The Baywatch Run: Renaissance Style, and Other Observations from the Hilarity That Is "Much Ado About Nothing"

Upon initially starting Kenneth Branagh's 1993 all-star film adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, I was just going to write a little post about how hilarious the opening montage is. But the film as a whole became so over the top funny — both in the dialogue and the staging — this is going to be a bit longer.

But let's start at the very beginning (it's a very good place to start). If you want to watch the rather beautifully structure beginning, feel free to watch this video from the start (say what you will about Branagh, but his choice to start with the bard's own words before the actor/director/writer's images is incredibly respectful). If the hilarity is all you care about, skip ahead to about 5:36.



It's just a genuinely and generally hilarious opening. Sure, you could view the slow mo riding montage of the men returning from war as an emphasis on male dominance, but I see it as a rather delicious display of attractive men (Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, Branagh, Robert Sean Leonard) for my viewing pleasure, a la the Baywatch run - hot yet ridiculous at the same time. And the following scene of the group bathing ups the WTF? ante.

All of the flirtatiously cutting dialogue between Benedick and Beatrice is comedy gold, and the idiocy of Dogberry and the other justice-servicemen is as insane as Quince's acting troupe in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Dogberry's lines, "Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves," crack me up every time.

But it's really the little things that made this movie amazingly hilarious...or hilariously amazing (take your pick). The mere presence of Keanu Reeves, so pretty in the face, with nothin' really going on upstairs. The creepy oil rubdown his manservant was giving him. Branagh's line inflections ("have ^you?", the peacock call) and silent movie-schtick with the folding chair. Michael Keaton's co-opting of his Beetlejuice speech patterns for Dogberry.

Thanks for all the fun, Shakespeare (and you too, Mr. Branagh).

"Lost": The Beginning of the End...or the Beginning of the Beginning?

Mind. Blown.

I know that I've said this about every Lost season finale. Season 1: Arzt dies in hilarity, first view of Smokey, emotional whammy of Vincent swimming after the raft, "man of science, man of faith," the numbers being on the hatch, Walt getting taken, and the long camera pull down the hatch. Season 2: Desmond showing up on the boat, Locke's determination to stop pushing the button, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley following traitorous Michael to the Others, Sawyer finally hitting a long-distance shot, realizing the Pearl station was the fake one, Desmond's romantic back story, the Hurley-bird, Desmond's turning the key, Michael and Walt leaving, Jack, Kate, and Sawyer getting kept by the others, and the final flash to the Portuguese men in the snow calling Penny about finding the Island. Season 3: HUGE changes like Charlie dying, Patchy finally dying, the location of the Radio Tower, Hurley saving the day, Sayid revealing his amazing thighs of death, confirmation of Rousseau being Alex's mother, Jack going all crazy on Ben, Locke stabbing Naomi, calling the freighter, Daniel Faraday landing on the Island, and oh yeah THE FLASHFORWARD REVELATION! And finally Season 4, what lead us to this crazy-awesome ride: Sawyer and Jack going off to find Hurley, the joint forces of the Others and Sayid and Kate for the freeing of Ben, the tag-team beating of Keamy by Sayid and Richard Alpert, the freighter bomb reveal, Michael being a hero, the helicopter leaving, Sawyer jumping out of it like a hero, Ben killing Keamy, going into the cavern and turning the frozen donkey wheel, the freighter blowing up, Sun's heart-wrenching scream, the helicopter peoples getting picked up by Penny, Penny and Des' reunion, John Locke's dead body, and the ISLAND DISAPPEARING.

So, yes, each of the previous seasons have had mind-blowing finales. And yes, there are a lot of other things to talk about with this episode - namely the season-long parallels to season 2 brought up by the amazing Doc Jensen of EW.com, the implications for the upcoming final season (!!sorrow of sorrows!!). The great nuances of story points and acting. But for now, let's just focus on the amazing revelations as they come (with bracketed comments made after seeing the whole episode over again, and thinking about the larger meanings).

Jacob is revealed. Talking to Kyle Hollis (aka Titus Welliver) from Life.

SQQUEEEEEEE.

