Communerdy

Why Bluey Needs to Keepy Uppy

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 01:36:30 GMT

by Jake Williams

In the day and age of shows debuting and being canceled, there’s few things that feel like they could stand the test of time. Bluey, the blue heeler from down under has very evidently captured the hearts of the entire parenting world. Rightfully so, it’s the first kids’ show I’ve seen in ages that works for both the kids as well as the parents and both can sit down and enjoy it equally, albeit for very different reasons.

©BBC

This show teaches kids how to be better kids and at the same time, tackle hard hitting topics us parents grapple with every day. How to be better in our relationships, how to talk to our kids about things they don’t understand, and so, so much more.

"Stickbird" ©BBC

Which is why I’m saying this: Bluey must never stop. At least until she reaches adulthood. Why? Because this parent found one of the best guides to this insanely hard but incredibly rewarding job we signed up for. Our own parents have their faults, we deal with our relationships in the real world and have to struggle our way through navigating it. Yet when we turn to the cartoon family from Oz, they’re dealing with the same life things, but it’s in a softer, safer package. It’s a balance of the real-world but with a loving embrace to help you feel like you’re not going at it alone, while simultaneously teaching you little tricks of the parenthood trade. Truly, the writing on this show is incredible, and I almost feel like it would be harder to go through the next handful of years without Bandit internalizing his dad struggles while still dropping the weight of the world off his shoulders (see: Stickbird) to still play crazy games with his girls. Without the ability to hear those parental conversations with Bingo and Bluey, teaching them about grown-up things as they’re still kids. Or Chili giving me insight to my own wife and what she needs (see: “I just need 20 minutes” from the Sheepdog Episode ).

"Sheepdog" ©BBC

How better would it be if I could carry on with the Aussie family as they navigate pre-teen age? My oldest hasn’t even hit a decade yet, but I want to see what a guidebook from them would look like as Bluey and Bingo get into a relationship, how to navigate that inevitable young love first breakup, or how to handle pressures of high school from other dogs (kids)?

At this point, the show can end right at Bluey’s wedding day. Or when she goes off to college. But one thing is for certain, and if this ever reaches its way to the writers down under, is that this world is for the better and parents are forever indebted to the empathy, the warmth and heart that this show has brought to a tough, cold world. Parenting is always difficult, but they’ve made the journey a lot easier when we’re so privileged to revisit 8 minute segments of advice on how to carve our paths and never lose sight of the importance of a loving family that just tries to do their best, and even at their worst, they’re always there to pick each other back up and take on the next day together.

Disney at 100: A Personal Retrospective

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:29:30 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

I’ve been sea rching for exactly what the right words are to say on The Walt Disney Company and its 100 ^th Anniversary. As plentiful as the thoughts may be, the form and the coherency play over in my mind. I mean, how do you talk about a brand that is beyond "just" a brand? A company that is so multi-faceted that its many concepts and intellectual properties have played out in so many areas of my life?

Pictures of two-year-old me at Disneyland on family trips. Stories of screaming my head off when Chip (or was it Dale?) started pushing me in my stroller. Memories of playing the “Mickey Mouse Club – Mouskedances and Other Mousketeer Favorites” LP, and learning the special days of the week; I still know that Tuesday is the best day for a Guest Star! Turning on the Disney Channel during free preview weekends on cable TV to watch “Good Morning Mickey!” and Mousercise. Watching “The Little Mermaid” on a rental from Blockbuster Video and realizing Disney was truly beginning a renaissance in their animated films.

I went through so many VHS cassettes recording those preview weekends....

Going on a class trip to Disneyland my freshman year of high school, riding the Skyway and watching the Main Street Electrical Parade from above. Buying the Mary Poppins soundtrack and discovering the magical Sheman Brothers in an interview on that same soundtrack. Discovering how much more the Sherman Brothers had shaped my childhood through so many things, inside AND outside of Disney. Going to see “Fantasia” on its 50 ^th Anniversary re-release and becoming enthralled – although I was very aware of Walt Disney, this movie really started me off on my journey of discovering more about the man.

Getting hired on as an opening team Cast Member at our local Disney Store and learning how dangerous a cast discount on minimum wage can be. Soaking up Dave Smith’s “Disney A-Z” book in the breakroom until I bought my own copy. Becoming my store’s three-time Disney Trivia representative for the district competition (nope, never made it to nationals, but was happy to make it as far as I did).

Meeting my future wife while a Cast Member and bonding over more than just our love for Disney, although it certainly was a plus! Getting married and honeymooning at Disneyland, and then planning lots of future visits together. Discovering a love for the music of the theme parks on top of a deep established love for Disney music in general thanks to “Disneyland Forever” kiosks. Making friends though an online Disney community, forging bonds that continue today.

When our Wendy met Peter.

Having a daug hter and being able to share our love of Disney with her. Taking her to Disneyland at 20 months old, watching her take in every ride with a very concentrated and serious interest. Taking her to her first movie, “Tangled,” listening to her sing the songs throughout the house, and repeating the process with more Disney movies at home and on the screen. Watching her joy as (her favorite) Peter Pan came out of the parade to have a Peter-Wendy moment we will never forget. Experiencing our first Disney Cruise, with a stop at The Walt Disney Family Museum. Seeing a very human side of Walt, something that can easily be missed in the mythos of the Disney universe.

Visiting Walt's bench from Griffith Park at the Walt Disney Family Museum

Watching Disn ey Theatrical’s shows such as “Newsies” and watching my daughter become immersed in a world of theatre in ways that are shaping her own future. Having the opportunity to have a featured piece in Jeff Kurtti’s amazing book “Practically Poppins in Every Way,” discussing one of my favorite subjects – storytelling. Working on Disney projects behind the scenes, reminding myself that I will always be a lifelong student and there is ALWAYS more to learn. Taking those learning moments to begin to craft a story of Disney over the past 100 years – a project that WILL continue until all 100 years are covered. Taking my family’s many trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line with our knowledge and experience into the world of travel agency. Writing these many experiences knowing there are so many I have not mentioned and so many more we have yet to experience…

Seeing my writing in print in a bookstore is something I've always dreamed of seeing, and to be part of this amazing collaboration was an even bigger dream come true!

And I’m reali zing that, at the heart of it, those ARE the right words right now. The memories of what the word “Disney” means to me. It may not be my life, but is definitely a big part of my life – even defining in multiple ways. It’s the beauty of a company that was started by a cartoonist who had ambitions way beyond a cartoon mouse, yet never failed to forget what that mouse meant for him. It was a man who dreamed, worked, succeeded, and failed. It went from a small studio in California to a multi-faceted company with worldwide reach and influence. It’s brought smiles to faces and tears to eyes. It’s not a Midas-like company that turns everything it touches to gold, but has touched lives in many different ways. Say “Mickey Mouse” to a child and watch their eyes light up. Mention Disneyland to an adult and often they can relay favorite childhood memories of their own family vacation. Hum a bit of “Chim Chim Cher-ee” or “Part of Your World,” and others recognize the tune and say, “Oh, I loved that movie!” or “That’s my favorite Disney song!” Wear a character shirt in public, and it sparks the same type of conversation. Read countless stories of how Disney and Make a Wish have partnered together to make so many children’s dreams come true. Talk to a new friend and learn about how a story or song helped them through a difficult time in their life…

These days, we’ve become a very reactive society. Information pops up so rapidly, as does misinformation. We’ve made up our minds about movies, mergers, theme park additions, and more before they’ve happened. Some ideas get people very excited, while others make people quite upset. We bemoan the changes to our norm, and can view the new with a skeptical eye. Not every idea will be a “hit,” and some ideas that may be a miss for one person may be a new memory for another. This especially holds true for the Walt Disney Company. It’s not the Disney of my childhood, but then, it’s also not the Disney of my father’s childhood. My daughter’s Disney will be different from mine as well. It’s the beauty of Disney – it holds different memories… different meanings… for everyone.

As Walt Disney once said, “Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” As The Walt Disney Company looks towards its coming years, change is bound to occur. It may not be the Disney we knew, but the memories that helped shape us into fans, collectors, historians, music lovers, theme park enthusiasts, and storytellers will remain thanks to the true magic that Disney holds in the hearts of millions worldwide.

And there are more memories to be made.

"Just a Dream Away!"

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My Alice and Me

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 13:58:10 GMT

by Tonia Duane

To say that I’m an avid Alice in Wonderland collector would be an understatement. Ever since I read this little girl’s journey years ago, it resonated with me in a way that is almost intangible. I began collecting different versions of the original Lewis Carroll relics “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass”; my most prized being my first very own copy given to me by my love of 10 years towards the beginning of our relationship and what started it all. After that, my obsession slowly began to snowball into what my collection is today: 20 different renditions of the classic works; art books; historical fiction novels that gave me insight into the real Alice; many different prequels, sequels, and spin-off books; a particularly engaging Manga series; beautiful journals; colorful blankets; a slew of Cheshire Cat figurines; enough Funko Pop dolls to fill a fair few shelves; and a whole lot of other odds and ends that would make this list go on and on. Now, what might have caused such an incredible obsession you might ask? Let me try to explain.

Sometimes my life is like falling down a rabbit hole… a downward, dizzying spiral leading to some questionable events. I relate to Alice’s fall and then her quest to find her way back home all too well. See, despite all the amazing things and people she met along the way, Alice realizes that all she wants is to get back home, away from all the madness. I live with Bipolar Disorder and sometimes all I want is to get back to a state of normalcy. Sadly, sometimes I forget what it’s like to truly feel like me. I start to question what’s normal and how to function, which is similar to what Alice went through during her excursion underground.

Alice is just a little girl of seven-years-old, whereas I’m a woman of 35, yet still her adventures intrigue me so. I can almost imagine myself talking to scornful flowers when I hear my brain be “mean” to me, as I put it, lying about so many a thing. Trying to find my way back to normalcy becomes an elusive chase of a disappearing, smiling cat, who just isn’t helpful in the least. My medication changes make me feel like I’m eating different sides of a mushroom or tasting little “Eat Me” cakes, one making me bigger and another smaller. My psychiatrist could be the wise Caterpillar, trying to lead me in the right direction. Unfortunately, with mental illness there is no right direction, only hopeful guesses.

I have li ved with Bipolar Disorder for about 12 or so years now. It started as clinical depression when I was a teenager and I was told that I had a 50/50 chance of it developing into Bipolar later in life. I got the lucky seat at the tea party apparently and for as long as I can remember, this has been my life. I try not to think “I am Bipolar”, only rather “I have Bipolar”, but that is sometimes hard when it takes such a hold on my entire life. I’ve had a hard time with keeping jobs in the past, relationships can be troubled, even just my social life suffers.

It’s not all bad. Just like Alice in her wanderings, I have encountered some wondrous effects that my Bipolar has given me. I wouldn’t be the person I am without it. As I said, it affects my whole life, and this couldn’t be more true. My good days are brighter than maybe the average person’s because I see less of them and try my best not to take them for granted. I’m more compassionate than some because I never want anyone to feel alone. I try my very best to always be kind because I understand that you can’t always know what heartbreak is hidden behind a person’s smile. I feel everything immensely and I give all of myself in everything I do. It is exhausting, but honestly, my life can still be very rewarding.

I can almost envision Alice and I walking hand in hand among the croquet match, listening to the Queen of Hearts demand her bounty of rolling heads, and trying to make heads and tails of who is winning the confounded game. Am I leading her to safety or is she leading me? No matter, at least we have each other. And that’s just how it feels… Alice’s presence in my life is a comfort; my fascination with her gives me something to hang on to when all else is out of my control. These stories written by a mathematician over 150 years ago have given me a way out of my own madness and into another world of possibilities; a world with talking flowers and grinning cats, bread-and-butterflies and rocking-horseflies, and of course, a little girl that is just trying to make it home.

Disney’s TRON: Bits, Bytes and Family Insights

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 00:55:06 GMT

by Dean Brinkerhoff

Groundbreaking for its use of computer generated imagery and unprecedented visual effects, no other Disney film is like TRON (1982) and its sequel TRON Legacy (2010)—and that pertains to its overarching story, too. While many critics and fans laud the technological advances of this franchise, the moving and uniquely relevant story often gets overlooked. With the launch of Disney+, more people than ever before have the chance to see the original film and the way it stands as a vision of the future of the computer world. TRON explores mankind’s relationship with advances in technology as envisioned onscreen by Steven Lisberger. In the TRON creator’s own words from the TRON screenplay, “This film takes place in two worlds. There is our world, the world of flesh and blood, and there is the world we have created, the electronic world. This is a land of digitized electrical abstractions and laser beams carrying information, a world that has become a global network. We are the users, the programmers who control the happenings here like the gods in a Greek drama.”

A similar description is found at the beginning of some non-US versions of the first TRON film:

This is the story of two worlds and the beings who inhabit them. One of those is our world, the one we can see and feel. The world of the “Users.” It lies on our side of the video screen. The other, an electronic micro-civilization lives and breathes just beyond our grasp. This is the world of the “Programs”. Because we, the users, have created this new world. Part of us lives there too… on the other side of the screen.

Incorporating designs by Moebius, Syd Mead, and Peter Lloyd, the original TRON expanded the horizons of what could be done in terms of special effects in film. In addition to heavy use of computer-generated animation, special frames of film were layered together in a process resulting in a visual hybrid named a Kodalith. A process unique to any other filmmaking method, Kodaliths truly added to the visual style of the film. “We were not trying to reinvent the wheel. We were trying to make a whole different wheel that was not necessarily round,” matte artist and TRON associate producer Harrison Ellenshaw explained in a video produced for D23 . “All movies until TRON were set in an established genre. TRON created a new one.”

To create this unique production, a full seventeen minutes of TRON were completely computer-generated. There are 1,100 special effects shots, the most ever used up until that time in a non-animated feature; 800 of those are composite shots incorporating live action. The computer images themselves were generated onto special, high-resolution video screens. It took forty-eight million bits of information to generate a single frame, with some of the most complex individual frames requiring six hours to create. Even though many analysts focus on how the TRON filmmakers pushed the boundaries of film and technology with this production, many overlook the moving story that is told. Behind the high-tech special effects and cutting edge computer graphics, TRON is more of a human story than one might realize. I have always been more fascinated by the characters of this world and how their relationships unfold.

The original Tron TRON (1982) begins with Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a young computer programmer anxious to take back his video games that have been plagiarized by the menacing and shrewd Edward Dillinger (David Warner), corporate head of ENCOM. In his youth, Kevin is an extrovert, spending his evenings down at the arcade among friends and the throngs of gamers who play in his arcade. His love of gaming and socializing provides an escape from his business woes. His determination to get his games back inadvertently transports him from our world into the digital frontier of his creation. The GRID: A place where programs battle for life and status. Under Dillinger’s eye, the freedom of the programs is at stake from the omniscient Master Control Program and his minions. Kevin’s strong intelligence and wisdom guides him and his loyal companions, Tron and Ram, to logical solutions and solid direction on their journey to find Kevin’s necessary evidence. Not all make it out free from de-resolution in this game of a world, but the Master Control Program is ultimately defeated by Tron and as a result, Kevin is allowed to travel back to the world of the users—our world. Through Kevin’s wild and reckless series of actions, his ultimate outcome is a positive one: proof extracted, credit restored to his name, and his rightful takeover of ENCOM. Jeff Bridges played video games such as Battle Zone on the set to get him in the groove for filming within the The GRID . I think this translates well onto the screen. You believe in Kevin as a professional gamer and his familiarity with and [love for] video games really shine through his acting.

TRON Legacy b uilds upon and evolves further the story within this inventive computer world and its story outside in the life of Kevin Flynn after nearly 30 years of technological modernization and expansion. Progress begins with the development of Kevin’s free society. Writer Adam Horowitz stated that his challenge for developing the screenplay for TRON Legacy was “…coming into it and saying, ‘how do we honor the original movie, continue that story, expand on it and take it to a new place, while also opening up the world for new fans?’” The strong themes found in various beliefs of people around the world of an independent being visiting a world of his own creation as a savior for its inhabitants is a driving source of inspiration in this story. (Beliefs such as the Greek Gods or traditional Christianity are only two examples). All the while, Kevin gathers a following of believers and oppressors. In Kevin’s new digital world of his own creation, the GRID , programs and “Codified Likeness Utilities” (CLU) create in various ways.

At the core of this story, the strong yet strained love Kevin Flynn has for his son Sam is my favorite of these relationships. Sam Flynn develops traits similar to his father such as his intuitive wisdom and reckless rebellion. Although Kevin and Sam are similar in personality and intellect, they grow in very different circumstances. In the second film, the driving force of the plot is the fact that Kevin Flynn goes missing when Sam is very young. Despite growing up without his talented father, Sam inherits his father’s love of gaming and motorcycles, which helps helping to motivate and inspire him to seek his absent fathers’ legacy.

“From the ver y beginning, Sean [Bailey] and I told the studio that this movie was going to be a father-son story. And that’s really what the heart of TRON: Legacy is,” said director Joseph Kosinski in a Disney publicity interview at the time of the film’s release. “It was very important to us, amidst all this visual spectacle, to focus on a father/son story; this is about a boy who’s lost his dad, who’s now grown up and, as a man, he has scarring from that. Then, he learns that his father’s disappearance may not have been all that he thought, and there’s a chance for them to rebuild their relationship,” revealed producer Sean Bailey to Disney publicity. “Our goal is to make sure we’re serving our story the best way we can. And the visuals, the effects, the music, the performances, and the style all support that.” Bailey saw the original film as a 12-year-old when his father took him to the theater so they could watch it together. Perhaps the memory of that shared experience bolstered the importance of the father-son theme.

The ultimate goal of Kevin Flynn’s business in the digital frontier is to create perfection. Though admirably plausible, his theories turn out to be misguided and destructive. A hacker program called CLU (Jeff Bridges) that has Kevin’s likeness was a useful yet ultimately disposable Program who perished in the original film. He proved valuable to Flynn in many missions despite his premature de-resolution in a failed attempt to gain the needed evidence. Valuable enough in fact that when Kevin’s dreams for a re-shaping of the human condition begin to take form in his brain through digital means, Kevin creates CLU once more to spearhead this brave new project.

“You are CLU! ” Kevin proclaims.

“I am CLU.”

“You will create the perfect system.”

“I will create the perfect system.”

Flynn chuckles. “Together we’re gonna change the world, man.”

In an interview with Steven Lisberger in the syndicated promotional documentary Computers are People Too! (May 1982) he explores the idea of creation in the context of computer framework. “Every one of us is in that computer somewhere, whether it’s because of our driver’s license, or social security, or income tax, but the fact is that there is an alternate person that is an electrical person that is forming inside this electrical dimension. And then the question is are you in control of that information, or is somebody else in control of it?” These themes and concepts are more relevant than ever in this age of avatars and AI. The story element of controlling information was central to the motivations of the Master Control Program in TRON and proved again to be the driving power of the antagonists of TRON Legacy as CLU rises to assume leadership of The GRID . His initial protocol to create the perfect system degenerates into egotistical madness and a lustful power grab. CLU turns against his maker and assumes full authority of his new world and its program inhabitants. This is his the controlling and villainous program’s vision of the future.

Despite the odds against the genius programmer, Kevin Flynn’s original dream proves to be prophetic as beings described as Isomorphic Algorithms (ISOs) spontaneously evolve from the data in the world of Kevin’s own creation. Tragedy ensues as CLU’s destructive forces purge the ISOs of their lives to make sure that their world never changes or evolves further, thus ensuring CLU’s dictatorship is prolonged.

An ISO named Quorra (Olivia Wilde) is sheltered from harm and is raised and trained in the games and martial arts by the great creator Kevin Flynn himself. Here is where his son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) enters the scene. He receives a mysterious message from his dad’s abandoned arcade and stumbles upon his long untouched basement laboratory. Sam is pulled in to the The GRID and is rescued by Quorra after being subjected to the games by the menacing CLU. Quorra brings Sam to his long missing father, isolated from the city. Kevin and son are reunited.

Sam asks, “You remember that night when you didn't come home? You said...”

Kevin responds, “I said I'd show you Tthe GRID. Should have seen this place back then. Couldn't wait to show it to you.”

“Must have been something before CLU screwed it up.”

“No, no, he's... he's me. I screwed it up, chasing after perfection… chasing after what was right in front of me.”

“Look what you've accomplished. It's incredible.”

Kevin places his hand on Sam's shoulder.

“Sam... I'd have given it all up for one more day with you.”

In this momen t, an epiphany strikes Kevin after his long strings of successes and failures comes to a head. All this time he’s been chasing a dream that was right in front of him. This newfound appreciation for his family, created before his experimentation with digital worlds, fuels his motivation to escape back home and reverse the damage he’s done. CLU of course opposes this threat to his way of life and his original purpose to create the perfect system as he sees it. Kevin and CLU’s final confrontation happens just as they are about to escape. Kevin boldly proclaims to CLU that, “The thing about perfection is that it's unknowable. It's impossible, but it's also right in front of us all the time. You wouldn't know that because I didn't when I created you. I'm sorry, Clu. I'm sorry...” The full realization of his neglected son and what he must now do results in having to stay behind in The GRID as Sam and Quorra escape. CLU is derezzed and his data sucked back into Kevin’s essence as The GRID implodes in a great blast. We, the audience are left wondering what happened to Kevin, but after Sam’s ride into the sunset and a string of extra scenes included on the film’s Blu-ray disc from Walt Disney Home Entertainment provide hope and assurance that we haven’t seen the end of this story, for indeed “Flynn Lives”. Sam becomes an activist and along with that, a proponent of altering the course of ENCOM forever to return to its former days of glory. It’s apparent that Sam hasn’t given up on his father and is determined to carry on his legacy.

The story of TRON has influenced my love and optimism of the future and of the digital world we connect with and play in every day. It has done so ever since I first experienced these epic films as a teenager for the first time. Now as a young adult with an infant son, I watch the zipping lightcycles with flashing ribbons of energy fueled by boosting dubstep score composed by Daft Punk and I realize something. These elements pale in comparison to the moving story and the showcase of the importance of family values, fatherhood and even sonhood. It’s a relatable tale and has intrinsic value to be discovered if one only takes the effort to tap into the incredible human tale of the Flynn family as seen in TRON .

1940 - Great Expectations

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 15:18:27 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

“JIMINY CRICKET! IT’S DISNEY! Hollywood’s Famous Fantasy Man Tops ‘Snow White’ With His Second Feature-Length Cartoon, the Elfin ‘Pinocchio’ “

“…There isn’t much more we can say about it without destroying some of the element of surprise that belongs to Disney and his fantasy workers. We are in debt to all of them for the nicest, friendliest, cutest, gayest and heart-warmingest picture since even before ‘Snow White.’ “ – Frank S. Nugent, New York Times (February 11, 1940)

©Disney

As the opening credits start for Pinocchio, a little tune about a little wooden head begins to play just before an orchestral and choral swelling leads us into a tune about what it means to “wish upon a star.”

A cricket. We’ve been serenaded by a cricket.

A cricket named Jiminy, who feels compelled to tell us a story of Pinocchio, a puppet brought to life by a kindly woodcarver. We meet a fanciful array of characters, from J. “Honest John” Worthington Foulfellow and his sidekick Gideon, to evil puppeteer Stromboli, to a sinister coachman with some truly dastardly motives. We see boys become donkeys, woodcarvers become whale chow, and puppets become real boys. The audience sees all of this and more, set against a backdrop of beautiful artistry; more than a backdrop, actually. True scenery, brought to life in radiant color and depth, thanks in no small part to use of the multiplane camera.

The Hollywood Reporter was equal with the New York Times in its praise for Pinocchio. "Pinocchio is entertainment for every one of every age, so completely charming and delightful that there is profound regret when it reaches the final fade-out,” read the review. “Since comparisons will be inevitable, it may as well be said at once that, from a technical standpoint, conception and production, this picture is infinitely superior to Snow White."

Critics all over were praising the film, and detractors were few. One notable negative review was revealed in an interview with Richard Hubler in 1968. “I loved it. It was one of his best,” said the critic of Snow White. “I loved ‘Fantasia’ and ‘Bambi’. But I didn’t like ‘Pinocchio’ so much. “ While not stating her exact grievances, Lillian Disney was proving herself perhaps one of Walt’s toughest critics.

Lilly aside, with such glorious reviews as well as memorable music, amazing animation, and heartwarming storytelling at the center of it all, it’s hard to imagine Pinocchio as anything but a rousing success, moving the studio forward and securing funds for more advances in animation and innovation. Alas, this was not exactly the case. Pinocchio was an expensive film to make – $2.6 Million to be exact, basically twice the cost of snow white. By late 1940, the studio had only recouped $1 Million of that, and in coming years, Asian and European markets would be shut off due to World War II. Reissues in coming years would allow for Pinocchio to turn a profit many times over, but the initial release cost the Walt Disney Company dearly.

Or, as Walt succinctly stated, ““It cost two million six hundred thousand. And it was released at a time when the world was kind of collapsing. So it didn’t do so well.”

Mickey Mouse Congratulates Leopold Stokowski after "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" sequence in Fantasia. ©Disney

Perhaps the u pcoming release of Fantasia, with its new concept of classical music set to animation both specific and abstract, would appeal to audiences. At the very least, a glorious starring role for Mickey Mouse in “the Sorcerer’s Apprentice” would prove to once again be a huge draw? Sadly, this concert feature would not provide the box office earnings the company so desperately needed either. Though hailed by many critics as a masterpiece (It’s worth mentioning that it was also looked down upon by some in musical circles for the interpretations and arrangements of classical music pieces), RKO found themselves hesitant to release the film. A two-hour plus film with an intermission was deemed “too long.” Instead of the regular distribution route, Walt believed in taking Fantasia on tour as a roadshow attraction, playing thirteen theaters (only one being an actual movie theater – the rest were theaters converted for this motion picture event) across the country. Each theater the film showed at was equipped for Fantasound – the groundbreaking stereophonic system in which Fantasia was recorded and to be released in. While the results of all of this DID bring crowds to the theaters to see the breakthrough film – Fantsia ran an unprecedented 39 weeks at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, surpassing Gone With the Wind for the longest run up to that time - the setup cost of the sound and lighting equipment and limited run ultimately kept Fantasia from turning a profit.

1940 ended with two critical and soon-to-become classics costing the Disney Studio. Much needed profits were not rolling in. A war overseas threatened worldwide film distribution, not to mention the threat of American involvement.

And as for Walt Disney and his studio animators, another war was brewing…

1940

Walt Disney's Pinocchio is released to theaters on February 23rd.
.Walt Disney Productions issues its first stock in April 1940.
Walt Disney Studio move is complete in May 1940.
"The Ugly Duckling" wins the 1939 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
Walt Disney's Fantasia is released to theaters on November 13th.

1939 Full-length Releases:

Pinocchio - February 23

Fantasia - November 13

1940 Animated Short Releases:

Donald Duck - The Riveter - March 15

Donald Duck - Donald's Dog Laundry - April 5

Mickey Mouse - Tugboat Mickey - April 26

Donald & Goofy - Billposters - May 17

Donald Duck - Mr. Duck Steps Out - June 7

Pluto - Bone Trouble - June 28

Donald Duck - Put-Put Troubles - July 19

Donald Duck - Donald's Vacation - August 9

Mickey Mouse - Pluto's Dream House - August 30

Donald Duck - Window Cleaners - September 29

Mickey Mouse - Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip - November 1

Goofy - Goofy's Glider - November 1

Donald Duck - The Fire Chief - November 22

Pluto - Pantry Pirate - December 27

<1939

*"The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks" is a project conceived by Craig D. Barton and presented by Communerdy. It is in no way affiliated with The Walt Disney Company, and any opinions presented within its content are that of the author(s). For more updates, follow us on https://www.instagram.com/disney100in100/ .

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1939 - Of Music, Mice, Crickets, and Trees

craigbartonauthor@cox.net (Craig Barton) — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 13:40:43 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

"The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks," is the brainchild of Craig D. Barton, presenting weekly posts on the history of the Walt Disney Company. Each post will cover a specific year in Disney's history, featuring essays, shared articles, guest authors, and yearly timelines, all leading up to the company's 100th Anniversary on October 16, 2023. Previous posts in the series can be viewed here.

No rest for the weary – as the world was beginning to understand, The Walt Disney Company was in no way, shape, or form resting on its laurels. Even before Snow White premiered, the company was beginning production on more full-length animated features, with plans to release Bambi, followed by Pinocchio. However, Pinocchio would be the next feature to be released, and work on a “comeback short” for Mickey Mouse would push Bambi back even further as that project became bigger and more ambitious than anyone could imagine.

As historian and author C.W. Gross discusses, “As originally conceived, the title role in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice was to go to Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Echoes of his appearance and behaviour can even be seen in the final product. That role quickly fell to Disney's star performer, though. By the end of the Thirties, the spotlight was beginning to drift from Mickey Mouse and towards his more relatable compatriots Donald Duck and Goofy, who offered better slapstick laughs than could Mickey's good-natured wholesomeness. Walt envisioned The Sorcerer's Apprentice as a spectacular "comeback" short on which no expense would be spared. Running into celebrity composer Leopold Stokowski, Walt broached the idea and was met with great enthusiasm. But as costs on The Sorcerer's Apprentice soared, they realized that the only way to recoup their money was to go all-in on a theatrical feature film.”

Mickey Mouse in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" ©Disney

This theatric al film, of course, was Fantasia, another envelope-pushing full length feature that told a series of stories with classical music in place of traditional script. In many ways, many of the Silly Symphonies had been predecessors for this film experiment in musical storytelling. However, as author John Culhane explains in his aptly titled “Walt Disney’s Fantasia,” the purpose of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and ultimately Fantasia “...sprung from Disney’s desire to go beyond the usual animated cartoon with its combination of comic strip graphics and slapstick comedy. And the most important combination in Fantasia was the wedding of film graphics to animated film.” Culhane continues, “Walt had been trying to figure out a way to use what he called ‘the greatest music of all times,’ because ‘for my medium, it opens up unlimited possibilities.’ “

Work on Fantasia, which had actually begun in 1937 with the securing of rights to The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, continued on what would be a total of seven segments – Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor (Bach), The Nutcracker Suite (Tchaikovsky), The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Dukas), Rite of Spring (Stravinsky), Pastoral Symphony (Betthoven), Dance of the Hours (Ponchielli), and a combined Night on Bald Mountain (Mussorgsky) and Ave Maria (Shubert). Accompanied with narration by Deems Taylor and including a brief intermission that introduces the audience to “the soundtrack,” Fantasia would be released as a theatrical roadshow (In glorious stereophonic Fantasound!) that would play in 13 cities across the United States, beginning in 1940.

Walt Disney and Leopold Stokowski Discuss Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" Segment ©Disney

For more info rmation on the production of Fantasia, I highly recommend the aforementioned “Fantasia” by John Culhane and C.W. Gross’s four-part series “ On the Sublime and Beautiful in Disney’s Fantasia ” here on Communerdy.

Production also continued on Disney’s adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” a story that definitely needed some adapting from the original work before it was brought to the big screen under the Disney moniker. Collodi’s Pinocchio was more callous, rude, and mischievous (Smashing a cricket with a mallet would not leave one wanting to wish upon a star!), while the Disney Studios looked to make Pinocchio more good-natured, albeit naïve. As author J.B. Kaufman notes in his in-depth book “Pinocchio – The Making of the Disney Epic,” “Walt recognized from the beginning the problematic nature of Pinocchio’s personality. In one of the earliest meetings he commented: ‘people know the story, but they don’t like the character.’ “

Achieving the right “feel” for Pinocchio had proven rather frustrating. Animation had begun in early 1938, but reports and legend tell of Walt scrapping sequences and sending his artists back to start over. Says Kaufman, “To another journalist, Walt explained his decision. ‘We just didn’t seem to have the feel of the story, and there was no use trying to patch it up. I’ve never had any success with make-over jobs. In a case like this, it is far cheaper and more satisfactory in the long run to discard all previous work. We don’t function like the average producer working with human actors. Their retake jobs invariably come after the picture is completed, when they have spent half a million or more on a production. Then they throw in another quarter of a million perhaps on a repair job. But, to my way of thinking, that’s tossing good money after bad. The fundamental error is still there. That’s why I would rather start from the beginning and get as close to perfection as possible.” Starting from the beginning meant that main story animation would not actually restart until September of 1938, and even then, the story would still change.

Predating Grandmother Willow by 50+ Years, Concept Art for the Scrapped "Grandfather Tree" Sequence from Pinocchio ©Disney

One element o f the story that had been in development met its metaphorical chopping block in early January of 1939 at the hands of Walt himself: The Grandfather Tree. In a sequence that came from Pinocchio’s incessant inquiries of “Why?”, Geppetto would tell the titular puppet of his lineage, most notably, of the Grandfather Tree. Almost a Silly Symphony unto itself, this moment would include a musical quartet of wooden birds singing around their newly constructed nest. However, as had been the case in the “Music in Your Soup” sequence of Snow White, Walt saw a need to move the story forward. “One thing that has been keeping it in, is that it is cute,” explained Walt. “But it does retard the business, and I believe we have some better stuff coming.”

In fact, one of the biggest and best ideas came that very month.

Although he was a part of the vast cast of characters, Jiminy Cricket was not exactly a starring role. Although Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards had recorded a little ditty titled “When You Wish Upon a Star” in October of 1938, its exact placement, and the cricket he voiced, had not yet been clearly defined. However, according to author Kaufman, Walt asked, “Do you think if we had a little prologue here – he comes out and tells a little something at the beginning – is it too much out of line? Just enough so that when the voice comes along you will know who it is.” Thus began the journey of Jiminy Cricket from “modest character” to narrator of the film.

©Disney

“It was an el ectric moment, one of the major turning points in the making of Pinocchio,” says Kaufman. “These seemingly simple suggestions had the effect of completely reframing the presentation of the story…. The writers reviewed their existing story material, inserting the cricket into scenes they had already planned. As they explored the possibilities, it became clear that this was an inspired change.” With this change, the story was developing more and more as production continued, and all eyes were on Walt and his team as the studio worked to meet a 1940 release date of its next two feature films.

Speaking of eyes, there was another noticeable change occurring at the Walt Disney Company, and it could be seen on its biggest star: Mickey Mouse.

The 1939 short, “Mickey’s Surprise Party,” sponsored and distributed by the National Biscuit Company (Better known as Nabisco), was the first Disney short to be sponsored by an outside company. It premiered at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco, and later was shown at the Nabisco Theater at the 1939 World’s Fair in Ney York. Perhaps the even bigger notable about this short, however, was that it was the first to feature Mickey and Minnie drawn in a new design by animator Fred Moore.

A Newly Designed Mickey Mouse is Puttin' On the Ritz.. and the Oreos.... and the Fig Newtons in 1939's "Mickey's Surprise Party." ©Disney

This new look , with a more “Caucasian” styled body and pupiled eyes, would be seen by more later in 1939 in the Mickey short, “The Pointer.” Of course, the most notable appearance of this new look would come in 1940 in the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” segment in Fantasia. It’s a look that would become a mainstay of Mickey, and the form most recognize him in today.

As Mickey was evolving, the company was too, and 1939 was showing the studio was prepared to tell the world new stories and show new ways to tell them… but was the world ready, or was it becoming more wrapped up in global conflicts? The answer was both, and the coming years would mark some of the biggest innovations, but also some of the biggest challenges the Walt Disney Company would face.

1939

Walt Disney wins an honorary Academy Award for "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" - in the form of an Oscar along with seven smaller Oscar figures.
Goofy makes his solo animated short debut with "Goofy and Wilbur."
Mickey receives a "redesign," the most noticable being eyes with pupils.
1938's One-Shot "Ferdinand the Bull" wins Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoon)

1939 Animated Short Releases:

Donald Duck - Donald's Lucky Day - January 13

Mickey Mouse - Society Dog Show - February 3

Three Little Pigs - The Practical Pig - February 24

Goofy - Goofy and Wilbur - March 17

Donald Duck - The Hockey Champ - March 17

Silly Symphonies - The Ugly Duckling - April 7

Donald Duck - Donald's Cousin Gus - May 19

Donald Duck - Beach Picnic - June 9

Donald Duck - Sea Scouts - June 30

Donald Duck - Donald's Penguin - August 11

Mickey Mouse -The Pointer - September 1

Donald Duck - The Autograph Hound - September 1

Donald Duck - Officer Duck - September 22

<1938

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - The Disneyland Magic of New Fantasyland

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 12:50:47 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel . Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

In 1983, Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom became even more enchanting with the opening of The New Fantasyland. Celebrate Disneyland's 67th anniversary—Opening Day was July 17, 1955—with me as I share a few artifacts from the time "flat" Fantasyland was transformed into a rich world of enticing detail and quaint ornamentation, a realm welcoming guests into three-dimensional enchantment!

Happily Ever Island - A Book Review

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 00:01:47 GMT

by Caitlin Barton

Communerdy was fortunate to receive a copy for review of "Happily Ever Island," a new book written by Crystal Cestari, published by Disney Hyperion Books. We thank the Walt Disney Company for this opportunity. Described as a "YA rom-com inspired by Disney fandom," we felt it only appropriate to turn over the book to our teen reviewer, Caitlin Barton. Welcome to the Communerdy, Caitlin!

Happily Ever Island is an immersive Disney experience where guests can choose which character they want to portray. Guests can act out the scenes from Disney movies as if they really are the characters and the movie scenes seem to really happen. For example, Elsa’s ice palace actually grows right before your eyes. If Happily Ever Island was real, I would definitely love to go!

In the story, Madison is a huge Disney fan thanks to her Grandmother who shared the magic of Disney with her. Things aren’t going well for Madison to begin with. She doesn’t like thinking about her future, so can’t decide on her college major. Then, she is dumped by her girlfriend, Tessa. Thankfully her best friend Lanie is always there for her. When Madison wins the contest to go to Happily Ever Island, she invites Lanie to come with her.

Lanie has always focused on more practical things and is studying to be a doctor. She’s not the Disney superfan that Madison is, but she agrees to go with Madison anyway. Lanie portrays Merida on the island, while Madison plays Cinderella.

Once they arrive at Happily Ever Island, they meet other people who are on this adventure with them. Lanie (Merida) seems especially enamored the man portraying Prince Charming, while Madison (Cinderella) is interested in Val, one of the Cast Members working on the island.

Happily Ever Island is was such a fun book to read that I actually read it in only one day. Disney references abound that will delight fans. One of the details that I loved was the chapter titles were all names of popular Disney songs. I would definitely recommend this book to teenage and adult Disney fans.

"Happily Ever Island" (Disney-Hyperion Books) by Crystal Cestari was publicly released on June 7, 2022, and is available online and in bookstores.

1938 - Heigh-Ho, Off To the Movies We Go!

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 19:37:15 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

The 1937 release of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” at the Carthay Circle Theater had silenced most of his critics and made him even more of a Hollywood daring than he already was. A week later, Walt Disney appeared on the cover of Time Magazine – the magazine itself gushed in its review of the new animated feature:

“Skeptical Hollywood, that had wondered whether a fairy story could have enough suspense to hold an audience through seven reels, and whether, even if the plot held up, an audience would care about the fate of characters who were just drawings, was convinced that Walt Disney had done it again. Snow White is as exciting as a Western, as funny as a haywire comedy. It combines the classic idiom of folklore drama with rollicking comic-strip humor.”

In January of 1938, “Snow White” began its run at the famed Radio City Music Hall in New York City – a run that would last an unprecedented for its time five weeks! The morning after its January 13 ^th debut, New York Times film critic Frank S. Nugent shared his review in the paper, making Time’s review seem pale in comparison…

“Sheer fantasy, delightful, gay, and altogether captivating, touched the screen yesterday when Walt Disney’s long-awaited feature-length cartoon of the Grimm fairy tale, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” had its local premiere at the Radio City Music Hall. Let your fears be quieted at once: Mr. Disney and his amazing technical crew have outdone themselves. Nothing quite like it has been done before; and already we have grown impolite enough to clamor for an encore. Another helping, please!”

Mr. Nugent, while smitten by the entire film, seemed quite taken with one dwarf in particular:

“Dopey really deserves a sentence all by himself. No, we’ll make it a paragraph, because Dopey is here to stay. Dopey is the youngest of the seven dwarfs. He is beardless, with a buttony nose, a wide mouth, Gable ears, cross-purpose eyes and the most disarming, winning, helpless, puppy-dog expression that creature ever had. If we had to dissect him, we’d say he was one part little Benny of the comic strips, one part Worry-Wart of the same, and one part Pluto, of the Mickey Mouse Plutos. There may too, be just a dash of Harpo Marx. But he’s all Dopey, forever out of step in the dwarfs’ processions, doomed to carry the red tail-light when they go to their jewel mines, and speechless.”

The image of the much-beloved Dwarf, as seen alongside the New York Times review.

It turns out that Mr. Nugent was not alone in his admiration for the film, or for Dopey either. As the full-length feature began a wider distribution from RKO Radio Pictures, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” became a world-wide smash hit, even temporarily becoming the highest grossing sound picture of all time (It would find itself displaced one year later by Gone With the Wind). By the end of its original theater run, Snow White had grossed over $7.8 million, bringing in much needed profits for not only The Walt Disney Company, but for RKO as well. Much like the public demand for “more pigs,” Walt now faced cries of “more dwarfs.” Of course, just like before, Walt had no desire for a sequel; he was already planning his next ventures – full length adaptations of Felix Salten’s “Bambi” and Carlo Collodi’s “Pinocchio.”

The new source of income allowed for Walt to surprise his animators with bonuses as a hearty “thank you” for their work and dedication in making “Snow White.” It also provided the company the opportunity to pour revenue back into the studio, allowing Walt to hire more animators and press forward with new innovations in animation. Of course with more staff, two animated features being developed, and ever-popular animated shorts being turned out, the studio found itself facing an obvious predicament – the studio was outgrowing itself. On August 31 ^st , 1938, Walt and Roy Disney put down a $10,000 deposit on a fifty-one acre parcel of land on Buena Vista Street in Burbank, the future and permanent site of The Walt Disney Studios that we know today.

As successful a year as 1938 was for Walt Disney and his beloved company, personally, it would end on a tragic note for the Disney Brothers. Studio success had allowed Walt and Roy to purchase a house for their parents, Elias and Flora, in order to move them down to Southern California from Portland, Oregon. A joyous family reunion would unfortunately be short lived. On November 26 ^th , a gas furnace in the house of the Disney elders had malfunctioned, causing Flora to become overtaken by the fumes. She and Elias were both taken to the hospital. Elias survived; Flora did not. Flora’s death would haunt Walt for the rest of his life; many accounts have recalled a tremendous guilt Walt felt for moving his parents to a house with a faulty furnace to begin with. While there was no way for him to predict the tragic outcome, one can understand the feelings that would come with such a discovery.

Elias and Flora's 50th Wedding Anniversary, celebrated New Year's Eve, 1937. Left to right, Herb, Ray, Flora, Elias, Roy, and Walt Disney. ©DIsney

As children, we want our parents to be proud of all we’ve accomplished. Flora Call Disney, the matriarch of the Disney family, had lived long enough to see her sons form a company bearing the family name, the creation of a world-famous mouse, and a triumph of a motion picture. Yet, as a parent, one can’t help believe that even with all the achievements her sons had accomplished, her greatest pride was in their own happiness and the happiness they were bringing (and would continue to bring) others.

1938

January - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs opens in Radio City Music Hall as well as Miami, FL.
RKO Radio Pictures releases Snow White to a nationwide release.
1937's "The Old Mill" wins Academy Award for best animated short subject.
Walt and Roy locate and place a down payment on fifty-one acres in Burbank for new studio.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie make their wisequacking debuts in the appropriately named short, "Donald's Nephews."
Flora Call Disney, matriarch of the Disney family, passes away at the age of 70

1938 Animated Short Releases:

Donald Duck - Self Control - February 11

Mickey Mouse - Boat Builders - February 25

Donald Duck - Donald's Better Self - March 11

Silly Symphonies - The Moth and the Flame - April 1

Donald Duck - Donald's Nephews - April 15

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Trailer - May 6

Silly Symphonies - Wynken, Blynken and Nod - May 27

Donald & Goofy - Polar Trappers - June 17

Donald Duck - Good Scouts - July 8

Donald & Goofy - The Fox Hunt - July 29

Mickey Mouse - The Whalers - August 19

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Parrot - September 9

Mickey Mouse - Brave Little Tailor - September 23

Silly Symphonies - Farmyard Symphony - October 14

Donald Duck - Donald's Golf Game - November 4

"One-shot" - Ferdinand the Bull - November 25

Silly Symphonies - Merbabies - December 9

Silly Symphonies - Mother Goose Goes Hollywood - December 23

<1937

1937 -Anything But Follies

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 18:20:12 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Leading up to 1937, The Walt Disney Company had some pretty monumental years and moments of significance. The founding of the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in ’23. The creation of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in ’27. The subsequent loss of Oswald and creation of Mickey Mouse in ’28. Technicolor vegetation in ’32. Depression era pigs in ’33. With the studio racing to complete work on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in time for a year-end premiere, it became apparent that 1937 would shape up to be another pivotal year for Walt Disney and his studios. But it wasn’t Snow White alone that would make it a year to remember.

1937 saw huge progress for The Walt Disney Studio on multiple… planes. (Please forgive me, I never pass up an opportunity for a good dad joke. But I digress….)

The Multiplane Camera - A View from the Top, as seen on display at the Walt Disney Family Museum - Photo by Craig D. Barton

One issue Walt discovered in animation was a two-dimensional “flatness” that cartoons produced. While size and scale could be used to convey distance, animated backgrounds still lacked a certain depth to them that hand drawn figures on a background could not properly show. The answer was found in the form of a multiplane camera, developed by William Garity for the Walt Disney Studios. Just as it sounds, multiple levels allowed for a camera to move past animation frames, giving the viewer a feeling of truly moving through the scenery. The first use of the multiplane camera was seen in the Silly Symphony “The Old Mill,” both beginning and ending with fades in and out of said mill, giving a beauty and dimension not yet seen in previous animated works. A beauty that, combined with Leigh Harline’s beautiful score and masterful animation of various animals housed within the mill during a fierce storm, earned it that year’s Oscar for best animated short subject.

The Old Mill ©The Walt Disney Company

Speaking of s hort subjects, Mickey Mouse was running as strong as ever, finding new adventures and strength in numbers by teaming up with Goofy and Donald Duck. Shorts such as “Clock Cleaners” and “Lonesome Ghosts” delighted audiences with the anthropomorphic escapades of these three friends, and continue to do so today, proving the lasting powers of mice, ducks, and dogs.

As delighted as many were with these animated shorts, there was still a lingering critical doubt about whether Snow White would be a success or a studio-sinking failure. Though loud whispers of “Disney’s Folly” continued to linger in the air, Walt found comfort in words from friends and industry peers at the same time. United Artists’ Hal Horne, who had given Walt encouragement on the release of “The Three Little Pigs,” had more sage advice. According to biographer Bob Thomas, when Walt told Horne of the bemoaning of naysayers, he told him, “Keep them wondering. Let ‘em call it ‘Disney’s Folly’ or any other damn thing, as long as they keep talking about it. That picture is going to pay off, the more suspense you build up, the more it’ll pay off.” W.G. Van Schmus, manager of Radio City Music Hall, was so encouraged by the work being done on the feature, he booked it for the hall, finished product unseen.

With time running out and production winding down, the budget, once projected by Walt to be a quarter of a million dollars, had grown to over $1.5 million. It could have cost even more if Roy had not finally put his foot down at the end. According to Bob Thomas, “… when Walt reviewed a nearly completed version of the film, he noticed something disturbing: When the Prince leaned over to kiss Snow White in her glass coffin, he shimmied. Something had gone wrong in the camera work or the animation. ‘I want to make it over,’ Walt announced to Roy. ‘How much will it cost?’ Roy asked. Walt replied that it would require several thousand dollars. ‘Forget it,’ said Roy, who had borrowed all he could. ‘Let the Prince shimmy.’ And ever afterward he did.”

Shimmying love interests aside, the film was finished, and the premiere was at hand. Predictions from critics who had not seen the film itself were null at this point – movie critics, and most importantly the public Walt had an uncanny knack of knowing, would be the ultimate judges of both the film, and perhaps the fate, of the company.

Walt and Lillian Disney attend the premiere of Snow White at the Carthay Circle Theater ©The Walt Disney Family Museum

“Snow White a nd the Seven Dwarfs” premiered to the world on December 21, 1937, at the Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles, California. Between the star-studded debut and the reaction that followed, Walt was once again proven right. Even if the naysayers may have gotten to him a little during production, Walt was happy to show the world that what he and his studio team had accomplished was well worth the journey.

As Walt would recall in later years:

“All the Hollywood brass turned out for my cartoon! That was the thing. And it went way back to when I fist came out here and I went to my first premiere. I’d never seen one in my life. I saw all these Hollywood celebrities comin’ in and I just had a funny feeling. I just hoped that some day they’d be going in to a premiere of a cartoon. Because people would depreciate the cartoon. You know, they’d kind of look down.

I met a guy on the train when I was comin’ out. It was one of those things that kind of made you mad. I was out on the back platform – I was in my pants and coat that didn’t match but I was riding first class. I was making conversation with a guy who asked me, ‘Goin’ to California?’

‘Yeah, I’m goin’ out there.’

‘What business you in?’

I said, ‘The motion picture business.’

Then, all of a sudden, ‘Oh, is that right? Well, I know somebody in the picture business. What do you do?’

I said, ‘I make animated cartoons.’

‘Oh.’

It was like saying, ‘I sweep up the latrines.’

Sometimes people make you mad, and you want to prove something to them even though they mean nothing to you. I thought of that guy on the back platform when we had the premiere of Snow White. And the darn thing went out and grossed eight million dollars around the world.”

The words “this was just the begin ning” seem almost cliché considering the achievements of The Walt Disney Company up to this point, but the words carry a truth. At this point in the 14-year history of the company, animation was just the beginning. Mickey Mouse was just the beginning. Technicolor was just the beginning. A full-length animated feature was just the beginning. If the world was finally learning one thing about Walt Disney, it was this:

He would never rest on his laurels. He would always seek out new paths and innovations. He would keep moving forward, critics be damned. Everything to him would be just the beginning.

1937

Donna Duck (Bearing a striking resemblance to a duck later named Daisy) makes her debut in in the Donald Duck short, "Don Donald."
Silly Symphony "The Country Cousin" receives the academy award for best animated short subject for 1936.
Silly Symphony "The Old Mill" debuts, the first to showcase use of the multiplane camera.
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" debuts at the Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles, California.

