Walt Disney – A Magical Life

[Tha Realest]

So, I'm sure this point has been made but after watching the video-

The Lincoln show is amazing because it was using brand new technology to bring to life a historical figure that no one had seen or heard. And it continues to impress for that reason.

But there's TONS of footage and recording of Walt Disney. He's not some mythical figure- I can watch hundreds of hours of him on Youtube. It just made this whole thing feel weird, since they're treating him like a mythical figure.

I think this is a great point many people miss.

None of us had an accurate reference point for how Lincoln moved or sounded. His face sculpt was from his death mask, and looked quite similar to the paintings and the photographs taken of him during his life. So, what they added and how they portrayed him didn’t vary from our preconceived notions.

It’s like that Will Smith movie from a few years back, where current Will Smith competes against a de-aged Will Smith. Setting aside the uncanny valley aspect of it, many of us have a very ingrained version of our heads of younger Will Smith because we watched the early music videos, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and the mid-90’s films. So, the version presented to us was already known to us as being artificial, having to overcome the uncanny valley, and competing with our mental recall and memories of the actual young Will Smith.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the lead in to this AA also shows some of those archival video clips, making the contrast that much more pronounced?

 

[Tha Realest]

This is the best animatronic I've ever seen.

Next time you’re in the parks you should make it a point to check out the MFSR pre show and the Na’vi River Journey.

 

[Disstevefan1]

After firmly securing my Disney rationalization helmet, I look at this attraction this way -

Compared to the terrible, awful EPCOT planter and forever broken ground lights, this attraction is GREAT!

And for the DLR folks, compared to the DLR people mover that was destroyed by the failed rocket rods with the people mover track left for dead, still in the park for all to see being taken over by nature, this attraction is GREAT!

 

[Phroobar]

They… literally did that though. Like, they confirmed that all the dialogue is from various interviews and speeches he’s done. It’s the most authentic part of the whole thing.

How are there people who think it sounds off?

It may be from interviews but it isn't his voice. It's been processed somehow.

 

[ChrisFL]

So, I'm sure this point has been made but after watching the video-

The Lincoln show is amazing because it was using brand new technology to bring to life a historical figure that no one had seen or heard. And it continues to impress for that reason.

But there's TONS of footage and recording of Walt Disney. He's not some mythical figure- I can watch hundreds of hours of him on Youtube. It just made this whole thing feel weird, since they're treating him like a mythical figure.

They also changed Lincoln's voice several years ago and no one batted an eye

 

[Yidsid2020]

Disney did Johnny Depp likeness pretty good with his character years back. Why all the sudden artistically is getting off?

Actually, if you view the Hall of Presidents, you will see the artists who created the heads for the first thirteen presidents did a fine job. The reason, possibly better artists at that time of the inception of the idea. Since then, the artists most likely have changed and do not have the 'feel' of relating photo to sculpture positive. Pan from left to right and you will see a minute closeness or cartooned appearance to a number of the presidents. President Biden's hands appear our proportion, his coat sleeves are too long, and again his pants are too long. Grant looks good, but when you look at the faces of the presidents Kennedy, Clinton, Obama, Ford, Nixon, and a number of others; they missed the mark. Yes, there are easy appearance 'tricks' to allow the audience to recognize them by giving them a hair style, facial familiarity but, it's not spot on. That's probably why Mr. Disney looks like...well, his body double. Blaine Gibson was a master artist. He was meticulous with every detail making certain he captured the president's likeness and personality. Even with a static president, you can instantly know who Blaine had intended to have the audience see. From his sculpture, the process of creating a mask is fairly routine. Something has happened to the initial process of sculpting the original 'masters' and it has continued to what the viewing audience will be seeing in this new display. It is unfortunate. For those who remember seeing Mr. Disney in the park, on television, or in still photo form; at least he can be remembered as he really was...larger than life and someone who dared to take his dream to reality.

 

[Yidsid2020]

Hummmmm.... I'm going to push back a little on that. I do not think it was out of line to expect a top-notch quality reproduction.

I don't think they implied come and see a marginally well done reproduction of Walt Disney. The attraction here is supposed to be a viable and excellently executed reproduction of Walt Disney. This isn't it.

I do think they have done better. Just based on the partner statue alone I was anticipating a better outcome. They have plenty of experience recreating real people because of the hollow presidents at Walt Disney World: George Bush ,Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, are all much better facsimiles of their inspiration, as is Jack Sparrow of Johnny Depp in pirates of the Caribbean , then this one is of Walt Disney.

Since they couldn't get the sculpture positive for Mr. Disney, they should have created a 'narrator' and then showed all the wonders Mr. Disney had given 'us' throughout his lifetime until they can locate an artist who create the head, continue the excellent animatronic ides and give Mr. Disney movements that resemble what was filmed when he introduced EPCOT. His arms and hands moved fluidly and he didn't put his left hand on his hip area to look like a 'tea pot.' The figure will require a tailor who can fit the suit correctly, and possibly place the speaker within his body and have it spread out from him. His voice should be as if he is speak to each person in the audience.

