Between Books - Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering

This book is safe!

There’s no controversy on the page. No one really fights internally. And you are left with questions about how an overfilled work schedule impacts families. Honestly, it’s just a safe read that gives one insight into the development of Disney theme parks, especially in Asia.

Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering by Bob Weis outlines the former Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) President’s career. The book opens with brief chapters on Weis’ family, school days, and college which includes his decision to move from drama into architecture. Having been an expert popcorn salesman at Disneyland, Weis hoped to translate his passion for theme parks and design education into a position at WDI’s predecessor WED, a journey that was not immediate. Eventually, he would be recruited onto the Tokyo Disneyland Team, which was mean and lean with most Imagineers focussed on EPCOT. This put the young Weis in a position to manage international projects and gain valuable experience in leading artistic teams. The success he found would lead to decades of projects around the world like Epcot enhancements, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Tokyo DisneySea. He would also leave Disney for several years and lead his own design firm, allowing him to experience placemaking outside of Disney parks until he was asked to return. And he sat at a key seat as he watched a Disney project that was never to be in Disney’s America. With his decades of global and team experience, Weis was asked in 2016 to become the President of WDI and would lead the team till his retirement through the difficult moment of COVID-19, while trying to maintain the artistic standards taught to him by past leaders like Marty Sklar.

So, this book is really safe. I feel part of this is due to this being an official Disney Editions book, a press that would not seek to stir controversy in corporate history. So, even when critical Weis remains kind. And I’m sure many Disney fans were hoping that he would critique Bob Chapek, a relationship fans believed led to Weis’ retirement. I also believe that Weis and his personality are not seeking to be critical of those he worked with just out of discretion. So when noting difficult personalities that he may have worked with during his decades, he also includes a positive that they brought to the working environment.

I did find the book’s organization at times to be much more a loose set of essays than an interwoven story. Some chapters are only two pages long and may give more of a feeling than details of projects. I’d say if you were looking for detailed history, you will find it here in chapters on topics like Disney’s America and all that went wrong or the development of Hollywood’s Studios, typically in longer chapters. But at times I wondered if some of these quick hits would have done better in combination chapters.

Weis to be fair was really really busy. Disney literally sent him throughout the world. And while one gets the sense that he loved his work and the travel it provided, you also get hints of the cost…family. There are relationships hinted to in partners and children, that Weis tells us enough to know they cherished them but may have also had strain. As he points out in Tokyo, his partner at the time was often left alone while Weis started his day in the dark and ended it in the dark. Honestly, I think there is a lot that can be said about the cost of work-life balance, and I would have loved to hear more from a successful manager and leader about what he has learned even when his relationships have been strained.

Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering by Bob Weis is a collection of essays about leading in Imagineering, especially with projects that American fans may not have experienced…and didn’t with Disney’s America. I think that Disney parks fans will find this to be an essential read for those who want to dig deeper into the parks globally, but non or casual fans may not find it as engaging. 

 

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Mousey Movies - Argo

Argo directed and starring Ben Affleck may be an odd pick for a Mousey Movie, but it is Mousey through and through despite being released by Warner Brothers. Sure, there are no cartoon animals, no plots full of gags, and I would not show it to the Between Tween because I think she would miss the historical contexts. But Argo has numerous ties to the House of Mouse and they cannot be ignored. In fact Sully (John Goodman) and Father in Law Christmas (Alan Arkin) both have significant roles and tie into some of my favorite Disney franchises.

Argo recounts the story of Central Intelligence Agency agent Tony Menedez, played by Affleck, and his efforts to lead six United States Embassy employees out of Tehran, Iran during the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979. The six had fled the embassy and were in hiding at the Canadian Embassy. Menedez works with contacts in Hollywood to stage the production of a fake movie, Argo, so Mendez can spirit them out of the country as Canadian production staff. The movie is full of tension as the audience worries if Mendez and the six passengers will make it out of the country safely.

