From: rcook@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Robert Cook)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Re: Upcoming features
Date: 2 Sep 92 14:06:39 GMT
Organization: University of California, San Diego

In article <4079@moscom.UUCP> jrjj@moscom.UUCP (Jad Jordan) writes:
>Geez, man, is that all the info you have? I had heard of King of the Jungle,
>Pocahontas and Sinbad (just Sinbad) before, so they are confirmed. If that
>is the schedule, Fantasia Continued won't be done until 1999. Are you sure
>these were all features? Swan Lake, Song of the Sea, and Silly Hillbillies
>could be shorts. A series of Mickey shorts were planned once upon a time.

Sorry, okay--looks like I'm the only one here who doesn't have the
time to read every magazine and every Disney article.  The ONE
article I did read indicates that as of now, the studio has been
working on Fantasia Continued for 11 months or so.  I've no idea why
it's last on the list.  And I don't know if that meant 11 months of
planning or post-production.  You're probably right about Swan Lake
and Silly Hillbillies being shorts (likely to be shown with other
movies), but the article seemed to focus on features (how difficult
it is to continue after BatB...blah, blah, blah).

>	the story of B'rer Mermaid. From the new and re-used Walt Disney
>	Studios, a story that is bound to be a classic, cause it already was
>	two seperate times."

I can't remember ever having seen a sequel I like besides The
Rescuers Down Under.  The 1990 box office, however, was very unkind.
Disney may be taking a big risk with these apparent followups.

>Seriously, with the popularity of the FairyTale stories of Little Mermaid and
>Beauty and the Beast, I think you will see more classic stories in the
>future. Aladdin, Sinbad and even Pocahontas appear in that vein of stories.
>What other classic Fairy Tales are out there that Disney could put a fresh
>twist on? Rapunzel. And ... I don't think any are coming to me. I'm getting
>lots of Nursery Rhymes, but not too many Fairy Tales.  I'm excited by Swan
>Lake and Pocahontas. Those should be interesting. Any other ideas?

I've thought about it a bit and now I see why Disney is making
sequels: they may have run out of well-known fairy tales.  Stories
like Dumbo or Bambi may still be around, but I couldn't find much
promising stuff from H.C. Anderson, the Grimms, or Perrault.
Rapunzel certainly crossed my mind, but there's not a whole lot of
possibility there.  Disney could add animals, gags, etc., but it
really doesn't have much of a plot for them to work with.  The best
bet is probably Thumbelina.  It might sound like a dinky tale, but
it's quite rich--richer than the original Cinderella, though not
as imaginative.  The list of upcoming features pretty much takes
care of all the interesting non-European that kiddies are likely to
know about.  How about making something completely new?  Does that
sound all that crazy?

Disney had better be really sure about doing Pocahontas.  Native
Americans have been sensitive lately (with just cause) toward
stereotypes.  Don't get me wrong--I adore cute little cliches, but
not everyone does.  Look at what happened to the Atlanta Braves;
that could hurt Disney more than it could a baseball club.

- Robert Cook