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Walt Disney Animation

A Closer Look at Walt Disney Animation’s Newest Feature “Big Hero 6”

9 May 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Walt Disney Animation Studios today announced their newest project, on the tails of Frozen, coming out this Fall, Big Hero 6 will be released in November of 2014. Read more about it in the official press release below:

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Big Hero 6,” an action comedy adventure about brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who finds himself in the grips of a criminal plot that threatens to destroy the fast-paced, high-tech city of San Fransokyo. With the help of his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—Hiro joins forces with a reluctant team of first-time crime fighters on a mission to save their city. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action and all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the CG-animated “Big Hero 6” hits theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.

Here is the concept art from Big Hero 6:

BIG HERO 6
BRIDGE TO SAN FRANSOKYO – Concept art showcases an iconic bridge and treasured landmark of the high-tech, fast-paced city of San Fransokyo, the setting for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ action comedy adventure “Big Hero 6”

 

 

 

 

BIG HERO 6
SAN FRANSOKYO AT NIGHT – Pictured in concept art, the high-tech city of San Fransokyo is home to brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada and his team of first-time crime fighters

 

There is also a first footage video out:

You can follow along for updates on Big Hero 6 here on Zannaland and also –

Visit the Website: http://www.disney.com/BigHero6

Like “Big Hero 6” on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DisneyBigHero6

Follow Walt Disney Animation Studios on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyAnimation Use the hashtag #BigHero6

 

 

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Official Disney, Top Stories Tagged With: 3-D, 3D animation, action comedy, animation studios, Baymax, Big Hero 6, comic book style, concept art, hamada, hiro, Hiro Hamada, marvel comics, San Fransokyo, Walt Disney Animation

News for Disney’s Frozen Animated Feature: Concept Art and Voice Talent

20 December 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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In Frozen, Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer Sven in an epic journey, encountering mystical trolls, a funny snowman named Olaf, Everest-like extremes and magic at every turn in a race to find Anna’s sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), the Snow Queen, and save their kingdom from eternal winter. Disney just released a piece of concept art from the upcoming film, and it’s just beautiful:

FROZEN concept art

Walt Disney Animation Studios announced yesterday that they have given voice to its extreme mountain man from the comedy-adventure “Frozen.” Tony Award® nominee Jonathan Groff (Broadway’s “Spring Awakening,” TV’s “Glee”) is on board to help bring Kristoff to life in the epic journey slated for the big screen November 27, 2013.

Groff appears in the independent feature “C.O.G.,” which is part of 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The Pennsylvania native made his big-screen debut in Ang Lee’s “Taking Woodstock” and went on to appear in the independent drama “Twelve-Thirty” and “The Conspirator.” His TV credits include Fox’s “Glee,” the Starz series “Boss” and CBS’ “The Good Wife.” On stage, in addition to the Tony Award®-winning musical “Spring Awakening,” Groff appeared in the Public Theater’s revival of “Hair” and off-Broadway plays “Prayer for My Enemy” and “The Submission,” among others. He made his West End debut in Ira Levin’s “Deathtrap,” and appeared in the 2010 Tony Award®-winning “Red” by John Logan at the Mark Taper Forum this year.

Personally, I loved Jonathan Groff on Glee and clips I’d seen from Spring Awakening, so I’m excited that he’s on board for Frozen.

Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, and produced by Peter Del Vecho, “Frozen” will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

Frozen title

 

ABOUT THE MOVIE

From the studio behind 2010’s “Tangled” and this year’s “Wreck-It Ralph,” Walt Disney Animation Studios presents “Frozen,” the most daring comedy-adventure ever to hit the big screen. The film is directed by Chris Buck (“Tarzan,” “Surf’s Up”) and Jennifer Lee (screenwriter, “Wreck-It Ralph”), and produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Winnie the Pooh,” “The Princess and the Frog”). Featuring music from Tony®-winner Robert Lopez (“The Book of Mormon,” “Avenue Q”) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (“In Transit”), “Frozen” journeys into theaters November 27, 2013, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters. For more information, like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyFrozen and follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/DisneyAnimation. FROZEN hits theaters on November 27th, 2013!