You know as I think about it, this movie is really in the mold of Disney movies. There is some violence, but Menedez’s strained relationship with his family is highlighted along with his desire to be closer to them. He easily could be the dad in a PG movie fighting the balance of work and family. And the action and escape plot kind of reminds me of Touchstone’s (which means Disney’s) 1988 film The Rescue, a film in which teenagers save their Navy SEAL fathers from North Korean captivity, a film that was introduced to by Uncle Mike on The Wonderful World of Disney (or whatever version existed at the time).

Mousey connections to Argo include:

• Action Hero: So Ben Affleck really does not have typical “Disney” credentials. But Disney has other labels they release films through. Touchstone Pictures was established by Disney in 1984 for the release of more mature films. Affleck has appeared in two mega-hits for Touchstone. These hits were 1998’s Armageddon and 2001’s Pearl Harbor. When I rode The Studio Backlot Tour at Disney-MGM Studios (yeah, it’s been that long), it was Pearl Harbor that was plastered throughout the attraction. Both of these films were produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, who now makes movies with the Disney label and makes buckets and buckets of money for the mouse. Disney actually helped Affleck in his big break. Affleck won an Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) with Matt Damon for 1997’s Good Will Hunting which was distributed by Miramax Films. Disney owned Miramax from 1993 to 2010, which they purchased as a studio to produce independent minded films with an adult edge. Affleck would later appear in Miramax’s 1998 Shakespeare in Love, which won the Academy Award for best picture, which I am still angry about today since Saving Private Ryan was clearly the better movie.

• Plush: Menedez’s fake movie Argo is targeted due to the success of Star Wars. Basically everyone is trying to copy that success, including the CIA. Of course Disney itself tried to grab the coattails of Lucas’ success by offering up the underrated The Black Hole. The fact that Argo is a Star Wars rip off is clear at a table read which includes a character that can only be described as Purple Chewbacca! The impact of Star Wars goes past Purple Chewy, as Menedez’s son has a collection of Star Wars action figures that I am quite jealous of. Even as a grown adult I would really love his X-Wing, Millennium Falcon and the tall Boba Fett we see out of boxes in his bedroom!

• Crossroads: When you visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios the Imagineers want to put you into Hollywood even though you are in Florida. To set the scene they use a number of Los Angeles’ landmarks to set the scene. One of these is a replica of the Crossroads of the World, which some claim is the world’s first shopping mall. The icon is a tower with a spinning glob on top and is found inside the entrance to the theme park. In Argo the icon can be seen as Mendez and his producing partner Lester Siegel, played by Alan Arkin, attempt to purchase the Argo script. 

Crossroads of the World

• Old Guys: Of course a plan this crazy requires approval. So Menedez and his boss played by Bryan Cranston report to two senior CIA executives to get approval for them to kickoff their Hollywood plan. Cranston notes, “It’s like talking to the old guys on the Muppets.” The pair clearly are grumpy old men.

• Tough Security: Anyone who has flown to Anaheim and Orlando knows that security can be strict. Ironically during the time period that Argo covers, airport security was less strict with friends and family visiting passengers at the gate. If you want to see tough security, you have to check out the multiple checks at the Tehran Airport as Menedez attempts to bring his passengers out of Tehran. Once when a TSA agent at John Wayne grilled my kids I thought it odd, but I appreciated that he was confirming they were who I said they were. But Argo makes it clear that security in today’s America is a lot more convenient than revolutionary Iran.

Argo is a great movie, and I would be more than happy to let Affleck participate in the Marvel or Star Wars universes after this fantastic offering. I look forward to seeing Affleck’s next project, which is not scheduled for Disney but Warner Brothers. But hopefully it will be just as Mousey and as entertaining as Argo.

Oswald Opines - Disney Purchases Lucasfilm

It is likely by now you have read through many news outlets that Disney acquired Lucasfilm today through a cash and stock purchase.  As a Disney fan I cannot be more excited!  Star Wars, as we first knew it was one of the first movies I remember seeing in the theater and dominated my play as a kid.  And though I walked away from serious fandom as a young adult, Star Wars was always there to entertain me when needed.  As a father I have been able to rediscover the Star Wars universe with my children.  I honestly could not be more excited about what Disney may do with the Lucasfilm properties, especially Star Wars.