1937 Full-length Releases:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - December 21

1937 Animated Short Releases:

Silly Symphonies - Three Blind Mouseketeers - January 28

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Elephant - February 19

Mickey Mouse - Don Donald - February 26

Silly Symphonies - Mother Pluto - March 6

Silly Symphonies - Woodland Café - March 15

Silly Symphonies - More Kittens - March 27

Mickey Mouse - The Worm Turns - April 17

Silly Symphonies - Little Hiawatha - May 11

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Amateurs - June 4

Mickey Mouse - Magician Mickey - June 17

Mickey Mouse - Modern Inventions - June 17

Mickey Mouse - Moose Hunters - August 5

Mickey Mouse - Hawaiian Holiday - September 24

Mickey Mouse - Clock Cleaners - October 15

Silly Symphonies - The Old Mill - November 5

Pluto the Pup - Pluto's Quin-puplets - November 26

Donald Duck - Donald's Ostrich - December 10

Mickey Mouse - Lonesome Ghosts - December 24

<1936

1936 - A New Deal and a Favorite Banker

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:11:49 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

United Artists had been the home of Mickey Mouse and the Silly Symphonies for a while at this point, and the shorts had seen quite a bit of success under their banner. However, UA executives weren’t exactly brimming with excitement at the prospect of the Snow White project – while maybe not as vocal as other industry insiders of the time, they had their own doubts about a feature length animated movie, and the skyrocketing cost (Did we say $500,000? Let’s at least double that, shall we?) did little to dissuade detractors. On top of this, United Artists also wanted television rights to the Disney company’s features to be included in a new contract to be renewed in 1936. According to biographer Bob Thomas, Walt was against this, not necessarily because he saw added value to a new medium, but because “I don’t know what television is, and I’m not going to sign away anything I don’t know about.” RKO Pictures, founded in 1928, presented a much more appealing offer to the Disney Brothers, and in 1936, the studio formed a new partnership for distribution of both animated shorts and feature-length films. This partnership would be the longest standing distribution partnership for Disney, beginning in 1937 and lasting until 1954, when the studio began distributing its own films.

Regardless of who was distributing, production was continuing within the studio on the animated shorts and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the latter of which was due to be released the following year. Production that required a large team of animators, in-betweeners, and ink and paint staff.

Among the staff (but in no way limited to the large team that poured heart and soul into the production) were animators that would make names for themselves in not only the Walt Disney Company, but in the animation industry itself – not a small feat considering the company name they represented! Talent and technique shone through, making the product that came out of the Disney studios the proclaimed works of art the world had come to love. Animators that included the likes of Art Babbit, Joe Grant, Les Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, Milt Kahl, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Woolie Reitherman, and Ward Kimball would be key figures in the company for years to come; in fact, the latter nine young men, would be referred to in a much older term in later years, instrumental in animation releases in Walt’s time and beyond.

Above: Live-action model Marge (Belcher) Champion was instrumental in bringing Snow White (and many other characters) to life. Her work with the animation staff helped figure movement and style throughout the feature. Recalled Champion in later years, "I was a trained dancer and I was not an actress, but I could take direction and always had fun with it... It was a joy to get out of school for a day and go over to Disney and get $10 for my day."

As work conti nued, so did the naysayers. Critics could not see Walt’s full-length picture carrying the charm of his shorts, or holding the interest of the audience for such a long time. Not to mention, the money! Oh, the money he was pouring into the film – a cartoon at that! And of course, when money matters are at the center of a risky venture, bankers begin to worry. Roy informed Walt that the studios would need to borrow even more money in order to finish their fairy tale, and told him that they needed to show Bank of America executive Joseph Rosenberg footage from the unfinished feature. Show him something, ANYTHING, not just to show the progress that was being made, but also to show the completed pieces as collateral against the loan.

Walt remembered during his 1956 interview with Pete Martin, “I had always objected to letting any outsider see an uncompleted motion picture. And bankers to me were men after the fact. But Roy went ahead with the arrangements. However, on the appointed day my big brother had found something to do elsewhere. I had to sit alone with Joe Rosenberg of the Bank of America and try to sell him a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of faith. He showed not the slightest reaction to what he viewed. After the lights came on, he walked out of the projection room, remarked that it was a nice day—and yawned! He was still deadpan as I conducted him to his car. Then he turned to me and said, ‘Walt, that picture will make a pot full of money.’ To this day, he's my favorite banker.”

Walt’s favorite banker was one of the few outside the studio who supported his vision, but not the only one. As time ticked nearer toward release, words from an old supporter would help boost his spirits, and eventually a public that Walt knew best would prove just how wrong his critics were.

1936

Silly Symphony "Three Orphan Kittens" wins Academy Award for Best Short Subject, Cartoon.
Walt Disney Productions enters contract agreement with RKO Radio Pictures.
"Donald and Pluto," a Mickey Mouse short, is released as the first Mickey Mouse short NOT to feature the titular Mouse.

1936 Animated Releases:

Silly Symphonies - Cock o' the Walk - January 9

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Polo Team - February 5

Mickey Mouse - Orphan's Picnic - March 12

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Grand Opera - April 9

Silly Symphonies - Elmer Elephant - May 14

Silly Symphonies - Three Little Wolves - May 27

Mickey Mouse - Thru the Mirror - June 18

Mickey Mouse - Moving Day - July 22

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Rival - August 27

Silly Symphonies - Toby Tortoise Returns - September 23

Mickey Mouse - Alpine Climbers - October 28

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Circus - November 11

Mickey Mouse - Donald and Pluto - December 12

Silly Symphonies - The Country Cousin - December 17

<1935

1935 - More Color, More Animation, More Stress

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 14:27:59 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

Flowers, trees, pigs, grasshoppers, ants… even a cantankerous duck had done it by this point. But it would take until February of 1935 for Disney’s most popular character to make his triumphant debut in glorious color. That Mickey’s escapades had been in black & white up to this point was by Walt’s design. “Mickey Mouse, we didn’t put Mickey Mouse in color until 1935 and – well, the color I wanted in The Silly Symphonies,” explained Walt to interviewer Pete Martin. “When I decided to go to color I went to sign for The Silly Symphony series alone feeling that they would – that we could make better use of color. And Mickey Mouse was so successful anyways that it was The Symphonies that could use the color. So, I went to The Symphonies and I didn’t put Mickey Mouse in color until about 3 years later.”

By 1935, it was time for the world to see what Mickey could do in a symphonic storm of color. In “The Band Concert,” audiences saw Mickey attempt to conduct an orchestra full of familiar faces including Goofy, Clarabelle Cow, and Horace Horsecollar. Of course, Donald duck was there, interrupting the concert every step of the way, first as a vendor, then with his own musical arrangements of “Turkey in the Straw” (A callback to Mickey’s black and white Debut in “Steamboat Willie”). Adding to the colorful nature of the characters is the finale, in which a fierce tornado approaches as Mickey conducts “The Storm” segment of The William Tell Overture. In classic gag style, this does not deter either our heroic conductor nor his orchestra, and what follows is a kaleidoscopic array of musical mastery and concentration; when the storm ends, our band is left standing (or hanging from a tree) – even the plucky Donald and his insistence of finishing “Turkey in the Straw.”

Mickey prepares to tell a colorful story in "The Band Concert."

Mickey and fr iends had finally arrived in full color, and top-notch animation had once again made an event worth watching.

It goes without saying that top-notch animation was not happenstance, as Walt was constantly striving for the best quality animation available. In early 1935, Walt expressed a desire to hire 300 artists for the studio – with production on Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs ramping up along with demand for the continuing Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony shorts, there was plenty of work and a demand for quality and consistency. In a memo to in-studio instructor and orientation head Don Graham, he outlined his thoughts on the most important qualities of a good animator:

Good draftsmanship
Knowledge of caricature, of action as well as features
Knowledge and appreciation of acting
Ability to think up gags and put over gags
Knowledge of story construction and audience values
Knowledge and understanding of all the mechanical and detailed routine involved in his work, in order that he may be able to apply his other abilities without becoming tied in a knot by lack of technique along these lines.

Walt and Lilly, on the roof of the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, 1935 ©Disney

Walt included some of his philosophies of animation on the memo:

“The first duty of the cartoon is not to picture or duplicate real action or things as they actually happen – but to give a caricature of life and action – to picture on the screen things that have run through the imagination of the audience – to bring to life dream-fantasies and imaginative fancies that we have all thought of during our lives or have had pictured to us in various forms during our lives… I definitely feel that we cannot do the fantastic things, based on the real, unless we first know the real.

“Comedy, to be appreciated, must have contact with the audience. This we all know, but sometimes forget. By contact, I mean that there must be a familiar, sub-conscious association. Somewhere, or at some time, the audience has felt, or met with, or seen, or dreamt, the situation pictured. A study of the best gags and audience reaction we have had, will prove that the action or situation is something based on an imaginative experience or a direct life connection… When the action or the business loses its contact, it becomes silly and meaningless to the audience.”

Walt felt he knew what would appeal to the audience, and, given his successes thus far, he had proven to be right. Would Snow White be his next proven success? While it remained in doubt to many industry insiders, work continued ahead. His estimated “quarter of a million dollars” he had spoken of to The New York Times was different from what he told Roy – that estimate was more in the neighborhood of half a million – and costs were already beginning to rise above that! Nonetheless, work continued, and Walt knew that his latest venture would be a public hit just the way Mickey and Silly Symphonies were.

Walt visiting penguins (To the delight of the public) at the London Zoo, 1935 ©Disney

Nonetheless, added stresses of money, time, and straight-out business began to once again take its toll on Walt. Another nervous breakdown was feared. His doctor attributed it to a possible thyroid deficiency, and started giving him injections, which only added to his nervousness. At Roy’s suggestion, another vacation was due. This time it was a trip overseas to Europe, and Roy and Edna would be joining Walt and Lillian. Once again, this trip seemed to put Walt more at ease. Along with the adventure of driving streets of his youth as a Red Cross ambulance driver, Walt was able to see the Disney influence that had been spreading overseas. Viewing a worldwide reach, Walt returned once again refreshed, and with a vision to appeal to even more people. “The more pictures we can make without dialogue,” he mused in another studio memo upon his return, “the better it will be for our foreign market. We have to depend on the foreign market very strongly now on account of the necessity of having larger grosses. However,” he was quick to add, “I wouldn’t let this stand in the way of any good plot or idea that had dialogue in it.”

Walt strolls the Place de la Concorde, Paris, 1935 ©Disney

Once again, Walt was ready to get back to work and ended 1935 eager for the Walt Disney Company to make more of what he knew the people wanted. And as for those thyroid injections? According to Disney biographer Bob Thomas, Walt told his secretary, “Tell him I’m cured. He can shoot those things in his own butt from now on.”

The quotable Walt Disney, indeed!

1935

The Disney Company seeks to hire 300 animators as production on short features and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" ramps up.
"The Band Concert" is released, marking Mickey Mouse's color debut. ("MIckey's Kangaroo" a few shorts later, would mark his final black and white appearance.)
Fearing aother nervous breakdown, Roy urges Walt to take an 11 week trip to Europe. Walt returns with a fresh outlook on Disney's foreign appeal.

1935 Animated Releases:

Silly Symphonies - The Tortoise and the Hare - January 12

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Man Friday - January 19

Mickey Mouse - The Band Concert - February 23

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Service Station - March 16

Silly Symphonies - The Golden Touch - March 23

Silly Symphonies - The Robber Kitten - April 13

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Kangaroo - April 20

Silly Symphonies - Water Babies - May 18

Silly Symphonies - The Cookie Carnival - May 25

Silly Symphonies - Who Killed Cock Robin? - June 29

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Garden - July 20

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Fire Brigade - September 7

Mickey Mouse - Pluto's Judgement Day - September 28
Silly Symphonies - Music Land - October 12
Mickey Mouse - On Ice - November 9

Silly Symphonies - Three Orphan Kittens - November 23
Silly Symphonies - Broken Toys - December 21

< 1934

Author's Note - The pictures of Walt used in this article are from his 1935 trip, ©The Walt Disney Company, and can be found in the wonderful book, Travels With Walt Disney: A Photographic Voyage Around the World , by Jeff Kurtti. If you haven't read this fascinating chronicle of Walt and his journeys around the world, I would highly recommend it. It's a wonderful companion to any Walt biography, and tells a great story unto itself!

*"The Walt D isney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks" is a project conceived by Craig D. Barton and presented by Communerdy. It is in no way affiliated with The Walt Disney Company, and any opinions presented within its content are that of the author(s). For more updates, follow us on https://www.instagram.com/disney100in100/ .

1934 - Topping Pigs with Ducks and Feature-Length Films

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:07:45 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

“In those days, we were like the bumblebee who didn't know how to fly—but we were flying anyhow. We kept fooling around with the Silly Symphonies until we came up with The Three Little Pigs. I could not possibly see how we could top pigs with pigs. But we tried, and I doubt whether one member of this audience can name the other cartoons in which the pigs appeared.”

– Walt Disney, “Showman of the World” acceptance speech, 1966

Walt Disney had heard it before with the advent of his Silly Symphonies. “People don’t want this. MORE MICE.” Although Mickey was a runaway success, Walt didn’t rest on that one character, and pushed forward with his Symphony series; once again, he proved he knew what would entertain the public. Despite the success of “The Three Little Pigs,” Walt felt that a sequel to an adapted fairy tale was not the path he wanted to take. In fact, when the New York Times ran a “Gleanings From Studios” article in June of 1934, they were quick to note that while there were two new stars (Peter Pig and Donald Duck) introduced in the latest Symphony, “The Wise Little Hen”: “Mr. Pig is not related to the Three Little Pigs.” Despite the attempt to distance itself, given the comparative popularity of the two new characters, Walt was right: You can’t top pigs with pigs. However, a temperamental duck has serious staying power.

Never too busy to sing and dance, Donald's bellyache prevented him from helping plant the corn. Oh, Donald....

In the same J une 3rd issue that heralded the arrival of Mr. Pig and Mr. Duck, The New York Times also ran an extensive piece on Walt Disney, his achievements, and work ethic. Titled, “Now Mickey Mouse Enters Art’s Temple: He and Minnie Are Acclaimed as Classics by the Learned, but Walt Disney Creates Them With the Aid of Careful Mathematical Calculations, and Is Intent Chiefly on Earning a Living,” the article talked about Walt and the company’s successes with Mickey and Minnie, as well as the Silly Symphonies.

This article is probably one of the first to give the public a good background story on Walt and the inner workings of the company. It is viewable in full with a subscription to the New York Times.

Tucked into t he article, was an explanation of Walt’s forward-thinking philosophy on production and quality. With this explanation came an announcement of something new coming from the Walt Disney Company:

“Disney is thinking much about his coming ‘Snow-White’ venture. He says: ‘We will continue to follow our rule to put every cent of profit back into the business, for we believe in the future and what it will earn for us. I don’t favor much commercialization. Most producers think it is better to get while the getting is good. We have not operated that way. Because we own our business we can dictate our policy. I am working toward longer films. We have made no profit from “Pigs” because of the expense of making prints to supply the demand. Besides, we sold it at the black-and-white rate, which is one-third that of color. We shall profit this year, though, for we shall get a higher rental for our films. We have been asked to make “Alice in Wonderland” with Mary Pickford. We have discouraged the idea, for we aren’t ready for a feature yet. A feature picture will take eighteen months to make. We are now working on such a story. We will use a full symphony orchestra and fine singers. It will probably cost a quarter of a million. We’ve got to be sure of it before we start, because if it isn’t good we will destroy it. If it is good, we shall make at least a million.”

Though the story had begun development at the studios a few months earlier, this was the first public announcement of such an advantageous idea: a feature full length cartoon! Immediately, many in the industry questioned if Walt and his team of animators, top-notch though they were, would be able to pull off such a feat. And a budget of a quarter million dollars would be sure to break the studio! Rumblings of “Disney’s Folly” had just begun, and such outsider misgivings would hang over the Walt Disney Company for the next few years as development continued.

Walt Disney and staff outside of the Disney Studio, 1934.

If there had been doubts among the staff at the studio, a meeting on October 30 ^th , 1934 would be responsible for changing their minds. After dinner, the staff assembled on the sound stage to listen as Walt said, “Let me tell you a story.” For the next three-plus hours, Walt told his story – the “Disney version” - of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, “Little Snow-White.” What exactly happened during that story telling session is lost to time, and no notes or records are retained from that meeting. According to film historian J.B. Kaufman, “Soon enough the studio would begin its practice of documenting every story conference in detail with a verbatim transcript, and scores of such transcripts would be generated during the years of work on Snow White.” Despite the lack of documents from that particular night, however Kaufman notes, “One thing is certain: Walt’s talk had a powerful effect on his listeners. In later years, their eyewitness accounts described the profound inspiration they drew from his performance.”

Following a musical blockbuster performance from “The Three Little Pigs” the previous year, Donald Duck gave performances in “The Wise Little Hen” and “Orphan’s Benefit” that would elevate his star power for years to come (Sorry, Mr. Peter Pig!). But the most important performance of the year would come from the founder of the Walt Disney Company, on a sound stage off-limits to the general public.

In just three short years though, the general public would discover the impact and end result of that performance. And the world of animation would once again never be the same.

1934

Walt Disney Studio begins early development of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
"The World Owes Me a Living" is heard in the Silly Symphony "The Grasshopper and the Ants," sung by Pinto Colvig, who would also become the voice of Goofy. "The World Owes Me a Living" would, interestingly enough, become Goofy's theme song, instrumentally introducing his early solo outings.
Donald Duck makes his debut in Silly Symphony "The Wise Little Hen."
"Snow White" is first mentioned to the public in New York Times article
Walt presents his vision and story of Snow White in his presentation to studio staff.

1934 Animated Releases:

Silly Symphonies - The China Shop - January 13

Mickey Mouse - Shanghaied - January 13

Mickey Mouse - Camping Out - February 17

Silly Symphonies - The Grasshopper and the Ants - February 24

Mickey Mouse - Playful Pluto - March 17

Silly Symphonies - Funny Little Bunnies - March 31

Silly Symphonies - The Big Bad Wolf - April 21

Mickey Mouse - Gulliver Mickey - May 19

Silly Symphonies - The Wise Little Hen - June 9

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Steam Roller - June 16

Silly Symphonies - The Flying Mouse - July 14

Mickey Mouse - Orphan's Benefit - August 11

Silly Symphonies - Peculiar Penguins - September 8

Mickey Mouse - Mickey Plays Papa - September 29

Silly Symphonies - The Goddess of Spring - November 3

Mickey Mouse - The Dognapper - November 10

Mickey Mouse - Two-Gun Mickey - December 29

<1933

Author's Note - For the second post in a row, I have mentioned the "Disney Version" of Disney's animated features based on fairy tales, folk tales, and fables. As stories are handed down from generation to generation, each iteration tells an altered story, adapted to fit the time period, cultural setting, and/or format in which it is being told. For a wonderful and concise original telling of many of these stories, I highly recommend C.W. Gross's " Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy: The Original Fairy Tales That Inspired Disney’s Classic Film s ," available on Amazon now. Along with the original versions of these tales, Gross also provides commentary before each one, inviting the reader to discover these stories anew. For fans of both originals and "Disney Versions," this compilation is a must-own!

1933 - Three Pigs, One Wolf, and a Storyteller

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:04:21 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

1933: The Walt Disney Company moves forward with innovations in animation. The technicolor vibrance of Silly Symphonies dazzles nationwide. Mickey Mouse remains as popular as ever, his face and likeness representing the company through various merchandising deals. At the same time, the country is in the midst of the Great Depression, leaving many jobless and penniless, facing harder times than many have ever known. Those who can scrape together a little cash often find escape in the occasional movie at their local theater, and laughs can often be found in the cartoons that precede the feature film. In 1933, one such cartoon shone through during these times – while not made as a direct answer to people’s ongoing woes and worries, it nonetheless provides both encouragement and entertainment for people in need of both.

A new Silly Symphony, The Three Little Pigs, based on the classic fairy tale of the same name, began production in 1932 for a 1933 release. Of course, the original tale involved two pigs, who, when their houses prove less-than windproof, become delicious pork dinners for a rather forceful and hungry wolf. When the third pig’s brick house turns out to be too much for the wolf’s gusty blows, the wolf tries to outsmart the third pig, climbing down the chimney, and… OOPS! – falls into a huge pot of boiling water. With ham off the menu, the third pig ends up with a gamey meal of boiled wolf, with, one assumes, leftovers for a few weeks. Of course, this overly violent and grotesque version of the tale probably wouldn’t translate into a comedic Disney cartoon, and some changes would need to be made to lighten the mood, along with sight gags and music. This resulted in one of the first uses of “The Disney Version,” revising a story to fit the audience, much like folk tales for years adapted to the times.

To tell the s tory a little further, I once again turned to the greatest storyteller I could find, Walt Disney himself:

“When I first started (making cartoons), I used public domain music, and then I started to use published music. I tried to make deals with the publishers for the use of their music. But they were so expensive I couldn’t afford it. So I had musicians, and I said, 'The heck with it. Why don’t we write our own music?' The musicians said, 'Why, sure. We’d love to.' So we started writing our own little tunes. And that led to writing The Three Little Pigs. The Three Little Pigs were written by a musician. And actually, there was no lyric writer to it. The lyrics were by all of us, myself included, working on the story. Ted Sears, who was still with me, wrote all the little couplets like 'I build my house with hay, I build my house with sticks…' The chorus of it was called 'The Big Old Wolf' but we said 'The Big Bad Wolf.' Well, 'The Big Bad Wolf' became a phrase. It was patterned after 'Happy Birthday to You…' Well, you know what the lyric is, 'Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to so and so, happy birthday.' So this is 'Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf? Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?' We didn’t know what to put at the end of it. One of the boys working for me, Pinto Colvig, used to help on the gags and things, and he played every kind of a little instrument. He could play these little tin fifes. We didn’t know what to put in there so we just put in his whistles because we didn’t have an ending.

Who's Afraid of the Tra-la-la-la-la?

"Before the Three Little Pigs, I did a Silly Symphony called Father Noah’s Ark. It was in color of course, with music. I had Father Noah, Mother Noah, all the sons, daughters and things, along with the ark and all the animals on the ark. And, it made an impression. It was fairly successful. Then, The Three Little Pigs followed. And in The Three Little Pigs, we just had three pigs and a wolf. On the production end, we were quite happy because we were able to make the personalities of these little things come across. Each one had a different personality. Well, the two gay little pigs; more or less a group personality as the two of them always worked together. And we had the sour little pig there. That’s what I was trying to do with the cartoon - bring more personality out of it. We were quite happy with the result. My brother Roy was in New York at the time and he took the picture out to preview in theaters. I happened to pass my brother’s office as his secretary was writing him a letter. I asked her if she was writing to Roy, and she said, yes. And I said, 'Well, just add a little note. Tell him we previewed The Three Little Pigs and I think we got something. Their personalities really come across.' The print was on its way back to New York. While Roy was meeting with the distribution group, he told them, he said, 'Just heard from Walt and he thinks he’s got something in this Three Little Pigs - he’s very excited about it.'

"So, they were anxiously awaiting it. They went in the projection room, and on came Three Little Pigs. It was a cold projection room reception with only the fellows that sell it… and nobody in there that was really an audience except this one fellow…Hal Horne. Hal was the head of exploitation for United Artists. When it was over with, there was kind of silence, and the head of distribution for United Artists turned to my brother and said, 'That’s a cheater.' Roy said, 'What do you mean, a cheater?' He said, 'Walt’s cutting down on characters.' Father Noah’s Ark had all the animals in the Ark and everybody, you see. But Hal Horne spoke up - which just proves again that he was a great showman - and said, 'That’s the greatest thing Walt’s ever done, what do you mean a cheater?' Of course, they still weren’t impressed. But when it came out, it was a sensation. It hit at a psychological moment, in 1933, when everybody actually had a Big Bad Wolf at their door. It wasn’t intentional on our part, we just took it and made it as a subject!”

While it may not have been intentional, “The Three Little Pigs” was a runaway success. And although in Walt’s own words, Disney “just took it and made it as a subject,” it was once again clear that Walt not only had a keen knowledge for what the public wanted to see, he had the staff to do it. “The Three Little Pigs” won an Academy Award that year for best short animated film, and outlasted the movies it was showing in front of! As Roy O. Disney would remember in the late 60’s, “It just got very, very popular. Theaters held it for a long time and played it over and over. There was a theater in New York that ran it so long, they had a picture of the three little pigs out in front and gradually they put whiskers on them, and the longer they stayed there the longer the whiskers got.”

“Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf,” credited to Frank Churchill became Disney’s first big song hit. In a time of depression, when many felt the proverbial wolf in many aspects of life, the song became a rallying cry, encouraging that hard work ethics and steadfastness would eventually defeat the “big bad” that had been hanging around so many doors.

For Walt, though, perhaps the biggest success of all was the idea that, in presenting different work ethics in the different pigs, he and his animators had achieved true personality in the cartoon medium. It may have been the first time he felt that personality was truly relayed, but personality in animation would be a driving factor and signature style for the Walt Disney Company from that point on.

1933

Silly Symphony, “The Three Little Pigs” debuts on May 25 ^th
Three Little Pigs wins Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
Frank Churchill’s “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” becomes a best-selling single, becoming an anthem of sorts for many during The Great Depression

1933 Animated Releases:

Mickey Mouse - The Mad Doctor - January 20

Silly Symphonies - Father Noah's Ark - January 27

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Pal Pluto - February 10

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Mellerdrammer - March 3

Mickey Mouse - Ye Olden Days - March 24

Silly Symphonies - The Three Little Pigs - May 26

Mickey Mouse - The Mail Pilot - June 5

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Mechanical Man - June 9

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Gala Premier - June 30

Silly Symphonies - Old King Cole - July 27

Mickey Mouse - Puppy Love - August 14

Silly Symphonies - Lullaby Land - August 18

Mickey Mouse - The Steeple Chase - September 1

Mickey Mouse - The Pet Store - September 22

Silly Symphonies - The Pied Piper - October 6

Mickey Mouse - Giantland - November 15

Silly Symphonies - The Night Before Christmas - December 15

<1932

1932 - Now In Technicolor!

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 19:48:53 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

After less-than-stellar distribution deals with Charles Mintz and Pat Powers, Walt and Roy O. Disney felt that a contract with a more established studio such as Columbia Pictures would give them more solid ground to stand on, helping them to improve both the quality and financial standing of the Disney Studios. However, Columbia had put a large amount of money in a defense fund should Powers ever attempt to sue over the rights to Mickey Mouse distribution (as he had threatened), and the bottom line came down to the fact that proceeds from Mickey shorts were non-existent by the time Columbia had taken their share. Despite the huge success of both Mickey and the Silly Symphonies, the Walt Disney Company was still struggling to turn a profit. When Roy proposed a new contract to Columbia, asking for a fifteen-thousand-dollar advance for each short, the movie studio turned them down flat. Ever the deal maker and finance seeker that he would continue to be for years to come, Roy sought out a new distribution deal.

That new deal was found with United Artists. UA president Joseph Schneck not only offered Disney their advance asking price per cartoon, he sold them on the idea of United Artists being exactly the partner they had been looking for. “You are producers,” he told Walt and Roy. “We are a company of producers. We will sell your cartoons on their own (Columbia had been selling Disney cartoons in bundles with other companies’ cartoons as ‘loss leaders’ in order to unload less profitable product.). We don’t sell any other shorts, so your product won’t be released with a bunch of others in block-booking. We’ll give you fifteen thousand dollars advance on each cartoon. We also have a close connection with the Bank of America, and we can help you get financing,” Beyond being a better business deal, Walt also was attracted to the offer due to the prestige of United Artists. To be in league with some of the biggest stars of their day – Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and of course Charlie Chaplin (Who, according to biographer Bob Thomas, reaffirmed Walt in his belief that he needed to be the owner of all of his pictures) – showed that Disney was a major presence in the elite of Hollywood.

Note the wording on the title card. United Artists was less interested in the Silly Symphonies, but "Mickey Mouse Presents" was a great compromise and calling card.

Now Walt was ready to take another huge step in the world of animation.

Herbert Kalmus, co-founder and president of Technicolor, Inc., wanted to bring the company’s new three-strip Technicolor camera into the film industry for testing, and felt that the animation field was the best place to start before introducing the technology to the motion picture industries. Walt became instantly smitten with the idea; Roy took convincing. As would be a repetitive scenario for the brothers, Roy argued cost – in this case, the company had just entered into a new deal with United Artists. To start off on an expensive venture could spell financial ruin. They couldn’t just ask for even more money off the bat, and the process of filming in color was a risky gamble – Roy wasn’t even sure the colored paint would adhere to the celluloid! Walt, as usual was undeterred, convinced that’s color was the wave of the future and that, even if it cost everything they had, the end process would be so spectacular that not only would income flow, but the Silly Symphonies would gain new life beyond that of the “step-sister” to the more successful Mickey shorts. In a sheer move of genius, Walt convinced Technicolor to agree to a two-year exclusivity deal for the three-strip process.

“Flowers and Trees” was already in progress as a black-and-white Silly Symphony, but also seemed like the perfect place to introduce technicolor. The process was painstaking, time consuming, and costly. Roy had been right about his fears of paint chipping, but Walt worked with his animators and laboratory technicians to develop an adhering paint for the process. A new camera stand was constructed in order to photograph the cels in color. Pouring all finances into the project, “Flowers and Trees” could have been the venture that stopped the studio from, pardon the pun, blooming further.

Flowers and Trees and Rainbows - Oh My!

After a few scenes had been completed, Walt took about a minute’s worth of footage to magazine publisher Rob Wagner. What Wagner saw was enough for him to invite Sid Grauman to see these test scenes. Upon viewing, Grauman immediately requested that he be able to release “Flowers and Trees” at his Grauman’s Chinese Theater as an opening to the newest Clark Gable and Norma Shearer film, “Strange Interlude.” In order to meet the release date, Walt had his animators work rapidly on the process, readying it ahead of schedule for a July 1932 debut.

Walt’s foresight, as it had been with sound cartoons, was once again right. The short was a huge success, shining bright colors for the moviegoing world to see. Colors on a screen that had, up until now, shown shades of black, white, and gray, were shining with the green tops of trees and fiery reds and oranges of fire against a blue sky. It’s easy to look back now and see how important the advent of color on film had been, but to filmgoers experiencing it for the first time, it had to be nothing short of jaw-dropping. “Flowers and Trees” breathed new life into the Silly Symphonies – demand for “Flowers and Trees” was equaling that of a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Fans and critics alike were wowed, and the film was rewarded with the first ever Academy Award for Best Animated Short Subject.

That Dippy guy looks a little goofy if you ask me....

Of course, Mi ckey was still as popular as ever. His short films drew in audiences, and with the addition of a “Dippy Dawg,” the stable of recurring characters grew. Mickey’s star power also brought Walt an honorary 1932 Oscar for his creation, making Walt a double winner that year. He also was the studio’s shining merchandising star, and in 1932, Disney signed a contract with Herman (Kay) Kamen to represent the company in its merchandise dealings. One of the first dealings in this partnership was an order of ten million Mickey Mouse ice cream cones, but it wouldn’t be the last. In the coming years, Mickey would become recognized for being the little mouse that could, with deals that pulled companies such as Lionel (Toy Trains) and the Ingersoll watch company out of bankruptcy or dissolvement.

The Lionel Mickey Mouse Hand Car, which almost single-handedly pulled Lionel out of bankruptcy in 1934.

In an era of The Great Depression, his star was shining and giving hope. Little did anyone know that the following year would bring another beacon of hope in the depression, or at least a wonderful theme song…

1932

United Artists begins distributing animated shorts
Disney signs contract with Herman "Kay" Kamen to represent Disney in merchandise dealings.
Silly Symphony short “Flowers and Trees” debuts as first full-color cartoon.
“Flowers and Trees” wins Academy Award in brand new category of Best Short Subject, Cartoon
Walt wins honorary Academy Award for the creation of Mickey Mouse
Goofy Debuts as “Dippy Dawg” in “Mickey’s Revue” (May 27)

1932 Animated Releases:

Silly Symphonies - The Bird Store - January 16

Mickey Mouse - The Duck Hunt - January 28

Mickey Mouse - The Grocery Boy - February 3

Mickey Mouse - The Mad Dog - March 5

Mickey Mouse - Barnyard Olympics - April 18

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Revue - May 27

Mickey Mouse - Musical Farmer - July 11

Silly Symphonies - The Bears and Bees - July 15

Mickey Mouse - Mickey in Arabia - July 20

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Nightmare - August 8

Silly Symphonies - Just Dogs - August 12

Mickey Mouse - Trader Mickey - August 26

Silly Symphonies - Flowers and Trees - September 9

Mickey Mouse - The Whoopee Party - September 16

Silly Symphonies - Bugs in Love - September 21

Silly Symphonies - King Neptune - October 7

Mickey Mouse - Touchdown Mickey - October 7

Mickey Mouse - The Wayward Canary - October 28

Mickey Mouse - The Klondike Kid - November 18

Silly Symphonies - Babes in the Woods - December 2

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Good Deed - December 9

Mickey Mouse - Building a Building - December 20

Silly Symphonies - Santa's Workshop - December 30

Silly Symphonies - Birds in the Spring - December 30

<1931

1931 - Character Development

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 00:00:06 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

“By 1931, the Mickey Mouse Club had a million members, and Mickey was known in every civilized country of the world. Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., ingratiated himself to Polynesian natives by showing them Mickey Mouse cartoons, and Mary Pickford declared Mickey her favorite star. In London, Madam Tussaud’s museum enshrined Mickey in wax. Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt write to Walt from the White House: ‘My husband is one of the devotees of Mickey Mouse… Please believe that we are all of us most grateful to you for many delightful evenings.’ “ – Bob Thomas, Walt Disney: An American Original

Mickey was the star of not just the Walt Disney Company, but the world, as it seemed. With Mickey, of course, was Minnie, by his side, sharing in his adventures. Adventures that often pitted the two against Pete the Cat, a recurring foil for Mickey. Clarabelle Cow had made a few appearances, as had Horace Horsecollar. Through the adventures of one Mouse, Disney had been building a stable of characters. Of course, they didn’t always start out as the characters they became, such as the evolution of Pete - from a Bear in Alice Comedies to a brute of a boss cat in Steamboat Willie, development continued.

One of these character developments started in 1930, but didn’t become the character we know and love today until 1931. Walt told the story: “We were doing a short with Mickey Mouse. I think it was called THE CHAIN GANG—where he escaped from prison and they sent the hounds after him. And one of these hounds—we were foolin’ around with this hound—it was on the trail of this… runaway mouse, and we…out of that came this friendly hound character. And from there on we said, ‘Well, we can use him.’ And before we knew it, we had him in as Mickey’s pal. Oh, we had changed him a little bit form the hound, but that’s how it started.“ This “friendly hound” would next be seen in “The Picnic,” but as Minnie’s dog, Rover.

Random Dog, no resemblance to anyone, in "The Chain Gang."

1931 saw Mick ey decide to go on a “Moose Hunt” and bring along his trusty dog, Pluto. Pluto was the name that finally stayed with him, much like Pluto the Pup would stay by Mickey’s side from that point on. But why the name Pluto? While there’s been lots of speculation (the Planet? The Greek God?), the answer from animator Ben Sharpsteen is one that stands out. “"We thought the name [Rover] was too common, so we had to look for something else,” Sharpsteen recalled. “We changed it to Pluto the Pup ... but I don't honestly remember why.” Regardless of reason, the name Pluto stuck with him, and the character of this loyal friend stuck in the hearts of fans worldwide.

Mickey and Pluto the Pup, finding what they were looking for in "The Moose Hunt."

Toward the en d of 1931, the company faced another character development, one on a much more different and personal level. Years of total work immersion, along with the stress of running a company with all of its business dealings and staffing issues had begun to take its toll on Walt. Yes, Mickey was a success, but the financial troubles that had plagued the company as they had with Charles Mintz and Pat Powers were still prominent with his new distribution partner, Columbia Pictures. With times tight and work demands increasing, Walt suffered a nervous breakdown.

While maybe not behind a drawing board as much, Walt was understandably the epitome of all work and no play.

As he put it in an interview with Pete Martin, “In 1931, I had a hell of a breakdown. I went all to pieces. As we got going along, I kept expecting more from the artists, and when they let me down, I got worried. Just pound, pound, pound. Costs were going up, and I was always way over what they figured the pictures would bring in. I just got very irritable. I got to the point that I couldn’t talk on the telephone. I just began to cry at the least little thing. It used to be hard to sleep. It was an emotional thing, so I had to go away. I just finished a picture that I was so sick of. Oh gosh, I was so sick of it! I went to a doctor, and he said, ‘You’ve just got to get away, that’s all there is to it. I can’t do anything for you.’ “

The truth was, if Walt didn’t take a break, things were only going to get worse. Taking the doctors advice, along with encouragement from Roy, Walt and Lilian took a long vacation to travel the world. They traveled to Washington DC to visit multiple monuments (and turned down a chance to meet President Hoover, as Walt thought Hoover was much to busy for something like that!), took a train to Key West, cruised to Cuba, and then traveled through the Panama Canal before returning to California and the studios before the year was up. According to Bob Thomas, Walt returned to the studio relaxed, especially refreshed by the last leg of his trip.

Walt during his visit to Cuba in 1931. Forget the Mona Lisa, what's behind THAT grin?

More mindful of his own health, both physically and mentally, Walt was ready to get back to work.

Author’s note: I often stand in awe of Walt Disney because of stories like the one shared above. While it’s easy to place the man on a pedestal as a “magic maker” and a “dreamer who made dreams come true” (and let’s face it – there are many myths about him perpetuated based on these views), I love to hear about these very real moments. Not many can relate to growing up in small town Marceline, or creating a mouse character on a train ride home. But how many of us can say we’re let stress get the best of us, have become irritable, and have just plain broken down? While “I had a hell of a breakdown” may not be a Walt quote that appears on coffee mugs, it’s an important reminder to all of us that he had very real struggles. He had to take a step back, take a break, and remember to take care of himself. If he had not, the story could have very well ended with Mickey, Minnie, Pete, Clarabelle, Horace, and Pluto. There wouldn’t be much “magic” left in him. When we look at all of his successes, it’s a reminder for us that above all else, he was human.

And that humanity is character that I truly admire.

1931

“The Adventures of Mickey Mouse,” he first published hardback Disney book, is released by the David McKay Company.
Mickey’s Dog gets a name – Pluto – in “The Moose Hunt.”
Walt Disney suffers a nervous breakdown.

1931 Animated Releases:

Mickey Mouse - The Birthday Party - January 6

Silly Symphonies - Birds of a Feather - February 4

Mickey Mouse - Traffic Troubles - March 14

Mickey Mouse - The Castaway - April 6

Silly Symphonies - Mother Goose Melodies - April 17

Mickey Mouse - The Moose Hunt - May 8

Silly Symphonies - The China Plate - May 25

Mickey Mouse - The Delivery Boy - June 15

Silly Symphonies - The Busy Beavers - June 27

Mickey Mouse - Mickey Steps Out - July 16

Silly Symphonies - The Cat's Out - July 28

Mickey Mouse - Blue Rhythm - August 18

Silly Symphonies - Egyptian Melodies - August 27

Mickey Mouse - Fishin' Around - September 14

Silly Symphonies - The Clock Store - September 30

Mickey Mouse - The Barnyard Broadcast - October 9

Silly Symphonies - The Spider and the Fly - October 16

Mickey Mouse - The Beach Party - November 4

Silly Symphonies - The Fox Hunt - November 18

Mickey Mouse - Mickey Cuts Up - December 2

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Orphans - December 9

Silly Symphonies - The Ugly Duckling - December 19

<1930

1930 - Losses and Gains in a Pivotal Year

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 13:26:50 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

Previously on “The Walt Disney Company – 100 Years in 100 Weeks:”

After weeks with no pay being sent from Powers, Roy Disney headed to New York to straighten out finances and figure where their share of the profits from the Mickey shorts were going. But getting a straight answer out of Powers proved near impossible for Roy, who returned home discouraged. “That guy’s a crook,” he told Walt in late 1929. “Go back there and see for yourself.” Walt made plans to do just that, feeling confident he could get things settled quickly. After all, he had two successful series and a top animator in Ub Iwerks – what could possibly go wrong?

In January of 1930, Walter Elias Disney was about to find out exactly what could go wrong.

Accompanied by Lillian and Disney Studio legal counsel Gunther Lessing, Walt traveled to New York to meet with Powers; it was time to get a straight answer as to where money from the Mickey Mouse cartoon was going. The answer would prove difficult to obtain. Powers had long had a reputation of obscuring the truth and refusing to show his actual records – in 1912 he went as far as to throw financial records out the window during a power struggle with the head of Universal, Carl Lamelle. Roy found no change in behavior during his visit to Powers in late 1929; Walt, even with legal counsel in tow, would have the same issue.

Powers insisted his sole priority was in selling his Cinephone sound system, but in actuality, he saw the Disney cartoons for the cash cow they were. To lose Mickey would be the loss of income and an ingenious use of Cinephone. However, before any contract was to be discussed, Walt insisted on seeing receipts of Power’s dealings with theater owners over Mickey screenings. Powers had no interest in doing this. He had a different negotiating tactic in mind – a telegram.

In this telegram were words Walt had never thought he would see – Ub Iwerks, his head animator, twenty percent owner of The Walt Disney Company, had been signed to a contract with Powers to produce a new cartoon series of his own. If Walt and Roy were to keep working with Ub, they would need to work with Powers, under HIS terms. Walt was in disbelief. According to Walt biographer Bob Thomas, “Walt was stunned. Walt and Ub had grown up together in the animation business. They worked side by side for long nights to make successes of Alice, of Oswald, and Mickey. Ub had invested part of his salary in the company, and Walt and Roy had made him a 20-percent owner and an officer of the firm.”

In response to the offer from Powers, Walt was firm. “No. I wouldn’t want him (Iwerks). If he feels that way, I couldn’t work with him.”

Ub Iwerks would go on to find some modest success with MGM and his new creation, "Flip the Frog." Note the use of Pat Powers' Cinephone System still in place.

Walt may have been stunned, but had he received the telegram Roy had sent him the day before, he wouldn’t have walked into his meeting with Powers blind. “Ubbe resigns effective soon as possible,” Roy had sent. “Wants to leave at completion of this picture. Will hold him as long as possible. Gives his reasons personal difference with you, admits other connections. Declines to say where or what. (Side note: In fairness to Iwerks, he was not actually aware his new deal was worked with Powers involved – he had been dealing with one of his “henchmen” on the west coast, not Powers directly.) Will get full release from all possible claims. Will consult attorney on same. Our talk was limited. He has not yet given any views on what he expects. I will deal with for settlement on two basis: preferably outright amount or agreement of sharing interest on profits of pictures to date. Suggest stop all publicity immediately on Ubbes’s name. (Ub had been listed on the credits as animator of these Mickey shorts – his name had grown in the industry, synonymous with the success of Mickey.) Feel that sooner we have definite release from him the better.”

As mentioned in previously, there had been growing tension between Ub and Walt during production of the Skeleton Dance. In addition to Walt feeling Ub was being wasted in in-betweens, there was also a difference of opinion on the process of Ub’s animation itself – something he took very personally.

In Leslie Iwerk’s autobiography of her grandfather, she notes that Walt would rewrite the timing of Ub’s exposure sheets when he wasn’t around, in order to change the timing of the animation. Animator Mark Kausler explained, “Timing is very sacred to an animator because it’s such an integral part. It’s not just drawings… The rate of exposure is very important to get the effects across that an animator wants.”

And Walt was changing that timing. According to Leslie Iwerks, “Ub confronted Walt. ‘Don’t you ever touch my drawings!’ he demanded. ‘These are my drawings and this is how I solve the problems, keep your hands off them!’ ” It was about the respect as an animator Ub felt he deserved, and a need for independence to run things the way he saw fit. It was time, in his eyes, to move on, no matter the cost.

And the cost? A dissolvement of Ub’s contract with Disney and a payout of a whopping $2,920 for his one-fifth interest in the company (One shudders at the thought of how much 1/5 ^th of The Walt Disney Company would be worth today!).

As to the other part of Roy’s telegram, the part that mentioned removing Ub’s name from all publicity? Ub had been listed as the animator in the credits of the Mickey Shorts and Silly Symphonies. While the company bore Walt’s name, within the industry, the name Ub Iwerks was synonymous with the success of these shorts. Losing him was seen as a huge blow to the company, one that left many unsure of the company’s future – even within the company itself. Studio music head Carl Stalling was one of those skeptics. “When Ub left, I knew something was wrong,” he recalled. “When Roy Disney told me that Ub was leaving, I told him, ‘Well, I guess I’ll be leaving too.’ We were getting worried… and I had a home and expenses.”

Not all shared this outlook, and many stayed at the studio to continue their work within the company to make sure Mickey, the Silly Symphonies, and any new projects that Walt might put into the works were able to continue.

Title card for "The Shindig," Released under the Columbia label.

And at least Walt still owned Mickey. He did, however, need to find a new distributor, and there was the matter of the already made Mickey shorts that Pat Powers had distributed. After considering options, the Disney brothers decided their best bet (Or quickest headache relief) was to cut ties with Powers, pay him a requested fee of over $100,000 for the rights to the first twenty-three Mickey Mouse cartoons, and seek out a new distributor. Although Powers threatened to sue any movie house that would agree to a new Disney deal, the company found sanctuary in Columbia Pictures; at the urging of director Frank Capra, studio head Harry Cohn offered a new distribution deal along with a “War Fund” of $25,000 to combat any Pat Powers opposition.

Actually, Mickey had the "best shorts."

Still, despite the new contract and the worldwide success of their “head cheese,” money was tight – cost of production along with money paid to obtain rights to the original Mickey shorts did not allow for much actual income for the studio. One form of income did come, however, in a different form.

As Walt would remember, “Right after Mickey Mouse hit, I was in New York and we needed money. A fellow kept hanging around the hotel with three hundred dollars cash waving at me, and I finally signed a deal to put Mickey Mouse on these big cheap (writing) tablet type of things. It was the first deal ever signed.”

Mickey writing tablet from 1930 - Wouldn't we all love to get our hands on one of these now?

In February of 1930, realizing the appeal and potential for success, Roy signed a contract with the George Borgfeldt company in New York for production of Mickey and Minnie Mouse toys. A month later, Walt proposed a series of books on animals that featured Mickey Mouse to the Buzza Company of Minneapolis. King Features had begun running a daily comic strip on January 13 of the same year with great success. Mickey Mouse Clubs were meeting in theaters for Saturday morning matinees. The Mickey craze was running wild. The loss of an amazing animator had hurt. The financial toll from mismanaged distribution deals had caused a financial wound. But the success in the theaters, the recognizable face on merchandise, and the insatiable demand from the public made one thing clear:

Mickey Mouse wasn’t going anywhere.

A meeting of the Saturday morning matinee Mickey Mouse Club. Not scare inducing at all.

1930

Mickey Mouse comic strips begin circulation January 13 ^th
Ub Iwerks leaves Disney to open The Iwerks Studio – last short for the company is Mickey Mouse “The Cactus Kid.”
Columbia Pictures begins distribution of film shorts
Mickey’s Dog debuts in “The Chain Gang on September 5 ^th

^{1930 Animated Releases:}

Silly Symphonies - Summer - January 16

Silly Symphonies - Autumn - February 13

Mickey Mouse - The Barnyard Concert - March 3

Silly Symphonies - Cannibal Capers - March 13

Mickey Mouse - Fiddling Around - March 14

Mickey Mouse - The Cactus Kid - April 11

Silly Symphonies - Frolicking Fish - May 8

Silly Symphonies - Arctic Antics - June 5

Mickey Mouse - The Fire Fighters - June 11

Silly Symphonies - Midnight in a Toy Shop - July 3

Mickey Mouse - The Shindig - July 9

Silly Symphonies - Night - July 31

Mickey Mouse - The Chain Gang - August 6

Silly Symphonies - Monkey Melodies - August 10

Mickey Mouse - The Picnic - October 1

Mickey Mouse - The Gorilla Mystery - October 10

Silly Symphonies - Winter - October 30

Mickey Mouse - Pioneer Days - December 10

Silly Symphonies - Playful Pan - December 28

<1929

1929 - More Mice, and Silly Spooks That Dance

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 21:00:48 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

With his debut in Steamboat Willie at the end of 1928, Mickey Mouse was an instant success. Both critics and the public alike fell in love with the plucky little rodent, his girlfriend Minnie, and their adventures. With positive reviews came calls from film companies, looking for distribution deals. However, having learned his lesson from the loss of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to Universal, Walt found these deals unappealing. While studios were eager to distribute the film, they were more eager to make Mickey their own. They offered Walt weekly wages and healthy contracts, but only under the condition of owning the rights. “No deal,” said Walt. Cinephone salesman Pat Powers encouraged Walt to stay independent, and stick with him for distribution. According to Walt Disney biographer Bob Thomas, Powers told Walt, “I want to promote Cinephone. That’s my only interest: promoting Cinephone. Your Mickey Mouse can do it for me. I’ll make you a better deal than any of the majors.” Offering to sell cartoon rights to theater owners in each state, Powers promised Walt advances for the Mickey cartoons, and said he would only keep 10% of the profits for himself.

1929's "The Barn Dance" also marked the debut of Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar, two mainstays in early Mickey cartoons. Clarabelle was udderly mooving...

Of course, what Walt failed to realize was that the contract he signed with powers also included a ten-year lease of the Cinephone sound equipment at $26,000 a year. Roy pointed this out to Walt, wondering how, regardless of the success of their new favorite mouse, they would ever manage to turn a profit between the lease and growing expenses of each Mickey short. Walt’s reply? “What the hell. I needed the equipment.” (Roy, ever the businessman, actually found a way to help in this predicament. Part of the Powers deal included two sound trucks – Roy would rent them out to “five-day movie” producers, who could not afford the prices of the more commercially known sound companies. This was not the first time, nor would it be the last, that Roy’s prowess would prove invaluable to the Walt Disney Company.)

One of Disney's (Powers) Cinephone recording trucks, on the set of "She Goes to War," 4/29

He found that idea from his music director, Carl Stalling. Carl suggested a different cartoon – one set solely to music, and one without the studio’s beloved mouse. Stalling asked Walt to consider a “graveyard frolic,” an animation set to Edvard Grieg’s “March of the Trolls.” Walt took Stalling’s idea to his head animator, Ubbe “Ub” Iwerks, and together they worked out a storyline of skeletons rising from heir graves and letting loose with a little spooky fun. Ub set to work, animating the feature almost entirely solely. (Side note – this was actually a point of contention between Walt and Ub. Ub was the chief animator, and Walt felt his time was way to valuable to do all of the “in-between” animations. Ub, on the other hand, took great pride in his detail, one of the reasons his work was so highly regarded.)

