Will Disney buy DWA? No! Universal did!

[Dacey]

Bold argument (I guess?), but I would make the claim that DreamWorks has actually rivaled Pixar in the "technical" department. Look at the animation in How to Train Your Dragon 2. Pixar has really never done anything on that scale (except for perhaps WALL-E).

[EricJ]

Amidst this breaking news, I couldn't help noticing a tidbit in the Hollywood Reporter article: DreamWorks hires rocket scientists to help make its animation look better.

To which, being the wag that I am, I'd say what I've been saying to DWA for twenty years:
Figure it out, guys--Storytelling's not rocket science.

[Vernadyn]

Bold argument (I guess?), but I would make the claim that DreamWorks has actually rivaled Pixar in the "technical" department. Look at the animation in How to Train Your Dragon 2. Pixar has really never done anything on that scale (except for perhaps WALL-E).

Maybe, but it's still not leaps and bounds better that you'd expect rocket-(scientist)-fueled animation to be--which makes me think that most other animation studios have technicians with similarly stratospheric levels of technical expertise.

[ShyViolet]

Katzenberg's plans?

http://variety.com/2016/biz/features/je ... 201764771/

[ShyViolet]

Things at Glendale will more or less "go on as usual"; animated films will continue to be made there:

http://deadline.com/2016/05/dreamworks- ... 201749552/

[ShyViolet]

Cool short profile/interview of JK at what will very likely be his last Cannes:


http://www.indiewire.com/article/dreamw ... s-20160513

[Ben]

Cool short profile/interview of JK at what will very likely be his last Cannes:

...at DWA.


And, as JK, should know, animation is not a genre.

[ShyViolet]

Also it kind of bothers me that he insinuates that every Disney animated film before Beauty was just a "kids' " picture. Walt wanted to appeal to adults and children. (Plus what about Oliver and Mermaid, both films in which JK was quite involved?).

This whole philosophy of his is kind of a mess by now. . I don't think he wants his animation legacy to go out on this note...

Also kinda funny how he sort of trashes POE. I do agree with him that the movie was too "dramatic" with a capital D...and it didn't just need more humor but also better character development when it came to Moses and Rameses, more Aaron and Miriam as well as more of the ACTUAL Bible. Lol. (And at least an hour more running time...)

[Randall]

Ugh! What horrible quotes. This makes it seem that he hasn't got a sniff. He has no respect for true Disney history (pre-him), or even his early DWA films. What a clueless schmuck. These days, many of us lament that DWA practically peaked with POE, continued to show promise, then settled into utter mediocrity, with a few key exceptions.

[Ben]

JK hates Mary Poppins.

Despite my liking of him (at various points) and his films (on and off), I can't ever quite forgive him for that.

That one fact in itself makes him a hugely flawed filmmaker and someone who only really loved animation once he saw what a cash cow it could be. Once it wasn't, he sold it off. Says it all.

[ShyViolet]

Yes, it's very sad. . He made a lot of bad choices, especially during the last few years.

This is a bit random but I just wanted to say that he is very nice to "regular" people. I met him ten years ago after a speech/presentation he made at Cornell. Needless to say, I was terrified. My hands were shaking and I could barely get out the words to ask for his autograph. He took my Over the Hedge dvd, signed it, then gave it back to me. Then he looked straight into my eyes and said seriously: "Thanks, hon." I will never, ever forget that.

[Dacey]

Vi, a JK fangirl until the very end.

[ShyViolet]

Ha ha. Yeah, I guess so.

[Dan]

I've been trying to figure the best place to mention this, but I guess this is as good as any since the last several posts have been about JK himself.

A while back, when Don Hahn received the June Foray Award at the Annie Awards this year, he made a joke that included JK nearly getting mauled by a lion, which apparently got some big laughs in the room. Cartoon Brew managed to recall that the incident in question happened to have been video taped and, furthermore, it appeared in Hahn's documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty.

The second this was mentioned, I immediately flashed back to when JK, Don Hahn, and many others participated in a great Lion King 10th Anniversary gathering at the Glendale public library that I managed to attend. JK got roped into talking about the incident (I believe by Don, since he apparently loves to rib him about it whenever possible). JK explained that he and the lion had gotten to be good buddies as they went out promoting the Lion King. The lion seemed to want to display his affection for JK whenever possible and pulled him in for a hug, only to accidentally headbutt JK in the face, resulting in him getting a busted lip. So what did the lion do? He wanted to hug JK some more. So there's everyone in a sheer state of panic as the lion wrapped himself around JK's leg, purring throughout, and JK managed to keep his wits as best as he could under the circumstances. I believe Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff were laughing their butts off along with Don throughout JK telling the story. Us audience members were laughing too, out of disbelief and amazement at the story.

In case you don't have the Waking Sleeping Beauty doc, Cartoon Brew has been kind enough to post the video clip (splicing in "Gonna Fly Now") on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BBv6Bptr-NE/

[Ben]

We have the same thing with our (not so little) pup: he jumps up to love us with licks but can inadvertently headbutt you if you don't anticipate what he's going to do next. He's the same with new people: although someone watching might think he's out of control and/or attacking is, he really is just so full of playful loving and only wants to say hello!