The Disney Film Archives (A Shifted Disney Canon)

[The British President]

Chapter Sixty-One: Mickey & Donald (1982)

(Donald Concept Art)​

Before we go ahead, it is important to note that we will only be covering Disney-based games. So other Atari games such as Space Invaders, Frogger, and Adventure will not feature. With that in mind, let’s move on. Micky Mouse was a popular game but it started a feud with Mario, one that is still ongoing today. It is not really a feud as Mario and Sonic and Mickey at the Olympic Games does exist, but the idea of a feud was a popular marketing tactic and motivator for the studio. The question after the release of Mickey Mouse was how did they grow from that. What was the next step? Games were changing and upgrading as time went by. Mario was about to return in his own right and DA did not want to be left behind. So, they very quickly turned to the drawing board on what to do for the next game.

A few options were considered. There was high popularity for making a jungle book game or a fantasia based game fantasy yet the higher-ups vetoed these. Thus, the mandate came down that would affect game studies. They had to, in some form, include one of the sensational seven, as Disney was keen to keep up competition with Nintendo. It is unknown if this rule ever affected the studio properly. It did close doors to the game developers, but the rule would not be set in cement forever. With this in mind, they took the basis of the first game (Mickey Mouse) and added what they considered the second most popular character (Donald Duck).



The game follows Mickey and Donald as they receive a distress call from their friends, Minnie and Daisy. The pair have been captured by the notorious villainous duo, Pete and the Beagle Boys, and taken to their secret hideout. Determined to rescue Minnie and Daisy, Mickey and Donald set off on a perilous journey through various vibrant and challenging worlds. Along the way, they must. Players are able to switch between Mickey and Donald, each with their own unique abilities. Mickey is agile and can perform precise jumps, while Donald is strong and can defeat enemies with powerful attacks. The Game added collectable power-ups, magic hats for Mickey and Bow ties for Donald. These provide temporary enhancements, including invincibility or increased speed. Throughout the game, players gather clues and items to uncover the location of Minnie and Daisy's captivity. The ultimate goal is to rescue them from Pete's clutches and thwart his dastardly plans.

The game introduced Pete and the Beagle Boys to the game verse, characters who would become the second villain after Mortimer Mouse, who was the first. The villains would switch out over the years. The game was praised for its engaging gameplay and memorable worlds, as well as for making the two characters feel good to play. Well, the first game was overshadowed by Donkey Kong. This title managed to outsell Nintendo’s offering for the first time. Like ping pong, this would go backwards and forward over the years. By the time the game was released, Mickey was already planning to head to space for his next outing.

 

[MrCarioca]

I assume Epic Mickey is also getting shuffled then?

 

[The British President]

I assume Epic Mickey is also getting shuffled then?

it's in the lineup!
so is the second game.
Not every Disney game is here though, only a select few. No kingdom hearts for example.

 

[The British President]

Chapter Sixty-Two: Disneyworld: EPCOT (1983)

(The Epcot Ball)
​

What was once Walt’s dream would never come to pass in his life. EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) was the fourth park in the Disney World complex and the Seventh Disney Park in total. All though it did not begin life this way, in fact, planning for EPCOT had been in the works for years but not in the way we know it today. The Idea for Epcot was originally conceived as a utopian city of the future by Walt Disney in the 1960s. It was supposed to be the third thing built by the company after Disneyland in California and the Magic Kingdom in Orlando. The original vision was for a community that would be home to about twenty thousand residents. Walt was confident he could make a city tomorrow with transport provided by monorails and PeopleMovers with cars relegated to underground roads. The idea never came to pass other projects, funding and disagreements over the plan kept it from being and in 1975 It was shelved.

