Disney remaking their animated classics in CGI; help stop them before it's too late! (1 Viewer)

I'm not quite sure where to put this, so, mods, if you need to move it, sorry, and be my guest. But I'll cut to the chase, because this is extremely important.

Everyone's love affair with computer animation has gone too far - Disney is planning on remaking the classics in CGI. Reportedly, Pinocchio and Peter Pan are up first for shot-by-shot CGI redos "for a new generation to enjoy." This is not a rumor. I repeat, THIS IS NOT A RUMOR. In the recentNewsweek article says that "Eisner wants to extend the lives of Disney’s older characters by reanimating some classics for a new look. Imagine a 3-D Peter Pan soaring over a digitized London". Reportedly, this is referring to talks with top Disney talent in the past days.

It's time to stop this insanity, and I can only pray that if we show Disney what a huge mistake they are making we can end this before it gets any worse than it already is. Cheapquels I can live with. I can even take the occasional sub-par animated classic because nobody save Pixar is perfect. I've been trying to comprehend the recent shift to CGI in Disney's newest pipeline of projects. But this is too much for me to handle.

These are the names and addresses of the Walt Disney Company Board of Directors. I urge every single person on this board who cares at all about the future of Disney's animated properties to write to one or more of them. Ask friends, family, and coworkers to do the same. Those of us, myself included, who have delt with Disney in the past know that emails have seldom worked, so let['s use more traditional methods and pray that the snail isn't too terribly slow when we need him. If anyone can find company phone numbers, please call. It's going to take a huge effort to stop this - are you willing to give that effort? I am.

Here are the addresses courtesy the LaughingPlace.com forums.

Ms. Reveta F. Bowers
Head of School
Center for Early Education
563 North Alfred St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Mr. Robert F. Matschullat
Director
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Mr. John E. Bryson
CEO
Edison International
2244 Walnut Grove Ave.
Rosemead, CA 91770

The Hon. George J. Mitchell, Senator (Ret.)
Partner
Piper Rudnick, LLP
901 Fifteenth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005-2301

Mr. Roy E. Disney
Vice Chairman
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Mr. Thomas S. Murphy
Director
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Dr. Leo J. O’Donovan
Director
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Ms. Judith L. Estrin
President/CEO
Packet Design, LLC
3400 Hillview Ave., Building 3
Palo Alto, CA 94304

Mr. Sidney Poitier
CEO
Verdon-Cedric Productions, Ltd.
9350 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 303
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Mr. Robert A.M. Stern
Senior Partner
Robert A.M. Stern Architects
460 West 34th St.
New York, NY 10001

Mr. Stanley P. Gold
President/CEO
Shamrock Holdings, Inc.
4444 Lakeside Dr.
Burbank, CA 91505

Mr. Raymond L. Watson
Vice President
The Irvine Company
550 Newport Center Dr.
Newport Beach, CA 92658

Ms. Monica C. Lozano
President/CEO
La Opinion
411 W. Fifth St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Ms. Andrea L. Van de Kamp
Chairman
Sotheby’s West Coast
9665 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Mr. Gary L. Wilson
Chairman
Northwest Airlines Corporation
2700 Lone Oak Parkway
Eagan, MN 55121

Mr. Michael D. Eisner
Chairman and CEO
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Mr. Robert A. Iger
President and COO
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista St.

Let me take this moment to thank each and every person who helps this cause. Together WE CAN make a difference and stop this nightmare before it's too late.

Thank You All.

-Jake

There will always be remakes, both good remakes and bad remakes. Why is this something to get *so* upset about? Don't see them if you don't like the idea. Did you write to Universal's execs to try and stop the remake of Psycho? (actually, that would have been a good idea)

You don't seem to be understanding the nature of these "remakes". According to Jake, "Pinocchio and Peter Pan are up first for shot-by-shot CGI redos 'for a new generation to enjoy.'" (emphasis mine) If these remakes are being done "shot-by-shot", then it looks to me like Eisner is trying to replace the original versions. I wouldn't be surprised if they used the same audio track.

Just think of how confusing it will be to specify which version you're talking about.

And I thought it was a bad idea when I heard that the "Dumbo" sequel would be CG...

Shot for shot redos always seemed pointless to me. If you do it right you'll end up with somethign almost exactly liek the original, which you alreayd had. However, doing a different style of animation might make this interesting. If the new ones suck, you can always watch the old ones. I somehow doubt they're really trying to replace their eternal cash cows.

I seriously doubt they'll *replace* the original version. Simply sounds like a new item to sell to the public. That's why it's called show "business"...

Worthy of hair-pulling and teeth-gnashing? No.

