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Ring in the D23 Season of Magic with extra holiday cheer! Use these gift tags to add Disney magic to gifts for loved ones both near and far.
SUPPLIES:
8.5 x 11-inch white cardstock (printable)
Scissors
Double-sided tape
OPTIONAL: 8.5 x 11-inch white sticker paper (found in scrapbooking section of craft store)
Download and print out your sheet of gift labels onto your cardstock.
Using scissors, cut around each tag (using its grey border as your outline).
Fill in the “to” and “from” on the front of the labels.
Attach to your gifts using double-sided tape.
OPTIONAL: Print the gift labels onto a sheet of sticker paper—then cut around each image (as described above), fill in the “to” and “from” on the front, remove the backing, and affix to your packages.
NOTE: Cutting with scissors should be done by an adult.
Celebrate your fandom throughout the Season of Magic with these new releases across Topps Digitial’s collectible apps! Disney Collect!, Marvel Collect!, and Star Wars: Card Trader unlock a world where you can collect and trade your favorite characters, moments, original artwork and more as you connect with fans around the world – all from your mobile device!
Each app will be releasing BRAND NEW content throughout the month so be sure to recheck this holiday list (we recommend at least twice) for the latest in-app releases.
The holiday season is in full swing, and the festive fun includes Disney Holiday Magic Quest and Christmas… Again?!, both premiering Friday night on Disney Channel. That same day, the animated feature film Diary of a Wimpy Kid debuts exclusively on Disney+. Enjoy a cup of cocoa when FX presents a marathon of The Santa Clause trilogy on Saturday, and the following night, tune in for a special edition of 20/20 dedicated to the new film West Side Story.
Disney Holiday Magic Quest—Friday, December 3, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel Join host Yvette Nicole Brown as four stars from the ZOMBIES franchise—Meg Donnelly, Milo Manheim, Kylee Russell, and Trevor Tordjman—compete in a high-stakes holiday adventure featuring new epic challenges. The quest takes place inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort after dark as part of “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.” Divided into two teams of two, the stars must navigate a series of new challenges and obstacles through a variety of iconic and immersive attractions and lands.
Christmas… Again?!—Friday, December 3, at 8 p.m. ET on Disney Channel Rowena “Ro” (Scarlett Estevez) is a high-spirited teenager who is experiencing a lackluster Christmas. Ro isn’t handling her parents’ divorce well. She wants her life back the way it was, and after a disappointing celebration with her family, she asks a neighborhood Santa Claus (Gary Anthony Williams) for a “do-over” and unexpectedly finds herself reliving Christmas day over and over again! Now, in order to break the strange magical loop, Ro must learn to appreciate her loving family as it is, as well as the true meaning of Christmas.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid—Friday, December 3, on Disney+ Greg Heffley (voiced by Brady Noon) is a scrawny but ambitious kid with an active imagination and big plans to be rich and famous; he just has to survive middle school first. To make matters worse, Greg’s best friend Rowley (voiced by Ethan William Childress) seems to coast through life and succeed at everything without even trying! As details of his hilarious—and often disastrous—attempts to fit in fill the pages of his journal, Greg learns to appreciate true friends and the satisfaction that comes from standing up for what’s right.
The Santa Clause Marathon—Saturday, December 4, at 6 p.m. ET/PT on FX Santa Clause is coming to town! FX is hosting a merry marathon of all three films in the franchise: The Santa Clause (1994), The Santa Clause 2 (2002), and The SantaClause 3: The Escape Clause (2006). Disney Legend Tim Allen has top billing as Scott Calvin aka Santa Claus; Spencer Breslin, David Krumholtz, Eric Lloyd, and Martin Short round out the casts.
Something’s Coming: West Side Story – A Special Edition of 20/20—Sunday, December 5, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on ABC ABC News presents a one-hour primetime event that steps inside the upcoming film West Side Story, from Oscar® winner Steven Spielberg. The special features interviews with Spielberg, Rita Moreno, and other members of the cast and crew; discussions with Puerto Rican actors, artists, and journalists on the role this story has had on their lives and the importance of authenticity and representation in film; and new behind-the-scenes footage.
