DVDizzy Forum

With all the Disney attractions being made into movies, some more successful (i.e., Pirates trilogy) than others (i.e., Country Bears, Haunted Mansion), do you think it's possible to do a movie based on Small World?

There's a wonderful children's book about an orphan named Bobby, who feels he doesn't belong anywhere because he's an orphan, and because of that, he doesn't have any friends. He then gets separated from his group during a visit to Disneyland and rides it's a small world by himself. There, he realizes that he does belong and miraculously finds his fellow orphans, who he realizes truly are his friends. Don't know if that could be adapted, but if one wanted to do a true-to-the-attraction film, it'd be kind of hard to find a story that will explain a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural presentation of singing dolls.

I've always wanted an Alien Encounter movie, but they killed that ride to bring on Stitch. Also, they should do a non-comedic Haunted Mansion film that's a blend of suspense, horror, gothic drama, etc. Something akin to House on Haunted Hill or The Haunting of Hill House.

Escapay

I actually liked the Haunted Mansion film they did make, though I wouldn't mind it if they did another one, maybe retelling the back story and being scarier, but some humor should still be there now and then. It wouldn't be true to the ride to cut out ALL the humor. I'd like to see a movie based on Splash Mountain too! Oh, wait...

I think a Small World movie is possible. I think a good movie can be made about just about ANYTHING, but it all depends on how good the writer is, and the director and other people too, but mainly the writer.

Personally, I wish they would do a more "true to the show" Country Bears movie in 2D animation, even if it is direct to video. A Matterhorn movie with an abominable snowman might be cool too! And I'm eager for a Jungle Cruise movie, but wish the stuff I was hearing sounded more like the script I was planning to write for the film, ha. And, how about giving Figment the dragon his own movie, with Dreamfinder and everything?!! Ha.

Yes, not only do I remember that children's book, but I think I have it!

And actually, on Jim Hill's website, there was an article on a movie version of Small World. It explains why they wanted to do something like that. It actually came about by a studio member named Larry Pontius, who helped boost Disneyland's then-flagging attendance with some ad campaigns like What's Gotten Into the Matterhorn and It Can Only Happen At Disneyland.

Larry thought up the idea for a Small World movie because A) During this time, the studios was pretty much not too creative (some movies released during this pitiful period include, but are definitely not limited to, Gus, No Deposit, No Return and The Shaggy D.A.) and B) Larry thought it would be neat to do a movie based on an attraction since many films were made into attractions at the parks. It also mentions why Small World never got developed: because audiences just weren't turning out for these movies and then Disney opted to follow trends (i.e., The Black Hole, Midnight Madness, etc.) instead of leading the pack.

Anywho, here's Larry's 1977 treatment of the film, loosely inspired by the Small World attraction. The film's story goes something like this:

Imagine that it's the day afternoon tomorrow, with the constantly escalating tensions of the world reaching maximum boil and when even the tiniest spark can start a big roaring fire. And then it does.

That spark's name is Aleksei, the nine-year-old son of the Russian Consul General in Paris. Full of curiosity and the stories that he's heard about the "evil" Chinese, the boy ventures across the boulevard and over the fence to the Consulate of Communist China, whereupon he is nabbed by Chinese security guards who take him into custody. When the Russians learn of Aleksai's capture and detention, they demand his immediate release, only to be refused. The rankled tempers become a shouting match of spying and kidnapping accusations.

It isn't long before the story of Aleksai hits the media, and when it does, millions of people hear the story. And resulting media firestorm brings Red China and the U.S.S.R. to the very brink of war.

In no time, the "Aleksai Affair" is an urgent matter for the United Nations. However, it quickly becomes clear that while there may be calmer heads here, there is fuel being thrown on the fire. There are people in the world who want to see a conflagration for their own profit. Particularly one Alexander Bashillian, the despotic ruler of a small nation in a backwater of the world with but one major industry: munitions.

Into this desperate situation walks a most unlikely group of heroes: the students of the United Nations school, a special educational facility for the children of U.N. Ambassadors. They're a small group of kids of different races, from different countries and ethnic backgrounds that, when they're forced together, have found that they can get along just dandy.

