here he talks about the then in pre production of Disney's The Black Cauldron.
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Milt Kahl's lecture at CAL Arts
here he talks about the then in pre production of Disney's The Black Cauldron.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
The Making of The Small One (1978)
(Note this is one of those posts where I go off topic and go on a different topic that happened at Disney. and this film was being made while The Black Cauldron was in pre production in the late 1970's)
in late November and December there are interesting holiday traditions involving TV and movies.
people sit and with their families and watch their favorite Christmas shows.
(Rudolph, Frosty, Santa Claus is Comin' To Town, The Grinch, Charlie Brown, etc)
Before TV, the tradition was a little different. people used to listen to the radio for their favorite Christmas themed episode of their favorite show or a radio Christmas special.
the story (religious in nature), Charles Tezwell's The Small One. produced for The Kate Smith Show
from Wikipedia (UGH):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Small_One_(album)
"The Small One," one of the most touching of all Christmas stories, was first produced in 1939 on the Kate Smith radio show by Robert Welch, who later became a Paramount producer.[1] It was featured in Bing Crosby’s Philco Radio Time broadcast of December 25, 1946"
Bing Crosby - The Small One - Dec 24, 1946
"and Decca Records soon arranged to make a new recording of it. This took place on March 20, 1947. The album was released on September 2, 1947[2] and in due course it was ordered by more than 1,500 private schools in the USA.[3]
"Crosby researcher Fred Reynolds outlined the story:
This Christmas story is narrated by Crosby when, in Old Mexico at the hour of siesta, he sees the boy Pablo berating a disreputable looking donkey. He explains that what is mistaken for stubbornness in the breed is, in fact, the pride that was brought by one that fulfilled their destiny. He relates how, many years ago, a boy was sent by his father to take an old donkey (the "Small One") to the tanner and obtain a piece of silver for its hide; of how the boy first tried to save the animal by selling it to a new owner at an auction where he was scoffed at and re-buffed; of how, entering the tanner's gate he is stopped by a stranger asking if he will sell the donkey to him as he has to undertake a long journey and his wife is not well; of how, when the new owner is stopped at the town gate by a soldier and asked his identity, replies that he is Joseph, his wife is Mary and that they are on their way to Bethlehem. There, in a stable, a King was born and the Small One was envied for becoming part of a great miracle.
Bing tells the charming story with conviction and he is well supported by the other actors and the background effects and music provided by Victor Young with a "Silent Night, Holy Night" conclusion. The "hoofbeats" effects (the same notes that the angels sang in their rejoicing) are adroitly interpolated.[4]"
https://archive.org/details/78_the-small-one_bing-crosby-charles-tazewell-victor-young-robert-welch_gbia0020200
"Crosby repeated The Small One on his Philco shows of December 24, 1947 and December 22, 1948.[5]"
in 1947. The Small One was published as a book.
from wikipedia (Again?)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Small_One
"By the early 1970s, several of Disney's senior animators had died or retired, but the continuous success of their animated features convinced studio executives that the animation department was still lucrative but in desperate need for new talent.[1] Veteran animator Eric Larson was selected to head the training program, in which he selected and trained graduates from colleges and art schools across the United States.[2] Eventually, twenty-five new artists were hired from 1970 to 1977.[3]
The idea for The Small One originated from story trainee Pete Young who found the book among optioned properties at the studio library. He developed the initial storyboards at home, and pitched it to Ron Miller who claimed it to be a story with "heart". To help polish the storyboard, Miller brought on veteran Disney storyboard artist Vance Gerry to collaborate with Young.[4][3] Larson had assumed he would be directing the film and brought Burny Mattinson to help re-board the story, as well as veteran animator Cliff Nordberg to help assist on the animation.
According to Mattinson, the team left on Friday for the weekend, and returned on Monday to have their work tossed out because studio management had decided to give the project to Don Bluth to direct.[1] Then-animator Betsy Baytos claimed Larson, in reaction to the news, "just shook his head and knew that he wasn't being appreciated. He felt the old days were gone."
In retrospect, Bluth stated, "Small One was something I directed to get the crew busy until Pete's Dragon...[Larson] might have [been involved] in the storyboard area. [But he] didn't get to direction. I think he elected to [teach]."[3] Given the allotted production budget, Bluth composed two songs himself with a third song composed by assistant director Richard Rich,[4] and recycled animation of Mowgli from The Jungle Book.[5]"
From Don Bluth and Gary Goldman's Blog
dragonslairthemovie.com/working-on-disneys-the-small-one/
There were 127 artists, camera operators and administrators involved in the making of this film, many of whom were not credited.
In those days, as a new animator, you had to have created at least 100 feet of animation in a film (about 68 seconds) in order to receive a credit on the film. If your employed position was below the level of a character animator, a layout artist, background artist, effects animator or a department supervisor, you would not receive a credit on a film. How times have changed.
Eric Larson, a legendary member of Disney’s “Nine Old Men” was a master animator and the mentor to many of us animation trainees. He had nurtured the promising story artist, Pete Young’s idea to bring the Charles Tazewell book, The Small One, to life as an animated short film. Working with veteran storyman, Vance Gerry, and with Eric’s guidance, Pete was able to flesh out the storyboards for the 30 minute short.
Eric ushered the project into production with the intention of producing the little film and having his long-time animation assistant, story artist and animator, Burny Mattinson to direct the animation. However, the studio’s animation producer/director, Woolie Reitherman had begun nurturing Don Bluth to be the next animation feature-film producer/director.
Unbeknownst to Eric, Woolie announced to the crew that Don Bluth would be the Producer/director for The Small One. This caused much concern to Don and to the young turks in the Disney animation training program.
