Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA ^^^Wow. That's amazing to read. "Robin Hood" has never been one of my favorties. Although, when I was a kid, I suppose Summer of 1973, we did see Roger Miller in concert, and he did a few songs from the 'upcoming Disney movie Robin Hood' Also his opening tune, where he whistles -- when you speed that up it becomes 'The Hamster Dance' Cool right?
Originally Posted By leemac <<Summer and Fall releases, then?>> The current plan is that every odd year will see two Pixar releases. I've no idea why Lasseter and Catmull have only just ramped up production to meet DWA's output. Just when CGI movies seem to be getting to over-saturated in the marketplace.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I really like Bolt.>> Bolt was passable but it wasn't American Dog and screamed committee creativity - it was as safe a movie as you could possibly imagine. At least stuff like Chicken Little and Meet The Robinsons tried to be creative movies even though both had failings. Lasseter's worst move was shoving Chris Sanders out the door.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Just watched the last hour of Wall-E on ABC Family last night. What a wonderful movie that one is. So well done. That relationship between Eve and Wall-E is better than most live action movies.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Lasseter's worst move was shoving Chris Sanders out the door.<< On a related note (and thanks for the segue), I just got back from a test screening that, much to my amazement, turned out to be a VERY rough version of How To Train Your Dragon 2, which Chris Sanders is producing but not directing because he was busy with The Croods. There are long stretches of it that are still storyboard drawings, and there were some things that need work IMHO, but it's already better than any major studio release I've seen this year. (I'd love to spill the details, but they asked us not to. ) "The Good Dinosaur" had better kick some serious butt, because it's gonna be all done after 3 weeks.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>Bolt was passable but it wasn't American Dog...<< For me, I'm glad that it's not American Dog. From what I read of the early concepts, I really didn't connect to the story and didn't think it had much potential. I also thought that both Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon were forgettable-at-best, so there must be something about Chris Sanders' style that just doesn't work for me. At least American Dog/Bolt changed its trajectory early enough that the end product ended up being pretty solid, even if not closely tied to the original concept; I wish The Bear and the Bow/Brave was afforded that same courtesy (or better yet, have that one follow the original vision the entire way)
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<There are long stretches of it that are still storyboard drawings, and there were some things that need work IMHO, but it's already better than any major studio release I've seen this year.>> Thanks for the info. Great news indeed. I'm totally unapologetic for my love of Dragon. It's one of the best films DWA has ever done, if not the best. Chris and Dean are a good team, like Docter and Peterson. I'm now very much looking forward to Dragon 2.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<The current plan is that every odd year will see two Pixar releases. I've no idea why Lasseter and Catmull have only just ramped up production to meet DWA's output.>> Unbelievable. This was supposed to happen like six years ago. They're just now getting around to instituting this plan? Right when the market is definitely being oversaturated, as you so correctly point out? Lasseter needs to lay off the Sonoma grape juice. It's mildewing his mind.
Originally Posted By magic0214 I have heard that 2015 and 2017 will be double years for Pixar, thus no WDAS films those years, but in 2016 and 2018 will have 2 WDAS films. So the over saturation isn't as bad since Disney will still only be releasing 2 animated films from their studios, the annoyance and over saturation would come with the same studio doing multiple in one year.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I also thought that both Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon were forgettable-at-best, so there must be something about Chris Sanders' style that just doesn't work for me.>> I get that YMMV but I'm always amazed when people say that L&S was "forgettable" - it had so much heart and creativity. Did you like the I Just Can't Wait To Be King sequence in TLK? That is pure Sanders too - amongst others. L&S is up there with the greats for me. It is near flawless.
Originally Posted By leemac <<For me, I'm glad that it's not American Dog. From what I read of the early concepts, I really didn't connect to the story and didn't think it had much potential.>> Oh it may not have had commercial appeal but it sure was a quirky and entertaining spin on the road trip. The misfit gang has a lot of charm and heart to them. Exactly what was missing from subsequent WDAS far. Bolt was ok for me - homogenized pulp but entertaining. You can tell that they were trying just too hard to make a crowd pleaser - the presence of Rhino demonstrated that.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Lasseter needs to lay off the Sonoma grape juice.>> Some entertaining photos of him drunk at D23 Expo did the rounds on emails today. I gather he helped Hearthstone turn a tidy profit this weekend.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>I get that YMMV but I'm always amazed when people say that L&S was "forgettable" - it had so much heart and creativity.<< I just don't connect with any of the characters in that film. I don't know why, but there isn't one that I'm really rooting for. I don't dislike them, but I just don't have that strong connection. And in a film that relies so much on the 'heart' factor, not having that connection is a fatal flaw for me My friends and I often joke that I'm some soul-less creature because I don't connect to L&S (among others...like Pooh and Toy Story) so maybe I really am some cartoonish villain. Who's to say? >>Did you like the I Just Can't Wait To Be King sequence in TLK? That is pure Sanders too - amongst others.<< I do like that sequence, but I'm not in love with it; the strong point for me is the song itself, rather than the visuals. I like the fantasy aspect of it, but I think it could have been done just as effectively in another style. Pink Elephants does a great job with the fantasy element and Part of Your World is a great "I Want"-type song, and both are incredibly memorable; I Just Can't Wait to be King did a good job of mixing the two together, but I think that it could have been just as effective and memorable with a different approach.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>the annoyance and over saturation would come with the same studio doing multiple in one year.<< Well, the oversaturation comes from FIVE OR SIX studios doing multiple releases in one year, which has become the norm these days. So far this year, the other studios are getting their butts handed to them, as Monsters U and DM2 sold all the tickets. I have no doubt that Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs will do fine as well. Disney and Pixar have always been marketed as the Tiffany of the animation industry - their movies are more specialer than anyone else's. Increasing output into an already crowded marketplace is the Dreamworks strategy, and it's kicking their butts. A HUGE +1 for Lilo & Stitch. One of my favorite Disney features. Period. (Although I agree with FerretAfros that not connecting with the characters would kill it for you.)
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance "Just watched the last hour of Wall-E on ABC Family last night. What a wonderful movie that one is. So well done. That relationship between Eve and Wall-E is better than most live action movies." I just watched with my little guy this past weekend. IT'S SO GOOD. I get misty eyed just thinking about it.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> Just watched the last hour of Wall-E on ABC Family last night. What a wonderful movie that one is. So well done. << The stuff in the first half before Wall-E goes to the spaceship was fantastic. I didn't like the second half nearly as much. Sorta like Up -- the premise/beginning is captivating, but becomes too formulaic as the movie goes on, almost like the filmmakers feel like they must dial it down and revert to a formula.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Some entertaining photos of him drunk at D23 Expo did the rounds on emails today.>> Not too surprising. Former colleague of mine helped John steal an ice sculpture from a buffet table at SIGGRAPH, many moons ago. And yes, sobriety was definitely checked at the ballroom door.
Originally Posted By mawnck Jerry Beck's sequel to the article in the first post: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationscoop/notes-on-the-d23-presentation">http://blogs.indiewire.com/ani...entation</a>
