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Quint follows John Lasseter for a day as he makes his rounds for Disney's BOLT!

Looks good by mrfan	Jul 18th, 2008 10:24:19 PM

Miley Cyrus voices the little girl, but Miley has a deep man voi by Orionsangels	Jul 18th, 2008 10:35:18 PM
She only got the gig for her fame and recognition. Any logical person casting this film, would have used a little girl, that really sounds like a little girl. Not the mannish sounding hanna montana
You should see how much they spent on the new letterhead by CerebralAssassin	Jul 18th, 2008 11:12:08 PM
Your brain would rupture.
I did ask... by Quint	Jul 18th, 2008 11:24:05 PM
Lasseter if I could visit Walt Disney's head in the Disney Vault. I got a laugh, but no denial! So, I choose to take his non-comment to confirm my belief that Walt is still actively working at Disney somewhere in a Mike Mignola-ish contraption keeping his brain going.
So what's going on with the theme parks?? by iamnicksaicnsn	Jul 18th, 2008 11:28:04 PM
What are they going to do to fix California Adventure??
As a Disney fan and shareholder.. by conspiracy	Jul 18th, 2008 11:38:40 PM
Thank God for John Lasseter! The guy gets things done...and has no problem kicking a few suits to get the bean counters out of the parks and the Disney back in. Just go look what he and Iger have planned for California Adventure and you'll see what I mean. That park was a write off till Lasseter and crew squeezed 1.4 Billion out of corporate for a complete make over which starts this year. I hope he can do the same for Disney Animation.
So Jealous by Larry of Arabia	Jul 18th, 2008 11:45:08 PM
I hate you, Quint!
Fun by barneyshouldbeputdown	Jul 19th, 2008 12:07:42 AM
Lasseter's the real deal. There's not so much in the way of dirty nitty gritty these days. Morale is up. Another popular Disney blogger likes to pretend he has the inside scoop on Disney's dark side, but he's usually talking to people who've left, been fired or were dead weight. The enormous USS Mickey is finally turning into a good wind.
Congratulations, Quint! by Zarles	Jul 19th, 2008 12:47:58 AM
These are going to be fun reports to read. Keep them coming!
Oh, and... by Zarles	Jul 19th, 2008 12:56:50 AM
Could you ask him a bit about the kick-ass makeover that California Adventure is getting? Details are here - http://tinyurl.com/54pjbz
aicn is like pixar by TheDudeintheShadows	Jul 19th, 2008 02:59:55 AM
reminds me of a joke i once heard- whats the difference between a bird and a turtle? nothing, except one flies
awesome quint by Gungan Slayer	Jul 19th, 2008 07:58:18 AM
thanks for sharing
Great article- props to Quint, Lasseter and Disney by cyrent	Jul 19th, 2008 08:54:53 AM
can't wait to read the next one! the preview for Bolt looked hilarious btw when I saw it
I was interested when it was called, American Dog by s0nicdeathmonkey	Jul 19th, 2008 09:49:03 AM
and seeing as the big L. HATED Lilo and Stitch too, I probably would have loved it. American Dog sounded sublime, this seems like product.
One question about this sort of 'journalism' by Rubiks Doob	Jul 19th, 2008 10:21:33 AM
Obviously you very much enjoy this level of access. If the movie ultimately sucks in your final review, will it ever happen again? Or if your review is ultimately glowing will it become the norm?
s0nicdeathmonkey by rutgerman	Jul 19th, 2008 10:38:32 AM
Chris Williams is STILL involved with it, and he was a hell of a cool guy in Feature Animation Florida with Lilo & Stitch (sidenote: he also voices Stitch). I'm sure that he will do a great job with Bolt aka American Dog as well. Have some faith.
"Something Wicked" already BEING remade by Undead03	Jul 19th, 2008 11:29:50 AM
by Disney. In development now.
The one reason I will not see it by disfigurehead	Jul 19th, 2008 12:31:54 PM
Miley Ray Cyrus. I am patient though and every day is another day for her to pull a Brtiney and fall into obscurity.
Nice little article Quint by kwisatzhaderach	Jul 19th, 2008 12:32:14 PM
Try and grab me a Pinocchio cel too would ya?
scroll scroll scroll no pics scroll scroll scroll by theredtoad	Jul 19th, 2008 01:04:15 PM
meh.
Fair question, Rubiks by Quint	Jul 19th, 2008 01:25:47 PM
If I see the flick and I don't like it, I'll be honest about it. That might affect something like this happening again at Disney if it happens, but there'll always be someone else who thinks their project is great and has enough confidence in it to involve us early on. I never claimed to be anything other than a movie geek, but I've never been dishonest about my enthusiasm. If I go on the next round and the directors are abusing their assistant or yelling at an animator, that'll be a much different report than this. Look at my Transformers set visits. I was given unique access, visiting the production at three different points and when I was onset, I was very honest about how Michael Bay worked and honest about how I couldn't tell what the final outcome was going to be, but that I could tell that it was going to be big and probably not resemble the Transformers you know and love too much. Listen, I've always been the kind of person that gives the benefit of the doubt, so I'm easy to get excited about a project. Here there was a palpable creative energy around the studio and if you ever get the chance to meet John Lasseter you'll see where that excitement comes from. He is a ball of manic enthusiastic energy... if he were less sincere it'd be creepy, like the Scientologists with their crazy eyes. If I was more of a traditional journalist, I wouldn't have let my excitement show through as much and played it partial and neutral, but that's not what I'm interested in. Sometimes it leads to crushing depression, but sometimes my faith is rewarded (to steal a Dark Knight line). That's the movie geek life and that's what I chase, that next great theatrical experience.