Relive the magic of Disney with the Treasures From the Vault Plush. Inspired by Disney’s Audio-Animatronic® musical show, the Limited Edition Mickey Mouse Revue is the twelfth collectible character in this exclusive Amazon series. Standing 15 inches tall, Mickey Mouse is made of soft mixed materials including a twill tuxedo, canvas gloves, and satin bowtie. Mickey Mouse Revue also features embroidered eyes, a red cummerbund, shiny black shoes, and a conductor baton. He even includes a Certificate of Authenticity and comes in a window box featuring exclusive Disney Treasures From the Vault packaging with gold foil detailing; ideal for collectors. Collect all twelve of these commemorative plush. Ages 3+
In 1962, Walt Disney discussed the idea of creating an attraction for “all of the Disney characters, so everyone can see them… I have in mind a theater, and the figures will not only put on the show but be sitting in the boxes with the visitors, heckling. I don’t know just when I’ll do that.” Nearly a decade later, Walt’s concept became a reality when the Mickey Mouse Revue premiered as an opening day attraction in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort on October 1, 1971. In this fondly remembered musical attraction, maestro Mickey Mouse led an orchestra and cast of over 70 Audio-Animatronics Disney characters as they performed songs from classic Disney films. After nearly a decade of entertaining guests at Magic Kingdom, the Mickey Mouse Revue would move to Japan where it premiered on April 15, 1983, as an opening day attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. When the attraction was retired in 2009, the historic conductor Mickey Mouse Audio-Animatronics figure was preserved by the Walt Disney Archives.
Twelfth commemorative plush in the 2021 Treasures From the Vault Plush collection. Each month a new limited edition commemorative plush is being revealed, exclusively on Amazon. Collect all twelve.
Each Limited Edition Mickey Mouse Review Plush includes a Certificate of Authenticity within the box. D23 members will have early access to the line of limited edition Disney plushes presented by Amazon.
Mickey Mouse Revue premiered as an opening day attraction in Magic Kingdom Park, where maestro Mickey Mouse led an orchestra and cast of over 70 Audio-Animatronics Disney characters as they performed songs from classic Disney films.
Mickey Mouse stands 16 inches tall and made of soft fabrics with embroidered eyes.
Ages 3+
D23 Members will be the first to be notified about each month’s theme and have an opportunity to order the month’s design.
Each month, D23 will provide Members with advance notice of the date the plush will be available for purchase on Amazon.com.
On Friday, December 3, at 9 a.m. PST, visit this page on D23.com for the link to purchase the December Disney Treasures from the Vault, Limited Edition Mickey Mouse Revue Plush, Amazon Exclusive.
Please Note: You must be signed in as a D23 Member to access the link to purchase. Click “Sign In” at the top of the page.
Please note limited quantities of the plush will be available on Amazon.com.
For more Disney favorites, visit amazon.com/Disney for a full assortment of products.
Disney Treasures from the Vault Limited Edition Plush offer available to D23 Members for a limited time. Limited quantity of plush are available, while supplies last at Amazon.com. Items not eligible for any additional promotional discounts or offers except available shipping offers. Offer subject to restrictions and to change without notice. Void where prohibited.
“The air is humming, and something great is coming.” 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story opens in just about 10 days’ time—and that lyric, by the late, great Stephen Sondheim, couldn’t be more apropos; directed by Oscar® winner Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize and Tony® Award winner Tony Kushner, this reimagining of the beloved musical tells the classic tale of electric rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City.
Recreating the look and feel of the Upper West Side in 1950s America—and within a musical, to boot—brings with it a host of uniquely memorable challenges… ones that Tony and Emmy® Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell (Hamilton, The Wiz Live!) was more than willing to take on. D23 recently sat down for a chat with the busy designer, who unfurled a bit of the proverbial fabric of his unforgettable experience on the project.
D23: The Official Disney Fan Club: Were you nervous when you first got hired onto West Side Story—considering its source material is so revered? Paul Tazewell (PT): I was so excited, but there was also a feeling of—now I have to stand up against this iconic [1961] film that has been beloved by so many different people… When I was working in Los Angeles, pulling some of the clothing together and doing a lot of the prep, I had the opportunity when I was at Western Costume [the well-known costume facility] to actually see the color palette that had been put together by Irene Sharaff, who was the original costume designer—both for the original [1957] Broadway production and then also the [‘61] film. So to see what she had set up as her color palette, on the chart, and to actually be able to touch that—it felt like the holy grail! I just realized that this was somewhat of a daunting task to fill that spot for as many people as possible, in a similar fashion—[but] to have my looks, my design, hopefully carry some of that same energy. I was honored to have the challenge.
