Hand-Drawn Animation Returning to Disney- Page 2

[Craig]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 4:34pm

As with anything - whether it's a book, a musical, a film or animated work - it really comes down to characters and a solid story. Without those, the best animation isn't going to do a darn thing.

Some of my favorite animated movies have rotten animation - but I don't care as much because I'm invested in the story.

Disney hasn't had a true fairytale with a princess (musical or not) in a long time. I'm definitely intrigued.

Incidently - their last hand drawn hit (I believe) was Lilo and Stitch. Which Disney green lit and forgot about (meaning they let the animators work on their own pretty much without the typical interventions) because they saw it as a low budget independant project. Because they weren't so controlling, the creators of that film were able to create a style that was pretty unique and I think contributed to the success of the film.

[kelzama]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 5:16pm

Ahh. Lilo and Stitch. Which brings up another point.

Terrific movie, stylized and unique characters, but only the parents of the young-child-target-audience seem to hear (and mind) the extraordinary quantity of words you'd rather your child doesn't repeat. This applies to any animated feature lately. (Shrek, Nemo, Atlantis, Hercules, Ice Age, etc., not to mention newer releases that depend on it for their entire substance). And I challenge you to name a newer Disney movie that does not have at least one fart joke.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 6:03pm

Hey, farts are funny! Farts bring in the kids. Farts SELL.




Craig---Interesting point about the animators being left alone on Lilo & Stitch.

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 6:45pm

And proof that the animation alone can't destroy a movie -- I thought the animation for Hoodwinked was terrible - but the script and performances were so enjoyable that the animation factor was easy to overlook.

What's missing from the lack of old style animation is that type of art. I love the 3D imaging art, but it's like you grew up with Van Gogh, and you can appreciate Picasso and like his work - but now and then you want to see something like Starry Night again...

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/28/06 at 7:53pm

I'm not saying they have to go back to their old ways... or try to do another Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Lady & the Tramp, or Beauty & the Beast. Although, I WOULD like a "Starry Night" or two myself in the future.

I'd love to see something NEW from them, in fact.

I just wish they would veer completely away from this "plush toy" gotta-love-me animation this time.

I'm glad Menken is involved again, and I know he took a conscious break from doing these animated musicals because he felt creatively "spent." He must feel he’s ready to go forward now. And I love the idea of them working on a fairytale again.

Now if we can just keep the principle cast from looking like scared little crazy-eyed lunchbox decals, I'll be oh so happy.

Updated On: 7/29/06 at 07:53 PM

[Baine]

Posted: 7/29/06 at 6:18pm

So, this afternoon after seeing this thread, I was using some free time to check up on the status of Rapunzel Unbraided and Enchanted, since they had been hyped forever ago and I haven't heard anything about them since then.

So where are these productions today?

Enchanted:
[This is the half-animated/half-live film I mentioned earlier...I couldn't remember the name at the time.)

This film has started and stopped four times over the years. As of Dec. 2005, an article stated that it was aiming to take the same release date that Narnia took that year. So, if that proves true, we will see it Dec. of this year.
Articles:

<--at least partial musical since Menken and Schwartz are teaming up

Rapunzel Unbraided:

Apparently, this film got pulled and re-tooled, so the release date is now 2009. It had been too much like Shrek.

This film will have at least some music, since Kristin Chenoweth (and apparently Clay Aiken?) is/are signed on. The music is being composed by Jeanine Tesori, who wrote musicals such as 2003 Best Musical Nominee Caroline or Change, and Off-Broadway's Violet. She also did some newer songs for the recent, Tony-Award Winning Thoroughly Modern Millie revival that brought Sutton Foster into all of our hearts, including my favorite TMM song, "Gimme, Gimme" and songs such as "Forget About the Boy," and "Not For the Life of Me." She also wrote the song "The Girl in 14-G," which was made 'popular' by Kristin Chenoweth. In fact, I remember seeing Chenoweth singing that song on the Rosie O'Donnell show way back when and thinking that I liked it a lot--and this was back before I was into musicals the way that I am today! Ah, I wish that they would release Rosie seasons onto DVDs so that I could see all of the musical numbers...I would appreciate them so much more today!! Soooooooo she'll be great for this movie!<3<3
/end soapbox

With this movie, Disney seems to be entering a new phase of animation. This film will somehow blend together CG with the traditional hand-drawn animation, creating a modern style that is still reminiscent of the traditional Disney princesses.



