Mickey has become more of a corporate symbol than a beloved character for recent generations of young people, Disney is taking the risky step of re-imagining him for the future.
The first glimmer of this will be the introduction next year of a new video game, Epic Mickey, in which the formerly squeaky clean character can be cantankerous and cunning, as well as heroic, as he traverses a forbidding wasteland.
In Epic Mickey, the foundation of which a group of interns dreamed up in 2004, the title character still exhibits the hallmarks that younger generations know: he is adventurous, enthusiastic and curious. “Mickey is never going to be evil or go around killing people,” Mr. Spector said.
But Mickey won’t be bland anymore, either. “I wanted him to be able to be naughty — when you’re playing as Mickey you can misbehave and even be a little selfish,” Mr. Spector said.
"Mickey Mouse" is what you call something that's weak or childish...or, as the dictionary defines the term...
1. trite and commercially slick in character; corny: mickey mouse music.
2. useless, insignificant, or worthless: mickey mouse activities just to fill up one's time.
3. trivial or petty: mickey mouse regulations.
Guess they're trying to change that definition.
New Mickey meet new Coke
Epic Mickey reminds me more of the Mickey from Fantasia - society has become far more sophisticated in such a short amount of time, even amongst our children. It's why Looney Toons is a failing franchise and japanese anime is taking america by storm.
Peace*Talk - The folks at Disney probably liked that version more than they want to admit. It was kinda refreshing in the way that only Southpark can be.
lifeinaraindrop - Me too. I put 'Fantasia' in as one of my tags even though I didn't see it in the article.
It's why Looney Toons is a failing franchise and japanese anime is taking america by storm.
Anime is one of the least original art styles out there. I would take Looney Toons over any anime.
Anime is one of the least original art styles out there. I would take Looney Toons over any anime.
Have you ever read One Piece? Cartoons are cartoons. Some will look similar to each other, but are all different depending on the artist.
My daughter loves Mickey Mouse just as he is on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, I thought the CG makeover and They Might Be Giants singing the theme was pretty darned good.
Mickey's 'new' image is just a cartoon image of what our society here in the US has become.
Ugly
Mean
Nasty
Violent
Beligerant
Obnoxious
The complete and utter loss of anything sane, safe, fun, innoncent, enjoyable, joyful, honest.
so does that mean they will up date Donald Duck and Goofy and what about Minne how is she going to take it?.
Well in true American style Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Donald's nephews will form a gang and Pluto will be turned into a fighting dog and they'll begin terrorizing 'virtual' neighborhoods and Disney will spawn a Rated R Disney Channel for tweens, teens and adults who still wish they were teens.
Daisy and Minie will become gang Ho's, pole dancing hoochie-mamas.
And they'll all gather at the former Hundred Acre Wood and beat up on Winnie the Pooh and friends and take over their turf.
They'll market this to the world.
Donald Duck was already mean anyway. As for Minnie, she'll demand that she and Mickey begin couple's counselling...
He's just not the Mickey I thought I knew.
Yeah, I'm surprised at how nice Donald is on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
he always seemed pissed off about everything when I was a kid.
even Minne and Daisy seem to be holding back what I believe to be a constant b*&%fest off camera.
However DDuck - cracked a lot of people up - he's a good egg if your in tune with his yolks.. a bit scrambled at times.. but he is a wise quacker.
Can't help but chuckle Par
:-)
And somewhat off subject:
Anyone ever notice Morty and Ferdy, and Huey, Dewey, and Louie are 'nephews'? Do they REALLY expect us to believe Mickie/Minnie and Donald/Daisy never got it on and had kids? SERIOUSLY!!!
Susi - Hey! Glad I could add a little humor..
I miss Walt Disney Show that use to be on every Sunday night when I was a kid.. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck.. all of Walt Disney's creations... then they would have - Davey Crockett, and many other shows like that.. in a series .. Great shows back in the 50's and early 60's.. Saturday mornings was great .. Road Runner .. Yosmite Sam etc..
Hey Par you're welcome and I return the compliment.
Every Sunday at 7 p.m. on Channel 7 (San Francisco's ABC affiliate) after my bath and in my PJ's while my mom deknotted my knee-length hair watched that show faithfully.
Those days, sadly, are over. But at least we have memories of a much more innoncent time this generation will never have.
Being able to see the all the Disney shows was great - Mickey, Daffy, all the old time favs. especially Tugboat .. one of the original Mickey Mouse cartoons..
Well why not up the ante and add another good old fashioned American virtue to the 'new and improved" Mickey and Im sure will follow, friends
Mickey/Minnie & Donald/Daisy are swingers......and they swap partners.
There ya go.....violence and sex.........throw in some money making ventures like Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Sleeping Beauty are whores and we'll have the true face of America for the world to consume yet again like an amoebic feeding frenzy.
:)
Well with Snow White you have 7 men, 1 woman....good beginning to a porn movie!!
Well there ya go.
Mickey gets mean and Snow White does dwarves.
The American persona is complete.
Gives new meaning to Hi-Ho-Hi-Ho
lol
. Saturday mornings was great .. Road Runner .. Yosmite Sam etc..
Par, the Road Runner and Yosemite Sam were Warner Bros. cartoons. Another poster had said that the Warner 'toons were getting soft and the newer ones are. The original ones, the ones from the "Golden Age" during the late 40s and 50s were the epitome of the animated cartoon. All the elements were there, outstanding artists, writers, musicians, and management that didn't care what they did as long as it made money. One of the best, "Bully for Bugs," came into being because a manager told Chuck Jones and Mike Maltese that "there's nothing funny about a bull fight."
I really don't care much for Disney. The cartoons were pablum in the beginning and propaganda at the end. True, they set the standard for traditional animation but , imo, that was about it.
Scarlet - Duh!
Just looking at screen shots of the game makes me antsy! I love the Kingdom Hearts series, especially being able to explore the different Disney worlds. Now they're going to bring back old characters and attractions? PLEASE tell me they'll have ATIS (aka The Shrinking Ride) and America Sings!!
As a Disney junkie, I can't wait!! It's officially on next year's birthday/Christmas list as of...NOW!!
Mickey Mouse Gets a Makeover
What? He once was so fine, he blew my mind
S.. I.. C.. K.. O.. Why?
'Cause it's Disney's intro into its "Gangsta Rap-toon" series...
Donald becomes Ducky D, Pluto is (of course) P. Doggy, while Huey, Dewey and Louie are now doing quack-up vocals for Lil' Minnie Miz!
I could go on but...
WTF, why are they messing with something that doesnt need to be messed with. Why cant they ever leave well enough alone. We dont need anymore mean, conniving, evil characters for kids to try to emulate. We need good wholesome characters, but I guess when you in the buisness to make money you dont care whats good for a child to look at.
Donald was grumpy but had a secret soft spot, Mickey was cheerful and sweet but not a complete innocuous airhead, Minnie was a thoughtful if sometimes pouty girl, Daisy was just as stubborn as Donald, and Goofy was sometimes clueless beyond imagination but had a good heart. We all know people like this.
Over the last 10 years it seems Disney has tinkered with these personas, and made them more PC, less witty, less entertaining for adults. Maybe if the Disney corp had stuck with the blueprint in the first place, and let the characters keep their personalities as we loved them, they wouldn't need to reinvent the wheel.
You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |