Sequels and Prequels

Disney just can't get enough of their favorite characters, and so to squeeze as much money out of their audiences as possible, Disney has produced a large number of sequels or prequels to their main animated features. Most of these films are direct-to-video and do not count in the numbered animated feature list. Sometimes these movies use the same character voices and are pretty good (Toy Story 2, Aladdin 3), but most times they are just bad. In fact, I've actually only seen a few and they were pretty much terrible. Previews might make you think that you have to know what happened to Ariel after she married Prince Eric or what if there was a 'twist in time' for Cinderella, but don't waste your time (or money). Nothing beats the real thing. The animation obviously doesn't have the same budget and talent, the story lines are terrible, and you can tell the songs were written in one afternoon. Here's a list of wannabes you might want to look out for:

The Return of Jafar (1994)
Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996)
Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin (1997)
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
Belle's Magical World (1998)
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998)
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999)
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)
Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001)
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002)
Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003)
Atlantis: Milo's Return (2003)
Stitch! The Movie (2003)
The Lion King 1½ (2004)
Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004)
Mulan II (2005)
Tarzan II (2005)
Kronk's New Groove (2005)
Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005)
Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005)
Leroy & Stitch (2006)
Brother Bear 2 (2006)
Bambi II (2006)
The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006)
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008)
Tinker Bell (2008)

Disney Pixar's "Up" in Theatres May, 2009

Disney Pixar will release their next feature "Up" on May 29, 2009, and will be shown in Digital Disney 3D in select theatres. "Up" is the story of Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old man who wants to fulfill his promise to his late wife Ellie, who always dreamed of exploring the mountains but died too soon. When Carl is threatened to be moved into an assisted living home by developers, he ties a huge amount of balloons to his house to make the house fly. However, an eight-year-old Wilderness Explorer boy named Russell happens to be on Carl's porch. The two end up on a thrilling as they encounter a number of unexpected characters on their adventure.

Voices include Edward Asner as Carl, Jordan Nagai as Russell, Christopher Plumer as Charles Muntz, an adventurer, and the ever-present Pixar voice of John Ratzenberger. The film is directed by Pete Docter, the director of "Monsters, Inc."

Disney Trivia Quiz Answers

I posted the answers to the Disney quiz in the comments section of the quiz. Good job to those who took it!

Disney Trivia Quiz

Think you know your Disney stuff? Take the following ten-question trivia quiz and leave your answers in the 'comments' section. I will post the answers within the week and see who got the most questions correct. No cheating! Close those Internet browsers!

1) What Disney movie was the first full-length animated feature to be produced in the United States?
A: Pinocchio
B: Steamboat Willie
C: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
D: Bambi

2) Some scenes of woodland creatures and the forest fire in Bambi are actually unused footage from what other Disney movie?
A: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
B: Pinocchio
C: Fantasia
D: Peter and the Wolf

3) What was the only character in Disney's Alice in Wonderland that did not appear in Lewis Carroll's books?
A: The Doorknob
B: Dormouse
C: Queen of Hearts
D: Alice's sister

4) What Disney movie was the first full-length animated feature to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture?
A: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
B: Bambi
C: Beauty and the Beast
D: The Lion King

5) In Sleeping Beauty, the cookies that the fairies eat with tea are shaped like what?
A: a spinning wheel
B: a pentagram
C: a castle
D: Mickey Mouse

6) What is the only Disney animated feature film that has a title character who doesn't speak?
A: Lilo & Stitch
B: Lady and the Tramp
C: Dumbo
D: The Fox and the Hound

7) What was the last film personally overseen by Walt Disney?
A: Lady and the Tramp
B: The Jungle Book
C: The Sword in the Stone
D: The Little Mermaid

8) What are Cinderella’s step-sisters names?
A: Ginny and Eleanor
B: Drizella and Anastasia
C: Lucille and Calypso
D: Rhoda and Verna

9) What is the name of Maleficent’s pet raven?
A: Arpel
B: Bastille
C: Diablo
D: Arthus

10) What is Donald Duck’s full name?
A: Donald Chauncy Duck
B: Donald Gilderoy Duck
C: Donald Charles Duck
D: Donald Fauntleroy Duck

Good luck!

