D.E. Williams, Reuters
December 18, 2009, 5:47 pm
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - James Cameron is "the king of the world" again. "Avatar," the director's first feature since 1997's "Titanic," opens worldwide this weekend amid critical acclaim and expectations of boffo box office.
He recently spoke with the Hollywood Reporter about his early days, commercial success and his struggle to make "Avatar."
WHEN YOUR CAREER BROKE BIG IN 1984 WITH "THE TERMINATOR," YOU WENT FROM BEING A PART-TIME TRUCK DRIVER AND UNKNOWN FILMMAKER TO A HOT HOLLYWOOD WRITER-DIRECTOR.
Cameron: Well, I was actually a full-time truck driver and part-time scriptwriter! I remember pulling the truck over to the side of the road and hiding behind a billboard to write for 20 minutes, hoping that the other drivers wouldn't see me.
BUT AFTER THESE YEARS OF STRUGGLE, YOU BECAME A SORT OF QUINTESSENTIAL "OVERNIGHT SUCCESS." DID YOUR PERCEPTION OF FAME CHANGE?
I never thought of the director as ever being famous. My fantasy of it was that you sort of work in the shadows, creating these things. The actors become famous. But when I really got to the point of being recognized, even away from a venue where one of my films was screening, that's when it really started getting strange. The peak of that was, of course, the couple of weeks after the Academy Awards in 1998. Every other person on the street here in L.A. was looking at me.
THE "JAMES CAMERON" BRAND IS ON THE LEVEL OF A "GEORGE LUCAS" OR "STEVEN SPIELBERG." EVERY WRITER-DIRECTOR DREAMS OF HAVING THIS STATUS, BUT IS IT ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE?
It's very helpful when you try to do something radical and new, like "Avatar." When I pitched it at Fox, it was good to have a track record of successful films, to be able to say to them that I've never directed a film that has lost money, and I'm not about to start now. That was maybe the most compelling thing I said when I was asking them to fund a very expensive film in which the main characters were going to be completely CGI, with blue faces and big golden eyes and tails! Sometimes they'd ask, "Do they need to have tails?" Like it was about the tails. Well, it wasn't about the tails, it was about the fact that they were computer-generated characters and their unease with that. But I had this track record, which helped. I don't care how good the script was, I could not have gotten "Avatar" funded if I hadn't made "Titanic."
HOW DID "TITANIC" ALLOW YOU TO PURSUE OTHER INTERESTS DURING THE PAST 10 YEARS?
The success of "Titanic" assured me of two things. First, I've got an income for a while. Second, I've got a career that's not going to evaporate. I've had enough hits that people can't say it was a fluke. So I could go do some other things. And my logic was that I can't lead a deep-ocean expedition, riding around on 50-foot seas in a Zodiac, when I'm 80 years old. But I can direct a movie when I'm 80. So if I want to go do this expedition stuff (chronicled in Cameron's 2003 documentary "Ghosts of the Abyss"), this is the time to do it. And I didn't want to dabble in it; I wanted to embrace it and be good at it and have the respect of the institutional oceanographic community -- at least to the point that I wasn't just some crackpot. And that took some time. And it also took some time to build the technology -- camera housings, and even some things that sound simple, like a pan-and-tilt camera head that operates outside a submersible vehicle at great depths. That didn't exist. We had to make it, and make it work at 12,000 or 16,000 feet down. We built a lot of stuff -- robotics, lighting systems -- and those designs subsequently found their way into the work of other oceanographic institutes. Hollywood doesn't know about that world or even recognize it, but that's fine. I don't mind that, but it's a little funny when people ask me, "So, what have you been doing for the last 10 years?" Well, I've been really, really busy.
WILL IT SURPRISE PEOPLE TO HEAR THAT ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DIRECTORS ON THE PLANET STILL HAS TO STRUGGLE TO GET HIS VISION TO THE SCREEN?
Well, if it was just about ego for me, I'd get to this point and then make some small movie -- small-er movie -- maybe a $50 million or $60 million film and just tell them to show up at the premiere. I'd just handle the rest. And I could probably get that deal, but that's not the kind of movie I want to make. And so long as I want to make these big films that have so much at risk, then I have to be in a more collegial partnership.