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Official Disney, Top Stories Tagged With: Disney's Frozen, Frozen, Frozen concept art, jonathan groff, kristen bell, snow queen, tony award nominee, Walt Disney Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios

DJ Skrillex to Make Cameo Appearance in Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph

20 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Wreck-It Ralph Q*bert movie poster My musical tastes have always been varied and eclectic, a trait which I am happy my 13 year-old has inherited as well. He loves most genres, but has been focused on dubsteb and club music for the last couple of years, even creating his own mixes and writing original music, when he’s not drumming for school. So we were both excited to learn that Skrillex would be working on the soundtrack for the upcoming Disney 3-D feature Wreck-It Ralph. This morning he let me know of an article he read noting a cameo Skrillex will have in the film. (I love when my kids give me blogging ideas!) I thought I’d share it here for the fans that may be interested – from the UK dance and club music site MixMag:

Disney aren’t strangers to grabbing hot DJ talent to cameo in their movies off the back of the soundtrack. Back in 2011 they got Daft Punk. Now it seems Skrillex is stepping into Disney-land.

A couple of months ago Mixmag reported that Skrillex would score some of the soundtrack to Disney’s upcoming animated feature Wreck It Ralph.

After Total Film magazine watched 30 minutes of the new film, it has emerged that Skrillex is not only providing the music but also lending his vocal talents and likeness to star in a cameo role.

Clark Spencer, the film’s producer, spoke about how Skrillex went from EDM superstar to Disney cartoon. “We went to him first and said, ‘Hey, we have this party scene in the world of Fix It Felix Jr, and we have a DJ and we think it would make a nice cameo if we put you into it.’ And he was ecstatic,” he said.

“We built his model, we put on his look, and we sent it to him to have him give us comments. And he said he would never wear non-black tennis shoes. He said ‘My tennis shoes will always be black’. So we changed the tennis shoes to black.

“You don’t see them in the film, as he’s behind the DJ booth, but they were in the model. He has seen the animation, and he’s very, very excited about it.” (see full article here)

See the new Wreck-It Ralph trailer here (I love that they added music from one of my favorite bands, fun. Yay!):

 


I know I’ll be looking for his cameo, I’m almost excited about this as I am seeing Q*bert again! Wreck-It Ralph opens nationwide on November 2, 2012. What are you most excited to see in Wreck-It Ralph?

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Filed Under: Disney News, Movies & Books Tagged With: cameo role, club music, daft punk, Disney Animation Studios, DJ, dub steb, fun. Skrillex cameo in Wreck-It Ralph, Q*bert, skrillex, Skrillex soundtrack, Walt Disney Animation, Wreck-it-Ralph, Wreck-it-Ralph trailer

Treasure Planet and Home on the Range Now on Blu-ray

15 July 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Treasure Planet I’m always thrilled when Disney releases more of its feature animated films on Blu-ray, because I know it means the best quality picture, and I usually get to introduce my children to a film they either hadn’t seen or have forgotten about. In this case, Treasure Planet was one of my oldest son’s favorites back when it came out. It was one of the first Disney films he wanted to watch on repeat daily. He just loved the characters and was at the perfect age to get attached to them. Home on the Range was actually one of my daughter’s favorites when it was released as well. She loved the yodeling scene and the horse, played by Cuba Gooding Jr. While neither movie may have received critical acclaim and they aren’t my personal favorites, they represent a part of Disney history and certainly, like my children, built fans with their release.

That said, both films look spectacular on Blu-ray. There are some scenes that seem to just be made for this technology and the backgrounds and colors are just fantastic. The Bonus Features for Home on the Range are: Audio Commentary; animated short “A Dairy Tale:  The Three Little Pigs;” 4 Deleted Scenes; Music Video; Trailblazers: The Making-of “Home on the Range;” Art Review; YodelMentary; Joke Corral: Herd of Jokes. On Treasure Planet the Bonus Features are: Deleted Scenes; RLS Legacy: Virtual 3D Tour & Treasure Hunt; DisneyPedia: The Life of a Pirate Revealed; Visual Commentary and More!

If you are looking to complete your Disney film library, of course these are must-haves, I think Home on the Range is worth it for the yodeling scene alone and Treasure Planet for the amazing space special effects scenes. They are available July 10 on Blu-ray:

 

Add them to your collection today!

Home on the Range yodeling

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movie Reviews, Movies & Books Tagged With: animated films, blu-ray, blu-ray releases, Bonus Features, disney film, disney films, home on the range, treasure planet, Walt Disney Animation

5 Parenting Lessons From Disney Pixar’s Brave

19 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

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This companion piece to my initial spoiler-free Brave review will contain some references to plot points or ideas within the film which may spoil it for those wishing to be surprised. If you’d like to be prepared for bringing your children to the movie, or are looking for some discussion topics either before or after seeing Brave, I wanted to put this list together. If you do not want any elements of Brave spoiled, do not continue reading below, and head over to my review, which contains no spoilers. Thanks!