Walt DIsney and Ubbe "Ub" Iwerks, with Mickey Mouse.

During the sc oring session in New York, in which Stalling recorded his own score inspired by both the Grieg piece and Saint-Saëns’ “Dance Macabre,” Walt was encouraged, writing Iwerks back in California. “I am glad the spook dance is progressing so nicely – give her Hell, Ubbe – make it funny and I am sure we will be able to place it in a good way. I have them all worked up and raring to see it – so we can’t disappoint them – we have a wonderful score to it. The music sounds like a little symphony.”

Of course, this “little symphony” was to become the first in the Silly Symphonies series, “The Skeleton Dance.”

One person who was not worked up by the new series was Walt’s New York distributor, Pat Powers. Upon receiving a print to screen for potential customers, his response to Walt was short and pointed: “They don’t want this. MORE MICE.”

Undeterred, Walt knew what he had on his hands was something that the public would love – he just had to have the opportunity to show them. Walt arranged for Fred Miller, the owner of the Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles, to screen the short. Miller loved the new concept and booked The Skeleton Dance into his theater with overwhelmingly positive results and reviews. The public and press alike were enthralled and tickled by the macabre musical scene, as skeletons romped and danced through the graveyard, even using each other as musical instruments!

The short mad e a lasting impression on one young theatergoer. Recalled science-fiction author and icon Ray Bradbury, “All of my life I always knew I was going to end up with Walt Disney, one way or another. When I was 7, I went to the movies and saw ‘The Skeleton Dance,’ it was a matinee. I stayed through the film, a dreadful film, probably something with Adolphe Menjou and lots of mush, you know. But I stayed through to see ‘The Skeleton Dance’ so many times that my father had to come and drag me out of the theater. When I came to Los Angeles, many years later, and went to the county museum (L.A. County Museum’s “Retrospective Exhibition of the Walt Disney Medium,” which covered Disney artistry from Steamboat Willie to Fantasia), there were cels, celluloid cels, of ‘The Skeleton Dance.’ I said, ‘Oh my god, I would give my life to someday own some of these cartoon cels."

Walt used the positivity from the screenings and reviews to convince Powers of its marketability – he proved once again that he knew his audience well. The Silly Symphonies were a hit. Mickey was taking off even more – “Mickey Mouse Clubs” were popping up in movie theaters across the country – Mickey was a national treasure. Surely this spelled almost certain financial success for the Walt Disney Company…

At least it might have if Walt received any actual pay from Pat Powers.

1929

Mickey (Voiced by Walt) speaks for the first time in “Karnival Kid” (July 31) – First words are “Hot dog!”
Debuts of Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar
“The Skeleton Dance” – The first Silly Symphony – Premieres on August 22
The Walt Disney Studio renames “Walt Disney Productions, Ltd,” along with the forming of Walt Disney Enterprises and Disney Film Recording Company.

1929 Animated Releases:

Mickey Mouse - The Barn Dance - March 14

Mickey Mouse - Plane Crazy - March 17

Mickey Mouse - The Opry House - March 28

Mickey Mouse - When the Cat's Away - May 3

Mickey Mouse - The Barnyard Battle - June 2

Mickey Mouse - The Plowboy - June 28

Mickey Mouse - The Karnival Kid - July 31

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Follies - August 28

Silly Symphonies - The Skeleton Dance - August 29

Silly Symphonies - El Terrible Toreador - September 26

Mickey Mouse - Mickey's Choo-Choo - October 1

Mickey Mouse - The Jazz Fool - October 15

Silly Symphonies - Springtime - October 24

Silly Symphonies - Hell's Bells - November 21

Mickey Mouse - Jungle Rhythm - November 15

Mickey Mouse - The Haunted House - December 2

Silly Symphonies - The Merry Dwarfs - December 19

Mickey Mouse - Wild Waves - December 21st

<1928 1930>

1928 - A Story of Mice and Men, As Told by Walt Disney

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 04:04:26 GMT

by Walt Disney, notes and edits by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

With the success of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney entered 1928 feeling rather confident about a contract extension for more shorts. A trip to New York, however, proved otherwise - Charle's Mintz had managed to go behind Walt's back to hire away almost all of his staff (Ub Iwerks had warned Walt of this being a possibility, but he himself remained loyal to the Disney brothers and the studio), and offered Walt a cut in pay for product delivered instead. What was soon to follow has become the stuff of legend within the Disney company itself. Although not in any way, shape, or form a complete detail of what happened during or after those fateful New York meetings, I felt it best to let Walt Disney tell the story himself this week. What follows is a compilation of quotes and interviews with Walt, edited together to tell the tale of the creation of a legend. While the story may be pieced together from multiple sources, I chose not to insert any of my own words, and instead, let Walt do the talking for himself.

With that being said, take it away, Walt!

Mickey Mouse, to me, is the symbol of independence. He was a means to an end. I had been doing a rabbit. It was called “Oswald the Rabbit”’ I was contracting with a middleman (Charles Mintz) for my films and they were being released through Universal. And he was a rather unscrupulous character. He thought he could cut in and move in a little better. He had a right to the character. He took my staff behind my back. When I went back to negotiate the new deal he said, “You're gonna have to do 'em cheaper than you’re doin 'em, because I think I can do ‘em cheaper.” Then he told me, “I have your staff.” He thought he had me across the barrel, and I just walked on him. I said, “Well, you can take the staff." That's when I learned my lesson - from that time on, no middle man.

So I had to get a new character.

I was coming back after this meeting in New York, and Mrs. Disney was with me on the train. In those days, you know, three days from New York, and I said, “We’ve got to get a new character.” I’d fooled around a lot with little mice, and they were always cute characters, and they hadn’t been overdone in the pictures field—they’d been used, but never featured. So it was a mouse. And then the name came. I had Mortimer first and my wife shook her head and then I tried Mickey and she shook her head the other way and that was it. She was right. I like the name Mickey. Mickey has a sort of a… you feel you can be friendly with anyone named Mickey. He was the first cartoon character to express personality and to be constantly kept in character. I thought of him from the first as a distinct individual, not just a cartoon type or symbol going through comedy routine.

Original Ub Iwerks Drawing of Mickey Mouse, 1928

I wrote Ub an d Roy and told them, “I think it would be best to forget all about Universal and the lousy Oswalds. I’m not going to even think about Oswald. The hell with them. If we put Mickey over, Oswald will be a has-been. Let Charlie hang himself. We can lick them all with quality. Let’s have some really new gags.” I kept him away from stock symbols and situations. We exposed him in close-ups. Instead of speeding the cartoons, as was then the fashion, we were not afraid to slow down the tempo and let Mickey emote. We allowed audiences to get acquainted with him. To recognize him as a personage, motivated by character instead of situations.

Ub Iwerks, often referred to as "The Hand Behind the Mouse."

At first, it looked like he was going to have a harder time crashing show business than I had. Nobody wanted Mickey. Then, sound on film panicked the industry as Mickey Mouse entered our lives. Quite consciously, I had been preparing Mickey and his screen pals for the advent of sound. I'd made quite a few silent pictures prior to Steamboat Willie. It may seem a curious thing that even those in early films with their explanatory balloons, I had thought of them in terms of sound and speech and dreamed of the day when the voice would be synchronized with the silent action. But I felt sure it was coming. Our tempo and rhythm and general animation technique were already being adjusted so that sound could fit in readily when it came.

I ran into a fellow who had what they called at that time a sort of an “outlaw” sound equipment - it was not, properly licensed say by RCA. He had his own; he claimed he had patents and they claimed they were no good. The fellow was Pat Powers/ His equipment was called Cinephone. He just took me in with open arms, ‘Sure, you do it.” And I said, “Well, I wanna, I got this all worked out- ” “Ohh, I’ll help you on that, I’ll get you just the orchestra leader.”

Of course, sound had a very considerable effect on our treatment of Mickey Mouse. It gave his character a new dimension. It rounded him into complete life-likeness. And it carried us into a new phase of his development.

His first act ual screen appearance was at the old Colony Theater in New York in Steamboat Willie with its sound effects and cautious speech. A great exhibitor took a chance on Mickey. He was Harry Reichenbach, who managed the Old Colony Theatre on Broadway. We didn't yet have a release for Mickey, but Harry wanted to book him in the Colony regardless. At the time, we were in desperate need for $500. To put it briefly, everything owned by Roy and me was mortgaged to the hilt. So I asked Harry for $500 for exhibiting the first Mickey Mouse one week. I knew that the price was pretty steep. So did Harry. But fortunately for us, he said, "Let's compromise. I'll give you $250 a week—and run the cartoon for two weeks."

Mickey was a means to an end. He popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad twenty years ago on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when the business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner. Born of necessity, the little fellow literally freed us of immediate worry. He provided the means for expanding our organization to its present dimensions and for extending the medium of cartoon animation toward new entertainment levels.

I often find myself surprised at what has been said about our redoubtable little Mickey who was never really a mouse nor yet wholly a man, although always recognizably human, I hope. The psychoanalysts have probed him. Wise men of critical inclination have pondered him. Columnists have kidded him. Admirers have saluted him in extraordinary terms. The League of Nations gave him a special medal as a symbol of international good will…But all we ever intended for him or expected of him was that he should continue to make people everywhere chuckle with him and at him. We didn’t burden him with any social symbolism, we made him no mouthpiece for frustrations or harsh satire. Mickey was simply a little personality assigned to the purposes of laughter.

Of course, I hope we never lose sight of one thing – It was all started by a mouse.

1928

Walt loses the rights to Oswald along with almost all staff.
“Mickey Legend” is born with tale of train ride, Lillian’s suggestion, Ub Iwerks’ animation
Ub develops the first Mickey short in secret (staff was still finishing up "Oswald" shorts in studio) - Lillian and Edna Disney assist with ink & paint of "Plane Crazy" in Walt's garage.
Walt brings in Cinephone equipment at urging of Pat Powers in order to develop the first sound cartoon.
Steamboat Willie is released at NY Colony Theater on November 18, marking the first appearance of Mickey and Minnie Mouse along with the return of Pete the Cat.
Steamboat Willie is also first cartoon released with synchronized sound.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Releases in 1928 (Last Oswald Releases for Walt Disney Studio):

Harem Scarem - January 9, 1928

Neck 'n' Neck - January 23, 1928

The Ol' Swimmin' Hole - February 6, 1928

Africa Before Dark - February 20, 1928

Rival Romeos - March 5, 1928

Bright Lights - March 19, 1928

Sagebrush Sadie - April 1, 1928

Ride 'Em Plowboy - April 15, 1928

Ozzie of the Mounted - April 30, 1928

Hungry Hoboes - May 14, 1928

Oh, What a Knight - May 28, 1928

Poor Papa - June 11, 1928

The Fox Chase - June 25, 1928

Tall Timber - July 9, 1928

Sleigh Bells - July 23, 1928

High Up - August 6, 1928

Hot Dogs - August 20, 1928

The Sky Scrapper - September 3, 1928

Mickey Mouse Releases 1928:

Steamboat Willie - November 18, 1928

The Gallopin’ Gaucho - December 30, 1928

<1927 1929>

1927 - In Which the Studio Says So Long to a Wonderland and Hello to a Lucky Rabbit

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 22:53:06 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

Despite the contract signing for distribution the year before, it was becoming apparent that the Alice Comedies had run their course. The novelty of the live action little girl with her animated friends had become somewhat stale, especially in the eyes of distributor Charles Mintz. Walt still strived for quality in all he produced, but the focus of the shorts had shifted into the animated gag side of the spectrum, and it had become apparent that something new was needed.

"Alice in the Big League," featuring Lois Hardwick as Alice, was the last film in the Walt Disney Studio's "Alice's Wonderland" series. Photo compilation courtesy of TopDIsney Blog.

Mintz saw this “something new” in a request from Carl Laemmle, founder of Universal Pictures. In response and competition to popular animated characters such as Felix the Cat and Krazy Kat, Laemmle sought out the creation of a new character, a rabbit. At his wife’s urging, Mintz urged Walt for his studios to give the rabbit a try, but didn’t divulge Laemmle and Universal’s interest, only that a “national organization” was interested. After Walt accepted the suggestion, he had Ub Iwerks sketch out his version of this rabbit, and submitted the drawings to Mintz, who in turn presented them to Universal. Universal saw something in these drawings and approved the designs – only at this point did Mintz reveal Universal as the interested party. A contract with a major company like Universal was huge for a small studio such as Disney (Imagine that – Disney, a small studio…), and a contract the first Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon was soon approved.

How lucky was he? Well… not very much at first. In fact, the first submission to Universal, “Poor Papa,” was met with a less-than-pleasant reaction from Universal. From the Universal Film Exchange reviewing committee at Universal:

“(1) Approximately 100 feet of the opening is jerky in action due to poor animation. (2) There is too much repetition of action. Scenes are dragged out to such an extent that the cartoon is materially slowed down. (3) The Oswald being shown in this picture is far from being a funny character. He has no outstanding trait. Nothing would eventually become characteristic insofar as Oswald is concerned. (4) The picture is merely a succession of unrelated gags, there being not even a thread of story throughout its length.” The committee also pointed out that Oswald was “too old, too sloppy, too fat.”

Ouch.

Heeding these words, while remaining true to his vision and going to bat for his animator Iwerks (“… whom I am willing to put alongside any man in the business today.”), Walt set out to make the next animated Oswald feature. He and Ub would work side by side into the night to make Oswald more of a “neat and trim” character, more pleasing of an individual. They were careful to add substance and plot, but under Walt’s vision – not so much plot in a short subject that humor and gags were lost on the audience.

With Ub’s wonderful drawings and animation, Walt’s philosophies and ideas on animated characters were truly starting to shine though. In a letter to Mintz, Walt stated his belief, not just about Oswald, but in what would be a staple for so many Disney creations in the future. “I want to make Oswald have more personality and really create a likable character, and I believe that with a little time and patience on the time of you and Universal, that we will be able to develop a knockout series.” Walt knew true personality in a character would go a long way, and would continue to develop Oswald moving forward, not resting on what he had done. With addition of a new motor drive to his animation camera, the unevenness was showing less, and quality was improving.

The first Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Release: Trolley Troubles.

These changes made Oswald not only look better in the eyes of Mintz and Universal, the all-important trade papers took notice. “Trolley Troubles,” the first Oswald cartoon to be released for distribution, drew praise from publications such as Film Daily (“Oswald is a riot. This and the two following in the series you can book on pure faith, and our solemn word that they have the goods.”) and Moving Picture World (“The animation is good and the clever way in which Disney makes his creations simulate the gestures and expressions of human beings adds to the enjoyment. They should prove worthwhile attractions in any type of house”) helped sell the film to movie theaters. In turn, the Oswald shorts turned into a huge success for moviegoers, even creating the demand for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit merchandise. From chocolate covered marshmallow Oswalds to stencil sets, Oswald was a hit – although the Walt Disney Company did not receive any profit (remember, Oswald was actually the property of Universal), merchandising was great advertising, and Oswald was becoming more and more well known.

An Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Stencil Set - synergy from the get-go!

It was this s uccess that helped Walt hire more staff and continually be able improve the quality of his features through talent and technology. With the success of Oswald, Walt could see a more profitable future for the studio. And of course, when the contract for more Oswald cartoons came up for renewal in the next year, this success would translate into a bigger and better budget for the studios. What could possibly go wrong?

1927

Alice Comedies end with “Alice in the Big League” on August 22 ^nd .
In mid-April Lois Hardwick replaces Margie Gay as Alice.
Walt creates Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Charles Mintz (Winkler Pictures) signs contract with Universal Pictures for Oswald – Disney studio is brought in for design and animation, but ultimately does not own rights to Oswald.
First Oswald short is released September 5 ^th .

Alice's Wonderland Releases in 1927 - Note Replacement Date of New Actress

Alice the Golf Bug - January 10, 1927
Alice Foils the Pirates - January 24, 1927
Alice at the Carnival - February 10, 1927
Alice at the Rodeo - February 21, 1927
Alice the Collegiate - March 7, 1927
Alice in the Alps - March 21, 1927
Alice’s Auto Race - April 4, 1927
Alice’s Circus Daze - April 18, 1927 - First Lois Hardwick Feature
Alice’s Knaughty Knight - May 2, 1927
Alice’s Three Bad Eggs - May 16, 1927
Alice’s Picnic - May 30, 1927
Alice’s Channel Swim - June 13, 1927
Alice in the Klondike - June 27, 1927
Alice’s Medicine Show - July 11, 1927
Alice the Whaler - July 25, 1927
Alice the Beach Nut - August 8, 1927
Alice in the Big League - August 22, 1927

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Releases in 1927

Trolley Troubles - September 5, 1927
Oh Teacher - September 19, 1927
The Mechanical Cow - October 3, 1927
Great Guns! - October 17, 1927
All Wet - October 31, 1927
The Ocean Hop - November 14, 1927
The Banker's Daughter - November 28, 1927
Empty Socks - December 11, 1927
Rickety Gin - December 26, 1927

<1926 1928>

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - VIP Visits with Ray Spencer, Disney Imagineer, Part 2

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 18:00:02 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Join me the second part of my fascinating and inspiring talk with Tulgey Wood TV's latest VIP, Ray Spencer. Ray's Walt Disney Imagineering career spans 20 years, in which time he ultimately became Executive Creative Director responsible for many Disney Parks projects as well as the design of Disney hotels, shops, and restaurants. During the course of our visit, Ray reveals the creative strategy and design approach to the addition of Buena Vista Street, including the Carthay Circle Theatre and the Storyteller statue to Disney California Adventure, and more.

Who Made Me Buy Three Leg Lamps? – A closer look at “A Christmas Story”

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 15:42:27 GMT

by Brian M. Kunnari

Think about the last time you went one month without hearing the phrase “What happens here, stays here” applied to something or someone other than what it was meant for. I bet most of you can’t. This little marketing slogan for Las Vegas created in 2003 from the fine peeps at R&R Partners (spoiler alert, I worked there) has made its way into the coveted top mantle of pop culture. This highest shelf of nerdom that goes so high that it’s suddenly no longer nerdy but somehow, dare we say, nerdy ‘cool’ for the masses. A place where mere words infiltrate everything in its path with no end in sight.

To be honest, even Wikipedia can’t quite define what Popular Culture actually is when it hits the stratospheric level that we are discussing here. It’s a classic case of ‘some people call it this, while some people call it that, while some people….” You get the vague picture. But here’s the weird part; you can’t properly define it, but you know exactly what it is.

If anyone is still reading as I’m already rambling far, far away from my topic, here’s a better example set in its own pop culture galaxy:

“I love you.” “I know.”

These five words were unscripted. Improvised. In a serial science-fiction movie with a small Oscar the Grouch in a swamp, sibling make-outs and super scary dads. These 5 words were not put to film to be something that was ever meant to be on coffee mugs, bedroom pillows, floor mats or wedding rings 40 years later. But here we are with all of that and far, far more. This is the kind of thing we’re talking about. Stratospheric pop culture.

Oh, did I mention tattoos? You also have to be a tattoo.

So, being a Christmas nut, I started thinking about this lofty space and what elusive Christmas movie is at the top of the holiday pedestal of pop culture. You can try to argue with me. You can. But you’ll be wrong. Nothing has hit the BB gun pellet out of the park with the proper A++++ rating than the fudge-filled A Christmas Story . It’s the most pop culturallyist of them all. #newword

It was December of 1983. I was 9. And my parents, seizing to capitalize on my love of films (how could you not be a young film geek growing up in the most magical time of movie cinema ever?) took me to some new Christmas movie about a boy my age. In the moment, Christmas movies weren’t a thing like they are today. You didn’t race out to see them. They were flat-out uncool at the time (the usual step 1 of an eventual pop culture super weight, actually).

So I sat there at Metrocenter in Glendale, Arizona in the back row (where my mom still has to sit), and took in a movie about a kid wanting a BB-gun for Christmas. All I remember afterwards was asking what fudge meant.

I didn’t get an answer.

I got home and returned to my Return of the Jedi action figures and leather E.T. doll, and I forgot all about some kid named Ralphie.

"I'll Be Right Here, Ralphie." - E.T. (Paraphrased)

Flash forward to the year 2020.

I know, it’s not a fun year to jump to, but it’s where we are.

I’m now a middle-aged dad raising two kids, who owns, to name a few, a small desktop leg lamp, a version of Monopoly based on the film, card games, a full size leg lamp, nightlights, Funko Pops of Ralphie, mugs, shirts, pajamas, ornaments, a cookie jar, socks, beer glasses, and the crown jewel of my A Christmas Story collection, the near-complete Department 56 Christmas village seen below.

When I started this post, I was set to talk about my favorite scenes and some random facts that you probably already know if you follow this movie. “Did you know Bob Clark makes a cameo?!” “Did you know that ‘His End Up’ on the leg crate was simply a mistake?” “Did you know that most scenes weren’t real snow?” “Did you know that his tongue stuck to the pole because they put a small hole in a tube and a vacuum at the bottom?” But now, I can’t. Well, I just sort of did. But I have to actually answer something larger here: How did I go from not caring about the film to spending at least half of one of my daughter’s college educations on leg lamps and pink bunny merch? Who is responsible for this?

Here’s my initial thought; I have no idea.

Jean Shepherd

I guess I’ll start with the obvious and that is writer, radio personality and narrator of the film itself, Jean Shepherd. It’s surprising to note that most of his on-air stories were Han Solo-ed. Simply improvised on the radio. That blows my mind. At the end of his career, he even started criticizing his own work which put a solid layer of Lifebuoy soap on so much greatness. What was crazy is, he was even kicked off the set of the film at one point for trying to direct the actors, which was interfering with the tight and fast production budgets. But one of the things he did do was read his narration right next to the camera so Peter Billingsley had something to react to. But we aren’t sure if that was his decision or not. Regardless, this is still the guy that took a bunch of stories from the radio and written shorts for Playboy and turned it into a little book called “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash,” which came to be A Christmas Story . But reading the book, it’s very clear that the vision for this movie isn’t all the way there. It took something else to make this classic what it is. He is the “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out” grandfather, but not the reason I have a leg lamp tie.

Maybe it was the critics that helped elevate this film to cult status? I decided to take a look at how they respond to this ‘rude and crude’ Christmas film with kid fights, bullies, kids obsessed with getting stuff, lying, a bad mall Santa, kid torture, guns, and electric sex glowing in the window. Not all that great…

The New York Times review started off with “There are a number of small, unexpectedly funny moments in ''A Christmas Story,'' but you have to possess the stamina of a pearl diver to find them.” Odd, because all of those small, unexpectedly funny moments along with every other scenes’ pearls are made of tiny resin figures on a table in my house.

The NY Daily News ran a headline that read “‘Christmas Story’: bah, humbug!” Or this gem from Rex Reed in the New York Post, “None of them (the actors) is helped by the lame direction of Bob Clark, or the corny script written by humorist and radio personality Jean Shepherd. Hammily narrated by author Shepherd himself with such phony relish you can almost see the drool dripping from his lower lip.” So, yeah, the critics helped as about as much as the Bumpus’ hound dogs in creating the perfect Christmas meal.

The studio took a gamble on this, so maybe it was the studio that deserves the credit to getting this film to where it is in modern day consciousness. Well, let’s kill that idea quickly. Even the studio didn’t believe in the film. It was only booked for 4 weeks and was out of nearly all 900 screens it debuted on by Christmas. The film was just an appeasement. More on that in a second… So while we can thank the studio for giving us this gem, we can’t give them their major award here.

Ah, there it is. The VHS Tape and the Good Old 4-Head VCR....

So it has to be the invention of watching movies from home, right? After all, it wasn’t until 1986 with the start of the original streaming device, a VHS machine, that it started to find its fishnet lit legs for the first time. But not at first. It was DVD sales that really started to accelerate the wide-spread love for the film in 1997. That was also the year that TNT began airing the film 24 hours straight on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This was long after the movie was acquired by Ted Turner in 1986, meaning it just laid there for over a decade. It was its only defense. (Rim shot, please!). So unless I want to give the award to 1997, we'll move on...

The cast of this film is something special. All of them. Melinda Dillon as the mom is perfection, and I think overlooked for the overall success of the film. Darren McGavin is literally every dad at Christmas, ever. Randy is the space cadet sibling and is perfectly executed by Ian Petrella. Tedde Moore must have a had a blast with so many dream sequences. Zack Ward as Scut Farkus is every kid’s memory of a bully. And Peter Billingsley would have been nominated for an Academy Award if that performance happened today. Brilliant! Casting note: The kid with goggles in the department store? It’s a dude. You know you wonder every time you watch this. So if you made it this far, there’s at least one thing you can take away and tuck in that back pocket. But here’s what I can’t say; if any of them had been played by someone else I’m not sure it would change the outcome of today. I love them, they are perfect, but it’s not the cast causing $200 eBay auctions for The Old Man Funko Pops.

So here we are, no winner yet to be found. Where is that true catalyst that brought A Christmas Story from a 4-week forgotten run in theaters in 1983 to running 24-hours a day each year? To me, the answer became clearer the further I dove into this. It had to be director, Bob Clark.

Bob Clark on the set of "A Christmas Story."

He heard Shepherd’s work on a Miami radio show 12 years before he made A Christmas Story , where Jean was telling the tale of a boy named Flick, his tongue, and a frozen flagpole. This was the moment when he was certain that he would bring this story to life on film someday. He leveraged the success of his first hit film, Porky’s (yes, that Porky’s ) to make this before committing to the Porky’s sequel and he never looked back. He also gave up his director’s fee and put in over $150,000 of his own money to fund it. He worked tirelessly to bring all of the elements mentioned so far into the glorious Christmas package that is A Christmas Story . When I hit this point in my search, I thought with certainty that I had my winner. But I couldn’t settle with Bob being the reason I dressed up as Ralphie in a bunny costume two Halloweens ago. So where else to go?

Yes, folks. This was no gift from my aunt. I did this willingly.

I guess we could explore it being Martin Malivoire and David Neil Trifunovich for creating fake snow? Or maybe it was Gregory A. Valore, the driver of the uncredited Transportation Department on the film as the reason why A Christmas Story wine glasses sit on my shelf?

Nope.

So I sat here for days muttering "fudge" under my breath. Was there actually an answer, or should I have just recounted my favorite film moments after all? I had to know why I own three leg lamps.

Then it hit me as hard as a Scut Farkus snowball to the eye socket.

My parents.

It’s my parents, and your parents, who are to blame for its pop culture placement and why you may or may not own A Christmas Story wine glass set like me. I don’t care when you were born, what era, what part of the country you grew up in. If your house celebrated Christmas, then you had parents that were trying to make it great, and that means you experienced every last scene in this movie in real life over your childhood each December. Every stinking second of this film, the good, the bad and everything in-between, is simply your story.

So while we can thank every last person I mentioned and more who helped make what is my favorite film of all time, you need to actually thank your own family for cementing A Christmas Story at the very, tippy top of the pop culture Christmas tree. It’s our yearly moment to reminisce about our own versions of pranging ducks on the wing and getting off spectacular hip shots. It’s a time we can never get back, but a time that is the most treasured for us all as we age. And that’s something I can easily watch for 24 hours straight at least once a year for the rest of my life.

1926 - Of Contracts, Moves, and Name Changes

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:25:57 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

Much like the years before, as would be expected of a company in its fledgling years, 1926 was a year of change for the Disney Brothers Cartoon studio. After ending 1925 with a contentious contract negotiation with distributor Charles Mintz, Walt began the new year continuing the back-and-forth, haggling over pay and delivery of more Alice Comedies. While the studio continued to create and deliver more Alice Comedies, the pay did not always arrive promptly enough to Walt’s liking; understandable, as he had staff to pay, due rent, and product to purchase in order to keep the shorts coming. On the other side, Mintz responded that the films were coming too fast, and no money was being made. “Now let me tell you something else,” Mintz wrote in a letter to Walt in late 1925, “the first seven pictures were an absolute total loss to us and you can further take my word for it that when I tell you we have not made a single dollar on any picture that we have gotten from you… you should whole heartedly be ashamed of yourself.”

Producer and distributor Charles Mintz took over distribution of Winkler pictures after marrying M.J. Winkler in 1924.

Walt would re spond, reminding Mintz of the contract that had been signed, with an option for even more pictures to be produced. “Our contract calls for final delivery by January 5, 1926,” wrote Walt to Mintz, with your option for 26 pictures the following year. I have built up my organization to where I can complete my deliveries of every two weeks, the following year, should you choose to exercise your option. With my present payroll, on a three weeks schedule, I would absolutely be losing money, and to cut down my force is out of the question…”

Title card for "Alice's Little Parade." with Margie Gay as Alice, released in 1926.

Walt would ma ke the plea for a faster schedule with regular pay, and Mintz would respond with his insistence that the Alice Comedies made no money. Yet, he still wanted them. Disney biographer Bob Thomas wrote, “Despite Mintz’s pleas of poverty, he proposed a new contract at $1,500 per Alice, plus a fifty-fifty share of the profits after he had received $3,000 in film rentals.” Mintz sent the contract, suggesting that Walt talk it over with Roy, making it seem as a firm, final offer. Yet Walt was less than impressed, threatening to end the contract and seek a new distributor. Finally, in February of 1926, Walt proposed an offer that Mintz accepted. According to Thomas, “It was a variation on the terms they had discussed but it contained stipulations which were to be basic elements for the Disney operation of the future.” Elements that agreed to high-quality productions, creative control for Walt and that the comedies were “subject to my ownership of all trademarks and copyrights on Alice Comedies excepting only rights relating to the series which you purchased under past contracts.”

With the new contract agreed to and in place, it was time for another move within the company.

Two moves, actually.

First came the physical move. Production had outgrown the tiny Kingswell studio, and it was time to move the studio to a new space – the space the Disney brothers had placed a down payment on in 1925. The new studio, located on Hyperion Avenue, was a building on a 60 x 40 foot lot, housing offices for Walt and Roy, and an open space for animators to continue their work on more Alice Comedies (and much more in years to come).

The Walt Disney Studio, 2719 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA. Note the new studio name.

The second mo ve, was that of a name. The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio changed its name to the Walt Disney Studio. Did this change come at the suggestion of Walt himself? Not according to Roy. “It was my idea,” Roy had told Disney Archivist Dave Smith. Walt was the creative member of the team. His name deserved to be on the pictures.” Roy’s suggestion, while certainly complimentary of his younger brother, became a brilliant business move as well – the name Walt Disney Studio would come to represent more than just Walt himself. In just a couple short years, it would become a name synonymous with quality entertainment and product known worldwide.

The site of the Walt Disney Studio on Hyperion Today. Photo by Craig D. Barton

As work on th e Alice Comedies continued in a new studio with a new name, even bigger changes were around the corner for Walt and the company. Changes that would propel Disney to new heights – thanks in part to a lucky rabbit that would make his debut in the next year.

1926

Alice Comedies continue with Margie Gay as Alice.
New distribution contract on Alice Comedies is signed with Winkler Picture .
Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio moves to 2719 Hyperion Avenue.
Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio changes its name to The Walt Disney Studio (At Roy’s Suggestion).

Alice Comedies for 1926 (Margie Gay as Alice):

Alice on the Farm - January 1, 1926
Alice’s Balloon Race -January 15, 1926
Alice’s Orphan - January 15, 1926
Alice’s Little Parade - February 1, 1926
Alice’s Mysterious Mystery - February 15, 1926
Alice Charms the Fish - September 6, 1926
Alice’s Monkey Business - September 20, 1926
Alice in the Wooly West - October 4, 1926
Alice the Fire Fighter - October 18, 1926
Alice Cuts the Ice - November 1, 1926
Alice Helps the Romance - November 15, 1926
Alice’s Spanish Guitar - November 29, 1926
Alice’s Brown Derby - December 13, 1926
Alice the LumberJack - December 27, 1926

<1925

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - VIP Visit With Ray Spencer, Walt Disney Imagineer

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 13:44:10 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Join me for a fascinating and inspiring visit with Tulgey Wood TV's latest VIP, Ray Spencer. Ray's Walt Disney Imagineering career spans 20 years, in which time he ultimately became Executive Creative Director responsible for many Disney Parks projects as well as the design of Disney hotels, shops, and restaurants. During the course of our visit, we talk about Ray's start as a designer, which Walt Disney World attractions he loves best, his defining passion for trains (just like a certain person named Walt), working with Disney Legends such as John Hench and Tony Baxter, and much more. Enjoy—and be sure and check back for Part 2 next week!

Discover more about legendary Imagineers John Hench , Marty Sklar and Tony Baxter at D23 by clicking on their respective names.

1925 - Romance in the Workplace

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 15:02:04 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

1925 started out with business as usual, or at least as usual as could be for a new company trying to get a firm stronghold in the animation business. The studio was able to hire more staff, with Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising leaving Kansas City to join Walt and the studio. Ink and Paint staff were hired to complete and fill in the animation process. “The Alice Comedies” continued on under contract from distributor Charles Mintz. New faces appeared in these shorts: Margie Gay replaced Virginia Davis (Gay would go on to appear in the most Alice Comedies of the four actresses portraying Alice), and in Gay’s debut, “Alice Solves the Puzzle, an antagonist would appear alongside her, who would end up playing foil for a certain mouse in years to come.

New Alice Margie Gay meets bad-tempered puzzle collector, "Bootleg Pete." His name would shortly change to Pegleg Pete, and, in Mickey Mouse shorts, become a cat instead of a bear. Because of the likeness and peg-leg, Pete is often credited as the longest running character in Disney history.

Aside from the business and stress of turning out these features, something else was blooming at the studio in ’25: a workplace romance. Of course, it wasn’t truly a romance that took place IN the workplace, as, according to Walt Disney biographer Bob Thomas, “Walt was too immersed in his work to pay too much attention to the new ink-and-paint girl,” Lillian Bounds, who had moved to Los Angeles herself in 1923. “But,” continues Thomas, “after he had bought a little Ford runabout for the studio’s errands, he sometimes drove the girls home from work.”

Recalled Lillian in 1968, ““We used to work nights. By that time, he had a Ford roadster with one seat and an open back. He used to take us home after work. He took the other girl home first. When he got to my sister’s he was embarrassed to stop in front of the house. One night he asked me ‘If I get a suit can I come and see you?’ So, he went down to Foreman & Clark’s with Roy. Walt got a two pants suit and Roy a one pants suit. (Walt always got the best.) Then one night he came to see me at home and met the family. He stood up and said ‘Well, how do you like my suit?’ The family liked him immediately…. It (the suit) looked terrible now that I look back.”

Obviously, it wasn’t just the family that liked him. Daughter Diane Disney-Miller once remarked that her mother was always “proud of the fact that Dad took her home last.” Author and historian Jeff Kurtti adds, “Walt always dropped Lillian off last, even though her home was closer.” Walt had obviously found someone that was meant for him, that would be his partner in life, that would understand and let Walt be Walt. Walt was a constant caller of Lilly’s, often visiting her family for dinner. He bought her a dog – a romantic gesture for sure, but also to keep her company as he would drive to theaters to check out a rival’s animated feature, leaving Lilly in the car while he went in to watch! Apparently, Miss Bounds did not mind this at all, as this type of date would happen quite frequently. Lilly would listen as Walt, returning from watching, would pontificate and criticize what he had just seen.

In front of the Kingswell studio, from left to right: Lillian, Walt, (Sister) Ruth Disney, Roy, and Edna. photo ©Disney

After Roy mar ried his childhood sweetheart, Edna Francis, in April (a wedding in which Lillian served as maid of honor), Walt decided it was time for he and Lilly to do the same. He had always said that he wanted to be 25 years old and have at least $10,000 to his name, but his courtship with Lilly along with his brother getting married quickly changed his mind. As Lillian said, “Walt and I were going to wait (to get married) but Walt didn’t like to be alone.” She told Thomas in 1973, “We went to Idaho and got married there. Naturally we went first class on the train. We went to Mt. Rainier for our honeymoon and then came back to the studio.”

The honeymooners visit Mt. Ranier photo ©Disney

While “deciding to get married” may seem less than romantic, the truth is, Walt and Lillian were meant for each other and complimented each other perfectly. “Walt and Lilly also had a marriage based firmly in the unique bond forged by the magical mixture of love and laughter,” says Kurtti. “Frequently, their good-natured sparring surrounded Walt’s beloved hats. Through the 1930s and 1940s, Walt was rarely without a favorite fedora. ‘When asked to “fix” his hat, Walt would often respond with an exaggerated crush of the hat on his head. Lilly would occasionally abscond with his hat, sailing it far out of reach before Walt could rescue it from her clutches,’ says writer and Disney aficionado Reed Milnes.”

While Walt and Lillian were a match made in heaven for each other, another relationship, one on a professional level began to sour. With Walt continuing to produce Alice features, money was becoming tight, as was working space. Walt and Roy put a down payment on a new studio, but before a move could be made, money would have to be obtained, especially from distributor Charles Mintz. As Walt consistently pleaded for the payment promised in their initial contract, Mintz drew a hard line with Walt over terms and timelines – a stance that would delay a new contract on more features until the next year…

1925

^{More Alice Comedy Releases – New actresses portray Alice, Davis returns for one more in December, using archival footage.}
^{“Alice Solves the Puzzle” includes the earliest appearance of Disney regular, Pete.}
^{Roy marries childhood sweetheart Edna Francis, April 11th.}
^{Walt marries Lillian Bounds, July 13th.}
^{Walt and Roy put down payment on Hyperion Avenue Studio.}
^{Contract negotiations proceed for production on more Alice Comedies.}
^{Alice releases for 1925:}
^{Alice Cans the Cannibals - January 1, 1925 - Virginia Davis}
^{Alice the Toreador -January 15, 1925 - Virginia Davis}
^{Alice Gets Stung - February 1, 1925 - Virginia Davis}
^{Alice Solves the Puzzle - February 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice’s Egg Plant - May 30, 1925 - Dawn O’Day}
^{Alice Loses Out - June 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice Gets Stage Struck - June 30, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice Wins the Derby - July 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice Picks the Champ -July 30, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice’s Tin Pony - August 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice Chops the Suey - August 30, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice the Jail Bird - September 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice Plays Cupid - October 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice Rattled by Rats - November 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
^{Alice in the Jungle - December 15, 1925 -Virginia Davis}

<1924 1926>

Birthdays, Holidays, Parades, and Potato Chips—and What We Leave Behind

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 14:35:44 GMT

by Jeff Kurtti

I turned 59 the other day. Damn, I’m old—and more and more, I feel…mortal. In those deeply-felt moments, I frequently ponder my legacy. I think we all wonder at some point whether we’ll leave any part of us, or our culture, that lasts.

This time of year also coincides with the passing on of great holiday traditions among family and friends. For my birthday dinner, for instance, I made a strange dish that my Grandma Mick made every Thanksgiving and Christmas, a recipe she was taught by the in-laws of her Yugoslavian-born husband, Mitchell. It’s a variation on a cabbage goulash, a seemingly-odd combination of sauerkraut, pork, orange, and tomatoes. It’s weird and freaks people out. It’s delicious, and the smell of it simmering on the stove always puts me in mind of those anxiously-awaited holidays. It still summons magic in my mind (see recipe below).

My children know of this dish and its origins (and I wish I knew more beyond that). I’ve told them my story. They know that Thanksgiving Day and Christmas means Ruffles potato chips and French Onion Dip. Why? Because it reminds me of the same in my childhood, and now it will remind them. They know that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade points directly to Christmas, and they know one of the landmarks is deep-fried wave-cut potato slices dunked in sour cream and onion.

The television event that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become is, I think, a total bore to them. They live in a rapid-pace, message-filled, multi-platform media world. When I was their age, the parade was one of five things I could watch on TV on Thanksgiving morning. We got a morning and evening newspaper. And magazines. TV Guide, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Reader’s Digest. World Book Encyclopedia. The Sears Wish Book. Things completely foreign to them.

The Sears “Wish Book,” the first year it was called that. I can still remember the smell of the freshly-printed pages.

But as often happens upon reflection, it made me curious—I am the recipient of a mid-20 ^th Century set of fading holiday traditions, among them Gurley Thanksgiving pilgrim candles, and Hallmark honeycomb paper turkey centerpieces, and my beloved annual parade. But Macy’s hasn’t been here forever. Was there something like that before Macy’s?

I carefully re-folded the Turkey Centerpiece every year. I preserved for years a paper decoration that I was stunned to discover many people threw away!

Upon its debut, the Macy’s Parade was originally Christmas-themed. In 1924, employees organized a Christmas parade with “floats, bands, animals from the zoo and 10,000 onlookers," according to a Macy’s history page. It started at 154 ^th Street and ended at Macy’s famous Herald Square flagship on 34 ^th Street, and the unveiling of the store’s Christmas windows. After three years, the parade was shifted to Thanksgiving Day. For fans of Miracle on 34 ^th Street, it’s interesting to learn that Macy’s seemingly-eternal parade was not the first—Macy’s renowned (and now defunct) competitor, Gimbel’s sponsored the first one, in 1920 in Philadelphia.

Tom Turkey has been an icon of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1973. Here he is in 1979, pursued by another mostly-forgotten childhood memory, Underdog.

Photo By Jon Harder - User JonHarder, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=784775

I found that before that, there was an even earlier tradition, peculiar to New York City—the Ragamuffin Parade. “Before Halloween was the holiday known for dressing up in costume and begging for candy (this practice did not become common until the 1940’s and 50’s), children in NYC often participated in what was called Ragamuffin Day,” writes Carmen Nigro, of the New York Public Library. “On Ragamuffin Day - which was Thanksgiving Day - children would dress themselves in rags and oversized, overdone parodies of beggars…ragamuffins would then ask neighbors and adults on the street, ‘Anything for Thanksgiving?’ The usual response would be pennies, an apple, or a piece of candy.”

Manhattan: Bleecker Street—Perry Street, Thanksgiving ragamuffins, 1933.

Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library. "Thanksgiving ragamuffins, No.16-18." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1933. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47dd-a50c-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

An article in New York Tribune on November 21, 1909 dated the tradition back 40 years, to about 1870. Carmen Nigro documents that the last reporting of the Thanksgiving Ragamuffin parades was in 1956. Overshadowed by the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and ceded to the rise of Halloween trick or treating, a nearly century-old tradition died out, and is all but forgotten today.

There’s no Sears Wish Book anymore, either. Newspapers are largely digital. Magazines are something of a luxury item. I’m not worried, or sad about the seeming loss of these things. I’m an historian, and the evolution of social traditions is natural. Luckily, our modern successors have the entire history of such things right at their keyboards—if they have the interest and initiative to pursue it, and good curatorial guides to help them. Maybe that’s what I do.

My kids will remember Grandma Mick’s “Sauerkraut,” and Ruffles and Onion Dip, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and a hundred other oddities of our family.

There’s not even a Yugoslavia anymore. But my youngest son is named Mitchell, after his long-passed Yugoslavian great-grandfather. And he knows that, and he knows why.

I guess that’s how traditions work.

I look at this photo and I can smell it. Grandma Mick’s holiday tradition will live on, at least until I’m not here to make it anymore.

Grandma Mick’s Yugoslavian “Sauerkraut”

INGREDIENTS:

4 tbsp Olive Oil

2 White Onions, chopped

2 cloves Garlic

2 lbs. Pork, cubed

2 tbsp. Hungarian Sweet Paprika

1.5 lbs. Plain Sauerkraut, rinsed and thoroughly drained

1 Large can, crushed tomato (or fresh tomatoes, peeled and crushed)

1 15 ounce can, tomato sauce

1 tbsp Sugar

5 Bay leaves

2 tbsp Dried Parsley

Peel of two large fresh oranges

Salt and pepper to taste

In a pan or Dutch Oven, combine olive oil, meat, garlic, and onion.

Brown meat on all sides, add paprika, stir to mix in.

Add drained sauerkraut, orange peel, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, and sugar. Mix thoroughly, cover pot.

Simmer covered for one hour, or until meat is tender.

Simmer uncovered to reduce liquid, about one hour.
Remove orange peel and bay leaves before serving.

1924 - Alice and Walt's Wonderland

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 15:14:18 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

“We have just discovered something new and clever in animated cartoons! The first subject of this distinctly different series is now in production, and will require a few weeks more for completion. It is a new idea that will appeal to all classes, and is bound to be a winner, because it is a clever combination of live characters and cartoons, not like Out of the Inkwell or Earl Hurd’s but of an entirely different nature, using a cast of live child actors who carry on their action on cartoon scenes with cartoon characters. These new subjects will be a full reel in length, and can be released at regular intervals of two weeks or a month..” – Walt Disney, in a letter to M.J. Winkler, dated May 14 ^th , 1923

One month later….

“Owing to numerous delays and backsets we have encountered in moving to our new office, we will not be able to complete the first picture of our new series by the time we expected. However, it will be finished very soon, and the writer expects to be in New York about the first of July with a print of same, and an outline for our future program…”

An animator (Walt Disney) shows Alice (Virginia Davis) some of his work in "Alice's Wonderland," the new film Walt spoke of in his exchanges with M.J. Winkler.

The writer ne ver made it to New York. Instead, Walt Disney decided to head to California in search of a new start in the motion picture business. Yet, his work on his last Laugh-O-Gram project, the half-finished “Alice’s Wonderland,” remained in his thoughts. He persuaded his creditors to release what had been finished to Miss Margaret J. Winkler for review. Winkler, who had been encouraging in her letters to Walt, saw something in this “clever combination of live characters and cartoons” and offered him $1500 per reel of new Alice shorts, contingent on more detail and steadiness of production quality. There was one other requirement as well: that Miss Virginia Davis who had starred in the unfinished Alice reel would continue on in the new features as well.

"Little" Virginia Davis, who still lived in Kansas City with her family.

As Ms. Davis would recall in later years, “When I was… four, and a letter came from California, my mother was very excited about it. She didn’t say much to me. It’s just that we were going to go to California. There were two different things in there. The letter said that he (Walt Disney) had this Alice’s Wonderland was okayed and he had gotten a distributor. And––M.J. Winkler as a matter of fact. And he thought that would be terrific for me, and he proceeded to do a great selling job with the letter to my mother, that would be a great opportunity for Virginia and so forth and so on. But my mother was I think interested in that part of it, but at the same time, I had been very sick as a very little girl and I had double pneumonia and the doctor had always said I’d be better in a drier climate than Kansas City, Missouri, so I think that and the fact that my father was a salesman, he was a road salesman, and that he could sell any place in the United States, and my illnesses. I think that it was a combination of many factors that made it well worthwhile to move to California. And so we took a train and I loved the train. We didn’t fly in those days you know, we took trains through Chicago and the rumble of the tracks you know, they put me to sleep at night. It was great fun to be in a berth. I enjoyed that very much. And then I enjoyed when we got out here and the first picture was Alice’s Day at Sea. And I’d never seen the sea. That was a big experience for a youngster, all these waves and everything. It was wonderful and there again was Walt with his stories and his direction.”

Walt’s stories, direction, and salesmanship had gotten him to where he was by the end of 1923: A newly founded company, a contract, a studio, and a series to begin work on. Production on “Alice’s Day at Sea” began that October, and by December, he had shipped the finished reel to Miss Winkler, receiving approval and notice of first payment shortly after Christmas.

The 1924 Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio on Kingswell Avenue, as seen today. Photo taken by Craig D. Barton, 2016

In 1924, that first payment allowed Walt to hire his first animator (Rollin “Ham” Hamilton) and move into a small studio on Kingswell (which is commonly referred to as the first Disney studio) and ramp up production on more Alice Comedies. The promise of unique and entertaining animation was exactly what Winkler was looking for. As she pitched to distributors, Walt continued working on the series, directing young Miss Davis in Alice’s latest adventures, telling her the story she was relaying as the filming progressed in ways only Walt could.

Recalled Ms. Davis, “He would tell me the story and he’d stand in front of me and, he’d say, ‘Oh, somebody’s going to throw something, dodge it!’ And I’d dodge. And then he’d move, great arm motions to tell me to put your arms up, put them down. Course I didn’t know what I was doing, but he had the whole story in his mind and he was a great director and a great actor. He would have made a great actor because he acted everything out for everybody and he even did that later on his life… he would have said, ‘Pretend that you’re running.’ And of course I could pretend, because I was a great pretender. And he’d say, you know, ‘Run, move your arms, move your arms, like you’re running. Look scared, look scared. Look back, look back.’ I’d look back and that was the way it was done.”

And Virginia enjoyed every moment. “I just enjoyed going to work whenever it was time for me to go to work, “ she remembered, “Because each story was different. In one story I could play baseball. In another story I could pretend I was a real roughneck cowgirl and I loved that. I liked wearing a belt and the guns and pretending to be a little rough you know. But it was fun. It was really great fun, that’s all I can say about the whole Alice Comedies. I enjoyed them. I enjoyed making them. I don’t remember seeing any of them, but I remember enjoying making them and I loved Walt so much, I’d have done anything for Walt. He was just, just darling and so kind to me and patient, very patient. And he never criticized me. I don’t ever remember a word of criticism from him about, ‘Oh that wasn’t right, don’t do it that way,’ or so forth. No, he’d just say, ‘That was fine honey.’ And he always called me ‘Virginia’ and it was always very sweet. I just adored him.”

In March of 1924, “Alice’s Day at Sea” was released, and by May of the same year, Walt had finished his initial series of six films for Winkler. He had directed as well as done most of the animation on these films.

And he was tired.

While he was quite the pitchman and storyteller, and could figure out some of the best gags, Walt realized he needed more help, more artistic craftsmanship. He needed his old partner in Kansas City, Ub Iwerks. Iwerks joined Walt that summer, adding quality to the Alice Comedies, as orders for more films came in. However, M.J. Winkler had retired after marrying Charles Mintz, with Mintz taking over her company. Expenses stretched the budget, and Mintz would only offer half-payments at a time, pressing for more comedy and quality. Nonetheless, as Mintz was able to book various theatres for showings of these films, the Alice Comedies became more successful, and by the end of the year, a new contract for 18 more shorts was signed.

The Alice comedies would continue with new contracts and new actresses in the next couple years, and both Mintz and Iwerks would play (very different) key roles in the future of the Walt Disney Company later on…

1924

“Alice’s Day at Sea” premiers in March (first released film by Disney Brothers Studio under Winkler Pictures).
Disney Brothers Studio moves to Kingswell Avenue storefront, regarded as the first Disney Studio.
Ub Iwerks joins Disney in California.
M.J. Winkler marries Charles Mintz and retires; Mintz takes over distribution of Alice Comedies.

