Kidnapped</i>. Disney had already adapted another Robert Louis Stevenson book, <i>Treasure Island,</i> in 1950 and the film had done very well for the company. Disney was hoping the same would be true for the novel about a young boy who has been sold into indentured servitude by his miserly uncle, but escapes into the Scotland with the help of a unlikely ally. Stevenson re-read the novel and was enthused about the project. He ended up writing the a treatment for the film while visiting the Scottish highlands after <i>Darby</i> wrapped. Stevenson would turn the treatment into a full screenplay within a few months. Incidentally he is of no relation to the famous author. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODiKic7sA130Z4c9IRUwosLLXf9HaE3z1kVhMZHojoVblMjqR70GsQRnvS4n58dOmquiYAI6blDrDoxPp72AAEVFIGJjGs1LtFCDdWkUx5bGrAAh0RtpLov-kf-kyAg4NhHxdg7R_F38/s693/MV5BOGUzOTQ2NTUtNmRkMi00MGQ1LTk1YzMtY2NmZmNjODNkODNjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUwNzk3NDc%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="693" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhODiKic7sA130Z4c9IRUwosLLXf9HaE3z1kVhMZHojoVblMjqR70GsQRnvS4n58dOmquiYAI6blDrDoxPp72AAEVFIGJjGs1LtFCDdWkUx5bGrAAh0RtpLov-kf-kyAg4NhHxdg7R_F38/s320/MV5BOGUzOTQ2NTUtNmRkMi00MGQ1LTk1YzMtY2NmZmNjODNkODNjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUwNzk3NDc%2540._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For casting, James MacArthur was the obvious choice to play the young David Balfour. MacArthur was Disney's current young star, as he had leading roles in <i>The Light in the Forest</i>, and <i>Third Man on the Mountain</i>. Top billing, however, went to British/Australian actor Peter Finch who portrayed the Jacobite Allan Breck Stewart. Finch already had history with Disney because he played the Sheriff of Nottingham in <i>The Story of Robin Hood and his Merry Men</i> (1952). After that Finch starred in movies like <i>The Elephant Walk</i> (1954) where he played opposite to Elizabeth Taylor and <i>The Dark Avenger</i> (1955) opposite Errol Flynn but it wasn't until he starred opposite of Audrey Hepburn in <i>The Nun's Story</i> (1959) that he reached international acclaim. Unfortunately, Finch is probably more well known today to general audiences for being a piece of trivia. He was posthumously awarded the Oscar for Best Actor for <i>Network</i> (1976) after dying from a heart attack at the age of 60 before the Oscars took place in 1977. He was the only actor to win an Oscar posthumously until Heath Ledger in 2009. The most well-known actor of the film, however, is Peter O'Toole. This would be his first released film role and the most notable thing he does is have a bagpipe duel with Finch's Stewart. Though O'Toole only had a bit part in the film, Stevenson and the cast realized that O'Toole was destined for greater things. Stevenson himself said that O'Toole "will make a very important mark within five years." Stevenson didn't realize how right he was. O'Toole would shoot to super stardom two years later when he landed the starring role as T.E. Lawrence in<i> Lawrence of Arabia </i>(1962). Rounding out the cast was Bernard Lee as Captain Hoseason, who is most well known for portraying M for the first eleven James Bond films, and John Laurie as Ebenezer Balfour, whom he had already played in Ebenezer in a TV version a few years earlier. Laurie had also starred in Disney's version of <i>Treasure Island </i>(1950).<p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86iJ2PXP2sVvQld2WwILdTL7HLTtdtWKWWDsknyxCUxlNiXYZL7QwokP6s7sE898jC3ibe6O9VRKGN7S6dV8PmTvFiyKf9Nb-3v5CXXGbISm2gAiNjm0ZcEqUXK4GCvUpfpBX0A4mKRk/s1920/backdrop-1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh86iJ2PXP2sVvQld2WwILdTL7HLTtdtWKWWDsknyxCUxlNiXYZL7QwokP6s7sE898jC3ibe6O9VRKGN7S6dV8PmTvFiyKf9Nb-3v5CXXGbISm2gAiNjm0ZcEqUXK4GCvUpfpBX0A4mKRk/s320/backdrop-1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The story takes place in 18th century Scotland, where young David Balfour is taking a letter of introduction from his recently deceased father to the House of Shaw, which is his uncle's house. While trying to find the house, he meets some of his uncle's neighbors who all seem to loathe the man. His uncle on his father's side, Ebenezer does not give him a warm welcome. David is curious about a few things and starts to asks questions about his family. Ebenezer attempts to have David killed by sending him up to the upper part of the house that has fallen into disrepair, hoping that he will fall to his death. Ebenezer claims he didn't know about the decrepit situation and David lets it go. Though David is suspicious of his uncle, he trusts him enough to meet with a Captain Hoseason, an individual who does business with Ebenezer, who wants to show him his ship. Hoeseason gains David's trust by telling him that Ebenezer means him harm but he can't tell him any more until they are alone on his ship. David goes with Hoseason and it's not until he's on the ship that the crew capture him. David realizes too late that this has all been a ploy by his uncle and he is going to be sold into indentured servitude. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e2_fcgykzLtSEquspJC8WBZlsrPdZNfkklqWZlHSJc10Iwy7ZBRAGF52FHmu0MckUNe51rV8rls6H5g-ADCS7LkhgevcEoA0bc1RrVnCsS09Ofoe9QHp3rakweIyti7XBv4aprFG6j4/s443/James-MacArthur-Peter-Finch-Kidnapped-1960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="411" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7e2_fcgykzLtSEquspJC8WBZlsrPdZNfkklqWZlHSJc10Iwy7ZBRAGF52FHmu0MckUNe51rV8rls6H5g-ADCS7LkhgevcEoA0bc1RrVnCsS09Ofoe9QHp3rakweIyti7XBv4aprFG6j4/s320/James-MacArthur-Peter-Finch-Kidnapped-1960.jpg" /></a></div>Hoseason's boat runs into a smaller boat while stuck in fog and they rescue the only survivor, Alan Breck Stewart. Alan pays for his passage. Little does Alan know that Hoseason means to kill him for the rest of his money. David hears of the plot and warns Alan, who both fight and overcome the crew. Alan is able to negotiate with Hoseason to drop them off at the next port but the boat runs into some rocks and sinks. David washes up on shore and finds himself on a smaller island off the mainland. He finds from speaking to locals that Alan has already been this way and has instructed him to meet him further inland. David runs into soldiers who happen to be part of the Campbell clan, who are the rivals of Alan and the Stewart Clan. Out of nowhere, the King's Regent, Colin Roy Campbell, who was questioning David is shot and killed and the soldiers accuse David of setting them up. David is saved by Alan who had been fishing nearby. David is suspicious of Alan and thinks he was the one who murdered the King's Regent. Alan convinces David to trust him and that they have to go to someplace safe to avoid more soldiers. David learns that Alan is a Catholic Jacobite, someone who supports the exiled royal Stuart family. This puts David and Alan at odds since David is a Protestant Whig. They are able to get over those differences, however, and begin to trust each other. Alan takes them to James of the Glen, who gives them supplies, but tells them that he must pin the murder on them or else he will be blamed. Alan understands this as James is an important part of the Stewart clan. The two battle their way back to the lowlands, where Alan can confront his uncle. They are able to make it back and they meet with David's family lawyer, who luckily believes the tale of his uncle's deception. It turns out that David's father and his uncle had a disagreement over a woman. They finally came to an agreement that David's father would be able to marry the woman, while Ebenezer would claim the House of Shaws and all its money, though Ebenezer is not the eldest. This finally explains to David why Ebenezer wanted him gone so badly. Since the agreement between his father and uncle is not legally binding, the House of Shaw rightfully belongs to David. The trouble is, they have to have proof that Ebenezer tried to sell his nephew, so the group come up with a plan. Alan goes to the House of Shaws and pretends to be a Highlander who found David and wants to sell him back to Ebenezer. Ebenezer at first says he doesn't want the boy, but Alan tells him that they will kill the boy if Ebenezer does not pay them. Now not wanting the boy to be killed, Ebenezer haggles with Alan over the price, but in the process reveals what he had done to the boy before with Captain Hoseason. David and his lawyer reveal themselves and David is able to regain his inheritance. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWGCKsxtoKoNVDCoiW1R_mjolXVsQ2-Vw8AWGZZb2jVPIlvTHn-eLIut_ucFzEeJnxl5de5HnjozoNbvqCVgujuIjYOFm3wdphdDydIINJaJdoOq7B3c7crwS3oy_zyUJD-mo8WQdhd0/s580/IMG_1072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWGCKsxtoKoNVDCoiW1R_mjolXVsQ2-Vw8AWGZZb2jVPIlvTHn-eLIut_ucFzEeJnxl5de5HnjozoNbvqCVgujuIjYOFm3wdphdDydIINJaJdoOq7B3c7crwS3oy_zyUJD-mo8WQdhd0/s320/IMG_1072.jpg" /></a></div>Disney decided to film in Scotland with some interior shots done at a studio in England. Since this film was not relying on any fancy camera tricks like <i>Darby</i>, they didn't feel the need to keep the production local and rely on matte paintings. Since parts of the story were based on historical fact, mostly having to do with Alan Breck Stewart and the murder of Colin Roy Campbell, the King's Regent, Stevenson attempted to film in the same exact locations where the events took place. While he was able to in most cases, he couldn't use the spot where Campbell was murdered, as that spot was now home to a forest of Norwegian pines. The film premiered on February 24th, 1960 and unfortunately was met with tepid reviews. One notable review, from <i>New York Times</i> reviewer Eugene Archer, claimed that "Either Mr. Disney, who made a vigorous Treasure Island ten years ago, has lost his touch in the intervening decade, or the kids have been spoiled by <i>Gunsmoke </i>and <i>Peter Gunn</i>." Critics couldn't argue with the beauty of the locale or the faithfulness to the novel, but they could complain that the movie just wasn't that exciting for a Robert Louis Stevenson novel. I personally don't really like either the book or the movie. They're both fine, but I find <i>Treasure Island</i> to be superior in almost every way. The whole Jacobite and Whig thing is honestly hard to follow for those not versed in European history. That's just me, so I'm sure there are plenty of people who enjoy this story a lot. This is yet another film that if you want to watch it, you'll have to rent it since it's not on Disney Plus.Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-11025477368801392892021-03-12T18:37:00.006-08:002021-03-12T20:00:56.609-08:00Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus <br />
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Have you ever wanted to run away to the circus? Well here's your chance! Come join Colonel Sam Castle's Great American Circus! You could delight in seeing great circus legends like The Flying Viennas, Jungleland Elephants, and The Marquis Family featuring the one and only Mr. Stubbs! So come join Toby Tyler on a Big Top adventure.<br />
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This magical circus was created by author<br />
James Otis Kaler. Born March 19, 1848 in Whiteport, Maine. At a very young age James started working for the Boston Journal as a reporter ( some say at 13 years old and others say at 17). Three years later he provided coverage of the American Civil War. James continued his writing journey moving onto <i>Frank Leslie's Boy's and Girl's Weekly</i>. Then in 1877 he connected with the publisher Harper and Brothers and had Toby Tyler appear in <i>Harper's Young People Magazine</i>. Finally in 1881 <i>Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus</i> was published it into a book.<div>
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James Otis Kaler was a natural writer. He followed the advice of "writing what you know". Throughout his life he would write over 150 novels, mainly historical adventure stories geared towards boys. Kaler once said, "Anybody can write a book, who will apply himself to it." To find all his books though you will have to look under a few penned names like: Walter Morris, Lt. James K. Orton, Harry Prentice, or even Amy Prentice (a few scholars believe though some of his later work written for a even younger audience was actually penned by his wife Amy L. Scamman). His idea for <i>Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus</i> came from his days as a publicity man for the Phineas T. Barnum Circus. With this first hand knowledge he was able to bring the behind the scene details of what circus life was really like; the difference between the outside viewers romance of the circus and the insiders reality of it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>
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Famous writers Carl Sandburg, William S. Burroughs, and Harlan Ellison adored Toby Tyler. Ellison even said that Toby Tyler influenced his decision to run off and join the circus. <br />
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There was one other adaptation of <i>Toby Tyler </i>before Disney's version, a 1923 silent film starring Jackie Coogan called <i>Circus Days.</i> This film was assumed lost but a copy emerged just years ago in Russia and now can be found in the Library of Congress (you can find a few short clips of it on YouTube- It's cute). <br />Walt Disney was drawn to Toby Tyler's tale, remembering the time the circus came to his hometown of Marceline, Missouri. It inspired him so much that he went home and created his own circus. Dressing up the family's barn cats in his little sister Ruth's baby doll clothes. At age fifteen, Walt took a job working on a train selling newspapers and other goodies like peanuts, popcorn, fruit, and drinks for <i>Noyes Interstate News</i>. Carrying them around in a shoulder strap snack box just as the character of Toby Tyler did concessioneering at the circus.<br />
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"Everyone loves a Circus and I'm no exception. I've been fascinated by clowns and the animals, the music and the excitement ever since I worked in one of these wonderful shows for a few days as a youngster," wrote Walt in the intro to "Mickey Mouse Club Circus" at Disneyland in 1955. <br />
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What was great about Disney's film was all its hidden gems. Disney and the production crew went all out making sure the film was authentic with actual circus props. The beautiful wagons and calliope were bought from Bradley and Kaye Amusement Park. The magnificent 1907 twenty pipe Dragon Calliope was in terrible shape when Walt first purchased it, but with $50,000 he transformed it into a glorious masterpiece. You can now find it at Disney World's Fort Wilderness Tri-Circle-D Ranch. If you're lucky you may even see the Dragon Calliope pulled by 6-8 horses down Main Street for a special parade.<br />
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Performers were borrowed from Ringling Bros. and other specialty groups to add some flare. The Flying Viennas show off their aerialist skills lead by Del Graham. Performing elephants were supplied by Jungleland in Thousand Oaks California. The Ringling Brother clowns Eddie "Spaghetti" Emerson (75), "Duke" Johnson (63) and Abe " Korkey" Goldstein made audiences laugh. Goldstein (64) also known as Korkey the Komic Cop performed with several dogs that pretended to fall down dead after Goldstein emptied a toy gun at them and then miraculously coming back to life to bite him on the rear end. Korkey the Komic Cop never stopped performing. Even into his 90's he was putting on free shows at children's hospitals.<br />
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Another hidden gem in the film was two "extras" that you may feel overact and are <br />
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quite silly. The band leader is played by Ollie Wallace. This was Ollie's first time on screen but he had been with the Disney family for years, since the 1930's composing melodies for Disney cartoons and a few live-action films, though not <i>Toby Tyler</i>. Along with Ollie you can find in his band one of the Firehouse Five Plus Two members (a Dixieland band made up of Disney animators) who is playing the drum is Jimmy MacDonald. MacDonald just so happened to be the voice for Mickey Mouse at the time.<br />
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<br />A little fun fact on the location. Toby Tyler was the first film shot at Golden Oak Ranch after Walt purchased it. Golden Oak Ranch just happens to be the location where there was the 1942 California gold rush (before the more famous 1949 gold rush) where Francisco Lopez just happened across gold flakes when he pulled a wild onion out of the ground. <br />
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In the center ring for actors was Kevin Corcoran as Toby Tyler. This was Kevin's third Disney film and definitely not the last. Kevin portrayed the "typical American Kid." He was around 11 years old during production and performed all his own equestrian stunts (with the help of piano wires as a safety precaution). Kevin's time on <i>Toby Tyler</i> was tainted though by the passing of his father, but Kevin was a trooper and finished the film without incident. Next up in the ring is Gene Sheldon and Henry Calvin. These two come as a pair when it comes to Disney films. During the time of casting both men were working together on the TV series <i>Zorro</i>. Production halted on <i>Zorro</i> because ABC felt the show was too expensive to continue. With <i>Zorro</i> tied up in lawsuits Disney was able to borrow Calvin and Sheldon, turning them into Ben Cotter the gruff but kind Strongman and Sam Treat the gentle, articulate clown with a dog act. <i>Toby Tyler</i> was the only Disney production where Gene Sheldon had a speaking role (he plays mute for all the others- <i>Zorro</i> and <i>Babes in Toyland</i>).</div><div>
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Other stars of the circus included Mademoiselle Jeanette and Monsieur Ajax, the equestrian trick duo played by Barb Beaird and Dennis Oliver. Bob Sweeney as the con man concessionaire Mr. Tupper and the Ring Master Colonel Sam Castle played by Richard Eastham. It seems as though I'm forgetting someone. Oh yeah, the scene-stealing monkey Mr. Stubbs who really became the star of the show.<br />
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Mr. Stubbs was born 1956 in the Belgian Congo Jungle and was captured when only a few months old and shipped to Maine. In 1957 he fell into the hands of chimp trainer Gene Detroy who created the famous "Marquis Family" (a group of performing chimps). At that time, Mr. Stubbs' name was actually Marquis Jr. The Marquis Family became very popular even appearing on the Jack Benny show in 1959 and that's where Walt Disney first saw him. Publicity claimed Mr. Stubbs with the intelligence of a three year old. He was purchased for $1,000 but insured for $12,000 and it was said he wore $75 suits. When not on the film site, Mr. Stubbs lived on a spacious ranch in Las Vegas with trainer Detroy and his family. While on set he was given the <i>Shaggy Dog's</i> trailer and received a rose everyday. Talk about a diva chimpanzee. But everyone seemed to love him. Director Charles Barton said, "He puts on the most convincing act since Cheetah talked to Tarzan. After a rehearsal or two, he knows the scene backwards. Then we get around to doing it forward. When I first met him in Las Vegas, he was watching television with Detroy's three children. We shook hands. After the children went to bed, he looked in on them from time to time to be sure they were all right. It was a very pleasant evening. I haven't gotten over it yet. He has looks, talent and real humility. And when he rolls those big brown eyes, wow! He even works for peanuts."<br />
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Toby Tyler premiered Jan 21, 1960 at the Florida Theater in Sarasota. Which just so happens to be the winter home of Ringling Brothers. Sarasota was transferred into a circus atmosphere celebrating "Toby Tyler Days". There was a circus parade with caged lions, clowns, and elephants. Along with circus act performances in a circus ring set up in the street, Gene Sheldon put on a special comedy routine. From the Box Office sales Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with the Circus brought in $3,100,000. Critics were generally kind to the film, praising Kevin Corcoran and Mr. Stubb's performances, while also mentioning how charming the picture is. You may not really be able to run away to the circus, but you can grab yourself some popcorn and spend some time with Toby Tyler and all his circus friends!<!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_190510_221139_443.sdoc--></div>Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-6682350165827429722021-03-12T18:10:00.001-08:002021-03-13T11:21:18.314-08:00Third Man on the Mountain<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBHogJteuf_tzbQ0znMBqS91nBdN2_PsQN6HXRq42-rZJExUTKmgPtX0C7YBoVVfqTicSHFOsY2817eA-Zb6VqzOIWvx8edQ7ADPk3CfumYd5EArhhDhHi7f8JGwArFcr_fe3bepbDr8/s336/220px-Third_Man_on_the_Mountain_poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBHogJteuf_tzbQ0znMBqS91nBdN2_PsQN6HXRq42-rZJExUTKmgPtX0C7YBoVVfqTicSHFOsY2817eA-Zb6VqzOIWvx8edQ7ADPk3CfumYd5EArhhDhHi7f8JGwArFcr_fe3bepbDr8/s320/220px-Third_Man_on_the_Mountain_poster.jpg" /></a></div><i> Third Man on the Mountain</i> is the story of a teenager trying to conquer the mountain that killed his father. Just think of it as a revenge movie! Except you can't kill a mountain....or can you? This movie is the fifth movie that Disney made in England, the others being<i> Robin Hood, Treasure Island, The Sword and the Rose</i>, and <i>Rob Roy</i>. The film is based off of the 1954 novel <i>Banner in the Sky </i>by James Ramsey Ullman. The book details the real life first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. While the main character in this film is entirely fictional, and thus is not in <i>Banner in the Sky</i>, the character of Captain John Winters is based off of real mountain climber Edward Whymper. The book's rights were bought fairly quickly by Disney in 1957. Disney reunited with Ken Annakin, who had directed <i>Robin Hood</i> and <i>The Sword and the Rose</i>, to direct <i>Third Man on the Mountain</i>. For the lead, they went with James MacArthur, who was shaping up to be their new, young leading man. David Niven was signed on to play Captain John Winter, but had to drop out, which made room for Michael Rennie. Rennie is perhaps best known for his role in <i>The Day the Earth Stood Still</i>. Janet Munro, fresh off her first role for Disney in <i>Darby O'Gill and the Little People</i>, plays Lizbeth, the love interest for MacArthur's Rudi. I've only seen Munro in <i>Darby</i>, so it was fun seeing her in another film. My favorite character in the film is Franz Lerner, who is Rudi's uncle and takes over as his father figure. Lerner is played by James Donald, who had roles in <i>The Bridge on the River Kwai</i>, and <i>The Great Escape</i>. I think I just like James Donald as an actor, though in this movie he plays the strict uncle, so he's not the most sympathetic of characters. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeZPh_gKvH2w9E0_YvB4b1yUUa-DndHd5KTMTp3dz61yvMWrMyZhr5CxJq3eQyMJujvnhoAvbFYRRprKMAX1I7PuMCZ9CM-xyATE09-AuHYcm8_RSX7983Z-6jXfmtveovxvGj2yiXK8/s1024/ThirdManontheMountain1959_92905_1024x767_10092014022452.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEeZPh_gKvH2w9E0_YvB4b1yUUa-DndHd5KTMTp3dz61yvMWrMyZhr5CxJq3eQyMJujvnhoAvbFYRRprKMAX1I7PuMCZ9CM-xyATE09-AuHYcm8_RSX7983Z-6jXfmtveovxvGj2yiXK8/s320/ThirdManontheMountain1959_92905_1024x767_10092014022452.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The story follows young Rudi Matt, an 18 year old who loves to climb mountains like his dad. He lives in the village of Kurtal in Switzerland, where many people come to climb the mountains for fun. One of the most lucrative jobs in the area is as a guide for those willing to brave the mountains. Rudi's father, Josef Matt, was an expert mountain climber and guide. The Citadel is the highest and most dangerous peak in the region and no one has been able to scale it yet. Josef was the last person to die trying to get to the top of the Citadel, saving the group that he had led up the mountain. The rumor in the village is that Josef had found a secret passage to get to the top of the Citadel the day he died. Rudi dreams of being a mountain guide like his father, but his Uncle Franz is too afraid that Rudi will get himself killed going up there. Franz is himself a mountain guide and knows how easy it is to make a simple mistake and fall to your death. Franz helps raise Rudi with Rudi's mother after Josef died on the mountain. Franz tries to keep Rudi from becoming a guide by giving him more menial jobs to do in the village, like being a dishwasher for Herr Hempel, who runs a local hotel. Hempel's daughter Lizbeth likes Rudi and often spends time in the kitchen talking to him. Rudi often sneaks out of the kitchen so he can climb the smaller mountains. One day, while he is supposed to be washing dishes, he goes on one of the mountain passes and runs into a climber stuck in a crevasse. Rudi saves the man, who ends up being the famed mountain climber Captain John Winter. Winter thanks Rudi and tells him that his aspiration is to find the secret path up to the the top of the Citadel. Once they get back to town, Winter hires Franz to be his guide up the mountain and convinces Franz to let Rudi come as a porter. Winter buys Rudi all new mountain climbing equipment and all seems too good to be true. The three men journey up the mountain and all is going well until Franz learns the real reason Winter wants to go up the mountain is to get a better look at the Citadel. Franz calls it an evil place and refuses to discuss a route up. Rudi tries to look for a better way up the mountain and ends up getting himself stuck, causing the other two men to risk their lives trying to save him. Rudi is shamed for his carelessness and the men travel back to Kurtal. Once they get back, Winter leaves the town and Franz sells Rudi's new gear. Lizbeth buys the new boots from Franz and saves them for Rudi. Teo, Josef's old climbing buddy, decides to teach Rudi how to properly climb mountains. Rudi goes to his uncle to ask to be his porter, but is publicly humiliated by him. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eL4cBrZEf3oxoh6DT1gU1VOtTepYxv-z68-9yiXEPt-w9D5gDdJzLrGRnOYIVyq6Mu46QC9UcYdjXgt3YDH90_Yj-A9BAgcsgQpiCN5li19Mb9NlFWOPXIgJTf08xISK42muONHCGGc/s258/images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eL4cBrZEf3oxoh6DT1gU1VOtTepYxv-z68-9yiXEPt-w9D5gDdJzLrGRnOYIVyq6Mu46QC9UcYdjXgt3YDH90_Yj-A9BAgcsgQpiCN5li19Mb9NlFWOPXIgJTf08xISK42muONHCGGc/s0/images.jpg" /></a></div>The townspeople soon begin talking about two men seen climbing high up on the mountain. They look through a telescope and see it is Winter, along with Emil Saxo, a guide from a rival tourist town. The next day, Teo looks into the telescope and sees three men now and deduces that the third man is Rudi, who has snuck off after being rejected by his uncle. He convinces four men, including Franz, to go up the mountain to retrieve Rudi. Rudi catches up with Winter and Emil and tells them that he has permission from Franz to be up there. They continue until Winter suffers a head injury from a rock slide. Winter tells Rudi to go back and get Franz. He is about to go but instead seeks out the secret passage to the Citadel. In the meantime, Franz and the group, including Teo, find Winter and Emil. They are about to go search for Rudi, but Rudi comes back at that moment saying that he found the passage. Franz insists on taking Rudi back down the mountain, but Teo convinces him that Rudi has earned the chance to climb up the rest of the way. Winter, Franz, Emil, and Rudi all climb up the mountain. Winter begins to have a fever so Franz stays with him while Emil continues upward. Rudi sneaks away to be with Emil and all seems well until Emil falls and breaks his arm. Though Emil urges Rudi to continue without him, Rudi starts to carry the man back down to the camp. Winter and Franz discover the two men are missing and set out to find them. They find Rudi's abandoned pack and Winter takes it with him. Rudi is able to get Emil back to camp and thanks to Rudi's shortcut, Winter and Franz make it to the top of the Citadel. The four men return to Kurtal to a hero's welcome. Winter reveals to Rudi that he planted Rudi's flag at the top of the mountain, causing the whole village to cheer. Lizbeth kisses Rudi and they all live happily ever after. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3l6Q0xse1uk1magwf9eLsMxm-8yLai62NEptBTqSWV40dg3b3aT-tigqcfmCvavOvL0XVpQwtFkpA8rT2rPhEyGI5i5ezSF6Ko8Mezx-MUd2ed2XPkmI0o1CXaS7n326iLH8StGXLxE/s1024/matterhorn-mountain-disneyland-1024x768.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3l6Q0xse1uk1magwf9eLsMxm-8yLai62NEptBTqSWV40dg3b3aT-tigqcfmCvavOvL0XVpQwtFkpA8rT2rPhEyGI5i5ezSF6Ko8Mezx-MUd2ed2XPkmI0o1CXaS7n326iLH8StGXLxE/s320/matterhorn-mountain-disneyland-1024x768.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>They filmed the movie at the Matterhorn in Switzerland, and as you can imagine the filming process was not always easy. The entire cast and crew had to take a basic mountaineering class, all 170 of them. James Donald ended up falling off a crag but luckily escaped with minor injuries. A crew member was not as lucky and broke three ribs when he fell into a crevasse. MacArthur enjoyed being in Switzerland and would climb the Matterhorn when he had a day off. Disney productions would later detail the difficulty of making a film partly on a mountain in the <i>Walt Disney Presents</i> episode, "Perilous Assignments." While the film hasn't stayed in the public consciousness, the movie did inspire something that is very well-known to Disneyland patrons. While Walt was in visiting Switzerland for the filming of <i>Third Man on the Mountain</i> he became so impressed by the beauty of the real Matterhorn that he grabbed a postcard and sent it back to WED Enterprises (what Disney Imagineering used to be called) asking them to build this ride for him. This actually solved a problem Disney was having in Disneyland, as there was a hill that was made from the excavated dirt from Sleeping Beauty's castle that Disney had called Holiday Hill. While Disney had encouraged people to use the hill for picnicking, horny teens had instead turned it into a lover's lane, much to Disney's despair. He had wanted to put a tobaggon ride in the park, and he finally was able to combine this idea with the real Matterhorn and the newer models of rollercoasters called wild-mouse. While the ride was definitely inspired by the real Matterhorn and <i>Third Man on the Mountain</i>, it is not a ride based off of the movie. Unless there's a part in this movie where Rudi gets chased down the mountain by a yeti and I completely forgot about it. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsyohokoMWI894v7-x1vuRxbvlMiYHw1p99ir4uIlOm9BSGRPGM3Q9UnP7ykkMYL4fNEs8KqMmlQB6oelZmIBkHjBb0ff4YTVwbbJTSFmCnMiRKMyLiXZR3dD1iVIJ3JDu2FvtqvWM-s/s2048/Third-Man-on-the-Mountain.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1436" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsyohokoMWI894v7-x1vuRxbvlMiYHw1p99ir4uIlOm9BSGRPGM3Q9UnP7ykkMYL4fNEs8KqMmlQB6oelZmIBkHjBb0ff4YTVwbbJTSFmCnMiRKMyLiXZR3dD1iVIJ3JDu2FvtqvWM-s/s320/Third-Man-on-the-Mountain.jpg" /></a></div>The movie premiered on November 10th, 1959 and it received mixed reviews. Some reviewers did not the overall cloying sentimentality, while others complained about the overacting from much of the cast. Something that all the reviewers had to agree on was that it was a marvel to watch, as it was a very beautiful film. This is definitely not a film that would have been perceived as well if it had been filmed on a soundstage. The movie did not end up making back its budget, only grossing $1.7 million against a $2 million budget. It's really too bad that this movie has been almost completely forgotten. It's got some great action sequences and it really does put you on edge watching them traverse the mountain. I found James MacArthur, Michael Rennie, and James Donald to have really great performances throughout, with MacArthur doing a better job than he did in <i>The Light in the Forest</i>. Unfortunately this is one of those movies that is not on Disney Plus so it's a bit harder to find. I was able to find it at library on VHS, so that was a fun viewing experience. Hopefully once the movie is more readily available it might get the recognition it deserves. <p></p>Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-31717387806636540692021-03-12T17:37:00.002-08:002021-03-13T11:19:25.759-08:00Darby O'Gill and the Little People<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bvSHQWWei_4RlOI60J46IVzB0cN0zZTh5aWb0laG-f-lrcm7xSKKlOxg0me2gqtilbs7Z3r_J1Uo6fHqBkRq3t1bMLCc9gVp_lWLKF-iDrRzaP5oYwZrd5E2WzS5MzNgXfNn4om5Sms/s755/Darby_o_gill_and_the_little_people.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="493" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bvSHQWWei_4RlOI60J46IVzB0cN0zZTh5aWb0laG-f-lrcm7xSKKlOxg0me2gqtilbs7Z3r_J1Uo6fHqBkRq3t1bMLCc9gVp_lWLKF-iDrRzaP5oYwZrd5E2WzS5MzNgXfNn4om5Sms/s320/Darby_o_gill_and_the_little_people.jpg" /></a></div>Everyone has movies that they watch during the holidays. Maybe you watch <i>Hocus Pocus</i> for Halloween, or <i>It's a Wonderful Life</i> for Christmas. But what do you watch for a holiday like St. Patrick's Day? For my family we grew up watching <i>Darby O'Gill and the Little People</i>. To me it is still the quintessential St. Patrick's Day film. You have leprechauns, banshees, and a singing Sean Connery! Oh my! About the only other film we watched quite a bit during this season was <i>Waking Ned Devine, </i>but while I love that film, it doesn't hold the same special place in my heart the way <i>Darby</i> does. What I didn't know growing up was that this movie was based off of a novel called <i>Darby O'Gill and the Good People</i> by H.T. Kavanaugh. Walt had discovered the book during a trip to Ireland in 1956. Before that, he had taken an earlier trip to Ireland in 1947 and had wanted to do a movie called <i>Three Wishes</i>, about a man battling a leprechaun. He had tasked writer Lawrence Edward Watkin, who was basically Disney's go-to for treatments in the 50's, to tackle this idea. It never came to fruition, but Disney clearly wanted to still do a movie based on the Emerald Isle. This can be chalked up to the fact that Disney was half Irish himself. <p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7k8iJo71Ye5tpSe3Qsd6JgeStwd4seTUtGs4gdSaTQ2eqLWhzz21uS9zl4CYcanzVg1xKbalEXt2IGng2IB6_ojQWnmZVhjYZqwCfqSt2lM3MU2RWSIl_YtqSXRzCXkNEGNfrGZc5GrQ/s466/300px-Cover--Darby_O%2527Gill_and_the_Good_People.