'Strange World' Disney's 2022 Animated Film

[Figgy1]

Their strategy with streaming and Disney+ just seems disastrous to me. But then, I still don't understand how anyone can make any real money off of streaming except to sell old movies that were paid off decades ago for a few bucks per viewing.

Speaking of that, I've got to go now as I just paid Amazon four bucks to watch Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? tonight! Seriously gang, if you want a great movie dealing with the old and mostly forgotten issue of inter-racial marriage, that movie is a pure gem. I'm making caramel covered popcorn and using up the last bottle of New Year's champagne for it!

When Katherine Hepburn tells off that bigot Hilary St. George (a real 1960's bigot, not the fake kind who are genuinely lovely and good people who attend racially diverse dinner parties in laid-back yet sophisticated OC in 2022) as she drives away in her 1967 Plymouth Barracuda, it gets me every time! And that lounge singer crooning "You've Got To Love A Little" with a giant hairdo as tall as the Coit Tower! I can't wait!

Pop that champagne! Roll the film!... and Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?

Love that movie! But seriously you should get a hard copy if it is one you watch oftenish

 

[Chi84]

I thought the movie overall had beautiful graphics.

That’s true. And it’s currently the number one movie on Disney +. Several articles have concluded the reason it didn’t do well in theaters is that Disney realized it was more of a watch at home type movie and didn’t market is as much for that reason.

I’m glad so many people are seeing it now because it truly is a gorgeous movie to watch.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Anytime I present hard data or facts here, I always include the source. Like my earlier Gallup information stating that 94% of Americans are now supportive of inter-racial marriages, even though @Californian Elitist tries to slander many of us by claiming incorrectly that we're all a bunch of secret Klan members who hang out with racists and bigots, when the reality is the opposite of that slanderous lie.

If a post of mine here doesn't have a citation of fact attached to it, then that post is mostly my own opinion.

Out of curiosity, what are your posts here made up of?

I claimed no such thing. It’s not my fault that you’re dramatic and are purposefully misunderstanding what I wrote. Not my fault that the Klan operates out of Orange County, and because it’s so racist there, the likelihood of people living there, yourself included, as well as I, have probably run into bigots, racists, and the Grand Wizard lol. I stand by what I said and you’ll never get that apology. Do try to get over it.

 

[Californian Elitist]

No one does. We only have our opinions, based only loosely on factual financial data.

What is your opinion why Strange World was purposely barely marketed and then flopped very badly in the free market?

I’ve said multiple times I don’t know what they didn’t market it. I’m not going to come up with weird reasons and try to pass them as facts.

 

[Chi84]

I’ve said multiple times I don’t know what they didn’t market it. I’m not going to come up with weird reasons and try to pass them as facts.

The fact that it is being SO successful on Disney+ (Strange World only hit Disney+ on December 23 but will be closing out 2022 as the Number 1 most watched movie) stands contra to the argument that its failure in theaters was due to one particular aspect of its content.

Huge Disney Box Office Flop Is Now Number 1 On Disney+

Strange World could see big success on Disney+.

screenrant.com

 

[Californian Elitist]

The fact that it is being SO successful on Disney+ (Strange World only hit Disney+ on December 23 but will be closing out 2022 as the Number 1 most watched movie) stands contra to the argument that its failure in theaters was due to its content.

Huge Disney Box Office Flop Is Now Number 1 On Disney+

Strange World could see big success on Disney+.

screenrant.com

And this is why I’m not going to spend a bunch of time coming up with theories as to why it flopped in theaters, especially not with people who haven’t seen the movie and who claim to not know, but constantly push their own agenda and beliefs. What’s done is done. It’s now on Disney+ and more people are watching it.

I’m happy more and more people are streaming it.

 

[doctornick]

Strange World is mediocre IMHO and I don’t think anything would have helped the box office, even a robust and quality advertising campaign. The audience scores were just too subpar to expect it to get good word of mouth. That said, the streaming numbers do suggest that people were opening to see it… for “free” and in the comfort of their own homes.

So I think the bigger point is how does Disney get folks to go to theaters to see animated films vs waiting for D+? And this is where popularity actually hurts Disney since D+ is one of the higher subscribed services so more people (especially among the target audience of families and Disneyphiles that drive box office numbers) have D+ as opposed to other services/companies putting out animated films - compare that to Peacock and Rise of Gru (for example) where few folks have that streaming service so they might be more apt to spend the money in theaters.

How will Disney approach Elemental and Wish? I’m not sure there’s a great way forward but it has to start with holding titles from D+ for a lot longer. As I’ve said before, I’d actually wait 4-6 months after theatrical release to drop onto D+. Make Elemental the “movie we put on there around Christmas” title. Start breaking people if the learned habit to just wait for it at home.