I'm in agreement with Peter on this issue. Much ado about nothing. If you don't like what they're doing then don't go to see the films.





Crawdaddy

Let them potentially waste money. As long as they keep the originals available to the public, I'm fine with whatever they do.

Eisner says a lot of things in interviews. Until Disney actually announces such a remake program, I'd take it as an idea and not a done deal. Even if it is done, the originals will always be available. May I ask if the same concern is taken when films are digitally restored to remove "grain" and thereby change the original look of a film and soundtracks are made into phoney 5.1 surround? (Just asking )

I think we should support them. Disney has made so many big mistakes recently that its about time they make the ultimate mistake and just disappear.

let them do whatever they want to do, they are the ones who have the money. you dont like it, dont watch it.

Adam..."The Queen of Hearts". Again I say to you "The Queen of Hearts". You know what to do.




I'm torn on the issue. Part of me thinks they should just try to think of a NEW ideas for CGI based films, or write a new script using those characters at least. But then I realize that going with a shot for shot remake might be the only way to get a solid script out of a Disney film anymore.

Disney did re-record the music soundtrack for "Fantasia" for release in "wide-screen" 70mm in the 70s. After a round of showings and an initial release on VHS I believe, that version has been retired and hasn't been seen (or escaped) since then.

As long as they keep the older ones available, I'm okay with it. I think it is a smart move. A new generation of kids are growing up with CG animated films. They watch Shrek, Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Ice Age and the list goes on. This will reintroduce a new generation to the classic, which in there current state show there age. Remaking them in CG will make them have bright and vibrant colors that jump off the screen which is what kids are use to seeing these days. No matter how much we love the classic versions kids these day are falling in love with CG. Look at Saturday mornings, we're seeing more and more CG cartoons. Kids will love it and Disney is mostly associated with kids.

I completely agree with Chris and think that this is a very smart idea. Any kids CGI movie that is released is basically garanteed to make tons of money (all the Pixar Movies, Dinosaur, Shrek and Ice Age), while most of Disney's animated projects have done poorly since Tarzan, other than Lilo and Stich (Treasure Planet, the Emperor's New Groove, Piglet's Big Movie, Return to Neverland etc). The future of animation is clearly in CGI, whether you accept it or not, and what's really wrong with redoing the old movies? I mean, they are not going to change the end of Cinderella so that the glass slipper no longer fits; they will be the same movies that you grew up with, just adapted to the new computer generation. These movies are not going to be butchered versions of their predecessors, they aren't going to replace the originals, they are just going to be presented in a different style.

Jake,

You're absolutely right to question the quality of such remakes. Lots of the craftmanship that went into, say Snow White, cannot truly be replaced (with the current state of art) by CGI. Most of us think so too.

In fact, although some posters here believe that the future youth will even prefer the CGI Disneys, we can only be very glad that present day youth, like yourself, still have learned to appreciate the skills of the classic artform. Skills that are shown by the resulting films.

It will make for a not to be ignored amount of people in the whole next generation, who will help keeping the current Disney Classics alive and loved. And perhaps then, the totally-CGI versions will even never flourish at all!

Cees

Well, I'll be writing to right this wrong. Such a calculated attempt to piss on the legacy of Walt Disney I have never seen; oh, wait a minute, that's the whole company for the past 10 years!

You can always live in the past, worrying to stay in the legacy of Walt Disney, but there comes a point when you have to open your eyes and plan for the future. Walt Disney was a visionary in that way, he was always one step in front of everyone else, always looking towards the future (EPCOT being the most physical sign of this). But the fact is the Walt Disney era of Disney died a long time ago, and the world has changed since then. Once they stopped mourning Walt and grew out of his shadow and started looking towards the future again, good things have happened. If anything, the last 10 years at Disney have almost been a Renaissance for them, especially considering how much of a mess they were in during the 80's. Look at all the of great animated films they put out through the 90's, both in house and with Pixar, the Oscars they have won through Miramax, etc. While certain aspects of their business model have failed (i.e. Go.com the Disney Stores), it has brought the studio back on track, with some kinks to work out (ABC and the parks).

Yes, the past two years have been awful, but by going back to those films, they are also symbollicaly trying to take their roots and recognize them, and bring them to today's world. No one is doubting that Snow White was not one of the most revolutionary films of the century, and no one will appreciate it any less if it is made into a CGI film. If anything is dampering those earlier works it is the straight to video sequels, but certainly not making Pinnochio's nose in a computer.

If you read the whole Eisner article in Newsweek, then maybe it will clarify the whole sitation more, rather than taking that one sentence out of context.