Bob Iger and George Lucas Make History

The following are my first thoughts, before we know much of the details of this deal and Disney’s plans (other than to make buckets and buckets of money):

·         Feature Films: Star Wars Episode VII was revealed with the announcement of this acquisition for 2015.  And it has been confirmed what many of us initially assumed, Star Wars comes in threes!  Story treatments have already been developed for a full new trilogy.  Kathleen Kennedy will be executive producer for these new films, with George Lucas consulting.  This will effectively be the first time that canon will be developed outside of Lucas’ full creative control.  

But there are opportunities for other films.  Captain America: The First Avenger director Joe Johnston started his career at Lucasfilm.  He would like to helm a Boba Fett feature.  Fett is special to Johnston as he designed the bounty hunter’s armor.  With his success for Disney in the Avengers franchise (along with the cult favorite The Rocketeer), maybe Disney would green light this dream project.  So maybe there are other films in the hazy future. 

Of course other franchises other than Star Wars will be impacted.  The Indiana Jones property could see new films in the future.  But I believe other potential projects will be killed.  To me as a complete outsider I believe this seals that a John Carter trilogy will never happen.  Why would Disney invest in a Star Wars like franchise when they own Star Wars?   Despite the fact that the original Edgar Rice Burroughs books inspired Lucas, one of the chief complaints was critics felt the Disney film was a copy of Lucas’ franchise.

One thing I wonder about is 3D.  We got Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace last winter.  But I have really not heard any news about Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.  At one time they talked about a yearly release plan.  Does Disney shelf this as results with the first release were good but not great.  Or do they use their experience, that includes winning the weekend war with 3D animation rereleases, and continue to give us the 3D releases? 

I also think it is important to call out that in the personal history of both Walt Disney and George Lucas is a shared thread of improving the technology of movie making.  Along with the movie franchises Disney now owns Industrial Light and Magic, Skywalker Sound and Lucasfilm’s other business holdings.  I hope the Mouse continues to respect the genius of both men and support technology improvements, which enriches our viewing experiences.

·        Theme Parks: Lucas has been working with Disney for decades to provide theme park attractions globally.  In fact he has stated he believes Star Wars should have a theme park but he lacked the finances to afford building a park on par with Disneyland and other Disney parks.  And this deal means Disney fans will see more Lucas in the parks.  I believe the park that will benefit the most in the United States will be Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando.  The area around Star Tours is ripe for a Stars War Land.  Past rumors have included the Cantina (but can you eat with Greedo) and an expanded Jedi Training Academy (which Orlando really does need).  But what other treasures could there be in store other than shopping experiences?  

At the Disneyland Park to me the possibilities are more limited.  Star Tours is there, along with a large shop.  But would anyone really want to remove Space Mountain for a Star Wars themed coaster?  Though I admit a seasonal overlay  for May 4^th would be really awesome.  Additionally, would they remove Autopia for a Pod Racer or Speeder course?  I hope not, since it’s really the only opening day attraction still there in Tomorrowland.  Innoventions would be an ideal location for something Star Wars.  But I personally would prefer to bulldoze that and put either the Stark Expo or an Iron Man coaster in its place! 

Of course, another gate would also be a possibility now.  A new theme park in Anaheim has been rumored for years, with the latest version of the rumor being Marvel Superhero Park.  I still think that has more of a possibility today, as Disney really needs to do something with their Marvel properties also. 

I also believe this means Star Wars Weekends will continue with no hitches.  I would say they would only be better in the future with Disney having contacts in house.  But honestly, the cooperation on these events has been pretty good so I do not know how they could even be done better.  But maybe, this could mean an opening for a California version of the event.  Or maybe meet in greets with Star Wars characters will happen all year round.

