They need to stick to the roots.

bhead88 · Post by **bhead88** » Mar Tue 04, 2008 1:55 am

Disney needs to stop doing movies like College Road Trip and National Treasure. They have nothing to do with Disney. Don't get me wrong, National Treasure was a good movie (don't really care about College Road Trip), but they just have nothing to do with Walt's original intentions (as understood by what I've heard). Anybody with me or am I just out of line?

Post by **js3901** » Mar Tue 04, 2008 2:29 am

While I agree that they need to go back to basics and stick with what worked in the past, I disagree with the "stop what they're doing now" mentality and the "it's so un-Disney/it's not what Walt would do" ideas/comments. people need to change, to evolve to survive. If Walt hadn't laid the first steps of WDW, would we have 11 parks in 4 different countries? if he didn't change and add to his parks, would we have the same few attractions in DLR from opening day? Did Walt not do different ventures, and encourage his employees to find a way to "Plus It"?

If things don't change, or they don't adapt, then they die. and if the Disney company were to fold, what would we be talking about today? How great they could have been?

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Mar Tue 04, 2008 5:13 am

Well, there's a difference between something that is fundamentally un-Disney and something that Walt might not have done. It's true that Walt was always looking to the future and trying new things, but always within certain constraints.

Everything should be top quality, of course, but it should also have universal appeal (and that included bridging the smart/stupid divide, not just the boundaries of good taste).

While these particular films are not interesting to me, I don't see anything wrong with them in principle. Walt made live action films and shows in his day (see my avatar). I think Walt would have been bored making pedestrian fare like this, but he might have some division of the company working on such things. Not everything Walt made was gold.

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Mar Tue 04, 2008 12:20 pm

i agree that it'd be nice if disney stopped cranking out movies mostly geared towards kids that usually fall way short with the critics and most adults. one amazing and wonderful thing about disney is that they have a reputation for making movies that are enjoyable for all ages-- not just children. in this day and age, that's a very difficult thing to do, and yet they succeed often (especially with pixar, lately).

so maybe that's what you meant by walt's intentions? as in, movies that were appreciated by all age groups?

i do think disney should keep making movies that are original, however. i just think that they need to put more work into them and not just let the cash flow in from desperate parents taking their kids to disney movies just because there's nothing else out for children to see.

yodiwan1 · Post by **yodiwan1** » Mar Tue 04, 2008 4:48 pm

to be honest, I think most of the non-traditional movies are fine. The pacifier was very funny, national treasure was great, and the mighty ducks movies are awesome! How would you define a traditional movie anyhow? Disney has always done regular films as well as their classic cartoons.

Esmeralda · Post by **Esmeralda** » Mar Tue 04, 2008 7:09 pm

National Treasure has been quite the surprising gem to me. As a recent college grad I am also intrigued by College Road Trip, though it does remind me of a movie called Good Buger - so ridiculous it was almost good! I agree that all the movies put out won't be gems, but I think Disney is acually heading in the right direction.

Calypso · Post by **Calypso** » Mar Wed 05, 2008 8:17 am

I think Walt would want to see Disney's movie making expand to be as inclusive as possible. His goal with the parks was to create a place everyone in the family come could and have fun. Shouldn't the principle be the same with the movies? For a large part of the young audience, at a certain age, even the pixar movies seem too-childish. So Disney draws the families in with National Treasure and such. I find that very Disney-like.

DIAC1987 · Post by **DIAC1987** » Mar Wed 05, 2008 10:54 am

"For a large part of the young audience, at a certain age, even the pixar movies seem too-childish."

You may have to look at Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille again. There's much more beneath the "child-friendly" entertainment.

Calypso · Post by **Calypso** » Mar Wed 05, 2008 11:14 am

You may have to look at Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille again. There's much more beneath the "child-friendly" entertainment.

I'm not saying that these movies don't appeal to a wider audience, because they certainly do!! My oldest is only 11 and loves all things Disney, but she doesn't want to invite her friends to the movies with us when the movie is in a a so-called "traditional" Disney movie. You know, the whole peer pressure thing. Some of her friends don't like the traditional Disney movies, but jump at the chance to see something like National Treasure.

disneyfamily2008 · Post by **disneyfamily2008** » Mar Fri 21, 2008 11:27 pm

I agree with the Origianal poster. I want to see more Hand drawn Anamation. Enchanted comes as close as it gets to a Walt Disney film in the past 4 years or so.

wdwannabe · Post by **wdwannabe** » Mar Sat 22, 2008 10:51 pm

I thought National Treasure one was really good, but the second was not as good. I think they took the demand for the first one with how good it was and people want action adventure movies to take the family too, that are not animated, and there really is not anything out there to take a family too. What were they thinking, was it just a money ploy? By riding the coat tails of the first, people were going to want to see the second, I for one did, because the first one was so good. I was disapointed in National Treasure 2. Disney and others, should see the need for good quality films...

bhead88, I think Disney should make live action films too.

