The Disney Archives and Mysteries: Movie

Showing posts with label Movie. Show all posts

Monday, July 4, 2011

The A113 Code in Pixar Movies

Q: In the movie WALL·E, the directive not to return to Earth was called A113. In the new movie Toy Story 3, the license plate on a van is shown as A113. What is the significance of this number?
John, Windsor, Connecticut

A [Dave Smith]: The number refers to the animation classroom at CalArts, where some Pixar students studied.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Donald's One Stop Service

Q: I have an 8mm cartoon movie made by Mickey Mouse Cine Art Films. I am trying to find its value and rarity. It's #944-Z, titled Donald's One Stop Service. It is in the box. I would like to know the age of this film also.
Dolores, Norwood, Ohio

A [Dave smith]: Donald's One Stop Service is actually a shortened version of the 1935 cartoon Mickey's Service Station. It was released in this version for home use. These 8mm films have little or no value, because most people don't have projectors anymore, the films themselves are often brittle and they have all been released on DVD. I have seen some of the original boxes offered at prices around $10 to $35.

[More to See - Marcio Disney]

Sunday, January 2, 2011

The Reluctant Dragon

Q: I am an avid Disney movie watcher, and I own all the Disney animated classics. What I have not been able to figure out is if the film The Reluctant Dragon is considered one of these classics. Although it is a stated to be in a variety of sources, it seems too short to qualify as a feature length film. Was it originally released as a combo film, or is this just a special circumstance where a short is considered a movie?
Dylan, Los Alamitos, California

A [Dave Smith]: The Reluctant Dragon was actually a 73-minute feature film released in 1941. It featured, in live action, a tour of the Disney Studio with humorist Robert Benchley, along with cartoon segments such as "How to Ride a Horse," "Casey, Jr." and "The Reluctant Dragon" (this segment was also released separately years later and, since it was the same title as the feature, this is probably the reason why you are confused).

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

1976 Movie - No Deposit, No Return

Q: In the early '60s, Disney used to send me a newsletter, in one of which was mentioned a movie called Double Trouble. Was this movie ever released?
Louise, San Francisco, California

A [Dave Smith]: Double Trouble was the working title for the film that was finally released in 1976 as No Deposit, No Return, starring David Niven, Darren McGavin, Herschel Bernardi, Barbara Feldon and Don Knotts.

[More to See - Marcio Disney]

No Deposit, No Return is a 1976 comedy film directed by Norman Tokar. It was written by Arthur Alsberg and Don Nelson. It is the story of two children (Tracy and Jay) who hold themselves for ransom, reluctantly aided by an expert safecracker and his sidekick (Duke and Bert).

Don Knotts said that one day, while he was filming scenes for this project in the San Francisco airport, a director approached him and said he would like to cast him in a dramatic film one day. Although it never happened, Knotts said he was flattered by the offer. The director was Sam Peckinpah.

Everyday, Disney fans send dozens of questions for Disney Chief Archivist Dave Smith. Here are Dave's answers to your questions. Check back every day for a new post with a new question.

Dave Smith (born October 13, 1940) was the Walt Disney Archives founder and chief archivist which is located in the Frank G. Wells Building at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. He joined the company June 22, 1970. Forty years later, on July 2010, he retired.

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