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7k8iJo71Ye5tpSe3Qsd6JgeStwd4seTUtGs4gdSaTQ2eqLWhzz21uS9zl4CYcanzVg1xKbalEXt2IGng2IB6_ojQWnmZVhjYZqwCfqSt2lM3MU2RWSIl_YtqSXRzCXkNEGNfrGZc5GrQ/w129-h200/300px-Cover--Darby_O%2527Gill_and_the_Good_People.png" width="129" /></a></div>Once discovering Kavanaugh's book, Disney had Watkins write a script called <i>The Three Wishes of Darby O'Gill</i>. This would eventually morph into the name we know now, <i>Darby O'Gill and the Little People</i>. Disney went out of his way for months to study Irish folklore to get a feel for what he wanted the film to be about, as it wasn't going to be a completely faithful adaption of <i>Darby O'Gill and the Good People</i>. In the end, the writing credit went to both Kavanaugh and Watkins. Robert Stevenson, another Disney mainstay, directed the film. <p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQG1_KeAe4A25RmD74kmxm3zscRrnJe6oRbeUFo1Z6PdPmUEkyKBZZF4E7PCDOVBA_3UsXQqe-olRWz7qNVa1rQWqMjteAME9dbSeeMN0H-Rjf8k63cW8irItWOpb8d9S6b_umneeln8/s1140/DarbyOGill.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQG1_KeAe4A25RmD74kmxm3zscRrnJe6oRbeUFo1Z6PdPmUEkyKBZZF4E7PCDOVBA_3UsXQqe-olRWz7qNVa1rQWqMjteAME9dbSeeMN0H-Rjf8k63cW8irItWOpb8d9S6b_umneeln8/s320/DarbyOGill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The movie is mostly about Darby O'Gill, who is the caretaker for Lord Fitzpatrick's estate. Darby lives with his daughter Katie in the small town of Rathcullen. Darby is obsessed with capturing leprechauns, and that, along with his age, causes him to be retired by Lord Fitzpatrick. He is replaced by the younger Michael McBride, but Darby is able to convince him not to let Katie know that he's been let go. Darby is eventually captured by Brian Connors, the king of the leprechauns, and his clan, to help keep Katie from discovering that he has been retired. Unfortunately, the leprechaun's mountain lair, Knocknasheega, doesn't let humans leave once they have entered, so he is trapped there. He is able to escape by tricking the leprechauns into opening up the mountain entrance by playing "The Fox Chase" on Brian's violin. Concerned that Brian will follow him, Darby starts to drink with the leprechaun king until sunrise hits and the leprechaun's power is gone. Darby captures Brian, which allows him three wishes. Brian is determined to trick Darby into wishing for four things, as that takes away all the wishes that have been asked for. Darby first wishes for Brian to stay with him for two weeks, or until he uses all his wishes. Brian tricks him into wishing his second wish that involves Katie and Michael to become closer. In the mean time, the town bully, Pony Sugrue, decides that he wants Michael's job and Katie for himself. Pony's mother ruins everything by telling Katie about Darby being retired, which causes her to get angry with Darby and Michael. Lord Fitzpatrick's horse, Cleopatra, which is actually a pooka, a mythological beast that can appear as animals and can be either good or evil, escapes and leads Katie to Knocknasheega, the same way it led Darby there earlier in the film. Darby later finds her, but she has been stricken with a deadly fever. She is taken back home to recover but a banshee appears and summons the Dullahan on a death coach to take Katie's soul away. Darby uses his last wish to take her place on the coach, and Brian rides joins to comfort him. Brian has one last trick up his sleeve, however, and tricks Darby into making a fourth wish, that Brian would keep him company in the afterlife. This voids all the other wishes and he is returned back to home. Katie makes a full recovery and everything is as it should be. Well, almost, as Pony (seriously...who names their kid Pony?) is still being a jerk. Michael confronts him in the pub and humiliates him, thus keeping Pony from stealing Katie and his job? Oh, who cares. It's Sean Connery punching someone. Michael and Katie fall in love of course and all is as it should be. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBk6Nkgbt8j8SF38L3wTp9k94PLJAlzw9XL-j1k9ThMbce51fnMT0YBSHCRjI6hVqKtVdM6EPv6lWfyl-U3BLNyp9P1F3fyxWP31doyJtEQgDuL9xnWIUbsuJmEoJT_DmVW_CgMT9hhPw/s450/ConneryDOGLP.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBk6Nkgbt8j8SF38L3wTp9k94PLJAlzw9XL-j1k9ThMbce51fnMT0YBSHCRjI6hVqKtVdM6EPv6lWfyl-U3BLNyp9P1F3fyxWP31doyJtEQgDuL9xnWIUbsuJmEoJT_DmVW_CgMT9hhPw/s320/ConneryDOGLP.webp" width="320" /></a></div>I really like the cast of this movie, and not just because it's a young singing Sean Connery playing Michael. That does help a lot, though. This was before Connery had been James Bond, so he wasn't a household name at this point. Funny enough, this role is one of the big reasons that Connery landed the role. Producer Albert Broccoli's wife saw this film and went to Broccoli and told him "Well, that <i>is</i> James Bond." Besides Connery, who is by far the most well known actor for current audiences, there aren't a lot of big names. Janet Munro, in her first Disney movie, plays the spunky Katie. Albert Sharpe, who was more well known in Ireland as a stage performer, played Darby O'Gill. Walt had seen Sharpe play the main role in <i>Finian's Rainbow</i> in the late 40's when he was on his first journey to Ireland. By the time Walt was ready to make <i>Darby O'Gill and the Little People</i>, Sharpe had retired from the stage and he had to be tracked down for the role. Jimmy O'Dea played King Brian, who was also known more as a stage performer, but also a comedian. Rounding out the main cast is Kieron Moore as Pony, who was a film and TV actor mainly in the 50's and 60's whose biggest role came in the 1948 adaptation of <i>Anna Karenina</i> opposite Vivien Leigh. I'm glad that they got actors from the U.K. and Ireland to be in this so we didn't have to suffer through any terrible accents, though I'm pretty sure you can still detect a bit of the Scottish brogue with Connery. Connery, who admitted that he wasn't a good singer, has duet with Janet Munro, "Pretty Irish Girl." The song would go on to be released as a single, and did fairly well as Connery recollects. There is a rumor that the dubbed version is what we hear now, and is instead sung by Irish singers Brendan O'Dowda and Ruby Murray. It certainly sounds like Connery to me, so not sure if that's true or not. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGrfy19QjfjTJTw-Y6LJaN-8oFJr9mi471-f7IR0LiihSYBiXFfcvo6dIvDDO92CIA_pxldiCS2Abf9yT8KBVHrt_VY01bk0zhDswQQwd7HDHR8iUiOWS9VdAi77mzYXOeQkbdlb4Dfo/s780/780w-463h_062619_darby-ogill-and-the-little-people-annivesary-5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="780" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGrfy19QjfjTJTw-Y6LJaN-8oFJr9mi471-f7IR0LiihSYBiXFfcvo6dIvDDO92CIA_pxldiCS2Abf9yT8KBVHrt_VY01bk0zhDswQQwd7HDHR8iUiOWS9VdAi77mzYXOeQkbdlb4Dfo/s320/780w-463h_062619_darby-ogill-and-the-little-people-annivesary-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Part of what makes this movie so fascinating is the practical effects they used to make it seem as if Darby O'Gill was conversing with Leprechauns in the same space. Without the benefits of special effects, Disney had to get creative. Forced perspective was used to create the illusion seen in the movie. Forced perspective is pulled off by having some of the actors and sets in the foreground, and some of the actors and sets in the background. This took a lot of planning to make all the shots work and this is one of the cases where I would highly recommend watching the making of special feature for the film, as it really breaks down how they pulled off these complex shots. Sometimes Sharpe would have to stand on a high platform just to get the illusion to work. Often times the shots had to be carefully and heavily lit just to keep shadows from one perspective from casting onto the other. The other trick was to get their eye lines to work. The actors would be fifteen feet apart, and yet it would have to look convincing enough so you'd think they were sitting right in front of them. Both Sharpe and O'Dea had to work on their "eye contact" to keep things looking normal. This is something you'll also notice in movies where you have live actors interacting with animated characters. When the eye lines don't work, it ruins the illusion. One of the more famous anecdotes about <i>Who Framed Roger Rabbit</i> is that Bob Hoskins was looking too far above Roger's head in a scene, so they had to animate Roger backing up against a wall on his tip toes to make the shot work. If you want an example of forced perspective in more modern times, just look at <i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p-ToaVUWUwcICaxLeLgohfjK8PLNePL9XdUb-LO5Wh-J6l_1-07hHaPyxZIW-NshKsVrtDiu0GZwJMdxi-x16goh-paMImPyNpl3-71X7VvHVjEHrDg2RUQH1FpBs274xz7V5YHXjso/s720/Vlcsnap-2015-09-30-17h08m54s472.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p-ToaVUWUwcICaxLeLgohfjK8PLNePL9XdUb-LO5Wh-J6l_1-07hHaPyxZIW-NshKsVrtDiu0GZwJMdxi-x16goh-paMImPyNpl3-71X7VvHVjEHrDg2RUQH1FpBs274xz7V5YHXjso/s320/Vlcsnap-2015-09-30-17h08m54s472.webp" width="320" /></a></div>The Lord of the Rings</i> trilogy. They used forced perspective and body doubles to make it appear that Frodo and the other hobbits were that much smaller than Gandalf and the rest of the Fellowship. The Banshee and Dullahan were both created through the process known as Chroma Key, where in post-production they layer two different shots together. This is what gives them that eerie glow. All I know is that this part of the movie freaked me the hell out as a kid.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Rl-HoL8CJOd5DhAradrjpJAfAKCDE6rxiYipMTbi7ZS6dkmrIAQQZyfrT75hGfcIbPhGR7JeGu5SraP7XI8sexd8YWVphOAumSfo9EKbH6MUnzXSt_IY0a7BxIQigERFcLLlu3TMkzA/s383/images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="131" data-original-width="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Rl-HoL8CJOd5DhAradrjpJAfAKCDE6rxiYipMTbi7ZS6dkmrIAQQZyfrT75hGfcIbPhGR7JeGu5SraP7XI8sexd8YWVphOAumSfo9EKbH6MUnzXSt_IY0a7BxIQigERFcLLlu3TMkzA/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Interestingly enough, Disney did not film in Ireland as you might have expected, given that he had done filming in England several times over the last decade. Due to budget constraints and the need for a controlled environment for the practical effects, they shot the film in two giant sound stages, while the outdoor sections were filmed on the lot or at the nearby Albertson Ranch. That being said, there was some footage of Ireland shot by the second unit to make it look more like 19th century Ireland, heavily assisted by matte paintings made by Peter Ellenshaw. Walt's faith in Ellenshaw's skill was one of the main reasons that he decided that they didn't need to film in Ireland. The matte paintings are very beautiful and help establish the scenes as opposed to distracting from them. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_40TaQe5orgbTNQRQUUcbbyO9e4x3Wr-bx6WXXJ5P_ZyBhSLenYudb51JodOdG4Rj7xgkycZdtxmuYHtsSs6AFS9XBsMOgHmtvFer5DIS92Op-TzwRyYt4592FBtXFofrVfOlQrVrRM/s792/Dgd7_HAU8AEAC0K.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="792" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_40TaQe5orgbTNQRQUUcbbyO9e4x3Wr-bx6WXXJ5P_ZyBhSLenYudb51JodOdG4Rj7xgkycZdtxmuYHtsSs6AFS9XBsMOgHmtvFer5DIS92Op-TzwRyYt4592FBtXFofrVfOlQrVrRM/s320/Dgd7_HAU8AEAC0K.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Disney did a lot of promotion of the movie beforehand, most notably with the <i>Disneyland</i> episode, "I Captured the King of the Leprechauns" which aired in late May of 1959. In the episode, Irish actor Pat O'Brien tells Walt of the leprechauns, causing Walt to take a journey to Ireland. Walt meets Darby O'Gill, and finally the king of the leprechauns himself, King Brian. This was all portrayed as if it was a true story, so I imagine many kids started looking in their back yards for evidence of leprechauns. Disney went as far as to not credit any of the leprechaun actors in the film, as to help the illusion that leprechauns were real. The film had its worldwide debut in Dublin on June 24th, 1959, with the U.S. premiere taking place two days later in Los Angeles. While in Dublin, Walt and his wife Lillian met with the president of Ireland, who joined them, along with a large group of underprivileged youths, in watching an early screening of Darby O'Gill and the Little People. The movie was not without its controversy. People in Ireland considered it to be full of stereotypes and the likes of actor Cyril Cusack and Chief Justice (and future President of Ireland) Cearbhall O'Dalaigh picketed the film's debut in Dublin, though they were admittedly excited about having a Disney premiere taking place there and liked Walt Disney himself. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloLWLT_I9L-8mD1Tmz2v4pa8KxtOGBya5cgWFfhDERfLezatY5yj-sQ9aqKb61PWhQnUsvJcGWKyuGW5IGCbmHWclqJlCdfBTqfLE6rnKcBcjTb_8qzL3TlVvwxBwBqOv5POmDI4CiMU/s596/Disney%2527s%252BDarby%252BO%2527Gill%252Band%252Bthe%252BLittle%252BPeople_Disney%252Bthank%252Byou%252Bto%252Bthe%252Bleprechauns.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloLWLT_I9L-8mD1Tmz2v4pa8KxtOGBya5cgWFfhDERfLezatY5yj-sQ9aqKb61PWhQnUsvJcGWKyuGW5IGCbmHWclqJlCdfBTqfLE6rnKcBcjTb_8qzL3TlVvwxBwBqOv5POmDI4CiMU/s320/Disney%2527s%252BDarby%252BO%2527Gill%252Band%252Bthe%252BLittle%252BPeople_Disney%252Bthank%252Byou%252Bto%252Bthe%252Bleprechauns.png" width="320" /></a></div>The film was given mixed reviews when it was first released with people targeting Sharpe's strong performance and some complaining about Connery's more wooden performance. Even if reviewers weren't blown away by the overall plot or performances, they couldn't help but give credit to Disney for the visual effects. Current reviews on the film are very positive, as it enjoys a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Leonard Maltin praised the film calling it "not only one of Disney's best films, but is certainly one of the best fantasies ever put on film." Janet Munro would win a Golden Globe in 1960 for New Star of the Year. Walt was not satisfied with the film's earnings (only 2.6 million) and blamed the lack of star power (he had wanted Barry Fitzgerald who was much more well known than Sharpe, but Fitzgerald was getting old and turned the role down) and American audiences not being able to understand the accents. He would have the film dubbed over to help with this perceived problem. <p></p><p>Is this a movie you grew up on during March, or is this the first time you're hearing about it? If it's the latter, check it out this year and get lost in this hidden gem!</p>Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-83689941349651437802021-03-10T13:53:00.000-08:002021-03-10T13:53:23.806-08:00The Shaggy Dog<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeZxpQtsZHUBJYRlM7napFN53nRm3ALnn8Tc-2DUQBgePYbo7RKET63nv-tPy96y-WobfBPQZIbf4YgcUJj_zUAwhRl0qPr49oSKHV_SZNbjJ-xf8sKLsrKjKq_CcPN8gvZckK0xRg8cH/s369/The_Shaggy_Dog_-_1963_-_Poster.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUeZxpQtsZHUBJYRlM7napFN53nRm3ALnn8Tc-2DUQBgePYbo7RKET63nv-tPy96y-WobfBPQZIbf4YgcUJj_zUAwhRl0qPr49oSKHV_SZNbjJ-xf8sKLsrKjKq_CcPN8gvZckK0xRg8cH/w234-h320/The_Shaggy_Dog_-_1963_-_Poster.png" width="234" /></a></div>Move over Old Yeller, there's a new dog in town and he can drive a car. <i>The Shaggy Dog</i> launched a new style for Disney live-action films. While the past films had been mostly historically dramatic action films, Walt felt it was about time to add some comedy to the mix. <i>The Shaggy Dog</i> was the most profitable film at the box office beating out the likes of <i>Some Like It Hot, North by Northwest</i> and even Disney's <i>Sleeping Beauty</i>. Only <i>Ben-Hur</i> ruled over <i>The Shaggy Dog</i> at the box office in 1959. The crazy plot element combinations kept young audience entertained. What other film at the time could give you talks of the Cold War, plotting Russian spies, a hormonal rivalry over two different girls, and a horror fantasy about a teenage boy shapeshifting into a dog from a magical ring? Only Disney could pull this off and keep the insanity going with many more films that shared the common theme of " A story that treated the younger generation and it's problems in a light-hearted manner," as said by Walt Disney. <p></p>
<br />
Let's rewind the clock to 1930, where the<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYzu63aF8z_VDnh_ZchFXdzU9ZrIdmVfUPQH0H3PO4MpRZxGroqOAHzD236R0mRkXXO_pc41DuthuhfpjLK26AKEP77NBAmL15WpiFR_AHPZ7EOjgoYvkfYoOZISD42E8PKd19esHfGkc/s284/220px-Felix_Salten_Portrait_mit_Hut_und_Gamsbart_01.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYzu63aF8z_VDnh_ZchFXdzU9ZrIdmVfUPQH0H3PO4MpRZxGroqOAHzD236R0mRkXXO_pc41DuthuhfpjLK26AKEP77NBAmL15WpiFR_AHPZ7EOjgoYvkfYoOZISD42E8PKd19esHfGkc/w155-h200/220px-Felix_Salten_Portrait_mit_Hut_und_Gamsbart_01.jpg" width="155" /></a></div> tale of the Shaggy Dog began. Well, technically it actually began in 1923 with its first publication written in German. In 1930 it was translated into English, releasing it to a wider audience. Felix Salten, an Austrian author penned, <i>The Hound of Florence</i>. If you know your authors his name may seem familiar. You may have even seen his name in a few Disney credits. Felix Salten created the tale of a little deer named Bambi. Walt Disney saw potential in Salten's writings and bought the film rights to five of his stories ( <i>Bambi, Bambi's Children, Perri, City Jungle</i>, and<i> The Hound of Florence</i>). Disney had no intention of actually using all five, but didn't want any other studios scooping them up. <div><div><!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_200919_093242_704.sdoc--></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7n2cpdCcFE7RKGZsvS0yr4gjJMndfIqCJLbAz8Ln3v8NcTb9O33YNoFTxZ82keGNLuhsL3TpzSUNaSXtpno5nvVdQJGxhCm5KcpjWWlkpDPzJT53mWRtMBO_hMuqgZKueyRVVePkWeq3/s315/Hound-of-Florence-1930.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7n2cpdCcFE7RKGZsvS0yr4gjJMndfIqCJLbAz8Ln3v8NcTb9O33YNoFTxZ82keGNLuhsL3TpzSUNaSXtpno5nvVdQJGxhCm5KcpjWWlkpDPzJT53mWRtMBO_hMuqgZKueyRVVePkWeq3/w140-h200/Hound-of-Florence-1930.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>The Hound of Florence is a little different from <i>The Shaggy Dog</i>. Instead of a <i>Leave it to Beaver</i> mid-twentieth century American life, it takes place in 18th century Austria and Italy. The main character Lukas lost his parents and is living in poverty, longing to study art in Florence, Italy. Lukas sees the rich Archduke Ludwig and wishes he could be in the his company, deciding that even the Archduke's dog Kambyses has a better life than him. With a mysterious magic his wish is granted, but every other day he takes the form of Kambyses, the Archduke Ludwig's dog. The original story holds a sad ending for Lukas as he is in the form of Kambyses. Lukas comes to realize the Archduke is a cruel man. The dog is killed with a dagger. The English translation was tamed down to be like a Disney fairytale happily ever after with Lukas surviving the stabbing, receiving medication and reuniting with his love. The books main theme was focused on critiquing nobility, rich vs poor, but also be careful what you wish for.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVKurYI_1pBWPoSvZPOZWlaiSjG3wiAD_VSdH_IJnpy5plaqTA88XTBR52k3efdO6TwfpE6YkJYHKoaehLk8Rt2a5qhbr84TAGCCAY1IYK5o9eHu2J0wfcqQA4PA1WW8RvCpxuDzfU2kG/s320/R7e6b80cf8e9f8abc70b32efc68bfbff6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOVKurYI_1pBWPoSvZPOZWlaiSjG3wiAD_VSdH_IJnpy5plaqTA88XTBR52k3efdO6TwfpE6YkJYHKoaehLk8Rt2a5qhbr84TAGCCAY1IYK5o9eHu2J0wfcqQA4PA1WW8RvCpxuDzfU2kG/s0/R7e6b80cf8e9f8abc70b32efc68bfbff6.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Disney first took the idea of <i>The Shaggy Dog</i> to ABC, who was wanting a new TV series. <br /></div><div>"They turned me down flat," Disney recalls. "I was hopping mad when I went back to the studio, so I called in Bill Walsh and said, 'Let's make a feature of it." Without another studio footing the bill to make this feature, Walt needed to figure a way to save money just in case it was not a success. He came up with a brilliant plan. He would use TV actors who were on summer hiatus that were familiar to audiences, but not superstar actors that would demand over the top billing. <i>The Shaggy Dog</i> story follows the Daniels Family. Wilson Daniels, the dog-hating father was played by Fred MacMurray. MacMurray was popular in Noir films like <i>Double Indemnity</i>, but at this time in his career he wasn't getting too many offers. Appearing in <i>The Shaggy Dog </i>and joining the Disney Studio Family revived his career. MacMurray's next film, <i>The Apartment </i>would go on to win the Best Picture Academy Award. He tells a story about a trip to Disneyland with his daughters and how a woman approached him, " Oh Mr. MacMurray I've enjoyed your movies throughout the years. I saw <i>The Apartment </i>( MacMurray played a philandering boss) last night. How could you? You spoiled the Disney image!" She whacked him over the head with her purse and stormed away. Fred became Walt Disney's favorite actor and appeared in seven Disney films. Tommy Kirk who played MacMurray's son Wilby had this to say about his co-star," He ranks up there with Cary Grant as one of the great light comics." </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNgC28Zq9Ifmz8pn2BOGSO1dUaPjwfIEcn_Kx6zJvle0KUjgx8-YLR7GiqLvcgVPGNjnjY64jSb7OehsnAZ0NUPxs_Hax0olBYxoBwoeo_9wV_MtowfjSOWbof4j803A3IHMQ1hwsE9yo/s1000/acedeb3ceb97cc1630dd15cf89efe0bb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1000" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNgC28Zq9Ifmz8pn2BOGSO1dUaPjwfIEcn_Kx6zJvle0KUjgx8-YLR7GiqLvcgVPGNjnjY64jSb7OehsnAZ0NUPxs_Hax0olBYxoBwoeo_9wV_MtowfjSOWbof4j803A3IHMQ1hwsE9yo/w320-h256/acedeb3ceb97cc1630dd15cf89efe0bb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Jean Hagen known for playing Lina Lamont in <i>Singing in the Rain</i> dropped her high pitched voice for a warm motherly one playing Freeda Daniels. Wilby and Moochie Daniels were played by Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran. Audiences were familiar with the boys from being brothers in <i>Old </i></div><div><i>Yeller</i> and also in special appearances in the <i>Mickey Mouse Club</i> and <i>The Hardy Boys</i>. More recognizable faces joined the cast: Annette Funicello (Mickey Mouse Club) and Tim Considine (Spin and Marty).Though this was Annette's first film role, she received top billing even though her role was quite small compared to her other cast-mates. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1_tWBJerE0rFgB5uEbxbNOxRBkYyja8GlMfUs-1HIqSWhz6b4ZfCKRjnqN0nmoBY0S7eT4MYngb4rX4OohQrskiXlXg-xCMt_YWsfB6lZf7kZdvVFx-Lt4tebI3h5DnCI-QN28HkzVbk/s1000/shaggy-boys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1_tWBJerE0rFgB5uEbxbNOxRBkYyja8GlMfUs-1HIqSWhz6b4ZfCKRjnqN0nmoBY0S7eT4MYngb4rX4OohQrskiXlXg-xCMt_YWsfB6lZf7kZdvVFx-Lt4tebI3h5DnCI-QN28HkzVbk/s320/shaggy-boys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The star of the film was a long-haired Sheepdog named Sammy, actually Lillybrad's Sammy's Shadow, but that's a mouthful so we will stick with just Sammy. Twenty dogs auditioned for the role of Chiffon the Shaggy Dog, with three dogs to be casted, but most dogs were found emotionally unstable and Disney was impressed by Sammy's temperament and obedience. Sammy was pretty much top of his class in William Koehler's obedience school, passing with flying colors in just nine weeks. William Koehler trained dogs for the movie industry. His Allied Movie Dogs Association would provide lots more dogs for future projects for Disney productions like <i>The Incredible Journey, Big Red, That Darn Cat,</i> and <i>The Ugly Dachshund</i>. Instead of the three dogs that were supposed to be hired, only Sammy was used, plus for certain scenes there was a sheep dog costume worn by several people including Tommy Kirks younger brother Johnny. There is one particular scene audiences would assume the costumed dog would of been used and that's the Shaggy Dog driving a car- nope that's actually Sammy behind the wheel. He did most of the stunts in the film. Koehler was able to get a wide range of expressions and attitudes from Sammy by doing simple tricks like ducking out of sight and emitting suspicious sounds and showing him dog toys or a crispy bone. Fred MacMurray had this to say about his costar, "Dogs can be the worst scene-stealers in the business, worse than kids. But this fellow is something I've never had to compete with before - a dog comedian. And lets face it he has the best part in the picture. A shaggy dog kept the whole cast and crew in stitches. He even broke me, that's no laughing matter. I knew I had to give everything I had to keep him from walking away with the picture. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd been just a trick dog. I tell you he's an actor. I never saw any amateur catch on to the business so fast as this one did. He is a natural screen personality." On the first take Sam walked into a bedroom, closed the door, opened a dresser drawer, took out pajamas with his teeth and entered the bathroom and closed the door. The cast and crew were giddy with excitement. Roberta Shore who played Franceska said, " The dog, seriously was almost human." In order for a talking dog to look believable dialogue was written afterwards to match the mouth movements of the dog. Sammy received lots of treats- with the use of beef jerky to help aid in his mouth movements. But I know you don't really care about how they got Sammy to talk, you want to know how they taught a sheep dog to drive a car.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhye0ZVlto-lqluzF4DgoJlAMvW3DZ695yRG2j61RmVwaGm4NyJOFE9Xxzp5qJ7hccJ6joccozLoWQwfIDPC5165ekFoH6rbBZCcFChu_8T74_3fvK9AJ0MmlwTa3twegI_o819uRQhvv4n/s576/40020-576a.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhye0ZVlto-lqluzF4DgoJlAMvW3DZ695yRG2j61RmVwaGm4NyJOFE9Xxzp5qJ7hccJ6joccozLoWQwfIDPC5165ekFoH6rbBZCcFChu_8T74_3fvK9AJ0MmlwTa3twegI_o819uRQhvv4n/s320/40020-576a.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Driving lessons first started off in a wheel barrow and then onto a flat four wheel platform to get Sammy used to the motion. He then moved onto a specialty designed hot rod. Stuntman, Carey Loftin was the real driver of the hot rod hiding underneath. Metal was cut away under the dashboard and right through the hood on the right side so he would be able to see the road. For night shooting a series of lights on the right hand side of the road was used so Carey could follow the road. Loftin's steering wheel was synchronized with the steering wheel Sam used so it looked like Sam was driving. A special bucket seat was made for Sammy to sit in and hair covered mittens were laced to the steering wheel for Sam to slide in his paws. He also followed the rules of safety and wore a seat belt that was hidden under all his shaggy fur. Assistant Director Arthur Vitarelli, " The dog would look over the top of the windshield and out the side. It looked like he was really driving."</div><div><br /></div><div>Filming first started on August 4,1958. The role of director went to Charles Barton, who had background included directing <i>Spin and Marty, Zorro</i>, and <i>Abbott and Costello</i> films. The film only cost one and quarter million dollars. Not only did Disney save on the cost from his cast hiring but with location shooting. Instead of building new sets he used the Universal back lot Cul-de-sac colonial neighborhood used for other TV shows and future films like <i>The Munsters, The Burbs, Leave it to Beaver</i> and even <i>Desperate Housewives</i>. The film was shot in black and white. There is some debate of why this was. Some say it was to not bring attention to primitive special effects, especially Wilby transforming into a sheep dog. I believe it was also nod to monster movies. Disney advertised it as a hip Teenage Monster Movie, making it the first comedy about a shapeshifting teenager. Released on March 19th, 1959 it grossed $9.6 million and then with all it's later releases and rentals it earned $12.3 million. With the films success, audiences were guaranteed to see more of Fred MacMurray who stared in seven Disney films, next up was <i>The Absent-Minded Professor.</i> He would also be rejoined with Tim Considine who would play one of his sons in the TV show, <i>My Three Sons</i>. Tommy Kirk, Kevin Cocoran, Fred MacMurray, and Annette Funicello would cross paths with each other through a few more Disney films, making them the go-to actors that Disney knew audiences loved to see. Several more Shaggy Dogs were made throughout the years, 1976's sequel <i>The Shaggy D.A. </i>, a 1987 tv sequel and a 1994 remake and then Tim Allen's 2006 version. But you maybe wondering whatever happened to Sammy? He pretty much retired after the film only making a few TV appearances and gracing the cover of Life Magazine. His paw prints were immortalized in the court yard of the Burbank Animal Shelter in California and he won a 1960s Patsy- Picture Animal Top Star of the Year. Not such a bad life for a dog, especially one that can drive a car.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBdht1_Bhrzcg2ywPilP-RkTEJoZph2D_J6u5vEDYbvOVqFEQysn_QzaUt_eNE7gnhKUZ6wp9mI56cCIjn9GUk5lOSza2YXPFUeRvHrbpTM4G0spPJSYNuD8WcwGsa0q2ralGG0ibcmOa/s1034/Sam_The_Shaggy_Dog_Donna_Reed_Show_1959-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBdht1_Bhrzcg2ywPilP-RkTEJoZph2D_J6u5vEDYbvOVqFEQysn_QzaUt_eNE7gnhKUZ6wp9mI56cCIjn9GUk5lOSza2YXPFUeRvHrbpTM4G0spPJSYNuD8WcwGsa0q2ralGG0ibcmOa/s320/Sam_The_Shaggy_Dog_Donna_Reed_Show_1959-1.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div>Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-77816246738932415702021-03-01T20:19:00.002-08:002021-03-08T05:46:06.205-08:00Tonka <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wW6Ez8ZWqMLJcv0J-dB8woBKOUUfLAU8MdceGZj0p1iwMSNnEpjDbn2N09HaASCodvat9ks_dIGVmxvduu85m4uAvCN9bqY9EOr2GAsHYW_jwwaAXpORlI56Rz_6lbqMe6orTgpyxjNu/s450/Tonka.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wW6Ez8ZWqMLJcv0J-dB8woBKOUUfLAU8MdceGZj0p1iwMSNnEpjDbn2N09HaASCodvat9ks_dIGVmxvduu85m4uAvCN9bqY9EOr2GAsHYW_jwwaAXpORlI56Rz_6lbqMe6orTgpyxjNu/s320/Tonka.webp" /></a></div>This next Disney live-action film in the line up I had no clue existed. Looking at the movie poster for <i>Tonka</i>, my guess was the Native American standing in the foreground was Tonka, but it is the brown chestnut horse in the background that bares the title role. Once I learned it was about the horse, I assumed it's another<i> Black Beauty</i> mixed with all the other horse movies like <i>Spirit</i>, <i>The Littlest Outlaw</i>, and even <i>War Horse</i> ( and yes I know some of those films came out way after this film was made). These films are all pretty much the same: the obsession between a horse and its "owner". In this film there is even the sad/angry goodbye scene that a lot of other animal films like <i>Old Yeller</i> or even the classic<i> Harry and the Hendersons</i>. You know, where the owner sets their animal friend free in order to protect them. They first start off with the heartfelt watery-eyed goodbye and it turns into the " Go get out of here, don't you understand?" yelling. I'm sorry reader, I find these scenes don't have the same effect on me as a true animal lover. I just find these scenes to be too overdramatic. Anyway, the film is about a boy and his dedication to a horse. Of course there is much more to it. The press book for the film stated that <i>Tonka</i> was " the first full-scale movie attempt to tell the battle story of Custer's Last Stand from the Indian view point." Typically, in any western film Native Americans are portrayed as savage and white settlers/ military as civil. This time General Custer is painted as the savage villain.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1ltEW6MdxE_WSpx-D-zCRTEuDZu6k7n3Ap8lSXTnHxxD30vmItxPmAYaP3pxFqzURobUauiZdBtccwIK5yzbBuPWXznAp9Tbeb4cFrSBuz4pimNxYrJWvBnFe09qHYenGN0BHRcI3n8S/s1522/ComancheeCuster-GrabillLR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1522" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1ltEW6MdxE_WSpx-D-zCRTEuDZu6k7n3Ap8lSXTnHxxD30vmItxPmAYaP3pxFqzURobUauiZdBtccwIK5yzbBuPWXznAp9Tbeb4cFrSBuz4pimNxYrJWvBnFe09qHYenGN0BHRcI3n8S/w200-h134/ComancheeCuster-GrabillLR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Ok, let's back track a little so you know what the heck I'm talking about and the history of <i>Tonka</i>. The story idea for <i>Tonka </i>came from the book, <i>Comanche: Story of America's Most Heroic Horse</i> by David Appel. It is a fictional story told from the horse point of view of the true events of the only survivor of the Battle of Little Big Horn. No Custer soldier survived, but a lone horse named Comanche owned by Captain Myles Keogh of the 7th Cavalry did. Comanche was badly injured in battle but recovered and went into retirement until its death twelve years later. He received a military funeral with full honors. Comanche was then stuffed and in 1893 was on display at the Exposition in Chicago and then found a permanent home at Kansas University Natural History Museum. <p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Disney bought the rights to the story Oct 1956 and started production two years later in April of 1958. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpdDUmkVZ79vZJV2exvx79pepbrMDNNtVoTq7VZT3-drYXOhHmF_CdwzaYkKw3fsUbYClTLHbCjdDy6JEtbzxcH48UUYc8WBgACo4m_B-3AAvZF8NGhIWYRTHP8s3f9fJemngmGlpF3fs/s400/Tonka-1958-Walt-Disney-Movie-Still-Photo-Philip.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="374" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpdDUmkVZ79vZJV2exvx79pepbrMDNNtVoTq7VZT3-drYXOhHmF_CdwzaYkKw3fsUbYClTLHbCjdDy6JEtbzxcH48UUYc8WBgACo4m_B-3AAvZF8NGhIWYRTHP8s3f9fJemngmGlpF3fs/w187-h200/Tonka-1958-Walt-Disney-Movie-Still-Photo-Philip.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>Originally like most of his other full length features he had only planned it to be a TV two-part series but changed his mind. He hired Lewis R. Foster as director, who was probably best known for his writing of the award winning film <i>Mr. Smith Goes to Washington </i>starring Jimmy Stewart. So where does the name Tonka come from? Well in Disney's adaptation Tonka Wakan ( The Great One) gained his name from White Bull the Indian brave who found him and trained him. Later in the film Tonka is named Comanche as he was by the real Captain Keogh. The 1870's Dakota Territory was filmed in Bend, Oregon at Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Supposedly, more than 500 Indians were used as warriors of Sitting Bulls army and 25 residents of Bend and Mandras were used as Calvary soldiers. If you are looking for a politically correct film, this is not it. Like most films of it's day a white person was made up to look like an Indian. This was true for most of the main Native American characters in the film. Casting the film, Disney wanted to stick with someone audiences were familiar with and liked, so he turned to Fess Parker. He was scheduled for the role of Captain Myles Keogh and tested for the part on May 27,1958. Though as soon as Parker found out that once again he was going to play second fiddle to another teenaged boy like he did for <i>Old Yeller</i>, he was not happy and refused to play the role. He was also unhappy with Disney for refusing to lend him out to other studios, missing out on the chance to be in John Ford's <i>The Searchers</i>. So Parker was put on suspension and left Disney studios for good. He only would return later in his life to appear in special features related to films like <i>Davy Crockett</i> and <i>Old Yeller</i>. Taking on the role of Captain Keogh then became the job of Philip Carey. He, along with many in the cast, had a lot of experience with Westerns. <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGW1ROpifIziE-CpM9tLPdLTknUc9ZjK-63UUerJZ_7TKRUf9N2R5o8Q4wOYVREnCIyks14X5TDJ8KyS9RFNpTP_BAdgk3NwzCtyzbtF3ZKxYP1X9Y8JBNnUvfajikN7iumapWQQM5VpC/s1420/f48a0d26c034528e4b11eeea0c73911e.