(What I presume to be) The Black Rock is floating off the coast of the Island. With the gigantic Anubis statue still erect.

LLLLOOOOOSSSSTTTTTT.

(So why is Jacob all out-and-about survival man back in the 1800's, but doesn't show his face in the later years? Interesting question that ought to be answered in Season Six. OMG I just had a HUGE epiphany. The man in the black shirt who wants to kill Jacob? He's SMOKEY!!! And he says "one of these days sooner or later I'll find a loop-hole my friend." Well, I think he THINKS he's found his loop-hole in John (not)Locke.)

Little Katie looks a good bit like adult —

WWWWAAAAHHHHHH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

WHY IS JACOB THERE?

(The touching Darlton foreshadowed on Totally Lost has begun!)

OK, Juliet, you're interested in Jack just as much as Sawyer's interested in Kate. No judgments.

How does Sayid have the training to know how to remove a nuclear core? Does that mean Iraq DID have nukes?

Aww, little Daniel Faraday in utero. So that means he was younger than Charlotte? Hmm.

I want Razinksky to get severely hurt. He is such a little twit.

Umm, John Locke's really annoying in his pronunciation of Jacob. And his lying. And his everything. What is up with this dude? And now he's hinting at a Dharma-style Purge? Where is good ol' enthusiastic Johnnie boy?

(I wonder if Terry O'Quinn was told from the beginning of the season what was really up with notLocke from the get-go? Because that's a hell of a thing, to be playing your character but NOT your character. He's essentially playing Smokey, IMHO. But how and why did Smokey choose now [2007] and John to be the person of his Loop-hole insurection/murder of Jacob? Another question that must be answered by May 2010.)

I totally knew this was baby-James.

Arggh, more Jacob! Is it just me, or his he kind of sexy? He seems nice, concerned, wise.

TOUCHING!!! What is the point of this? And who is this man encouraging baby-James to not turn into adult-Sawyer? And what makes him not follow the lead of this seemingly caring man? Was it Jacob's touch?

Is Sawyer shooting the com-device why the sub is unable to contact people in the future? I wonder...

Is the whole nuke thing what Faraday was researching in Ann Arbor?

Whoa, did Jack just show faith in John Locke? What a big step for the man in regards to his nemesis. But that does make sense, because Jack has come to embrace the ideals of John.

I did not know that Ben would be so forthright with Locke about seeing Alex. Though he has always been a very honest person in his moments. Despite alllllllllll the lies.

(So is this where notLocke discovered the Loop-hole? Having Ben willing to blindly follow is going to bring him to kill Jacob. My theory: Smokey/notLocke cannot physically kill Jacob, a la Ben and Widmore not being able to kill each other. But having a proxy do it instead would work, and Ben's resignation to do whatever John says is what will allow Jacob's death. But why is notLocke surprised about what Ben saw, if notLocke is Smokey? Smokey/Alex said to follow Locke, but did it mean real Locke or notLocke? I'm going with notLocke really being Smokey, and knowing what happened to Ben in the Temple, but feigning surprise to keep conniving Ben.)

Those were some very pretty colored cars in the aerial of the LA road.

I'm very sad we haven't gotten more Sayid-Nadia time. They seem like such an adorable couple and it would have been very nice to see the softer side if Sir Kills-a-Lot.

Jacob sighting number three!

Oh, no Nadia! Even knowing it was going to happen was devastating. And thus we get the third Touching.

(OK, my question from this flashback is whether Jacob distracted Sayid in order to let Nadia get hit, thus inciting our erstwhile Iraqi to go on his vengeful rampage leading back to the Island, or whether Jacob stopped Sayid so he would not get hit aw well. Another question that I would like answered next season.)

I like to think "Take me home" was not meant as anything but a sweet and sad moment. These human moments are some of the best of Lost, and sometimes it is good when the do not have ulterior motives.

MMMhmmm, Richard, you swing that sledgehammer. Dee-licious. I love me some Richard.

So confirmation that Eloise is their leader. How did she get that position? How did she lose it? Was it voluntary in order to be away from the place of her son's murder?

Do Sayid and Jack seriously think they'll get out of Dharmaville a-okay? This is Lost, that does not happen.

