Disneyana Obscura: Uncle Scrooge #1

Over the past year or so, I have read several volumes of Fantagraphics' Carl Barks collection (see here ) and I have really fallen in love with the Donald Duck universe he created, especially Donald's Uncle Scooge. As a child, I was a huge fan of the DuckTales cartoon (is anyone else as excited as I am for the remake?) and recently learned that almost every episode of that show was based off of the Uncle Scrooge comics. When I saw a post on Twitter from Disney Comics, advertising the newly rebooted Uncle Scrooge comic from IDW Publishing, it caught my attention. So, with last Saturday being Free Comic Book Day, I ventured out to my local shop, grabbed a handful of free books and bought a copy of Uncle Scrooge number one.

To start off, let me just say how impressed I was with the creators' ability to capture both the classic humor of the early comics, as well ass the timeless feel. It was like reading an old Bark's issue of Uncle Scrooge, but with brighter colors.

The first story, by Rodolfo Cimino and Romano Scarpa, tells the story of a classic battle of wits between Scrooge McDuck and the nefarious Beagle Boys. The Boys build a massive robot in their own likeness to steal Scrooge's gold, forcing the old duck to do some over-the-top things to protect it. In typical fashion, some odd plot point from early on ends up helping Scrooge win the day in a wonderfully amusing fashion.

Then there was a short by Alberto Savini and Andrea Freccero all about Uncle Scrooge's enjoyment of his new, large screen television.

Finally, in a caper by Romano Scarpa and Luca Broschi, Scrooge must stop the man who has plotted ten years to steal his coat. With the help of a couple fashionista friends, Scrooge ends up saving the day and finding hidden treasure! This story also hints at a tie-in with IDW's upcoming Mickey Mouse comic book. 

Overall, this was a fantastic offering from Disney Comics and IDW Publishing. Lots of humor, lots of wonderfully bad puns, and lots of colorful, cartoony artwork grace these pages. If you like fun, comedic adventures in the style of the old DuckTales cartoon, go check out Uncle Scrooge!

If you want to know how I would incorporated the world of Duckburg into the parks , see my previous posts and what I would do as a fifth gate at Walt Disney World, here.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Man! Talk about starting off with a bang! If there is one thing to be said about Marvel's latest cinematic outing, it's that there is plenty of action. That's not to say, however, that there was a lack of heart. No, all the feels were present in this one, from love to laughs to heartache, Avengers had it all.

Writer/Director Joss Whedon has once again created a story where audiences can sit back and be entertained. Age of Ultron takes a darker tone than the first Avengers, but is still able to hold on to Whedon's witty dialogue. Humor abounds in this one, cutting through some of the heavier elements in the movie. At times, however, this humor almost felt inappropriate, like it took the audience out of the scene. While I didn't find that overly distracting, I did feel it was noticeable.

Once again, the actors really brought their comic book counterparts to full life on screen. The big three of Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man (Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, and Robert Downey, Jr., respectively), while compelling as usual, almost took a back seat in this one to the second tiered characters. Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk shone as a conflicted monster with as heart, dealing with the consequences of actions beyond his control. Hawkeye, played by Jeremy Renner, was allowed to be himself this time around and was rewarded with several great, quiet character moments. James Spader really reveled in his role as Ultron, and Paul Bettany brought an understated grace to his messiah-like Vision.

Really, though, this was Black Widow's movie. For some reason--and I have to assume at this point it is legal because the demand is certainly there--Marvel absolutely refuses to give us a true Black Widow movie. As compensation, we get Age of Ultron, where we finally get a glimpse into what makes Scarlett Johansson's character tick. She has the clearest, most satisfying arc of anyone in the film and is, by far, the most interesting person on screen. Unfortunately, it really left one desperate for a stand-alone film which will probably never come to fruition.

Bold was the word of the day when it came to the action. Cars (and motorcycles) were flying all over the place, cities were leveled, trucks were being chased, you name it, it pretty much was there. If you bought tickets to see big explosions and epic battles, you did not leave unsatisfied.

Alright, so now I want to get into what I thought was the weakest part of the film: the story which, for me, felt a bit off. Now, taken out of the context of everything that came before it, I say truly that I enjoyed it; I left satisfied with the story Joss Whedon had just told. But one thing really stuck in my craw: this same thing had just happened! The general plot was, "let's build a machine to protect the world. What could go wrong?" which was the same plot as Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Having said that, I didn't feel like Cap's initial reaction to Ultron made sense and I don't think Tony Stark would have attempted what he did in a world where the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. was so prominently covered in te news. It felt like The Winter Soldier was basically ignored in an effort to tell this story the way Whedon/Marvel wanted to. 