YOU POKED FUN AT YOUR OWN PUBLIC IMAGE IN MOVIES AND AT THE OSCARS WHEN YOU SAID YOU WERE KING OF THE WORLD. HOW DOES HUMOR HELP ONE DEAL WITH FAME?
I don't think some people understood that I was having fun with that moment at the Academy Awards. I think they thought I was just being an egotistical jerk! I think humor is very important in my day-to-day world. As a director you're a leader, whether on set or in post working with visual effects crews. It can get very tense and you have to be focused. But you can't constantly be this disciplined and detail-oriented guy. You have to crack up the room once in a while.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/entertainment/6604654/avatar-director-james-cameron-back-in-spotlight/
Friday, December 18, 2009
I believe in thing called (Meat) Loaf
Published: 12 Dec 2009
MIGHTY MEAT LOAF is making a comeback with former DARKNESS frontman JUSTIN HAWKINS steering his return to the big time.
Wow. What a combination. I predict Meat Loaf's voice and the rocker's guitar magic will spell sure-fire success.
Hawkins has penned five tracks for the forthcoming collection. And I understand an eight-minute axe epic called Love Is Not Real is the standout song so far.
Hawkins - whose track I Believe In A Thing Called Love was a No2 hit in 2003 - is hot song-writing property. He penned an anthem on American Idol runner-up ADAM LAMBERT's For Your Entertainment album, which hit No3 in the Billboard charts. And he's had loads of offers since.
Loaf's last studio album was 2006's Bat Out Of Hell 3. But the new offering won't be another in the series.
A source said: "There's a huge buzz about the material. They're amazing rock tracks and everyone is excited."
I can't wait to have a listen.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2769002/Justin-Hawkins-backing-Meat-Loaf-comeback.html
MIGHTY MEAT LOAF is making a comeback with former DARKNESS frontman JUSTIN HAWKINS steering his return to the big time.
Wow. What a combination. I predict Meat Loaf's voice and the rocker's guitar magic will spell sure-fire success.
Hawkins has penned five tracks for the forthcoming collection. And I understand an eight-minute axe epic called Love Is Not Real is the standout song so far.
Hawkins - whose track I Believe In A Thing Called Love was a No2 hit in 2003 - is hot song-writing property. He penned an anthem on American Idol runner-up ADAM LAMBERT's For Your Entertainment album, which hit No3 in the Billboard charts. And he's had loads of offers since.
Loaf's last studio album was 2006's Bat Out Of Hell 3. But the new offering won't be another in the series.
A source said: "There's a huge buzz about the material. They're amazing rock tracks and everyone is excited."
I can't wait to have a listen.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2769002/Justin-Hawkins-backing-Meat-Loaf-comeback.html
Thursday, December 17, 2009
LOVE NEVER DIES FULL CAST ANNOUNCED
17 December 2009
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long awaited new show “LOVE NEVER DIES” will have its World Premiere in London at the Adelphi Theatre on Tuesday 9 March 2010, followed by New York on Thursday 11 November and Australia in 2011.
“LOVE NEVER DIES” continues the story of ‘The Phantom’, who has moved from his lair in the Paris Opera House to haunt the fairgrounds of Coney Island, far across the Atlantic. Set ten years after the mysterious disappearance of ‘The Phantom’ from Paris, this show is a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue...in which music and memory can play cruel tricks...and ‘The Phantom’ sets out to prove that, indeed, “LOVE NEVER DIES”.
“The Phantom of the Opera”, based on the French novel by Gaston Leroux, has proved a huge success the world over and has been seen by over 100 million people, making it the single most successful entertainment entity in history. The show has been translated into 15 languages and has played in over 25 different countries, including China, Brazil, Poland and Korea. “The Phantom of the Opera” opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London on 9 October 1986 starring Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford and celebrated its 23rd London birthday on 9 October 2009. “The Phantom of the Opera” has won a staggering 50 awards worldwide, whilst global album sales currently stand at over 40 million copies.