OOhhh, shiznit, Sayid took a gut-shot! I surprised at how concerned AND unconcerned I am. After all the history this show has built up with the man, I expected myself to have a lot of concern over his well-being and ultimate demise. At least a lot more than I have right now. But at the same time, I do not forgive his shooting of baby-Ben. And therefore I'm surprised I care at all about his shooting. I really think Sayid's arc has been completed, and he should now be able to die in peace. Go to Nadia, no more torturing necessary!

Juliet, why are you looking longingly at the sub? If you really wanted to be on it, you should not have instigated the leaving of it!

VINCENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How adorable was Sawyer's greeting of him?!

OMG Rose and Bernard! That was the best reaction of Rose ever. And Bernard. I love them.

Oh Jack, how very manipulative you're being. "If you want to save Sayid, go to the Swan!" "If you want to be with your wife, bring me to the Swan!" Jerk.

"Because we're retired." Classic. And Bernard's new locks - amazing! Love it. Very Island chic.

Aw Sawyer baby, I love your sad meaningful looks. But why are you looking at Kate! Juliet can totally see you! ARgh!!! Rose and Bernard's "together" talk is very important for these people to hear.

So, who is Illana? And who are those people with her? Later-day Dharma-ites? Others? Widmore people? Some other shady group? I want answers to these questions in Season Six!

How do they know about Jacob's Cabin? And why is the ash breakage so importante? Is the ash breakage from John Locke circa Season Three, or is it from earlier?

Why is Illana all bandaged (not that I care about her, just interesting to know), and when is it?

(Does Jacob visiting her mean that he knew what was going to happen in the foot with notLocke and Ben? This is a question very necessary! Also, who has been using the shack? I wonder if this ever was Jacob's cabin, because wasn't it Horace that was building it? Ben's telling Locke about it being where Jacob lived was probably a lie. It is probably just where the ghosties come. But then why did Illana and her posse come to find Jacob there? Too...many...questions...ok, my brain just came a little close to implosion. but I'm fine...for now.)

Flannery O'Connor — Everything that Rises Must Converge. Add that to the list. Especially since Jacob is reading it.

TOUCHING!!! John Locke!! Sighting number five!

I'm a little creeped out by Locke's moobs.

What do you have Locke?

I am loving Ben's line delivery (as always) "I'm a Pisces." What does that have to do with anything? haha.

I have to admit, though I don't want Jacob to die, Locke's reasoning is very logical. Locke who does not seem like Locke anymore is totally playing Ben - role reversal!!

Oh, Aaron's cradle! I hope Sun finds Charlie's ring!

She has, she has!! Oh, I love this show when it's all sweet and sentimental.

Sorry to burst your romantic bubble Jin, but isn't the earth always seperate from the sky? They're kind of different states of matter.

JACOB NUMBER SIX!!! Man, that...man gets around. And more touching! What could be the significance (if any) of Jacob speaking Korean excellently. My guess: since he's old, he's learned a lot of languages and had time to get them right. Not mind-blowing, but logical. And TOUCHING - DOUBLE TIME!

I'm looking forward to a major Jack - Sawyer face off. Those looks said it all - and it's been a very long time coming.

Here endith "The Incident: Part I."

'Lost' Revisited: "Confirmed Dead"

Previously on Lost...man, do I love that deep deep voice. I would love to know who says that. 

I didn't participate in "The Lost Experience" the summer between the second and third seasons, mostly because I was in Maine most of the summer, without internet access. Last summer, between the third and fourth seasons, I was a little more into it, watching some of the videos of the boyfriend of a stewardess, and of course I watched all of the Missing Pieces.

It was great how they made them somewhat mundane, but a quite fun moments for fans of the show, at least until the last Missing Piece, with Christian Shephard BEING ALIVE*.

MASSACHUSETTS!! (sorry, I always gotta recognize my roots) I don't know why Dan is so freaked out. We still don't know by the end of the season. Maybe it has to do with the time travel, like what happened to Desmond in "The Constant?" 

Man, Daniel (Jeremy Davies) is great in his delivery. His voice goes up along with his body "Along with the phone."