Age of Ultron is clearly a bridge to get to The Infinity War and it did that job well. It also did a great job setting up Phase Three, and the search for new heroes. Although, what I left most excited for was Captain America: Civil War. There was a great deal of unresolved tension left in the air that just ended up being glossed over in an attempt to cleanly wrap up the movie and I can't wait to see it explode.

Overall, as a movie goer,I left Avengers: Age of Ultron content with what I saw.  It was a great deal of fun with lots of fantastic character moments where great actors could shine. If you like what they are doing with the MCU, go check it out.

I wish, wish, WISH we could see the Avengers in Walt Disney World or Disneyland, but unfortunately, Universal owns the theme park rights to those characters for some huge amount of time. In spite of that, people are clamoring for the two companies to figure out a way for Disney to get those rights back or at least share them with Universal. If it were me and I could wave a magic wand and settle this in a way where everyone gets what they want, I would give Universal the rights to the comic book characters and give Disney the rights to only the film versions. That way everyone gets their cape and can eat it, too.

Alright, so in that fantasy world I just created, I think Age of Ultron, and the MCU for that matter, offers a huge amount of possibilities. Ideally, Disney would build a "Marvel-land" in one of its parks where you could have several different attractions. The first idea from Age of Ultron that really sticks in my head is a simulator ride where the guests are in a quinjet-type vehicle chasing and fighting Ultron as he attempts to destroy the world. Lots of action and lots of fun!

Disneyana Obscura: The Por Favor Podcast

For many a fan of the Disney Company, the films, the shows, and the parks aren't quite enough to satiate the need for Disney. They want to talk about it but often find that their friends, family, and co-workers just don't share their passion for all things Disney. So, as any lonely, misunderstood person does, they turn to the Internet where vast communities of Disney fans create websites, discussion groups, Twitter hashtags, and, most importantly, podcasts as ways to share and interact with fellow Disney enthusiasts around the world.

One such podcast that I particularly enjoy is call the Por Favor Mantengase Alejado De Las Podcast (a title they got from the Spanish version of the monorail warning speech. The podcast is in English, though), or the Por Favor Podcast for short. Hosted by cousins Mike and Gary, their title alone sets the stage for the oddball sense of humor these two bring to their love of Disney. Affectionately, the hosts throw around nicknames at a rapid pace, often referring to themselves or others as Jürgen, Eric, Myq, Steve Melnyq, and several others. For first time listeners, this can be a bit jarring, but after an episode or two, you will be able to follow right along.

Each episode starts off with just a regular conversation where the two hosts just get caught up with each other. Gary, being in Rhode Island, and Mike, having recently moved to Florida from Minnesota, obviously aren't seeing each other much so we as an audience get a glimpse into their lives as they chat sports and family (most of whom have "PorFavor" tacked onto the beginning of their names). Their banter really sets the tone of each episode and is refreshing  after listening to other podcasts which stick soley to the "Disney All-Day, Every-Day" formula.

What is also nice is that the two hosts don't come to their love of Disney from the same angle. Gary is your usual park enthusiasts while Mike, if given his druthers, would just stay at the resorts all day. This really steers their conversations in different ways and, again, really helps them stand out from the crowd. Sometimes, their passions get a little heated, too, especially when the big "F" word gets brought up. This, too can lead to some really interesting episodes.

These guys like to keep things fresh, also. To do this, they have events every once in a while. For example, they recently  did a multi-part event where they simulated a "March Madness"-style tournament featuring attractions and, resorts, restaurants, and various other Disney staples pitted against each other. Each episode featured a lively discussion where the hosts, and sometimes guest hosts, hashed out who within the match-up was better.

Each month, they also do what they call "Por Favor Date Night" where they select a Disney movie and live tweet the viewing using the hashtag #porfavorDN (see my previous post). The tweets are usually quite amusing and the movies they pick are always classics. Sometimes, hosts from other podcasts get in on the action, unless they are too busy doing other, more important things, like eating with Emeril.

So, if you are a podcast listener, I HIGHLY recommend you give the gentlemen over at the Por Favor Podcast a listen. You can find them online at PorFavorPodcast.com or on Twitter at @PorFavorPodcast. Worth the follow!

Robin Hood

Ever since I was a child, I have had a soft spot for that Errol Flynn-style swashbuckling action. I mean, honestly, what is cooler than two swords clashing together as the hero and the villain duel through the middle of a battle? Whether it be on a pirate ship, in a galaxy far, far away, or the woods of Sherwood, didn't matter; I loved it!