This acquisition will also keep the presence of Indiana Jones firmly in place in both U.S. resorts.  Indiana Jones keeps getting lost in this deal, but as good as Star Tours is Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye is just as good and for some guests better. 

Can we officially get rid of Avatarland now?  Disney owns Star Wars, can guarantee that future movies will come out and it is a better property.  Can this door be closed?

One open question I have is what does this mean for the Legoland family of parks?  They have developed Star Wars themed attractions.  Will their contracts allow them to keep them?  Will Disney?  Disney has a working relationship with Lego, liscensing for example the Pirates of the Caribbean Lego game but will this relationship continue?

·        Television:  I am a big fan of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  But I think fans can acknowledge that it probably has only two more seasons beyond this one at the most.  The stories are simply getting closer and closer to Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.  One of my thoughts when coming to terms with this is what happens to supervising producer Dave Filoni.  Filoni is a Star Wars fan, a skilled storyteller, and one of the few to have had Master Star Wars classes with Lucas.  Disney understands story and values storytellers.  Could Filoni become a John Lasseter for Star Wars animation?  I hope so.  At the last Star Wars Celebration they showed to fans that had kids samples of a show called Young Jedi.  This program would feature Ahsoka as a mentor to younger padawans.  And it is just the sort of thing that sounds Disney!  It easily could find a home on Disney XD.  Maybe reruns of Star Wars: The Clone Wars could find a home there too, as we have seen with some Marvel animated titles.   And they have done a nice job with original animated title in Disney XD like Ultimate Spider-Man.  It is a match made in heaven! 

Of course Star Wars Detours needs a home.  Honesty Cartoon Network I did not want you to have it.  The channel may be claiming to be reviving Saturday morning cartoons.  But what I have seen in the last year is taking prime time programming like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Young Justice and hiding it.  Even my DVR is confused!  But Star Wars Detours would look fantastic on the Disney Channel playing in a block with Gravity Falls.

Then there are all the other possibilities.  Could Droids and Ewoks show up on Disney Junior?  Does ABC Family in the future have trilogy marathons?  How about a Young Indiana Jones reboot?  Now that is something that would look really good on Disney XD!  

·        Everything Else:  This is a big deal.  These are big rich companies so a lot of thoughts come to mind.  Some of the other misscelanous include such thoughts as will there be a Mickey/Pixar/Muppets/Star Wars/Marvel crossover of some type.  My guess is maybe someday but not quickly.  To date there has only been one Disney/Marvel crossover and that was the Avengers and the elves from Prep & Landing.  Will Star Wars comics return to Marvel?  Will Disney Publishing take over the Expanded Universe?  I think those two will be tied to what current contracts allow and if licensing is more profitable than full production for Disney.  It is not like Disney is recognized as a publisher of science fiction novels.   And we will get the original theatrical releases on Blu Ray?  First of all, Disney has shown willingness to listen to creative voices in the past.  And George Lucas is not just a Disney fan, he’s part owner now.  So I am guessing that until Lucas gives the green light, that would be a no! 

Honestly, I am still stunned.  This came out of nowhere, but is also something I have thought for years would be a great idea.  This may be a bigger day than Disney’s purchase of Marvel.  As one tweet I saw earlier said, Princess Leia is now a Disney Princess!     

Mousey Movies - The Sorcerer's Apprentice

A budget of $150,000,000 combined with a box office of $215,283,742 will get you a label of box office flop!  No, I’m not talking about John Carter.  That sad marketing tale has a budget of $250,000.000 for a box office of $282.778.100.  So clearly the first film should have been a hit as it outperformed my favorite flop.  Yet, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice was labeled one of the biggest flops of 2010.  Admittedly it does appear that Disney live action films have been lacking on return of investment when you begin to break down the numbers and do not see double or triple returns.  And one begins to wonder how Oz: The Great and Powerful and The Lone Ranger will shake out financially. 

