Jason Segel talks The Muppets and his inspiration

[Drtooth]

However, I loved Treasure Planet. It wasn't perfect, but it was fun and I felt it honored the source material. It's my second favorite telling of the tale!

Actually, I meant to say Dinosaur... why I put TP there must've been a brain fart... but from what I saw of it just wasn't impressive... though I liked the robot a little. Straight out of Ulysees 31 (there was one of thems in there, right? looked similar?), but an alright character.

 

[frogboy4]

Actually, I meant to say Dinosaur... why I put TP there must've been a brain fart... but from what I saw of it just wasn't impressive... though I liked the robot a little. Straight out of Ulysees 31 (there was one of thems in there, right? looked similar?), but an alright character.

TP is an enjoyable film. There are many things they should have done differently, but I liked it better than Hunchback or dare I say...Aladdin. For some reason the classic tale spoke to me and is actually much more reverent to the source material even if they did include robots. A live action version of that would be very interesting.

 

[beaker]

No way. The three times I suffered through it were bad enough. That said, a LOT of people agree with me about it. The problem is that was back when they were still hard pressed to get back into Princess type movies (can't see why... Lion King was no where near Princessy and it was one of the greatest things they ever done... it was so good even the DTV sequel was enjoyable). I think it was the first in many missteps (though I really liked Hercules, and Mulan was pretty good too.... Hunchback was good for the Gargoyles). I dunno, maybe if Pokey had some sort of wacky sidekick that talked to her instead of capered about... Maybe if the film had a Genie/Timon and Pumbaa/Tito type character it would have been more fun to watch. But I was really disappointed by that film. That said, I wasn't too thrilled with Tarzan... but that's because I didn't see it big screen.

Sorry if you took that personally, but I just don't see it comparing to anything else they did, past or present favorably. And this is as an honest animation student, cartoon critic wanna be (thanks for filling up the field everyone who managed to get a computer in 2004). It's hardly the glory of the Little Mermaid/Beauty and the Beast/Aladdin/Lion King that made you sing the songs out of the theater, rushing over to the Disney store to buy up anything and everything with the characters on it.

For the record, the only 3 Disney films I ever really disliked were Pocahontas, the Live action 101 Dalmatians movies (offered little else to a classic) and Treasure Planet. I managed to enjoy most of the rest. I never speak about Home on the Range... that confused me.

You know, I never saw any of the mid-late 90's Disney tentpole summer animated films. When the revival hit with Little Mermaid I was hooked. I couldnt get into Beauty and the Beast but I respected its artistry. Aladdin I absolutely loved. Lion King, well now that's just in a league of its own.

But Pochahontas, Hunchback, Hurcules, Mulan...I have to admit I never actually saw those. Any of those I should see? I also never saw Treasure Planet, Dinosaur, Brother Bear, Home on the Range...and I WISH I never saw Atlantis(snore!)

However I did see Tarzan which I liked, and absolutely LOVED Emperor's New Groove and Fantasia 2000. Lilo and Stitch I liked part of, and that was pretty much the end of that whole thing.

How come noone ever talks much about the pre Little Mermaid animated Disney films post Sorcerer and the Stone to right before Little Mermaid?

 

[frogboy4]

You know, I never saw any of the mid-late 90's Disney tentpole summer animated films. When the revival hit with Little Mermaid I was hooked. I couldnt get into Beauty and the Beast but I respected its artistry. Aladdin I absolutely loved. Lion King, well now that's just in a league of its own.

But Pochahontas, Hunchback, Hurcules, Mulan...I have to admit I never actually saw those. Any of those I should see? I also never saw Treasure Planet, Dinosaur, Brother Bear, Home on the Range...and I WISH I never saw Atlantis(snore!)

However I did see Tarzan which I liked, and absolutely LOVED Emperor's New Groove and Fantasia 2000. Lilo and Stitch I liked part of, and that was pretty much the end of that whole thing.

How come noone ever talks much about the pre Little Mermaid animated Disney films post Sorcerer and the Stone to right before Little Mermaid?

Hercules is worth a glance just for the music and graphic style alone. Tarzan had a great opening act and then fizzled from there, but I liked it okay. Atlantis was the most boring Disney animated film I've ever seen. I didn't understand its appeal. I guess the only one I didn't see was Brother Bear, but the pitch didn't grab me.

The reason nobody notes the post classic era/pre-Mermaid animated films is likely due to it being considered a dark time for Disney with little box office success.

 

[Mupp]

Well, here we are off-topic again.

I agree about Dinosaur, the main problem was that the story was weak, despite the beautiful visuals.
Same thing with Atlantis.

I have to say, the late 90's and early 2000's were a dark time for the Disney Company.

In 2004, there was an industry wide believe that audiences did not want to see 2D animation anymore. In Disney's case, the real issue was that they had released several 2D animated films that did not do well becuase the stories were not strong.

Also, Disney and Pixar were going to break up and end their business relationship.

