Originally Posted By Doobie This topic is for Discussion of: <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/News-ID510530.asp" target="_blank">6/23/06 Rhett Wickham: It's Baaack!</a>
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I have little knowledge of the way the animation division is run but is there a possibility that CG could be produced in California and hand draw could be produced in Florida, thus revitalizing the animation attraction?
Originally Posted By leemac Awesome article as ever Rhett. I was skeptical when I heard that Lasseter had reached out to Musker and Clements virtually seconds after the merger but it seems he has full confidence in them to deliver. Incredible to think that Rapunzel could have been retooled for 2D. I dread to think how much that would have cost.
Originally Posted By actingforanimators Thanks Lee. Wahoo: It's doubtful that FL is up for a return to production, at least not from what I understand at this point.
Originally Posted By netenyahoo This is such great news. I am very excited to see the great new ideas and movies coming out. I am really excited to see the shorts. Every Disney movie should start with a short.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Great article, Rhett! >>Imagine this, a studio creative chief who not only has brought back into the fold the creative team that single handedly revived the art of great storytelling with The Little Mermaid, but gave them free reign to craft the story on their own without bringing in a screenwriter from outside, and then offered them a choice, repeat – a choice of what look they thought was best for their film.<< To me, this offers such exciting possibilities for the future of Disney animation!
Originally Posted By leemac Rhett I can't remember but do you really think that Treasure Planet was a disaster because Musker and Clements didn't have free rein? I appreciate their successes outweigh their failures but TP was one heck of a failure.
Originally Posted By actingforanimators I think Treasure Planet was scuttled from within and that it was the worst marketing of a film since "Iron Giant." I think it suffered open hostility from the then president of Feature Animation and Michael Eisner, and from a press that was determined to pulverize the next animated film coming out of Disney regardless of what it was about or who made it. In short, yes.
Originally Posted By Jakijajah As much as I enjoy Treasure Planet I will inconclusively argue, that the story and setting doomed the film from the start and no matter how much freedom Ron and John would get on it, the audience would still find it hard to accept it. Now, animation insiders, what are the odds that someday someone will dust off Fraidy Cat? I loved the visuals that we saw before it got shut down and the premise sounded very funny. Now that John wants directors to work on their own ideas instead of assigning them to pre-developed projects, will Ron and John pursue Fraidy Cat like they did for years with Treasure Planet? Was Fraidy Cat their original idea in the first place?
Originally Posted By Disneymom443 That is sooo great. I can't waite for the next thing that they are going to do. No matter what it will be it will be great.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Oh, this is so exciting!!!! And call me wierd, but Treasure Planet is actually one of my favorite animated features of all time! But then again, I love Treasure Island, Sci Fi, Pirates, the Goo Goo Dolls, Animation, and most of the vocal cast, especially Emma Thomson - so what's not to love? And I watched it again on father's day with my little ones, and boy, did the messages resonate more than ever!
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Wow, great news. I could hardly believe it when I heard Disney was shutting down 2-D features; to think we'd never see another Pinocchio or Beauty and the Beast again. And yes, from everything I've heard about Fraidy Cat, I hope they do revive it. I saw Lasseter speak once and he really impressed me as a legitimately creative person. Nice to have one of those in charge again!
Originally Posted By basil fan Couldn't ask for better news. Besides which, Musker & clements brought me my favorite film ever. I love these guys. >the age old pixels vs pencils battle >blown over entirely And so it should. There oughtta be room for both in the world, regardless of which you & I prefer.
Originally Posted By actingforanimators I asked about Fraidy Cat just this past week, and I'm told it's dead - for now. Ron and John don't have any immediate interest in it. It was not their idea initially - it was Piet Kroon's (who co-directed the animated sequences of "Osmosis Jones" over at Warners) and Piet was taken off the project in yet another amazingly idiotic move during the dark ages of Disney. Ron and John retooled it slightly, were very excited by it and turned in a project a lot of people thought was pure gold. Fraidy Cat is on a shelf at this stage, and it looks unlikely at the moment that it will come off any time soon.
Originally Posted By Donald75 Great to have someone running things that realizes that the media used to create a movie isn't as important as the story.
Originally Posted By ctdsnark "It's Baaack",huh?!? It's about freakin' time!!! I just came from seeing "Cars" {again},where I had to sit through trailers for all the CGI nonsense the other studios are releasing in the next year---the next Dreamworks/Aardman collaberation is CGI,for cryin' out loud!!!I am so freakin' SICK of CGI features built around talking animals,when I saw the trailer for "Rat-tat-tooey",I had to keep reminding myself,"It's a Pixar film....It's a Pixar film....It's a Pixar film!!!"I don't mind telling you---"Meet The Robinsons" didn't exactly fill me with confidence,either! More power to you,John Lasseter!!!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Anyone want to defend (apologize) Eisner's killing of traditional animation now?
Originally Posted By Skellington88 Any chance the brizzi brothers will return to Disney? They were very talented and working on two guarenteed big hits "Don Quixote" and "The Snow Queen". Have you heard anything about them returning??
Originally Posted By Jim Wow! Thanks for the update, Rhett. This is certainly the best news I've heard in a long time!
Originally Posted By mawnck Mawnck's mantra for the next few years: "It won't be that easy." Let's not get our hopes up TOO high just yet, folks. Lasseter is not a Fairy Godmother, and he isn't going to be able to transform Disney into the Practically Perfect Animation Company overnight. This is still the organization that thought "Home on the Range" was pretty good.