D23: What was your research for this project like? PT: It was very important for Steven to reflect a somewhat naturalistic take on the city at that time, in 1957… [that Upper West Side] neighborhood was shifting and changing and actually ended up becoming the Lincoln Center area… After I collected as many [photographic] images as I could, I shared them with Steven, and we had long conversations about what he liked, what he didn’t like, what he thought was true to the way he wanted to tell the story, [and] how he imagined the specific characters being represented. So I continued to refine specific images, looking for actual dress designs from that period of the mid-1950s—whether it’s in a catalog or actual photographs of dresses. Choosing some styles that seem to be appropriate and then modifying those, because I was always approaching the silhouette and the look of the clothes knowing that they were gonna be danced in. So I was wanting to make choices that would look great moving as well as when they were just standing still—[as well as] appropriate for the character and the community that I was representing.
D23: Do you have a favorite moment from designing for this film? Something that you recall fondly, or something that really sets it apart from other projects you’ve worked on? PT: I couldn’t have asked for a better collaborative team to work with, from the top down. Steven’s level of respect and engagement, I experienced very early [on]; I really appreciate that, because that’s the kind of environment that I work best in. I think you need to surround yourself with other creative people that come from that same mindset—and I try to maintain all of that as well, in the team that I put together. So that was definitely the case [here]. And working with the cast that they had put together—beautiful, very lovely people that are hugely talented—made the process that much more exciting. I was very excited to go to work every day.
There was a moment where we were just getting ready to film; it was the first day of filming for the “Dance at the Gym” [sequence]… and we were dressing everyone in their “Dance at the Gym” looks. As it’s written, it’s all of the teenage kids looking their coolest or their favorite way to represent themselves; their nicest dress or their nicest suit. Everyone got dressed and then they were all in a group, kind of waiting around for someone to announce something—and they all started to applaud, and they were directing it towards me. To get praise in that way, to get that affirmation about the work that I do with clothing—it was wonderful. It moved me greatly, to receive that from the cast and from the crew that was helping them all.
D23: What’s it like to know that this iteration of West Side Story is now part of the worlds of Disney? Were you a Disney fan growing up? PT: I was a huge fan! My love of Mary Poppins and Cinderella defined how I see the world of [costuming]… There’s something about when Cinderella transforms into [her] ballgown—I always hold that with me. And if I think about, well, what is that magical feeling? How do I recreate that in another garment? Whether it’s gonna be a [1970s] suit for Donna Summer [in Broadway’s Summer: A Donna Summer Musical, which Tazewell designed], or for some kind of turn-of-the-century entrance—how can I orchestrate that same visceral feeling in what I’m designing? And it’s reflective of the feeling that I got when I was watching the animated Cinderella. The same goes for Mary Poppins, and how I was swept away—that was my favorite movie growing up. How does one capture the playfulness of that story, the way that it was represented on film, and transform that? What other moments is that applicable to? It was very formative. I’ve carried it and applied it to other things as well.
D23: What do you hope audiences take away from the film? PT: So much life has happened [since we filmed West Side Story]—for all of us, collectively, as Americans. I’m hopeful that the story will resonate in a stronger way, and in a deeper way, for a Disney audience. I hope it fosters a better understanding and sensitivity to what life must’ve been like for all of these characters [living in that time period, in New York City]… I think that there’s a lot there that will resonate for an audience.
See 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story when it premieres in U.S. theaters on Friday, December 10!
Last night, New York City rolled out the red carpet for the world premiere of West Side Story. In attendance were director and producer Steven Spielberg; cast members Ansel Elgort, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Brian d’Arcy James, Corey Stoll, Josh Andrés Rivera, Rita Moreno (who also served as one of the film’s executive producers), and Rachel Zegler; and screenwriter and executive producer Tony Kushner. “After two and a half years since we wrapped—and a year inside—it’s very nice to have us all be together safely to enjoy the film and all the wonderful work that we did,” Zegler, who plays María, told reporters. “It’s just absolutely incredible. The energy is palpable in this room tonight.”
Added Spielberg, “There has been such an anticipation from all of us—the whole company of actors, musicians, filmmakers, writers and choreographers. We’ve been waiting for this night.”
Adapted for the screen from the original Broadway show, West Side Story tells the classic tale of fierce rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City. Calling it an “honor to be entrusted” with reimagining the iconic musical, Spielberg said, “It’s very special premiering it where the story took place, where those four geniuses [Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, and the recently departed Stephen Sondheim] wrote it and conceived of it in 1957. Here we are, literally half a block away from where we did all our rehearsals in 2019.”
