In 1992, Walt Disney Pictures released Newsies, a musical set in 1899 based on the true story of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City.
The young Christian Bale plays Jack “Cowboy” Kelly, a newsboy who sells papers for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World. When Pulitzer and rival newsman William Randolph Hearst jointly raise the price of newspapers for distribution by one-tenth of a cent, Jack and his friends can no longer afford to buy the papers. A disgruntled Jack is inspired to organize the other newsboys in a strike to reverse the price hike, and of course the strike is a success, after all, this is a Disney film.
Promotional image for Newsies (1992), image copyright Disney
The original movie features a score by the very talented composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Enchanted, Tangled) and marked the directorial debut of choreographer Kenny Ortega (best known for directing and producing the High School Musical franchise). Now, almost 20 years later, Newsies has been adapted for the stage, following in the footsteps of Disney’s wildly successful Mary Poppins and The Lion King.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2083
Halloween is more than a month away, but you can get into the holiday spirit early by visiting your favorite Disney theme park. Every year, Halloween kicks off three months of fall and winter celebrations that run through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Below are some of the fantastic ways to experience this very special, spooooky holiday with Disney.
Princess Minnie Statue appears at the Magic Kingdom in time for Halloween, photograph by Valerie Champagne
Haunted Mansion Holiday – Every September, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland gets a dramatic seasonal makeover courtesy of Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. In Haunted Mansion Holiday, two holidays collide when Jack Skellington, Sally, and Oogie Boogie take over the Haunted Mansion and decorate it for Christmas, Jack’s new favorite holiday. The Haunted Mansion will feature the seasonal overlay through the end of the year and is scheduled to return to normal again in January. See pictures of the transformation here!
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2061
If your ideal superhero is one who fights crime, protects the innocent and… bakes, well then you’re in luck. Disney’s Marvel has teamed with kitchenware retail company Williams-Sonoma for a line of kitchen and bakeware products featuring Marvel’s most popular superheroes including Spider-Man, The Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America. The Marvel line is sold exclusively at Williams-Sonoma stores and online at williams-sonoma.com.
Marvel kitchen and bakeware products at Williams-Sonoma, image copyright Williams-Sonoma
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2051
I have been a Netflix subscriber since 2005, long before most of the company’s 23 million+ subscribers opened their own accounts. When I first signed up, there was no “Watch Instantly” feature, and a 3-DVD plan cost $19/month. When Netflix first started offering digital streaming as an option, the meager selection of movies and disappointing streaming quality left a lot to be desired.
My, how times have changed.
Over the past year, Netflix has focused most of its energy on expanding and improving its digital streaming selection, and the efforts are really paying off. There are thousands of new movies and TV series available to Watch Instantly, and more are being added every week as Netflix works out distribution deals with production companies and distributors.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2026
2011 is a big year for the Disney Parks! On October 1st, Walt Disney World celebrates its 40th anniversary, and earlier this year on May 28th, it’s a small world at Disneyland celebrated its 45th anniversary. Originally conceived as an attraction at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York and based on concept art by color stylist and designer Mary Blair, the ride was later taken apart and reassembled at the Disneyland Resort with a brand new Rube Goldberg-style façade. Five years later, it’s a small world was one of the first attractions at the Magic Kingdom theme park on its opening day in 1971.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1990
