I KNOW I'm overdue, it's just school's a pain. So just a quick update this week.
PRINCESS AND THE FROG IS OUT! I haven't seen it yet, but it's garnering alot of honors and positive reviews.
spoilers here, sort of...
Both of these songs are done by Voice Actors. Jim Cummings is Ray, and Keith David (Goliath from Gargoyles) is Dr. Facilier. As far as I can tell, these two characters stole the show.
The Lulu mentioned in Jim Cummings Song, is named after his adopted Daughter. His other adopted Daughter made it in the film physically. She has a "Mickey Mouse" hairstyle. He took a picture of her, and then took it to the animators. She's in the background or something somewhere.
Keith David was lauded for his ability to add in little movements which were then worked into the character, particularly Keith David's sinister smile.
This isn't new. Rattigan was turned very muscular and Dramatic based on Vincent Price's Shakespearean acting in the booth.
Sorry for not giving you some music recently... I've been busy. I've also been neglecting Disney's TV.
SCARECROW!!! Normally, I would put all my info here, but IMDB and Wikipedia fail me. I can't give any specifics really.
Anyway, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh was a three part series for the Wonderful world of Disney. Despite being intended for US release first, it was released in England where it shared a bill with Sword in the Stone.
The protagonist is named Reverend Syn who is a "Modern Day" (during the revolutionary war) Robin Hood for the people of Romney Marsh England. He had two assistants, the governer's son and his church's Deacon (I think it's a deacon) who smuggle money and goods in and out and the money is used for taxes.
In the three adventures he has to save an American, keep one of his men from betraying him, then rescue several men falsely imprisoned (by blackmailing the Vicar! Aka himself to help the men out)
After it was edited, and reedited, and released in short runs, an unedited version was printed on DVD by Disney in 2008 complete with the original Walt Disney intros (which referred to the Scarecrow as being real)
I am so excited...Tuesday is the American Release of Kingdom Hearts 358/2!
This song is called "Organization XIII" named after the enemies of Kingdom Hearts:Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II. It's there theme music. I picked it since they are the playable characters in 358/2.
How to pronounce that title is in controversy. Don't worry about it.
Kingdom Hearts is known for it's casting. They usually cast up and coming actors or well established ones for the main roles. (i.e. Haley Joel Osment for the main character of Sora and Christopher Lee for DiZ)
Sora was originally supposed to be Mickey Mouse. However, Disney expressed concern over what Mickey would do so Donald and Goofy were kept as supporting characters, and Sora was put in the lead. However, in KH1 Sora's outfit is very similar to Mickey's.
In fact, Mickey's name isn't spoken in the entire first game because of how Disney was afraid it would affect his image. He is usually referred to as "His Majesty" in Chain of Memories it is loosened up and people start referring to King Mickey, and Mickey asks Riku to address by his first name. Finally, in KH2, Mickey appears and...
Start at 5:18
And that is possibly the most awesome pulling off of a coat ever.
Disney owns all of the Original Characters from Kingdom Hearts. They also don't do much with them.
Cloud appears in Kingdom Hearts 1, but shares a claw and a cape with fellow Final Fantasy 7 character Vincent Valentine. Vincent was supposed to be in the game, but his personality and his plot line were too close to Cloud's. As a result, the two characters were merged and some of Vincent's clothes were carried over as a result. Cloud's wings was to mark him to be opposite of Sephiroth.
Yuffie appears in Kh1, but was originally supposed to be a Final Fantasy X character named Rikku. However there was already a character named Riku and there names were pronounced the same. To Cut confusion, Yuffie was put in Rikku's place and some of the clothes on Yuffie are very similar to Rikku's. When Rikku does show up in KH2 her name is never said and can only be found in the journal. She's instead referred to as a Gullwing along with fellow Final Fantasy X(-2) characters Yuna and Paine.