 

[Chi84]

And this is why I’m not going to spend a bunch of time coming up with theories as to why it flopped in theaters, especially not with people who haven’t seen the movie and who claim to not know, but constantly push their own agenda and beliefs. What’s done is done. It’s now on Disney+ and more people are watching it.

I’m happy more and more people are streaming it.

This is one movie where I think actually seeing it is necessary to fully understand and reasonably discuss Disney’s intent in including the specific content at issue.

Then again I think it almost always helps to be fully informed about the matters on which you’re expressing an opinion. It’s a harmless movie.

 

[Californian Elitist]

This is one movie where I think actually seeing it is necessary to fully understand and reasonably discuss Disney’s intent in including the specific content at issue.

Then again I think it almost always helps to be fully informed about the matters on which you’re expressing an opinion. It’s a harmless movie.

Agreed, and I feel this way about everything. I have no desire to talk to someone who criticizes and gives their opinion about something they’ve never personally experienced. It’s a personal waste of time.

 

[TP2000]

Love that movie! But seriously you should get a hard copy if it is one you watch oftenish

I had the old DVD from a decade plus ago, replaced by the lovely Blu-Ray hardbound edition I bought five years ago. I watch it about every year or so. But tonight's discussion accusing me of being a secret racist who socializes with non-white bigots who are so bigoted they marry outside their race just to spite people (???) put me over the edge of hilarity. So I decided to remind myself of what a good and loving and beautiful person I actually am by watching it again tonight and laughing a bit.

But I'm at the old family beach house for the holidays, so I don't have the Blu-Ray as it's back at home. But my Amazon Prime membership goes around the world apparently. So I just shelled out the 4 bucks tonight and watched it again, in HD via streaming.

It's truly a wonderful movie. So many good lines from that film that made me laugh, and cry, all over again tonight!

"He thinks you're going to faint because he's a Negro.".... "Thank. You. Tilly.".... "Civil Rights is one thing, but this is something completely different."... "Less than 12% of the people in this city are colored people, and I can't even have a dish of Oregon boysenberry without running into one of them!"... "Start your motor, Hilary and get.. permanently... lost."

The only thing cool about Hilary was that hardtop Barracuda she drove, and when she "started her motor" it sounds like she had the 383 V8 instead of the standard and kind of wimpy 318 V8. So even if Hilary was a boring bigot, she at least knew to upgrade her... motor.

SUCH A GREAT MOVIE! WATCH IT, KIDS AND LEARN A FEW THINGS!



FUN FACT: The actress who played Hilary St. George went on to become Mrs. Olsen of Folger's commercial fame in the 1970's!

 

[TP2000]

Strange World is mediocre IMHO and I don’t think anything would have helped the box office, even a robust and quality advertising campaign.

I imagine Burbank knew that from their test audiences, which is partly why they abandoned its marketing.

The audience scores were just too subpar to expect it to get good word of mouth. That said, the streaming numbers do suggest that people were opening to see it… for “free” and in the comfort of their own homes.

Yes, there's the real problem. Asking American families to shell out 50 or 60 bucks to see a movie in theaters is apparently hard to do, instead of asking them to pay 8 bucks a month to see a movie "for free!".

Which is the fundamental problem with streaming and the traditional movie business. I don't envy Burbank execs in 2023 trying to figure out where to go from here. But sending Strange World to streaming so quickly doesn't help them at all.

Strange World was a historically huge flop. But don't admit it! Pretend it was a big hit and wait at least 90 days before sending it off to Disney+ for free. You are cheapening your own brand to do otherwise.

So I think the bigger point is how does Disney get folks to go to theaters to see animated films vs waiting for D+? And this is where popularity actually hurts Disney since D+ is one of the higher subscribed services so more people (especially among the target audience of families and Disneyphiles that drive box office numbers) have D+ as opposed to other services/companies putting out animated films - compare that to Peacock and Rise of Gru (for example) where few folks have that streaming service so they might be more apt to spend the money in theaters.

All true. No arguments from me on that!

How will Disney approach Elemental and Wish? I’m not sure there’s a great way forward but it has to start with holding titles from D+ for a lot longer. As I’ve said before, I’d actually wait 4-6 months after theatrical release to drop onto D+. Make Elemental the “movie we put on there around Christmas” title. Start breaking people if the learned habit to just wait for it at home.

Agreed. But they seem to be addicted to Disney+. What did they gain by sending Strange World to streaming for free only a month after it opened in theaters? They only reinforced the bad habits of the marketplace that now expects to see mega-budget movies for pennies on the dollar in the comfort of their own homes on their own 70 inch HD screen.