 

 

 

1. It is rated PG.

When I think of PG-rated Disney animated films, I instantly think of The Black Cauldron. I’m not sure Brave is quite at that level, but I did jump out of my seat one time and the bear scenes are pretty suspenseful and loud. Certainly the under-7 set may be shaken. In addition, there is a scene where the clans are being rousted by Merida’s dad, Fergus, as he tells tales of finding and killing Mor’du, the bear that took his leg so many years ago. In the midst of his story-telling, he and others throw their weapons at an already stuffed bear standing within the castle hall. It’s was pretty disturbing to me to see a once-living bear getting an axe stuck in its head as it stared blankly ahead. That said, I don’t feel the violence in any way exceeds other Disney animated features. The battle with Maleficent is pretty scary, as are most of the villain battles throughout the years.

There are also few ‘risque’ scenes – one where the clansmen must parade kilt-less back into the castle and you see quite a few derrieres, in the dark. The housemaid, Maudie, also has quite a bit of cleavage showing, which is a running gag as the triplet brothers are constantly hanging above her trying to steal cookies or retrieve keys, etc. Definitely not on the level of the Judge Frollo/Esmeralda scenes in Hunchback of Notre Dame, but a departure from the norm, I suppose.

2. The setting is REAL! Unlike most Disney animated films, either from Walt Disney Animation or Pixar, the world of the story is a surreal or non-existent place. Even when we know Ratatouille or Little Mermaid take place in France, in Brave, the setting itself is one of the stars of the film. The sweeping mountains, the sparkling lakes, the foreboding forests and ancient stone formations – really exist. With those facts, Brave is a wonderful stepping off point for exploring other lands, cultures and history. As with most ancient cultures, there are elements of mythology and a suspension of reality {in Brave’s case, in the form of the “Wisps” which guide Merida and the witch}, but the history is there to share with your children.

3. The Importance of family. As mentioned in my Brave review, we are treated to a strong family relationship here. Two solid, loving parents, and family members who put each other above all else. Sure, not every family is like that, and that’s okay, but it’s a refreshing change to see family love rather than plotting and evil. Merida may briefly forget these bonds and their importance, but therein lies one of the lessons of the film. When Merida’s mother is helpless and at her mercy, Merida also realizes she needs her mother and appreciates all she had done for her up to that point.

 

4. Children can be independent. So often parents are guilty of hovering, sheltering our children from every possible misstep or danger. As with The Little Mermaid or Jasmine in Aladdin, the parents in Brave start out demanding that their child act a certain way or live out a pre-determined future. With Merida’s spell, she is given no option but to act on her own, make her own choices and learn a great deal in the process. In the end, her parents support her making a wise decision rather than dismissing her because she is only a child. Merida doesn’t end up happily ever after with a prince charming. She ends up happy, with her own life. That was something I loved in the film. It would’ve been so easy for the creators to have Merida fall in love with one of her suitors at the last minute for a nicely tied-up ending. Instead, the story showcases Merida’s strength of character as well as that of her parents for letting her choose her own happiness.

5. Honor. The above points regarding family all lead to the important lesson of honor found throughout the film. Merida wanted to change her fate but ended up changing more than just hers. When her mother was turned into a bear, it became a way to bond as mother and daughter. Merida had grown up favoring her father’s archery and battle lessons vs. her mother’s etiquette and princess training. Seeing how important Merida’s skills were in her time of need was an eye-opener for Merida’s mother, Elinor, as it was for Merida to realize how much she needed her mom. It’s not just Merida who must honor her parents, but Elinor and Fergus who must honor their daughter and her future fate. The lesson is honor, among every family member.

To recap, Brave offers some wonderful parenting moments to share with your child and the storyline certainly helps to appreciate the bonds we have with our children. Though the violence and action are there, the rest of the movie more than overshadows any brief scare little ones may experience. The characters are strong, especially Merida and Elinor, and their strengths are not diminished for a typical happy ending.

Brave opens everywhere June 22 and I cannot wait until I can see it again, I know it will become a classic in our family.

Disclaimer: I was provided free passes to see a screening of Brave with my family but as with all reviews, my opinions were my own and not affected.

