Disney
First Listed: Spring 2000
Let's see, where can I begin?
The elimination of traditional animated movies and abandoning traditional animation in general? Hasn't Disney's Dinosaur taught them anything? Chicken Little fared a little better, but it wasn't the success they wanted. And the less said about The Wild, the better.
The lack of faith for the Miyazaki properties the studio paid to distribute only to gleefully accept the Oscar for Spirited Away (something they're also poised to do in 2004 when they step up to the podium for Pixar's Finding Nemo)? Although to be fair, they have released a lot of Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films on DVD and received a second Oscar nomination for Howl's Moving Castle in a year that had no 3D-animation titles at all in contention. Plus, they managed to find cable homes for these movies on both Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network in uncut forms on both outlets.
The "Lucas" infection that made them believe that there was something wrong with their masterpieces that they had to add new scenes (or delete others) to older movies or make inferior sequels? Even George Lucas decided to release the original, unspecial-editioned Star Wars trilogy on DVD in 2006.
The fact that Disney is closing down several of their studios throughout the world?
The fact that Disney has hundreds of hours of diverse properties from Saban Entertainment and the former Fox Kids Network from Samurai Pizza Cats to Bobby's World to Saban's Fairy Tale Theater to the pre-Marvel movies era Marvel animated properties, and a good 95% of it is being kept under lock and key and will likely never see the light of day again?
The fact that Disney is basically unchanged since my previous article?
Or maybe I should just begin with the fact that the management is is termoil, with Roy Disney, a ranking board member and nephew of the studio founder Walt Disney, resigning in protest of the idiotic decisions made by the studio chief Michael Eisner? Yeah, that sounds like a good place to start. Despite being one of the most creative studio bosses since Walt Disney himself, with impulsive buying sprees over the last decade that failed to deliver (i.e. their purchases of ABC and Fox Family Channel, though ABC's fortunes improved beginning in 2004 when the channel moved from #3 in the ratings to #2 [NBC moved from #2 to #4]) and the renovation of Disney Channel from a celebration of Disneyana to a very syrupy Nick-like network whose stars (mostly live-action) are put on pedestals and on display more than the animated creations that built the studio. Honestly, are there folks that actually enjoyed the Disney Channel Circle of Stars interpretation of The Lion King's Circle of Life?
Mr. Disney realized that the company is spiraling downward, and he hoped that his resignation would convince Eisner and his yesmen to do likewise. In 2005, they got their wish as Eisner left The Walt Disney Company. And an upswing began almost the moment he left. The new management not only gotten back on the good graces of Pixar, who were threatening to have their movies distributed elsewhere or on their own, but also purchased the company, merging it with Walt Disney Animation and having John Lassiteer lead both into the next millennium. Plus, Steve Jobs is now a majority owner in The Walt Disney Company, which could lead to some interesting times in the coming years.
Eisner reminds me of another guy on the list. Who could that be?
Last but not least . . . Jamie Kellner.