 

[Incomudro]

We are living in a time where a face sculpt should be better than ever.
I'm sure they can make up accurate face mock ups off of virtual scans from videos and stills of Walt or whoever - and get the proportions completely accurate if they wanted to.
Or they could give the job to the highest skilled modeler.
Perhaps even give it to a couple and see who comes up with the best likeness?
Additionally, servo's and other mechanics that move features are less bulky than ever, so faces and bodies don't need to be oddly proportioned in order to accommodate them.
This Walt face not only looks like Walt after a bad eye job at the plastic surgeon, it look like it was made to fit over a pre-existing larger head structure.
This AA should be the pinnacle of what Disney is capable of.

 

[truecoat]

This AA should be the pinnacle of what Disney is capable of.

It is.

 

[Incomudro]

It is.

In a good way, or bad way?

 

[Disney Irish]

It’s concerning to me that imagineers wouldn’t know that most people would prefer an accurate face to articulate facial movement. I have to imagine it’s a factor in why his face doesn’t look great. Otherwise it just doesn’t make sense that the new Trump or Jack Sparrow AAs look better than such an important AA as this. I just feel like imagineers these days get so hung up on tech at the cost of everything else.

In all fairness, the Jack Sparrow AA looks nothing like Depp, it barely looks like Jack even in my opinion. There was a famous picture when Jack was being introduced with Depp and him side-by-side, and you can see it looks nothing like Depp. And it was even more glaring when Depp would actually dress up as Jack and stand in the attraction greeting guests just feet away from the AA of him in the well scene.

I go back to what I said before, human characters unless caroony like the rest on Pirates are difficult to get the face right so it doesn't look as people say "uncanny", especially not one who is supported to be someone well know. I just chalk it up to needing to have a suspension of disbelief when seeing it, just like we do with any other face character in the Parks.

 

[truecoat]

In all fairness, the Jack Sparrow AA looks nothing like Depp, it barely looks like Jack even in my opinion. There was a famous picture when Jack was being introduced with Depp and him side-by-side, and you can see it looks nothing like Depp. And it was even more glaring when Depp would actually dress up as Jack and stand in the attraction greeting guests just feet away from the AA of him in the well scene.

I go back to what I said before, human characters unless caroony like the rest on Pirates are difficult to get the face right so it doesn't look as people say "uncanny", especially not one who is supported to be someone well know. I just chalk it up to needing to have a suspension of disbelief when seeing it, just like we do with any other face character in the Parks.

If Disney had made an animatronic Walt with a longer face, I bet it would have looked hideous.

 

[MisterPenguin]

They've upgraded the face...

 

[mickEblu]

In all fairness, the Jack Sparrow AA looks nothing like Depp, it barely looks like Jack even in my opinion. There was a famous picture when Jack was being introduced with Depp and him side-by-side, and you can see it looks nothing like Depp. And it was even more glaring when Depp would actually dress up as Jack and stand in the attraction greeting guests just feet away from the AA of him in the well scene.

I go back to what I said before, human characters unless caroony like the rest on Pirates are difficult to get the face right so it doesn't look as people say "uncanny", especially not one who is supported to be someone well know. I just chalk it up to needing to have a suspension of disbelief when seeing it, just like we do with any other face character in the Parks.

Alright so how about Trump?

 

[Andrew C]

If Disney had made an animatronic Walt with a longer face, I bet it would have looked hideous.

or..more like him.

 

[Andrew C]

It is mind blogging that some seem to think Disney doesn't have the technology in 2025 to do a better job with Walt's face, or at the very least, it somehow doesn't matter to implement this tech to do the best job possible? Settle, settle, settle...that is what we do.

 

[Disney Irish]

Alright so how about Trump?

Looks terrible in my opinion, all versions so far don't look enough like him. Sure the most recent version looks the closest, but still have to close one eye and squint with the other for it to look enough like him. Now in fairness I've only seen the videos of him, but that is what we're all commenting on here with Walt, so same critique.

 

[truecoat]

It is mind blogging that some seem to think Disney doesn't have the technology in 2025 to do a better job with Walt's face, or at the very least, it somehow doesn't matter to implement this tech to do the best job possible? Settle, settle, settle...that is what we do.

It's funny when people comment on jobs they don't do like they're experts.

 

[Disney Irish]

It is mind blogging that some seem to think Disney doesn't have the technology in 2025 to do a better job with Walt's face, or at the very least, it somehow doesn't matter to implement this tech to do the best job possible? Settle, settle, settle...that is what we do.

What would you have any of us do? Boycott? Would that really change anything, no. Disney is going to do what Disney is going to do, and either we accept it or we sit on a forum and complain. There is little other recourse for the few dozen people here discussing it.

So no we sit here for page after page complaining, and nothing else.

 

[mickEblu]

Looks terrible in my opinion, all versions so far don't look enough like him. Sure the most recent version looks the closest, but still have to close one eye and squint with the other for it to look enough like him. Now in fairness I've only seen the videos of him, but that is what we're all commenting on here with Walt, so same critique.

Wait, you think the new Trump face looks worse than Walt? That’s wild.