While Mickey is no stranger to adaptions, he's taken on the works of Dickens and Twain but who was the last person's work I'd thought show up as a Disney adaption starring Mickey? Shakespeare. Well back in '99, there was an adaption of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream using Mickey and friends. Now I'll admit that I know next to nothing about this play and I've not seen any work of Shakespeare. Well, not in traditional sense at least but I've seen a ballet of Romeo and Juliet and it had to have been one of the worst things that I've ever seen but I'm not really into ballet. I bring all of this up because while there will be some references to the original body of work, it mostly comes through research. Even still, this short was rather enjoyable. Now I do apologize as I couldn't find a picture for every character in this short. Also as to help you out and moreso me, I was able to find a description of what characters our leads were portraying.
A Midsummer Night's Dream was adaptated into a Disney short starring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck as Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena, respectively.
Hopefully this helps with setting up the short a little bit more. With that out of the way, let's get started.
The Plot
We open the short in Athens with our 4 leads at Duke Von Drake's as Minnie has been promised to Donald as an arranged marriage but she doesn't love Donald, she loves who? Say it with me, Mickey. However if Minnie doesn't marry Donald, it'll result in death. Therefore Mickey and Minnie decide to run away and elope. We see that Daisy is in love with Donald but the feeling aren't mutual as Donald has a bit of an affection for Minnie as well. You know as a Disney fan, that's a bit weird but it serves the story and also I have to point out that I find it humorous that in this adaption that Daisy had a crush on Donald while in The Three Musketeers Donald had a crush on Daisy and she wasn't interested in him in the least. Getting back on topic though this is where the trouble for our leads once they run away, Daisy and Donald as they're overheard by Oberon, king of the fairies and he hears Daisy's attempts at wooing Donald and he has the fairy Puck as played by Goofy here go and spray him with a flower potion but Puck sprays the wrong person and ends up spraying Mickey and Mickey falls in love with Daisy as this potion is one of those things were the person who's sprayed fell in love with the first person they see. Now I don't know how close the short's plot is to the original but for this short, I enjoyed the story that was told save for the ending, where it was revealed to all be a dream. I'm personally not a fan of those endings and I do believe that they could have ended the short without going that route and really, this is the only adaption starring Mickey to do that. All of the rest for a lack of better word end in their setting. Ah, well if that's only my complaint, it's not a big one but still that irks me a tad.
Narration
Narrator - John Cleese
I gotta say I loved the narration in this short and yes, you read that name right. John Cleese of Monty Python fame was the narrator for this short and while I'm not big on Monty Python as I've seen little of their stuff, I enjoyed his narration in this short. It was very eloquent and refined and it fit the tone of the tale quite well. Now I'm not certain but I believe Cleese actually quoted lines from the play and if that is the case, that's a rather nice touch.
Characters
Per usual I'll be breaking it down into Main, & Supporting.
Main Characters
Mickey voiced by Wayne Allwine
Mickey was unique in this short as we see he truly does love Minnie and willing to do anything protect her such as leaving Athens to elope with her. Of course all this goes awry when Puck (Goofy) sprays him with the potion and he chases after Daisy instead. To be fair Oberon tells Puck to look for a young man in Athenian clothing and Mickey's robe did have a Made In Athens tag. Again as I said up top, it was weird seeing Mickey chase after Daisy. And I mean really chasing after Daisy. It was funny if a little strange but really this short was all about love getting mixed up. Of course at the end of the day, Mickey does end up with Minnie. Seeing Mickey be out of character in this one was a lot of fun but I was happy to see end up with Minnie.
Minnie voiced by Russi Taylor
Minnie was rather simple in this short as she loved Mickey and only wanted to be Mickey but her father had promised her to Donald and if she didn't go through with it, she would be killed. Pretty grim and those are some high risks while stated aren't really explored save for Mickey and Minnie trying to escape. Minnie's performance was really subdued compared to the other three characters.
Ah, it's been a while since KP has appeared on A Look at Disney. Now I wish that I could say that this was a warm welcome but no, today I'm taking a look at my least favorite episode from Kim Possible. Now in all fairness, it's not a full episode as it is from one episode where they had two 15 minute shorts. Something that the show didn't do too often but these episodes usually weren't memorable but this one I have always looked at as silly and dumb. To think out of every episode, it was essentially boils down to a 15 Minute short, I consider my least favorite.
The Plot
The plot is something that I'll admit was unique but just didn't work for me. We open on Kim and Ron driving up to a house as they think the family's baby is missing but no instead our pacifier had been stolen and this is where the episode takes a huge plummet. Apparently worldwide, baby's pacifiers have been stolen and with help from Wade, KP finds out that there is an old town somewhere in the UK that used to have a nanny training academy that may have a connection to the sudden disappearances of the pacifiers. This is where we meet our villain for the episode Nanny Nane who used to be a teacher at the Nanny academy and from KP and Ron's visit to the local ice cream parlor, one is led to think that she rules the town with iron fist. Which apparently she does as she has an army of super babies that can take down the town. I repeat super babies. Look I know that KP has faced some bizarre situations but super babies, really?!?! Apparently Nanny Nane has a machine that turns adults into these super babies. There's the episode's required cliche because how many shows have used the trope of a character getting younger as we see a young Ron in this and here take a look at little Ron..
Where to start? Where to start? Again as I said, KP has faced some bizarre scenarios in her crime fighting days but I honestly think this one takes the cake as the most out of left field. Again, I know that the KP villains were over the top but the problem here wasn't the villain was over the top but rather her plan was and just seemed convoluted and nonsensical. Yeah, I know that seems like a silly complaint for Kim Possible but this one just seemed all over the map with it's idea. Now I'll give the writers credit as this episode did tell a coherent story. Albeit a dumb one. And really that's my biggest problem. Ah, well enough about the plot, let's move on.
Episode Title
Nursery Crimes
Now while I do feel that the episode title is a bit generic. It is one of the better things about this episode, even though I believe this title has been used for other shows that shall remain nameless because they are much worse than the worst episode of Kim Possible.
Characters
Now I'll just be breaking this down into Main & Villain and sadly that means I won't be talking about Rufus as he really didn't play a role in this episode but if you want a laugh, he was the star of the short that aired in the same episode as this one. Titled Chasing Rufus, which is a fun episode.
Main Characters
Kim voiced by Christy Carlson Romano
Oh, I don't if I mentioned this up top but this was season 4 episode meaning it aired during the final season of Kim Possible and in some ways, I'm grateful for that. Anyways it can be noted that this is a season 4 episode by KP's new mission outfit. As for KP herself in this episode/short (whatever you want to call it), she was her usual self though I thought she was bit bland in this episode not for a lack a trying but really, the characters just weren't that exciting in this episode and there was no development, it was just gag after gag. Though I must give the show credit in that KP found a unique way of saving the day because as she put it, this wasn't a saving the day thing but rather a babysitting thing. And we actually get to see some of KP's babysitting skills in motion.
Now this was cute and funny and perhaps a bit creative and it is one of the few things that I liked in the episode but all the same, it doesn't save this episode.
Ron voiced by Will Friedle
Again with Ron, we don't see anything out of the ordinary with Ron save for the very end when we see him in a giant diaper. I have decided not to post that as there is only so much dumbness one can take. According to Ron, he found it to be a comfortable change of pace and let's just leave it at that. Sure, it was funny seeing Ron go through the machine but in the end, it just got boring and repetitive seeing go through the machine and well I must give Ron credit as he's the one that saw what Nanny Nane was doing and described it as sick and wrong, I can see that and good news, we have pictures.
Again as I mentioned above those super babies are actually adults and this is the machine that turns them into babies. By the way, is it just me or does anyone else think of a certain sequel to a horrid film when they hear super babies, c'mon you know what I'm talking about.
I imagine this episode is at least better than that film as I never sat through all of it. Getting back on topic, that is pretty much all there is to say for KP & Ron.
Villain
Nanny Nane voiced by Jane Carr
I talked at great length about this villain's evil scheme and how she thought she could make more stealing pacifiers and to be fair the academy closing drove to this point as strict nannies had faded out and she wanted to show that she could make more money making babies unhappy then happy? To this, I say huh?! Seriously, I don't get this. Now maybe I wasn't paying attention but again huh? It just doesn't add up in my mind. Also on a sidenote, why would you use a new villain so late in your final season. Well I guess it just goes to her being a throwaway character she's never mentioned again and I already talked about KP babysat her way to victory above and really, there is nothing more for me to say.
My Final Thoughts
Yep, boy does this come handy for stuff like this. Just like with Davis, this perfectly sums up my feelings about this episode. Though to be fair I'd take the worst episode of KP over anything involving Davis but this only better by a margin. A slim margin at best. Now I know not every episode of a show will be a hit but man this one is just bad. Folks, there 86 other episodes of this show to watch, you can skip this one. And seriously if you want to see Disney treat nannies right, you should know what to turn to. Just pop in your copy of Marry Poppins but as for this, let's pretend it never happened. I think the worst thing about this is that it aired two episodes before the series finale. I think that makes me even angrier at this episode knowing that now.
One of my favorite events that I've ever done was Automobile Month, it was a blast taking a look at all of these car based material from Disney. Now I had thought of doing a follow up to it but sequels aren't always as good as the original. Anyways, I bring this up today because there was one article that I had thought of doing for Automobile Month that I couldn't figure out to do until today. That being the Top 6 Disney Automobile Characters but alas I've finally managed to figure out how to do this. Join me as I countdown my favorites.
6. Benny The Cab - Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Benny is such a fun character and I love the idea of him being a cab that has an attitude of a cabbie. That is such a funny concept and while he has a bit of an edge to him, we see that he is loyal to his friends and willing to help them out in jams. Plus he's got a great look to him. He may not have been the film very long but he certainly lit up the screen when he was onscreen but all of the other characters shine too and while, he's just a minor character when compared to others, he's still great.
5. RC - Toy Story
Now I just love RC and as I said in the past, he's my favorite Toy Story character. The reason I like him is because he's loyal and the idea of him being treated like a pet is rather cute. It works though because he is loyal through and through. Plus the way, RC was used in the finale to save Woody and Buzz was really cool. Now again, this may be a bias as I used to own an RC. Still, I love him and I think that he's really cute and lovable.
4. Lighting McQueen - Cars/Cars 2
Now I know that the Cars film are looked at as the oil stain on Pixar's resume so to speak but I'll admit that Cars is my second favorite Pixar film behind Toy Story 2. McQueen is a great character in the first film as we really get to see him grow into more of a character and become a better person, err car. You know what I mean but I really enjoyed his arc seeing him learn that there is more to life then just racing and become a more well rounded being.
3. Mater - Cars/Cars 2
Yeah, I know but just but I like Mater and I feel no shame in admitting that I enjoy Larry The Cable or the fact that I liked Cars 2. Now I'll admit that film isn't perfect but it was fun seeing Mater get a chance to shine even if he really didn't need a film as the Tall Tales let him shine fairly well. Mater was the funniest character in the first film and most certainly my favorite character of the film. I know it's not popular opinion to like him but it's my opinion and at the end of the day, I like Mater because he feels like a character that I'd like hanging around.
2. Herbie - The Love Bug
How could I do a list like this and not include Herbie? Herbie is the classic Automobile character. He's just so lovable and as I said in my review of the first film, Herbie is like a child, which makes him all that more endearing and one of the things that I love is that with Herbie, they were able to express emotion without relying on speech and instead you had rely on watching Herbie to see how he feels and it works. Now I still say that the scene where Herbie tries to commit suicide is rather eerie but it is effective in making feel bad for Herbie and not want to see him want to go through with it.
1. Susie The Little Blue Coupe - Susie The Little Blue Coupe
Ah, Susie. Fun fact for ya before I started Automobile Month, I'd never seen Susie The Little Blue Coupe but I'm glad I did as this has become my all time favorite Disney short. As for Susie, she's such a lovable character and getting to see her change through her life. Just as with Herbie, she doesn't talk and instead you have to rely on her expressions to figure out what is going on. It's also really funny and intriguing seeing her interact with all of her different owners. Just like Herbie, when she's down, you feel bad for her and when she's happy, you feel good for her.
There you have it, my Top 6 Disney Automobile Characters. I hoped that you enjoyed this Top 6. Peace!
Disney, repeat after me: It already exists! Look I get that you think because Pirates was successful that other attractions will work as films. But let's take a look at that, The Country Bears, didn't work. It was a flop and fans of the attraction hated it. The Haunted Mansion, I've talked about the problems I have with that one, it was unbalanced. I get that you wanted it to be a family film and I do know about the del Toro reboot but so little has been said on that, I'm starting to wonder if it's been canceled. The three Pirates films after the first one didn't do as well and at best get mixed reactions from audiences. I've heard about The Magic Kingdom film that you want to do and that may be cool and there is The Jungle Cruise film coming up with Tim Allen and Tom Hanks. Two actors, I really like but from little info you've given on that film, it sound cliched because so many films including The Haunted Mansion have done a story of a parent trying to reconnect with their children in a fantastical setting.
Now that we've gotten your track record of attraction films out of the way, let's go back to the statement that I used at the beginning of this article. Look you know it and I know it, Mr Toad's Wild Ride unlike most of the other attraction based films is based off of something. In this case, the classic and funny short, Wind In The Willows.
Now, I must ask doesn't it seem a bit silly and maybe a little odd to make a film based off an attraction that is based off a short. Now yes, I do understand that it is just a short but still like most everything you do, it has a lot of fans as does the attraction. Now I enjoy the short and as for the attraction, I have no opinion on it as I've yet to ride it but still, doesn't it seem like this is an odd choice for an attraction based film? When there is already a short with this storyline that inspired this attraction. Disney, look I'm a fan. Always have been and always will be but sometimes your decisions just seem odd. This is a good example of something I don't quite understand. Do I think this film will be bad? As of right now, I don't know but my main issue with this is that it feels unnecessary. Now I've read up some on this film and look I know that you'll never see this but here's an idea. Why not re-release the short to theaters alongside this new film and not sweep it under the dust because right now I get that impression or why not just re-release short by itself. Call me crazy but I actually think people would go to see The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad in theaters. That is one of those Disney films from the canon that doesn't get much recnogtion these days and probably would help from a re-release in introducing this generation to these characters. Many have said it and I believe it but there is nothing like seeing a Disney film on the big screen and this would be a great idea to re-release this film.
Until I can learn about this film, I hold my reservations but I just don't see the need for this one. I believe that best way to end this si with a song...
Hello and welcome back to Music Fridays. Today, we conclude our look at these novelty albums if you will from Disney with Mickey Mouse Disco. So grab your bell bottoms and a leisure suit as we get down with the Mouse. Groovy! Okay, I'll stop but c'mon.
Mickey Mouse Disco/Disco Mickey Mouse (I've seen it labeled both ways)
Oh yeah! This song knows how to get you hooked that intro had me. I love the sound of it and again this is song that I would label as cheesy but it's a novelty song, most of them are. This song is just so upbeat and happy that I can't help and love it. Also the lyric about the ladies makes me wonder if Minnie ever got jealous.
Macho Duck
Once again, the Donald song delivers perfectly. Do I even need to tell you what song is one is parodying? Here's a hint, The Village People. If you haven't figured it out, this is Disney's take on Macho Man and I do love it, it's nice to actually see a song that lets Donald shine instead making look like a fool. Nice work, Disney! This is a good song. C'mon say it with me: He's a macho macho duck. One More Time!
Mousetrap
This is another fun one. I love the idea behind this song and the way, the women whisper mousetrap is a nice touch. This while not as flavorful as the first two is still fun in it's own way. Even if if some of it does leave a little to be desired but all the same, I like it.
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
For our last song, I decided to take a look at one of the many Disco flavored covers on this album At the end of the day, I decided to go with the cover of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Now it does sound drastically different than the classic but I like it. Listening to this cover transports me to the parks and if a cover can do that, it's all right in my books. I would never say that it's as good as the original but I still enjoy all the same and I find it to be a decent cover.
Well I hope you've enjoyed my look at these novelty albums. Join me next week when we celebrate the 50th Music Fridays as I have slew of guests that'll be joining me including: CunningRunt, Lindgren, writzbok, DisneyOtoko, and Dark Jak. As they talk about some of their favorite Disney songs and don't worry, I have a song on here as well.
Hello and welcome back to Vs. Today on Vs., I'm pitting two villains against each other. From New Orleans, The Shadow Man, Dr. Facilier and The Sea Witch herself, Ursula. Hmm, this is the first male/female Vs. I'm sure some of you wondering why I chose this match up. Well believe it or not, these two do share certain similarities such as both tricking a main character from their respective films into signing a contract that hands over something of importance to the main lead to the villain. As a reminder, here are the categories that I'll use for judging, Personality, Desire, Song, Death, and finally The Film Factor! Which as a reminder is a look at which character worked better in their respective film. Now you may have noticed a new category, that being Death. I've added this one in for villains and works in the same way the Defining Moment works for the main leads. A good villain has a good death and while that should not be remembered for, if the villain has a great death it feels right for the character. With all of this out of the way, let's begin.
Personality (Round 1)
Dr. Facilier
Hmm, how can one describe Facilier? I've got it, suave. Seriously, Facilier is so charming and suave and over the top yet subtle at the same time. It works so well and I love it. I think his song, Friends on The Other Side really sums his personality and Keith David's delivery helps to sell the personality of The Shadow Man, so well. He is just so much fun and every time he's on scree, he steals the scene.
Ursula
Before we get to far into Ursula's personality, there is a fun fact that I want to bring up. The basic design of Ursula was based on famed drag queen and actor from the original Hairspray, Divine. Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the personality, Well, she's over the top too but not in the same way as Facilier. I think she is more subdued but there are moments of her coming across as a pima donna but again it works for her character and she is fun to watch. This is such a hard area to judge as I like both of the personalities for these characters but if I had to pick one that was more exciting, I'd have to go with The Shadow Man. Therefore this round goes to...
Dr. Facilier
Desire (Round 2)
Now let's take a look at these two's desires. What do they want?
Dr. Facilier
As much as I love The Shadow Man, if there is one under developed part of him in the film is that what he wants never really seems clear. Well, no that's not it. He wants to take over New Orleans and get Big Daddy's money but part of my problem is that with this, I was asking myself "why?" Why because it just doesn't make sense and also add in the fact that I kind of wish that we would have gotten some interaction with Facilier and Big Daddy, this would have worked better for me. Because throughout this entire film, we don't see Big Daddy acknowledge Facilier and it comes off as though he doesn't know Facilier exists. It just doesn't seem to work.
Ursula
Now Ursula's desires seem to be a bit more clear and on a grander scale than Facilier's. She wants to take over Altantica and rule an entire kingdom. That's a grand scale all right and she goes about it in a better way by using Ariel who is the daughter of the king and by using Triton's daughter, you put more on the line in my opinion. Also her plan to get her desire seems more clear and straight and narrow. Also she came closer and even got Triton to hand over the triton and the crown. Therefore this round goes to...
Ursula
Song (Round 3)
Now to my favorite part, the song.
Friends On The Other Side (Dr. Facilier)
Man, I love this song. This is how you do a good villain song. This will go down as one of the most remembered Disney villain songs if it has not already. It's fun, and it helps to get a feel of the character and another thing I didn't pick up on until listening to the song for the third or fourth time is all of the subtle foreshadowing in the song. I mean when Facilier is talking about Green, he's referring to his plan of turning Naveen into a frog. That is such a nice touch.
Poor Unfortunate Souls (Ursula)
Man, I love this song and I love how direct Ursula is. She doesn't hide behind any layers and just gets to the point of what she wants. It is a great song, don't get me wrong and one of my favorite villain songs because it works so well but I think I find myself listening to Friends On The Other Side more. It should be no surprise who wins this round but I have to give credit to both of these songs in that they both nice set up for these characters. As I said though this round goes too..
Dr. Facilier
Death (Round 4)
Which villain had the better death scene? Let's find out.
Dr. Facilier
Geese, is this one creepy moment. Everything from the reprise of Friends On The Other Side to seeing the voo doo dolls coming out of the grounds like zombies and seeing Facilier pulled into essentially Hell is creepy as heck and makes for a great death scene and added the touch of seeing his frightened face on a tombstone is a nice touch. Now I don't know if it's because of New Orleans being the setting for this film but I get a very Haunted Mansion esque vibe with this death scene and it works well.
Ursula
Yeah, this one. Not so much! The only word that could come to my mind when re watching this scene is lame. Because for a villain like Ursula to be taken out like that feels like she is being sent out on a wimper. For a great villain, her death scene doesn't deliver. Throughout all of the film most of her scenes make her feel like she is on a high note and don't get me wrong seeing her that big is a high note but having her taken out but having Eric drive the ship into her stomach is just silly. With that it should be no surprise who wins this round. This round goes too...
Dr. Facilier
The Film Factor (The Final Round)
Here we are, The Film Factor, the final round. Which character worked better in their respective film, let's find out.
Dr. Facilier
Oh, Facilier. You are such a great villain and work so well. Your charm and suaveness help to make you such a memorable character and quite the scene stealer. This character was so much fun and every time he was on screen, I paid attention to him because he was the best character in all of his scenes. Not a moment goes by with him, where I'm bored and that makes for a great character.
Ursula
Ursula, while still a good character and great villain doesn't have the same screen presence as The Shadow Man. She's really good and certainly memorable but I don't feel that she commands the same screen presence as Facilier. Don't get me wrong, she delivers in every scene but when it comes down to it, I think this round had to go to..
Dr. Facilier
The End Result
So in our first ever male/female Vs., Dr. Facilier wins by a score 4 - 1. He had the better personality, better song, better death and he worked better in his film. The only thing is his desire wasn't very clear but still, he's a great villain and while she didn't win, I still like Ursula but in this Vs., it went to Facilier.
Hello and welcome back to Music Fridays. Today, we will once again be delving int the obscure novelty albums from Disney as we Rock Around The Mouse. Speaking of which that brings me to our first song...
Rock Around The Mouse
I love the image for the cover of this album fits the mood of this song rather well. It has a '50s vibe to it and it is just so much fun. Although Goofy as a soda jerk, intriguing casting there. This is just a simple song but it is just so much fun and that's all the song is trying to be. Fun and it works.
Pinocchio's Boogie
This one is okay and has a good moral to it but I don't think the idea of the song fits with this genre. It's not bad but just seems lacking. A similar problem, that I noticed with the first song. Of course coming off of Splashdance, which was awesomely cheesy, it's hard to say that these songs are as good but on their own. They're okay.
Quackety Quack
Now this is more like it. This song is so much fun even if the voice of Daisy is a bit jarring but only because I'm not used to hearing her sound like that. This song is so funny and I actually remember a different variation of this song growing up but I have to say that I like this one better if only because hearing Donald fight back is so funny and so in character with him. So far this is the best song.
Mickey Motion
Ah, the one song I knew from this album before I even started this thing. I love this song not as much as Mickey, She's Got a Crush On You but it is just so much fun and I love the way that it is sung. And I love the Mickey voice in this song. This song is just so much fun and perhaps the best song of this group. I know what I said up top but I'm allowed to change my mind.
We're still not done with these novelty albums. Join me next week for the final one of these as I take a look at ...
Welcome to a special Classic Shorts Showcase, you guys voted on this one and by a vote of 4 out of 9, The Country Cousin won. You did vote for a good short. Yes, you did!
The Plot
The plot is rather simple but it works. Morty Citymouse invites his cousin, Abner Countrymouse to come live in the city with him and see what city life is like. Throughout the entire short, we see all their different lifestyles clash. Morty is one of the upper class while Abner is a simple country mouse who doesn't need much in life to get by and they both different in their style and Morty tried to improve Abner to fit in his style but it was too much for Abner especially after he got drunk. What is it with Disney mice getting drunk? Is there an AA for mice or something? Back on topic, Abner gets drunk and hears too many loud noises and it drives him crazy and causes him to go back home to the country. The plot while simple is a good one. It was fun seeing these two characters and how different they are. One more thing to bring up is the music helps to drive the story seeing as the characters never talk.
Characters
Now seeing as there is only 2 characters, I'm not breaking it down this time. Let's begin!
Abner Countrymouse
Abner was a really fun character. His down home side came out while his cousin tried to show him to be a proper city mouse and as he said in his letter, he wanted to stop being a hick. Which rubbed me the wrong way because I hate the idea of changing people to be what others want. Y'know this is one short where I feel like I knew the story because there have been so many iterations of it in the past but I still enjoyed this one all the same.
Morty Citymouse
Morty was bit of an annoying character but at the same time, I think that was intentional but each time that he was trying to correct Abner, it drove me up the wall a bit. I mean he wasn't as annoying as other characters I've talked about in the past but at the same time, he was a nuance.
My Final Thoughts
You guys picked a pretty decent short, the characters were okay. It's not the greatest and I don't think it's the most memorable but it rather enjoyable!. Join me next week when I take a look at...
I've decided to review the short film The Cat That Looked at a King. This short film was created for the 40th anniversary DVD re-release of Mary Poppins. I really love the fact that Julie Andrews came back for this. Even though there has been some debate over whether or not, her character in this short film is in fact Mary Poppins. For my money, I do believe that in this version that Julie Andrews did in fact reprise her role of Mary Poppins. Which we will get to when I talk about her some more. Also while Dick Van Dyke does not appear in this short film, there is a callback to Bert as the short film opened on two British children looking at chalk drawings in the same location as where Bert did his drawings. According to Julie Andrews, the was re-created to emulate the feel of the one of the original film.
The Plot
The plot is rather simple and it is based upon part of the Mary Poppins book, Mary Poppins Opens The Door. In this short, we follow two British children and Mary Poppins as they jump into a drawing as they watch a King who is in love with facts and knowing everything play a game of wits with a Cat that happens to know more then she let's on. Now after they jump into the drawing, Mary Poppins (I'm standing by this) and the children become side characters who just happen to observe and she becomes more of a narrator.
Characters
The King voiced by David Ogden Stiers
The King is shown to be a well meaning person that seems to have his nose stuck in books looking for answers for everything. He believes that everything needs a logical answer and only thin with his brain and not his heart. Which has led him to ignore his Queen. His love because he is so caught up in looking for facts for everything. He's a fun character and if a little silly but well meaning
The Cat voiced by Tracey Ullman
The Cat is a fun character. She at least The Cat is a she but that is neither here nor there. The Cat sees through the King and tries to get to see past the books and see that there is more to life then just looking for facts by asking him in questions in a game, where the answers that can't be found in a book. The Cat is a rather sly character and that fits in rather well with her. She's not a bad character but she in a way reminds me of how Mary Poppins dealt with Jane and Micheal by getting them to think beyond the facts. She was really unique.
The Queen voiced by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York
As stated, The King seems to ignore his Queen because he is so caught up in looking for facts. Alas The Queen stays by his side. She doesn't have very many lines in here but she does love The King but just wishes that he would pay more attention to her and that's fair to say.
Mary Poppins played by Julie Andrews
Again as I said while describing the plot, Julie Andrews really seemed to have some fun reprising her role here. As I said, I truly do believe that she once again played Mary Poppins in this and I say this because there were a few personality traits of Mary Poppins that popped up in this short film such as her being stern with the children, denying the events that took place a la the way Mary Poppins denied the horse race in the first film. Again, though as stated previously after the short jumps from the real world to the picture, she becomes a bit more of a observer and comments on the events of the story. It's fun and it works, really well.
My Final Thoughts
This short film is cute and a decent follow up to Mary Poppins. Again as I said there is debate as to whether or not that this is Mary Poppins in this but I do think that there is evidence to say that there is. One last thing to mention, is at the end of the short is that it ends with a silhouette of Mary Poppins' shadow. It's a lot of fun and cute but of course, it doesn't come close to the film but it wasn't trying to be as grand as the movie. That would be too hard. Instead it was just a cute little follow up that felt like a visit for fans of the old film to see what Mary Poppins is up to now.
No Pressure, it's only one of the greatest Disney films of all time with one of the best soundtracks from The Sherman Brothers. Sure, others have talked about it but no pressure, you can still give your own input on this film. Oh, sorry about that. Well, folks I've reviewed a lot of classics from Dumbo to Beauty and The Beast but I gotta be honest, I haven't felt intimidated by a film or short that I've reviewed until now. Join me today as I take a look at Mary Poppins.
I like this trailer, it's fun and captures the spirit of the film rather well and uses some good moments. All around, a solid trailer.
The Plot
The plot for this film is not one that I would call simple and I would actually go as far to say that they're are actually two different stories going on here. The first one being about Jane and Micheal's time with Mary Poppins and then there is also the story of Mr. Banks learning to be a better father. I could even pinpoint a moment where the tone seems to shift. It seems to be right around the time of Feed The Birds or afterwards, where he takes them to the bank.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into Important, & Supporting. Let's get started.
Important Characters
Mary Poppins played by Julie Andrews
If had to describe Mary Poppins, I think the best way is to say, she is prim, proper, serious yet she also knows how to have fun but she seems to separate her two sides. She has often been considered the perfect nanny and I recall in a countdown that I watched she came in at # 1 of Hollywood nannies. By the by, another Julie Andrews, Maria Von Trapp came in at # 2. Going back to the two sides of the character, you see her serious side while looking after Jane and Michael but around Bert she seems to loosen up and be able to have fun. It almost seems to subtly hint at that both Mary Poppins and Bert have feelings for each other that go beyond being just friends. All in all, she is a great character and easily understandable why she is one of the most remembered characters. Also I love how she is able to go toe to toe with Mr. Banks and hold her ground especially with this little spat.
Mr. Banks: Just a moment, Mary Poppins. What is the meaning of this outrage? Mary Poppins: I beg your pardon? Mr. Banks: Will you be good enough to explain all this? Mary Poppins: First of all, I would like to make one thing quite clear. Mr. Banks: Yes? Mary Poppins: I never explain anything.
Bert played by Dick Van Dyke
Bert is just an all around fun character and helps to balance out Mary Poppins. As stated above, I feel that Mary Poppins' fun side comes out around Bert and it helps in easing in her but she does keep her serious side and can put Bert in check when needed but is not overbearing. It's funny how I remember Bert most as a chimney sweep when he had so many jobs throughout the film such as being a one man band. Bert is a really fun character and I've seen people complain about Dick Van Dyke's Cockney accent as being hard on the ears but I don't think I ever had that problem because I grew up with Dick Van Dyke portraying Bert. It should also be noted that author of Mary Poppins P.L. Travers, who butted head with Walt over many aspects of the film wanted Dick Van Dyke replaced because she did not believe he was good in the role.
Mr. Banks played by David Tomlinson
Mr. Banks is a unique character and I remember when I was younger, I thought of him as a villain and his first song can somewhat help in establishing that but the more I look at it, I think he has the best character development in the film as he goes from a cold and distant father and husband to trying to understand what his family needs to work and how he can't treat his family like a business. He needs to be caring and show affection. I also think that him losing his job makes him wake up and realize what is truly important in life as depicted during A Man Has Dreams. I have to say that Mr. Banks probably has one of my favorite lines at the beginning of the film that shows he thinks his house should be run while discussing, the children's old nanny, Katie Nanna with Mrs. Banks.
Mrs. Banks: I'm sorry, dear, but when I chose Katie Nana, I thought she would be firm with the children. She looked so solemn and cross.
George Banks: My dear, never confuse efficiency with a liver complaint.
Jane and Micheal Banks played by Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber
Now I do apologize about this but there will be some comparisons to the play as it seems somewhat unavoidable. I recall when I saw the play, that Jane and Micheal were portrayed as over the top brats at the beginning and while that worked for the play, I was relieved that in the film that while they weren't perfect, they were not as annoying as they were in the play. Here they were bratty but it felt more subtle. Now the reason that I put them together is because that's the way it seemed in the film and you couldn't have on without the other.
Mrs. Banks played by Glynis Johns
Now this may seem wrong to say but Mrs. Banks seems to be the least important of the important characters. Don't get me wrong, she serves her purpose and she does try to be a good mother and wife but she is neglectful to children unmeaning to be so and she tries to be a good wife but it seems as though Mr. Banks is to hard on her. She's not a bad character but it's hard to place where she truly belongs.
Supporting Characters
Katie Nanna played by Elsa Lanchester
Now the main reason, I'm bringing up Katie Nanna is because she seems to set the tone for the family, when we see her we see that the family is too much for her and that Mrs. Banks doesn't know how to handle her kids. While she isn't in the film very long, her presence does help to set up a lot of important details about The Banks family.
Admiral Boom & Mr. Binnacle played by Reginald Owen & Don Barclay
I think the names should hint that these are comic relief and you know most of the most supporting characters are comic relief but that isn't a bad thing and it works well. Admiral Boom and Mr. Binnacle are the next door neighbors of The Banks. They are both retired from the navy but they still have it their blood, and the top of their house has been turned into a ship with a working cannon that is shot off at 8 AM and 6 PM. It's a fun little gag that doesn't wear out it's welcome. Now originally, I was only going to talk about Admiral Boom as Mr. Binnacle doesn't seem to have an important role in the film. He is many ways, like Teller of Penn & Teller fame, where he is only there to be seen and not heard. According to the Disney Wiki , it can be assumed that they live together and I can agree with this and my assumption and they are both old navy buddies that just ended up living with one another.
Ellen & Mrs. Brill played Hermonie Baddeley & Rita Shaw
Now I know that this is the third set of characters that I've grouped together but for certain characters that seems to be the best way to go about it. Ellen and Mrs. Brill both work for The Banks family and it is seen at the beginning that they aren't particularly fond of one another and only get along with each other begrudgingly. Though throughout the course of the film just like the rest of the family, they go through a change of heart and start to get along with each other and start working in peace with each other. They're okay characters and they are fun but the film doesn't focus on them too much as they shouldn't but they are still important to the film.
Constable Jones played by Arthur Treacher
Again, Constable Jones isn't in the film much but he is a good character and whenever he's onscreen, it's fun. I mean he's only there as a comic foil and to help deliver lines and help look for either the children or later on, Mr. Banks. Really, his main purpose is just to deliver funny lines sch as this one.
Constable Jones: [on phone] That's what I said, sir. Go fly a kite! [pause]
Constable Jones: Well, no, sir, no. I didn't mean you *personally.*
This has to be one of the funniest lines in the film when Constable Jones is talking to his superior on the phone. That is one thing that I really to praise the film for. The writing is superb in this movie. That seems to be something that is overlooked but every line that is meant to be funny is funny and I always feel that each line has a lot of weight behind it.
The Penguins voiced by Daws Butler, Dal McKennon, & J. Pat O'Malley
Now the next set of characters that I'm talking about while still supporting characters are more like parts of a vignette as we see them for only one scene if not two or more. For that reason, I find it a little funny that the Penguins are so remembered when they're in so little of the movie but they are such fun characters and that was one of the disappointments about the play, I know it would've been hard to adapt them to stage and while the statue characters were a decent replacement, it just wasn't the same. Also this has to be my favorite scene with Bert and Mary Poppins because it is so colorful and I love the outfits in this scene and this dress is the one that I think of when I think of the character of Mary Poppins.
Uncle Albert played by Ed Wynn
Now again just like the Penguins, Uncle Albert's scene is more like that of a vignette. Uncle Albert is such a fun character and his laugh as we see is rather contagious and it's no ordinary laugh as it causes people to float to the top of his house and we see that with the others and it gets to them and I just love that Mary Poppins won't let this stop her from having tea at regular teatime and decides to have it one ceiling because everyone has laughed there way up there and the only way down is to think of something sad. Uncle Albert and Bert probably have the best interaction with each other as examined by this little discussion.
Bert: Uncle Albert, I got a jolly joke I saved for just such an occasion. Would you like to hear it? Uncle Albert: [sobbing] I'd be so grateful.
Bert: Well it's about me granddad, see, and one night he has a nightmare. He was so scared, he chewed his pillow to bits. Bits. In the morning, I says, "How you feel, Granddad?" He says, "Oh, not bad. A little down in the mouth." [Bert laughs, Uncle Albert sobs harder]
Bert: I always say there's nothing like a good joke.
Uncle Albert: [sobbing] No, and that was nothing like a good joke.
The Bird Woman played by Jane Darwell
Fun fact for yay, Jane Darwell as Walt's favorite actress and he personally offered her role of The Bird Woman in Mary Poppins. Now The Bird Woman is a unique case in that we don't see any of the other characters actually interact with her. Now Jane, Micheal and Mr. Banks do share a scene with The Bird Woman but that's about it. The Bird Woman I feel is a rather poignant character because she shows that because while she may not much to her because she shows that no matter what, you should always care for your fellow man. I'll go into this a bit more when I talk about Feed The Birds. Now, I may be incorrect but I believe that this was her last film before her death in '67 and Jane Darwell won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of The Bird Woman.
Mr. Dawes Jr. and Mr. Dawes Sr. played by Arthur Malet & Navckid Keyd
Again, I know that I'm grouping characters together but as stated up top that seems to work best Now while there are no true villains in this film, I think this these two could count as semi-antagonists. Even then that isn't exactly true. At best they have to fire Mr. Banks for something that happened at the bank, which he was responsible and while Mr. Banks was upset by this at first, it gave him, the wake up call that he needed to see what really matters in life. . In the end though Mr. Dawes Jr. does give Mr. Banks his job back at the end of the film when we see them flying kites and he tells him that his father died happily after laughing at the wooden leg Smith joke that he told, which he learned from Jane and Micheal after their visit with Uncle Albert. Oh, I should also note that the actor's name listed isn't the real name for the actor. It is rather an anagram for the actor's name that was used in the credits. Can you figure it out? Here's a hint: Chimney. If you said, Dick Van Dyke, you'd be right. He would later go onto reprise this role on The Great White Way for one night only. Mr. Dawes Sr. is shown be an elderly gentlemen that seems to have trouble remembering things but is firm. The same can be said for Mr. Dawes Jr. that he is rather firm but he is just doing his job.
Music
Overture
The first thing heard is the overture, which is a lovely melody of the songs heard in the film and it just is so relaxing to listen to and I love it so. It's so simple and it is a lot of fun to try and pick out each song in the overture. Great start to a fantastic film.
Sister Suffragette
While I can appreciate that this song is about The Women's Right Movement. It's my least favorite song from the film. I just don't find it as memorable as the other songs in this film. Again, it's not bad but it just doesn't draw me and Mrs. Banks is just an okay singer compared to the others in the film. Also while I do get that is supposed to help build her character, it feels like filler song at best.
The Life I Lead
Geese, this song just shows how pompus Mr. Banks is at the beginning. Also this song is a great counterpoint to the previous and if you'll recall what I said up top about me think Mr. Banks as villain as a child, this song played a part in that and honestly, I really think that you could rework the sound of this song and it would make for a decent villain song but that is neither here nor there.
The Perfect Nanny
This song is cute. It's simple and has a nice childlike quality to it. It also shows that Jane and Micheal are just simple children that are willing to help. It's cute and a lot of fun. Not one I'd listen to again and again but I enjoy it nonetheless.
A Spoonful of Sugar
Here we go, this is a classic through and through and one of the standouts from this film that is filled with so many great numbers that it is near impossible to choose a favorite. This is such a fun tune to sing along to and the imagery compliments it nicely. I love this song, it is so fun and that is the best thing about it is just to listen to as are most of the songs and it is a great introductory song for Mary Poppins to get to know Jane and Micheal. Fun Fact: Julie Andrews provided the whistling for the robin in this number.
Jolly Holiday
As revealed when talking about The Penguins, this is what I remember most about the film. I can't pin my finger on it but I think it comes from both how vibrant the colors are in this number that they really stand out and then there is also the fact that this is the cover picture on the VHS I have. It's probably the latter but I don't mind being reminded of this number. Because again as stated above, it is another fun song and the interaction between Mary Poppins and Bert is so much to watch. Now I'll admit this is where I got the idea in my head that there may be something more to their relationship and I may be wrong but who's to say. I honestly think that the best way to describe this song is as friendly. Also gotta love the dance number in this one, Dick Van Dyke was so cool in this movie.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
What hasn't been said about this song? It like everything else in this film is a classic and is so much fun. The song that gave us one of pop culture's longest words. I mean it has even been recognized in certain dictionaries as a real word. Isn't it funny how pop culture can influence stuff like that? It's a great listen and I love the little story Bert tells at the beginning of how he learned this word and it saved his nose. That is such a nice touch.
Stay Awake
I love the lullaby nature of this song, it's so cute and works perfectly to get Jane and Micheal to fall asleep. I love the whole reverse psychology with this song of telling children one thing and they end up doing another. Besides that though it is just a peaceful and simple song to listen to and a nice break from the fun songs, which I love but I prefer songs like this that are simple in nature.
I Love to Laugh
Now we go from a peaceful and simple song to another silly and upbeat song. This has to be the silliest and most nonsensical song in the film but that fits the character of Uncle Albert to a tea. He is just an all around silly person and he deserves a silly song. Ed Wynn really steals the show here as Uncle Albert, this is just perfect. Everything about this number is silly but I love it for that. Just as Bert, I too find Uncle Albert's laughter contagious. Are the jokes corny? Sure but I love it.
Feed The Birds
Ah, here we go. This is the one, I love this song and I know that I touched on this in the past but this was Walt's favorite and is it hard to see why. I'll talk about that more with my Sherman Brothers tribute as this song appears there. I love this song so much, everything about it and I've had this on my mind for a while as I ended up writing a paper on it for my film class. That's what inspired this review in the first place because I originally never had plans to review this film but getting back on track, I honestly think song-wise, this is Julie Andrews' best performance. I believe all of the emotions that she is pouring into this song and just the images are so stunning. I love everything about this song and it is again, another song that is simple in nature but it's message is timeless. It's message can simply be summed by saying, lend a hand and look out for your fellow man. Also I really love the transitions from the nursery to Saint Paul's in this number. It is so seamless. This is bar none, my favorite from this film.
Fidelity Fiduciary Bank
This is an odd little number. Again, like our first true song, I don't understand it's purpose. It's not bad but it's like another filler song. Now I get the idea that they are trying to persuade Micheal to give up his tuppence but it is just an okay song. Not one I find rather memorable. I would never call it a bad performance but it's lackluster.
Chim Chim Cher-ee
Here we are, another standout from the film. Now I realize that this may not be the entire song and for that I do apologize but this is what I could find. Y'know with this song, I think Bert finally gets to shine the most because he feels like the star of this number and why not, he's one of the best characters in this film.
Step In Time
Along with I Love to Laugh, this has to be another great nonsensical number. It is again as I've been saying throughout, fun and that is what makes these songs work. They're fun and the choreography in this number is to die for. I wish I had the talent to pull off moves like that or let alone dance. This is one of cinema's coolest dance numbers because it is so much fun and wackiness is ensued but it works.
A Man Has Dreams
This song has slowly grown on me over time. I really love this one I truly think that this song brings Mr. Banks full circle in realizing that perhaps he was wrong and there are more important things in life. The reprise of A Spoonful of Sugar is a nice touch and the interaction between Bert and Mr. Banks as with all of the characters feels genuine and sincere. I think one of the reasons, I really like this one though is that it is a nice simple moment between two characters that until now didn't have any interaction with one another.
Let's Go Fly A Kite
Such a beautiful song to end on, the family is a unit again and Mary Poppins knows that she is no longer needed. You can see her holding back the sadness on her face as she remains strong and you have to love that. The song is just fun and it is nice to see the family enjoying time together and the chorus at the end is chilling. It just makes it sound so big and wonderful.
My Final Thoughts
I hope that you've enjoyed this review of this classic. I'm not one to call a film flawless but this one comes mighty close to getting that honor. Everything about it just works, the songs are gorgeous, the characters are likable and it is a fun watch. This is a film for many that was childhood and is it hard to see why? It is just simple and true in nature with a lot of innocence. This to me is perhaps one of the the greatest films form Disney ever.
Hello and welcome back to Music Fridays. Today, I'm doing something different as I'm starting a look at novelty albums released from Disney as I take a look at Splashdance and there are too many songs on this album that I bump it up to 8. Enjoy.
Happy, Happy Birthday To You
Okay, I admit I love this song. I mean yeah, it's not my birthday but I should have used this song for that occasion. Next year but I digress. It's just so silly and fun, yeah it reminds me somewhat of those annoying Happy Birthday songs you get at restaurants with the silly lyrics but here's the thing unlike those, this one is so much fun that it almost seems wrong to enjoy a song this cheesy. Though of course, the idea of having Mickey Mouse at my birthday party is something that I would've loved as a kid and I'll admit, that would still be rather cool. Even if I'm 23 but c'mon a party with Mickey Mouse. If you know me, you know I'd love that. I think this is one of those songs that can best be summed up by saying "One More Time!"
Digital Duck
Okay, I don't know what's funnier. How dated this song is or the fact that Donald has a somewhat decent singing voice. This song is just so strange and bizarre, there's no way that it could be from any decade but the '80s. Of course it has to end with Donald getting angry at his gadgets. Would you expect anything less? I wouldn't!
Chip 'n' Dale's Vacation
Okay, I'm not going to say Disney ripped off Alvin and The Chipmunk bs having Chip 'n' Dale sing because I don't think that was the case at all. Even if I couldn't help but think of that. Maybe it's just me but these songs keep on getting weirder as I go on. This one is cute if rather simple like the others and while fun, it doesn't have the staying power of the first two.
Splashdance
This song is so much fun and I think out of these first 4, it's the best song. It's so much fun and you feel like your there with the gang and to think, this song is all about getting wet but I love it. It is so much fun and so silly. I can't help but to love it. Who would've thought that a song about getting wet would be so much fun. Yeah, it's a bit cheesy but all of these songs are but that is what makes them so much fun.