I think that she looks lovely, and this picture makes me excited to see the film!
That makes me so excited to see it!!

There were a couple of other images that surfaced when you googled the show's name, too...it was only three pages of stuff, so you can do your own detective work if interested!

There are also a couple more promo shots here [http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2005/08/08/656.aspx], along with a nice article about how they came up with the new style of animation. It sounds so intriguing!!

AITCN also had an article [http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20944] where it was stated that,

Then there's this report on Glen Keene and what he's up to on RAPUNZEL UNBRAIDED, sorry no video - from the sound of this report... it had to be frickin amazing. Glen is one of those magicians at Disney I was talking about. If given the freedom to experiment and play in this new medium... then the heart and soul and the magical nuance can be there... as long as they're allowed to.
I was a Siggraph05 and saw some Rapunzel Unbraided test footage presented during the Disney Special Session.

The look of the film will be amazing. The style is pure, classic frigging Disney magic. The 3D characters look like… Disney characters… Glen Keene, the creator of Ariel, the Beast and Pocohontas is directing this one and doing the art production. He based the style on this picture.




Also in AICN [in the above article that I quoted, actually], you can find information on two upcoming animated films entitled American Dog, and A Day with Wilbur Robinson.

I've never heard of either of those movies. Interstingly, when I typed ADWWR into IMDB, it came up as Meet the Robinsons. Who knows?


Anyway, I just thought that my fellow Disney-lovers would appreciate this info! I know that I'm more excited than ever about our THREE upcoming Princess films! I hope this restores all of the luster that Disney has been lacking as of late!



Updated On: 7/29/06 at 06:18 PM

[Baine]

Posted: 7/29/06 at 6:30pm

Sorry about that, moderator! I didn't realize that I wasn't allowed to link to articles about the film and its production! I knew better than to link to all of the photos I had found, though I thought that the promo one that was 'official' was alright.

Sorry again about quoting from an article and linking to them--I just found the whole process to be fascinating!

[nztheatreluva]

Posted: 7/29/06 at 6:39pm

I will be so happy if this really happens, and if it's good. I miss the good old Disney movies, and I'm over all the CGI animation. Especially as all the characters are so similar.

[GoodbyeMyLover]

Posted: 7/29/06 at 6:40pm

*excited*


finally. i need to see a princess movie! :]

[DG]

Posted: 7/29/06 at 7:10pm

*sigh* This just makes me mourn Howard Ashman all over again.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/29/06 at 10:39pm

I love this so much!

Same here, DG.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 7/30/06 at 3:48am

Thank God for John Lasseter. I am so excited about this. It's been too long without a Disney movie with some good songs (and a good story doesn't hurt either).

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 7/30/06 at 3:24pm

I'm so happy! I'm hoping that this is a huge sucess and brings back 2-D animation!

Posted: 7/30/06 at 3:35pm

Hooray! No more movies about inanimate talking objects!
For now anyway.

[gettinhep]

Posted: 7/30/06 at 4:15pm

Now, if they could just send some of those animators back to the animation building in Florida's Disney-MGM...

[greeneyed_one]

Posted: 7/31/06 at 12:46am

I just rewatched Anastasia the other day (I know it's not Disney) and I really appreciated the blend of animated characters in a more 3-D computer drawn setting. It really made the film feel like a live action musical. I would love to see Disney (or anyone else) make more animated movies using this technique.

[matt schneider]

Posted: 7/31/06 at 12:57pm

Awesome, we need more hnad-drawn ones, it will be like reliving my childhood, for an hour or so