DeBose, who plays Anita, can’t wait for audiences to see the film when it opens in theaters December 10. “It’s iconic! It’s West Side Story!” she said. “It was a dream to be included in Steven and Tony’s vision for this film, to see it fully realized and to celebrate the work of so many people. This was not just the work of one man; this was the work of an entire host of individuals who put their blood, sweat and tears into telling this beautiful, authentic story.”
“I’m very excited that the movie is finally going to be out in the world,” said Kushner. “It’s incredibly moving… We worked so hard on this movie. It’s a giant musical and a giant film.” He added that they made West Side Story on “a very steep learning curve,” since “none of us had ever made a movie musical before. This took everything that everybody could give.”
Advance tickets for West Side Story are on sale now via Fandango. “There’s nothing better than musical theater, and quite frankly, movie musicals take that to the next level,” said Debose. “…It’s an exquisite, exquisite thing to be able to bring art to the world in this way.”
Elgort, who plays Tony, understands if people want to sing along when they see the film in theaters. “I’m just excited for audiences to see it,” he said. “Please bring your friends and family—and don’t be afraid to applaud and stand up and be a rowdy crowd in the theater!”
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin! Christmas is right around the corner, and we’ve got plenty of holiday-themed episodes and specials, including Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends on Disney Channel and Disney Junior and CMA Country Christmas, TheWonder Years, and The Great Christmas Light Fight on ABC. Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas kicks off December 1 and includes one of our favorite classic films: Home Alone.
Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends—Monday, November 29, at 9 a.m. ET on Disney Channel and Disney Junior In “A Very Spidey Christmas,” Doc Ock (voiced by Kelly Ohanian) wants to steal everyone’s Christmas presents, and it threatens to ruin an important holiday event. Then, in “Gobby on Ice,” Green Goblin (voiced by JP Karliak) creates a giant snow monster, forcing the Spidey team (voiced by Jakari Fraser, Lily Sanfelippo, and Benjamin Valic) to put their fun on hold.
CMA Country Christmas—Monday, November 29, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC Enjoy festive performances from first-time hosts Gabby Barrett (“Silent Night”) and Carly Pearce (“O Holy Night”), who join forces for “Sleigh Ride” with two student musicians, supporting CMA’s longstanding commitment to supporting equity in music education. Other must-see numbers include Jimmie Allen with Louis York and The Shindellas (“What Does Christmas Mean?”), BRELAND (“The Christmas Song”), Brett Eldredge (“Merry Christmas Baby”), Lady A (“Christmas Through Your Eyes”), Pistol Annies (“Snow Globe”), Carrie Underwood (“Mary, Did You Know?”), and Lainey Wilson (“Christmas Cookies”).
The Wonder Years—Wednesday, December 1, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC In “Home for Christmas,” Dean (Elisha “EJ” Williams) can’t wait to spend Christmas with his older brother, Bruce (Spence Moore II), when he returns home from Vietnam. But adjusting to life back in Montgomery comes with unexpected challenges for Bruce, meaning the rest of the Williams family must rely on their holiday traditions to bring cheer.
Home Alone—Thursday, December 1, at 5:50 p.m. ET on Freeform Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) becomes the man of the house… overnight! In this 1990 classic, Kevin is accidentally left behind when the rest of his family embarks on a Christmas vacation. So, he decks the house for the holidays—but not with holly and tinsel! It’s up to Kevin and Kevin alone to stop two bumbling burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) from breaking in. Can Kevin’s DIY booby traps protect his family’s home?
The Great Christmas Light Fight—Thursday, December 2, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC The holiday festivities conclude in the final two episodes of the season as Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak head to the most spectacular Christmas displays in America. In the back-to-back episodes, four families face off as they showcase their extravagant displays to compete for the coveted Light Fight trophy and $50,000 prize.
The time has come to gather the family ‘round the fire and enjoy some Thanksgiving leftovers during your annual viewing of Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town on ABC this Friday. That same night, tune in for part two of The Beatles: Get Back on Disney+, which concludes Saturday. Madagascar: A Little Wild Holiday Goose Chase also premieres on Hulu Friday, adding more holiday cheer to the mix. On Sunday night, tune in for the jolly special The Wonderful World of Disney: Magic Holiday Celebration on ABC. Then, adults can change the channel to National Geographic and watch the first two episodes of The Hot Zone: Anthrax.
