Main Street Cinema

As a former Opera House CM, I had to inspect the Cinema hourly. It currently is the only actual Cinema at any Disney park. The 6 scenes currently show Mickey Mouse Cartoons (Steamboat Willy being the showcased cartoon) - which have been the same since the 80's. Since Disney now has the rights to Walt's earlier Characters... what about switching the films? 2 screens Mickey Mouse (Steamboat Willy and Plane Crazy) - 2 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit - 2 Alice Comedies. This would give guests of the park the ability to see how Walt got his start and breath new life into the Cinema.

Quote:

---

Oswald was introduced in 1927 after Disney’s series of Alice Comedies had run its course. Disney signed a new contract with Universal Studios head Carl Laemmle where he would produce a series of cartoons for Charles B. Mintz and George Winkler. The first Oswald cartoon, Poor Papa, was rejected by the Universal studio heads due to poor production quality and the sloppiness and age of Oswald. After this, Disney, together with Ub Iwerks, created a second cartoon called Trolley Troubles featuring a much younger, neater Oswald. The short officially launched the series and proved to be Disney’s greatest success yet.
A few of Oswald’s adventures dealt with humour related to the procreative abilities of his species, as illustrated in the episode description of Poor Papa: “Oswald gets a visit from the stork... again and again and again. He has to resort to a variety of strategies to stop the continual flow of babies.” Trolley Troubles also showed Oswald surrounded by numerous baby rabbits, this time heckling him while on the job. Other cartoons, however, generally placed Oswald in more human-type conditions and situations.
In spring 1928, with the series going strong, Disney asked Mintz for an increase in the budget. But Mintz instead demanded that Walt take a 20 percent budget cut, and as leverage, he reminded Disney that Mintz owned the character, and revealed that he had already signed most of Disney’s current employees to his new contract: Iwerks and Les Clark were among the few who remained loyal to Walt. Disney refused Mintz’s demand, disassociating himself from Oswald after the series first season. While finishing the remaining Oswald cartoons, Disney, Iwerks and Clark created the cartoon hero who would become The Walt Disney Company’s lasting symbol: Mickey Mouse, the most famous of Walt Disney’s characters. Oswald was replaced by Mickey Mouse in the Spring of 1928

---

Oswald is a likeable character and it would be nice to be able to see his cartoons. Also having the cartoon in a Park would open the door to having the "Fuzzy" character actually make an appearence.

Quote:

---

The "Alice Comedies" are a series of animated cartoons created by Walt Disney in the 1920s, in which a live action little girl named Alice, originally played by Virginia Davis and later Dawn O'Day, Margie Gay, and Lois Hardwick and an animated cat named Julius (who had an odd resemblance to Felix the Cat) have adventures in an animated landscape.

---

Alice as well is an intresting character but since she is VERY obscure I dont know if she could connect with everyday guests. And it would be very hard to explain her character to small children... but it could open the door for a DLR exclusive face character on Main Street. She could sing and dance with the Dapper Dans or have her own little numbers in front of the Cinema.

I just hate the fact that the only way to see these early characters it to buy the DVD sets. Not everyone that goes to DL has or knows about the DVDs for Alice and Oswald and most of them wouldnt pay the price for them... so what better way then to feature them in the Cinema.

The Main Street Cinema IS an attraction and should be handled as one. Walt Disney is more than just Mickey Mouse and what better way to show that then to introduce people to 2 of his earlier creations - Alice and Oswald.

____________________________
Discussion:

Is the Cinema still relevant to Disneyland's Main Street?
Do the films need to be switched?
Would Alice and Oswald be welcomed?
Would guests be able to connect with these characters?
What do you think of a Oswald "Fuzzy" Character?
What do you think of a Alice "Face" character?

____________________________

I love the Main Street Cinema...it is so quiet and peaceful in there. I agree! They should change it up the cartoons every once in a while. Introducing the Oswald or the Alice cartoons would be so fun! I am all for it! :yea:

This would be very interesting, but at the same time, questionable. The younger generations wouldn't understand it, unless they did some research or really loved Walt Disney's background enough to know who Oswald and Alice were. Who knows? Maybe there will be people who love him just as much as they love Mickey, maybe even more if they knew the background story, but not everyone does.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MonstersGoBoo!

This would be very interesting, but at the same time, questionable. The younger generations wouldn't understand it, unless they did some research or really loved Walt Disney's background enough to know who Oswald and Alice were. Who knows? Maybe there will be people who love him just as much as they love Mickey, maybe even more if they knew the background story, but not everyone does.