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Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Reviews Tagged With: 5 things, 5 things parents should know about Brave, Brave, Brave review, disney animated features, disney animated films, Disney movies, Disney Pixar's Brave, Merida, parenting, parenting lessons, parents review of Brave, Pixar, Pixar animation, spoiler, Top 5, Walt Disney Animation

Walt Disney Animation Unveils Epic Adventure “FROZEN”—In Theaters NOVEMBER 2013

11 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Walt Disney Animation Studios BURBANK, Calif. (June 11, 2012) – Walt Disney Animation Studios presents an epic tale of adventure and comedy in “Frozen,” a computer-animated feature film slated for the big screen in November 2013. Directed by Chris Buck (“Tarzan,” “Surf’s Up”) and produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Winnie the Pooh,” “The Princess and the Frog”), “Frozen” features the vocal talents of film/TV/stage star Kristen Bell as Anna, a young dreamer about to take the adventure of a lifetime, and Tony Award ®-winning actress Idina Menzel as Elsa the Snow Queen. The movie will feature original songs by Broadway greats Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

 

In “Frozen,” a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, so Anna (voice of Bell) must team up with Kristoff, a daring mountain man, on the grandest of journeys to find the Snow Queen (voice of Menzel) and put an end to the icy spell. Encountering Everest-like extremes, mystical creatures and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.

 

Bell has starred in a variety of films, including the comedies “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Couples Retreat,” and the upcoming films “Hit & Run,” “Some Girls” and the Farrelly Brothers’ “Movie 43.” On the small screen, Bell is currently starring in the Showtime series “House of Lies” alongside Don Cheadle; she has also starred in “Heroes” and “Veronica Mars.” Broadway credits include “The Crucible” and “Tom Sawyer.”

 

Menzel, who won a Tony Award® as Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Elphaba in Broadway’s “Wicked” (2004), landed her first role on Broadway in 1995 in the Tony Award-winning musical “Rent.” Film credits include “Enchanted” and the feature film “Rent.” She has appeared in a recurring role on TV’s “Glee” and recently released “Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony,” a live concert with an orchestra led by composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch. Menzel is currently on a North American concert tour.

 

Robert Lopez is a three-time Tony Award®-winning writer of the Tony and Grammy® Award-winning musical “The Book of Mormon,” which was co-written with Trey Parker and Matt Stone (“South Park”), and the musical “Avenue Q,” which ran for six years on Broadway and four years in London’s West End.  Lopez teamed with wife Anderson-Lopez, whose Drama Desk-winning show “In Transit” is Broadway-bound, to write original songs for 2011’s “Winnie the Pooh,” a stage version of “Finding Nemo” and a new musical called “Up Here.”

 

Can’t wait to see and hear more about this new film – what do you think?

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Official Disney Tagged With: animated feature film, animation studios, Frozen, Idina Menzel, kristen bell, November 2013, Robert Lopez, Walt Disney Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Wreck-it-Ralph Trailer Debuts – Old School Gamers Rejoice!

6 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

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Wreck-it-Ralph one sheet We first caught the trailer and some behind-the-scenes info for Wreck-it-Ralph at last year’s D23 Expo in Anaheim and I fell in love. As a little girl who grew up with Atari 2600 and spent many a day playing Centipede, Donkey Kong, Pac Man and more in arcades, the storyline appealed to me instantly. Throw in some appearances by Q*Bert (I was SO addicted to that game!) and more classic video game characters, and you’ve got millions of kids from the 80’s ready to “press play” on this film.

 

Here’s the official synopsis from Walt Disney Animation Studios:

Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore (TV’s “The Simpsons,” “Futurama”) take moviegoers on a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping journey in “Wreck-It Ralph.” Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly, “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” “Step Brothers”) is tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix (voice of Jack McBrayer, “30 Rock”), the “good guy” star of their game who always gets to save the day. But after decades doing the same thing and seeing all the glory go to Felix, Ralph decides he’s tired of playing the role of a bad guy.  He takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a game-hopping journey across the arcade through every generation of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.

Wreck-it-Ralph's Sugar Rush
The land of Sugar Rush

 

On his quest, he meets the tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch, TV’s “Glee”) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty. But it’s the feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman, “The Sarah Silverman Program”) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, whose world is threatened when Ralph accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade.  Will Ralph realize his dream and save the day before it’s too late?  “Wreck-It Ralph” crashes onto the big screen on November 2, 2012, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

 

Wreck-it-Ralph
Q*Bert!! - The newest image released of the film

Walt Disney Animation Studios released the first official trailer today so now everyone can see the genius that is Wreck-it-Ralph – check it out!

 

What did you think? I love it!