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="1135" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGW1ROpifIziE-CpM9tLPdLTknUc9ZjK-63UUerJZ_7TKRUf9N2R5o8Q4wOYVREnCIyks14X5TDJ8KyS9RFNpTP_BAdgk3NwzCtyzbtF3ZKxYP1X9Y8JBNnUvfajikN7iumapWQQM5VpC/w160-h200/f48a0d26c034528e4b11eeea0c73911e.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;">There was one who did not have any experience with Westerns and that was the leading role of White Bull played by Sal Mineo. Sal was the new hot talent that starred alongside James Dean in <i>Rebel Without a Cause</i> and <i>Giant</i>. He was feeling typecast though. In an interview with Leonard Coulter, Sal Mineo said, "To further my career I want to set away from the hard-bitten youngster roles in films. That's why I jumped at the chance when Disney asked me to star in Tonka as White Bull, the young Sioux Indian Brave." Though to me White Bull is still a teenager trying to prove himself. "Suddenly I realized I'd have to ride a horse. I told Disney I'd never been on one in my life. He just stood and roared with laughter. The studio found me a horse called Goldie and started me on riding lessons-bareback." Mineo did not know what he had gotten himself into. "At the end of the first two days I couldn't walk. On the third morning I couldn't even mount. However after two and a half weeks, working three hours a day with Goldie I began to feel more comfortable." </span></div><p></p><p>From a biography about Sal Mineo written by Michael Gregg Michaud it reveals that Sal did not care for the film at all. He found the film beneath him and probably holds a grudge even more for it because of the injuries he received while filming. He fractured his left knee cap when he fell from his horse during filming of the battle scene. He was expected to be on crutches for 3 weeks and wear a plaster splint for 6 weeks and only taking part in some action scenes that did not call for riding, running or heavy activity. He wasn't the only actor that had been injured. Cuts, fractured ribs and hoof marks were left on an extra's body along with another one suffering from a fractured wrist and a strained ankle. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgbpSJJSBSBSJT6ouhgsq9IhhtAl7No89nO-rYnb9vXrQZJf5HQ1DvMG22XvQT3H7H9-Ylp5XyqYnjExl6TX3Z85SM13Rnc7iq08E5gWVVXQpVI7soxhFIRbXWV2s0sjwS57IzD71DRX-/s788/152631_full-1.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="788" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgbpSJJSBSBSJT6ouhgsq9IhhtAl7No89nO-rYnb9vXrQZJf5HQ1DvMG22XvQT3H7H9-Ylp5XyqYnjExl6TX3Z85SM13Rnc7iq08E5gWVVXQpVI7soxhFIRbXWV2s0sjwS57IzD71DRX-/w200-h151/152631_full-1.webp" width="200" /></a></div>The horses weren't so lucky, either. Horses slipped on rocks and collided with each other during the battle scene, so it definitely made the battle seem more real.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The film was released Christmas Day, 1958 and its box office was only $2.5 million. Not the greatest amount but for the most part it was enjoyed by audiences. I think Disney could tell his audiences were growing tired of seeing Westerns, so for his next film he stepped out of his comfort zone and tried something new: a comedy! Boy, did it pay off!</span></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKbrF0e7NQOzHqk4FlUG_zTA6sgGFwsH46lhUI4c-V3VQgQxZpEQ-PnJW-xOj_GbJbP5rjhyphenhyphenpvTsu_RoC-DyQKO3MUzqXisKmXp4mZkyT2_K7JE_bDm1XX_qehbNsxG9jjxttEUiJSfC9/s300/Tonka_01.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKbrF0e7NQOzHqk4FlUG_zTA6sgGFwsH46lhUI4c-V3VQgQxZpEQ-PnJW-xOj_GbJbP5rjhyphenhyphenpvTsu_RoC-DyQKO3MUzqXisKmXp4mZkyT2_K7JE_bDm1XX_qehbNsxG9jjxttEUiJSfC9/w200-h200/Tonka_01.webp" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-38653882915615593042020-10-26T17:28:00.002-07:002020-10-27T06:56:56.868-07:00My Walt Disney World Memories Part 2<p><b><u>Did Pluto Just Yell At Me?</u></b></p><div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDx6hfr72061_HysFpGlW9qZci_qfT4wREr42Dp7P60IT9thNFNBCBJgUrrmQ81c2pfvmBij3nFVqTc60sl-6pvdWXundvZKIlzvHrCShMBxS7Hm8EhWCRTKWpSSXEEmkewZQOjDynDjw/s1600/20200720_103547.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDx6hfr72061_HysFpGlW9qZci_qfT4wREr42Dp7P60IT9thNFNBCBJgUrrmQ81c2pfvmBij3nFVqTc60sl-6pvdWXundvZKIlzvHrCShMBxS7Hm8EhWCRTKWpSSXEEmkewZQOjDynDjw/s320/20200720_103547.jpg" width="320"></a></div>Five year old me was so excited to meet Pluto. That yellow dog was energetic and doing tricks to make me laugh. His first trick was to steal my hat off my head and then put it on his nose and try to flip it onto his head. He did this routine several times and successfully manage to get my hat on his head twice. Next he pretended to lick my face with his long red tongue. I grabbed this wagging tongue and started to yank on it, finding it so funny. Well, Pluto did not. That's when I heard the male voice from inside Plutos costume tell me to stop pulling on his tongue. My giggles ceased and I let go. I felt terrible that Pluto was mad at me. I stood there frozen until my mom led me away to a new character.<br><br> <b><u>Forget The Water Parks</u></b></div><br><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGsITOuhpcPwpaR9i4K1kBcMHiRYjXVgDTo-F3MSSOaeAlgsv2iB_HnQPgAu-5pN5tx30M1NrVlk9sa54-U3cC_AGSzjKVY4l4Mz41RnWoPJsgmPgqcPFLGOyczpim703_AY9qWDRvyvc/s459/20200905_221013.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="459" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGsITOuhpcPwpaR9i4K1kBcMHiRYjXVgDTo-F3MSSOaeAlgsv2iB_HnQPgAu-5pN5tx30M1NrVlk9sa54-U3cC_AGSzjKVY4l4Mz41RnWoPJsgmPgqcPFLGOyczpim703_AY9qWDRvyvc/s320/20200905_221013.jpg" width="320"></a></div>Over the years our family has hit up all the water parks. Blizzard Beach with their melting snowmen statues, Typhoon Lagoon with its lazy river and even River Country before it was abandoned. I'm not much of a fan of swimming. I can swim I just rather not spend my day at a beach. My favorite place to get wet is at Epcot. Outside of Captain EO and Journey into Imagination is a ground fountain that squirts water randomly. Some water shoots straight up while others play leap frog, creating arches. It's a fun spot to play tag with the water as it comes crashing back down and not knowing exactly where it will attack next. Plus, it's a quick cool down from that hot summer heat.<br><br> <b><u>Journey Into Imagination</u></b></div><div><b><u><br></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve-JhHH9vvvwfX_zzaKq4wpTpnf4DPeCGiTSedO9kGof0JYDEfFY5nGNUxWwldCra6Q_9mQpjzYf7stT4hCiACU2nJ-dhJmqb9hQriVikbOuDLkpx0rhjHZpf7EJ6KQciS4pGXAqMMPd5/s900/Rainbow-Tunnel.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve-JhHH9vvvwfX_zzaKq4wpTpnf4DPeCGiTSedO9kGof0JYDEfFY5nGNUxWwldCra6Q_9mQpjzYf7stT4hCiACU2nJ-dhJmqb9hQriVikbOuDLkpx0rhjHZpf7EJ6KQciS4pGXAqMMPd5/s320/Rainbow-Tunnel.jpg" width="320"></a></div><div>I wish this ride stayed the same in its original form with Dreamfinder. Nothing against Eric Idle, I'm a fan, but I'm nostalgic.<br>Figment is such a likable character. My favorite from this ride is the rainbow light archway and then the play room with a musical floor to jump on while color lights dance around the room.<br><br><b><u><br></u></b></div><div><b><u><br></u></b></div><div><b><u><br></u></b></div><div><b><u> Honey I Shrunk The Audience</u></b></div><div><b><u><br></u></b><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5qdA8Ok4MtmEEPPXTYopkKWcS8lsr43xiDYB8FVO9BC1EEUsmMkg_QAzW8_1HmJnJAzJaqCowIqJBphCcb-h9R1xPNxIt1VN6DHkBmY94OUS4Kdt1Oq3wVVcQeoeQ0ml8wrgleuCHP1t/s1600/20200720_103301.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1339" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5qdA8Ok4MtmEEPPXTYopkKWcS8lsr43xiDYB8FVO9BC1EEUsmMkg_QAzW8_1HmJnJAzJaqCowIqJBphCcb-h9R1xPNxIt1VN6DHkBmY94OUS4Kdt1Oq3wVVcQeoeQ0ml8wrgleuCHP1t/w171-h205/20200720_103301.jpg" width="171"></a></div>The Honey I Shrunk the Audience show was the first time I experienced sitting in interactive seats and being tortured. Audience members watched Rick Moranis be absent- minded Wayne Szalinski, unaware of the seats and theater around them were all part of the show, tricking you into thinking that there was an escaped snake or being sprayed with water from overhead. Some people enjoy this unexpected thrill, though I prefer the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground. Parents could sit and rest while their kids run around crazy, sliding down a curved blade of grass, climbing cobwebs, and riding on ants.</div><div><br></div><div><b><u>Wish You Were Here</u></b></div><div><b><u><br></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoHIuM-OYMceNKcRDvmFVEshnQthOsCkWhm_dXXoXcjoOq0JMkRpw3tLALFb2ewaNYRoJD7CVbsx9kTEpv0Ywy2gGorHnJbneYUd6A_pL0VuVn8IZ3YhSzR7WFz-pNeXodcbnOss4k4Ae/s640/6429125_fullsize.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoHIuM-OYMceNKcRDvmFVEshnQthOsCkWhm_dXXoXcjoOq0JMkRpw3tLALFb2ewaNYRoJD7CVbsx9kTEpv0Ywy2gGorHnJbneYUd6A_pL0VuVn8IZ3YhSzR7WFz-pNeXodcbnOss4k4Ae/s320/6429125_fullsize.jpg" width="320"></a></div><span style="text-align: left;">I have to admit I have a slight obsession with postcards. Now, I won't buy just any postcard off the spinning rack, I have to really like the image. Also, I rarely send anyone a postcard. </span></div><div>My postcard collection is vintage travel, national parks, book covers, black and white photography and of course, Disney. What has been neat is the Disney company releasing postcard box sets with concept art of their animated films throughout the years. The starting of my postcard obsession came from Walt Disney World. I still have the special lenticular postcards I bought as a small child. It now sits on my daughter's book shelf. </div><div><br></div><div> <b><u>Try The Grey Stuff, It's Delicious!</u></b></div><div><b><u><br></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1x6pPVyNb-9vQ5Jcj9L7NQzHb6PFAKb3RP-6E9uWg2vEMZ-tpu-wUheSlTBkMZFMbbygluhuHFQWT_drJaBD-wSrrbiqvSCb2XhYgO1tSWH2Yc81Xlc_MgzjQCIynnUYGpiCRR7Bh5dmr/s348/348s.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="348" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1x6pPVyNb-9vQ5Jcj9L7NQzHb6PFAKb3RP-6E9uWg2vEMZ-tpu-wUheSlTBkMZFMbbygluhuHFQWT_drJaBD-wSrrbiqvSCb2XhYgO1tSWH2Yc81Xlc_MgzjQCIynnUYGpiCRR7Bh5dmr/w205-h205/348s.jpg" width="205"></a></div><div>Now, I haven't tried the grey stuff at the Beast's Castle, but there are a few snacks I enjoy while at the park. The first is traveling to France in Epcot and visiting Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie for a warm crossaint. The next is the famous cool treat of the smooth chocolate covered Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Bar. My mouth is watering just thinking of it. Fortunately, Disney has released this much-loved ice cream treat and a few others to the public to purchase at their local grocery store. Now if they would bring back the Mickey and Gang Popsicles I ate as a child my life would be complete!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTEBYUq_4gOK7PTc5FJZeTxMkaUCNQjku10IeO7MwpwChun4pgmKtR57TqOZT9c8Q4SXe-FDoJQG19MFCrjhe9vZwDo1sxbtgXuBzjDvw7ZptG6_2GexZb1n99jkFravm8jThdQ8pGqmc/s800/Mickey-Bar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="675" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTEBYUq_4gOK7PTc5FJZeTxMkaUCNQjku10IeO7MwpwChun4pgmKtR57TqOZT9c8Q4SXe-FDoJQG19MFCrjhe9vZwDo1sxbtgXuBzjDvw7ZptG6_2GexZb1n99jkFravm8jThdQ8pGqmc/w138-h164/Mickey-Bar.jpg" width="138"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div><b><u> That's A Lot Of Stairs</u></b></div><div><b><u><br></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiTZxw0yCpzdtYhDKE9uYO3Wm3wsZOCOfk2iEhv6JDLbkV0PL8PM0DfMWdMOSFlu7A7RMsWLGXueybw-55xL2gPiwIEgc2PyzPkDnQrxghYpjh0sMGQpjz6R1YsJzTS9MEFbp7nXWtalN/s1600/Epcot-Mexican-Restaurants-Mayan-Pyramid-1600x900.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsiTZxw0yCpzdtYhDKE9uYO3Wm3wsZOCOfk2iEhv6JDLbkV0PL8PM0DfMWdMOSFlu7A7RMsWLGXueybw-55xL2gPiwIEgc2PyzPkDnQrxghYpjh0sMGQpjz6R1YsJzTS9MEFbp7nXWtalN/s320/Epcot-Mexican-Restaurants-Mayan-Pyramid-1600x900.jpg" width="320"></a></div>The architecture around Epcot is amazing. All the fine details. The San Angel Inn Restaurant sticks out the most to me maybe because it's been the go-to place for dinner for most of our family trips. Though I don't remember if the food is any good. I do recall the place being packed with people wandering around the random wagon carts with trinkets and eating in twilight. Taking a gliding boat ride tour. My mind though goes to those stairs on the exterior of the Mayan Pyramid. I wished I could take on the challenge of climbing to the top. It would be my Mt. Everest.<br><div><br><div> <b><u>Hey, That Person Is Famous!</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aQP_WSI1UIAnPUMZ-dS77rM0ENfmxYrC4k2JROWf8iGhGEiajAr5OpAaVwQxY-53wcG7P1d4KhYKvVz6ULDVjtBVfSysYVNmOYMs9Lu1KJCf1IU0kE1ckNwCg2aUAjnARpk13ZYK3IWe/s244/SamsDisneyDiary-1996-Walt-Disney-World-Very-Merry-Christmas-Parade-4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aQP_WSI1UIAnPUMZ-dS77rM0ENfmxYrC4k2JROWf8iGhGEiajAr5OpAaVwQxY-53wcG7P1d4KhYKvVz6ULDVjtBVfSysYVNmOYMs9Lu1KJCf1IU0kE1ckNwCg2aUAjnARpk13ZYK3IWe/s0/SamsDisneyDiary-1996-Walt-Disney-World-Very-Merry-Christmas-Parade-4.jpg"></a></div>I've met or at least been in the same area as a few famous people. The first two famous people that I saw outside of my television screen was Jerry Van Dyke and Suzanne Somers. It was Christmas time and they were hosting the parade. I stared in awe of them up on their broadcasting stage giving the TV audience and us at the park the play by play of who was coming down Main Street. I had seen Three' s Company when I was younger, but was more familiar with Suzanne Somers in her role as the mom on Step by Step (didn't really care for the show but it was part of the TGIF line up so I still watched it). Jerry Van Dyke was not as familiar to me, I had only seen a few episodes of Coach. I found that show to be more adult. Which is hilarious to me because of watching Three's Company and even Married with Children as a kid. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br></u></b></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Disney MGM- Hollywood Studios.. Whatever You Wanna Call It.</u></b></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWEnL_Uf3nS78nKSuSf88gJ199ikRHHsxvPfEYSEKfHMvmr4FiEhiWi2JOppyugbLNVl5q9G-lS9ak83c-iCNMV1tMyODycnGJOZrXCH8FyCtRJAC0n5T_ZOS4wzuVuXBrKFerwSvw1mN/s600/Hollywood-Boulevard-Disney-1989.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWEnL_Uf3nS78nKSuSf88gJ199ikRHHsxvPfEYSEKfHMvmr4FiEhiWi2JOppyugbLNVl5q9G-lS9ak83c-iCNMV1tMyODycnGJOZrXCH8FyCtRJAC0n5T_ZOS4wzuVuXBrKFerwSvw1mN/s320/Hollywood-Boulevard-Disney-1989.jpg" width="320"></a></div>After the Magic Kingdom with all its traditional classic rides the next park I like is Disney MGM Studios. Yes, I know its name has been changed, but it will always be MGM to me. I love the 1930's Art-Deco buildings. I'm a big fan of MGM's old films starring talented actors like Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. So of course the Great Movie Ride was a must on my list, along with the Studio Backlot Tour where you could see the Golden Girls house and movie props and set pieces from films like The Rocketeer and Flight of the Navigator. Unfortunately, times are a-changing and I'm not sure what is left of the MGM I loved. I always felt like MGM was the park that was forgotten. Trying to bring in more crowds to this park, Disney World added more thrill rides like the Tower of Terror and Aerosmith's Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. At least the Tower of Terror was set in the 1930's time period. I'm fine with some of the new upgrades but I really wish there was a time machine to go back to the classic MGM theme park days. I guess I'll have to steal the DeLorean from Universal Studios.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvkYcZf_f_Uedx94Ms79mkymrj6o9g6wrCbQlwNgE0SUa28HjvIYu_Nhevk8HJNgkpzXaRSpy_aMkJnjps71nejpJbn0FKaV7V-4PZJZHvvgMgkKh80AcmlnDa_uUWl60MjHhQIxDQOLV/s1000/movie_ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1000" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvkYcZf_f_Uedx94Ms79mkymrj6o9g6wrCbQlwNgE0SUa28HjvIYu_Nhevk8HJNgkpzXaRSpy_aMkJnjps71nejpJbn0FKaV7V-4PZJZHvvgMgkKh80AcmlnDa_uUWl60MjHhQIxDQOLV/w256-h169/movie_ride.jpg" width="256"></a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><b><u>Who's the Leader of Club...</u></b><br></div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOxYHjLRoyH6hNJaWcMkbmuQvQOgrvBYzrlXhU1-eWmkMElNy45jf-jOJDR759KpU2cyhK_EsNBZNiI_HvBeoquzAh6JYvlN6HIZXc9V2THWnhZY9x8bilT4Zy19rAfknQbIyNMKs4Y5-/s979/mmc8453241LARGE.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOxYHjLRoyH6hNJaWcMkbmuQvQOgrvBYzrlXhU1-eWmkMElNy45jf-jOJDR759KpU2cyhK_EsNBZNiI_HvBeoquzAh6JYvlN6HIZXc9V2THWnhZY9x8bilT4Zy19rAfknQbIyNMKs4Y5-/s320/mmc8453241LARGE.jpg"></a></div><div>A neat "behind the scenes" tour when I was younger was watching the rehearsal of the New Mickey Mouse Club. I don't recall if any of the kids were the famous people we know today like Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling or Keri Russell. It was kinda hard to see who was who with standing above the sound stage behind a glass window. My older brother even sent in a form to be a New Mickey Mouse Club Member. He wasn't called in for an audition like the kids who appeared on the show but he did get a special letter and a Mickey Mouse Club sticker and a patch for his jean jacket. </div><div><br></div><div><div><br></div></div>Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-39967559435460974462020-09-19T06:25:00.001-07:002020-10-26T18:11:09.676-07:00My Walt Disney World Memories Part 1Walt Disney World is a magical place. There are lots of memories to be made. Typically, when you ask someone what their favorite parts of the parks are they ramble off the rides they enjoyed. My list is a little different. While I do point out a few rides, most of my memories of enjoyment lay in smaller specific details of the park and how those items make me feel.<br />
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<div> <b><u>Campfires With Chipmunks</u></b><br /></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<div>My earliest memory of Walt Disney World was at the age of 5, camping at Fort Wilderness. In the evening when families were settling down from their time at the parks, the magic continued. Sitting on wooden benches, my two brothers and I anxiously awaited the arrival of two furry rodents, Chip and Dale. Waddling to their open stage accompanied by a cowboy with a guitar, the show began. A couple songs were sang by the strumming cowboy, while Chip and Dale danced around. I'm sure Dale was causing some mischief with being overly goofy, making the crowd laugh( that's why Dale with his big red nose is my favorite). Chip wagging his finger in scolding Dale to be more serious. Then both cover their mouths and shake their bodies in mime laughter. After the show there was a meet and greet, along with roasting marshmallows over a camp fire. What a wonderful moment of interacting so close to these two lovable characters.<br />
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<br /><b><u>Dinner And A Show</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b>
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Even while eating, a visitor of Disney World can be entertained with a show. At Liberty Square Taverne a troupe of soldiers parade by, beating on drums and whistling a Yankee Doodle Dandy number through flutes. In Frontier Land you can have a rip- roaring good time laughing and clapping at the Pioneer Hall Players in their western vaudeville act, the Hoop Dee doo Revue. For this memory we are going to travel to the Biergarten in Epcot's Germany. The interior to this restaurant is amazing. Three tiers of dinning space with long wooden tables fills the banquet hall made to look like a Bavarian town. A backdrop of the mountain top Alps lays behind the lederhosen clad performers on stage. The room is filled with their Ompa- pa tunes, making you want to swing a beer stein in the air. What I remember from this performance is the alphorns, playing of glasses, and the chicken dance. Waitresses in dirndl ( traditional German dresses) would grab members of the audience and the room would erupt into chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, flap, flap, flap, flap, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, clap, clap, clap, clap. Then as the accordion played to the merry melody, hands were grabbed and a trail of tourists were weaved around the tables. This was the only time your parents would allow a stranger to grab your hand and lead you away because everyone was family during this time, participating in a silly dance. Faster and faster the song went and faster and faster I tried to keep up, screwing up the hand motions. At the end of the song I was definitely ready for dessert.<br />
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<br /><br /> <b><u>Water Skiing Characters</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b>
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There are several ways of arriving at the Magic Kingdom. One of those ways is by ferry boat. While trekking across the water Disney cast members are making sure their guests are always entertained. Welcoming everyone to the Magic Kingdom is a water skiing Pinocchio and Goofy doing funny tricks. As a small child I thought this was amazing.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> <b><u>The Monorail</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGD8v6F7aO_RzAAh92wD_jycdybsflej5Gjn0ZjxjCFPffZxQAy4PPhmOvjwCR2fXyZIHUn9FcCTUWPTg6KJ6_HSxjSmVGlF7i0PNu7OgZtXffqq9M81XqjYBiYvq7g0tL2TW3zUv5aiq/s600/lqojls-b78840131z.120110829005703000g7h11k4h1.1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="478" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGD8v6F7aO_RzAAh92wD_jycdybsflej5Gjn0ZjxjCFPffZxQAy4PPhmOvjwCR2fXyZIHUn9FcCTUWPTg6KJ6_HSxjSmVGlF7i0PNu7OgZtXffqq9M81XqjYBiYvq7g0tL2TW3zUv5aiq/w163-h205/lqojls-b78840131z.120110829005703000g7h11k4h1.1.jpg" width="163" /></a></div><div>
Another way of transportation to the different parks is the Monorail. Zooming along a track and even zipping through the lobby of Disney's Contemporary Resort. While all this is fine and dandy the cars of the Monorail are like the New York City Subway, only cleaner and with less shady people. They are always packed with people and you're never guaranteed a seat. So why bring up monorails as a favorite memory? Only for one reason, the " Please stand clear of the doors" message broadcasted over the intercoms. After the English message would come the Spanish translation. With rapid speed my older brother would repeat this message, " Por favor mantengase alejardo de las puertas." As far as I know it he still has that phrase memorized.<br />
<br /><br /><br /><b><u>The Entrance To The Magic Kingdom</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b>
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After entering through the gates of the Magic Kingdom you walk through a tunnel. Some people may not take notice of the posters along each side of the walls of the tunnel, but I would usually look at them at the end of the night when leaving the Magic Kingdom. The posters are vintage advertisement artwork of rides among the Magic Kingdom like Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. My family liked these posters so much that we purchased the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion posters to be hung in my little brother's room.<br />
<br /><br /><br /> <b><u>Garden Art</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUQmmog6-AE8M-9SJU2SdOSCvum6UDYF36Z8WAyfXv9ZmfuN6GmCJexxJ0mM07GbOOMXf_EQzqaAzCjJhgsIuQDHF9lxi3WTMksqm1iydp5y_72nG0V2k5JchJTLjG567OtmbEyP1UbgK/s720/20200905_092412.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="720" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUQmmog6-AE8M-9SJU2SdOSCvum6UDYF36Z8WAyfXv9ZmfuN6GmCJexxJ0mM07GbOOMXf_EQzqaAzCjJhgsIuQDHF9lxi3WTMksqm1iydp5y_72nG0V2k5JchJTLjG567OtmbEyP1UbgK/w205-h132/20200905_092412.png" width="205" /></a></div><div>
Disney World has an eye for detail even when it comes to their landscaping. In front of the main gates there is a mural of Mickey Mouse made from flowers and greenery. Epcot is where Imagineers have shined in their sculpting designs of characters out of shrubbery. You could pass by anything from a giant stegosaurus to Fantasia's dancing hippos. So next time you're at Epcot, stop and smell the roses.<br />
<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b><u>Money Money Money</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b>
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If you visited Disney World from 1987 to 2016 you may remember Disney Dollars. Just think regular dollar bills but with the main Disney characters on them. We had trouble spending them because my family wanted to keep them as souvenirs.<br />
<br /><br /><br /><b><u>Cinderella's Castle</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b>
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One year my parents splurged and spent the the over priced cost of eating in Cinderella's Castle where you may get a short visit from Minnie or another character. But the restaurant isn't what I like. My favorite part of the castle is the tile art pieces. I feel like Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off staring into the Georges Seruts' painting Sunday Afternoon on the Island la Grande Jatte. Five panels of mosaic work tells the story of Cinderella with 300,000 tiles total with 500 different colors. The biggest Crayola crayon box I had consisted of only 120 different colors. I can't help but think of how long it took to create these pieces. Also, how many artist it took to complete. So I did some research. It took 22 months and Dorothea Redmond was the artist that designed all five panels. Hanns Scharff and six other artist had the job of assembling Dorothea's masterpiece. Walt Disney World is full of so many different kinds of artwork.<br />
<br /><br /><br /> <b><u>Souvenirs</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqGXQ_zeXtoQTGWDC5vZK1RSdBpIKUqfjJS8ZWaczl0vl5IrhxjlPwy3aJrthM4-JO41GhzgQg7x7SkG1mRIc70UT1CpxL_sh2TVDfvDP5h0wzUE7W9OoXmcbOe-H6hBUzLMaAVjmZJlb/s450/mouse-ears.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="450" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqGXQ_zeXtoQTGWDC5vZK1RSdBpIKUqfjJS8ZWaczl0vl5IrhxjlPwy3aJrthM4-JO41GhzgQg7x7SkG1mRIc70UT1CpxL_sh2TVDfvDP5h0wzUE7W9OoXmcbOe-H6hBUzLMaAVjmZJlb/w164-h101/mouse-ears.jpg" width="164" /></a></div><div>
I'm not much of a souvenir shopper when I go on vacation. At Disney World though, I could probably go a little crazy with buying items if I had a ton of cash. As a child there were several must-have items. First was the popular Mickey Mouse Ears Hat just like the Mouseketeers wore. I picked out a red one and wore it proudly until I took them off for Captain EO starring Michael Jackson. Alas, forgetting to retrieve it when the show ended I lost my hat forever. If you can't tell, I'm still scarred from that moment. I have purchased a new one as an adult, but nothing can fully replace my first Mickey hat.<br />
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Another souvenir that holds a special memory is Captain Hook's toy hook. The reason why it's special is simply the bond it created with my little brother and me. We posed for pictures wearing our hooks acting like Pirates with one eye closed and sneers on our faces. We were not embarrassed to be goofy because we were having fun. We recreated that picture later as adults, still refusing to grow up.<br />
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<br /> </div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b><u>Can I have your autograph?</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I had a mission when I was around eight years old wandering around Disney World: find characters and get their autograph. I felt so cool with my yellow Donald Duck autograph book. Of course when I approached characters I became shy and just held out my book for them to sign. Each character had their own style of writing their names, adding a fun touch. My favorite signatures were from Dale and Eeyore. Dale added his two buck teeth under his name and gloomy Eeyore sprawled his detached tail. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkMT28TfZhpQd5zy4Ecd9BunLrxZ6DWuDIC7FsJc0E8AvrItCacxvmWcEsZWOK6yZi9Ufj4ciMQ7EEKyC5WK72CqkKu1FhBPh9U2ou9-vnmNCAaGP0HmGB0SZo3jw27td1xFTc3N0UKcn/s360/20200905_093306.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="360" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkMT28TfZhpQd5zy4Ecd9BunLrxZ6DWuDIC7FsJc0E8AvrItCacxvmWcEsZWOK6yZi9Ufj4ciMQ7EEKyC5WK72CqkKu1FhBPh9U2ou9-vnmNCAaGP0HmGB0SZo3jw27td1xFTc3N0UKcn/w205-h170/20200905_093306.jpg" width="205" /></a></div></span></div><div>
<br /></div>Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-54571353124042426822020-08-07T19:54:00.000-07:002020-08-07T19:54:13.378-07:00The Light in the Forest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDzZAgu19qNHJ_Rim6C0zcUMV5k9GEGwHctxNfkLYdgbmUOtlkHHeU7apqje_07U8qljlTWhbAicmDiPdsNolYkW9T0IFEdFD_DGRU9PhAefOof0MUe3MaobkJlblU2pH4vgS5IFIb7I/s819/MV5BMGE5YjY5ZjYtZTRkOC00Y2MzLThjZjQtODJhNzcwYzVhMDA1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE2NzA0Ng%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDzZAgu19qNHJ_Rim6C0zcUMV5k9GEGwHctxNfkLYdgbmUOtlkHHeU7apqje_07U8qljlTWhbAicmDiPdsNolYkW9T0IFEdFD_DGRU9PhAefOof0MUe3MaobkJlblU2pH4vgS5IFIb7I/w221-h320/MV5BMGE5YjY5ZjYtZTRkOC00Y2MzLThjZjQtODJhNzcwYzVhMDA1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE2NzA0Ng%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" width="221" /></a>Disney was riding high after the immense popularity of <i>Old Yeller</i> and followed it up with an admittedly more serious affair, <i>The Light in the Forest</i>. The movie is based on Conrad Richter's novel of the same name which Disney bought the rights to as soon as it was released in 1953. The movie deals with a young white boy who was raised by Native Americans until a treaty with the United States forces him to be thrust back into white society. This would be Fess Parker's last film with Disney as he had become dissatisfied with the roles Disney cast him in. He complained that he was always playing the exact same character, a claim that was given more validity because Disney refused to lend him out to other studios if said role was outside of the norm for what they would use him for. He was offered only a small part in the movie <i>Tonka</i> and subsequently refused, causing him to be put on suspension, as he was a contract actor for Disney. He left the studio shortly after. Parker would never see as much success in movies as he had with Disney, but he would go on to lead an ensemble cast in the popular 1964 series <i>Daniel Boone </i>(ironically another American hero like Davy Crockett).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUbfrCqXwJfWe3cqelsYltB2x_Y7gM3EBIM_dGAH6KelzaBQv0ALkj7NlDwgppGCV5TotXXRMTh8E_TG53kgzUzMz19s3_-t15mzt3F3M2Z2OYBWjEFCf8cv_1VronuGjjefxR-ildpE/s598/thelightintheforestjamesmacarthurshenandoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="598" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUbfrCqXwJfWe3cqelsYltB2x_Y7gM3EBIM_dGAH6KelzaBQv0ALkj7NlDwgppGCV5TotXXRMTh8E_TG53kgzUzMz19s3_-t15mzt3F3M2Z2OYBWjEFCf8cv_1VronuGjjefxR-ildpE/s320/thelightintheforestjamesmacarthurshenandoe.jpg" width="320" /></a>In 1764, a new peace treaty between white settlers and Native Americans declares that all white captives must be released. Johnny Butler was taken captive early in his young life, and now at near fifteen he knows nothing of his life with his real family. He had been fully assimilated in Lenni Lenape tribe and was given the name True Son by his adoptive father, Cuyloga. He is taken to Fort Pitt accompanied by a young soldier named Del Hardy who looks after him. True Son is despondent that he must live with the white people, the very people he grew up hating. He tries to commit suicide on the way to Fort Pitt but is stopped by Hardy. Hardy introduces him to his real father and accompanies them back to their home acting as an interpreter (and basically mentor). As you can imagine, things don't go so smoothly. True Son refuses to acknowledge his family and is cold to them, pretending that he understands no English. At his homecoming party he has a confrontation with is Uncle Wilse, who claims that the Lenni Lenape killed nearby settlers and scalped women and children. True Son defends his adoptive family and gets slapped for it. A girl named Shenandoe, who is an indentured servant for Uncle Wilse's family becomes fascinated by True Son, though she has her own hatred for natives due to her family being scalped by an unknown tribe. True Son and Shenandoe eventually get to know each other, and they start to realize that their prejudices were completely wrong. With that understanding they also start to fall in love with each other. While things are starting to go better between True Son and his new family, things become complicated when True Son's old friend Half Arrow comes and visits him. Half Arrow gives him news that Little Crane, another member of their tribe, was killed by men in town because he was trying to visit True Son. Half Arrow attacks Uncle Wilse and almost scalps him but is stopped by True Son. True son and Half Arrow run back to the Lenni Lenape. The Lenni Lenape declare war on the white settlers and it looks like for a short time that things will go back to the way they were before the treaty for True Son. However, while he is in a raiding party and they are prepared to attack a boat of white settlers, he sees that Del Hardy is in the boat and decides to warn them of the attack. He is almost executed by his tribe but Cuyloga convinces his people to have him be cast out permanently. Hardy takes True Son back to his family, though they talk about how True Son had heard of murdered children by the Lenni Lenape. Hardy tells him that there are good and bad people everywhere. He returns back to his real family, but quickly gets into a fight with Uncle Wilse. They duke it out once and for all, with True Son winning the brawl and Uncle Wilse declaring that True Son is now a white man. True Son and Shenandoe reunite and begin to plan their future. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0YfR0cIfvvgODfyh5bOTLbL8Qt1gtJAD9-RI6v6t0OArmD8N9qIcMx1wU-6q7GvPRGmtXvk-a7TW5x5mMMYz9EGsCTZhmE5FnDATUV_xGSkvrHjnye7u9MSFwReR2r1FUk5h8l_FHW4/s317/MV5BNTcyODE1NjE4Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTkyMzYyMw%2540%2540._V1_UX214_CR0%252C0%252C214%252C317_AL_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="214" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0YfR0cIfvvgODfyh5bOTLbL8Qt1gtJAD9-RI6v6t0OArmD8N9qIcMx1wU-6q7GvPRGmtXvk-a7TW5x5mMMYz9EGsCTZhmE5FnDATUV_xGSkvrHjnye7u9MSFwReR2r1FUk5h8l_FHW4/s200/MV5BNTcyODE1NjE4Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTkyMzYyMw%2540%2540._V1_UX214_CR0%252C0%252C214%252C317_AL_.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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The film follows the book pretty closely, but you can definitely see why Disney made the changes they made. In the book, Uncle Wilse is scalped by Half Arrow and True Son after Little Crane is murdered. Del Hardy is basically just in the beginning of the book and does not factor into the climax the way he does in the film. This was obviously done to give Fess Parker a bigger part in the film since he wasn't the lead actor. Shenandoe was added to the film to give True Son a love interest, something that would make the film more accessible to the younger movie-going demographic. The novel ends more on a not of uncertainty, with True Son being led back to a white road by Cuyloga and not sure where his future lies. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wgzG13rNhQEZlgSB9fMvPpWqFyGlFBhxzW0qx4YkX1kxeQqyjh38ShfTW9nmi_rm6ixcMk9g_XcbLz-YDNrFP95qyVSTTDk5YHLGJjEyv9P3fS2gRGdDNlgOJJmaVyPMIxFWUdd5fJU/s257/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wgzG13rNhQEZlgSB9fMvPpWqFyGlFBhxzW0qx4YkX1kxeQqyjh38ShfTW9nmi_rm6ixcMk9g_XcbLz-YDNrFP95qyVSTTDk5YHLGJjEyv9P3fS2gRGdDNlgOJJmaVyPMIxFWUdd5fJU/w160-h122/images.jpg" /></a>The cast is led by James MacArthur playing the young True Son/Johnny Butler. MacArthur signed on as a contract actor for Disney starting with this film and would go on to star in three more Disney movies. Disney was pretty good about keeping one consistent actor in a string of movies, so consider this the transition from Fess Parker to James MacArthur. MacArthur is perhaps more known for his role as Danny "Danno" Williams in <i>Hawaii Five-O. </i>Carol Lynley plays Shenandoe, her first of many roles. Lynley would be nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at the Golden Globes in 1969 for her role in <i>The Light in the Forest</i>. She would go on to have prominent roles in <i>Blue Denim</i> and <i>The Poseidon Adventure</i>. Perhaps the most well-known actor outside of Fess Parker in this movie is Jessica Tandy, who played True Son's real mother. Tandy became famous later in her life in roles like <i>Cocoon, Driving Miss Daisy</i>, and<i> Fried Green Tomatoes</i>. </div>
