Disney Animated Films
Topic: The Future of Mickey

#	Author	Message
1	BlueOhanaTerror Tue 4/15/2008 12:59a	So in that new FORTUNE interview with Bob Iger, he mentions, and not in brief, that Mickey's future, his profile and personality, are being rexamined, specifically (but probably not exclusively) in conversations with John Lasseter. He called those conversations "interesting" and commented: "If you read about Walt and his history with Mickey, he struggled with the same stuff in the 1930s - that Mickey had become too sanitized. You're talking about an unbelievable franchise in the billions of dollars for a character that is 80 years old. But we'd like to grow it." While his articulation of the issue is kind of clinical and feels financially driven, what I appreciate is that he gets the very real, core issue with Mickey - his potential has been hampered - even neutered - by his celebrity. I'm hoping that something more daring than a "THREE MUSKETEERS" will happen with Mickey, and what's wonderful is, we have the animators and the visionaries to bring him BACK to his roots, while helping redefine him for the future. Mickey can have all the charm he currently owns - but he could access so much more. He's kind of the animated Tom Hanks - and that's really the range he could have... it's been glimpsed now and again. I'd like to see Mickey given a lot more to do in films. Anyone else feel similarly? Or even 180 degrees against?
2	u k fan Tue 4/15/2008 1:34a	I agree with everything you've said except the Tom Hanks thing because I actually like Mickey!!!
3	mawnck Tue 4/15/2008 5:20a	>>Anyone else feel similarly? Or even 180 degrees against?<< First a cold chill gripped my heart as I read your post, but then I thought of "How to Hook Up Your Home Theater." Could work, could be a disaster. It depends who gets to do it, how they do it, and whether they're allowed to do it. Guess we'll see.
4	DAR Tue 4/15/2008 7:15a	Well hopefully they should do something with him. After all it is his 80th birthday you think a little celebration would be nice.
5	SBSBelle22 Tue 4/15/2008 9:03a	<<<First a cold chill gripped my heart as I read your post, but then I thought of "How to Hook Up Your Home Theater." Could work, could be a disaster. It depends who gets to do it, how they do it, and whether they're allowed to do it. Guess we'll see.>>> Yes
6	SoThisIsLove Tue 4/15/2008 9:40a	Funny...I'm listening to Neal Gabler's biography of Walt and today's disc (#10) discussed the sanitization of Mickey and the introduction of Donald. Mickey, at first somewhat sadistic (playing pig teats and pulling cat tails to make music and tossing Minnie out of a plane and laughing about it) became kinder and gentler over the years, by necessity, according to Walt. So, here comes Donald...a young man that could do voices was in the studio, someone flipped the switch to Walt's office, he heard the voice and voila! Donald Duck's voice was born. He became the catalyst for all that was fun and mischievous and naughty for the animators and they poured out the gags into this new character. Mickey was now the hero and protector...Donald the antagonist. Wonder why that has to change?
7	FerretAfros Tue 4/15/2008 11:41a	They really don't need to change Mickey, they just need to do something with him. When I was a kid, I knew that Mickey was great and the symbol of the company, but I had never really seen any of his shorts until I was older. I think the stuff that they're doing with House of Mouse and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse really helps with that, but the way they are protraying him really is about as exciting as a piece of plain Wonder bread. They don't really need to make any drastic changes to him, just take him back toward his roots a little. The stuff they had him doing from the late 30's through the occasional appearances in the 80's seemed to work well. He was more of a background character for Donald, Goofy, and Pluto, but it was enough to keep him visible to the public eye. If they can put him in interesting situations, I have no doubt that he will be interesting. The stuff I've seen him in recently was really boring, but it would be boring no matter who was in it. It was just a dull story. I also hope that this is a signal that they are trying to make more shorts. They really do add a lot to the movie experience, and makes it feel a lot more grand. It's also something that you probably wouldn't do at home, so it gets more people to the theaters, and really adds something to Disney as a brand, since they go above and beyond the call of duty. It allows the classic characters to do stuff in modern times (that whole "relevant" thing they love so much) and connect to modern audiences. It also helps train the next generation of animators and directors (like how they do it at Pixar) for larger projects. Making shorts really is a winning situation, no matter how you look at it.
8	SBSBelle22 Tue 4/15/2008 11:44a	<<<I also hope that this is a signal that they are trying to make more shorts.>>> Dear God, please!
9	SoThisIsLove Tue 4/15/2008 11:46a	<<Making shorts really is a winning situation, no matter how you look at it.>> Amen, Ferret. Could you imagine a return to the days when they had a cartoon opening every movie? *sigh* The Wonder bread comparison is fair. I just wouldn't want them to Donaldize him just for the sake of sexying him up, that's all. I love the flat-out loopiness of the old time cartoons. Zany! Oh, "The Band Concert"... "The Wise Old Hen"...perfection. Check them out on YouTube if you'd like a trip back to happy town. :)
10	SBSBelle22 Tue 4/15/2008 12:26p	I think we need a short where he sings his song again: "I'm the guy they call little Mickey Mouse. Got a sweetie down in the chicken house. Neither fat nor skinny she's the horse's whinney, she's my little Minnie Mouse. When it's feeding time for the animals And they howl and growl like the cannibals I just turn my heel, to the hen house steal And you hear me sing this song Oh, the old tom cat with his meow, meow, meow Old houn' dog with his bow, wow, wow The crows caw, caw, and the mule's hee-haw Gosh what a racket like an old buzz saw I have listened to the Kookoo kook his koo-koo And I've heard the rooster cock his doodle doo doo With the cows and the chickens, all sound like the dickens when I hear my little Minnie's yoo hoo..." Heehee, I always did like that song :)

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