That image of Locke standing in the clearing in the rain is so quintessential John Locke. I wish I had as much clarity as that man has (at least sometimes). 

I love Sawyer, but really, man cannot pull off wet hair as sexy. 

The great thing about Lost is, like life, you never know where people are coming from, or where they're going. It's strange, how despite the fact that there are flash backs and forwards, everything feels so present. 

Miles Straume!! A number one, that has to be one of the best names ever. Not only is it cool, but very loaded with the connotations of maelstrom. Ken Leung is very attractive as well. I can't wait to learn more about Miles, there are so many places his character can go, so much we don't know. 

I am with the line of thinking that Miles "saw" that Claire was dead in the season finale, that is why he is looking at her funny. Did he maybe have previous contact with the Island, is that why he can talk to dead people? Could there possibly be some Firestarter connotation about the DHARMA Initiative and the Island, tests done on people, who then had children also with special abilities? 

Dude, what is that machine? And he better be involved more next season. 

Again, Ben is amazing. I still think he's a bad man. Willing to sacrifice most people. But how he delivers all his lines, like "Carl, now if you're going to sleep with my daughter I insist you call me Ben," oh so great. 

I completely did not get the possible moment of realization for Sawyer of getting Ben in front of his daughter. It must have gotten him thinking about HIS daughter, Clementine. Is that possibly what got him thinking that finally resulted in what he said to Kate in the finale?

Kate's look at Dan when he talks about the light, too magnificent. 

I love the mirroring in this show. Like just now, how they make a mini ambush of Miles and Dan. Then in the later end of the season, how the Others ambush Kate and Sayid. It's like how the music gets repeated themes, but changed, throughout the show.

Charlotte Staples Lewis. There is so much about faith in this show. 

The reveal of the polar bear skeleton was so shocking when the episode first aired. Now, obviously, it must have gotten to Tunisia via the Orchid station and its chamber, coming from the Hydra as we learned. 

Miles gets the line of the night with "Oh my God, you guys were on Oceanic 815! Wow, that better?"

This violin work sounds like Psycho. I do love it though. So ominous. And yet, it's for nothing. Brilliant.

Frank Lapidus is pretty great in this scene. By the way, gotta love the Greg Grunberg picture with the mustache. Now, what happened to Frank that brought him from flying for Oceanic to the Bahamas? Hopefully that's a thing we'll find out (eventually). 

Oh, silly Ben! Don't try to shoot people!

Is it just me, or does Franks forehead wound look like Charlie's from the first season finale? Aw, I miss him.

Lance Reddick is magnificent. I won't reiterate too much.

This whole scene, Locke readying to kill Ben, Ben's staggering to save himself, Alex not willing to see her, albeit manipulative father die, Charlotte's reaction shots, the weight of why they have been sent to capture Ben, it is all so intricate. The question is, does Ben really know what the Monster is. I know he can "control" or "summon" it, but does he know what makes it up? And knowing now that it is Michael on the boat...well, it doesn't add that much, to be frank. 

So that's that. Next time on Lost: Sayid has creepy straightened hair in the future, and kills people while in cahoots with Ben. Also, the Losties participate in some human trafficing!

BOOM.

*I'm not sure he really is alive, but he's walking 

"Lost" Revisted: "The Beginning of the End"

As a means of satiating my hunger for Lost and giving this blog a feeling of legitimacy (and procrastinating the actual work I have to do) I have decided to start a regular feature. Each week, I'll recap at least one episode of Lost from season 4. Part analysis, part recap, all mushy fan-love, it'll be a good prep for the coming Lost penultimate season.

So lets begin, shall we?

Hurley's exclamation about being one of the oceanic six isn't a mystery anymore - if you don't know that those are Hurley, Jack, Kate, Sayid, Sun, and Aaron, well then you live ON the Island (by the way, out of respect for the Island as a character, I'll be capitalizing it).

The thing that puzzles me is why exactly Hurley is so susceptible to visions, hallucinations, generally going crazy. Maybe it's his gift, having a connection to the world of the dead, like Walt's special powers. Or Locke's understanding of the Island. It just makes me sad he's in the Loony Bin.