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The film premiered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where the movie is supposed to take place, on July 9th, 1958. Reception to the movie was tepid at best. Most critics praised some aspects of the film, but most were superficial. Generally it was seen as not a worthy follow-up to the smash hit that was Old Yeller. I myself liked the movie just fine, but it certainly doesn't belong in the same conversation as the Disney greats. The next film I'll be covering did end up surprising me on how much I enjoyed it, and it showed how good of an actor that James MacArthur could be. </div>
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Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-45161982636982467272020-03-21T12:58:00.001-07:002020-03-21T12:58:14.543-07:00Old Yeller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Everyone has at least one movie that has pulled on their heart strings and made tears well up in their eyes.<i> Old Yeller</i> was this movie for me, the first of many. I know the death of Old Yeller wasn't Mr. Disney's fault. Yes, the dog dies! Shot by its owner, a teenage boy forced to be a man while his father is away on a cattle drive. I put the blame on Fred Gipson. There is a great difference between reading a tragic moment and hearing the gun shot and seeing the heart breaking emotions played on screen.<br />
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Teachers always instruct students to "write what you know." Fred Gipson did exactly this. Growing up in Texas Hill Country exploring the rugged terrain, hunting it's dangerous wildlife, and listening to hand-me-down tales on the front porch of his family tree ,inspiration came to him. " My grandfather owned a big yellow stray dog ("Rattlers"- named from killing rattlesnakes) who could throw wild range cattle and who once rescued him from a meat-eating hog. Out of these and other true incidents I wrote the story of Old Yeller," said Gipson.<br />
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It was 1955 and Gipson thought children books at the time were too sweet and needed a dose of realism. He wrote feverishly, completing the story in just three months with Big Yeller Dog as the original title. You may be wondering where the name Old Yeller came from. Gipson explains that its a dialect pronunciation of yellow and the fact his bark sounds more like a human yell. The tale was serialized in <i>Collier Magazine</i> and appeared also in <i>Saturday Evening Post</i> where the right eyes were looking at it. Even before the novel hit the bookshelves Walt Disney bought the movie rights. Gipson's book became an instant hit, winning the 1957 Newbery Honor. With the popularity of <i>Old Yeller</i>, Fred Gipson went on to write two more novels based on the Coates Family, <i>Savage Sam</i>( 1962) and <i>Little Arliss </i>( 1978- published after his death) .<br />
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Disney worked fast hiring Fred Gipson to write the screenplay alongside William Tunberg. Most of the story stayed the same. Fred Gipson added a runaway mule scene to replace the books bullfighting scene, which would be too difficult to film. Some thought the ending was too harsh and should be change to be the typical Disney happy ending. Walt demanded the tale stay the same, guaranteeing our emotions be played with. He used director Robert Stevenson, who had just done Johnny Tremain for Disney. Stevenson would go on to be one of Disney's most prolific and successful directors, with hits such as <i>Mary Poppins, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Love Bug</i>, and <i>Bedknobs and Broomsticks</i>.<br />
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Securing the father role of Jim Coates was Disney's go-to lead actor at the time, Fess Parker. This role was perfect for Fess since his family grew up around the same area of Texas as Fred Gipson's family. Their fathers actually knew each other. Cementing the role of Jim's wife Katie was Dorothy McGuire, a newcomer to the Disney Family. She would stay on with the family playing many more mother roles, including the one in <i>Swiss Family Robinsons</i>. For the Coates two sons, Walt turned to the Mickey Mouse Club where Tommy Kirk (Travis) and Kevin Corcoran (Arliss) were becoming more standout stars. The two would star in many films together, so much so that one might think they were actual brothers. Even Tommy Kirk said so in an interview, "We were like brothers. He ( Kevin) was a natural. Hard-working professional, very bright, missed nothing, and only 10 years old."<br />
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The only character left to cast was the star of the film, Old Yeller. Four years earlier a shabby golden lab named Spike sat in a dog shelter in Van Nuys, California not aware soon he would be made a star. Frank Weatherwax, famous dog trainer of Lassie, received a phone call from a friend who thought Spike could have potential in films. "He was all head and feet, but he looked smart," recalled Weatherwax. Spike's freedom from the shelter came at the cost of just three dollars. That may seem like a deal but then he went onto spend four years and twenty-thousand dollars worth of training before his big break in <i>Old Yeller</i>. Frank's wife came across a serialized story of <i>Old Yeller</i> in the <i>Saturday Evening Post</i>. She loved the story and the description of Old Yeller made her think of Spike. Soon Spike was auditioning for Disney and landed the part.<br />
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Production began in mid-winter and Texas was under six feet of snow at the time, so the 1860's Texas Hills were created in California. Disney spent a huge chunk of change to make the whole homestead look authentic. Forty men spent three weeks hauling oak logs from a forest 200 miles away, splitting the shakes by hand to create the Coates Family cabin. This task alone cost $30,000. Corn was out of season so they used a hothouse and planted 5,000 corn stalks in flower pots and then transplanted them outdoors to make a corn field (this cost production another $5,000). I guess fake corn stalks weren't good enough. No homestead farm would be complete without farm animals and other wildlife, but of course the task of collecting them would require shipping animals from other states. Buzzards were brought in from Florida, reptiles from Texas and Arizona, squirrels from Kentucky even arrived, though they were supposed to be hibernating. Jackrabbits and wild hogs were wrangled up, and expecting mother cows had the Disney crew working around their schedule to make sure they catch the birthing. Craziness. But wait, we are not done! With all these animals come the need for handlers, trainers, veterinarians, and the American Humane Association, all observing to make sure the animals are treated right ($40,000 for the bunch).<br />
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Watching <i>Old Yeller,</i> one may think otherwise <br />
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that the animals are safe. Old Yeller fights wild hogs, a wolf and a bear and they all look pretty realistic. But that's the beauty of movie magic. There were months of advance training for these scenes. The wolf was actually a German Shepard and was taught to play fight and was muzzled so no real damage could be done. For the bear scene, a nine year old movie bear named Doug was brought in. Both Spike and Doug were kept on leashes and had lots of training time to become acquainted with each other, learning each other's advantages and playing off those. Spike was very agile and Doug had his strength. "Both Spike and Doug knew exactly what to do," said Buster Matlock, an American Humane Association representative. "Also they were protected. They kicked up a lot of commotion and made it look good for the cameras, but when the dust cleared neither one had even a scratch."<br />
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Post-war production came in handy adding the different sound effects like a growling bear using a lamp chimney. Recycled sound of dogs from Lady and the Tramp were used to save time and money. Movies always use little tricks here and there to catch a shot. Beverly Washburn who plays Lisbeth Searcy ( the young girl who comes to help out the Coates family) revealed Gerber Chicken baby food was blended on her face to get the small puppy to lick her face. So if you really want doggy kisses go grab yourself some baby food.<br />
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<i>Old Yeller</i> had several premieres starting in late November 1957 and a few around Christmas time before being released to more theaters in January. The box office totaled $21.9 million ($6,250,000 US/Canadian rentals). The early premieres were something special. Walt Disney was a smart guy and created special events to spread interest in the film and even help out charities like the March of Dimes. Fess Parker paid admission for seventy- five underprivileged boys to watch the film at the Fox Wilshire Theatre premiere in Beverly Hills.<br />
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The most unique premieres were at the New York Coliseum and Metropolitan Theatre in Houston, Texas where dog owners could bring their dogs to watch the film together. What a sight to see! Theater-goers and critics loved the film. Grown men were left blubbering in their seats. The critics consensus claimed that, " Old Yeller is an exemplary coming of age tale, packing an emotional wallop through smart pacing and a keen understanding of the elemental bonding between humanity and their first best friends." Disney discovered the gold of "a boy and his dog" stories and would go onto make several more doggy films including Fred Gipson's follow up <i>Savage Sam</i>. <i>Old Yeller</i> has become such a Disney classic that I hope future generations can treasure it too.<br />
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"Here, Yeller! Come back, Yeller! Best doggone dog in the West!"</div>
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Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-21037958741289181452020-03-06T12:18:00.002-08:002020-03-06T18:35:53.596-08:00Johnny Tremain<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-XAzxt9shArH7_FdXGHN7nvn9DhzFRxuVHF_bOvs0s_4BuYFTiG90VsBDPeKn9FV-xqOUA3CzY9w3sC4S1bTwK2foQvvqXxd0cJaYA68W9BjMSY4CPytXPcJzDpoMPndCfUJTSs4MMM/s1600/220px-Johnny_Tremain_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-XAzxt9shArH7_FdXGHN7nvn9DhzFRxuVHF_bOvs0s_4BuYFTiG90VsBDPeKn9FV-xqOUA3CzY9w3sC4S1bTwK2foQvvqXxd0cJaYA68W9BjMSY4CPytXPcJzDpoMPndCfUJTSs4MMM/s320/220px-Johnny_Tremain_poster.jpg" width="209"></a><i>Johnny Tremain</i> is based off of the Newbery Medal-Winning novel by Esther Forbes, which details the events in Boston that led to the Revolutionary War. While the book deals with actual historical events, the exploits of Johnny Tremain are all fictionalized. Walt had originally wanted to adapt the book into two separate episodes for his TV show, <i>Disneyland</i>, and then release it as a package in theaters. Walt had done this before with <i>Davy Crockett</i>, and would do it again for <i>Zorro</i>. Rising production costs would cause Disney to reconsider this, and instead package it for theaters first and release it in 1957. He would later release the episodes separately on his newer show, <i>Walt Disney Presents</i> in 1958.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuwNt7kTqs8PGJBmZ4HD2HPQfu8fyD5u8H4CGk3ObO1LpSjkM7AcBlpU_nB7QCQVhFycS5PtLy4RBkIElyV3A1sQRlbn9HvSibz8JGM6o02L4cWIswzTmblsgA9jbVJsK8-9tRvIRIVQ/s1600/johnny-tremain-1957-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuwNt7kTqs8PGJBmZ4HD2HPQfu8fyD5u8H4CGk3ObO1LpSjkM7AcBlpU_nB7QCQVhFycS5PtLy4RBkIElyV3A1sQRlbn9HvSibz8JGM6o02L4cWIswzTmblsgA9jbVJsK8-9tRvIRIVQ/s320/johnny-tremain-1957-01.jpg" width="320"></a>Johnny Tremain is an apprentice silversmith in Mr. Lapham's shop. One day, the wealthy Jonathan Lyte asks for Mr. Lapham to make him a sugar basin to match his silver set. While Lapham initially declines due to how old he is, Johnny feels that he himself is able to do it, so he accepts. Johnny can't seem to get the handle right and has to ask a fellow silversmith, Paul Revere, for some help. After getting good advice from Revere, Johnny is too eager to finish the product and purposefully breaks the sabbath. The Lord seemingly punishes Johnny for his hubris by having Johnny badly burn his hand on molten silver. Johnny is unable to use his hand, and therefore is not able to continue on as a silversmith apprentice. Lapham's granddaughter Priscilla, a young women near the same age as Johnny, is sad to see him leave under such circumstances. Before the fateful accident, Johnny had revealed to Priscilla that he believed he was a relative of the wealthy Jonathan Lyte. His mother had given him her christening cup and told him to seek out the Lytes if God had ever forsaken him. Johnny is a very proud young man and doesn't want to receive anything he hasn't earned, so he had not bothered to approach Lyte before since he had a job and was making his own way.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1A42VC3CtGMhpPEoP8Gt2LVBK3tjQM659pU48UWs7nHZzxRt5BPlj3uQ50MT3-kbLvECGas144tukkMSdKrfu-9l8Z2_w24vnAPrrQLO85edDeOujJMNxN0lUYhPhlcjQTXXUNlbQms/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1A42VC3CtGMhpPEoP8Gt2LVBK3tjQM659pU48UWs7nHZzxRt5BPlj3uQ50MT3-kbLvECGas144tukkMSdKrfu-9l8Z2_w24vnAPrrQLO85edDeOujJMNxN0lUYhPhlcjQTXXUNlbQms/s1600/download.jpg"></a>Johnny's disability causes him to be unable to land a job, so out of desperation he stops Mr. Lyte one day and shows him his mother's christening cup. He tells Johnny to meet him at his home later. When Johnny arrives, he expects to be welcomed with open arms, but is instead accused of stealing the christening cup from Lyte earlier that year. Johnny is arrested and his only hope is the Sons of Liberty. Through his association with Revere and other members of the Sons of Liberty, Josiah Quincy agrees to represent him for free. Johnny had heard about the unrest in the town, but was apolitical due to his comfortable life as a silversmith. Quincy and Priscilla are able to keep Johnny from the hangman's noose, as Priscilla reveals that Johnny showed her the christening cup before Lyte claims it was stolen. Johnny is set free and he quickly finds an in with the Sons of Liberty. From here, the story focuses much less on Johnny Tremain, and much more on historical events, such as the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, the Battle of Lexington and Concord, along with the ride of Paul Revere. Johnny's injury barely factors into the rest of the story either, so I'm glad we had all that set up!<br>
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<b><u>Cast and Thoughts</u></b><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1TE-N-gDtvRPQlgvkr32qybROxXjCQCIyPGjkUIjUfIj8wvQD2e2JRTKvMdNhA-2MQKvlea1uEIuvZYptTcRUOTBUNaFsAIWQZLzb7qNdfkuqeclyuSzWcPHoiVMK-8j32LZuSNQsCs/s1600/johnny-tremain.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="840" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1TE-N-gDtvRPQlgvkr32qybROxXjCQCIyPGjkUIjUfIj8wvQD2e2JRTKvMdNhA-2MQKvlea1uEIuvZYptTcRUOTBUNaFsAIWQZLzb7qNdfkuqeclyuSzWcPHoiVMK-8j32LZuSNQsCs/s200/johnny-tremain.webp" width="200"></a></div>
The cast of the movie does include some Disney staples, such as Luana Patten as Priscilla Lapham, and Sebastian Cabot as Jonathan Lyte. Patten had been in <i>The Song of the South, Fun and Fancy Free, So Dear to My Heart,</i> and <i>Melody Time</i>. Cabot is more recognizable in voice than in person. He had previously been in the Disney film <i>Westward Ho the Wagons</i>. As I mentioned in <i>Westward Ho the Wagons</i>, Cabot is better known for his voice work in <i>The Jungle Book</i> and <i>The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh</i>. Richard Beymer is probably the most recognizable actor outside of those two, though he is most known now for his role as Tony in <i>West Side Story</i>, and Ben Horne in <i>Twin Peaks</i>. Hal Stalmaster plays the lead character of Johnny Tremain, which is basically the only acting credit he has.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkmb-QzyYj_kGG8iycz2c4pWxHeDN6ECvVHneP2BP24AiX-UWQdpjeCNeoeferNJr6qliUpCTLzSpkKsAM2JGtTqEr-hpYtT_TuDIwlIMx5d2dG0en3qOr3FVXI7rv5DzbbIw302lOpo/s1600/jt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkmb-QzyYj_kGG8iycz2c4pWxHeDN6ECvVHneP2BP24AiX-UWQdpjeCNeoeferNJr6qliUpCTLzSpkKsAM2JGtTqEr-hpYtT_TuDIwlIMx5d2dG0en3qOr3FVXI7rv5DzbbIw302lOpo/s200/jt3.jpg" width="200"></a>The first half of the movie is definitely the highlight. It's interesting to see the lead up to the war through a young person's eyes, but he has very little to do in the second half. A modern reviewer had compared Tremain to Forrest Gump, and I can't really disagree. In terms of educational value, I can maybe see this still being used in elementary school classrooms, but only as a general overview of events. The movie never really delves too deep into each historical event, but I can see it keeping kid's attention, at least in the first half. The film as a whole is just fine, as most of Disney's live action films are. Cabot's blustery Lyte is the highlight for me. I kind of hoped he would have stuck around for the whole movie. The weak spot in the film is unfortunately Hal Stalmaster. He just isn't very good in the role and is very wooden most of the time.<br>
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<b><u>Release and Legacy</u></b><br>
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Besides Disney releasing the movie on <i>The Wonderful World of Disney</i>, sections of the film would be used for educational videos, namely <i>The Boston Tea Party</i>, and<i> The Shot Heard 'Round The World</i>. The legacy of Johnny Tremain lives on in Disney World. Walt had originally wanted to create an area next to Main Street USA in Disneyland called Liberty Square. This area was announced in 1956, one year after Disneyland opened, and the same time that Johnny Tremain was in production. Walt had wanted buildings representing each of the thirteen colonies along with a show dedicated to The Declaration of Independence and a Hall of Presidents. The technology wasn't quite there, as Walt had wanted audio-animatronics to fill these shows. Besides that, the imagineers were also busy making the Matterhorn a reality, so Liberty Square never came to be in Disneyland. The idea, like many at Disney Studios, never went away, and when Disney World was being planned, they decided to include Liberty Square as one of the lands, though a little different from Walt's original vision. The Hall of Presidents came to fruition, but something that also populates the land is the Liberty Tree from Johnny Tremain. The tree has thirteen lanterns on it to represent the thirteen colonies of America. The tree was originally miles away from Disney World, but was transported into the park. Speaking of the Liberty Tree, the only song to come out of this movie is "Liberty Tree", which later was included on the 1964 Disneyland Records album <i>Happy Birthday and Songs for Every Holiday</i>. In the present day, this isn't one of Disney's more popular films, though it is at least recognizable, which I think has a lot to do with Disney using sections for educational purposes. I don't think anyone understands the link between the Liberty Tree in Disney World and the Liberty Tree in Johnny Tremain. I was honestly surprised that this movie wasn't available on Disney Plus, as I thought it was a little more well known. I wouldn't say you should seek this one out. It's nothing special, thanks in large part to the acting and long periods that are pure history lesson and no story. Moving on from the Revolutionary War, our next movie concerns a dog that captured the hearts of a generation.Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-41891564116649100162019-09-26T16:29:00.000-07:002019-09-26T16:29:22.712-07:00Westward Ho the Wagons!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EyDlFkkvsk_Rzdx_zv2PD5g1FObbJsyu4mrkZhWkUlmOymw7NpJbKOmHxVQVDJGNMXSdtj-70sL6EvbIlEhmNNZOWf3RvpYBrMmyZMXst0WLD5m4s6CyJKEky8uWWqr0QpPLAn5e01Q/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="191" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EyDlFkkvsk_Rzdx_zv2PD5g1FObbJsyu4mrkZhWkUlmOymw7NpJbKOmHxVQVDJGNMXSdtj-70sL6EvbIlEhmNNZOWf3RvpYBrMmyZMXst0WLD5m4s6CyJKEky8uWWqr0QpPLAn5e01Q/s320/download.jpg" width="230" /></a><i>Westward Ho the Wagons!</i> would be Disney's first live action Western film. Adapted from Mary Jane Carr's 1934 book, <i>Children of the Covered Wagon</i>, Disney picked up the rights to the book in 1949. Westerns had been money-makers starting in the 30's, with films like <i>Stagecoach</i> in 1939 being one of the biggest box office hits of the year. The trend would continue into the the 40's, but wouldn't start to truly hit it's stride until the 50's, when Westerns were among the most popular genres in film. This was the perfect time for Disney to jump onto the bandwagon, and Disney wanted another vehicle to use Fess Parker in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlr1PdFvWv2TLETTbCXOhxRyWoJyqRuUR_oG1NRXx7HuXCw-Iltypso3_V-2_xfSpS39Rro4aW8pBPiotrMJnMGSDcx-ntcnFJUwvcZ2BsVxikG2-44NSe-4enMv-ZTVw5XSewAQ740w/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="129" data-original-width="389" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlr1PdFvWv2TLETTbCXOhxRyWoJyqRuUR_oG1NRXx7HuXCw-Iltypso3_V-2_xfSpS39Rro4aW8pBPiotrMJnMGSDcx-ntcnFJUwvcZ2BsVxikG2-44NSe-4enMv-ZTVw5XSewAQ740w/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></a>The story details a wagon train on the Oregon Trail in 1846. The wagon trail is informally led by James Stephen, who had taken the trail before and is now bringing family along. John Grayson, known as Doc for his ambition to study medicine, soon becomes the de-facto leader of the group. The wagon train faces many perils, including bad weather and antagonistic Pawnee natives. Things start to look grim when a group of Pawnee raid the wagon train and drive away the group's spare horses. They find respite at Fort Laramie, and the children from the wagon train become friends with the Sioux children. Things take a turn when the Sioux chief's son gets hurt and Grayson is the only one who can help him. After he is able to heal the chief's son, the Sioux offer to escort them through Pawnee territory, thus guaranteeing that they have a clear path to Oregon.<br />
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<b>Cast</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5nBSO698egEgSxMqzDJRQfI6Kcsg1TgRTTw8hOF4Tu7OheOS3csyJ-i2baL3om1CTndToAh6E18pp57OFscIcIcHfujOvnY9_K_0VTFEVhHF4c2ca6OVQkOkBA4h58yPgDBDXszCarI/s1600/westward-ho-the-wagons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1440" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5nBSO698egEgSxMqzDJRQfI6Kcsg1TgRTTw8hOF4Tu7OheOS3csyJ-i2baL3om1CTndToAh6E18pp57OFscIcIcHfujOvnY9_K_0VTFEVhHF4c2ca6OVQkOkBA4h58yPgDBDXszCarI/s320/westward-ho-the-wagons.jpg" width="320" /></a>Fess Parker played doctor John Grayson, marking Parker's second lead role for Disney outside of Davy Crockett. Other notable actors in the film were Sebastian Cabot, who played Bissonette. While Cabot's name might not be extremely recognizable, his voice will. He voiced such Disney characters as Bagheera in <i>The Jungle Book</i>, Sir Ector in <i>The Sword in the Stone</i>, and the narrator of <i>The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh</i>. James Stephen was played by <i>Adventures of Superman</i> actor George Reeves. This would unfortunately be Reeves last film, as he passed away in 1959 from an apparent suicide.<br />
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<b>Reception</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzFGE9vzc9J0zq7dDc0MreGGo0W_VLwq2-ylnrr6teA0u_WAQlQ0ZKSfZoUg85sldhbZPhhAZ-GtfxuuavKuXgFwCyFMjwJnkuF0cOO72yvyTO3g2pUYi9jY6rI8MpuaaDWPa7pabYOY/s1600/81rAYbkpfHL._SX355_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="355" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzFGE9vzc9J0zq7dDc0MreGGo0W_VLwq2-ylnrr6teA0u_WAQlQ0ZKSfZoUg85sldhbZPhhAZ-GtfxuuavKuXgFwCyFMjwJnkuF0cOO72yvyTO3g2pUYi9jY6rI8MpuaaDWPa7pabYOY/s320/81rAYbkpfHL._SX355_.jpg" width="320" /></a><i>Westward Ho the Wagons!</i> was released on December 20th, 1956 to mixed reviews and was only a moderate success for Disney. Most reviewers commented on the beauty of the film thanks to being shot in Cinemascope, giving the film a larger than life feel. Outside of the scenery and Fess Parker's reliable acting, the film suffered from being predictable and just not that interesting compared to Disney's other ventures like <i>Davy Crockett</i>. Disney attempted to build up excitement for the movie, as they had done for others before, by releasing a TV special on the Magical World of Disney a month before Wagons would hit theaters. Titled "Along the Wagon Trail", it focused on the making of <i>Westward Ho the Wagons. </i>Fess Parker would also release a single for the movie titled "Wringle Wrangle".<br />
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Unfortunately there isn't a lot of information on this movie. Much less than the past Disney live action movies, so that's why this one is a little lacking. Next up is the story of Johnny Tremain!</div>
Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-35589162176996517452019-06-22T13:11:00.001-07:002019-06-22T13:11:03.619-07:00The Great Locomotive Chase<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8GYnu_Y7l5Gat7E7GdOs5VZgdKEInFxnGqqPCwNQe3hGuB2tuDe43PFb20B9tC7XqkV52AoQwt7J4qHB5_PU35yLSMCTpb5Xf6yLomRCOGpzpRf4aCbkskzju9hgE3pi_WKFVHkYFYo/s1600/220px-The_poster_of_the_movie_The_Great_Locomotive_Chase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8GYnu_Y7l5Gat7E7GdOs5VZgdKEInFxnGqqPCwNQe3hGuB2tuDe43PFb20B9tC7XqkV52AoQwt7J4qHB5_PU35yLSMCTpb5Xf6yLomRCOGpzpRf4aCbkskzju9hgE3pi_WKFVHkYFYo/s320/220px-The_poster_of_the_movie_The_Great_Locomotive_Chase.jpg" width="210" /></a>Fess Parker started acting in earnest in the early 50's and caught a break when he became a contract actor for Warner Bros. He played bit parts for a few years and then graduated to being a weekly contract actor until he received a call from destiny. By destiny I mean the Walt Disney company. Parker had taken the advice of his agent to star in the sci-fi movie, <i>Them!</i>, a role that only demanded that he be on the set one day. His character had a very small role, that of a pilot put in an insane asylum because he claimed his plane had been taken down by giant flying bugs. Disney was looking for someone to play Davy Crockett in a new mini-series for TV he had been planning. James Arness, who had a much bigger role in <i>Them!</i>, was the frontrunner for the part. Disney went to <i>Them!</i> in theaters and he looked right passed Arness's character and zeroed in on Parker's pilot. Disney was impressed by Parker's ability to portray a man that was unswerving in his belief in what he saw despite the forces of authority against him. As mentioned before, Parker was called to come meet with Disney himself. Parker brought a guitar to the interview and sang Disney a song. It must have been a good song because Parker was chosen over Arness and Buddy Ebsen, who would go on to play Crockett's sidekick, Georgie Russell. The Davy Crockett mini-series was presented in five episodes that were released periodically between 1954 and 1955. The first three episodes, which were released within three months of each other, proved to be extremely popular (this is an understatement). Disney had the episodes packaged together and released it as Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier for theaters later in 1955. The last two episodes would be made into a second package film, Davy Crockett and the River Pirates that released the following year in 1956. Parker's star rose very quickly, becoming a household name thanks to the mini-series. He was quickly signed on to be a contract actor for Disney, and would star in four movies for the company, the first being The Great Locomotive Chase. Disney was going to milk the sudden popularity that Fess Parker enjoyed for all it was worth, so you'll notice that Parker will be a part of most of next few Disney movies.<br />
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<b><u>Story Background</u></b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lk-7O6FnlBPbr5IOyQ0c5WNff5bqQ_TeE8uVP4OTw8U7h6h8IT6nQ2unJ7nLdvCUHAH8atCzYaVpDS1wOnQhp9fAhpStOUy-JZwya0lIKTfF1EKzFFspPbMCJxJuUP83VGlxwzD8vjA/s1600/great-locomotive-chase-large-56a61bd73df78cf7728b61ba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="969" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lk-7O6FnlBPbr5IOyQ0c5WNff5bqQ_TeE8uVP4OTw8U7h6h8IT6nQ2unJ7nLdvCUHAH8atCzYaVpDS1wOnQhp9fAhpStOUy-JZwya0lIKTfF1EKzFFspPbMCJxJuUP83VGlxwzD8vjA/s320/great-locomotive-chase-large-56a61bd73df78cf7728b61ba.jpg" width="320" /></a>Disney decided to follow up the massively successful <i>20,000 Leagues</i> with a movie that would cost much less to produce and therefore wouldn't hurt them too bad if it flopped: <i>The Great Locomotive Chase</i>. Based on an actual event that took place during the American Civil War, it details the story of union soldiers and two civilians that attempted to sabotage the Confederate railroad by stealing one of their trains. The main goal was to keep Confederate forces in Atlanta, Georgia from being able to send resources to Chattanooga, the city the Union was trying to seize. Led by civilian scout James J. Andrews, the group commandeered Confederate train, the<i> General </i>near Marietta, Georgia. The Union men went northward and cut telegraph lines and destroyed train tracks when they could. William Fuller, the <i>General's</i> conductor, and two other men chased after the Union raiders, using everything from a handcar, to several other locomotives, even running on foot, to catch their stolen train. Andrews and his men experienced some bad luck, including the raid getting delayed by a day thanks to rain, which in turn made the wood they were going to use to burn bridges too wet to keep a flame. They also were held up at a train station for over an hour before they could continue on. The track they were traversing was between Atlanta and Chattanooga, infamous for it's hills, thus making the ride that much slower. Fuller took command of the <i>Texas</i>, though having to run it backward, and was finally able to put a message ahead by telegraph before Andrews and his men could cut the line to that station. The<i> General</i> eventually ran out of fuel and the Union men scattered. All raiders were caught within two weeks and a were put on trial for being unlawful combatants and spies. Eight men total were executed by hanging soon after the trial, with Andrews and the only other civilian, William Hunter Campbell, being among them. Eight more escaped, fearing they would also be executed. The rest were eventually exchanged for Confederate prisoners. Most of the men received the Medal of Honor for their work in disrupting the Confederate lines, some posthumously. Both Andrews and Campbell were not eligible since they were not in the military. I'm giving the briefest of run-throughs of the event, so if you would like to know more, I would highly recommend looking up some articles on it!<br />
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<b><u>Production Background</u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylUzkeGqjrA_foTHocua2MsY-FL3-NwwsEVso6f3U-Z1lb6-QWkNF0fndTP8j_KpUeUfwqR_NE0EjBdI8jEitoEBl68FdnOTaJNY5lT8dhcbxBuk2DUpqyiUsaP91AbLnmN1t4KlfiG8/s1600/greatlocomotive_oct2011_1_0.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="417" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylUzkeGqjrA_foTHocua2MsY-FL3-NwwsEVso6f3U-Z1lb6-QWkNF0fndTP8j_KpUeUfwqR_NE0EjBdI8jEitoEBl68FdnOTaJNY5lT8dhcbxBuk2DUpqyiUsaP91AbLnmN1t4KlfiG8/s320/greatlocomotive_oct2011_1_0.png" width="320" /></a>It's not hard to see why Walt Disney was attracted to a story that centered completely on steam trains. The story had been on the slate for production since Disney started making live action movies. Like with <i>Robin Hood and His Merrie Men</i>, Disney wanted to film where the action took place, but in this case it wasn't feasible. The original track that the chase took place on had been modernized and was, unfortunately for Disney, very much in use. Disney had to settle for the shortline Tallulah Falls Railroad which located fifty miles east. The line had been bustling at one time, used to transport vacationers to Tallulah Falls, but when the resorts went bust in the area, the train line eventually was used only to haul freight. Since the train only ran once a day, it was perfect for shooting Disney's new movie. Not only was the line mostly unused, it was also winding and had not been updated, so it fit the look of the story perfectly. Disney reached out to B&O Railroad to cast the most important players in the movie: the trains. The <i>William Mason</i> would play the <i>General</i>, while the <i>Lafayett</i>e would portray the <i>Yonah</i>, one of the trains that Fuller commandeers to chase the <i>General.</i> Disney also borrowed two Civil War era couches, a baggage car, and two ammunition cars. To get the train to portray the <i>Texas</i>, Disney reached out to Paramount Pictures, who sent them the<i> Inyo</i>. Filming started in late September of 1955 and went on for about six weeks. The production provided a much needed economical boom to the towns surrounding the Tallulah Falls line. All of the workers on the line were part of the production, though most had to run the train lying down while the actors were doing their scenes. Walt himself was there for the production for a few weeks, delighting all those he met. Many of the surviving businesses in the area have photos hanging on the wall with Walt and their overjoyed proprietors. Walt had considered buying the Tallulah Falls Railroad and turning into a scenic tour, though was dissuaded when he learned that the Railroad owed millions in accumulated debt and back taxes. The film would unfortunately not save the sleepy railroad, as it would close six years later.<br />