You Can Always Be Number One
This is a nice song, if a bit simple. I love the idea behind it, which comes down to your number one so long as you try and tying it into Goofy is a nice touch but I'm not so sure that I'd take sports lessons from Goofy. I've seen the "How To" shorts but at the same time, one should not turn their back on Goofy just because he is a goofy albeit a lovable goof.
Gyro Gearloose
It's nice to see one of the less famous characters get a song of their own. Now I'm not sure when this album came out but if I had to speculate, this song makes me think that DuckTales was on the air when this album came out. I say that because it doesn't seem as though there'd be any other period to release this song and also DuckTales really brought him into the limelight. Now I may be wrong but again this is just speculation. As for the song, it's nice and I love the melody. Not as much fun as the songs as some of the other songs and it does seem somewhat unbalanced but it's okay. At best it's forgettable but it's not a bad song by any stretch of the word.
One Little Android
This one is rather cute and unlike all of the other songs I've talked about, this one deals with a new character. I don't know why but this reminds of Three Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed. Again, I can't put my finger on why but it just does. It's cute and a lot of fun and certainly one I'd find myself listening to over and over.
Mickey, She's Got a Crush On You
I know, I know! I normally don't cover a song more than once and this is this song's third appearance on Music Fridays but I love it so much. Turning down the chance to talk about this song for a third time would be criminal. I've already told you guys about the high school setting that I see with this song. Out of all the Mickey & Minnie songs out there and there is a large number, this is my favorite. It's just so endearing and cute. There's gotta be an image that could go with this song.
Yeah, I think that one works rather well. I know I talked about this song not too long ago and normally I would not repeat songs like this so close to each other but darn it, this song has grown on me.
Join me next week as I continue my look at these novelty albums as we...
Hello and welcome back to Classic Shorts Showcase. Today and next week, I'll be taking a look at The Ugly Duckling. Now you see, this is a short that was made twice but both versions tend to be rather different. This one while sympathetic, you could still laugh at the actions of the Duckling unlike next week's version, which is rather heartbreaking. I should also note that this short is the first black and white to be featured on Showcase. Don't know about you but I'm surprised it took this long.
The Plot
The plot of this short is rather simple in that it is just a retelling of the classic tale with some minor changes here and there such as having the short taking place on a barn and the duckling being hatched alongside hens and well. it's cute. The short's plot works well and that is great because the short has to be able express all of this without any dialogue.
Characters
There is really no need to break it down, this time. Let's get into it.
The Ugly Duckling
The Duckling may not be the cutest but he has a sympathetic look to him and I would love it always seemed he looked as though he was looking to be accepted. He may not be the cutest character but there is a charm about him. Which I think part of that comes from the fact of the look of the older Disney shorts, which while they had a crude look to them, they're still entertaining to look at.
Mother Hen
Mother Hen in this short was mean spirited and really hated the Duckling. That is until he saved the day and her other babies from going down a waterfall. At the end of the day, she came to accept the Duckling for who he is. Though unlike some other shorts where this has happened, I had a bit of a problem because it felt out of character more than any other short for the main character to be accepted.
My Final Thoughts
This was a decent short and I'd say give if it a watch if only for the sole purpose of checking out some of the older Disney shorts. This was good and I enjoyed it for the most part and it not being color didn't deter my enjoyment. The imagery was great. Join me next week when I take a look at the 1939 remake of The Ugly Duckling.
Coming soon to a theater near you, a the story of the man who brought to life so many lovable characters such as Snow White or of course, Mickey Mouse. From acclaimed director Ron Howard and starring Ryan Gosling as Walt.
Follow his story or you would if the movie I just described was real. Alas, it's not but this poster made by French Graphic Artist Pascal Witaszek. Ill admit that I had never heard his name until I saw this poster but I gotta say I love it. It is such a beautiful poster. All of the little details in this poster make it feel real and if you'll recall what I said in my Top 6 Movie Posters to open it.
Movie posters don't have to seem the essence or charm they once did. Movie posters used to be able grab you in and give you an idea of the movie and the way they were trying to sell the movie. Sad to day, even Disney has fallen into this trap.
That is not true of this poster, it has a lot of charm to it and I love that in this poster, you get a story. The story I get here is of Walt trying to come up with Mickey on the train ride home after he lost the rights to Oswald. I love everything in this poster from Walt on the train as that is a nice setup for the story and the crumbled pieces of paper on the seat give off the idea of Walt is going through the time on the train in trying to come up with a name for his new character. Also another thing I really love is the Mickey cloud which to me seems like foreshadowing.
Also the train car is just gorgeous and another thing I have to praise the artist for is while I can tell it's Ryan Gosling but he's feel like Walt at the same time. Now I'll admit that I'm not familiar with Gosling's body of work but in this poster, I feel as though he'd be good as Walt and Ron Howard is a great director and I think that he'd be able to get a great story here. Of course, we'll probably never know as this film is only a fantasy. I really wish we could because after seeing this poster my cynical views on a Walt biopic have lessened somewhat. I'm still anxious and nervous about the idea but after seeing this poster I want to see this film or at the very least have a print of this poster.
Now I know that this wasn't very in-depth and that's why I didn't make this a Can We Talk about. Still, this is a gorgeous poster and my hat is off to the artist. What are thoughts on this poster? Tell me in the comments. Peace!
If you were to ask me, what I remember most when it comes to Roger Rabbit, it would not be the film. Now don't get me wrong, the film is a classic but there is a certain little Disneyland ride that can be found in ToonTown, that I'll always think of when I think of Roger Rabbit. The ride being Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. Now it's been years since I went on this ride. I'll admit that when I first went on it, there was some trepidation but at the end of the day, I liked it. Now I've talked about this ride in the past during Automobile Month but I thought to myself why not revisit this attraction to close out Roger Rabbit Week? That's why it's getting it's own article. Where to start, about with the cab that you ride in.
I bet to many of you this looks like Benny from the movie but in fact, this is not Benny. No this is Lenny The Cab. Benny's cousin. Why the new character? Well there's was a disagreement between Amblin and the Walt Disney company, the name had to be changed from Benny to Lenny. I'm sure there's more it than that but that is all I could find this matter. In others, that's Lenny and this is Benny....
Now admittedly, there are some differences in the looks of the two characters such as Lenny has more of a childlike look to him but other than that they look like the same exact character and oh, you'll love this. Lenny is described as being Benny's twin cousin. I don't know about you but that seems contrived. I get that Spielberg and Disney have had their disagreements over this film but c'mon for such a minor detail like that, why did you feel the need to change the name? I bet most park goers don't even realize that this is a different character. I know I'm harping on something rather absurd but to me, it's sad that there was even a disagreement over what the cab could be called in the first place.
Now this isn't the only difference that one'll notice when on the ride because if you have a sharp ear, you may notice that Baby Herman's voice sounds a bit different.
Now I didn't even notice this until I re watched some ride footage on YouTube and when it got to the Baby Herman scene as pictured here, Herman's voice sounded different. There was still that gruff tough guy sound to it but I could tell that it was not his original voice actor and as soon I heard his voice, I knew that it was Jim Cummings doing the voice here. Cummings just has one of those voices that after hearing it in so many cartoons, that I've come to recognize his voice whenever it pops up. Now I looked up to see if perhaps they used Cummings because perhaps Herman's original voice actor was dead but all of my research seems to point to the contrary. I'll admit that I do not know why Cummings was used instead. There could be many reasons such as perhaps, Herman's original VA didn't want to return to do the voice for the attraction. Now admittedly, this may seem a bit jarring seeing as Roger and Jessica's voice actors, Charles Fleischer and Kathleen Turner do respectively lend their voices to the ride. Still Cummings does deliver a decent performance as Baby Herman.
Now as you know with a lot of Disney attractions there is a story that goes along with the ride and this one is no different. In this ride, the Doom Patrol are after Roger and you'll see them all over the place. Sometimes trying to sabotage the ride and they have one powerful weapon up their sleeves. I think you know what it is. Excuse me Jessica, can you tell us what it is?
That's right throughout different parts of the ride, you'll come across Dip. The only thing that can kill a toon. Here are some scenes that involve Dip from the ride.
Here in the pic you can see one of the Toon Patrol pouring the Dip all over the place. Which is nice but I have to say that my favorite scene with a Toon Patrol member has to be this one.
There's just something about seeing Jessica take a giant mallet to the head of one of the Doom Patrol that is rather humorous and oh let's not forget the in jokes. There are a lot of great in jokes. Two Dumbo in jokes as matter of fact. Here ya go.
The first one I came across again is this Pink Elephant. The next one, you have to look a little harder to see but here ya go.
It's the Lost sign and it says Lost: One Magic Feather. If found please return to Dumbo. Now while I like both of these jokes as I love Dumbo, I think the Pink Elephant is better because if your not thinking about it at first glance you may not know what film that's referring to.
Now another thing to bring up is that if you pay attention the queue, you'll get a sense of the story for the ride from Jessica's dressing room to what the Weasels intend to do and another fun thing to pick up on are the license plates
Now I've spent a lot of time talking about the ride and what you'll see in it. I'm sure many of you may still be wondering what it is I liked about this ride. Well, in simplest terms, it spins. I'm serious, I love spinny rides and this is one of the best spinny rides that I've ever been on and I think that was a great idea for a Roger Rabbit ride to have the car spin because I feel that it adds to the cartoony nature of Roger Rabbit and what this ride was going for. It compliments the setting rather well and sure I may have had some minor complaints but those mostly came after the fact. Okay there is more to it than that but that is one of the biggest things that I loved about this ride. It's also has a great setting and the ride is able to immerse you into the world of ToonTown quite well. Like I would've liked to see Eddie Valiant appear somewhere along the ride but I understand that they wanted to keep this ride focused on the toons and that's fair. This ride I would suggest if your a Roger Rabbit fan because there is plenty to enjoy and it fits right comfortably at ToonTown. Let me know what you think of this, I may do some more ride articles in the future but I want to know the feedback on this one first and oh I know there weren't a lot of Roger pictures in this article. Well, here's two to make up for that.
Hello and welcome back to Music Fridays. Today, I continue Roger Rabbit Week as I take a look at the music of Roger Rabbit. Enjoy!
Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!
This is such a fun song and it instantly makes me think of ToonTown. It's so cheerful and upbeat and over the top and funny. It's a fun listen and it certainly gives off that cartoonish vibe and it works. In some ways, this song makes me think of the Silly Symphonies from back in the day and how this song sounds like a bigger production of a song that you'd hear in one of those. Still a lot of fun to listen to.
Eddie's Theme
Hmm, not what I was expecting for Eddie. This tune is rather upbeat and cheery for a character like Eddie Valiant, I was expecting more of a somber tune for this character. It almost seems to clash with his character but still it's a good listen and I like it all the same. Certainly has a classic feel to it and I love the intrustmentals. This feels like something that you'd hear in lounge on a cruise and it's the last thing I would think of for Eddie Valiant but all the same, I still like it.
Judge Doom's Theme
This is most certainly an intriguing piece of music for a villain. I love the way it sounds, it has that menacing feel to it that fits Doom to a tea and then there are these quiet moments. I wish I had known about this one sooner as I really like it. This does what I think good music should do and takes you on a roller coaster of sounds. I also love the fact that it's not in your face but instead there is a slow build up and I have to say certain sounds make me think of people trying to run away from Doom. If I were to compare this to anything, it'd have to The Stampede from The Lion King on Broadway. Though The Stampede does have a bigger sound to it and more bombastic, I still feel there are certain attributes that are close to each other in both scores.
The Merry Go Round Broke Down (Roger's Song)
This is a fun little moment and while I do prefer Eddie's version, Roger's is still a lot of fun and it does a great job at setting him up as a goofball of a character. It's silly and over the top just like Roger is and it is so funny. Now as mentioned yesterday, that is actually the Looney Tunes theme that Roger is singing along to and while I think it comes across better is Eddie's version, you can still hear a hint of it and oh as for the lyrics, the Disney Wiki has them up on their site on the page for this. Just click that link to get them and enjoy.
Well, I hope that you've enjoyed this special Music Fridays. Join me Monday when I close out Roger Rabbit Week by taking a look at what I consider my favorite Roger Rabbit memory as I take look at...
As some of you may have noticed I've had Roger Rabbit on my mind a lot lately. Instead of reviewing the film, which I'll get to when I have enough money on my Itunes account to download it, I want to do a Top 6 celebrating this film. There are so many great moments in this film but I decided instead of going the easy route and picking the scenes that involve classic cartoon characters, I focus on the scenes with the principle cast of the film. Though I may come back to that idea with the toons and do a Top 6 Cameos in Roger Rabbit. Anyways with that out of the way, let's begin.
6. Why Don't You Do Right
Okay admit it, how many of you saw this one coming? I mean I know that I already used it to close out my look the shorts but when I think of Jessica, one of the first things that I think of is her first scene in the film and how this sets up her character as someone who know she's has a sex appeal and uses it to her advantage. Also this song just sets her up wonderfully and it is such a great intro for her. I could watch this scene just for her performance and still get satisfaction out of it.
5. Remember Me Eddie
This has got to be one of the creepiest moments when Doom reveals himself to be a toon and not only that but the toon that killed Eddie's brother. Just the way his voice get higher and higher and the daggers that come out of his eyes. Good lord, is that ever terrifying? This was such a great reveal and perhaps one of the more frightening moments and certainly effective.
Hello and welcome back to Roger Rabbit Week. Join me today as I conclude my look at the trilogy of Roger Rabbit shorts as I take a look at Trail Mix-Up. This had to be the funniest short out of the three. It was so zany and over the top and random but the humor worked in delivering a knockout of a short. Now just like the last two there was Droopy cameo but alas I could not find a picture for ya and also you can throw out what I said about Jessica yesterday as she's only reduced to a cameo here as well as a park ranger. Here ya go.
Also just as with the last short there was a park ranger bust made along with a Roger bust made for this short.
The Plot
The basis for each of these shorts is the same. Roger is left in charge of Baby Herman and crazy and over the top antics ensue. Here this time though the adventure takes place in a National Park. Which leads me to an issue that I have in this short. Herman's mother in all of the shorts leaves Roger in charge of Herman while she goes off to due another activity. Here it happens to be hunting and well knowing what I know about national parks, it's a federal offense to hunt in a national park. All the same, I'm probably nitpicking but that does irk me a tad. Keeping in spirit with the Roger Rabbit universe, this short at the end is revealed to be being shot on studio as a log launches through the studio and sends Roger, Baby Herman, a Tex Avery inspired looking beaver and a bear the studio and they crash into and destroy Mount Rushmore. That's a powerful launch if it can send them all the way from L.A. to South Dakota.
Characters
Roger Rabbit
It's hard talking about Roger three reviews in a row because I feel that I've said everything I can about him. He was over the top and hysterical. Check! Though this short did remind me of attribute of Roger that I overlooked with the previous two shorts, he's has a good heart and good intentions. Things may not always turn out his way but Roger always means well. I was reading the Disney Wiki for the film and they were describing Roger's design as that of of a Warner Brothers face, a Disney body and the attitude of a Tex Avery character. And while I know little about about Tex Avery, I do know a good chunk about Disney and a I did grow up with Looney Tunes and I must say that for the two that I do know that is a pretty spot on description and these shorts. I'll also just realized this but Herman's mother seems to be homage to that old lady from all of the Tom and Jerry shorts that was Tom's owner. How did I not pick up on this before when it was so obvious? With both characters you never see they're faces and both berate one of the main characters of the short. Another nice touch here is that once again like last time, Roger tried to get out of watching Herman because he knows bad things will happen. Seeing Roger trying to pull himself out of these situations is funny yet heartbreaking at the same time because the audience knows the pain our hare brained friend is about to endure.
Baby Herman
Just like the first short that I covered featuring Roger and Baby Herman, we got to see both the baby side and a little snippet of the adult side. Though once again even though Baby Herman is the co star, Roger's antics seem to over shine him. This isn't a bad thing per SE but does sometimes make the shorts feel disjointed. Though I will say that Adult Herman was probably the funniest when he berated Roger for destroying Mount Rushmore.
My Final Thoughts
I've enjoyed these Roger Rabbit shorts. They aren't the greatest shorts in the world but of course I might be saying that because it's been so long since I've watched the film and this is the first time I've seen these characters in anything outside of the film. The nice thing is though the humor throughout of all the shorts was true to the characters. Now if I had one complaint about these shorts would be that Jessica felt underused in all of them. Which is ashame but I know a way to rectify that problem with a clip where she most certainly is not underused.
Hello and welcome back to Roger Rabbit Week. Today, I continue my look at the three Roger Rabbit shorts. An interesting sidenote is Spielberg and Eisner had a dispute over which film which short should be shown in front. Eisner wanted it go in front of Dick Tracy, which it ultimately did while Spielberg wanted to put in front of this! This being: Arachnophobia. Also this was the only Roger Rabbit short to garner a PG rating due to a scene where Roger grabs a bull by his testicles.
The Plot
Again like the last short, the plot is rather simple but it works well enough. Here we have Roger and Baby Herman at a fair. Herman's mother decides to go have her fortune read by a psychic and leaves Roger in charge of Baby Herman. This had to be one of the funniest things because Roger knew nothing good would come out of this and pleaded with her to stay but she said no and then the plot really kicks in with Roger getting a red balloon for Herman that he soon loses and Herman goes out of his stroller through a trap door to go after it and crawls all over the fair from crawling on a dart game where one of the prizes is a Roger Rabbit doll. Does that make anyone else think of Honey, I Blew Up The Kid?
While not the one from the film, the same idea can be applied.
Funny, I bring that up as the previous short was shown in front of Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. Eventually all of this crawling and chasing after the balloon leads Roger and Herman all through the fair and through different mishaps such as Roger getting attacked by a bull and then finally they get on the roller coaster. For the titular part of the short, it takes them a while to get to the coaster but even still it is so much fun. I love it when they get on the coaster because it looks so monstrous and big and there is that sense of fear that I get at least when on roller coasters. The plot while simple, I realize I spent a good time explaining it but I like it for what it is and it works rather well for this short. Once again in this short we get a Droopy cameo and as for Jessica, I'm not even including her in the characters as she was limited to two cameos. One as foldout and one as a damsel in distress and oh, the psychic I should mention was Clarabelle Cow.
Does anyone find it weird that Roger is looking at a foldout of his wife?
Characters
There's really no need to break this down any further than I have. So now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's begin. Also just as with my Three Little Pigs retrospective, I won't be labeling the voice actors.
Roger Rabbit
I will say one good thing about these shorts is that the settings provide for excellent funny moments with Roger. Just like the last short, Roger's antics were zany and over the top and I loved it. If you recall yesterday that I compared the short something more akin to Looney Tunes or MGM, well I've finally figured out what Disney character Roger reminds me of: Goofy. Think about it, they're both so clumsy but well meaning. The big difference between the two is that Goofy is able to keep his chin up a bit more and Roger is more over the top than Goofy. If you can believe that. (Hmm, I think I have an idea for a future Vs.) Now just like the last short, this one is revealed to be a short being shot on a studio and again, it worked well. The fourth wall is broken twice both when Roger and Baby Herman are both on the coaster. The first time the car on the coaster literally runs off the short and you see the two on the reel of the short. That was such a nice touch and then again at the end, where the coaster crashes and Roger and Roger is on fire. You see him in the studio and just like in the film the director is angry at Roger for messing up the scene and he wants Roger to do it again but Roger says no and runs through the end screen leaving a Roger sized hole in the end shot. Sadly, I could not find a picture of this. But I was able to find some other nice
Roger pictures for you to enjoy from this short
Baby Herman
Just as with Jessica in Tummy Trouble, I seem to run into the same problem here with Baby Herman. While he was good and funny because of all the antics, he felt underused a bit in this short but still his moments were good but at same time, this is something that one should take into consideration when your dealing with an over the top character such as Roger Rabbit.
My Final Thoughts
While still an enjoyable short, it was not as strong as Tummy Trouble and at parts the short felt as though there was studio meddling that kept it from all that it could've been. One thing that I find interesting is that there was a special in-joke planned that would've taken place when Roger and Herman on the coaster.
Riding in this roller coaster train was supposed to have been every single animated character that has ever appeared in a Disney film. Mickey and Minnie were to have been seated in the front car, whileMonstro the Whale from Pinocchio and Chernabog would have been towering over everyone from seats at the very back of the train. Disney animators worked for weeks to get this brief flash of a scene just right
Alas the animators had a hard time getting this scene right and it ended up on the cutting room floor. Another neat thing that I found is this bust of Jessica that was inspired by this short but with Jessica in a different outfit that lead me to believe she may have had a different role.
Who knows? Ah, well! All the same, I enjoyed this one and join me tomorrow when I conclude my look at the three Roger Rabbit shorts as I review...
Today, I'm starting Roger Rabbit Week by taking a look at all the diferent Roger Rabbit stuff sans the film since A. I don't own it and B. Lindgren and Jason have an upcoming review of it and I wish not to step on their toes. Never fear though as I will have Top 6 Who Framed Roger Rabbit Moments. Starting today on A Look at Disney, I'm going to be taking a look at the 3 Roger Rabbit shorts that were produced by both Spielberg and Walt Disney Pictures. Yes, there were 3 Roger Rabbit shorts produced and what I love about these shorts is the fact that A. they feel like shorts that would shown during the time of classic Looney Tunes and B. they keep in spirit with the original film by showing that at the end of each short, Roger and Baby Herman were filming a short and we see them in a studio filming. Although if you went in watching one of these shorts not knowing that such as I did with this, it may appear somewhat to see these characters in a fully animated world. Another fun little nod is that on the title screen, it says that this short was made in 1947, the same year the film was set in and also according to the short, it was released through R.K. Maroon Studios. The studio that produced the shorts that starred Roger and Baby Herman in the film. Now I know some might find it odd that I'm including this on A Look at Disney seeing as the film was released through Touchstone but Disney owns them and with all of the Disney characters that appear in the film and the fact that Roger can be spotted at Disneyland, I feel it's okay to include it and treat it more or less like one of the Pixar's in that while it may not be directly Disney, they still had a hand in it.
The Plot
The plot of this short is rather simple in that Roger has been brought in to babysit Baby Herman and he promises that he'll take care of him and not let anything happen to him but Roger being Roger, that isn't the case as Baby Herman starts to cry and then Roger hands him a rattle that Baby Herman accidentally swallows and from there, Roger takes him to the hospital and Roger is over dramatic in a hysterical manner but through his hysterics he gets the rattle out of Baby Herman and it lunges into Roger and then when the doctors hear the rattle in Roger, they think he's Baby Herman. Dumb, I know but just go with it. This leads to many funny escapades and then later on Baby Herman sees Jessica who is a nurse in this short carrying a tray of bottles and decides to go after the bottles. This looking back is rather funny knowing what Herman is like in the film. From there we have more crazy escapades and then we see Roger in the operating room and when there Herman sees something that looks like a bottle that is actually a piece of machinery and goes after it. This leads our two main leads to fall through the many different stories of the hospital. This was funny and at one point, we get a cameo from Droopy who just as in the film works the elevator. Here take a look.
The plot while simple works for these characters. It really isn't about the plot so much as the zany misadventures and all of the slapstick in this short. And does it deliver! Roger works well in this short and it is just so much fun and so funny.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into Main, and Supporting.
Main Characters
Roger Rabbit voiced by Charles Fleischer
Roger was great in this short and while it's known from the film that he was over the top, it was so much fun to see that put to use in a short and it was rather effective. Even though, this was released with Disney, the short felt more like something along the lines of MGM a la Tom & Jerry or Looney Tunes but that worked with this character. Roger may not be the smartest character but y'know it works and he was just so much fun in this short and I loved all of his over the top moments.
Baby Herman voiced by April Winchell (Baby)/ Lou Hirsch (Adult)
With Baby Herman, if you watch this short your going have to try and separate this character from the film because while the short goes, he's seen as a baby that gets Roger into of this trouble and causes all of the mishaps for poor Roger. As a baby, Herman is rather cute and endearing. Which is so strange considering what his real character is like. I guess the best way to put it is that his on screen persona is the most drastically different than his off screen persona. Now at the end of the short, we get to see the Herman, we are familiar with from the film and it's a nice touch seeing the real Baby Herman show up and apparently he hated the idea of swallowing the rattle. Can you blame him? That's gross.
Supporting Character
Jessica Rabbit voiced by Kathleen Turner
What is there to say about Jessica in this short? She was there! That's about it, really because unlike the film where she served a purpose. Here not so much other than the fact that she was pushing the tray of bottles. And if this picture is any indication, they still play up the sexy toon angle with Jessica. It's okay I guess but it doesn't hold any true value in this short and maybe I'm wrong but I don't think she has any speaking lines until the end of the short where we see the toons on set and Jessica and Roger go home to play a game of patty cake. Another nice touch and reminder of the film.
My Final Thoughts
This was a good short, Roger and Baby Herman shine brilliantly here. It was so funny and the Droopy cameo was a nice touch. This short while released in 1989 feels as though it could be from the '40s. My only real complaint towards this short is that it feels as though it didn't know how to use Jessica. Which I guess makes sense because unlike Roger and Baby Herman whom we have seen in this element before from the opening of the film, we never actually got to see Jessica in a short in the film. Still, it's a good short and I highly reccomend it. Join me tomorrow as I take a look at next Roger Rabbit short...
Hello and welcome back to Music Fridays. Today's Music Fridays is similar to that of the very first Music Fridays, where I took a look at the theme songs of shows from the Disney Afternoon. Today, I'm changing things up and looking at theme songs for TV based on the Disney films, with that said, let's begin.
The Little Mermaid Intro
Here's one that DisneyOtoko will like. This intro while simple works and it really does a great job of showing this world and the instrumentals of Part of Your World and Under The Sea go nicely together here. It makes for a nice blend and it is really soothing and relaxing. I don't find this to be like most TV themes where they get you excited to watch the show, this actually I think could calm a child down.
Timon & Pumbaa Intro
Now majority of the themes, I'm looking at are reworkings of songs from the perspective film in which the show was spun off from. This is no exception and this version of Hakuna Matata is okay and it works for a TV theme but when compared to the original, it doesn't stand a chance. With that said though, I loved this show. This was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid and I'm pretty sure that I still have a VHS of couple of episodes that I got when this show was still on the air. This was probably one of the funniest Disney shows ever.
Aladdin Intro
This intro and theme, heck this show has often been regarded as one of the best Disney shows from the '90s and you know it is. You want action, you got it and this is one of those intros that gets you excited to see the show from choosing the right clips to using Arabian Nights. Everything and I mean everything about this intro works seamlessly.
Hercules Intro
Another favorite of mine, I really liked this show and I love it's intro. Something about it that makes it feel bigger than it actually is. With this one it feels as though your at a party with The Muses singing and gives a fun vibe, making me feel like, yeah I want to watch this show because it looks like fun and it was. I'd go so far as to say that I'd put this one up there with the Aladdin intro.
Well, I hope that you have enjoyed this look at these TV themes. Join me next week when I take a look at the music of Roger Rabbit as part of Roger Rabbit Week.
Hello and welcome back to Classic Shorts Showcase. Today, I'll be taking a look at Three Blind Mouseketeers. Now if it weren't obvious from the title, today's short is a mix of Three Blind Mice and The Three Musketeers. How does this combo work? Well, you'll have to read the review to find out.
The Plot
It's strange to say but this short really didn't have an actual narrative but it's more or less like an Tom and Jerry short in that we had mice trying to get cheese while fighting Captian Kat, the main villain of this short. It's more about the sight gags and it's really a cat and mouse short and in the end, the mice came out on top.
Characters
Now I'll just be breaking this down into Main, & Villain.
Main Characters
The Three Blind Mouseketeers - Pinto Colvig, Others Unknown
These characters were a lot of fun and they were funny. They worked well as a team and while they may not have individual personalities but as a core set of characters they work well. They're forgettable at best but for what's it worth, they work well in this short.
Villain
Captian Kat voiced by Billy Bletcher
Now here again, our villain isn't too memorable but he works well in this short. He's funny but forgettable Really, that's the biggest problem with this short, it's good but it's nothing to write home about. I mean I'm having a hard time remembering what happened in this short and you'd think with a shot like that, this short would be somewhat memorable.
My Final Thoughts
This short at best is okay. A lot of it is forgettable but it is worth watching at least once. It's not bad but it doesn't hold up when compared to other shorts. It's a fun watch but I have say that I don't think it'll stick with ya. Join me next time , when I take a look the The Ugly Duckling (1931)
Due to Roger Rabbit Week, next week there will not be a Classic Shorts Showcase but never fret, we will be back on track the following week.
As a lot of us probably did, I saw Beauty and The Beast 3D and I enjoyed it. I'd go far as to say that the 3D was better here than The Lion King but during the entire run of the film, I had been thinking about one of the biggest complaints thrown towards this film. I know a lot of people who like this movie say that the biggest downfall is when Beast turns back into a human and they think his human form is uglier than the Beast. Now I don't actually agree with complaint and I actually find it to be one of the more petty complaints to come from the Disney fan community. There is no denying that a lot of the Disney Princes such as Eric, Aladdin and Charming are pretty boys. They may have flaws but their bod structure is darn near perfect. Beast clearly doesn't fall into the the pretty boy category like the others. No instead Gaston feels the role of being a pretty boy.
You could almost make the argument that Gaston is parody of the classic Disney Princes but we aren't here to talk about Gaston but rather Beast or at least his human form. Now I have one theory on why people find his human form less appealing. I believe part of this comes from the fact that we spend so much time with him as Beast that when he turns into a human, we're caught off guard. Though I believe this to be intentional. I mean even Belle was a little caught off guard when she saw him as a human. Take a look.
Admittedly, this would startle anyone because I mean this isn't something you see everyday. Going back to what I was saying up top, his looks aren't perfect in human form but I wouldn't expect them to be because he has spent most of his life as a Beast and well I think that shows in his human form
I will concede that the Beast look has more appeal to it than his human form but I think in his human form, you can see the ruggedness in him from spending so much time as the Beast. Really, his human form does a similar look to that of Beast but I feel that is done to let the audience know that he is the same character. Another reason I don't mind his human form too much is because I believe that he is supposed to be older than the regular Disney Prince and his age does show here. I have no problem with that. I don't mind his human form and honestly out of everything in the film, I'm surprised that this is the biggest complaint people have about it. It almost feels as though the people that came up with this were nitpicking and just looking for something in the film to go after.
The biggest thing that I think comes from his human form is as I said he looks rugged but I believe that to be a reminder of what he was and almost looks tired from all of the years he spent as a Beast. Again understandable. As has been stated many times, he had spent most of his life as a Beast and he probably forgot what he look liked as a human. Going along with the rugged looks, he also looks somewhat animal like and that isn't too surprising to me at least because as Beast he demonstrated some animal like qualities. Such as walking on all four paws or the way he ate his dinner, it almost looked like a dog eating from their dog bowl. I'm sure he grew out of that over time. I still see no reason to get up in arms about his human look. Now as much as I may not like this complaint, it has provided this funny picture.
That is perhaps the only thing I find from this whole debacle somewhat tolerable. Other than that though, this something that I can't get behind.
At the end of the day, I believe this to be of silliest complaints thrown towards this film. I can understand somewhat where people are coming from with this but all I have to say to them is "Really?!" This is one complaint from the Disney fans that I have never understood. What's your take on it? Tell me in the comments.
Okay, I've counted down my Top 6 Most Disappointing Attractions and all of them were from Disney World. That's mostly because that is the park I've been to the most. Today's Top 6 is a bit different in that, I'll be counting down the Top 6 Disney Parks Projects that sadly never came to be but I think that they would've been great, had they been seen through. With that out of the way, let's begin.
6. The Great Muppet Movie Ride - MGM Studios
The Great Movie Ride is the ride that I consider the heart and soul of Hollywood Studios or when the park first opened, MGM Studios. Why do I bring this up? Well, you see there were plans to make a Muppet parody of the ride in the planned section of the park that just as with this attraction never came to be, known as Muppet Studios. The only thing the park has to show for it is Muppet*Vision 3D. Now that's a fun show, even if it's age is showing. The concept for this ride is something that I love, as stated above, it would've been a parody of the park's own Great Movie Ride. Something about the idea of having a ride that parodies another ride in the same park tickles me. Now for those who may not know, The Great Movie Ride takes you through movie scenes and herewith The Great Muppet Movie Ride, the Muppets would be the ones taking us through those classic movie albeit in Muppet fashion. So you know something would go wrong. According to the Muppet Wiki, one film as seen in the picture I chose that would have been parodied is Frankenstein. I just love the whole idea behind this ride and like a lot of other things on this list, if given the proper treatment, I think it could've been a classic. Now there were also plans for a Disney Villains variant of The Great Movie Ride that would have been in 3D but I actually like the Muppet one better. Here's the main reason this attraction never came to be. Thanks in part to The Neverland Files and the biggest reason was sadly because of Jim Henson's untimely departure from our world.
In the mid to late eighties, Jim Henson was very willing to sell the Muppets to the Disney Company, but each time negotiations seemed to get somewhere, they fell apart. By 1990, things were ready to progress to the next step, but, sadly, Jim Henson passed away and the deal fell apart.
5. Toontown Trolley - Disneyland/MGM Studios
I love the Dumbo cameo in this picture. Hmm, we have our first attraction that was planned for not but two parks. Anyways back to the attraction, this would have been a simulator ride. One of my favorite types of rides are simulator rides and I really like the idea of having Roger Rabbit taking the guests through Toontown on a trolley hence the name. Now I couldn't find why this one was scrapped but still, the idea of Roger Rabbit taking these guests through Toontown. Can you imagine all of the cartoon cameos? The picture gives you one of them and of course as with any great rides something would have gone awry. But that's to be expected when Roger Rabbit is involved. Just this image alone convinces me that this ride could've been awesome.
4. Western River Expedition - The Magic Kingdom
This is one of the most often talked about Disney rides that was never built. As you can see by the name, it would have been themed to the old west and guests would ride on a boat that would have taken them through scenes in the town o Dry Gulch. It would be similar to another Disney ride that kind of helped this attraction not being built. We'll get to that in a sec. I may not be the biggest Western fan but I like the idea of this attraction. It's simple but a whole lot of fun with going through these different scenes and seeing the lives of people in the old west. Now I mentioned earlier that there was a ride that helped to play a part in this ride not seeing the light of day. Well that ride was Pirates of The Caribbean as you see one of the biggest complaints when The Magic Kingdom first opened was that there was no Pirates ride and to please the masses, this ride was scrapped and replaced with Pirates. Now I get it, Pirates was a Disneyland staple and I could see why guests would want it at The Magic Kingdom. It's a great ride, I'm not trying to take anything away from it but I'm of the belief that not all of the rides in Disneyland and The Magic Kingdom need to be the same. Just because they are the same parks just on different coasts does not mean they need the same rides. And yes, they do have rides that are unique to themselves and I think that it would have been fine if this ride had been built but at the end of the day, guests wanted Pirates and Disney gave them pirates but I still wish this had been built because it would have been great.
3. Beastly Kingdom - Animal Kingdom
For # 3, we aren't talking about one attraction here. Oh no! Rather an entire land that was planned for Animal Kingdom. Now Animal Kingdom as the park's name suggests focuses on the animals of our world but Beastly Kingdom would have been about the fantastical and mythical creatures such as the unicorns and dragons. That concept art right there is gorgeous and I really do think that this land would've been great. I mean the Tree of Life, the centerpiece of the park still has mythical creatures on it. I mean it would have musical boat centered around Fantasia. That would have been cool. Now why wasn't it built. Again, I turn to The Neverland Files and according to them, it was because of budgeting issues. Having the live animal exhibits cost a lot of money and there was very little left over to go towards this land. So instead of this land, Eisner who was still in charge at the time directed the Imagineers to build a temporary land that kinda became permanent being Camp Minnie-Mickey. Now I like to believe that Expedition Everest, which focuses on the Yeti is a way to pay homage to this land that never came to be. It's sad, this land would've been really cool.
2. WestCOT - Disneyland Resort
Now this name to Disney Parks fans should be a clue as to what this was going to be. Basically this was going to be a west coast version of EPCOT located at Disneyland Resort. Now the idea of having a second park did come to life with Disney's California Adventure but I don't know the idea of having a west coast EPCOT seems really cool to me. It's centerpiece would have been similar to Spaceship Earth. The centerpiece of EPCOT but it would've been called Space Station Earth and would have stood at 300 ft. tall until people complained about the height as they could see it from their backyards. (I don't see a problem there.) Now it's true a lot of the stuff would have been cloned from EPCOT but that doesn't bug me and yes I know what I said up top but EPCOT is a park where I'm willing to make an exception because it is just so unique that I think having two of them would've been awesome. It would have World Showcase just like the one in Florida but instead of being grouped by nations, the countries would've been grouped by regions. I really think that this would've been great and sadly, I believe the reason that this one never came to be was because of budgeting. They didn't plans things out the right way and this was one of the more expensive projects that was taken on. It's ashame too because I think that it would have been great. Now I know it may look I'm contradicting myself with what I said about fourth entry on the list but I stand by what I said in earlier in that, EPCOT is such a unique concept that having two of them would have been awesome.
1. Disney's America - Haymarket, Virginia
As you may have noticed Number 2 & 1 on this list go beyond even being a land as they're both proposed theme parks. Disney's America would have been the first US Disney theme park not in Florida or California. It's hard to explain what Disney's America would have been. For that check out this article. To put it simply , it would have been a walk through our nation's history and go into rich detail about America. The hub would have been themed around the Civil War. Now while the emphasis would have been on history, the same way EPCOT originally started with having emphasis on science, there would have been rides and attractions there such as The Hall of Presidents and a river rapid ride themed around Lewis and Clark. Take a look.
Man that look like it would've been a lot of fun. Now why wasn't this built. There were protests from citizen's groups that Disney putting this in Virginia (the state I currently live in as well). It's hard to say why it was protested. But this one pains me the most, probably because I live in Virginia and I would love to have a Disney park in my backyard. I mean who wouldn't want that. Now this land was eventually used for something else, Camp Snyder. The nations' first national Cub Scout camp. That's great, I was a Scout for a long as I can remember and I think it's awesome that we're looking after the Cub Scouts but I'd rather have Disney's America. I know it sounds petty and look Scouting was a huge part of my life but this is just that idea of having a Disney park so close to where I live is the stuff that dreams are made of and add in the fact that I love that US history, I think I would have loved this park. Sadly, it's one of those things that'll never be. I've been to Camp Snyder and it's nice and cute but each time I step foot on that land, I can't help but think what it would've been like if it had become Disney's America. Make sure you check out that article because it goes into greater detail about Disney's America than I do and plus, it talks about all of the lands at great length.
There you have it, the Top 6 Scrapped Disney Parks Projects that I would have love to seen see the light of day. Now there are many other great Disney projects that never came to be such as ride based around Baby Herman from Roger Rabbit or a Dick Tracy ride but thee 6 are the ones that intrigued me the most. To close this out, check out this old video that talks about some of the aforementioned projects.
I love Disney World and all the parks but sometimes, you come across an attraction that just disappoints you. Now I'll make no attempt to hide the fact that this was inspired by WDW News Today's Not Top 10. In which they counted down their Top 10 worst Disney World attractions and you may see some of the same attractions on this list. Anyways, let's get started.
6. The Studio Backlot Tour (In It's Current State) - Hollywood Studios
Now some of you may be wondering why with a picture as awesome looking at that, why I would put this attraction on here. Simple, it was taken out! In it's heyday before Lights, Motor, Action came along The Studio Backlot Tour was one of the greatest things to do at MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios). It was so much fun, not only would you get to see how they make movie but you'd get to watch some scenes and interact along with it and during this scene that I used for it would soak the passengers in the trams. I loved that. Oh and I'd be remiss if I forgot to mention that it involved a certain director of a film known as Revenge of The Fallen. Yes, Michael Bay was involved with this attraction. I'll let Wikipedia explain.
A film also loops with directorMichael Bay telling guests how some of the special effects scenes from Pearl Harbor were filmed. While guests are waiting, four volunteers are chosen to be used in the first part of the attraction.
Honestly, when I first went on this, I didn't even know who Bay was and that was probably for the better. Though I do see his influence with that picture up top. Even though I don't think he was involved. This is an attraction I loved and always loved it when you got wet on this thing but when that taken out, it just didn't feel the same. Still, for all the qualms I have with it, it isn't as bad as the others on this list. It just feels like it's a former shell of what it once was.
5. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin - The Magic Kingdom
What is it that disappointed me about this attraction? Well that can be summed in three words: Dumbo rip off. Just as with Dumbo The Flying Elephant you control the carpet and how you want to fly it. It just feels unneeded when you have a classic attraction such as Dumbo that already does this. Don't get wrong, I'm not saying that there shouldn't be an Aladdin attraction but why not make it a dark ride or a rollercoaster? It just seems lazy to copy a pre-existing attraction. Of course Disney knew the formula would work but again I just go back to it feeling lazy. Also why do you have Genie do the Spanish voice over for the safety tips? That seems odd. I don't know. At the end of the day, it just seems like a cop out on Disney's part to take the easy route. Now I can see why they'd choose to make a ride based around Carpet such as this because he flies. But still, I can't wrap my head around this one.
4. Tomorrowland Speedway - The Magic Kingdom
Now I've talked about this attraction in the past and I said that it was a letdown when I went on it and I still stand by that. I don't care that it's an opening day attraction, it's not a very good one. I mean I can get the appeal of driving around a speedway but it's so controlled that it does not feel like the real thing and let's not forget that the steering wheel is so stiff that it's hard to use. This one is just boring, really and when you come off an attraction bored. There is something wrong. The best Disney attraction like their films are able to get some kind of emotion out of their audience be it happiness or anger but when your bored on an attraction, that is just sad.
3. Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management - The Magic Kingdom
Go figure, 2 attractions that have elements of Aladdin in them. I like Aladdin and I like The Lion King but I'm not the biggest fan of Iago or Zazu. Enchanted Tiki Room was and is to this day a classic Disney Parks attraction but Under New Management. Yeah, not so much. I wanted to like this and I liked it the first time I saw it but each trip after the first time I saw it, it just became clear that it didn't work. I get the idea of pairing Zazu and Iago together as they are two opposing personalities but they don't gel off of each other and the more that I learned about Enchanted Tiki Room, it felt as though this incarnation was mocking classic Disney and that feels more like something that would be done by DreamWorks and not Disney. Also the Iago and Zazu audio-animatronics did not age well.
Iago looks creepy in this close up.
Thankfully, the original show was brought back in time for Disney World's 40th anniversary and no more Iago and Zazu. Even if they got rid of Iago and Zazu due to Iago catching on fire. This is one of those attractions that in this form that I feel like it does not work. Now I'll admit that I haven't seen the show since it reopened but I just hope that it's better than this.
Oh, I should've known better regarding this one. This attraction is often considered the worst thing that Disney World had to offer. I'm not even sure why I decided to do this. It was probably Drew Carey that drew me in. I love Whose Line Is It Anyway but this didn't have any of the humor that made that show work. It's really just an audio show where you hear all these random noises if you choose to put on the RaidoShack headphones they supply. I think the big problem here is that Disney was using a star in the wrong way, which they have done before numerous times. I don't know if any retooling could have worked to make this thing better. The plot is that your watching a test pilot for some new undercover show starring Drew Carey as the fictional character of Foster but majority of the time, the screen is blank because as stated this is an audio show. On paper, this seems like a concept that could have worked but something went wrong along the way. I don't know what but something just didn't gel. There is one nice thing that I can say about this attraction, it was a great place to go and take a nap.
1. Kali River Rapids - Animal Kingdom
My favorite type of rides are water rides. I especially love river rapid rides and each time I saw an ad for this one, people were soaked. I was excited to go on it. Well, I went on it and let's just say that I got more water on me from a water bottle than this ride. It also doesn't help that with all the turning and supposed splashing that the story is hard to follow. I like Disney doing stories but this one just seems incomplete and while this isn't the worst ride that I've been on, it was the most disappointing for a lot of reasons and I stated the big one at the top of this paragraph.
Now while these rides disappointed me, that does not mean I'd discourage others from giving them a try. While yes this is a negative countdown, this is me recanting my experiences on these attractions. Who knows, maybe someone else out there had a great time on these rides. Still, there so many other great things that the parks have to offer. Peace!
Hello and welcome back to Classic Shorts Showcase and if you recall one of the earlier Showcases that I did back when these were posted on Saturdays was Casey at The Bat. I enjoyed that short very much, of course this was the short I watched right after Ben and Me and really, anything was better than that short. Moving on to today's short though. This is a sequel to Casey at The Bat and from my understanding, this is an original story that Disney came up with for this short. Is it as good as the first? No, not really and you'll find out why in this review.
The Plot
This short picks up right at the end of the first Casey short, when Casey's wife comes to tell him that she's pregnant and Casey thinks that he is going to have a son and even when when the baby is born, he thinks it's a boy. It isn't until Casey goes to change the baby's diaper that he finds out, it's a girl and as life goes on, Casey's wife gives birth to more girls and because of this Casey refuses to pay the doctor that he delivered his daughters. It took Casey's baseball friends to show him that his daughters could be great baseball players. That's the main reason, why Casey wanted to have a son because he wanted a baseball player to carry on his legacy. Now this is my first problem with this short comes in. I say the because while the first one did have some semblance of a plot, it was a simple plot and Casey works better with a simplified plot, where you can laugh at his actions because of his attitude and it made his downfall so much funnier. Now I normally would not say this but I don't think fleshing out his character more than what he was in the first short was a good idea.
