Jim on Film: Will the Sun Ever Shine Again?
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In looking at what is already on the slate, I pray that the new powers that be do whatever it must to stop another Disney animated film from hitting the theaters until it is as near to perfection as possible. I haven’t kept up with the December release of Meet the Robinsons, but if it will be a case of history repeating itself, then do whatever it takes, spend whatever is needed to fix it.

If (and hopefully when) Walt Disney Feature Animation returns to doing traditional animation, I think it would be a good idea to start an advertising campaign to remind people of the magic in the art form. In the recent past, Disney tried to do that by highlighting whatever connection the newest film had with The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. And when that didn’t happen, they tried to make whatever comparisons they could. If Disney’s going to be making a grand re-entrance into hand drawn animation, then they need to do it loud and proud. People love sharing their childhoods with other children—their own, their grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. They need to tap into that adoration. After the mudslide of CGI films, Disney needs to remind people of what they’ve always loved—for the grandmothers who grew up with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella, the parents who remember The Jungle Book and Robin Hood, the young parents who grew up with The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, the date crowd who remembers The Lion King with fondness, the ‘tweens who grew up watching Pocahontas and Mulan daily, and the kids who laughed along to Lilo and Stitch and Brother Bear. Remind people that Disney has never been in the business of anything other than touching the heart with great stories and artistry. This could be done by running montage ads in the theaters recalling the great moments of Disney animation, a celebration of fond memories. Separate montages could precede the feature presentations on DVDs. They could also do what they did in the early 90s, when Disney produced several television specials celebrating the music of Disney, recalling classics of the past and promoting revenue of the future.

In addition to the hope for a return of traditional animation, another exciting aspect of these new developments is Steve Jobs’s public expression of disdain for cheapquels. I have been appalled that animation folks online have actually decried the demise of the studios on foreign soil that create these kiddie flicks. While I certainly don’t want to see anyone out of a job, I can’t help but feel there is hope that these artistic abominations could be nearing an end. Recent reports have discussed the decline in popularity of these films, citing declining overall DVD sales as a root cause. Perhaps I know little about business, but considering that I could count on one hand the number of average folks I know who have actually said something positive about these movies, I would surmise that it has less to do with the market than disillusionment on the part of consumers. After all, they’ve been around long enough that young people now in college are the first generation to have spent time growing up with these cheapquels. I have a feeling, though, that with proper guidance, these artists could be put to use to make money for the studio in a way that won’t demean the quality product, perhaps making straight to DVD releases based on television shows.

I’m choosing to be an optimist about all this; however, there are some potential negatives that could result from this development. I recently read that Pixar now wants to churn out two films a year, which beats the ambitious production schedule of one a year Disney set for itself in the late 80s. People keep saying that Pixar’s winning streak can’t last forever. Similarly, there are those who, once upon a time, would have called Pinochhio, Fantasia, and Bambi flops, but I think it is entirely possible for Pixar to release two films a year and still maintain high quality. As far as I’m concerned, Disney never had an entire artistic flop all the way through and including Brother Bear. That doesn’t mean Pixar won’t have the flailing opus, but a financial loss hardly equates into a flop. I have confidence that Pixar can do it, but I think it will only lead to disaster. History will repeat itself, and it will be too much for consumers to handle.

There was a time when I wondered if my beloved art form would ever shine again, if any animated film could ever excite me again like the first time I sat in the theater hearing “Be Our Guest�? or read about Mulan or saw the trailer for Treasure Planet. I honestly don’t know what will happen, but at the moment, I’m enjoying the rays breaking through the clouds.

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-- Jim Miles

-- Posted February 13, 2006