Other Alice Releases:

Alice's Spooky Adventure - April 1, 1924

Alice's Wild West Show - May 1, 1924

Alice's Fishy Story - June 1, 1924

Alice and the Dog Catcher - July 1, 1924

Alice the Peacemaker - August 1, 1924

Alice Gets in Dutch - November 1, 1924

Alice Hunting in Africa - November 15, 1924

Alice and the Three Bears - December 1, 1924

Alice the Piper - December 15, 1924

<1923 1925>

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV -Mickey Mouse Through the yEARS... Through the Years

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 13:56:22 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Join in the party for Mickey Mouse's birthday on November 18th as I share vintage artifacts from my collection that trace Mickey's milestones through the decades. Whether it's publications such as magazines and comic books or toys and figures (including Pez dispensers), Walt Disney's beloved character through the years has been celebrated on collectables many times...through the years.

Discover mor e about Mickey's birthday celebrations in an article authored by me by clicking here!

1923 - All Started By...

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:33:50 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

"The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks, is the brainchild of Craig D. Barton, presenting weekly posts on the history of the Walt Disney Company. Each post will cover a specific year in Disney's history, featuring essays, shared articles, guest authors, and yearly timelines, all leading up to the company's 100th Anniversary on October 16, 2023.

Be sure to join us every Friday for the newest installment of "The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks!"

“During the last few years, we’ve ventured into a lot of different fields. We’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of wonderful people. I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.” – Walt Disney, “The Disneyland Story,” Disneyland television series, Episode 1, aired October 27, 1954.

It’s a lovely phrase that’s been repeated often. And what Walt was relaying is completely understandable. Did the creation and popularity of Mickey Mouse allow for later success and development within the Walt Disney Company? Absolutely – and Mickey remains as popular today as he was when Mickey Mouse Clubs started popping up all across the world. Of course, there were twists and turns in the road that led up to Mickey’s success, and one can bring many “what about” questions into play.

Did it start with a mouse? A soured business deal over a rabbit? A series about a little girl named Alice? A creation of a company? A man named Walt? Of course, there are arguments to be made for all – hence the rhetoricity of the “Started by a Mouse” statement.

On October 16 ^th , 1923, Walter Elias Disney and Roy Oliver Disney founded the Disney Brothers Studio. Although Walt had been in the animation business for some time by this point (He had just left Kansas City after the bankruptcy of Laugh-O-Gram studios), the story of the Walt Disney Company and its history picked up in the summer of ’23, when Walt visited Roy, who was in the hospital being treated for tuberculosis.

According to Roy, “That was when Walt came to Hollywood. He came out here in June of ’23 (actually July). I was in the hospital at Sawtelle. By correspondence he sold somebody in New York on a series of pictures. One night he found his way to my bed, which was on a row of beds on a screened porch. It was eleven or twelve o’clock at night, and he shaked (sic) me awake and showed me a telegram of acceptance of his offers. He said, ‘What can I do now? Can you come out of here and help me to get this started?’ So I left the hospital the next day, and I’ve never been back since.”

As Disney historians and fans have come to know, that “New York correspondence” was with Margaret J. Winkler, and the series of pictures was the “Alice Comedies,” a mix of animation and live action, featuring the adventures of Alice (initially played by Virginia Davis) as she journeyed into a world of cartoon adventures. With an offer of $1500 per completed feature, the Disney Brothers borrowed from family members (as well as $200 scraped together by Roy himself) to establish their company and get to work. The studio moved, first from the garage of their Uncle Robert, to a real estate office, and in 1924, to a small store on Kingswell Avenue, rented for fifteen dollars a month. Walt persuaded the parents of Virginia Davis to move to Hollywood, and production on the Alice Comedies resumed (Walt had started his work on the Alice Comedies while still in Kansas City).

Walt and Roy Disney, Outside the Newly Founded Disney Bros. Studio, 1924. photo ©The Walt Disney Company

It’s hard to imagine a little storefront on a Los Angeles street becoming the global empire the Walt Disney Company is today. But it seems perhaps Walt did. As Roy said about Walt when he first arrived in California, “Tomorrow was always going to be the answer to all his problems… During the period before he got his (cartoon) contract, he was hangin’ around this town, and I kept saying to him, ‘Why don’t you get a job?’ And he could have got a job, I’m sure, but he didn’t want a job. He’d get into Universal, for example, on the strength of applying for a job. Then when he’d get out of the office, he’d just hang around the studio all day and go over on some sets and see what was going on. MGM was another favorite spot where he could work that gag… But he had a persistency, an optimism about him, all the time. A drive.”

Perhaps it was that drive that Roy saw in his brother that encouraged him to help Walt pursue his vision. Maybe it was because, as a person with tuberculosis, his own career prospects were limited, and he saw the cartoon business as a possible future for himself. More than likely, it was a combination of both, a drive to support a hard-working visionary and be a part of that dream.

A dream that inspired other hard workers and dreamers. A dream that created a mouse, animated and live action movies, captured the imagination of the world through the medium of television, defined the word “theme park,” inspired optimism for the future, brought us words like “Imagineer,” and still continues to inspire nearly 100 years later through classic and original stories presented in new and innovative ways.

And it all started with a vision. A dream. A studio. An amazingly supportive brother. A man named Walt.

1923

“Alice’s Wonderland,” is released under the “Laugh-O-Gram” moniker.
After the bankruptcy of Laugh-O-Gram studio, Walt Disney leaves Kansas City, MO for Hollywood.
Walt signs multiple-film contract with M.J. Winkler to create Alice Comedies for distribution.
At Walt's urging, Roy O. Disney leaves his hospital bed to join Walt.
October 16, 1923 – Walt and Roy found the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in Hollywood.
Disney Brothers Studio moves from Uncle Robert’s garage to the back of a real estate office.
Virginia Davis joins Walt and Roy in Hollywood; production on the Alice Comedies begins.

1924>

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - I Love Lucy Barbie Dolls by Mattel

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 13:55:33 GMT

by Jim Fanning

It's the 70th anniversary of that all-time TV classic I Love Lucy! And to celebrate this top comedy starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz that premiered on October 1, 1951, I share from my collection a few of the beautifully designed and produced Barbie Collection Dolls that were issued by Mattel from 1997 through 2014.

Jim's social media:

Jim Fanning's Twitter: @EmeliusBrowne

Jim Fanning's Instagram: jim.fanning1

Jim Fanning's Facebook: facebook.com/Jim.Fanning1

Jim Fanning's Blog: jimattulgeywood.blogspot.com

Jim Fanning's Website: https://jim-fanning.com/

The Bunker Podcast - A Review

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 17:26:15 GMT

by brian Welby Poore

Commuting consumes eight hours of my week, most weeks. That's an hour each way times four. It's a consequence of living far from my office and fellow humans. I enjoy motoring even on those rote memory roads between living space and livelihood, but eight hours would still feel like time dreadfully wasted if it weren't for audiobooks and podcasts. Which isn't to say that I never choose a solid, entertaining time-waster.

I stumbled upon The Bunker Podcast by Definitely Human Productions several years ago via a Reddit thread, someone's reluctant recommendation on a thread about audiodrama podcasts. "It's more comedy, but there's definitely a plot. You'll see. Or not." I had to check it out. One potential thing to recommend it, it's brief: 12 comedy/variety episodes plus an amusingly misanthropic Christmas special. In fact, 'amusingly misanthropic' might be a sufficient two word review of the whole production. If Cormac McCarthy's The Road defines the dreary end of the apocalyptic fiction, The Bunker is the other end.

The Bunker Episode One artwork - photo used with permission from the Bunker Podcast

The Bunker, s et in the year 2414 in the slowly decomposing remains of London, follows David, David, and Tom, survivors of a nebulous cataclysm called "The Big Headache." The trio have access to pills that prevent their aging and, equally important, the safety of a well stocked bunker that happens to have a powerful radio antenna. As one does, they start a breakfast radio show for the post-apocalypse generation, complete with traffic reports: "Well, wastelanders heading south for the annual migration will want to avoid sector thirteen as a colony of mutants have moved into St. Churchill's primary school..."

Some of the content you can look forward to:
• Historical advertisements from before the Big Headache, and testimonial ads for such desirables as the plague.
• A military unit with advanced weaponry and existential angst.
• A wandering theater troupe intent upon revenge and providing appropriate drama.
• Rather thoughtful guest essays and short stories that wander in vicinity of the overall theme.
• Rather uncomfortable interview segments performed by a robot.
• Well placed musical interludes. My favorite: Seamus Carey's The Kitchen .
• Regular caller to the show, Lee Yan Chak who brings a Bilingual Bonus to the mix. (I recommend looking up the translation of his calls only after listening through the whole series.)

The series surprised me. It's well produced, with a large cast (34 voice actors). It has good enough level and tone control that I didn't have to fiddle with the volume to hear clearly even when I was commuting in a Mustang with an omnipresent low growl and significant road noise. The central plot is absurd, but much of the content is clever satire or thoughtful storytelling. The suspension of disbelief bar is set pretty high, but assuming you can clear it, the reward is delightfully entertaining. The production company (Definitely Human) have done other podcasts before and since, and my mileage with the others has definitely varied.

If you're solely into the gritty, plausible post apocalyptic fiction, this won't be for you. It's nearly the opposite of Cormac McCarthy's The Road. The Road is an unrelentingly harsh journey of a father and son, while the Bunker's occasionally strained roommates live in comfort, facing a lack of biscuits with shocked indignation. I think that's where The Bunker succeeds for me: they stay mostly in one place, doing a morning show. We, the listeners, are the ones expected to make our journey through the wastelands while they keep us entertained along the way.

Golden Books For a Golden Anniversary - A Review of Three New Walt Disney World Books

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 22:59:42 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

This past week, Communerdy was fortunate to receive (free of charge) three new books for review, all of which have been released in conjunction with The Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th Anniversary and 18 month-long event, “The World’s Most Magical Celebration,” kicking off on October 1st, 2021. The following reviews are the opinions of the reviewer, and do not necessarily reflect that of Communerdy as a whole. Communerdy is in no way affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

I need to begin this review with a confession: I have never been to Walt Disney World. As a lifelong fan of the Walt Disney Company, I realize this may seem like blasphemy. The truth is, being a life-long west coaster, Disneyland is my “home park,” and an opportunity to visit Orlando has, until this point, not been in the cards. As a Disney historian however, that has not stopped me from taking keen interest in Walt’s “Florida Project,” and I find myself fascinated by the early development of the resort, as well as its many expansions that will continue far into the future. In fact, two of my favorite books – Jeff Kurtti’s definitive history of Walt Disney World’s first 25 years, “ Since the World Began ” and “ Building a Company: Roy O. Disney and the Creation of an Entertainment Empire ” by Bob Thomas – cover this history quite extensively and are well worth the read.

With an interest in this history, and an upcoming trip that will allow me to truly soak in the resort on a whole new level, I was delighted to receive three new books on the subject for review, and wanted to take this opportunity to share my initial thoughts on each one.

Cover Art by Fabiola Garza

A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth , by Kevin M Kern, Tim O’Day, and Steven Vagnini has been a highly sought-after volume on Walt Disney World since it was first announced. Amazon sales have been high on this one, and it’s easy to see why! The three authors of the book have researched and loaded this book with a plethora of Disney eye candy, pleasing the most casual of fans to those who believe they’ve seen it all before. With text to accompany rare archival photos and concept art, this super-sized coffee table book covers the history of the Walt Disney World, from the history of the Disney and Call families in Florida, to Walt's quest to purchase land for new development in California, to Roy O. Disney's drive to see Walt's vision completed, to present day, with a few looks into the future of the resort as well.

After beginning with a solid and in-depth seventy-plus pages on said history, the book then, in its words, “Frames the Portraits” into different thematic elements: Nostalgia, Fantasy, Discovery, and Tomorrow, finishing with a look back at 50 years of Walt Disney World and a look at the 50 ^th anniversary itself. It’s a goldmine of treasures, but a lot to take in at once. In this reader's opinion, with the massive amount of information provided, this book could have easily been produced as multiple volumes. This is not a knock on the authors at all – they’ve done a wonderful job of compiling everything into this massive book, and it is most definitely a wonderful addition to a Disney lover’s library. It’s just that the Walt Disney World Resort is so incredibly huge with a rich and complex history, it could be easily made into a multi-volume set, either by park, or the portrait frame concept Kern, O’Day, and Vagnini used. In order to appreciate this book in its entirety, I have a feeling I’ll be delving into the text and captions for quite a while to come!

Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World: Recipes & Stories From The Most Magical Place on Earth , by Pam Brandon and Marcy Carriker Smothers takes a recipe collection beyond just a recipe collection in this delightful book. Using recipes from across the Walt Disney World Resort, both parks and hotels, Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World will appeal to park visitors looking to replicate their favorite recipes at home, foodies, and Disney history buffs alike! The recipes look delectable, and the staging of the finished product just makes my mouth water even more! As someone with Celiac Disease, I was pleased to see many gluten-free options (and plenty of others that could be altered to make it so)!

What truly makes this more than just a themed cookbook, though, are the anecdotes, history, and pictures from Walt Disney World, past and present. Many parkgoers associate some of their fondest memories with food, and this book does a great job of tying in that exact nostalgia. There’s even a tongue-in-cheek nod to Walt Disney World’s 25 ^th anniversary and its choice of décor that has to be read to be appreciated!

Cover Art by Fabiola Garza

The last book I received for review is certainly not the least – in fact, my daughter has already claimed it as her own! Art of Coloring: Walt Disney World , by Kevin M. Kern, features 100 different images for adult-level coloring fun. And, if you are one who doesn’t get frustrated with many of the patterns these coloring books present (I happen to find them stress-relieving so it’s right up my alley!), then this is the coloring book for you! Kern accompanies the pictures for coloring with descriptive text and historical context, so even the most casual of fans won’t have to ask themselves, “What exactly am I coloring?”

As a Disney fan who loves coloring artful pages like this, it is truly a treat to find my happy place in a “Happiest Place!”

As a book fan and collector, it makes my heart happy to see The Walt Disney Company releasing this trio of books. Physical media like this holds a place in the heart of collectors and fans, evoking emotion and keeping the term “a real page-turner” alive. These volumes are definitely recommended for your library collection – they will truly be a golden collection!

”A Portrait of Walt Disney World” was publicly released on September 28, 2001. “Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World” and “Art of Coloring: Walt Disney World” were released at Disney Parks and ShopDisney.com on September 28, 2021, and will be available at other retailers on April 5, 2022.

How I Spent My Pandemic

Fri, 21 May 2021 19:23:48 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

In February 2020, my wife, daughter, and I took a quick turnaround trip to Disneyland. We had been annual passholders for years, but had decided the year before to let our passes expire. There was more world to see, perhaps a cruise to take. New things awaited us. As much as we loved visiting our happy place, we knew Disneyland would be there when we were ready to come back. Maybe a trip at Christmas to see the park during our favorite holiday season would be in order. For now, it was just time for a little “See You Real Soon.” On this last evening, we listened to “When You Wish Upon a Star” underneath Sleeping Beauty Castle, thanked Walt as we passed his always-lit apartment on Main Street, and headed to the tram back to Mickey & Friends. It might be a little while, but we’d be back.

Taken on our way out of the park that night, this picture is all sorts of bittersweet to me....

March 13, 2020

Just two short weeks after we left the park, Disneyland closed its gates due to the Coronavirus Pandemic that was descending upon the world. Back in our home state of Arizona, we were slowly realizing things might be different for a little while. Our daughter’s dance studio stopped allowing parents in the lobby – dancers only. A few days later, the decision to suspend in-studio operations for a couple weeks was made, following the policies put in place by local schools and gyms. Grocery stores began running out of supplies – aisles were empty of products from toilet paper to rice, beans, and… Well, if you’re reading this, you know what it was like. No need to rehash everything.

I’ll admit for me personally, a reality began to sink in as I saw the shelves and heard of theme parks, theaters, restaurants, and other recreational locations began to shut down. This sure didn’t seem like a “couple week” thing. As much as I wanted it to be, followed by a quick return to normal, the truth was, we could be dealing with this for a long time. My first priority was, of course, safety for my family and me. I wanted us happy, healthy, and safe. Trips could wait. Dining could wait. We needed to emerge on the other side of all of this, ready to take on the world again when the time was right. That’s not to say anxiety wasn’t setting in – I was a bundle of nerves, especially early on!

Or just imagine one. You were there. You know.

Nonetheless, we started to adapt.

My daughter’s dance classes shifted to online for the time being. Sure, a recital was a little odd with just her dancing in our living room, but she got to dance. And she danced her heart out.

New movies were supposed to be released, but movie theaters closed and those releases were pushed back. But we got to see Pixar’s latest, “Onward,” which was released onto Disney+ just a few weeks after opening in theaters.

Marvel’s Black Widow was just one of many films postponed for delay. We got our Marvel fix by re-watching all movie phases from the beginning. This was followed by the limited series of WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier later on - larger scopes of storytelling that didn’t fit in a movie theater, but gave us something new to devour on a weekly basis and provided entertainment when it was sorely needed.

Live theater was not accessible, but we got to watch Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton from the comfort of our home and not worry about anyone shushing us as we sang along.

A Broadway HD subscription gave us access to the absurdly wonderful “Goes Wrong Show,” presented by the comedy troupe, Mischief Theatre. This BBC series of hilariously bad TV specials that run askew of original intent came from the same company that gave us the amazingly staged “The Play That Goes Wrong,” and gave us fits of giggles that were sorely needed in a time of stress and anxiety.

This show is just plain silly, and cleverly staged. Highly recommended for a good laugh!

We played games. We made more meals in. We listened to music from the theme park we loved so much. We watched retro Christmas commercials as a silly escape (thank you, endless mine that is YouTube!).

And while our kiddo longed for a return to the stage, the stage came to her when she was able to attend an online dance masterclass with some of the cast of Broadway’s Newsies. She was in heaven getting to learn dance from the musical as taught by Thayne Jasperson (Who also originated the role of Samuel Seabury in Hamilton), and getting to ask questions of Jasperson, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and Ben Fankhauser. Talk about a Broadway nerd dream! These types of masterclasses, interviews, and free online clinics are the types of things that I only hope there’s more of in the future. People at home were brought closer to performers, and found constructiveness from brilliant teachers in the process!

Travel was obviously a no-go for at least a while. We discovered a series of videos made available by the Smithsonian Channel, “Aerial America.” Aerial views and history of the 50 states gave us a bird’s eye view of what we couldn’t visit, and gave us ideas for future trips – when we felt things might be safe enough to visit.

The Grand Canyon is certainly grand - a view from the North Rim.

Because of this, it was no surprise that when we were getting a bit of that wanderlust to go out and do things, we purchased a National Parks Pass. I realize what I’m going to say may sound like a commercial, but the truth is, I cannot promote the pass enough. In one trip, we were able to visit the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon – each park entry is $35, and an annual National Parks Pass is $80. Paid for in one road trip! A road trip that allowed for social distancing, travel in our own vehicle, and an Airbnb stay as a midpoint (which also allowed us to bring our own food, avoiding restaurants and hotels, allowing for safer travel overall). As a family, we’ve discovered that a pass like this opens up access to not just national parks, but national monuments as well, and gives us amazing sights and education wherever we plan to go. So much history to be seen nationwide, and a parks pass opens up so much of it! As we’re planning another road trip for the end of this summer, we’re finding ourselves needing to make a reservation for one park. Maybe, it seems, National Parks Passes are the hottest annual passes available right now!

The oxymoronic nature of the picture on the pass posed on a cactus is not lost on this author. A view from Organ Pipe National Monument, Southern AZ.

( Insider tip: Did you know that the “Every Kid Outdoors” program allows for a free pass for the family of every fourth grader in the United States? Click here to find out more ! )

Now, it seems the world is ready to reopen, and many people are slowly and cautiously ready to move on and get back to a “norm.” Rules are relaxed, many venues are opening, at least at limited capacities. Sports venues are increasing the number of fans that can attend games. Broadway is looking at a full reopening in September. People are ready. We're ready. Even though we discovered new things during this time, we missed being able to do so many of these activities, going out with friends, and visiting loved ones that we’ve only conversed with over face time. Our beloved Disneyland reopened at reduced capacity to California residents on April 30th, 2021. Knowing "It's a Small World" was playing once again warmed my heart, even if I couldn't be there. We said the park would be waiting for us when we returned, and I know it will be when the time is right.

I realize that my family and I were blessed to be able to do as much as we were. We remained employed, in good health, and have been able to get our vaccinations. I know the effect it took on many people’s mental and physical health. My goal is not to gloss over the hardships, but look at the ways we were able to adapt and things we took joy in.

It’s not that I’ve discovered I can do without things I lost during a pandemic.

It’s that I’ve discovered how much more there is. Things I don’t want to lose on a return to “normalcy.”

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Little Golden Books starring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Other Disney Favorites

Thu, 20 May 2021 12:56:35 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Little Golden Books starring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Other Disney Favorites. Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse is the long-standing star of some classic Little Golden Books. Join me as I leaf through some golden pages featuring priceless Disney art of Mickey as well as pals such as Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy and more. Even Clarabelle Cow joins in the fun. (No Horace Horsecollar, though.) So let's go for a picnic with Mickey, head for outer space with Donald, and control a robot with Minnie and Daisy. Plus: Sesame Street! The Honeymooners! Annette! Moochie! and so much more.

Jim's social media:

Jim Fanning's Twitter: @EmeliusBrowne

Jim Fanning's Instagram: jim.fanning1

Jim Fanning's Facebook: facebook.com/Jim.Fanning1

Jim Fanning's Blog: jimattulgeywood.blogspot.com

Jim Fanning's Website: https://jim-fanning.com/

Looking to buy something at Amazon.com? You can support this YouTube channel by making your purchase by clicking through this link .

My Dad, the Disney Freak

Fri, 07 May 2021 13:44:12 GMT

by Tonia Duane

If there is one thing my dad instilled in me while he was still alive, it is that Disney is magical. Throughout my childhood, my parents and I would visit Disneyland two to three times a year, sometimes more. I am also lucky enough to have gone to Disney World twice with them. Our living room in my childhood home was the “Disney Room,” complete with Disney memorabilia and large red, “Mickey-ish” couches. Most of the best memories I have with my father are from the many vacation escapes to our second home.

My dad was a self-proclaimed “Disney Freak.” He grew up going to Disneyland once a year with his family and had such fond memories that he wanted the same for me. His favorite was Disney World though. Bigger was better for him and the two trips we were able to take, first when I was 8 years old and then when I was 16, were his favorites. His Christmas and birthday gifts were always easy; give him a book about Walt or one of the Disney parks and he would be happy. He always looked forward to the yearly Birnbaum’s Official Vacation Guides to Disneyland and Disney World, and if he could get his hands on the unofficial guides as well, even better.

A Trip From Years Past.

For as long as I can remember, I have been a Disney kid. Growing up it was all about the Disney channel, the Disney Princess Barbies, and of course any Disney movie that I could see. When I was a child, our favorite was The Lion King; we both loved the soundtrack and the art so much. He had a huge art book from the movie with a signature from one of the artists themselves that he held dear and that has now been passed to me. It's definitely something I will always cherish, along with many of the other books he collected.

My dad’s favorite time of year to visit the Parks was Christmastime; he loved the lights and the seasonal parades. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party was something he always looked forward to; the extra time in the park with less of a crowd was treasured by him. Our trip to Disney World when I was 16 was during the Christmas season. He had a video camera during that visit. My mother and I must have yelled at him, I do not know how many times, to turn the darn thing off, but he was a kid with a new toy at his favorite place and there was just no stopping him. I still have the tapes which include his funny narrative throughout; he was nothing if not hysterically comedic.

I have so many memories of gallivanting around Disneyland with my dad. He knew the layout like the back of his hand and would soon show me the ropes: the best times to visit certain rides or shows, where to get the greatest food, or the most amazing spots to watch the fireworks at the end of the night. His favorite show was Fantasmic. He watched in awe when Maleficent’s dragon form appeared and blazed fire onto the water, like it was his first time. He cheered just as loud as any child when sorcerer Mickey arrived to defeat the evil creature. It never got old to him, no matter how many times he watched it.

We had no hats, but we held on to our glasses!

One of the funniest memories I have during our numerous trips is from my first time experiencing the Indiana Jones Adventure ride at Disneyland. I was still a little girl, but I was finally tall enough to ride. I was not excited, I was petrified, but both my parents wanted to ride and refused to leave me on my own, so off I went. The line itself was terrifying, what with the ancient tomb-like ambiance and ominous soundtrack. My dad soothed me throughout the whole waiting process, promising me that he would hold on to me the entire ride and that I had nothing to fear. We finally get onto the ride’s vehicle, which can best be described as a hulked out, open-aired Jeep, and I am sandwiched in-between my parents before my dad wraps his arms around me tightly. Meanwhile, I have my eyes clenched tight with my hands covering my face and am dreading the next few minutes. Everything starts out okay, nice and slow, and then we really take off and the first jolt hits. And what happens? My dad lets me go to fend for myself and grabs onto the handrails in front of him. At the time, I was traumatized, and my mom was none too happy, but looking back, we have a hilarious memory of a ride that is now one of my favorites. The moment even created a phrase that we still use jokingly to this day: “You’re on your own!!” He could never live it down, but all in good fun; I am still alive, no real harm done.

The frequent visits ended once we moved from the Bay Area, California to Arizona after I graduated from high school. We had a couple more trips together, and then I would not go again until my 21st birthday, which was without my dad in tow. I have not been back since. It breaks my heart that my dad was never able to return to his favorite place again. His declining health took precedence and it just was not an option. He looked forward to his annual books about the parks though and would read and reread them till the bindings fell apart. He still watched the travel guide videos that were obtained during our countless visits, letting him relive some of the magic. His home away from home was never far from his mind. He always did plan to go back one day; maybe he is visiting even now, enjoying the sights and sounds once more.

It has been almost a year without my dad, but I love all the memories that came from these Disney adventures. I am so blessed and thankful to have been able to have so many wonderful visits, all because my dad wanted me to have a beautiful childhood. To this day, Disneyland is still my happy place and I hope to visit again once the world gets back to some state of normalcy. I look forward to making new memories there and I will always hold the old ones close to my heart. Nothing can ever tarnish them and they will always be magical, all thanks to my dad.

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Disney View-Master Sets with Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Pluto

Wed, 05 May 2021 13:43:59 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Classic characters make for classic View-Master sets, especially when those beloved figures are Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse and friends. Join me as I take a look at some vintage ViewMaster packets starring such Disney favorites as Donald Duck and Pluto. Plus see Goofy's California photos that are, well, goofy! Donald vs. Chip 'n' Dale! Pluto jumps from the Sunday comics into a best-selling "3D Stereo Pictures" with Horace Horsecollar and "Clarabelle the Cow"! Mickey in the great classics Brave Little Tailor and The Pointer!

Many thanks to @viewmaster.bex for most of the View-Master slide scans seen in this video. Follow her Instagram account for more View-Master fun!

Read my D23 article about Brave Little Tailor by clicking here .

Discover some fun facts about Uncle Scrooge in the article I wrote for D23 by clicking here .

Looking to buy something at Amazon.com? You can support this YouTube channel by making your purchase through this link !

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Vintage Avon Disney featuring Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and The Aristocats

Tue, 04 May 2021 12:59:48 GMT

by Jim Fanning

In 1970, Disney favorites including Mickey Mouse, Pluto and those new big-screen superstars, The Aristocats starring the Aristokittens (featuring Marie), became bathtime fun for some lucky kids (and adults too), thanks to Avon. These Disney personal care items were offered by Avon Ladies who rang the door bell (ding dong) of their neighbors and friends to offer these beautifully designed—and now collectable—toys and products.

Looking to bu y something at Amazon.com? You can support this YouTube channel by making your purchase through this link !

Avon representatives (both Ladies and Gentlemen) still offer Avon cosmetics and beauty products today. Visit the Avon website by clicking here .

A Milestone to Feast Upon: The 30th Anniversary of The Silence of the Lambs

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 22:09:33 GMT

by Michael Lyons

Terrifying. Repulsive. Unsettling.

Incredibly watchable. Funny. Compelling.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter is all of these.

Without a doubt, one of the most unique film characters ever brought to the screen. A villain and a hero. Realized through an indelible, Oscar-winning performance by Sir Anthony Hopkins that is still a marvel of both subtle and intense acting.

However, what may be most unbelievable about Hannibal Lecter is that it’s been thirty years since the character bit off a huge chunk of our pop culture consciousness, in the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs.

Based on a best-selling 1988 novel by author Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this month, was actually part of four books that began with Red Dragon, continued with Hannibal and the prequel Hannibal Rising.

The story of The Silence of the Lambs centers on Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster), a young, vulnerable FBI agent, who is on the trail of “Buffalo Bill” (Ted Levine), a serial killer who repulsively skins his victims.

Mentoring with veteran agent Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn), Clarice is directed to visit with Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who had known “Bill” through one of his former patients. Lecter, once a prominent psychiatrist, is now in a maximum-security prison for his own dangerous crimes as s serial killer, in which he ate his victims, giving him the name, “Hannibal the Cannibal.”

Through the course of The Silence of the Lambs, as Clarice gets closer to catching “Bill,” she and Hannibal get closer as well, forming a distinctive relationship. When the two first met and a nervous Starling talks with the eerily still Lecter standing behind his glassed-in cell, the back-and-forth between the two characters, with Hannibal like a predator who feels sorry for his pray, is utterly compelling no matter how many times you may have seen it.

It’s just one example in The Silence of the Lambs of the talent of the film’s late, great director, Johnathan Demme, whose eclectic career also included such films as Melvin and Howard (1980), Married to the Mob (1988) and Philadelphia (1993).

Demme is able to slowly rachet the tension up throughout the film, culminating in a scene in which Clarice confronts “Buffalo Bill” in his home, which is squirm-inducing in its uncomfortability.

The scene also showcases Foster’s very low-key performance, in which she quietly demonstrates the character’s resolve and strength, as well as her vulnerability. In her own, subtle way, Foster keeps up with Hopkins’ showcase performance.

T he Silence of the Lambs opened on Valentine’s Day (What better what to say I love you?) of 1991. The film was a tremendous hit, generating $14 million dollars in its opening weekend and going on to be the fifth highest grossing film of the year.

At Academy Awards time, in spring of 1992, The Silence of the Lambs won Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Picture. Only two other films, 1934’s It Happened One Night and 1975’s One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, have ever accomplished this.

In 2001, there was a string of adaptations of Harris’ other books. There was the sequel Hannibal in 2001, the prequel Red Dragon (2002) and then Hannibal Rising in 2007, which explored Lecter’s younger years. The character was even the subject of an NBC TV series Hannibal, which ran for two seasons, starting in 2013.

The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal have also made a tremendous impact beyond the film, with Hannibal emerging as a much-parodied and referenced film character for a number of years after. The character has even been voted the number one film villain by the American Film Institute and one of the 100 Greatest Film Characters of All Time by Entertainment Weekly.

Thirty years later, the character and film leave quite the legacy, as audiences are still…”eating up”… The Silence of the Lambs. Anyone for a nice Chianti and some fava beans?

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Disney Animated Feature Comics

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:39:29 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Join me for some Classic comic books featuring adaptations of Walt Disney’s most wondrous animated features. In other words, it’s time for Disney Animated Feature Comics!

See more about the hardcover book collections of Walt Kelly's Pogo by clicking here.

Discover more about Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland and its memorabilia at Matt Crandell's extensive blog .

Looking to buy something at Amazon.com, including the hardcover collection of Walt Kelly's Pogo I mention in the video? You can support this YouTube channel by making your purchase through this link .

There's a Monster at the End (And the Beginning and Middle For That Matter) of This Article!

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:05:11 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

What did that say? Did that say there will be a Monster at the end of this article??? IT DID? And it will be there and the beginning and middle as well?!?

Oh, I am not so scared of Monsters anymore, thanks to one particularly lovable, cute, furry, and blue Monster named Grover!

As Sesame Street celebrates its 51 ^st Birthday, many fans and kids of all ages reflect on the children’s show, its rightful place as a true cultural and educational influence, and the delightful memories it holds for kids of all ages. For many, it opened up a world of diversity, where humans of all ethnicities and backgrounds lived with Muppets as one big community that supported each other and leaned together. There was the educational aspect, introducing numbers, letters, rhymes, and beginning learning concepts. For this author, Sesame Street and The Electric Company were instrumental in my education – I taught myself to read through these shows, and my love for the written word and language definitely sprouted from there.

And, as mentioned above, The Muppets. Jim Henson’s fantastic creations that went beyond puppet into magnified and relatable personalities. The childlike inquisitiveness of Big Bird, the opposite-but-best-friend support that Bert and Ernie offered each other, the grumpy and gruff yet deep-down caring Oscar the Grouch, crazy and cookie-obsessed Cookie Monster… It seemed that children were able to see pieces of themselves and others in these characters. As adult fans of the show, many of us have adopted these characters from 123 Sesame Street as their “Muppet Twins.”

For me, this is most definitely the case. And I found my Muppet Twin in the form of Grover.

Making his debut on the Ed Sullivan Show on Christmas Eve of 1967, Grover was only slightly recognizable as the lanky and lovable blue monster we know today. He was called “Gleep,” was more of a greenish-brown color, and his voice was not near the Frank Oz-ian voice Steet watchers are familiar with; that was to come later in 1970.

A rather "Gleepish" Grover, on display with Prairie Dawn, at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. Photo © Craig D. Barton, 2018

The “official” Grover we know and love would come into his own in Sesame’s second season, bringing his fuzzy and blue persona into the living rooms of children and their families. Very much an eternal child himself, Grover is imaginative, friendly, and over-eager to help others. His intentions are good, even if the results are a bit…. Skewed. Take his waiter job at Charlie’s restaurant – always ready and happy to help, even if it takes him seven tries (and still not what the customer expects!). Super Grover is ready to save the day – even if he can’t land without crashing.

Grover is a natural worrier as well. As evidenced in the classic “Monster at the End of This Book,” Grover agonizes over the fear of a scary and abhorrent monster, only to realize that the monster in question is his loveable and furry self. Relatable to many kids and adults with anxiety, it’s a true play on the Kennedyism that “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” The fact that it’s done in such a fun and silly way, has helped many a young reader learn and laugh at the same time. In fact. Later on, we know he has conquered his fear of monsters, as the song “Monster in the Mirror” tells us:

“If your mirror has a monster in it, do not shout,
This kind of situation does not call for freaking out.
And do nothing that you would not like to see him do,
'Cause that monster in the mirror he just might be you!”

As silly as Grover can be, he also helps others embrace their own individuality. While worrisome and oft-times bumbling, one thing that Grover is, is being a monster who is comfortable in his own skin. “Fuzzy and Blue” celebrates the idea that those traits are who he is (“It’s just the way that I grew”), so why not just sing about it? When Herry Monster and Cookie Monster join in, we realize that even in our uniqueness, there are others like us – commonalities bring us together. And inclusivity is a lesson as well. Frazzle may not be blue, but he is more than welcome in the fuzzy and blue gang!

While I see many traits of Grover in myself (though not fuzzy and blue), I see a monster we could all learn from. One who overcomes fears, tries his hardest, embraces who he is, and has unconditional love for all. Seriously, is there anyone that Grover DOESN’T like? People both near… and far… could learn a lesson and learn a hug from this loveable and furry monster (who is not at all scary).

Well, look at this! This is the end of this article – I told you and told you there was nothing to be afraid of…

Do you have a "Muppet Twin?" IS it Grover as well, or is it another wonderful character from Sesame Street? We here at Communerdy would love to know who it might be and why? Feel free to drop a comment below and discuss!

(This post has been brought to you by the letters G, F, and B.)

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV -Biblical Roadshow Movie Programs (featuring Ben-Hur 1959)

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:24:34 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Celebrate Holy Week and Easter with movie programs for biblical epics shown as roadshow attractions. Fun facts mingle with beautiful photography and artwork in these beautiful keepsakes, commemorating memorable roadshow movies on biblical themes. Plus: look up in the Sistine Chapel! Discover the connection between Ben-Hur, Ben Stahl and Walt Disney! Count the "greatest" cameos ever filmed!

The photo of Ben Stahl is from the Norman La Coe Collection at the Florida State Library.

Read all about Blackbeard's Ghost in the article I wrote for D23 by clicking here .

Discover the American Widescreen Museum, with lots of roadshow info by clicking here .

Looking to buy something at Amazon.com? You can support this YouTube channel by making your purchase through this link .

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Pebbles Cereal starring The Flintstones (from the classic Hanna-Barbera TV series)

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 22:03:57 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

They're the modern stone age family—and they're part of a nutritious breakfast! Join me as I share some artful boxes of Post's Pebbles cereal, featuring Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble and those stone-age offspring, Bamm-Bamm and Pebbles. Plus Dino and other surprise co-stars from Hanna-Barbera's beloved animated TV series. It's a timely salute as The Flintstones celebrates 60 years (it debuted on ABC in the 1960-1961 season) and the 50th anniversary of Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles.

Looking to buy something at Amazon.com? You can support this YouTube channel by making your purchase through this link . Thank you!

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - It's a Hallmark Valentine's Day, Charlie Brown

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 19:44:47 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Would it be Valentine's Day without the Peanuts gang? Luckily, Hallmark is happy to provide Peanuts-themed Valentine cards—and many other products starring Charlie Brown, Snoopy and their friends from the famed Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. Join me as I share some unexpected Hallmark merchandise, all spotlighting the Peanuts pals. Also featured: glimpses of the animated Peanuts TV specials, Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (currently showcased on Apple TV +) and A Charlie Brown Valentine.

See current Peanuts merchandise from Hallmark by clicking here .

Discover more about Peanuts at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center by clicking here .

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - More Sleeping Beauty Memorabilia (featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland)

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:12:28 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Another glimpse at Walt Disney’s animated masterpiece through some enchanted merchandise from my collection. Included: comic books, Golden Books (featuring a Little Golden Book and a Tell-a-Tale Book), paper dolls and a surprise or two. Plus, a battle of the Stefans (with a Stefon cameo), a salute to Mary Costa and Marc Davis, Princess Aurora and Briar Rose (I suspect they are the same person—have you ever seen them together in the same Eyvind Earle-designed forest primeval?), the further adventures of Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, some Sleeping Beauty writing by me and more!

Visit MickeyBlog.co m , the source of the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough attraction photos, and visit the MickeyBlog YouTube channel by clicking here .

Discover more about Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty in the article I wrote for D23.com by clicking here .

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Disney Picture Discs, Starring Snow White, Pinocchio, and More

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 19:13:28 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Sight and sound combine in these vintage vinyl picture discs from the early 1980s. Released on the Disneyland Records label, these recording novelties took existing albums that had already been available on the Disneyland or Vista labels, and issued them on discs with Disney art pressed directly into the LP. Join me as I share several of these colorful curiosities including Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Bambi and more !

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Hanna-Barbera Super Heroes (With Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles)

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 15:37:51 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Some super collectables set the stage for a look at the super heroes produced by William Hanna and Joe Barbara for the 1966-1967 TV Saturday CBS schedule—as well as Birdman on NBC. Plus cameo appearances by Jonny Quest, Superman, and the Galaxy Trio.

The Hanna-Barbera animated TV series highlighted in this video can be purchased at these links—and anything you buy via these Amazon Associates links helps support the Tulgey Wood TV YouTube channel!

Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles

The Herculoids

Jonny Quest

Birdman and the Galaxy Trio

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Character Calendars for a Happy New Year

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 13:59:43 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Get the New Year off to an artful start with some collectable wall calendars. These fun datebooks of various vintage have a lot of character, spotlighting Spider-Man, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, all kinds of Disney artistry, and more. Also on hand: Tom Holland, the Muppets, the Wizard of Oz, Frank Frazetta, Jason Bateman (with the Muppets and on Ozark), and a host of others. Plus we'll hear a bit about such fun factories as HA!, Determined Productions and the Walt Disney Studios.

Read about Miss Piggy and her calendars in this article I wrote for D23 by clicking here !

Discover more about author and filmmaker John Canemaker by clicking here !

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Babes in Toyland By The Books (featuring Golden Books and Comics)

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 13:18:38 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Celebrate Walt Disney's 1961 holiday treat via some of the books that were issued as part of the merchandising blitz that accompanied the musical fantasy's original release. Revel in all kinds of stocking stuffers from a tiny Top Top Book (about Grumio and Tom Tom the Piper's Son) to the Big Golden Book and the Giant Golden Punch Out Book that packs a Yuletide punch of color and delight. Plus comics of all shapes and sizes (and conditions).

My D23 article about Walt Disney's Babes in Toyland is no longer on D23.com but this website republished it here.

See acclaimed Disney artist's Kevin Kidney's celebration of the fantastical dancing trees by clicking here .

Visit Kevin Kidney and Jody Daly's website for all kinds of wonders by clicking here .

My article for Sketches magazine can be found by clicking here.

From my blog: About one of the Babes in Toyland Little Golden Books .

Use these Amazon Affiliate links to help support the Tulgey Wood TV channel by purchasing these items:

Babes in Toyland blu-ray

Babes in Toyland comic strip adaptation in hardcover

A Nerd at Christmas - Christmas Music to Love, Part 3: Main Street, USA and the Perfect Christmas Playlist

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 13:16:40 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

In sharing my favorite Christmas music with all of you, I would be remiss if I didn’t take an opportunity to share what I consider to be the ultimate Christmas playlist. It’s the playlist that, if I had to give up every other piece of Christmas music and listen only to one loop of songs… It would be this one.

It’s the collection that touches my heart and captures the essence of the holiday season. It helps me to relive fond memories of the past and says, “You’re Home.” In a year where many can’t be home (wherever that may be), the music feels like home. It may sound a bit hyperbolic to call Disneyland home, and perhaps it is, but for fans of Disney Parks, it’s a feeling that is shared by many of us.

And the Main Street USA Christmas Loop from Disneyland is the closest thing to that feeling.

Video from Disney Theme Park Audio YouTube Channel

Perhaps I am biased as a fan of Disneyland Park, but to me, nothing beats that moment of walking under the train tunnel at the park entrance and entering Main Street USA, the iconic representation of turn-of-the-century Americana. The whistle of a train directly behind you, the clang of a trolley bell in front, the clip-clop of horses’ hooves, and off in the distance, an incongruent Bavarian castle that remains magical nonetheless… and the music. On any given day one can walk in and hear “Bicycle Built For Two,” “Goodbye My Coney Island Baby,” “Elegance,” or a number of many other old-timey tunes and feel truly transported. This same feeling seems to be only escalated during the holiday season. Although a tree now blocks the castle view upon entry, the spirit of the season and the scent of Peppermint from the Candy Palace, joined with David Rose’s “The Christmas Tree” brings about a sense of cheer reminiscent of a childhood dream of Christmas past, or even one only imagined in dreams.

A busy Christmas season day view, as seen from the upper level of the Omnibus. ©Craig D Barton

This playlist, comprised of instrumentals (Unless you count the “La-la-la-la-la” in Lawrence Welk’s arrangement of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) from a handful of artists and Christmas albums, has a distinction of being a work that comes entirely from OUTSIDE of the Walt Disney Company. Yet, in the selection and sequencing, it feels right at home on Main Street, from the tinkling chimes of a music box to a full orchestral arrangement, with a mixture of timeless sounds in-between. Finding the source content of some of these tracks would be difficult, as many recordings are out of print. However, others are available for purchase or streaming (Ed Sullivan, Rita Ford, and David Rose’s albums show up in a Spotify search, for example, as do a few of the Lawrence Welk tunes, even if the album is different), allowing the user to piece together their playlist. But in all truth, the beauty of this one comes from the complete, just over 60 minute assembly of tunes that just go together quite wonderfully.

(Note: I’ve included the list of tracks and albums that comprise this loop at the bottom of this piece. A special thank you goes out to Kirsten Wahlquist, who compiled many a list of Disney Parks loops on her former website, Disney Music Loops, which can currently be accessed here .)

To many who have not visited Disneyland at Christmas, my attachment to this list may be hard to understand. It’s still a good list, but perhaps it doesn’t capture the magic for all as it does for me. And that’s okay. Just like so many other of my favorites, I speak about what touches my heart, and hope that the music I speak of finds others in agreement as well. This list invokes memories of walking down Main Street, in and out of shops, watching candy being made, and waiting for “A Christmas Fantasy” parade to begin its nightly run.

The music from this parade brings another earworm, along with a slew of happy holiday memories as well! ©Craig D. Barton

As I began to write this, I realized there’s a bigger reason this loop hits home to this Disneyland purist. Walt Disney said himself: “Disneyland will never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world.” For better or for worse, Disneyland IS constantly changing. Traditions we held dearly, whether attractions, entertainment, dining, or even character appearances come and go. New traditions are made, but we also cling dearly to the ones we already have. According to the aforementioned Disney Music Loops site, the Main Street Christmas Loop has been running since 1972 – longer than I have been on this earth. And it’s remained the same. It has become a tradition of home. When I’m not there, I can play it and remember those memories. At the time of this writing, Disneyland is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When I need to feel a bit of that tradition and familiarity, I listen to these songs and close my eyes….

I’m walking down Main Street With my wife and daughter late at night. Most of the crowd has left for the day as we cherish the moments in a nearly empty Town Square. I see the Christmas tree lit in Walt Disney's apartment above the Main Street Fire Station...

Goodnight, Walt. ©Craig D. Barton

... I hear “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” playing as I look up in the window, and I know even if it’s closed this year, I’m there too… if only in my dreams.

Main Street Christmas Loop Sequence, Song, Artist, and Album List:

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Christmas View-Master Sets

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 13:29:55 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Let's take a look under the tree for some Christmas-themed View-Master packets. Join me as I share some "stereo-picture" classics starring Scrooge, Saint Nick, wise men and shepherds, and more. It's a fun and unique way to celebrate the holidays with those unforgettable "3-D" View-Master scenes, created especially for Christmas.

Many thanks to these blogs for View-Master scans:

View-Master World

Lance Cardinal Creations

And be sure and follow this excellent View-Master Instagram account !

Discover more at my Blog:

Happy (3D) Christmas To All And To All A Good-Night

The Christmas Story in 3D

Tulgey Wood TV - Five Favorite Christmas Books (featuring Golden Books and Peanuts by Schulz)

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 12:40:16 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Deck the halls with some festive favorites as I page through some Christmas favorites. Visions of such sugar plums as Golden art by the Provensens and Retta Scott, evocative illustrations by Ronald Searle and much more to make you merry.

Order the classic Little Golden Book, Christmas in the Country, and help support Jim's YouTube channel by clicking here.

Order the Charlie Brown's Christmas Stocking book by clicking here .

Timeless Tradition: The 55th Anniversary of "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 15:35:12 GMT

by Michael Lyons

Several months ago, there was an outcry. People were up in arms about another unfair moment 2020 had, once again, lobbed into their lives. While this one may not have seemed high on the “importance meter,” many saw it as an affront to a tradition. The outcry centered around A Charlie Brown Christmas.

It was announced that the streaming service Apple TV+ would be the exclusive home of A Charlie Brown Christmas, making it the first Christmas Season since the special first aired in 1965 that the show would not be on network TV. It was now less accessible to many.

A Charlie Brown Christmas not on network TV?!? Sure, it’s on Blu-Ray and DVD and has been seen innumerable times, finding its way into our collective Christmas DNA, but if it’s not shown as a special, many felt that it wouldn’t be…well…special.

Was there anything more exhilarating than seeing this logo flash?

From this backlash came an unprecedented move, where PBS stations would be allowed to show A Charlie Brown Christmas, allowing more to see it this year.

While this may not seem like a big deal for some, it’s actually a big deal for many. There are certain traditions that go hand-in-hand with the Christmas Season. They are needed to make it feel like Christmas (this year especially).

In addition to decorating the Christmas tree, stringing lights outside the house and singing Carols, one could easily add watching A Charlie Brown Christmas to the list of Holiday “to do’s.”

Fifty-five years ago, this Holiday season, this modestly animated TV Special, inspired by Charles Schulz's massively popular newspaper comic strip, debuted and captured the hearts of viewers like few shows had.

On its debut on December 9, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas aired on CBS and was watched by 45% of those watching television that evening, ranking at number 2 in the overall TV ratings.

The story of A Charlie Brown Christmas is a modest one. The title character, everyone’s favorite “blockhead,” and seemingly perennial loser, finds himself somewhat depressed around the Christmas Season, unable to find the season’s true meaning and feeling overwhelmed by the commercialism that surrounds him. He takes on the role of the director of the Christmas pageant, hoping that this will help, but it only adds to his frustration. At the end of the special, it’s his friends who help Charlie Brown find the true meaning of Christmas.

Creator Charles Schulz was deeply involved in the special and brought to it the same mature sensibilities and societal commentaries that were found in his daily comic strips. These themes and messages explored are just one of the special’s many unique attributes and the main reason why it has endured for over half a decade.

A Charlie Brown Christmas came together very quickly. Producer Lee Mendelson was contacted by an ad agency and informed them that their client Coca-Cola was looking to sponsor a children’s TV Special and from that initial conversation, Mendelson partnered with Schulz and animation director Bill Melendez to complete A Charlie Brown Christmas in a mere six months.

Melendez brilliantly found a way to capture the look of Charles Schulz’ comic strips, bringing to the screen the impeccable, clean, lines as well as finding ways to make the “flat” images animatable (most notable in the “Christmas dance” sequence).

This unique approach was also applied to the character’s voices. Prior to A Charlie Brown Christmas, voices for younger characters were provided by adult actors who were imitating children. For Charlie Brown, a groundbreaking decision was made to use actual children, many of whom were not professional actors, adding an air of authenticity to the proceedings.

Another original touch in the special was in the choice of music. In lieu of the usual orchestral backgrounds, producer Mendelson employed pianist Vince Guaraldi, who made the decision to create a jazz score for A Charlie Brown Christmas. Guaraldi went on to craft a musical score that has not only become synonymous with the special, but has also become part of the soundtrack for the Christmas season itself.

What truly stands out about A Charlie Brown Christmas however and has allowed it to endure is the fact that it touches upon religion and the true meaning of Christmas. In one scene, as Linus attempts to illustrate this, he recites a passage from The Bible (Luke 2:8-14 from the King James Version). Such a move was seen as daring for its day (and still is), as most Christmas entertainment on television centered on the secular celebrations of the season.

"And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!"

This, coupled with the commentary on commercialization, still makes A Charlie Brown Christmas more than just seasonal entertainment, it makes it thought provoking. No wonder so many want to make sure they see it each year. It is indeed, special in every way.

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Some Favorite Christmas Albums

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 13:20:52 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Christmas music makes the season, so get in the holiday mood with an eclectic selection of vinyl Christmas albums from my collection! Along with some festive art on the covers and musical rarities in the grooves and such seasonal stalwarts as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Tennessee Ernie Ford, there is a Captain (Captain Kangaroo), a Duke (Bo Duke from The Dukes of Hazard), the Rockettes and a stocking-full of surprises. Plus, I reveal my all-time favorite Christmas album.