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town—Friday, November 26, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC Fred Astaire narrates this timeless holiday tale of Kris Kringle (voiced by Mickey Rooney), a young boy with an immense desire to do good things for other people. Created in 1970 by Rankin-Bass Productions, the perennial stop-motion animated classic also features the voice talents of Keenan Wynn as Winter; Paul Frees as Burgermeister Meisterburger, Grimsby, the soldiers, and the townsmen; Joan Gardner as Tanta Kringle; Robie Lester as Jessica and Andrea Sacino; and Dina Lynn, Greg Thomas, and Gary White as the children.
The Beatles: Get Back—Friday, November 26, and Saturday, November 27, on Disney+ Directed by three-time Oscar® winner Peter Jackson, the second and third episodes of this docuseries continues to take audiences back in time to The Beatles’ January 1969 recording sessions, which became a pivotal moment in music history. Get an inside look into The Beatles’ creative process as they attempt to write 14 new songs in preparation for their first live concert in over two years. How did John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr do it? The docuseries includes never-before-seen, restored footage that at times includes explicit language, mature themes, and smoking. Viewer discretion is advised.
Madagascar: A Little Wild Holiday Goose Chase—Friday, November 26, on Hulu The holidays are here, and Melman (voiced by Luke Lowe) is determined to add another sticker to his yearly “nice” list! After he meets Hank, who has been separated from his family, he embarks on a literal wild goose chase with Alex (voiced by Tucker Chandler), Marty (voiced by Amir O’Neil), and Gloria (voiced by Shaylin Becton) to the merry flock.
The Wonderful World of Disney: Magic Holiday Celebration—Sunday, November 28, at 7 p.m. ET on ABC Hosts Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, and Ariana DeBose share heartwarming moments and exclusive sneak peeks at what’s new around The Walt Disney Company. From new looks at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and the DisneyWish to special previews of Encanto and West Side Story, this special is the gift that keeps on giving! Not only do Julianne and DeBose perform a holiday medley, but the special includes performances by AFTR PRTY, Jimmie Allen, Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, Brett Eldredge, NEEDTOBREATHE, Norah Jones, Gwen Stefani, and Sebastián Yatra! Oh, and there might be some surprises in store…
The Hot Zone: Anthrax—Sunday, November 28, at 9 p.m. ET on National Geographic Intended for mature audiences, the limited series will air over three nights with back-to-back episodes. Inspired by true events, the story is set in 2001 when the United States was rocked by another deadly act of terrorism as letters containing anthrax were sent to unsuspecting victims in Florida, New York, and Washington, D.C. The anonymous assault claimed five lives and caused panic throughout the U.S. Despite many false leads, a team of FBI agents and scientists slowly closed in on a shocking prime suspect. The series follows the parallel stories of Matthew Ryker (Daniel Dae Kim) and Dr. Bruce Ivins (Tony Goldwyn). Ryker, an FBI agent with a specialty in microbiology, risks his career to convince his superiors that the United States is under attack again—just weeks after the 9/11 attacks. Ivins, a brilliant microbiologist who becomes involved in the hunt to find the 2001 anthrax killer, works closely with the FBI to uncover who is behind the deadly anthrax letters—all while his mounting instability and paranoia lead to even deeper and unnerving discoveries.
It’s a docuseries event five decades in the making… Starting November 25, Disney+ will debut the brand-new, highly anticipated three-part series The Beatles: Get Back.
Directed by three-time Oscar®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), The Beatles: Get Back takes audiences back in time to the iconic band’s intimate recording sessions during a pivotal moment in music history. The docuseries showcases the warmth, camaraderie, and creative genius that defined the legacy of the Fab Four, compiled from more than 60 hours of unseen footage shot in January 1969 (by Let It Be documentarian Michael Lindsay-Hogg) and more than 150 hours of unheard audio—all of which have been restored especially for this series. Incredibly, Jackson is the only person in 50 years to have been given access to these private Apple Corps Ltd. film archives.
The Beatles: Get Back is the story of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr as they plan their first live show in more than two years, capturing the writing and rehearsing of 14 new songs (known as the “Get Back” sessions) originally intended for release on an accompanying live album. The docuseries features, for the first time in its entirety, The Beatles’ last live performance as a group—the historic rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row—as well as other classics featured on the band’s final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be.