Therefore, it's pretty understandable that when I saw Disney's Robin Hood for the first time, I fell in love.  On top of all the cool sword play and archery, there was a lot of great humor, fun characters, and Robin Hood was a frickin' fox! What wasn't there to love.

Well, I'm older now, and I like to think my tastes have refined a bit. Sword fights aren't as exciting to me anymore unless the combatants are rolling in a giant wheel or fighting on a planet made entirely of lava. So when Robin Hood came out on Blu-Ray a while ago, I was excited to get it, but a bit nervous as to whether it would still hold up for me. 

Luckily, it did! At the time the Blu-Ray came out, my wife was watching a few kids and they absolutely ate Robin Hood up. We ended up watching it several times and got a bit burnt out on it and it has sat on my shelf ever since.

Recently, a podcast that I listen to, the Por Favor Podcast, chose Robin Hood as its monthly "Por Favor Date Night" movie. While I was unable to participate in the "Date Night" live tweeting event, I was inspired to re-watch the film for this review.

Once again, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it, even while watching it critically. First off, let me say, I love this animation style. The scratchy, late-60's-early-70's Disney look (the Frank-and-Ollie Look, as I like to call it, though I don't know how accurate that is) is what "Disney" looks like to me and is by far my favorite of their styles. You can see the pencil marks where these master animators had drawn which gives a very textured feel to each scene. However, that texture takes nothing away from the fluidity of each scene. Characters move so naturally, so believably, which is more impressive since the main character is a fox who walks on his back legs.

The voice work in Robin Hood is excellent. Each actor's ability to convey so much of their character's personality is just so impressive to me. They incorporate so much, from what animal the character is, to what kind of upbringing they had, to what their individual goals are. All in a voice!

And the music! Oh, the music of Robin Hood is so much fun! It isn't exactly the Sherman brothers or even more pop-style stuff like we hear today, but rather a catchy, folky style that burrows into your ear. It will sit with you all day, giving you find memories of Robin Hood, Little John, and all the other great characters.

Now, this movie is by no means perfect.  I think it's weakness shows in the story. Robin Hood doesn't have one particular legend. Instead, he lives on in a series of smaller tales. For years, authors--most notably Howard Pyle--have tried to make a definitive, linear story for Robin, with varying success. This film feels very disjointed with Robin and his Merry Men moving quickly from one adventure to the next with little to no transition and little in the way of a story arc. In the end they rely on the return of King Richard to quickly wrap the story up as quickly and cleanly as possible.

But really, I don't think people are watching the film for a beautiful story arc. I think they watch it for the excitement, the action, maybe even the romance of it all, so if the overall story is weak, that's ultimately ok.

As I have gushed from the beginning, I think Robin Hood is a ton of fun from beginning to end and if you love swashbuckling adventure, you should check it out.

When it comes to presence in the theme parks, Robin Hood is lacking. Occasionally you will see some of the characters walking around for meet-and-greets, but that's about it. What I think would be cool would be if once a year, for a special event, Disney did a Renaissance fair of some kind in Fantasy Land. You could have outdoor performance pieces reenacting scenes from their medieval movies; set up kiosks selling pork shanks, turkey legs, and other hearty grub with that type of feel; or demonstrations of horseback riding or archery. All of the medieval characters, whether they be from Robin Hood, Sword in the Stone, or Snow White, could be available to meet. They could even stage a jousting tournament. It could be fun, different, and draw people into the parks. 

If you are interested in listening to my friends Gary and Mike on the Por Favor Podcast, you can find their website below:

http://www.porfavorpodcast.com

Disneyana Obscura: The Story of Menstruation

One thing that has always interested me about the Disney Company is it's rich history. Throughout that history, Disney has come out with an eclectic variety of material which often times steps out of the normal context we expect to see from them. In my Disneyana Obscura columns, I want to explore some of the forgotten, controversial, and bizarre pieces Disney has produced.

I figure if I'm going to write about some obscure Disney stuff, The Story of Menstruation should be at the top of my list. Produced in 1946 along with Kimberly-Clark (the makers of Kotex products), The Story of Menstruation is just that: an explanation of a woman's menstrual cycle. During the 40's, the Disney Company produced a wide variety of educational short films as a way to increase revenue during and after World War Two. 

