Roundup: Is there a Disney/Pixar identity crisis?
Also: Affleck recognized as a Modern Master, and 'Les Mis' cast goes Vogue
A scene from "Wreck-It Ralph."
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Are the Disney and Pixar animation brands beginning to merge into each other? Josh L. Dickey is asking the question, as he notes that Pixar's tradition-focused summer hit "Brave" seemed to borrow significantly from the classic Disney storybook, while Disney's current smash "Wreck-It Ralph" is a hi-tech, pop-savvy firecracker that seems more informed by the contemporary Pixar model of crossover entertainment. (Dickey also wonders if "Ralph"'s box office performance would be even more impressive if it had been released under the Pixar label.) Are the twin houses going to borrow more from each other from here on out, or should Disney be mindful of preserving its more old-school identity? With their next film a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale adaptation, perhaps the overlap is temporary. [Variety]
Ben Affleck, who may need to build a bigger trophy cabinet before the season is out, will receive the Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in January. [LA Times]
Four-time Oscar winner Scott Millan and 15-time nominee Greg Russell discuss the sound work of "Skyfall." I have a feeling another nomination is coming their way. [SoundWorks Collection]
The cast of "Les Miserables" get the Annie Leibovitz treatment. The results are prettier than the film's trailer. [Vogue]
With the presidential race behind us, Tim Grierson outline six ways in which Oscar campaigns are less objectionable that political ones. [IFC]
Steve Pond talks to Ron Yerxa and Bruce Davis, chairmen of the Academy's foreign-language film committee, about this ever-complicated category. [The Wrap]
Best Actress hopeful Jennifer Lawrence continues to give some of the most entertainingly straight-shooting interviews in the business. [New York Times]
Whoa, here's a name from the past: Crowded House's Neil Finn has unveiled "Song of the Lonely Mountain," his theme for "The Hobbit." [Rolling Stone]
Michael Cusumano wants to make sure no one -- least of all Academy members -- forgets about "Moonrise Kingdom" when 2012 is done. [The Film Experience]
Cheer up, "Cloud Atlas," US box office isn't everything. Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis' grand sci-fi folly is cleaning up in Russia. [Screen]
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November 13, 2012 at 11:13AM EST Reply to CommentIgner (Disney CEO) not too long ago said something along these lines: "I was at a parade, and noticed that the Disney characters for the past 10 years were created by Pixar." Pixar isn't being Disneyfied, Disney is being Pixarized. The two cultures are fundamentally different, but now that Pixar leadership is at Disney (Lassater is heading Creative as well as Theme Parks) Disney now should get some collaborative development like Pixar and WB's Termite Terrace (1933 - 1963). As for Brave.. it's a fairy tale. Of course people will "feel" Disney all over it -- Disney took other's Fairy Tails and made them into movies. At least Brave is original from Pixar. (Well, From Brenda Chapman who is now at Lucasfilm which is now in Disney's hand..) x.x I've just gone crosseyed.
Prettok Is this a big problem? Was there a Disney/Touchstone/Hollywood identity crisis back in the '90s?
November 13, 2012 at 12:17PM ESTdfggsg Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures are in-house brands that weren't acquired from outside.
November 13, 2012 at 12:55PM ESTAnd of course, Pixar is getting Disneyfied. The two cultures may start out different but it's very hard to avoid homogenization over time. Companies change and as Pixar's Disney legacy grows it will likely march closer in step with the parent company.
The real issue here is that there is absolutely nothing about LucasFilm or Marvel that screams "Disney!".
anonymous
November 13, 2012 at 11:44AM EST Reply to Comment"Entertainingly straight-shooting?!" Sorry, between her SLEEP NO MORE anecdote and her pejorative comment about the first quarter century of cinema, Lawrence sounds completely obnoxious.
Paul Outlaw Sarcasm doesn't always translate well, and that "pejorative" comment was probably more a jab at "The Artist" anyway. Lawrence is a very entertaining live interview, as I've experienced twice now. Nothing obnoxious about her at all (and I'm usually very judgy about mouthy young actors).
November 13, 2012 at 12:25PM ESTMaxim Didn't read like that too me, Paul. And wouldn't be any better if it was what she meant. It was pretty uncalled for anyway.
November 13, 2012 at 12:35PM ESTMarquan She's 22 years old, of course she doesn't like watching silent movies. Remember, the only people who do like them are probably reading this blog. Most people don't listen to harpsichord music or read epistolary novels either.
November 13, 2012 at 12:47PM ESTAsdd Marquan, that just seems like a very weak defense. There is a big difference between not growing up with something and flatly dismissing it as 'expletitive boring'.
November 13, 2012 at 1:00PM ESTIt's not like she's surrounded by silent films. It's just something she called out. It's more of a taste thing than an age thing.
Marquan Just to be clear, I was insinuating that silent films are in fact, 'expletive boring.' There are certainly entertaining moments in some Chaplin or Keaton films, but by and large they simply don't hold up. I say this as someone who went to film school and watched many, many excruciating hours of them. I understand their influence and their importance in film history, but they simply aren't very entertaining in comparison to more modern efforts who have the advantage of actually communicating what people are saying.
November 13, 2012 at 1:50PM ESTJones Oh, come on! You are being too sensitive about her comments. Have you seen her other interviews, specially ones that are recorded? She's actually quite entertaining, and blatantly honest and open. I rather have that coming from an actor than a please-all fake personality. Maybe you are not the type of person that take honesty too well? For what I know, I'm enjoying Lawrence more and more with each interview. She's refreshingly genuine.
November 13, 2012 at 2:56PM ESThfhfh I completely disagree as someone who had seen a fair share of silent films (both inside and outside of film classes).
November 13, 2012 at 3:08PM ESTIt sounds like you simply overdosed on silent films. Like in any medium there are plenty of boring ones but man there are so many films I can name that are gold all the way through and hold up with the best of them.
Everything from the early truly experimental ones all the way through to the talkies. Amazing stuff. There's just no accounting for taste, I guess. The same goes for diffent types of dance.
"simply aren't very entertaining in comparison to more modern efforts who have the advantage of actually communicating what people are saying."
I don't even know where to start with this one.
I'll just say that just because something isn't entertaining to you doesn't mean it's not entertaining to others.
gggk Jones, I think you are the one who doesn't take honesty well. Relax, dude. Merely making a comment based on the content of what someone said doesn't equate to bashing them.
November 13, 2012 at 3:17PM ESTJones GGGK: Make me chuckle, but thanks. Doesn't it seem a circular thing, bashing the basher? Anon's "mere" comment was an inference to Lawrence's character, and I made another inference on anaon's character based on that "mere" comment. But, whatever, dude. Let's get back to the debate of silent film, which I find more interesting.
November 13, 2012 at 3:46PM ESTred_wine
November 13, 2012 at 11:59AM EST Reply to CommentBen Affleck - over-rated much?
Ian Even during 2003?
November 13, 2012 at 8:55PM ESTRichardZ
November 13, 2012 at 1:35PM EST Reply to CommentWreck It Ralph and Monsters, Inc are kinda the same, no? But I'll worry when ESPN starts hiring Mickey Mouse for Sports Center on Mondays.
Rashad
November 13, 2012 at 7:16PM EST Reply to CommentMaybe people will realize that directors, and writers matter in animation. Understand that Pete Docter is a great director, which leads to a great movie. Quit thanking a studio. Pixar simply had a great stable of (Lasseter, Bird, Docter, Stanton) and then took credit for their accomplishments.