---

but thats the idea... to get the younger generations to learn about Oswald and Alice. Also that why I suggested leaving 2 screens for Mickey. Not everyone that goes to DL has or knows about the DVDs for Alice and Oswald and most of them wouldnt pay the price for them... so what better way then to feature them in the Cinema.

The Main Street Cinema IS an attraction and should be handled as one. Walt Disney is more than just Mickey Mouse and what better way to show that then to introduce people to 2 of his earlier creations - Alice and Oswald.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MonstersGoBoo!

This would be very interesting, but at the same time, questionable. The younger generations wouldn't understand it, unless they did some research or really loved Walt Disney's background enough to know who Oswald and Alice were. Who knows? Maybe there will be people who love him just as much as they love Mickey, maybe even more if they knew the background story, but not everyone does.

---

I don't think that you necessarily have to know the history of a cartoon in order to enjoy it. A good cartoon is a good cartoon...and having the old cartoons showcased in the Main Street Cinema will show the younger generation what their grandparents and great grandparents enjoyed as children...

I'd like to see it return to the pre-80's mix of early Mickey Mouse cartoons and live action silent comedies.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alpoe001

but thats the idea... to get the younger generations to learn about Oswald and Alice. Also that why I suggested leaving 2 screens for Mickey. Not everyone that goes to DL has or knows about the DVDs for Alice and Oswald and most of them wouldnt pay the price for them... so what better way then to feature them in the Cinema.

The Main Street Cinema IS an attraction and should be handled as one. Walt Disney is more than just Mickey Mouse and what better way to show that then to introduce people to 2 of his earlier creations - Alice and Oswald.

---

Seeing as how they're silent films, if something that explained who Oswald and Alice were beforehand and how they were created was written on the screen before the short started, then this could definitely happen.

But, I think that if they were to give Oswald and Alice their own little feature, have them do it in the Animation Building for a short time like they did for Snow White. Have them show a little short on the history of the two short films on a smaller screen, show the short on the bigger screens and then showcase the artwork in the lobby. That way, you can get a little history WHILE watching the shorts. Since the rights of Oswald is back in Disney's hands, it shouldn't be too hard for something like this to happen. Alice, on the other hand, I don't know enough about those shorts to know if they're still owned by Disney.

I like it the way it is, and I'm afraid if Disney paid any attention to the cinema at TDA they'd turn it into a store. Just hush and let it be as their tinkering is sure to ruin it.

I think that they could definatly add in the older comics such as Oswald and Alice. Even if they dont know who they are, im sure they would understand it.

How about showing the coloured Disney cartoons like the Silly Symphonies and other Disney shorts created from the 30's-present (House of Mouse created some new ones a few years back. Not the same quality but still better than nothing). I would love to see all these classic shorts again as you rarely find them now a days except from those expensive Disney Tin box sets.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by disneylandfanatic

How about showing the coloured Disney cartoons like the Silly Symphonies and other Disney shorts created from the 30's-present (House of Mouse created some new ones a few years back. Not the same quality but still better than nothing). I would love to see all these classic shorts again as you rarely find them now a days except from those expensive Disney Tin box sets.

---

Disney's 30's Silly Symphonies should definitely be at DLR, but they feel to me like a better thematic fit for DCA. Disneyland's Main Street represents the era of the early silent cinema. IMO even "Steamboat Willy" is anachronistic. I think the Main St. Cinema should show WWI through early-20's one-reelers, with live player-piano accompaniment.

Wait. First you said you worked the Opera House. Then you said you worked the cinemas.

Anyway, changing up the show wouldn't hurt too much. But I think 2-2-2 is too radical. I think on both ends there should be Oswald and Alice. Then in the middle 4 Mickey cartoons. But that is just me.

I like this idea! That would be great...I haven't even seen any of the Alice or Oswald shorts so I think you would see me in there more if this happened.

I also think that it would be good to have the shorts change for each season/holiday or even on a weekly or monthly basis.

my question is..... do they still have those films?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by disneylandfanatic

How about showing the coloured Disney cartoons like the Silly Symphonies and other Disney shorts created from the 30's-present (House of Mouse created some new ones a few years back. Not the same quality but still better than nothing). I would love to see all these classic shorts again as you rarely find them now a days except from those expensive Disney Tin box sets.

---

Mickey's Polo Match is color, but they show it in B&W to go with the rest of the shorts, so I doubt we'll be seeing any color in there any time soon.
Be careful what you wish for, if the powers that be start thinking of tinkering with the cinema, we'll end up with a store. Just walk away and leave it alone as is...