Kingdom hearts 358/2 was Wayne Allwine's last role as Mickey Mouse before he died from complications from Diabetes. I'm hoping for a little In Memoriam.
This was not the original opening Song. Before there was a song known as "beyond the laughing sky" but Kathryn Beaufort (Alice's voice) could not sing it and it was too slow, so this song replaced it.
This movie, like most Alice Movies, was a flop when it was first released. It grew to be very popular in the 1960's though as a cult film.
The Jabberwocky segment was supposed to be in the film too, but remnants stay in the movie (a song references the poem, and a character from the poem appears.
The movie combines "Alice in wonderland" and "beyond the looking glass"
Sterling Holloway, the Cheshire Cat, played The Frog in a 1930's version of Alice.
The movie was edited to a one hour format and was the first Disney movie shown on TV. It was also originally promoted on TV... however TV's at that point were in black and white.
Disney also made a Mickey Cartoon in the 30's about Mickey going through a mirror. HOwever, it is more slapstick then this version. (and alot shorter)
I'm not really up on Alice, so I'm sorry I can't say more.
Welcome, foolish mortals, to this weeks blog post. I am your blogger, you're GHOST blogger...
Anyway, curious friends, the Haunted Mansion celebrated it's fortieth anniversary this week!
The Mansion was one of the last things Walt Disney worked on before he died, unfortunately it wasn't finished when he did die.
It went through 4 story revisions before deciding that it would work best with no story at all. The story of the ghost host being a sea captain still has some hints in the ride. Disneyland has a weathervane on the roof, in the shape of a ship. Also, there is a painting of a ship becoming haunted. (Disney world had the captain as one of the sinister 11, the paintings that watched you)
It has been hinted, that when you escape from the attic, you have now "died" in the ride, and that is why the groundskeeper is scared looking at you and why the ghosts are much closer after that.
NONE of the ghosts are conjured using any kind of digital hologram stuff. In fact, most of the gags are either typical animatronics or very old theater tricks. (I won't go into detail)
Except Madam Leota, but then they simply took the next step in what they had been doing already.
Phantom Manor (the Curious Friends bit) is Haunted Mansion in france, and to date is the only HM that is very different from the Disneyland one. Disney world only swapped out the changing portraits for the sinister 11, added a staircase and the library. Japan followed Disneyworld.
The Ghost Host is played by Paul Frees.
Gracey is the fan name for the mansion. It comes from the tombstones on the outside of the mansion (it's film credits, if you will) and a Gracey is mentioned there. That is Yale Gracey's stone.
Loeta Toombs was the only tombstone added to the mansion on the outside. She is the face for Madam Leota, and the face and voice for Little Leota. She was also an imagineer and volunteered to help test the equipment and recording used. She did such a bang up job it has been kept as the official piece.
In case you couldn't tell, I'm a Haunted Mansion Phan (Also, Phantom Manor) so I'll leave you all with this.
To mark the end of the summer, here is a song from Lilo and Stitch! The song incorporates real Hawaiian, however I have no idea what they are saying.
This was the first Disney movie since Dumbo to use watercolor backgrounds, to provide a warmer touch to the film.
Two of the Animators, Jason Scott Lee and Tia Carrere, are hawaiian born. In Fact, Jason Scott Lee had the idea when flying home. His art style, having everyone's fat slide down, was used by all the film makers during the drawings.
Chris Sanders, co-wrote, co-directed, and proved the voice of stitch... for the most part. His performance was merged with another animator's dog.
When Stitch licks his cage, it makes the Disney "D"
Many of the aliens are inspired by other Disney cartoon characters. Piglet's "offshoot" is fairly obvious in the beginning.
All pictures of Elvis are "real" pictures, and the B movie is real too.
The dogs in the dog pound are the same species as from Lady and the Tramp.
Normally, there is more and I apoligize for the delay. But I'm a little wound up. Daytime Emmy's are soon, keep your fingers crossed for Jim Cummings!
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