Narration
Narrator - Not Listed
For those of you read that my read my review of the first Casey short, you may recall that I compared the narration in that short to that of a an old time sportscaster on the radio talking about the game. Sadly, I did not get the same feeling with this short. Which is part of what gave the first short so much charm, here instead, it felt average and that's really disappointing because the narration in this short just felt average. That's almost worst than bad narration, if you ask me. This is probably the first short that I've come across where the narration while fitting the short was disappointing and at best forgettable. I mean I may not have cared for Basil Rathbone's narration for Wind In The Willows but at least it was memorable. Now I'm not saying that there shouldn't have been any narration because the essence of narration helps the short to flow but they could have used someone with a more memorable voice. In all honesty, the person narrating this short felt as though they were reading straight off a script and yeah, they probably were but with all the other narrations, it never felt so obvious or forced. That's the other thing in certain points in this short, the narration felt forced.
Characters
Casey - Not Voiced save for one line
In the original Casey short, Casey was a likable jerk but fleshing out his character in my opinion was a mistake because instead of being a jerk you could laugh at, he came across a pig and someone that hated women. I may have disliked Fifer and Fiddler but at least that was consistent with all the shorts but with Casey, yeah he was cocky in the first but at least I was able to laugh at him and in this one, I felt like I was suppose to laugh at his circumstance but instead of laughing at it, his personality in this short infuriated me because his actions came across as though he did not care about his daughters until he saw that they could baseball. Really? I mean, yeah I get that is what Casey's passion and love is but really? Way to take a character that was somewhat likable and turn him into completely distant character that I want nothing to do with.
Casey's Daughters - Not Voiced.
Y'know as much I want to defend Casey's daughters because of their father's attitude, I can't because they come across more as part of a recurring gag that Casey's wife will never have a son. This is not a hit on the daughters but at the same time, I feel as though that is the only reason, there are so many. None of the individual daughters have a personality that they can claim as their own. In the long run, they're flat characters. Now as seen in this picture, Casey does eventually form a baseball team with his daughters and we do get to see them play a championship game and they do win but Casey feels the need to help his daughters and go out on the field dressed as a girl to hit the ball. Hence the title but it was actually his eldest daughter that hit it and she is actually better at the game, then her pop. That was probably the only funny part in this otherwise bad short.
My Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, more than anything else, this short is disappointing. I loved Casey at The Bat, it was funny, to this day I have not laughed so hard at a Disney short as I did with Casey at The Bat but this one, I was honestly excited to watch it and it started out wonderfully but as the short progressed, I came to despise Casey. If this were the only Casey short and the first one did not exist, Casey would be one of my most despised Disney characters. Thankfully, the first short saves him from that. This short has a similar problem as Ben and Me in that one character ruined the entire short for me. Now this short is not as bad as Ben and Me (nothing can be) but it certainly comes close. Folks, just skip this short and stick to the first one. Join me next week as I take a look at
Right around now, there are rumors floating around of a biopic about Walt's attempts to get the films rights to Mary Poppins. It has been reported that Tom Hanks would play Walt and that Meryl Streep will play the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers. Now this is something that I kinda have mixed feelings on. On the one had, I've always wanted Disney to make a biopic about Walt but I've realized that this would be a massive undertaking and now I know Disney is trying to obtain the rights to the screenplay, so this is not an original script from Disney themselves but I do think that focusing on one point in his career is a better idea. Although this is just me but I'd rather see a biopic about the making of Snow White.
Anyways back to the topic at hand, this biopic creates so many questions in my head such as is Tom Hanks really a good choice to play Walt? Don't get me wrong, I love Hank's work such as Forest Gump or Castaway and let's not forget Toy Story but I just can't picture but Walt as Walt. I know I need to try condition my mind to an actor playing Walt but I'm just not sure.
Going to Mr. Disney for a second, if Mr. Hanks was to actually play Walt, there is so much that he would have to try to emulate from Walt's voice. It may not be a unique but it's a distinctive voice. Now I did post as a discussion in Fans of Disney and you guys came up with some good suggestions to play Walt such as Nic Cage or John Slattery.
To be fair, I think that the main reason that Slattery was mentioned is that he was basically playing Walt in Iron Man 2. Now whoever plays Walt, I think would do a fine job if given the right material, they'd do a fine job.
Now moving on to another thing that I wish to discuss is seeing as how this film is about Mary Poppins, I have to ask who could play The Sherman Brothers, Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews. Now I'm not going to try and cast anyone because I don't think I'm any good at that but if this film does get made, there are one of two ways, I could see this ending. I could see the film ending with Walt finally getting the rights to make the film and go off to shoot or it go through Walt making the film and end with the premiere. Again, I'm just speculating because I've never seen the actual screenplay and my ending could be way off from what the ending in the screenplay could be.
At the end of the day, this is just some fan speculation and I know that this is a shorter Can We Talk about than usual but I still wanted to talk about this. I hope that you've enjoyed this and share your thoughts in the comments below.
If there is one thing that I find very relaxing while working on either on a blog or homework, it would be listening to a podcast and well seeing as I like Disney, I tend to search for some Disney podcasts to enjoy. Many have come and gone and as right now, there are currently three that I'm listening to that there are a ton of fun. Today, I want to share my thoughts on these three podcasts with ya. I'll also make sure to include links to where you can find these podcasts along with links to their Facebook pages. I'll also be listing the main hosts alongside the podcast names and just as a sidenote besides the sites I'll be listing, you can find these podcasts on ITunes.
Mousterpiece Cinema - Josh Speigel
For all the Disney podcasts, that I've listened to, most of them have been about the parks and while I love the parks. That does get old and then all of the sudden on some random Disney fan blog, I discovered this Disney podcast that was not about the parks but rather the movies. Now this podcast is still young but it is still a blast to listen to. As of this blog, they're on episode 33 and the film of choice was Herbie Rides Again. Sorry to say but he wasn't a fan but I still respect his opinion. I should mention that the first episode that I ever listened to was that of his review of Dumbo. That was just a pure coincidence but I enjoyed it and decided to stick around and that was episode 14. Now as I said, there have been times when I did not agree with his opinions such as Josh's utter bashing of The Santa Clause but I could understand some of his complaints but I'll admit that podcast was hard to listen to. Now it is still fun to listen to and recently 2 new co-hosts have joined in a rotated seat and I think that it has only made the podcast better. Also be sure to check out Josh's and the other's Extended Thoughts on the films that they talk about on the podcast. You can find Mousterpiece Cinema at these following sites.
Now if you want a good time with a great cast of fans, check out The WDW News Today Podcast. These podcasts can last a while but it is always a good time. They have a lot of great segments such as their News & Rumor Reports, Back to The Future (yeah, I realize the irony in that title but so do they). Really, there are so many segments on here that it's hard to go over but the best part about this podcast is the cast. These are the kinds of fans that love Disney and especially the parks but at the same time, they're willing to poke fun at some of Disney's decisions that they don't agree with. This podcast is not informative but a whole lot of fun to listen to. By the way, if you do listen this podcast, make sure it's the Enhanced Edition as with that one you get pictures that relate to what the cast is talking about and it serves as a nice visual cue.
Now this podcast is the sister show of WDW News Today podcasts. Now that does not mean it is a clone of WDW as they have their own style to them. Yes, they have history segments and the news & rumor report segment too but this one has it's own personality to it. Plus being the sister show of WDW News Today means that sometimes you get cross overs between the cast. Just as with WDW News Today, make sure to check out the Enhanced Edition of the podcast.
A while back I went on a nostalgia spree and ended up buying the old Disney cartoons such as Darkwing Duck and DuckTales on DVD. Or in today's case, Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers, which I'll admit was the first of these I bought. Now there was one episode that stayed with me out of all the Rescue Rangers episode, mostly because of the subject and the title. That being today's episode, The Case of The Cola Cult
Episode Title
The Case of The Cola Cult
Admittedly, the title is what drew me to this episode, due in part because I was surprised that they were able to get away with using cult in the title. Call me crazy but I don't think would fly over today but the title doesn't hide what the episode is about and it's the better for it.
The Plot
The plot of this short is rather simple, the Rescue Rangers while out on a test run of their newest vehicle, they crash into the Cola Cult, a cult that worships the fictional soda Coo-Koo Cola (a parody of coca cola). This is where things get weird, it's not because the cult are represented in a negative light. Not at all, they're shown to people err mice that seem to have a common interest that'll take anyone in who wishes to feel that they belong and that's where things really pick up because Gadget's inventions start to break on her and she doesn't feel as though she be any help to the Rescue Rangers. She leaves the team and heads out onto the street, she later comes across the Cola Cult and they take her in. There Gadget discovers that one of the mice has been stealing all of the donations from the other mice. I have to say I really like this plot as it feels simple yet complex at same time. It feels very real and the subject is treated with respect.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into Important, Supporting, and Villain.
Important Character
Gadget voiced by Tress MacNeille
Gadget was the star of this short and she shined through. You could really feel her emotions in this short as a roller coaster. I felt bad for her when she felt down and there were some great humorous moments such as when she joined the cult. Though once she found what was really happening, she stood up and kicked butt. She was the hero of this short and saved the day. By the way that shot of Gadget with her inventions is just awesome.
Supporting Characters
Chip 'n' Dale voiced by Corey Burton & Tress MacNeille
Now I know that Chip 'n' Dale had more personality in this show than in their past shorts and if I were reviewing a different episode, I would've talked about them individually. I'm lumping them together here because in all honesty they're important but they are over shined by both Gadget and the storyline. Both of them along with the rest of Rescue Rangers feel more like background characters. That's one of the biggest problems, the characters and the story feel off kilter.
Monterrey Jack voiced by Peter Cullen
Monty was fun in this episode but again, he was a background character if nothing else as if that was for all intent and purposes, a Gadget centric episode and there's nothing wrong with that. Seeing as I like Gadget but as stated above, it felt of balance and now I'm just repeating myself. So I'll stop here and I won't bring Zipper because I'd being saying the same thing. I do apologize for this.
Pop Top - Voice Unlisted
Pop Top was the leader of The Cola Cult and at one point, he's believed to be the villain of the episode as the clues lead the Rangers to think that he was the one stealing from the other members. Though that wasn't the case. He was an okay character and pretty funny. A little goofy but he worked well enough.
Villain
Bubbles - Voice Unlisted
Now the reveal of who the villain actually was seemed a bit odd because I mean it almost came out of nowhere. Yes, there were clues to show that it was him but they were so minimal and that's another problem with this episode. It feels like three different stories but they do work. The first part of the story is about the cult, the second part is about Gadget quitting the team and then there is Bubbles. Though while the stories work, Bubble isn't much of a threat and I can see why he was a one time villain. Because it doesn't that much else could be done with him. While I couldn't find his voice actor, he certainly sounded like Jim Cummings.
My Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, this was a decent episode even though there three different stories spread over this episode that seem like hey shouldn't blend together but they do and this was a fun episode, even if it felt different from some of the other episodes of Rescue Rangers.
Hello and welcome back to Music Fridays. I have made it known that my favorite genre of music growing up was Country, now mostly Modern Country because that is what I grew up listening to and I use to have a cassette tape (anyone remember those) called The Best of Country Sing The Best of Disney. One of the earliest Music Fridays I did, I believe it was # 5 was all about Country Covers and at the time, I could not find many Country Covers online but over time, I've come across some more Country Covers and I've decided to talk about them on today's installment of Music Fridays.
Beauty and The Beast - Diamond Rio
I gotta say that I really like this cover. It may have a different sound than the classic but it works and it has that timeless feel to it that this song needs. The band Diamond Rio does a beautiful job with this song. Though nothing can ever compare to Mrs. Potts but all the same, everything about this covers works to sell me on it from the chords to the vocals, it is just perfect.
Kiss The Girl - Little Texas
This cover takes the song and really dashes Country all over it and I couldn't love it more for that. I'm biased, I love Country music. Honestly, I think Country is the best genre for Disney covers. Again, this is my bias coming out. Anyways, this song it's funny while the image of Ariel and Eric in the boat is so ingrained in my head, when listening to this cover, a picture an older couple at a bar or somewhere else and no it's no just because this is a Country song and honestly, I think Little Texas really had a lot with this cover.
Someday - Lee Roy Parnell
Before working on this Music Fridays, I didn't even know what film this song originally came from. By the way, it comes from Hunchback. This cover in many ways reminds me of Allison Krauss' cover of Baby Mine in how they're both beautifully simple covers. It really feels as though Lee Roy poured his heart into this cover and I believe that he believes every word he's singing and there is just something about the way he sings the word "someday", that I find emotionally powerful. I've seen people say that this is the best version of this song, well I haven't heard the original in a long time but I do imagine that this cover could give it a run for it's money.
If I Never Knew You - Hal Ketchum & Shelby Lynne
This is a great song to close out on and this is such a good cover of this song. Is it just me or does anyone else feel that these covers make the characters seem older? Probably just me but all the same, I love this cover and just as I said with Kiss The Girl, I picture something different than the film for this song too. With this one, I actually see it as a story of an older couple who had fallen out of love and they were each other's first love and they will always hold that flame for each other but in their heart of hearts, they know that it is time to move on because there is nothing left for them but they'll have the memories of being together to look back on. I'll let you in on a secret, this one of the few covers I prefer over the original.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this look at Country Covers of Disney songs. Now I know that not everyone likes this genre but it's my favorite genre and we all have to indulge ourselves every once in awhile. Join me next week as I take a look at Theme Songs of TV Shows Based On Classic Disney Films.
Well after two rather dark and grim shorts, how about, a short of lighter fare. Join me today as I take a look at Lambert The Sheepish Lion. Fun fact for ya, Mr. Stork from Dumbo appears in this short with Sterling Holloway reprising the role and he is also the narrator.
The Plot
The plot of this short is rather simple, during Mr. Stork's delivery run, he accidentally gets Lambert a lion mixed in with a herd of sheep and realizes this mistake too late as Lambert grows attached to a female sheep that becomes his mother and over the years, Lambert is the but of the others' jokes because he is different until he saves his mother from being eaten by a wolf. The plot while simple, I like and I always enjoy these stories of overcoming and adapting to your differences.
Narration
Narrator - Sterling Holloway
Oh, Sterling, how I've missed your voice? Without a doubt, Sterling Holloway is my favorite Disney voice actor. His narration here as always is excellent. Now it's never said outright in the short but I like to believe that it was Mr. Stork narrating the short but that mainly comes from the fact that Mr. Stork was also in this short and unlike the dreadful Ben and Me, the narration was done from a third person perspective. Which was the common format of narrating for Disney shorts and as always, it worked to a great effect.
Characters
This'll be broken down into Main, Supporting, and Villain. With that out of the way, let's begin. Also for Lambert, I'll be focusing on both his young and adult years.
Main Character
Young Lambert - Voice Unlisted
Young Lambert is adoarable and quite fun. He may not fit in and be the but of all the jokes but he doesn't let that get him down. He always looks for the positive but I think part of that comes from the fact that he doesn't understand that he's difference.
Adult Lambert - Voice Unlisted
Adult Lambert is a bit of a scaredy cat because he never had a lion to raise to teach him how to be a lion. He's still pretty funny but he does finally come into his own when his mama is about to be eaten by a wolf. He finally becomes a lion and gives out a big old roar that scares away the wolf and he gains respect from the rest of the herd for saving them. Again, he was fun to watch but I don't know, I think I liked young Lambert better.
Supporting Characters
Mr. Stork voiced by Sterling Holloway
This short came out nearly a decade after Dumbo but Sterling Holloway came back to reprise his role as Mr. Stork and it was so cool seeing Mr. Stork in another piece of animation. Just as with Dumbo he wasn't in the short very long but unlike, Dumbo he got things mixed up and that's how Lambert ended up with the lambs(sheep). Now even though he wasn't in the short too much, he was still fun to watch.
Many of Disney's films have an element of magic to them. Sometimes it's a magical character such as The Fairy Godmother or Genie or in today's case, magical items. Join me as I countdown the Top 6 Magical Items that Disney has given us over the years. The only stipulation that I have for this list is that it must've actually been magic, therefore The Magic Feather from Dumbo does not count for this list.
6. Rapunzel's Hair (Healing Song) - Tangled
Admittedly, # 6 is not a separate item but rather part of the main character in this film. Even still, it plays an important part to film. Rapunzel's hair can channel energy from the sun and it can be used to heal people. Rapunzel gained this power when her birth mother is ill while in labor and she drinks a tea from the magical plant that channels the sun. This is why Mother Gothel decides to kidnap Rapunzel as she uses the hair to keep her younger because besides healing power, it can also be used to keep people young. It may not be the greatest but it can be used for good and the way Rapunzel's hair glows when she heals someone is quite stunning and of course, we can't forget the healing song that she has to recite. Here's a video of the healing song along with the lyrics for you guys.
Man, I love the music in this movie and this song is no exception. So simple and pure, it really does give off that feeling of being a spell. Here's the lyrics for you guys.
Flower gleam and glowLet your power shineMake the clock reverseBring back what once was mineHeal what has been hurtChange the fate's designSave what has been lostBring back what once was mineWhat once was mine
5. Genie's Lamp - Aladdin
Genie's Lamp is really just that a lamp but I have always liked the look of it and plus it is very spacious, it may look small on the outside but on the inside at least according to the TV show, there is plenty of room.. Which contradicts the movie a bit but even still. Now the lamp itself doesn't hold any magic except for when you rub it and releases the Genie. So this one I had to teeter back and forth on if it really counted or not and at the end of the day, I say it does. While were on the topic of lamps, I think I should also mention Jafar's lamp. Which granted is just this lamp but the design of the lamp was changed to match Jafar.
The design of Jafar's lamp is very sleek and it has this look to it that makes it look rather modern. I really like the design of Jafar's lamp. Almost more than Genie's lamp because it is really cool to look at.
4. Pixie Dust - Peter Pan
I love Pixie Dust. I mean c'mon, magic dust that lets you fly is just cool. It's simple stuff to use, just sprinkle it on ya and think happy little thoughts and the dust will do it's stuff. That is great, the Pixie Dust to me is just like a bit of happiness that you can sprinkle all over. Also never forget this...
Faith, Trust,& Pixie Dust.
3. Mary Poppins' Bag - Mary Poppins
If this was a list of magical ladies, Mary Poppins would most likely take the top spot. Her bag just like Genie's lamp may be simple in nature but the magic in the bag comes from watching Mary pull of these huge things that should not fit into a bag of that size out of it. It really boggles the mind and the mind is just so curious to know more about this bag. It's almost a childlike sense of curiosity that rises from seeing Mary pull all of this stuff out of her bag. That childlike sense of wonder with the bag was not lost in the stage adaption either because I was still left thinking "How did Mary Poppins fit all of this in her bag?" The bag may be one of the simpler items on this list but it causes so many questions to pop up in my mind that I could not leave it off this list.
2. The Enchanted Mirror - Beauty and The Beast
Okay, before I get too far into this, let's clarify one thing. I went back and forth over the mirror or the rose and at one point, I almost had them both on this list but at the end of the day, I had to with the mirror. Don't get me wrong, the rose does play an important part in the film but I've always liked the mirror more. As it was said in this film is the mirror was Beast's window to the outside world. I don't know what it is about the mirror but I like that it could be used as a window to the outside world and I would love to have something like this and the way that Belle uses it to see her father is really tragic and let's not forget that Belle used it to show the townspeople the Beast. Perhaps not the smartest move but at the time, she was thinking with her heart.
1. The Sorcerer's Hat - The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Fantasia)
When coming up with list, I knew I wanted this to my # 1. There is just something about the hat and how the magic that it hold that is intriguing. You can really blame Mickey for wanting to try out the hat, it's right there and it's so tempting to put it on and try it out for yourself with all of the magic it contains. It is so cool and next time, I go to Disney World, I'm getting myself one. Let's not forget in the Nic Cage film of the same name at the end, they had a hat that looked similar to this but at the end of the day, I'll always go with this one. This little hat holds so much magic and if in the wrong hands like Mickey, it could cause some trouble and chaos.
Hello and welcome to another edition of Music Fridays. Today, it's all about the ladies and their songs. I'm taking a look at some of my favorite songs either from or how about the ladies. Let's begin with one of my favorites in recent memory.
When Will My Life Begin
I know some consider this the weakest song from the film but I disagree, I think it's one of the best from Tangled. I'll admit I'm a sucker for the pop sound of this song but I love it and this is a song, where you really have to listen to the lyrics to understand Rapunzel's desire. She wants to know a life outside the confines of the tower that Gothel has kept her in for her whole life. It's a really sweet song with a great message and this is one of the best ways to get the audience to connect to Rapunzel.
God Help The Outcasts
Now we go to a song that's a bit mature in nature compared to the first. Though this is one of the best songs from this film and in my opinion of the more underrated and understated Disney songs. Here we see Esmeralda praying fro help from Mother Mary, she doesn't want anything but she's praying for the ones that are in a lesser state than where she is. It's beautiful and if you know me, you probably figured out that I was going to file this song under the category of beautifully simple.
Belle (Reprise)
Now as much as I love Belle, both song and character, I feel that the reprise does a better job of bringing the audience into her head and find out what she wants. While the original is about Belle form the perspective of the town, with the reprise we get to know Belle for who she really is in her own words.
Reflection
This is my second favorite song from Mulan and again just as with Belle (Reprise), this song sheds some light on Mulan and how she feels. With this song, she is at a cross roads, she doesn't know who she truly is because it's not really reflected and I think we've all been there at one point in our lives.
I Can't Believe My Heart
If you recall last week, I said that my favorite Disney song sung by a female is I Won't Say I'm In Love from Hercules. Well believe it or not, Meg was supposed to have another song. This one right here. I like it for what it is and if it had been given to a different character, I think it would've worked better. Perhaps it's just me but I'm not too sure that this song gels with Meg's personality. Just as with I Won't Say I'm In Love, wee see Meg in a vulnerable state and while it does feel authentic, it just felt more authentic with I Won't Say I'm In Love.
Mickey, She's Got a Crush on You
This is one of the cutest songs that I've ever heard and I love it. It's just so cute hearing a song talking about Minnie's feelings for Mickey. I've talked about this song in the past but I couldn't pass up another chance talking about this song because it's just so adorable. I first discovered this song on a CD, I bought at my local Hallmark Store that had all these different songs about Mickey on there and this one has stood out as one of my favorites. Whenever I listen to this song, I just picture Mickey and Minnie in high school going through the whole crush thing. It's one of the cutest songs about Mickey and Minnie, I've ever heard.
There you have it, my songs from Ladies of Disney. Join me next week when I take a look at More Country Covers of Disney. So grab a cowboy hat and join me next Friday as I delve into the genre that shaped my childhood with these Country Covers.
Hi and welcome to a different Classic Shorts Showcase, then what your used to. Yes, I've reviewed dark shorts in the past but this is perhaps the darkest thing I've looked at from Disney and perhaps the scariest. (Except for that dam donkey scene) Anyways, if you saw last's week Showcase, you know that I reviewed a WWII short and today, I'll be reviewing another WWII short. Folks, there's no beating around the bush with this short, it's uncomfortable to watch. Not because it's bad, quite the opposite, it's very good but rather, it's subject matter is what makes it a hard sit. Before I get too far into the review, there are some things that should be adressed, this is perhaps the darkest and grimmest short I'll ever cover. Some of the images from this short may upset or offend some readers and if you feel that these images will upset, you, your best bet is to just click out of here now. This short's title should give away what it's about and I like to think my fans are mature enough to handle this subject in a serious light. Now I should explain why I chose this and the other two WWII shorts to review. I've always had an interest in this particular area of history and well, these shorts help me to better understand the "How" and the "Why" What I mean by this I look at these shorts and took a Holocaust Studies course to better understand twhy the Holocaust happened and to also see how it happened. I don't need to tell you that I don't have the answers to the "How" or the "Why" but these shorts, Holocaust Museums and classes about the Holocaust give me greater insight into the "How" and "Why". Well, I've put it off long enough, let's get to the review.
The Plot
The basic plot of this short is what the title suggest, we see the making of a Nazi as we follow young Hans from birth to adulthood, where all he does is heil and march, heil and march. He learns how to become a Nazi and that only the strong should survive. Of course, his parents first had to have his name approved and so they had to go here.
The name is safe for now. Also you'll notice the swastika all over in this short and I have to say that I'm impressed the animators were able to make that building feel big. Anyways back to the plot, it's a great idea to do this way because I think this is the most observant way it could've been done. To me, the plot is part of what makes this short so effective but it's also the imagery.
Narration
Narrator - Art Smith
The use of narration is unique. The narration was done almost like a documentary and that style works for this short and I really feel that was the best way to go with this short because the more they treated it as though it were real, it made the short feel more realistic.
Character
Hans
Hans as a character was a blank slate that comes from the fact that he was a child throughout most of the short. It was so interesting watching him as he grew up from a young who was innocent and had his own beliefs into a young man who thought the Nazi way. This is best shown when he is told when his teacher asks him about a drawing on the chalkboard of a fox and and a rabbit and at first, he feels sympathy for the rabbit but over time, he's told that he's wrong and this convinces him that the rabbit is too weak to survive. While I won't say I connected to Hans, I will say that I felt bad for what he was becoming.
Ending Images
Now again, this is an area that needs to be discussed because the imagery in this short is some of the most powerful.
Remember what I said about thinking the Nazi way, this picture represents that here with them blocking out anything that isn't Nazi. Eerie but effective!
I enlarged this image from it's original size so that you could get a better understanding of what it is. At the very end of the short, we see members of the Third Reich marching along but as the short closes out, they are replaced with crosses with their helmets on the crosses and I take that to mean these Nazi soldiers had died. Again, this goes back to the title Education For Death.
My Final Thoughts
It's hard to say where I stand on this short and I'm not sure that I did a good enough job covering it here but I hope that I've gone into enough detail to give you an idea of what this short is. As I said, this short is a hard sit because of the subject matter. Would I reccomend it? This is one short, where I'm not sure because I think that you need to make the decision of whether or not you can handle this short. It's really good but very depressing and might easily upset some. This is one Disney short that I would not show to a young child because A. it wasn't intended for them and it's too dark for a child. Now that's my thinking but I could be wrong. I think I've said everything that I need to about this short. For the next short, I need something light and fluffy. But what, oh I know...
Hello and welcome back to Vs. Today on Vs., I'm taking a look at a suggestion that was thrown to me by Positive Troll, when I said I was looking for good match up for Rapunzel. Now this match up will be similar to that of my Tiana Vs. Belle. The categories include Personality, Desire, Song, Defining Moment, and The Film Factor. For any of those that need a reminder Film Factor is where I take a look at which character works better in her respective film. Oh and even though I won't be taking a look at fighting, Rapunzel would win there just for the sheer fact that using a frying pan was really funny.
Personality (Round 1)
Rapunzel
I've always said this about Rapunzel in that she started out as a young and timid flower but blossomed throughout the film. I loved watching her personality develop throughout the film. It was refreshing seeing her develop and become more of a character. She came into her own throughout the film.
Cinderella
Well, Cinderella's personality shows that she is strong-willed and hardly lets anything or anyone get her down but I don't know, I kinda feel as though she has the least interesting personality out of all the female Disney characters. She's not a bad character but she doesn't stick out. For that reason, this round goes to Rapunzel.
Desire (Round 2)
Rapunzel
Rapunzel's biggest desire is to leave the tower and to go see the lights that she sees on her birthday each year as she believes it means something more than just being lights. Rapunzel's desire is beautiful and I can really understand why she'd want to leave the tower after being locked up there for so long. She wants freedom and she's a teen. Doesn't she deserve that? I think so.
Cinderella
Cinderella's desires while on the surface may appear to be going to the ball but in reality, she wants to escape from the clutches of her step mother and her wicked step sisters. She had been stuck with them ever since her father had died. Lady Termaine has mistreated Cinderella for so long and Cinderella doesn't want to put up with it any longer but Cinderella is a rather passive person and doesn't know how to confront this but even still, I find her desires to be a bit more tragic and that's why I have to give this round to...
Cinderella
Song (Round 3)
When Will My Life Begin (Rapunzel)
I freakin' love this song. Now I know that most people have said that this is the weakest song in Tangled but I'd disagree. This song fits the personality of Rapunzel so well. Because another thing that I forgot to mention when talking about her personality is that she is just so bubbly and that comes through in this song so well. Yeah, this song does fall into the category of "I Want". Now this isn't something that I would normally do but to understand this song and how it shows Rapunzel's personality as being the shy and timid flower, I need to examine both of the reprises.
Reprise 1
With the first reprise just listen to how Rapunzel says the word "door", you can hear in her voice that she wants to start this adventure but at the same time, she is scared but she wants a life.
Reprise 2
With the second reprise, I just love how big everything feels and it really seems as though this reprise encompasses Rapunzel's desires to have a life and I just want to tell her, "Go after it".
A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Cinderella)
I do like Cinderella's singing voice and that actually makes this round a bit harder. This song has that wonderful lullaby feel to it that some older Disney songs do and it works so well. I can't write this song off. It's classic and just as with When Will My Life Begin, it fits the personality of Cinderella rather well. I always have the hardest time when it comes to the songs. Now When Will My Life Begin has a big sound to it and it works well whereas this song is simple and I'd label as being beautifully simple but with that said, it comes down to personal preference and as much as I like this song, I like When Will My Life Begin more. For that reason this round goes to Rapunzel.
Defining Moments (Round 4)
Rapunzel
For Rapunzel, her defining moment would have to be when he she finally stands up to Mother Gothel and this line solidifies
I am the lost princess, aren't I?... Did I mumble, Mother? Or should I even call you that?
I think this is really her defining moment because she has come full circle and learned the truth of her past and she finally blossoms into a young lady that is no longer scared of the world around her. Finally being able to stand up to Mother Gothel takes a lot of courage and Rapunzel doing that shows she has grown and into a mature young lady and is no longer a scared girl.
Cinderella
Cinderella's defining moment is harder to define but if I had to pick one for her, I think that it'd be her going to the ball. In this moment, Cinderella finally get a sense of freedom that she has wanted and does not feel as though she is under control of Lady Termaine and her sisters. Getting to see Cinderella free from all of the trouble that life has thrown at her is refreshing but I can relate to Rapunzel's defining moment here and therefore this round goes to her.
The Film Factor (The Final Round)
Now I know to some it may seem pointless to even go into this round as Rapunzel has taken the lead with a 3 - 1 score but all the same, let's get it on.
Rapunzel
Rapunzel works really well in her film, though at the time, the other characters such as Maximus can overshadow her but she does work well off of the other characters and this is more an ensemble piece but as much I love her personality, she is just one of many standout characters from her film.
Cinderella
Cinderella is THE star of her film and there is no denying that, she is not overshadowed any other character whatsoever. Cinderella commands your attention and when she is on screen, you pay attention to her presence. Really, the only characters that come close overshadowing her are Gus Gus and Jaq but Cinderella is the character your most interested in watching. For this reason, this round goes to...
Cinderella
The End Result
In the end, Rapunzel is the winner with a 3 -2 outcome. In a first on Vs., though the winner didn't win The Film Factor, I'll concede that Cinderella does work better in her but as I feel that Rapunzel is the all around better character. I made my argument here and I already know that people may disagree with this outcome. While Rapunzel may not have had the better Film Factor, she had the better personality, better song, and better defining moment. At the end of the day, this is just for fun and I hope you enjoyed this.
Disney has given us some classic couples over the years such as Belle and Beast or Mickey and Minnie and while those are great couples in their own right, there is another classic Disney couple with a beautiful love story that seems to be overshadowed these days. An example of this is when AFI (American Film Institute) did it's special 100 Years... 100 Passions (a countdown of the greatest cinematic love stories) , it only ranked at # 95 while another Disney film, Beauty and The Beast came in at # 34. What film am I talking about? Well, it's in the title of this review. Won't you join me as I take a look at two characters that have stars in their eyes as I review Lady and The Tramp.
Now this isn't something I do very often but this trailer feels somewhat misleading. In the sense that they're hiding the love story aspect of the film and yet that is what the film is most remembered for. Instead with this trailer, it looks like they're playing up the dog angle. Which while the main characters are dogs, this film is more about the relationship of Lady and Tramp yet it to me at least feels like this trailer was saying "If you love dogs, come see this movie". Now that's just how I see it. Maybe you see it differently but this is interesting to say the least.
The Plot
It really seems that the older Disney films are simpler in nature than others and that works for this film. This may be a film about dogs but it's a film about dogs falling in love. They both happen to be from two different worlds. Lady comes from the Park Ave and is considered a dog of higher class while Tramp comes from the streets and loves life on the street. He wouldn't trade it in for anything, that is until he meets Lady and he falls in love with her. This plot while simple works well for this story and I will admit there were moments in this film that made it feel like a romantic comedy with some of the cliches used but it was never overly sappy unlike rom-coms.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into Main, Supporting, and antagonists. Also just as a sidenote, Lady and Tramp are adressed by different names other than their own. Therefore, I'll include their other names when talking about them.
Main Characters
Lady/Pige voiced by Barbra Luddy
Lady is a character that I'm not sure how I feel about. I mean on the one hand, she does come off as being privileged. Though this mostly comes from the lifestyle that she's led. Does it make her unlikable? No, not really but there are moments where her actions make her come off as being cold. She's a good lead character though but I just think Tramp is the better lead out of these two. As for nickname Pidge, Tramp gives her that nickname because when he sees her at one point it's at a birdbath with pigeons around.
Tramp/Butch voiced by Larry Roberts
In my opinion, Tramp is a bit more interesting and part of that comes from that fact most of his life was spent on the streets. Also Tramp is shown to be a sort of salesman, making it obvious that he is also a bit of a con artist. This is mainly seen when sells the Beaver on Lady's muzzle as a log puller. While Tramp may not have the best track record, he is likable and he does look out for his friends and wants to help them for the most part. True, this can be argued because when Lady is caught by the dog catcher, he just hides and doesn't do anything to stop her but at the same time, I do understand where Tramp was coming from in that instance because the Pound had been looking for him and didn't want to be caught. This is one of those moments where his actions are understandable but not completely justifiable. Still, it is evident that he does have affection for Lady. I think this is most evident during Lady and Tramp's night out on the town. I think the biggest reason, I prefer Tramp over Lady is that while Lady does have some character flaws, they're really not fleshed out whereas Tramp's character flaws are much more obvious and better fleshed out. Having these flaws makes him a much more engaging character than Lady. As for his nickname of Butch, that is what the character of Tony calls him. It's never explained why and it doesn't need to be.
Supporting Characters
Jim Dear voiced by Lee Millar
One thing that I liked in this film was that Lady's two owners were never addressed by their actual names but rather affectionate nicknames that they have for one another that Lady assumes are their real names because that is what Lady hears them address each other by. Okay, now that I got the niceties out of the way, can I say I'm so happy that Jim Dear and Darling are not in much of the film because they are bland. These two are up there with Jenny from Oliver and Company and Penny from The Rescuers as two of the most forgettable characters from Disney. Hmm, starting to notice a trend here, Disney films that animal leads sometimes have forgettable human characters. Interesting. Back to Jim Dear, to me it feels as though the only important thing he has to offer is that he is that bought Lady and gave her to Darling. Now I know what some of you may be thinking, when I did my re review of Dumbo, I listed Mr. Stork as an important character because he delivered Dumbo. Here's the thing unlike Mr. Stork, who we got to spend some quality time with, the film never fleshed out Jim Dear or Darling. Not that they needed to because the story is about Lady and Tramp but in the short amount of time we had with Mr. Stork, there was a personality there but that was not the case here.
Darling voiced by Peggy Lee
Now I won't be spending too much time on Darling because I talked about her a lot when I talked about Jim Dear. Darling is likable and nice but other than that, there wasn't much to her. By the way, get used to seeing Peggy Lee's name because she voiced other character besides Darling.
Jock voiced by Bill Thompson
Jock was an all right character. He was likable and gave me off the vibe of wanting to see best for Lady and would do anything to protect her almost in a fatherly sense. While at first it appears that he has a disdain for Tramp, he does end risking his life to save Tramp from the pound.
Trusty voiced by Bill Baucom
Trusty was a fun character and I think that he was meant to be the comic relief and you know what, it worked. Sure at times, his joke of being forgetful wore thin but just like Jock, he had a lot of heart and oh man in the final confrontation, when Trusty and Jock go to save Tramp that is one of the coolest things ever done by Disney. That chase sequence was so much fun to watch and had me rooting for Trusty and Jock to save Tramp. That is one of the coolest moments in this film.
Tony voiced by George Givot
Now unlike Jim Dear and Darling, Tony is a great human character in this film. Tony is such an endearing character and it is so much fun seeing him interact with Tramp or as he calls him, Butch. I got the sense that Tony was the only in town as more than a mutt and considered him his pal. It felt as though, Tony wanted to protect Tramp and he knew how to take care of Tramp and Lady. I mean after all, he is the one that sings Bella Notte. Also it is kinda cute how he gives Tramp and Lady a menu to order off and according to Tony, they wanted spaghetti and that led to perhaps the most famous Disney kiss. Oh before I move on to Joe, there is something that I found that is kinda cool. On Main Street in Magic Kingdom, there actually is a restaurant called Tony's and if you go to the back window you'll see Lady and Tramp on the window. Also there is a Lady and The Tramp fountain. Here take a look.
That is pretty cool if you ask me but now getting back to the review and we pick up with Joe.
Joe also voiced by Bill Thompson
Joe is Tony's loyal employee and according to DisneyWiki, sidekick. Which I can buy (at least more than the DisneyWiki saying that Jock was voiced by Sterling Holloway). Anyways, as with Jim Dear and Darling, not much time is spent with Tony and Joe but the time with them is memorable and Joe is a great character to balance to Tony. He may get upset with bosses' short temper but you can see that he enjoys working for Tony and only wants to make the best food. Going back to the parks, here for a second, Tony and Joe don't appear in the parks often and after seeing this it is clear why.
Disney, really? This looks cheap
I do apologize if the park stuff is taking away from the review but I wanted to try something different.
Peg also voiced by Peggy Lee
Hmm, Peg. The one character that has stumped me in how to describe her. I guess you could say she's an alright character and comes across as the dog equivalent of the girl that men want but they know can't have and she knows it too. And she uses that to her advantage. It's also hinted that she had a thing for Tramp and if she wasn't in the pound, pursue him. I'm still not sure if I got this character but this is at least how I perceive her.
Music
Main Title (Bella Notte)/The Wag of a Dog's Tail
I just love the opening music for this film. It is so relaxing and so much fun to listen to. It is so calming and peaceful. It's also very soothing and gives you the hope that love is real. Now I'll be talking about this song again seeing as Bella Notte is performed twice. This entire number is gorgeous.
Peace on Earth
Until rewatching this film for this review, I'd forgotten that it opened on Christmas and while this version of Peace on Earth does have a timeless feel to it, I'm not sure if I like the voice of the person singing it. Don't get me wrong, it is a beautiful voice but I don't think that it fits the song.
The Siamese Cat Song
Okay, how is it this song is one of the more remembered from this film? The imagery is fun to look at, sure and the characters are funny but really the lyrics in this song are forgettable, if you ask me. Must be the sound of this song and what Si and Am do because really, this song to me at least it feels forgettable.
Bella Notte (Main Version)
This is what I remember most from this film and I have a feeling that I'm not alone. This sequence has to be one of the cutest in any Disney film and Tony knows how to sell this song. I love the transtiton of going from Tony to the other singers during the montage of Lady and Tramp's night out on the town. It is beautiful and in my opinion, the best song in the film. We get to spend time with Lady and Tramp during this montage and see them fall in love and it works.
He's a Tramp
As stated in the trailer, Peg knows how to sell a song and it has been so long since I've heard the original version of this song as I'm used to the On the Record version and I think I like that cover better but even still, this song is a lot of fun and if you've been reading my blogs for a long time, you know that I've labeled songs about villains not sung by villains, "Cruella" songs and well, I believe the same can be said for this song except instead of being about a villain, it's about one of our lead characters. It works well and if you recall what I said about Peg wanting to pursue Tramp, I feel that the evidence lies within this song to show that.
Peace On Earth (Finale)
Just as how this film opened on Christmas, it also closes on Christmas and here we see Lady and Tramp's kids for the first time until this came along. Moving on, I think that this was a great idea to have the film open and close on Christmas. I'm not sure if it is the same person singing the finale as the person that sings Peace on Earth at the beginning of the film because I actually prefer the singing in this one compared to the first one. It feels happier and is a nice way to close out the film.
Antagonists
Si and Am both voiced by Peggy Lee
Si and Am are the two Siamese cats that toy with Lady and end up getting in her trouble with Aunt Sarah. As I stated above, I don't understand why their song is so memorable. The characters I get somewhat but they are in so little of the film, that it is almost surprising that The Siamese Cat Song has been considered one of the scariest moments in this films. I guess if your younger, perhaps but I don't see it as scary but rather humorous.
Aunt Sarah voiced by Verna Felton
Aunt Sarah in may regards reminds me of The Elephant Clique from Dumbo in that I would not label either one as true villains and again, you may be wondering why I'm including Aunt Sarah as an antagonist. Simply put, her actions come across as more antagonistic but at the same time, her actions are justifiable in my opinion because she is trying to protect the baby and while she may not like Lady, she never comes across as truly evil. A great example of her actions being justified are when Tramp goes into the baby's room to get rid of the rat. She'd never seen Tramp before and she was in her right to shoo Tramp out of the house and call the pound. Sure, I may have felt bad for Tramp in that instant but I do understand her actions in that moment. Now as much I try to justify Aunt Sarah's actions, there is one thing that she had done to Lady that scared me. If you'll recall at one point, Aunt Sarah takes Lady to the dog store to get a muzzle put on Lady. Forget The Siamese Cat Song because the muzzle scene is the scariest sequence in this film. Just the fitting of the muzzle frightened me more than anything else.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, this film holds up rather well. A lot of elements work but there are some things that should have been tweaked such as making Jim Dear and Darling more engaging characters. The love story is wonderful but at the same time, I can see why AFI only placed it at # 95. It's not that the film isn't memorable or timeless but it seems that while the love story is good, it wasn't until Beauty and The Beast came along that Disney had perfected the love story. Taking Beauty and The Beast out of the equation, though this film has a wonderful love story and while it may not make my Top 6 Favorites Animated Disney Films (neither would Beauty and The Beast by the way), it's still fun to watch and I would reccomend it, if you like good love stories or dogs.
As many of already know, House of Mouse is my favorite cartoon series from Disney and there are many great and memorable moments from the show but what do I rank as my favorites, you'll find out soon enough. As today, I'm counting down my Top 6 House of Mouse Moments. The only rule that I've set up is that is must come from an episode. Therefore, nothing from either special will appear on this list as they were not aired as episodes but rather released as Direct-to-Video films.
6. Daisy Crockett
Well, this is certainly a different take on this classic. Still, it's funny and it's one of Daisy's funnier moments on the show. It fits the personality they gave her on the show, even if she did alter the lyrics some to fit her style and personality. It's great for a chuckle.
5. The Parking Garage in Max's New Car
Max's New Car is probably one of my favorite episodes as Max is one of my favorite characters and probably has one of the one of the greatest cameo scenes in it. In the garage, you can find a car from Autotopia, two light cycles from Tron and Susie The Little Blue Coupe. Seeing all of these are pretty cool for a Disney fan but that is nothing compared to my favorite scene featuring a lovable bug interacting with Max.
This is probably the coolest scene in the entire episode just for the fact that it's Herbie and even in an animated form, he still has that same charm and it is so cool seeing two of my favorite Disney characters, one from animation and one from live-action interact with each other.
Before we move on to # 4, there is no way to prepare for what your about to see, it may cause a burst of laughter after you see this picture.
4. Hades as Mickey Mouse
That is perhaps one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Just the idea of Hades, lord of the Underworld dressed up as Mickey, the nicest and most genuine guy around can cause me to burst out in laughter. The setup for this episode is that Hades has a thing for Maleficent and wants some advice on how to woo her and one of the ideas is a makeover and this is one of the results from said makeover. Best part is that James Wood returned to voice Hades for the show. This is perhaps one of the funniest things, take it in all it's glory.
3. No One Like Gaston
No One Blogs Like Gaston! Thought, I'd have a little fun there. A running gag throughout the show is Gaston would always see someone doing something and he would say that is better at it than by saying something along the lines of what I used to open this description. Did it mess with character and forget he was menacing? Yeah but it was a Saturday morning cartoon and this is pretty funny. Seeing him do this stuff and watching these scenes, you can see how annoying he is to the other customers.
2. Dumbo Airlines
Another constant gag the show always did is at the end of each episode is they would promote a service provided by a Disney character such as this one Dumbo Airlines. The joke here was that Dumbo was an airline for mice and just as with the parking garage scene, it is cameo filled with Disney mice. You have Timothy of course, Jaq and Gus Gus, Bernard and Bianca, and finally Dawson and Basil. Again I like this for the cameos and the idea of Dumbo being an airline for mice is pretty funny actually. Also I had to throw in a Dumbo moment somewhere.
1. Roxanne appearing on House of Mouse in Max's Embarrassing Date
A Goofy Movie is one of my all time favorite films and the fact that we don't see Roxanne in the sequel angered me and don't even get me started on that film as they pretend the first film never happened. For a very long time, I was left wondering what happened to Roxanne and I finally got the answer when someone decided to have her appear on House of Mouse for a date with Max. Where everything went south not because of Goofy but because of the rest of staff. Just getting to see Roxanne one more time, made me happy because I liked her character and I was hoping against hope that she'd be integrated into the cast of Mickey and the gang like Max was. But no that didn't happen and this is the only time that we get to see her interact with the other main cast characters but still, it was nice seeing Roxanne one more time, even if this is the last we saw of her.