Donate to the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre by visiting their site and clicking here .

Discover more about Eyvind Earle and Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty on the D23 Website .

Visit the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square on their YouTube Channel here .

A Nerd at Christmas - Christmas Music to Love, Part 2: The Singles

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 16:02:28 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

In my previous post on some of my Christmas music recommendations , I made sure to note I realized not all Christmas music was for everyone. I will be the first to acknowledge there is some less-than stellar stuff out there. Perhaps the saddest part of this is that some of these songs are played ad-nauseum on radio stations and stores throughout the holiday season, and are, sadly, what many people think of when they think of Christmas music. And it all starts to blur together. One can never be sure whether someone is wanting shoes for their grandma who got run over by a red-nose reindeer, or for their hippopotamus, or if it’s just cold outside.

But, for Christmas, there is still lots of originality to be heard in the tunes, either through new songs or covers of the classics. To be completely honest, sometimes one has to really sift through to find the best tunes, and listening to an entire album can be daunting – one bad cover of Jingle Bells can do a person in. In my previous piece, I focused on a handful of favorite albums; in this one, I shift my attention to a selection of my favorite holiday tunes, both standards and originals. Not everything will be everyone’s cup of tea, but maybe I can spread some holiday cheer and give a few additions to your Christmas playlists!

Note - For your listening pleasure, I have added either Spotify links or YouTube videos with each song. Hope you all enjoy!

Sleigh Ride – Leroy Anderson

Though there are so many versions of this song that can be listed, nothing comes close to the original instrumental performed as it was written. From the clip clop of the horses to the whinnying horse at the end, this piece of music encapsulates an incredibly joyful sleigh ride – one that brings a smile to my face every time it plays. I hope it does for you as well.

Old Toy Trains - Roger Miller

This song has long been a favorite of mine, and it holds a very special place in my heart. This is the song I would sing to my newborn daughter at bedtime: “Little girl, don’t you think it’s time you were in bed?” The peaceful, simple, and soothing melody had always been a favorite, and I know it always will be. Roger Miller’s distinctive voice lends itself to this lullaby, making for a peaceful song about the joys of Santa and Christmastime. And to this day, when I hear my now 13 year-old sing along, my heart melts.

Rich Mullins – You Gotta Get Up (Christmas Song)

Singer/songwriter Mullins has always been one of my absolute favorite artists, his songs dealing in honest truths about faith and life. This song perfectly captures the overwhelming joy from a child’s point of view on Christmas morning. “I thought Christmas Day would never come, but it's here at last, so mom and dad, the waiting's finally done. And you gotta get up, you gotta get up, you gotta get up… It's Christmas morning.” The simplicity in lyrics and piano accompaniment make for a perfect Christmas song for me.

O Holy Night – Sarah Groves

Perhaps one of the best covers out there, Groves takes one of my personal favorite traditional hymns of Christmas and truly makes it her own with a new and beautiful melody. Her soft voice works well in this new version – something she does so well with many other traditional tunes in her “Joy of Every Longing Heart” Christmas album (“O Holy Night is from her “O Holy Night” album).

Wonderful Christmastime – The Shins

This is a song I never knew I could love, mainly because Paul McCartney’s version is not a song I love. No offense to Sir Paul, who I view as a great songwriter and singer – the original does nothing for me. So imagine my surprise when I discovered this cover by The Shins, who discard the original tune and turn it into something more reminiscent of a Beach Boys tune. I know a Beach Boys sound comparing to a song from a former Beatle seems like sacrilege to some, but it is an instance where new life is breathed into an older song, making for a much better listening experience. At least for me, and hopefully for anyone else who discovers this one!

Don’t Be a Jerk (It’s Christmas) – Spongebob Sqarepants

Christmas is also about fun, and this fun speaks truth. “Bring joy to the world, it’s the thing to do. But the world does not revolve around you. Don’t be a jerk – It’s Christmas!” It’s good advice from anybody, let alone a guy who lives in a pineapple under the sea. And it’s a great sing along song that gets played frequently in our household!

Christmas In Kilarney – Rend Collective

Maybe it’s the Irish in me (translation: there is none), but this song has stood the test of time as a tribute to a festive Christmas across the sea. From Bing Crosby’s crooning to the Irish Rovers’ jolly cover, it’s always a welcome and fun sing-along. Rend Collective, a Christian band from, you guessed it, Ireland, includes this number on their “A Jolly Irish Christmas” CD, and injects new life into this classic. Lively and upbeat, I envision a jam session in Ireland at Christmastime, and what can be more festive than that?

Hanukkah Blessings – Barenaked Ladies

I know. This doesn’t sound like a Christmas song, and it definitely isn’t. However, it serves as a reminder that other holidays ARE celebrated during the holiday season, and are worth celebrating for those who hold them dear. As Steven Page sings, “With the jingle bells and the toys, and the TV shows and noise, it's easy to forget…” as he leads into a blessing for Hanukkah. It’s a beautiful tribute to a holiday that goes beyond a song about a dreidel, and teaches a lesson on what Hanukkah is and means for so many.

Someday at Christmas – Stevie Wonder

This song has always been a wonderful Christmas anthem of peace and understanding, but this year it seems to stand out in a sea of turmoil even more. As Stevie Wonder sings as only he can, he reminds us all of a call to peace that we could all dearly use at these times:

“Someday all our dreams will come to be,
Someday in a world where men are free.
Maybe not in time for you and me,
But someday at Christmastime.

Someday at Christmas we'll see a land
With no hungry children, no empty hand.
One happy morning people will share
Our world where people care.”

Let It Be Christmas – Alan Jackson

I was raised on country music. Every Christmas Eve I would wait patiently (Or not-so-patiently) for the local station to switch over to Christmas programming for the evening. To this day, country Christmas music holds a special place in my heart. This song by Alan Jackson captures all the feeling and beauty of the season for me, and hearkens back to those nights I’d go to bed listening to songs like this. It’s close to Christmas perfection in my book, and may be my favorite Christmas song, period.

As I wrote this list, many more songs came to me, but decided to leave it with these songs and ask others what their favorite holiday songs may be. We all have the music we gravitate for, and I’m always on the lookout for new pieces to add to my list as well!

Whatever and however you choose to spend the holiday, may it be filled with love and joy, and, hopefully, really good music.

A Nerd At Christmas - Christmas Music to Love, Part 1: The Albums

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 12:28:51 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

It’s Christmas time again – that time of the year when we celebrate a season of love, cheer, giving, and joy. A time when neighborhoods are aglow with lights and décor, displayed for neighbors and passersby to admire. A time of the year meant for gathering near to those we love and sending love to those who can’t be with us. A time for giving of ourselves, through gifts to others as well as acts of charity and service (as should be remembered year-round!).

It’s also a time for music. Christmas music, and lots of it.

Confession time: I am a Christmas music addict. I absolutely LOVE listening to Christmas music. Sometimes for a needed boost, one can find me listening to tunes in June or July. When September 1st hits, I unashamedly put on my playlist of holiday tunes, listening in my office or on a drive to work. For a long time, I couldn’t understand why those who celebrated Christmas still despised listening to Christmas music too early, or would only listen to it for a limited amount of time.

Then I thought about some of the most popular selections. Don’t get me wrong. I know some people love the offerings, but I realize for myself, I always get so excited to hear the local radio station is switching to continuous Christmas music, only to switch it off five minutes later to my own playlist of holiday tunes. One can only hear the same rendition of “My Favorite Things” (Which isn’t even a Christmas song!) so many times before their eardrums explode.

There’s also the problem of music that just isn’t good. It seems like every recording artist is releasing a Christmas album these days. But many, to be quite frank, don’t really seem to put much thought into it. They’re just not that... great. Or, as one fellow Christmas music lover put in a review of one particular artist (not naming names here) whose album he was really looking forward to: “Such utter garbage that it actually sucked all of the Christmas spirit from my soul and tossed it out into the woods, only to be stepped in again by some poor human being or unlucky deer.” Hyperbole? Maybe a bit. But as someone who seeks out good Christmas music, I do understand.

With that explanation out of the way, I’d like to spend the rest of this article listing off a few Christmas albums that I personally find wonderful from beginning to end. These are albums I can put on and listen to each track and enjoy as really good Christmas music, much of which won’t get played on mainstream radio if at all. A few may be familiar, but maybe I can help bring something new to your list of holiday cheer - links for listening via Spotify are included.

(Quick Note: These albums are ones that reflect my personal taste and may not be for all. The genres are a bit eclectic, but are all reflective of what I find helps me get into the Christmas spirit. This is just a sampling of recommendations; I will be following up with a list of individual songs as well soon!)

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas – Burl Ives , or, Have Yourself a Classic Childhood Christmas

Many of us have that ONE album. The one that we remember from our own childhoods that was a constant during the holiday season. For me, this was it. As much as a staple that “A Holly Jolly Christmas” is on seasonal radio these days, this album is one that just says “Christmas kick-off” to me. From the title song to classic standards such as “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town,” and “White Christmas,” Ives delivers in his soft and distinct voice, almost like a grandparent singing to the grandkids on the front porch. “Christmas Can’t Be Far Away” has become a bit of a Christmas anthem for me, paving way for a yuletide season:

“Both young and old are planning sweet surprises.
They'll soon be tied with ribbons bright and gay.
Good will is in the air and you feel it everywhere -
Christmas can't be far away”

The album closes with, in my opinion, the definitive version of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” the carol of man’s hope, despair, and return to hope again. That, to me, is indicative of what the day is all about. It’s no wonder to me that to this day, the album is still a must when decorating for Christmas. Speaking of which…

Christmas – The Oak Ridge Boys , or, Have Yourself an 80’s Country Christmas

For my lovely wife (who introduced me to this one), this is her childhood album, and our other decorating must. For fans of country music in the 80s, this one definitely delivers on the feels. The Oak Ridge Boys are country legends, and this album fits right into their catalog of classic hits. In fact, “Thank God for Kids” was a hit single from this album, reaching #3 on the Billboard charts in 1982. This album is a great mix of standards and originals. The opening song, “Jesus is Born Today” starts with a bit of a late disco feel – perhaps a little cheesy, but pure bliss and fun to sing along to. “Santa’s Song” contains a few fun Easter eggs, with references to other classic Oak Ridge hits (Elvira and Bobbie Sue). The harmonies in “O Holy Night” are reflective of what made this group so great, and will bring back a lot of memories for country children of the 80’s.

Andrew Peterson Presents Behold the Lamb of God – Andrew Peterson and Friends , or, Have Yourself a Storyteller’s Christmas

Some Christmas albums are good albums in their entirety. This one demands to be listened to in its entirety, in sequential order, as it tells a story from start to finish. Singer-songwriter Andrew Peterson has crafted a story of Christmas from a Biblical perspective, explaining the need of a savior, from the exile in Egypt to the birth of Jesus. Each original song is well written and sung (by Peterson and other artists), but woven together paint a bigger story. Told with both theological knowledge and a very human perspective, Behold is a great break from Christmas norms. Note: Behold the Lamb of God is performed live yearly by Peterson and his friends, and this year’s performance from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville can be viewed by purchasing a ticket for its livestream on Dec 6th by clicking here – perhaps a great way to responsibly celebrate the season in 2020 and still feel a wonderful Christmas spirit.

Socks – JD McPherson , or, Have Yourself a Retro Rock n’ Roll Christmas

This one is just plain fun. A mix of rockabilly, swing, R&B, and 50’s and 60’s rock, this is a (mostly) up-tempo blast to put on and dance around the house (or Christmas tree, if so desired) to. An album comprised of entirely original songs like “Every Single Christmas I Just Fall in Love” and “Holly, Carol, Candy, and Joy” are upbeat and infectious, while tunes like “Hey Skinny Santa” and the title song, “Socks” inject fun humor into the holidays. Seriously, why are socks and Christmas gifts a thing? (Side note – I love novelty socks, so I actually appreciate socks these days – not so much when I was 10!) This album is a great find for someone who wants to feel the Christmas spirit with original tunes that avoid the monotony of standards that can sometimes inundate radio. Maybe in discovering new tunes, these ones may become a standard in your own playlist!

And speaking of all-new and original….

The Pianoman at Christmas – Jamie Cullum , or, Have Yourself a Glass of Wine to go With Your Christmas

The same friend that warned me off of the unmentioned Christmas album at the beginning of this piece recommended this one to me, and I’m glad he did! Upon my first listen to this album, my reaction was to listen again. The jazzy big-band inspired sound works well with the holiday season, and the all original songs just make for an easy listen. The title song starts with the simplest of questions: “It’s Christmas – why can’t we all just get along?” Good question, Jamie. Maybe if we all had this album playing in the background, it would help put us all at ease and make the season a bit more enjoyable. Again, brand new songs to put a spin on the holiday season make this a true discovery. The sound and feel make these all new pieces sound like they should be standards. “Turn on the Lights” stands out as something that I could see Sir Paul McCartney singing, and in my humble opinion, is a much better earworm than “Wonderful Christmastime.” Swing along, snap along, or learn the lyrics and sing along – this album is a great new album for 2020!

These are just a few of my favorite holiday albums, but ones that stand out as a break from most mainstream holiday music. Like I’ve said, maybe they’ll earn a place in your own Christmas music collection if they so meet your tastes as well. I’d love to hear from others – do you have any “must listen” Christmas albums that you can listen to with a smile and without skipping a track? I’d love to hear from you!

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Fun With Disneyland Fun Maps

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 13:22:29 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

There's only one way to map Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom, and that's the fun way! Join me as I share some of these beautifully created souvenir charts from throughout Disneyland history and my own collection of theme park memorabilia. These Fun Maps are enchanted cartography of the Disneyland kind. Included: a look at the D23 2020 Gold Membership Gift, the D23 Fantastic Worlds Adventure Kit.

Discover more about artist, Imagineer and map designer Sam McKim at his D23 Disney Legend page by clicking here.

Explore the D23 2020 Gold Membership Gift by clicking here .

Rules of the House: The 30th Anniversary of Home Alone

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 17:50:17 GMT

by Michael Lyons

When A Christmas Story came out in 1983, it wasn’t a tremendous success at the box-office. However, it coincided with the early days of home video and cable TV, which helped nudge the now classic film into the Christmas conversation. Thanks to this popularity that built over time, suddenly every Hollywood Studio wanted their own successful Christmas movie.

Then, Home Alone came out in 1990 and by the end of its theatrical run, the film had made $478 million dollars. Thanks to this, every Hollywood Studio wanted their own Christmas blockbuster!

Hard to believe that Home Alone celebrates its 30 ^th anniversary this Holiday season. To say that the now iconic and classic Christmas film caught everyone in the movie industry off guard is an understatement.

Home Alone was the brainchild of the late, great writer-director John Hughes, who had already made a movie impact on the holidays with two of his previous films, 1987’s Planes, Trains and Automobiles and 1989’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (which have also become Christmas perennials in their own right).

Home Alone came from a fleeting thought Hughes once had as his family was going on vacation. As he made his list of “to do’s,” Hughes wondered what would happen if he left his 10-year-old son at home. He quickly wrote eight pages of notes that eventually became Home Alone.

For anyone who has been home alone since the film premiered and doesn’t know the story, Home Alone tells the tale of young Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who is mistakenly left behind at home, when his parents (John Heard and Catherine O’Hara), siblings and extended family embark on a Christmas vacation to Paris. When two burglars, Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) attempt to break into the McCallister home, Kevin decides to defend his home with results that are painful for the burglars and hysterical for audiences.

The Many Screams of Home Alone.

To direct Home Alone, Hughes chose Chris Columbus, who had penned the screenplays for such ‘80’s Spielberg hits as Gremlins (1984) and The Goonies (1985) and directed the cult favorite 1987’s Adventures in Babysitting. Columbus did some uncredited work on the script for Home Alone, which included the addition of “Old Man Marley,” Kevin’s mysterious next-door neighbor.

This provided Home Alone with an added layer of heart and emotion. The connection that eventually forms between Kevin and the Old Man and the tireless, emotional roller-coaster Kevin’s mom experiences during her travel trials in getting home are in stark contrast to the Tom & Jerry-like slapstick between Kevin and the burglars Harry and Marv (“The Wet Bandits”).

However, it’s a balance that all works. Home Alone takes us from the heights of hysteria as Marv gets an iron imprinted on his face to the feel-good satisfaction when Kevin is eventually reunited with his family.

It’s the entire ensemble cast that makes all this work. There’s good reason that Macaulay Culkin became one of the movie icons of the ‘90’s thanks to Home Alone. Along with impeccable comic timing, he brings an unexpected, matter-of-fact matureness to the role, which was and still is refreshing for a child actor.

Catherine O’Hara as Kate, Kevin’s mom, walks a perfect comic acting line and emerges as a frantic parent we can all empathize with.

While we're speaking of Kevin's Mom, has anybody every figured out what Kevin's parents did for a living to afford that house and their trips?

Then, there’s Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as Harry and Marv. There’s such great chemistry between the two of them and no one takes a blowtorch to the head or falls down a flight of stairs better (Stern also has a hysterical, high-pitch scream). They both may be the “Tom” in this extended Tom & Jerry cartoon and be nothing more than cartoon characters, but they both do it so well.

Then, there’s John Candy in his extended cameo as Gus Polinski, the “Polka King of the Midwest” who assists with getting Kate home. He is so…so…John Candy and his brief scenes and endearing smile just show how much his talent is still missed today.

Gus never did leave a kid home alone, but he left one at a funeral parlor once....

When it opened on November 16, 1990, Home Alone surprised everyone by taking the number one spot at the box office during its opening weekend (it even bumped a brand-new Disney animated feature, The Rescuers Down Under to fourth place).

Home Alone’s success at the box-office snow balled weekend after weekend, as it remained in the number one spot for twelve straight weeks, through February of 1991 and it even remained in the top ten through Easter weekend. It was the number one grossing comedy film of all time for eleven years, until The Hangover Part II came out in 2011.

The film has had a lasting impact on our pop culture: the image of Macaulay Culkin, mouth agape and hands on either side of his face is an indelible image and “Keep the Change ‘Ya Filthy Animal!’ is a familiar line of dialogue to even the most casual movie fan.

A sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York was quickly greenlit and released two years later. Other sequels followed, including several made-for-TV films, but after the second, none of the original cast returned.

Disney (who now owns 20 ^th Century Fox) announced that a remake is planned for Disney + (which recently prompted some unfiltered feedback on Twitter from Chris Columbus).

It will be a challenge for all involved in this new Home Alone, as the laughter and magic of the original “Christmas blockbuster” still lives on thirty years later.

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV -A Treasure House Thanksgiving With Captain Kangaroo!

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:28:43 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Celebrate the 65th anniversary of this landmark TV series with some Captain Kangaroo memorabilia from my collection. You’ll see such Tulgey Wood favorites as View-Masters and record albums, plus we’ll find some surprises in Captain’s kangaroo-sized pockets. Plus meet Captain Kangaroo’s Treasure House friends including not only Mr. Green Jeans, Mister Moose, Bunny Rabbit and Dancing Bear, but also Fred from Channel 1, Magic Drawing Board, and even a glimpse of Miss Frog, followed by a very special Thanksgiving celebration!

Many thanks to Captain Kangaroo and classic media authority Jason Merrick for the use of many of the images seen in this video.

Discover more about this historical TV show by joining the Captain Kangaroo's Treasure House Memories Facebook group .

Learn more about Norman Rockwell’s artistic interpretations of the Four Freedoms as defined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 by clicking here .

Help feed the hungry in your area of the US - find out more by clicking here .

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Disney Compilation Albums, LPs and CDs

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 13:39:53 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Spin a variety of Disney songs through a selection of Disney musical anthology albums, released by Disneyland Records. Included are those collector favorites, the Gulf Oil Company's premium LPs and The Disney Collection compact discs (CDs). And as always there will be a surprise or two.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel , like, and subscribe for more content!

Read my D23 article about Sleeping Beauty by clicking here .

Discover more about The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band in the article I wrote for D23 by clicking here .

Film Feast: Thanksgiving at the Movies

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 13:46:52 GMT

by Michael Lyons

Remember when Thanksgiving was Thanksgiving? Now, it seems to have a new name: “Pre-Christmas.” In the past few decades, the end of Halloween has signaled the ringing of the Holiday bells and the need to move at warp-speed, head first into the Christmas season, with very little acknowledgement for what Thanksgiving is all about.

And this year particularly, the need for Christmas to begin seems, rightfully, more urgent than ever! With Christmas comes a seemingly non-stop wave of Christmas movies that, if played back-to-back, non-stop seem as if they could last until Valentine’s Day.

But, what about Thanksgiving movies? Shouldn’t the holiday that kicks off the Holiday season have movies of their own? Well...there are some Thanksgiving movies out there and each of them would make for a perfect film festival, as we all prepare to baste, cook, bake and, this year, disagree via social distance with family members over Face Time.

Without a doubt the most famous of the Thanksgiving movies is 1987’s Planes, Trains and Automobiles . Directed by John Hughes, this classic comedy stars Steve Martin and John Candy as two disparate businessmen who find themselves forced to pair up, through a series of travel mishaps, in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, as they attempt to get home to their families.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles includes a number of now iconic scenes (the “Those aren’t pillows!’ moment elicits laughs, no matter how many times one sees it, year after year). The movie’s popularity has grown such that the film is now slated to be remade with Will Smith and Kevin Hart.

Before Planes, Trains and Automobiles, there weren’t many film celebrations of Thanksgiving, beyond 1952’s Plymouth Adventure , with Spencer Tracy, in a melodramatic re-telling of the Pilgrims’ voyage on The Mayflower.

Thanksgiving has actually been featured as part of many films’ stories. Woody Allen’s Oscar winning Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) tells the story of the main characters and their dysfunctional lives over the course of two years. The film uses Thanksgiving Day to bookend the story, in the opening and concluding scenes.

Also in 1986, Thanksgiving dinner featured prominently in the comedy Down and Out in Beverly Hills . Richard Dreyfuss and Bette Midler play a well to do couple in California’s elite neighborhood, who take in a homeless man, played by Nick Nolte. One of the first meals that they share with him is at their lush Thanksgiving table.

That table, decked out with the Thanksgiving Turkey and all the trimmings has been featured in a variety of films, from 1942’s classic musical Holiday Inn , which features Bing Crosby crooning the Irving Berlin song “I’ve Got So Much to be Thankful For” to director Sam Raimi’s seminal super hero movie Spider-Man (2002).

Some films have even skewered Thanksgiving, in a darkly humorous way, like 1993’s Addams Family Values , which contains a hysterical scene in which the Addams kids, Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) go to camp and put on a play about the First Thanksgiving that’s unlike anything ever seen.

Speaking of something that’s unlike anything else, there’s the low budget horror film, ThanksKilling (2008) about a killer turkey, named “Turkie” (you read that correctly!).

Yes, it's real. Here at Communerdy, we're not sure whether we should be thankful or not.

Another “turkey tale” is 2013’s Free Birds , an animated feature about two turkeys (voiced by Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson) who travel back in time to the first Thanksgiving to change history by getting turkeys off the menu.

If you don’t want that offbeat a take on the holiday, perhaps a movie about bringing dysfunctional families together for Thanksgiving? There’s Home for the Holidays , (1995) a comedy, directed by actress Jodie Foster, that features an ensemble cast that includes Holly Hunter, Robert Downey, Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning and Steve Guttenberg as a family, with their own form of “drama,” who come together for Thanksgiving.

In Pieces of April (2003), a young, bohemian woman (Katie Holmes) has to get through a number of obstacles as she attempts to cook her first Thanksgiving dinner for her estranged family.

There’s even an updated take on these dysfunctional family “get togethers” with this year’s Friendsgiving , in which Malian Akerman plays an actress who finds herself hosting an impromptu Thanksgiving dinner for friends and strangers (emphasis on strange).

Two movies get dramatic and take on the entire Thanksgiving weekend. In 1992’s Scent of a Woman , Chris O’Donnell plays a prep school student who agrees to take a job as an assistant to a retired, blind Army officer, with a volatile temper (Al Pacino in his amazing, Oscar-winning performance). The two embark on an impromptu trip to New York City over Thanksgiving weekend, that turns out to be life changing for both.

Then there’s The Ice Storm (1997), another look at dysfunctional families, with another all-star cast, including Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen and Elijah Wood, with all of the drama unfolding over Thanksgiving weekend, 1973.

And, what’s Thanksgiving weekend without Black Friday (something else that will look much different this year). In 2009, Kevin James starred as Paul Blart: Mall Cop , a comedic take on Die Hard, in which a security guard saves a mall from terrorists on the busiest shopping day of the year, Black Friday.

Another Thanksgiving tradition that will look much different thanks to 2020 will be the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The action-comedy Tower Heist (2011) in which Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy lead an unlikely team, who had lost their savings thanks to a crooked Wall Street businessman, who had invested and lost their money. The group attempts to break into the businessman’s New York City apartment and regain what’s theirs. As a “distraction” during the heist, they try to pull it off during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which passes right by the tower.

And, no conversation about the Parade would be complete without discussing Miracle on 34 ^th St. In addition to the 1947 original , there was also a made-for-TV version in 1973 and a big budget, theatrical remake in 1994 .

All versions center on the real Santa Claus filling in for an inebriated Santa in the Thanksgiving Day Parade and then taking over the role full-time at Macy’s throughout the Christmas season (Cole’s department store in the 1994 version).

Whether your “Santa of choice” is Edmund Gwenn (who won an Oscar for the original), Sebastian Cabot (1973) or Richard Attenborough (1994), Miracle on 34 ^th St is actually the perfect film to “cap off” Thanksgiving and watch right after your turkey dinner, as it starts on Thanksgiving and concludes on Christmas Day, celebrating the whole Holiday Season.

When it comes to celebrating the Season, any and all of these movies make for perfect movie binging before the actual binging begins. They all also help remind us to give thanks for Thanksgiving as something more than just “pre-Christmas.” And giving thanks for anything and everything is something that we could all use a lot more of this year.

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV -Disneyland View-Master Sets

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 13:35:07 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

See some masterful views of Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom as I share some classic Disneyland View-Master packets. You'll catch a vintage glimpse of Main Street, U.S.A, New Orleans Square and more, with a surprise or two along the way!

Many thanks to Bill Cotter for sharing his scans of Disneyland View-Master packets. Please visit Bill's website featuring rare material related to World's Fairs held over the years!

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Fun But Fictional Presidential Candidates

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:24:56 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Happy Election Day 2020! Meet me in the voting booth for an investigation into the presidential campaigns of some fun but fictional White House hopefuls. Included are such favorite sons as Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip and Winnie the Pooh. Plus some offbeat surprise addition to the third (or fourth or fifth) party ticket.

Discover Walt Disney's The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band in the article I wrote for D23 by clicking here .

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - It's a Peanuts Halloween, Charlie Brown

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:33:04 GMT

By Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Join me in the pumpkin patch as I share some very sincere Peanuts memorabilia, all related to the Great Pumpkin. Party goods, some silly but spooky songs, trick-or-treat paraphernalia, and a surprise or two make for a very Charlie Brown Halloween.

Monster Match: The 85th Anniversary of “The Bride of Frankenstein”

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 13:21:52 GMT

by Michael Lyons

There’s a scene in 1935’s “The Bride of Frankenstein,” where Dr. Pretorious, one of the mad scientists in the film raises a glass in a toast and declares, “To a new age of gods and monsters!”

This refers to the new life that the doctor is looking to create, but could also refer to the fact that “The Bride of Frankenstein” did indeed usher in “a new age of gods and monsters,” for Universal studios and for future filmmakers.

By the time “The Bride of Frankenstein” debuted, Universal had success with other movies like “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925), “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” (both 1931), as well as “The Mummy” (1932) and “The Invisible Man” (1933).

It was with “The Bride of Frankenstein,” however, that the possibilities were seen for sequels, (something so common place today) and the ability to continue these stories and characters like never before. In many ways, this was the flashpoint for what today we call a “Shared Universe.”

This year marks the 85th anniversary of “The Bride of Frankenstein,” a moody, atmospheric horror film that, deep within its surface of crowd-pleasing entertainment, attempts to comment on the darker side of science and the danger of playing God.

The film opens with a fictional gathering of “Frankenstein” author Mary Shelley (played by Elsa Lanchester...who also plays another pivotal role in the film), at home on a dark and stormy night with her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Walton) and poet Lord Byron (Gavin Gordon).

They discuss her story of “Frankenstein” and, as they do, we see a re-cap of the original film, followed by conversation around how there could be more to the tale, during which Mary reveals, “That wasn’t the end at all.”

This takes us back into the story, picking up exactly where “Frankenstein” ended. We meet up with villagers, who are still scarred from the events that unfurled due to the Monster (Boris Karloff), who still roams the countryside. We also, once again, meet Dr. Henry Frankenstein, (Colin Clive) nursed back to health by his fiancée.

Henry denounces his creation, but soon his former mentor, Dr. Pretorious (Earnest Thesiger), approaches Dr. Frankenstein with an idea to create life again, this time a mate for the Monster.

At the helm for all of this is the underrated genius of director James Whale, who had also directed the original “Frankenstein,” which had been a tremendous hit and a blockbuster of its day. Whale’s background, prior to film, was as a stage director and he brings the same sense of sets and lighting establishing a tone and a mood in this film. Some shots in “Bride of Frankenstein” are like moving paintings.

Additionally, Whale had a mischievous sense of humor, which can be seen in some tongue-in-cheek moments in the film, such as when Dr. Pretorious reveals one his experiments: living, miniature versions of people being stored in jars like insects.

You’d never know it from watching the film, but initially, Whale was opposed to making a sequel and turned down several early scripts, before settling on this very unique story line, in which Dr. Frankenstein disappears for most of the film and the Bride doesn’t make her appearance toward the very end of the film.

Elsa Lanchester and Boris Karloff - Not Exactly Love at First Fright.

And, what an appearance it is. With background music by Franz Waxman, that’s like a demented wedding march, the Bride, also played brilliantly by Elsa Lanchester, who based the twitchy motions of the character on bird-like movements and brought to the screen one of the most iconic hairstyles ever.

What makes this moment all the more poignant is that in “The Bride of Frankenstein,” the monster talks more and has more of a personality than in the original, which allows for this scene when the two monsters meet as darkly heartfelt.

The film was brilliantly chronicled in the Academy Award winning film, “Gods and Monsters,” which starred Ian McKellen as James Whale, during the end of his career, showing just how underappreciated he was in Hollywood.

Released on April 20, 1935, “The Bride of Frankenstein” and was a box-office and critical hit whose appreciation has only grown through the years. It currently holds a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (not bad for a film that’s over eight decades old).

This Halloween Season forgo the gut-busting slasher flicks and look to “The Bride of Frankenstein,” a daring, humorous, dark tale of terror that did indeed give birth to a new “age of gods and monsters.”

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Five Favorite Halloween Treats (No Tricks)

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 13:03:46 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Halloween means treats even if they can be a little tricky, so here's five of my favorite spooky-season fun-size sweets . From Walt Disney's Trick or Treat to the monster cereals to It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, I countdown some merrily macabre memorabilia.

Discover more about Walt Disney's Trick or Treat in the article I wrote for D23 by clicking here !

Visit Dinosaur Dracula for Halloween fun and much more by clicking here !

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - The Magical Music (And More) of Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:14:27 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

The Halloween season means it's time for the witchy wonders of Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks .Join me as I share some favorite collectables such as records and printed music , some rarities and some surprises, all related to the spellbinding music created by the Sherman Brothers for this bewitching musical fantasy, perfect for October or any time of the year.

Discover more about Bedknobs and Broomsticks in the article I wrote for D23 by clicking here !

See more about Bedknobs and Broomsticks about at my Tulgey Wood blog !

See more about the Bedknobs and Broomsticks presentation I did at the Walt Disney Studios for D23 by clicking here !

If you Subscribe to Disney+, you can see the original theatrical version of Bedknobs and Broomsticks by clicking here !

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV: Disney's 50 Happy Years Celebration

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 02:43:28 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Disney celebrated its golden anniversary in 1973, and I take a look at some of the events and some of the artifacts of that year-long celebration. Hope this glimpse at this historic celebration (itself celebrating Disney's history, 1923-1973) will make you happy in at least 50 ways.

Discover more about the 50 Happy Years campaign in the article I wrote for D23.com !

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV -65th Anniversary Mickey Mouse Club Memorabilia

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 15:09:45 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

You're as welcome as can be as I share some fun Mickey Mouse Club merchandise as Walt Disney's classic TV show celebrates its 65th anniversary on October 3, 2020. Come along and sing our song and you'll see records, comics and a few Mouseka-Surprises along the way. Dedicated to Bonni Kern Carr (Bondi Lee), one of the Mouseketeers who died September 28th, 2020

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Flying High WIth the Rocketeer

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 13:37:17 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Come fly with me as I share some dynamic memorabilia celebrating Disney's The Rocketeer. Comics, books, magazines and more capture the action, adventure and 1930s-style thrills of this fan-favorite cult movie. Plus there are some soaring surprises along the way.

See the Rocketeer on Disney+

Floyd Norman - An Animated Life: A Review

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 16:46:24 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

photo ©Disney

Floyd Norman may have been the first African-American animator at Walt Disney Productions in 1956, but breaking a cultural milestone wasn’t what was first and foremost on his mind. “People have often asked me, ‘How did it feel being the first African-American at Disney?’ Well, I wasn't even aware that I was an African-American. I was another artist looking for a job.” The significance of his position is not, however, lost on Floyd. In numerous interviews, he has often been asked what it was like working for Walt Disney, repeatedly shooting down persistent rumors that Walt was racist. During in a discussion in 2010 at Atlantis Fantasyworld in Santa Cruz, CA Floyd addressed that rumor quite bluntly. “Walt didn’t really care who or what you were. He cared about your talent and your ability.”

In the documentary Floyd Norman: And Animated Life (Michael Fiore Films, 2016), we get to see the talent, ability, and man that Floyd himself is. Directed by Michael Fiore and Erik Sharkey, An Animated Life tells the story of Disney Legend (2007) Floyd Norman, through interviews with peers, fans, friends, family, and Floyd himself. Aided with archival footage and interviews, along with new animations from “up-and-comers” in the industry, the viewer learns about a hardworking and talented individual whose achievements span far beyond that of a career in Disney animation.

I was pleasantly surprised and amazed upon viewing this film to realize exactly how much Floyd has accomplished throughout his long career. Through following on social media and his personal blog, “ MrFun’s Journal ,” I knew that outside of Disney, Floyd had worked for animation studios such as Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears (If you’re a child of Saturday-morning cartoons in the 70’s and 80’s, chances are you’ve seen Floyd’s handiwork in those shows!). What I was less aware of, were his days in his own company, Vignette Films (co-founded with fellow animator Leo Sullivan), started when Floyd left Disney after Walt’s untimely passing in 1966. Floyd and Leo used Vignette to make educational films on black history. A year earlier, Floyd and Leo took a camera (one used for Disney’s True Life Adventures) into the heart of the Watts area of Los Angeles and shot footage of the Watts Riots, footage that eventually went national through NBC news. Disney animation director Gary Trousdale (Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) refers to Floyd as the “Forrest Gump of animation.” Not because of his IQ – Floyd is an incredibly intelligent human being – but because of the enormous presence Floyd has held in the world of animation through the years. After seeing this documentary, I can certainly see why.

In addition to his life and illustrious career, An Animated Life also takes a look at Floyd’s forced retirement at age 65. After returning to the Walt Disney Studios and working as hard as ever on movies such as Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., Floyd was told by the studio that it was time to retire. This movie pulls no punches on the subject of ageism and how it affected Floyd. We’re looking at a man who is driven, loves what he does, and plans to never retire. All of a sudden, he’s told, “You have to retire.” Fortunately for Floyd, and for us, the story doesn’t end there. Married to Adrienne Brown-Norman, who works for Disney Publishing, Floyd continued to show up at the studio with her, visiting others, offering advice, and doing commissioned drawings for fans worldwide – or as he refers to it himself, “Floydering.” After watching An Animated Life, following his blog and social media posts, and personally meeting him in 2015 at the Disney D23 Expo, I am convinced Disney and its fans are better off for said “Floydering.”

There is so much more to Floyd, his life, and career that I feel I haven’t touched on (including his reputation of “troublemaker,” as he has never been shy about voicing his opinion, even if it’s of the company he’s worked for). However, one does not review a movie and not leave content for the viewers to discover themselves. This is especially the case with Floyd Norman: An Animated Life. I would definitely recommend for any "DisNerd," fan of animation, or anyone interested in the accomplished life of an extraordinary man.

Floyd Norman at D23 Expo (2017) discussing his illustrations and inspirations behind "A Kiss Goodnight" (with Richard Sherman) ©Craig D. Barton

Floyd Norman: An Animated Life is available for streaming through Netflix, and digital purchase through Amazon and Vudu..

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Back to Some Back to the Future Memorabilia

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 03:23:50 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

The new Tulgey Wood TV video boasts 1.21 gigawatts of Back to the Future goodness. Speed up to 88 mph as I share several books, a rarely seen press kit, and some surprises that are your density, all from the original release (or thereabouts) of this classic film.

Mob Mentality: The 30th Anniversary of “Goodfellas”

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 18:20:39 GMT

by Michael Lyons

They say that there are few perfect films.

Well, if there is a short list, “Goodfellas” should be on it.

Director Martin Scorsese’s film, tracing a true story of life in the New York mafia over several decades, from the ‘50’s through the ‘80’s, most definitely qualifies as a masterpiece.

“Goodfellas” is that rare film that pulls us fully in to a world that is so brutally realistic, we at times forget that what we are seeing isn’t just based on real-life, but that it IS real life. It’s a film that always seems so “of the moment,” no matter how many times you’ve seen it, that it’s hard to believe that, this September, “Goodfellas” will celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Based on the book, “Wise Guy,” by Nicholas Pileggi (who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese), “Goodfellas” relays the true life story of Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta), who gets seduced, in many ways, by the Mafia lifestyle at a young age, where he ascends up the ranks of the crime family and it becomes his life.

Co-starring in the film is Scorsese stalwart Robert DeNiro as Jimmy Conway, Henry’s mentor of sorts and Joe Pesci (in his Oscar winning role) as hothead Tommy DeVito. There’s also Lorraine Bracco as Henry’s tough-as-nails wife, Karen and veteran actor Paul Sorvino, so quietly good as Paulie, the head of “the family.”

Scorsese unfurls the tale of “Goodfellas,” using a variety of filmmaking styles and tones, proving that he is indeed one of movie’s true maestros. The film opens with an immediate introduction to the violence of this world and ends with a freeze frame of Henry and his simple voice-over: “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” And, as an audience, we are in!

What follows are quieter moments, like one of Pesci’s most eerily realistic as Tommy, sitting around a bar with his cronies, suddenly insulted by a joke and seemingly about to snap (the now infamous “I’m funny like I’m a clown, I amuse you?” sequence).

It’s just one of the many and almost all mesmerizing scenes in “Goodfellas.” There’s a dizzying, long, continuous shot of Henry taking Karen into the Copacabana; The scene in which Henry, Jimmy and Tommy eat a big Italian meal, while a body sits in the trunk of their car outside, is both darkly comedic and utterly repellant; And a sequence with non-stop, rapid-fire pacing and cutting, where Henry is balancing both his drug dealing with the responsibilities of his family, is enough to raise anyone’s blood pressure.

Laid across this is a soundtrack - from Tony Bennet’s “Rags to Riches” to “Layla” by Derek and the Dominoes - that amazingly reflects each decade as the backdrop and also underlines all that’s going on.

It’s fitting that music is such a big part of the film, as “Goodfellas” all came together like a grand symphony of a movie. When it was released on September 19, 1990, critics immediately agreed, awarding it a spot on or at the top of their annual top ten lists.

At Oscar time, not only did Pesci win, but “Goodfellas” was awarded six nominations, including Best Picture.

And in the three decades since “Goodfellas’” debut, many continue to recognize the absolute brilliance of this one-of-a-kind film that redefined a genre. It de-glamorizes the world of organized crime and includes messages around how the abuse of power can corrupt.

“Goodfellas” is a film that stays with you long after it’s over...or even thirty years after seeing it.

Sounds like a perfect film.

The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky - A Book Review

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 13:27:29 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

“I've sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook, and, by gum, it put them on the map! Well, sir, there's nothin' on Earth like a genuine bona-fide electrified six-car monorail!” – From Marge vs. the Monorail, The Simpsons, Season 4

Lyle Landley wanted to sell one to Springfield (see above quote). Elvis Presley sang a lullaby to Vicky Tiu in one in “It Happened at the World’s Fair.” Since 1993, visitors to Las Vegas have relied on one for transport to various hotels and casinos up and down the strip.

And in 2020, Jeff Kurtti, Vanessa Hunt, and Paul Wolski give us the definitive book on the most famous system in the world.

“The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky” appears on the surface as many in the “coffee table book” genre do: a book on a beloved subject, a beautiful cover, begging to be opened and looked at for the pretty pictures laid out within the pages inside.

Then you pick up the book and open it.

Did I mention pretty pictures? Because this book has those from the opening page. The selection and hi-res scans of the artwork pull the reader in and refuse to stop inundating the reader on a visual overload. The forward by Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower evokes nostalgia for monorail fans, park enthusiasts, and television viewers. Who can forget the iconic scene of Walt and the Nixon family waiting to take their maiden voyage (With dulled oversized ribbon-cutting scissors that didn’t exactly do the one job they were intended for!)?

At this point, the reader should be well aware that “The Disney Monorail” goes beyond another nifty coffee table book. The information and detail on each page ensures a wonderful learning experience along the way.

The first chapter takes us into the inspiration and mind of Walt Disney, and his fascination with a world on the move. From trains to space travel, we see how different modes of transportation inspired Walt in his own hobbies, which ultimately led to the formation of the Disney theme parks we know and visit today. This is something that author Jeff Kurtti excels at – any book written about Disney becomes another chapter in a never-ending Walt biography. This is as it should be considering the subject – Walt Disney was a complex man with many facets to his life. Books like this are able to open up driving forces and philosophies that can get caught up in a regular biography. Kurtti, as always, does a great job of relaying the “why” to fans of both Walt Disney and the subject at hand.

Image of Walt Disney from "The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky." ©Disney

The chapters that follow offer a look at early monorail visions, designs, and executions, beginning with the 19 ^th century, moving into early Disney visions of Tomorrowland (including preliminary plans that were envisioned from the start), to the eventual design and implementation of the Disneyland Monorail in 1959. Included in this are great visuals of the short-lived Disneyland Viewliner, a sleek and “futuristic” train that played predecessor to the design of the Monorail. Along the way in these chapters, the reader is treated with a visual and informatic formula of successes and failures along with iterations never fully executed. The whole thing plays out like a retro “Popular Mechanics” magazine full of post-modern visions and written words that pique the interest of both transportation and Disney buffs – which, in this reader’s opinion is pure brain candy.

Image of Engraving of the Meigs Elevated Railway, originally published in Scientific American, July 10, 1886. from "The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky." ©Disney

Concept drawings of The Disneyland Monorail. From "The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky." ©Disney

It needs to be noted at this point that credit needs to be given to all three authors of this book. Jeff Kurtti, Vanessa Hunt, and Paul Wolski deserve the praise for the knowledge, insight, and layout that is poured out onto every page of this book. Hunt, a Disney Imagineer, has been instrumental in preserving art in the Walt Disney Imagineering Art Collection, and she brings forth her knowledge of the artwork presented on these pages, with hi-res pictures and transfers of both well and lesser-known Disney artifacts in the library (Something she has accomplished with many projects including “Poster Art of the Disney Parks” and “Maps of the Disney Parks,” among other projects). Wolski, a long-time graphic designer, creative director, and illustrator, brings his knowledge and artistry to the layout of the book, helping to make the pages an aesthetically pleasing work of art. Anyone who has read “From all of Us to All of You: The Disney Christmas Card” (Also by Wolski and Kurtti) knows what a great layout and design bring to a book. A true collaboration between three experts who relied on each other for the written word, design, and amazing artwork, their talents truly shine and compliment each other here. This is evident in these chapters of the book, as well as the chapters to come.

The chapters to come? Of course, we delve into the introduction of the Disneyland Monorail to the public, as well as the iterations and Marks used in Disney theme parks worldwide. Included in these chapters are great tidbits on promotional materials, collectibles, cast member costumes, identifying traits of the different Monorail “Marks” in Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the greater use of the Monorail in Walt Disney World (hotel and inter-park park transportation), and Monorails used in Tokyo Disney Resort.

From "The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky." ©Disney

Closing out the story told in this book is one of Walt as a world visionary – a man that saw the monorail as more than just a theme-park attraction – he envisioned a viable transportation system to be used worldwide. While his disappointment in the greater realization not coming to fruition in the way he fully hoped, implementations of a monorail system throughout the world since are noted – his vision WAS indeed farther reaching than he lived to be able to see.

Included in this book are great tributes to Disney Legend Bob Gurr (associated with MANY Disney transportation designs beyond the Monmorail), Jack Wagner (The Voice of Disneyland, associated with so many announcement and spiel memories), and designer and artist Paul Hartley, whom the authors of the book pay tribute to as a major influence in the design of this book.

As a collector of Disney-themed books, “The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky” will be placed proudly on my bookshelf as one of my absolute favorites, along with “The Nickel Tour” (Bruce Gordon and David Mumford), “Travels With Walt Disney” (Jeff Kurtti), “The Disney Christmas Card” (Jeff Kurtti and Paul Wolski), “Maps of the Disney Parks” (Vanessa Hunt, Kevin and Susan Neary) and a select handful of others. It is a work of art and deserves to be both read and viewed. But beyond the world of Disney, it is a fascinating look into the development of a transportation mode that has sparked the imagination of mankind for nearly two centuries. By all means, if any of this appeals to you, seek out a copy of “The Disney Monorail” (Available September 15 ^th , 2020) online or from a bookseller near you - support independent where you can – you won’t regret it!

Now sing it with me: "Monorail.... Monorail.....MONORAIL!!!!"

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Disney News Views of Disneyland (Featuring an Unboxing of Disney Twenty-Three Magazine)

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 02:57:44 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

See some beauteous phtography of The Happiest Place on Earth courtesy of some select covers of the classic magazine, Disney News from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s (and even the 1990s). Also, I unbox the new issue of Disney twenty-three magazine and share a few articles I wrote for that official D23 publication. Plus, the Muppets, a Kitchen Kaberet Kameo, and a now not-often-seen corner of New Orleans Square.

Day Late and a Dollar Short Game Review - Alice: Madness Returns

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 15:33:13 GMT

by Brandon Dwyer

Alice: Madness Returns

Have you ever played a game you wanted to be great? You keep telling yourself that if they just had more time or money, they could have made game of the year? Well I've played one of those games recently: It was “Alice: Madness Returns.”

A sequel to the 2000 game “America McGee's Alice,” Alice: Madness Returns is a hack and slash platformer that continues the story one year from the original game. The game starts as you've been released from the sanitarium and have taken up residence in an orphanage run by a dentist/psychologist - mostly 19th century quackery.

While about town, Alice gets assaulted, knocked in the head, and transported back to Wonderland. While in Wonderland you must work through the trauma of losing your family to a fire years earlier. Pretty straight forward stuff, right? Not exactly. This is Wonderland after all.

As you progress through the story, more and more memories are unlocked. While the cut scenes cover the bare necessities of the story, the rest of the story is scattered throughout the game. Picking up one of the six different memory icons unlocks another memory. As you collect more icons, more of the past is unveiled to the player. Buried in those memories are the motivations of the secondary characters around you. The more you unlock, the more you know, and the more you want to know.

And that's the problem with this game. For all its awful mechanics, the game's story hooks you. I now have a voyeuristic need to unlock more memories and progress further down the rabbit hole. It's not enough to just play through the main story. I needed to experience all of the memories.

The button mashing back and slash is … ok. While using your knife is good, manually shooting your pepper mill can be a chore. Luckily the game has “lock on” targeting and it's essential for the use of any range weapons. The dodging is a treat - instead of rolling around on the ground, you're treated to an explosion of blue butterflies followed by the quick reassemble of yourself a few feet away. It's not a perfect system, but it's passable and can lead to some exciting fights.

Enemy AI is fairly generic, but there is just enough variation per level that it doesn't seem too

repetitive. Fighting is easy and doesn't require more than a few dodges and button mashing. As the game goes on they get progressively harder... Until they don't. Beware the 12-headed blob monster. It's a pain, and luck plays a large roll in defeating that baddie.

The platforming is standard but lacking many features you would find in games from the early 2000s. Why did they get rid of grasping ledges? Instead they implement a horrible double jump that sometimes lets you triple and quadruple jump as the game sees fit. Plenty of games have implemented climbing. Climbing mechanics were a staple way before 2011. The best example is the hit game of 1996 Tomb Raider. Why skip on something so simple?

Climbing isn't the only problem. Walking into walls is also a problem. Movement is so limited you're constantly running into invisible walls. Thinking there might be a hidden room around the corner? Nope. There is only an invisible wall. Think you can jump on that ledge? Nope, you're blocked. The worst ledge was in chapter 2 that you would just fall through without even a wall to stop you.

Now, the best mechanic about the game is the “shrink”. Intertwined throughout the game are small holes you need to shrink to enter. While this is a cool feature by itself, shrinking also allows you to see normally invisible pathways. If you've reached an area that seems to have no escape, shrink down and you'll see one. This is also helpful if you get lost as the drawings will appear along your path. I find myself constantly hitting the shrink button looking for hidden paths.

With all the problems, all the hair pulling, and frustration this game inflicts, it's amazing. I'm having such a great time with this game.

The visual design is wonderful. Each level is its own. The level design and the puzzles all come

together in a way that compliments your journey. From a broken workshop with the mad hatter, to Feudal Japan in search of the Caterpillar, to the Queen's gardens... Each is a visual delight. I might add that while they serve their visual purpose, the texture quality isn't good.

Did you know there is a level where you play as a doll head? Yeah, that section is really messed up.

Overall the game has it's moments. I don't think I've jumped, bounced, and glided this much in a long time. Chapter 5 has left me wiping the sweat off my brow more than a few times, including a rare case of trying to find a solution to one puzzle online (I had it half right at least). The design of the platforms are intuitive and well spaced. Only a few times did I think, “I'm not going to make that jump”. At least they got that part right.

Alice: Madness Returns is a game that's right up my alley. It's imaginative, crazy, and at times

emotionally involved. If some of the technical issues were addressed, I would return time and time again. I'll be happy to recommend this to anyone as long as they go in knowing some of the problems.

