Michael Sporn Animation – Splog

- It all started on Wednesday when Michael Riedel, the NYPost’s gossip theater columnist, said that Disney theatricals were aiming to bring Dumbo to Broadway as their next big thing. Riedel said that Disney wanted Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, the movie and the musical) to helm the transfer, but they were having a hard time convincing him to do the job.

Today in the NYTimes Artsbeat column, the story develops a bit more fully. Disney says that they’re in the very start of development and there’s no immediate plans to take Dumbo to Broadway. In fact, they don’t know where it’ll end up. They did say that Stephen Daldry approached them with the idea, and he is very much the man behind the musical.

Riedel gets about 1/3 of the information and the Times gets another third. Though Disney pooh-pooh’s the idea of thinking of Broadway for it, they wouldn’t have hired so expensive a person as Stephen Daldry if in fact Broadway weren’t the end game. I’m just curious as to how they’re going to develop a one hour aimated feature into a two and a half hour extravaganza. I can’t wait to see “Pink Elephants on Parade,” and those crows should steal the show.

Today, Michael Riedel states that Bobby Steggert will play Dumbo. Steggert appeared in the Broadway revival of Ragtime (that recently closed) and 110 In the Shade. The casting would make it seem closer to reality than Diseny would admit.

I was nervous that it’d be Brian D’Arcy James. After spending a million hours in the makeup chair playing Shrek, I couldn’t imagine him sitting still to take the turn into playing an elephant.

Riedel also writes that, “. . . Stevie Wonder has been approached to write additional songs, although he has reservations because of the ‘racist’ aspects of the old movie.” I suppose they also chose him just to offset those very same “racist” aspects.

The NYTimes has also been writing quite some about The Secret of the Kells and the tough road this independently produced and distributed feature has in trying to win the Oscar vs some of the big studios. Even the smallest of the rest has some major forces behind it. However, I wonder why the article would arrive at our newstand doors so late in the season. Oscar ballots were due back this past Tuesday; it’s a little too late to vote for the film.

However, it’s not too late to see it. The film is currently playing in New York at the IFC center with many shows daily. See it if you haven’t. The film is also reviewed in today’s NYTimes by A.O.Scott. A generally positive review there are a lot of quotes one could choose. “Using the vivid colors and delicate lineations of the Book of Kells for inspiration, he establishes a surprising and completely persuasive link between the ancient art of manuscript illumination and the modern practice of animation. Like the crystal lens that is a crucial element of Aidan’s craft — an enchanted eye that refracts and renews his, and then Brendan’s, perception — ‘The Secret of Kells’ discloses strange new vistas that nonetheless seem to have existed since ancient times.”

Fitting somewhat in the same category is the exclusive box of 3D DVD Coraline sent me this past week. A beautiful box full of a booklet promoting their film, a DVD (one side 2D the other 3D), another DVD of extras and four pair of glasses. The box was individually signed by Henry Selick.

It’s a bit too late for Oscar voting, so I have to assue this was FedExed to me to review as a product on the market. (I’ve been getting a lot of this stuff lately.) I’d be quite happy if this beats UP at the Oscar on Sunday, though I’ve already said that I’m enthusiastically for Fantastic Mr. Fox.)

Regardless, it’s a beautiful package and I love having it. I will write more about it after I see the film again in 3D this weekend. The Coraline people (director, producers and distributor) treated this film and their audience as a class act all the way, and it’s worth my time to write about it again.

- I just did three seconds worth of research to learn that this DVD package was released to the public as a “Special Edition.” I’m glad to see that.

Congratulations to John Canemaker for getting the Print Magazine people to allow him a blog, which he’ll post, once a month. John writes, “The blog format will allow me to explore everything that reflects my eclectic interests, from Giotto to Johnny Gruelle, Elaine Stritch to Snow White, with the same personal perspective I bring to my teaching, lectures, and books.”

Sounds like some exciting posts are to come. John needs something larger on the internet, and this seems small in comparison to what I might hope for. We’ll see as it develops. In the meantime, take a look at John’s main site. There are lots of writing and artwork within.

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