Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>ORWEN: I always thought it would be neat if they used the entire Portabello Road number as a parade around Epcot's World Showcase. What a show stopping moment that would be!!!<< That would be a lot of fun! I generally don't like sticking characters/movie references into places like World Showcase, but that seems like a nice fit, and would still highlight the WS countries without much emphasis on a franchise. And I'm pretty sure that they could parade their way entirely around the lagoon in less time than the Portobello Road sequence in the movie!
Originally Posted By Brad "Didn't know this was "bash mediocre live-action Disney musicals week" or I would've prepped better. "The Happiest Millionaire" - uh yeah." Speaking of - I might be the ONLY prson in Australia who recognized when Seth Macfarlane walked onstage for his intro at the Oscars and, in deference to his *ahem* love of musicals and his obvious pecuniary state that they accompanied him with a song from "The Happiest Millionaire". I thought that was a fantastic touch as I'm sure he is one of Hollywood's happiest m(b?)illionaires. That kinda money buys a LOT of the indulgences he would no doubt enjoy!!!!
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Hey, I'm a lover of musicals. And with the re-focus on 'Mary Poppins' ('Saving Mr. Banks) I recently sought out other Disney musicals. And -- I'm surprised at how duddy both 'Babes in Toyland' and 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' seemed to me. And yeah, add 'The Happiest Millionaire' to the 'uh yeah' list -- it's no 'Mary Poppins'!
Originally Posted By TheRedhead You've seen "One and only Genuine Original Family Band," right? It's no Mary Poppins, but I love it much much more than Bedknobs.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>"One and only Genuine Original Family Band," … It's no Mary Poppins<< It's barely a "Happiest Millionaire".
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Hey, I'm 51 - I lived through those movies first-run in the theaters. They were just okay then!
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORWEN: Well both Babes in Toyland and Bedknobs & Broomsticks have brought a lot of joy to those who do appreciate them so I'm glad they were made. I wish I still had the original dolls that were made of the toy soldiers. ORDDU: I'm glad that we have a movie with Annette that will live forever since it captured her during her most beautiful period. ORWEN: And Angela Lansbury is a wonderful actress who I wouldn't have gotten to know if it hadn't been for Bedknobs & Broomsticks.
Originally Posted By Brad Hey Witchie Poos - I recently saw Ms Lansbury onstage here in Perth with James Earl Jones in their version of "Driving Miss Daisy". It was a THRILL to see both live in person and STILL working, providing entertainment for people. Of course, they received a well-deserved standing ovation at the end and Ms Lansbury skipped offstage with a spritely energy that somebody thirty years her junior may have trouble drumming up after performing for ninety minutes! It was a JOY and a PRIVILEGE to see them both!
Originally Posted By mawnck >>both ... have brought a lot of joy to those who do appreciate them<< I appreciate them. And am still waiting, money in hand, for Disney to cough up a proper widescreen home video of "Family Band", dang it. Do they WANT their films to disintegrate so they don't have to worry about them anymore? Ignore the problem and it goes away? Mediocre Disney musicals > Lots of "really good" other things.
Originally Posted By TheRedhead "It's barely a "Happiest Millionaire"." Ok, but we can all agree that "Blackbeard's Ghost" is art right? Man. Live action Disney discussions are depressing.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORWEN: You lucky duck-ling, Brad!! Angela Lansbury is a treasure. I'm glad you got to see her in person. ORDDU: As for Disney live action films, many of them could only be appreciated by those who grew up with them. It's easy to understand why the modern generation doesn't like them. But back when life at least SEEMED more simple, they were a breath of fresh air. ORWEN: The thing is, as a more mature Disney fan, I have to say I prefer the nostalgia of the older Disney films over the jaded, violent and modern movies of today. Even though the old live action Disney films had faults, they left me with more uplifting feelings than so many of today's 'big hits'.
