Jim Hill
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Of course, one thing that I'm sure will have very broad appeal is Disney / Pixar's November 2nd release, "Monsters, Inc." Have you seen the latest series of commercials for this film that have been popping up all over the tube. I love those weird little glimpses that we've been getting of Monstropolis, a place where the crosswalk signs read "Stalk / Don't Stalk."

Of course, given the amount of money that Disney, Pixar and their promotional partners (McDonalds, Kellogg's et al) are pouring into the project, "Monsters, Inc." had *BETTER* be an enormous hit. According to information released by Pixar CEO Steve Jobs last week, $175 million is being spent on promotion on this film. Which is nearly twice what it cost to make the movie itself.

Speaking of animation, I got a lot of mail following last week's "The Best Sight Gags That You Never Got to See" story. In particular, LaughingPlace.com readers seemed eager to learn about the cameo appearance that the "Little Mermaid" 's Ariel and Sebastian were supposed to make in Disney's 1997 release, "Hercules."

Actually, the sight gag that I'm talking about would have been a brief bit that was originally supposed to be featured in the "Zero to Hero" musical number. Do you remember the quick little scene in that montage where a celestial version of Marilyn Monroe gets her dress blown up -- a la "The Seven Year Itch"? Well, as originally animated, that shooting star that roars through that scene zoomed right by a version of Ariel &Sebastian made entirely out of stars. The crab actually had to duck his head to avoid get skewered by that blazing comet.

So why did this sight gag end up getting pulled out of the finished film? Strange as this may seem, that joke actually got jerked out of "Hercules" because it was getting got too big a reaction at test screenings. People watching the movie would turn to their friends in the theater and said "That's Ariel! That's Sebastian!" ... Which would allow them to emotionally disconnect from "Hercules" for a few moments. Which made the scenes that came right after this not play as well as they could.

So -- in spite of the fact that Musker & Clements really did want to slip in a sly little tribute to the film that really kicked their careers into high gear -- it was decided that, in order for "Hercules" to play as well as it possibly could, Ron'n'John would have to let their "Little Mermaid" sight gag go.

What I personally find intriguing is that this sight gag didn't get cut until just weeks before the film was officially released to theaters. I recall catching the "Hercules - Victory Tour" mall promotion for this Disney animated film back in April of 1997 (Just weeks before "Hercules" hit multiplexes nationwide). At that time, this particular gag was still prominently featured in the version of "Zero to Hero" that was screened for shoppers. If any of you LaughingPlace.com readers out there have got video of this particular mall show, congratulations! You've got a real collectible. A Disney sight gag that few folks outside of the studio ever got to see.

Speaking of ultra-inside gags, let me clue you in on one of Disney's deepest darkest secrets: Do you know the villain from the studio's 1985 release, "The Great Mouse Detective"? That's right. Ratigan.

Well, every Disneyana fan knows that Ratigan's vocals was provided by screen legend Vincent Price. But how many of you out there know who master animator Glen Keane based the physical look (IE: Ratigan's broad shoulders, his slicked back hair, etc. ) of the character on.

Well, wonder no more. In perhaps one of the meanest in-jokes on record, Ratigan's physical look was actually based on former Disney Productions president (and Walt's son-in-law) Ron Miller. Given that Ron was reportedly reviled by the studio's animation staff for his mis-management of 1981's "The Fox and the Hound" and 1985's "The Black Cauldron," is it any wonder -- once Miller was removed from power at the Mouse House by the September 1984 arrival of Michael Eisner -- that Keane and Co. chose to pay tribute to their not-so-beloved old boss by recasting him as a rat?

Just for the record: Recasting Ron Miller as a rat is considered by many Toontown insiders to be only the second meanest in-joke in animation history. The first meanest in-joke in all of animation history is supposed to be Tom Sito (president of the animator's union)'s cameo appearance in Disney's 1991 "Aladdin." You'll catch Tom at the very last moment of the film's "One Jump Ahead" musical number. He's the gentleman with the cloth pin on his nose, shoveling manure.

Speaking of shoveling ... I'd best get back to cleaning up this desk if I'm finally going to get around to finishing up that "When You Wish Upon a ... Frog?!" story. Hope you folks enjoyed the factoids.

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-- Jim Hill

-- Posted September 25, 2001