Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[Darth Sidious]

Lone Range scored a B+ on Cinemascore, but only $9.6 million in its first day.

Ouch, I guess even the Depp power isn't saving this. Time to fix the strategy because the damn tent is caving in.

 

[|Q|]

Nope.

Disney has very little interest in Dr. Jones either in the cinema or in its parks.

It's a shame, i would love to see a cartoon series along these lines:

http://patrickschoenmaker.blogspot.it/2008/11/indy-masterpieces-sketchcards.html

 

[Goofyernmost]

BTW, anyone else old enough here to actually have seen Disney animated films as slide shows with a sound tape when they were in elementary school? (someone say you were to make me feel less ancient!)

Nope...you're on your own with that one. Damn, I didn't think anyone would still be alive that might remember that. It was way before my time.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

And I think Enchanted was a huge hit with a smallish budget, but can't recall off-hand.

Hard to believe, but Disney only spent $85 million making Enchanted, making its $340 million worldwide gross look pretty good. It made major coin on video too (like $80 million in US DVD sales alone).

A shame its already been sorta forgotten. I thought it was the best Disney movie of 2000-2009.

 

[Lee]

Ok.

Domestic Gross - 217,581,231
Production Cost - 165,000,000

217,581,231 - 165,000,000 = 52,581,231

So, as I said, ~ 60 million domestic.

Ummm.... That's not how the numbers are calculated.
You can't charge the entire production budget against only the US box office.

By that method, Thor flopped, making only about $30 mil in the US.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Oh, and on the Five Guys fries ... you are just flat wrong. I know my food from fast to five star. Those are damn fine fries.

They're too soft and don't stand alone without excessive theming. The fries themselves are weak and the seasoning doesn't fix it.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I guess I have too comments. 1) You are still paying actors. I don't think Tom Hanks was cheaper in Toy Story 3 than Saving Mr. Banks. 2) I think oversaturation may become a problem. There was a least 6 trailers during MU. All look bad.

True! The one problem that I had while watching Monsters University is that every time Sully spoke I kept expecting Rosanne to show up.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I'll be on the Fantasy soon, but I don't think that show is there...

That being said, I am a Randy fan...well before Toy Story...

I do so agree. Randy Newman is as underrated as any musical genius that ever existed. It is due, I think to the number of novelty songs that he wrote and performed, but if you really pay attention, they are great.

 

[bubbles1812]

It didn't get into the black.

Source? Sorry. Just a bit surprised. Even if it didnt become profitable in theaters, usually home sales can at least make up for it

 

[Nemo14]

BTW, anyone else old enough here to actually have seen Disney animated films as slide shows with a sound tape when they were in elementary school? (someone say you were to make me feel less ancient!)

Actually I think they were filmstrips if my memory of ancient times serves me correctly.

 

[bubbles1812]

And counting ...

On that subject, before folks write off Long Ranger, please understand that westerns are extremely popular in Europe and the film doesn't unspool before some key market audiences UNTIL AUGUST.

I thought westerns don't play well in Europe? Or at least that is what Ive been reading.

 

[bubbles1812]

I know this is technical, but in the general mindset (especially now that they are the same overall company), Pixar IS Disney, and Disney IS Pixar...

The only reason Merida may live longer is due to political hold outs internally...

Note, Merida wasn't inducted as a "pixar princess", but a Disney one...regardless of who actually created the movie. Even they are fine with the blurred lines. Just like Planes will be viewed generally as "pixar" animation, even though Walt Disney animation is doing it.

I think you may have missed the popularity of Rapunzel. Granted this is anecdotal the same way your inference that she is fading is, but perhaps your daughter (I think I remember you saying you have a daughter, sorry) doesn't like her as much? I don't know. I cant tell ya how many little girls I have seen with Rapunzel's merchandise and when I was at WDW, you want to guess who I saw being bought up in the stores? She has her own special M&G does she not? So maybe that's why she isn't at the Royal Table or Askerhus? Sorry just not seeing it. It would be interesting to see internal numbers for what princesses move more merch.

 

[Funmeister]

Years ago I attended a "The Disney District" (working and considered name of Downtown Disney at one point)meeting that showed there were plans for another phase beyond Cirque. From what I remember there were one or two large buildings and two or three medium/smaller buildings. It was not a huge expansion plan and none of the buildings were labeled except we were told the larger building was earmarked for an ESPN Zone.

This was before All-Star Cafe at DWWoS left and "rebranded."

I feel they still need some sort of "attractions" (not rides or what we think of when we talk about attractions) to lure people past cirque. If Splitsville closes then Disney is going to have to re-evaluate the physical structures of Virgin and DQ. IMHO if Splitsville leaves then it is an opportunity to close DQ and bulldoze both of them. Then rebuild a new structure with the ability to add multiple slots for rent. Before it is said and done I really believe they will both be torn down and the rumor of the world's largest Apple Store will go to rest.

 

[bubbles1812]

It may be a great movie (never saw it, probably why many didn't see it, it seemed like a carry off of the Harry Potter / LoTR 2000's craze)...

It may have been a great movie...but it wasn't. And that means it won't be.

You can't just look at what it made domestically like that... Mean it's great you can subtract but look at what it actually made in theaters as a reflection of how many people went to see it. It didnt make 60 million. It made 217 million or whatever number you said. And then whatever it made internationally, which you didnt include. What you did was deliberately manipulate the numbers to make it look like it did bad..Which it didnt. As @Lee said, that's not how the numbers are calculated.

If you haven't seem the movie, you can't exactly declare that it wasnt a great movie. And if that "wasnt great" was about of money made... Since when did how much a money equal the quality of a film. By that token, Transformers was the art world's equivalent of a Picasso. It is a spectacular movie that has nothing to do with HP/LOTR (though both are wonderful). Beautiful animation, solid entertaining story with likable characters and decent amount of depth, and some gorgeous music as well. You are missing out.

 

[Nemo14]

Owl on Main Street: http://instagram.com/p/bX11oRslkj/

Very cool! Is he wearing a magic band?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Is that a spy from Hogwarts?

Very cool picture! I have never seen a wild owl - and to see one in a theme park instead of in a wood makes it even more special!

Apparently he was hunting mice.... One of the managers seemed to suggest that he was a common visitor to MSUSA

 

[Nemo14]

Apparently he was hunting mice.... One of the managers seemed to suggest that he was a common visitor to MSUSA

Mickey and Minnie had better beware then.

 

[tissandtully]

Apparently he was hunting mice.... One of the managers seemed to suggest that he was a common visitor to MSUSA

I think he escaped from Flights of Wonder. Which is pretty much the most underrated show on property

 

[coolbeans14]

I thought westerns don't play well in Europe? Or at least that is what Ive been reading.

Have you been to Disneyland Paris? There's a reason frontierland is massive and one of the hotels is literally a western town.

In all seriousness, I think they do ok, because US tv is so prevalent over here. However, I don't think it will be a runaway success. The advertising for John carter was more noticeable than this has been so far. My guess: I wouldn't expect more than $6-7 million open weekend from Europe, with a rapid decrease after that

 

[danlb_2000]

Case in point to my comment.

And, yeah, but CGI isn't going anywhere. The ultimate goal for movie producers / directors, is that there are no actors.

And it's all CGI.

If this ever happens it will be a long way off. Even if a computer can create a CGI person that looks 100% real, you still need the performance which a computer cannot create on it's own. Film makers like Peter Jackson have learned that for a CGI character to work there needs to be a real actor behind it, take the case of Gollum for example.