These kids are young enough to think that the world should do as they do. But what can the children of the U.N. Ambassadors do keep the world from blowing to bits?

They disappear.

And when they do, in a faked mass kidnapping plot hatched by the son of the U.N. Ambassador from Iceland and the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador, the "Aleksai Affair" is instantly old news and forgetton by everyone. Everyone, that is, except for Bashillian, the munitions despot.

Alexander continues to try to stir the fires of war by casting blame for the crime on either or both of the nations entangled in the original affair. But when that fails, Bashillian sends his agents to join the thousands already on the hunt. But with a dark goal in mind: to find and kill the children of the U.N. Ambassadors, with the hope of making a bad situation worse.

But the United Nations' children have other plans. Not just to stop Bashillian and his evil agents, but the world, too. To bring our planet back from the brink of disaster.

Now, this is just a barebones version of the plotline of Larry's proposed picture. His actual screenplay for the "Small World" movie would be so loaded with charm and lots of great little moments that really make this somewhat simplistic sounding story truly come alive.

For instance, the way Larry wrote the film's villain First Citizen Alexander Bashillian, the double-dealing munitions dealer, he could have become one of Disney's great comic villians. It's a part that Peter Ustinov would have loved to have sunk his teeth into.

What'd you think of this little testimonial? I was using the article as a guide.

Sounds interesting but a little hard to picture, and I'm not sure if it will capture much of the feel of the ride. I guess I'd have to see it (and hope that I like it, I'm not too into all that political intrigue stuff).

I like your idea posted in another thread about a "Space Mountain" movie! This is one I've thought of many times but somehow forgot when previously posting here.

I also like Escapay's idea of an Alien Encounter movie, if they could make it so it wasn't just a remake of Alien or something like that. I guess it would be a tricky one to make, since the novelty of it is that it is happening to you, and aside from that is very much a typical alien horror film type experience. I loved all the set up though. Very cool. I have the action figure three-pack from that ride and the action figure of the alien, and my sister has a plush of the little cute alien.

About Space Mountain as a movie, I was being sarcastic.

One day I came up with the idea for a movie based on the teacups ride. It involved hobos sneaking into Disneyland at night, camping out in the ride and then discussing the meanings of life etc.

Then I thought, "God, what the hell is up with my brain today?!" and then went on to do something productive.

The teacups were based on the Unbirthday scene of Alice In Wonderland!

If they did do that movie now, I think maybe they could use Geoffrey Rush as Bashillian.

Just get Tim Burton directing, and this movie will be a sure-fire success.

I read a long time ago somewhere that this was planned to be a movie in the 70's. The plot was pretty rediculous. All of the world's leaders were fighting and about to have a war, but there differences are set aside when all of their children go missing unexpectedly and at the same time. Everyone assumes their children have been kidnapped so the world leaders unite to save them and set their differences aside. In the end, they find that the kids weren't kidnapped at all. They all ran away together in hot air balloons to cause a parent trap-esque peace treaty and thus saved the world from another world war. I don't think this movie ever left pre-production phase and I don't believe anybody was ever cast or signed on, but there was teaser art on the site I read this on (I think it was Jim Hill) and I thought it was so interesting that I saved it, so here is the 70's teaser poster for the never made film:
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/a ... lworld.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

And I just went and searched on Jim Hill and that is where I read the article. Here it is: http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/ ... 9/153.aspx

Yep, Jim Hill's website was where I got the information. And that poster, too. Maybe it won't be made into a full-fledged theatrical film. But what about a Disney Channel Original Movie? With that station hungry for kids and teens and no one else, that movie could be a natural there. I think maybe we could have Geoffrey Rush play Bashillian, that's a role that I think could suit him, if he has played Barbossa in the Pirates films.

