yumegawa: December 2012

The *American Idol* alum says the film is filled with "great actors PRETENDING to be singers." Burn.

Here's What New Year's Eve on TV is Like

Ryan Seacrest, Carson Daly, and Anderson Cooper are all hosting very well televised parties. Plus our tips on virtual party crashing via webcam.

'Till the Credits Do Us Part

When our favorite stars don't get together in real-life, there's always the movies.

Madonna and a Bunch of Other Oldsters Dominated This Year's Top 10 Tours

Justin Bieber didn't even crack the top 20!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Ralph Hulett's Christmas, day 18

Much the same subject matter as the Christmas eve card below, but a whole different treatment.

See other Ralph Hulett Christmas cards on the TAG Blog

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

So Why Theatrical?

The Brew, Reporter and others have noted that Disney Toon Studios will be releasing the (up to now) direct-to-video Planes on large silver screens across the U.S. and Canada.

... Planes originally was planned for a direct-to-home entertainment release when it was announced several years ago. The movie does for the world of airplanes what Cars did for the world of automobiles and even takes cues from the designs ...

So why would the Mouse be releasing a feature produced largely in India (story, design, and some animation is being done at the DT studio in Glendale, California) into theaters? ...

There's speculation that Diz Co. wants to throw an animated something against DreamWorks Animation's Turbo and there is some resonance to that. (This is the feature that's ready for release against the second DWA film of the year so ... why not?)

But I think the three biggest reasons are:

1) Merchandise

2) Merchandise

3) Merchandise

Cars toys has made gazillions for the Burbank conglomerate, and Planes has Winged Action Figure! pasted all over it. So what if it's an Indian-based production? Walt's company isn't some high-toned Florentine art studio.

This is about the MO-neeey.

Merry Ralph Hulett's Christmas!

Once more the star in the night. You get to see back-to-back treatments of the same subject ... in different years.

See other Ralph Hulett Christmas cards on the TAG Blog

Monday, December 24, 2012

Ashley Robbins Hot Photo

A Schulz-Melendez Christmas

As the Journal informs us:

Of all the "Peanuts" television specials ever made, the first—"A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965)—was the Charlie Browniest. The 25-minute special was an underdog, just like its hapless protagonist, and barely made it on the air. CBS gave producer Lee Mendelson so minuscule a budget, we learn in Charles Solomon's "The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation," that he was forced to fund the rest out of his own pocket—even though Coca-Cola had already guaranteed sponsorship. When "A Charlie Brown Christmas" pulled in sensational ratings, CBS grudgingly asked for follow-ups. "We're going to order four more," a network executive told Mr. Mendelson, "though my aunt in New Jersey didn't like it either"—a line that Schulz might have written.

Bill Melendez, "A Charlie Brown Christmas's" director, did almost all of Charles' Schulz's "Peanuts" specials, commercials and episodics from the start of their partnership until Schulz's death. His studio was in Hollywood, fully contained in three homey bungalows on Larchmont. The place was small, easy-going and efficient.

Bill was a die-hard unionist. He walked out of Walt Disney Productions when the animation crew went on strike in 1941, and never worked at the Mouse House again. A decade later, he was President of the Screen Cartoonists Guild (TAG's predecessor, and the union that organized Disney in '41) when Walt had his revenge against that union and teamed with the IATSE to help form a rival union.

This one.

Bill didn't take the attack on the SCG lightly or kindly. When he formed his own studio, Bill Melendez Productions, in the 1960s, he made sure he signed a union contract, but it wasn't with the Animation Guild Local 839, it was with the Teamsters. It remained that way for the next forty-plus years.

I was always sorry about it, but I understood Mr. Melendez's reasons, and respected them. Sometimes old wounds go deep.

Lisa anne Pictures

Miss BumBum Hot Picture

Photo Of Hot Girls

Ralph Hulett's Christmas Eve

Shepherds, sheep, and starlight.

See other Ralph Hulett Christmas cards on the TAG Blog

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Bob Foster's Christmas Poem

By request, just for YOU, the President's verses.

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the studios

All the artists were working, chairs stuck to their gluteus.

Christmas bonuses dangled like carrots on sticks.

Artists fell for the gag like a bag full of bricks.

Ev’ry year they fell for the same weary tune

“Help us out of this jam and we’ll pay you next June,”

Said the bosses, investors and corporate suits,

With their parachutes, options and camel hair boots.

Then they’d file for protection with chapter eleven,

Then laugh all the way to the bank with their seven,

Maybe eight bags of cash of a shocking amount

To deposit next week in their Swiss bank account.

“Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Pardon me, can’t you see that I must catch my flight

To my ranch in Aruba, then on to Geneva, so

Happy New Year and thanks now I really must go.

Oh, and this marks the end of your health care and bennies.

Thanks for not going union and working for pennies.”

All the artists were stunned by this rotten transgression

Against all their hard work in this noble profession

So they opened their own place and signed with the Guild

Now they all have a pension and health plan for skilled

Union workers and spouses and dependent youth.

So it pays to “Go Union,” now ain’t that the truth?

Read it off your lap top ... in front of the fire ... with your loved ones.

You'll get a warm, toasty feeling inside.

Your Overseas Box Office

The newer totals:

... Third was DreamWorks' Rise of the Guardians, which collected $13.7 million in its sixth round overseas from 6,251 locations in 60 markets. The Paramount release lifted its foreign gross total well past the $100-million mark ($142.9 million). ...

Wreck-It Ralph, Disney’s 3D family animation title, boosted its foreign take to $7.3 million its eighth round in 34 territories, and nudged its foreign gross total $67.6 million. Thanks to its strong domestic performance, the film has grossed a worldwide total of $239.5 million. ...

Hotel Transylvania's foreign gross total stands at $164.6 million. Universal’s Ted, $284.2 million.

Here's an interesting comparison factoid: Rise of the Guardians has collected $222.6 million worldwide to date, and Box Office Mojo lists its costs at $145 million.

Wreck-It Ralph, generally considered a bigger success because it's done better domestically, has a global box office total of $239.5 million and a budget (per Mojo) of $165 million.

So let's crunch the numbers. You see a big difference in the amount of money they've taken in after accounting for costs*?

Neither do I. (Perceptions are much of the game.)

* Admittedly, the Mojo's production cost listings might not be super accurate, but they're what we have to go on, yes?

Model of the Year 2012

Well it's gotta be Carla.. I'm a bit of a fan of her work.

Ralph Hulett's Christmas, day 15

A domed cathedral, european-style fountain and foreground autumn leaves. Hulett didn't paint domed churches that often, but he uses it here to good effect.

See other Ralph Hulett Christmas cards on the TAG Blog

Leather Beauty Poll 14-In Second Place

Ginni ..sorry bout been a bit late with these but seeing as it's Christmas had a bit of a Blowout in the true sense of the word,
Last poll for a few days off to see the family for Crimbo.