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<b><u>Cast</u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YFVVAi4ekUXUysyE99mSAP-T7dBPHEnPiH4Vbf2lJdJgPJ38fE0oTR9LyhQNJ5y2t_yFFn1jina3bqLr43-w3LpzBA7ZDQtRbOxhomyR2O6SLMJiDXyOjbmK9eue5DX-6uOAax6V2UY/s1600/MV5BZDM4YzgxZTUtYjZkOC00YjFmLWIzN2YtN2ViNjAzNDA0NDM2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjk3NTUyOTc%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="941" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YFVVAi4ekUXUysyE99mSAP-T7dBPHEnPiH4Vbf2lJdJgPJ38fE0oTR9LyhQNJ5y2t_yFFn1jina3bqLr43-w3LpzBA7ZDQtRbOxhomyR2O6SLMJiDXyOjbmK9eue5DX-6uOAax6V2UY/s320/MV5BZDM4YzgxZTUtYjZkOC00YjFmLWIzN2YtN2ViNjAzNDA0NDM2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjk3NTUyOTc%2540._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Fess Parker, in his first Disney leading role that didn't involve Davy Crockett, portrayed the doomed civilian leader of the raiders, James J. Andrews. Disney apparently wanted to use as many actors from the Davy Crockett show as possible and used Kenneth Toby, Don Megowan, and most notably Mike Fink's actor Jeff York, who in this film portrays William Campbell. Campbell in this version of the story is a Union soldier as opposed to a civilian. The other big name attached to the film, and one that wasn't in Davy Crockett, was Jeffrey Hunter, who played the determined Confederate conductor William H. Fuller. Hunter is probably best known for his role as Martin Pawley in <i>The Searchers</i>.<br />
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<b><u>Critical Reception</u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCat5U66hJQkRIvR2DcXcl2b40fL3S8xxZFdJe8-qiLp33Fd27BjIOiQtlsm-UfBDW4CpbAAUen3n1Z1KJR-k-ZJD5_0cgWYchN0_va1s60SeYgou8Rr16vYLAy_4ZhpAWsmPjatN_8E/s1600/LocoPremiereExt_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="470" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCat5U66hJQkRIvR2DcXcl2b40fL3S8xxZFdJe8-qiLp33Fd27BjIOiQtlsm-UfBDW4CpbAAUen3n1Z1KJR-k-ZJD5_0cgWYchN0_va1s60SeYgou8Rr16vYLAy_4ZhpAWsmPjatN_8E/s320/LocoPremiereExt_0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Walt Disney grew up in Marceline, Missouri, and when the town contacted him in the mid-50's asking permission to name their new park and swimming pool after him, it lead to one of the most notable events in the town's history. Not only would Walt, along with his brother Roy and their wives, come to dedicate the new park and pool, they would also give Marceline the gift of a movie premiere. T<i>he Great Locomotive Chase</i> would make its Midwest premiere in a small town in Missouri. On July 4th, 1956, a crowd of mostly children crowded the Uptown Theatre, but Walt and Roy made sure to shake hands and greet each one that entered to see their new movie. Before the movie started, Walt gave a speech about how much Marceline meant to him, and also spoke about how much he enjoyed reading about the Union raider's exploits as a boy. The film was shown continuously until 1:30 the next morning, with all the citizens of Marceline getting in for free.The Uptown Theatre still stands today, though it closed in 2014, being purchased by the local historical society to renovate the aging theater.<br />
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Released in June of 1956, <i>The Great Locomotive Chase</i> received mixed reviews from critics. Audiences apparently weren't in the mood for a historical train thriller because the movie only made $1.7 million against a $2.5 million budget. The lack of gross can most likely be chalked up to the anti-climactic ending of the film. Many critics pointed out that the movie basically ends once the men abandon the train. After that it's just people trying to escape and a good portion, including the main character, getting hanged. Audiences apparently didn't like movies that had a sad ending in the 50's. Walt was disappointed in the performance of the film, but since it wasn't 20,000 leagues level of money put into the film, it wouldn't sink the company.<br />
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Perhaps the most famous version of the Great Locomotive Chase is Buster Keaton's silent film, <i>The General.</i> Made in 1926, the film was a comedy, with Keaton basically a Confederate that chases after the General, though more because the love of his life is onboard and is an unwitting captor of the Union soldiers. Like The Great Locomotive Chase, The General wasn't a hit when it came out, critically or financially. Unlike The Great Locomotive Chase, The General was re-evaluated later and is now considered one of the best movies ever made.I guess Disney should have slipped some slapstick into their movie!<br />
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Sources:<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Locomotive_Chase">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Locomotive_Chase</a><br />
<a href="https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/making-great-locomotive-chase">https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/making-great-locomotive-chase</a><br />
<a href="https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/hollywood-premiere-marceline-great-locomotive-chase">https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/hollywood-premiere-marceline-great-locomotive-chase</a>Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-1817578392086111862019-05-16T16:30:00.001-07:002019-05-16T16:30:52.047-07:00The Littlest Outlaw <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEXEY1LBwj26MGQWiwUwDpIo_55GpIxlNteecal6RvoXh-SCWsizMHmsnXGirmGyphMjmWarg9YHGYDAD1Qq3tieQh7QU6MglYslf5CIvnkizBARRpJz0XGVI8veL27r_WNLUODaIvAAU/s1600/220px-The_Littlest_Outlaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEXEY1LBwj26MGQWiwUwDpIo_55GpIxlNteecal6RvoXh-SCWsizMHmsnXGirmGyphMjmWarg9YHGYDAD1Qq3tieQh7QU6MglYslf5CIvnkizBARRpJz0XGVI8veL27r_WNLUODaIvAAU/s320/220px-The_Littlest_Outlaw.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
For Disney's seventh live-action film they traveled to Mexico for the original story, <i>The Littlest Outlaw</i>. Disney went from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, a movie with a huge budget and huge production, to a much smaller endeavor in The Littlest Outlaw. Disney was like that with his animation, too. One year you get an expensive masterpiece in Fantasia, and then you get a much lower budget, but equally good, Dumbo. Disney now knew that he could make a big budget film that would do well, but that didn't mean he was going to keep rolling that dice. The idea for The Littlest Outlaw was thought up by Larry Lansburg, who had been with Disney Studios for ten years. He was mostly known for directing animal shorts like <i>Stormy, the Thoroughbred</i>(1954) and <i>Beauty and the Bull</i> (1954). After bringing this new story to Disney he was made a producer while Bill Walsh made the Lansburg story into a screenplay. The last piece of the puzzle was Roberto Gavaldon, who was brought on to direct.<br />
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<i>The Littlest Outlaw</i> tells the story of a 10 year<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcAYoGdvdtumXO-069m2beYgR6cP2i2VcP1DXU7jB8j8wVifDPfhIIinDvJ5YBIPUJAWp1ErZiDYbnIcf5u6Fw-HXgHEO5g_Q6cXb6Y2RwdXthTJ6CRgp3yJwUU3P3KXtV3OEj2wINeFQ/s1600/i001177559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="662" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcAYoGdvdtumXO-069m2beYgR6cP2i2VcP1DXU7jB8j8wVifDPfhIIinDvJ5YBIPUJAWp1ErZiDYbnIcf5u6Fw-HXgHEO5g_Q6cXb6Y2RwdXthTJ6CRgp3yJwUU3P3KXtV3OEj2wINeFQ/s320/i001177559.jpg" width="320" /></a>old boy, Pablito, who is the stepson of Chato the horse trainer. His step-father gets the job of training the great general's horse, Conquistador, to jump in the grand race competition. Chato makes a bet with money he does not have, claiming Conquistador will jump the brick wall and the General will win the competition. Chato does everything he can to get Conquistador to make the jump. Let's just say PETA would not be happy. Pablito also received the same abuse when he tries to step in and rescue the horse. So in conclusion his step-father is scum (sadly there is no sign of a mother in this film). Chatos's tactics backfire and he traumatizes the horse into not jumping the wall at all. The General loses the competition and Chatos owes a lot of money. Later the General's stubborn daughter takes Conquistador for a ride, determined she can get the horse to jump the wall. The General's daughter is thrown from the horse and potentially paralyzed. This of course sends the General into a rage and demands the horse be killed. While Pablito's step-father retrieves the gun Pablito takes the General's horse and sneaks off into the night, becoming an outlaw. Pablito shows incredible courage throughout his journey, running into banditos, gypsies, a bull, and a priest ( sounds like the beginning of a terrible joke). All while outrunning his abusive step-father. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8C27Gtfw3ruMoFpb_qRuIVa1Grzzxf7Q1IHwyOmKi83fQhyphenhyphenbXeifY6JHbxN8en39iYDCHAQE51UxZdXl20SL4O_DTkeUSFTE_3rx4xar4GzVMcuhqIBLrXYEq4iA2c05-3tSjU5hvKc_T/s1600/207134d164f73d5ef6d7078323c477d1--san-miguel-mexico-mexico-city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="236" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8C27Gtfw3ruMoFpb_qRuIVa1Grzzxf7Q1IHwyOmKi83fQhyphenhyphenbXeifY6JHbxN8en39iYDCHAQE51UxZdXl20SL4O_DTkeUSFTE_3rx4xar4GzVMcuhqIBLrXYEq4iA2c05-3tSjU5hvKc_T/s200/207134d164f73d5ef6d7078323c477d1--san-miguel-mexico-mexico-city.jpg" width="134" /></a>Instead of shooting the film in California's backlots the production took place all in Mexico to make the film authentic and show Mexico's beautiful landscapes and culture with festivals and bull fights. Mexico's rugged beauty was boosted with the use of Technicolor. A great deal of scenes were shot in and around historical city Grand San Miguel Allende. The ranch scenes were at Rancho Meson Del Prado and most of if not all horses were from the Mexican Army Equestrian team. In the beginning of the film is some incredible footage of how the military trains their horses to handle different terrain and obstacles. <br />
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The cast was made up of bilingual actors that could speak both Spanish and English. This was very smart for Disney to do because they saved money and time on having to dub the film. Instead the film was shot twice, once in English and then Spanish. This also meant the film could be directly released into the Spanish speaking market. These talented bilingual actors you might not be too familiar with compared to some of the repeat actors Disney casts in his films (Driscoll, Corrigan, Todd, Mills), but they have sure done a lot of work. Pedro Armendariz, who plays General Torres you may have seen in the 1963 James Bond film <i>From Russia with Love </i>as Kerim Bey. Joseph Calleia plays Padre, the kind priest, who later in 1958 would appear next to Orson Welles in<i> Touch of Evil.</i> The character of Chato was played by Rodolfo Acosta who could be found in countless westerns throughout his career. Pablito, The Littlest Outlaw himself, was played by Andres Velazquez. He would only appear in a few films and a TV spot before quitting show business with his last film in 1957, which is too bad because he received high praise for his acting in <i>The Littlest Outlaw</i>.<br />
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The film was released in U.S. theaters right before Christmas, December 22, 1955. There were several other Disney films released this year: <i>Lady and the Tramp, The African Lion</i>, and <i>Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier</i>, all overshadowing <i>The Littlest Outlaw</i>. Reviews were mixed and its box office earnings were only $1.6 million. <i>The New York Times</i> called it "often hackneyed," and more for kids than adults. Leonard Maltin's honest review claimed, " the secret of this charming film is in the way it was shot. The story is so slight that it would have been pointless unless it had seemed real by filming it entirely on location. Using interior and exterior sites alike, and getting natural, winning performances from the cast, producer Lansburgh and director Roberto Gavaldon succeeded in their goal." Personally, the story was lacking- some characters seemed under developed and just quickly thrown in instead of enriching the film. The ending seemed rushed too and was missing some important elements and dialogue. Instead of stopping Pablito and the horse from continuing to run away, the General ( who has forgiven them at the end of the film) just figures eventually they will come home. Ugh, the kid still thinks you want the horse dead and doesn't want to come back to his abusive step-father! But of course since its Disney all is magically okay in the end.<br />
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I will put some of the blame on Walt Disney himself ( yes, yes I know I can't really blame him). Usually Walt Disney was very hands-on for all of his films, wanting to know every detail and help perfect it, but he had a bigger project in the works: Disneyland. All his focus would be 100% into making sure the gates opened to the Magical Kingdom without a hitch on July 17th 1955 ( now that story is interesting and you should look that up sometime).<br />
So, if you want to have your heart strings tugged just a little bit and like horses go find <i>The Littlest Outlaw</i>.<br />
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<br />Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-14921081358377602152019-05-11T13:33:00.001-07:002019-06-22T08:52:25.297-07:0020,000 Leagues Under The Sea<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLZKmEIOVE330A4JHs2LcsmSmK6FFNkMdcCcsBhQbsXxDZBKm-f6tM7pzV5uOW2XS6JIYre_2s2XFv4e2zELCvEk4ma7_dsTynzqiY7HfYLhDzNXrgdJVaxCRDrEZGhjHen4RkgCb8vA/s1600/220px-20000leaguesposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLZKmEIOVE330A4JHs2LcsmSmK6FFNkMdcCcsBhQbsXxDZBKm-f6tM7pzV5uOW2XS6JIYre_2s2XFv4e2zELCvEk4ma7_dsTynzqiY7HfYLhDzNXrgdJVaxCRDrEZGhjHen4RkgCb8vA/s320/220px-20000leaguesposter.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
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Disney was tired of filming in the U.K. While <i>Treasure Island</i> and <i>Robin Hood</i> proved to be financial successes and for the most part were met with critical praise, his latter two films in the U.K., <i>The Sword and the Rose</i> and <i>Rob Roy</i>, were not. Wanting to film primarily in Burbank on a soundstage, Disney realized that a property that he had on the backburner for some time, <i>20,000 Leagues Under The Sea</i>, would be perfect. Disney had first considered making the Jules Verne story into an animated film in the early 40's, but changed it to a live action in the early 50's since he had been finding some success in that medium. <i>20,000 Leagues</i> would prove to be a turning point for the Disney company, as it was completely different in scope from his previous four films in the U.K. Those were made relatively cheap thanks to the funds left over from WWII in U.K. and thus there wasn't a huge risk in them failing. <i>20,000 Leagues </i>ended up being the most expensive movie ever made at that point in history, topping out at a production cost of $9 million thanks to the elaborate sets, star power, and delays. If it performed poorly, Disney had a very good chance of facing financial ruin.<br />
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<b><u>Story Background</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheH_I24POaM9WSPK4n5sa7MK_SXgEciyToirr_DXg0-vhuiAgxPzik5lK9CiQ_LV-flrW6g98b4iklrx9aEawnGrM6oKGlbkeWDA1eQHuMrfBtsT5yGaFmKOHll_kgDieiEnbCqUq5-7o/s1600/Houghton_FC8_V5946_869ve_-_Verne%252C_frontispiece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheH_I24POaM9WSPK4n5sa7MK_SXgEciyToirr_DXg0-vhuiAgxPzik5lK9CiQ_LV-flrW6g98b4iklrx9aEawnGrM6oKGlbkeWDA1eQHuMrfBtsT5yGaFmKOHll_kgDieiEnbCqUq5-7o/s320/Houghton_FC8_V5946_869ve_-_Verne%252C_frontispiece.jpg" width="208" /></a><i>Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea</i> was written by the French author Jules Verne and was published in 1870. Originally serialized from 1869 to 1870, the story proved to be a humongous hit and is considered one of the greatest sci-fi novels of all time and a precursor to the steampunk genre. The movie stays pretty true to the book, only straying in a few ways. The story follows Professor Pierre Aronnax, a French marine biologist and the narrator of the story. He is tasked with joining an expedition to kill a mysterious sea beast that has been compared to a giant narwhal. Joining him are his loyal assistant Conseil and master harpoonist Ned Land. Once on the expedition the crew is attacked by the mysterious beast and the three main characters fall into the ocean, holding onto the beast's "hide". To their surprise it is not a monster at all but a futuristic submarine. They are quickly captured and taken aboard to meet the enigmatic Captain Nemo. Nemo is a man of no nation, a man at war with "civilization". He travels around the world in his electric-powered submarine called the Nautilus and seeks knowledge, along with a bit of revenge to the nameless nation that destroyed his family. Nemo is bound and determined to keep his work a secret so he tells the men that they can never leave the Nautilus. </div>
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Aronnax and Conseil marvel at all the wonders that Nemo shows them, but Ned wants nothing but to escape his underwater prison. They visit many fantastic places, even the lost city of Atlantis, but the fun comes to an end when the ship is set upon by a pack of "pouples", which literally translates to octopus in French, but is usually named giant squids. They are able to fight off the pack though they lose a crew member. Nemo begins to change in demeanor, ignoring Aronnax, though he enjoyed having scientific discussions with him before. The Nautilus is attacked by a warship from the hated nation and Nemo destroys it though Aronnax begs him to have mercy. Aronnax is horrified by Nemo's actions and knows now that they must escape the Nautilus at all costs. Nemo falls into a depression; the appearance of the hated nation reminds him of his family and with him distracted the Nautilus appears to be moving around randomly. Ned and the others see this as an opportunity to escape and they steal a dinghy. Aronnax sees Nemo one last time, who is still despondent and seemingly ready to die. The Nautilus unfortunately wandered into a maelstrom while the three escape, but they make it out alive and get to an island off the coast of Norway. Disney's version follows the same beats, but instead has them visit Vulcania, Nemo's secret island base. It is inferred that Nemo holds the secret to nuclear power and once his enemies find the island to find his secrets, he blows the island to kingdom come. Nemo is mortally injured by a bullet while planting the bomb and declares that he will take the sub down one last time. Luckily for Ned, Aronnax and Conseil, the sub hits a reef on its way down and they are able to escape, leaving Nemo to his fate. Other than that it seems the biggest change was having the one giant squid attack the sub. </div>
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<b><u>Production </u></b></div>
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Disney had enough of doing costume dramas and sought to make something that would be an epic turn for Disney movies. For <i>20,000 Leagues</i> he wanted a bigger production, bigger stars (sorry, Richard Todd), and a local production. Disney had two soundstages, but they weren't able to be used for this kind of production, so soundstage 3 was built, complete with a water tank. Along with sinking a ton of money into the new soundstage and production, Disney was also starting a little park known as Disneyland. Much of the credit to the film's success has been attributed to the unfortunately uncredited production designer for the movie, Harper Goff (Goff was not a union member, so he had to go uncredited). Goff had been part of the production since it was still be considered an animated film. He was responsible for the look of Captain Nemo's famous vessel, the <i>Nautilus</i>. Goff always thought that the shark and alligator looked very dangerous when swimming so he took those characteristics and used them in the <i>Nautilus</i>'s design. Walt actually didn't like Goff's design at first because he was expecting something simpler, something closer to how Jules Verne described in his book. Goff was able to convince Walt of his design by explaining that Nemo built it using iron salvaged at his island hideout. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkjDhdGHgrq4aBBwrIkaNyHU3jYlmud0D_IAc_BoclQC1QVQeFnApXMR8Hnsh_0_9JQ__vbigHZBTQ-DA3CUeNpV2OLLYt20AIVWkuK-QCzZw_uxL0dJFWpZ9qbewldnjI-HlkEz5aZ0/s1600/1954-20000-leagues-under-the-sea-057-kirk-douglas-richard-fleischer-e1480244831850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="411" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkjDhdGHgrq4aBBwrIkaNyHU3jYlmud0D_IAc_BoclQC1QVQeFnApXMR8Hnsh_0_9JQ__vbigHZBTQ-DA3CUeNpV2OLLYt20AIVWkuK-QCzZw_uxL0dJFWpZ9qbewldnjI-HlkEz5aZ0/s320/1954-20000-leagues-under-the-sea-057-kirk-douglas-richard-fleischer-e1480244831850.jpg" width="320" /></a>Disney went searching for a director for his risky endeavor. He had enjoyed the family comedy, <i>The Happy Time</i> (1952), written by Earl Felton and directed by Richard Fleischer and approached the latter to be a part of the production. Fleischer was a little surprised by this, but Disney claimed that he liked him so much because Disney's contract actor Bobby Driscoll was in <i>The Happy Time</i> and "if anybody can make an actor out of that kid, he's got to be a good director." It seemed that Disney had soured on the child actor and would drop him as an employee soon after <i>Peter Pan</i> premiered in 1953. The ironic thing about Disney hiring Fleischer was that Richard was the son of Max Fleischer, who ran Fleischer Studios in the 30's and 40's. Fleischer Studios and Disney were bitter rivals during this time, but Fleischer had long been absorbed into Paramount Studios and Max was enjoying his retirement. Max even gave the hiring his blessing and buried the hatchet with Walt, eventually becoming good friends. Richard Fleischer and Earl Felton were a fundamentally a duo, so Walt hired them both for <i>20,000 Leagues</i>. Felton's script attempted to give Nemo more of a motivation for his actions. Nemo wasn't just sinking a warship out of revenge, but to destroy a vessel carrying munitions to war, so in his mind he was saving countless lives. He also added a story addition of Nemo and most of the crew being slaves at one point, which helped make Nemo a more sympathetic character. Disney, for one reason or another, decided to hedge his bets and have another writer, John Tucker Battle, known for his sci-fi scripts do his own treatment. Ultimately none of Battle's script would make it into the movie, which is a testament to Felton's script. <i>20,000 Leagues</i> would become the first live action production to be storyboarded from start to finish, adding up to 1300 drawings. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvuYx1QeFmsAmxsPxejPH7Dpu-mn8wg212YNWVJZ8Wd3PtVxo49ydd5QzTLnWqduNlCBwlU713iMAO_62VXqq1_eZYvEfwKCadhSk9ZW8z3oiPN6WFm3PkccdzN5QbjfTAj8C19dIPHY/s1600/4-20000-leagues-20.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="736" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvuYx1QeFmsAmxsPxejPH7Dpu-mn8wg212YNWVJZ8Wd3PtVxo49ydd5QzTLnWqduNlCBwlU713iMAO_62VXqq1_eZYvEfwKCadhSk9ZW8z3oiPN6WFm3PkccdzN5QbjfTAj8C19dIPHY/s320/4-20000-leagues-20.webp" width="320" /></a>Stage 3 would prove not be enough room for Disney and they would have to borrow space at Universal and 20th Century Fox's backlots. Filming also took place in tropical locations for the underwater shots, namely in the Bahamas and Jamaica. The underwater funeral scene was very tricky to shoot, but it was nothing compared to the scene dedicated to the giant squid attack on the <i>Nautilus.</i> Filmed in Stage 3, the scene utilized a full size mechanical squid with rubber and steel springs used for its tentacles. The tentacles would be moved by wires that hung from above. The scene originally called for the attack to happen at sunset against a calm sea. They finished the whole shoot with this set up and then Walt saw a screening of the scene. Though Fleischer had done everything he could, he could not make the squid look realistic in any sense. Walt demanded changes because all he could see was a bunch of wires holding up some limp tentacles. The idea then came about that they should instead film it to be a night scene and during a terrible storm. Hydraulics were used to improve the movement of the tentacles and the night and storm helped cover up the wires, thus making everything look much better. The re-shoot cost the company six additional weeks of production and $200,000. Considering that this scene is the one people remember the most from the movie, I would say it was worth it. </div>
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<b><u>Cast</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNfyWUbHE3jeIhv-rdwj6agGQ32BUJqmEjMXf6T6J1oP5btxJVzmQ8_Fmbk1Be4jHdrKVDic0uc8HyhyJlAWtRlzi-hpZpf8ZfAXBF1ZiY7v46tyCoVnPpJ2lNd-MqcruhMyDaBaWOE0/s1600/20000-leagues-under-the-sea-1954-still-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpNfyWUbHE3jeIhv-rdwj6agGQ32BUJqmEjMXf6T6J1oP5btxJVzmQ8_Fmbk1Be4jHdrKVDic0uc8HyhyJlAWtRlzi-hpZpf8ZfAXBF1ZiY7v46tyCoVnPpJ2lNd-MqcruhMyDaBaWOE0/s320/20000-leagues-under-the-sea-1954-still-2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Though most of the cast is not recognizable to people under 30, it was full of some of the biggest stars of that era. James Mason was cast as Captain Nemo, who had made a name for himself in Britain in the 40's, quickly became one of the biggest stars in the U.S. by the early 50's, starring in such pictures as <i>The Desert Fox</i> (1951) and <i>A Star Is Born </i>(1954) with Judy Garland. Mason brought the gravitas needed for portraying Nemo, as that role was the most important in making the film work. Perhaps the most recognizable star in the film is Kirk Douglas, who at the time of this writing is still alive and kicking at 102. Douglas played the master harpooner Ned Land, who is about the polar opposite of the stoic and moody Captain Nemo. Douglas was used to playing very serious roles, so him playing a light-hearted character was a welcome change of pace for him. Douglas gets the only song of the movie, singing the incredibly infectious "Whale of a Tale". Truth be told, this was about the only exposure to this movie that I got as a kid, because the song was on a Disney music compilation CD and on the Disney Singalongs: Under The Sea. Playing Professor Aronnax was Paul Lukas, best known before this movie for <i>Watch on the Rhine</i> (1943) for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Unfortunately Lukas, at age 60, was suffering from memory problems and would lash out at cast and crew members, making the production tense at time. Famous character actor Peter Lorre rounds out the cast, playing Aronnax's assistant Conseil. Lorre's major films included <i>The Maltese Falcon </i>(1941), <i>Casablanca</i> (1942), and <i>Arsenic and Old Lace</i> (1944). His career fell off after <i>20,000 Leagues</i>, mainly because he was routinely typecast as a sinister foreigner. </div>
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<b><u>Reception</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIQ5dGMugkg_PN7Tg-K0JCD9YfUYgFLwJ3H7y0-Cc9F1WgcswwcP62c4LuujHJaf26c5L_MdS0-zS1b_EDkcriKVZoZZFGrDYRiA3n1XqGJJYViJlEEHdVe9NL1h04h-Rqv8XOdXR0Gk/s1600/sk082809d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="531" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIQ5dGMugkg_PN7Tg-K0JCD9YfUYgFLwJ3H7y0-Cc9F1WgcswwcP62c4LuujHJaf26c5L_MdS0-zS1b_EDkcriKVZoZZFGrDYRiA3n1XqGJJYViJlEEHdVe9NL1h04h-Rqv8XOdXR0Gk/s320/sk082809d.jpg" width="255" /></a><i>20,000 Leagues Under The Sea</i> would be the first film distributed in-house for Disney, as their contract with RKO had run out and Disney was in no hurry to renew. In his mind RKO had taken far too much money for each film, so he created Buena Vista Distribution, named for the street that Disney Studios is located. 20,000 Leagues opened just before Christmas in 1954 to excellent reviews. Critics singled out the production value and star performances, something that hasn't changed when the film has been re-assessed in the modern era. The film ended up being the second highest grossing film of the year domestically with $8 million. In total the film grossed $28.2 million, making the $9 million budget worth it in the long run, though initially it didn't make any profit for Disney, though the film showed the world that Disney could make big budget live action movies. The film would be recognized at the Academy Awards for Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects, and deservedly so. Again, since Production Designer Harper Goff was not a union member, he did not receive an award for his contributions. The film was, along with <i>Mary Poppins</i>, the biggest of Walt's career and is still considered not only one of the best live action Disney movies, but also sci-fi adventure movies.</div>
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<b><u>In The Parks</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip14Yo4unLvRCNlylN_YQxi67lr6SpO7oR659S4y8DRzLsytO-evNf9mfElKO0y6nw5kna9I-JmZ5AyPpQ2Lsvjy-YzcR5QzShaB60WpcN8MKWLJeS7Il5GyWI9u8nzgi_JXKwLM3iKoI/s1600/20K_Disneyland_Poster.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="515" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip14Yo4unLvRCNlylN_YQxi67lr6SpO7oR659S4y8DRzLsytO-evNf9mfElKO0y6nw5kna9I-JmZ5AyPpQ2Lsvjy-YzcR5QzShaB60WpcN8MKWLJeS7Il5GyWI9u8nzgi_JXKwLM3iKoI/s320/20K_Disneyland_Poster.webp" width="213" /></a>The set of <i>20,000 Leagues</i> was put to good use after the movie wrapped, being shipped over to Disneyland when it opened in 1955 as a walkthrough attraction in the Tomorrowland section that detailed the production of the popular movie. This stayed in the park until 1966 when Tomorrowland was revamped and the walkthrough was replaced by Adventures Thru Inner Space. A similar walkthrough would open decades later at Disneyland Paris called Les Mysteres Du Nautilus. The Magic Kingdom at Disney World would be the first to get a <i>20,000 Leagues</i> ride, opening with the park in 1971. This ride had people go into a submarine that appeared to submerge, but was just barely underwater. It would take you through a narration of the story and you would see different creatures and such through the portholes until the fateful giant squid attacked. The ride was popular but very expensive to run and maintain, so it eventually closed in 1994. The next park to get a <i>20,000 Leagues</i> ride was Tokyo DisneySea. This version, though being a spiritual successor to the Disney World version, is much more technologically advanced, with the bright idea to not have you submerged underwater at all, but just create visuals to make it look like you are. The ride has been open since 2001 at the park and is moderately popular, so hopefully it will stick around a bit longer than the Disney World version. </div>
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Primary Research:</div>
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<a href="http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/152601%7C0/20-000-Leagues-Under-the-Sea.html">http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/152601%7C0/20-000-Leagues-Under-the-Sea.htm</a></div>
Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-57154135451028318912019-05-09T17:01:00.003-07:002019-05-09T17:01:53.127-07:00Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiATA1nRHnuqt9fSvlnPlUGkHpFdLXyz_KKcDQ0CgITonEZKQlgF6vaQNp4tA7zW-1Oowgu9gsv1u2SPbCHANTuDhUCTU0gB3wzupCapKFCWG76iPwYr-MPKTPqSgBE1b4eyCd7o4Hd2WN/s1600/220px-Poster_of_the_movie_Rob_Roy%252C_the_Highland_Rogue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiATA1nRHnuqt9fSvlnPlUGkHpFdLXyz_KKcDQ0CgITonEZKQlgF6vaQNp4tA7zW-1Oowgu9gsv1u2SPbCHANTuDhUCTU0gB3wzupCapKFCWG76iPwYr-MPKTPqSgBE1b4eyCd7o4Hd2WN/s320/220px-Poster_of_the_movie_Rob_Roy%252C_the_Highland_Rogue.jpg" width="212" /></a> Grab your tartan and head to the Scottish Highlands for Walt Disney's 1953 film, <i>Rob Roy</i>, the Highland Rogue. It is based off of tales from history and legend passed down from authors like Daniel Defoe ( also wrote <i>Robinson Crusoe</i>) and maybe hints from Sir Walter Scott novel, <i>Rob Roy</i>. What I learned from Disney's Rob Roy is don't take away a man's name, as that is his whole identity and his pride. Robert Roy came from the clan of MacGregor. You could say he was the Scottish Robin Hood.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9Su98lLGtvAW7Wc3v0JdOo6Vh5n6B0NJY223lwjzPrF1xdzzzWrnyezjZfx2OpvIHl5NvKmmnODb6tmYFw-qlVJEK81IgSWYG5UxnM_WJ0SmB06_LL9KrmiIR-hrLbJNroEQ3B2FLSiw/s1600/220px-Rob_Roy_1820s_engraving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9Su98lLGtvAW7Wc3v0JdOo6Vh5n6B0NJY223lwjzPrF1xdzzzWrnyezjZfx2OpvIHl5NvKmmnODb6tmYFw-qlVJEK81IgSWYG5UxnM_WJ0SmB06_LL9KrmiIR-hrLbJNroEQ3B2FLSiw/s200/220px-Rob_Roy_1820s_engraving.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>
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So before I go into the Disney version let me try to explain the history of the real Rob Roy. I say try because there are different legends that make up the man. Depending on who you ask, many of the stories are made up, or did actually happen. Rob Roy, like Robin Hood, could be called a hero or an outlaw. Rob Roy MacGregor grew up living in the Highlands where life was simple. The only problem was the Lowlands clans that were changing with the times and were the "upperclass" who did not care for the Highlanders' simple ways. This led to a feud between the Highland and Lowland clans over time. Plus a switch to the Great Britains throne didn't help matters for the Highlanders. Due to the 1701 Act of Settlement and later the 1707 Act of Union, the throne could no longer go to a Catholic so Queen Anne's distant relative George from Hanover (Germany) became the new ruler because he was a Protestant. There was over fifty Roman-Catholics closer to the throne than he was. Without this silly rule the crown would of been Anne's half brother, James Francis Edward Stuart. The Highlanders, being strict Catholics, did not care for the new king and devoted themselves to fighting for James making themselves Jacobites.<br />