One year later, in 1976, the plan was brought back again, this time with a brand-new plan. The park was to be divided into two sections. One half would represent the cutting edge of emerging technologies, while the other half would showcase international cultures and customs. It was odd to put the two things together, but an ageing Walt and his son as well as other members of the Disney company found they could agree on the project. The park was constructed for an estimated $800 million to $1.4 billion and took three years to build, at the time the largest construction project on Earth. It was also the largest park in Disneyworld. Sadly, Walt only lived to see the start of construction in 1980 before his disappearance one year later. The 1983 opening of the park was dedicated to his memory alongside his brother and Ub Iwerks. Nearby to the park are five hotels, which include: Disney's Imagination Resort, Disney's Nature Inn, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, Disney's Persian Resort and Disney’s Discovery Resort.

Future World is one of two lands at Epcot. It is divided into two sections; Future World East and Future World West. A unique feature of Future World is its inclusion of a monorail track in the park. All the other parks on the Disneyworld property have a monorail outside the park. Unlike other parks which separate themed areas, Future World is a collection of attractions each focusing on a different theme or topic, instead of them all being separated into their own themed lands. Future World is home to the Park’s main iconic feature, which is the sphere that houses one of the attractions. In a bid to stay as close to the original plan as possible, the land was designed as a showcase for the future, which included showcasing new technology in combination with stories exploring the past. Attractions in this land include:

Universe of Energy
World of Motion
Test Track
Horizons
Body Odyssey
Cranium Command
Nutrition Adventure
Microscopic Adventure
Spaceship Earth
Living with the Land
Kitchen Kabaret
Soarin
Conservation Quest
Journey Into Imagination
Magic Journeys
The Living Seas
Mission: Space

The World Showcase is the other section of Epcot and is one of the largest areas of in a Disney Park. The Land is themed around a celebration of culture, cuisine, architecture, and traditions. The Land consists of 20 pavilions, each themed to a different country. Each Pavilion is home to two rides as well as many dining and shopping options. World Showcase was built around a lagoon. The Pavilion and Attractions include:

Mexico (Gran Fiesta Tour/Mayan Adventure)
Norway (Maelstrom/Northern Lights Voyage)
China (The Great Wall Expedition/Dragon's Quest)
Germany (Rhine River Cruise Ride/Fairy Tale Express)
Italy (Venetian Voyage/Renaissance Journey)
America (The American Adventure/Route 66 Road Trip)
Japan (Samurai Quest/Sakura Seasons Soar)
Morocco (Sahara Sands Rally/The Sands of Time)
France (Parisian Odyssey/A Journey Through Revolution)
United Kingdom (Thames River Cruise Ride/Legends of King Arthur)
Canada (Wilderness Expedition/O Canada)
India (Maharaja's Jungle Trek/Tales of the Taj Mahal)
Spain (Running with the Bulls/Flamenco Fantasy)
Switzerland (Bobsled Ride/Swiss Time Travelers)
Australia (The Dreamtime Journey/Outback Expedition)
Brazil (Amazon River Expedition/Carnival Celebration)
Russia (Journey on the Trans-Siberian Express/Ballet Dreams)
Greece (Mythical Odyssey/Mediterranean Mysteries)
Denmark (The Lego Story/Hans Christian Andersen's Enchanted Tales)
Egypt (Pharaoh's Curse/Nile Adventure)

 

[MrCarioca]

Since we’re in 1983, is Mickey’s Christmas Carol (and the Prince and the Pauper while we’re at it) going to be shuffled?

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

Great updates, guys!

 

[The British President]

Since we’re in 1983, is Mickey’s Christmas Carol (and the Prince and the Pauper while we’re at it) going to be shuffled?

I don't think so looking at the document. They don't seem to be included in the list of Disney films I looked at.

 

[The British President]

Chapter Sixty-Three: Halloweentown (1983)

(Director Wes Craven)​

Tower of Terror Proved to Disney. It could indeed make horror, but Tower of Terror was still somewhat of a family movie. With animation in deep decline by 1982, the live-action department was insistent they change that their formula, to try something new and go beyond what the Tower of Terror did. Elias Disney JR, now the top Disney family member in the studio, agreed that if live-action was to continue with the successes it had thus far, it needed to keep up with the changing times. Yet not all of the Disney family agreed that they should veer deeper into horror and thus began what is promptly named the Great Disney fallout. Some of the family, including George Disney, saw the changes to live action as a shift away from their father’s legacy and pushed against it. When Elias Disney JR moved on with the project, regardless the family broke apart, though others suspect it was only one factor in why the family, shattered. The family would not reunite properly again until the 2000s as the bad blood was beyond too thick.

