Our first show has to be something special. Something that would look great on a big screen: in Technicolor and Cinemascope! It would have to be a film the parents could bring their kids to– a well-loved family classic… There were many films to choose from, but only one seemed right for our maiden voyage at the Pickwick Theatre.
I’ve always avoided Disney films and anything connected to them. To be fair, I’m referring to the post-Walt era– the modern Disney– the Disney Studios of the last 30-40 years. I’ve never even had a desire to visit Disney World. You would never have found me wearing a mousketeer hat and shaking hands with Pluto. As a kid, I was always more fascinated by the animation of Max Fleischer, whose creations of Popeye and Betty Boop held greater sway over me than Mickey Mouse. Walt’s films were fine. Who can knock Pinocchio or Snow White? But I’m more likely to revisit Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor.
So it is ironic that I would select a Disney movie: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But this one is from the glory days of the studio. In my opinion, it’s the greatest live-action film they ever made. It remains the definitive version of the Jules Verne literary classic, and one of the greatest depictions of Victorian futurism. (I believe the kids today call it “Steampunk.”) It’s a film that succeeds with only four male leads. There are no central female characters in it at all… unless you count Esmarelda, the seal. At the heart of the film is Captain Nemo, as played by the distinguished James Mason. This was another factor in my decision to show this film. Who better to guide us through the unchartered territories to come than him? If this new film series should sink, then I’d just assume go down to the bottom of the sea with James Mason at the helm.
In the weeks and months leading up to our show, I will be writing about the film’s production. I think kids today take what they see on the screen for granted because modern CGI can do everything. It has replaced the ingenuity filmmakers once had in getting the best shots they could. Why bother attaching a camera to a shark when a computer can do it now? But back then, filmmakers were legitimate craftsmen, and it is reflected in the way these older films hold up. It’s not some empty-headed comic book movie that makes 700 million at the box office and is forgotten six months after it leaves your Redbox. No, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is the sort of classic that always stays with you. It has an appeal that has transcended generations. I’ve had one older patron tell me I had selected her favorite movie of all-time. I was happy to hear that because I felt I had chosen wisely.
If it’s ironic that a guy who has never programmed a Disney film before in his life would now put his faith in Disney, it’s even more of a twist to realize that the film was directed by the offspring of Walt Disney’s biggest competitor. Richard Fleischer was the son of legendary animator Max Fleischer. Growing up as a kid, the name “Disney” was simply never spoken in the Flesicher household. Richard details the intense animosity his father had for Disney in his wonderful memoir, Just Tell Me When to Cry (1993).
Directing 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was the opportunity of a lifetime for Richard Fleischer. At first he was a little dumbfounded while sitting in Walt Disney’s studio office. Did Disney realize who he was asking to direct this multi-million dollar movie? He knew alright. But before Fleischer could tell him yes, he was bound by a sense of loyalty to his father. He called the elder Fleischer to see if it would be okay. Max gave his son his blessing to do the picture. For the first time in movie history, Disney and Fleischer were playing on the same team.
To be continued…