I'm surprised Locke killed Naomi. Of all the characters, I feel he and Hurley are the least likely to kill anyone. I would say Claire, too, but I she is so protective of Aaron she would kill someone for him. There's a fierce streak in her. But Locke's gift is that he's not a ruthless as Ben, and therefore a better leader for the Others and the Island in general. He has come so close to killing but been unable to in the past.

Oh, it is so sad to hear Ben say Rousseau has to take Alex away. Given the awful things that happen in "The Shape of Things to Come."

Ok, this will reveal the fullness of my Lost geek-itude/obsession, but all I can think about when Hurley jumps into the water is how Jorge jumped into the water after finishing the filming of the pilot (revealed in the season 1 extras).

I spent the entire summer contemplating the reactions of people to the news of Charlie's death. When I first saw "The Beginning of the End" when it aired, I was highly underwhelmed. Being able to see the reaction shots of those on the beach again, they are completely appropriate.

Ah, Fisher Stevens (aka Chuck from Early Edition!) is the voice of Minkowski now! I knew that he wasn't in the previous season finale, but he's clearly the voice on the phone now!

Jack has gone crazy with...something. Not power, Jack is not a man who needs to rule. He (as has been clearly established by flashbacks, his actions on the Island, everything) needs control. while I have come to highly dislike the character of Jack, he's a pompous control-freak so obsessed with his own beliefs the well-being of others is compromised, Matthew Fox's quality as an actor to convincingly portray such a complex - and to some dislikable - character is truly wonderful. And if you need any proof that Jack is not this great savior, a real knight in shining armor, more of a hero than Sawyer, look no further than the fact that he ACTUALLY PULLS THE TRIGGER ON LOCKE!

ARGH! Lance Reddick is probably one of the creepiest looking people out there. And he is a superb actor. He infuses every word with intensity. I am so sad he's a series regular on Fringe (well, not sad for the quality of Fringe) but I think it means he'll not be as regular on Lost as I would like. Hopefully before the end he'll have some scenes with Michael Emerson, and more with Terry O'Quinn, because those fabulous actors would play off each other like nobody's business.

I need to who Abaddon is working for, and in what capacity. Well, let me qualify that. I'm pretty sure he's working for Widmore, though there's something about his demeanor that makes me think he could be a plant in Widmore's ranks.

I am still convinced he, Widmore, Alpert, and others are survivors of the Black Rock crash on the Island.

The actress who plays Naomi was recently on something else. I can't remember what it was.

Ok, so if Christian Shephard was sitting in the chair, does that mean John Locke had seen him before meeting him in the finale? Or was Hurley's ability to see Christian for a moment like Locke's seeing him for a moment in the season 3 finale? I think that's how I'll see things.

What were they all leaning against? Oh, the cockpit. I see.

Juliet just had the most hilarious look on her face when everyone else cocked the guns.

So, I still cry when Hurley tells Claire Charlie's dead. Cause it is really sad. He had been one of the main survivors over the course of three full seasons. Though Charlie wasn't always the most well-served character ("Fire+Water" was one of the worst episodes of Lost, IMHO)

But man did he (Dom) look good with short hair and aviators. This conversation is chock full of fabulous lines and acting. I can tell Jorge and Dom probably had a lot of fun getting back together for a day of shooting. "I am here. You're being a baby." And what fortuitousness about "They need you." It's all set-up for the finale.

Jack has also got some serious rage issues.

Though I love Jorge, he's a great actor, Hurley's big monalogue is a bit contrived. I just don't like the dialogue that much. That's ok, the flash-forward scene makes up for it.

"Jack, with your permission, I would like to go with John" has got to be one of the best lines, and line deliveries, in this series' history. If only for the context.

Ok, so Jack. You WOULD look bad with a beard. You would look like a crazy mountain-man.

I still don't understand why Hurley is sorry he went with Locke. Is it because that caused Jack and Sawyer to go after him, thereby causing them to be later to the copter, thereby causing them to lose Jin? I still don't know.