Elias Disney JR was adamant the film should be made and so it was he who took on the role of executive producer. To some in the studio, Elias Disney JR was becoming more and more like his father once was. A title Elias JR did not accept because he believed nobody could replace his father. Like it or not, now aged 53, the older Elias JR was looking more and more like his father each day. It was decided that if they were to make a horror film they would go all out and look for the perfect director. Who then would that director be? Well, the first choice was Sam Peckinpah, who was known for his visually innovative and explicit depictions of action and violence. Yet Peckinpah declined, so the studio turned to their next option. Instead, they turned to 44-year-old Wes Craven. Craven's first feature film as director was The Last House on the Left, which was released in 1972. The extreme violence of that film worried some in the studio. Alongside Craven came scriptwriter Ray Bradbury and composer James Horner.

The film follows a group of college friends on a road trip, seeking adventure and excitement on Halloween night. Among them is Sarah (played by Brooke Shields), the level-headed protagonist who, unbeknownst to her friends, has family ties to Halloweentown. Her estranged grandmother, Agatha, once fled the town and its sinister legends. Sarah is joined by her friends, played by Lori Loughlin, Keith Gordon, Larry Zerner, Kevin Bacon and Mark Nelson. As the group arrives in Halloweentown, they are met with the unsettling sight of grotesque scarecrows, ominous jack-o'-lanterns, and eerie, flickering streetlights. It quickly becomes apparent that this is no ordinary Halloween celebration. One by one, Sarah's friends begin to disappear in gruesome ways, their bodies found mutilated and marked with sinister symbols. Panic and paranoia grip the remaining group as they try to unravel the mystery behind the town's horrifying secrets. Sarah learns that Halloweentown was founded by a coven of witches centuries ago, and their dark rituals and thirst for power have cursed the town. The vengeful spirits of those wronged by the witches have returned to seek revenge, possessing the town's residents and turning them into bloodthirsty killers. As Halloween night descends into a nightmare of relentless terror, Sarah must confront the town's malevolent history and face her own family's dark legacy to survive.

The film was released on April 29, 1983. Well, some families complained Disney was shifting away from its family-based films. Others were happy with the shift. Disney maintained it was not shifting fully away from family films. The film was praised, with some saying it was a chilling slasher horror film that took the classic Halloween setting and infused it with a terrifying twist. Disney’s turn into full-on horror was a success and more horror films would surely come. Yet, to some, the Disney magic they had known was lost. This feeling of lost magic would eventually lead to a coup in the studio in a bid to put things back on track. Would Disney’s foray into horror survive the changes that loomed?

 

[MrCarioca]

Is this "The Nightmare Before Christmas"?

 

[The British President]

Is this "The Nightmare Before Christmas"?

it is not, this is Halloweentown from 1998 OTL.
Believe it or not, there are 3 more of these films OTL.
If you are hoping The Nightmare Before Christmas is included, it is.

 

[The British President]

Chapter Sixty-Four: Mickey's Space Adventure (1984)

(A Watch Released to Celebrate the Game's 30th Anniversary)
​

The Gaming Industry was growing and the mascot wars were in full swing. Mario was dominating the Japanese market and had begun his spread across the continents. Yet he had fierce competition from Mickey's tail, who was hot on his tail. To some, this fight, Mickey v Mario, was more America vs. Japan in the gaming world. Disney-Atari was ready to capitalize on real-world events in a bid to push forward its gaming market. 1984 would herald a monumental moment for the world as the first man would step onto Mars. For this reason and this reason alone, Disney-Atari was going to send Micky Mouse to space, this time without Donald, for reasons that were never disclosed. Warren Robinett, who had worked on the studio’s 1980 game Adventure, was brought on to helm the project. Robinett would work on the next couple of Disney-based video games.