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books Tagged With: 8-bit, animation studios, atari 2600, classic video game, Disney, Disney trailers, jack mcbrayer, john c reilly, movie trailers, q bert, Sarah Silverman, sugar rush, trailers, video game characters, Walt Disney Animation, Wreck-it-Ralph, Wreck-it-Ralph first images, Wreck-it-Ralph trailer

Happy Easter from Some Funny Little Bunnies-Silly Symphony Style!

8 April 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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Happy Easter from Zannaland and Bunnyland! I hope you enjoy this Silly Symphony gem from 1934. They sure don’t make ’em like this anymore – cartoons OR Easter! 😉

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Filed Under: Disney Past Tagged With: 1934, animated short, animation, bunnies, cartoon, easter, Funny Little Bunnies, happy easter, Silly Symphonies, silly symphony, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Animation

REVIEW: Disney’s Classic Lady and The Tramp Returns to DVD and Blu-Ray

6 February 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

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Si and Am
Sketch from the Blu-ray of Lady and the Tramp

One winter day in late 1979, I was called out of my kindergarten classroom and to the office, where my father picked me up and took me to the car. When I got into the back seat, I noticed a basket with a blanket inside. Opening the blanket, I saw the tiniest two kittens. One was blueish grey with a dark tail and ears and the other was cream colored with a dark brown tail and ears. Both sets of eyes were blue. My mom told me they were Siamese cats (a blue point and a seal point), and I thought right then and there that they were the most beautiful cats in the world.

Despite attempts by my parents to go with more interesting names of Rhett and Scarlett, we ended up calling them Boy Kitty and Girl Kitty (we already had a Mr. Kitty) and they grew into gorgeous creatures. So when Lady and The Tramp was re-released in theatres in 1980 and featured Siamese cats, it became one of my favorite movies – even if those particular cats were very naughty. Boy Kitty lived a very long and happy life, staying with me until I was 22.

As an adult, I watched the film on video back when my first two children were little. Perhaps it was the turn-of-the-century time period, the Main Street, U.S.A. feel, or the snow falling on the peaceful lanes of Victorian homes that reminded me of my childhood in New England, – or maybe even remembering my sweet Siamese friends, but it reaffirmed its place in my heart. As Walt Disney knew, animals have a lifelong impact on children, which could be why this film, told from the perspective of man’s best friend, is such a revered classic.

Now, years later, I love the classic story and how, even if it were humans in a live-action movie, the film would be just as compelling, romantic and sweet. I won’t get into the actual movie too much, as it’s a tale we all know and love, but this Blu-ray version is impeccably restored and probably clearer than when it first came out in 1955. The iconic scenes of Lady in the pink striped hatbox, Lady and Tramp sharing spaghetti and meatballs, the pawprints in the cement; they all makes me want to jump right into the screen and move in next door to Jim Dear and Darling.

 


While the “We Are Siamese” song, with the cats I loved so much, isn’t exactly politically correct these days, it brings me back to 5 or 6 year-old me and how amazing I thought it was that a Disney movie was singing about MY cats. Just as I’m sure every child of a Springer Spaniel, Scotty dog, or even mutt, thought the film was about their pet. The fact that Diane Disney Miller introduces the film and lets us know if was one of her dad’s favorites, makes it all the more special.

Lady and the Tramp

Blu-ray Bonus Features:

In the special feature, “Remembering Dad” Diane Disney Miller shares some wonderful stories of Walt, Disneyland history and the wonderfully detailed family apartment above the firehouse. Truly a treasure.

The Making of Si and Am feature is chock full of wonderful drawings of my favorite characters. The original theatrical trailers are fun to watch and remember a time when a new Disney picture was an event presided over by Walt himself. And then interesting to see how those trailers changed over the years.

There are some great sketches of deleted scenes from the beginning of the film, where Lady actually has two neighbor dogs, Homer and Boris competing for her attention. Boris moves in with an elaborate Russian-style dog house and is the aristocrat to Homer’s “dog-next-door” persona. Boris makes a later appearance in the dog pound scene. I’m glad they decided to cut this scene, however, it seems a bit long and not in keeping with the character they decided to go with for Lady.

The next deleted scene is of Jim Dear pacing and imagining the future possibilities for his about-to-be-born son. It’s cute, ending with Jim Dear passing out as he learns he is, indeed, father to a bouncing baby boy.

The final deleted scene is another long one where Tramp and Lady get stuck in a theatre watching a performing dog show. It’s cute; something I could see the Disney of today turning into an animated short.