And with the introduction of Daniel Faraday, we are introduced to the first of the Freighter Folk. Overall, I feel they were better additions than the Tailies. Though I loved Eko and Bernard, and would have loved to know more about Libby, their intro was a little sloppy, part of the reason season 2 was the weakest so far.

And so, thus ends what could have been an insanely long foray into the world of Lost.

Next time on Lost Revisited: We meet the key members of the Freighter Folk, Locke is a little, well, lost, and Jack gets a little gun-happy.

BOOM

Why We Watch

Why do we watch television? The article "The Extra-ordinary Appeal of Screen Media" makes the point that the inordinate amount of time children and teenagers spend watching television warrants an examination of the motives and results of the activity that dominates the time of the most impressionable among us.

However, I would tend to say that much of the information presented in the article is logical, common knowledge. The first topic presented in the article, the purposes and motives behind TV viewing, are indeed common to all information and entertainment media. Humans have always needed a release and escape from stresses, a means of gaining a wider understanding of themselves in the context of their environment, and keeping informed of the ebb and flow of society as a whole.

For these reasons, high television viewing, or any high media consumption, should not be seen in a negative connotation, especially given the additional statistics brought to light in the article. While it may seem alarming most viewers of media consume it ritualistically, the fact that many media are low involvement due to the ability to merely monitor entertainment and still comprehend and appreciate the story being told allows multiple activities to be participated in at one time. This directly plays into the findings of Robinson and Godbey the author highlights, stating, “ ‘more is more’…those who engage in one activity are more likely to engage in other activities.” Overall, those that watch the most television are also the most physically and socially active.

Admittedly there are some interesting findings on the developmental factors influencing media viewing and specific periods of appeal in growing children. The progression from fascination in “fuzzy animals” (infancy to about 7) to a “superhero” phase (7 to roughly 13) and finally to “realistic” content (teen years through adulthood) allows children to slowly transition to adult ways of thinking while giving them the ability to develop their own interests and thoughts.

Therefore, current admonitions of the large amount of time young people spend watching television and being on the Internet has not grown from time previous generations spent going to movie theaters and listening to the radio. It is merely a different format for their social and personal development. 

Walt Disney Company SWOT analysis

I. 

The Walt Disney Company has grown from the children’s cartoon dream-factory of brothers Roy and Walt Disney into the world’s second largest media conglomerate, behind Time-Warner (Hoover’s). Anyone with at least a peripheral knowledge of current popular culture knows there is not much Disney does not do.

While television and film are what the corporation originated as and constitute the majority of Disney’s profits and public identity, virtually every asset and product the conglomerate has exists in multiple forms through the many types of groups owned by Disney. The numerous companies under the Disney umbrella are divided into four segments: media networks (43% of fiscal year 2006 covering broadcasters like ABC and ESPN, radio, TV production and syndicate companies, and channel-related Internet sites); parks and resorts (29% fy 2006, including parks in all nations, the Disney Cruise Line, and ESPN dining); studio entertainment (21% fy 2006, in which movie studios Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, and Miramax, and TV/DVD distributors belong); and consumer products (7% fy 2006, including merchandising licensing, retail stores, and children’s book publishing) (Amobi).

Ithaca College alum Bob Iger, President, CEO, and Director since 2005 has encouraged the use of synergy between the four segments, leading the Burbank, California based Walt Disney Company to its best shape ever, with 137,000 employees and a 2007 total revenue of approximately $35.51 billion (Hoover’s). With each year, new technologies emerge allowing for more cross-promotion and increased revenue. The Walt Disney Company will certainly not be filing for bankruptcy any time soon.

II.