Not Sold by darth rod	Jul 19th, 2008 02:20:52 PM
Even though Lasseter is full of energy and creativity,I think he is slipping as a filmmaker, I was not impressed at all with his first produced disney film: meet the robinsons. it was crappy and generic. Firing Sanders the only disney artist left that made a worthwile animated movie (lilo and stitch) in more than a decade and that has a unique sensibility and artistry was dumb. His last directorial effort was the first really bad pixar film (cars) . And what's worrying is that as much as he is infecting disney with good will and what not, it is happening the other way around. First they are still doing cheap crappy direct to video films like Little Mermaid 3, Tinker Bell movie just for grabbing money. And worst this mentality is translating to Pixar, they are making unnecessary sequels, Toy Story 3? and worse Cars 2?, is there a reason to revisit Pixar's weakest film and characters other than to make mountains of cash with toys and other merchandising?
How? by FILMFUNK	Jul 19th, 2008 03:16:01 PM
Why are they asking what you would do with the studio? Were you once a top animator or what? Absolutely brilliant job you have but how did it come about that someone from a website renowned for spying on big studio projects is allowed to wander around the inner sanctums? Is it now a case of keeping the enemy much closer!?
rutgerman by s0nicdeathmonkey	Jul 19th, 2008 04:40:20 PM
are you sure? This looks so devoid of the charm of that film. I consider Lilo and Stitch to be one of the best films Disney has ever made.
Well the trailer played great ... by Bones	Jul 19th, 2008 07:56:38 PM
Before Wall-E. The audience I was with had big belly laughs from the hamster, then watching Presto, then Wall-E itself. So, quint--You coming to ComicCon?
"sex...under the sex tree." by kungfuhustler84	Jul 19th, 2008 08:04:20 PM
I love it. The trailer for this actually got me a little excited. Love the fan boy hamster. I was even wondering if it was maybe a little bit of an homage to Harry, only a little ball instead of a wheelchair. Maybe it was just the red hair and the crazed eyes.
Looked funnier than I would've guessed by Teddy Artery	Jul 19th, 2008 09:58:15 PM
Lasseter is The Second Coming for Disney. Someone who loves what he does for real, and it comes through in everything he touches. Great coverage. A few years before Pixar was brought into the fold, I went to meetings at Disney that were just sad because of the palpable sense of desperation and dread in the employees. Glad to see them revived.
Jim Hill and Al Lutz are ASSHOLES by tme2nsb	Jul 19th, 2008 11:25:10 PM
That is all. I actually am kind of excited about this movie now. Thanks Quint for this awesome thing you did here today.
Rutgerman, there are more than one person named chris on this pl by Ravvy	Jul 20th, 2008 04:18:56 AM
Chris Williams = (Bolt, story credit on Mulan...I believe may have had nothing to do with lilo.) Chris Sanders = (Lilo And Stitch, orig director of American Dog)...The voice of stitch too unless sanders changed his last name, which would be an interesting story.
Disney this and Disney that by Happy Boy	Jul 20th, 2008 10:57:48 AM
Disney is fine, what you all are bitching about is how Eisner and his cabal of bean counters and soulless programmers ran the company. Dude was as bad as david stern. good article quint, nice insight into the changes over that and dont worry about the noobs on the talkback. Obviously they didn't invite you over there for your health but good write up
The "Goodfeathers" from Animaniacs... by OBSD	Jul 20th, 2008 11:27:54 AM
Can they sue the "Bolt" pigeons? Also, there is one question I have for Quint to ask Lassiter, if he ever gets the chance. Is it possible for Lassiter to steer his animation voice-casting to actual voice actors? I think this idea of "stunt casting" (which, admittedly, is more of a Dreamworks thing than a Disney thing, but Disney started it with Robin Williams in Aladdin) is has really been hurting actual voice actors and their craft as well as making it (for me anyway) just a little harder to get lost in the movie when the whole time my brain is thinking, "Oh, that's Jack Black...and that's Eddie Murphy...Oh, and now it's Owen Wilson." Disney somehow muddled through for 60 years without having to hire big names to "sell" their movies, the art and story did it for them. It would be nice to get back to that tradition. Also, if we could get an animated film that didn't have the "lost animal with wacky sidekicks trying to get home or find a place to call home in his heart" theme in an animated film within, say, the next 20 years or so, that would be nice as well.
you can subsitute "animals"... by OBSD	Jul 20th, 2008 11:33:12 AM
for cars or robots or toys if you want. Pretty much any anthropomorphic being finding his place in the world has been done to death in CGI. Move on. The only CGI movie to not use this theme that I can think of is Monster House, which is also a really great scary kids' movie, Quint.