The film, in as mild a way as possible, explained what happens to a woman's body, right from birth up until she begins to get her period. Through animated segments, the viewer is taught about the various glands and organs that go into the maturation and menstruation of a woman, from the pituitary gland down to the vagina (and yes, they said "vagina"). After we learn about the major players and what they do, the film explains what to do if there are irregularities in one's cycle, some exercises to do to make things go more smoothly, proper foods to eat, and other tips to make a period easier. Finally, the film directs the viewer to a booklet which came with the short,  and explains the same information in more detail.

The Story of Menstruation is clearly a product of its time. For starters, the flow is depicted as white (unlike our much more accurate modern blue depictions). Some might argue that that is because the red would be difficult to see on the dark purple background, but c'mon. If you are going for informative, tell it like it is. In another part, while warning women about being over-strenuous, the narrator says that normal activities are perfectly safe--while showing a woman dusting and vacuuming her house. Because, you know, that's what she does all day. And then, near the end, they get into how a woman might feel emotionally. The advice is basically, buck up but if you can't, put on some make-up. Great advice.

There was no discussion about how to use a tampon or pad. I assume that information came in the booklet, but who knows. But that's not really important, is it?

Anyway, in some parts, the animation was a lot of fun, using characature-like depictions of women. Other parts tried to be more realistic and those areas felt flat and, ironically, lifeless. There was a running narration which was very clinical in its manner and almost put me to sleep.

Overall, The Story of Menstruation is an interesting little slice of Disney history. It shows the company's willingness to step out of their comfort-zone in order to make ends meet while at the same time, gives the viewer a window into how we taught our kids the basic things they need to know to survive. I would call this an interesting, slightly awkward, kinda scary, glimpse into our recent past.

Now, how would this fit into the parks? Uh...um...well, that's a tough one. I think a ride is out of the question. Perhaps if the Wonders of Life pavilion were still in Epcot, it could be shown there as a museum piece, but I would doubt even that. Unfortunately, I think The Story of Menstruation might just be a bit too far out of the Disney mold for today's company.

Here is a link to the video in YouTube:

http://youtu.be/eLhld_PI2zg

The Future!

Hi, everyone. As you can tell, it has been awhile since I last posted on here.  I have been thinking about Notes to Walt a great deal, contemplating how I want to move forward with the blog or if I even WANT to move forward with it. One thing that was important to me was that if I chose to move forward with it, I wanted it to be more focused. But how?

As I said, I gave it a lot of thought and think I have figured it out! Notes to Walt will continue as a review blog. I'll watch a movie or short or read a Disney comic and then give my thoughts on it. After the review proper, I will give some ideas on how the characters and/or events from that piece of Disney media might be incorporated into the parks.

My plan is to publish twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesday will be a straight up review of something classic like a movie or well-known short, or something like that. Thursdays will be what I'm calling "Disneyana Obscura." For those entries I will find something a bit more obscure or older or even something that isn't necessarily from Disney, but which is about Disney. 

I hope this sounds interesting to you all because I'm pretty excited about it! Hope to hear from you all soon!

Sam

Escape from Tomorrow: a review

Last night, on Netflix, I watched the film "Escape from Tomorrow" (EFT), which takes place in the Walt Disney World resort. However, this is NOT a Disney movie, not even by a long shot. The director/writer, Randy Moore, shot this thing guerrilla-style at the parks sans the House of Mouse's permission which gives the whole film a very naughty feeling.

The naughtiness carries through to the story as well. As the film begins we see the main character, Jim, receives a phone call while enjoying the sunrise views of the Magic Kingdom from his balcony at the Contemporary Hotel. Unfortunately, the picturesque scene is shattered when it turns out the phone call is Jim's boss telling him he has been let go from his job. As Jim's day progresses, things spiral into the weird and surreal.

If you are one who enjoys surreal, drug-induced-hallucination-and-paranoia-type movies, this is right up your alley. Alas, I am not really one of those people. Some of elements could have been much worse, but still, a lot of what is in the film went beyond my taste.

The story really reminded me of Cory Doctrow's novel "Down and Out In the Magic Kingdom," which also featured a great deal of paranoia and several trippy elements. The setting probably influenced my familiarity, also. But Doctrow's story seemed to work better than EFT's which at times felt really forced.

The acting was not all that great, either. The only characters I could really get behind were the kids, although being kids in the Magic Kingdom playing kids in the Magic Kingdom probably wasn't all that tough. Especially because long days of secretly shooting a movie and not being able to enjoy your surroundings would make anyone grumpy enough to beliebably portray those children.

Overall, I would say I, personally, didn't enjoy EFT, but it isn't my type of movie, either. I would say if you enjoy campy, surreal, B-type movies, you would probably enjoy this. I'm just not one of those people.