Disney's Tomorrowland

[UncouthHayseed]

As a self-confessed Disney nut (and "nut" probably doesn't do my enthusiasm justice), I'm very much looking forward to Tomorrowland, from Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k59gXTWf-A

The trailers have been wonderfully mysterious - a nice change in a world[nb]Say in a gruff voice.[/nb] where marketers are prone to spoil every important plot detail. In fact, they've been so mysterious, this is amongst the crop.

Whadda you all think?

[Jim_MacLaine]

Is this a film based on the Tommorowland  area of Disneyland? I saw the trailers spotted Space Mountain and then got very confused.

I'm a fan of the design and art direction of the original Anaheim park so it's great to see they've used the original Tommorowland colour scheme rather than the terrible Jules Verne inspired redesign.

If I don't hear the word "MAGNIFICATION" somewhere in the film I will be sorely disappointed.

[UncouthHayseed]

Cor, yes, that would be great. Some fantastic writing on that ride -

Suspended in the timelessness of inner space are the thought waves of my first impressions...

I think it's inspired by the Tomorrowlands of the various Disney parks, from Anaheim to Tokyo, rather than based on (with lots of nods to Disney's science programming in the 50s and 60s), but it will be interesting to see how the architecture of the real-world places influences the movie's art direction. Big fan of Space Mountain's sleek, angular 70s design, like something from Logan's Run, and I can definitely see a dash of Epcot (Center)'s Future World.

And I agree about the Vernian redesign. I hope Tomorrowland inspires Disney to restore the place to its former glory (and get the PeopleMover rolling again).

[BritishHobo]

Yass! I'm properly with you on the mysterious and intentionally vague marketing - I've been intrigued by this for seemingly years now, in spite of and most likely because of the fact that we've gotten almost no information.

And as much as people love to rag on the Lindelof, I think he's a superb character writer, and he's working with Brad bloody Bird, so fuck off, people.

[UncouthHayseed]

A Bird in the hand is worth two with the Lindelof.

Or something.

[Blinder Data]

New trailer: http://youtu.be/AjBLszpEk0o

Looks enjoyably barmy.

[Gulftastic]

Britt Robertson might be part of something that doesn't get cancelled/flop miserably!

[UncouthHayseed]

This is also worth keeping an eye on, released in April -

'Before Tomorrowland'

http://www.amazon.com/Before-Tomorrowland-Jeff-Jenson/dp/1484704215/

Based on the spellbinding world of the Walt Disney Studios film, Tomorrowland, this original prequel novel features a 20-page comic book and unlocks a place of unfathomable science and technology and the famous people behind it.

The year is 1939.

A secret society of extraordinary geniuses is about to share an incredible discovery with the world.

A misguided enemy--half man, half machine--will stop at nothing to prevent the group from giving this forbidden knowledge to humanity.

And a mother and son on vacation in New York City are handed a comic book infused with a secret code that will lead them straight into the crossfires of the conspiracy.

[Mister Six]

Yargh, I wish I'd seen this film without reading this thread. The idea that it's an elaborate promo for a Disneyland ride (or area or whatever) makes my skin crawl.

But it's Brad Bird, whom I love, and I really thought the Lego Movie was great, so maybe I need to shut up?

Yes.














 


 







 

[UncouthHayseed]

The idea that it's an elaborate promo for a Disneyland ride (or area or whatever) makes my skin crawl.

Area, man. Jeez. Get with it.

As for "elaborate promo," I don't think it is. I mean, certainly, synergy is in Disney's blood; the studio's first televisual outing, Disneyland, other than representing one of Hollywood's first steps into TV (Walt Disney saw the medium's potential, whereas other movie-types, fearful the little screen might usurp the silver screen, did not), advertised its namesake, with drama and documentaries that corresponded to upcoming experiences (the famous Davy Crockett series, which became something of an American phenomenon, tied into Disneyland's Frontierland, for instance). And alright, no, you can't deny "Tomorrowland" is a section of every Disneyland-style theme park (except for Disneyland Paris, where it takes a neat steampunk turn as "Discoveryland" - more in keeping with European traditions of futurism, it's said). But Disney has a rich history of scientific and technological innovation, overshadowed in the public mind by princesses and fantasy (as an example, President Eisenhower convinced his "stuffed-shirt generals" to pursue a space programme using Disney's 1955 Man in Space), and I think the Tomorrowland movie is tapping into that.