That's not a business model that works. So why are they doubling down on it?

Like I said, I don't envy them. They seem to be digging their own grave deeper and faster right now. Why?

 

[LittleBuford]

It was inherently sexual

No, it isn’t. A child does not need to know anything about sex in order to understand sexual orientation. Growing up, I knew my parents were straight—obviously, since they were a couple—without having any idea about, or interest in, what they got up to in the bedroom.

 

[TP2000]

No, it isn’t. A child does not need to know anything about sex in order to understand sexual orientation. Growing up, I knew my parents were straight—obviously, since they were a couple—without having any idea about, or interest in, what they got up to in the bedroom.

At age 8, it's just what you live with every day if you have a mother and father. And 99% of kids do.

But if you try to explain to an 8 year old why two fathers would be together it gets... a tad weird for most adults trying to explain that to an 8 year old.

Which is why I think I personally draw that line at about age 12. Even though I personally wouldn't be comfortable talking about it until about age 14, even though the kids probably have figured it out by age 12. But it's just weird and iffy to talk about with that age.

Especially if they aren't your kids. And since I don't have kids, and was merely a free babysitter on occasion, I certainly wasn't going to bring it up as a discussion point. I would be more comfortable avoiding it like the plague, to be honest. Isn't there something else we could talk about? Model airplanes, perhaps?

 

[LittleBuford]

But, again, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s sort of already happened with the How To Train Your Dragon films and nobody batted an eye.

It’s very telling that your mention of this has been entirely ignored by those who keep insisting that any children’s film with gay characters is doomed to failure.

 

[LittleBuford]

But if you try to explain to an 8 year old why two fathers would be together it gets... a tad weird for most adults trying to explain that to an 8 year old.

That’s on the adults. It has nothing to do with the issue being “inherently sexual”. You can present the information to children in a manner that doesn’t sexualise it in the least, just as my sister did with my niece and nephew as they were growing up.

 

[TP2000]

It’s very telling that your mention of this has been entirely ignored by those who keep insisting that any children’s film with gay characters is doomed to failure.

I saw that mention. I have to be honest, I had no idea what it was about.

How To Train Your Dragon. That was a movie? From Disney? I'm unfamiliar with it.

Should I Google, or does someone want to fill me in at this late hour?

 

[TP2000]

You can present the information to children in a manner that doesn’t sexualise it in the least, just as my sister did with my niece and nephew as they were growing up.

I suppose I could, as the Official Gay Uncle. But I wasn't comfortable doing that. So I didn't.

I just tried to ply them with pizza and Root Beer Floats and mini-golf and movies with fart jokes to keep them happy during those babysitting gigs. I didn't mention that I'm a gay man who has no wife and doesn't like girls much. I left that up to their parents to deal with. Later.

 

[LittleBuford]

I saw that mention. I have to be honest, I had no idea what it was about.

How To Train Your Dragon. That was a movie? From Disney? I'm unfamiliar with it.

Should I Google, or does someone want to fill me in at this late hour?

How To Train Your Dragon: An Ad-Lib Made Gobber A Rare Gay Animated Hero

Here’s how an ad-libbed How To Train Your Dragon line made Gobber gay.

screenrant.com

 

[LittleBuford]

I suppose I could, as the Official Gay Uncle. But I wasn't comfortable doing that. So I didn't.

I just tried to ply them with pizza and Root Beer Floats and mini-golf and movies with fart jokes to keep them happy during those babysitting gigs. I didn't mention that I'm a gay man who has no wife and doesn't like girls much. I left that up to their parents to deal with. Later.

You’re shifting the topic. My point was only that the information isn’t, as you claimed, “inherently sexual”.

 

[TP2000]

How To Train Your Dragon: An Ad-Lib Made Gobber A Rare Gay Animated Hero

Here’s how an ad-libbed How To Train Your Dragon line made Gobber gay.

screenrant.com

Okay. Thank you for the background info, I honestly had no idea what this movie was or who it was aimed at.

An improvised line in a 2014 film (non-Disney, apparently?) and a Viking butt joke makes this... the first gay animated character? I thought that belonged to the Lesbian in Lightyear? Or was it Ethan in Strange World? I've lost track.

Was the 2014 release of this animated gay Viking a big deal back then? I don't remember that, but I might have just forgotten. And not only am I from Swedish stock, I even still read The Advocate on occasion! So you'd think I would know.

It's late, and I've had caramel covered popcorn and a bottle of champagne while watching Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. But I do thank you for the background info on this 2014 gay Viking supporting character.