There you have it, my Top 6 House of Mouse Moments. Tell me what you think in the comments. Peace!
Even though Dumbo Week is now over, I have decided to turn my attention to some of my other favorites
121
As some of you know one of my favorite films is A Goofy Movie and while I've talked about After Today to death, I feel another song just as good from this film deserves some lovin'. 121, this song is just pure fun and it fits to explore the relationship of Goofy and Max quite well. It's fun and it has an upbeat feel to it, it is all around just fun. The sound of this song is what makes it so fun to listen to.
I Won't Say I'm In Love
As much as I love Belle and adore Ariel, this is my favorite song sung by a female lead in a Disney film because it feels the most real. I like the idea of exploring the conflicting feelings of love and that here is done well with Meg. Also the Gospels make for an awesome backup group. While not the greatest film, it has great music and to me this is the best song the film has to offer.
Ichabod Crane
Oh, Bing you made this short. This is such a fun song and the set up for Ichabod is done well. The description of Ichabod is so fun to listen to and I can't explain it but the line, "It's the new schoolmaster" always put a smile one my face because of the way, it's sung. This is just and out and out fun song
Small Wonders
A great song from an underrated film. This song has stuck with me since I first heard during Meet The Robinsons, this is a song that both empowers me and makes me cry at the same time both because of the way, it's sung and the message of the song. Seriously, this has to be one of the most beautifully sung songs that I've ever heard and I don't think anyone but Rob Thomas could sing this song with all of the passion that he put into this performance. It's that good.
Proud of Your Boy
Again, I know that I've talked about this song in the past but it is a crying shame that it was cut from Aladdin and Clay's performance convinces that they either need to get him in a Disney film or get him to work on the soundtrack for a Disney film. His performance while it doesn't top the original feels genuine and it feels as though he has stepped into the role of Aladdin. This is such a great song and I feel every child goes through this in their life feeling that they haven't done enough to make their parents proud. I know that's always on the back of my mind, do I make my parents proud? I'd like to believe so, this song reminds me of a song by another Idol winner that I enjoy. By the way, I do like the Weird Al version of that song as well but I prefer the original.
I hope that you have enjoyed this look at some of my favorite songs. Join me next week when I take a look at songs of the ladies of Disney.
Hello and welcome back to Classic Shorts Showcase. The next two shorts that I'll be cover will once again take us back to World War II. Did you know that Disney adapted Chicken Little? Of course you did and it stunk but I'm not here to talk about the film. Oh, no today I'm talking about a short based on this tale that was more akin to the classic tale while still serving as a propaganda piece.
The Plot
The basic plot of this short is that of the classic tale of Chicken Little, where he thinks the sky is falling but here's the thing though, this belief is thrown into him when Foxy Loxy hits him on the head with a piece of wood and says that he is the voice of Doom speaking. Foxy Loxy is trying trick all of the birds in the farmhouse seeing as the narrator put it, he has a culinary interest in the birds. He's using a psychology book to gain the advantage but the quotes in his book actually come from Mein Kampf. Pretty eerie when you think about but these next two shorts that I'm looking at on Showcase don't take things lightly and they're better for that. Getting back to the plot, it's intriguing how this short is able to stay true to the tale while at the same time showing what can happen when people are manipulated into thinking something that may not be true but group mentality tells them that it's true. Eerie!
Narration
Narrator - Frank Graham
Just a quick note here, Frank Graham not only narrated this short but was also the voice of Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, and Foxy Loxy. Anyways with that out of the way, the narration here was fun as unlike most shorts the narrator actually interacted with the short and broke the fourth wall. I feel that the narration was used to break the tension in this short because while the colors of this short may be bright and cheery, the tone isn't.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into, Main, & Villain
Main Characters
Chicken Little voiced by Frank Graham
Chicken Little for all intents and purposes is an idiot. Hey, the narrator says that about him too but he's well meaning. Even if it isn't all there and sadly, him listening to Foxy Loxy causes the death of the birds save for Cocky Locky. Because Foxy, once again portraying Doom tells him that he was born to be a leader and well that isn't really true. Because Foxy is making the decisions for him and they're decisions that'll benefit Foxy in the end. He's a little clumsy but again well meaning but as I said his well meaning intentions lead to a mass death.
Cocky Locky also voiced by Frank Graham
Cocky is the rooster of the town, the one with the most sense. He is the one that people listen to for the most part but that changes when Foxy starts spreading rumors saying Cocky has gone crazy and lost his mind through the feathered town. Again, here we see another form of manipulation at work and because he is wise enough to realize the sky is falling, he is the only one not to die at the hands of Foxy Loxy.
Villain
Foxy Loxy also voiced by Frank Graham
If your wondering why, I chose this picture, it shows Foxy going through the different stages of his plan. Foxy is probably the most interesting character in the short because watching his plan unfold is fascinating in a twisted way and I almost feel wrong for saying that knowing what he is meant to represent. One thing that I liked and kinda scared me in a little way as "Oh, that's eerie" is that narrator reassures the audience that the story has a happy ending but then we see this...
The narrator says that's not how it ended in his book but Foxy tells him not to believe everything you read as he places these bones down in the ground next to the rest that give the image of being in the positions of crosses or tombstones at cemeteries. It's hard to explain without a picture but still, creepy. This also makes Foxy, one of only two Disney villains (that I can think of) to be shown winning in the end.
My Final Thoughts
This is not a short to show younger kids, wait until they're about nine because of the subject matter. Still, a very good short and it's fascinating how the color and look give off one vibe which is actually misleading when you watch the short as to see what happens. Really, the only way to describe this short is as eerie. Join me next time as we stay with the WWII shorts as I take a look at a much more serious and grim short from Disney...
Now I know that I've talked about this short before in the past but I haven't given it the proper review treatment that I feel it deserves. Also I've wanted to delve into some of the shorts that deal with more topical issues, mainly the WWII shorts. That's why the next 2 Classic Shorts Showcase are Chicken Little and Education For Death. For those of you wondering why, I'm not including this on Showcase, well that's goes back to the Mickey Rule. In order for a short featuring Mickey and the gang to appear on Showcase, it must be an adaption. You could argue that with my Wise Little Hen review but that was an adaption. Anyways with that out of the way, let's get to this short. Just as with many shorts produced during this time, it was meant to lift spirits and one way to do that was to paint, the enemy in a comical light such as they did with Hitler and the much more serious and not at all comedic short, Education For Death. For this review, I'll be breaking it down into Plot, Character, Music, Images, and My Final Thoughts.
The Plot
The basic plot of this short is that Donald has had a dream that he lives in a land ruled by Nazis and we get to see what his life would be like under control of The Third Reich. The plot is simple but effective, true, this short is comedic in nature but they made the right decision in using Donald for this short because Mickey wouldn't gel with what they were trying to do and Goofy would just feel out of place. Donald works for this short because he is the most relatable out of the main cast and seeing someone like him go through, I think gives the audience a better connection to the events taking place.
Character
Donald Duck voiced by Clarence "Ducky" Nash
This image right here is perhaps the least tame in the images that we see. Again as explained, Donald in this short has a nightmare that he lives in a world run by The Nazis. It was an interesting take on this idea and again, I like the use of Donald to show what life would have been like if he lived in this world. It would be a very grim and dark life for him.
Music
Der Furher's Face
Folks, I gotta be honest here. I don't know what to make of this song. I get that it's a parody of Hitler and his regime. It's good and I'll take it over that other Nazi song, I talked about. It's not bad and it was a hit during the time and I can see why but I just kinda find it to be meh.
Images
Now I have two images that I want to talk about are coming up.
Now , this is just one of many images that appear that can get my mind going. This one here is pretty funny though because the conveyor belt keeps on coming out with pictures of Hitler and Donald has keep on doing the Heil Hitler.
Now this scene may be covered in too much patriotism but I love it because it's a reminder that while the USA may have it bad, it could always be worse.
My Final Thoughts
This is probably isn't the strongest WWII short but it takes a different approach at handling the subject and it works well. If your someone who is interested in this period of either Disney's or just history in general, track down this short.
Ah, it's that time again. Time to countdown the Top 6 Posts of A Look at Disney from # 200 to # 300. I gotta be honest with ya, this was harder than last time because not trying to sound cocky or anything but I really think that I churned out some great articles, this go round. Now seeing as I produced a lot of good stuff, I've had to change things a bit. First, I'll mention the cross over as honorable mentions. It's not that that I didn't enjoy working with you guys but I also want to take a look at what I wrote. Secondly, only one per segment that I do. With that out of the way, let's begin.
I certainly did a a lot of cross overs this time, I mean I was even a guest on someone else's blog twice. I got to do one of my dream cross overs with James for our Music Fridays on Phil Collins. Pos and I did my first two part cross over when we counted down our Top 6 Disney Dads. For all the cross overs I've done, I had a blast doing them and well, I hope to do more with some new faces and some returnees. With that out of the way, let's get to the list.
This was probably one of the angrier articles I've written but that goes back to what this article was about. This article, I have to be honest and say that I have a strange relationship with it. On the one hand, I'm happy that I wrote this because I was furious when I found that song. But at the same time, you could make the argument that my hate blinded me and that this song should still be around. Though I for the most part stand by what I said in this article and I do believe that this one of the few times where my anger jumped off the screen.
This was the toughest to choose because I love writing Music Fridays, it's my favorite thing to do for you guys. Picking a favorite wasn't easy but at the end of the day, I had to go with # 26: Channel Awesome. This one is my favorite probably because it mixes two things I love: Channel Awesome and Disney. And you can't tell me that Kickassia video is not awesome. I'll admit, it is strange that I chose a Music Fridays that wasn't even posted on a Friday. Here's that video by the way.
I'll be honest with you guys, this is perhaps the funniest I've gotten to be in one of my articles. This was just so much fun to write making fun of those stupid costumes. I still want to know, what they were thinking with these. Each time I see this picture I crack up. They look so stupid. Plus I got to use my favorite joke in this article and that always makes me happy when I get to use the Disney Face Palm.
I introduced a new segment this go round, Vs. and well this one is probably one of my favorites. A. because it got a really strong response and I just thought it would be really fun to pair these two up. As I've said in the past, these are some of the harder articles to write. Now while Tiana Vs. Belle, may have gotten more comments, I like this one more but I can't really say why.
Now there was no way that I could leave this off the list. This was a big moment for me and I'm proud of this article and I'm prod of what it stands for. A year of sharing my passion for Disney with you guys. Having my readers vote on the topic really seemed to be a great idea and they couldn't have picked a better topic with the opening Day of Disneyland. Great pick, Now I went back and forth over whether or not to put this one in the the # 1 spot but at the end of the day, there was an article I felt deserved the number 1 spot more.
Now I knew I wanted to include this on this list. This just as with the previous # 1 on the last Top 6 Posts, was a bit more personal. I had wanted to talk Roy and mainly his death and how it affected me as a fan of Disney. As I said in that article, that was not an easy day when I got the news. This is probably one article that I'm very happy that I wrote because I like talking about the people of the company and Roy was one of the most important people in the company and his death touched me because as I said in that article, that day it felt like the magic was gone. I didn't cry when he died but just sat in my kitchen in disbelief. I was hoping against hope that it was just some stupid rumor that turned out not to be true. As we know, that wasn't the case though.
There you have it,, my Top 6 Posts of A Look at Disney 3.0 Tell me in the comments, what were some of your favorites and here's to 300 more!
Hello and welcome back to Music Fridays. Today on Music Fridays, I'll be taking a look at covers of the songs from Dumbo. Just so you know, the songs that I'll be looking at include When I see an Elephant Fly, Baby Mine (2 Versions) , & Pink Elephants on Parade. Let's begin. Oh, I have just been informed that Dumbo and Timothy will be making an appearance at the end of this article. How exciting and who could ask for a better birthday present? Yep, today is my birthday.
Wen I See An Elephant Fly - The Plain White T's
It's not the worst Dumbo cover that I've heard and it captures the spirit of the song quite well. It's fun and the T's seem to be having fun singing along with the song. It does sound a little different but for the most part it keeps the spirit of the original song intact and for that reason, I think it's okay.
Pink Elephants on Parade - V Is For Villains
Now this is a far different take on the song than what the original song was but oddly, it works. This band sells the performance rather well. It almost feels sinister and I like that. This is a fun version of the song. Really, it was this cover that made me decide to make it Dumbo covers instead of just Baby Mine covers, which bring me to our last 2...
Baby Mine - Bette Middler
Now some of you may know that my favorite song from this film is Baby Mine and that it was used in the Bette Middler film, Beaches. I'm torn on how I feel about this cover on the one hand, she delivers an excellent performance but at the same time, I don't feel as though she believes the words she is singing which bring it down a notch. It's not a bad cover of this song, even though I have called it the worst Dumbo cover in the past but that's not true. It's just there. At best, it's forgettable. Unlike my favorite cover of this song...
Baby Mine - Alison Krauss
Ah, here we go. This is more like it. Now I've talked about this song in the past but I love it's my favorite cover of any Disney song. The one thing this version does have in common with the Bette cover is that it's simple but I think Alison Krauss' voice works better for this song. That and this is first version I remember hearing of this song vividly. To tell you the truth I'm not much of an Alison Krauss fan, even though I do enjoy her on Whiskey Lullaby but there is just something about this cover that makes me feel safe. This cover takes me back to simpler times. Still as much as I love this version, the original is the best.
I hope you've enjoyed Dumbo Week and my look at these covers of songs from Dumbo. Next week on Music Fridays, I'll be taking a look at some o my favorite Disney songs that aren't Dumbo. As promised, an appearance by Dumbo and Timothy.
Aw c'mon, I had to find a way to include these two into Dumbo Week.
Hello and welcome back to Dumbo Week, it appears we've reached the main event, the review of the film itself. Again, I'll state that this is a re review because I feel that my original review of this film wasn't as good as it could've been, therefore I've decided to review the film once more and go other certain things I left out last time, I talked about the film. With that out of the way, here's the trailer.
The Plot
The plot is rather simple, it's your basic Rudolph story of a child who has a difference that makes them outcast amongst society. In this case, it's Dumbo's ears. It's a simple story of overcoming a difference that life threw at you and finding out how you can adapt to it. This may be a simple story but for me, it works for me and really, it's the characters that help to sell the story.
Plot Device
The Magic Feather
Before we get too far into the review, there is one plot device to bring up. The Magic Feather. The Magic Feather is just a crow's feather that the Crows give to Timothy to help Dumbo fly. It was meant to give him a boost in courage and it worked. One thing, I really appreciate about The Magic Feather is that it isn't magical and that's it is just a real feather that Dumbo used sort of like a good luck charm to fly but even after he dropped in the climax, he could still fly. The reason, I say I'm glad it's not magic is that I kinda feel like if this film were made today, it really would be magic and to me that would take away from the film for me.
Characters
Now I'll be breaking this down into, Important, & Supporting characters. With that out of the way, let's begin.
Important Characters
Dumbo - Not Voiced
Ah, Dumbo. Your so cute and there's a reason your one of my favorite characters. Dumbo may not be the most complicated character but that's okay and I love all his expressions are expressed through body language seeing as he doesn't talk but that comes from the fact that he's just a baby but even still, it works in the film and even without the dialogue, it is easy to pick up on Dumbo's emotions.
Timothy Q. Mouse voiced by Edward Brophy
I'll try to keep it short here with Timothy seeing as I've already talked about him so much. As I've said in the past, you could compare him to Jiminy in that in many ways, he is sort of like a conscience but I would say that through rewatching this film, I noticed that he also takes on the role of being a paternal figure to Dumbo while Mrs. Jumbo is locked up. He's a fun character and as I said at the beginning of this week, every time you see him with Dumbo, it's clear that he cares for Dumbo and would do anything to cheer him up. This is shown in a line I love even if I did it include it on the Top 6.
You know, lots of people with big ears are famous!
Supposedly, this line is meant to be a reference to Walt, himself who according to some of his animators, he had big ears.
Mr. Stork voiced by Sterling Holloway
Some of you are probably wondering why, I'm including Mr. Stork when he's barely in the film. A. Sterling Holloway is my favorite Disney voice actor and more importantly without Mr. Stork, we wouldn't get to know Dumbo because he is the one that delivers Dumbo to Mrs. Jumbo and this is of course a play on the old story of storks delivering babies to new mom's and dad's. It's a cute idea and it works well.
The Crows voiced by Cliff Edwards, James Baskett, Jim Carmichael, & Nick Stewart.
First off, I apologize if I forgot any voice actor's name here. Again as with Timothy, I'll try not to spend too much time on these characters seeing as I talked about them in the Can We Talk about. The main reason, I'm listing them as Important Characters is because they are the ones that help Timothy teach Dumbo how to fly using the Magic Feather. As I stated in my Can We Talk about discussing these characters, I like them and even if they aren't in the film for long, they are fun. Plus at the end, they deliver a line I hadn't picked up on before but it got a slight chuckle out of me.
Jim Crow: Boy, I wish I'd have got his autograph. Crow: Here, man, I've got his autograph. Jim Crow: Well, so long, glamour boy!
I kinda wish that the Crows were in more of the film as they were fun characters and were actually pretty funny.
Supporting Characters
Mrs. Jumbo voiced by Verna Felton
D'aww, what an adorable picture. Now before anyone asks, why I didn't put Mrs. Jumbo in Important, it's mainly because I view as more of a supporting character. Through and through, it is shown that Mrs. Jumbo loves her son and will do anything to protect him. This is best seen when the boy with big ears makes fun of Dumbo and she starts spanking him and goes on a bit of a rampage. This shows what great lengths she goes to protect Dumbo. Even if it means to being separated from him.
The Elephant Matriarch, Prissy, Giddy, and Catty voiced by Verna Felton, Sarah Shelby, Noreen Gamill, & Dorothy Scott
I bet you didn't know that these elephants had names, neither did I until I did some research on the film. I recall I had a discussion with Positive Troll in my Top 6 Female Disney Villains article where he labelled them as villains. Now while I can see where he was coming from but in my eyes there isn't enough to them to make them villains. Rather, I just see them as elitist snobs who look down upon anyone who is different from them because they think everyone should be the same. By the way, you may have notice The Elephant Matriarch (the head elephant) & Mrs. Jumbo share the same voice actress. Pretty funny, I'd say but I think it works to show the difference between the two of these characters. By the way, Timothy has a great line that sums up my feelings about these characters.
Gab, gab, gab. They're always gossipin'.
Now besides this quote, there's one from The Elephant Matriarch that struck me as cold and really shows how far they'll go in shunning Dumbo.
From now on, he is no longer an elephant.
The Clowns voiced by Billy Bletcher, Eddie Holden, Billy Sheets
Now I held a poll asking if the Clowns were important enough to talk about and the majority thought so. Let me get this out of the way right now. The irony of me being afraid of clowns and this being my favorite film is not lost on me. The Clowns I guess are somewhat important as they are the ones that have to work with Dumbo but really, they're more important for who they represented in the real world. Some of you may know around the time that this film came out there was a strike at the Disney Studios and the Clowns were meant to be caricatures of the animators that had gone on strike. That is best seen here when they in the scene when they leave their tent and they're singing, "We're gonna hit the big boss for a raise".
So, while the Clowns don't necessarily play a big part in the film, they represent an important part of Disney's history.
Music
Look Out For Mr. Stork
This song is just a bunch of fun and you can understand the anticipation that Mrs. Jumbo is going through in waiting for her bundle of joy to come along. It's just a fun and simple song. There really isn't much to say about this song save for I really enjoy the sound of it.
Casey Jr.
For those of you wondering why, I didn't talk about the character of Casey, it's because I wanted to focus on characters that interacted with Dumbo. This song gives me a feeling of actually seeing the circus train take off and the sounds used for the train effects are just cool. Really with this song, I can just picture being in the circus with a box of Cracker Jacks. Of course, I would leave before the clowns came along. (The irony, my favorite film takes place in a circus yet I'm afraid of clowns).
Song of the Roustabouts
Just as with The Crows, this song has fallen under fire for it's contents. Which I can actually understand much more than the Crows. To be honest, I wasn't even going to go over this song because I felt as though that was a button I didn't want to push but it is part of the movie. I can see where the complaints towards this song come from and I'm not saying it's right but this was supposed to represent the lives of circus workers and they sing of what they know. Really, in the big picture when compared to other songs from this film, it's forgettable.
Baby Mine
Ah, now we come to my favorite Disney song of all time. It's just so sweet and simple in nature. It may be a simple song but it works in getting across the love of a mother and child. I feel that this song in the context of the film is even sweeter because Dumbo doesn't get much time with his mother and that makes all the time that the two of them have together all the much sweeter.
Pink Elephants On Parade
Admittedly, this is my least favorite song from the film. Mainly because it just feels out of place and stops the story just for this song. Visually it's stunning and yeah, I guess it does kinda fit in the context of the film seeing as Dumbo and Timothy unknowingly get drunk and it is mentioned afterwards by Timothy but in the grand scheme of things, it just feels out of place and for me it stops the film.
When I see An Elephant Fly
Again, I'll try to keep it short here as I've already gone over this. As I said before, it's a good song and I do see how people may think what some do about these characters. Even still, this is a good song and it is a lot of fun. It's just funny hearing the Crows sing about all of these things. Which sound absurd but exist but hey. it's a fun song and I know it seems like they're making fun of Dumbo, which to a certain extent they are but I believe they're also pointing how absurd a flying elephant sounds.
My Final Thoughts
Like I even need to give you my final thoughts on this film. If you've been following A Look at Disney for sometime now, then you should know my feelings on this film. At the end of the day, this film still holds up and most everything works in making this film enjoyable. Probably the only thing I'd get rid of is Pink Elephants seeing as it feels unneeded. It's not a bad song but again it feels out of place in the film. Other than that everything from the characters to the music to the story, which may be simple work well. As with many other things that I've reviewed I'd file this under the category of being beautifully simple. At the end of the day, this is and will always be my favorite movie. Join me tomorrow as I conclude Dumbo Week by taking a look at covers of Dumbo songs.
Folks, this isn't easy to look at but I selected to review an episode of the old show, Dumbo's Circus. Now there are two things to get out of the way, Dumbo is the only character to appear in this show from the original film. I guess I could understand why Timothy wasn't included but they could have done a puppet of him, I mean The Muppets has Rizzo and the other thing, he talks. Now I understand the decision made to have him talk was because in the show he is now older. Still, it is rather jarring and if your a fan of Jim Cummings, he appears in this show as well. I believe this was his first role with Disney and I'm so sorry that you have to see this thing.
The Plot
Oh, my goodness where to start. This plot is one of the most cliched and over used in children's television. Strangers are bad and you shouldn't trust them. Seriously for plot, see title. Okay to go more into of the plot, Dumbo, I'm sorry I can't call this puppet Dumbo, so instead from now on I'll refer to him as Davis. Davis and Lionel had just bought a new trike and they love it so much to sing about it. I should clarify that Lionel is one of the circus asstiants and he is basically the Timothy stand-in. They run into our bad guy of the episode, Speedy, named as such because he drives really fast. Speedy wants to trade with them a magic lamp that is a bit faulty for their new trike. Davis thinks this is a bad idea because they don't know him and he's a stranger. Fair enough and I get where they are coming from. They don't trade it but after a while, Barnaby (a dog) goes to get stuff they need for the circus. He runs into Speedy and he ends up trading the trike for the magic lamp and Davis wins it back in a race. So many things about this show make me want to ask why?!
Episode Title
Never Trust A Stranger
There isn't much to say about this title other than it's straight forward.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into Main, & uh.. Stranger. Yeah, guess that works
Main Characters
Dumbo Davis voiced by Katie Leigh
This character is meant to be Dumbo but as stated above, I can't bring myself to call him that and instead will refer to him as Davis. There's really not much to say about Davis other than that he's there and he saves the day. That's pretty much it, he is the one that suggests not listening to Speedy because he's a stranger and after they lose everything to Speedy, he beats him in a race. Of course, he won by flying but he still needed his magic feather. Wait, WHAT?!
Conitiunity, What's that? I mean, yeah I get that this came out long after the movie and is loosely and I mean loosely related to the film but if Davis is supposed to be an older version of my favorite elephant from Disney, couldn't they have checked the film? To oh, I don't know see that magic feather isn't real and that the real Dumbo didn't need it at the end of the film anymore.
Lionel voiced by Jim Cummings
As stated above, Lionel is our Timothy stand-in. He's okay character if I didn't see much of personality to him other than being Davis' best friend and second in command of the circus. He sings along with Davis about the trike. By the way, I'm not covering the songs from this show because there is nothing to say. He was probably the most tolerable character because Jim Cummings is awesome and he was the only competent lead out of the new characters and unlike the other character I've talked about, they weren't messing with a classic Disney character. Still if I had one gripe, it would be each time I heard him speak, all I could hear was Darkwing Duck. Wait a minute, why am I complaining? DW in this show would've made it so much better than what it is.
Barnaby voiced by Will Ryan
Barnaby is the one that ends up trading the trike for the faulty magic lamp. Again, he sings about great the trike is. This character is meant to come across as not the smartest and that shows and I also found him to be the most annoying character. He's just annoying and dumb.
Stranger (I guess this works when he's really not a villain)
Speedy voice unknown
Sadly or perhaps Gladly, I couldn't find a picture of Speedy. He is the one that everyone is tricked by to get the trike. Oh, the reason he's called Speedy is because he likes driving really fast and that is only ever seen once in the entire episode. He's probably the smartest character in the whole episode but that's not saying a whole lot. Even with his voice, they try to make him sound like a bad person. There isn't much to say about this character other than he's a bad person who is also a bad driver. Oh in case your wondering, what he looks like, imagine a blue whatnot Muppet driving a car.
My Final Thoughts
Yeah, I think that sums up everything pretty well. This show was bad not as bad as say Too Smart For Strangers but boy oh boy was it bad. Everything from the characters to the editing to well just all of it was bad. But enjoyably bad, it was bad in a way that I could enjoy it's stupidity. If you need a good laugh at something after a bad day, join Davis and his friends at the circus. Join me tomorrow for something I've been wanting to do for the longest time as I re review Dumbo.
This is a topic that I've long wanted to tackle on Can We Talk about for the longest time. It's no secret that one area of my beloved film is looked down upon by some. For those of you who couldn't tell, it's The Crows. The Crows have been labeled as being racist and insulting towards people of the African-American culture. Now I can see where this comes from but it was never the intent to have these characters be racist but they were meant to be caricatures of African American performers from that time period. Honestly while I understand the complaints thrown towards the Crows, I think this needs to be broken down some more. There are multiple ways to look at the crows.
They may not be the smartest animals or of the upper class. I'll admit, there clothing does make it appear as though that could've been of the lower class but here's the deal, they're animals and they aren't the only animals that wear clothes in this film as observed by Timothy. Moving on, the name of the leader is Jim Crow. Quick Edit here: I was informed by DisneyOtoko that this happened to be nothing more than just a mere coincidence that his name happens to be Jim and there really is no correlation to the Jim Crow Laws.
As stated above it just happens to a coincidence and it was not intentional but even still, it is funny to consider that and as pointed out to me Jim is a very common name and really, without talking about the Jim Crow does have a nice ring to it. I was perhaps looking too deep into things to try to make a connection where there wasn't one. Anyways moving on. The Crows may not come across as the smartest or even nicest characters around as seen when we first meet them.
I can see how that could be used against them but again, I go back to what I said at the beginning, they are caricatures. They are meant to be exaggerated and over the top. They may have mannerisms of black people but again, I wouldn't say that is insulting to them. (Again, this is a white guy talking about this) I mean you never hear people say Timothy is insulting to people from Brooklyn or that his accent is degrading to people from around there. Just saying Honestly, I feel as though sometimes this whole discussion can get blown out of proportion but that's not to say I don't think people should be allowed to have their own opinion on this topic.
At the end of the day, it's up to you, how you feel about the Crows. Do you find them racist or just characters that help Dumbo learn how to fly. Join me tomorrow as I take a look at something that should be interesting but not in a good way as I review an episode of...
For those of you wondering, this is going up early because I won't have time to post on Tuesday. Everything is else is still on track. This just means that the Can We Talk about is moved to Monday and the rest will go up, Wedsnday, Thursday, & Friday.
Folks, this Friday is my birthday and I knew that I wanted to do something special. Therefore I have decided to dedicate an entire week to my favorite film starring a lovable little pachyderm and his little mouse friend from Brooklyn. (How many of you knew that Dumbo took place in New York?) For this week I'm going all out Dumbo on you and that does mean no Classic Shorts Showcase this week but that'll resume after this week. Here is a list of what to expect besides this first article. Can We Talk about The Crows, Dumbo's Circus (Help me), Dumbo (Re review) , Music Fridays # 41: Baby Mine Cover. I'll freely admit that two of these are re reviews but that's because I feel I can do them better. When I did my first review of Dumbo, I wasn't happy with the end result and as for Dumbo's Circus, I had a hard time making it through that because of the fact that there was no TIMOTHY and Dumbo talked! I'm going to give the show a second chance and give it the episode review treatment but that is one part of Dumbo week, I'm not looking forward to.
With that long winded introduction out of the way, let's begin. I've made it no secret that Timothy The Mouse is one of my favorite Disney characters and while he may not have appeared in much outside of his film when compared to Jiminy Cricket, he still has his moments that make him shine and would make me put him above Jiminy any day of the week. This list consists of what I consider the Top 6 Timothy The Mouse moments.
6. The Mouse's Tale
Technically, 6 & 5 were cut but they still count as they involve Timothy and I think they are good moments. Number 6 is a deleted scene titled The Mouse's Tale where Timothy realizes that Dumbo isn't afraid of mice as most elephants are and decides to tell him a story of how things used to be different and how elephants used to be smaller than mice and would run in fear from the mice. Admittedly, I like the scene and Timothy's narration is fun but I can see why it was cut from the film as it wouldn't flow very well with the rest of the film but still at the same time it is always fun getting to see a deleted scene involving these characters.
5. Are You a Man or a Mouse?
Again, this was cut from the film but I feel this is more in line with the character of Timothy as Timothy is meant to be Dumbo's support and with this song, we see him trying to cheer Dumbo up and let him know that things will get better and you just look at the bright side. It always amazes me to find these songs that were cut, some I understand and to a certain extent I can see why this one was cut but part of me wishes that it had been kept in because I feel it would have made the relationship between Dumbo and Timothy that much stronger.
4. Getting Rid of The Pink Elephants from The House of Mouse
Funny, when I did my Jiminy Cricket list, there was a House of Mouse moment and here we are again. To set up this scene, Mickey and Minnie were about to go on vacation an left Donald and Daisy in charge of the club for their absence. As seen Daisy booked the Pink Elephants and the only person that was able to get rid of them was good ol' Timothy and I don't know the way, he went about doing it while simple in a Wile Coyote manner in holding up a sign that says BOO! is pretty funny. Not laugh out loud funny but it gets a chuckle out of me. This is a great lead in for the # 3 spot...
3. Drunk Timothy
Okay, I just noticed the caption and that actually makes this funnier. I'll admit that Pink Elephants is probably my least favorite song from Dumbo, I feel that it stops the movie cold but that doesn't mean, I don't find Timothy drunk unfunny. It is pretty funny especially this scene where we see hugging the bubble that his reflection. This is one of those jokes that as a young kid I found funny but now that I'm older, it's funnier knowing the context.
2. Timothy Standing Up To The Crows
You all oughta be ashamed of yourselves. A bunch of big guys like you, pickin' on a poor little orphan like him. Suppose you was torn away from your mother when you was just a baby. Nobody to tuck you in at nights. No warm, soft, caressin' trunk to snuggle inta. How would you like being left out alone, in a cold, cruel, heartless woild? And why? I ask ya, why? Just because he's got those big ears, they call him a freak. The laughing stock of the coicus. And when his mother tried to protect him, they threw her into the clink. And on top of that, they made him a clown! Socially he's washed up! Aw, but what's the use of talkin' to you cold-hearted boids? Go ahead! Have your fun! Laugh at him! Kick him now that he's down! Go on! We don't care.
I think this moment speaks for itself but in case you need a reminder, this comes after Dumbo is made fun of by the Crows and again this line shows how much Timothy cares for Dumbo and would do anything to protect the little guy. Again, it goes back to showing that Timothy will always stick up for Dumbo.
1. Taking Dumbo to See Mrs. Jumbo
My # 1 Timothy moment is him taking Dumbo to see his mother which leads into the one of the happiest/saddest Disney songs ever. You all know, which song I'm talking about. To me this little scene shows how much Timothy cares for Dumbo and that he knows Dumbo misses his mother. This is probably the sweetest thing that he does for Dumbo throughout the entire film. Words can't describe how perfect this moment is other beautifully simple.
There you have it, my Top 6 Timothy The Mouse Moments. Join me tomorrow for a Can We talk about as I tackle one of the most often looked down upon aspects of this film. The Crows.
Tim: Welcome to a special Music Fridays.Way back on Music Fridays # 6, I covered the music styling of America's favorite Mouseketeer. Annette. Well, today on the 40th Music Fridays I have decided to return to her music career but with a guest. Joining me for a second time on A Look at Disney is Positive Troll. Thank you for joining me on this special Music Fridays.
PT: Thank you, Tim. It's great to be back. I'm really thrilled that you've chosen to showcase the talent of Annette Funicello. Thanks to syndication, many generations have enjoyed this remarkable entertainer whose talent was only surpassed by her kind and generous nature. So, shall we bring to light a few of the musical gems she was known for?
Tim: I think we should start with your picks. One of which I have covered before and another one that I had not heard of until you mentioned it. Why don't we start with that one?
O Dio Mio
PT: Dio Mio is a quintessential '60s love song. Penned by the Sherman Brothers, it's simple in its musical style and in its lyrics telling about a young girl's prayer to the Lord to let a boy know how much she loves him and have him love her right back. There's very little to interpret, and yet the way Annette delivers it along with the beautiful orchestration conveys a deep emotional need expressed very openly. This is a tender moment recorded for posterity.
While not very well known today, this song hit #10 in the American Pop Charts in 1960. In 22 years as a professional singer/pianist, I've never had a request to perform this gem of a song, but it's a great one, which is why I've chosen to showcase it here
Tim: As stated above, I had not heard this song until you mentioned it and I like it a lot. It's different than the Annette songs that I've covered in the past. I like you describing this as a prayer, as stated it's a simple song about a girl who has a crush on a boy and wants him to know much she loves him. Though the thing I love about this song is that it's simple and true, it doesn't oversell the message and I could actually picture a young kneeling by bedside asking for this to happen. Again, this is a song that I would classify as beautifully simple. It may be a simple song but that works to tell the tale of this song.
Tim: The next song, you've picked is one of my personal favorites from Annette...
Tall Paul
PT: OMG! I hadn't seen that clip of her with Dick Clark. D'AWWWWW....That was ADORABLE! Ya gotta admire Annette for being such a good sport to appear like that...not to mention the kicking shoes kind of remind me of that famous Charlie Chaplin bit where he does that with bread rolls on forks...but I digress.... The song, itself, was a milestone for music as it was the first rock single by a woman to hit the top 10 in music landing at #7, and Annette's biggest hit. I just love the toe-tapping fun of it. This is just so much of what made '50's rock so great with a swinging beat and a very singable melody.
Tim: I totally agree with you that this song is fun and has a great toe tapping beat to it. Again, you bring to the forefront information I didn't know about this song. It's catchy, fun and upbeat. I can see why, you chose it. Now I'm not going to spend to much time on this seeing as I've already talked about it in the past but I'll say that this stands as one of my favorites from Annette.
Tim: All right, now that we've looked at your 2 songs, now we'll dive into the two I have chosen. I've chosen, Tell Me, Who's That Girl and The Lonely Guitar. Let's start with The Lonely Guitar.
The Lonely Guitar
Tim: Just as with Tall Paul, I've looked at this song before but I couldn't pass up another chance going over it. This song is very somber and almost melancholy but not depressing. Again, I'm not a fan of breaks in songs but I understand why they did that seeing as this comes from an episode of Zorro. This song is wonderful and helps us the audience to understand Annette's character even more. This one of those songs that I can listen to and it just puts me at ease. Almost like I'm entering a lullaby trance. This is a lovely song that one can just close their eyes listening to and everything seem okay.
PT: I agree, my friend. It's a really simple song where Annette expressed her loneliness by sharing it with her guitar and it works! It's like they're two good friends commiserating together over their longing to reunite with their father(in the context of this scene, but it could just as well be about a true love not yet met). I like the way Annette sings this one(although don't look too carefully at her hands strumming the guitar, because it doesn't match what's being played-sorry, but that's a pet peeve of mine LOL! Sam isn't really playing the piano in Casablanca, either...but I digress.....) Excellent pick, Tim. What's next?
Tim: Glad, you asked. Our final song of the cross over is...
Tell Me, Who's The Girl
Tim: The way I see this song, there 2 ways you could look at the story. A. Annette is playing with her boyfriend trying to find out how he feels about her or B. Annette saw a picture of her boy with another girl and wants to know who is the girl because maybe she's a little jealous. I'm not sure what I think but all I know is that this is a pretty fun song to listen to and it's cute.
PT: It is an interesting song....kind of a rockabilly ballad....cross between a Patsy Cline song and a Leslie Gore tune. Released in 1960 as the side B of Train Of Love, I believe Annette has caught her boyfriend red-handed with a picture of him and a former love in his wallet, and it's definitely a jealousy song. She's scared that she's going to be hurt by his answer too...poor Annette.....
Tim: PT, thanks for joining me once again on A Look at Disney to take a look at some of the songs from Annette. As always, it was blast to work with you.
PT: Thanks for having me on again, my friend. It's always great collaborating with you. And thanks TGWTG fans for giving us some of your time today. Peace.
Tim: As for the rest of you, join me next Friday for a special Music Fridays where I take a look at Dumbo Covers as a part of Dumbo Week.
Hello and welcome back to Classic Shorts Showcase. Today, I'll be taking a look at The Flying Mouse. The story of a young mouse who wants to fly up in the sky with the birds.
The Plot
Well, I kinda already gave you the plot a young mouse boy wishes that he could have wings so that he could fly with the birds. His wish is granted after he saves a butterfly from a spider. (Picture down below) The butterfly is then revealed to be a fairy who has an uncanny resemblance to the Blue Fairy. The Fairy asks him what he wants and he says to fly. The Mouse tells her and she grants his wish and then he soon learns that you should just be happy to be yourself. Tale is all right and the moral's there and it doesn't feel tacked on.
Characters
Sadly, I couldn't find the voice list for this short but I do know that Clarence "Ducky" Nash was in it. Really for this short, there are only two characters that I wish to focus on. So, I won't even be breaking it down like usual.
The Mouse
The Mouse is an all right character, he's your typical "I have a Dream" character and as seen here, his dream does come true. It's shown that more than anything else he wants wings so that he can fly but after he gets his wings, he realizes that they don't make him happy and they make him look weird. That isn't said outright but that's the gist of it. He's a simple character but he works for this short.
The Fairy
Seriously, doesn't she look like the Blue Fairy? Anyways moving on from that, The Fairy as I've stated before is the one that grants The Mouse's wish to have wings but he was also trying to teach him a lesson of be happy with who you are. Admittedly, this caught me off guard at first but again, I got what they were trying to do and it worked.
My Final Thoughts
This was an all right short. All of the elements worked to tell the story, it wanted but I don't think I'd go back and watch it anytime soon. It's not bad but it's also not one of my favorites. Still, I say give it a watch. Join me next time when I review...
Yeah, I realize this is going up early but seeing as there won't be any Classic Shorts Showcase reviews next due to Dumbo Week, I thought why not give you 2.
Okay, now that Three Little Pigs Thursday is done, let's get things back to normal here on Classic Shorts Showcase. Today's short, The Pied Piper and while I'm familiar with the story, the tone of this tale is one that I have always found a bit creepy. Seriously, am I the only one that thinks the Pied Piper would make a decent comic book villain? Admittedly part of this short made me feel uncomfortable but I think that was unintentional and I was looking into things more than I should have.
The Plot
The basic plot of this short is that the town of Hamelin has a rat infestation and they don't know how to get rid of the rats. It is driving them up the wall and it is pretty bad, I show you after I finish talking about the plot. Anyways going back to the plot, these rats are driving them crazy and they want them out of their town. The king of Hamelin offers a sack of gold to anyone that rid the town of the rats. This is when the Piper comes along. He is able to rid the town of the rats and the town cheers him for it and then he asks for his money seeing as he has done his work. The King laughs at him and stated that how he did was play his pipe which caused the rats to leave and that isn't worth the sack of gold and this is when the Piper decides to play his pipe to lure the children of the town away from Hamelin so that they don't grow up to be dishonest like the adults. The plot was good but as stated in the intro some of it was bit uncomfortable to watch and that was mainly the stuff involving the children and the entire time I was wondering why none of their parents tried to stop The Piper and instead looked at the King angrily. Oh here is the picture of the rats.
Characters
For this review, I'll be breaking it down into Main and Supporting.
Main Character
The Pied Piper
The Pied Piper is a character that is hard to describe but I believe he is meant to be noble and respectable. This is shown when he comes into town when he goes to Hamelin to get rid of the rats. At first, he seems like a nice guy but as time goes on and takes the children away from the town, I started to get a "creepy old man" vibe from a la waiting in a car handing out candy to little kids. Not a bad character but kinda creeped me out.
Supporting Character
The only supporting character is that I'm only going to focus on is The King.
The King
The King in turn is shown to be greedy after he refuses to give the Pied Piper the sack of gold. There really isn't much to this character but this is one of those rare times that it works for this character because not much is needed to show that he is not a good man.
My Final Thoughts
Ultimately, this was a good short even if some of it did tend to get me creeped out but that was only because I over thought things and this is just one of those things I can't really explain. Ah well, join me next time when I look at...
Last week on Classic Shorts Showcase, I concluded my Three Little Pigs retrospective where I reviewed all 6 Pigs shorts. This was an enjoyable retrospective and well I can't just end it on a review, I've decided to countdown my Top 6 Pigs moments. Let's begin.
6. L'il Bad Standing Up To His Father - L'il Bad Wolf
I'll admit that this wasn't the greatest Pigs short but I did like how in the end, L'il Bad uses everything that his father taught about hunting pigs against him to save his friends. It was a pretty funny moment and it was nice seeing someone else save the day other than Practical. Even if he's my favorite character from all of the shorts. Also with this moment, it felt as though L'il was coming into his own and finally had the courage to stand up to his pop and show him how he really feels.
5. Big Bad Breaking The Fourth Wall - The Big Bad Wolf
Again, another Wolf moment but this one comes from Big Bad himself. You see the second short is a retelling of Little Red Hiding Hood and here Big Bad serves as the Wolf from that story and they play out the famous, "My Grandma" sequence but one point the Wolf turns to the audience and asks "How I'm doing?" Which is rare for a Disney short to break the fourth wall but here it was simple and effective. It almost felt as though he was asking us to judge his performance. If that were the case, I'd give him a B +.
4. The Big Bad Nazi - The Thrifty Pig
I have to thank Lindgren for coming up with that name for the Wolf's portrayal in The Thrifty Pig. I realize that so far all of these moments have involved wolves (odd!) This short as stated in the review is a basic re-edit of Three Little Pigs but here the Wolf is used to portray Nazi Germany and I found that rather effective. This image reminds me of learning about the Nazis going to houses looking for Jewish people to take to concretion camps. Just this image alone haunts me because of knowing what the Third Reich did. Again, going back to Lindgren for a sec, I think he summed this short better than I could.
"Let's stick together and get rid of this Big Bad N**i".
That right there is the best way to not only sum up that image but that entire short.
3. Practical's method of Saving The Day - The Original 4
Practical was my favorite of the Pigs and he was always the one to save the day except for the last short and he already went over that. He always had some interesting ways of saving the day and all of his contraptions were hilarious. Especially his lie detector that he used on the Wolf to find out where his brothers were. His methods of saving the day while odd were fun to watch and going back to the lie detector that brings us to the # 2 spot...
2. Fifer and Fiddler Finally Get Punished - The Practical Pig
I've made it known that I don't like these two at all. They are two of the most annoying, self-centered, clueless characters to come from Disney. Not to mention they rely on their brother, to save their rump roasts every single time, the Wolf gets them. By the third short, I was ready to help the Wolf make some bacon for a B.L.T. While do I bring all of this up because right at the end of The Practical Pig, the one thing that I had wanted to happen to lost hopes took place. They finally got punished for their actions with their brother's lie detector. Now I won't deny it also spanked Practical but I could have cared less. Because seeing these two get punished made of their actions worth in the end. These two are up there with Ben from Ben & Me and The Robber Kitten as some of the most annoying Disney shorts characters ever. But to be fair, they did give us one good thing and that brings me to the the # 1 spot, which I think you all know what it is....
1. Who's Afraid of The Big Bad Wolf - Three Little Pigs
Like anything else could take the number 1 spot on this list. This is the most famous song from a Silly Symphony and with good reason because it's catchy. It's fun and it was needed during the Depression to lift the spirits but besides that it's a good song. Also I laugh see these act so cocky and then in every other short, they get caught by the Wolf. That right there adds a layer of hilarity to this song. There isn't much else to say other than "One More Time!"
