Curious why? did economics underperform as bad? reaganomics was a miss and all economics already are noticing that, were a internal boom and the slow collapse of oil prices who helped US economy during 80's that and the asian production and consumption boom too.
American Magic: A Different History of Disney
- Thread starter OldNavy1988
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Right now, the Asian economic "Tiger" is healthy and growling, and the American dollar is still strong, but any downward curve might nix the Disney/NBC deal.
Yikes. Well, here's hoping the deal will go through before anything like that can happen.
Where is the notorious David Begelman right now ITTL?
IOTL, after (among other things) blackmailing Judy Garland and embezzling funds from Columbia Pictures, he became the head of MGM (which he isn't ITTL) and then founded Sherwood Productions (later Gladden Entertainment), where he produced films like Mr. Mom, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, and Weekend at Bernie's. Does Sherwood/Gladden exist ITTL or is Begelman out of the industry for good (and if so who will finance the films I mentioned)?
IOTL, after (among other things) blackmailing Judy Garland and embezzling funds from Columbia Pictures, he became the head of MGM (which he isn't ITTL) and then founded Sherwood Productions (later Gladden Entertainment), where he produced films like Mr. Mom, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, and Weekend at Bernie's. Does Sherwood/Gladden exist ITTL or is Begelman out of the industry for good (and if so who will finance the films I mentioned)?
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I could see Buckaroo Banzai being either a Ladd Company or Grand Diamond movie. (Or both if GD ends up distributing Ladd films.)
Does Regan gett relected or does increase cymism in her first term lead to the democrats chossing a serious candiate like Ted Kenndey or jerry brown instead of walter mondale leading to regan losing relection
@Nevermore I think a Disney/Turner joint venture on a fourth network would make a good plan B if the NBC deal falls apart. I think I might have a name for it...
Wait for it....
Wait for it....
The Hub!*
*Hyperion United [Artists] Broadcasting
Wait for it....
Wait for it....
The Hub!*
*Hyperion United [Artists] Broadcasting
It's either because Turner-United Artists are powerful, it's a half-serious suggestion based on reference to the short-lived Hub Network, or a combination of the two.
Rant alert!
Here's why I don't think partnering with Turner is a good idea: Turner doesn't make TV programs.
IOTL, a big component to the Fox network's early success was that its first hit shows, 21 Jump Street, The Tracey Ullman Show, and later The Simpsons, were self-produced (this is arguably what they needed to survive as other television studios would have been wary of low advertising dollars since the network was new at the time). I've heard the term "post-Fox environment" to describe the broadcast network landscape today where more than half of the primetime programs are produced by the networks that air them. Fox was already a formidable television production studio at the time thanks to shows like Trapper John M.D. and The Fall Guy so they simply shifted their priorities to their new network.
Turner, on the other hand, will pretty much have to start from scratch. While Turner is a cable pioneer, it has no real presence on the broadcast networks. United Artists' last hit show was Gilligan's Island, which ended in 1967! You might say that Disney doesn't have a presence either but they've had a hit anthology show running for 28 years straight. For the Disney-Turner network to have the same impact as OTL's Fox, Turner needs to ramp up its production considerably.
Also, Ted had a history of paying low for television programming for WTBS - what he really loved was playing movies.
If Disney doesn't buy NBC, I'd suggest partnering with a company with a more active broadcast portfolio such as Universal (who is making Magnum P.I. and Simon & Simon) or even Paramount (whose Happy Days is still going strong and has two spinoffs, Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy, also on the air - not to mention their other shows like Taxi and Bosom Buddies).
Here's why I don't think partnering with Turner is a good idea: Turner doesn't make TV programs.
IOTL, a big component to the Fox network's early success was that its first hit shows, 21 Jump Street, The Tracey Ullman Show, and later The Simpsons, were self-produced (this is arguably what they needed to survive as other television studios would have been wary of low advertising dollars since the network was new at the time). I've heard the term "post-Fox environment" to describe the broadcast network landscape today where more than half of the primetime programs are produced by the networks that air them. Fox was already a formidable television production studio at the time thanks to shows like Trapper John M.D. and The Fall Guy so they simply shifted their priorities to their new network.
Turner, on the other hand, will pretty much have to start from scratch. While Turner is a cable pioneer, it has no real presence on the broadcast networks. United Artists' last hit show was Gilligan's Island, which ended in 1967! You might say that Disney doesn't have a presence either but they've had a hit anthology show running for 28 years straight. For the Disney-Turner network to have the same impact as OTL's Fox, Turner needs to ramp up its production considerably.
Also, Ted had a history of paying low for television programming for WTBS - what he really loved was playing movies.
If Disney doesn't buy NBC, I'd suggest partnering with a company with a more active broadcast portfolio such as Universal (who is making Magnum P.I. and Simon & Simon) or even Paramount (whose Happy Days is still going strong and has two spinoffs, Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy, also on the air - not to mention their other shows like Taxi and Bosom Buddies).
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Sorry for replying to your old post @OldNavy1988 but I think there's a better idea than a BTTF ride replacing Mission to Mars.
Make Brian De Palma's Mission to Mars be a Disney film instead of a Hyperion film (it was Touchstone IOTL), and make it more based off the ride that shares its name instead of the weird mess it was IOTL (though not too much, otherwise it will just be an Apollo 13 ripoff). Then reopen the ride after the movie's success (maybe with Don Cheadle as narrator?), similarly to how the OTL Pirates of the Caribbean ride was refurbished to tie in with the movies.
Spring 1982 headlines...
Screen Writers Guild, Screen Actors Guild & Directors Guilds' megastrike outside MGM studio in its seventh month.
Trump: Poltergeist could be sold off or delayed till '83 if strike not resolved.
Feds arrest Madoff for securities fraud.
Screen Writers Guild, Screen Actors Guild & Directors Guilds' megastrike outside MGM studio in its seventh month.
Trump: Poltergeist could be sold off or delayed till '83 if strike not resolved.
Feds arrest Madoff for securities fraud.
Madoff arrested you say? Is it too early to break out the champagne? Looks like we've finally received one of our first big non-Disney related political butterflies.
I really hope Poltergeist makes it though I wonder how a longer development would effect it. It's such a great horror film, but I do hope it avoids the 'curse' associated with it.
...and MGM continues spinning in circles like a turd in the toilet.
Nice! It'll be the lone financial success for them in this period.
As for Poltergeist, I think MGM should sell it rather than delay it. May I suggest Cannon as the buyer? It won't be their first hit (that'll be Death Wish II) but it'll help establish them after years toiling as a grindhouse distributor.
@ImSadCauseImAlone
Yeah, I do hope I can elevate Cannon to where Grand Diamond is right now. Plus, we've gotta figure out what happens to AVCO Embassy.
As for MGM, if things stay the same as they are now, their last film could very well be Gymkata, which will come out in '85.
Yeah, I do hope I can elevate Cannon to where Grand Diamond is right now. Plus, we've gotta figure out what happens to AVCO Embassy.
As for MGM, if things stay the same as they are now, their last film could very well be Gymkata, which will come out in '85.
@OldNavy1988
Did Hammer suffer the same fate or is there hope for them ITTL? In OTL they ceased film production in the late 70's. Could it be possible for them to have better fortunes in this era or is that too ASB?
Did Hammer suffer the same fate or is there hope for them ITTL? In OTL they ceased film production in the late 70's. Could it be possible for them to have better fortunes in this era or is that too ASB?
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