goofystitch wrote:I read a long time ago somewhere that this was planned to be a movie in the 70's. The plot was pretty rediculous. All of the world's leaders were fighting and about to have a war, but there differences are set aside when all of their children go missing unexpectedly and at the same time. Everyone assumes their children have been kidnapped so the world leaders unite to save them and set their differences aside. In the end, they find that the kids weren't kidnapped at all. They all ran away together in hot air balloons to cause a parent trap-esque peace treaty and thus saved the world from another world war. I don't think this movie ever left pre-production phase and I don't believe anybody was ever cast or signed on, but there was teaser art on the site I read this on (I think it was Jim Hill) and I thought it was so interesting that I saved it, so here is the 70's teaser poster for the never made film:
<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/a ... lworld.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

And I just went and searched on Jim Hill and that is where I read the article. Here it is: http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/ ... 9/153.aspx

This simpler description along with the poster art are a little more inspiring to me. However, I believe it would work much better as a (Mary Blair) stylized, animated, theatrical short! What a shame they didn't make it and release it with Santa Clause 3! But, maybe for a future Disney Christmas release!

Escapay wrote:There's a wonderful children's book about an orphan named Bobby, who feels he doesn't belong anywhere because he's an orphan, and because of that, he doesn't have any friends. He then gets separated from his group during a visit to Disneyland and rides it's a small world by himself. There, he realizes that he does belong and miraculously finds his fellow orphans, who he realizes truly are his friends.

That's the greatest book ever, man. Was and is a favorite.

I think IASW has a lot of potential for a movie, though not the one that Jim Hill talks about in his article. What was Disney thinking? I picture more of a globe-trotting humorous adventure story... perhaps along the lines of Around The World in 90 Days (which I haven't actually seen).

-Aaron

AwallaceUNC wrote:I picture more of a globe-trotting humorous adventure story... perhaps along the lines of Around The World in 90 Days (which I haven't actually seen).

-Aaron

No such movie exists. Perhaps you're referring to Around The World in 80 Days.

Anyway, in regards of Small World and a mention of Matterhorn, well according to the late Disney Magazine, there's a tour which gives you "behind-the-scenes"(i.e. cheesy stories) of some of your favorite Disney rides. And one one of them is that there was a village whose children got kidnapped by a magical yeti and locked them in a little area(a small world) where they're forced to sing the same song over and over again. So the parents tried to kill the yeti but can't as he's hiding in the Matterhorn. That's how it pretty much goes IIRC. Certainly that'd make a great movie on it's own.

Oh and a Peoplemover movie of course! The world of cinema NEEDS a Peoplemover movie!

Timon/Pumbaa fan wrote:No such movie exists. Perhaps you're referring to Around The World in 80 Days.

Crap! I had a feeling I had the wrong number... forgot to double-check.

Timon/Pumbaa fan wrote:Anyway, in regards of Small World and a mention of Matterhorn, well according to the late Disney Magazine, there's a tour which gives you "behind-the-scenes"(i.e. cheesy stories) of some of your favorite Disney rides. And one one of them is that there was a village whose children got kidnapped by a magical yeti and locked them in a little area(a small world) where they're forced to sing the same song over and over again. So the parents tried to kill the yeti but can't as he's hiding in the Matterhorn. That's how it pretty much goes IIRC. Certainly that'd make a great movie on it's own.

Wow... never heard this, but it's really interesting. If that's true, it may convince me a little more that IASW belongs in Fantasyland. But you're right, it could make for a good movie. Would it be called <i>It's A Small World</i> or <i>The Matterhorn</i>? Hmmm.

-Aaron

slave2moonlight wrote:Sounds interesting but a little hard to picture, and I'm not sure if it will capture much of the feel of the ride. I guess I'd have to see it (and hope that I like it, I'm not too into all that political intrigue stuff).

I like your idea posted in another thread about a "Space Mountain" movie! This is one I've thought of many times but somehow forgot when previously posting here.

Where is the thread anyway? I can't find it.

I would accept an IASW movie, only if it was in stylized Mary Blair animation

(btw, the haunted mansion was actually pretty successful- it just lacked the sticking power of pirates)
If they ever make that big thunder mountain movie, perhaps they could use the backstory to Disneyland Paris' Thunder Mesa (frontierland)
I think that would actually make quite a good movie.

I'd go see an It's A Small World,only if the animation looked exactly like the ride at Disneyland/Disney World.