... hit?
One of Disney's discards demonstrates one more reason why companies keep getting into animation.
... Gnomeo & Juliet was the top-selling DVD release last week -- and also the top rental. A rare Disney animated feature that was produced neither by Disney's own animation unit nor by its Pixar subsidiary, but by Toronto-based Starz Animation, the film was originally released under Disney's now-little-used Touchstone Pictures banner, which last released a non-Disney/Pixar animated feature in 1993 -- Tim Burton's Nightmare before Christmas ...
Let's review the history of the little-loved G & J. It was one of the first Disney projects Mr. Lasseter threw overboard when taking control of the Walt Diney Animation Studios:
"Can anybody tell me why we're making this?" (sfx: crickets) "Well, we're not making this."
The picture had Elton John and his music attached to it, and it got punted to the Diz subsidiary Miramax. But it didn't stay there, either, and ultimately got released by Touchstone after being retooled by Shrek 2 director Kelly Asbury.
The feature did surprisingly well in theatrical release, grossing $99 million domestically and slightly less than that overseas. (Usually the foreign take is the bigger share, but the citizens of other lands apparently did not clasp the gnomes to their hearts.) The feature grossed a world total of $189,628,263. Rumor has it that the movie cost $90 million to produce, but the actual figure is anybody's guess, since nobody knows if the $90 million includes all those earlier development expenses.
Remember, boys and girls, that movie profits are important but cash flow is also important. And the gnomes have created a considerable amount of green stuff. So I would count this production as a Disney win.
Posts
15 comments:
We've always found the sofa sleeper to be in good shape and pretty comfortable. It is a sofa bed but Disney has some of the nicest I've seen
And Gnomeo made considerably more than TWICE what nightmare did at the box office. Sadly they're both medicocre films.
For $99 million, I can live with mediocre any day.
I'll tell you why it got an initial look from audiences: it was something different from the usual talking animal tale we've been getting from the studios. A love story about lawn gnomes might sound stupid...but are lawn gnomes any stupider than talking candelabras (Lumiere) or cars? It seemed refreshing, and cute...even if that repulsive old queen Elton John *was* behind it. (And which probably detracted from the ultimate box-office take).
"For $99illiob, I can live with mediocre eany day."
For a WHOLE lot les, every day, you do.
But as explained a zillion times before on this blog... after distribution, marketing and exhibitors take their cut... sounds like break even or less.
"For $99illiob, I can live with mediocre eany day."
For a WHOLE lot les, every day, you do.
Proof that drooling on one's keyboard leads to typing errors. The comment police just aren't as good as they used to be.
The evolution of the "Touchstone" brand is interesting.
Originally created for releases they didn't want to sully with Disney's ultra-safe family entertainment image, but now it's used for releases they don't want to sully Disney's A-list conglomerate image.
That is SO true...and funny!
Disney was so afraid of THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS that not only did they release it as a Touchtone film, but added the "Tim Burton's" tag to the title to further distance themselves from it. Once the film became regarded as a classic, it was proudly included in the Disney family, even getting prominent exposure at Disneyland. Pathetic.
Disney execs didn't like Depps' interpretation of Jack Sparrow, either.
Then the "Pirates" franchise made the Mouse truckloads of money. Now the corporate geniuses can't Johnny D. to reprise the role often enough.
It doesn't make Nightmare a good film--it's pretty awful. Not as bad/unwatchable as roger rabbit-- but close.
Yes, Your opinion counts more than others. If you say it is an awful film, it must be.
Asshat.
Yes, Your opinion counts more than others. If you say it is an awful film, it must be.
Dont think he meant his opinion counts as much as others. He just offered his. That said, even if I want to like "Nightmare", it always manages to put me to sleep. I do like it's music and design though....
rufus
Saddened to see homophobia on these boards in the 4th poster's comment.
Post a Comment