Recommend: Buy it. 10 bucks is a little high. Anything under that is gold.

Did you know I stream games on Twitch? Head on over Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 8pm

Arizona time. http://www.twitch.tv/brandocalrizia

I 've been on a horror kick since loading up Dead Space.

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV -The Music (and More) of Mary Poppins

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 14:27:33 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

The magical music of Mary Poppins was presented in a variety of ways, all part of the celebration (and promotion) of the smash hit "filmusical." Join me as I take a look at the original soundtrack recording (from Vista records), the second cast album (from Disneyland Records) and more, plus a spoonful of surprises.

To Lose a King

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 02:32:01 GMT

by Nataly Guzman

Chadwick Boseman’s passing hits us very hard amidst a time of uncertainty and loss.

To say that 2020 has been hard is an understatement. A microscopic virus has upended millions of lives worldwide, and our nation is experiencing an extension of the Civil Rights movement on the eve of the tensest presidential election to date. The things we have seen unfurl before us this year is unprecedented, and the losses have been tantamount: loss of jobs, of ways of life, and of life itself. 2020 has gut-punched many so far, and this weekend we deal with yet one more knockdown.

The loss of Chadwick Boseman.

Chadwick Boseman, 1976-2020

Yes, the loss of an actor is hitting many very hard. It comes at a time where we are already so tender from a constant blow of heavy situations. And inevitably, when a high-profile figure passes away and people collectively mourn on the internet, it won’t be long before we see the critique of doing so. There’s always that one individual who pops up to ask what they perceive is a logical question: “why is everyone so sad? It’s not like you knew them.”

It is a logical question, but it doesn’t make it less judgmental, let alone a bit mean-spirited.

Boseman’s passing is jarring for a number of reasons. He was young, he was talented, and every project he took a part garnered excitement for the next one.

Boseman as Jackie Robinson in Legendary Pictures' "42" (2013).

He was also Black. A Black actor who, among his many coveted roles that also included a portrayal of Jackie Robinson (Boseman passed away on this year’s acknowledgement of Jackie Robinson Day), he portrayed a comic book hero in a movie franchise that reached millions worldwide. It wasn’t just any comic book hero, either. He played the Black Panther, King T’Challa of the African kingdom of Wakanda.

Black audiences saw a major film studio produce a wide-reaching film that celebrated Black excellence. Black audiences saw themselves as royalty. Black nerds had even more reason to celebrate fantasy stories. And Black children saw faces that looked just like theirs be heroes, and be celebrated for their intelligence, their bravery, their strength, and their wisdom.

Chadwick Boseman carried the burden that came with leading the first major film production that utilized Black talent and culture in such a way. He knew that no matter who got the role of the Black Panther, the burden to ensure that Black audiences were given the representation they craved and deserved would be a heavy, yet important, one. It’s difficult to emphasize how truly hard it is to singularly represent one’s culture as a person of color, but take it from me, a woman of color: it’s hard. Boseman took up the burden, and without any one of us knowing, did so while fighting for his health.

As King T'Challa in Marvel's Black Panther (2018).

In a world that demands we give 110%, he did just that at a time when he deserved to take all the time in the world for himself. Cancer is a monster, and having seen first-hand the toll that cancer takes on people, I am speechless to see all that Chadwick Boseman was able to give to us now knowing what pain he was fighting to keep at bay.

And that’s what makes this loss a hard one. I did not know the man personally, but his work resonated with so many. At a time where the Black community is collectively mourning years of losses to police brutality, the unexpected loss of someone who championed for them in the realm of escapism hits extraordinarily hard. Boseman’s work, especially in Black Panther, created spaces to celebrate the power of Black lives. To have one less Black life in this world, especially a talented, bright, and powerful one like Boseman, is heartbreaking.

A majority of the millions of people mourning the loss of Chadwick Boseman didn’t know him personally. But when an individual’s work touched people in a way that made them feel seen, made them feel like royalty, their fans have every right to mourn. To be sad. To attempt to question their sadness because they didn’t know someone individually is an insult to artists who pour their souls out into their work in the hopes that they can at least touch the soul of one other person.

Given the outpouring of shock and grief just mere hours after receiving the news of his deaths it’s clear Chadwick Boseman was able to do just that. For every Black child who “played” Black Panther, for every Black nerd that took their mom or dad to see this movie or waited in line at Disney’s California Adventure to take a picture with the Black Panther, and everyone else who simply loved the movie, Boseman’s work resonated deeply. It reminded us that not only is fantasy escapism important, but that it is also important that everyone be seen and represented in these escapisms.

My heart grieves for his family, his friends, and for his biggest fans.

Rest now, Chadwick. Thank you so very much for sharing yourself with us all.

Day Late and a Dollar Short Game Review - Dead Space

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 16:51:14 GMT

by Brandon Dwyer

Hi, I'm Brandon and I have a confession: I can't play horror video games.

Back in early 2000 I had a lot going on. It was a stressful time in my life. I had moved to three different places in the span of 4 months and was currently couch surfing with a bunch of friends.

Through a series of events, mostly of my own fault, I ended up stuck in front of a PlayStation 1 and a copy of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. I wasn't good at the game, in fact I was terrible, but I played that game for a week straight. Then came the zombie nightmares.

The nightmares were vivid and affected every aspect of my life. It may have been a combination of stresses that exacerbated the nightmares, but damn I was disturbed by them. I have avoided zombies and horror movies ever since.

So why the hell am I playing Dead Space?

Published in 2008, Dead Space is a survival horror game. You play as Isaac Clarke, a mechanic sent to repair the USG Ishimura, a “planet cracker” mining a barren planet called Agies VII. It's sketchy as hell and they don't have the proper permits. Oh, and your girlfriend Nicole is stationed on the ship. It should be a happy reunion. Right?

The disastrous crew of the Ishimura found something while surveying the planet, so of course they brought it up to the ship for further study. Soon everyone is hallucinating and going crazy, then more crazy, like crazy homicidal maniacs. The mutations start and now we have Necromorphs, a virus like… thing, that can inhabit and reanimate dead flesh.

As you approach the Ishimura, your ship crashes and some of your fellow mechanics get eaten right away. The party splits up, and they spend the rest of the game demanding you to do stuff. Call me crazy, but I really just want to find an escape boat and GTFO. Armed with your lucky plasma cutter, it's your job to fix the ship, solve the mystery and survive.

Producer Glenn Schofield came up with Dead Space after playing many hours of Resident Evil 4. He wanted the same feel as RE4 but have it look like Event Horizon, which is apparent as you progress through the levels.

Movement in this game is top notch. The feel of your character is perfect and it changes depending on the environment. Low gravity makes you walk slower, and zero gravity, when your grav boots kick on, makes you feel heavier. You can still swing your arms and pull out a weapon, but it all “feels” slower.

Schofield made it a point to have no heads up display. Health is indicated by a few colored bars on your back. Ammo is projected from the weapon (these ammo counts are only what is loaded, not your total ammo count). As you gain upgrades, more status bars are added to your suit. Ammo is limited so save as much as you can. Turns out ammo isn't as big of a problem if you play on easy mode...

Also included in this game is a wayfinder mechanic. If you're lost, hit a button and it shows you where to go. This comes in handy as the game progresses. In my case, it has caused a few problems as I'm fighting the necromorphs. I'm shooting its limbs, trying to kill it, and I'm welcomed with a 1 second animation of me trying to find the door. I've been chomped, slashed, stabbed and swarmed all while accidentally pressing the RS button instead of gently moving the camera around.

Necromorphs are the main enemies in this game - a mix of zombies and the thing from “The Thing.” From Swarmers, to Regenerators, to Lurkers, to spider babies... You must cut off their limbs in order to kill them. Plowing a hundred shots into the chest of a Guardian, or as I call it, wall squid, won't do a damn thing unless you cut off the 6 limbs protruding from its belly. I learned the hard way and wasted too much ammo in doing so.

Pro tip: Get the force gun as soon as you can. It's great at killing Swarmers.

While most games feature large buildings and corridors, Dead Space is tight, even claustrophobic, at times. Running down a hallway avoiding a Necromorph isn't easy. Just one enemy will prevent you from moving forward. You're forced to confront it - fight or die isn't just a suggestion (it's the motto). And you will die, die often, and never swiftly. Cut scenes of your demise are woven into the fabric of this game. These WILL give you nightmares.

You can't help but just gasp in awe during the times when you do have an open environment. You don't have much time to look around though, as the game knows you're going to try. The game is counting on it - the bigger the room, the bigger the baddie.

It would be a travesty if I didn't talk about the sound design in this game. It is phenomenal. Slap on a set of headphones because anything less is a shame. You feel the rush of air from an airlock, the sound of heavy machinery, the clicking of swarmers... you're fully immersed in the game. When in low gravity, or low atmosphere, the volume of sounds aren't just turned down, they're muffled. This is how you would imagine it would sound in an airlock.

As someone with limited hearing, games that spend just that bit of extra time on sound make a huge difference for me. I can't hear someone in a crowded restaurant or a busy office, but I can hear the footsteps and groans of a lurker around the corner.

Last but not least, the graphics on this game were way ahead of its time. With normal Xbox or PS3 games, you can pick out the bad graphic stinkers (I'm looking at you Mercenaries 2). Both games are from EA, both games came out in 2008, but only one looks great in 2020, and one makes me wish I never bought it. Dead Space is obviously the former.

So why the hell am I playing Dead Space? Why am I risking a few weeks of nightmares? From eerie music to the numberless jump scares, I am having a blast. Maybe it's the adrenaline hits? It's probably the adrenaline hits...

Dead Space is a game everyone should own and play, even if you have to play at high noon with the blinds open and all the lights on.

Recommendation: Buy it now and remember to wear some nice headphones.

Did you know I'm streaming on Twitch.tv? Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8PM Arizona time. Stop in, say hello, and let's talk about some video games.

http://www.twitch.tv/brandocalrizia

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Disney Little Golden Books, Two by Two

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 12:52:49 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel . Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Take a shine to these classic Little Golden Books, shared in pairs. There are two Alice in Wonderland titles, two Lady and the Tramp books (though Tramp is not exactly a cover boy), plus two Aladdin volumes. Also, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck visit Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Wreck-It Ralph puts in a (very) brief cameo, and more surprises. What is your favorite Disney Little Golden Book?

Discover more about Disney Legend Al Dempster at D23.com .

Read my Alice in Wonderland article , written by me for D23.

Wander through a fascinating Wonderland of Alice collectables and info at Matt Crandell's blog .

Learn more about Walt Disney's Noah's Ark featurette at D23 .

On the Sublime and the Beautiful in Disney's Fantasia - Part Four

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 15:43:03 GMT

by C.W. Gross

The pinnacle of the film, and of Disney animation, is the Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria sequence. Walt Disney called the central figure of Night on Bald Mountain "Satan himself," though perhaps that was a little heavy for what was nevertheless a Disney film in all that may imply. His actual name is Chernabog, the Slavic "Black God" and one of my favourite Disney character designs, in my favourite piece of Disney animation, in my favourite Disney film, which might be a little awkward if we took Walt’s word for it that this was the Devil. While he may have been utilized to that effect in Night on Bald Mountain, the history of Chernabog is far more nuanced.

The first recorded mention of Chernabog (also variously called Chernobog, Czernobog, Crnobog, and Tchernobog) was from a 12th century account of Slavic culture written by the German Christian priest and historian Helmold of Boseau. Born in Lower Saxony around 1120 CE, Helmold became a priest in 1156, after which he was asked to write the Chronica Slavorum, a history of the conversion of the Slavic people of modern-day Poland. Though ostensibly meant to shed positive light on the time between the conquests of Charlemagne and his own time (the book closes at 1171 CE), Helmold was rather critical of the Holy Roman Empire's actions against the Wends (another name for Polish Slavs). He decried the Wendish Crusades of 1147 and their leader Duke Henry the Lion as interested in only money and violence. Scholars generally see the Chronica Slavorum as being of questionable historical value where it predates Helmold, but fairly reliable where he is writing about contemporary events.

Concept painting of Night on Bald Mountain. Photo © Disney

A 1935 translation of the Chronica Slavorum by Francis Joseph Tschan gives us the following description of Slavic religious practice:

The Slavs, too, have a strange delusion. At their feasts and carousals they pass about a bowl over which they utter words, I should not say of consecration but of execration, in the name of the gods — of the good one, as well as of the bad one — professing that all propitious fortune is arranged by the good god, adverse, by the bad god. Hence, also, in their language they call the bad god Diabol, or Zcerneboch, that is, the black god.

"Diabol" derives from the Latin for Devil and is likely tipping us off to a Christianized interpretation of Chernabog and his relationship to the anonymous "good god." So far, amongst scholarly mythographers, there is no consensus on the identity of this "good god" or if the Wends were even dualistic in their polytheism. An interesting insight into the identity of Chernabog comes to us by analysis of Dazhbog. Whereas much about Slavic deities has been reconstructed by scholars, Dazhbog is well-known solar deity mentioned in several Mediaeval texts. What is curious about Dazhbog, whom was known to be worshipped across virtually all Slavic cultures, is that despite being a solar deity he was not uniformly regarded as good. A Serbian variation identifies him as a demonic entity who rules the underworld. His name also translates roughly to "dispenser of fortune": not necessarily good or evil, but the one who gives out both good and bad luck. With the arrival of Christianity, Dazhbog underwent a process of demonization, cast as an opponent to God. Nevertheless, looking at the example of Dazhbog, it is reasonable to consider that Chernabog may be both the "good god" and the "bad god." The ritual described by Helmold might not be an appeal to two different deities, but an affirmation of Chernabog’s dual nature as the giver of fortune, good and bad. This possibly being the case, and I admit that it is speculative, the Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria sequence of Fantasia may be giving us an accidental recapitulation of actual history. Chernabog - not necessarily a god of evil (or good) but certainly connected to the underworld and the dead - is supplanted by Christianity, which proceeds to cast him as the Devil.

Concept painting of Night on Bald Mountain. Photo © Disney

It is generally assumed that the responsibility of identifying Disney’s monstrous entity with the ancient Slavic deity lies with Chernabog’s chief animator, Vladimir "Bill" Tytla. No name is given to the character in the film, and both production sketches and promotional materials of the time call him by all sorts of different, satanic names. Tytla, however, made use of the name "Chernobog" and was himself a Ukrainian-American who may have been familiar with the name through his ancestral roots. In his own words: "On all my animation I tried to do some research and look into the background of each character. But I could relate immediately to this character. Ukrainian folklore is based on Chernabog." Some linguists argue that the name of Chernabog is still in use, in a modified and nearly unrecognizable form, as a curse in Slavic tongues. While it’s not implausible that Tytla recalled his Ukrainian heritage, there is another very likely possibility: Chernabog is mentioned by name in the program of Night on Bald Mountain.

The history of Modest Mussorgsky's most famous work is circuitous, and the full piece was never heard during his lifetime. He first spoke of his intention to write an opera based on the story St. John’s Eve by Nikolai Gogol in 1858. Gogol's book, written in 1830, is a chilling tale of witches, greed, classism, and demonic possession. The date of St. John's Eve (June 24) is significant, as it marks Midsummer Eve, the summer solstice, and the Slavic pagan holy day of Kupala. There would be bonfires and ritual baths, young women would float wreaths in the rivers, and would-be couples would enter the forest together to find a rare (nonexistent) fern that flowered only on that night. With the arrival of Christianity, the date was claimed for St. John the Baptist and the rituals reinterpreted. However, folk memory retained the ancient pagan practices and began to see St. John’s Eve as a night of devilry and witchcraft.

That opera never materialized, but the composer did pen a tone poem called "St. John’s Eve on Bald Mountain" in 1867. Unfortunately, Mussorgsky's mentor condemned the finished work as "rubbish" and it went unheard until the 1930's. In 1872, Mussorgsky adapted "St. John’s Eve" for a collaborative opera-ballet entitled Mlada. This version was called the "Glorification of Chernobog," and features a ghoulish convention of ogres, spirits and demons. A young prince's betrothed was poisoned by a greedy woman and her father, who now wish his hand and his kingdom. She even goes so far as to sell her soul to the evil goddess Morena to achieve her goals, who hatches a plot to seduce the prince. The spirit of his betrothed leads the prince to the top of a bald mountain, expressing their mutual desire to be reunited in death, when the denizens of Hell tumble out of the underworld. Chief of them is Chernabog, who gives the prince a vision of Cleopatra in hopes that he will forget about his betrothed. It nearly works, but he is saved by the crowing of a rooster. Daybreak has come, and with it, the evil spirits disperse.

While Mussorgsky completed his contribution to the project, Mlada itself never was. The composer once more took his music and adapted it, this time as the intermezzo in an opera titled The Fair at Sorochyntsi. Sadly, this opera was left unfinished by Mussorgsky’s death in 1881. Friends of the composer, most notably Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, took on the task of adapting Mussorgsky's unfinished and unpublished works for public consumption. Utilizing "Dream Vision of the Peasant Lad," Rimsky-Korsakov created the version of Night on Bald Mountain best-known today. From Rimsky-Korsakov's program:

Subterranean sounds of unearthly voices. Appearance of the Spirits of Darkness, followed by that of Chernobog. Glorification of Chernobog and celebration of the Black Mass. Witches' Sabbath. At the height of the orgy, the bell of the little village church is heard from afar. The Spirits of Darkness are dispersed. Daybreak.

Both Fantasia’s conductor Leopold Stokowski (who in turn arranged Rimsky-Korsakov’s version for Fantasia) and its master of ceremonies, the music scholar Deems Taylor, would undoubtedly have been aware of this and perhaps it was they who suggested calling the character by that name. Rather than an inventive reinterpretation in the vein of the Pastoral Symphony or Rite of Spring, Night on Bald Mountain may be a fairly straightforward animating of the symphony's actual story.

However Disney’s most visually striking and viscerally powerful villainous figure got his name, it is certain that this name would have been largely forgotten if not for Fantasia. One of my fondest memories of Halloween was the annual ritual of watching Hans Conried as the Magic Mirror hosting an anthology episode of Disney villains, topped off with Chernabog’s leering visage chilling us to the bones before sending us out to scare up candy. Nevertheless, it would be a strange fascination to hold if there was not a deeper interpretation to draw from it. The complete Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria sequence goes beyond Good and Evil, as it were, to exemplify the difference between the Sublime and the Beautiful.

The best known meditation on the subject of the Sublime and Beautiful is by the English philosopher Edmund Burke, in his On the Sublime and the Beautiful. In this essay, he defines the Sublime as:

The passion caused by the great and sublime in nature, when those causes operate most powerfully, is astonishment: and astonishment is that state of the soul in which all its motions are suspended, with some degree of horror. In this case the mind is so entirely filled with its object, that it cannot entertain any other, nor by consequence reason on that object which employs it. Hence arises the great power of the sublime, that, far from being produced by them, it anticipates our reasonings, and hurries us on by an irresistible force. Astonishment, as I have said, is the effect of the sublime in its highest degree; the inferior effects are admiration, reverence, and respect.

What affects this are such attributes as vastness, infinity, overwhelming and overarching power, privation, obscurity, darkness, magnitude, suddenness or shock, brash noise, and terror (each of which earns its own chapter in that captivating essay). Beauty, on the other hand, Burke defines as possessing the qualities of even proportion, delicacy, smoothness, mild colouration, softness in sound, grace and elegance, and so forth. Then to compare them:

For sublime objects are vast in their dimensions, beautiful ones comparatively small; beauty should be smooth and polished; the great, rugged and negligent: beauty should shun the right line, yet deviate from it insensibly; the great in many cases loves the right line; and when it deviates, it often makes a strong deviation: beauty should not be obscure; the great ought to be dark and gloomy: beauty should be light and delicate; the great ought to be solid, and even massive. They are indeed ideas of a very different nature, one being founded on pain, the other on pleasure…

I do not think there is a more apt description of the contrasts between Fantasia’s bacchanal on Bald Mountain and the genteel melodies of processional monks. Chernabog, coherent with his origins as a dealer in good and bad fates, then represents Sublime forces contrasted against Divine Beauty. The battle between Good and Evil, between Chernabog's furious, destructive, sensual orgy of fire and the victorious monks' candlelit pilgrimage through a cathedral-like forest, is only the most superficial layer of interpretation. This isn't merely a moralizing metaphor for Evil's lively seductions and Good's pious serenity. It is a discourse on aesthetic philosophy and musical theory as a whole.

On the one side is the sublime of Night on Bald Mountain: everything grand, overpowering, horrifying, massive, ancient, dark, foreboding, the extremes of emotion, the ragged mountain, the crypts of the fallen warriors of battles long forgotten, cemeteries and ruin, of cacophony. On the other is the beauty of Ave Maria: everything delicate, sacred, soft, sensible, comforting, graceful, light, serene, of holy pilgrims, organic forms, and Schubert's great hymn set to a beaming dawn. Furthermore, Fantasia could be interpreted in its entirety as a meditation on these drives, from the beauty of fairies, magic, cherubs, and silly animals dancing ballet to the sublime of geologic cataclysms, prehistoric combat, wrathful deities, and alligators skulking under cover of darkness.

Concept painting of Ave Maria. Photo © Disney

Fantasia's Legacy

Pretty heady stuff, which is why I can understand that audiences weren't exactly looking for that kind of thing at that moment in history. While Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (my second favourite of Disney's animated films) was a milestone that broke all box office expectations, subsequent films suffered from diminishing returns. Pinocchio (1940) was more technically accomplished than Snow White, but lacked heart and the European market shut off by World War II. Fantasia bombed outright. The "Fantasound" surround sound system that Disney developed to achieve concert-real sound quality was expensive to install, the movie was expensive to make and Disney's most unusual and experimental to date, and the the US was on the verge of entering the war itself. Fantasia's returns were so dire that the film didn't start to recoup its production costs until its re-release in 1969!

The negative feedback and even more negative returns soured Walt to animation in the long term. He had built success upon success from Steamboat Willie to Silly Symphonies to Snow White, but Fantasia marked his first major failure. It wasn't just a missed shot either. Walt predicted that "'Fantasia' merely makes our other pictures look immature, and suggests for the first time what the future of the medium may well turn out to be." He felt that "This film is going to open this kind of music to a lot of people like myself who've walked out on this kind of stuff." It wasn't to be. The next film produced by his studio to turn a profit was Dumbo (1941), a fun, charming little picture that Walt generally had little to do with. The whole episode, also coinciding with the 1941 animators strike, was a blow to his confidence, sense of experimentation, and feelings of being vitally tapped into American culture. The receipts were in and there was nothing new, nothing higher, he could do with animation. After Fantasia, his own interests turned towards live-action, documentaries, television, and theme parks.

On the Sublime and the Beautiful in Disney's Fantasia is a four-part series written by C.W. Gross. Part One can be found here , Part Two can be found here , and Part Three can be found here .

Fulfilling Golden Dreams - Collecting the Books of my Childhood

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 14:02:32 GMT

by Theresa Collins

It was 57 years ago, yet the treasured memory of that momentous occasion is as clear as if it were yesterday - the exciting day I got a “golden ticket.” It granted entrance to the world of my dreams. In truth, the ticket wasn’t golden. It was yellow; an unassuming piece of cardboard, slightly bigger than a business card. With it came the opportunity to explore countless wonderful places, meet myriads of amazing people, and experience endless thrilling adventures. That first visit to the main city library after acquiring my first library card was not the beginning of my love of books, but the vastness of the library’s holdings was astounding to a young bibliophile. The enormous, multistoried, wonderland was a stark contrast to my previous experience with small school libraries. The idea of taking home up to ten books at a time was mind boggling. To be honest, I would rather have owned my own books, but since that wasn’t an option, checking out as many as possible was the next best thing.

Being too young to make the trip alone, excursions to my personal fantasyland happened much less often than I would have preferred. Still, those early experiences left an indelible impression on me. Books, and the characters in them, became my friends. Winnie the Pooh would comfort me when I was sad or lonely, Curious George would get into mischief on my behalf, and The Cat in the Hat always made me smile. There were tears shed when Charlotte died, amazing flights taken with The Little Lame Prince, and races won atop Old Bones the Wonder Horse. Favorites would be checked out repeatedly, until some were almost memorized. The one drawback was that they always had to be returned. Every time, it was like saying goodbye to my best friend. At some point an internal promise was made: “Someday, I’m going to own all the books I want.”

By junior high, Louisa May Alcott had become my favorite author, but mystery was my favorite genre. Trixie Belden, Cherry Ames, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys all had my help on many cases. The goal was to try to solve the crime before the protagonist did. Finding series books in order at the library was next to impossible. Usually, it made no difference to the story, but it seemed important at the time. Possessing complete sets of my favorite series was added to my dream of unlimited books.

Adulthood usually brings reality checks. The dreams of childhood get pushed aside in the day-to-day of life. Owning all the books I wanted was neither a reasonable nor feasible goal. I did manage to own more than my fair share, but they were rarely re-read as they had been when I was young. Though I still loved to read, the emotional bond with books was not the same. Then something interesting happened. I found an old friend at a used book sale. It was the Little Golden Book, “How to Tell Time”, the story of Tommy Too Late, who finally becomes punctual after learning how to tell time. This book is my earliest memory of reading. It was handed down to me by my sister and was also the first book I ever actually owned. Sometime later I found another favorite. “Beautiful Joe,” the horribly abused dog who finds love and hope with a new family. It was like finding a prize among the discards, and it awakened a desire to find more old favorites. Little by little, much of my “adult” library began to be replaced by the treasures of childhood.

C. S. Lewis once said: “No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.” As my children’s book collection has grown, the truth in Lewis’ words has been evident. The old familiar stories are just as endearing today as they were when I was young. Many previously unknown works have been discovered as well.

What began as the random acquisition of old children’s books eventually blossomed into a more focused, although very eclectic, collection. Dick, Jane, Sally, and Spot share shelf space with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Little Golden Books are no less valuable to me than the classics “Tom Sawyer” and “Little Women”. Each volume is a little piece of history preserved and a window into the past. The tales, though dated, inevitably have life lessons just as valuable today as when they were written.

Those who don’t understand will sometimes question why someone of my “maturity” would be interested in children’s books. The answer lies in a quote whose origin I wish I knew – “When you carry your childhood with you, you will never become old”. Truly, I am still a kid at heart, and enjoy being one. At least internally, I will never be old.

Day Late and a Dollar Short Game Review - Quickfire Edition

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 19:18:50 GMT

by Brandon Dwyer

Hey-O! I just thought I would take a second and mention something that's been happening over the past few months with the used game market. Prices are going up and inventory is harder to find. I went a bit further out of my way this week to an independent game store across town. Like other stores in the valley of the sun, you could tell their stock was dwindling.

One thing I noticed was 'Halo' prices. Even with the “Master Chief” collection (a collection of 5 Halo games in one package), the prices of 'Halo' games are rising. Who in their right mind ever thought that getting a used copy of 'Halo 3' would take some effort and 10 bucks? Last year they couldn't give it away at 3 dollars! Last week I picked up a copy of the original Halo for 9 dollars. 9 DOLLARS! I'm some kind of stupid, but I was determined to play the original disk.

FYI: Original Halo IS worth 9 dollars. That game, even with its dated graphics, still plays like a dream. The “Master Chief” collection doesn't have the same feel. The original is still the best. If you don't have a copy, pick one up.

Now on to something a tad more fun... A quickfire:

2009 X-Men Origins : Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Button mashing, bad graphics, and “why is there a lava monster at the end of the first level?” Who knows, who cares. It's just mashing buttons and ultra violence. Take it or leave it, but don't spend more than 10 bucks.

2011 Lollipop Chainsaw

Stupid fun from a stupid game. It's dumb and absurd. I mean, you cut off your boyfriend's head and strap him to your belt because you love him, right? The combat system is well polished and challenging. While reviews are mixed, this game gets more batsh*t crazy as it goes on. Pick up a copy, 20 bucks is a hard stop.

2009's Red Faction Guerrilla

Life on Mars got you down? Pick up a hammer and smash absolutely everything and everyone in your path toward Mars' independence. The story is basic, the graphics are dated, but damn was it fun. I've bought four copies of this game. PC, Xbox360, and the remastered PC version. I don't want to talk about the OnLive copy I bought. The remastered version is 20 bucks and worth it! Skip the sequel 'Red Faction Armageddon' as it has little replay value and doesn't add to the story.

2012 NeverDead … This game … I'll save that for another day.

2011 Warhammer: Space Marine

I picked this up on the PC years ago, and it's a bloody good time. It did what it needed to do and you felt like you were a Space Marine battling a thousand Orcs. As someone who has casually played Warhammer 40k off and on for decades, it felt right. This is a buy, and it's a shame it's not backwards compatible. It has great replay value. I wouldn't spend more than 10 bucks as it always goes on sale on Steam. I picked up a copy for 3 bucks at a Gamestop a few months back, so keep an eye out for this one.

2010 Dark Void

How many times do I have to play this game before I realize how bad it is? Why do I keep coming back to it? The PC version is unplayable in a few spots, so skip it. Stick with a console version. It's always on sale and game stores always have it cheap. I've never paid more than 5 bucks for this game. It's a pass unless you're curious. Never mind, just walk away. I don't even know why I brought this game up. Great, now I want to play it again.

Okay, so it's a Rocketeer game. Who doesn't like 'The Rocketeer'? That movie is amazing.

This week I'm playing Tron Evolution (Monday), Never Dead (Tuesday) and Remember Me

(Thursday) over on Twitch. Stop in 8:00PM AZ and say hello.

https://www.twitch.tv/brandocalrizia

Watch the Video Review Below:

Shirley It Can’t Be that Old?!?: The 40th Anniversary of "Airplane!"

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 19:05:42 GMT

by Michael Lyons

Movies have an impact on our lives. But one movie, “Airplane!” has had an impact on how we speak. Now, when someone uses the word “Surely” in any sentence, it’s hard not to respond with “Don’t call me Shirley!”

The line of dialogue is just one of the many, now iconic, moments in the groundbreaking 1980 comedy that has found its way into our popular culture. Hard to believe that this summer marks forty years since “Airplane!” first debuted. As the film hits this milestone, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the parody that went on to re-define all future film parodies.

“Airplane!” was the brain-child of writers and directors Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, who had previously helmed 1977’s “Kentucky Fried Movie.”

The simple plot of Ted Striker (Robert Hayes), a pilot who has developed a fear of flying and must land a passenger flight, after the other pilots fall ill, targeted disaster movies like “Airport,” but also skewered “Jaws,” “Saturday Night Fever” and almost every other genre.

What also set “Airplane!” apart from previous film parodies was its use of serious Hollywood actors like Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Peter Graves and Leslie Nielsen, who all played their roles stock-serious, which makes the proceedings all the more funnier. In fact, “Airplane!” opened up a new film career for Nielsen as a comedic actor.

Left to Right: Julie Hagerty, Lorna Patterson, Leslie Nielsen, and Peter Graves discuss a fishy situation in the cockpit.

Additionally, “Airplane!” never stops for even a glimpse of a serious character moments, but’s instead jams what seems to be every minute and corner of the screen with one-liners and sight gags. The film plays like a long playing “Looney Tunes” cartoon, or issue of “Mad” Magazine.

Ted Stryker (Robert Hayes) can't shake his drinking problem.

This has led to scenes that now live-on in film comedy infamy. Otto the Autopilot, “Fasten Seatbelt” signs translated humorously (“Putana da Seastbeltz”) and a literal plane ticket for the “smoking section” are just some of the indelible, at times almost subliminal, sight-gags.

Then, there’s the dialogue:

“Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue”

Lloyd Bridges and Robert Stack picked the right week to stop taking themselves too seriously.

“A hospital? What is it?

It’s a big building with patients, but that’s not important right now.”

And, of course:

“Surely you can’t be serious?!

I am serious...and don’t call me Shirley.”

Released on July 2, 1980, “Airplane!” was not only a box-office hit, it also coincided with the boom of cable TV and VHS throughout the ‘80’s, which led to the multiple viewings of the film and securing its place in comedy history.

“Airplane!” even gave way to a slew of copycat-like parody films (some created by Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker), but all of them pale in comparison to the surprise and the originality of “Airplane!”

This summer’s 40th anniversary is the perfect time to revisit what many consider to be a perfect comedy. And, if you’ve never seen it, well the only, correct response to that is, “Shirley, you can’t be serious!”

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV - Unique Disney Album Covers featuring Disneyland Records

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 23:18:40 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel. Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

Take a look at some some uniquely designed Disney album covers. On display are a celebration of Cinderella, Walt Disney Takes You To Disneyland (one of the first releases on the the aptly named Disneyland Records label), Sleeping Beauty and some surprises.

Discover more about Sleeping Beauty in the D23 article written by me by clicking here .

Discover more about Fantasia in the D23 article written by me by clicking here .

Read about Disney Legend Tutti Camarata by clicking here .

Read about Disney Legend Peter Ellenshaw by clicking here .

Discover more about Disneyland Records and Vista Records at my blog:

That Flitterin' Song-Fest

Fantasound: Not Just For Fantasia Only

Happy Presidents' Day, Mr. Lincoln

The Theatre: An Appreciation in Education

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 20:53:54 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

“Theatre is life.”

A good friend of mine often reminds me of this when discussions turn to talk of the stage, both in performing and observing. And for anyone who has either set foot on the stage for a performance, or left the theatre entertained, moved, and/or inspired by what they’ve seen – they know exactly what this means. Theatre has a way of touching our hearts, our souls. Maybe for a couple hours we were able to forget about the outside world and just let ourselves get swept up in the story being played out in front of us. Or perhaps, we saw an injustice played out in front of our eyes from rising action to resolution, and left inspired to make a change in that outside world. Or we’re just plain entertained by what we’re watching – song and dance numbers that awe, scenery that wows either in spectacle or minimization, laughs that are sorely needed for a world in pain. Or maybe one is motivated to think, “Hey – I want to be up there – I’m ready to perform myself!”

As it entertains, inspires, and motivates, theatre becomes the great educator. It has an opportunity to teach on, and from, the stage.

I’ve been fortunate over the years to have been able to remain in contact with my high school theatre arts teacher, Mr. Lyman Akers. “Akes,” as known to almost all of us, was the kind of teacher every kid wanted; in no way, shape, or form were his classes easy, but they were informative, interesting, and definitely entertaining. I remember Akes opening one class with a very dramatic monologue at one point. Not in a John Keating/Dead Poets Society, stand-on-your-desk sort of way, but as a piece of theatre, conveying drama at its finest. From that point, he took his moving speech and broke it down, explaining to the class how he built his performance, sentence by sentence, finding a story behind each line that was presented to us, demonstrating the thought and analysis that went into a performance.

Also, there were the class play readings and analyses that went into them. From Shaw’s “Pygmalion” to Wilder’s “The Matchmaker,” not only were we theatre students introduced to great works of literature, we were, once again, digging into themes and inspirations. Character analysis sometimes seemed like a pain to write, but we were learning about the characters, and on a grander scale, what they represented to the audience. Perhaps the greatest study for this writer was in N. Richard Nash’s “The Rainmaker.” They say there are no small parts for actors, and this play most definitely showcases that. In the characters of Lizzie, Noah, Jimmy, H.C., and File, the analyses showed different presentations and outlooks on faith, how it is displayed in different people, and what it means to truly have that faith – all shaken by the arrival of the charismatic rainmaker, Starbuck. It was a play that deeply resounded with me, and I was left with a small regret of never being able to perform in it.

Yes, I still have my copy - I'll return it if you need it, Akes!

Speaking of performing….

For anyone inclined to do so, performing onstage can be quite exhilarating – it can bring a rush of adrenaline like nothing else, and it can feed the soul at the same time. While some are naturals onstage, there is a need for education and analysis at the same time to make a performance truly shine. From comprehension of stage direction and timing, to truly understanding a character’s motivation and history, actors become students of the craft, always learning with each performance. In a production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” my character motivation (Audrey II, the plant from outer space) was quite easy to figure out – I was there to manipulate and feed on the human race, eventually taking over the entire planet. Why? Because I was a man-eating plant from outer space! In a role such as Roger Sherman in “1776,” I looked to the time period itself – what did revolution mean to not just the “simple cobbler from Connecticut,” but also to everyone inside the continental congress? What did independence mean for everyone, and what were their motivations for seeking it – or did they want it at all? It inspired me to delve deeper, to look at the real lives of the founding fathers who ultimately signed the Declaration of Independence.

Which leads to another educating pillar of the theatre. Shows like “1776,” “Hamilton,” “South Pacific,” “War Horse,” “Come From Away,” and many, many more, are snapshots of time. They educate about a moment in history, and often inspire both performer and theatergoer alike to learn even more about what they might have seen. Upon seeing “Newsies” on its national tour, my then eight year-old daughter definitely was enraptured by the song-and-dance spectacle of the show, becoming slightly obsessed with it (and still is). Something else happened as well – she started asking questions about the child labor movement in the early 20 ^th century, reading books and learning how things like the Newsies’ strike helped impact and put an end to the unfair practice. She is currently entrenched in learning more about the revolutionary time period (as are many others) thanks to “Hamilton.” She reads whatever she can get her hands on regarding this period of time, along with the facets of Alexander and Eliza Hamilton’s lives. She points out the accuracies in the show as well as the inaccuracies. That’s the beauty of being inspired to learn from theater: while not always the most factual, it DOES provide a jumping point to learn truth.

The room where it happened: Hamilton at the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York City. The closest we got was eating pizza on the steps of the stage door. Photo ©Craig D. Barton

Truths that may be hard to swallow sometimes…

Truths that force us as a society to hold a mirror to ourselves. Truths such as the facts that many of our founding fathers were also slave owners and traders, and fought for their rights to do such. “Hamilton” does tackle this subject some, especially in the form of Thomas Jefferson, but there is much more to be said, debated, learned from. A deep racism and prejudice that can take on many forms throughout our society, often being carefully taught as in “South Pacific.” Clashes between cultures and gangs that often result in tragedy, such as portrayed in “West Side Story.” Fears of a Muslim airplane passenger stranded in Canada in “Come From Away.” A look at the lower class seen as a “project” by the more affluent such as in “My Fair Lady.” Themes of how we react to the impossible and our faith in “The Rainmaker.” Fighting for the rights of everyone in “Newsies.” And yet I feel as though I’m only touching the tip of the iceberg here…

Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC. A reminder of the past (the site of Abraham Lincoln's assassination) while current stagecraft reminds us that the show does indeed go on... Photo ©Craig D. Barton

Theatre has the power to educate, inspire, and move beyond the stage, beyond the seats of the auditorium, beyond the soundtracks that we love to sing along to. As I write this, we are faced with a time where most performances are currently on hold due to a worldwide pandemic. “This is only intermission,” we are told from the arts world. When looking at the power of the theatre and what it means to schools, actors, and audiences alike, we hold out hope that the intermission lights flicker, and we start to take our seats and the stage lights turn on once again. We have our memories and even some great outlets at home while we wait for this to happen.

But we still have much to learn….

(Note: I realize I touched lightly on a number of shows without going too in-depth. With a subject such as theatre, this is only exposition. I plan on discussing many more shows in depth in coming weeks, months, and even years.)

Day Late and a Dollar Short Game Review - Captain America: Super Soldier

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 16:59:41 GMT

by Brandon Dwyer

I am, and always have been, big on Captain America. My kindergarten lunch pail had Captain America, Hulk, and Spiderman proudly painted in punched steel (I bet it was lead paint). While in grade school, I wanted to see the 1990's Captain America movie so bad it hurt, but not as much as it hurts WATCHING it today. As I became a teenager, it was nice to have that unmovable moral voice in comics. The Joe Johnston Film in 2011 cemented a modern Cap as he played out for the next 9 years. So of course I was interested in a video game about him. It also has the advantage of looking halfway decent.

Early hype on this game was positive. The game play looked impressive, and the combat system was completely ripped off from Batman Arkham Asylum. So it had to be fun … right? A week or so after it was released, I shelled out 50 clams for the game. This was something I've only done a few times in my adult life.

It came out... and it was labeled as a mediocre shovel-ware game. The critics aren't wrong, and with a meta critic average of 61 it wasn't going to win any awards.

The graphics are subpar for the end of the generation. The game assets seemed rushed as the attention to detail was pushed aside in favor of only delivering what the contract says it needed to deliver. While some character models are interesting as they tried to mix modern technology with WW2 elements, most are run of the mill. I assume they were given production notes and concept art from the upcoming movie as it had the same feel as Zola's army men.

The combat system is what you get when you try to quickly copy a Rockstar, Take 2, and Batman game. It's slow and unresponsive, and while some of the quick time events are nice and detailed, others suffer from poor camera and placement of models. “Wow, Cap sure did, somehow, kick that dude in the face from 10 feet away.”

The story is boring and easily forgettable. I ended up finishing the game and I can't even remember the name of the first boss battle (it was Baron Von Wolf something... I had to look it up). Give it a week and I'll forget the whole thing, just as I did when I played it 9 years ago. I spent most of the game going, “I don't remember a thing about this game.” I do like the Zola robot at the end of the game though... from what I can remember that is...

Don't even get me started on collectibles. It's almost like an intern was told to … just place some stuff around each level - we don't care, just make sure you have X Y Z placed. It's also impossible to pick up some items. How many times do I need to run around a crate to get a “pick up” prompt?

Put all these three elements together and you get a game that deserves most of the bad reviews.

With all its faults, I still have a good time playing. The levels are interesting enough and I've had to run around looking for the next level more than once. While that is poor level design, I've discovered a few areas I wouldn't have otherwise, and the game itself has more secrets than you would think. I still have no idea where all 22 anti-aircraft guns are.

Sure, the combat is generic and doesn't work all the time, but I had a good time beating up Marvel Nazis. There is a satisfying “ringing” when you hit an enemy in the head with your shield. Although I poke fun at the art direction, I'm a sucker for giant mechanical machines that appear all over this game (some of which I wished were in the actual movie).

So, should you buy a copy of the game, and if so how much should you reasonably pay for it?

I recommend passing: If you can get a copy for 5 bucks grab it. Otherwise it would be better to just fire up a copy of Batman: Arkham Asylum and enjoy a superior game.

If you're still up for getting a copy, check out eBay.

Available on PS3, XBOX360 (not backwards compatible), Nintendo Wii, and 3DS.

Be prepared to pay upwards of 20 bucks for a copy.

Video Review with gameplay capture below:

On the Sublime and the Beautiful in Disney's Fantasia - Part Three

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 16:59:58 GMT

by C.W. Gross

Rite of Spring: The Brutalism of Time

The first half of Fantasia is closed out with the ostensibly science-based Rite of Spring. Yet its evanescence of cosmic gas clouds is divine despite the scientific pretensions. I remember seeing this short in the second grade in the early Eighties, during our unit on dinosaurs, but it is certainly an artefact of its time. Regardless of the assistance of scientific luminaries like palaeontologists Barnum Brown and Roy Chapman Andrews, and astronomer Edwin Hubble, liberties are always taken when transmuting scientific ideas to film. Today, The Rite of Spring is enjoyable primarily for its art and its nostalgic image of prehistoric saurians.

Rite of Spring had the misfortune of being the only piece based on the work of a still-living composer. Igor Stravinsky debuted the original ballet on April 2, 1913, to a literally riotous reception. The two factions who enjoyed Parisian opera at the time - the bourgeoise in the boxes and the bohemian in the cheap seats - turned on each other and eventually the orchestra, with fists and chairs flying. The riot got such that the music could not be heard. Eventually the offending parties were ousted and the show could go on. What unfolded was a panorama of Russian pagan ceremonies re-enacted with the choreography of Vaslav Nijinsky and costumes and backdrops by Nicholas Roerich. Because it was so avant garde, reception of Rite of Spring was mixed. Conductor Pierre Monteux had to be coaxed into performing it, and years later recalled that no matter how much he sucked it up and did it, never never grew to like Rite of Spring. Scholars of classical music site that evening in 1913 as the one that changed everything for music in the 20th century.

Stravinsky's own reaction to Fantasia was conflicted. According to different accounts, he liked Disney's realization at the time, but grew a distaste for it. Stravinsky himself gave permission for Disney to use the piece, posed for photos with Walt, and gave no objections during production nor on the film's premiere. It was only much later in life that he decried it as "terrible" and an "imbecility." That much is a shame, considering what The Rite of Spring accomplished. Much of the segment is a study in special effects techniques more than traditional animation. The field of stars, molten Earth, billowing volcanoes, bubbling mudpits, and other artefacts of the Hadean Eon were rendered by innovative practical effects refined by the artist's palate. "Dinosaur movies" are a demanding, effects-intensive genre that beg for cinematic innovation. After the Hadean, Disney's animators depict a primitive, swampy world in deep, earthy tones. We've grown more accustomed since then to see colourful dinosaurs, very much like modern animals, in bright worlds much like our own (for example, in the BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs documentaries). These are dull, dim, archaic reptiles in an alien, reptilian, antediluvian world where everyone eats everyone else in a ceaseless and merciless evolutionary battle.

No wonder, then, that New York Herald Tribune reviewer Dorothy Thompson described Fantasia as "brutal and brutalizing," "an assault," "a performance of Satanic defilement," "so perverse an expression," an assault on "the civilized world," and an expression of Walt Disney's (Walt Disney's!) "sadistic, gloomy, fatalistic, pantheistic philosophy to record the Fall of Man and to record it with sadistic relish," a film in which "Nature is titanic; man is a moving lichen on the stone of time." Others rose to Disney's defence, decrying Thompson's column as "sheer, unadulterated hysteria" and "Philistinism pure and simple." Proving that it is not a new habit to call anything you don't like "Nazi," Thompson did exactly that to Fantasia: "All I could think to say of the 'experience' as I staggered out was that it was 'Nazi.' The word did not arise out of an obsession. Nazism is the abuse of power, the perverted betrayal of the best instincts, the genius of a race turned into black magical destruction, and so is the Fantasia." Carl Lindstrom, of the Hartford Times, decried "the Nazi cudgel" as "the most conscienceless thing that has occured to music in many a year," adding "It should be widely and deeply resented."

Intermission: The Fantasia That Could Have Been

Following Rite of Spring is a welcome intermission (something that these modern three-hour long films could benefit from) and an opportunity to discuss some of the ideas that did not make their way into Fantasia. As the film developed, Walt conceived of a rotating series of animated shorts to be switched out and remixed, adding vitality and longevity to the film. Rather than a mere theatrical film, Fantasia would have been a must-see theatrical concert event as it rolled through one's hometown every few years. Unfortunately, Fantasia was not a box office success and those plans were scuttled. Material still exists for a few of those intended shorts, like a dramatic rendering of Norse warfare to Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries and Jean Sebelius' 1895 tone poem Swan of Tuonela, about a Finnish legend of a white swan that ferries the souls of the dead. Both pieces dealt with similar subject matter - the Valkyries ferried dead warriors to Valhalla - and mirrored aspects of Night on Bald Mountain, which did make it into the final film. There was also the problem of Wagner's popularity with the Third Reich in 1940. It would have been... impolitic... of Disney to have made that short at that time.

T he unused concept that came closest to completion was Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy. Actually, it did reach completion, but was pulled at the last minute in the interests of time. Debussy's classic piano piece, part of the Suite bergamasque written around 1890 and published in 1905, is visualized as a moonlight night on a bayou. After being cut, the animation was crudely reworked into the short Blue Bayou for the later Disney film Make Mine Music. After Fantasia's financial failure, Disney only revisited the format through popular music, which in the Forties meant Benny Goodman, the Andrews Sisters, and Roy Rogers. The main films in this format were Make Mine Music (1946) and Melody Time (1948). Some pieces from the two films could easily fit into Fantasia, like Peter and the Wolf, Trees and Bumble Boogie. The latter of these was another idea intended for Fantasia, using the original Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee. In Melody Time it is replaced by Freddy Martin's high-test Big Band version. Peter and the Wolf would have been far more engaging as an educational piece than the pedagogical "meet the soundtrack" segment that followed Fantasia's intermission. After these, we are ushered into the two most "Disneyesque" of Fantasia's pieces: The Pastoral Symphony and Dance of the Hours. These two most closely resemble the Silly Symphony cartoons of Disney's past, in which Fantasia itself is most clearly rooted.

The Pastoral Symphony and Dance of the Hours: Funny Animals

Having struck it big with Mickey Mouse in 1928, Walt sought a more challenging opportunity to develop the art form of animation. That pursuit manifested in 1929 with The Skeleton Dance, the first of the Silly Symphonies. In this peculiarly morbid short, a graveyard full of skeletons cavort to an original composition by studio musician Carl Stalling borrowing from Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre and Edvard Grieg's The March of the Trolls. The combination of animation with music proved a success and the Silly Symphonies henceforth became a format for both artistic and technical development. Flowers and Trees, released in 1932, was the first cartoon in Technicolor. The Three Little Pigs were introduced in the eponymous 1933 short, whose original theme song Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? would become a Depression Era anthem. Donald Duck debuted in 1934's The Wise Little Hen. Released the same year, The Goddess of Spring, retelling the story of Hades and Persephone, was Disney's first sustained attempt at realistically animating the human figure. Its inadequacies convinced Walt to rely on a process called "Rotoscoping" to achieve better results for his upcoming feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In 1937, The Old Mill was the first short to make use of the multiplane camera, which added greater depth to animation, and to attempt more realistic depictions of animals and natural phenomena (once more in anticipation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs released the same year). Finally, in 1939, after numerous Academy Awards, the series was brought to a close when feature films supplanted them as Disney's venue for experimentation and artistic excellence.

Yet many Silly Symphonies, like The Old Mill (based around excerpts from Johann Strauss II's The Gypsy Baron), could fit just as easily into Fantasia. Likewise, The Pastoral Symphony and Dance of the Hours could have been Silly Symphonies. The song Dance of the Hours, from Amilcare Ponchielli's 1876 opera La Gioconda, was in fact used for the 1929 Silly Symphony short Springtime. In Fantasia, this most famous of ballets becomes a satire of ballet itself, perhaps even leading to the original piece falling out of favour (Allan Sherman's Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp) probably didn't help either). In Ponchielli's opera, a Grand Inquisitor has found his wife guilty of infidelity and forced her to drink poison, thus damning her soul by suicide. He reveals her dead body to his guests at the grisly climax of Dance of the Hours. In Fantasia, funny animals dance around! It's funny because the animals are fat! Get it?... Honestly, Dance of the Hours is the piece I can really do without (I would happily replace it with The Old Mill or Bumble Boogie), but Deems Taylor's totally straight introduction helps make it a bit funnier.