Disney & Pixar

In 1979, the CGI animation production studio, Graphics Group, began under a division of LucasFilm. In 1986, Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple) bought the company and changed the name to Pixar, now a house-hold name for its innovative CGI process. Pixar's first movie, "Toy Story" was released in 1995 and became a huge hit, starring big-time actors Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. Since then, Pixar has had commercial and critical success for its next eight movies, earning four academy awards. These movies are as follows:

1995 - Toy Story

1998 - A Bug's Life

1999 - Toy Story 2

2001 - Monster's Inc. (nominated for Academy Award)

2003 - Finding Nemo (won Academy Award)

2004 - The Incredibles (won Academy Award)

2006 - Cars (nominated for Academy Award)

2007 - Ratatouille (won Academy Award)

2008 - Wall-E (won Academy Award)

Disney and Pixar began as partners back in 1991. Originally, Pixar was in charge of creation and production, while Disney handled the marketing and distribution of the films. After the success of "Toy Story," disagreements began between Steve Jobs and Disney CEO Michael Eisner about the partnership and the money involved, as Disney owned all sequel and distribution rights. A new agreement was in the works in 2004 that would give more rights to Pixar, but the deal fell through in mid-2004 and Pixar announced it was looking for other partners than Disney because Jobs and Eisner just couldn't get along.

By that time, the first five Pixar movies had collectively grossed over $2.5 billion. After Eisner left Disney in September 2005, new arrangements began between Disney and Pixar. Pixar announced it would release movies in early summer (not in November as Disney had them contracted to do while under partnerships), beginning with "Cars." "Cars" was the last movie to be made under the old arrangements between Disney and Pixar and by releasing it several months later than planned, time was bought to see how things played out between the two companies, now that Eisner had left.

In January 2006, Disney announced that it would buy Pixar for $7.4 billion. The two companies didn't merge, however. Pixar remained a separate entity with its own studios and employees. However, the name Disney-Pixar began to be used, beginning with "Cars."

Today, the name Disney-Pixar almost guarantees success. Their next movie, "Up," to be released on May 29, 2009 will be the first Pixar film presented in Disney Digital 3-D. "Toy Story 3" is also in the works, expected to be release in June 2010.

Disney's First Black Princess Hits Theaters Christmas 2009

Another Disney princess will soon join the ranks of the eight others (Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine, Pochahontas and Mulan (which I really don't get - how is Mulan a princess?). Returning to hand-drawn animation, the 49th Disney animated feature will be "The Princess and the Frog." Set in New Orleans, "The Princess and the Frog" (first titled "The Frog Princess") is an adapted version of the classic fairy tale, "The Frog Prince." The heroine, Princess Tiana, will be Disney's first Black leading-lady.

The story is about how a prince from a far-away land is transformed into a frog by a voodoo magician. The frog prince asks Tiana to break the spell by kissing him, but the kiss turns Tiana into a frog as well. The two of them try to reach the good voodoo priestess in the Cajun Bayou, befriending other characters along the way.

This film will use cel animation and is a throw back to past animated features (using hand-drawn animation and following a fairy tale). Voices include Anika Noni Rose as Tiana, along with Oprah Winfrey and John Goodman, among others. The score will be composed by Randy Newman, and the film will be directed by "Aladdin" and "Little Mermaid" directors Ron Clements and John Musker.

The film is scheduled to be released December 25, 2009.

Some controversy surrounded the film in its pre-production. The main character was originally going to be named Maddy, but comments flew about underscored racism in the name, so the name was changed to Tiana.

To see a trailer for the film, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBR0XVMPUUs&feature=related

Pinocchio to be Released March 10, 2009

Tis the season for Disney releases. As tradition for the past several years, Disney releases a major title in March and October of every year and several other 'smaller' releases throughout the year. On March 10, 2009, "Pinocchio: 70th Anniversary Edition" will hit shelves. Disney's second animated feature, "Pinocchio" is the story of a wooden puppet on his journey to become "a real boy." Featuring the famous Jiminy Cricket as he sings "When You Wish Upon a Star," this DVD/Blu-Ray release will surely have many special features, probably including a Behind-the-Scenes look at the making of this film, always my favorite part of the bonus material. It's been a long time since I've seen "Pinocchio," but I remember it has some crazy things happening in it - I hate that part where the boys turn into donkeys. And the whale. And the creepy Stromboli fellow. But I do love the Blue Fairy!