Remakes, Sequels and Spin-Offs

I enjoy my trips to Disney parks and I hope my humans do too.  There was a time when they had a much greater interest in all things Disney including the film making and the overall running of the company.  Andrew was once a Disney stockholder.

So here are some thoughts (with a little help from the humans) on certain types of film.  I don't know if I have all the correct words but I've called them remakes, sequels and spin-offs.  Basically, the point is whether film-makers should always seek something totally new or can re-use stories and characters they know have been popular in the past..

It used to be said of Walt Disney himself that he never made a sequel (no "Snow White Returns" etc).  One of the criticisms of his immediate successors was that they lacked originality and only wanted to make another "Herbie" movie.  The later management under Michael Eisner introduced many brilliant new stories and characters (Aladdin, Lion King, etc) but pretty soon we were also seeing a huge number of sequels too.

And as far as Walt himself was concerned, there was always a response that the fairy-tale movies were all to a formula: that, in effect, all his great classics were remakes.  Also, the "no sequel" claim could only ever be made of the feature animation:  the shorts depended on familiar characters in familiar chaotic situations.

One of the strongest current "spin-offs" is Tinker Bell and all the new Disney Fairies.  Here's a picture with of my Mikki with one of them I am still looking forward to meeting, Tink's sister!

Perhaps the talk about originality or remakes reflects a dilemma of film-makers.  For themselves, the actors and directors would like to explore new ideas, but they also want to please the public, who like an element of the familiar (and the financiers, who like proven winners).

I think that if you've got a good story it doesn't matter if it's a sequel.  "Toy Story 2" was a brilliant film  - and a sequel.  "Toy Story 3" was a quite different style of film - and still a sequel.

So here's my plan for the next sequel - or spin-off.  Pinocchio and Gepetto go to visit Hollywood where they have all sorts of adventures culminating in their precious kitten, Figaro, being acquired by Minnie Mouse (if I believe Jack Sparrow, Minnie stole him).  In later sequels or television spin-offs, Figaro has his own adventures in the modern USA (no aliens from space - not credible).  He then gets to appear in Disney parks and I can have my picture with him.

And I wouldn't mind a "based on an idea by" credit . . .

or a cuddle would do.

Prrrr..

Bath Day

I have had another bath.  I am Figaro - and Figaro does not like baths (that's me on the left).

There is a problem in being such a well cuddled toy as I am.  The humans claim I need to get cleaned up before our trips to Walt Disney World so I can look my best for photographs with the other Disney characters.  So there I was getting soaked in detergent with my cousin, Floppy Figaro.  After that - horror of horror - they put us in the washing machine and turned it on.  It's all very traumatic but I am pleased  to say we both came out relatively unharmed.

This second picture was taken just after our release.  I was very pleased to be out and quite pleased with the result.  If you look carefully, you can see that my right eye is a little damaged but by the time I am writing this my human Mikki has carried out some delicate eye surgery so it is getting back to perfect.

All this means that we are another step closer to our next trip to Walt Disney World.  We are all starting to think about all the pictures we can take (of me) and all the other fun and relaxing things we can do.  There are lots of new places in the remodelled Fantasyland where I can pose and Mikki says there are new characters for me to meet.

Now put me somewhere warm and cosy so I can continue drying out and be ready for more cuddles.

And a very Happy New Year to all my followers and fans.

Christmas - Some Nice Bits

Time to bring you up to date with what's been happening here over Christmas.  There have been some fun things happening and some nice presents.

We spent Christmas at home in our village in Lincolnshire and that meant we have had a quiet time - apart from all the little parties when either friends and neighbours came to visit us or we (well, actually only the humans) went to them.  There was (I am told) an especially nice meal on Christmas day at the next door neighbours' house.

But don't think I was forgotten.  I have had lots of nice presents.  My first picture is of the box of chocolates one of the neighbours brought round. Wasn't it so nice of them to get my name printed on the box specially?  I know I'm a toy and don't actually eat chocolates (I shall have to let Andrew eat most of them) but it was a very sweet thought.

And my humans were even nicer.  They have a new picture of Figaro.  The cute kitten is in his bed.  The picture came back from the framers yesterday (Saturday 29th) and has been found a good spot next to my cousin "Big Softy" Figaro.

My only small concern is that my humans might think they are going to get me to sleep in a bed of my own rather than theirs.  I doubt it.  After all, Figaro didn't stay in that bed but soon got in with Gepetto.