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The Lowlands had the government on their side and created laws banning the MacGregor name because of fighting as Jacobites. They also confiscated property like cattle, land, and even women and children ( Habeas Corpus Suspension Act of 1715). This heinous act was brought about by a man just like the Sheriff of Nottingham, The Duke of Montrose. He held a grudge towards Rob Roy after money he had loaned Rob Roy for the purchase of cattle was stolen ( he believed Rob had pocketed the money himself. The money was stolen by or from Rob Roy's lead cattle driver who was assigned to purchase the cattle). The Count of Montrose proclaimed Rob Roy an outlaw and went about burning his house, taking away his property (cattle), and throwing Rob Roy in jail. Rob Roy had friends within the jail and escaped. Rob Roy MacGregor was a proud Highlander and would not go down without a fight and took to arms. He stole back "his" cattle ( they could of been his or just a wealthy lowlands herd), plus got revenge for the burning of his house and foul treatment to his wife while he was gone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiP6J-yPq0hTh4wP8wwrkNYZFjbfaaQPcIl41GmGgVyF0NNziYboMCbtfpPyEwftLhvHBOtuza2Rk5qcMTG9_zKs7VQzlLi_Y7HceYHmkJsvNahjyP6GKx89O7iQjRmUEDuZ8_iCYkqxoW/s1600/RobRoyKing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="933" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiP6J-yPq0hTh4wP8wwrkNYZFjbfaaQPcIl41GmGgVyF0NNziYboMCbtfpPyEwftLhvHBOtuza2Rk5qcMTG9_zKs7VQzlLi_Y7HceYHmkJsvNahjyP6GKx89O7iQjRmUEDuZ8_iCYkqxoW/s200/RobRoyKing.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Due to his fighting with the Jacobites and the mess that the Duke of Montrose caused him, Rob Roy MacGregor became famous during this time, especially after the publishing of Daniel Dafoe's book about him, The Highland Rogue. King George even read of his tale and pardoned him in 1726, allowing Rob Roy MacGregor to live in peace for the rest of his life.<br />
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" Rob Roy you are a Great Rogue"- King George " And you Sire a Great King."- Rob Roy<br />
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Ok the history lesson is done. On to the Disney side of things! " I like history", said Walt Disney. "It's universal. Subjects like Robin Hood and the Tudors appeal to everyone. And costumes don't date, you know. I can release these films over and over again and they won't get the kind of laughs you get from modern subjects made ten years back subjects." This time Disney moved filming to the Highlands of Scotland around Corrie Grennan, Aberfoyle and studio scenes shot at Elstree. Unfortunately, Walt's preferred director Annakin from his previous film The Sword and the Rose was not available due to Rank Organisation refusing to loan him out. Walt then gave the directorial job to Harold French.<br />
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The cast looked very familiar, mirroring The Sword and Rose with leading man Richard Todd as Rob Roy and love interest Helen Mary played by Glynis Johns. Along with James Robertson Justice as The Duke of Argyll and the villainous Duke of Montrose played by Michael Gough. Absolutely no offense to Richard Todd but watching these Disney films in order I'm going to be happy to see a different face in the leading role. I think the main difference between his films is the "growing" of facial hair. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOpwJZZSR4QgNIqmOCkCJKnhOyuBYSHto4q39QPq6y34PUb9Sep4b4sTE_Ea_-jeHTGi96BEuF8R3mujyh6OJBuirIL-AkgATmMcxoHMMwbZaLAXZU_NewgG0CEZlIrahurYrhmQTkS07/s1600/Glynis-Johns-Richard-Todd-Rob-Roy-Original-8x10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="400" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOpwJZZSR4QgNIqmOCkCJKnhOyuBYSHto4q39QPq6y34PUb9Sep4b4sTE_Ea_-jeHTGi96BEuF8R3mujyh6OJBuirIL-AkgATmMcxoHMMwbZaLAXZU_NewgG0CEZlIrahurYrhmQTkS07/s200/Glynis-Johns-Richard-Todd-Rob-Roy-Original-8x10.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I know Disney used the same actors over and over again like Kurt Russell and Hayley Mills. They probably had a so many pictures contract but I didn't have issues with seeing these familiar faces because I wasn't watching the live-action Disney films in order like I am now. Anyway, for this film they had the budget of $1.8mil. <span style="text-align: center;">Richard Todd's fee alone was £15,000. Todd said of Rob Roy, " Roy instituted the first protection racket." So just assuming Todd was doing the same thing asking for more money. </span><br />
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One thing that still seems to draw ticket buyers is a film with action and Disney made sure there was more of it for <i>Rob Roy</i> with lots of battle scenes. If you are looking for blood and guts though you won't find it- there is no blood on the injured, even after being stabbed or shot. Richard Todd actually injured himself on his first charge scene, stepping into a rabbit hole and hurting his ankle. An interesting fact about those soldiers extras was they were soldiers of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders who had just returned from the Korean War. According to an article written by the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate the soldiers were only paid their normal pay of 7 shillings a day while the war office received 25 shillings a day. Questions were raised in British Parliament about this injustice.</div>
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The film premiered at the Royal Command Performance in London on October 26, 1953 with Queen Elizabeth the II in attendance. The U.S. premiere later occured on February 4, 1954. This was the last Disney film to be released through RKO Radio Pictures. New York Times critic Bosley Crowther had this to say of the film, " A fine lot of fighting among the hills, shooting of rifles, banging of claymore, smirking of pipes and buzzing of burrs, filmed and recorded in color on the actual Scottish countryside. And while Mr. Todd is not precisely the Rob Roy that history records, he is indeed a satisfactory fabrication until a better Rob Roy comes along." 1995's <i>Rob Roy</i> starring Liam Neeson???? Director Harold French called the film, "a western with kilts." In June of 1954 Walt Disney sadly admitted both <i>The Sword and the Rose</i> and <i>Rob Roy</i> were " not up to expectation", in the U.S. but performed better in other countries. <i>Rob Roy</i> was expected to at least return their cost. Due to this, Walt decided to pull back on continuing to make elaborate historic costumed pictures. Instead for his next film he would take his audience under the sea and no I'm not talking <i>The Little Mermaid</i>.<br />
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<br />Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-72635120234562888532019-03-18T07:32:00.001-07:002019-12-19T15:19:14.441-08:00The Sword and the Rose <span style="clear: right; color: black; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_02aULbl1ggVyZw_e6j4SZtu-8M-0-u1Iuwnoexcc_WrSzjo9WplsdmUJNI6kQo6RBjXlEtW2kpEfcz53I4Uny4AX_ns1PlQYX8oQAziuzJqw9nZOzCPAVek2-MIrFawf46usF-gfWLB6/s1600/1953-roseepee-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_02aULbl1ggVyZw_e6j4SZtu-8M-0-u1Iuwnoexcc_WrSzjo9WplsdmUJNI6kQo6RBjXlEtW2kpEfcz53I4Uny4AX_ns1PlQYX8oQAziuzJqw9nZOzCPAVek2-MIrFawf46usF-gfWLB6/s200/1953-roseepee-1.jpg" width="126" /></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="text-align: center;">This next live-action Disney film <i>The Sword and the Rose</i> you may be less familiar with compared to the classic tales of <i>Treasure Island</i> and <i>Robin Hood</i>. I know I had never heard of it. The origin of this tale, though, was quite popular in it's day, but was known as <i>When Knighthood was in Flower</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="text-align: center;">The novel was written by American author Charles Major, but under the pen name of Edwin Caskoden. Why the pen name? My guess is because he was also a lawyer and wanted to distinguish himself separately. Published in 1898, <i>When Knighthood was in Flower</i> told the historical fiction romance tale of Princess Mary, sister to King Henry VIII and her love for commoner Charles Brandon and the struggles they had to endure to be together. This Tudor tale became an instant hit and was on the best sellers list for three years. </span><span style="text-align: center;">It spawned an entire industry of historical romantic novels and later, films. Not bad for Charles Mayor's first novel. This story would be adapted first into a Broadway play by Paul Kester in 1901, premiering at Criterion Theatre. Then several film adaptations emerged in 1908, 1922(silent films)and of course the Disney film adaptation we are talking about in 1953.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">But first a quick history lesson so you become familiar with the historical figures in Charles Major's story and Disney film. 16th Century England is the place and King Henry VIII is on the thrown. This is where that catchy Herman Hermits song 'I'm Henry VIII' song starts playing. Anyway he is the guy who had lots of wives throughout his life, I believe the total was six. He first marries Catherine of Aragon but bores of her because of piqued interest for Anne Boleyn. ( <i>The Sword and the Rose</i> hints at this in the royal dance scene) He takes on the Pope, creating the English Reformation to get a divorce. During this time the Roman Catholic Church made the laws and divorce was a big no-no. Horny Henry made it so the church no longer had final jurisdiction. Of course, Anne Boleyn would regret ever meeting the King because he would later take her head.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">King Henry VIII had a little sister named Mary. She was known for her beauty and the King benefited from this by throwing her into the 1514 peace treaty with France. She would be forced to wed King Louis XII of France, who was over 30 years her senior ( Mary only being 18 and Louis 52). Of course Mary was not happy about this because she was in love with Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk. Her brother threatened Charles' life if she refused to marry the French king, " You will marry France and I will give a wedding present - Charles Brandon's head." Thankfully for Mary's sake King Louis XII kick the bucket only 3 months after they wed. Not producing an heir to the thrown, Mary was able to return to England. King Henry VIII had made a promise to his dear sister that after the French king's death she may marry whomever she liked. That is anybody but Charles Brandon. The king's council did not care for Brandon to receive more power. Defying her brother Mary went ahead and secretly married Charles. This enraged the King, but eventually he forgave them because he loved his sister and the money he was forcing her to pay him for "allowing" them to be married.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Now you have the jist of the story and it's main characters, let's talk about the actual production of <i>The Sword and the Rose</i>. With money still trapped in England ( read <i>Treasure Island</i> blog for more details) Disney figured why not keep the same production crew that he used for <i>Robin Hood</i>. Ken Annakin stayed as director, Perce Pearce producer and screenplay written by Lawerence Edward Watkin. Ken Annakin and Carmin Dillion worked together producing storyboards for the film- something quite new for Disney live action films, only using it before for <i>Robin Hood and his Merry Men</i>. Making storyboards helped speed up the process of knowing the shots you wanted the camera man to get. All storyboards had to get Disney's seal of approval, though. Mr. Disney would help oversee the production sporadically from June to Sept 1952 ( he was also on family vacation as he had done for previous films like <i>Treasure Island</i>). He gave the crew a lot of freedom, feeling confident in their work so they didn't feel too uptight when he came around the set.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">,<br />Because of all the pre-production work, studio sets were favored over natural settings (natural settings you worry about lighting and weather too much). These studio sets were designed by the very talented Peter Ellenshaw. He painted 62 different scenes total. Leonard Maltin in his review of for <i>The Sword and the Rose</i> praised the set designer, "Ellenshaw's work was such that it is sometimes impossible to tell where painting ends and reality begins." Peter Ellenshaw's work on the film gave him a "lifetime contract" with Disney Studio.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">There too were a few familiar faces in front of the camera. Richard Todd, who played Robin Hood, now took on the lead heartthrob of Charles Brandon. You could say that Disney had found his favorite leading man for the next couple of films. James Robertson Justice aka Little John now put on the royal crown of King Henry VIII. Personally, I think Richard Todd was just okay in this film and shined more as Robin and James Justice, while did fine in <i>Robin Hood</i>, he really stood out as the King. Gracing the screen as Princess Mary was Gylnis Johns, who you will probably know as playing Mrs. Banks in <i>Mary Poppins</i>. It was such a delight to hear her distinguished, chipper voice. Gylnis has said that she enjoyed the making of this film over most of her other films because of it being a costumed action romance film. </span>Another face that you may know but don't realize it is Michael Gough, <i>Batman's</i> Alfred during the late 80's and through the 90's. He is playing the villain of the film, the Duke of Buckingham, who pines for Mary but she puts him in the friend-zone. This doesn't work for him and devises a dastardly plan.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Everyone worked so well together staying true to the way the characters were described in the book. James and Gylnis portrayed the brother-sister bond so well with bouts of antagonizing and manipulation but showing they love each other as brothers and sisters should. Richard Todd and Gylnis Johns had some good chemistry too. In an interview with Richard Todd he said, " We got on marvously, like kids." To get Gylnis best work director Ken Annakin would make sure Richard was not too far away just in case Gylnis needed a little pick me up after long scenes or rehearsals. Before filming began, the cast went through 6 months of practicing dancing, horse back riding and fencing. Gylnis enjoyed learning the Tudor dances because she was already a dancer. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Not everything was peachy keen during the filming of <i>The Sword and the Rose</i>. There was a union strike at the studio which shut down production. In an interview Glynis Johns recalls this, saying one day when Todd, Gough, and herself were in the water tank shooting the films big fencing scene all the lights were shut off. During this time everyone stayed calm. Johns said she distinctly remembers how calm Ken was. " Ken is a terrific guy, overseeing and guiding wonderful scenes of humor, it was always there, twinkle in his eye was always there." Soon enough production would get back on track and finish filming.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;">Great research was done for this film to make </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">the film as historically accurate as possible. But even with all the research there were still some liberties made. The subplot of the Duke of Buckingham for instance is completely fictional. While there was a Duke of Buckingham he did not pine for Princess Mary's affection and plot Charles' demise. He was married to Eleanor Percy. Charles Brandon was actually a childhood friend of the king and not a random commoner like in the film. Brandon did not seek to go to the New World either, as serious voyages would not take place until Elizabeth I ruling, some 50 years later.</span></span><br />
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<i>The Sword and the Rose</i> was released on August 8, 1953. The budget had exceeded <i>Robin Hood</i> but only earned $2.5mil. Audiences and critics were just not as entertained. The New York Times review called the film, " a time consuming tangle of mild satisfaction." Reading other opinions I have found most people just found the film boring, not liking the dialogue and wishing for more action scenes with sword fighting. Of course the novel shares more of Charles Brandon's background and has more sword play, so as usual the book is better than the film. But still give <i>The Sword and the Rose</i> a chance, there are some enjoyable, witty scenes.</span><br />
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Little Orphan Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18204801657601458830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-82895724553201805412019-03-12T11:33:00.000-07:002019-03-12T11:33:03.799-07:00The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPVfyBsrVzQpbej5qlRlgb7XZpKZecVPM3YzgrF13vXRbYJpLuMWSTSh-0HwIb_o5qUm0Fuw3PgkVa6ldzUjhLm8dzxkO-GioKmAAa64SAEoIfrA8XVjohgrY0HEaLvjHmXdskrtUMOU/s1600/220px-Story_of_robin_hoodsxf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPVfyBsrVzQpbej5qlRlgb7XZpKZecVPM3YzgrF13vXRbYJpLuMWSTSh-0HwIb_o5qUm0Fuw3PgkVa6ldzUjhLm8dzxkO-GioKmAAa64SAEoIfrA8XVjohgrY0HEaLvjHmXdskrtUMOU/s320/220px-Story_of_robin_hoodsxf.jpg" width="210" /></a>Walt Disney's first live action film, <i>Treasure Island</i>, was a hit for the company and along with the success of <i>Cinderella</i>, saw the company in good standing after the war. Though due to the war, Disney and RKO still had money frozen in Great Britain, so Disney thought it best to continue filming movies there for the time being. Perce Pearce, who Walt has used as producer on <i>Song of the South, So Dear To My Heart</i>, and <i>Treasure Island</i>, was back, but this film enlisted some new blood. Guy Green, who won an Oscar for Best Cinematography in 1946 for <i>Great Expectations</i>, came on as cameraman. Carmen Dillon, who won an Oscar for her Art Direction in 1948's <i>Hamlet</i>, came on as art director and would come back for<i> The Sword and the Rose</i> (1953). And last but not least, Ken Annakin, who would have a long relationship with the Disney company, would direct. Besides Pearce and Disney, everyone on the cast and crew was British. Walt was determined not to have the same issues he had with work permits that he did on <i>Treasure Island</i>. It was decided that they would stay in the same vein of action-adventure films and tackle the legend of Robin Hood. Like <i>Treasure Island</i>, Robin Hood represented a popular story that would be known to most audiences.<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Story Background</span></u><br />
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The legend of Robin Hood has been around since the 1300's, first as part of poems and ballads. There have been many different versions of the Robin Hood story, with some including or omitting such characters as Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, or Little John. It wasn't until Robin Hood started to be adapted as a children's story in the 19th century that you start to get a clearer picture of the Robin Hood tale we know today. Howard Pyle's 1883 novel, <i>The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood,</i> is perhaps the most influential on 20th century adaptations of the tale.This novel cemented Robin Hood as a philanthropic character; someone who stole from the rich to give to the poor. It was only a matter of time before Robin Hood came to silver screen. The very first adaption was a silent film in 1912, though the best known adaptations are the 1922 silent Douglas Fairbanks version and the 1938 Errol Flynn version. The Errol Flynn version has become the gold standard for Robin Hood films, thus causing many filmmakers to make their movies about Robin Hood's son instead.<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Production Background</span></u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNFHBT1wK2FoRxcyLyEBCBtGj88JT9ZZsqbo93jOBwg2rZvdjlpKMgj5Q4gd84jvB-22f1V6K8L1YxV7CttjixbhApskGtTHs9BeDFjhaW9sViLGfxZkg4DqdYJoBG2DVLVe4TzE-L08/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNFHBT1wK2FoRxcyLyEBCBtGj88JT9ZZsqbo93jOBwg2rZvdjlpKMgj5Q4gd84jvB-22f1V6K8L1YxV7CttjixbhApskGtTHs9BeDFjhaW9sViLGfxZkg4DqdYJoBG2DVLVe4TzE-L08/s1600/images.jpg" /></a>Annakin and Disney knew their film would be compared to Errol Flynn's version no matter what, but they set out to make it their own film. Annakin recalled:<br />
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"I remember talking about the original Errol Flynn Robin Hood, and I looked at it, just to get an idea what had been done before, because I never like to do anything twice. Walt didn't seem very worried about seeing the original, and in fact, I doubt if he ever did. His approach is always that the the film is a Disney picture, and therefore, because of his attitudes and approach, the picture is bound to be different from anything else made on the subject before."<br />
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Perhaps the biggest difference in this version versus prior adaptations is the addition of Robin Hood's father and his murder by the Sheriff's men. This gives the film a revenge plot line in addition to the standard Robin Hood fare. Three separate shooting crews were made for the film, one doing exterior action shots and two interior crews at Denham Studios. Something that helped set this film apart from others was the fact that the exterior shots were mostly shot in the real Sherwood forest in England. Walt came out for the better part of a summer to work with Annakin on the film. Walt had started the practice of storyboarding his live action movies years before, but it was new to Annakin. Annakin may not have been accustomed to the practice, but it helped keep the production from hitting too many pitfalls. By being able to effectively block out the scenes ahead of time, it made it so they had much less wasted shots or setups. Filming in technicolor at that time was laborious and it took lots of time to reload the camera and to check components after each shot, so it was important to know what you were doing ahead of time.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Cast</u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWu_AdI6OoETenClgOE8sGAVbeyaNV8oseFvxuM6Bo-MSepX7GJOJFvsiCPVtaFnUNoiX60btFoOXXKnfy0Y2Nj36dc_DUuNga7UZm7BPwNsNPaZRRiSPom3PbiG_YuLqY3aUkuopuQ4/s1600/8e5f1afbf49586249951f24eb782fd4b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="319" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWu_AdI6OoETenClgOE8sGAVbeyaNV8oseFvxuM6Bo-MSepX7GJOJFvsiCPVtaFnUNoiX60btFoOXXKnfy0Y2Nj36dc_DUuNga7UZm7BPwNsNPaZRRiSPom3PbiG_YuLqY3aUkuopuQ4/s320/8e5f1afbf49586249951f24eb782fd4b.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
Richard Todd plays the eponymous Robin Hood, and does a fine job even with the character being strongly associated with Errol Flynn. Again, as Walt had desired, Todd made the character his own. Walt liked Todd so much that he ended up using him as the main character in his next two live action films,<i> The Sword and the Rose</i> and<i> Rob Roy</i>. Playing Robin Hood's love interest Maid Marion is Joan Rice. Rice had been hand-picked by Disney, but the casting apparently didn't sit well with Richard Todd. Todd was a bit older than Rice and Rice had only been in two films before <i>Robin Hood</i>, so he felt that someone with more experience could have brought something better to the role. Be that as it may, they have great chemistry in the movie, shown in the beginning as playful sweethearts, and then later in the film as taking on a more mature relationship. Other notable cast members include Peter Finch as the Sheriff of Nottingham. If that name seems familiar, you may recognize him better as Howard Beale in the 1976 movie <i>Network.</i> Finch, unfortunately now is known mostly for that role and even more-so for dying shortly after the movie premiered but then posthumously winning Best Actor at the 1977 Academy Awards.Finch was just seeing his star rise in the early 50's and would go on to win multiple BAFTA awards for Best Actor. James Hayter, who portrayed Friar Tuck in the film, would go on to portray the character again in 1967's <i>A Challenge For Robin Hood</i>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Release</u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxqP3MohLWru_FvMR0MHIUHjzZorZHCP0BGXckhMA9Te5TV3Kmb1SxMcTkaiY9E7QbGl86TIsW4mIfMFF2mqEE3XkrbD4a8mChfNDv8eqFjWklV1iA6d2sa0GaBEsOzP1_-Xe61RAcsI/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxqP3MohLWru_FvMR0MHIUHjzZorZHCP0BGXckhMA9Te5TV3Kmb1SxMcTkaiY9E7QbGl86TIsW4mIfMFF2mqEE3XkrbD4a8mChfNDv8eqFjWklV1iA6d2sa0GaBEsOzP1_-Xe61RAcsI/s1600/download.jpg" /></a></div>
Ahead of the wide release, Disney released a promotional short called <i>The Riddle of Robin Hood</i>. It served as the making of <i>The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men</i>, and included segments with Walt Disney, Perce Pearce, and Ken Annakin, among others. <i>Robin Hood and His Merrie Men</i> had its premiere in London on March 13th, 1952, with a wider release in July of that year. While critical reception to the film was not uniformly great, especially in the U.K., it ended up being one of the highest grossing in Britain. It would go on to gross over 4.5 million in the U.S., making it a hit on par with <i>Treasure Island. Robin Hood and His Merrie Men</i> would not see another theatrical release, but would air on Disneyland in 1955. It was released on Laserdisc in 1992, with a VHS release in 1994. Nowadays you can purchase a DVD or digital copy from the Disney website. Disney would go on to release an animated version of the Robin Hood story in 1973, with that version largely overshadowing this live action undertaking.<br />
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Sources:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/disney-films-robin-hood-and-his-merrie-men</li>
<li>http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/1370591%7C0/The-Story-of-Robin-Hood-and-His-Merrie-Men.html</li>
<li>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Robin_Hood_and_His_Merrie_Men</li>
</ul>
Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-17600546629786647022019-02-16T13:47:00.000-08:002019-02-16T13:47:31.435-08:00Treasure Island<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFn-iIpTa23SVnEnrHDDlF3XhjHxyRuRLBrrwZV82rCb-lgOrh7g5swSr1PPWWXuxL_IfN4O7LIbQ7Q8Eq1YKryKEuqEio5XM8zS9jUHeEKlensoGpbRW8QCS1blg3A5P3cMXj2RzvMk/s1600/220px-Treasure_Island_%25281950_film%2529_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFn-iIpTa23SVnEnrHDDlF3XhjHxyRuRLBrrwZV82rCb-lgOrh7g5swSr1PPWWXuxL_IfN4O7LIbQ7Q8Eq1YKryKEuqEio5XM8zS9jUHeEKlensoGpbRW8QCS1blg3A5P3cMXj2RzvMk/s320/220px-Treasure_Island_%25281950_film%2529_poster.jpg" width="213" /></a>Walt Disney's first fully live action film was born out of necessity more than anything else. Both Disney and RKO had money "frozen" in Great Britain from film revenues there, and they could not be spent anywhere else but England. Disney was still hurting from World War II and so leaving money in Great Britain was not the answer. Walt's solution was to make a movie there, but since he was considered as American as apple pie he wanted to make it a British story so as not to receive resistance from the country. It would have been too expensive to bring over animators and set up a new studio in England so this basically forced Walt's hand into making his first fully live action film. Walt would make three more movies in England to use the frozen funds, but his first would have to be a story that was British, but well known to American audiences. That story would end up being Robert Louis Stevenson's <i>Treasure Island</i>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Story Background</u></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooNWH-sUXekzRhLe9w-CAT3nXvCO1dtLOOJLgX0pEQscm8BWJaT1lXOQxJ_-ySI3kJuZzWQQIiY8OqgNTqt1BkhPVV1C6YoDhUf9Rzj952_1HQLhO9PZdM9Qh-va-N-weEv6aHM4APSs/s1600/400b837a9b4419b6d99b890b9334b968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooNWH-sUXekzRhLe9w-CAT3nXvCO1dtLOOJLgX0pEQscm8BWJaT1lXOQxJ_-ySI3kJuZzWQQIiY8OqgNTqt1BkhPVV1C6YoDhUf9Rzj952_1HQLhO9PZdM9Qh-va-N-weEv6aHM4APSs/s320/400b837a9b4419b6d99b890b9334b968.jpg" width="224" /></a><i>Treasure Island</i> is probably one of the better known stories that the Disney company had adapted for live action. The story concerns a young boy named Jim Hawkins, who finds himself inexplicably whisked away on a treasure hunt that involves pirates, mutiny, and murder. The book's original title was The Sea Cook: A Story For Boys, so I think we should all be thankful that Stevenson changed it to Treasure Island. Seafaring books about military men, pirates, and explorers were all popular during the 1800's, and Stevenson basically borrowed themes and ideas from many of those books that came before his. That being said, many of the stereotypical things we associate with pirates came from Treasure Island, including treasure maps with an X to mark the spot, parrots on shoulders, peg-legs, tropical locales, and the Black Spot. First released as a serial in the children's magazine <i>Young Folks</i> from 1881-1882, it was later released as a book in 1883 under the title <i>Treasure Island, or the Mutiny of the Hispaniola.Treasure Island</i> proved to be a massive hit for Stevenson, who went on to author other classic stories like <i>The Strange Case of Mr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde</i> and <i>Kidnapped</i>.<i> Treasure Island</i> has been adapted countless times since it's publication and remains Stevenson's seminal work.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Production Background</u></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5e4Vc1ZXbpoOJt8O1k4DMYfObJYF_Fn5l97229SAbWAyJFdVjwVFxVJLH-PWFbInsCW6lYjk_UV-qu0jeSUmCY1PFw-2q72vGAwHl0WU2VHyI1ApJBi1BXwwHnftBb1Olh4PTk3gbkZY/s1600/walt-disney-treasure-island-set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="447" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5e4Vc1ZXbpoOJt8O1k4DMYfObJYF_Fn5l97229SAbWAyJFdVjwVFxVJLH-PWFbInsCW6lYjk_UV-qu0jeSUmCY1PFw-2q72vGAwHl0WU2VHyI1ApJBi1BXwwHnftBb1Olh4PTk3gbkZY/s320/walt-disney-treasure-island-set.jpg" width="320" /></a>Walt had been thinking about adapting <i>Treasure Island</i> for quite a few years, but it was meant to be an animated film. Once the issue with frozen assets came about, it ended up being the perfect opportunity to adapt the movie, but in live action instead. Unfortunately, Disney did not own the rights to adapt <i>Treasure Islan</i>d, so Walt had to make a deal with MGM, the studio that did own the rights, to be able to make his film.RKO, which in the past had only distributed Disney films, partnered with Disney since they also had frozen funds they needed to use too. RKO became a partner production company with Disney, forming the RKO Walt Disney British Productions LTD. Walt was a bit more hands-off with the production, only visiting every once in a while due to the distance. Luckily, Walt trusted the direction of Byron Haskins, who would go on to direct <i>The War of the Worlds</i> (1953) and <i>Long John Silver</i> (1954).Walt had still wanted to include some animation in the film, and planned on having Long John Silver tell Jim Hawkins the story of Reynard the Fox. Obviously this did not happen, but concept drawings for this animated segment would later be used for Disney's animated version of <i>Robin Hood</i>. Of what little drama there was with the production, it all came from the film's pint sized star, Bobby Driscoll. Driscoll was the lone American actor on the film, something that Disney had done on purpose to help appeal the movie to American audiences who had seen Driscoll in <i>Song of the South</i> and <i>So Dear To My Heart</i>. Driscoll did not have a permit to work in England, and incidentally could not receive one since he was under fourteen. Disney was refused in court to allow Driscoll to work, though Disney put in an appeal. Though Driscoll was ordered not to work, production continued and they filmed all of his scenes as quick as possible. By the time the appeals court went back in session and they upheld the original verdict, Driscoll was already done working. The judge was not pleased, as you would imagine, and all the trouble led Walt to scrap the thought of bringing Driscoll back into the country to do a live action <i>Robin Hood</i>. Many of the wide shots that are supposed to be Driscoll are in fact his body double.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Cast</u></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBd6bPBptQw3q3DAuNm7t6Fnuo4C35oRmw848g3grbnl0azagELPKjvHXEisolCpzSf3gQMhuDxWI3Ty3o8fBGGapFdJP8XHVdgYLWYpi3QRRIJ3X-csWxQR67svZ-_FbIi_wLfaR19A/s1600/treasureisland1950_032820130516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBd6bPBptQw3q3DAuNm7t6Fnuo4C35oRmw848g3grbnl0azagELPKjvHXEisolCpzSf3gQMhuDxWI3Ty3o8fBGGapFdJP8XHVdgYLWYpi3QRRIJ3X-csWxQR67svZ-_FbIi_wLfaR19A/s320/treasureisland1950_032820130516.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
Bobby Driscoll, in his third Disney role, played Jim Hawkins. Driscoll would only go on to do one more project for the Disney company, voicing Peter Pan in the 1953 animated film. After this point he was abruptly dropped from his contract. Walt, who had always been fond of Driscoll, was starting to see the young boy as not a plucky main character, but a young bully. Officially the reason for his canning was a bad case of acne, which necessitated heavy makeup to be used in any production he was in. Driscoll's life quickly fell apart after being let go by Disney and he would die from a heart attack brought on by drug use in 1968. I would highly recommend looking into his whole story if you have the time. Robert Newton plays the menacing but magnetic Long John Silver. Newton plays Long John with such overexaggerated gusto that you can't help but focus in on him when he is on screen. Newton can be thanked for what we know as the "pirate accent". The accent that is now attributed to pirates at large was really just an exaggerated West Country accent, which is where Newton grew up in southwest England. Newton would be so highly regarded for the role of Long John Silver that he would reprise the role in <i>Long John Silver </i>(1954), which was not made by Disney, and a TV miniseries based on that movie.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Release</u></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUl3b7ZgQM9BH_8SnpStyHMqa99z0eKNb6XBE5Y5S70T7mb0tQM8NPj_DTtysBfcLqVVVxVbhj4TcwFhI8b0qQJiluyuMhQaSDLneE6vIayGtW4oED4agFhzeBb1xYn1BqGDadAV6wCg/s1600/5492fe2723f96fd6ecad57ca2c9ff5d2--disney-posters-treasure-island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUl3b7ZgQM9BH_8SnpStyHMqa99z0eKNb6XBE5Y5S70T7mb0tQM8NPj_DTtysBfcLqVVVxVbhj4TcwFhI8b0qQJiluyuMhQaSDLneE6vIayGtW4oED4agFhzeBb1xYn1BqGDadAV6wCg/s1600/5492fe2723f96fd6ecad57ca2c9ff5d2--disney-posters-treasure-island.jpg" /></a></div>