BEWARE - BOLT a Lost Cause by Spymunk	Jul 20th, 2008 01:42:01 PM
Abandoning BOLT is the best thing Disney could do right now. So far, the film has already suffered an UNMERCIFUL HATCHET-JOB. Doesn't even one person on here remember the wonderful original designs for this movie that were rejected by the 2000s Disney that's terrified to take the kinds of risks that led them to make such great movies in the 90s? THE LION KING? THE LITTLE MERMAID? I'm not a fan of Pixar, I have to admit. So far, the only film of theirs I really cared for was RATTATOIULLE and FINDING NEMO (both of which I love, but which the latter I love a little bit more). Now, Bolt looks as though they've just sacrificed everything unique or original about it and turned it into a plush toy. If I'd been you, Quint, I would've been sadly escorted off-property because I would have asked "Why did Disney ruin those gorgeous, unique original designs to produce something so horrifically pre-fab?" Disney has already screwed the pooch on this one - so I say, Screw Bolt right back.
That's a fair point from Spymunk by Movietool	Jul 20th, 2008 04:42:20 PM
You're not writing for Entertainment Weekly, Quint. We all know about the rocky road Bolt has been on. Did you bring up the Firing of Sanders at all or was it understood that Lasseter wouldn't be answering qustions about it?
John Lasseter's enthusiasm is infectious by mnmears	Jul 20th, 2008 05:35:19 PM
Nice job Quint ... I've had a couple of chances to spend about 10 minutes with John. I've talked to several people who've worked with him and I've seen him interact with both colleagues and fans ... You nailed it. His enthusiasm is infectious and his judgment is pretty damn sound. I remember Andrew Stanton talking about how John has microscopes for eyes and a razor-sharp focus -- and it looks like you saw a bit of that in action firsthand. I'm looking forward to reading your future reports ... and hoping that the media relations reps will be a bit more open to helping journalists do stories that ulitmately benefit Disney/Pixar.
you lucky lucky lucky bastard by Obscura	Jul 20th, 2008 06:27:36 PM
i absolutly would do anything to have the kind of access you've managed to get. since the day of disney/pixar becoming one ive been hearing great things about Lasseters plans from all over the industry. From the mouths of pixar animator, to VFX people, they all respect what hes capable of doing. he honestly has become the new Walt. he knows what it takes to create stories worth telling. Animation is the greatest medium in film, and we're so fortunate to have a master storyteller at the heart of the 2 greatest animation teams on the planet.
Quint, you are a lucky bastard. by Atomica	Jul 20th, 2008 07:55:17 PM
I'm going to find a way to morph into a physical form resembling you completeley and kick your ass, stick you in a Broom closet and take your place at the next couple of Disney outings. I promise to maintain your geekiness and journalistic skills. Please don't press charges, i actually like you alot. I'm just envious. :P
So you can't take a shit without everyone knowing? by SpreadLegsNotWar	Jul 20th, 2008 08:09:51 PM
"The bathrooms, the commissary, the screening rooms and water fountains are all centrally located now, so you can’t just skip from your cubical to take a leak and dash back unnoticed." That fucking sucks, I'd hate to work somewhere where the whole office knows that you were just in the bathroom for 15 minutes taking a huge shit or you're on your way to the bathroom during a code-red and some asshole stops you to "open a dialogue" Let me shit in peace and have some fucking privacy.
Fireproof - More Mickey by barneyshouldbeputdown	Jul 21st, 2008 03:05:16 AM
You'll get your wish. A big priority right now is to bring Mickey back and refresh him in a major way. Time they returned him to his barnstorming roots.
So about that big AICN bitchfest by ArcadianDS	Jul 21st, 2008 09:30:12 AM
about the change in artistic style for BOLT - I bet that didn't come up did it? You guys talk all sorts of silly nonsense trying to invent controversy, but when the time comes to back that up, you fizzle out.
Susie Essman is in BOLT? by Rev. Slappy	Jul 21st, 2008 04:25:43 PM
I may see it now.
Original Mickey Kicks Ass by eggart	Jul 22nd, 2008 11:13:24 PM
Forcing Minnie to kiss him and abusing animals for his own amusement. Little bugger had spunk.
Not impressed. by Mal Carne	Jul 23rd, 2008 10:31:35 PM
The whole "he's a movie star who thinks it's real!" schtick is unfunny to me. Tropic Thunder does it better. Whatever. I hate snark like that. Give me Wall-E's genuine heart instead.
Great work, Quint by monorail77	Jul 24th, 2008 03:36:59 PM
Lasseter is the man. Has been for years. That's a very cool article and a great start to a really cool series. Bolt looks like it might be ok, as Meet the Robinsons was ok. I hope its better than ok. Did you and Lasseter talk any Miyazaki? I like Lasseter's introductions to the Miyazaki DVD's. His enthusiasm shines through there, too. Nice to know he's like that in real life. Walt can be proud that thanks to Lasseter, his company is still innovating and still entertaining millions.

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Quint follows John Lasseter for a day as he makes his rounds for Disney's BOLT!

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