Questions submitted by
@Mitch!
For one thing, there was an idea for Time Inc., the company that ran 20th Century Fox for most of the original American Magic, to open up their own studio, Time Life Pictures. Now that Fox has replaced Hyperion as Disney’s mature imprint, is this option up for consideration, and why?
This WAS a consideration, but it is pretty much dead in the water with Lucille Ball retiring from RKO-Desilu and Columbia looking for a two partners for TriStar Pictures. Time could be the second while the third is a three-way tie between Gulf+Western, MCA and Warner Communications.
Then, there’s the case of Daniel Abbott essentially telling Lou Scheimer about Bill Cosby’s real-life experiments with “Spanish Fly” by writing a “very special episode” of Fat Albert. Before he was hired by Filmation, did it, or any animation studio, know of Abbott’s own abusive father?
Flight Lieutenant Douglas Abbott's
physical abuse of Daniel is pretty much well-known on both sides of the pond. Less well-known is the
sexual abuse Daniel suffered at the hands of his mother, Olivia Abbott. What Olivia did to Daniel when he was between the ages of 11 and 16 would be far too graphic to type on here.
As part of his contract with Filmation, Daniel must provide documentation of any anger management or therapy he is required to attend. This due in large part to Daniel punching John Lasseter in the face at United Artists. One group Daniel attends is one for survivors of incest and sexual abuse. Another member of that group is the former Playboy bunny Victoria Valentino, who was one of Cosby's OTL victims.
After that is the rumored plan for Harry and Leona Helmsley to sell MGM to The Coca-Cola Company, should the imminent release of Heaven’s Gate bomb at the box office. Because the ad agencies of today are all about cashing in on nostalgia, how can MGM “promote” Coca-Cola?
The fate of MGM is not yet sealed. Coca-Cola will find itself in an extremely bitter bidding war with Turner Broadcasting for most of 1981.
There’s also the problem with a brief comparison, between MGM and Trump Manhattan, over which company was mishandled the most. Since the latter won’t release The Greatest Showman, which studio will, and will elements of the 1980 musical, Barnum, be included in this version?
The Greatest Showman would likely be an early Howard Ashman/Alan Menken collaboration at another studio before Junior lures them to Disney. If not, look for Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber or Tim Rice to bring that project to life sometime in the 1990's.
Finally, on a lesser note, there is the possible addition of “Time Life” and Filmation to the list of companies looking into anime distribution in the near future. Is there a list of active participants in this “arms race,” as well as movies, series, and OVAs for any of them to sub, dub, and sell?]
Filmation isn't exactly dubbing an anime in English. They're trying to create a whole new magical girl show out of thick cloth, using what
they think are the strengths of Fox's
Chappy the Witch, Candy Candy and
Akko-Chan dubs. Not necessarily what gave those dubs their charm. Full disclosure: Filmation pretty much put John Kricfalusi and Daniel Abbott both in charge of their yet-unnamed project with the expectation that both men put aside their rivalry and work together.
One anime property in particular that has been up for grabs for sometime, has been
Speed Racer.