Luckily, Disney had a corporate shake-up, and the management changed. Bob Iger became CEO, and Disney acquired Pixar. John Lasseter became chief creative officer at Disney Animation, as well as principal creative adviser at Walt Disney Imagineering.

But to get back to point, Disney Animation is currently in a good place. The recent films have had strong stories, and they are currently developing BOTH 2D films, and CGI films. In that regard, that makes them a unique studio.

I have faith in every project that John Lasseter is associated with.

 

[Drtooth]

Hercules is worth a glance just for the music and graphic style alone. Tarzan had a great opening act and then fizzled from there, but I liked it okay. Atlantis was the most boring Disney animated film I've ever seen. I didn't understand its appeal. I guess the only one I didn't see was Brother Bear, but the pitch didn't grab me.

The reason nobody notes the post classic era/pre-Mermaid animated films is likely due to it being considered a dark time for Disney with little box office success.

Actually, I rather liked Hercules. I just wish they made the ACTUAL sequel and didn't just shove 3 episodes of the show (which was oddly better in concept). The actual sequel, ironically enough, was the original concept of the movie. Brother Bear was okay... it did Native American Legend better than P-hantus. But it pretty much was carried on the Strange Brew reunion it had going. Dinosaur was a sluggish slog. The dialogue was added last minute, and it showed. Plus, the character designs were BEYOND pug fugly. Especially the monkeys.

That said... Jeez. no love for Great Mouse Detective or Oliver and Company?

 

[Mupp]

..So, as I recall reading, (I'm not sure if it was this thread or another) filming is supposed to start in November. I hope that the Muppets Studio will make some sort of announcement on Twitter about it when it happens.

 

[dwmckim]

Man I'm feeling those butterfly goosebumps just *thinking* about the teaser posters we'll be seeing lining local cinema walls

Actually, this is the one element of the film i'm between dreading and not getting my hopes up about liking. Make no mistake, i'm excited about the promotion going into it and seeing stuff everywhere - but i'm kind of dreading what the movie poster or what a lot of the merchandise will look like just because of my dislike of the poser Muppets.

Disney does show signs of getting away from those same images used everywhere on every single piece of merchandise and we've gotten some great group shots of the Muppets this year such as the image that debuted on the Amaxon store, the EW spread and some of the still images for Give a Day... but still just as much as i'm relishing the Muppets being everywhere, i'm groaning at the thought of the poser expressionless awful looking posers being everywhere.

If nothing else, PLEASE let the theatrical poster either be artwork or done with real Muppets - no poser poster please (now say that five times fast)

Aside from Massive Muppet Movie equaling Mass Attack of the Ugly Posers, the other element of the promotional campaign i'm dreading is too much giveaway - with all the marketing muscle that we're being led to believe will be behind the film, i so hope it doesn't fall in the trap so many movies (even with small promotion) fall into where between the trailers and the clips shown in various places, you've seen a lot of the movie before going into the theatre and seeing it! I know that details of the film/script are being kept very much under wraps during the pre-production/filming window - but it's the time between post and release that concerns me. Please leave lots of great surprises for the theatre!

 

[Mupp]

Actually, this is the one element of the film i'm between dreading and not getting my hopes up about liking. Make no mistake, i'm excited about the promotion going into it and seeing stuff everywhere - but i'm kind of dreading what the movie poster or what a lot of the merchandise will look like just because of my dislike of the poser Muppets.

The treatrical poster for Muppets From Space was pretty good. A tad misleading though.

 

[frogboy4]

Actually, this is the one element of the film i'm between dreading and not getting my hopes up about liking. Make no mistake, i'm excited about the promotion going into it and seeing stuff everywhere - but i'm kind of dreading what the movie poster or what a lot of the merchandise will look like just because of my dislike of the poser Muppets.

Disney does show signs of getting away from those same images used everywhere on every single piece of merchandise and we've gotten some great group shots of the Muppets this year such as the image that debuted on the Amaxon store, the EW spread and some of the still images for Give a Day... but still just as much as i'm relishing the Muppets being everywhere, i'm groaning at the thought of the poser expressionless awful looking posers being everywhere.

If nothing else, PLEASE let the theatrical poster either be artwork or done with real Muppets - no poser poster please (now say that five times fast)

Aside from Massive Muppet Movie equaling Mass Attack of the Ugly Posers, the other element of the promotional campaign i'm dreading is too much giveaway - with all the marketing muscle that we're being led to believe will be behind the film, i so hope it doesn't fall in the trap so many movies (even with small promotion) fall into where between the trailers and the clips shown in various places, you've seen a lot of the movie before going into the theatre and seeing it! I know that details of the film/script are being kept very much under wraps during the pre-production/filming window - but it's the time between post and release that concerns me. Please leave lots of great surprises for the theatre!

I think the poser Muppets look okay except for Piggy and I don't understand why they don't try to give the Kermit poser a "nuckle" bump to give his head some shape.

Personally, I don't think they should use posers or puppet images. I'd like to see Drew Struzan painting like he did for TMM, GMC, MCC and MTI.