Originally Posted By crazycroc Wanted to chime in on this one. In the early 2000's I had the great honor of working a graveyard shift in which I had plenty of downtime a night. In order to make the night go by quicker, and with a little help of the magic of Netflix, I began a journey. I watched all the Disney animated classics in order on DVD. I then moved on to all the live action films and also watched them in order. When I finished with those, I watched all of Zorro, and every episode of the anthology series I could get my hands on through trades and dealers in other countries. Since I was working graveyard, I had little exposure to current media, news broadcasts etc. A couple of points: 1. Watching the positive messages and "simpler" times associated with the live action movies, honestly helped me feel more satisfied and generally happier in life. 2. When watched as a whole, and looked at as a progression, the Disney Live Action cannon is very impressive and well done. They went from classic stories like "Treasure Island and "Rob Roy" to "Leave it to Beaver" type work with the Flubber series, to the great Haley Mills films. Just an incredible boy of work until the late 1960's until a period began similar to what we have now. I would like to figure out how to "turn off" the modern world again and go back to the feelings those Disney movies gave me again. Also, there is a theme and underlying message in these films which is unbelievably, don't trust authority, rugged individualism, and honor. Amazing stuff from a study accused of sugary syrup films. If you have a large collection of Disney films or a netflix subscription. I would highly recommend the experience.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORWEN: I know what you mean crazycroc, duckling. While I agree that not all the movies made by the Disney company are great, the way some people complain about them makes me wonder how they can call themselves Disney fans to begin with. ORDDU: Unless they're mainly Disney theme park fans and not really interested in Disney movies. That might be one explanation. ORWEN: Still, it all started with a mouse and has gotten better ever since Thank goodness for all the wonderful Disney classics we have--both animated and live action!!! ORDDU: We'd rather live in those worlds as opposed to the jaded, overly critical and heartless world others prefer to inhabit.
Originally Posted By mawnck As someone who has embarked on a similarly crazy project, I enthusiastically endorse post 33, and bow down to you, sir, for your project's successful completion. My attempt to watch all the animated features in order (not just Disney - ALL of them that got released theatrically in the USA) has sputtered to a crawl due to one thing and another. But such projects do give one a unique sense of "the big picture". I'm sure hitting the post-Walt comedies for you was a lot like hitting the mid-80s toy commercial onslaught for me. I kept rechecking the list to remind myself that it was just a phase the industry went through, and I'd escape from it eventually. >>Also, there is a theme and underlying message in these films which is unbelievably, don't trust authority, rugged individualism, and honor. Amazing stuff from a study accused of sugary syrup films.<< Interesting. VERY interesting. And in the 1970s comedies, it's "animals destroying a Ralph's Supermarket is always good for 15 minutes of giggles". Amirite?
Originally Posted By crazycroc In the 1970's, yes it became: "Watch this Monkey/Horse/Mule/Wiener Dogs destroy this thing while Tim Conway slips in a pile of whipped cream. I think that Mr. Stubbs from "Toby Tyler and the Circus" can be blamed for the beginning of that trend. An era I found worse than that however was the transitional era of about 1978 to 1982 when Ron Miller was putting some really bizarrely chosen films under the Disney banner. (Eventually those types of films moved to Touchstone and others) Midnight Crossing, Trenchcoat, Takedown..I would consider those the jarring outliers to the cannon. Also, Brian Keith made some really disjointed movies for Disney. Those Calloways, Ten Who Dared, another one whose title I can't recall where he calls his Mexican errand boy "The Wetback" the entire movie. No flow to them whatsoever. One other point that I forgot to bring up...The Golden Oak Ranch. It's everywhere, it's every climate, it's every time period. The amount of work they did out there is impressive. As far as watching every animated movie, I'm so sorry you had to watch things like "The Care Bears" and "Rainbow Brite" that must have been tortuous. Can you point me in the direction of a good dvd transfer of "Mr Bug Goes to Town?"...that's something that's on my must see list.
Originally Posted By ecdc Very interesting insights. I'm realizing how few Disney live-action classics I've seen.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Can you point me in the direction of a good dvd transfer of "Mr Bug Goes to Town?"<< <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VWDZ-8736">http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detai...WDZ-8736</a> It's not perfect, but it's done with love.
Originally Posted By mawnck You might get out a little cheaper here, thanks to the shipping: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.yesasia.com/us/mr-bug-goes-to-town-dvd-japan-version/1022285992-0-0-0-en/info.html">http://www.yesasia.com/us/mr-b...nfo.html</a>