Backtracking to The Pastoral Symphony, it may have been the most controversial piece in the film. There was the incident of a Topsy-like negro centaur handmaiden who has since been excised by editing and revised animation, but what remains is still a "Disneyfied" impression of Greek mythology. Many critics have perceived it as too cloying and childish, both with mythology and Beethoven's classic Romantic music. Dorothy Thompson, in her shotgun review, said that it alone should have been "sufficient to raise an army, if there is enough blood left in culture to defend itself", could have been used to torture Beethoven if he "had lived to see the inside of a Nazi concentration camp," and was, with the film as a whole, a "caricature of the Decline of the West." For those who like their Bacchus to be the spry embodiment of lustful indulgence rather than the squat embodiment of jovial excess, this sequence might be disappointing. To those offended by the debasement of Beethoven, I simply recommend to get over yourselves. For me, its rendering of Olympus and its Elysian Fields is paradisiacal, and the sequence of night falling and Artemis lighting the sky with her lunar bow is beyond compare in the canon of animation. There is genuine beauty amidst the cartoon centaurs.

On the Sublime and the Beautiful in Disney's Fantasia is a four-part series written by C.W. Gross. Part One can be found here , Part Two can be found here , and Part Four can be found here .

Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV -Disney on Parade Memorabilia

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 19:40:43 GMT

by Jim Fanning

Note: "Jim Fanning's Tulgey Wood TV" is an ongoing video series from writer and historian Jim Fanning featuring fun and informative glimpses into movies, TV, comics, animation, theme parks, books and magazines, memorabilia and more. For past videos, check out Jim's YouTube Channel . Starting this week, you can view new episodes on Communerdy as well! Thank you for sharing your collection and expertise with your fellow nerds, Jim!

In this week's video, the classic arena show takes center stage with coloring books, those amazing program booklets, and more. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Mary Poppins are all in the spotlight, along with Roaring '20s fish, a barnyard bash, an Alice in Wonderland ballet, and much more!

A Hat In Time - A Retrospective

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 13:32:12 GMT

by Peckneck Nation

From the official A Hat in Time Wiki, curated by Gears for Breakfast.

A hat in time (AHiT) simply stole my heart the second i saw it. In fact, it was a four pronged attack!

PRONG ONE: ADHD
Yes, I indeed have ADHD, and thus I have to be in a certain “mood” to play anything in my games library. A Hat in Time broke this mold instantly! One minute you’re battling against the pasta mafia, the next, you're an actor working for two rival directors! Want to get scared, or play a game with deep lore? Try chapter 3! Looking for a more open world experience? Chapter 4 has got you covered!

Chapter 3 throws a curveball, with its terrifying Vanessa's Manor level. Image uploaded by Luna PrincessNinjato, YouTube

PRONG TWO: Story

It’s not all strung together like a panicked mess, either! The main story is about Hat Kid, who loses all the Time Pieces that power her spaceship in the middle of going to her home planet! At this point forward, it's mostly just “do thing” and “grab shiny,” but the characters and the at times cheeky, off-the-cuff writing are where the story truly shines. For example, there is a weapons slot on the pause menu, but the only weapon you ever get is an umbrella! You can’t unequip it either; it's just there to mock you (at least until the Nyaquaza Metro DLC). What’s more, each character is far from two-dimensional! They all have their respective backstories, and you can really feel like you “get” these characters.

Mafia on rocket: “Mafia is now on rocket. That mean Mafia is fastest man alive! Mafia probably die at end of race, but at least Mafia will die as fastest man alive!” Art by Jenna Brown.

PRONG 3: Mod support.

Unlike Nintendo, Gears for Breakfast (the AHiT developers), SUPPORTS MODDING. Have you ever wanted to play as Sans (Undertale) with Cappy (Mario Odyssey) in a donut wonderland? Well now you can.... Ya weirdo!

This cursed image shows modding at its worst/best (depending on your opinion). Uploaded by Failboat.

PRONG 4: Gameplay

It feels GOOD to play as Hat Kid. When you fall or mess up you always feel like it was your fault, instead of feeling cheated out of a win! AHiT is the only game that kept me smiling through the "Game Over" screen, and that is an achievement on its own.

At the end of the day, AHiT is simply just what it promises to be: A cute as heck 3D platformer.

And honestly, I couldn't ask for much more.

Howard - A Review

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 02:03:02 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

If you look at the Disney career of Howard Ashman, you realize that although he was there for what seems like a brief moment of time, the impact he made was indelible. In a larger scope, the same could be said of Howard and his life: such a huge impact on everything around him, and gone from this world way too soon.

Director Don Hahn’s documentary film, “Howard,” tells Howard’s story in the only way that can truly do it justice: interviews with those who knew him best, video clips of his career and legacy, new music by long-time collaborator Alan Menken, and pictures – lots of pictures – that captured Ashman both at work and at home throughout his life.

The film opens up with a Beauty and the Beast recording session in New York City. As Paige O’Hara reviews the opening lines from “Belle” with Howard, one realizes that this was Howard Ashman at what was truly the peak of his career, even if it was an unknown peak at the time. “We knew something special was happening that day,” narrates Hahn. “But what we didn’t know, was that in nine months, Howard would be gone.”

From this point, the viewer is taken into Howard’s life story, beginning with his Maryland childhood and continuing into his studies at Boston University and Goddard College. As many students of the arts will find relatable, Howard was drawn into the theatre, specifically musical theatre, from a very young age. Accounts from his sister of his elaborate shows and set-ups at home, the desire to create and tell a story, set the tone of someone who would devote his life to telling the best stories imaginable, creating magic for all who would see them.

The film discusses in depth Ashman’s early days in New York, opening the Off-Off-Broadway WPA Theater and the creation of shows such as “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater” and “Little Shop of Horrors” (both with songwriting partner Menken). After his collaboration with composer Marvin Hamlisch, “Smile,” failed on Broadway, Howard turned his attention to California and Disney’s animation division, where Howard saw the potential of his songwriting and storytelling skills in musical theatre being put to use in that medium. The results, as most know, are a significant part of Disney history. Sadly, Howard passed away From AIDS at age 39, before ever being able to see his completed masterwork, “Beauty and the Beast.”

A younger Howard Ashman (right) and long-time songwriting partner Alan Menken (Left).

Storytelling: We are all looking for great story in a film, television series, book, music, dance, work of art, etc. “Howard” is not just a great documentary, it is also a masterclass in storytelling itself. Ashman’s creation of stories beyond lyrics – how is this song going to tell a story, how are we going to move things forward? – is a “how-to” for storytellers. His idea of an exposition song, such as “Part of Your World” in “The Little Mermaid” (which Howard fiercely fought to keep in the finished film – can you imagine?) is almost standard in Disney movie musicals now (Tangled, Pocahontas, Mulan, to name only a few), yet it seemed such an odd concept to many at the time. His ideas such as, “Let’s just say the crab (Sebastian) is Jamaican,” and insisting that the concept drawing of Ursula based on drag queen Divine WAS Ursula helped shape “The Little Mermaid” into the Disney classic so many know and love today.

Music: When watching a good documentary, one should feel inspired to seek out more about the subject at hand. Howard Ashman was a lyricist, so this was pretty much a no-brainer for me. When watching “Howard,” I found myself singing along when snippets of his songs were played. From “Little Shop of Horrors” to “Aladdin,” along with everything in between, if I wasn’t singing out loud or humming, I definitely had these tunes running through my head. And to hear Menken and Ashman singing some of the demos from these films was golden, raw, and genuine – I found myself smiling a lot due to the music. (Speaking of music, “Howard” contains new music from Alan Menken, a wonderfully moving touch to the narration throughout the film. I, for one, hope there is a score to be released.)

Screenshot of Ashman with Paige O'Hara (Belle) durning the NYC recording session of Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Humanity: “Howard“ is not a film comprised purely of Disney magic and dreams come true. It is a very real story of a driven man determined to do what he did best, which was tell stories that relate to the audience. It’s also about a gay man who was faced with the reality of AIDS at a time when it was unknown, a disease called by many as the “gay cancer,” as it was thought to be pretty much just that – a killer disease that hit the gay community. As he watched friends and his ex-boyfriend succumb to the illness, it had a profound effect on him; referenced a bit in the movie, the song “Sheridan Square” was a song written by Howard in response to the toll the epidemic had taken on so many he knew.

A beautiful, haunting demo of "Sheridan Square."

When Howard is diagnosed himself, the film takes a turn for the heartbreaking. He doesn’t even want the test for fear his insurance could be cancelled. He has to make it through rehearsals and press junkets while wearing a catheter and becoming easily tired – not that others knew; he was afraid the idea of a gay man with AIDS was not the “friendly image” Disney would want. His lyrics carried a deeper meaning after his diagnosis was known:

We don't like
What we don't understand
In fact it scares us
And this monster is mysterious at least… (The Mob Song – Beauty and the Beast)

He became frustrated and irritable, with Menken breaking down in tears thinking HE did something. In truth, he was a man on borrowed time, living with a disease that was a virtual death sentence. He was a man who had planned a life in a newly built upstate New York house with his partner, Bill Lauch. He was a human being who was recognized for his genius – a genius that could have brought so much more to the world, had his life not been cut tragically short.

He was 39.

“Howard” is more than a documentary, although it is an excellent one at that. It is a testament. A story wonderfully told by those who knew him best. A film masterfully directed by Don Hahn. A story of a genius we may not see the likes of again.

I refuse to give movies “star ratings.” I prefer not to nitpick at the little things if the story itself is enough to keep me riveted, entertained, moves me to tears, or inspires me. “Howard” did all of that, and I cannot recommend this one enough.

“Howard,” from Stone Circle Pictures is available for streaming on Disney+ now.

Day Late and a Dollar Short Game Review: Split/Second

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 19:51:25 GMT

by Brandon Dwyer

Does anyone remember OnLive (one of the first online only video game streaming companies)? I do,
and my wallet does too. When the service was bought by Sony in 2015, I lost a few hundred dollars in
purchased games. At least I got, for a short time, to discover a great racing game called Split/Second.

Racing games are not my bag. I can count on one finger how many racing games I've beat (it was Al

Unser Jr racing for the NES). I always lose focus, I walk away, and always tell myself I'll get to it

later. FYI: I never get around to them. But now I can count on two fingers how many racing games I've

beaten. That in itself is good enough for me to recommend Split/Second. That's not going to be enough

for you though.

This is more than just a racing game. It's more than your average Burnout Paradise. You absolutely

can't win if you don't set off traps to take out the other drivers. Wait what? Traps for other drivers? Yep.

It's DEATHRACE 2000.

Your first race gently takes you through the basics of the game. Get around the track, drift around

corners, and fill your power bar. The more power you have, the bigger the explosions, and a full power

bar timed just right can alter the course for the rest of the race. Sure, it's the “gimmick” of the game, but

they do it so damn well.

By my count, without any of the DLC, there are 72 different races spread out over the 12 episodes and

6 different game types. Episode 3, 4th race, is where it starts to get hard (and I mean extremely hard).

I'm not a Jedi - I don't have those super honed senses that some first-person shooters have. I tried for

days and just can't place first in that race. Over the course of the season, I had built up a substantial

amount of points by consistently finishing first with a few second place finishes here and there. By the

time I unlocked the last episode, I just needed to place 1st in one race to outright win the season. I took

the opportunity.

Now, I might still have some rose colored goggles for this game, but other than some races being

incredibly difficult (and some mixed-up AI now and again), by far my biggest complaint is there aren’t

enough places to race. The developers did their best, and I'm sure a couple of locations where held back

for DLC (three new places to be exact). So while they set up the locations different, seeing essentially

the same track with variations in different episodes gets old fast.

Each car, much like every racing game, handles differently. Some can take more damage before you're

crashed, some take off the line in an instant, while others need time to build up their top speeds. If

you've been driving one car for a few episodes, a sudden change to another can lead to disaster.

Just one word for the graphics: AMAZING - even by today's standards.

Overall, this game punches above its weight, and while it has a cult following, you can forget

multiplayer racing in any form. Maybe the split screen?

I strongly recommend this game, although $20 is pushing it for Xbox, PS3, and Steam's digital store. If

racing games are your thing, $20 is worth it. I do know that you can pick up Steam Key's from EBay

for super cheap, and an Xbox, PS3, and PC disc will set you back $10. Well worth the price if you ask

me.

Recommend Buy: If $10

Available on: XBox Live, PS3, PC, Steam

*** Update: I finally got first place in Episode 3, Race 4, although only by .04 seconds. I'll take it!

Jules Verne: A Literary Pilgrimage - Part 3

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 13:09:09 GMT

by C.W. Gross

As age and infirmity set in, Verne's family left their mansion of 18 years to return again to the townhouse at No. 44 Boulevard Longueville. The last five years of Jules Verne's life, from 1900 to 1905, were spent in this modest dwelling. At 3:10pm on March 24, 1905, Jules Verne passed away from complications due to diabetes. Behind him were left his wife Honorine, son Michel, and some eight to fifteen novels in various states of composition. Verne prided himself on being years ahead of his twice-annual publication schedule.

Four days after his death, Verne's funeral was held around the corner and down the street at the church of Saint-Martin. Verne lived and died a Catholic, and his Catholic concern for people and Providence suffused his work. Verne was perhaps best served by being a Catholic, as it allowed him to balance his Romantic sensibilities with an appreciation for science and technological development. Rather than a conflict between science and religion, it was Catholicism's rigorous balancing of reason, experience, spiritual discipline, Divine revelation, and moral concerns for humanity that brokered the marriage between reason and romance.

It also preserved Verne from the apocalyptic nihilism of a radical atheist like H.G. Wells, who was content to destroy humanity over and over again in his novels. Even at his most cynical, Verne could not countenance such wholesale slaughter. Verne's isolated Romantic geniuses are redeemed by their willingness to reconcile with humanity, or doomed by their unwillingness.

The funeral procession brought out the entire city of Amiens, which Verne served as councillor and beloved adopted son as well as members of the French government, scientific and literary establishments. He warned against excesses of either extreme, either too much capitalism or too little, too much government or too little. He was on the side of revolutionaries - as in 1878 - until they went too far into violence and bloodshed, and then he was on the side of law. Above all he carried a respect for the person and their healthy emotional, spiritual, artistic, and economic development. "In social matters my taste is order;" he said, "in politics my hope is to create within the present government a reasonable party that balances respect for justice and religious belief with consideration for people, the arts, and life itself." His drive to merge disparate elements into a comprehensive, coherent whole affected every area of his life, making him universally loved and mourned.

After his death, Boulevard Longueville was renamed Boulevard Jules Verne. It is anchored at one end by La Maison de Jules Verne and at the other by the Cirque. Photo © C.W. Gross

The great chain of mourners went from the church, along the street and past the Cirque which both now bear his name, to the Cimetière de la Madeleine. Though listed on tourist brochures, the cemetery is silent, solemn and empty today, its Gothic crypts overgrown with vines and trees, rust and decay. Deep within lies the final resting place of the great author. Sculpted by Albert-Dominique Roze and entitled "Towards Immortaility and Eternal Youth," Verne's grave depicts him rising from the ground, overturning the stone holding down his spirit, soul and imagination. Though gone to this world, Jules Verne has achieved immortality both through his works and a Divine hope.

Not far from Amiens' railway station, there is another monument to the author decorating a lovely little green space. Once again carved by Albert-Dominique Roze, the monument was erected in 1909, four years after Verne's passing, funded by subscription from the children of the world. It alone would be a fitting monument to an author who inspired so many, had he not become a global icon honoured over and over again in film and media.

Roze's monument in Square Jules Verne, about halfway between La Maison de Jules Verne and the Amiens train station. Photo © C.W. Gross

Many great authors come to be better known as icons for what they represent, or are perceived to represent, than by who they were as people or what they actually wrote. It has happened to Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens, and Mark Twain. Though one may write article after article clarifying the truth of a writer and their work, in reality this iconic status is a testament to these authors' endurance. They been immortalized beyond their words, having come to represent an answer to some deep human longing. Verne can mean many things to many people, whether technological prophesy or the quaintness of Victorian Scientific Romances, the greatness of French literature or the precursor to the modern documentary, the flight of imagination or the source material for theme park rides. Verne's imagination took him around the world and to this day he is beloved around the world, whether as the historic man and author or as the icon of optimistic futurism.

Jules Verne: A Literary Voyage is a three part series, written by C.W. Gross - click here for part one ; click here for part two .

The Musical Shibboleth of Andrew Bird

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 18:46:45 GMT

by Brian Welby Poore

You can be forgiven for not recognizing the name Andrew Bird . While he certainly has an ardent following, and possesses potent talent, his albums tend to stay outside the range of mass market. If you watched the 2011 film The Muppets, you’ve heard his virtuosic whistling, and if you’re into swing music you may have heard some of his early work with the Squirrel Nut Zippers or Bowl of Fire.

You can also be forgiven for having to look up the word “shibboleth.” 1 If you haven’t and don’t already know what it is, it’s a tribal tell, a kind of password, a way of discerning if someone comes from common ground. An example close to my home is the city of Prescott, Arizona. If you pronounce Prescott as though it rhymes with guess not , then you’re probably not from around here .

Which is a lot of introduction to say that even though Andrew Bird isn’t my favorite musical performer, he serves as a passable shibboleth for me. If someone tells me they’re a fan of his work, I will be highly likely to think well of that person. Our Venn diagrams will have enough overlap that we could potentially converse like old friends even if it’s the first time we’ve met.

Always in the market to expand my pool of viable friendships, I want to tell you about him.

Bird has played the violin since age four and has added guitar, glockenspiel, and other instruments to his repertoire along his journeys. He sings with emotion, and his lyrics are informed by a broad range of knowledge of history, science, mythology, and a vocabulary that may inspire listeners to frequent dictionary usage. Don’t worry; it’s worth the effort. Listening to Bird actively engages your mind.

Though Bird has performed with diverse and venerable ensembles including the L.A. Philharmonic and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, his more intimate solo programs (or with a single guest) spotlight his inventiveness and skill. He’s mastered a technique of playing a few measures of music then looping it with electronics. He then adds another complimentary loop to create a broader layer of sound, often altering between pizzicato and bowed playing, sometimes switching instruments, and adding in his signature whistling. A single aspect of his playing would be impressive, but the fluidity with which he adds layer upon layer to his performances dazzles the eyes and ears .

Let me recommend his TedTalk as a starting point:

One can’t call this a thorough sample of his work, because he frequently switches between genres, but his speech about feedback loops and the sound of self-destruction illustrates the common theme of unfettered curiosity that his lyrics often evoke.

Next, give his Une Soire de Poche 2 performance for La Blogothèque a listen, where he gets surprised by singer-songwriter St. Vincent. (Forward to the 15 minute mark if you want to slip in as she joins the performance.)

There’s a lovely moment during his performance of Tenuousness where his whistling harmonizes delightfully with the piano, demonstrating the precision of his gift. You may spot Bird discerning how to accompany St. Vincent on the fly, from a camera angle that shows him in soft focus observing her for cues to get a sense of her tone and rhythm, his fingers making practice chords several times before he joins the tune. The joyous interplay and creativity show why other artists love working with him.

Shifting from his live performances to his studio albums, I would recommend his recent release My Finest Work Yet as a solid entry point. Bird made a conscious decision on this recording to have the entire band play in the studio rather than recording instruments in isolation. The result allows the sound of instruments to blend richly, while only losing the sharpest edges of sonic separation. His lyrical genius comes across brilliantly from the first track Sisyphus, which offers social commentary, alliteration, and a subtle pun – the myth of Sisyphus being a ‘rock and roll’ story, if you will. His track Bloodless moves between a sense of resignation and a spirited call to action, quoting Psalm 37 with aching energy.

Turn around and quote a well-known Psalm

Don’t you worry about the wicked

Don’t you envy those who do wrong

And your innocence will be like the dawn,

And the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

The Psalm is well-known among some groups, but the reference could easily be missed by many audiences if he didn’t point it out. In these days of political dog whistles, where coded language gets deployed to signal affiliation with hate groups without raising the ire of the masses, Bird subtly employs references to the Bible, literature, history, psychology, anthropology, and philosophy as a positive dog whistle, signaling to the nerds, the poetically inclined, and those with a heart for justice that this is the music of their tribe, a shibboleth for those who would hear it.

1 Shibboleth is an adapted Biblical reference, taken from the book of Judges. The Gileadites and the Ephraimites, who were at war, pronounced Shibboleth differently, with those from Ephraim unable to make the “sh” sound. As people would cross the river Jordan, the Gileadite soldiers would make them pronounce Shibboleth, and those that couldn’t make the sh sound were captured and killed. The modern usage for the word isn’t quite as gory, thankfully.

2 Une Soire de Poche translates to A Pocket Party, which I find immensely charming.

Leaping Lobsters: A Short Story

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 16:33:41 GMT

by Kameo Monson

Reaching into the closet, Hannah eyed the burgundy dress with the little pink and white flowers scattered across the shoulder and skirt. Too uncomfortable. If she was going to make it through meeting Ethan’s family that evening, she’d have to have some comfort. She slid a couple hangers across the bar. No. No. Nn… The white eyelet with a delicate ruffling at the empire waist brought a little extra warmth into her beating heart. Light and airy, the dress was both casual and elegant.

Ethan had told her about each of his family members, but the one she had to win over was Grandmother. Sophisticated, educated, and well-traveled Grandmother. Hannah heard prim, proud, and presumptuous. But Ethan loved his grandma more than anyone else. Maybe even her. And what dinner did Grandmother want for her birthday celebration? Lobster… cooked at home.

Hannah shuddered.

As she slid her feet into the red wedges, the doorbell rang. Scrunching her curls one more time, she hurried to the door.

“Hi,” Ethan said.

His gaze skimmed over the curves emphasized by her dress, then landed back on her face, the deep blue of his eyes sparkling. She’d chosen well.

“You ready?”

Her heart skipped one beat, then sped through three. She nodded and stepped outside.

Once settled in the car, Hannah curled her fingers around each other, twisting them into a knot. Ethan eased his hand down her wrist until it slipped into hers. She clung to him.

“Nervous?” he asked, opening the car door.

“Terrified. Tell me about your grandma again.”

“Well, I call her grandmother.” He winked. “She grew up in the Northeast, graduated from Yale, and traveled the world until she met Grandfather. And I’m her favorite. That last bit is the most important.”

“Uh-huh.” Hannah rolled her eyes. “She’ll hate me. I barely made it through city college, and… Ethan?”

Ethan spared her a glance as he drove.

“I grew up milking cows.”

He squeezed her hand, grinning. “I remember. Grandmother isn’t uppity. She’ll love you because I love you.”

Ethan pulled the car into a long driveway, and Hannah gawked at the house. The little two-bedroom home she’d scrimped to buy was the size of Grandmother’s tool shed.

She swallowed, urging her heart out of her throat and back down to her chest. “Any last-minute tips?”

“Whatever you do, don’t waste your lobster.”

“Don’t waste the lobster. Got it.”

The front door opened as Ethan reached for the handle.

“Edward!” Ethan turned to Hannah. “Hannah, this is my brother, feel free to ignore him all evening.”

Hannah dipped her head slightly. “Nice to meet you.”

“No being formal around me,” Edward tsked. “Ethan, the race is about the start. Hurry up.”

“Race?” Hannah asked, nudging Ethan’s shoulder.

“Shh. Grandmother doesn’t know about the race, but we have one every year. Come on. We’ve got to pick our lobsters.”

Out on the deck, an enormous pot sat atop an oversized propane burner. Next to it, Edward bent over a large storage tub. A second later, he pulled out a dripping-wet lobster.

Hannah cringed.

“Pick the one you want.” Ethan said.

“They’re alive?”

“Alive and screaming.”

She studied his eyes, a panic rising in her throat.

“Don’t worry. They don’t really scream.”

Ethan reached into the tub and pulled out a lobster. Both claws were wrapped with rubber bands.

“The ones whose tail curl when touched move faster,” he whispered.

All warmth drained from her face. “That one.” She pointed with her eyes closed, hoping Ethan didn’t notice.

“Good choice. What’s his name?”

Name? “Um, Bruno.”

“Fierce! I like it.” Ethan chuckled and led Hannah over to join the group standing behind a line of blue tape.

Three feet away, Edward stuck another strip of tape to the decking. “All right, everyone! First, Ethan brought a friend tonight, so introduce yourselves.” He turned to Hannah. “In case you forgot, I’m Edward.”

A woman a few years younger than Ethan grinned. “I’m Alyssa, these idiots’ sister.”

“Hey now, no need for name-calling,” Edward hooted.

Ethan shook his head and took Hannah by the hand. “These are my parents, Rochelle and William.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Hannah said as they waved.

The light atmosphere and family fun helped put Hannah at ease for the first time that evening, and a genuine smile crossed her face as she moved closer to Ethan, who wrapped his arm around her. Together, they waited for Edward to continue his speech.

“Tonight’s race includes Chainsaw, Bruno, Chad, Lacy, Bottomly, and Lobbie. Everyone pick up your lobsters and place them on the line. The one closest to the end after two minutes wins.”

As Ethan picked up Chainsaw, Hannah knelt down and held Bruno.

At the count of three, she released him, whispering, “Good luck, Bruno.”

Hannah’s pulse raced as Bruno pulled ahead. Chainsaw sat on the starting line, refusing to move. Chad turned in circles as Lacy and Bottomly played clawsies in the middle. And Lobbie went right instead of forward.

“Chainsaw, get a move on!” Ethan called.

Hannah joined in, yelling, “Crawl, Bruno! Crawl!”

“Time!”

Hannah jumped up and down. Bruno had out crawled them all, nearly crossing the finish line.

“Way to pick your lobster, Hannah.” William said. “Is this the first time you’ve lobster raced?”

“It’s the first time I’ve lobster anything-ed.”

“Well, you certainly chose a winner!”

As Ethan finished putting Bruno and Chainsaw back in the tub, William caught his attention. “Go see Grandmother. We’ll handle getting dinner ready.”

Hannah smiled softly as Ethan took her hand. If his grandma was anything like the rest of his family, she’d be fine. Still, a little prick of nervousness alighted in her chest. What if Grandmother didn’t like her?

Outside the living room, Ethan pulled Hannah into a hug. “She already loves you—trust me—but she can come across as a little austere sometimes. It doesn’t mean anything. Promise.” He kissed her on the forehead.

Grandmother sat bolt upright in a wing-backed chair with a teacup in her hand. If Hannah hadn’t just won a lobster race, she might have looked around for Lady Mary Crawley.

For the next twenty-five minutes, Hannah’s nerves battled the tiny swords stabbing her lungs. Each breath came a little easier the longer Grandmother focused on Ethan and his plans for the future. When the room quieted, Hannah gathered her courage.

“Ethan says you traveled extensively before marriage. What was that like?”

“Pleasant.”

“Did you have a favorite country?”

“Of course.”

Short answers. Hannah traced the pattern on her skirt with her finger.

“Have you traveled since?” Hannah asked.

“Occasionally.”

“I’m sure that was nice.”

“It was pleasant.”

Hannah worked to keep her smile from faltering, aware of her chest as it lifted and fell with each breath. Grandmother didn’t like her. Why would she? She was educated and sophisticated… Hannah was neither.

“Dinner’s ready,” Alyssa said, poking her head into the room. “Ethan, help Grandmother.”

A few minutes later, Ethan and Hannah sat at the table across from Grandmother, and Alyssa placed a full dinner plate in front of Hannah. The corn on the cob and broccoli fuzzed from Hannah’s site as her gaze fell to the lobster’s lifeless eyes. His charcoal color had turned bright red, and he no longer twitched his antenna.

She’d murdered Bruno!

“I…Ethan, that’s…”

“Bruno. You chose him.” He squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry, he didn’t feel any pain, I don’t think.”

“You don’t think?”

How could she eat Bruno? Bruno, the lobster who’d inched closest to the finish line just for her. Poor little red, now-dead Bruno. She blinked rapidly, staving off tears.

Don’t waste the lobster. Ethan’s words haunted her.

She had no choice. She had to eat Bruno.

Hannah startled when crushing snaps struck her eardrums. Grandmother had picked up her lobster by the head and tail and ripped it in two. Juice ran down her palm toward her wrist.

Eww.

“Do you want me to break yours down for you?” Ethan asked.

“N-no.” Hannah swallowed. “I can do it.”

Picking up her lobster, she made the mistake of looking him in the eye. Her breathing quickened as her mouth soured. How could she eat anything? “I’m so sorry, Bruno.”

With the tail in her right hand and the head firmly in her left, Hannah twisted the lobster in half. The move had been simple, and as she worked to remove the legs and claws, it became easier. Soon, all that was left of Bruno were two claw legs and a tail.

Ethan watched in awe. “Great job!”

“I researched how to do it this week.”

“Try it. It’s like crab, but better.”

Breaking into the joints of one of the claw legs, Hannah used her cocktail fork to remove a small piece of meat. It looked like crab. She swirled it in butter, then slid it into her mouth. The table quieted. A sweet-yet-salty butter flavor coated her tongue, the meat tender and easy to chew. Hannah lowered her shoulders as she smiled. “It’s delicious.”

The announcement brought the corner of Grandmother’s lips up. Maybe Hannah had a chance after all.

On the side of her plate, Hannah placed the large claw. It held the sweetest, most tender meat, and she wanted it last.

The light conversation lifted Hannah’s spirits, and she joined in, telling a couple of stories of her own. The favorite included a cow, Norma, who crossed cattle guards easier than she did.

Once most of her plate was cleared, Hannah reached for the claw she’d set aside. Her mouth watered in response. Bruno was truly delicious. Though she might never name a lobster again, she still wanted to savor every bite. With the seafood cracker in place, Hannah squeezed the handles together. Nothing moved. She tried again, adding pressure with both hands.

The sound of snapping shell pummeled her ears, and she jumped. Looking up, she watched as two large flying lobster bits soared toward Grandmother.

Don’t waste the lobster.

Hannah glanced at the crackers. “It’s okay! I have all the meat!”

An FLB smacked Grandmother’s forehead, then fell to the table with a thud. Lobster juice ran down her nose to her chin.

Hannah’s cheeks burned, and she fled from the table after muttering an apology.

It’s okay! I have all the meat! How could she say that? The meat didn’t matter. She’d shelled Grandmother!

In the bathroom, she allowed the tears to stream down her face and gather at the base of her neck. Ethan’s grandma would never speak to her again, and Hannah had finally made progress—the old woman had smiled… once. She wasn’t smiling now. Hannah would never earn another smile.

Goodbye Ethan.

She sniffed.

Someone knocked on the door, and Hannah lowered her head, shaking it before responding. “Just a minute.”

“Come out please, Hannah. The good tissues are with me.”

Grandmother?

Hannah smoothed out her dress, which now had little pink specks on the bodice, then opened the door a crack. “I’m really sorry. I’ve—”

“This is by far, my favorite birthday. You have nothing to apologize for.” Grandmother said, pulling Hannah into the hallway and handing her a tissue. “Growing up, we ate lobster while sitting on the beach. Plenty of lobster guts have hit me.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t want to waste anything. That’s why I said—”

Grandmother chuckled. “Makes for a great story, don’t you think?”

Tears welled in Hannah’s eyes.

“Well, it will one day.” She eyed Hannah. “Tell me, what do you call your grandmother?”

“Nana.”

“I was partial to anything but grandmother. William taught his children to call me that as a joke. It stuck. Makes me sound pretentious.”

Grandmother paused, grumbling under her breath, but before Hannah could speak she said, “Oh! Congratulations on winning the lobster race, by the way.”

“I…I thought…”

“I’m not supposed to know about it. But I watch it every year from the window.”

Hannah raised her brow in surprise.

“Sometimes children need to have fun with their parents. Besides, I like watching them laugh and tease each other. They do it in front of me too. You saw them at dinner.” Grandmother patted her arm. “But it’s better when they think they’re getting away with something.”

Hannah pursed her lips, stopping her on-coming laughter. “Do they know you’re not the stuffy, old woman who sits bolt upright while drinking tea?”

“Individually? Yes. Collectively? No. They each think they’re my favorite and that I only have fun with them.”

Hannah chuckled, and her laughter grew louder with each passing second.

“Shh.” Grandmother shook her hand at her. “You’ll keep my secret, won’t you? Can you imagine how sad they’d be if they found out I have five favorites?”

“I’ll keep your secret, but you’d better go back to the table, you old grouse. And Grammy, thank you for sharing your secret with me.”

“Grammy. I like that, but I’ve grown fond of Grandmother, if you please.”

Singin' in the Rain - I've a Smile on my Face

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 13:12:09 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

When I was a teenager, especially the earlier years, the definition of what was “cool” and what was “in” was a blur to me. By the time I left junior high, I was learning to shake the societal norms of what was popular and trendy, and started slowly but surely moving into what appealed to me – the me I truly was.

I admitted to myself that I had always been a theater nerd; the stage called to me, and I fully embraced what had been in place since I played the lead in my first-grade Christmas musical.

I realized how integral Disney had been throughout my life and began to dedicate myself to the study and history of the company as well as the man who founded it.

I drove across town to a movie theater to see a special screening of a film I had heard of (mainly due to the title song), but really knew next to nothing about. What I saw in the next 103 minutes was enough to become a lifelong fan of both Gene Kelly and the 1952 movie masterpiece known as “Singin’ In the Rain.” From the opening titles with Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor singing the title song to the ending billboard of Lockwood and Selden, I was riveted; my imagination had been captured and there was, most definitely, a smile on my face.

Quick note: This piece was written on the assumption the reader has seen or is familiar with “Singin’ in the Rain,” as various plot elements and characters are discussed along with what could be considered spoilers. For those unfamiliar with the film, I’ve lifted the following brief description of the Gene Kelly/Stanley Donen directed film from IMDB: “A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.” There’s much more to it, but I truly believe this movie needs to be experienced to be appreciated, and a full plot synopsis just won’t suffice.

The story of the era of silent films converting to “talkies” is a fascinating one, with many stories from Hollywood about the challenges many silent actors faced; not just in their voices (Thank you, Jean Hagen and your most wonderful, over-the-top squeakiness that had me in stitches from the moment you said “What’s the big idea?!?!?), but also in their overly exaggerated physical deliveries and dialogue (Kelly’s Don Lockwood was not immune with “I love you, I love you, I love you!!!). That Singin’ in the Rain shone a light on this subject in such a funny, memorable, and endearing way was just one of the many reasons this film immediately made it into my list of top-five movies.

Beyond the central plot of the film, there are just so many moments within “Singin’ in the Rain” that have engrained themselves into my memory. A few of those said memories (in no particular order):

“Moses” – Cosmo Brown (O’Connor) and Don Lockwood (Kelly) take Lockwood’s speech and diction lessons up a level with this amazingly timed song and dance number. While Lina Lamont (Hagen) was struggling to say “I cayyyyyan’t stan-‘em,” Don’s time was filled with Cosmo joining in to fluster the diction coach and remind us all that “Moses supposes erroneously.” The ending “AAAAA!” always makes me smile, even sing along, and I’m ever grateful that Cosmo and Don wore tap shoes to the lesson that day.

Their diction was wonderful, but their leaps were out of this world!

S peaking of Cosmo Brown… “Make ‘em Laugh” is the benchmark for comedic musical numbers that may never be matched. Walking into, running up, and through, walls, flirting and losing in a wrestling match to a mannequin, pratfalls and leaps abounding, Donald O’ Connor put his physicality to the test in this song. It’s no wonder that this song manages to evoke laughter from children of all ages. Though “Make ‘em Laugh” sounds suspiciously similar to Cole Porter’s “Be a Clown” (Previously used in the Kelly/Judy Garland musical “The Pirate” – both movies were produced by Arthur Freed), the fact that O’Connor is making us laugh by being a clown makes it work wonderfully.

My dad said "Be an actor, my son - But be a comical one!"

Jean Hagen : Any time Lina Lamont opens her mouth, the shrill, nasal voice invites laughter, especially with great lines such as “People? I ain’t people!” and “I make more money than - than - than Calvin Coolidge! Put together!” Research of the film reveals that Kathy Selden’s (Debbie Reynolds) dubbing voice was actually dubbed BY Hagen to produce a richer tone, showing what a gift Hagen’s portrayal (and voice) of Lina truly was.

Ms. Hagen, you brought a little joy into your humdrum lives, it makes us feel as if your hard work ain't been in vain for nothing!

“You Are My Lucky Star” – the cut version. Not seen in the film, this charming addition of Debbie Reynolds’ Kathy singing to a billboard of Don Lockwood is not only a lovely number, but also reveals that Kathy was, what? The president of Don Lockwood’s fan club?!? This certainly explains why, after the cold-shouldered initial meeting (of course, a Hollywood film star jumping into one’s moving vehicle COULD induce shock), the chemistry quickly picked up and developed into a lovely studio number of “You Were Meant For Me.”

Debbie Reynolds in a truly beautiful missing number.

“Broadway Melody” - This sweeping interlude is a story unto itself, of a young man’s rise on Broadway as well as the love (Cyd Charisse, who appears only in this sequence for a beautiful dance with Kelly) he searches for, and ultimately loses. This entire tale is pitched to studio head R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell) as an interlude in “The Singing Cavalier” (The new musical being made to replace the disastrous “Dueling Cavalier”) to include as a modern dance number. After the entire segment, which the audience sees in vibrant color, song, and dance, R.F. simply replies with, “I can’t quite visualize it. I’d have to see it on film,” making for a great meta joke for the viewing audience. (The line itself seemed to be attributed to producer Freed, who was known for saying just that.)

"That's the Broadway Melody!!!!!"

“Good Morning” – This is the moment where all three title leads have the opportunity to shine together: Debbie Reynolds singing with her distinctive slight southern twang, Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor hamming it up, and all three dancing up a storm inside as it does the same outside. Beyond it being a wonderful, fun, smile-inducing song-and-dance number, who doesn’t want to walk onto a sofa, turn it to its back, and crash down laughing? As is the case in much of this movie, these wonderful moments were due in large part to the masterful choreography and imagination of Gene Kelly.

Again, it just looked so easy!

Of course, I would be beyond remiss without mentioning the signature number and dance of " Singin' in the Rain ." When Don leaves Kathy’s doorstep after kissing her good morning, what follows is pure jubilation. Now, there is absolutely NOTHING easy about the musical journey through the rain Gene Kelly takes us on, but oh my Lord, did he make it look effortless and graceful. This song and dance is more thank just a fun number – it encapsulates pure joy. “Come on with the rain, I’ve a smile on my face!” For just a moment, this clumsy guy with two left feet sees Gene dance, and inwardly becomes him. We ARE Don Lockwood, in pure blissful glee, letting the rain fall as it may, and loving every minute of it. (Fun fact and side note: Myth would have you believe the rain in this scene looks so glorious and visible due to the fact that the “rain” was actually milk mixed into the water. This is most definitely myth. As stated by Patricia Ward Kelly, the wife of the late Mr. Kelly: “You see the raindrops because of a thing called “back lighting.” Imagine you are at an outdoor sports event and it starts to rain. If you look at the playing field, you don’t see the raindrops, but if you tilt your head up you see the drops back lit by the stadium lights. The challenge in this scene was to backlight the rain and not show the equipment reflected in the glass windows. The production records in the Arthur Freed Collection at USC reveal that several takes had to be redone because they could see the equipment. As Gene said, the real credit in this goes to the amazing cinematographers, camera operators, and lighting technicians. Not to milk!”) To read about Mr. Kelly laboring through this while running a fever, working so hard to make it look easy when it was anything but, is a testament to the genius of Gene Kelly.

Let's be honest - most of us have seen a light pole and have been inspired to recreate this exact moment, rain or shine!

Before Singin’ in the Rain, I knew very little about Mr. Kelly. I knew that he was a dancer – there was Gene Kelly, there was Fred Astsaire. (Yes, at the time, my pop culture knowledge was limited.) I knew that he had once danced with Jerry the Mouse in “Anchors Aweigh” thanks to a brief clip my dad had pointed out to me. But beyond that, the artist that he was had yet to be discovered by myself. After watching “Singin’ in the Rain,” that was not the case. A new world opened up to me. Performances in the aforementioned “Anchors Aweigh,” “For Me and My Gal.” and “An American in Paris” are just a few gems that I discovered. Gene was a true artist, dedicated to his craft. He made movies, yes. But beyond that, beyond the song, beyond the dance, he made art. He made experiences. Whether a ballet at the end of “An American in Paris,” roller skating through the streets in “It’s Always Fair Weather,” or accidentally splashing a police officer while jumping in puddles, he poured his all into everything he did. He left an indelible fingerprint on everything he was involved in – choreography, directing, acting, singing, dance – he was truly a renaissance man. And he became one of my all-time heroes in the process.

There’s much more I could say about “Singin’ In the Rain.” The undeniably wonderful cast. The memorable numbers (“Singin’ In the Rain” is a staple around our house – lately in the form of the wonderfully fun mashup by Sutton Foster of that and Guys & Dolls’ “If I Were a Bell”). The dialogue – it’s an incredibly quotable film that has stood the test of time. The all-around good feeling the movie evokes. And, of course, the sheer brilliance of Gene Kelly and the hand he had in the making of all of it.

However, I leave you with a suggestion instead. Watch this movie again. If you saw it last week, last year, or have never seen it, watch it. Share it with your friends, your family. Allow yourself to smile.

Walk down the lane with a happy refrain, and if you can, sing and dance in the rain.

Day Late and a Dollar Short Game Review: Psychonauts

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 13:24:00 GMT

by Brandon Dwyer

Last week, my review of Watch Dogs came about because it was “What I was playing at the time”. I didn't give it much thought. I wrote it, sent it off, and started thinking about what to review next. With so many games, I had set some ground rules.

#1 No new games. I think 10 years and older is a good amount of time.

#2 You should, without too much trouble, get your hands on a copy if I recommend it.

#3 A reasonable price. It shouldn't cost more than 20 dollars. That's it.

Now on to the real reason you’re here:

Double Fine's Psychonauts

The baby of noted game designer Tim Schafer, Psychonauts was released in 2005 after four and a half years of development. Originally slated to be an Xbox exclusive, it was dropped by Microsoft due to creative differences. It was quickly picked up by Majesco, a publisher known for a Bloodrayne, a popular game at the time. When Psychonauts was finally published in 2005, it bombed. Selling only 100,000 copies in its initial release, the game was a financial blow to Majesco, and it soon shut down.

In 2005 the market was saturated by existing and well-known IP's. You had Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, Banjo Kazooie, and Spiro the Dragon. Heck, even Mario was now a 3-D platformer. Psychonauts entered a crowded field and never stood a chance. Its dark tone, Tim Burtonesque art style, and bizarre premise didn't work for mainstream audiences. I remember seeing it on the shelf, and given the option, I was spending my money on better known games. Over time, it slowly became a cult classic.

In 2011, Double Fine acquired the rights to republish the game. Over the next 9 years it has sold over 1.7 million copies. I bought my first copy in December of 2011 for a staggering 3 dollars. After a few hours of playing, I got stuck and walked away. 7 Years later, I reinstalled the game and finally finished it.

In Psychonauts you take on the role of Rasputian, a boy with psychic abilities. You have just run away from the Circus to pursue your dream of becoming a Psychonaut agent. When you arrive at camp, you're thrust into a world of danger. You need to quickly learn how to control your abilities, find who's attacking the camp, and become a Psychonauts agent to save the day.

Using a door to enter people’s minds (Yes, it is a tiny portable door that can be placed on people’s heads.), you enter their subconscious and battle for clues. But first you have to train by entering the mind of the camp counselors to gain the skills needed to save the day.

See where this is going? I can understand why this bombed. It's bat-sh*t crazy.

The best thing about Psychonauts is that every level is distinct. By attention to the clues, you dive deep into the psyche of each level boss. It adds an extra dimension as you're forced to empathize with each character.

A good example of this level design is “Milla,” your levitation instructor. Her mind is a psychedelic 60's disco party. You jump, bounce, and float your way up to the top. One wrong move and you could be sent back down to the bottom. As you work your way up, you learn about Milla and her past adventures as an agent. Just wait till you get to Gloria Von Gouton! Now, THAT is a trip.

Like most platformers back then, the camera controls didn't always work in your favor. Grabbing ledges, climbing and swinging trapezes can lead to frustration. “I swear I hit the button at the right time!” “No, I did not want to change direction.” “Why did you drop into that pit?” Other games at the time had much better controls and response (I'm looking at you, Sly Cooper.). You’ve got to hand it to modern games, they have really polished those actions. The targeting system is also lacking. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's an annoyance, but not a game breaker.

Some of these levels are also excessively long. You keep thinking they're just about over, just a few more jumps and I can move on. This type thinking is seldom rewarded.

So should you buy this? Yes, but don't spend more than 5 bucks. This game, while a cult hit, is just that. Much like those movies a certain “friend” recommends. It isn't for everyone. That's ok, ‘cause it's bat- sh*t crazy after all.

If you love platform games, yes, get it. The level design is worth it alone, and story has more than enough to keep you entertained. It's not as straight forward as your Ratchet and Clank or Spiro, and can be very frustrating as you run around trying to solve some of the puzzles. I'm looking at you, “The Milk Man Conspiracy.” Finishing the game felt like a herculean achievement.

If platforms ain’t your bag, give it a pass. Then again, it's always on sale for 5 bucks and under. You might like it.

Recommend: Buy if under 5 bucks.

Available on PC, Xbox Live, Playstation

On the Sublime and the Beautiful in Disney's Fantasia - Part Two

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 13:30:55 GMT

by C.W. Gross

The Nutcracker Suite: The Ballet of Nature

The Nutcracker Suite, Fantasia's second piece, has its cartoony caricatures (as caricatured as Tchaikovsky's music itself), but what is most remarkable is the delicacy of the faeries, dew, leaves, ice, and autumn seeds floating on the air. Making-of clips show how the semi-transparent seeds were painted, but I'm still astonished that it could be done. To achieve that delicacy and transparency on seed after seed, on cel after cel, is an unfathomable level of skill and patience.

This piece foregoes the subject matter of Tchaikovsky's original ballet, which itself had a troubled history. Based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (1816) by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann and Alexandre Dumas' 1844 adaptation, The Nutcracker debuted in St. Petersburg on December 18, 1892 to largely negative reviews. Many critics deemed it too chaotic, poorly paced, unfaithful to the original story, and with poor dancing from its cast of mostly children of the Imperial Ballet School. From the disaster, Tchaikovsky was able to tease out a 20-minute long Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a. which did prove more successful. Productions of The Nutcracker ballet would not resume until 1919, in a new staging that resolved many of the original criticisms. By the time of Fantasia, however, The Nutcracker had largely fallen out of favour as a ballet. In the original narration, music scholar Deems Taylor acknowledged that it wasn't much performed anymore. The Nutcracker's rehabilitation came in the 1950's, when the New York City Ballet began its annual Christmas presentation of the ballet. It spread across the United States and Canada, becoming a seasonal fixture in ballet company schedules. Estimates put up to 40% of an average company's ticket sales being owed to The Nutcracker. Disney even gave it a sequel, of sorts, with the live-action Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018), which has its references to Fantasia. Like many auteurs, Tchaikovsky was often ahead of his time. Maligned in its day, The Nutcracker is now the composer's most famous work.

Though not revolving around a human condemned by a curse to live as a Nutcracker, at war with the Mouse King until the curse is broken by a little girl on Christmas, Fantasia's Nutcracker Suite retains the character of a ballet. Fairies of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, of dew and frost and snow, glide along leaves and skate across water to the tones of the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" and "Waltz of the Flowers." The various character dances of the Land of Sweets - Spanish chocolate, Arabian coffee, Chinese tea, Russian candy canes, etc. - are delivered by various plants and fish in imitation of their ethnic origin. Unlike later in the program - the satirical Dance of the Hours - this is a straightforward ballet that effectively captures the grace of that art form.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Romanticism and Expressionism

Fantasia's production began with The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the finished film's third piece. As originally conceived, the title role was to go to Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Echoes of his appearance and behaviour can even be seen in the final product. That role quickly fell to Disney's star performer, though. By the end of the Thirties, the spotlight was beginning to drift from Mickey Mouse and towards his more relatable compatriots Donald Duck and Goofy, who offered better slapstick laughs than could Mickey's good natured wholesomeness. Walt envisioned The Sorcerer's Apprentice as a spectacular "comeback" short on which no expense would be spared. Running into celebrity composer Leopold Stokowski, Walt broached the idea and was met with enthusiasm. But as costs on The Sorcerer's Apprentice soared, they realized that the only way to recoup their money was to go all-in on a theatrical feature film.

Set to the music of French composer Paul Dukas, The Sorcerer's Apprentice betrays its Germanic roots. The lair of the sorcerer Yen Sid could just as easily be in one of Fritz Lang's silent film epics, like Siegfried (1925). The use of shadow and construction of some of the shots recalls German Expressionist film. Very appropriate for a short based on a symphonic piece based on a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Itself based on a excerpt from Lucian's Philopseudes written in 150 CE, Goethe's Der Zauberlehrling, was a 14-stanza poem published in 1797. Goethe was a leading writer in German Romanticism, which was a literary, artistic, and musical movement that emphasized emotion, intuition, and imagination against the stifling Rationalism of the Enlightenment. He was no stranger to the subject of magicians dealing with powers beyond their control, having begun work on the classic Faust in 1772 and publishing an early version in 1790 (the complete play was published in two parts in 1828 and 1831). It seems natural that, as a Romantic writer, he would be concerned with the themes of calling up powerful subconscious forces that could escalate with unforeseen consequences.

A century after Goethe penned his words, French composer Paul Dukas wrote a symphonic tone poem inspired by it. Deems Taylor's narration was correct in stating that Dukas' piece followed a definite narrative, and Goethe's poem is traditionally published in the symphony programme. Such music is called "programmatic" in how it is intended to aurally illustrate a story. In this case, Dukas creates a soundtrack to Goethe's poem. Fantasia by its very nature, turns most of its pieces into programmatic music by adding animated vignettes along with them. The only major exception is the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, which Taylor identifies as "absolute music." He describes this antithesis to programmatic music as "music that exists simply for its own sake."

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is, sadly, Dukas' only lasting success. Other works like Ariane and Bluebeard are virtually unknown, a situation that was not helped by his very French act of having destroyed many of his own works later in his life. Not only that, but Mickey Mouse is the main reason for the longevity of that one piece. Orrin Howard of the Los Angeles Philharmonic bemoans Dukas' fate: "Pity the poor one-piece composer. Not the composer who writes only one piece, but the musical creator who enjoys far-reaching success with one of his works but is destined never to repeat that achievement with any other."

On the Sublime and the Beautiful in Disney's Fantasia is a four-part series written by C.W. Gross. Part One can be found here , Part Three can be found here , and Part Four can be found here .