WVParkfan · Post by **WVParkfan** » Apr Tue 08, 2008 1:50 pm

I think we all agree that quality has to be the highest priority.

But, just like our opinions on which rides we like or don't, whether fastpasses are a good or bad idea, or whether EMH is more or less crowded, we won't all agree on whether or not they are "good." These movies aren't created for the masses. They appeal to a certain audience... those kids who really like to watch the Disney Channel.

Believe me, I'm sick to death of Hannah Montana! But, my 8 year old daughter loves her, and when they make movies/ TV shows/ products about Hannah Montana, they are marketing at my daughter... not me.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Apr Tue 08, 2008 10:57 pm

WVParkfan wrote:Believe me, I'm sick to death of Hannah Montana! But, my 8 year old daughter loves her, and when they make movies/ TV shows/ products about Hannah Montana, they are marketing at my daughter... not me.

And that's a serious problem. Disney-style "family" entertainment was all about entertaining the whole family at once. If the show is like nails on a chalkboard for Mom and Dad is snoring, that's not a reasonable Disney product.

Post by **Dr. Ravenscroft** » Apr Wed 09, 2008 11:44 am

Captain Schnemo wrote:
WVParkfan wrote:Believe me, I'm sick to death of Hannah Montana! But, my 8 year old daughter loves her, and when they make movies/ TV shows/ products about Hannah Montana, they are marketing at my daughter... not me.
And that's a serious problem. Disney-style "family" entertainment was all about entertaining the whole family at once. If the show is like nails on a chalkboard for Mom and Dad is snoring, that's not a reasonable Disney product.

Well the Pixar movies are entertaining for the whole family. Adults get jokes kids don't get and the stories are really well thought out, unlike some of the TV shows. Back when I was growing up on Disney TV they had Aladdin, Tale Spin, Darkwing Duck, and many others that escape my memory. They were entertaining for the whole family too. I remember many of my co-workers now watched them when they were on TV, co-workers are in their 40's and 50's so technically they were adults then (Physically not mentally

)

I have tried to watch the shows on now-a-days and they just aren't that funny to me, and I laugh at a lot of stuff. The only one that I would watch religiously is the Emperors new school because that is in the same class as Aladdin. Another show I would think about watching is Phineas and Ferb, it looks pretty good from the two episodes I have seen but I haven't really paid much attention to it when it was on.

WVParkfan · Post by **WVParkfan** » Apr Mon 14, 2008 7:07 am

Captain Schnemo wrote:
WVParkfan wrote:Believe me, I'm sick to death of Hannah Montana! But, my 8 year old daughter loves her, and when they make movies/ TV shows/ products about Hannah Montana, they are marketing at my daughter... not me.
And that's a serious problem. Disney-style "family" entertainment was all about entertaining the whole family at once. If the show is like nails on a chalkboard for Mom and Dad is snoring, that's not a reasonable Disney product.

I disagree. In today's world, I get 3 Disney Channels that are on 24 hours per day. You can't keep repeating the Disney movies over and over. They do need original programming. And there is nothing about "Hannah Montana" or "Corey in the House" that isn't "family" entertainment.

And I don't agree that Disney has always been about entertaining the entire family. My Dad liked "Davy Crockett" in the 60's, but my mother couldn't stand it. And neither of them could watch the Mickey Mouse Club with my sister and I.

There have been dozens of movies produced by Disney over the years that haven't met the criteria of being for "everyone." For example:

- Tron
- Herbie the Love Bug
- That Darn Cat
- Condorman
- 20,000 Leagues under the Sea
- Pollyana
- The Parent Trap
- Darby O'Gill and the Little People
- Davy Crockett
- Escape to Witch Mountain
- Freaky Friday

Just to name a few. Each of these movies was geared to meet a certain audience, aimed at what was popular at the moment. And some of these movies were just plain bad (Candleshoe, Gus, The Cat from Outerspace). But, Disney geared them toward a particular audience. So, there is some history here.