You’ll also find some nice looks at the Disneyland television show, including “The Story of Dogs”, released in color for the first time. Bottom line, for a fan of Disney history, or Walt Disney himself, this dvd+Blu-ray collection is a must-buy. It’s chock full of wonderful history, nostalgia, and of course, Disney animation and story we all know and love.

 

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies & Books, Reviews Tagged With: 1955, Bonus Features, Boris and Homer, Deleted scenes, Diane Disney Miller, Disney Blu-ray, Disney dvd, Disneyland television show, dvd reviews, Lady and the Tramp, Lady and the Tramp Diamond Edition, Lady and the Tramp review, Movie Reviews, Si and Am, Siamese cats, Walt Disney, Walt Disney Animation, We Are Siamese

The Tale As Old As Time Returns To Theatres-Beauty & The Beast 3D

12 January 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

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Beauty and the Beast 3D PosterThe story of Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favorite fairy tales. I remember reading books and of course watching the television series with Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton. I was in high school at the time, and when I wasn’t doing homework, my days were filled with drama club daydreams of Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast and Labyrinth. So when Beauty and the Beast came out from Walt Disney Animation, if fit right into my fandoms and I was very excited. It was also the very first Disney film my then boyfriend (now husband) and I saw together in the theatre. Twenty years later, we are still together and the film is now a wonderful momento of our first year together.

I remember what a big deal it was that Beauty and the Beast featured those great computer animated scenes during Be Our Guest and the ballroom dance. It was exciting for audiences to see computer animation move beyond what we’d seen in Tron, this time in a more realistic albeit completely animated setting. It was impressive. Of course the music was also a big deal, the team of Ashman and Menken having made such a splash with the Little Mermaid soundtrack. Howard Ashman passed away before the release of the film, but his work lives on and the score and original songs for Beauty and the Beast are some of the most well-known Disney songs around.

All of that praise behind it, I must admit I was a bit nervous about seeing a media preview last weekend, and what the 3D treatment would do to one of my favorites. I hoped that the computer animated scenes would translate seamlessly and it would all work out. And for the most part, it did.

I guess what Beauty and the Beast has working against it is the hilarious short preceding the film, Tangled Ever After. This short was a quick encore of what audiences loved so much about Tangled, Maximus the horse and Pascal the chameleon. See a clip below:

They are the official ring-bearers for Rapunzel and Eugene’s wedding, and hijinx ensue as they lose the rings and attempt to bring them back. The animation in this short is, of course, flawless. You see state of the art well, art, and the whole thing is just a delight to look at. Then, the 20 year old movie starts.

Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate the classics, and part of what endears Dumbo to me so much is that you can actually see the sketchy style of animation. But when you go from 2011 animation directly into 1991 animation, the differences stand out. I was actually distracted by the facial expressions and a lot of the main characters and kept comparing them in my head to Rapunzel and Flynn. Maybe that’s just me, but that’s how I felt watching it.

Many of the 3D effects were great and fit right in, the opening scene zooming into the stained glass windows, the landscapes and computer animated scenes were fun to see “pop” at you. At the end of the day, however, it wasn’t necessary to enjoy this classic animated story. I would’ve seen Beauty and the Beast as a re-release, regardless of the 3D effects. I’m sure many parents in my age range, or younger folks that grew up with the film would feel the same, and will see it in 3D too, but the film stands on its own, without need for gimmicks. It is a history lesson of sorts, a visual timeline of how far we’ve come in animation, including styles and design.

One of the previews let us know that Finding Nemo will be the next to receive the 3D treatment, which perhaps makes more sense, since the film is entirely computer animated. I know Disney is constantly looking for ways to bring classic films to a new generation, and of course looking to make money, they are a business after all. But where the Lion King excelled in bringing us breathtaking African landscapes in 3D, Beauty and the Beast falls short of really benefiting from 3D. I still enjoyed it, my children (who had never seen the film in theatres) loved it, and the tale truly is as old as time. I do recommend seeing the film, I just implore Disney not to feel like they have to 3D-ize every film in their vault. They can stand on their own.

Beauty and the Beast 3D opens in theatres nationwide this Friday, January 13 and is worth it to see Tangled Ever After alone!

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Filed Under: Movie Reviews, Movies & Books, Reviews Tagged With: 3D, 3D animation, Animated classics, Beauty and the Beast, Beauty and the Beast 3D, Disney Animation, Disney movies, Finding Nemo 3D, Movie Reviews, Tangled Ever After, Tangled short, Walt Disney Animation

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