Ramin Karimloo will create the role of ‘The Phantom’ in “LOVE NEVER DIES”, having already played the role to great acclaim in “The Phantom of the Opera” in London. Ramin’s other stage credits include starring as ‘Enjolras’ in “Les Misérables” in the West End, ‘Chris’ in the UK tour of “Miss Saigon” and ‘Artie Green’ in the UK tour of “Sunset Boulevard”. Ramin also played ‘Raoul’ in the West End production of “The Phantom of the Opera”, as well as the role of ‘Christine’s Father’ in Joel Schumacher’s film, making him the only actor to play all three of ‘Christine’s’ loves.
Sierra Boggess will create the role of ‘Christine’ in “LOVE NEVER DIES”. Sierra made her Broadway debut creating the lead role of ‘Ariel’ in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, receiving both Drama League and Drama Desk Award nominations and a Broadway.com Audience Award for ‘Favourite Breakthrough Performance’. She also understudied the role of ‘Cosette’ in the U.S. national tour of “Les Misérables”. In 2007 Sierra was handpicked by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hal Prince to originate the role of ‘Christine’ in the brand new production of “Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular”. “LOVE NEVER DIES” marks Sierra’s West End debut.
Joseph Millson will play ‘Raoul’. He has worked extensively in theatre, film and television, including many roles at both the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was nominated as ‘Best Actor 2001’ at the Royal Television Society Awards, and as ‘Most Promising Actor 1999’ and ‘Best Actor 2000’ at the National Television Awards for his starring role as ‘Sam Morgan’ in five series of “Peak Practice”.
Liz Robertson will play ‘Madame Giry’. Liz Robertson has starred in many West End and regional musicals, including “The King and I”, “The Sound of Music”, “I Love My Wife”, “The Mitford Girls” and “Song and Dance”. She starred as ‘Eliza Doolittle’ in “My Fair Lady” at the Adelphi Theatre for which she earned rave reviews and The Variety Club’s ‘Most Promising Actress’ Award, as well as an ‘Olivier’ nomination for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’.
Summer Strallen will play ‘Meg Giry’. She, also, has starred in many West End musicals, including “Scrooge”, “Cats”, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, “Guys and Dolls”, “The Boyfriend” (for which she was nominated for the 2007 ‘Olivier’ Award for ‘Best Supporting Role in a Musical’) and “The Drowsy Chaperone” (for which she was nominated for the 2008 ‘Olivier’ Award for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’). She recently starred as ‘Maria’ in the London Palladium production of “The Sound of Music”, having won the role whilst playing ‘Summer Shaw’ in “Hollyoaks” on television.
‘Fleck’, ‘Squelch’ and ‘Gangle’ will be played respectively by Niamh Perry, Adam Pearce and Jami Reid-Quarrell. Niamh has recently starred as ‘Sophie’ in “MAMMA MIA!” at the Prince of Wales Theatre and was one of the twelve finalists in “I’d Do Anything” on BBC 1, in which she came fifth. Adam spent four years with the National Youth Music Theatre and has subsequently played in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat” and “Evita”, both at the Adelphi Theatre in London. Jami has worked with the English National Opera, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Royal Opera House and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and was in the recent West End production of “Equus” and played the lead in “Depeche Mode” for television.
The cast will also include Derek Andrews, Dean Chisnall, Helen Dixon, Lucie Downer, Paul Farrell, Charlene Ford, Chris Gage, Lucy van Gasse, Celia Graham, Simon Ray Harvey, Jack Horner, Erin Anna Jameson, Pip Jordan, Jessica Kirton, Louise Madison, Janet Mooney, Colette Morrow, Tam Mutu, Ashley Nottingham, Tom Oakley, Mark Skipper, Jonathan Stewart, Tim Walton and Annette Yeo.