Nicolas Cage plays Balthazar Blake, a wizard apprentice to Merlin.  He faces off against fellow apprentice Maxim Horvath over hundreds of years in a struggle of good and evil.  If Horvath wins the evil of Morgana le Fay will spread across the earth destroying life as we know it as she resurrects every dead evil wizard that had ever lived.  The only power that can stop the forces of evil is the next Grand Merlinean.  The unlikely candidate for Merlin’s power is physics student Dave, an very unlikely hero.  The likable Dave, played by Jay Buruchel, attempts to date a past school mate Becky, played by Teresa Palmer who also appears in Disney’s Bedtime Stories, as he balance college and magical studies.  But this is just a side note in a movie built to be a Mousey Movie:    

·        To Infinity and Beyond:  When we meet Dave for the first time we initially see what must be a favorite toy, his Buzz Lightyear.

·         Mr. Narrator Man:  There is a lot of back story to fill in.  So of course they use a narrator to catch the audience up on hundreds of years of mostly off screen action.  That voice sounds so familiar, and it should to Disney fans as its Blackbeard himself, Ian McShane.  Disney fans can visit this dread pirate within the current version of Pirates of the Caribbean in Anaheim and Orlando and revisit his tale in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

·         Multi Bear: Alfred Molina, I must give you mad respect.  I have been aware of Molina, especially as a villain in his long career.  His portrayal of Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2 was disturbing to me.  I still will not let me kids watch that installment of the webslinger because I am convinced the scene where Doc Ock awakens in the hospital will give them nightmares.  It kind of gives me nightmares and action movies do not generally impact me that way.  But I failed to understand was how long and rich his film career has been including Raiders of the Lost Ark and playing the husband in Not Without My Daughter, just two iconic movies on his resume.  Disney fans may recognize Molina as villain/con man/reputable businessman Sheik Amar in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.  But honestly what really got me nerded out was that recently he voiced the Multi Bear in Gravity Falls.  Seriously if you have not caught Gravity Falls yet, do yourself and favor and enjoy the awesomeness.  In Molina’s episode the main character Dipper can become a man the typical way, by killing the arch enemy of the Minotaurs (yeah Minotaurs) the likeable Multi Bear.    

 

·         National Treasure:  So let me throw another set of numbers at you.  With a budget of $100,000,000 and a box office of $347,512,318 you have a hit!  And you get to make more movies!  And when your sequel has a reasonable raise in its budget to $130,000,000 and you make 457,364.600 you get to make another movie.  In this case the other movie was The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.  The first two films were National Treasure and National Treasure: Book of Secrets.  These films brought huge windfalls for Disney with a team of producer Jerry Bruckheimer (of Pirates fame), director Jon Turtletaub, and lead actor Nicolas Cage.  Clearly with the gang back together this team had a long leash and a bigger budget for their record of success.  I honestly enjoyed The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but maybe the number crunchers would have preferred National Treasure 3.

·         Mops:  Any Disney fan who hears Sorcerer’s Apprentice instantly thinks Fantasia and the original “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” sequence featuring Mickey Mouse and the Wizard Yensid.  The imagery that sticks with most of us is the uncontrollable mops cleaning as Apprentice Mickey attempts to use magic to cut corners with a nearly tragic result.  Fortunately for Disney fans, Dave attempts the same shortcut with similar results.  

·         Master Magician: After the credits there is a brief scene in which someone picks up Horvath’s hat.  Another distinctive hat is also visible, a tall blue wizard hat covered with stars that resembles the one worn by Mickey Mouse in the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and the main icon and wienie of Disney Hollywood Studios. 

Maybe I have a thing for box office flops?  I honestly really enjoyed The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and I think I can pin it on two reasons.  First, stuff blows up.  I like stuff blowing up in escapist adventures and Cage in my book has done a nice job giving us enjoyable movies where explosions happen at just the right time.  Second, this movie was filled with references like the mop sequence to please the Disney fan.  If you asked if I recommended this film, I would admit it has gotten a rewatch with me.  So, give it a try it may make you feel magical.