Much was done to promote the film, with the most ambitious being a country-wide treasure hunt in the U.S that involved more than 400 retailers in 30 cities. The studio provided merchandise, along with a treasure map, and kids could collect items from participating stores to win prizes. In the end, Disney shelled out over $250,000 in prizes. The BBC aired a serial of the story with vocal excerpts from Driscoll and utilized music from the film. The film had its premiere in London on June 22nd, 1950 and was released to a wider audience on July 29th. The film ended up being a smash hit for Disney, with critical reception mostly positive. British film critics weren't fond of Driscoll in the film, seemingly because of him being the sole American in the cast. British critics also considered it a watered-down version of <i>Treasure Island</i>, though it ultimately didn't hurt the film too bad. Praise was heaped on Newton's performance, which would lead to more pirate roles for him in the future, somewhat type-casting him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRRdRuGI4fUrZFAeuLy0ETBB5MgPZwpn618y87NvrijI3hzJCf9qphL1ehlb6w884CsdZD2j-m6watWkdT7-5MxyMFuJ5zzygyms0zABj3U1Uq9bx1AwOunfpt8pROUnmMCHpHzfCWjE/s1600/51eRDCqBM4L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoRRdRuGI4fUrZFAeuLy0ETBB5MgPZwpn618y87NvrijI3hzJCf9qphL1ehlb6w884CsdZD2j-m6watWkdT7-5MxyMFuJ5zzygyms0zABj3U1Uq9bx1AwOunfpt8pROUnmMCHpHzfCWjE/s320/51eRDCqBM4L.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
The film was actually aired on television in 1955 on <i>The Magical World of Disney</i> before it would be re-issued theatrically in 1975. The MPAA asked for cuts to be made to the film in order to achieve a G rating. The MPAA voluntary film rating system wouldn't be implemented until 1968, so they didn't have the ratings when <i>Treasure Island</i> first came out. The MPAA thought that the film contained just enough violence to warrant a PG rating, which Disney was vehemently against. PG really did mean that you needed parental guidance back in the day, so this would have tarnished Disney's squeaky clean reputation. Disney begrudgingly agreed to the cuts to the film to achieve a G rating. The movie was released on video in its edited form in 1981 and 1986, but restored it to its original form for the 1991 release. Unfortunately for Disney, they forgot to change the rating on the video tapes to PG and got in trouble with the MPAA. Disney had to send out a bunch of stickers to cover up the G rating. Though Disney would relax their no PG ratings on films in the late 70's they would end up retroactively having their very first fully live action film be rated PG. Disney would later adapt the film again, though it ended up being a little bit different. <i>Treasure Planet</i> not only was an animated movie, but also ditched the classic tropical setting for space.Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-52340236571180101532019-02-01T08:11:00.002-08:002019-02-01T08:11:17.576-08:00So Dear To My Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXatGvcE3_4MfMluxa-zk_NDvFJlsDZb81UN28PSrU7CURdjSag6bWU5tWgaX2aUK6dO6KqJrhqWTZi-jsc_LeVrUb8KJk-lQQ3BMi9UXdRSFGA6FH2GxjMEaVxuOuiedJp0DngdEkqo/s1600/So_Dear_to_My_Heart_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXatGvcE3_4MfMluxa-zk_NDvFJlsDZb81UN28PSrU7CURdjSag6bWU5tWgaX2aUK6dO6KqJrhqWTZi-jsc_LeVrUb8KJk-lQQ3BMi9UXdRSFGA6FH2GxjMEaVxuOuiedJp0DngdEkqo/s320/So_Dear_to_My_Heart_poster.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
While Walt may have learned a few things from the fiasco that had been <i>Song of the South</i>, he was still feeling nostalgic for the good old days. <i>So Dear To My Heart</i> could have easily been a story about Walt growing up in the Midwest at the turn of the century. "Why, that's the life my brother and I grew up with as kids out in Missouri," proclaimed Walt after the film released. Since Walt had lived the small town rural life in Missouri he was even able to help out with some of the period set design and props. The film would go on to be one of Walt's favorite films that his company had ever produced. The film ended up being so influential that the book that it was based off of would change its name and portions of the book to better fit with Disney's narrative!<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b>
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Story Background</span></u></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ybRQPmTDdGWjnHtIgsYph4YugEqQxBYNgg2IMfOnfE8rqq7N2SQ4gGZ7-6VQLNACGDo-_Rmo5uWXVImCr6QCOr0Sdv_u9KyUzAnlTBF_O9wcKN7gbrPc1sxidgt9n5HxOF_fBPCil1U/s1600/MidnightAndJeremiah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ybRQPmTDdGWjnHtIgsYph4YugEqQxBYNgg2IMfOnfE8rqq7N2SQ4gGZ7-6VQLNACGDo-_Rmo5uWXVImCr6QCOr0Sdv_u9KyUzAnlTBF_O9wcKN7gbrPc1sxidgt9n5HxOF_fBPCil1U/s1600/MidnightAndJeremiah.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>So Dear To My Heart</i> is based off of the book<i> Midnight and Jeremiah</i>, a children's book by Sterling North. The story concerns a young boy named Jeremiah who lives with his Granny Kincaid in Pike County, Indiana in the early 1900's. After one of their sheep gives birth to a black-wooled offspring and summarily rejects it, Jeremiah takes it in, much to his Granny Kincaid's chagrin.Named Midnight, the sheep proves to be a handful for the two, but hard financial times lead to Midnight being trained to enter into the County Fair to win some money. With the help of Jeremiah's Uncle Hiram, Midnight goes on to win the grand prize even though he's not a pure breed. At the celebration back home, Midnight is scared off and Jeremiah is unable to retrieve him. Jeremiah begins to lose hope as winter sets in, but when he visits a model Baby Jesus at the local church he finds Midnight curled up under the manger.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hla-i-z5R5bEkg5OwywOIC7JeEUm7YBiba7T0Pp2hFfyV6YJndyGZwRoXATVJuCGDNgBB4fRpCUCqfTk2fAYvuyCuy3fiJbP07YVUcJfaNF0-i64s7pGTR5QeP3zkEXu2fn8vSS2G6U/s1600/51NMVbb7t6L._SX335_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="337" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hla-i-z5R5bEkg5OwywOIC7JeEUm7YBiba7T0Pp2hFfyV6YJndyGZwRoXATVJuCGDNgBB4fRpCUCqfTk2fAYvuyCuy3fiJbP07YVUcJfaNF0-i64s7pGTR5QeP3zkEXu2fn8vSS2G6U/s200/51NMVbb7t6L._SX335_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="135" /></a>The book had come out in 1943, so it was still pretty new when Disney got a hold of it. After the movie proved to be successful, Sterling North decided to alter the book to fall in line with Disney's film version. Major difference included: Jeremiah meeting Dan Patch, a famous race horse in the early 1900's, Midnight's name being changed to Danny (after Dan Patch), Danny losing the grand prize but winning a special prize, and the sheep running away in the middle of the story instead of the end. While there are some movies that prove to be better, or at least more popular than their book counterparts, it's a bit more unusual for the author to change their book to make it fall in line with the movie, though I'm sure this helped sell copies.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Film Production</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjSbrKXM11lw1onXVuxQMmYu1MCUn-fGy975frxTDUDYZydIGJiKPUIUgvV97JqjMtF6kUygJ0Sax5auBIgtvMZ5xarr_2MHYvrykibfxOb8GU9-2ZORgg52x0W46hmlzwrGSPbRdhFQ/s1600/robertbruce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="461" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjSbrKXM11lw1onXVuxQMmYu1MCUn-fGy975frxTDUDYZydIGJiKPUIUgvV97JqjMtF6kUygJ0Sax5auBIgtvMZ5xarr_2MHYvrykibfxOb8GU9-2ZORgg52x0W46hmlzwrGSPbRdhFQ/s320/robertbruce.jpg" width="320" /></a>Walt fell in love with the story of <i>Midnight and Jeremiah</i> and set out to make his first fully live-action film. RKO, which was still distributing all of Disney's films, convinced Disney that when people heard the word "Disney" they thought animation. The decision was made to add some animation interludes throughout the film. The animation is explained as being part of Jeremiah's daydreams, with his scrapbook pictures coming to life to teach him various lessons. The Wise Owl, who looks to be a precursor to Professor Owl from the Disney Sing-Along tapes, tells Jeremiah stories through song about such historical figures as Christopher Columbus and Robert Bruce. The Wise Owl uses these stories to encourage Jeremiah to not to give up on Danny and later, to enter Danny into the County Fair. The animated segments are also where some of the most memorable songs come in, "It's Watcha Do With Watcha Got" and "Stick-To-It-Ivity". "I saw the cartoon characters as figments of a small boy's imagination, and I think they were justified," said Walt in a later interview. The amount of animation in this film is dwarfed by <i>The Song of the South</i>, but Walt put just as much effort into making sure the short animated vignettes were perfect. The animation, which only amounted for 15 percent of the film, wouldn't be finished until August 1948, a full year after shooting had ended for the live-action segments.The film is unusual compared to other Disney films, as it includes aspects of Christianity that you don't see mentioned or discussed very often in their films. Part of animated sequence for "It's Watcha Do With Watcha Got" mentions the biblical story of David and Goliath, while God is mentioned several times through the film.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaTK79bBI2E3CzDBVF3XRFV9S8OQYSnwBWWI5hYHQnCd2f4bYee9dKDBldQk3ITMnr_DFkramwvBwvNCzXLhz4O22Y21p0-ee8liZeu_0jdJ_Q6TxucChQyABpmwyYUCtVsp2HVqABow/s1600/tumblr_oryyzwsnWR1t0xyebo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="413" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaTK79bBI2E3CzDBVF3XRFV9S8OQYSnwBWWI5hYHQnCd2f4bYee9dKDBldQk3ITMnr_DFkramwvBwvNCzXLhz4O22Y21p0-ee8liZeu_0jdJ_Q6TxucChQyABpmwyYUCtVsp2HVqABow/s320/tumblr_oryyzwsnWR1t0xyebo1_500.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
While producer Perce Pierce had gone to Indiana to scope out a location, the film would ultimately be filmed in Sequoia National Park and San Joaquin Valley in California. The landscape in those areas fit the description of the Indiana towns of the time and I'm sure filming somewhere that was only 250 miles from the studio was part of the allure. To get a more authentic feel, the Disney artist Mary Blair would visit Indiana in 1945 to research farm life. With her pre-production drawings providing a colorful and stylized conceptualization of the settings, characters, costumes, and designs for the film, Walt had the exact look he wanted to achieve. Blair's drawings took on a quilt-inspired look, with her telling Walt that "it seems that quilt making is a revived art in this country now, which fact adds more value to its use as a medium of expression in our picture." Walt and his family enjoyed the movie <i>My Friend Flicka</i> (1943) which was directed by Harold Schuster. In fact, they liked the film so much that they had it screened at their home theater several times. Though Schuster was under contract with 20th Century Fox (as was the fashion back then), they agreed to loan him to Disney to film <i>So Dear To My Heart</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYm84JJACcRWqjXPjT9DAyZfuXfv_ugb6VY9PZnxXHbeR3ih-GQRojWu1UqX956BiLQDZNBm1nYHqTr1c4iA-zFmhJlp5Sh-4VPsTCmi1TG2HsfbatiWGUVKAzxYVQ-XYZ3Cajr7i36wc/s1600/032665fac99f11399ff64b59a7b4b43d.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYm84JJACcRWqjXPjT9DAyZfuXfv_ugb6VY9PZnxXHbeR3ih-GQRojWu1UqX956BiLQDZNBm1nYHqTr1c4iA-zFmhJlp5Sh-4VPsTCmi1TG2HsfbatiWGUVKAzxYVQ-XYZ3Cajr7i36wc/s320/032665fac99f11399ff64b59a7b4b43d.png" width="320" /></a></div>
There were, however, some problems with filming in California, namely the heat. The production started in April of 1946 and went late into summer. The foliage began to suffer in the heat so every night twenty-seven greens men had to water the soil and plants to keep things looking lush. Temperatures went over 100 degrees and the cast began to suffer in their heavy period-appropriate clothing, though the animals had cool air pumped into their paddocks. Disney, at the time, had a very small sound stage, so some of the interior sets had to be built on location. Both Grundy's Hardware and Granny's house were both built on site. There was an old hardware store near Porterville that was bought in its entirety and all the goods were used to fill up Grundy's Hardware.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Cast</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCo8itJDptpvEamBtY9VRUNIj0UD-6LDqNHJY1c4HM2pU1-4GFPPV8tZS56AHg34maeJFfI5SP-nDLtPXRmWJQXeU9yS2WAvLfIdxgLgmRoyDbim5gMPVdrXxSwMdBz7VQGAbWH0-pyY/s1600/b15f9b591fb2b71d72689722270c3318--bobby-driscoll-disney-world.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCo8itJDptpvEamBtY9VRUNIj0UD-6LDqNHJY1c4HM2pU1-4GFPPV8tZS56AHg34maeJFfI5SP-nDLtPXRmWJQXeU9yS2WAvLfIdxgLgmRoyDbim5gMPVdrXxSwMdBz7VQGAbWH0-pyY/s320/b15f9b591fb2b71d72689722270c3318--bobby-driscoll-disney-world.jpg" width="320" /></a>Since Bobby Driscoll was under contract with Disney, they needed vehicles to feature him in. The selection of <i>Midnight and Jeremiah</i> makes sense, even outside of Walt's interest in nostalgia if you think about it in terms of finding something suitable for the young Disney star. Though Walt had tried to get the Academy to award Driscoll with a Juvenile Award for <i>Song of the South</i>, he would succeed with this film. Thanks to his performance as Jeremiah in <i>So Dear To My Heart </i>and Tommy in The Window (not a Disney film), Driscoll got his Juvenile Award. Luana Patten, another veteran of <i>Song of the South</i>, plays Jeremiah's cousin Tildy. Patten would not return to be in a Disney film again until Johnny Tremain in 1957. Outside of the child stars you had Burl Ives as Uncle Hiram, and Beulah Bondi as Granny Kincaid. Ives, besides being an actor, was a singer, radio performer, and an enthusiast of genuine American folk songs. His distinct voice lent authenticity to the period songs such as "Billy Boy". Ives would return to Disney in 1963 for <i>Summer Magic</i>. Bondi was well-known as playing Jimmy Stewart's mother in <i>It's a Wonderful Life</i>, and was a perfect fit to play Jeremiah's stern-but-loving granny. Bondi took the role seriously, even going as far as learning to plow a field, spin wool, and work a loom. The last cast member I'll mention is Harry Carey, who played the County Fair judge. Carey was one of the silent era's superstars and usually played the rough and tumble character in films such as outlaws.<i> So Dear To My Heart</i> would be his last film appearance.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Music</span></u></b><br />
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Today, <i>So Dear To My Heart</i> is probably most remembered for its song "Lavender Blue" sung by Burl Ives. I know that I heard the song countless times as a child since it was included on a Disney music compilation CD we had. "Lavender Blue" is an English folk song and nursery rhyme dating back to the 17th century. Ives's version of the song would go on to be nominated for Best Song at the Academy Awards but would ultimately lose to "Baby, It's Cold Outside" from Neptune's Daughter. "Lavender Blue" would go on to be covered many times throughout the 20th century. Other songs sung by Ives included "Billy Boy" and "Ol' Dan Patch". Both "It's Watcha Do With Watcha Got" and "Stick-To-It-Ivity" were sung by Ken Carson, a popular Country Western singer who voiced The Wise Owl.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Release</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOf_VLtW2VW9f6mw7giHY88kl5Kufmg-6f1-G847DHWtKi2lKPY6bAo5PwoOTbFP-S205QC9ux2-sA4H22eg-Yp3cs9cAaYB1QFafRsjQK5LnHOTz1cHN2imIorK6D7jBfmB369ehvnKg/s1600/54ac49e3edc7f59f167184de167dbf32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOf_VLtW2VW9f6mw7giHY88kl5Kufmg-6f1-G847DHWtKi2lKPY6bAo5PwoOTbFP-S205QC9ux2-sA4H22eg-Yp3cs9cAaYB1QFafRsjQK5LnHOTz1cHN2imIorK6D7jBfmB369ehvnKg/s320/54ac49e3edc7f59f167184de167dbf32.jpg" width="320" /></a>To help promote the film, <i>Reader's Digest</i> had a condensed version of North's story as part of its December 1948 issue. It was the first time that <i>Reader's Digest</i> had ran any movie promotional concurrently with the film's debut. The film was previewed at the 27th National 4-H Congress in Chicago in November, 1948 with Bobby Driscoll and 1,200 4-H members in attendance. Driscoll, Patten, and Walt were at the official premiere in West Lafayette, Indiana in January 1949, where they were joined by the story's author, Sterling North. Critical reception for the movie was very positive and the movie went on to gross $2.7 million in its first run. It was re-released in 1964, bringing it's total gross to $3.7 million. While <i>So Dear To My Heart</i> has been released on video in 1986, 1992, and 1994, it has never been released widely on DVD. It was planned to get a DVD release as part of the Gold Classic Collection, but was cancelled without a reason given. Like many of the other live action Disney films that aren't as popular, you can purchase a physical DVD if you are part of the Disney Movie Club.<br />
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While it's a pretty simple story, it is definitely worth a watch thanks to all the incredible talent in the cast, the singing by Burl Ives, and the entertaining animated segments. It will also make you nostalgic for a simpler time, even if you didn't experience it like Walt did. The easiest way to watch the film is through Hoopla, which is a free streaming service that is linked to your library card. In fact, as far as I've checked, they have almost all of the live action Disney films to view, though you only get a limited amount of titles you can watch (it depends on your library).<br />
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Sources:<br />
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<ul>
<li>https://d23.com/did-you-know-12-blue-ribbon-facts-about-walt-disneys-so-dear-to-my-heart/</li>
<li>http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/90643/So-Dear-to-My-Heart/notes.html</li>
<li>https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/behind-scenes-so-dear-my-heart</li>
</ul>
Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-43386561307614599892019-01-26T10:48:00.000-08:002019-01-26T10:48:38.302-08:00Song of the South<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeV83cUUNms4kcnYmQBwLQ0iXlhRuR5731B4XC8qvxooWz30Ot1nFlgxHKthla9xzfY5hILQllzL3JH2eFohiu49DHNzr3WfWtPQEewcNQRa-P6MEVNIkBsewOFJJ4WiXzWO9SZILmXAA/s1600/220px-Song_of_south_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeV83cUUNms4kcnYmQBwLQ0iXlhRuR5731B4XC8qvxooWz30Ot1nFlgxHKthla9xzfY5hILQllzL3JH2eFohiu49DHNzr3WfWtPQEewcNQRa-P6MEVNIkBsewOFJJ4WiXzWO9SZILmXAA/s320/220px-Song_of_south_poster.jpg" width="212" /></a><i>Song of the South</i> was Walt Disney's first foray into doing a full fledged live action story, with a little help from animated segments. The studio had made other hybrid films before this, but the live action segments acted as bumpers. What began as a nostalgia-fueled film about Uncle Remus and his tales of Br'er Rabbit for Walt, ended up being the studio's most controversial and infamous movies that they ever made. Though Disney has re-released it in theaters a few times since it premiered in 1946, the last time being in 1986, the studio has never released it on home video in the U.S. That in itself makes the movie infamous, as the only way you can watch it is on bootleg versions of the various overseas versions that have been released. Disney itself has basically acted like the film never existed, though it continually uses the popular song "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" in its media and has a ride based around the animated segments of Song of the South at its theme parks around the world. So what is all the fuss about? What could be in this movie that would cause the powerhouse that is Disney to decide to lock away in the vault for the foreseeable future? Well, it all started with a man named Joel Chandler Harris.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Story Background</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HP2twgBVJDTP4a6DfN43cdVeTmiAJ0RP5d97Xk9nljBRAXqf6ah9kgZWQBy61BSADOS-H4wd6BJV27Y8in1tCjeLFyVWH7FQAWjFFPWUdlMCe4NPQIllo7PyZsw0k1mpsktKOJ9k5_4/s1600/Joel_Chandler_Harris_%2528_Uncle_Remus_%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HP2twgBVJDTP4a6DfN43cdVeTmiAJ0RP5d97Xk9nljBRAXqf6ah9kgZWQBy61BSADOS-H4wd6BJV27Y8in1tCjeLFyVWH7FQAWjFFPWUdlMCe4NPQIllo7PyZsw0k1mpsktKOJ9k5_4/s1600/Joel_Chandler_Harris_%2528_Uncle_Remus_%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
Joel Chandler Harris was born in Eatonton, Georgia in 1848 to an Irish immigrant mother and a father that he would never know. His father abandoned the family shortly after he was born, and Joel would carry the shame of being an illegitimate child his whole life. Though Harris went to school a short time, he would quit to work at a plantation in 1862 as an apprentice in printing for the newspaper, <i>The Countryman</i>. It was here that he was first introduced to the animal tales that the slaves told after long days of work. Harris would spend most of his free time at the plantation in the slave quarters taking in all the stories, language, and inflections of the slave story-tellers. His employer had encouraged him to read and write as much as possible, so once he left the plantation he was well equipped to find a job at other newspapers as a writer. Not long after his professional career started, he began to write down the animal stories that he had heard while working at the plantation. He did this to "preserve in permanent shape those curious mementos of a period that would no doubt sadly be misrepresented by historians of the future". His collected stories, the first volume being called <i>Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings</i>, which released in 1880, told the adventures of Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear, among other animals, through the wise, old former slave, Uncle Remus, who tells his stories to a young white boy. Br'er Rabbit being weaker and smaller than Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear, would have to find ways to outsmart his much larger foes. The tales were told in the dialect that Harris had heard from the slaves at he plantation he worked at, in a way to add authenticity to the stories. Harris had transplanted the animal tales he had heard and put there settings in the Reconstructionist South. Harris would go on to release seven total volumes of Uncle Remus tales, and would become one of the most widely read authors of his time, behind Mark Twain. Harris would pass in 1908 before his 60th birthday, but his tales would remain popular for quite some time into the 20th century. While authors like Mark Twain has lasted the test of time, Harris has largely been forgotten. His reputation and legacy took hits over the years after the general public began to re-assess the use of slave dialect in the stories, the problematic character of Uncle Remus, and the plantation setting. Harris's reputation would later be tied to Walt Disney's version of his stories, called Song of the South, which unfortunately didn't do him any favors.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Production Background</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrvYd7kPMItuVcdzEekMKoVzO6cLDOnahY1mU6lG2fyuPVA2nwO2LP7KGisfj22SwHpOjekxI3OrPZbY444A58xi0UBf05QuPwuHUsgDtdrsRsfoXuLgCZP3BUUHNSVceO7_CBtuRbnw/s1600/10498953_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1000" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrvYd7kPMItuVcdzEekMKoVzO6cLDOnahY1mU6lG2fyuPVA2nwO2LP7KGisfj22SwHpOjekxI3OrPZbY444A58xi0UBf05QuPwuHUsgDtdrsRsfoXuLgCZP3BUUHNSVceO7_CBtuRbnw/s320/10498953_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Walt Disney was a very nostalgic person, especially when it came to growing up in the Marceline, Missouri in the early 1900's. Walt even based Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland on his boyhood home, recreating the small town America that he had remembered. Walt, like many growing up in his time, read Harris's Uncle Remus stories and the tales had stuck with him through his life. He had long wanted to adapt the stories, but didn't have a good way of doing it, as he felt that Uncle Remus and the young boy he tells his stories to should be played by live actors. Walt purchased the rights to the Uncle Remus stories in 1939 and set about a way to tell the story to his satisfaction. With <i>The Three Caballeros</i> successfully mixing both live action and animation, Disney felt he finally had found a way to tell the stories. Though Walt was confident in the picture and its potential, the production was not without its bumps. Roy, Walt's brother and co-founder of Walt Disney Pictures, didn't like the idea and didn't think that it was bankable enough to be spending over a million dollars on the production. The Walt Disney Studios had just dealt with a major labor strike in 1941 and the war had significantly affected the studio's output in the early 40's. Too many financial misfires could put Disney into hot water if they weren't careful. Walt also had trouble with the writers of the live-action portion. He hired Southern-born writer Dalton Reymond to write the screenplay, though Reymond wasn't a professional screenwriter, so Walt also hired Maurice Rapf, who had been writing for live-action films at the time. Reymond wrote up a treatment for the film, but Walt needed Rapf to turn it into something shootable. Rapf was also hired because he was to be the ying to Reymond's yang. Walt feared that the southern Reymond would insert some bias into the film, and Rapf, who was an outspoken left-winger and someone who feared that the film would be too "Uncle Tomish", seemed to be the best person to keep him in check. Rapf ended up only working on the film for seven weeks until a personal dispute with Reymond would see him being removed from the production. Filming of the live-action scenes were done either at Samuel Goldwyn Studios or, interestingly enough, Phoenix, Arizona.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Cast</span></u></b><br />
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Walt went through many people to portray the titular Uncle Remus, including Rex Ingram, Eddie Anderson, and Tiny Bradshaw who all turned it down because they found the character to be too demeaning. The eventual choice for Uncle Remus was actor James Baskett, who was only replying to an ad in the paper that was looking for a voice for a butterfly. After hearing his voice, Walt wanted to meet Baskett personally and have him audition for Remus. Not only did he get the role of Remus, but also provided the voice of Br'er Fox and even Br'er Rabbit in the Laughing Place scene when Johnny Lee was called away to do promotion for the film. Disney was extremely fond of Baskett and considered him to be "the best actor, I believe, to be discovered in years". Baskett played much older in the film, as he was only 41 at the time of filming. When doing the voice for Br'er Fox, animators had trouble with syncing up Baskett's voice to the animation because he talked so fast. Baskett was also the first African American hired by Disney to act on screen for them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UxbNtxLkeqjY1nrYK9mbvMUpgFLAxzOT3Au6txO4SIyMoztc8pInV2x49v_UxRsGkVWjYJUdDjyNAuEu3QBrXUxbnpGz7cdnCiTp7FAz76_3DLCgLyI4-WrEs-QpdVb3EZOE3WCt76U/s1600/johnny-lee-nick-stewart-james-edwards-3-men-on-a-horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="297" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UxbNtxLkeqjY1nrYK9mbvMUpgFLAxzOT3Au6txO4SIyMoztc8pInV2x49v_UxRsGkVWjYJUdDjyNAuEu3QBrXUxbnpGz7cdnCiTp7FAz76_3DLCgLyI4-WrEs-QpdVb3EZOE3WCt76U/s200/johnny-lee-nick-stewart-james-edwards-3-men-on-a-horse.jpg" width="200" /></a>Rounding out the rest of the animated cast was the aforementioned voice of Br'er Rabbit, Johnny Lee, a singer, dancer, and actor who would later go on to play Algonquin J. Calhoun in the TV and radio versions of Amos and Andy. Br'er Bear was voiced by Nick Stewart, who would also go on to play a character on TV's Amos and Andy. Stewart would be asked after the film had come out if he felt degraded for playing Br'er Bear. He responded that he did not and that Disney had treated all the colored actors like gold. Stewart would go on to start the Ebony Showcase Theatre with the money he made from the picture, which helped black performers get better roles than servants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNw-nsRJuNqaaqdXhGdMi2thsqqvczeSKG7czoe2B5tiY5dskUmUkbI_Xlr673t0vcIA3QyIlg35mrWenyC0axeaUzszeVyfQF8MpFB6HGhIueLlNWV2NPhnDKnFxQRSwywJiQhVSkFk/s1600/luana-patten-and-bobby-driscoll-in-song-of-the-south-1946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="548" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNw-nsRJuNqaaqdXhGdMi2thsqqvczeSKG7czoe2B5tiY5dskUmUkbI_Xlr673t0vcIA3QyIlg35mrWenyC0axeaUzszeVyfQF8MpFB6HGhIueLlNWV2NPhnDKnFxQRSwywJiQhVSkFk/s200/luana-patten-and-bobby-driscoll-in-song-of-the-south-1946.jpg" width="168" /></a>For the live action actors, the other main characters were Johnny and Ginny, voiced by Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten, respectively. Bobby and Luana would go on to be in numerous films for Disney, but this was both of their first times with Disney. Bobby and Luana had both also been in films before this point, but were noticed by Walt himself and they became the first two actors to be contracted by Disney. Glenn Leedy played Toby, his only acting credit. He was chosen for the part after being seen by a talent scout while he was playing at his school playground in Phoenix, Arizona. The only other significant member of the cast is Hattie McDaniels as Aunt Tempy. McDaniels famously portrayed Mammy in Gone With The Wind, a role which won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the first African American to win an Oscar.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Music</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKXO6vTKzgqpPZ1mCFvMO2rP2FyN4fdr610cVgQaLQgxRvHpaNdRC6fwOAWa3N2FnkNe7wnwSYsz0T6uxyrXfmVs6HHdSNqFZraN4UF4Expuvr7Hv2hGSdGpvV405rQ5SBMezmHJ5f48/s1600/31978f_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKXO6vTKzgqpPZ1mCFvMO2rP2FyN4fdr610cVgQaLQgxRvHpaNdRC6fwOAWa3N2FnkNe7wnwSYsz0T6uxyrXfmVs6HHdSNqFZraN4UF4Expuvr7Hv2hGSdGpvV405rQ5SBMezmHJ5f48/s320/31978f_med.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The most famous song from <i>Song of the South</i> is "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah". Sung by Baskett to help introduce the audience to the first animated segment, it also shows how far Disney had come in its technical wizardry. There is some disagreement on where the term came from, as some claim that Walt came up with it himself, though the more believable explanation is that it was influenced by the pre-Civil War folk song "Zip Coon", a "Turkey in the Straw" variation: "Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day".Composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert, the song would go on to win the Oscar for Best Song at the 1948 Academy Awards. The song has become a staple for Disney in general, being used for the opening of The Wonderful World of Disney, among many other videos and promotions. The two other songs sung during the animated sequences are less well known, unless you've been on Splash Mountain at one of the Disney Parks. "How Do You Do?" and "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place" are just as catchy as "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" but haven't had as much play outside of the movie. All three are present on various Disney Sing-Along Songs VHS tapes. Other songs from the movie are sung by either the Hall Johnson Choir, or the Disney Studio Choir. Besides the infamy surrounding the movie and the theme park attraction based off the movie, about the only other thing keeping the film in the public consciousness is the songs, mostly "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah".<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Story</span></u></b><br />