The Game follows the iconic Mickey Mouse on an out-of-this-world journey to rescue Minnie Mouse, who has been kidnapped and taken to a distant galaxy by the nefarious Space Pirate Pete. The game is a side-scrolling platformer with elements of puzzle-solving and space exploration. Players control Mickey Mouse as he embarks on a mission through various cosmic environments, including alien planets, asteroid fields, and futuristic space stations. The game also includes levels where you pilot Mickey’s ship. As the game advances, Mickey gains special abilities through power-ups like a jetpack for flying, a spacesuit for exploring underwater, and a laser gun for defeating enemies and solving puzzles.

So how did the game fair? Well, the game sold well as was expected but did worse in Japan. The divide between American games and Japanese games was growing rapidly. The game was praised for its colourful, pixelated graphics and music, but many took fault with another game that had the players once again rescuing Minnie Mouse. Some feminists called for the game to be boycotted. Disney-Atari saw these complaints and boycotts and acted upon them. No other Disney game after this would have that plot point, though some suggest people overreacted to Disney-Atari using the same plot point again. Retirement would end for the likes of Mary Blair, Harper Goff and others, as Disney-Atari's next project would offer the chance to revisit history, in a game that was to be their most ambitious yet.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

I'm actually curious as to how this all unfolds in the gaming scene. Mary Blair doing work for a video game? Mario, Sonic, AND Mickey at the Olympic Games? Universal once again riding Disney's coattails by buying Nintendo? This is gonna be good.

 

[The British President]

I'm actually curious as to how this all unfolds in the gaming scene. Mary Blair doing work for a video game? Mario, Sonic, AND Mickey at the Olympic Games? Universal once again riding Disney's coattails by buying Nintendo? This is gonna be good.

Don't worry, Universal won't be buying out Nintendo. They will make a Mario movie though as they have OTL via Illumination.
There are a few Disney games that let you walk around the parks, hence Mary Blair liveing slightly longer so she can work on the game
You could Evolve Mario, Sonic, and Mickey at the Olympic Games into Cartons at the Olympic games and have the likes of Donald duck vs Daffy Duck but that would take a lot of work me think.
Also side point, if yall wondering why i am not name-dropping Mario games, it's to make life for future me easier. I won't have to scroll through this to find games in the future.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

Don't worry, Universal won't be buying out Nintendo. They will make a Mario movie though as they have OTL via Illumination.

Works for me.

There are a few Disney games that let you walk around the parks, hence Mary Blair liveing slightly longer so she can work on the game

Perfect!

You could Evolve Mario, Sonic, and Mickey at the Olympic Games into Cartons at the Olympic games and have the likes of Donald duck vs Daffy Duck but that would take a lot of work me think.

I think that would be too convoluted. Heck, maybe throw out Sonic entirely and have Mario and Mickey at the Olympic Games instead.

Also side point, if yall wondering why i am not name-dropping Mario games, it's to make life for future me easier. I won't have to scroll through this to find games in the future.

If I were you, I'd mostly focus on the platformers and a handful of the spinoffs. Just cherry pick the essential games for future reference.

 

[The British President]

In the case of things that have many many many films/games, it will be a selection of them
the reason for this is some studios have so many films, a quick Google tells me this: As of 2022, Warner Bros. owned more than 145,000 hours of programming, including 12,500 feature films and 2,400 television programs.
Iconic Films/Games or ones I think I can do something with will be chosen.
so you wouldn't see something like Dr. Mario or Mario Teaches Typing but you would see something like Super Mario Advance.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

In the case of things that have many many many films/games, it will be a selection of them

Good.

the reason for this is some studios have so many films, a quick Google tells me this: As of 2022, Warner Bros. owned more than 145,000 hours of programming, including 12,500 feature films and 2,400 television programs.

I didn't know that.

Iconic Films/Games or ones I think I can do something with will be chosen.

Alright.

so you wouldn't see something like Dr. Mario or Mario Teaches Typing but you would see something like Super Mario Advance.

I beg to differ on Dr. Mario, but I agree you can skip Mario Teaches Typing and mention Super Mario Advance.