Lyricist Glenn Slater was nominated for the 2008 Tony and Grammy Awards for Disney’s theatrical production of “The Little Mermaid”. He is lyricist on the current London production of “Sister Act”. Bob Crowley, set and costume designer, recently worked on “Phèdre” with Helen Mirren at the National Theatre. His many award-winning productions include “The History Boys”, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”, Disney’s “Aida”, “Mary Poppins” and “The Year of Magical Thinking”. Choreographer Jerry Mitchell recently made his directorial debut with “Legally Blonde”, both on Broadway and in the West End, and choreographed the award-winning musical productions of “La Cage aux Folles”, “Hairspray”, “The Full Monty” and “Catch Me If You Can”, which recently opened in Seattle. Director Jack O’Brien directed the award-winning London production of “Hairspray” and won Tony awards for the Broadway productions of Tom Stoppard’s “The Coast of Utopia”, “Hairspray” and the 2004 production of “Henry IV”. His other productions include Stoppard’s “The Invention of Love”, “The Full Monty”, “Hapgood”, “Damn Yankees”, “The Little Foxes”, “Catch Me If You Can”, and operas including “Street Scene” at New York City Opera and “Il Triticco” at the Metropolitan Opera.
The World Premiere of “LOVE NEVER DIES” will take place in London on 9 March 2010 at the Adelphi Theatre. Previews begin on 20 February. The show will subsequently open in New York on 11 November 2010 and then in Australia in 2011.
March 2010 sees the Polydor/Universal release of the album of “LOVE NEVER DIES”, the long awaited follow up to “The Phantom Of The Opera” (the eighth best-selling album of ALL TIME, unprecedented for a musical theatre album). The album release will coincide with the opening of the show in London’s West End and will be available in both deluxe and standard versions.
http://www.loveneverdies.com/news/
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long awaited new show “LOVE NEVER DIES” will have its World Premiere in London at the Adelphi Theatre on Tuesday 9 March 2010, followed by New York on Thursday 11 November and Australia in 2011.
“LOVE NEVER DIES” continues the story of ‘The Phantom’, who has moved from his lair in the Paris Opera House to haunt the fairgrounds of Coney Island, far across the Atlantic. Set ten years after the mysterious disappearance of ‘The Phantom’ from Paris, this show is a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue...in which music and memory can play cruel tricks...and ‘The Phantom’ sets out to prove that, indeed, “LOVE NEVER DIES”.
“The Phantom of the Opera”, based on the French novel by Gaston Leroux, has proved a huge success the world over and has been seen by over 100 million people, making it the single most successful entertainment entity in history. The show has been translated into 15 languages and has played in over 25 different countries, including China, Brazil, Poland and Korea. “The Phantom of the Opera” opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London on 9 October 1986 starring Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford and celebrated its 23rd London birthday on 9 October 2009. “The Phantom of the Opera” has won a staggering 50 awards worldwide, whilst global album sales currently stand at over 40 million copies.
Ramin Karimloo will create the role of ‘The Phantom’ in “LOVE NEVER DIES”, having already played the role to great acclaim in “The Phantom of the Opera” in London. Ramin’s other stage credits include starring as ‘Enjolras’ in “Les Misérables” in the West End, ‘Chris’ in the UK tour of “Miss Saigon” and ‘Artie Green’ in the UK tour of “Sunset Boulevard”. Ramin also played ‘Raoul’ in the West End production of “The Phantom of the Opera”, as well as the role of ‘Christine’s Father’ in Joel Schumacher’s film, making him the only actor to play all three of ‘Christine’s’ loves.
Sierra Boggess will create the role of ‘Christine’ in “LOVE NEVER DIES”. Sierra made her Broadway debut creating the lead role of ‘Ariel’ in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, receiving both Drama League and Drama Desk Award nominations and a Broadway.com Audience Award for ‘Favourite Breakthrough Performance’. She also understudied the role of ‘Cosette’ in the U.S. national tour of “Les Misérables”. In 2007 Sierra was handpicked by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hal Prince to originate the role of ‘Christine’ in the brand new production of “Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular”. “LOVE NEVER DIES” marks Sierra’s West End debut.
Joseph Millson will play ‘Raoul’. He has worked extensively in theatre, film and television, including many roles at both the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was nominated as ‘Best Actor 2001’ at the Royal Television Society Awards, and as ‘Most Promising Actor 1999’ and ‘Best Actor 2000’ at the National Television Awards for his starring role as ‘Sam Morgan’ in five series of “Peak Practice”.
