The Troubled Production of Disney's Bambi and Animation Industry News

The Making of Bambi: A Difficult Journey

• 🦌 Bambi's path to the big screen was fraught with challenges, beginning with Walt Disney acquiring the film rights in 1937.
• 📜 The original Felix Salten book was dark and complex, with elements like Gobo's taming by humans and Bambi's father teaching him to confuse hunters, which were ultimately cut.
• ⚠️ The film's release was delayed from 1939 to 1942 due to the complexity of animating anatomically correct animals and the dark nature of the source material.
• ✂️ To meet budget constraints during WWII, the film was cut to 70 minutes, shorter than "Snow White" and "Pinocchio," with musical numbers and characters like a grasshopper being removed.
• 🎨 The distinctive visual style was heavily influenced by concept artist Tyrus Wong, whose watercolors inspired the film's look.

Animation Industry Updates and Trends

• 🎬 Discussions touched on the Adams Family trailer, the trend of rappers in animated movies, and the marketing strategies for animated films.
• 🎙️ Guillermo del Toro confirmed he had scripts for a Haunted Mansion movie that never got greenlit, with Ryan Gosling attached to one version.
• 🌟 The legacy of former Disney executive Dick Cook was remembered, particularly his role in the first D23 Expo and his subsequent departure.
• 📺 The rise of streaming services like Disney Plus, Netflix, and Hulu is changing the business model for animation production and distribution.
• 💥 The Viacom acquisition of Garfield rights and similar corporate moves with characters like Peanuts and Dr. Seuss highlight a trend of major corporations acquiring beloved intellectual property.
• 📺 The cancellation of OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes after three seasons was discussed, noting a trend of shows ending after a limited run.

Studio Projects and Creative Challenges

• 🎨 Eric Goldberg's contributions to Disney theme park projects, including new characters for "World of Color: Villainous" and past work on Epcot's Food and Wine Festival mascots, were highlighted.
• ✍️ The challenges of directing films like "Ugly Dolls" and "Smurfs: The Lost Village" were discussed, emphasizing the reality that not all projects become blockbusters.
• 🦊 The acquisition of Bento Box Entertainment by the new Fox Corporation was noted as a strategic move to bolster their animation studio.
• 🌟 The animated series Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart on Cartoon Network was praised for its beautiful animation, writing, and appeal to both children and adults.
• 🎬 The independent short film Hair Love, acquired by Sony Animation, was discussed as an example of successful crowdfunding and acquisition, set to be screened before "Angry Birds 2."
• 🎬 The Playmobil: The Movie faced a significant delay, moving from August to December, placing it shortly after the release of "Frozen 2."