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Song of the South tells the story of Johnny, a little boy who is visiting his grandmother's plantation in Reconstruction times. Soon after arriving he meets Uncle Remus, a former slave who tells him stories about Br'er Rabbit and his antics trying to outwit Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear. Through these tales he learns valuable lessons about life and is able to apply them to his own experience. The three main stories that Uncle Remus tells Johnny are Br'er Rabbit Runs Away, Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby, and Br'er Rabbit's Laughing Place. In Br'er Rabbit Runs Away, Johnny learns that you can't run away from trouble, thus realizing that he should not run away from the plantation to seek out his father in Atlanta. In the second story, Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby, Johnny learns that cleverness can be a saviour for the small and weak, helping him outwit the neighborhood bullies. In the final animated segment, Br'er Rabbit's Laughing Place, Johnny learns how to find his happy place after the bullies ruin his birthday party.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Release</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhis2O8SqjOSbSty0cchQOZaCpFTENC-hFIdCtf6eLNH7-Q0GbAUf787LF_IRtMWx0xCk38UkzGNeMBqZzUUlC5mMV6TQKb-ErC6PDt0Vt2e1m9QQUK0wpwNsoDTxEKRnzFfcclKbQjEfM/s1600/uncleremus3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1200" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhis2O8SqjOSbSty0cchQOZaCpFTENC-hFIdCtf6eLNH7-Q0GbAUf787LF_IRtMWx0xCk38UkzGNeMBqZzUUlC5mMV6TQKb-ErC6PDt0Vt2e1m9QQUK0wpwNsoDTxEKRnzFfcclKbQjEfM/s320/uncleremus3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The film premiered on November 12th, 1946 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. Walt himself was present at the premiere and even made a few remarks before the film, but left right after as he didn't like to see unexpected audience reactions to his films. James Baskett was not able to attend the premiere as Atlanta was racially segregated and he wasn't even able to get a hotel room. To help promote the film, the comic strip <i>Uncle Remus</i>, distributed by King Features, was launched a full year ahead of the film's debut. While Disney had done this in the past for film's like Snow White, those were one-off publicity stunts. <i>Uncle Remus</i> would end up running weekly until 1972.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK7hed8uPxbKoYRAGqNo7zDsmGXVgnQYwaMYZ06DmUpzfm7QniTrLpVUG7MznD51Ds6V48o29mNSsSYQ2j_QL0inZyNtd1-9nGcfFEzZ8Xoc-aHnXmgb0KBOnTxk-vijQ5Lbd_8dR9oo/s1600/Disney-Song-of-+the-South-protest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK7hed8uPxbKoYRAGqNo7zDsmGXVgnQYwaMYZ06DmUpzfm7QniTrLpVUG7MznD51Ds6V48o29mNSsSYQ2j_QL0inZyNtd1-9nGcfFEzZ8Xoc-aHnXmgb0KBOnTxk-vijQ5Lbd_8dR9oo/s1600/Disney-Song-of-+the-South-protest.jpg" /></a>The film would only end up grossing $3.3 million in its first run against a $2.125 million budget. The film was not the smash hit that Walt had been hoping for, and most of that had to do with his timing, though naivety may have also played a part. The film was released in the wake of the Double V campaign, which sought to promote victory over racism in the U.S. and its armed forces, and victory over fascism abroad. Americans were becoming more sensitive to race and didn't take kindly to Disney's southern-living nostalgia film. Walt had been warned that due to the subject of the film that he would be threading the needle and was likely to upset a lot of people. Walt had known to some degree that the film would be controversial, as he sought out prominent African American writers to give advice on the film. The Hays Office, which dictated what was allowed to be in films during this time, even pressured Walt to include a title card that elaborated that the film takes place after the Civil War to avoid further controversy, but apparently Walt didn't take the advice to heart. Due to this, there was enough confusion about when the film took place that Walter Francis White, the executive secretary of the NAACP, telegraphed major newspapers decrying the film for portraying dangerous slave condition stereotypes. The NAACP would go on to boycott the film, and many movie houses were picketed by both blacks and whites. All this bad publicity led to the less than stellar box office return. Walt had planned on making it into a whole series of films based off of Uncle Remus and his stories, but the reaction to Song of the South made it impossible.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Controversy</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBVmlC6uuw-nRtQJraC1XKTOIC3WyRc1uHkCDuc-_I5qHW5tfsUZXniTToHkXN-IpUw6r8Sm84xtdlBbZeHKVPeWyVwSgitfnCAG8NH_1deHCOmkmSL37siWKFYk6stZXF-aGHjzD9GA/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBVmlC6uuw-nRtQJraC1XKTOIC3WyRc1uHkCDuc-_I5qHW5tfsUZXniTToHkXN-IpUw6r8Sm84xtdlBbZeHKVPeWyVwSgitfnCAG8NH_1deHCOmkmSL37siWKFYk6stZXF-aGHjzD9GA/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a>Criticism of the film were centered on Uncle Remus's characterization, his relationship with his former owner, and his servile manner in general. The idyllic relationship between the former master and slaves drew the most ire, harkening back to the major tenant of The Lost Cause, that slaves liked being slaves and had good relationships with their masters. Though the temporary screenwriter, Maurice Rapf, had tried his best to eliminate the "Uncle Tommish" characterization for Uncle Remus, it still shows pretty prominently. Uncle Remus has also been found in more modern times to be an example of the "Magical Negro" archetype, which is defined as a stock African American character who uses special insight powers or powers attributed to the supernatural to help the white protagonist get out of trouble. What gives this evaluation more credence is the fact that the film ends with Johnny miraculously surviving being gored by a bull after Uncle Remus tells him another story about Br'er Rabbit and his Laughing Place. The inclusion of the "African-American English" dialect in the animated segments also drew ire, something that was equally rallied against in Harris's books as time went on. Even the animated segments weren't spared from outrage. The inclusion of the "Tar Baby" rubbed many the wrong way, and it's existence has only been replicated twice since then, as a very fast cameo in <i>Who Framed Roger Rabbit</i>, and the "House of Scrooge" episode of <i>House of Mouse</i>. The other problematic animated segment was Br'er Rabbit Runs Away, in which the overall lesson is that you should be happy exactly where you are in life and that you can't run away from trouble. Suffice to say, there was no shortage of reasons for audiences to find the movie offensive.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Legacy</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVuZ7LDGbl1EJ0AiggtEqTsFoBHShy5TfJ9Du1EmOOvvb-8wIhKJIo3wbgI_V5dV9YgB8cEIj-XvELiCTz1TpY0HdbYDbBZ37jPQs5nXTdUQLtUark9GJIzEubXQjE96FbjHPhXPTtgA/s1600/James-Baskett-receives-oscar-post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="620" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVuZ7LDGbl1EJ0AiggtEqTsFoBHShy5TfJ9Du1EmOOvvb-8wIhKJIo3wbgI_V5dV9YgB8cEIj-XvELiCTz1TpY0HdbYDbBZ37jPQs5nXTdUQLtUark9GJIzEubXQjE96FbjHPhXPTtgA/s320/James-Baskett-receives-oscar-post.jpg" width="320" /></a>Though Song of the South didn't end up being the smash hit Walt was hoping for, he was still going to market the hell out of it. Besides the numerous comic strips that came out of the movie, there was also a Giant Golden Book called <i>Walt Disney's Uncle Remus Stories </i>in 1946, and comic books that would be released over the years. While the film itself proved controversial, "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" was an insanely catchy tune and nothing was going to keep it from winning the Best Song Academy Award in 1948. Walt and several others in the industry would argue for James Baskett to get an acting Academy Award, which he would ultimately get, though it was a special Academy Award "for his able and heart-warming characterization of Uncle Remus, friend and storyteller to the world in Walt Disney's Song of the South". Baskett would pass away from a heart attack brought about by diabetes only a few months later at the age of only 44. Luana Patten and Bobby Driscoll were in talks to receive Academy Juvenile Awards, but the Academy decided not to award any that year. Unlike the other categories at the Academy Awards, the Juvenile Awards were only given out on special occasions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVM6YEsAYoHPebEsyrRMHbg2x0_oqyyDQyvLpGQS4FlB0bfSvCiOYXX7dPDlQE4kFqFeILhr-B3dNWnapKewOdANizI2oOFI4oBD6on8ReB330yTYWh0Ua1EcjFrSuBaBGZYELaWad4M/s1600/image.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVM6YEsAYoHPebEsyrRMHbg2x0_oqyyDQyvLpGQS4FlB0bfSvCiOYXX7dPDlQE4kFqFeILhr-B3dNWnapKewOdANizI2oOFI4oBD6on8ReB330yTYWh0Ua1EcjFrSuBaBGZYELaWad4M/s320/image.webp" width="248" /></a>Disney re-released the movie in theaters in 1956 for the movie's ten year anniversary, in 1972 for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney Productions, in 1973 as a double bill for <i>The Aristocats</i>, in 1980 for the 100th anniversary of Harris's first Uncle Remus collection, and for the last time in 1986 for the 40th anniversary of the film's release. Starting in the 70's, the movie didn't do too bad in theaters, thanks to the young generation who had grown up with the Giant Golden Book, listening to "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" on records, and episodes of <i>Disneyland</i> showcasing the animated segments. There was a sort of nostalgia that blinded the overt offensiveness of the film and caused it to gross a total of $65 million over it's numerous releases. Though Disney was brave enough to release the film in theaters over the years, they had decided not to release the movie on home video, and still haven't to this day in the U.S. It was released on VHS in the U.K. in 1982 and 1991, and on VHS and Laserdisc in Japan in 1985, with another Laserdisc addition in 1990. The film has also never been released for home video in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Most bootlegs of the film have come from the U.K. release, though there are other versions floating around in other languages thanks to the distribution in other European, Asian, and Latin American countries.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgooODEnXalBiEFwcOk488BRUwf27YgfvMT_au3f8xoKGRnm5TeVqwsIjqf6nsoVGatEsAsORXuzpX9qUcQ3eQToS1tMarmmhjhvGAB0pDoG81HQ8uVYYkH7WwrIAnUoMLrZYS8RZL-DpM/s1600/MrKHsQIpjXDexkB-800x450-noPad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="556" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgooODEnXalBiEFwcOk488BRUwf27YgfvMT_au3f8xoKGRnm5TeVqwsIjqf6nsoVGatEsAsORXuzpX9qUcQ3eQToS1tMarmmhjhvGAB0pDoG81HQ8uVYYkH7WwrIAnUoMLrZYS8RZL-DpM/s320/MrKHsQIpjXDexkB-800x450-noPad.jpg" width="320" /></a>Disney has gone back and forth on whether they would eventually release the film, but currently they have kept it locked up for fear that the film could tarnish their reputation. Many film archivist, historians, and even celebrities have called for Disney to release the film. Most recently, Whoopi Goldberg, giving a speech at the D23 Convention in 2017 after becoming a Disney Legend, asked the Disney Corporation to release the film so we could start a dialogue about the film, where it came from, and why it came out. While many who advocate for the release of the movie want it for educational reasons, there are others who want it released because they find nothing wrong with the film. People on the other side claim that the movie would be too damaging to impressionable young minds and the company has been right to keep it locked away. If you feel so inclined you can watch the film at archive.org.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQ1uZyj-XabAZGOBQd0jfBPyAECp-5BP-HCO-Q4SbtugL4Nxf4R5AFvbp_fxT7efktYrCBynWZ8gauBkKqLsXi-FXCOHrc9_QdGUJWLX0qXiHgjkj2i7KqA-ng-sFswwhff_ewckpY4E/s1600/d0f96de6458000e7d15e9af9cd814d94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="595" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQ1uZyj-XabAZGOBQd0jfBPyAECp-5BP-HCO-Q4SbtugL4Nxf4R5AFvbp_fxT7efktYrCBynWZ8gauBkKqLsXi-FXCOHrc9_QdGUJWLX0qXiHgjkj2i7KqA-ng-sFswwhff_ewckpY4E/s320/d0f96de6458000e7d15e9af9cd814d94.jpg" width="208" /></a>Today the film lives on through the controversy, various Disney Sing-Along Songs releases, and strange enough, a log flume ride. Splash Mountain, located in many of the Disney parks around the world is uniquely themed to Song of the South, though only its animated segments. The ride was dreamed up by Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter in 1983 as he was trying to think of a ride for the often empty Bear Country area of Disneyland. The idea of having a log flume ride int eh parks had been floated around for years, but nobody could think of a good theming idea to keep it from being too much like regular theme park offerings. Disneyland had just closed the attraction America Sings, and was looking for a place to put all the animal animatronics that were collecting dust. Baxter realized that Song of the South would be a perfect fit for the Bear Country area and would be easy to theme around a log flume ride, so the Imagineers got to work on was to be called Zip-A-Dee River Run. The name was changed to Splash Mountain after Michael Eisner's ignored request to use the ride to instead promote the movie Splash. The ride does not include the Uncle Remus character in any way, instead focusing on the familiar Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear, among other animals. While the different scenes of the ride were based off the movie, one element had to be changed. In the film, Br'er Rabbit is captured after engaging with the "Tar Baby". Disney wisely decided not to include this aspect of the movie and changed it to a beehive full of honey that Br'er Rabbit gets stuck in. The dialect from the movie is also noticeably toned down in the ride. While both Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear are currently voiced by African-Americans (in Disneyland's case, they used the original voice of Br'er Bear, Nick Stewart), Disney chose to have veteran voice actor Jess Harnell voice Br'er Rabbit, and even Br'er Fox at first (Harnell is most known for providing Wakko Warner's voice on Animaniacs). The ride also features the songs "How Do You Do", "Everybody's Got A Laughing Place", and of course, "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah". The ride is among one of the most beloved in the parks and has avoided controversy thanks to Tony Baxter and the Imagineers. The most interesting thing about the ride is that many that ride it believe the animated characters to be original to the park, when instead they are part of a movie that may never officially see the light of day ever again.Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-38408701033159420932019-01-23T09:03:00.000-08:002019-01-23T09:17:04.629-08:00Live Action Disney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So our next foolhardy writing series is going to be detailing all of Disney's live-action movies from the 20th Century. The purpose of this is the same reason for why we covered the different animation studios and Disney's animated films: to shine a spotlight on productions that are outside of the public consciousness and to give some little-known information about productions that are much more well known. While we may go into the 21st century eventually, we felt that most of the movies released in the last nineteen years were still pretty fresh in everyone's mind. There will be a few exclusions for this list, as Disney has made different kinds of live action movies throughout the years. We will not be covering anything that is not feature length and we will not cover any documentaries or nature films. This doesn't shorten the list that much, but it's just a different kind of movie, so we're not going to go into them here. We will include Disney's hybrid movies, that is, their movies that combine both animation and live action, except for the package films of the 1940's like The Three Caballeros and Fun and Fancy Free, which are considered part of the animated canon. Since both myself and Anne have children and jobs don't expect these to be coming as frequently as some of the series have in the past. Hope everyone enjoys and look for our first post coming soon about Disney's first hybrid film, Song of the South. Yes, we are starting with the most controversial film Disney has ever released. Wish us luck!<br />
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-Demosthenes and Little Orphan AnnieDemostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-37244440127556361472017-06-17T12:54:00.002-07:002017-06-17T12:54:28.312-07:00Moana<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ron Clements and John Musker have directed some of the greatest Disney movies of all time, including </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The Little Mermaid</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Aladdin</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They have also directed some of my personal favorites, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Hercules</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Treasure Planet</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They have a great track record, and</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> Moana</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is no different. After they finished </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The Princess and the Frog</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they wanted to adapt Terry Pratchett’s</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> Mort</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but necessary film rights kept it from happening. To avoid this, they pitched three original ideas, one of which was a movie based around Polynesian culture. Musker had started reading about Polynesian history and the god Maui, and he thought it would make a great movie. Musker and Clements traveled to many different islands in the Pacific to learn as much as they could, with the plan that it would be a movie solely about Maui. After the initial trip, however, Clements pitched that it should instead focus on the daughter of a chief. They learned during their trip that Polynesians had stopped voyaging about three thousand years ago, then picked it back up again a thousand years later. No one is really sure why that is, so Clements and Musker saw this as a great story background and set it at the tail end of that non-voyaging era. The film itself took about five years to develop, partially due to re-writes. Clements and Musker recruited people from all over Oceania to consult on the film and make sure it was as accurate as possible and would not offend anyone from the film’s locale. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Moana</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> became the duo’s first CG movie, having only worked with traditional animation before. Disney stopped doing traditional animation after</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> Winnie the Pooh </i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and the water animation would have taken forever if done traditionally. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Moana</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>’s</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> story evolved over time to become what we know today. Originally focusing on Maui, it shifted to Moana. Moana originally had five or six brothers, with her being the youngest sibling and her dealing with issues of gender. While there is a rough animated sequence in the special features of the video release, this story-line was quickly abandoned, with the directors feeling the movie should be about Moana finding herself. Another draft of the story had Moana’s father as the one who wants to start voyaging again, but they eventually found that it cast a shadow over Moana, so instead they created Moana’s grandmother. Her grandmother would encourage her to voyage, while her father would try to keep Moana on the island at all costs. Another story idea focused on Moana going to rescue her father who was lost at sea. The only part of that idea that stayed was a small part of Moana’s father’s backstory involved having an incident at sea which caused him to ban voyaging. Production started in earnest and it wasn’t until 2015 (a year before it was supposed to be released) that the team realized there were major story problems. Don Hall and Chris Williams, who had just finished directing</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> Big Hero 6</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, were brought in to help iron out the story at the late stage in development. Musker and and Clements were already working 12 hour days, 6 days a week, so the help was welcome. Luckily, production wrapped in time for the late 2016 release. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The entire cast of Moana is from somewhere in the Oceania, like Samoa, New Zealand, and Hawaii, except for current Disney mainstay, Alan Tudyk. Tudyk is from Texas. Close enough? With representation becoming more and more important in movies, it was a no-brainer for Disney to go after people who are actually from the locales they are representing. The filmmakers went through hundreds of auditions to find the perfect Moana, ultimately finding it in 14 yr old high school freshman, Auli’i Cravalho. Production had already modeled Moana’s character, so the fact that Cravalho looks like Moana was pure coincidence. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was an obvious choice for the cocky and seemingly selfish demi-god Maui. While he pulled off the character well, his singing sort of leaves something to be desired, but it’s not Russell Crowe levels in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Les Miserables</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The only other “stars” cast were Jermaine Clement as hoarder coconut crab, Tamatoa, and Alan Tudyk as Moana’s unwitting stowaway, Hei Hei. Yes, Disney paid Tudyk to just make a bunch of chicken noises. Genius, right?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Something that got people’s attention early in Moana’s development was the inclusion of Lin-Manuel Miranda for the film’s music. This was announced right in the middle of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Hamilton</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-mania, so people legit freaked out, as they should have. Incidentally, Miranda was hired on before </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Hamilton</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> became big, and instead was brought on for his work on In The Heights. Not everything was done by Miranda, as Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’i were also brought on to round out Moana’s songs, with the score being done completely by Mancina. Songs in the movie range from English, to Samoan, to the little spoken Tokelauan. How Far I’ll Go is the movie’s “I Want” song, and clearly shows that the filmmakers were going for traditional music mixed with Broadway sensibilities. Songs that are completely in Samoan or Tokelauan were done by Foa’i with Miranda and Mancina doing most of the rest in conjunction. One song done completely by Miranda, Shiny, was inspired by a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Flight of the Conchords</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tribute to David Bowie at the Aspen Comedy Festival in 2004 and Miranda listening to Bowie non-stop after the artist’s untimely death. How Far I’ll Go was nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars, but ultimately lost to City of Stars from </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>La La Land</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If Miranda had won, he would have achieved an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) at the young age of 37. To put that in perspective, only 12 people have achieved this feat, and it took some of them over 40 years to do it. Miranda has won all the others in less than ten. What I’m trying to tell you is that Lin-Manuel Miranda is a genius and everything he touches is gold. I’m fully on the Miranda hype train, so I’m admittedly a little biased. Getting back to the soundtrack, it’s very good. Good enough that I’ve listened to it at least 100 times and haven’t gotten completely sick of it. My son is obsessed with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Moana</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and demands to listen to it everyday, and my wife and I usually don’t mind going along with it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Moana</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was a smash success for Disney, and along with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Zootopia</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, made 2016 a very good year for Disney in general. The film grossed $642 million against an estimated $150 million budget, marking the fourth straight Disney animated film that went over the $500 million mark. The movie was a hit with critics, garnering a 96% on rotten tomatoes. Critics were happy to see a powerful female lead and good story to back it up. The animation was also lauded along with the character development. This is a solid Disney musical, on par with the Disney Renaissance and is up there with Tangled for me in terms of newer Disney musicals. Disney has continued their trek to create a strong female character that isn’t defined by the men around her. As far as I’m concerned, this is the best they’ve done in that respect. Moana feels like a real person, not a caricature or a character without fault. Moana makes mistakes and she even gives up hope at one point. Moana is led to believe that Maui is the only one that can restore the heart to Te Fiti, but in the end she realizes that it is up to her to restore the heart and save her people. She cannot and should not depend on Maui for that. Maui is an integral part of saving the day, but if you think about it, there is a way that Moana could have achieved everything she needed to do without him. It would help that she knew how to sail, though. Moana serves as Maui’s redemption, allowing him to realize that he is more than just his hook. The Ocean (yes, it is a character in this film) chose Moana to not only to restore the heart, but to also save Maui. Also something that is refreshing is that Moana isn't the same as Ariel, who is trying to be somewhere else. Moana is going outside the reef to save her people. She leaves and doesn't badmouth where she came from. She loves her island, her people, and still wants to be their leader someday. Getting off the island had nothing to do with just getting away or just to disobey her father. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The movie is not without its faults. Pua, Moana’s pet pig, kind of gets the shaft in this movie. He’s in the very beginning and then disappears until the very end. It doesn’t hurt the movie that much, but it just makes it seem like the character is just around to sell toys. Hei Hei turns out to be integral to the plot, but a funny looking chicken will sell a lot less than a cute piglet. The second gripe I have with this movie is that sometimes the jokes fall flat. This has been a problem with Disney since the 2000’s, with a few movies escaping it, but most have a few moments that just make me cringe, and I can’t explain why. Maybe I’m just getting older, maybe I’m looking too hard at movies that some would consider are made for kids. I’m talking about any moment that took me out of the movie, including the “tweeting” joke and Moana eating the pork in front of Pua. They didn’t do it for me, that’s it. These are nitpicks in an otherwise excellent movie. If you’ve been out of Disney for a while and are wondering if the movies have gotten better since the 2000’s, yes they have. Disney has been on a roll since around 2008 or 2009, depending on who you ask. I’m sure it won’t last forever. Every animation company goes through some lulls and Disney is no different. Disney took a break for 2017 and will be returning in 2018 with </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This is followed by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Frozen 2</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in 2019 and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Gigantic</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in 2020. If you’re keeping score, that’s two sequels in a row for a studio that has rarely done official sequels. Sure most of the Disney movies have a sequel, but they are released on video only and are not part of the canon. Before </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Ralph Breaks the Internet</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Disney had only three sequels released in theaters as part of the canon: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Rescuers Down Under, Fantasia 2000</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and 2011’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Winnie the Pooh</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This is a disappointing trend for Disney. Pixar has fully committed to doing sequels so it’s too late for them, but hopefully Disney realizes quickly that people want original material, not re-treads. I’m looking at you live-action remakes!</span></div>
Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7669280814019258304.post-91565907608997336092017-06-17T08:10:00.000-07:002019-01-26T09:15:11.876-08:00Zootopia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kfkpMee_HOaSn5o3reqVjt-yJXSqbt-FgudgCWfhzwXQahjcBkbS9rvDxvNFKQscZg_IJv9gqffkNoPN8hf2aB2aF1_qfhJv82GSgTnDApcfGG6e4NKCfuXqPq7Mvso7ahivFGR3Iss/s1600/Zootopia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kfkpMee_HOaSn5o3reqVjt-yJXSqbt-FgudgCWfhzwXQahjcBkbS9rvDxvNFKQscZg_IJv9gqffkNoPN8hf2aB2aF1_qfhJv82GSgTnDApcfGG6e4NKCfuXqPq7Mvso7ahivFGR3Iss/s320/Zootopia.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
Co-director of <i>Zootopia</i>, Byron Howard, has been with Disney for quite some time. He first served as an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbetweening">inbetweener</a> for the<i> Pocahontas</i> production, then animator for <i>Mulan</i>, before becoming supervising animator for the short <i>John Henry, Lilo & Stitch</i>, and <i>Brother Bear</i>. He then graduated to co-directing, working on <i>Bolt</i> and <i>Tangled </i>before working on Zootopia. He was pitching ideas for a new movie to John Lasseter, and three of them happened to be about anthropomorphic animals. The first was an adaption of <i>The Three Musketeer</i>s, the second, a 60's themed story about a mad scientist cat that turned kids into animals, and a bounty hunter pug in space. None of those ideas worked out, but the animal theme was consistent. Howard wanted to create a movie in the same vein as <i>Robin Hood</i>. It's a story filled with animals, but the animals aren't living in the human world, its their own world. Lasseter encouraged him to make something that kind of combined the 60's theme from the mad scientist cat story with talking animals. Out of that, Howard pitched the story titled Savage Seas, a spy film centered around a rabbit named "Jack Savage" who was somewhat like James Bond. Jared Bush joined on to help write the story, and they tried to flesh out more of the details of the movie. They soon learned that the most interesting part of their proposed movie was the city that was filled with animals, and over time the 60's were dropped for present day, and the spy story was changed to a police procedural. Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps were created at this point, but both were cops from the get-go and Nick was the main character, not Judy. They had started work on that version of the story, but again, they changed it to reflect on Judy Hopps instead of Nick Wilde, as that would create a better dynamic. What we ended up with was a story about a bunny cop that has to solve a mystery with the help of a grifter fox.<br />
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The animators took a lot of care in creating a world that is populated by talking animals. Zootopia is laid out in different districts, for the most part, and contains areas that any animal would be comfortable in. Like all films with animals, animators traveled the world to get inspiration on how to properly animate the inhabitants of Zootopia. Zootopia itself was modeled after several different major cities, including New York City, Shanghai, Paris, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Brasilia, and Las Vegas. Animators had to create a whole new piece of software to create the fur for all the animals, as they hadn't had a CG film with animals since 2008's <i>Bolt</i>. The IT engineers created iGroom<span style="font-family: inherit;">, which gave character designers precise control over
the brushing, shaping and shading of fur and made it possible to create a
variety of eccentric character styles for each animal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The cast of <i>Zootopia</i> is headed by Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps, and Jason
Bateman as Nick Wilde. They could not have cast this better. Bateman plays a
smart aleck very well, and Goodwin plays Hopps well as a somewhat naive, yet
determined, cop. The rest of the cast includes Idris Elba (he is in everything
these days!) as Chief Bogo, Jenny Slate as Dawn Bellwether, Bonnie Hunt as
Bonnie Hopps, JK Simmons as Leodore Lionheart (pssst...he's a lion), Octavia
Spencer as Mrs. Otterton, Alan Tudyk as Duke Weaselton, and Shakira as Gazelle.
There are two things I really like about the naming of characters in this
movie. The first is that the missing otter, Mr. Otterton, is named Emmitt. If
you happened to watch obscure Christmas specials from the 70's, you may
recognize the name as an homage to <i>Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas</i>, a Jim
Henson TV special from 1977. The second thing is Alan Tudyk's character being
named Duke Weaselton, an obvious joke about another character Tudyk voiced in
<i>Frozen</i>, the Duke of Weselton. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Zootopia</i> continues
Disney Animation's recent domination, honestly putting Pixar to shame.
Considering that John Lasseter runs both, I'm sure he's doing just fine.
Financially, they are both doing great, but critically, I feel that Pixar
hasn't put their best foot forward in quite a few years.<i> Inside Out</i> is their
only certifiable hit critically, but it's a movie that is surrounded by sub-par
sequels and a dinosaur movie nobody watched. Both <i>Finding Dory</i> and <i>The Good
Dinosaur</i> were not even nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy
Awards. <i>Zootopia</i> has a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and has been praised as an
important movie in the Disney canon for its message (more on that later). Financially,
the movie grossed $1.024 billion dollars against a $150 million budget. I'd say
they made quite a bit of money. It is currently sitting at 5th for highest
animated film gross (not adjusted for inflation) just below <i>Finding Dory, Toy
Story 3, Minions</i>, and the mighty <i>Frozen</i>. Zootopia went on to win Best Animated
Feature Film from the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, the Annie Awards,
and the Critic's Choice Awards. It was nominated at the BAFTA's but lost to
<i>Kubo and the Two Strings.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hgv9JgA_CH60F-qsSNYuXROv7wMAx-nYTKgYsiFsHzUWoUqjI28T_CKi3Cz70b3NIJCaQEw6MzhBbgGCCzxAhGiv15eDS5RQcD9LkrMgYJBaNLJbdwvAxR31Fooz31BUitjX-TzjB5U/s1600/zootopia-social-commentary-draw-meaningful-parallels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hgv9JgA_CH60F-qsSNYuXROv7wMAx-nYTKgYsiFsHzUWoUqjI28T_CKi3Cz70b3NIJCaQEw6MzhBbgGCCzxAhGiv15eDS5RQcD9LkrMgYJBaNLJbdwvAxR31Fooz31BUitjX-TzjB5U/s320/zootopia-social-commentary-draw-meaningful-parallels.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While not a perfect
allegory for how we are dealing with bigotry and prejudice in present day,
<i>Zootopia</i> attempts to show what can happen when our fears get the better of us.
In present day Zootopia, mammals all live in harmony, but it wasn't always this
way. In the distant past, predators hunted and ate their prey, hearkening back
to a more savage time for animal kind. Times have changed an all seem to live
in peace, though it doesn't take much for a large amount of the population,
animals that would traditionally be considered prey, to begin to fear predators
again when they think they are going feral. Things get worse when it is
incorrectly surmised that it is in the predator's DNA to be savage and violent,
and therefore they could snap at any moment. It is only when Judy Hopps and
Nick Wilde uncover a larger conspiracy that everyone realizes how silly they've
been acting, including Judy herself. This film has humor, mystery, action, and
some of the most nuanced characters to come out of Disney in a while. This is
definitely a new Disney favorite for my family and I couldn't recommend it
more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>Demostheneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17801410864490838232noreply@blogger.com0