Liz Robertson will play ‘Madame Giry’. Liz Robertson has starred in many West End and regional musicals, including “The King and I”, “The Sound of Music”, “I Love My Wife”, “The Mitford Girls” and “Song and Dance”. She starred as ‘Eliza Doolittle’ in “My Fair Lady” at the Adelphi Theatre for which she earned rave reviews and The Variety Club’s ‘Most Promising Actress’ Award, as well as an ‘Olivier’ nomination for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’.
Summer Strallen will play ‘Meg Giry’. She, also, has starred in many West End musicals, including “Scrooge”, “Cats”, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, “Guys and Dolls”, “The Boyfriend” (for which she was nominated for the 2007 ‘Olivier’ Award for ‘Best Supporting Role in a Musical’) and “The Drowsy Chaperone” (for which she was nominated for the 2008 ‘Olivier’ Award for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’). She recently starred as ‘Maria’ in the London Palladium production of “The Sound of Music”, having won the role whilst playing ‘Summer Shaw’ in “Hollyoaks” on television.
‘Fleck’, ‘Squelch’ and ‘Gangle’ will be played respectively by Niamh Perry, Adam Pearce and Jami Reid-Quarrell. Niamh has recently starred as ‘Sophie’ in “MAMMA MIA!” at the Prince of Wales Theatre and was one of the twelve finalists in “I’d Do Anything” on BBC 1, in which she came fifth. Adam spent four years with the National Youth Music Theatre and has subsequently played in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat” and “Evita”, both at the Adelphi Theatre in London. Jami has worked with the English National Opera, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Royal Opera House and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and was in the recent West End production of “Equus” and played the lead in “Depeche Mode” for television.
The cast will also include Derek Andrews, Dean Chisnall, Helen Dixon, Lucie Downer, Paul Farrell, Charlene Ford, Chris Gage, Lucy van Gasse, Celia Graham, Simon Ray Harvey, Jack Horner, Erin Anna Jameson, Pip Jordan, Jessica Kirton, Louise Madison, Janet Mooney, Colette Morrow, Tam Mutu, Ashley Nottingham, Tom Oakley, Mark Skipper, Jonathan Stewart, Tim Walton and Annette Yeo.
Lyricist Glenn Slater was nominated for the 2008 Tony and Grammy Awards for Disney’s theatrical production of “The Little Mermaid”. He is lyricist on the current London production of “Sister Act”. Bob Crowley, set and costume designer, recently worked on “Phèdre” with Helen Mirren at the National Theatre. His many award-winning productions include “The History Boys”, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses”, Disney’s “Aida”, “Mary Poppins” and “The Year of Magical Thinking”. Choreographer Jerry Mitchell recently made his directorial debut with “Legally Blonde”, both on Broadway and in the West End, and choreographed the award-winning musical productions of “La Cage aux Folles”, “Hairspray”, “The Full Monty” and “Catch Me If You Can”, which recently opened in Seattle. Director Jack O’Brien directed the award-winning London production of “Hairspray” and won Tony awards for the Broadway productions of Tom Stoppard’s “The Coast of Utopia”, “Hairspray” and the 2004 production of “Henry IV”. His other productions include Stoppard’s “The Invention of Love”, “The Full Monty”, “Hapgood”, “Damn Yankees”, “The Little Foxes”, “Catch Me If You Can”, and operas including “Street Scene” at New York City Opera and “Il Triticco” at the Metropolitan Opera.
The World Premiere of “LOVE NEVER DIES” will take place in London on 9 March 2010 at the Adelphi Theatre. Previews begin on 20 February. The show will subsequently open in New York on 11 November 2010 and then in Australia in 2011.
March 2010 sees the Polydor/Universal release of the album of “LOVE NEVER DIES”, the long awaited follow up to “The Phantom Of The Opera” (the eighth best-selling album of ALL TIME, unprecedented for a musical theatre album). The album release will coincide with the opening of the show in London’s West End and will be available in both deluxe and standard versions.
http://www.loveneverdies.com/news/
Roy Disney, nephew of Walt, dead at 79
By Adam S. Miller, Canwest News Service
December 16, 2009 4:03 PM
The revered nephew of Walt Disney died Wednesday after struggling with cancer, according to Clifford A. Miller, a spokesman for Disney's company Shamrock Holdings, as reported by the L.A. Times.