And talking about films, it is always nice to see so many Disney movies on the main UK television channels over Christmas.  The BBC has had Flubber, Flight of the Navigator, 101 and 102 Dalmations (yes, d*gs), The Incredibles and lots more.  Today, it's Bedknobs and Broomsticks. If they didn't have so many DVDs I suspect my humans would have watched more.

Now I am hoping for a cuddle - but I am afraid they are getting ready for the new year and the trip to Walt Disney World.  I love to go there but there's part of the preparation I don't look forward to.  Watch this space.

20 Today

Happy Christmas to everyone - and that includes a happy time to everyone who celebrates a different festival or none at all at this time of the year.

It's really nice of my humans to wish me Happy Birthday at this time of year too.  Of course, it's not really a birthday - it's the day Mikki gave me to Andrew as a present.  I suppose it's the day Buzz Lightyear would say I came out of hypersleep.  And today we celebrate 20 years.  That's not bad at all for a toy.  I don't suppose Buzz himself lived with his "Andy" that long.

There have been some changes over the years.  I've lost a little fur (and from this picture, it looks like I had more than Andrew back then).  I've gradually trained my humans to give me lots of cuddles.  On the other hand, they have make me write the reports of our trips to Walt Disney World.  I think I like writing the Blog sometimes and I hope you who read it enjoy it too.

I've had a lot of fun with my humans - and I intend to go on doing so for many more years to come.

Prrrr.

"Twin"

I have a twin - and he's in Florida waiting to meet me.

After I came to live with my humans, they looked at Figaro toys but they were not quite like me.  The eyes had a different shape or there mouth was different.  Before long, the changes became even greater with "Figaros" of different sizes and in different poses (lazy ones like Floppycat who lie down all the time) and so on.  That is how I have gathered quite a "family" of other Figaro toys around me in the house but none quite like me.

Well, that has changed.  Mikki saw this little fellow on "eBay" and bought him.  He was delivered to our friend Christine in Celebration and is waiting for us to come and collect him when we visit Walt Disney World in January.

I know, he's not like I am now:  he's like I used to be before I had as many cuddles as I have had.  I think he should be allowed to remain clean and tidy and with all his long ear fur.  Which means you can all continue cuddling me

Prrr Prrrr.

Christmas Friends Come Out to Play

 We will be staying at home during the coming festive season so we are having proper Christmas decorations up all over the house.  This includes lots of nice Mickey Mouse toys (and some Minnies and even a couple of the d*g).  They are all nice, good, Disney character toys so I was very pleased to see them come out to play.  Here are some.

There are no Figaro toys among the Christmas items.  That means none of my fellow Figaros have to spend the rest of the year in st***ge.  The humans have also been getting out Christmas ornaments.  There's one behind me here.

As you can see, I've been helping by doing some supervising.

Naturally, it wouldn't be Christmas without a tree.  Perhaps we can see some other pictures of that later but for the moment, I have been fascinated by the big new parcels the humans have put under ours.  Now I'm only a toy cat but you're not fooling me.  Those are just decorations with lights in them and the real parcels are still to come.  I just hope that when they do, mine's as big as this one.

And that reminds me of another reason why toy cats are better than real ones.  A toy cat will stand patiently watching you put up tempting little baubles like this one and not play with it - or all those other nice things on the tree.

You've done very well putting up all those decorations.  Now relax by cuddling me.

Prrrrr.

Back from Intercot 15

My human, Mikki, and my cousin, Floppy Figaro, are back from their trip to Florida.  With that and other distractions for the humans, it has taken a little time for things to settle down, so I apologise for not posting on the blog recently.

The main reason Mikki went to Walt Disney World when she did was so that she could join friends from the Intercot discussion board for their 15th anniversary meet.  I want to send a big "Thank You" to everyone who was hoping to see me or asked after me but I had to stay to look after Andrew.  My cousin, Floppy went instead.  He was given a nice T shirt.

Over the years, Mikki has had a lot of fun with Intercot.  They generally seem a friendly as well as an intelligent lot and the discussion board is well moderated so that people stay on topic rather more than on some others.  And it was extremely generous of them to bring a shirt just the right size for Floppy.  The humans insisted on trying, but it doesn't fit me nearly as well.

We are all now looking forward to the next trip when the whole family will go to Walt Disney World - early next year.  Meanwhile, I shall put up some pictures from the most recent as well as earlier trips for you.

And for those who have really been missing me, I was about while Floppy was having this picture taken - but I was rather busy - doing what cats do best (sleeping in the most comfortable place in the house).

Prrrrr.