There you have it my Top 6 Pigs Moments and now I officially close the door on the Pigs. I hope you've enjoyed this retrospective as it was a blast to do. Later.
Hello and welcome to Vs. Today, we have two Disney princesses facing off. From The Princess and The Frog, Tiana and from Beauty and The Beast, Belle. Now this is the second time that a character from Beauty and The Beast has appeared on Vs. The last Vs. was Gaston Vs. Brom Bones and Gaston took home the prize that round. Let's find out if Beauty and The Beast can remain undefeated or will The Princess and The Frog''s Tiana come out on top. Now just so you know, I'm only focusing on these two and I won't be comparing their princes because I want to see how well these ladies can stand on their own. Today, I'll be judging them on personality, determination, song, defining moment, and of course, The Film Factor. Which as a reminder is look at well both of these characters work in their respective films. Now let's begin and we'll start with...
Personality (Round 1)
Both Belle and Tiana are both women that are independent but it comes across in a different way for both.
Tiana
Tiana is an independent lady in the beginning of her film who basically come across as someone who doesn't have time to do anything other focus getting her restaurant. This almost makes appear cold but I don't think that's fair to say, she's just career driven but she does make time for socialization and her friends but the entire time, she's working towards her goal and I think that is admirable. She is good hearted person if a little closed off at times. It is clear that she does care for others as evidenced by her relationship with her mother.
Belle
Belle is an interesting character because in the beginning of the film, she'd rather have her nose in a book than actually socialize with people. I do believe that throughout the film and her time at the castle she becomes more open to spending time with people. Something that Tiana would already do, even if it felt as though Tiana was doing it unwillingly. Granted, we do see Belle interact with people in the town in a gracious manner but we never find out what else she likes besides reading. Belle in the beginning more closed in and perhaps a little sheltered. Though it's evident that she does truly love her papa, Maurice and do anything to protect him as seen when she gives herself up to free Maurice. While this is a nice gesture and vary commendable, I feel that her personality can fall flat in some areas. That's why this round goes to....
Tiana
Determination (Round 2)
Now onto Round 2, Determination.
Tiana
Tiana as stated when talking about her personality, she is career driven and works hard to get dream to come true. As I said before I find this to be commendable and this shows that she is full of determination and drive to get what she wants. She follow her father's advice that if you want a dream, you have to work for it and that is a great lesson.
Belle
Now it's harder to say where Belle's determination comes from but I think that she does have some sort of determination. I think her determination comes from her wanting to prove that she doesn't need someone in her life. Still, I find Tiana's to be more apparent and that's why this round goes to...
Tiana
Song (Round 3)
Now we come to something that is important to the films and character, the songs. Now I have chosen songs that I feel best represent both of these characters. For Tiana, I have chosen Almost There and for Belle, I chose what else, Belle.
Almost There (Tiana)
I will say that this song does do a nice job of setting up what Tiana wants and explains her character more but I think this is the weakest song from this film. It's not bad but I think it is the most forgettable save for the animation, which is gorgeous. I don't know, it just doesn't stick out.
Belle (Belle)
I actually feel that this song does a splendid job of introducing to the audience to the character of Belle. We get to find out what she likes and what she is like as well. It shows her as a smart young lady with a good head on her shoulders. Also this song to me is one of the best from this film and they couldn't have picked a better way to open this film. That is why this round goes to...
Belle
Defining Moment (Round 4)
Now it's harder to judge this part but I included it. Let's begin.
Tiana
For Tiana, I believe that her defining moment, you could choose any moment from the film but I believe her defining moment has to be when she stands up to Dr. Facilier and tells him that he doesn't need his magic to make her dreams a reality because her father always taught her choose the right path to chase your dream. I believe it was poignant and it shows what Tiana is all about.
Belle
I believe Belle's defining moment is when she uses the mirror to show the mob, Beast and states that she loves him. When she says she loves Beast, she sounds frightened as to what the mob was going to do to Beast and wanted to protect him. I feel that this is the moment when it was most clear that Belle was in love with Beast. That's why I give this round to...
Belle
The Film Factor (Final Round)
Now we come to the final round and this decides, were all tied up right now with these ladies both taking 2 rounds each. Who will come out on top? Let's find out.
Tiana
With Tiana she acted with characters that she met along the way to meet Mam Odie and while she did meet new character and there are moments of genuine interaction with the characters is entertaining. The interaction she has with the characters is great.
Belle
It's funny while Belle is stationary at Beast's castle throughout most of the film, I feel that she does a better job in her film and I actually believe her interaction with the other characters in her film is much stronger and much more poignant. It's stronger and part of that comes from the fact that she is given more characters to work off of. Don't get me wrong, Tiana is vital to her film but I feel Belle has the stronger film factor. So she wins...
Belle
The End Result
Belle came out in the last three rounds and stole the win. She had the better song, her defining moment was much more powerful and I feel that added more to her film. This was close but at the end of the day, Belle's the winner. Who do you think should have won? Tell me in the comments and if you have any ideas for future match-ups for Vs, let me know.
Sometimes, you can have a bad day and you might like our fine feathered friend up there, lose your cool. That happened to me last Wednesday when if it could go wrong it did. I don't want to get into the details but I realized that something that always cheers me up is a good song. So today, I'll be taking a look at Disney songs that can brighten my day.
Zero To Hero
This song is just fun and the ladies do a fantastic job of singing it. You'll notice a theme of most of these songs being upbeat. This song is just so fun to listen to when I'm having a bad day because the tune can pick me up and just put one big smile on my face. Hercules may not be regarded as one of Disney's better films but I enjoy it and I think this song is part of the reason why. True, not the greatest song in the film but I'm saving that one for Valentines. This one is just so much fun as I stated before and just makes me feel happy.
The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers
This next song comes from my favorite resident of the 100 Acre Woods. Ti-double G-E-R or Tigger. This song as with the rest from this film was penned by The Sherman Brothers and the thing I like about this song is how it feels bouncy and matches Tigger's bouncy personality. If Tigger can't cheer you up, something's wrong or your watching The Tigger Movie, very depressing film by the way but all the same this is a great song and just so much fun to listen to when you need cheering up.
Prince Ali
Ah, Genie another character that could always make me happy. I think the thing I love about this song is how big it feels and I love the parade but right now I can't help but think of Paw's roll count joke from his Music Movies review of Aladdin, which puts an even bigger smile on my face. There's that and the line, "He's got the monkeys" is so ridiculous that I can't help but laugh at it.
Okay for this final song, it comes from a film that draws much hate from Disney fans and others alike but I enjoyed this film and this song always put me in a good mood during high school when I was having a rough day and trust me with everything I had going on, there were a lot of rough days. Let's just get this out of the way from High School Musical...
Stick To The Status Quo
Is this song cheesy? You betcha, but I love it for it. I can't explain it but I used to sing along to this song on my HSM soundtrack (don't judge me) and I always made sure I had sing along mode turned on on my DVD for this song (fine, judge if you must) because I just loved singing along to this song. It was the one song from the film that stuck with me the most and even today, I still enjoy it even if this video reminds me of why I disliked Sharpay in the first place yet at the same time reminds me of the crush on Ashley Tisdale I had and I think that is part of the reason I would watch this over and over for her. Has any of you guys ever had a crush on someone famous but hated a character they played? It just seems odd but I have moved on from her to another lady. (Ah, Carrie Underwood) Anyways, this was always my favorite song from the first film because I found it to be the most fun.
There you have it four songs to brighten a bad day. What are some songs that you listen to when your feeling down and they pick your right back up, tell me in the comments.
Welcome to another round of Vs. Today I'm pitting two of the strongest characters against each other. Coming from Ancient Greece, Hercules and coming from the jungle, the ape man himself Tarzan. The criteria for this battle of brawn will include personality, training, Battle, Song, and of course, The Film Factor. Let's begin.
Personality (Round 1)
Hercules
When we first see Herc as a teen, we see he is a bit clumsy and as he grows up, we seem him to be a nice guy and well meaning. Okay I'll get this out of the way, he isDisney's Clark Kent. The parallels are uncanny but they're there. Just like Clark, he started out clumsy and unsure of himself but as his strength increased, so did his confidence and it made him a better person. Still as we saw at times he can be a bit gullible and naive but I feel that adds another bit of charm to him.
Tarzan
Tarzan for his entire life was raised by animals and so in a sense it gave him an animal like personality. This also applies to his training in shaping him into become the hero he is. I'll admit it is fun watching a character like Tarzan who has these animal like traits that he can use while fighting. Now this is just one side of the character because as we see, he does have relationships even such as with Kala who is very loving of her son. I feel that both of these characters have wonderful personalities that are fun to watch develop but at the end of the day, I feel that character with the better personality is...
Hercules
Training (Round 2)
For the training, we'll be using videos both of which are set to songs.
One Last Hope (Hercules)
I have to admit this is a lot of fun to watch seeing Hercules go through all the different training routines that Phil set up for him even if the song leaves something to be desired. This montage shows us a nice span of Herc's training to becoming a hero and watching him go through all of this is really fun.
Son of Man (Tarzan)
This song is awesome and I feel that Tarzan's reason to make himself stronger are more interesting as he wants to prove that he belongs. Also this is a lot more fun to watch because it covers a longer period of his life and plus I love the transformation scene where he jumps out of the water. I could give it to Tarzan just for that but there other things that make this stick out over One Last Hope and for this reason this round goes to...
Tarzan
Battle (Round 3)
We're going straight from training into battle and for this round, I have chosen to look at two standout battles that these two took on that weren't against the villains of their respective films. Oh no, instead for Herc, I'll be looking at his battle against the Hydra and for Tarzan, his battle against Sabor. Once again, I'll be using video.
Hercules Vs. The Hydra
Now this isn't the entire battle but it shows enough for what I want to cover. This battle of Hercules and the Hydra is fun to watch. You can actually see him sweat and the Hydra is really coo looking. One problem I have a little bit is that even though I stated I like Herc's personality, I feel as though isn't sure of himself. Which is okay but when fighting a monster like this you need to have confidence that you can take him on and I feel as though Herc is lacking that confidence.
Tarzan Vs. Sabor
This battle in a word is awesome!!! Seriously, this battle feels more intense and it really seems like there is more at stake with this one than when Hercules fought the Hydra. Also while the setting for Herc's battle is nice, there is something about having a fight take place in the jungle that adds another level of coolness to it. I actually like how Sabor's death is off screen because even though you know Tarzan will win, it adds another layer of suspense to this battle. Add in the fact that Tarzan killed the one responsible for the death of his parents (Even though I think he didn't know that), it feels as though Tarzan has been vindicated. Like I even need to tell you who won this round but just for safe measure this round goes to...
Tarzan
Song (Round 4)
Now we come to my favorite part of Vs. besides the Final Round, the Song. Which character was given the better song that describes their character. For Hercules, I have chosen Go The Distance and for Tarzan, Strangers Like Me. Let's begin.
Go The Distance (Hercules)
I really enjoy this song and I feel that it helps to set up the character of Hercules quite well. He wants to know if there is a place in the world where he belongs. I feel that we've all been there, wondering where we belong on this earth. Hercules takes a step towards finding out by going on this journey to get an answer. I really feel that this is a beautiful song that does the character of Hercules justice.
Strangers Like Me
I have to admit that this is hard area to judge. Both of these songs are great. Just like Go The Distance, I find this song to also be about self discovery and learning where you belong in this world. Really the only thing that sets this song apart is that it isn't sung by any of the characters but that works for this film and I think instead having Phil Collins sing over a montage works better for this film but if I had to choose a song from falling off a cliff, I'd pick Go The Distance because that song resonates with me more. For that reason, this round goes to..
Hercules
The Film Factor (The Final Round)
This is what it all comes down to, The Film Factor. Which character works better in their respective film? This will decide the winner. Will be it the demi-god or the ape man? Let's find out!
Hercules
Herc for all intents and purposes does work well in his film but at times, I feel as though he gets lost amongst the other characters such as Meg who tend to stand out more. Don't get me wrong, I still think he has the better personality as I find it to be more relatable but he doesn't seem to command the attention that a leading character should.
Tarzan
With Tarzan, when he's onscreen, there is no doubt in your mind that he is the star of his film as he commands the attention of the audience. He works wonders and his actions are so engaging and so fun to watch. When Tarzan is onscreen, your eyes are on him and not wandering off to any of the other characters because he is a character who you want to see what his next move will be. For that reason this round goes to...
Tarzan
The End Result
In this battle of heroes, Tarzan is the winner. He had the better battle, the better training and most importantly a better Film Factor. This one was tough to judge but at end of the day, Tarzan stands out as the better hero. Hercules came close but I had to give it to Tarzan. Do you agree? Tell me in the comments. As always, if you have any match ups that you's like to see, tell me who or what they are. These aren't limited to characters. But that tends to be the most fun.
Every once in a while, you tend to come across characters that you can't stand and just drive you up the wall. They can come from good movies or shows or even bad ones but no matter what these characters always tend to ruin the experience when they are onscreen. Join me today as I countdown what I consider the Top 6 Most Annoying Disney Characters from Shows or Movies I Like.
6. Candace Flynn - Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb ranks as one of the best animated shows to come out in the last few years but if there is one character that I have disliked from the get go from the beginning, it would be Candace. From the very first episode, I have been able to stand this character and that's ashame because I like her voice actress, Ashley Tisdale. As I thought she was great on Suite Life and I get that sometimes actresses play roles different from what were used to seeing. My biggest problem with this character can be summed up with one word: Bust. You see where I feel that Phineas and Ferb's inventions are for the most part creative and make for great stories, Candace trying to bust them has at least to me gotten rather stale. Sure, it's been toned a bit and is is obvious that she does care for her brothers but her busting of them is just starting to feel tired.
5. Sharpay Evans - High School Musical
What do you know? Another character played by Ashley Tisdale. I have stated in the past that I actually like High School Musical but if I had to choose a character that annoyed me the most, it would be Sharpay. I get that she was the antagonist and that she is spoiled and used to getting her way. Here's the thing though, I hate characters like that and really, that's all there is to this character, she doesn't get things her way, so she wants everyone else to suffer. Again, yes she grew into a more well rounded character during the 3 films but all of that was thrown out the window in her spin off film. Where she acted more like the character from the first film.
4. Iola Morton - The Mystery of The Applegate Treasure
Now we come to the character that inspired this list in the first place. As I stated during my review, this character annoyed me to no end. As stated in my review, this is the one character that drove me up the wall and each time, I saw her onscreen she made me cringe. Yes, they made changes to this character from the books and if you recall how in the review, I said they made all of the characters younger than their book counterparts. It felt the most obvious with the character of Iola. Oddly, I didn't have that problem with Frank or Joe. There was just something about this character that I found irritating.
3. Cousin Larry - Kim Possible
Just to show that it's not females, the last three are male characters. You may have noticed that majority of these characters come from Disney Channel. (Odd isn't it). Majority of the characters on Kim Possible are likable. Even the villains are likable but if there is one character that I loathed from this series, it would be KP's Cousin Larry. Larry is the embodiment of the stereotypical nerd/geek. I feel like it is turned up a notch too many. KP clearly didn't care for Larry and let me you tell you I felt the same way. Though my biggest problem with this is his voice. My word, I hated his voice that was the biggest thing about the character that could drive me up a wall. The problem I had with his voice is that it while not bland, it was so monotone and sounded boring. My least favorite episodes of Kim Possible are usually the ones, that Cousin Larry were in. Thankfully, he wasn't in that many but each time, he was it felt like a chore to sit through that particular episode.
2. Fifer and Fiddler Pig - The Three Little Pigs shorts
If you've been reading my Three Little Pigs Thursday's, this one shouldn't be too big of a surprise. If your curious as to why, I have grouped these two together that is because they are the same exact character. Seriously, they have no defining charactersitcs to establish them and also they always get caught by the Wolf and I was almost at the point where I was rooting for the Wolf to capture them and I was surprised that their older brother, Practical didn't blow up at these sooner than he did because they always disobeyed him. To be fair, they did give us one good thing....
1. Chick Hicks - Cars
The character that I find to be most annoying is Chick Hicks. The biggest complaint I hear about Cars, is Mater and perhaps it's because I like Larry The Cable Guy but I want to ask them, "Did you not notice Chick Hicks?" When I did my review of Cars, they labelled him as rival because he has no villainous attributes. That's okay that can work and I understand that they wanted a character that could rival McQueen in terms of ego but it was so over-the-top, that it became annoying. Cars is one of my favorite Pixar films and really the only thing that keeps it from stealing the number 1 spot on my list of favorite Pixar films is the character of Chick Hicks. I seriously believe that if this character had been cut from Cars, it would make what I consider a good movie, even better. The one good thing about him is that he isn't in too much of the film but when he is, I can't stand him.
These are the Top 6 Disney Characters that I find annoying even though I enjoy the source material that they come from. I'm sure we all have characters who annoy us even if we like the show/film/short that they come from. Who are some Disney characters that can drive you up the wall? Tell me in the comments.
Just for safe measure I'm publishing this Thursday night at 8:30 hoping that I can get it up on Friday.
Welcome to a special Music Fridays. You see back on Music Fridays # 14, I took part in the Rainbow Reviewers collab set up by my RU colleague, Arthur Knowledge. For that I decided to take a look at some AMV's used songs from Rent, my all time favorite musical not produced Disney that used clips from Disney films. Looking back at this article, I like it but at the same time, I think it could have been done better. That's why I have decided to revisit some of these AMV's, though first, I'm going to include some new ones too & now I won't be revisiting all of the AMV's from the last article but just the ones that really stuck out to me. Also unlike last time, where I included the original song without the AMV afterwards, I'll just put a link in for each version.
Our first AMV uses the song, Christmas Bells. One of my favorite songs from the play to listen to especially around Christmas. Now they don't use the whole song but I can't blame them because this is rather lengthy. How do I feel about this video? Hmm, it's okay and the usage of this song does work for the most part. They do match the lyrics with scenes perfectly. I wouldn't say that there isn't a lot of substance with this video but rather, it feels like it's missing something. Though this is one song that the beginning of the song really doesn't serve a purpose, it's not until the latter portion that we get to the important part of the song. Though for the part of the song that is used, it's decent. Not my favorite Rent AMV but it's fun.
It's hard to describe this AMV but if I had to choose the right word in describing it, it'd be: somber. That is the tone of this song, though, somber and the clips do tie in nicely with the song even if some do feel out of place for this song but at the same time, it works. Another way to describe this AMV in my opinion would be beautifully quiet and understated. Whereas the first one felt like a big production, this one feels like more of a moment and that is a lot of the songs in Rent are, a moment and this AMV is able to capture the feeling of a moment in these peoples' lives wonderfully.
All right now that I've shown you two new ones, it's times to turn my attention to my two favorites from last time.
Out of all the AMV's, this is my favorite, partly because this is my favorite song from Rent but the creator of this AMV was able to take this wonderful song and give it new meaning. In the original play & film respectively, this is sung by people at the life support meetings talking about living with Aids/HIV and here it was taken and worked to shows these characters at their lowest lows, which is what the people in those meetings may have felt. Something else though going off the video for a second look at the title of the song, Will I? I don't know about you but I know I have those words pop up in this head and to me this song is the most relatable because I at times ask myself the questions asked in this song but about my epilepsy. Getting back to the video though, this video gives me a sense of reassurance and hope that everything'll be okay in the end. Even if it's not, take it what's for and as another song from Rent suggests: There is only today.
This AMV is great and not just because Dumbo is in it but because this song works for this video. I love the mix here. It is very cute and a lot of fun. I mean sure, they just replaced Baby Mine with Seasons of Love but in essence that works for this video because I have always held the belief that Seasons of Love is not a song about one type of love but all love. Whether it be love from your girlfriend/boyfriend, friends, or family. Which the latter is exemplified here. It's a beautiful video and probably one of the best Rent/Disney AMV's out there.
Join me next time when I take a look at some of my favorite songs to listen that can cheer me up.
Welcome back to Classic Shorts Showcase as I continue Three Little Pigs Thursday. Today's short is unique in that technically I have already reviewed it but under a different name. Originally, I was going to skip this short but I thought that it was important to talk about this one. This short is a basic re-edit of Three Little Pigs done by the National Association of Canada to be done as a propaganda short to get people to buy war bonds and support World War II.
The Plot
The plot is for this one is just Three Little Pigs but with a wartime twist. The Big Bad Wolf here is depicted wearing a Nazi hat and uniform. The bricks that Practical used represent the war bonds.
Characters
For this review, I'll be grouping all 3 Pigs together and by now you should know their names.
Main Characters
Practical, Fifer, & Fiddler (Three Little Pigs)
The Pigs this time around are retreads of the first short but they also represent the men of this time. Practical is used to show the type of person that wanted to support the war and do anything that he can while Fifer & Fiddler besides being their usual selves portrayed the people that were ignorant to war either because they didn't know how to help or they didn't think their contribution would constitute anything. At least that is what I got out of this short but I could be wrong.
Villain
The Big Bad Wolf
As you can see The Big Bad Wolf is used as an allegory for Nazi Germany. In this short he represents the evil that was taking place in Germany during the time. This is a wonderful idea and this actually just occurred to me but that picture of The Wolf dressed in a Nazi uniform standing in front of a door is actually terrifying when you think of how Nazi soldiers would barge down doors of the people they captured. That just adds another layer to this image and makes it deeper and creepier.
Ending Images
Before I close out this Classic Shorts Showcase, I wish to take a look at some of the messages that were displayed at the end of this short to get the message across.
This is a very powerful image and gets the point across well in that if you don't do something, the war could get worse. Now this is just one of many images used but I believe it to be one of the most effective.
My Final Thoughts
I find it rather difficult to say where I stand on this short. As a piece of animation, I could call fall into the trap of calling it lazy for reusing the first short but I actually find it ingenious that they were able to use the short, rework it and have deal with an issue that was very prevalent at the time. This short does show how rough times were back then and I think having taken a Holocaust Studies course, it gives me greater appreciation for a short such as this then when I first watched it. Does it deliver the message that it was trying to get out? I honestly believe but as a Pigs short it falls short but it is still enjoyable. Honestly, I'm surprised that I was able to review this short given the difficulty I thought I would face in reviewing it. This is a short that I suggest if your a Disney fan or a History buff that you should track down and watch. As it shows what was happening at the time, I would say this is a very entertaining wartime short and it does very little to besmirch the original. Join me next time as I close out, Three Little Pigs Thursday with the final review as I take a look at..
Tim: Hello, my friends. Today two Disney bloggers joins forces to tackle one of the most notorious things to come from Disney. Some say it has besmirched their name. No, it's not Home On The Range. I would never make a another person suffer through that. (Plus I've already reviewed that) No, today DisneyOtoko and I will be discussing the Disney Princess line.
Tim: Before we get to far into things let's take a look at how this franchise line came to be.
In early 1999, when Andy Mooney was hired by Disney's Consumer Products division to help combat dropping sales, the idea for the Disney Princess franchise was born. Soon after joining Disney, Mooney attended his first Disney on Iceshow. While waiting in line, he found himself surrounded by young girls dressed as princesses. "They weren’t even Disney products. They were generic princess products", he mused. Soon after realizing the demand, the Disney Princess line
Jack: Hello Moviefan12 and thanks for for having me! This is a very interesting topic and in order to truly understand the circumstances of its origin we must actually travel back to when Walt Disney died 45 years ago. When Walt died the company lost its leader and a sense of direction. The old animators did their best, but the 1970s and early 1980s is thought of by most hardcore Disney fans as a fairly dark period because more mediocre live action films were being made and the animated films while quite solid lacked the magic of films when Walt was alive(except for TRON cause that was awesome). For anyone who has seen the fantastic documentary "Waking Sleeping Beauty" then you know that this period came to an end when Micheal Eisner and frank Wells were brought on to run the company along with Roy E. Disney. Soon after Jeffrey Katzenberg was brought on to head the animation department. The new generation of artists were trained by the best and wanted to prove themselves and after many disagreements and arguments a period of unprecedented success and growth came about called the Animation Renaissance(officially starting with The Little Mermaid in 1989).
This period reached its apex in 1994 with the release of the Lion King and it was at this point in time where the tension between Roy, Eisner and Katazenberg had reached a boiling point and Katzenberg left Disney and the tension between those that were left only worsened. It's no surprise that the last half of the Animation renaissance wasn't as strong as the first with the loss of consistency in the quality of the films. For example: Pocahontas is okay, Hunchback of Notre Dame is awesome, Hercules was okay, Mulan was great, and Tarzan was quite good. These constant string of film coming out year after year was very good, however, it made the company creatively bankrupt so in other words the artistic well had run dry. The 21st century in my opinion is the true dark age of Disney where they started releasing schlock and sequels. Television suffered the worst when their healthy universal animated adventure shows were replaced with teeny bopper shows like Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place (Even Stevens and Lizzie McGuire were actually good).
"There were very few good films from the company such as Fantasia 2000, Lilo and Stitch, (arguably Treasure Planet) Pirates, Home on the Range (kidding). I find it very ironic that during this dark age the best Disney story ever was released called Kingdom Hearts! I am proud to say with the release of Enchanted Disney has been slowly, but surely weening itself off the teeny bopper crap by going back to what made them popular, film and animation (Princess and the Frog, Tangled, TRON Legacy, Winnie the Pooh, The Muppets). In 2204 Disney released that they were going to make a franchise of merchandise and media that would feature classic Disney princesses and that it would be marketed to young girls. This was an ingenious thing to do economically and it would give them an insane profit, but it was something born out of desperation, not artistry or creativity. But the question remains is it good? Well for me it is hit or miss. It depends on the stories that are presented in the DVDs that are released and the music that is produced in those albums. What do you think Moviefan12?
Tim: While I'll agree that some of it is bad and the sequels can drive me up the wall. We also need to factor in certain things. In many ways this line looking back now seems almost inevitable. Because besides making movies, nowadays Disney also makes toys and other things such a their collectibles. I think you could also make the point that perhaps Disney was trying to compete with Barbie.
Even though as seen here with this picture that Disney has worked with Barbie in the past. This franchise also reminds me of something said by Joe Quesada in an interview on the Disneyland podcast, Mousetalgia stating that he believes Disney has a wider female fanbase and he hoped by bringing Marvel into Disney would bring in a wider male fanbase. Now perhaps there is a bigger female fanbase for Disney but as both DisneyOtoko and I can attest there are plenty of Male Disney fans.
Going back to this line for a second, while I may not be a father yet, I think one of the best ways to look at this and put myself in those shoes. In that instant, I don't think this would be too bad and I think that this would be an okay way to introduce my hypothetical daughter (let's call her Amber) to these classic characters. True, I'd rather introduce her to the films starring these classic Disney ladies first. But say I was to do that, just as I like Mickey, she might end up liking a character such as Rapunzel or Ariel and might want some toys or books based around these characters and the Disney Princess line produces toys based on some of these toys and I would be okay with buying Amber those toys. Because in a way that would be her just finding a way to celebrate her love for Disney. Trust me, there are some quibbles I have with this franchise but I'll come to that later. DisneyOtoko, what's your take?
Jack: Disney never had to rely on another company to bring in male fans. They have always appealed to everyone. Back when I was going to elementary school it was perfectly okay to like Disney or the princess films. No one laughed at you because the films were made for people not just boys or girls. Disney has always been a company that used merchandise. In fact I think they created merchandising with Mickey Mouse merchandise. Even with merchandise they never lost sight that they were artists and storytellers. They would never diminish their dignity as artists for the sake of making a quick buck with merchandise.
You are correct to say that this franchise was inevitable, but more thought and effort should have gone into it and these characters are more than capable of being appealing to both males and females and the fact that they don't put the effort forward to make a connection to everyone is very off putting and disappointing. By going down this route with the ladies they didn't think of the consequences of creating this very tight demographic. Disney shot itself in the foot by driving away its male audience when these characters could have easily appealed to them. As I said it was rushed and it was a decision made out of desperation for ideas to make a quick buck, but I will admit it is a great way to keep these characters in the public consciousness, and the potential is still there. I just believe that we as fans (NOT just male fans, but fans in general) and more importantly these great characters deserve better.
Tim: I will agree that we do deserve better and going back to the male fan statement for a second here, I believe that Disney did try to make a male counterpart line titled Disney Heroes but it proved to not be as popular as this franchise and in many ways, I kind of feel that the Princess line has had it's moment in the spotlight and now it is all about Tinkerbell and the Disney Fairies.
Though one thing that I have to question on this line are some of it's selections and I have never seen it said anywhere what qualifies some of the ladies chosen because some of the choices for this line perplex me for instance before the Fairies line came along, Tink was part of this line. I also believe that Meg from Hercules and Alice from Alice in Wonderland have been included as unofficial princesses. Which is stretching it and while they do appear in some of the toys, they are never part of the main line. But there is one character's inclusion that to this day can get me going on a wild rampage. Who is that character?
Mulan, she is actually considered an official Disney Princess and I had to go back and re read the plot for her film but not once does she ever become a princess. She is offered a job as an adviser but not once do we ever see her as as princess and she is never addressed as Princess Mulan either. Here is a group shot of all of the Disney Princesses with Mulan right smack in the center.
This is something that I can't explain but it is a decision that has left me less than thrilled. Sure, this may be nitpicky but it bugs me.
Jack: I completely agree with you. It makes absolutely no sense that Mulan is included. They're probably doing it out of a PC why don't you have an Asian princess? sort of thing, but it's still stupid. She is of a warrior class and gets appointed to be the royal adviser to the emperor, but I believe she turns that job offer down so she can go home. That and Pocahontas being a princess is also stupid and is culturally insensitive to that particular tribe of Native Americans. They believed the land belonged to everyone and had no sense of ownership and no real hierarchy except the chief who only made the really important decisions. Pocahontas was the chief's daughter nothing more, nothing less. There's nothing royal about it.
My standards of becoming a Disney princess are that you are born royalty or marry into royalty. Also you must have all the basic personality traits with a few adjustments depending on the story of their movie. And most importantly they must earn the title by withstanding the test of time!!! The thing that annoys me about the immediate inclusion of Rapunzel and Tiana is the fact that the second their movies were released they were inducted. The other princesses had to stick around for about 10 years to 70 years to be included.
The classic 6 of Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle and Jasmine earned their place in the franchise by being in the hearts and minds of so many people for so long with only Kingdom Hearts and a tv show supporting them at most. Tiana and Rapunzel aren't old enough yet to truly determine whether they have the long lasting appeal of the others so the jury is still out on whether they are worthy despite the fact their films are good. The only reason why these two will last is because Disney is shoving them out with the Princess line instead of letting the characters withstand the test of time on their own merit."
Tim: Going back to the inclusion of Rapunzel & Tiana for a second, I'm not sure if your aware or not but at the last D23, the voices of the Disney Princesses including the voice of Tiana, Anika Noni Rose were honored as Disney Legends. I can understand the likes of Jodi Benson and Paige O' Hara getting this honor but I don't believe Anika Noni Rose has been around long enough to be considered a Disney Legend. I just had to bring that up, But now let's move on to DVD's. This seems to be the big money maker for this line, The DVD's. Their have been plenty of them
Let me just say that I have never watched one of these DVD's because A. I'm not the intended audience and B. they look beyond bad. However I have stumbled across a song or two on YouTube. And well, that quality is about that of a direct to video sequel.
This song here appears to be the theme for this franchise and believe it or not that is actually Jodi Benson as Ariel. Now yes, I have included another song with her as Ariel from this line in the past when I did my Christmas reviews but at least that one sounded unique. You know how some people complain that Disney songs have started to sound generic, this is that kind of song. Is it bad? No, not really but it is just so bland and in my eyes that is worse. If your going to give these ladies a song, make it one worthy of their legacy. This isn't it. I know DisneyOtoko said that the fans deserve better but in this instance I'm willing to put these lovely ladies first because they deserve so much better. And they have been given better before too. If you want an example of a decent song featuring a Disney Princess that isn't from her film, take a listen to the song In Harmony from The Little Mermaid TV show. Sure, I know I said in my review of this episode that this song isn't anything special when compared to the film's soundtrack but at least it is somewhat catchy and a little bit more memorable
Jack: This may shock you, but I actually like "If You Can Dream". I truly believe it is a worthy anthem of the franchise and embodies what I love about these characters. I can understand the way you feel,but I think it followed the formula of a classic Princess song. It has all the same themes that are discussed in those songs and the best part is that the song is for the most part understated! If you really think about it all of the classic princess songs including "True Love's Kiss" from Enchanted (I can't believe I forgot to talk about the lovely Giselle) are always holding back. "Someday my Prince Will Come", "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes", "Once Upon a Dream", "Part of Your World", "Belle", Jasmine's song in the Aladdin show at California Adventure, "True Love's Kiss" they all are very soft and toned down and then they have a little bit of over the top musical number moments and then the song tones down.
This showcases the characters' honor and humility towards their dream. The song isn't in your face and too over the top that we care more about the feel of the song then about the deeper meaning of the song. I hate to pick on Princess and the Frog again (see Pinocchio review for the first time I did it), but that was my problem with "Almost There" it just didn't get the honor, respect and humility, and subtlety of the princess song and the motivations of the character. Yes "If You Can Dream" isn't anything new and we've all heard much better songs from the original films, but it is a song that is more than worthy of the legacy of these beautiful ladies. Now if you want a song that insults not only the legacy of these wonderful women, but insults the intelligence of little girls everywhere feast your eyes on the dreadful "Every Girl can be a Princess" Ughhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim: Yeah, uh WOW! I'll take If You Can Dream over that song. That one is worse. Was the lady singing even awake and aware when she sang that and adding the mice in as the chorus, were they trying to make this song more annoying? You know what song this reminds me of by Disney Legend, Hayley Mills.
This song from Summer Magic is more a product of it's time but comparing these two songs, it is clear in my mind that this is the stronger song and it feels more natural and fluid than that other song.
Tim: Now for this next part, I'm turning it over to DisneyOtoko to talk about one of the many direct-to-videos that came from this line.
Jack: Now in 2007 a DVD was released called Enchanted Tales. The stories would contain two featurettes starring Aurora and Jasmine. The ladies tell their stories to teach us life lessons. Today's lesson: PERSEVERANCE! Now before you click off the blog let me explain the good things and bad things and believe me there's plenty of each.
First the bad. All of Aurora's story. Yes this was a perfect opportunity to give dimensions to a character who in the original film didn't have them because that story demanded it. Alas the writers fail miserably. Basically King Stefan, His Queen, Prince Philip and King Hubert have to leave for a royal watchamahuzit leaving Aurora to be in charge of the kingdom for a couple of days. Aurora suddenly turns in a vain little insert 5 letter word here (I can't bring myself to call a Disney princess that even if she is acting like one) and starts bragging about how she has "the keys to the kingdom" in song of course. Oh and by the ay the music is unoriginal. The music is the same one that's used in the JT Wentworth commercial in the opera. Anyway the 3 good fairies arrive to help, but they have to go on an errand, but Merryweather gives Aurora her wand for emergencies. Aurora initially refuses saying she must "stick with it" and not use magic. She gives in and makes things worse. She stops using it and does things normal and that is how you persevere! Give me a break. You know what persevering is? It's Aurora having a trauma towards darkness, magic and fireplaces because it reminds her of the spinning wheel and she's haunted by Maleficent's ghost. The special uses classic psychological direction to make the audience guess if the ghost is real or in Aurora's head and how she deals with her problem and eventually through sheer force of will gets over her phobias by talking with her friends and family and searching within her own kindness and will. That's perseverance! Luckily the Jasmine story is much better and is far more interesting.
" Jasmine's story takes place presumably in between the show and King of Thieves (if this is canon). Aladdin and Genie are off on some other adventure leaving Carpet, Abu and Iago as the supporting characters. This is interesting because the special doesn't have the 2 most popular characters to rely on as a crutch which means they really have to entertain us and as a direct to video special goes I think they did. Jasmine is working on various projects and finds them boring and wants the Sultan to give her more taxing and important jobs so she can prove her worth (she sings a bad song about it, but the idea is fine). The Sultan appoints her to work with her cousin (one that we've never heard of) as basically a Student Teacher and having to deal with a bunch of brats. We are also introduced to the horse Sahara who is a very unruly horse. Sahara was Jasmine's mother's horse and only she could ride it and no one has succeeded in riding him after the queen's death. It's implied that the horse has killed other would be riders before and that's why the Sultan is very leery of letting Jasmine get close to him. Why doesn't the Sultan put down the horse? Because it's too sentimental and as long as a distance is kept and food is given everything is okay. Jasmine is about to give up teaching, but her aid tells her to PERSEVERE and she'll get through it just fine. The confidence booster comes when Sahara has escaped and Jasmine finds him and successfully tames him. The special is very average. Nothing outstanding, but nothing truly bad or awful. In fact as bad as the songs are they're still entertaining and there were a few moments where I did laugh out loud. One of those moments was when Iago was interrogating Abu on where Sahara went. This was a huge step up from the Aurora story and it did prove that this franchise was capable of producing competent stories.
Growing up, my favorite book series was that of The Hardy Boys and I was shocked and intrigued when I learned of the Disney serials adapted for the original Mickey Mouse Club. This year, I revived a collection of The Hardy Boys serials that were aired Mickey Mouse Club as a Christmas present and I have decided to review the first story arc. Now I could have just done an individual serial but I feel that this is the better route to go as not each serial is important to the story being told but when put together they all add up to a great story. Just a sidenote, I may come across a bit nitpicky but that is only because of how much I love this book series and I will be pointing out some of the changes made. Now one of the first changes to address is that Disney changed the title as you see the first book is titled The Tower Treasure. At first, I didn't care for this change but looking at more and more, The Mystery of The Applegate Treasure is the better title as there is more intrigue and mystery with that title. I think it can peak one's interest more then the original title. As a Hardy Boys fan, it feels a little wrong to say this but it wasn't a good title for their first book. However, the book's title was used as a title for one of the episodes in the serial. Now if you want an example of a book title that does have mystery and intrigue around it, While The Clock Ticked is great. (Of course, that's my favorite book in the series.)
The Plot
As stated above, this serial is an adaption of the first Hardy Boys book, The Tower Treasure. Now their were some liberties taken from the book but for the most part, the story is the same. It's your basic treasure hunt story and a mystery. Frank and Joe are bored during the summer and just want to solve a mystery with their father who is never home because he is always in the city. They later meet Perry and learn of the Applegate Treasure. Perry is believed to be a criminal, which is another change made from the book. Having read the first Hardy Boys book and now watching this, I will say that this was superb adaption of the book and I feel that it actually improved upon areas that were lacking in the book.
Intro
Now I'll be doing something different for this review and instead of looking at the music in the middle, I have decided to start with the theme song. Seeing as that was the first thing I heard each time watching the serial.
This song is just awesome. It knows how to get the audience excited for the story they're about to watch. It has a great pirate like feel to it. It is a great song and 2 fun facts for ya: the clips for this intro are taken from the Disney film, Treasure Island and the voice singing may sound familiar. As that is Thurl Ravenscroft singing it there.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into Important, Supporting and Villains.
Important Characters
Frank Hardy played by Tim Considine
Frank is the older of the two brothers and it really shows at least in the earlier episodes of the serials. Frank in the books was my favorite of the two Hardy's because he was the logical thinker and that truly shines through. Again, I say that was shown in the earlier serials and yeah it was still there for later episodes but there seemed to be a shift in his character during the middle of the story because he started to seem a bit flat but he was the more engaging of the two brothers.
Joe Hardy played by Tommy Kirk
It's hard to say how Joe was, in some scenes he was portrayed as an annoying little brother to Frank. While in other scenes and the latter section of the serial is that he seemed just as if not more competent than his older brother. Though to the credit of Tommy Kirk, he played this role well and while it isn't how I would have portrayed Joe Hardy, it was a good portrayal. As for Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk, they worked well together and the entire time watching it, I believed them to be Frank and Joe. Yes, they did make Frank and Joe younger, then their book counterparts as to appeal to the the audience of the Mickey Mouse Club but unlike with another certain character, that didn't distract me. They were good characters all the same.
Perry Robinson played by Donald MacDonald
Now we come to one of the first changes made from the book to the serial. As you see it is believed that Perry is the criminal that has been causing some of the mayhem at the Applegate mansion. Going back to the change made, you see in the book Perry's father was the one that was thought to be a crook but Disney cut out the character of his father and made Perry an orphan as to try and make him more relatable since he was the one always getting in trouble with the adults. Do I think this was a good move? No but I can see what they were thinking because they had the mindset of kids can relate better to kids than to adults. In this adaption though, Perry was probably the least interesting character. I mean sure, he was the one that got the story moving but by the time the later episodes started, he wasn't needed and I think the people behind this knew that because by the end, you barely see him. I should mention that Perry gives Joe a doubloon that is part of Applegate's Treasure that starts the search for the treasure.
Applegate played by Florenz Ames
Applegate is a strange character and yes, he's important to the story. (His name is in the story). Applegate is the employer of Perry and another character, Jackley who turns out to be one of the main villains. At first Applegate is portrayed as a crotchety old man who doesn't like young kids and kind of has a "Get off my lawn" feel to him. Though when he finds out that Frank and Joe believe in the treasure, he starts treating them kindly and starts to show them respect because no one else ever believed there was any treasure. Applegate is a strange character, at first I didn't like him but by the time, people started looking for the treasure and they were tearing down his house, I felt bad for him because here was this man whenever he would tell other about the treasure, they would laugh at him but when a doubloon was found and the rest of Bayport thinks there is treasure, they start to tear his house apart.
Supporting Characters
Aunt Gertrude played by Sarah Selby
Now we come to our second change made from the books, Aunt Gertrude was upgraded from what I consider a sort of comic relief character in the books to the boys' maternal figure. As you see, it was decided to cut out the character of Mrs. Hardy as they felt it was wrong to show kids disobeying their mother but only sort-of wrong to show kids disobeying their aunt. Remember, how I said this made some improvements from the books. The character of aunt Gertrude was one of them because as in the books, I found her to be annoying and over barring and almost unneeded because Mrs. Hardy was there to look over Frank and Joe. While in the serial, Gertrude not only serves as a maternal figure but she also appears as more strong-willed character in this version and more engaging character than the book version. To be honest, I hated her character in the books and I was dreading seeing what they did to her in this adaption but she was probably one of my favorite adult characters.
Fenton Hardy played by Russ Conway
What can I say about Fenton? Well, this was probably the character that was closest to his book counterpart. He was a good father, cared for Frank and Joe. He looked like what I expected Fenton to look like. Now it has been awhile since I read The Tower Treasure and I can't recall if it is shown that his detective work puts a strain on his relationship with Frank and Joe and even if it did, in the books, they had their mother to turn to. (By the way, I would have like to known what happened to her in this version. I guess she died.) But here they only had their aunty and while she does try to be a paternal figure for the boys, it is obvious that they need their father in their lives and I like how this explored the dynamic of the relationship between Frank, Joe and Fenton. Fenton wasn't the most interesting character but he served the role of being father well.
Iola Morton played by Carole Ann Campbell
Oh dear lord, was this character ever annoying? I cringed each time she was onscreen. Here again we come to another change made from the books and one I which they didn't make so annoying. You see in the books, Frank and Joe are friends with Chet Morton, who happens to be Iola's older brothers. What happened to him? Well, in this version he doesn't exist and Iola was made an only child. As she was upgraded to female lead. Funny story, this role was almost offered to Annette Funicello but I have to say I'm so glad they didn't cast her in this role as this version of Iola just feels too young. Yeah, I get the main leads are all young kids but it so blatantly obvious with Iola. You want to know who she reminds me of most, Sally from Peanuts because she has such an obvious crush on Joe. Joe has no interest in her and just finds her to be a pest (I agree). I mean yeah in the books, they had feelings for each other but it was subtle. The worst part is that she ruins the ending. This grand story about crime and treasure hunting ends with her chasing Joe through Applegate's garden. Well, I guess that does make sense since she is the character they used to open the story with as you see when it opens as you see is a hand in a black glove tapping a knife to a phone. I thought it was a villain and here I was thinking, all right, they aren't wasting any time, we're getting right into the action but no. It was just Iola annoying Frank and mostly Joe with a form of Morse code that she just invented to relay a message. Really?! You had to keep this character but you cut out her older brother, who actually went on missions with Frank and Joe. Why? Oh, I know they needed a character that the girls could relate to, that or they thought she was so much more important than Chet. I think I have made it clear that I did not like this character at all.
Villains
Now we come to perhaps the most interesting characters, the villains.
Jackley played by Robert Foulk
Now unlike usual, one villain doesn't rank as more important over the other. So instead of listing them like that, I'll be listing by order of appearance. Jackley was the first of the villains that we meet. Now going in, I knew that he was one of the villains not only because he was in the book but he was also touched upon in the DVD featurette, From Dixon to Disney. Knowing that did taint the enjoyment a tad but I do appreciate the fact that if I hadn't watched the featurette, I would have found his heel turn more shocking because while there is build up to show that he is evil, it isn't obvious and really isn't shown until towards the end of the story. Really, only one thing stated he had a past because he is apparently a con who had escaped prison and now works as Applegate's gardener. Though granted, it was a rather quick heel turn when it happened but it wasn't so obvious, I mean in the beginning he is shown helping Frank and Joe on the case. Out of the two villains, I think he was the more engaging.
Boles played by Arthur Shields
Boles is a bit of an interesting case because it was so obvious that he was a bad guy. Almost too obvious to the point, where I thought they were using this character to mislead us into thinking that he was a bad guy, that wasn't the case. My deduction skills didn't turn out to be right because he was still a bad guy. I should note that he used to work for Applegate. He was first shown to be a comedic villain and that is all I thought he was, just a comedic foil but it was later shown that he was actually a capable villain. while not as capable as Jackley, he still had his moments.
My Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, while I have qualms with this adaption. Namely Iola, it is a good adaption of my favorite boy detectives. Disney did a great job bringing Frank and Joe along with the rest of Bayport to life. As I said, there are some things that are better in the book and vice versa. I honestly can't choose which is better than the other because they are both good and as a longtime Hardy Boys fan, it was just awesome to see Frank and Joe make the leap from this...
to a wider audience on TV. Granted, this would not be the last time Frank and Joe would appear on TV as there was also the '70s series which starred Shaun Cassidy, younger brother of David Cassidy as Joe. There have also been rumors going around of a live action Hardy Boys movie that I'm not looking forward to as Frank and Joe apparently would be portrayed as adults and it would be called The Hardy Men (dumb title). In the meantime, I'll enjoy the Mickey Mouse Club version and might check out the '70s show.
Welcome back to KP Week & today, I'll be taking a look at the music from this show. Let's begin. Where to start, well how about with the theme song?
Call Me, Beep Me (KP Theme)
This theme does something that all good theme songs should do and that is get you excited to see the show. Now this is just the short version of the song as there was an extended version as well but I prefer the shorter version because the extended has too much filler whereas this one gets to the point and makes it clear that KP is someone to rely on without too much filler.
Say The Word
Now admittedly, this song is a bit like the theme but I like it and I think Christy Carlson Romano, KP's voice actress does a decent enough job singing here. It's uplifting and fun song that again fits with the theme of the show and in describing the characteristics of Kim quite well. For those of you wondering, this song comes from the episode, Hidden Talent, where Ron signs up Kim to compete in the school talent show which she was nervous about but the main reason is because her high school rival Bonnie says that she'll crush any competition. This comes right at the end and I think it is a good song and really fun.
The Naked Mole Rap
Now we come to perhaps the show's most famous, The Naked Mole Rap. I remember loving this song as a kid, (okay pre teen) because it's Rufus and Rufus = awesome. It's fun and silly and a harmless. To this day, this is probably the only rap song that I'll willingly listen to besides one other from this show that we'll get to. It's a cute song that tells the story of how Ron and Rufus met. It's fun and just plain silly. The only world to describe the song really is fun.
Drakken's Rap
Yep, the other rap. This was part of one of Dr D's plans to use a rap on a commercial to sell brainwashing shampoo with cranium rinse to boot. It's fun and I like that it actually gives some insight into Dr. D's back story of how he became evil. That's a nice touch, there. It's fun and really that is the best way to describe these songs.
So there you have it, my look at some of the music from Kim Possible. I hope you have enjoyed this article. Join me Monday when I wrap this event as I review A Sitch In Time but as for next week, I'm going to do something that I have been wanting to do for a while. I don't know how many of you recall the Rainbow Reviewers Music Friday, I did. I liked it and while I didn't get a lot of feedback on that, it is one of my favorites, that's why next time, I'll be taking a look at some more Rent AMV's when they are Revisited.
I had to repost this because the site deleted it and any memory of it.
We're into our fourth short now with The Practical Pig. Let's have some fun on Three Little Pigs Thursday here on Classic Shorts Showcase. Join me as I take a look at this short.
The Plot
I'm not certain but I think that this is the first short in the Pigs series that does not appear to be based on any other fable but rather an original tale. The main plot here is Practical is building a lie detector to find another way to defeat the Wolf and as always his brothers are laughing at him and decide to go to the pond to go swimming but Practical warns against it as the Wolf is near. As usual, Fifer & Fiddler do not listen to their brother and once again are caught by The Wolf and taken back to his hideout but he isn't going to cook them until he gets Practical. The plot for this short was nice and flowed nicely with the previous short in this retrospective and felt more like a sequel than the first sequel short.
Characters
Just like last time, I'll be breaking this down into Main, & Villains. I think that you can also figure out by now that Fifer & Fiddler will be grouped together.
Main Characters
Practical
Finally, Practical had plenty of screen time in this short. Partially due to the fact that he is the titular character. In this short, he has the most interaction with the Wolf as the Wolf dresses himself up as a Messenger Boy but Practical doesn't fall for it. Practical had installed a Lie Detector as I said and he uses it against the Wolf which is hysterical. Each time, the Wolf lies it puts soap in his mouth and spanks him with a brush. It is funny and it shows how well equipped Practical is machinery. Also Practical finally got back at his brothers using this machine against them for disobeying him. It was nice to see them finally get punished for their actions.
Fifer & Fiddler
Once again Fifer & Fiddler were the usual troublemakers who disobeyed the wishes of their older brother by going swimming. Just like last time, they were caught by the Wolf and taken back to his hideout to be eaten. They seemed more fearful this time but I didn't fear for them as much in this short as I did the last because well, again I knew the outcome and the situation didn't seem as dire. Although it was funny seeing the Three Little Wolves trying to eat them while Big Bad was away. One nice touch is that they escaped on their own without help from their brother but that does not mean their punishment at the end of the short was undeserved. Like I said last time, I was surprised with how much Practical put up with his brothers' antics but in this short with that Lie Detector, it seems as though he finally reached his boiling point.
Villains
Three Little Wolves
The Three Little Wolves return in this short and surprisingly, they worked better in this short than they did in their own titular short. Part of it though came from the fact that they had more solo interaction with Fifer & Fiddler while Big Bad had more interaction with Practical. It worked out nicely and this actually showed how cunning and ruthless they could be. They didn't feel just like henchmen in this short but rather actual capable villains.
The Big Bad Wolf
The Wolf as usual was great and I actually think this is the most brutal beat down that he has gotten in any of the shorts and it certainly lasted the longest. He was his usual self and worked well in the short. There isn't too much to say about him in this short as he doesn't really need to though. Two things that I picked up on though is that in the last three shorts, The Wolf has dressed up in drag and another thing I noticed is at one point, The Wolf sounded eerily like Pete. Though that shouldn't be too surprising given that Billy Bletcher, the voice of The Wolf was also the the voice of The Wolf.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, this was a decent short but not as strong as the previous short. It was still fun to watch and I suggest that you check it out. Again, it's not as strong but it is nice to see Fifer & Fiddler finally get punished. Also Practical gets the most amount of screen time in this short, which I'm okay with. Join me next time, when I take a look at a Three Little Pigs short that is rather unique. Join me when I review
Hey guys, here a KP Week article that I thought I had lost which was meant to open the event. Luckily, I did some digging through my archives on my site and I was able to enjoy it. I hope you do as well. Join me as I countdown the Top 6 Kim Possible Villains.
So here's the sitch, I love Kim Possible. I think it is one of the best action oriented shows to ever come from Disney and I have decided that over the next few days that I would celebrate this great show by holding a KP Week. Granted, this will spill over into next Monday due to Classic Shorts Showcase but I'm still calling it KP Week. But where to start, oh where to start. Well, I have decided to start with one of the best things about this show. It's villains, so join me as I take a look at the rouges gallery of this show.
6. Gill
Now this villain I believe only appeared in 2 episodes but he was an entertaining enough villain. Gil used to be the former cabin mate of Ron at Camp Wanna Weep. Ron would swap swim time with as Ron I believe had a fear of water. However unbeknownst to Gil, the river was polluted and the more time he spent in the river it turned him into this monster and he renamed himself Gill.
I added an 'L', you know, as in Gill, as in these things that grew when I mutated!
He blamed Ron for what happened to him and wanted revenge. I liked that aspect because I think Gill is one of the few villains to have a personal history with one of our heroes before they turned evil. Also while he may not have appeared in many episodes, his first appearance was quite nice and set him well. It's actually ashame that they didn't use him more but I couldn't understand why as what one could do with him is rather limited. Though I will say this the first episode that he appears in,Sink or Swim is fun to watch on Halloween.
5. Senor Senior, Senior
Coming in at # 5 is the Senor Senior . In a way, KP's partner Ron is responsible for Senor, Senior turning evil and that is part of the reason why I included him on this list. I just love his demeanor, he treats villainy as just a hobby and nothing more. While he hopes for his plans to succeed., he really could care less if they are foiled. Really, this is just a way for him to spend some time in his retirement because it seems like he was bored and what better to do than just try to be evil. Now I know some KP fans may be wondering why I didn't include Junior along with his father. Well because Junior doesn't really want to be evil. He just does it pretty much to make his father happy whereas Senior seems to actually get some joy out of being evil.
4. Duff Killigan.
Now if there is one thing that this show knew how to do well, it was over the top villains and really, you can't get more over the top than Duff Killigan. A once famed golf player with a bad attitude that got him banned from every golf course in the world and this even includes mini golf. After this he turned to a life of crime and as you could figure out he is a golf themed villain. I mean he uses exploding golf balls as one his main weapons. If your looking for a great over the top villain look no further than Duff Killigan. He is always good for a laugh.
3. Dr. Drakken
Now here again, I know some of you may be wondering why Drakken is only at # 3 when he was the main villain. Well, he's a great a villain and a great comedic villain. Oh, don't get me wrong he had his moments of awesomeness but really that only came because of his sidekick, Shego. It's basically a reverse of Joker and Harley. In that with the relationship of Joker and Harley, Harley was the more playful one whereas here Dr. Drakken is much more playful but he still has a serious side to him. Now I know in canon he is considered KP's arch enemy but I don't necessarily agree with that and you'll find out why in a bit. One of my favorite running jokes with Dr. D is that he can never remember Ron's name and I have to say while he is book smart, he can never get his inventions to work. Sound familiar...
Just sayin'
Also while I bring this up, KP had a brief cameo in Phineas and Ferb during their Spot The Diff marathon.
This couldn't be a cross over instead of a cameo, why?
2. Monkey Fist
Admittedly, Monkey Fist is more of Ron's foe than Kim's and that mainly comes from the fact that Ron is deathly afraid of monkeys. One thing that impresses me about Monkey Fist is that he tricked Kim and Ron into helping him become evil by having KP & Ron help him the four jade monkey statues which gave him Mystical Monkey Powers. It would take forever to go into what Mystical Monkey Powers entail. I will say though that he was an already capable fighter and that came from him studyingMonkey Kung-Fu The Mystical Monkey Powers made him an even better and bigger foe. Part of the reason that I said that he is more of a foe for Ron than KP is that Ron also received Mystical Monkey Powers and this had actually made Ron much more self confident and comfortable with facing him. At the end of that day, the only thing left to say is...
1. Shego
I bet a lot of you may have seen this one coming a mile away but there is a good reason for that. As I said when talking about Dr. Drakken, I don't consider him KP's arch enemy but rather Shego. She is in every sense of the word, Kim's equal. She is just as strong if not stronger than Kim. Just as smart and could predict KP's next move and be ready with a counter but all of that pales in comparison as to the main reason why she is on this list. Shego succeeded where every other villain failed, she was able to defeat Kim. How? In the show's first film, A Sitch In Time, she figures out that together Kim and Ron are strong but take them away from each other and Kim just doesn't fight as well. She was the one that split Kim and Ron apart and in the future had taken over the world.
Would you get out of here?
In the future Kim and Ron had gone missing and without KP there to stop Shego, the world had become a very desolate place.
Here we see Shego as the dictator and just this image alone is enough to convince me that she is ruthless and cold blooded. I mean yeah sure at the end of the film, the events are erased and this never happened but even still, for a brief moment someone had defeated our hero and it appeared as though there was no hope left.
In the end, these are my Top 6 Kim Possible villains. Tell me are there some that didn't make the list that you would have put on here. Join me tomorrow for a Can We Talk about where I take a look at the live action Kim Possible movie that almost got
Hello and welcome to the celebration. Today, join me as I review the episode Go Team Go and take a look at Shego's past.
The Plot
The basic plot of this episode is that we learn that Shego used to be part of a superhero team with her brothers called Team Go. They apparently received their powers from a meteor that was colored like an Easter Egg and now their arch foe, Aviarius has returned and stolen their powers and Kim somehow had absorbed the powers of Hego, Shego's older brother. So KP has to unwillingly team up with Shego in order to take down this new foe and help restore the powers of Team Go. The plot for this episode was nothing special but it worked nicely.
Episode Title
Go Team Go
Seeing as this is an episode, I'll be taking a look at the title. This title is fun and reminds of older superheroes with how they would have a battle cry. Simple but it works.
Characters
Now normally, I would just break an episode review like this down into Main, Supporting, & Villains but this one of those rare times where I had to swap out Main with Important.
Important Characters
Team Go
First and foremost I actually want to talk about Team Go. The team is comprised of Hego, Mego, The Twins (Wego), & Shego. They used to be one of the greatest superhero teams in the world but the more they fought evil, the more Shego liked evil and decided to turn to the dark side. Now each sibling has a unique power, Hego has super strength, Mego can shrink and The Twins can duplicate themselves. Shego was just granted the power of heat rays. Now here I want to go into the personalities of the team save for Shego. Hego is the leader type and take charge. Mego is pompus and thinks that the world revolves around him. Probably why he was my least favorite of the team.
Kim Possible voiced by Christy Carlson Romano
Kim is her usual self in this one but something about seeing her team up with Shego was intriguing to say the least. The only major difference here being that she obtained Hego's super strength. Thus he had to contact KP as he needed her help in taking down their foe. Kim was awesome as always and adding in a layer of super strength was a nice touch but I will say that at the end of the day, I prefer a powerless KP as to me that is more exciting.
Supporting Characters
Ron Stoppable voiced by Will Friedle
Ron was his usual goofy self in this episode if slightly turned up a notch seeing as how Go City where majority of the episode takes place is home to the biggest Bueno Nacho. Ron's favorite eatery in the world. Needless to say he is in Heaven until he finds out that this particular Bueno Nacho does not serve the Naco. This becomes a running gag throughout the episode and it's an okay joke. Of course, I actually think that it's made funnier that Hego is the general manager of Go City's Bueno Nacho. It was actually pretty funny but here KP seemed over shine Ron a bit and I'm not saying that's a bad thing as this wasn't a Ron centric episode but at the same time there are moments when there is too much KP and not enough Ron. Don't get me wrong, he is hysterical and probably has one of the funniest lines in the entire episode.
That is the second biggest flamingo that I have ever seen
Yeah, it doesn't work so well out of context but it stills pretty funny and for the most part Ron was decent enough in this episode.
Rufus voiced by Nancy Cartwright
Ah, Rufus he was probably my second favorite character on the show. If you want to know who my favorite is just look at the first two letters in the event's title. It was kind of cool actually in the climax because Rufus got in on the action when he somehow absorbed the powers of Team Go and fought Shego. The little guy could hold his own and put up a pretty good fight. While not as strong a fighter as KP, he was still pretty good. It was funny yet exciting at the same time to see him take on Shego.
Villains
Aviarius voiced by Richard Holtz
All I can say about this villain is that I'm glad that he was not used not much during the show's run. He was probably my least favorite thing about this entire episode. If I understand this character correctly I think he was supposed be a parody of the type of villains that you would see appear on the old (and in my opinion awesome) Adam West Batman series. Sadly, that didn't work for me. Don't get wrong, the show has done over the top villains. Heck the most of the rouges gallery are over the top but I feel that they took this character in a direction that just didn't work and honestly he didn't seem like a big threat. Now I know that this is a children's show and the villains usually aren't that threatening but they can be. Just take a look at say Monkey Fist or Shego. Heck, even Dr. Drakken can be a real threat when he puts his mind to it and gets rid of any distractions. Him, not so much.
Shego voiced by Nicole Sullivan
Okay, now we're talking. As you know Shego is my favorite KP villain. Like always, she rocked in this episode. Her interaction with her brothers and how she didn't put up with their antics was hysterical and of course at the end, she betrayed the team and tried to steal all of the powers for herself. No one should really be surprised by that move. I gotta tell ya with how of the powers of Team Go, Shego is someone that you shouldn't mess around with. It was actually pretty cool seeing her with all of those powers. Even though she had all the powers and lost them. It seemed as though she intentionally lost because somewhere deep down she may still care about her brothers.
My Final Thoughts
This was a decent enough episode and it was fun learning about Shego's past. While I did have some qualms with it, it was still a passable episode. Not the best but by far not the worst. It was a fun watch.
To kick off KP Week, I have decided to talk about my thoughts on the proposed live action KP movie that floated around a few years back. Now these are just my thoughts and I hope that you enjoy what I have to say.
Currently, a script for a live action Phineas and Ferb film to hit theaters is being worked on. This is not the first time that a Disney Channel animated show had been considered to be turned into a live action film. Oh, no there were plans for a live action American Dragon: Jake Long film and what we are here to discuss today, a live action Kim Possible film. Seeing as I do not know the plot of the film or if they even got that far, I won't be focusing on that.
Now I'm sure a lot of you are thinking that this would have been a a bad idea and granted, I can agree with some of the past films that we have received based off of cartoons such as Scooby Doo or The Last Airbender. But here's the thing, if done right this could have worked.
For all intents and purposes, Kim Possible was an action comedy series and action films tend to do well in theaters. I think the best way to go about this would be explore KP's origins as she came
This was later explored and we were given more detail in the episode, Team Impossible. Where it was revealed that Kim's heroic career was started by accident as you may have noticed in that clip I used as the taller gentlemen meant to type in the web address for Team Impossible but instead ended up at KP's site.
Now true, this is treading old ground but not everyone will be as familiar with KP especially considering that the finale aired in 2007. (2007, wow!) And the show premiered back in 2002, (Again, wow I'm old). Now let's go back to the video and take a look at one of the lines said in that scene
She can do anything
Why is this so important? Well besides the fact that it sums Kim's personality. She is strong minded, self confident and very sure of herself. Now I'm going to avoid casting (for the most part) because I think I'd be terrible at it and I'd be afraid of it causing too much controversy. However, the actress that would play Kim would have to be able to convey this while still at the same time being able to pull off being an everyday teenage girl. She also needs to be a capable fighter and hold her own in combat. Now I said that for the most part that Kim is upbeat but she does have her moments where she feels she failed showcased nicely in So The Drama.
Now besides, Kim and Ron, there are other characters that should make an appearance such as the rest of the Possible family, Rufus, and Mr. Barkin.
Hello, welcome back to Music Fridays & today we continue our look at the music of Toy Story as for the first time on Music Fridays, I'll be taking a look at different versions of the same song with that song being You've Got a Friend In Me. I'll be looking at the original, both versions from Toy Story 2, the Toy Story 3 version and one cover. With that out of the way, let's begin.
You've Got a Friend In Me - Toy Story version
Ah, the classic. The original. It is such a great song and I'm just going to say right now that I disagree that Randy Newman writes the same song all the time. Even though I'm looking at multiple versions of the same song today. What can one say about this rendition? It's a classic and one of the greatest Pixar songs and in my opinion this song shows the importance of friendship. Granted, it's not my favorite version but if it weren't for this version, I wouldn't have my favorite and if you read Top 6 Sheriff Woody Moments, you should know which version is my favorite and we'll be coming to that right about now...
You've Got a Friend In Me (Woody's Version) - Toy Story 2
To me this is hands down the greatest version of this song that has been used in any of the movies. It is so poignant and the way it hits Woody is beautiful. This is one of those moments that can be both heartbreaking & heartwarming at the same time. As I stated in My Top 6 Sheriff Woody Moments, this helps Woody to realize that he belongs with Andy and not in some museum.
You've Got a Friend In Me (Wheezy's Version) - Toy Story 2
Compared to the first two versions of this song, this one has more of lounge singer type feel to it as if you'd be listening to it sung by a crooner while enjoying a nice dinner while perhaps on a cruise. It's not bad and it is certainly a unique spin on this classic song.
You've Got a Friend In Me - Toy Story 3
I have admitted in the past that Toy Story 3 is my least favorite in the entire trilogy. I honestly feel that it isn't as good as the first 2 and in my opinion, the soundtrack for 3 is lackluster at best. As I stated last time, this is my least favorite film version of this song. Technically, there is nothing wrong with it and I get what they were going for with having be sung in Spanish with Spanish Buzz and all but to me just doesn't sound very good. That's all I can really say about it.
You've Got a Friend In Me - Donny Osmond & Rosie O' Donnell
Now I know that this video uses clips from Mork & Mindy. Consider it an extra but when I saw the listing for this cover, I couldn't pass it up. Some of you may know that Donny sang I'll Make a Man Out of You in Mulan and played Gaston in the Broadway adaption of Beauty and The Beast and as for Rosie, she played Terk. This is a unique combo but I actually think it works and it is a fun little number. Even if Donny does shine over Rosie for the song but it still a good and fun cover. Highly enjoyable and very likable.
Well, so ends my look at You've Got a Friend In Me. Join me next time when I take a look at classic theme songs of. the coolest Disney Channel Show ever...
Yep, starting when I get back, it's all KP as you give you the sitch on one of the most awesome Disney shows ever.
Welcome back to Classic Shorts Showcase and today I continue Three Little Pigs Thursday as I review Three Little Wolves. Man, oh man this short was so much fun and maybe it is just me but this short feels as though that whereas our last short was a retelling of Little Red Hiding Hood, this one felt as though it borrowed elements from another classic tale.
The Plot
Now this short in parts was influenced by The Boy Who Cried Wolf and I picked up on this during the early parts of the short when I saw that Practical had installed a Wolf Alarm and Fifer & Fiddler decided to use it to play pranks on their brother. This was a nice a touch and now the other big part of this plot was the introduction of The Big Bad Wolf's sons, Three Little Wolves. Sadly, I felt as though they were underused and that the title was only used to be a reference to the first short.
Characters
Today, I'll be breaking this down into Main, and Villains as that is all we have. Just like last time, I won't be listing the voice actors as they are the same from the first short. Just like last time, I will also be grouping Fifer & Fiddler together as it appears in these shorts, they were paired together and were basically the same character save for the first one. Go figure! Anyways, let's begin.
Main Characters
Fifer & Fiddler
Fifer & Fiddler finally shined in this short. It took three shorts to shine but they finally did it. What did this? You may ask. Their actions finally got them in trouble as I stated in the plot details, this short borrowed elements from The Boy Who Cried Wolf and here Fifer & Fiddler double the bill for The Boy by blowing the horn that is the Wolf Alarm tricking Practical into thinking that the Wolf had come but when the Wolf does come for real and they blow the horn, Practical doesn't believe it and the Wolf almost wins. He has Fifer & Fiddler ready to cook for dinner. This is the first time I actually felt not sympathy but rather fear for these two characters because even though I knew there would be a happy ending, I felt for the first time not only had their actions come back to bite them but there was a sense of dread and fear. This was a nice touch to the short and actually made these two much more likable than they were in The Big Bad Wolf. My only hope is that they don't revert in the next short.
Practical
Once again Practical had to save his brothers and at this point, I have to applaud him for not blowing up at his brothers (Yet!) It was very creative with how he built his trap called the Wolf Pacifier, which was this over the top contraption that did so many things and it's hard to explain because you have to see it but it was hysterical and a rather creative way of defeating the Wolf. Again like the first two shorts, Practical isn't heavily featured save for the beginning and end, granted he gets more screen time here than last time but this is rather disappointing because as I have stated in the past, I feel that he is the best character in these shorts. Ah well, that may soon change however.
Villains
Three Little Wolves
You recall last time, how I said Fifer & Fiddler brought the short down? Sadly, the same can be said about the Three Little Wolves as they add no real value to this short than other just to be henchmen to The Big Bad Wolf. They're okay but annoying and I don't know if Disney had done evil children before but I don't think it worked here.
The Big Bad Wolf
The Big Bad Wolf while not as strong in this short as he was last time but I think that comes from he was bogged down by his children here. Still, he was entertaining to watch and this is perhaps the closest he has gotten thus far in getting a bite of the pigs but once again, Practical took him down and that was great to watch seeing him dress up as Bo Peep was a nice nod to other classic nursery rhyme and it was great to see him doing something like that because it was just so funny.
My Final Thoughts
So far out of all three shorts I have reviewed thus far, this one has been my favorite. There was a real sense of tension and threat and for the first time, I actually felt bad for Fifer Fiddler. Sadly, the only downside to this short were the titular characters in this short. I'd say give this one a watch. Join me next time when I review
Hello and once again welcome back to the celebration. Join me today as I review one of the shorts from Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. Now I know that is a DTV (direct to video) sequel but it is a sequel to another DTV and I actually think it's okay. Personally, I think this is the best short from the bunch. With that said, let's begin.
The Plot
The basic plot of this short is that Max is bringing home a girl to spend the holidays with him and his dad at his house but he is worried that Goofy will embarrass him and go overboard. Which he does on a few occasions but Goofy can't help it if he loves Max and he is proud of his son.
Narration
Narrator - Clive Russell
The narration here was only used to introduce and close out the short. It was nice way of setting up the story and the relationship between Goofy and Max. Dimple but here it worked.
Characters
For this, I'll be breaking it down into Main, & Supporting.
Main Character
Max voiced by James Marsden
In some ways, it's hard to describe Max in this short. He past the state of what he was in both films but here I believe he is trying to show that he can be an adult and have a serious relationship with a girl in this case, Mona. (How come we never see Roxanne after her one appearance on House of Mouse?) It is evident that he loves his dad but as his common with most Goofy/Max stories, he is embarrassed by some of Goofy's antics. Which is understandable and unlike an An Extremely Goofy Movie, where Max came off as somewhat of a jerk, he just feels more or less frustrated here with the situation at hand. Because he is in that stage in his life, where he's no longer a child and trying to prove himself as a man mostly to Mona. It takes Max leaving the house and looking at the scarf his dad made for him to realize that Goofy's actions are meant out of love and never intended to make him look bad.
Supporting Characters
Goofy voiced by Bill Farmer
The way Goofy is presented here is pretty much what I have come to expect when given stories that deal with Goofy and Max. He can go a tad overboard at times showing his love for Max as evidenced here by him showing Mona that huge baby picture of Max. In some instances though and it's not just this short either, I feel as though Goofy needs a filter to let him what is okay and what is crossing the line but I assume we have all had that feeling with our parents at least once in our life. I do appreciate the fact that Goofy is still shown as a loving and caring father because as stated on my Top 6 Disney Dads list, that is what makes him a good father and it shown here again that he is a good father but sometime a little overbearing.
Mona voiced by Kellie Martin
What can I say about Mona? Well, she was there? Sadly, Mona wasn't given much of a personality other than being Max's new girlfriend. She barely had any dialogue and you'll see what I mean in a second. Mona was more or less a plot device to keep the story going and while she was at the center of the story, she wasn't an important character but rather just another plot device.
Music
Make Me Look Good
Now this video includes the entire short but in this case, I'm okay with that as A. this is the only way I could find the song on YouTube and B. it helps to tell the story of this short as with this song, we are getting a look inside Max's head and what he is feeling. Admittedly, the song does sound a bit generic but that is what you get with DTV's. You never get the best songs with these films but it's okay and it helps to set up Max's relationship with Goofy and where it is at this point in his life.
My Final Thoughts
Out of all the shorts featured on Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. This one is probably my favorite. True, it may be the shortest but I feel it has the most heart to it and like with many Max/Goofy moments, it helps to expand and further explore their relationship. Admittedly, this short didn't need the Christmas setting for the plot to work as this could have been set during anytime of the year and be given the same scenario but I feel that the element of Christmas just adds another layer of something special to it. And as for these classic characters being rendered in CGI, I don't mind really. To me this looks fine. Yes, I prefer seeing these characters hand-drawn but they look decent enough here. So closes out another Christmas article and closes another year here on A Look at Disney. It's been quite a year, I celebrated my One Year, became a member of a reviewing site and have met some awesome people along the way. Until I return from California...
Yes, I'm reposting this but it doesn't seem to be working, so I figured I'll just re post it for now and if the old one does start working again, I'll just delete this one.
Hello & welcome back to the Christmas celebration as I once again take a look at a classic Christmas short. Join me as I review Mickey's Christmas Carol. Let's begin now, shall we.
The Plot
The plot of this short is one that most of use are familiar with because at one point most people's lives, they have come across a different adaption of A Christmas Carol. Now besides being an adaption of an LP titled Disney's Christmas Carol and there were some minor liberties taken from the LP such as in that version The Blue Fairy was The Ghost of Christmas Past and The Old Hag from Snow White was The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. While I have never heard the LP, I imagine that both it & the short are fairly similar. All the same, I feel that this short gets the message & theme across quite well. Though I'm curious as to why they recast Christmas Present and Yet To Come. Personally, I would love to have see how those two would've played out in their respective roles.
Opening Images
Before I start talking about the characters, there is something else that I wish to talk about. Which are the Opening Images.
Now normally, I wouldn't talk about something like this but I found this to be fascinating and something that caught my eye, while rewatching the short for this review.. All Mickey shorts usually start with this classic look of seeing Mickey's head but here they added a scarf and top hat to give it that Christmas feel. I believe that this is one of the few times that the Mickey open shot had some tweaks made to it and you know what? I like these changes as they add something more to the holiday feel of this short.
Now I also wanted to talk about this image because to me it is as ingrained in my mind as the rest of the short. This image is so beautiful and simple. I love the look of it but I have always loved the opening credits of this short because they have such a timeless feel to them as if they came out of a story book itself.
Characters
There's a lot of characters to get through with this short. So, I'll be breaking it down into Important & Supporting. Also seeing as these are characters portraying other characters, I'll put the name of the character used in parentheses.
Important Characters
Ebeneezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck) voiced by Alan Young
The casting of Scrooge McDuck as Ebeneezer is perhaps one of the best casting choices in this entire short. They both love money and can be greedy. McDuck as Scrooge is just so wonderful and you can really feel that Alan Young had a blast playing this character. Now I may be incorrect but I believe that this was the first time that he voiced McDuck and it worked out well. This version of Ebeneezer is so much fun and while he doesn't have as much depth to him as say the Michael Caine portrayal , whom I consider one of the best Scrooge's, he is still a good choice and the delivery is done well here. Quick note here, this was Alan Young's first time playing Scrooge McDuck and he did a bang up job here.
Jacob Marley (Goofy) voiced by Hal Smith
The casting of Goofy as Marley is something that I consider a bit of an inspired choice because in the original story and many other adaptions, Marley's scene is quite frightful and can actually be pretty scary to a younger audience. I remember when I saw the musical version at Ford's Theater, the Marley scene was quite frightening and well done. Though I think Goofy was cast as Marley as to tone down some elements of the story and make it more child friendly. I'm not saying that's a bad thing but in my opinion after having watched many other versions and having read the book, makes this version seem weaker. Goofy as Marley is not bad and in this short, he is good and he does serve his purpose of informing Scrooge of the visit of the three ghosts to come. Also I believe and many other people seem to agree that they chose to cast Goofy as Marley to balance out the short because while the story does need some frightful moments, Marley's are important but the more impactful moments are with the three Ghosts and The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come needs to serve a somewhat frightening purpose.
Tiny Tim (Morty) voiced by Dick Billingsley
Now Tiny Tim in my eyes has always been one of the most crucial characters to this story andI can imagine when adapting this story to any medium that is one character that needs to be handled with caution. This short did a fine job with Tim but at the same time while he is a crucial character, looking back I do have some minor quibbles about the way he was persented. I just feel as though that we barely got to know the character and then bam, he's dead. Now I realize that this is a short and therefore they had less time for character development but I feel as though the audeince was not given enough time to actually build a relationship with Tiny Tim before he died. Nonetheless, I still consider him an important character. Sidenote people always assume since we share the same name that Tiny Tim is my favorite character but he's not. That title belongs to Marley.
The Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket) voiced by Eddie Caroll
Jiminy as The Ghost of Chrismtas Past has always been my favorite version of this liteary character. It's hard to say why that is but I do believe that having Jiminy play this Ghost was a wonderful casting choice and married up well with his original duties from his film. His portrayal of this ghost just felt so raw and honest. The way he spoke and said his line while still in the Jiminy voice gave gave depth and meaning to the lines. Perhaps the best example of this is when he takes Scrooge to see his second Christmas with Belle and has a line that stuck with me for years. So much so that when I wrote my badly done modernized version of A Christmas Carol, I used that line.
In two years time, you learned to love something else. You loved your gold, more than that precious creature.
That may not be accurate but that is the gist of the line and that one singular line and the way it was delivered have always stuck with me more than any other line from this film. I honestly believe that The Ghost of Christmas Past was given some of the best lines in this short. I think that is part of the reason why, Jiminy has always been my favorite version of The Ghost of Christmas Past.
The Ghost of Christmas Present (Willie The Giant) voiced by Will Ryan
Once again, here is another casting choice that could be considered an inspired choice. Now the two main reasons, I say this are because first, Willie in his original short was for all intents & purposes the villain. Though he was a likable villain Secondly, while The Ghost of Christmas Present does start out as sort of like an likable old man, he does take a dark turn and become brooding and scary in some instances but here again, that was cut down and we only focused on the nice guy side. Though I will say after having read that story, I'm a little sad that my favorite line of his was not used.
Come in, and know me better man.
Though I will say that one thing that I did like that they did here is that they found a way to make Willie's trouble with words work here.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come (Pete) also voiced by Will Ryan
Now there if is any casting choice that is in my opinion the ideal casting for this short, it would be Pete as The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come. He felt perfect in this role. He was menacing, scary & ruthless. Traditionally, this ghost does not speak but Pete as The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come has one of the most haunting lines.
Why yours, Ebeneezer ...the richest man in the cemetery!
Just something about the way he says that line as lights up his cigarette, is chilling and perhaps the most frightful moment of this entire short.
That image alone is so well done and perhaps one of the things I remember the most about this version of this Ghost. This may be the Ghost that Scrooge has the least amount of interaction with out of the three but he still leaves an impact especially with how when lights up his cigarette it reveals Scrooge's name on the tombstone and really, it looks as though Scrooge is about to enter Hell.
Supporting Characters
Bob Crachit (Mickey) voiced by Wayne Allwine
Now if there is any casting choice that was obvious, it would be this one. As out of all the characters other than Scrooge, Mickey and Crachit probably have the most similarities. They are both kind hearted people and caring. Mickey just feels right as Crachit and I wouldn't want any other way. Just as this short was Young's first time playing Scrooge, this was Allwine's first time playing Mickey in an actual short because before this he had only voiced Mickey in 70's Mickey Mouse Club revival. (The less said about that, the better).
Fred (Donald Duck) voiced by Clarence "Ducky" Nash"
Now I'm not even going to beat around the bush here. While I said some of the other casting choices were inspired, this one looking back now is a bit odd. Fred, is a kind and caring cheerful soul who I guess you could say is suppose to be the exact opposite of his Uncle Scrooge. Whereas Donald, is short tempered and crabby. Now I know that they probably cast Donald as Fred because Scrooge is his uncle but even still, this is one of the odder choices. Also, it's sad to say but this would be the last time that Ducky would ever voice Donald.
Belle (Daisy Duck) voiced by Patricia Parris
Daisy as Belle had to be one of the sweetest things that I have ever seen in any Disney short. She was so compassionate and caring. Sure, we barely saw her but I still believe this is one of the best portrayals of Belle. However, if you want to see to a truly raw and emotional Belle, click here. Sorry, I'll stop bringing up The Muppets. However if you want to see a truly heartbreaking moment with this Belle look at this...
This is right after Scrooge tells Belle that he has decided to foreclose on her cottage. It wasn't even the cottage she was upset about she knew that Scrooge no longer loved her and that she had lost him to gold and would never get him back. This simple pose and that one scene can speak volumes for this character.
Music
O What a Merry Christmas Day
Now I know that I already talked about this song during the celebration but I wanted to touch upon once more. I just find this to be a very beautiful song and it just gives me a joyous feeling that one should feel during the holidays. I would rank this up there as being one of my favorite songs from a Disney short.
My Final Thoughts
I love this short, sure I may have come down hard on some aspects but I can't help to love this short. I love Christmas, I love A Christmas Carol and most of all I loveDisney. That is a great combo for me. Sure, some aspects feel rushed and at certain points, I did wonder if this was meant to be a longer production but for the amount of time given, it delivers well. This was my first introduction to A Christmas Carol, it's the one that got me hooked on this tale. I have seen so many versions of this story done well such as this and not so well as in my personal opinion, Scrooged. Yeah, I like Bill Murray but I don't think that is a good film. Getting back on topic though to me, I have to watch at least two versions of A Christmas Carol or more each year. This one is a must and the other that is the 1938 version. Heck, I could do a Christmas Carol marathon and be happy. (That's not a bad idea). Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this look at what I consider a childhood Christmas classic.
Join me Monday for the final Christmas review before I go on vacation as I review a short from Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas and take a look at...
Hello and welcome to back to Music Fridays. Today on Music Fridays, I'll be taking a look at 5 songs from the Toy Story trilogy, none of which will be You've Got a Friend In Me because well, A. there are so many versions of that song that it could be its own Music Fridays & B. I wish to focus on some of the other Toy Story songs. As for why 5, the songs in 3 aren't very memorable but I'll still take a look at We Belong Together which won for Best Original Song, even though I was rooting for I see The Light to win. Ah well that is neither here nor there
Strange Things
Now talk about an underrated song. Until I looked up songs for this Music Fridays I had forgotten about it. It's a fun song and it examines the point in the movie where Woody has essentially been pushed to the wayside of Buzz is now Andy's favorite. With this song we can see and get a better understanding of what Woody is feeling. It has a nice rhythm but the lyrics are a tad forgettable at best. It's not bad and I would give it at least one listen.
I Will Go Sailing No More
The first two Toy Story films have a song that serves as a defining moment for a character. In the first Toy Story film, it is the beautifully understated I Will Go Sailing No More. This may be one of the shorter songs in the film but it is very tragic. Buzz has finally come to the realization that he he is in fact just a toy but he doesn't want to believe it as we see and it feels as though his life, dreams & hopes have been dashed. It is a rather sad song that is overshadowed by You've Got a Friend In Me which is an all right song in it's own right but I would venture out and say that this is a better song.
Woody's Roundup
This song right along with You've Got a Friend In Me (Woody's Version) are in the top 3 for my favorite Toy Story songs. This one is just so much fun and I used to own the Woody's Roundup CD. Yes, you see when Toy Story 2 was released there was a Woody's Roundup CD to coincide with it's release. This is such a fun song and it takes me back to my youth. Now even though I never watched any Westerns and the Woody's Roundup show wasn't real, I can picture a little Moviefan sitting in front of the TV (with a cowboy Mickey of course) watching Woody's Roundup. That's some powerful stuff right there when a song can make a person envision watching something that doesn't actually exist. Also this song introduced me to Riders In The Sky. They're a pretty cool band too.
When She Loved Me
This song right here takes the top spot as my favorite Toy Story song. As I said when talking above about I Will Go Sailing No More, that song was an important moment for Buzz and here we are given an important moment for Jesse. This song is just so sad but I love it so much. The entire arc of Jesse spending time with her old owner, Emily and how Emily basically fell out of love with Jesse and just left her by the wayside. It is such a sad song but in my opinion the most powerful Toy Story song but not most powerful Pixar song or even my favorite Pixar song. No that title will always go to Our Town from my second favorite Pixar film, Cars.
We Belong Together
Okay, in the past I think that I was too harsh on this song. On it's own, it' okay but compared to the classics from 1 & 2, it just seems to be missing something. I think part of my problem with this song winning was that it's an end credit song, which looking back now is ashame because even though I'm not sure where they could place it , it would have worked within the context of the film as well. While not my least favorite Toy Story song, no that is the Toy Story 3 version of You've Got a Friend In Me, this one just doesn't hold a candle to the other songs such as I Will Go Sailing No More and it is far from being as good as When She Loved Me. Again, it's not bad but something is missing. Now as for the song, itself I like the message of that friend will always have support for each other and I think that you could look at as either talking about Buzz and Woody or Andy and Woody. Though for my money, I think it works better when talking about Buzz and Woody. Don't get me wrong, Andy is an integral part of this trilogy but I believe that this song represents no matter what Buzz and Woody will be there for each other. To be fair to this song, one shouldn't compare it to the Toy Story songs I mentioned, it works better as a follow up song to You've Got a Friend In Me but even still, I'm just with a "It's not bad but not worth listening to again" feeling.
Now we aren't done just yet. I know what I said but there is one more Toy Story song I wish to look at that doesn't come from the film trilogy.
One Toy
This song comes from Toy Story: The Musical. Yes, this actually exists and both Disney & Pixar did have a hand in it. Toy Story: The Musical is one of the shows that they offer on the Disney Cruise Line. Admittedly, the idea is pretty strange but after having watched the entirety of the play on YouTube, it's not so bad. This is probably the best original song from the musical and it is rather reminiscent of Strange Things which I used to open this Music Fridays. Now to get into this song, I'm going to ask you to do something that may be tricky take Tom Hank's voice out of your head when thinking of Woody. Now I know the actor here portraying Woody may sound a tad weak but he does an okay job carrying the message as this song across and I think you can pinpoint that this song has come at the point in the film or in this case play where Woody has just become fed up with Buzz and knocks behind the lampshade. Now I don't know about you but at times, I find this song to be a tad sinister. In the ways of Woody's thinking, it's start out depressing and then takes a surprisingly dark turn. This is an interesting little find and I'm intrigued to see a live show of this. Because while I don't think it would be as good as the stage adaptions of The Lion King or Mary Poppins, it looks like a lot of fun.
I hope that you have enjoyed this look at these songs from the Toy Story films but we aren't done with Toy Story just yet. Join me next time when for the first time on Music Fridays I take a look at multiple versions of the same song as I look at the different versions of You've Got a Friend In Me.
Hello & welcome back to the Christmas celebration as I once again take a look at a classic Christmas short. Join me as I review Mickey's Christmas Carol. Let's begin now, shall we.
The Plot
The plot of this short is one that most of use are familiar with because at one point most people's lives, they have come across a different adaption of A Christmas Carol. Now besides being an adaption of an LP titled Disney's Christmas Carol and there were some minor liberties taken from the LP such as in that version The Blue Fairy was The Ghost of Christmas Past and The Old Hag from Snow White was The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. While I have never heard the LP, I imagine that both it & the short are fairly similar. All the same, I feel that this short gets the message & theme across quite well. Though I'm curious as to why they recast Christmas Present and Yet To Come. Personally, I would love to have see how those two would've played out in their respective roles.
Opening Images
Before I start talking about the characters, there is something else that I wish to talk about. Which are the Opening Images.
Now normally, I wouldn't talk about something like this but I found this to be fascinating and something that caught my eye, while rewatching the short for this review.. All Mickey shorts usually start with this classic look of seeing Mickey's head but here they added a scarf and top hat to give it that Christmas feel. I believe that this is one of the few times that the Mickey open shot had some tweaks made to it and you know what? I like these changes as they add something more to the holiday feel of this short.
Now I also wanted to talk about this image because to me it is as ingrained in my mind as the rest of the short. This image is so beautiful and simple. I love the look of it but I have always loved the opening credits of this short because they have such a timeless feel to them as if they came out of a story book itself.
Characters
There's a lot of characters to get through with this short. So, I'll be breaking it down into Important & Supporting. Also seeing as these are characters portraying other characters, I'll put the name of the character used in parentheses.
Important Characters
Ebeneezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck) voiced by Alan Young
The casting of Scrooge McDuck as Ebeneezer is perhaps one of the best casting choices in this entire short. They both love money and can be greedy. McDuck as Scrooge is just so wonderful and you can really feel that Alan Young had a blast playing this character. Now I may be incorrect but I believe that this was the first time that he voiced McDuck and it worked out well. This version of Ebeneezer is so much fun and while he doesn't have as much depth to him as say the Michael Caine portrayal , whom I consider one of the best Scrooge's, he is still a good choice and the delivery is done well here. Quick note here, this was Alan Young's first time playing Scrooge McDuck and he did a bang up job here.
Disney has produced some of my favorite Christmas specials & movies. Here today, I'm going to countdown the Top 6 Disney Christmas Specials. First though, I'd like to give an honorable mention to Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at The House of Mouse which our opening picture comes from. While good, and it shows a lot of the classic Disney Christmas stuff, it does tend to lag and there many other Christmas specials out there that I enjoy more from Disney. Also note that while I have labeled this as a countdown of Christmas specials, some of these are movies and shorts.
6. Disney's Christmas Fantasy On Ice
Now to kick things off with, I'm going with a Christmas special from '92. Disney's Christmas Fantasy On Ice. This is set in Disneyland as we follow Bronson Pinnchot and his niece Alice as he tells him the story of how it snowed in Disneyland. The characters had to gather pieces of a magical snowflake to put it together. They got help from Jack Frost. It was pretty cool seeing the characters come together and I remember watching this as a little kid, I thought it was so cool. Somehow I must have blocked out the ice skating routines from this special and only remembered the story. This special has stayed with me all these years and I was able to discover some clips on YouTube. I only ever recall watching it once on TV but it stayed with me a very long time and I was rather sad that for years I could not find anything on this special but finally last year, it came back to me. Here are some clips of the special for those of you that haven't seen it. Really, the only reason this is going at # 6 is because I only remember watching it once.
5. The Santa Clause/The Santa Clause 2
The Santa Clause is one of the earliest memories I have of seeing a Christmas film in theaters. I loved it and I thought Scott Calvin was likable Santa and I liked the whole idea of someone taking over that position. To me it is a fun and cute little film. I enjoy it and I also like The Santa Clause 2. To be perfectly honest, I actually think I like The Santa Clause 2 a little bit better. I don't know what it is but seeing Scott having settled into his role as Santa after 8 years was fun. Then the whole idea of him needing to find a Mrs. Claus and seeing him go on all those dates made the film really enjoyable. I also think the characters had better interaction with each other this time round. As for the third movie, the less said, the better.
4. Santa's Workshop
Last year was the first time that I had ever watched this short and it was a lot of fun. I loved this short's take on Santa and his workshop. It made his workshop just looked so magical and gave it a sense of whimsy that I loved. I mean all of the toys came to life and practically built themselves. Also this Santa seemed like a really fun Santa as well. I know talked about this one too recently but I would put it in this Top 6. Because I think it is really good.
3. Mickey's Christmas Carol
This short was my introduction to Dickens' classic tale. Needless to say this is one of my favorite adaptions. All of the characters were cast perfectly as the right characters from the tale. It is such a joy to watch every year and in the short amount of time, it gets the message of this tale across quite well. I will say though I saw this before I saw Mickey and The Beanstalk and when watching that short I was confused as to why the giant was a bad guy but once I learned about Willie The Giant, I got over that and I have been able to enjoy both shorts quite well. Now I'll be going into more detail when I review this short.
2. Mickey's Good Deed
Everything I saw about this short in my reviews stands true and this is one of the most beautiful Disney shorts that I have seen. Mickey was able to think of someone who was worse off than him and put them before him in order to give them a better Christmas. This is one of the rare Christmas shorts that can be both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Everything I said about this short is so very true and I don't think I have been so touched by any other Mickey short.
1. The Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
This had to be my # 1 for this Top 6 as for me it's just not Christmas until I watch The Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. Every Christmas morning after I have opened my presents I tune into ABC and for the next few hours or however long the parade is, I'm whisked away to the Disney Parks and get to enjoy the ceremonies while also getting a preview of what the company is working on. I know most people would say that their favorite parade is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade but this one has always had a special place in my heart and I can remember more of these parades than any other parade that I watch. As I stated in my Regis tribute, Regis & Kathie Lee, then later Regis & Kelly would host the parade and that was a lot of fun but for the first time last year there were new hosts. Ryan Seacrest and Nick Cannon were the hosts last year and while they did an okay job. It just wasn't the same but that did not stop me from enjoying the parade.
There you have it, my Top 6 Disney Christmas Specials. I hope you have enjoyed this list and join me tomorrow when I take a further look at the # 3 entry as I review Mickey's Christmas Carol as a Christmas Shorts Showcase.
Just as much I love Disney, I love the idea of Santa Claus. Of course, Disney has used this jolly old man in many of their productions before and have even decorated up their characters as St. Nick before. In this article, I'll be taking a look at the Santa's of Disney. Where to start, where to start? How about with one of Disney's most famous Santa's.
Scott Calvin - The Santa Clause
Now this is the first Santa I think of other than the one from Miracle on 34th Street. The Tim Allen Santa or Scott Calvin is the Santa that I grew up with. during my childhood. I remember seeing the first film in theaters and while at the time, I thought it was a little long. I still enjoyed it and at first, I thought Scott was a bit of a jerk but over time, he grew on me and by the end of the film, I liked him. To me Tim Allen was the only actor that could play Santa and I always felt that way but of course that comes from nostalgia and I don't care what anyone says but I think the second movie is just as good as the first film. I actually think the second film expanded upon his role as Jolly Old Saint Nick and how having the coolest job in the world can also put a toll on your family. Scott Calvin to me is one of the best Santa's to come around on screen in a long time.
Silly Symphony - Santa's Workshop/The Night Before Christmas
Our next Santa comes to us from two Silly Symphonies one of which I reviewed last year. I have just decided to lump the two shorts together as they are connected. This Santa is pretty cool too as he is able to work his magic and have the toys do his bidding. Such as we see in the start of The Night Before Christmas when he has them decorate the tree. That was pretty cool and a lot of fun to watch. He is a very fun Santa that has a classic feel to him.
Phineas & Ferb Santa - Phineas & Ferb: Christmas Vacation
The next Santa I wish to bring up comes from Phineas and Ferb. In the first Phineas and Ferb Christmas special, Phineas wants to give Santa a present to show how much he cares about him so he decides to make him a rest stop. However Santa doesn't come because one of Doof's machines put everyone in Danville on the Naughty List as he is trying to find a way to hat Christmas. Phineas doesn't understand this and wants to show Santa that Danville is a good place and how else but through song
When Santa and his elf helper see this they decide to check the Naughty List and then head to Danville. It's there we get to see him interact with the kids while they make toys and he is a fun Santa. He just embodies what Santa should be a kind and caring person. Plus seeing the kids help him make the toys and presents in his sleigh was pretty cool as well. Santa comes along and helps out the kids to save Christmas and I have to say that I believe Santa was used well here and they didn't cheapen the spirit of Mr. Claus as some other Christmas episodes have done in the past. Now besides this Christmas special, Santa has also appeared as a visual gag on the show as well.
Here he is standing next to Perry while Perry is trying to get to his hideout using a different entrance. I just love the smile on Perry's face. It as if he is saying, "Hi Santa, I've been good this year". This is just a really cute shot.
We also see him here and I believe once again, he is interacting with Perry and as he told Perry...
I'm on a summer run
That may be one of the oldest jokes with Santa but it's still pretty cute. There you have it Santa in Phineas and Ferb.
Characters Dressed Up as Santa
Now for this one, I just wanted to take a look at the characters dressed as Santa. Now the three biggest ones that I have seen dressed up in Santa garb are Mickey, Goofy, & Stitch. Mickey is obvious in dressing up as he is the big star of Disney but Goofy and Stitch dressed up as Santa are pretty funny. Taking in their personalities with how Goofy is so clumsy and Stitch is well Stitch. Santa Goofy has been around the longest I think though but I'm not sure and I first saw Santa Stitch during one of the parades and I still get a chuckle out of it.
There you go, my look at some of the Santa's of Disney and I hope you have enjoyed my look at these different Santa's. There are just many different types and who is your favorite Santa? Tell me in the comments. Join me as I take a look at
Hello and welcome to Music Fridays. Today on Music Fridays, I'll be doing something a little different . Disney is as well known for their theme park songs such as It's a Small World or Grim Grinning Ghosts. Which both can be found in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom respectively but what about the music of the other parks such as Epcot. Well today, I have decided to take look at the music of Epcot. Join me for the fun because we will be Makin' Memories. Ah, speaking of which.
Makin' Memories
This song is just so much fun and I love the way it is sung. Now I will admit that this was before my time but even still this song is great fun and one that you should check out. This song is actually from the preshow for Magic Journeys. For a preshow song, this is pretty good and just so much fun. I truly enjoy the sound and of course I expect nothing less as this song was written by The Sherman Brothers. As for Magic Journeys, we will get to that song but there are some other songs that I wish to take a gander at first.
One Little Spark
Now this song is also from a closed attraction, Journey Into Imagination. Which among the Epcot fanbase has a fairly large following. After hearing the characters of Figment and Dreamfinder is it any wonder? This song is like Small World in that it is so darn catchy and sure Figment's voice can get annoying but he is just so cute. Here take a look...
This is probably my favorite Epcot song. Because it is just so happy and fun. It feels like it could fit into a Disney film quite well. Hey, Disney you wanna keep making attraction based films. Why not give Figment and Dreamfinder their own animated film?
Tomorrow's Child
Now according to my research this song is from an attraction that still exists, Spaceship Earth or better known to the public as the giant golf ball. This song was removed which knowing all of the changes that this attraction has gone through is no big surprise. This song to me is just so hopeful and reminds me of what Walt wanted with his original Epcot plans, a better future. True, we didn't get Walt's Epcot but the one we got is pretty cool and this song just shows what should be.
Magic Journeys
To end this Music Fridays, we return to Magic Journeys and take a listen to it's theme song. This song when compared to Makin' Memories is very peaceful and quiet. This song has a lullaby like to feel it and again I never got to experience this. This song just makes me all the sadder that I never got the chance to partake in this while it was still in Epcot because it is such a beautiful song. I find this song can help me to drift off to sleep when I'm having a rough night. It is such a wonderful song to listen to.
Join me next week when I take a look at songs from what many consider one of the greatest film trilogies...
Welcome to Pt. 1 of my Three Little Pigs Retrospective or as I'm calling it Three Little Pigs Thursday. Yes, over the next few weeks on Classic Shorts Showcase, I'll be taking a look at every single Three Little Pigs short ever made. Now some of you may know that Walt had a stance of not wanting to do sequels to his animated films. (Thanks for ruining that, Eisner!) Anyways I bring this up because the Pigs play a part in Walt setting up that stance because when The Three Little Pigs came out people were demanding "More Pigs". Walt gave in and made many more shorts starring the pigs but he knew they were not as good as the first short and he just wanted to move on. But the people demanded and he gave in and that is how we got so many shorts starring the Pigs. You know what this retrospective needs to kick things off the right way, Walt.
With that out of the way, let's begin.
The Plot
The plot of this short is pretty simple. If you ever read the classic fable that this short is based upon, your already familiar with the plot of this short. However as basic as the plot may be, it is still a good short and still able to have a lot of fun with the way that it tells the story.
Characters
Now as usual, I'll be breaking this down into Main & Villain. Not too many characters to talk about this time but I can assure you as this retrospective goes on, the character roster will grow. With that out of the way, let's begin.
Main Characters
Today for main characters, I'll be focusing solely on the Pigs. As that is all there is.
Fifer Pig voiced by Dorthy Compton
Fifer Pig is the first pig we see and as observed by this picture, he is the pig that built his house out of straw. It was clear in the short that he just wanted to build his house so that he could just have more time to play his fife and goof off with his brother, Fiddler Pig. He was a simple character but fun to watch nonetheless. Though not my favorite character in the short.
Fiddler Pig voiced by Mary Moder
Fiddler Pig is the second pig we see in the short and he is the pig that built his house out of wood. Fiddler Pig is much like his brother, Fifer he builds his house but doesn't take much thought into building as he just wants to play his fiddle and goof off too. Fiddler didn't really have any exciting moment until we saw him interact with Fifer. Is it just me or does anyone find it funny that two of the pigs are named after instruments? No one, just an observation I made. Though Fifer and Fiddler do share one trait, they act brave in front of each other saying such things as when the Wolf comes around they'll punch him and shoot him Never mind that we never see a gun in either of their houses and I don't think a fife or a fiddle would scare off a wolf. Just sayin' But when they are finally confronted by the Wolf, they were scared off. That was a cute little moment there. It was pulled off well and when the Wolf came to both of their houses, you could actually feel the fright in these two. If nothing else, they were fun characters.
Practical Pig voiced by Pinto Colvig
The last pig to talk about is Practical Pig who I believe to be the oldest of the three. He is the pig that built his house out of brick and the one that the Wolf could not "huff & puff" down. As you may notice in the picture, he plays the piano. I wonder why they didn't name him Piano Pig as his two brothers are named after instruments. Either way, his name makes sense because out of the three he is the one that thinks with the most logic. He is probably my favorite character as he was very smart and thought things through clearly. Also I just have to bring this up, Pinto Colvig who voiced Practical Pig was the voice actor for Goofy but besides that he also voiced Peter Pig in The Wise Little Hen. However there is a stark contrast between Peter Pig and Practical Pig. Whereas Peter Pig was lazy and didn't like doing work, Practical was a hard worker and wanted to make sure every was just right. Also as stated Pinto was the voice of Goofy and while Goofy was usually the comic relief character at least when paired with Mickey, Practical for all intents and purposes was the straight man of the group so to speak. It was rather neat having this man who I'm so used to hear a play a comedic character be the straight man in a short for a change. Not to say that he didn't pull it off but it was just so odd.
Music
Who's Afraid of The Big Bad Wolf
Now we come to perhaps the most popular aspect of this short. This song is perhaps the most famous song from any Silly Symphony. As I have stated in the past, it is a "Cruella" song in that while it is about the villain. It is not sung by him but rather by Fifer and Fiddler. As stated when I last talked about this song, it is a fun song and just a great listen. This song also served as an allegory for The Depression with the Wolf representing The Depression and as we will see later on in this retrospective it also became an allegory for Nazi Germany.
Villain
The Big Bad Wolf voiced by Billy Bletcher
Now we come to a great Disney villain who I feel is sadly underused. His motivation may be simple, he just wants to eat the pigs but he goes about it in an entertaining fashion such as disguising himself as a sheep and then as a brush man. Though when we disguises himself as the brush man, it backfires on him as Practical uses the brush to beat him to a pulp. If the voice actor's name, looks familiar well that is because I have reviewed several shorts starring this gentlemen now. I think him along with Sterling Holloway have appeared the most on Classic Shorts Showcase. That is one of the great highlights of this film as the voice for The Big Bad Wolf is just a lot of fun to listen to.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, this is a decent short and one that I suggest tracking down and it deserves all the accolades and legend it has received. While the story may not be anything grand, it is told in an entertaining fashion and there many great sight gags such if you do watch this short. Take a look inside Practical Pig's house at the family pictures as the picture as their father is a sausage link. That's wrong but pretty funny. This is a short that should not be passed up. Have a watch and you'll enjoy it. Join me next time, when I give the people (of the '30s) what they want, More Pigs! As I review the first sequel short...
Hello and welcome back to the festivities. Today, I take a look at an underrated piece of animation, The Small One. Fun fact for ya: this short's animation director was famed animator and future rival for Disney, Don Bluth.
The Plot
The plot of this short is pretty simple in that we follow a young boy and his beloved donkey, Small One who he has to sell as he is too old to work. His father tells him this and takes him to the small village to sell him. Nobody wants to buy Small One because that believe him to be a useless donkey. That is until he comes to a young man that needs a Donkey to help carry his wife, who is pregnant. That man happens to be Joesph. I liked the plot for this short, it was rather simple but beautifully done.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into Important, & Supporting, & villains. This short with it's villain at least in my eyes is similar to Pinocchio. With how there are multiple villains.
Important Characters
Small One - Not Voiced
Small One is our main character and he is a really adorable character. Admittedly, I chose this short because there was another donkey Christmas special that I enjoyed and I wanted to see how good this one was. While that special holds a special place in my heart, I still enjoyed this one. As for Small One, he was a very likable character. He felt very sincere and kind hearted. I could feel that he cared about the Boy and vice versa. It felt as though while he may have been older, he wanted to prove himself so that the Boy would have an easier time finding him an owner. He may not be much to look at but he has a lot of heart and that is what counts in my book.
Boy voiced by Sean Marshall
The Boy is perhaps the most likable human character. Again just as with Small One, he is a very kind hearted person and truly cares for Small One. That is why when his Father tells him in the first night that'll be taking Small One to be sold, he asks to go instead. This shows how much he cares about Small One and it pains him that he has to let Small One go. Each time you saw these two character together, you could feel how much they cared for one another.
Father voiced by Olan Soule
The Father is an important character as he the one in my eyes that sets the events of the story in motion. He is the one that decides that Small One needs to be sold. He sees that it hurts his son that he made the decision that Small One needs to be sold but he knows Small One isn't bringing in any money for the family and there is no need in keeping Small One. He lets his son take Small One and sell him because of how he loves Small One. If I had known about this short sooner, the Father from this short might have had a chance of making my list of Top 6 Disney Dads. Because while he's not in the short much, the time he is, shows how powerful a father he is.
Joesph voiced by Gordon Jump
While we don't see Joesph until the very end of this short, I'd still rank him as an important character as he is the only one besides the Boy to show compassion for Small One. He was a very caring man from the little we saw of him while on screen. I'm a little sad that we didn't get to see more of Small One with Joesph & Mary. Especially how there is foreshadowing with the Boy saying that Small One is a donkey fit for a King. Though that is before we met Joesph and everyone else the Boy took Small One to just laughed at him for believing in Small One but not Joesph. Joesph saw that there was something more to Small One. I think is what made him such a good character and one of the most likable human characters.
Supporting Characters
The Merchants - Voices Unlisted
Now if there were a set of characters I didn't particularly care for in this short, it would have to be The Merchants. I believe that they were supposed to be the comic relief characters but to me they just didn't work and that is saying something. Because normally, I like comic relief characters but I don't know something just felt off about these three. They were okay and while they weren't in the short for long, I just didn't care for them.
Music
Friendly Faces
While a simple song, it is a nicely done song. It shows that the The Boy knows while he has to give up Small One, it is for the best and that he will find a better home for Small One somewhere. Which he eventually does with Joesph. It is a very touching song and fits in well with what I believe one of the themes of this short to be which, there is a home everyone.
Villains
The Tanner voiced by William Woodson
The Tanner is the first person the Boy takes Small One to sell. The Tanner is more than willing to take Small One off the Boy's hands. To skin Small One that is. The Boy is surprised and shocked by this news. So The Boy decides not to sell Small One to the Tanner as he doesn't want Small One to be killed and seeing how the other animals that the Tanner has and the thought of what he'll do them is pretty horrifying. Just like most people that the Boy and Small One encounter, he is only in the short for a brief period of time but boy does he leave an impression.
The Auctioneer voiced by Hal Smith
The Auctioneer is the second person that the Boy takes Small One to so that he can sell before finally meeting Joesph. When I looked up this short and saw comments on it, someone compared the character of the Auctioneer to that of Stromboli. Which I will say he does look a bit like that character and some of his mannerisms are similar. They are both cruel and greedy men that are just in it for the money. It's actually pretty funny that someone would make that statement seeing as this short was packaged with a Christmas re-release of Pinocchio back in '78.
My Final Thoughts
I honestly can't believe that I had never seen this short before. It is such a wonderfully done short and the message is just so beautiful. This is a short that I highly reccomend as it is very good and shows some of Don Bluth's early stuff and it shows that Mr. Bluth worked rather hard on this short. Another comment I noticed when watching this short is someone stated when they watch they don't see Disney but rather Don Bluth and taking a look at some of his feature films such as All Dogs Go To Heaven or An American Tail, you can see how much of a hand Bluth had in this short but I think that it still has a Disney quality to it that makes it a stunningly gorgeous short to watch. Well, join me Monday when I resume Christmas mode and take a look at
Welcome back everyone, today I take a look at an older Mickey short that I have wanted to see for the longest time. Today, coming to us from 1932, I bring you Mickey's Good Deed. I believe that to date this is the oldest piece of animation I have reviewed. That doesn't make it bad, in fact I would say quite the opposite. Quick mention, there are two versions of this short available, the original Black & White or a colorized version. I decided to watch the Black & White version for authenticity.
The Plot
The plot of this short is pretty simple. Mickey is down on his luck and homeless, he has set up a little music stand with his cello and with Pluto alongside him but he is not given cash. That is until he uproots and to moves to a nice look mansion and a bratty little boy sees Pluto and wants him. The boy's father sends their butler and he chases Mickey down. Mickey has to fight him off and then he comes to a broken down house of a family that is worse off than him. He decides to sell Pluto to to the rich family and use the money to buy presents for the children of this family and their personal Santa. I love the plot of this short as it mixes the spirit of Christmas and taking care of your fellow man along with the kindred spirit of Mickey and helped to set him up as the lovable nice guy that he is today. As this short came out early in his career and most shorts before he was played as a mischievous little rascal.
Characters
Now I'll be breaking this down into Main, & Supporting. With that out of the way, let's begin.
Main Characters
Mickey Mouse voiced by Walt Disney
I always get excited when I find a short that has Walt voicing Mickey as there is while I adore Wayne Allwine's voice, there is something about how Walt created the voice that is exciting. That said, this is one of the most depressing shorts that I have seen starring Mickey that while at the same time having one of the most uplifting messages. As I stated in the plot, Mickey sells Pluto to the rich family, even though he'd rather not but he does so in order to give the family he sees a better Christmas. This is the Mickey, I like and the one I love seeing. This is the Mickey that is a genuinely good person and wants to help others.
Pluto voiced by Pinto Colvig
I felt truly bad for Pluto in this short because the way, the bratty rich kid thought he could beat Pluto up and treat him anyway he wanted. I mean the first thing this brat did to Pluto is hit him with a mallet. Pluto was tortured by this kid relentlessly. It was maddening to see Pluto be treated this way and when Mickey and Pluto were reunited at the end, I was relieved to see Mickey back with Pluto as they belong together.
Supporting Characters
The Brat - Voice Unlisted
As stated when talking about Pluto, this character was just bratty and thought he could have anything he wanted. He treated Pluto poorly and would throw a temper tantrum when he didn't get what he wanted. In the end though, he got punished as his father spanked him for misbehaving.
The Poor Children - Not Voiced
That is such an adorable shot and is just as it broke Mickey's heart, it broke mine to see the sate and condition that these children were living in. Mickey wanted to give them a better Christmas, he never wanted the money for himself. Sure, he didn't have a dime to his name but he saw this family and thought they deserve a real Christmas. So Mickey sold Pluto in order to give them the Christmas that they should have. Also to mention, we see a picture of I assume who is their father who is in jail during this time but it looks like their pop is Pete. Boy, now I feel really bad for these kids not because their dad is Pete but because he was in jail during Christmas. As for the Christmas, Mickey gave them, well here's a glimpse of to how it turned out.
I'd say that's a pretty good Christmas. Don't you agree?
My Final Thoughts
This is one of the most beautiful Christmas shorts that I have seen from Disney ever. The animation is stunning. The message is wonderful and it just has the feel of being made by a kindred spirit. Not many Mickey shorts have brought me to tears but this one came close. I cannot reccomend this short enough. Also something about watching it Black & White just adds a factor of timelessness to it. Join me tomorrow when I review the first in a line up of Christmas Shorts Showcase as I take a look at an underrated Disney short that I again had not seen before this year.
Hello and welcome back to the Christmas festivities. Grab some scuba gear as we go Under The Sea to see how Ariel celebrated her very Christmas in Altantica. And I think I know a Disney Blogger that would enjoy this book from my childhood. Sorry, I forgot to mention that this is a book, it's one of the old read along books where they had a tape with it. I just read the book though so I'll only be focusing on that and unlike my last book review, this book is clearly meant for a younger audience and more of a page book but I still enjoyed it.
Cover
I know the cover picture isn't the greatest but it's the best I could find. I love it, how it is showing Ariel and Flounder decorating up their coral Christmas tree. Which they actually find by going out to the far part of the ocean and take it back to Ariel's grotto and start their little Christmas celebration there. The cover is simple and cute, I like it. Not only does it do a good job of capturing the spirit of Ariel but also of Christmas decorating.
The Plot
The plot of this book is simple but ti works again in capturing the spirit of Christmas and Ariel quite well. The basic plot starts when Ariel goes up to land one cold day to look for Scuttle but instead finds a pelican and informed that he had probably migrated due to Christmas being near. Hearing this word sparks Ariel's curiosity, she then decides to go see Sebastian as he has lived on land and knows about human holidays. Ariel asks Sebastian about Christmas and he decides to tell her about the holiday and he just seems to light up while talking about the holiday. She gets Flounder to help her and they decide to bring the holiday to Altantica. This feels like something Ariel would do and this story feels as though if expanded enough, it could have worked as a Christmas episode of the series.
Characters
Now I'll just be breaking this down into Main & Supporting. Let's begin.
Main Characters
Ariel
Even though this was done in a book format, I could still feel Ariel's personality shine through. Especially her curiosity. That has been one thing that I loved about Ariel, she's curious and when she wants to learn about something. She goes to looking for answers and it just so happened that she had a book about Christmas in her grotto that showed what one should do for Christmas. Also as I stated, she went about asking Sebastian. This felt like something Ariel would do and as I said, this book would have worked as an episode of the TV series. One of the cutest things about this books is when Ariel remembers what Sebastian said about sharing the holiday with others as she decides to make presents for the rest of her family. She even made them little stockings and put her Christmas tree in the hall.
Flounder
While Ariel felt wonderful in this book, Flounder felt more like a tag along than anything else. Granted, he wanted to help Ariel and it appeared that he was intrigued but the idea of Christmas as well but Ariel really overshadowed the little guppy here. But I'm okay with that as I think that works best.
Supporting Characters
Sebastian
Again as I have stated throughout this review, Sebastian knows the most about Christmas and there is a rather cute moment at the beginning of the book when Ariel asks about Christmas. He just seems to beam while talking about it but quickly catches himself when reminds himself and Ariel that is a human holiday as the book as underlined. In the words of Sebastian one of the best things about Christmas is...
Everybody got de good will toward each other
One of the funniest things on the cassette tape is at the very end, it has Sebastian singing Deck The Halls. Alas that was not up on YouTube but if it was, I would have included it.
King Triton
While Triton does not appear until the very last page of the book. He stills plays a somewhat important part as we are constantly reminded that he does not like humans and Ariel tries to hide her celebration from her father as much as possible. When Ariel does decide to share her new found holiday with the rest of her family, Triton almost gets upset when he finds out that it's a human holiday but when he is told what it is about by both Triton and Sebastian, he decides to let it stay. As for his present, Ariel gave him a conch shell.
My Final Thoughts
This may just be my nostalgia goggles here but I still think that this little book holds up well. It's a cute little Christmas tale. It works well with the Christmas spirit and Ariel's spirit. It's a decent read and I think young girls would probably enjoy it the most but I think anyone could find enjoyment out of it.
Before I close out, I want to include a Christmas sung by Ariel that is pretty cute. If a little cheesy.
This song has nothing to do with the book but I wanted to include it anyways. It actually Ariel singing a cover of a Jimmy Buffet song and I do believe the voice singing is indeed Jodi Benson. Ariel's voice actress for those of you who may not know who that is. I hope you enjoy it. Join me next time when I review...
Now I know that Epcot was supposed to be next but I have decided to post this one instead and Epcot will come next week as I'm in the Holiday spirit.
Yes it's that time of year. Time to hang the holly and celebrate Christmas. Now just a heads up, I will be doing Christmas reviews but with my Three Little Pigs retrospective starting this week and Music Fridays already planned out and the fact that I won't be home for the holidays, I have decided that there won't be as many Christmas reviews and you may get two Classic Shorts Showcase a week for the next couple of weeks, on Christmas themed and one Pigs review. Anyways, I knew I wanted to talk about some Disney Christmas Music but seeing as I already have something else in store for this Friday, I have decided to do the first ever A Look at Disney Christmas Music Special.
Disney Christmas Melody
This song or melody rather comes from the ending of Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas and is just a culmination of some of the classic carols that we all know and love from the Holiday season featuring the characters from all of the shorts. It's a fun little piece. Simple but it works well in closing out the film.
Oh What a Merry Christmas Day
This in my opinion is one of the more underrated Christmas songs. It is a beautiful song and just the way it is sung can send spines up my back. It is a beautiful song and captures the spirit of this short quite well. It's rather sad that it doesn't get more airtime and I do not believe that it has been released separately. Don't worry, I'll review this short but that will be later down the road.
It Won't Be Long 'Til Christmas (Let Them Go)
This song actually comes from one of the few Disney movie that I have not see but I hope to one day. This is from The Happiest Millionaire. Which I have touched upon in the past. I first learned of this song through a CD I own that is a collection of Sherman Brothers penned songs and this caught my attention, pretty quick. It is a rather somber tune and while yes it can be viewed as a Christmas song, I also see it as a song about this couple realizing that they need to let their children grow up and in that context, it is a haunting tune.
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Love Handel
Our favorite '80s band from Danville, Love Handel delivers one rockin' rendition of this Christmas staple. They took this song and made it a fist pumping awesome song. Love Handel makes everything better and this is such a fun song. That like other songs can be summed by saying "One More Time!"
The Best Christmas of All
To close out, we have a Christmas song from House of Mouse. Is it sweet? Is it sappy? You bet'cha but I like it and it is a nice little song to close out on. I enjoy it, perhaps not as much as the others but it's an okay song and it does give me that Christmas vibe that is just right to start the Holiday season.
I hope you have enjoyed my look at these Disney Christmas songs but before I leave I would like to leave you with my favorite Christmas song of all time, Bellau Wood by Garth Brooks.
Sorry about not getting this out sooner but I've had one hectic day and this is the only time that I have found to post. Also there will be no Classic Shorts Showcase tomorrow but this will still give you your shorts fix as I countdown my Top 6 Disney Shorts Characters. Enjoy!
Ever since starting Classic Shorts Showcase, I have reviewed many shorts with a lot of likable characters but who are my favorites. Well today, I have decided to countdown my Top 6 Disney Shorts Characters. Now I have set up two rules, Mickey and the gang will not appear on this list as I'd rather focus on more unique characters and if I have not reviewed the short, the character will not appear on this list. With that out of the way, let's begin.
6. Pecos Bill - Pecos Bill
When I watched this short for my review with BigBlackHatMan, I had no idea what to expect of this character. He was a lot of fun and it showed me that Disney knew how to do a cowboy. He was so over the top and zany. I mean he tried to shoot tornadoes with his guns. As much I like him, I couldn't place any higher than 6. Why is that, you may ask. While this is not a bad short and Pecos Bill is likable enough character but I think that he let Widowmaker get away with too much. I mean we was Widowmaker's owner and he should have tried to stop Widowmaker before he sent that horse sent Slue Foot Sue into orbit. Good character but he didn't stand up when it counted most.
5. Cyril Proudbottom - Wind In The Willows
Ah. how about that? We're talking about another horse on this list. Cyril is such as funny character and so over the top but he is so funny. He is a great character and so funny. He is just so cheerful and happy and willing to stand by Toad. When he goes to break Toad out of jail in a dress, I just about died laughing. That was just so hysterical.
It's a Small World or sometimes just Small World for short is one of Disney's most beloved (and perhaps most mocked) attractions. It is a simple ride with a wonderful and beautiful visuals. Not too long ago Small World has become home to some new friends. A while back a decision was made to add characters from Disney and Pixar films to this classic attraction. Now at first I was angered by this decision because it just didn't feel right and if you know my feelings about the inclusion of Jack Sparrow on Pirates you could understand where I'm coming from. Now let me make one thing clear I haven't been on Small World in Disneyland since the characters have been added. This is more of an observation from the outside in.
But after taking a look at the characters and how they were included, I calmed down because they didn't look too bad well except for Lilo who in my opinion doesn't look like Lilo and really the only way I could tell it was Lilo was by Stitch standing next to her.
This is probably the biggest distraction because all the other characters in the ride look fine. Take for example Ariel or Aladdin and Jasmine.
They look fine and yes while Aladdin uses more elements from the film, it stills fits into the design of the ride. The characters look fine to me. One of my worries when I first learned of this is that the characters would look too cute if that makes any sense. In that they would be so sickly cute that is almost embarrassing. Take for example this doll of Rapunzel from Tangled re-imagined as a toddler or also the toddler version of Belle
This is part of a new line of dolls that features the Disney Princesses and Mulan as toddlers. This is a practice that I'm against altogether because it's stupid but getting back on topic. When the characters were included in Small World, yes they look younger and have a cuter appeal to them but it isn't overdone. You can still tell who the characters and from the looks of it, Disney didn't feel the need to mess with the characters too much unlike what happened with these dolls. To be fair Rapunzel probably wasn't the best example as we did see her as a little girl in her film but not Belle. That's whole other rant. What I'm getting at is that it could have been much worse and Disney could have done something really stupid but no they actually thought about it and worked out the planning and put some thought into where they wanted to place each character.
They didn't go in and just place them all over willy nilly and not give a hoot. They also tried to respect the ride by giving each of the new characters from the films a look that would fit into. Such as Alice and The White Rabbit. Sure you could make the argument that they shouldn't be included as their story isn't set in our world but rather Wonderland but they still fit.
They look perfectly fine. Really at end of the day, it could have been much worse. They could have modernized the song. Which you rather have classic Disney characters as part of a classic attraction or an update of the classic song that appeals to the Justin Beiber fans. Out of the two, I'll take the Disney characters. When you think they messed something up. Just realize that it could've been worse. What are thoughts? Do you like the characters on the ride or not? Tell me in the comments. Peace!
I have said goodbye to a friend I let into my living room each morning and I'm sure many of you have as well. True, I may have never meant the man himself but he always had a sense of warmth to him and I wanted to honor him but I wasn't sure how to do so, and then it hit me. He has been part of the Disney family for quite some time and he has appeared in many different Disney produced things.
Now I actually first took notice of him when on Christmas day, I would tune into the Disney Parks Parade and I saw this funny man, that I had seen somewhere else before sitting in The Magic Kingdom talking about all of the great Disney characters.
Watching Regis and Kathie and then later Regis and Kelly sit there and just have the time of their lives talking about these characters just made this parade all the sweeter. I have always felt that Regis and Kelly had a great sense of chemistry and were the best hosts for this job. I always looked forward to them hosting the parade because as much as I loved seeing the park, I enjoyed seeing them. Needless to say when I tuned in last year expecting Regis and Kelly but instead got Ryan Seacrest and Nick Cannon, I was disappointed. Now I understand with Regis retiring that he may not have wanted to host the parade that year but you couldn't find better replacement than those two. I know the parade is pre-recorded but I'm hoping against that Kelly makes an appearance.
Besides that on occasion, the show would uproot itself and go to a special location for a week and they have it Disney World, Disneyland, & the Disney Cruise Line.
Those were always some of my favorite episodes to watch because whenever any show goes on location but you know me being a sucker for Disney, I loved these shows and of course, it didn't hurt that Live was & to some extent still is my favorite daytime talk show. Because it makes you safe and as if there is a net. Also the humor was great, mix that in with all these great Disney locations, it's a recipe for success. My favorite is when Regis and Kelly took the show to the cruise, it was just so magical.
Now one of the biggest successes ever that I have is Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which if you were alive during the good years of that show, you would know that Regis was the host. It was great and later when now the now gone, Who Wants To Be a Millionaire: Play It in both Disney's California Adventure and Disney's MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios) first opened, Regis was actually went to both to tape episodes of the hit game show.
That just goes to show how good the design of the attraction was and while I never got to see Regis when I went to either park, I imagine for his fans that had to be something special. RichTV said it best, Regis was the best host and no one can top for this show. I feel the same can be said for Live as well. I mean Kelly is hot but they need a host with the same kind of spark as Regis.
The next thing I wish to bring up is an episode of Lilo and Stitch: The Series which I originally was going to review as my Regis tribute. That was until I realized how involved he had been with Disney and decided to expand upon that. In this episode, Lilo and Stitch are after an experiment that makes people Drowsy hence the name of the character and episode while Hamsterveil believes Regis is the most powerful human in the world and uses mind control, he tells Gantu to kidnap him. Lilo and Stitch save Regis, it was funny and a little odd seeing Regis on this. But all the same, it was a fun episode. In case your curious here is what the alien looked like
Regis has recently been bestowed the title of a Disney Legend which puts him among The Sherman Brothers and Julie Andrews as people who have been given this honor. He was recognized for have spent 17,000 hours in front of a television camera and I liked to use a quote from Regis about this.
I got to say, it really is quite an honor. I don't even know I deserve this
Believe me, Mr. Philbin you do. I truly feel that they couldn't have picked a better to give this honor too. Now he wasn't the only given this honor as Jim Henson was also bestowed a Disney Legend title they year as well. Sure, his announcement probably played some part in it but all the same, he is a legend.
You Ladies man, you!
I hope you have enjoyed my look at Regis and sure it wasn't a biographical look but rather some of his involvement with Disney and why I enjoyed that stuff. To end this, I'd like to use a song from my favorite non-Disney musical, RENT which was reworked for his final show. I give you Seasons of Love (Regis Version)
To Mr. Philbin, what can I say? On the days when I was sick, you cheered me up. I have watched you for as long as I can recall. Granted, I didn't become a big fan until Kelly came along but you have always been very funny and always appeared to be a very kind hearted man. Many people's mornings including my own won't be the same now that your gone. Thank you for everything. Words cannot express how we feel. I'd also like to thank RichTV as his tribute inspired me to do one of my own but of course I had to give it that Disney touch.
As I said last week, I would be taking a look at more music from Phineas and Ferb. That's the case as I take a look at the music of the fictional '80s band, Love Handel. Love Handel first appeared in flashback in the episode, Dude, We're Getting The Band Back Together. In the episode, Phineas and Ferb try to reunite the band so that they can preform for Lawrence and Linda's wedding anniversary For those of you don't know those the mom and dad. Most of the music featured in today's entry will come from the episode. I hope you enjoy.
You Snuck Your Way Right Into My Heart
This song right here was the band's big hit and it was also Lawrence and Linda's song. If you know what I mean by that. Again, this song shows how much the writers can have with these songs. It is a cute sand simple little love song. It is a ton of fun and the concert setting in this episode makes just as much fun. It is a fun little song that works as a cute and somewhat cheesy love song.
I Couldn't Kick My Way Right Into Her Heart
This song was featured in an episode that came after Dude, We're Getting The Band Back Together and this song is actually a parody of You Snuck Your Way Right Into My Heart. I actually found that to be pretty funny and sure it is shorter but it still works and I haven't seen many shows that take one of their songs and actually make a parody of it. To me that is a unique idea. It sound exactly like the first song only changed lyrically and it still is a decent song. Now I don't think it as much fun as the first song but it is still pretty good.
Ain't Got Rhythm
This song once again comes from Dude, We're Getting The Band Back Together where Phineas and Ferb are trying to reform the band and here with this song, they are trying convince Swampy, drummer of the band that he still has rhythm. Even though he say he doesn't. Part of the charm of this song comes from the beat that this song has as that is very catchy. Out of all the solo songs from this episode, this is probably my favorite. Again, I go back to the beat and also I love the irony of this song number being set in a library. This song plays to the strength of the show with just having fun with the songs. Also as I have been saying, you can't deny the beat of this song. It is just that good.
Fabulous
Here again this song is rather catchy and once again that goes toward the sound of the song. This song probably has the most unique sound out of the songs featured in this episode. Though I would lying if I didn't think this song was a little bit of an ego stroke for Bobbi. But Phineas and Feb needed to get the job done and had to do whatever was needed. I will say though that I don't think this song is the most fun from the episode. No, that honor belongs to Ain't Got Rhythm. Though I could see this song working in an '80s music video with the look of the number. Also I won't lie but I did get a vibe of some odd undertones from the character of Bobbi.
So ends, my look at the music of Love Handel. I hope you have enjoyed these past Phineas and Ferb Join me next time when I start a celebration of theme park songs with
Welcome back to another edition of Classic Shorts Showcase. Join me today as I take a look at The Robber Kitten. I'm not going to lie that I thought this was going to be a retelling of Puss In Boots as you see that character has been around longer than Shrek. Alas I was wrong. As with The Golden Touch, I'm skipping narration as there is none in this short and in some instances that is a good thing because this short is too short for the use of narration.
The Plot
The basic plot of this short is that we follow a young cat who likes to pretend he is a robber. He is playing in his bedroom when his mother calls him to take a bath but like any young boy he doesn't want to take a bath and runs away but not before stealing some cookies. When he runs away he runs into a real robber, Dirty Bill who at first he gets along with and that is until the young cat reveals that he hasn't robbed before and the loot he has is just cookies. This is probably out of all the shorts that I have watched the simplest plot and while I can understand that it can work, it just felt too simple. I mean yeah, you don't need an extensive plot but sometimes with this short it just felt too simple.
Characters
Here I'll be breaking this down into Main Character and Robber. Because that is all we have.
Main Character
Ambrose/Butch - Voiced Unlisted
Ambrose or Butch as he calls himself is our main character. The best way to describe him is by saying that is he a young child who thinks he can be a robber and doesn't need to abide by his mother's rules and doesn't listen to her when she calls him for a bath. Once again, I ran into the same problem with Ambrose that I had with Ben Franklin in Ben & Me in that there was nothing to me that would make him likable. His thoughts really drifted off when he started to tell Bill about his most recent job which was just him telling him his story of him playing robber and when Bill realized he was fibbing, Bill chased him back into his house and he finally got into the bath. Now again, I said we wasn't likable and part of that is, we never really are given a good reason as to why he runs away and more importantly there isn't a need for him to. His mother isn't cruel to him or anything and one thing that really made me angry is that when he got back to his house, he wasn't scolded for running away. I mean c'mon a young child that runs away from home should be scolded somehow because not only are you disobeying your parents but also your worrying them. Really in the end, he was let off scott free and that just felt unrealistic.
Robber
Dirty Bill voiced by Billy Bletecher
Dirty Bill was the real robber and unlike Ambrose he was actually fun with his actions. He just felt so big and fun. Plus the interaction between him and Ambrose is truly the highlight of this short. Also when he chases Ambrose I was actually rooting for him because Ambrose deserved it after what he did. In all honesty, Bill was the most likable character. He was just so menacing and that worked in his favor. Again, my favorite character he actually added something to the short.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, is this short bad? I wouldn't say bad but I didn't enjoy it. Now this one doesn't surpass Ben and Me in shorts that I haven't enjoyed but it does have a similar problem in that it has an unlikable character. Though I would say this short is skippable as there many better shorts out there. One of the biggest complaints that I had with this short is that it felt like nothing happened. Join me next time when I take a look at a Disney classic...
The Three Little Pigs. But wait, there's more. Starting when next we meet on Classic Shorts Showcase, I'll be taking a look at only The Three Little Pigs but that will be followed by it's sequel shorts. Here is the schedule of shorts and now just as I did with John Henry I'm breaking my 2000 rule as there is 2002 sequel short as well that I wish to cover. I promise to avoid this but it just feels right to include this short. For those who wish to know that short is Lil' Bad Wolf.
The Three Little Pigs
The Big Bad Wolf
The Three Little Wolves
The Practical Pig
The Thrifty Pig
Lil' Bad Wolf.
There you have it, the list of upcoming shorts on Classic Shorts Showcase. Until next time, Peace!
Happy Anniversary, BigBlackHatMan. I have immensely enjoyed your blogs and today a few of us here in the blogging community have decided to gather up and wring together some Western themed blogs to celebrate your anniversary And for Pt. 2 as my 2 Special I decided to turn to a classic cowboy so "Reach for the sky" as I countdown the Top 6 Sheriff Woody Moments. Quick note before I begin, this list contains a lot of Toy Story 2 moments but this is not without reason as Woody is not only featured heavily in that film but also because that film more than the other two help to define him as a character.
6. Woody's Finest Hour - Toy Story 2
Ah, this is just a great moment and there couldn't be a better way to close out Toy Story 2. Woody finally gets the ending to Woody's Roundup that he had wanted. He wanted to know how the show ended but it gotten canned so instead after saving Jesse and Bullseye from Stinky Pete, he gets to create the final moment and it is a classic. Wonderful moment for a wonderful film.
5. You Are a Toy - Toy Story/Toy Story 2
I knew I had to include this classic line on here somehow because it is perhaps one of my favorite moments from Toy Story and when they included it Toy Story 2, I was thrilled. Though let's take a look at how the line is used in each film. In Toy Story, it comes from Woody being aggravated by Buzz thinking that he is really a space ranger and Woody has had enough of it and just blows his lid and just blurts out the now famous line. Whereas in Toy Story 2, the tables are turned and here Buzz is using it against Woody to remind him of how important Andy is and how much Andy loves him. Which in this context adds a lot of depth to that line.
4. Play Nice - Toy Story
Another classic scene. Admittedly, this scene to some young children can come off as scary but now I just find it funny. I love how Woody scared Sid by coming to life and having the other toys start attacking him which felt very much like they were zombies. And then the head spin, oh my was that awesome or what? The best part though is the buildup to Woody's line. Just the way that Woody keeps taunting Sid until he finally comes to life. That is great.
3. Learning of Woody's Roundup - Toy Story 2
Let me just state that Toy Story 2 is my favorite film in the entire trilogy. Toy Story 2 helped me in liking Woody so much more and getting the back story of his character was great and meeting the other cowfolk and learning that Woody was based off of an old TV show just made everything about him so much more intriguing and I actually think having Woody be introduced to Jesse, Bullseye and Stinky Pete actually caused a better conflict. Does Woody stay with his new friends and help them or does he return home with Buzz and the guys to Andy who he has always cared for? Well, we know the decision that he makes but having Woody learn of this and giving him time to think over his decision makes the struggle feel more realistic. Plus it doesn't hurt that Woody's Roundup is just a great song.
I know your One Year Anniversary is coming up BBHM but I couldn't decide what to cover so I have decided to write up two articles for ya. One review and a Top 6. The review as you can see is going up today. This is a short that I have been wanting to tackle for quite some time. As we all know many Disney characters have starred in their own solo series of shorts but would you believe that Chip 'n' Dale did not get their own solos until around the '50s and during that time they only headlined three shorts. This is one of them. The Lone Chipmunks. This short is unique in that Chip 'n' Dale are usually the foils for either Donald or Pluto but this time they face off against my favorite Disney villain, Pete. Hard to believe that this is one of if not the only time they faced off against Pete.
The Plot
The plot is pretty simple, Black Pete (the variation we're dealing with today) has just robbed a bank in a small western town. He rides off with the loot and hides it in the tree where Chip 'n' Dale. Before that however a WANTED poster with his mug is placed on the hole that leads into their house. When blindly walking out, Chip walks through the poster to gather acorns and then Dale sticks his head through which causes Chip to think that Dale is the thief. Once they learn the truth however they want to try and get the reward money of 10 Grand. Also Black Pete just happens to show up and hide the money he stole in their tree. From there on, it turns into a short of Chipmunks Vs. Outlaw and it was hysterical. While not as good as their pairings with Pluto or Donald, I could actually find myself rooting for them this time because unlike those shorts they weren't doing this to be annoyances but rather to stop the bad guy, which they ultimately did.
Characters
I'll be breaking this down into Main & Villain. Though I'm going to group Chip 'n' Dale together because this was at a point in their career where they hadn't been given separate personalities.