Roy Edward Disney was best known for his revival of Disney's famous animation team, and made headlines after organizing the dismissal of two of Disney's top executives — Ron Miller in 1984 and Michael Eisner in 2005.
He first began working for the Disney Company as his uncle's personal assistant director, producing True-Life Adventure films in 1954. He then married Patricia Ann Dailey in 1955 and had four children with her. He continued to work as a director, producer and writer until 1967 when he was elected to the Walt Disney Company Board of Directors.
Disney worked mainly on nature films for the first 20 years of his career with the company, including The Owl That Didn't Give A Hoot, Pancho, A Dog of the Plains as well as an Oscar-nominated short Mysteries of the Deep.
After Walt Disney died in 1966, followed by Roy's father in 1971, Roy was criticized for wanting to take on a larger role in the company. He decided to quit in 1977 over disagreements with corporate decisions at the time, but remained on its board, where he was largely a symbolic figurehead in the company.
He spoke of the controversial decision to resign later in life: "I just felt creatively, the company was not going anywhere interesting. It was very stifling."
In 1984, he resigned his seat on the board amid the turmoil of a corporate takeover, and after Ron Miller was replaced as CEO and company president by Michael Eisner and Frank Wells, Roy hastily returned to the company under the title of vice-chairman of the board of directors and head of the animation department.
In recent years, Disney saw his power in the company decline, which prompted his decision to resign from the board on Nov. 30, 2003, citing "serious differences of opinion about the direction and style of management."
He wrote a critical letter of Eisner's managing principles, stating that Eisner had gravely mismanaged the company, neglected the studio's animation division, failed deals with ABC, timidly handled the theme park business and most importantly instilled a corporate mentality in the company, which turned the Disney into a "rapacious, soulless" company.
After his resignation, Disney helped create the website SaveDisney.com, intended to oust Eisner and his supporters from their positions and to revamp the Walt Disney Company.
As criticism of Eisner increased, his position within the company became increasingly less significant and on March 13, 2005, Eisner announced that he would step down as CEO of the company one year before his contract was to expire.
Roy Disney's efforts to oust Eisner from the Disney Company were well-documented by author James B. Stewart in his best-selling book Disney War.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Disney+nephew+Walt+dead/2349151/story.html
December 16, 2009 4:03 PM
The revered nephew of Walt Disney died Wednesday after struggling with cancer, according to Clifford A. Miller, a spokesman for Disney's company Shamrock Holdings, as reported by the L.A. Times.
Roy Edward Disney was best known for his revival of Disney's famous animation team, and made headlines after organizing the dismissal of two of Disney's top executives — Ron Miller in 1984 and Michael Eisner in 2005.
He first began working for the Disney Company as his uncle's personal assistant director, producing True-Life Adventure films in 1954. He then married Patricia Ann Dailey in 1955 and had four children with her. He continued to work as a director, producer and writer until 1967 when he was elected to the Walt Disney Company Board of Directors.
Disney worked mainly on nature films for the first 20 years of his career with the company, including The Owl That Didn't Give A Hoot, Pancho, A Dog of the Plains as well as an Oscar-nominated short Mysteries of the Deep.
After Walt Disney died in 1966, followed by Roy's father in 1971, Roy was criticized for wanting to take on a larger role in the company. He decided to quit in 1977 over disagreements with corporate decisions at the time, but remained on its board, where he was largely a symbolic figurehead in the company.
He spoke of the controversial decision to resign later in life: "I just felt creatively, the company was not going anywhere interesting. It was very stifling."
In 1984, he resigned his seat on the board amid the turmoil of a corporate takeover, and after Ron Miller was replaced as CEO and company president by Michael Eisner and Frank Wells, Roy hastily returned to the company under the title of vice-chairman of the board of directors and head of the animation department.
In recent years, Disney saw his power in the company decline, which prompted his decision to resign from the board on Nov. 30, 2003, citing "serious differences of opinion about the direction and style of management."
He wrote a critical letter of Eisner's managing principles, stating that Eisner had gravely mismanaged the company, neglected the studio's animation division, failed deals with ABC, timidly handled the theme park business and most importantly instilled a corporate mentality in the company, which turned the Disney into a "rapacious, soulless" company.