As Jim_MacLaine points out, if you were to visit California's Disneyland today (and I recommend it. 60th anniversary this year, innit), the Tomorrowland you'd see would be almost nothing like the Tomorrowland found in the trailers. What was once a considered representation of the future, bustling with thoughtful exhibits and experimental modes of transportation, is now a jumble of branded rides: Star Wars, Toy Story, and Finding Nemo. Disney are clearly not showcasing this Tomorrowland in the movie, so I think it's difficult to argue Tomorrowland is a promotional tool (unlike Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion, where the argument is more compelling). Having said that, perhaps if the movie is successful, we'll see elements of Bird and Lindelof's Tomorrowland represented at Disneyland, Disney World, and so on.

[Jim_MacLaine]

Having said that, perhaps if the movie is successful, we'll see elements of Bird and Lindelof's Tomorrowland represented at Disneyland, Disney World, and so on.

Definitely. They had already partly re-introduced the original white/blue/gold colour scheme for the 50th.

[UncouthHayseed]

White and gold? You mean blue and black.

(Sorry.)

[UncouthHayseed]

Great featurette here (again, revealing nothing of the plot) that draws on lots of rare, high quality Disney archival footage from the 1950s and '60s:

http://mashable.com/2015/04/14/tomorrowland-disney-connections/

[Blinder Data]

Loads of new footage in this trailer (rather spoils a key action set piece, however): https://youtu.be/pAyKJAtDNCw

[Buttress]

Saw this like, recently. Meh. Was a bit textbook Lindelof (which means fairly incoherent plot, little pay off, meager suspense, etc, etc)

I like the idea of a 'tomorrowland' except maybe not in the way envisioned in the film, and I felt the ending was a bit "aa-hum. Hmm." Is this Lindelof's way of saying if only the world was less doom and gloom we could all live happily under 'rocketman' 50s-era capitalism? Food for thought anyhow.

Still nice to enjoy the set pieces and some interesting character twists (but strangely unexplored Tomorrowland..)

[Lt Plonker]

Saw this like, recently. Meh. Was a bit textbook Lindelof (which means fairly incoherent plot, little pay off, meager suspense, etc, etc)

Pretty much all that, yeah. And also: "I know how things work."

I liked the main girl; put me in mind of Karen Gillan. And the jetpack sequence at the beginning.  And the Tomorrowland hologram advert sequence. I think the obnoxious "Hey, let ME tell the story." opening, in retrospect, pretty much set up the slightly messy two hours that followed. I didn't really understand why Tomorrowland was abandoned or what Evil Hugh Laurie was doing.

It looked LOVELY - lots of nice directorial flourishes from Brad Bird - but the story and script was, as you said: Meh.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Saw this today and thought it was alright, though I was in the mood for a Hollywood blockbuster-y thing. It certainly looks pretty and has some fun sequences (

Spoiler alert

Clooney's house under attack, Casey's first visit to Tomorrowland, The Eiffel Tower splitting apart

[close]

) but I felt it needed something more, a couple of really big set pieces, and should have cut some of the emotional subplot nonsense. If only because it's a bit creepy that it looks like Clooney's still in love with the robot at the end, who only looks about 12. And they hammered home the "Dreamers are special people" message way too hard, it's not a movie that does subtlety well at all, which his a shame as it could have been a lot better with a few minor tweaks.

[olliebean]

I enjoyed it, thought it was good fun and reminded me of the sort of films I enjoyed when I was a kid. But yes, Clooney being in love with the childbot was a bit creepy, notwithstanding they were the same age at the start. There wasn't really any reason why all of the recruiter-bots had to be children, was there?

[Small Man Big Horse]

I enjoyed it, thought it was good fun and reminded me of the sort of films I enjoyed when I was a kid. But yes, Clooney being in love with the childbot was a bit creepy, notwithstanding they were the same age at the start. There wasn't really any reason why all of the recruiter-bots had to be children, was there?

No, George Clooney's just got a lusting for robot children.

It's a bit strange they put him in charge after he killed Hugh Laurie, too, like everyone went "Oh, you, killing Hugh Laurie and destroying the big time globe that's just knocked out all the power in the world, you're the one who should lead us now".