Main Characters
Chip 'n' Dale voiced by James MacDonald & Dessie Flynn
Chip 'n' Dale were hilarious in this short in all of the different ways they tried to stop Black Pete. From using his gun against him and that is how they caught him. Before that at one point they took his bullet power and salt and switched them around. Y'know won't see stuff like that some shows these days. Chip 'n' Dale while simple characters were funny in this short with all of the different methods they used to bring down Black Pete and to me that is the most integral part of any short that is supposed to be comedic. And with Chip 'n' Dale, your not looking for Shakespeare and yes true, Rescue Rangers gave them an adventurous edge which was awesome but for their shorts, I want comedy and they delivered.
Villain
Black Pete voiced by Billy Bletcher
Black Pete as stated is our villain and it was so refreshing to actually see him in a villain role after everything that has happened to him over the years turning him into more of a bully than an actual villain. As I stated, he stole the money from the bank and hides it in Chip 'n' Dale's tree. At first, after he hides the money and the chipmunks start messing with him, he thinks he is going paranoid. Each time that Black Pete believes himself to be going paranoid, he would jump behind these rocks and start firing off his guns. Once he sees Chip 'n' Dale though he starts fighting back and forth between Black Pete & the Chipmunks. This was funny and it also showed that Chip 'n' Dale could hold their own against ruthless villains.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, I will say that I enjoyed this short immensely but I'm torn to whether or not Chip 'n' Dale work as headliners. I don't know they were funny as always and they had someone to fight against and as I stated, Black Pete was more of a threat than Pluto or Donald but on the same token, the fight felt a tad one sided because I knew from the get go that I wanted Chip 'n' Dale to take down Black Pete whereas with Pluto or Donald, I can root either them or Chip 'n' Dale. That is probably the only flaw in this gem otherwise it's a decent enough short that I would suggest checking out. Join me tomorrow as I continue this Anniversary celebration with a Top 6 of a classic Cowboy character that you all should know.
It has come to my attention that this month is the month of Mickey's birthday. Which apparently took the company years to decide what month it was? Until finally, they settled on November which makes sense. Now I know it's isn't polite to ask one how old they are, but according to everything that I have read, Mickey turns 83. This lovable little mouse first appeared in Steamboat Willie but you all know that and I have talked about that before when I talked about Mickey. How does one go about celebrating the birthday of one of the greatest cartoon character ever! Well, first we need a song.
Now does one go about celebrating Mickey's birthday? The best way I know how, a Top 6 Mickey Moments. Let's begin.
6. Getting a Star on The Walk of Fame
Mickey was the very first cartoon character to ever receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and since then many other great Disney characters such Pooh Bear and Tink have gotten their own stars. Still knowing that Mickey was the first is pretty cool. To me this is a sign that fictional characters can be just as deserving as actors/actresses to get their own star. Of course people have to raise money to get the star but no matter this star to me represents all of Mickey's fans and why he is an Icon.
5. Appearing Alongside Bugs Bunny in Who Framed Roger Rabbit
This is one of the coolest scenes from this movie. It may be nothing more than a short cameo but my oh my is is ever awesome. I mean actually getting to see Mickey & Bugs share the screen is just priceless. This scene still gets me excited, where are else are you going to see your favorite cartoon characters come together...
Besides That!
It is surprising how well Mickey and Bugs work off of each other but seeing as Eddie is pretty much the comic foil in this scene, it isn't too surprising. This scene is just awesome to watch.
4. The Band Concert
The Band Concert is my favorite Mickey short and the one that instantly got me hooked as a Mickey fan. It is just so much fun to watch this short and see Mickey try to keep the concert going as Donald tries to join in. I always find myself laughing out loud at this short especially when it comes to the hurricane sequence. That in my opinion is one of the funniest Disney moments ever.
And I just love how serious and stoned faced Mickey is with all of this mayhem going on around him. It is just so funny. This short in a way was my gateway to other Mickey shorts thanks to the VHS collection, The Spirit of Mickey. Now as much as I love this short, I only placed it a 4 because there are some other Mickey moments that have stuck around with me much longer. Oh, how could I forget? This was the first Mickey short to be presented in Technicolor.
3. As Bob Crachit in Mickey's in Mickey's Christmas Carol
When Disney made their version of Mickey's Christmas Carol, they could not have picked a better character to portray Crachit. A Christmas Carol is my favorite Christmas story and I enjoy most versions of the story and it should be no surprise that this was the first version of a Christmas Carol that I saw. The casting Mickey as Bob Crachit was a beautiful move because both characters are good-hearted people that only want the best for others around them. I mean would you want to see Donald as Crachit? I don't think so. Mickey's portrayal of Crachit is just so heartfelt. As much as I love his Crachit, it not my favorite portrayal but he does a darn good job. In case your wondering my favorite portrayal of Crachit is Kermit The Frog in Muppet's Christmas Carol but Mickey comes in at a close second.
2. Steamboat Willie
Now there is no way that I could leave this off of the list. It wouldn't feel right. This is the short that Mickey made his debut in. This short is just so amazing and to think that it still holds up today. In fact it is better than some of the current shows on right now. It may be a simple short with a thin plot but still it is so much fun to watch and really I get excited each time I see this image because it just reminds me of where the company came from and what they are capable of. Speaking of which...
1. The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Out of everything that Mickey has appeared in, this is one of the most amazing things. And to think, Walt didn't want to use Mickey for this at first. No, you see originally Dopey was meant to be the Apprentice. Can I say that I'm glad that he went with Mickey instead? Needless to say that this is my favorite segment from Fantasia. With this segment Mickey's mischievous side is greatly explored. But c'mon he was tempted with that magical hat and can you blame him? Now unlike The Band Concert, where Mickey is pretty serious. He is just having fun and breaking the rules. This is such a cute short and proves to me that Mickey can hold his own in a film. Out of all the segments from both Fantasia and Fantasia 2000, I could re watch this one the most.
There you have it my Top 6 Mickey Moments. This little Mouse certainly has some staying power. So please join me in celebrating his birthday. What are some of your favorite Mickey moments? I think I don't have to tell you that this was the most difficult Top 6 that I have ever done. Seeing as there are just too many great Mickey Moments to choose from. The best way to close this out is with this great video I found showing Mickey through the years and to remember what Walt once said
I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing--that it was all started by a mouse.
Now if I didn't make it clear in my review for the Phineas and Ferb film, I think this is one of the best cartoon shows in recent memory. One of the greatest aspects of this show is the music and today I'll be taking a look at 4 songs that I enjoy immensely from this show.
When We Didn't Get Along
To kick thing off, we start this Music Fridays with my all time favorite P&F song. I don't know what it is about this song but the first time I heard it, I instantly loved it. It just so wonderful for showcasing the humor of this show and I love how they take the cheesy break up song and rework it to where instead of being about a couple, it focuses on a hero and a villain. Thing is, I actually felt bad for Perry and as if Dr. D was cheating on him with a new agent. Weird I know but that's just how I thought. It is just an out and out fun song that is rather somber but quite hilarious.
Impress My Professor
What can I say? Dr. D has some great moments and this song is so much fun. I just how big this song feels and how it takes on the feeling of a show tune along the lines of something that you would hear in a musical. This song again is just so much fun and the back up singers really help to make this a great song. Admittedly, Dr. D doesn't have the greatest singing voice but I think his voice is part of the reason that I find this so catchy.
I Believe We Can - Clay Aiken and Chaka Khan
This song if from the special, Summer Belongs To You and this the first song featured in this special. It features Clay Aiken and Chaka Khan singing and they do Besides being a good song from the show, I feel that this song does the best job of standing on it's own. I also love the reference to the Clay Aiken song, Measure of a Man. I also have to chuckle at the fact that Clay Aiken and Chaka Khan are dressed up as Phineas and Ferb. Fun fact for ya, Chaka Khan asked to say the line, "Where's Perry?" for this special. Of course you watched the interviews I included at the end of the film review, you would know that. As I was saying, I find that this song does the best job of standing on its own and doesn't need the show. Because it is that good and this does actually sound like a song that you would hear on one of Clay Aiken's albums.
Gitchi Gtichi Goo (Extended Version)
We will close this out with one of the most popular songs from Phineas and Ferb. This song is just a lot of fun and just so nonsensical. Though it does emulate one of those really cute romance songs talking about love. Even if it doesn't make sense. It is a fun and upbeat song with a nice beat. It's easy to dance along to. I'm actually using the extended version which includes lyrics that weren't in the original but other than that. There isn't too much of a difference. It's a fun song and easy to listen to as most of the songs on this show are.
I hope you have enjoyed this look at the music of Phineas and Ferb but were not done with music from this show just yet. Join me next week, when I take a look at...
Welcome to another edition of Classic Shorts Showcase. Y'know sometimes it feels like Disney doesn't know how to make a good short these days or so people say. Join me as I take a look at the newest short to be reviewed on Classic Shorts Showcase as I take a look at John Henry. Now an explanation is in order. You see, this short came out in 2000 and I first learned of it when it was put together on the collection DVD, Disney's American Legends hosted by James Earl Jones. Which includes Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan both of which I have reviewed. So in that regard, it's not a classic but the feel of it is that of a classic short especially of Paul Bunyan as this short is bit similar to that short but more depressing. You'll find out what I mean as I take a look at this short.
The Plot
To understand this short we need to take a look at when it is set. As you see in this short, Lincoln is President and he had just signed The Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves which John Henry and his love, Polly were. When they got married, Polly took the chains that John wore and had them made into a hammer, 20 pounds to be exact. When they come across a crew of people working on a railroad, they see that they are having troubles and can't get it done. So John volunteers his help and only for split second is he questioned until he proves his worth. The people there with come to appreciate John and his help. Therefore tall tales about John's life start spreading. This is the basic plot of the short and I have to say this was a great short. More on that in my final thoughts though
Look
Before we get too far into things I gotta bring up the look of this short. As that is one of my favorite aspects. This may sound odd to say about a short but it looked comfortable. To understand where I'm coming from let's take a look at opening title
This is something that the short plays with throughout the short whenever other people are talking about John especially during the tall tale segment, it has this look a quilt that was stitched together. I love this, it looks so inviting and as if it's saying "watch me". Of course, you could also connect this to the character of Polly and how it is revealed she is telling the story to her son while stitching a quilt. Either way, I just love the look of it. This in my opinion is one of the coolest looking shorts that I have reviewed.
Narration
Narrator - Alfre Woodard
As stated above the narration is done by a character that is actually part of the short. Which is similar to another short that I struggled with. However unlike that short, here it flowed better and felt more personal as Polly, John's love and wife was the one telling the story. There just seemed to be more depth and love coming through in the narration
Characters
Now as usual, I'll be breaking this down into Main, Supporting & Rival.
Main Character
John Henry voiced by Geoffrey Jones
John Henry is perhaps one of the coolest characters to appear in an underrated piece of Disney animation. He is a kindhearted man, who is hardworking. Again as stated he carries his 20 pound hammer that Polly gave to him and carries it with him through life and he says that he'll die with it in his hand. Which he ultimately does because you see as I mentioned John Henry goes to help the railroad crew and late on in the short, a steam drill driver comes to take over the work. The railroad crew was angry and wanted to tip over the drill which they almost did but with John Henry's strength as he is able to stand it back up. The crew doesn't understand what John Henry is doing but John believes there is a better way to solve the problem. John challenges the driver and driver accepts. Now this is where the similarity to Paul Bunyan starts and stops because both of these shorts have a challenge but unlike Paul, John Henry wins the challenge but at a high cost as he dies right after the challenge. So, this short doesn't really have a happy ending for the character of John Henry but it does end on a happy note. If that's makes sense.
Supporting Character
Polly voiced by Alfre Woodard
Polly was a very sweet character and again as I said, she was the narrator of this short and she was such a great and caring character. Even if in the short, she felt a tad underused but all the same, she was great. She was John Henry's rock and the one that convinced him not to give up. You could feel how much she loved John Henry in both the short and with her narration. Come to think of it, this is the first short that I have reviewed that has a female narrator. Go figure! All the same, she was a great character and just added so much more to this short.
Music
John Henry
Now again, I know that I'm posting the first half of this short, which I hope that you 'll take your time to watch the rest of. This song is just so beautiful. It's fun, encouraging and I like the way how it starts up the tall tale. Again, this is another reason this short makes me think of some of the older classic shorts that I have taken a look at on Classic Shorts Showcase.
Rival
The Steam Drill
While not the steam drill from the short, this is basically what John Henry had to go up against. The person driving this was cold because he burned the contract. Part of me wanted to see this drill be tipped over but in the end, John Henry did the right thing. Again, going back to Paul Bunyan for a second, the premise of Man Vs. Machine is very prevalent in this short but unlike Paul Bunyan, man wins the challenge but loses his life. As I stated this short doesn't have a happy outcome for John Henry but I like that because it makes the short feel more realistic.
My Final Thoughts
I hope that you have enjoyed this step outside the norm on Classic Shorts Showcase. I typically wouldn't review shorts this new as a Classic Shorts Showcase but there was just something about this short that convinced me it deserved to be featured on Classic Shorts Showcase. Again, even though it came out in 2000, it feels like a classic Disney short that Walt would have worked on. It's a very fun short to watch and the best way to describe is beautifully simple. Not simply beautiful because we are dealing with something different as you see the beauty of this short comes from how simple it is along with how it takes itself and the story presented seriously. If you haven't seen this short, look for it.
Hello and welcome to another edition of Vs. This time on Vs., I'm pitting two Disney bullies against each other. From Beauty and The Beast, Gaston and from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Brom Bones. Now this will work differently than last time, the categories that I'l be using here are Ego, Town Admiration, Song, Actions & Outcome and finally, The Film Factor. Which this time will be used to determine who has a bigger role in their respective piece of animation. Yes, I know, Brom Bones is from a short but that is the name of that round and I'm sticking to it.
Ego (Round 1)
For this I'll start off with Gaston.
Gaston
There is no doubt about it, Gaston has a huge ego. I'm not even sure where he stores all of it. He is just a major jerk and that makes his turn to becoming a villain less surprising honestly. His ego is literally dripping off of him in every scene that he is in. Heck, he isn't even really attracted to Belle, he just wants her because he is the best and he think that he deserves her. He just thinks of her as a trophy. Gaston's ego is one of the great things about him
Now let's move onto Brom Bones
Brom Bones
Bing Crosby states that Brom is a good person and I can see that. I don't think he has much of an ego but his actions rather come from jealousy. As he can't stand seeing Katrina with Ichabod. Which the same can be said for how Gaston feels about Belle but whereas Gaston thinks of Belle as a trophy, I think Brom had true feelings for Katrina.
For this reason, Round 1 goes to..
Gaston
Town Admiration (Round 2)
Both of these characters are highly admired where they live but which is moreso. Well, let's find out.
Gaston
The town where Gaston lives showers him with praise and thinks that he is the greatest. He is regarded as the town hero. If you need any further proof of this just turn to his songs, I mean the song, "Gaston" is all about how great and he is and "The Mob Song" shows that the town is willing to follow him into battle. If Gaston told these townspeople to jump off a cliff, they would do it.
Brom Bones
It's mentioned that the town where Brom lives admires him and loves having fun with him but I don't think it's on the same scale as Gaston. It feels more like they look at Brom as a guy they can have a beer with after a day gone wrong. People like him but the people of Gaston's town LOVE him!
For that reason this round goes to...
Gaston
Song (Round 3)
Now we turn to the songs these two have and while they both can be considered villain songs, they are done in a different manner.
Gaston
I have talked about this song many times. Again this song celebrates the character of Gaston and how much the town loves him. This goes back to Gaston's ego. This is a fun song and I just love singing along with it. I really don't have many complaints toward this song. It shows off Gaston quite well. It just helps to boast his ego. The reprise is great as well in showing his fall into villainy.
Headless Horseman (Brom Bones)
Now as stated in my review of this short Bing sang this song and boy does he put a lot of emotion into it. Just the way the song scares Ichabod is great and Brom's plan to frighten Ichabod works quite well with this song. Both of these songs are fun but I think that this song has the better sound and just all of the animation in Brom's expressions in telling this story give it an edge over Gaston.
For that reason, this round goes to...
Brom Bones
Actions & Outcome ( Round 4)
For this round we take a look at what happened to each character throughout the film. Again, I'll start with Gaston.
Gaston
In the beginning of the film starts out as a big jerk and through his repeated actions to woo Belle and being rejected by her he becomes the monster that ultimately dies at the end of the film. So kind of a depressing outcome for Gaston. Now even though Gaston's arc does end in tragedy, it is still a great build up and parallel to see him become the villain of the film. As I stated in my review of Beauty and The Beast this is one of the more crucial elements of the film. It was done well here.
Brom Bones
Brom's actions are light compared to what Gaston did but part of what made him fun to watch was that he had an onscreen rival in the form of Ichabod to fight over to affection of Katrina. As evidenced by his song, he knew Ichabod was a coward and tried to use to his advantage. Now this may be unfair but Ichabod's death actually helped Brom as it is seen at the end of Sleepy Hollow that Brom ended up marrying Katrina. He was able to succeed where Gaston failed. Now even though Brom succeeded where Gaston failed, Brom was a bit more of a one note character. Which while true of his character I have to say I actually had more fun watching all he unfolded with the different events and while I will say that Gaston is more threatening, Brom had the better outcome. This was perhaps the toughest area to judge because I went back and forth on to give it to but when you look at the outcomes for these two it clear that...
This round goes to...
Brom Bones
The Film Factor (The Final Round)
We're all tied up with Gaston taking Ego and Town Admiration while Brom took Song along with Actions & Outcome. This is the round to decide it all, The Film Factor. How well did these characters work form the film (or short) that they came from? Let's find out.
Gaston
Gaston was one of the big driving forces in his film. His turn to becoming a a true villain helped move the story along quite nicely. His transtiton throughout the film is one of my favorite parts. Just seeing how he goes crazy and how he tries to kill Beast is one of the highlights. He is very essential to his film. The story wouldn't be complete without him.
Brom Bones
With Brom, we have interesting case. He does serve an important role in the first two acts of Sleepy Hollow but by the time, Ichabod reaches the forest you don't see him again. However he does tell the tale of the Headless Horseman that helps to tighten Ichabod's nerves when he is travelling. So he does do that and that does work well. As stated in my review of Sleepy Hollow, there is fan speculation that he really was the Headless Horseman. Let's assume that he was for a moment that would have given him a bigger edge had I believed that but there are no hints or clues as to whether or not that is true. Unlike with Gaston, you know he is the bad guy from the get go.
For this reason, this round goes to...
Gaston
The End Result
By a score of 3 -2, Gaston is the victor. He had the bigger ego (Go figure that would help win), the town admiration was much more obvious and I think that he played a bigger part in his film than Brom Bones did in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. What's your opinion, who do you think should have won this Vs.? Tell me in the comments.
Hey guys, today's Can We Talk about deals with a topic that is a bit heavier than usual. In case your wondering why the Big Bad Wolf is dressed up as a Nazi solider in that picture, well that is from the short, The Thrifty Pig which is a re-edit of Three Little Pigs that deals with selling war bonds. I will be reviewing that down the road when I get to my Three Little Pigs retrospective but before that there is something that I need to bring up because it has been gnawing at me ever since I learned of it's existence. If you have visited Fans of Disney, you may have seen that I put up a discussion about a Disney song that was used as Nazi Propaganda. I first discovered this song when I visited the site, Covering The Mouse. This is a site that house covers of Disney songs and just for the fun of it, I was looking up covers of Who's Afraid of The Big Bad Wolf and then I came across this song. Okay technically this song is a parody of Big Bad Wolf but that doesn't make it any less disturbing. Now I'm actually going to include a video for this song and to understand where I'm coming from, it might help if you listen to the song.
Today on A Look at Disney, were doing something a tad different as I take a visit Okinawa to take a look at Stitch! The Anime. Now I'm only taking a look at the first episode and therefore this will just be an episode review and also this is a dub as that is what was aired. Now before we get any further into this, I normally don't watch anime and I probably won't after this. Really the only reason I'm watching this is for Stitch. Now apparently this is based off of a children's Manga series but seeing I have never read it and know very little about it, I'm just going to focus on this episode.
Episode Title
When we meet, We become Family
Now this is the English translation for the title of this episode. I like the title, it fits with the world and lessons of this franchise. Simple enough and one of the better aspects of this show in my opinion.
The Plot
Now to get a better hold on the plot of this episode and series, there is one thing that needs to be addressed. Lilo doesn't appear in this series. From my understanding this series takes place after the events of Lilo & Stitch: The Series and according to some information, Lilo is now an adult and married and has a daughter of her own. To be fair my statement of Lilo not appearing isn't truly accurate as she does appear in one episode but that is later down the line and not this one. From what I can tell of this episode's plot, Stitch steals a spaceship and starts acting up and crashes on an island in Okinawa. There he meets Yuna, our Lilo stand in so to speak. I'll talk more about her when I get to the characters.
Location
Okinawa, Japan
In the anime, Stitch has left Hawaii and when the spaceship that he stole crashes he lands in Okinawa, Japan. My thoughts, nice idea. Have Stitch go from island to another. It's able to keep that island feel to it. Nice choice of location.
Characters
Per usual, format I'll be breaking this down into Main, Supporting, & Villains. Just a quick note, I won't be listing the voice actors as this was a dub and I couldn't find the names of the English voice actors. Sorry about that.
Main Characters
Stitch
Ah, Stitch! He's just his old lovable self. Which is both a good and bad thing? As you seen the version I saw and I believe that this is not true for the original that this is show is supposed to be a continuation of Stitch's story where Lilo & Stitch: The Series left off. I say that this is a good thing because I don't think that you should mess with character too much but on the same token, you need to let them grow and here it just feels as though Stitch has regressed somewhat. One of the very first things that was set up in this episode and continues on throughout the rest of season 1 from my understanding is that Yuna has to teach Stitch how to be good and Stitch has to do a certain number of good deeds. This is where the bad comes in because if this is supposed to be a continuation of the franchise and take place in a future where Lilo is an adult, you would think that Stitch would understand certain behavior such as to be kind. Now it is never stated if Stitch's aging process is any different than that of a human. That is something else I took into account. Because if we go by what I stated in my review for Lilo & Stitch that he was just a baby, that would mean in The TV series and subsequent sequels that he was a young child and seeing as Lilo is now an adult, I'm going to hedge my bet and say that Stitch is in his teens. Now that is if his aging process is the same as that of a human. If not, I just made myself look like a fool. Now again, Stitch is mischievous and always has been but I don't know it just feels like that is this is supposed to be a continuation, there should be some sort of growth. Now another thing that I forgot to mention is something is the Spiritual Stone, which grants wishes to people that have been good. That is part of the reason why Stitch is doing good deeds because he wishes to be the strongest in the universe.
Yuna
Yuna is a young girl in the fourth grade and much like Lilo she is a tomboy. Whereas Lilo took Hula lessons, Yuna teaches karate. This was a nice touch as it helps to incorporate Japanese culture When we first meet Yuna, we see that she is a typical young girl. She loves adventure and likes to have fun. Now she's live with her grandmother as her father is away at work and her mother died when she was very young in a typhoon. Something that I found interesting and I liked is that when she first met Stitch she wasn't scared but rather assertive. Her and Stitch spend the night together in a caver and that is how they grow and bond. She was probably my favorite character.
Supporting Character
Jumbaa
Now in this first episode, Jumbaa is searching for Stitch after he has escaped and we don't see much of him except for when he reunites with Pleakley.
Pleakley
Now Pleakley wasn't seen too much in the episode until right before the end where we learn that he had stranded on a planet for some time. Other than that he doesn't play that much of a role in this episode.
Obaa (Grandma)
Now I couldn't find a picture of this character but this is Yuna's grandmother whom she lives with. From the little bit I saw of her, she was a kind and caring old lady. Simple enough character but I liked her.
Villains
Gantu
Now Gantu also returns and as a villain yet again. Now here again is another problem I had because when we last him he was once again, a good guy. What may him decide to return being a bad guy and work for Hamsterveil at that. Perhaps that is explained later on down the road but going into this, I was just lost.
Hamsterveil
Hamsterveil is once again the main villain and I don't think that he was featured too much in this episode. It was just established that he wants power and has a personal vendetta against Stitch. He also want to go the Spiritual Stone to use it to become a supreme ruler. Again, not much of him was shown. So I can't say how he plays out in the series.
My Final Thoughts
This was a rough show to review as I don't watch anime and this episode set up plot points that appear to be important to the anime later down on the road. I can't comment on these too much. Now I did have some qualms with it such as the contitunity but I think that it can be overlooked if you like Stitch. Me, I don't know if I'll continue to watch. Because while this wasn't a bad episode, I was just left unimpressed. It's not bad but I was just left with a "meh" feeling about the show. It did nothing that would make me want check out any further episodes well save for the one where Lilo shows up to see how they explain that. Would I reccomend this show? If you like Stitch, then perhaps. Though I like Stitch but I just had too many problems with this show. On the one end, it felt as though it wanted to distance itself from everything else that we have with these characters while at the same time be a continuation of their stories. That's part of the problem, right there. I don't think there are enough stories or new ideas that can be explored with Stitch. In the end, I wouldn't say this is a bad show but rather one that is there.
Tim: Hello and welcome back to Music Fridays. Today, I'll be taking a look at 2 songs that I consider childhood favorites. Two, that seems incredibly short for a Music Fridays. Well that is because today joining me once again on A Look at Disney is Dawn_Heart. After the wonderful time I had working with her on our first cross over, Top 6 Leading Ladies of Disney. Which is perhaps one of my favorite Top 6's, I knew that I had to get Dawn_Heart back on her somehow. Yes, true she along with many of my other CA friends appeared on Music Fridays # 20 but I wanted to do another individual cross over with her. Also take time to check out her series, My Thoughts on MMTT, a good first read and my favorite in the series thus far is her article on 3-D. Seeing as she is my guest, I'll let Dawn_Heart treat us with the two songs that she picked from her childhood.
Dawn_Heart's Picks
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo
Meg: Thank you for the warm words. I always love being on here. So to start with I chose one of the earliest song I remember; Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo from Cinderella. This song is just pure fun and I probably bugged the heck out of my family singing it. It comes as a nice cheer up after a considerable low point in Cinderella. The Fairy Godmother is just so upbeat and cheery. She reminds me of my Latin teacher to be honest. I also love the random choir that comes out of nowhere at parts, I guess it’s the choir geek in me.
Tim: This is a fun choice, Dawn_Heart. I must agree that Fairy Godmother is such a fun character though for my money, the best character in this film is Gus Gus. As for this song, this is a great choice and you explained well why it was part of your childhood. Now I can't say the same myself. Don't get me wrong I liked this film but as a young boy I had a dim view on it somewhat but as all boys I grew out of that and have come to appreciate it. Something that this song shows and something I love is that it shows that Disney had fun with words in their songs. Though I must say Cinderella looks stunning in that dress but I gotta say the idea of a glass slipper sounds uncomfortable but then again as a guy, high heels sound uncomfortable in general.
Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride
Meg: As for next song I had to think about this one a bit, then it hit me. A song that I loved as a child and would sing all the time even if I knew I was saying half of it wrong. Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride from Lilo and Stitch. I know this one isn’t a classic to some but it is too me. I love the idea of surfing being compared to riding a rollercoaster. It also sets a really cool musical tone for the movie, which is heavily influenced by Hawaiian music. I used to get this suck in my head for hours and I still do. I too is a lot of fun to sing.
Tim: Another fine choice and I'll agree with you that this is a childhood favorite. I was in middle school came out and it was during that time as a kid where it's uncool to like Disney. As a Disney fan, I call this the "Dark Period". Now I never really went through that but I have heard others talk about this. For me Disney brought me too much happiness to ever be mad and I must agree that I like the analogy of comparing surfing to a roller coaster. Though another thing I like about this sequence is that it makes Stitch who is an alien feel more human by showing that he has a fear and as I stated in my review of Lilo and Stitch, Stitch is just a child and it makes sense for him to have a fear. But he decides to face his fear. Maybe one day I'll face my fears of clowns and firemen poles. Hey, childhood fears are weird. The pole thing came from going to a firehouse and seeing the opening and I thought I was going to fall and break apart. As for the clown thing, the only clowns I like are the ones in Dumbo.
My Picks
Tim: Now it's time we delve into my childhood and take a look at two songs from then that I truly enjoyed. First up from The Lion King
Hakuna Matata
Tim: What a Wonderful Phrase? The Lion King is one of the earliest Disney films I recall seeing when I was little. When thinking of a song to pick I had to go with this one because I love the song and again it shows how Disney has fun with words. Back when I was little I didn't get all the jokes but the line, Pumbaa not in front of the kids always got a big chuckle out of me even though I didn't understand it. This song is a lot like Dawn_Heart's first pick in that it is a happy & upbeat song that comes right after a rather somber moment. Even still, it is a fun song and I have always enjoyed it.
Meg: I love this song, I love the Lion King in general. I think this is just one of those songs that everyone knows. I think I've grown to like it more over the years because I didn't get that joke as a kid too, but now I do and it gets a laugh out of my still. I think that song could be a pretty big part of a 90's childhood and something that defines it...if that makes any sense.
Friend Like Me
Tim: If you haven't noticed by now I have a thing for songs sung by the comic relief characters. I have always loved this song and as a little kid, I thought this was such a fun song. Especially when Genie dances with the giant hands and does "Wa Wa". To me that is the highlight. This song is just so random and bizarre and that is what makes it so much fun. Add onto that Robin Williams actually sang this and did a fine job. Only thing left to say is "Wa Wa". I know that probably isn't the right spelling but it's a sound not a word. At least give me credit for trying to figure that thing out.
Meg: I think there is a 'h' at they end of "Wah wah" though I'm the worst person to ask spelling questions to. I love this song because it’s so wild and crazy. Unlike a lot of people I didn’t see this movie until I was older, maybe almost my pre-teen years I think. I still love it though. The Genie is one of my favorite Disney characters. The song also reminds me of an over the top 40s style stage show. With the pretty lights and the girls dancing and just the spectacle of it all. This song always makes me smile.
Tim: That does seem to make a bit more sense and this song does a vaudeville like vibe to it. I'd once again like to thank Dawn_Heart for joining me on this special Music Fridays. Seeing as this is my 30th Music Fridays, it just felt right to make this special and have a guest appear. Join me next week for Pt. 1 of a 2 part Music Fridays where there are There's 104 days of summer vacation.
As I take a look at the music of...
Phineas and Ferb
Meg: Yay! I love that show and I find myself huming the tune to a lot of the show's songs often. Thanks for having me here again, I always enjoy it.
Tim: Welcome back to another Classic Shorts Showcase. I must be having an itch for shorts based on American folklore because before Sleepy Hollow, I took a look at Paul Bunyan and today I'll be taking a look at Pecos Bill. Though for the first time on Classic Shorts Showcase, I have decided to make this a cross over. Please join me in welcoming my good friend and fan of Westerns, BigBlackHatMan. With that out of the way, let's begin.
The Plot
Tim: The plot of this short is rather simple in that we follow the life of Pecos Bill. Who was adabandoned as a child when he fell out of the stagecoach but was soon taken in by coyotes a la Mowgli and was raised by them until he was an adult and became a cowboy. He proved to be one of the toughest and roughest greatest cowboys of all time.
Narration
Narrator - Roy Rogers & The Sons of Pioneers
BBHM: I enjoyed this narration by one of the classic singing cowboys and the band that he actually got his start with. (FYI, Roy Rogers was part of the Sons of the Pioneers and was recruited by Republic Pictures to do singing cowboy films after the success of Gene Autry.) They sang some of those classic cowboy songs like “Blue Shadows.” I also liked the rotating nature of the narration as the band helped tell it around Rogers as the main story teller. It was a little strange how Trigger got such a high billing considering he was only seen once. He must have had a good agent.
Tim: I agree that the narration was excellent and as usual the narration was a great highlight. When the short opened and I saw how the narration, I just got this feeling of an old time campfire. I also like the way of how it was sung. It just helped to set the mood of the short and put me in for a good time. To your thing about Trigger, I think the reason he got high billing is because that you have to take into account that while yes, Roy Rogers was a big name, Trigger was just as big if noting else for being Roy Roger's horse. Lest we not forget that he had his name lent to a musical film & a comic book. Also I'd like to point that the two child actors that you saw at the beginning of the short are Luana Patten and Bobby Driscoll, who appeared in the yet to be released, Song of The South, (C'mon, Disney release that from the vault) Sorry but that upsets me. Anyways here is a picture of him from the open of the short.
Characters
Tim: Now, we'll be breaking this down into Main, & Supporting. As with the narration, I'll let BBHM go first. Let's begin.
Main Character
Pecos Bill - Not Voiced
BBHM: I thought the character of Pecos Bill was funny. They showed all the mythical things that attributed to him in such a highly animated way, and it was fun to watch. It is somewhat strange to see a Disney character smoking and firing guns, but it works here. I am sure parents would have a fit today. He does seem to be an oddly tragic character as he was abandoned as a child and lost his true love, Sue.
Tim: I do agree that Pecos Bill was funny. As stated in the plot description, when I saw him being raised by the coyotes, my mind automatically thought of The Jungle Book. He was so over the top and everything that he did was so outlandish that it was a mixture of awesome and funny. I loved every second of it. I do agree that parents would throw a fit about a gun and cigarette appearing in a Disney short and from my understanding there is edited release of this short that took out the cigarette. Luckily for BBHM & myself, I was able to find an unedited version.
Supporting Characters
Widowmaker - Not Voiced
BBHM: How big of a jerk is Widowmaker? The guy who saved his life and was gutsy enough to kiss him right on the lips has a chance to be happy, and Widowmaker ruins it. Honestly, there is not much to like about Widowmaker as a result other than being Pecos Bill’s friend.
Tim: Going into this short, I wanted to disagree with you on the character of Widowmaker because at first his actions were understandable and I could see where he was coming from. It reminded me of how Timon & Pumbaa felt when Nala reunited with Simba but in the end, I couldn't come to like this character that much myself either. You say he is a jerk but I'm not sure that is the right word to describe him. No, I would say that he is jealous. Again, this is understandable because for most of his life, Bill has been the only one is life and then all of the sudden here comes Slue Foot Sue. Widowmaker doesn't want to share Bill with someone else and that is why he did what he did. His actions while understandable aren't commendable. This just dawned me but when you look at his name, it can almost be attributed to a form of foreshadowing. Take the wedding day of Slue Foot Sue and Pecos Bill. Bill had promised a ride to Sue on Widowmaker but he shot straight into orbit. Making Pecos Bill a widow.
Slue Foot Sue - Not Voiced
BBHM: My thoughts on Sue are that she was a neat character who was clearly the perfect match for Pecos Bill. She is a little fast in her coming and going, and one wonders why if she was good enough to ride a fish and Widowmaker that she could not resolve the bustle issue herself. Her dismissal to the moon, as a pointed out when talking about Widowmaker, seems overly harsh. I know it is all Western legend, but when did it become Greek tragedy?
Tim: Funny that you say Greek tragedy because I too had similar thoughts as to what happened to Sue. Though while Widowmaker remains my least favorite character I was able to care about him but truthfully the only time I ever cared about Sue was when Widowmaker sent her into orbit. I hate saying this but with the way she was used she felt more or less like nothing more than a plot device to keep the story going. Again, she wasn't a bad character and she had her moments but I couldn't find myself liking or disliking her.
Music
The Ballad of Pecos Bill
Tim: As with most of the shorts that I have reviewed, the music is one of the true highlights. This music is just so much fun and very crucial to the short as it helps to tell the tale of Pecos Bill. It also shows that Disney knew how to use celebrities well in their shorts and make good use of their talent. This is such a fun song. Perhaps one of my favorites that has been featured on Classic Shorts Showcase.
BBHM: I really like the song. I think it has a good sound for anyone who appreciates country music as this is right out of that cowboy tradition. It goes through the legends of Pecos Bill, as silly as they may be, and lets the audience get a good grasp of his myth. I even enjoy the yodeling despite knowing it is not everyone's cup of coffee.
Our Final Thoughts
BBHM: In conclusion, I really liked this short. It was done at a time in Roy Rogers’ career where he was in a transition from the B westerns to his popular television show. It was the height of his popularity. The dialogue flows well like a harmony song and is nice to listen to. Pecos Bill is a good collaboration between Disney and one of the more popular cowboys among the younger audience in that era.
Tim: As a Disney short on it's own, this is a great short but I have come to feel that when Disney went out and got big names such as Roy Rogers or Bing Crosby to narrate these shorts, it adds another layer of something special to it. Aside from that this is a very fun short and one I highly suggest watching. If you like Disney (and I hope you do if your reading this) then you'll enjoy this short. If you like cowboys and wanted to be one as a little kid then relive those memories with this short. Thanks again to BBHM for joining me on Classic Shorts Showcase. Join me next time when I take a look at a short from 2000 as I look at....
Tim: Hello & welcome back to my 2 part cross over with Positive Troll. Last time, we took a look at Positive Troll's Top 6 Disney Dads with Mr. Incredible taking the top spot. Today, we will be taking a look at the Top 6 Disney Dads that I have picked. Let's begin.
Tim: Hello and welcome to a special 2 part cross over. Join me today as Positive Troll and I countdown both of our Top 6 Disney Dads. Positive Troll will go first and for the most part I like majority of his choices save for one from a particular film, I don't think too highly of. Now before we begin let's have Positive Troll introduce himself for the 3 of you who don't know who he is.
PT: Greetings TGWTG fans. Positive Troll thrilled to be here at one of my favorite blogs. Thanks for having me on Moviefan12.
Hey guys, the final Halloween article is going up early as I won't be home tomorrow to post it. So enjoy the final Halloween article.
Welcome to the final review of Halloween. Before we move on there is something that I have been wanting to do this entire time even though it has no relevance to today's article whatsoever. Hit it.
Sorry but had to get that out of my system. Anyways join me today for one final Halloween review where he take a look at a short that stars Donald and his nephews alongside Disney's Witch Hazel.
The Plot
The plot of this short is simple but it works in the context of a Donald Duck short. Hewey, Dewey, & Louie are trick or treating. We see them go to Uncle Donald's house but instead of giving he gives them firecrackers. Witch Hazel who had been watching from her broom, Beelzebub. Seeing this upsets her and she wants to help the boys get candy anyway she can. Therefore she goes about working on a spell to cast on Donald that she uses to help the boys. As I said the plot is simple but it works and it does keep the short moving at a rather nice pace.
Characters
I'll just be doing this as Main characters seeing as all of the characters played somewhat of an important role. Our old friend Ducky returns to voice not only Donald but also his nephews as well. Shouldn't be too surprising when you think about it. It also explains why the boys had very little dialogue.
Main Characters
Donald Duck voiced by Clarence "Ducky" Nash
Now there is no true villain in this short but Donald comes mighty close to being one. I have noticed that in the shorts with the nephews you either get Angry Donald or Jerk Donald. In this short, we were given Jerk Donald. He was just being rude to the boys playing a prank on them like that. Yes I know that the boys have done far to their Uncle Donald but it is never stated what provoked Donald other than he thought it would be funny. Really, that's all you need. Because it worked and led to a great battle between him and Witch Hazel over the candy. Donald's actions and movements when Witch Hazel cast a spell on him were just priceless. I have come to the forgone conclusion that most shorts Donald appear he is show stopper and that was clearly evident here. It's no wonder that for a while he overtook Mickey as the most popular Disney character because he is just so funny.
Hewey, Dewey, & Louie also voiced by "Ducky"
Hewey, Dewey, & Louie while I have always liked them and thought that they could be fun in shorts. I don't think that was the case here as they felt underused but when your working with characters such as Donald or heck even, Witch Hazel who is a scene stealer in her own right it's easy for them to be overlooked. They are fun in the short but I don't think this was their best appearance. Honestly in some moments it felt as though they were being pushed to the side for Donald and Witch Hazel. Which begs the question, how would a short with just Donald and Witch Hazel work? Personally, I could see it working quite well.
Witch Hazel voiced by June Foray
While Hazel may be a witch she comes across as sweet and caring. It also seems that she has a fondness for children as evidenced by how she wants to help the boys. Now before we go any further, yes I'm aware of the Looney Tunes character of the same name but other than that these two witches are as different as night and day. She is another fun character especially with how she casts the spell on Donald and it makes him dance like crazy. Not to mention it brings to life in a song that reminds both of Grim Grinning Ghosts and Pink Elephants on Parade. It's a fun little Halloween song. One ting I noticed about this character is while she got mad she never lost her temper. Donald did cause to almost but she didn't. That was a great counter for Donald.
Music
Trick or Treat
This is a fun little song and to be honest I had forgotten about it before I watched this short. It is a fun Halloween song. It works well in the context of the short. Up above I said that this song reminded me of Pink Elephants. That mainly has to do with the objects coming to life and the freakout Donald is having. Though that probably isn't the best comparison. All the same, it's a fine song.
My Final Thoughts
In the end, I thought this was a good short. In some ways, I'm glad that I reviewed this instead because I always enjoy watching old Disney shorts starring the original voice actors and seeing how they brought these characters to life. I may like Tony Anselmo, the current voice of Donald Ducky but he has nothing on "Ducky". This is a fun Halloween short that I suggest you track down if your interested. Look now I know I was supposed to review Mickey's House of Villains. Here's this instead from that...
I hope you have enjoyed these Halloween articles and...
Hey guys, this is a last minute change but I have decided to take a look at some more Halloween songs. Some of which I have talked about in the past and will appear soon as part of Halloween but eh. Let the fun begin.
Welcome to another Halloween review. Today, I'll be taking a look at Lonesome Ghosts. As mentioned yesterday, rumors have been floating around for years that this short was one of the inspirations for the '80s classic, Ghostbusters. Goofy even says a line similar to the famous catchphrase for that film franchise. Does this mean that Mickey, Donald, & Goofy were the original Ghostbusters? Perhaps but all I know is that Mickey looks pretty cool in that uniform.
Welcome to a special Halloween edition of Classic Shorts Showcase. Though first this needs a more appropriate title. So welcome to Haunting Short Showcases. Today, I'll be taking a look at a short that is a Halloween classic as I review The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Hey guys, if you recall when I started this I did a Top Male Villains and Female Villains. Well, today I have decided to do a countdown of my Top 6 favorite henchmen.
6. The Beagle Boys
Now yes, I know that The Beagle Boys were featured as villains on DuckTales but they have been around longer than that and also, I have always felt that they worked better as henchmen than as the main villains just for the fact because while they are strong and cunning, they seem to lack the smarts that it needs to make a great villain. Now do not get me wrong, they are fine but I think when they are given orders by another villain such as Pete, they work better than when they are left to their own devices.
5. LeFou - Beauty and The Beast
Ah, LeFou what a lovable fool. He is just so funny. I love the guy because even though Gaston picks on him, he truly looks up to the guy and it's almost like hero worship. Again, he may not be the smartest but he is one of the funniest henchmen around. I always laugh when I see this guy and he sure knows how to cheer up his pals.
4. The Toys of Sunnyside - Toy Story 3
Sure, these toys look innocent enough but after Andy's toys spend enough time there, we start to learn the truth, We see that Lot-s-o' runs that place like a tight prison and the toys are his guards. They may look cute on the outside but Lot-s-o' convinced them to follow his lead and ruled them with an iron thumb. Metaphorically speaking. The best part of these toys is all deceiving they look on the outside. They look all nice and happy but we see that they are twisted little creatures because of Lot-s-o' had done to them.
3. Magic Mirror - Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs
Magic Mirror while a simple character is such a fun character with his voice and his appearance. That is some of the coolest animation that I have ever seen on any animated character. His voice just gives him such a presence to where he commands the scene whenever he is onscreen. Besides that, what other henchmen has had such a lasting impact on Disney in a whole to the point where he actually got to host some Halloween specials and actually interact with Walt, himself.
2. Shenzi, Banzai, & Ed (The Hyenas) - The Lion King
I'm just going to come out and say it, in that I think the Hyenas were actually better than Scar. They may not have been the brightest but they sure were some of the funniest and they sure held a grudge. Now my favorite is Ed, I know no big surprise there because who doesn't love Ed. They are all great and while they may not have been the smartest, they sure know how to work a plan and have things come out in their favor. I also think that they have one of the best songs from the play.
Now it might just be me but I really love that song and I think in some ways, it makes these three seem more threatening. Go figure that Whoopi Goldberg was in two different groups on this list.
1. The Weasels - Wind In The Willows
Out of all the Disney henchmen, I had to go with The Weasels from Wind In The Willows as my # 1 choice. Why, because next to Mr. Toad they still the show in that short and they are just so much fun. They are cunning, funny and ruthless. Not to mention there is a huge hoard of them working for Mr. Winky. Those faces just have a look of evil and were going to mess you up on them. Let's not forget that they were also brought back in The Prince and The Pauper and there they worked for Pete. Though granted, I felt The Beagle Boys would have been better henchmen for Pete. Even still, The Weasels were once again so much fun in that short even if they had less screen time. Just as I preferred the Hyenas over Scar, I found The Weasels to be more intimidating than Mr. Winky but I think that worked to his favor because you weren't supposed to think he was that threatening while The Weasels looked like the real threat. Fun fact for ya, The Toon Patrol in Who Framed Roger Rabbit were based on The Weasels.
If you look closely, I think you can see the resemblances between these two groups of henchmen.
There, you have it, my Top 6 Henchmen. Who are some of your favorite Disney henchmen? Tell me in the comments. Join me, next time for a Classic Shorts Showcase special review of...
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
You know, I think I need to give this a special name just like I did during Automobile Month. Join me next time for Classic Haunting Shorts Showcase.
.jpg)
.jpg)