After his resignation, Disney helped create the website SaveDisney.com, intended to oust Eisner and his supporters from their positions and to revamp the Walt Disney Company.
As criticism of Eisner increased, his position within the company became increasingly less significant and on March 13, 2005, Eisner announced that he would step down as CEO of the company one year before his contract was to expire.
Roy Disney's efforts to oust Eisner from the Disney Company were well-documented by author James B. Stewart in his best-selling book Disney War.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Disney+nephew+Walt+dead/2349151/story.html
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Purchased my copy of Love Never Dies CD thru eBay
From the same link that (at one time) was listing the tracklist. It's great because we use PayPal and not credit card and I was kinda depressed that I wasn't able to pre-order through the website. I have the money, and the payment should be made anytime between now and next week. I can't wait until March. At least I know the CD's coming. If I find it in the stores before it arrives, I'll pass it on to someone else.
Ryan.
Ryan.
Love Never Dies CD Tracklist?
According to an auction on eBay, this is supposed to be the (current) tracklist for the CD of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Love Never Dies", the sequel to "The Phantom of the Opera". This has since been removed (for good reason, I'm sure) but the information is still available on several other sites and frankly I'm amazed I didn't catch it sooner.
Disc 1
1. Prologue
2. The Coney Island Waltz
3. That's the place you ruined, you fool!
4. A Little Slice of Heaven
5. Only For Him/Only For You
6. The Ayrie
7. 'Till I Hear You Sing
8. Giry Confronts the Phantom/'Till I Hear You Sing (Reprise)
9. Christine Disembarks
10. Arrival of the Trio/Are You Ready to Begin?
11. What a Dreadful Town!...
12. Look With Your Heart
13. Beneath a Moonless Sky
14. Once Upon Another Time
15. "Mother Please, I'm Scared!"
16. Dear Old Friend
17. Beautiful
18. The Beauty Underneath
19. The Phantom Confronts Christine
Disc 2
1. Entr'acte
2. Why Does She Love Me?
3. Devil Take the Hindmost
4. A Little Slice of Heaven (Reprise)
5. Ladies... Gents!/The Coney Island Waltz (Reprise)
6. Bathing Beauty
7. "Mother, Did You Watch?"
8. Before the Performance
9. Devil Take the Hindmost (Quartet)
10. Love Never Dies
11. "Ah, Christine!..."
12. "Gustave! Gustave!..."
13. "Please, Miss Giry, I Want to Go Back..."
For the record now, my iTunes play count for "The Coney Island Waltz" is 39 and "Till I Hear You Sing" 20. It's some of the best music I've heard from a musical in years now.
Ryan.
Disc 1
1. Prologue
2. The Coney Island Waltz
3. That's the place you ruined, you fool!
4. A Little Slice of Heaven
5. Only For Him/Only For You
6. The Ayrie
7. 'Till I Hear You Sing
8. Giry Confronts the Phantom/'Till I Hear You Sing (Reprise)
9. Christine Disembarks
10. Arrival of the Trio/Are You Ready to Begin?
11. What a Dreadful Town!...
12. Look With Your Heart
13. Beneath a Moonless Sky
14. Once Upon Another Time
15. "Mother Please, I'm Scared!"
16. Dear Old Friend
17. Beautiful
18. The Beauty Underneath
19. The Phantom Confronts Christine
Disc 2
1. Entr'acte
2. Why Does She Love Me?
3. Devil Take the Hindmost
4. A Little Slice of Heaven (Reprise)
5. Ladies... Gents!/The Coney Island Waltz (Reprise)
6. Bathing Beauty
7. "Mother, Did You Watch?"
8. Before the Performance
9. Devil Take the Hindmost (Quartet)
10. Love Never Dies
11. "Ah, Christine!..."
12. "Gustave! Gustave!..."
13. "Please, Miss Giry, I Want to Go Back..."
For the record now, my iTunes play count for "The Coney Island Waltz" is 39 and "Till I Hear You Sing" 20. It's some of the best music I've heard from a musical in years now.
Ryan.
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