The trainee’s mentor, whom they had expected to produce the film and would have continued to tutor them on the film as well, would not be the producer of the film. There was a bit of anger and an effort to quash this decision by approaching the-then company chairman, Ron Miller. They made a plea to have Mr. Miller approach Woolie to reverse the decision. That did not happen. Don became the new producer/director.
Don, on the other hand, was surprised by Woolie’s decision to cast him in this position so soon after his debut as the Director of animation for Pete’s Dragon (1977). And, worst of all, the announcement was made without notifying Eric. But that was Woolie’s plan, to see if Don could stand the heat and handle the adversity. Don was very aware that Eric was involved with Pete Young’s presentation and that he had been mentoring Pete on this project for months. The challenge would be difficult.
Friday, December 14, 2018
DIsney News Magazine summer 1985
interesting stuff you can find on Internet Archive
this topic I'm bringing up is the Disney News Magazine
https://archive.org/details/DisneyNewsMagazine_Vol20.3_1985.Summer/page/26
Friday, November 30, 2018
Mel Shaw's art for DIsney's The Black Cauldron
Jim Korkis’ Animation Anecdotes #265: When it came to doing The Black Cauldron (1985),
part of the five volumes of Lloyd Alexander’s The Prydain Chronicles, storyman Mel Shaw was given the task to read all the books and condense all the heroes,
villains and storylines into a workable cinematic story.
He made close to 250 colored pastel sketches of key dramatic moments and put them onto 35mm slides and then synchronized the slides to a recording of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana (and some other music).
This resulted in a twenty-minute presentation for Shaw to pitch the story of a young boy’s quest for a sinister cauldron that must be destroyed.
http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animation-anecdotes-265/
images from Heritage Auctions
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Lloyd Alexander
Documentary about Lloyd Alexander produced by Jared Crossley
If you like, you can also check out his blog http://lloydalexanderfilm.blogspot.com/
Excerpt from Wielding the Two-Edged Enchanted Sword Starlog Magazine, #101, 1985-12 pp. 40-41
Alexander had very little creative input into the Disney adaptation of The Black Cauldron “When the Disney Studio began working on the story treatment several years ago, they invited me to work with them,” he says. “I wanted to, but I knew that I didn’t have the skill. So, I wished them the best of luck, told them to have a good time and kept my hands safely off.
"So many authors are eager to sell movie rights, but complain when it doesn’t turn out the way they expected. That’s ridiculous! The Disney writers and animators are every bit the artist that I am. It would be silly for me to get in the way of their creative process.
"I haven’t seen the film yet, so I don’t know how good a job they’ve done. The bits of animation that I have seen are spectacular. The colors and detail are incredible — it’s vin-tage Disney of the 1930s and ‘40s.”
So, Lloyd Alexander waited for the official release of The Black Cauldron to view the first film adaptation of one of his books. “I suppose that if I flew out to California they would have arranged a screening for me. But to be honest, I would rather wait. Otherwise, it’s like peeking at Christmas presents early. I prefer to open them slowly and savor them. Because once you get them open, you have to wait another whole year for next Christmas.”
from Chris Baker’s flickr photo of his 1997 response letter from Lloyd about the petition to get The Black Cauldron on video
"Dear Chris Baker:
Many thanks for your fine letter. It's surly the best compliment that any writer would hope for.
That's a fascinating idea. an online petition for a re-release of Disney's version of The Black Cauldron: or, for that matter,
even a videotape. (I'd buy a few myself) Yes, I'm certainly all for it: however,
I mustn't add my name to the petition: it would be a sort of conflict of interest.
Even so, I was delighted by your comments: and very deeply touched, and send appreciation and all warmest greetings.
Lloyd Alexander"
https://www.flickr.com/photos/c-bake/507315170/
Jim Korkis’ Animation Anecdotes #144:
Author Lloyd Alexander was interviewed by Scholastic Inc. before he passed away in 2007 and one of the questions the students asked was his feeling about Disney’s animated feature “The Black Cauldron” (1985)
based on his books.
Alexander replied: “First, I have to say, there is no resemblance between the movie and the book. Having said that, the movie in itself,
purely as a movie, I found to be very enjoyable. I had fun watching it. What I would hope is that anyone who sees the movie would certainly enjoy it,
but I’d also hope that they’d actually read the book. The book is quite different. It’s a very powerful, very moving story, and I think people would find a lot more depth in the book.
There is a very good possibility of other movies. Disney, again, is interested in an animated movie of ‘Time Cat’. This could happen in the next several years. Time Cat should be a lot of fun as an animated movie
– I just hope I’m around to see it.” Time Cat is about Gareth a talking cat who can visit nine different points of history (his nine lives, basically).
http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animation-anecdotes-144/
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
The Comic Book of the Film
The comic book panals follow a little bit close to that of the storyboards, with some abridged and altered dialogue.
some of the deleted stuff made it in the comic. And a addition to note: the dialogue has been dumbed down for this comic book,
(like the 1985 Theatrical Cut, the violent parts that Jeffery Katzenberg and the Disney employees cut did not make it to the comic book)
here are some glimpses
although the some parts of the panels in this comic resembels the the earlier alternate fairfolk scene from 1983
the rest resemembels the finalized film
what was trimed
Like in the story boards these comic panels prove this scene was a bit longer
you might think it is strange to see deleted and alternate stuff in the comic book.
back then it was common for comic book adaptations of movies to have such things,
Monday, September 24, 2018
30 years later (on October 2015)
an event I never gone to
on October of 2015, The Black Cauldron had a showing at the El Captain Theatre
you can read the article here:
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2015/10/31/the-black-cauldron-at-the-el-capitan-theatre/
"The Way It Was Meant To Be Seen" on the big screen
the July 1985 Theatrical cut, not the 1984 work in progress cut. please don't be disappointed
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