The Musical Impact of Soarin' Over California

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:35:27 GMT

by Charles Vignola

Growing up in Southern California, I was raised with an idealistic view of the world that was built by a father who worked in film, specifically at Disney. Disneyland was a go-to spot for a lazy Saturday, and it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to say I had been through those gates in excess of 500 times. My idealistic view of the world was reinforced by the creation of a new theme park in Anaheim, Disney’s California Adventure. With the completion of this park, there was now a second gate that I would become intimately familiar with, and boy did I. I was 5 when California Adventure had a preview day for Disney employees, and I remember being too scared for most rides given that I was 5, but I do remember being brave enough to ride Soarin’ Over California, a ride that would change how I see the state I had grown up in.

I am not here to talk about the unique ride mechanics pioneered by Imgineer Mark Sumner (which are admittedly fascinating in their own right), there is plenty of information on that throughout the internet. What I want to discuss is a component that I feel gets overlooked when discussions are had about Soarin’: the original score composed for the ride.

Composer Jerry Goldsmith grew up in California with a father who was a structural engineer, who also instilled in his son a love of flight. Goldsmith went on to provide the music for such films as Planet of the Apes, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Alien. When development for California Adventure was underway, Disney showed Goldsmith the ride sans music hoping to bring him onboard to provide an original score. Upon completing his experience, he was said to be moved to tears by what the ride evoked in him. It connected him with his father and the memories he had growing up with him, as well as evoking the love of flying and a love of California.

And let me tell you, that passion and love that Goldsmith felt, it comes through when you hear the score. I would argue that the original Soarin’ score is the most beautiful piece of music in California adventure, and potentially the entire resort. The ride takes the rider through a myriad of famous California landmarks and locations, and as it does this, you feel the music swell with emotion. It genuinely feels like you’re being transported to this idealistic version of California where nature and man have developed alongside each other symbiotically. The music evokes feelings that make the rider feel like they are The Rocketeer, flying above this beautiful, diverse landscape, so mind-bogglingly beautiful that it almost doesn’t feel real. The score, a whole 4:40, is rich with this moving soundscape, a tribute to California, Goldsmight’s upbringing, and the kind of idealistic view of California that the park was meant to evoke. On its own, the music is enough to bring me to tears. That may be just the nostalgia for an easier time, or my personal admiration of the state I call home, but the score is moving beyond any other I’ve heard for an attraction, and ranks among the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard.

As years went on, I learned more about California history, and the amazing relationship the state has with the advancement of flight. Alongside this passion to learn, I also began to be more cognizant of the world around me. The queue for Soarin’ began to mean more to me. When I was young, I liked seeing pictures of all these cool planes, but as I learned about the triumphs and sacrifices that so many have made in the name of advancing science, and how much of the development has happened here in my home state, the ride came to mean even more to me than it had before.

The final portion of the queue has images of pioneers like Howard Hughes, Jack Northrop, and Chuck Yeager, pioneers of aviation who contributed so much to our view of the world. There are also images of the space shuttles Columbia and Challenger, who’s crews paid the ultimate sacrifice in the name of human advancement. I remember the first time I truly understood the value of these images and the history that some Imagineer was probably so excited to include in a Disney ride.

Soarin’ is one of those rare attractions that punches well above what one may experience as an initial reaction. Each piece on its own makes for good immersion and a fun park experience, but together they create a unique adventure that both educates the rider, and makes them feel proud of the state they are in.

Goldsmith’s score enables this collection of images and iconography to enter the highest tier of Disney ride: one that evokes feelings of pride and hope so deeply that it brings many to tears upon completing their journey around California.

Today, in the haste to retrofit Disney’s once subpar California Adventure, many attractions have seen overhauls or demolitions, and Soarin’ is no exception. The ride video was changed from one that showed the beauty and majesty of California with one that goes Around the World. This new ride video is filled with awkward views from edge seats and over-the-top CGI effects, but maybe its worst travesty is that it replaced Goldsmith’s original score with one conducted by Bruce Broughton. Broughton is not new to Disney park music, as he had previously composed Seasons of the Vine for use in the winery at California Adventure, and the 2007 score for Spaceship Earth in Epcot.

The new score pays homage to the original piece, but it lacks the same depth and raw emotion that Goldsmith brought to the table. Listening to the two side by side, there are musical motifs that they share and a commonality in the overall goal of the work, but only Goldsmith’s is capable of reaching straight into your soul and bringing you along for the ride that he had experienced himself.

To this day, California Adventure will play the original ride film and score for the California Food and Wine festival. It is during these times that I endeavor to make my way over to the parks and spend as much time as I can reveling in the nostalgia that is so strongly evoked by the original vision of the ride.

To me, this ride accomplishes the goal that Michael Eisner set out to achieve, but in a very different way than most of the original park. For those who had experienced the original California Adventure, it was cartoonish, corporate and clearly a cash-in to get visitors to buy a ticket to a second park, but Soarin’ was different from the get-go. It is an earnest experience that instills and instant love and respect for the state and its incredible history pushing mankind to the limits.

As Disney continues to renovate and improve its parks, this attraction seems to have done the opposite of their overall goal. It lost some of its meaningful charm and connection to the riders in an attempt to make it more widely appealing. As the rest of California Adventure became closer to what the fans wanted and more organic, Soarin’ Around the World feels hollow. It neither fits in with the park’s theme nor even within its own themed land.

I have an immense connection to meaningful music, and the entire atmosphere of the original Soarin’ Over California inspired me to follow the path I started down so many years ago. It is hard to put into words the way Soarin’ can make a California native feel, and today one must time a trip well to experience it, but I am thankful that the original score is readily available. I implore you to close your eyes, put it on, and for just under five minutes, image the iconic pieces of California’s landscape and development. The love that Goldsmith had for his father and for his childhood comes through so clearly, it’s hard to image any other person could have made the score what it is. Soarin’ Over California will forever be a favorite of mine because for a boy longing for adventure, seeing the history and passion and beauty of California, as well its history of pushing humanity farther and higher than ever before, is enough to inspire me to dream big.

Day Late and a Dollar Short Game Review: Watchdogs

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 13:28:01 GMT

by Brandon Dwyer

Preface: To say that I “horde” games is a joke. I've seen the collections of others - I'm not even in the same league. That being said, I have around a hundred different Playstation and Xbox games laying around the house. I don't want to talk about my steam collection. I've been known to go crazy with those four for twenty-dollar deals at the local game store. Walking out with 4 games under my arms, just waiting for them to gather dust. Over the next few months, I've promised myself to play at least one of those games a week. So, what game have I decided to dust off this week?

Ubisoft: Watchdogs Xbox One Edition

Set in Chicago. It's got all things Chicago: L trains, buildings, the metal bean; they're all there. You jump into the shoes of Aiden Pearce, an underground hacker known for his skill at using an iPhone to crack everything electronic in sight. A man who lost his family to violence. A man who is trying to figure out who ordered the hit on his family. A man whose clothes dry instantly after swimming half a mile up stream to evade cops.

FYI: Open world games aren't my bag. I spent the majority of my early 20's immersed in the world of Everquest to know grinding out side quests is a drag. I'm over that type of gaming. Now I've found myself playing Watch Dogs for the past two days and I'm only on the 2nd act. It's a 5-act game. That's how distracting the side missions are. So why am I still playing this game?

It is fun and I'm having a great time. There is just enough variation in the game to keep me interested. When hunting down a local drug dealer, whom I'm not allowed to just kill, I get to knock them out to teach them a “lesson”. Otherwise, it's mission failed. In order to complete the mission, I'm forced to locate my objective by hacking security cameras first. I stick with singling out enemies, through distractions, traps, and in some cases causing their phones to explode. I’m taking them out one by one as I work my way toward the mission’s target. You can't go in guns a-blazing. You have to take few minutes to think about your approach.

Hacking is straight forward. Move the game camera to highlight something to hack, hit X and you're off. Line of sight is important. Most of the time this isn't an issue, but if you’re sneaking around a building picking people off, you will have to reposition yourself: either your body, or the camera(s) you just hacked to get a good angle.

Now, the game isn't without its faults. “Chase ‘em, and knock ‘em out” missions are the hardest to complete. You're given plenty of tools to hack traffic lights, bridges, and security barriers. This should be easy, but it's not. I've had plenty of missions fail because a car pile-up keeps piling up and turns my bad guy into a road stain. If, IF, I'm lucky I can complete the mission in 20 attempts. The “Chase ‘em and kill ‘em” missions are easier. Those only take me 15 attempts.

Controls and the in-game menu system are not up to snuff. A slight movement of the controller turns your character 90 degrees. The menu system uses the right stick to navigate, which is a problem because you use your left stick to move your character. Maybe I'm old, but it takes me too long to switch the gears in my head. Left should always be movement, including menus.

While it's not perfect, Watch Dogs has some good moments and exciting game play. A good game that will cost you under 10 dollars, and give you more than 40 hours of game play. That's a good deal in my book.

Recommend : Buy if under 10 bucks.

Jules Verne: A Literary Pilgrimage - Part Two

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 12:46:44 GMT

by C.W. Gross

Jules Verne, the celebrated author of Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and From the Earth to the Moon, returned to Amiens in 1871. Not long after their arrival they purchased the townhouse at No. 44 Boulevard Longueville, where Verne would also spend the last years of his life. It was in 1872 that the author, now settling into more domestic life, published Around the World in Eighty Days. Enjoying tremendous success, Verne moved his family to a very distinctive building down the street. Notable for its tower with a commanding view of the great Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens, this house seemed to reflect the character of its renter. It was in some ways eccentric but also regal, adventurous but urbane. In an 1894 interview with the author for McClure’s Magazine, R.H. Sherard describes the view:

The windows on the Boulevard Longueville command a magnificent view of the picturesque, if misty, town of Amiens, with its old cathedral and other mediæval buildings. Right in front of the house, on the other side of the boulevard, is a railway cutting, which, just opposite Verne’s study window, disappears into a pleasure ground, where there is a large music kiosk, in which during the fine weather the regimental band plays. This combination is to my thinking a very emblem of the work of the great writer: the rushing tram, with the roar and the rattle of the ultra-modernism, and the romance of the music. And is it not by a combination of science and industrialism with all that is most romantic in life that Verne’s novels possess an originality which can be found in the works of no other living writer, not even amongst those who count most in French literature?

Romanticism, of the unscientific kind, began largely as a reaction against the Rationalism of the Enlightenment and its subsequent revolutions, industrial and political. Humanity became a means to an end of industrial production, wealth generation, scientific dissection, and imperial expansion, rather than an end unto itself finding its fullness in God. The Enlightenment, for all its promises and proclamations, seemed only to lead to moral, economic, social, and spiritual destitution. In speaking of the German thinker Novalis, Pauline Kleingeld describes Romanticism's objections:

The early German romantics criticize the Enlightenment for failing to appreciate the most essential components of truly human life: love, emotional bonds, beauty, shared faith, and mutual trust. They claim that the Enlightenment emphasis on reason, abstract principles, and rights overlooks these crucial aspects of human existence... In their own way, they endorse many of the ideals of the Enlightenment, especially the ideals of individuality, freedom, anti-authoritarianism, and equality. But they accuse the Enlightenment of having degraded these very ideals to atomistic individualism, rootlessness, self-interestedness, and abstract legalism...

Romanticism looked mainly to the European Middle Ages as a spiritual, intellectual, nationalistic, and aesthetic model, but was also satisfied with any faraway times, exotic places, and indigenous cultures... Anything that would help counterbalance the deadening weight of the Enlightenment's dark age. Nature held a particular resonance for the Romantics, as the embodiment of wild, untempered, unfettered, and untamed emotional and creative processes, as well as for its own intrinsic spiritual and aesthetic value.

Early in his career, Jules Verne was well on the Romantic road trod by Dumas, Longfellow, Cooper, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Byron, or Shelly. However, Verne discovered something that would give shape to an entirely new genre of fiction. He realized that the solitary creative genius of Romanticism could be a man of science, and that technology could be the vehicle to a transcendental appreciation of nature. Reason need not be the enemy: it could be a tool to reach that which is beyond it.

Scientific Romances sought out the romance implicit to science, the poetic probing of the mysteries of Space, Time, Nature, and even Divinity. They are, in many ways, a hymn to the beauty, wonder, and majesty of Creation. That hymn includes an exultation in humanity and its varied, diverse, creative prowess. Verne's Scientific Romance denotes the combination of things: Science and Romance, stories of adventure with a flair of style, exotic exploration in civilized comfort, progress directed by tradition, moving into the future without leaving the past behind. “It struck me one day,” he said, “that perhaps I might utilize my scientific education to blend together science and romance into a work... that might appeal to the public taste.”

Verne's hallmark was meticulous research into the geographies and technologies of which he was writing. He became well-known at the local libraries, pouring over every available scrap of information recorded by explorers and colonizers. The author's regimen had him rise from slumber at 5:00 am and write for several hours before taking lunch and migrating to the public library to do research. Of his 54 Scientific Romances, approximately 26 were written at La Maison de Jules Verne. And of those, only the smallest fraction could be considered “science fiction” in the proper sense. The vast majority were adventure stories and historical novels that excited an increasingly literate public with faraway geographies and cultures. Even his science fiction novels are in this vein. How else to explore the ocean except by extrapolating existing submersible technologies? How else to explore the moon except by figuring out how to get there? How else to bring readers into the past except by having them literally descend through layers of geologic strata?

The sense of wonder that revels in natural beauty and cultural diversity would be powerful in its own right. Yet this didacticism is not the only thing that makes Verne's work so appealing. Verne takes this further and studies the effect of these things on people. He projects not only invention or colonization, but what becomes of human beings in light of it. What matters in Around the World in Eighty Days is not as much the breakneck pace of the journey as how it opens the mind of Phileas Fogg. The Adventures of Captain Hatteras examines the effects of feverish obsession with conquering nature on the mind of the explorer. From the Earth to the Moon satirizes American affectations for grandiose projects. Twenty-Thousand Leagues and Master of the World ask what may happen if invincible technology gets in the hands of the vengeful or unscrupulous.

Jules Verne: A Literary Voyage is a three part series, written by C.W. Gross - Part One can be found here ; Part Three coming soon!

Harry Potter and My Scotland Pilgrimage

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 19:41:26 GMT

by Pam Wycliffe

I love to read, so I am ashamed to admit this out loud, but here I go:

When I first heard about Harry Potter, I wrongfully assumed it was a little kids’ book. We’re talking picture book kind of little kid. I know, a tragic mistake. Don’t worry - I finally figured it out after I saw the trailer for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 2001. By that time, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (book four) had already been released. You can guess what I did. I binge-read all of them in preparation for the movie release and have not looked back since. I was hooked. I was obsessed. I was all in!

Next thing you know, I’m in line at 11pm at the local bookstore to get the newest book release. I was definitely not alone. I would rush home and stay up all night (and into the next day) to read what Harry, Ron and Hermione would do in their next adventure.

My son was 9 when I dressed him up as Harry Potter for Halloween. Did I buy him the store costume? No. I wanted it to be as authentic as possible, so I made his broom, his cloak, and found him some vintage glasses. Did I suggest my son decorate his room like the common room in Gryffindor? Maybe.

As the years went by, the movies would quench my thirst while waiting for the next book. Book 6 was the biggest tease; waiting for book 7 was bittersweet. You wanted, no, NEEDED to know the ending, but you also didn’t want it to end. Do we really want anything that we love to end?

So, what do you do after the books are done, the movies have been watched over and over, and you’ve analyzed everything via online groups? What’s the next step for Harry Potter enthusiasts? It’s Scotland!

The Harry Potter series begins in London. Then, Harry goes off to Hogwarts, and one probably just assumes it’s somewhere in a magical land. In reality, it’s Scotland. J.K. Rowling lived in Edinburgh during the time she wrote the first few books. She would sit in cafes to write because it was warm and she didn’t have the money to heat her flat.

I stepped off the train at Waverly Train Station in Edinburgh and took a walk to stretch my legs. One of the first things I saw was Edinburgh Castle up on the hill. It was Hogwarts! How could it not be? Reports are that she didn’t use that as her inspiration, but it was hard not to compare the two.

JK used her surroundings to inspire characters and places. Names from headstones from Greyfriars Kirkyard were used for some of the characters.

Off the Royal Mile is Victoria Street, the inspiration for Diagon Alley. It’s not exactly what you think but you can certainly see the jump from the feel of the street to what was written. It truly is a magical place. It’s the home to many amazing shops and restaurants, including no less than two Harry Potter fun stores.

I made my way into Curiosities for the Curious Museum of Context. It’s tiny, but filled with all the Harry Potter things you can think of. If you have been into the Platform 9 ¾ store in London’s King’s Cross, this one blows that store out of the water. It’s unique to say the least, and not only do they have all the cool stuff, they have a little museum of Harry Potter memorabilia.

While Edinburgh is home to much of the inspiration for the books, so were many other places around Scotland. For instance, the Jacobite train provided inspiration for the Hogwarts Express. In fact, the actual Jacobite train was used in the movies as the Hogwarts Express!

The Jacobite is a beautiful steam train that journeys from Fort William to Mallaig. It travels over the spectacular Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous by the films. If you look at the picture below, you can see where the film makers set Hogwarts for the films at Glenfinnan Loch Schiel.

There is so much to explore and learn about Scotland through the Harry Potter books and movies. I wish I could go on and on, but my true wish is that readers investigate and plan a trip for themselves someday. I highly recommend visiting if you want to take your passion to new heights - and you might just find that Scotland is incredible with or without Harry Potter! It’s definitely worth the trip.

On the Sublime and the Beautiful in Disney's Fantasia - Part One

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:05:10 GMT

by C.W. Gross

For whatever my opinion is worth, I think Fantasia could qualify not only as Disney's greatest film, and not only as the greatest animated film ever made, and not only as the greatest motion picture ever made, but even as the greatest single work of art of the 20th century. It is a bold claim, perhaps ridiculous on the face of it, but if we first accept that film was the artform of the 20th century - the artform that, despite being invented at the end of the 19th century, was refined in the 20th and which became its most popular and accessible type - then animation would be the artform of cinema. It is one thing to point a camera in the direction of a play and film it. It is another to understand and manipulate the very fabric of the medium itself. The first animators had the presence of mind to realize that each frame was a tiny picture that could be altered to produce the illusion of life. The film that could best exemplify animation would earn the title of the greatest artistic work of the 20th century, and I firmly believe that Fantasia fits that accolade.

Fantasia, released in 1940 as Disney's third animated feature, demonstrates everything an animated film can be. Across its seven distinct pieces, it proves that animation can be abstract (as in its Toccata and Fugue in D Minor segment) or narrative (as in The Sorcerer's Apprentice), mythological (Pastoral Symphony) or visualizations of scientific theories (Rite of Spring), comedy (Dance of the Hours) or horror (Night on Bald Mountain), anthropomorphism (Nutcracker Suite) or symbolism (Ave Maria). Married to the great compositions of classical music, it could also aspire to be high art. It is an incredibly rich, nuanced, and rewarding work, deeply rooted in the traditional fine arts... Far more than many would expect from a Disney film.

The physical storytelling in Fantasia is so accomplished that words were entirely unnecessary. No narrator was required to tell us that The Nutcracker Suite transitions through the seasons, and Mickey Mouse has no need to crack wise. What could Chernabog possibly say to make him more frightening? What could a David Attenborough add to Rite of Spring that we could not see for ourselves in all its violence and terror and power? Wisely, music scholar and radio personality Deems Taylor reserved his live-action annotations for between the animated sequences. His sonorous voice (now lost behind a dubbing over by Corey Burton, made necessary by deterioration in the negative) only gives us a few notes in the way of introduction to add to our enjoyment of the piece, like one may find in the program of an evening at the local philharmonic. Fantasia is a tour de force of pantomime, a lasting tribute to the skill of the animator who must draw every glance and gesture.

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor: Liminality and Transcendence

Fantasia is artistically advanced but, structurally, comprised of short subjects recalling the "Silly Symphony" cartoons of Disney's past. A whole is affected, not through a coherent plot, but through the virtual experience of a concert performance. The opening piece, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, calls attention to the orchestra and the instruments (through some brilliant lighting and editing). It also lulls viewers into a near meditative state. Fantasia's beginning is a liminal space, drawing the viewer out of the regular concerns of the world and beyond the mental space of seeking mere entertainment. That's one of the funny things about Fantasia: it's not really entertaining. At least not in the sense of being merely sensational or comedic or "fun" per se. It's much more than that. It is a film demanding attention in exchange for deep artistic gratification.

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor also introduces the viewer to Fantasia's distinctive but hard to trace visual style. It is painterly, yet lends itself so well to the sleek affectations of contemporaneous Art Deco and Streamline style. For many it seems to stand on its own, but its roots can be found deep within a short-lived artistic movement of the early 20th century, known as Transcendental Art.

Born in 1872 in St. Petersburg, Russian painter and spiritualist Nicholas Roerich graduated from both St. Petersburg University and the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1893, with degrees in art and law. From 1906 to 1917 he served as the director of the school of the Imperial Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. As many fashionable people of his time did, Roerich's attentions in the 1910's turned towards spiritualism, occultism, archaeology, Eastern mysticism, and the new religious movement called Theosophy. After the Bolshevik Revolution, the Roerich family migrated from Russia to Finland, then England, then the United States, and finally to India. An expedition spanning 1925 to 1929 took him and his family through India, the Punjab, Mongolia, Siberia, and Tibet.

Theosophy, an amalgamation of esoteric thought coalesced in 1875 with the founding of The Theosophical Society by Helena Blavatsky, holds to certain key principles about the nature of existence and human life in it. According to Blavatsky, it is "The substratum and basis of all the world-religions and philosophies, taught and practised since man became a thinking being. In its practical bearing, Theosophy is purely divine ethics." Which to more practical effect has three chief aims: "(1.) To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without distinction of race, colour, or creed. (2.) To promote the study of Aryan and other Scriptures, of the World's religion and sciences, and to vindicate the importance of old Asiatic literature, namely, of the Brahmanical, Buddhist, and Zoroastrian philosophies. (3.) To investigate the hidden mysteries of Nature under every aspect possible, and the psychic and spiritual powers latent in man especially." By the last point, what is meant is that "We assert that the divine spark in man being one and identical in its essence with the Universal Spirit, our 'spiritual Self' is practically omniscient, but that it cannot manifest its knowledge owing to the impediments of matter."

For Theosophists and other esotericists, the imagination acted a crucial faculty in drawing mythic connections that excavated this deeper spiritual self. For Transcendental artists, that imagination manifested itself in a genre of painting that reached from stylized landscapes to pure abstraction, based in the worldview, symbolism, and numerology of Theosophy. Roerich's work is more literal in its depiction of places and people, but the simplification of detail in them hints to deeper underlying spiritual principles. Their simplicity leaves blank canvas for contemplation.

Left to right: Bridge of Glory, 1923. Palden Lhamo, 1931. Repentence, 1917. Star of the Morning, 1932

The banner of Transcendental Art was picked up in the United States by the Transcendental Painters Group, which formed in Taos, New Mexico in 1938. The goal of group founders Emil Bisttram and Raymond Jonson, as well as later joiners like Agnes Pelton and the Canadian expatriate and former landscape painter Lawren Harris, was "to carry painting beyond the appearance of the physical world... through new concepts of space, color, light and design, to imaginative worlds that are idealistic and spiritual." The Roerich gallery established in the Thirties in Santa Fe served as a regular gathering place for these artists dedicated to Theosophical ideas and artistic abstraction.

Left to right: Emil Bisttram, Oversoul, 1941. Raymond Jonson, Watercolor No. 23, 1940. Agnes Pelton, Spring Moon, 1942. Lawren Harris, Lake Superior, 1923. This landscape painting exemplifies his early work in Canada with the seminal national modern art collective called the Group of Seven.

Left to right: Lawren Harris, Abstraction 30, 1955. Concept painting for the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Photo © Disney.

Just as it is not overly difficult, I think, to catch similarities between Roerich (and Harris') landscape paintings to the landscapes of Fantasia's Rite of Spring, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Pastoral Symphony and Night on Bald Mountain, I also don't think it is difficult to see the trajectory from the Transcendental Painters Group to the animations of pioneer Oskar Fischinger. A presentation of Walther Ruttmann's Light-Play Opus No. 1 - an abstract animation set to live musical accompaniment - set Fischinger's brain ablaze with creative ideas. Like the Transcendentalists, Fischinger found inspiration in Buddhism, and particularly, spiritually rich and geometrically intricate mandalas. After fleeing Nazi Germany, Fischinger's experimental films landed him a position at Walt Disney Studios, where he worked on the original ideas for Fantasia's Toccata and Fugue in D-Minor. Unfortunately his ideas were too abstract, as Walt didn't feel that "little triangles and designs" was quite enough to sustain a big screen production, and Fischinger left without taking any credit in the finished production. Nevertheless, the echoes of Allegretto, An Optical Poem and Radio Dynamics (released after Fantasia) are still there.

On the Sublime and the Beautiful in Disney's Fantasia is a four-part series written by C.W. Gross. Part Two can be found here , Part Three can be found here , and Part Four can be found here .

TV's Fair Julie

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:47:54 GMT

By Jeff Marquis

Mary Poppins: Saucy little baggage!

Eliza Doolittle: Baggy old sausage!

Could this dialogue have come from the mouths of Mary Poppins, Eliza, or Julie Andrews? It could, and it did, on "The Julie Andrews Hour". How this exchange happened was the culmination of several career wind changes.

Seven months after the Poppins premiere, the west wind blew Julie Andrews into the arms of a new family, and another colossal hit. Trailers for The Sound of Music (1965, 20th Century Fox), capitalized on her Disney fame, calling her "the girl who captured the heart of the world as Mary Poppins", and promised more of "her delightful magic". Julie's Maria had more in common with Mary Poppins than the variation on their first names. Once again she sang a tuneful score conducted by Irwin Kostal, was a governess to neglected children, and altered their father's course. This time, the only flying in the film was the soaring, overhead camerawork, and the flight of millions to the box office.

Unfortunately, despite a Best Actress Oscar for Poppins, not many of Julie's subsequent 1960s films turned as major a profit. As a British military driver in The Americanization of Emily (1964), she tried dark comedy. She played a Hitchcock heroine in one of his least known films, Torn Curtain (1966). Hawaii (1966) saw her as a devout missionary. She was the titular 1920s flapper in the charming. Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). In Star! (1968), she was British stage legend, Gertrude Lawrence. Finally, she was a Mata Hari type spy, in Darling Lili (1970). The roles she chose were varied. Julie played them with varying success with critics and her core audience, who had already typed her as a magical, mother figure.

Perhaps her most fitting role would have been as Amalia, the pen pal romantic, in She Loves Me. This movie version of the Broadway show, would have reunited her with Poppins co-star, Dick Van Dyke. Sadly, a change in studio regime at MGM, caused the cancelling of this intriguing project.

As the 1970s began, Julie and her unshakable Mary/Maria image, was at a crossroads. Huge roadshow attractions were on the wane. The gritty realism of then current cinema, seemed at odds with her musical movie persona. Rather than trying to change her image, she decided to capitalize on it, this time on the small screen, in her own variety series.

Despite rave reviews, "The Julie Andrews Hour" never garnered big ratings for ABC. The changing time slot, and viewing tastes, along with hefty competition from CBS' powerhouse Saturday night lineup, didn't help. Most of its time on air,

it was opposite CBS’ Mary Tyler Moore, and Bob Newhart, two of the most popular shows of the day. Just like Judy Garland's infamous tv flop a decade earlier, the team behind the Andrews Hour was torn between Julie’s warm, familial screen persona, and Julie, the more remote, sophisticated chanteuse.

The premiere episode of September 13, 1972, arguably the best of the series, presented all facets of Julie's past and personality, in tandem.

In a mini-biography of her career, Julie revisited the roles of stage and screen that made her fans fall in love with her. Director Tony Charmoli, and the writers, hit upon the idea of using special effects to show three Julie Andrews on screen at the same time.

Timed perfectly as a teaser for the 1973 rerelease of the film, viewers saw Julie as Mary Poppins' once more; splayed feet dropping down from the top of the soundstage, dressed in the familiar Tony Walton costume, right down to the parrot handled umbrella. Landing at the feet of a very Cockney Eliza Doolittle, the stage role that had propelled her to stardom, in My Fair Lady, there began a hilarious battle of words, with Julie, as herself, as referee.

Eliza: Well, if it isn't the galloping governess herself! Did you just fly in on your umbrella, dearie, or are you using a broom these days?

With a quick "Spit Spot", Mary Poppins attempts to make Eliza disappear, to no avail.

Eliza: You're not much without your Disney special effects, are you?

Julie-as-Julie: Girls, for my sake, won't you please try to get on?

Soon, the trio finds literal harmony, singing a medley of "Chim Chim Cher-ee", and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius", floating over the blue- screen rooftops.

The rest of the series never again reached such heights.

The timing for this "return" was a perfect teaser for the major rereleases of both Poppins, and The Sound of Music. The return of those films would earn more millions, and a new generation of fans, but the television show faded quietly away. The early episodes emphasized music, and comedy sketches, in the vein of Carol Burnett's successful series. By mid season, some of the comedy was dropped, with emphasis on mini concerts. The guest list was impressive: Sandy Duncan,Angela Lansbury, Robert Goulet, Joel Gray, Peggy Lee, Cass Elliot, The Muppets, and the real Maria Von Trapp, to name a few. But, the abundance of talent did not translate into ratings.

In April of 1973, the 24th, and final episode of the series was aired. Ironically, little more than a month later, it was awarded seven Emmys, i ncluding Best Musical Variety Series.

This may have vindicated the creative team, but the program was over, and never rerun in the United States.

Eliza: I made her a stage star!

Mary Poppins: I made her a movie star!

Julie's television stardom was elusive. She continued to do well received television specials, Broadway, and big screen favorites like Victor Victoria, and the Princess Diaries.

The last line of Mary Poppins is Dick Van Dyke’s, as Bert, urging her, “Don’t stay away too long”.

She hasn’t. Julie Andrews has graced screens, stages, and pages, as she is now a very successful children’s author. Her position as a permanent entertainment icon, has remained firmly in place.

The closing theme to her tv show, which she wrote, had these fitting lyrics by Leslie Bricusse:

“Time now to go, for everything must end. I’ll see you soon again, knowing time is my friend”.

A Marvelous Childhood and a Lifetime of Red & Gold

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 21:15:20 GMT

By Aaron Hicks

The year was 1991; Nirvana ushered in the Seattle Grunge movement, Terminator 2: Judgement Day had every child repeating “Hasta la vista...baby”, and 9-year-old me was a spry 3rd grader anxiously trying to fit in despite being a foot taller than all of my peers and awkward as hell. This year I would make my mark and join the annals of the cool kids. My finger would be firmly on the pulse of the Turkeyfoot Elementary School zeitgeist. I just needed to discover the next “cool” thing.

Home life was easy enough. Afternoons were spent trying to beat my brother at anything on the Nintendo and failing miserably. My defeat was inevitable considering he is nearly five years my senior. At least he let me play with his toys. I remember being particularly enamored with a small paperback copy of “Incredible Hulk” comics. A character in that book perplexed me and I found myself staring at any panel in which I could find him. No name appeared anywhere I looked. Being 9, I don’t think I looked very hard.

Fortunately, I was my mother’s shopping buddy. I enjoyed running errands with her, as it usually meant she’d buy me candy at some point. There were few things in the universe I loved more than candy. A stop at our local drug store found my mother setting me down in front of the magazine rack while she picked up a few prescriptions from the pharmacist. I scanned the comic books, never having any real interest in them...but then there he was. On a cover decked out with superheroes I was familiar with...Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk...in the upper-right corner he was there. Red & yellow suit, circle on his chest. I begged my mother for the book. It was a dollar; a fortune to a child. What’s worse...there were two more covers there featuring him and I had to have them. My mother didn’t even bat an eye; she said yes. Her kid wanted to read something, so there was no reason for her to object. Coveting them like gold, we left that store and I began a nearly 30 year love for all things Iron Man.

The three books we left with that day were Infinity Gauntlet #3, Web of Spider-Man Annual #7, and Iron Man Annual #12. In the nearly 4,000 comics I’ve purchased over the years, those are still my favorite. They have been read countless times. Their covers are bent, torn...one even has blood on it (but that’s a story for another day). It’s the hipster thing to say you enjoyed something before everyone else did. Iron Man was very much a B-lister. He was popular in Avengers books, for sure, but even the Avengers weren’t popular in the 90s. The 90s were all about the X-Men and Spider-Man. Even among comic book nerds who loved Wolverine and the Punisher, I was ridiculed for my love of Iron Man. I never did become the cool kid; but I think we all figure out with time that none of that really matters, especially when we have discovered a passion.

Fast forward to May of 2008. My friends asked if I was going to the midnight premier; what a silly question. I was lucky that the local cinema was actually doing a show at 8 considering I had work the next morning. I did not have high hopes for the film. I wasn’t a doubter. I just knew the deck was stacked against it. Nolan’s Batman trilogy was in full swing and the comic community very much had Joker Fever. I was just glad something I had loved for so long was getting its shot on the big screen. What audiences got was cinematic history; the dawn of an interconnected film series. Iron Man birthed the MCU. You would be hard-pressed to find a kid who didn’t know who he was.

Fast forward again to February of 2016: The Amazing Arizona Comicon. I had set a goal for myself to collect every issue in the first run of Iron Man. There are 332 issues spanning from 1968 to 1996 and cons are a great place to get some deals. I take a glance down Artist Alley and the legendary George Perez is there signing books. The same George Perez who drew Infinity Gauntlet #3, the book that fueled my nerd brain to seek Iron Man the way people in hell seek ice water. He was doing sketches for $40. You can guess who I asked for. George likes to talk to his fans and he asked for my story. I told him I was a high school English teacher who found purpose in inspiring young people to better themselves and find a passion for literature. I told him he drew the book that made me a reader. George smiled and shook my hand; he posed for a photo with me and insisted we hold the sketch. He was the nicest creator I ever met at a show. His sketch is framed on my wall along with a few others he made for me later that year.

Here we are in 2020. Near the Perez sketch hangs a photo of my newborn son in an Iron Man crocheted outfit. I’m 10 issues short of my complete run of the series...I’m afraid to complete it if I’m being honest. The finality of completing something after 30 years of searching...I don’t ever want it to be over because it has defined so much of my life. People who know me know me for this. Those who never bought a comic book in their life will see my collection and they’ll ask a thousand questions out of legitimate interest. I don’t have the biggest collection in the world; many collectors have more and nicer books. Mine is a labor of love. Each book is a collected experience, a story, an anecdote about the place and time in which it was purchased. One day this collection will be my son’s.

God help me if he doesn’t like comic books.

Dear Walt...

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 17:22:43 GMT

by Craig D. Barton

It’s a beautiful quote, isn’t it? What a great notion. It goes hand in hand with the idea of wishing on a star and just believing.

Only… you never actually said that, did you? This quote, often attributed to you – it was never actually yours, was it? (Note: This often misattributed quote was actually coined by Disney Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald for the Horizons attraction at EPCOT!)

Sure, the notion of such is a great one – after all, we are supposed to follow our dreams. But Walt, the myth of you as a dreamer and magician, a man who never gave up and had a magic touch in everything he did… I know there’s a lot more to it.

In all honesty, the myth side was what drew me to you initially. You created Mickey Mouse, Disneyland, amazing feature films, and made so many people worldwide happy with your special touch. There definitely IS a magic to that! However, to many (myself included), it can be quite disheartening when we don’t always see our dreams come true like we hope they would; at least not in the ways we expected.

I’ve been there. I’ve had opportunities dangled in front of me, only to see them plucked away at the last moment. I’ve wanted these opportunities so badly, as part of my dreams to reach an ultimate goal. But the timing was not right, and I often have found myself questioning my desire and drive. I had a moment like this a few years ago, and believe me when I say, it was a picture of you that snapped me out of my funk.

Why this picture? For one, it’s just a great picture. You were telling the story of Pinocchio the way only you could, and pouring all of your energy into it. It showed someone that was working hard and letting his talents shine through. Someone that was having fun, but also someone that was giving all he had to tell his story. It was a refresher of sorts for me – I remembered that you were human – so much more than myth.

This was the Walt that interested me more. The man who had to fight his way to get where he was. The man who was faced with struggles and adversity. The family man who had quite the personality that was often unseen by rolling cameras and the public eye.

A person can look at a legend and be in awe, but to look at the person behind the legend and see what was accomplished as a real person… Well, that is where real inspiration is found for me.

This all came to a head in 2016 when I finally had a chance to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. This was a place I’d wanted to visit for quite a while, but never had the opportunity to do so. I couldn’t wait to explore and revisit so much history, both of you and the history of the Walt Disney Company when it was in your hands.

The first thing I would like to say, Walt, is that this museum was gorgeous. It is every Disney fan’s dream. History came alive in so many fantastic ways, from storyboards, to the famed multi-plane camera, to an amazing miniature scale model of your masterpiece known as Disneyland.

Animator's Desk, displaying sketches from Walt Disney's Pinocchio.

A view from above - the Multiplane Camera, first used in Walt Disney's Silly Symphony: The Old Mill.

Miniature scale model of Disneyland, as seen during Walt's lifetime.

The history was rich, and really came alive for me here, but what really stood out for me once again were the parts that showed you as a family man:

Walt Disney, family man. Throughout the museum, the Disney "Family Story" is displayed, rich with family history, Walt's hobbies, and personal stories. This ensures the public gets a great insight of the man beyond company history.

A “goofball” at times:

Fooling around on the set of an Alice Comedy. Pictures like this are some of my favorites of Walt.

A traveler:

On a Hawaiian vacation with wife Lillian, and daughters Sharon and Diane. Walt the traveler: A man after my own heart!

A Patriot:

Detailing Walt and the studio's many contributions to the effort during WWII.

I took the opportunity to pose with my wife and daughter for a picture on the Griffith Park bench placed in the museum. To reflect on you and all you had done. To think that, as a daddy, you sat on perhaps that very bench and began to think of a place that families could enjoy together – now THAT is inspiring!

My lovely family and I on "Walt's Bench."

The closer I got to the end of the exhibit, the more melancholic I felt myself getting. I knew what was coming, Walt. And it was breaking my heart. Of course, you didn’t know. You were turning your attention to different projects, looking to the future. Your vision of Epcot – what an amazing finished product that could have been! But we’ll never know, as you passed before it could come to fruition. I entered that last room with a true sadness. The man who I was fully realizing as an extraordinary human being left the world too soon.

A world mourned when you died, Walt. But those of us who were too young to be around in your time mourn, too. We feel the loss of someone who, it seems, had much more left to give. You were working till the end. Dreaming? Yes. But working, brimming with ideas. Your dreams became reality because you were dedicated, thoughtful, and saw projects through. It wasn’t always easy, I know. In fact, one of the most inspiring quotes from the museum, for me anyway, came from one of the hardest times of your life. It wasn’t about making the impossible happen. It wasn’t about life being magical. No, it refers to a time your animators went on strike at the studio:

Why this quote? Because it shows even someone as revered as you had moments of hardship. Times when you were ready to give up – to walk away. Of course, you didn’t, for which many are eternally grateful. But you were willing to admit that you had that type of moment. And for someone who has felt that feeling far too often, it’s beyond inspiring to know the power of forging ahead even in dark times.

So thank you, Walt. Thank you for all you did. Your hard work. Your determination. For making countless children of all ages happy. For being yourself through the entire process. For being a good family man.

For being human.

Sincerely,

An Admirer

(Note to readers: I realize I barely touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum. I would encourage each and every one of you to try to visit this amazing place should the opportunity arise. It was so wonderfully put together, and truly tells the story of Walt Disney in a way that only family and those closest to him could tell it. For more information, visit the Walt Disney Family Museum website . All pictures from the museum itself were taken by the author upon his visit to the WDFM.)

Jules Verne: A Literary Pilgrimage - Part One

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 14:59:20 GMT

By C.W.Gross

The extent to which Jules Verne is known today, it is more often as an icon than a writer. Widely renowned as the father of science fiction, he is seen as the beneficent, bearded symbol of optimistic futurism and technological possibility. His stories, known more by reputation and cinematic adaptation, are regarded as preternatural prognostications of lunar flights and submarine journeys, interesting mainly as quaint historical artefacts or Steampunk costume patterns.

No small part of this reputation is due to Walt Disney. Himself as much an icon as a man, Disney likewise stands as an emblem of mid-century optimistic futurism. His dreams of “Tomorrowland” are also seen as naive vestiges of another time, when the Space Race was just getting started. The two personalities, Verne and Disney, became intertwined in 1954 with the release of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

In the wake of World War II, Disney was looking to expand his studio's operations. They had dabbled in live-action films using funds tied up on England during the war, the most notable being Treasure Island. These modest successes sold him on the possibility of taking on live-action at a grand scale. The result was a wide-screen Cinemascope spectacle that deftly wrapped mid-century atomic anxiety in a stirring character drama.

Part of Walt Disney's appeal, then as now, was his attitude of reassurance. Disneyland itself is a massive architecture of reassurance: the reassurance of quaint “Main Street” values, of childhood flights of fancy, a settled frontier and a utopian future. In short, the reassurance of America's political, technological, economic, and moral primacy in a Cold War world. By placing atomic anxiety 100 years in the past, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea offers its reassurances that humanity has progressed out of atomic infancy and into the maturity to use this power responsibly, just as Captain Nemo would have it.

The success of 20,000 Leagues inspired over a decade of Vernian adaptations, including Around the World in 80 Days, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Mysterious Island, Master of the World, Five Weeks in a Balloon, and Disney's own In Search of the Castaways. Each of these solidified Verne's reputation as an optimistic futurist whose charming predictions of a century before were coming true today. It also furnished Disney with decades of theme park attractions. My love for both Jules Verne and Walt Disney has taken me to nearly every one, from the film's prop organ in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion to the exhibit at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, and from the tributes to Walt Disney World's now-defunct submarine ride to Tokyo DisneySea's very active Mysterious Island with its 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth attractions.

A nonplussed author, with my Jules Verne pin collection, in the queue for Walt Disney World's Little Mermaid attraction. This attraction is where the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea submarine ride used to be, hence the Nautilus carving in the rocks in the lower left corner. Photo © C.W. Gross.

Perhaps the most appropriate place to find Jules Verne the Icon is Disneyland Paris. When designing the park, Imagineers went out of their way to appease France's cultural gatekeepers by highlighting the connections between French culture and Disney product. In place of Walt Disney's Tomorrowland is a retro-futuristic “Discoveryland” in homage to Jules Verne. Until 2004, guests could join Verne on a time-travelling adventure in Le Visionarium, soar to the moon in Space Mountain: De la terre à la lune, and investigate the Mysteries of the Nautilus walkthrough attraction. Discoveryland recreated the colourful atmosphere of a Paris Exposition Universelle, directed by Verne's visionary technological prophecies. A monument to Verne even quotes his famous line: "Tout ce qui est dans la limite du possible doit être et sera accompli"... "All that is within the limits of the possible should be and will be done."

The Nautilus and Space Mountain in Discoveryland. This Space Mountain's launch mechanism echoes the Columbiad canon of Jules Verne's From the Earth to the Moon and Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon. Photo © C.W. Gross.

Nevertheless, the Nautilus of the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a unique creation of Harper Goff's and Disneyland Paris' Space Mountain owed more to fanciful filmmaker Georges Méliès than to literature. These visualizations are stunningly beautiful and that are enjoyable and entertaining in their own right, though one must inevitably be aware that it is a myth constructed over time.

Not far from Disneyland Paris we meet Verne the author, Verne the husband and father and civil servant, and Verne the very mortal man with an immortal imagination and Divine hope. An hour on one of France’s high-speed trains took us from Paris to the charming city of Amiens, in the Picardie region, where one still finds La Maison de Jules Verne.

Though born in Nantes in 1828 and living amidst the hustle, bustle and literary-artistic culture of Paris when he wrote his first novels, Verne's association with Amiens began in 1856 when he attended the wedding of a friend. Weddings are often efficacious for spurring new romances, and Verne fell for the sister of the bride, a widow named Honorine. The following year the pair were married, but living in Amiens was still a long way off.

His father was a lawyer and expected his firstborn son to follow in his footsteps, taking up the family practice. But seeing ships drift in and out of Nantes' harbor, seized the young boy’s mind. He particularly enjoyed the story of Robinson Crusoe, and when he was 11 years old, had tried to stow away as a cabin boy on a vessel bound for India. The expanse of ocean and all it represented about the unknown, romantic, and adventurous had seized young Verne's imagination.

After a doomed romance with a girl whose father forced into a marriage of convenience with a wealthy older man, Verne left Nantes for Paris to complete his legal studies. When he arrived in 1848, his family connections admitted him to the most chic of literary salons. The French Revolution of 1848, collapse of the July Monarchy and the Second Republic, and the rise of the Second Empire, within only a few years deeply affected Verne. So too did the rising pace of Industrialization during the Second Republic and Second Empire. The mid-1800's were a new time, an age of political, social, and technological upheaval. Verne was captivated by the idea of progress tinged with catastrophe, and yearned to express it some way. He was inspired and encouraged to begin publishing plays and short stories that explored the social issues of the scientific age. Verne's greatest opportunity came with meeting Pierre Jules Hetzel, a visionary publisher who saw Verne as a new type of author for a new era… An author of "Scientific Romances," encyclopedic novels of exotic adventure in far-flung locales and the progress of technological invention.

l’Île Mystérieuse - Librairie Jules Verne, a bookshop in Paris specializing in the works of Jules Verne. Photo © C.W. Gross.

Jules Verne: A Literary Voyage is a three part series, written by C.W. Gross - Parts two and three coming soon!

The City and the City & The City and the City

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 19:49:19 GMT

Warning: Spoilers commence regarding both the book and miniseries of The City and The City immediately after the first full paragraph.

China Mieville has said he wants to write a novel in every genre, and his entry into the police procedural category joined my list of favorite books before I’d finished reading the first third. The book follows a case under investigation by Inspector Tyador Borlu of a fictional Eastern European city-state called Beszel (pronounced ‘beh-ZHEL’ but faster). Beszel has a doppelganger city, Ul Qoma, that occupies the same geographic boundaries, with territory interwoven with or overlaid upon each other. A stretch of street might be in one city or the other, or in both with different names. Residents of Ul Qoma are forbidden from seeing Beszel and vice versa. A breach between the city-states is a crime, enforced by an independent power called Breach, whose authority lies exclusively in dealing with breaches, but in that narrow band their dominion is absolute. A breach, even an accidental one, often results in the breacher never being seen again.

Within this bewildering environment Borlu investigates the murder of a young woman, first thought to be a prostitute, but it seems no other prostitutes know her. Borlu doesn’t fall into the tropes of reluctant hero or white knight. He’s simply a good cop, and when the case becomes more complicated - the girl was murdered in Ul Qoma and dumped in Beszel - he dutifully tries to hand it over to, which is to say, invoke Breach, the agency with the resources to pursue the case. But a video mysteriously turns up of the vehicle that dumped the body, and it turns out that while the crossing itself was illegal in both cities due to the transport of the body, it was not breach, because the crossing occured at the one appropriate border between the two cities. Crimes were assuredly committed, but breach was not one of them.

I loved this book. I hated the miniseries.

The miniseries misses the mark. It takes Borlu (played by English actor David Morrissey) from being an intellectual, mild-mannered police inspector to being a man who is obsessed with the disappearance of his wife - a wife who is not in the book at all. The miniseries heavy-handedly turns Borlu into a tragic character, a broken man, someone in desperate need of a generic redemption arc™ and answers to his personal quest. It makes the story about his personal issues more than the thought-provoking puzzle presented in the novel.

Many of the story elements remain unaltered. The investigative path largely mirrors that of the book: Borlu follows the same clues, speaks to many of the same witnesses, and in the end finds the same culprit. But in a presumed effort to make the story more accessible and the main character more relatable, the miniseries diverts focus from the story the book tells; it adds shlock and makes that shlock the hub that Borlu revolves around.

Tony Grisoni, the scriptwriter for the miniseries, has a pedigree that would make you think he wouldn’t do violence to Mieville’s bizarre world - he’s worked multiple times with director Terry Gilliam, a man not known for banal works. And in fairness, Grisoni did some things right.

The change of Senior Detective Dhatt (performed by German actress Maria Schrader) to a female instilled more depth in her character and in her interactions with Borlu. Constable Corwi’s less obsequious attitude gave British actress Mandeep Dhillon opportunity to be more of her own character rather than the nearest useful tool in Borlu’s investigation.

The striking visuals, helmed by director Tom Shankland, rewards fans of the book with thoughtful and defined contrasts . The challenge of living in a world where the characters must unsee not only people, but buildings, cars, and even litter was captured well. The distinct fashions and architectural styles of one city versus the other highlighted the weird foreign upon foreign feel in the book. Borlu’s disorientation when making the journey from Beszel to Ul Qoma and later into Breach worked strongly.

Both book and miniseries avoided a narrative trap to my delight. In a story that centers around not seeing the people all around you, there’s an obvious metaphor about societal indifference that lesser story tellers might have indulged in moralizing about, thereby overwhelming the story of the dead girl, the puzzling environment, and the untangling of a complex riddle. The reader/viewer is never clubbed with that lesson, but is left to find it on their own on re-exploring the story. The tale is layered and potent, and much like the map of the two cities, it’s not always clear where you should be looking. If Mieville keeps to his word and writes a book in every genre, I hope he works his way back around to writing another mystery.

In the Galaxy of Cereal, Quisp is the Real Cap’n

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 14:59:22 GMT

by Tommy Cannon

What makes Quisp better than Cap’n Crunch? They have the same flavor. They both come from Quaker. Their respective mascots were both designed by animation artist Jay Ward. Cap’n Crunch has a ship that sails the high seas. Quisp has a ship that travels through the vacuum of space.

Maybe Quisp has the advantage there.

Quisp’s voice seems to be a terrible impersonation of Jerry Lewis. Cap’n Crunch sounds like he has a voice that’s his and his alone.

Perhaps the Cap’n gets some points for that.

Also, Captain Crunch is two years older than Quisp. Quisp came out in 1965, Cap’n Crunch was out in 1963. Maybe if Quaker got it right in the first place, Quisp may not have ever existed.

Perhaps the good Cap'n was hoping for a Quispy takeoff in his own limited-edition release?

How can it be better?

Each bit of Quisp cereal is smoother and more dense than a bit of Cap’n Crunch. This makes it less likely to hurt the inside of your mouth as you chew it. Don’t get me wrong - I love Cap’n Crunch too. It just happens to hold the silver medal while Quisp is bouncing from planet to planet with the gold medal.

I know that in this post-1976 world, we can only enjoy Quisp if we order it online at a high price.

However, if you want to know what Quisp is like, just dig into some Cap'n Crunch and imagine it is as smooth as Fruit Loops.