As mentioned above, Disney’s media networks constitute the largest percentage of the company’s revenue, and in fact lead all other such media divisions of competing conglomerates (Bond). Though much of the money coming from Pirates of the Caribbean, High School Musical, Grey’s Anatomy, and Lost, among others, is from ticket revenue, airings, and DVD sales, Disney excels at bringing in larger amounts of income from cross promotion and collaboration between its partner companies (Schiller). For example, to promote the third Pirates movie, Disney associates Volvo, Verizon, Coca-Cola, Circuit City, Best Buy, Visa/Commerce Bank, Gibson Guitars, Toys “R” Us, Madame Tussauds, etc. each had promotions featuring characters from and prizes related to the film, and did so willingly (Shiller). This acts as advertising for the films and the other businesses involved, as well as increasing sales of Pirates merchandise and the products featuring that theme. Amobi notes, “Disney’s business strategy feeds a virtuous cycle of content creation that, with relatively minimal incremental costs, allows it to leverage its premier media and entertainment franchises across multiple platforms.” It is impossible to not notice the flooding of the marketplace with everything from toys to bathroom necessities to tie-in books whenever a new Disney film or show is going to be released soon.

One of the primary reasons for such successful synergy is the leadership of Iger. With the philosophy that he should create a business plan, but leave a great deal of the development to those senior executives who have a more intimate knowledge of task at hand, Iger has done a great deal in a mere three years at Disney (Steptoe). In this manner, company heads directly interact with those they would be cooperating with and are not being simply told what to do. Additionally, Iger is continually trying to keep Disney on top of the latest technology, making an exclusive partnership with Apple, Pixar, and iTunes owner Steve Jobs and completely revamping Disney.com as a more interactive property (Steptoe). 

III.

Despite the pressure Iger is putting on increasing Disney’s Internet presence, it in no way can compete to the popularity of properties such as Google.com, Youtube.com, and Myspace/Facebook.com, which are either owned or have lucrative deals with Disney’s top competitors Time Warner, CBS Corp, and News Corp. (Hoover’s). While the new Disney.com has used formats like those of Myspace and Youtube, they are targeted to a much younger audience, and thus not as successful (Steptoe). Though the Pirates films were all rated PG-13 and a number of television shows (like Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, and Lost) are aimed at more mature audiences, Disney still has a public mystique as the children’s studio. And while merchandise aimed at children is a huge market, such a public image can have a kiddie-stigma attached for young adults.

Additionally, the attempt to get into video production and to stop licensing characters and other intellectual property to established video game makers has so far not paid off. The decision has reportedly cost $130 million in FY 2007 (Coolidge). A similar attempt to delve into Disney brand mobile phone service was not successful (Coolidge).

Finally, there is the continual cost of updating parks and resorts. This segment of the Walt Disney Company, while the second most lucrative, needs constant enhancement, to ensure safety and make sure the attractions are not outdated (Bond). Particularly in this next FY, a large sum will be spent updating the California Adventure theme park. 

IV.

As mentioned earlier, when initially rising to his current position at Disney, Iger’s first act was to negotiate with Steve Jobs. The Pixar and Apple Computer chief executive did not have a good relationship with Iger’s predecessor, Michael Eisner (Steptoe), which cause a temporary split between Disney and Pixar. Now, many ABC programs and Disney Company produced films are available on iTunes, with the number increasing every day (Steptoe). It is also noted that just over two years ago, January 2006, Disney bought Pixar from Jobs for $7.4 billion, giving Jobs a seat on the Disney Company board. This close partnership between the content producing company and one of the developing major distribution channels of this new Internet-based age provides Disney with little risk: no need to put all its eggs in one basket (Steptoe).

Additionally, despite having no financial stake in big-name Internet sites, Disney products are increasingly using television channel-associated sites to build buzz and interest for properties (Steptoe). Iger has said, “it’s now an entertainment medium, and so it’s essential for us to find ways to use it to deliver our branded products and programs (Steptoe).” Transmedia storytelling for some Disney properties have thus formed. Lost in particular has used not only ABC.com, but fake sites for companies featured on the show to expand the universe of the show.

The huge juggernauts that are High School Musical and Hannah Montana have shown the incredible power of tween audiences, with HSM bringing in over $100 million for the company over the past two years (Bond) and Miley Cyrus (whose alter ego is Hannah Montana) creating a frenzy for both live concert and filmed concert tickets. Cyrus had a successful predecessor, Hilary Duff, which makes it likely that the conglomerate will be able to produce such runaway tween hits in the future. 

V.