 

[The British President]

Chapter Sixty-Five: Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1985)

(Donald and Daffy Duck in the movie)
​

Picture yourself in 1985. Inside Disney. The live-action films were strong but everything else seemed to be going wrong. Animation had faltered, no animated film had been released since 1981 and 1985’s outing (which we will cover shortly) was a failure. The parks themselves were also facing issues as they seemed outdated and somewhat worn down. It would seem like nothing but the end was near. That the deaths of Roy, Walt and Ub was the death spiral of Disney. Yet little did anyone know that a new dawn was on the horizon. Already by 1985, there were talks of a community to reclaim the company. Though those talks would take time, the early foundation for that resistance was laid firmly in 1985. A film that was a flash in the pan, a network of deals that could very well fail and a film that united some of the men who would save Disney.

Walt Disney purchased the film rights to the novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? shortly after its publication in 1981. Production began soon after. One of the first people hired for the film and one of the most important people to be hired was Don Bluth. Some suggest that the hiring of Bluth stopped the man from leaving the studio and gave him a new purpose again after he had started to dislike the way things were going with Disney. Bluth threw himself into the project and in what may have been the best move the studio could make. Steven Spielberg joined as an executive producer alongside Bluth. The Deal with Amblin Entertainment that saw Spielberg join also saw Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy join as producers.

Spielberg’s role in the saving of Disney is often forgotten, but through the production of the film he gained a friendship with Bluth and though he never openly stated it, the coup that would one day come had Spielberg’s backing. After all, Spielberg was given his big break by the Disney of old back in 1971. Spielberg also had another effect through his contacts he convinced Warner Bros., Fleischer Studios, Harvey Comics, King Features Syndicate, Felix the Cat Productions, Turner Entertainment, and Universal Pictures/Walter Lantz Productions to lend their characters to appear in the film. Jim Henson also approved the muppets making an appearance in the film. Robert Zemeckis was soon hired to take on directing the live-action sections, as well and John Musker took on the job of directing the animated sections. Howard Ashman wrote the film's score alongside Alan Menken.

Casting was also a gold mine, with Spielberg and Bluth working hand in hand to secure the right cast. Harrison Ford was chosen to play Eddie Valiant; he was Spielberg’s first choice. Christopher Lee was cast as Judge Doom. Tim Curry was in the running for the role but he was considered too terrifying. Robin Williams was chosen as the voice of Roger Rabbit. Kathleen Turner provided the voice of Jessica Rabbit. So how did the film fair? What did the film do and was it a success?

To say the film saved Disney is an understatement. Upon its opening in 1985, it grossed $11,226,239 in 1,045 theatres during its opening weekend; it was in first place at the US box office. It was Disney's biggest opening weekend ever at the time of its release. Praise was heaped onto the film, a film many rightly believed could never happen again. In all, the film went on to gross $154,112,492 in the United States and Canada and $197,387,508 internationally, coming to a worldwide total of $351,500,000. Well, the film was a success, it set the ball rolling. The knives were coming out. Ron W. Miller had no hand in this film and, to some, rightly or wrongly, the blame for the studio’s ills was placed on him. Well, we know that Ron W. Miller did all he could to try to save Disney. It was now too little too late. The ball was in motion. On September 11th, 1985, Jim Henson and Don Bluth met over coffee. The coup was in motion.

​

 

[MrCarioca]

Are there any differences plotwise?

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

Somehow, putting Roger Rabbit three years sooner has greater impacts on the animation world. And I do mean greater!

 

[The British President]

So folks, tomorrow is new glasses day which will be good for my headaches. updates will come out here and there as I jump from project to project.
The one thing I wanted to make clear is the usage of AI. As it stands I do use it but only to generate some plots. I have one thousand and one ideas going around in my brain but sometimes that extra help is needed. Now as it stands, I don't know if this is against any rules, if it is I will swap out the usage of AI for my brain which will make updates take longer. I wanted to be transparent about where ai is used because I know some folks just don't enjoy seeing it used at all. if that's you, I am sorry to hear that. Otherwise, the update will be sometime tomorrow!