While Disney’s divestment of ABC Radio has garnered a great deal of additional money this past FY, there is some question as to whether it was a smart move. Radio Disney is a popular station, both on FM and satellite radio, for children and tweens to listen to. Coolidge sees the divestment of the profitable business as a mistake, as the money garnered from the sale is not likely to fund new ventures to equal what would have been made if ABC Radio was maintained.

With so much revenue generated from the tween sensations, there is the chance that Disney will be lulled into a false sense of security, resting on the money brought in. Though we can never be certain how specific trends will ebb and flow, most trends do eventually wind down (Amobi). The company must ensure it stays prepared with ideas for new, equally huge cash cows should interest in Cyrus and HSM wan as the tweens that love them now grow into the age of Youtube and Myspace. Already, sales from these assets, while incredibly large, have not been able to stop a slightly lower revenue for the first three quarters of last FY (Bond).

Finally, despite the success of theme parks throughout the world, there is reason to be hesitant about how much revenue they will likely take in in the future. The notoriously exorbitant prices of Disney parks and resorts, coupled with rising gas, expensive airplane ticket prices and the general economic downturn make traveling to Disneyland or Disney World, at least in the United States, less attractive (Coolidge). 

VI.

Though coming from those disturbing outlooks, overall the Walt Disney Company is poised very well for the future. The leadership of Bob Iger is particularly important to the continuing success of the company. An unassuming head, Iger does not assume autonomous control of the hugely influential conglomerate, instead putting much trust in his associates, creating an incredibly positive working environment.

Though Disney is not the innovator behind the new forms of media consumption and distribution online (iTunes, Youtube, Google), the Company has begun to run with and profit from the ideas of such advances. Iger’s monumental deal with Jobs, creating a partnership between Disney and iTunes, provides a legal, revenue-creating manner for products to be distributed. Additionally, many Disney television channels and shows have taken off using the Internet as a means of delivering additional material and creating sprawling, successful examples of Transmedia storytelling. Obviously Iger understands the benefits and opportunities this creates—and knows how to develop goodwill among those creating said material. EW.com has quoted the Writers’ Guild president Patric Verrone as a crucial leader in the development of the potentially strike-ending agreement.

By continuing to build on the pre-exiting Internet developments and using it to further the use and success of the superb synergy skills of Disney affiliate companies, the corporation can remain on top. Staying stuck on a certain type of success, creating huge blockbuster films (a-la Pirates) and relying on racking in the cash from tween-targeted films and shows (HSM) will not provide a stable future for the company should interest in those types of media change or diminish.

Such warnings are, for the most part, unneeded as the Walt Disney Company, through its more than eighty year history, has always been able to prove itself as adaptable. Under the current leadership, Disney is not just poised, but already a real part of the new environment of digital media. 

Sources

Amobi, Tuna. “Disney: Mouse on the Move; S&P says the media and entertainment giant has several catalysts for growth and a solid balance sheet, and rates the shares a strong buy.” Business Week Online (May 8, 2007): NA. General OneFile. Gale. Ithaca College Library. 5 Feb. 2008 .

Bond, Paul. “ ‘HSM’ sounds good to Dis.” Hollywood Reporter 402.44 (Dec 27, 2007): 7(1). General OneFile. Gale. Ithaca College Library. 5 Feb. 2008 .

Coolidge, Carrie. “Mouse Trapped.” Forbes 180.13 (Dec 24, 2007): 110. General OneFile. Gale. Ithaca College Library. 6 Feb. 2008 .

Hoover’s. “Disney – Company Overview.” Hoover’s Inc. (2008). 5 Feb. 2008 .

Juarez, Vanessa. “WGA Members to vote Tuesday on ending strike.” EW.com. (Feb 10, 2008) .

Schiller, Gail. “Partner ship: 13 sail with ‘Pirates’: Disney’s sequel laden with promotions, cooperation.” Hollywood Reporter 399.35 (May 22, 2007): 6(2). General OneFile. Gale. Ithaca College Library. 6 Feb. 2008 .

Steptoe, Sonja. “Building a Better Mouse.” Time 169.26 (June 25, 2007): Global 1. General OneFile. Gale. Ithaca College Library. 6 Feb. 2008 .

*Note: websites for the sources are not showing up*