Earlier this week, D23 attended a virtual press conference for The Beatles: Get Back—at which Jackson recalled some memorable moments from the process of bringing this incredible footage of the lads from Liverpool to light…
On how he got involved with the project in the first place: “I went to London to get some footage from the Imperial War Museum, for my World War I documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, and [while I was there] had a meeting with Apple Corps,” explained Jackson. “I was asked to come not to ‘meet a Beatle,’ but to meet [Apple Corps CEO] Jeff Jones and [Apple Corps director of production] Jonathan Clyde—and all they wanted to talk to me about was virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). They must’ve read an interview with me where I said that I was interested in that. So they wanted to pick my brain because they were planning on a Beatles exhibition; it was [potentially] going to have some sort of VR and AR… But during that meeting—I didn’t want to act like a ‘fan,’ but one of the things I’d always wondered about over the last 40 years is, what happened to all the unused footage from Let It Be [the documentary]? I was always curious about that. I knew that Michael Lindsay-Hogg had shot a lot of stuff that didn’t get used. I had no idea if it survived, I had no idea how much there was—and no books really talked about it.”
“And so I asked my ‘fan’ question,” the filmmaker continued. “I said, ‘Oh, by the way, when Let It Be was shot in 1969—are there any outtakes? Have you guys got anything that they didn’t use?’ I was trying not to act like a fan. And they said, ‘Yeah, there’s about 60 hours of film and 150 hours of audio. We’ve got all that.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Oh my god, how do I get to see that? What tricks do I have to play?’ And then they said, ‘Actually, it’s strange you mentioned that, because we’re thinking we might have a look because we haven’t seen [the footage] either. We were wondering whether there is another documentary that we could make, just using the outtakes.’ And I said, ‘Have you got a filmmaker involved with that? Cuz you’re gonna need a filmmaker.’ And they said no, so I said, ‘Well, I’ve got a little bit of spare time at the moment—I’ve got a spare few years. If you’re interested, just please think of me.’ And they were! So I arrived at this meeting to talk about VR and I left with Get Back. I was in the right place at the right time.”
On what worried him, initially, about revisiting what was previously thought to be a contentious period in the band’s life: “As any Beatles fan knows—and I’ve been reading all the books [about them] for 40 years—the Get Back sessions are notorious,” the director explained. “Authors write accounts of those sessions. Obviously they weren’t there, [yet] they still write accounts describing them as ‘miserable.’ ‘The most miserable time’; ‘The Beatles were breaking up’; ‘they were squabbling and there were cameras filming the arguments’; ‘they couldn’t bear to be in each other’s company’… and so obviously, that was what I was expecting to see [in this footage].”
“Now I did say to [Apple Corps], ‘Look, if this is as miserable as what it’s supposed to be, I’m not going to want to make a movie, but I need to see [the footage first],” he continued. “There’s no way I was going to take advantage of bunch of miserable Beatles footage and try to make a happy film…So I sat there—I was there for a week; I went there every single day, all day long, sitting in a room by myself, just me and a TV. They just left me alone, and I watched [the footage]. And I was laughing, and I thought it was unbelievable—I can’t believe I’m seeing Paul compose ‘Get Back’! This is incredible… The guys were so funny, and it was so great; it was not what I had in my head for 30, 40 years… Suddenly, after 50 years, everyone goes ‘Oh, it’s not actually what we all thought it was.’”
On what Billy Preston, known colloquially as “the fifth Beatle,” brought to the Get Back sessions: “Watching [the series], I literally looked forward to Billy arriving—because I just love Billy,” said Jackson. “I love him. He’s such a gentle, beautiful soul. And he is so talented. I mean, I’m not a musician, but when he sits there and plays and he just hits these solos straight away—[and you think] ‘Don’t you have to practice? Are you getting this right on the first go?’ And he is! What an incredible player. I love Billy, and they love Billy. His reputation for making them all ‘behave themselves’ is sort of askew… [As the legend goes]—even Billy Preston himself thought [this] is what happened—George Harrison went to a Ray Charles concert [and saw Billy there] and said to him, ‘You’ve got to come to help us out here and make everyone behave.’ That didn’t happen; that Ray Charles concert was the year before! Billy’s in London [in January ’69] to do a couple of TV shows just by himself, and he drops by [the studio at Savile Row], and John Lennon grabs him—he still has his coat on—and John says, ‘Hey buddy, we need a keyboard player’… He doesn’t even have the chance to get his coat off! And he’s there doing the solo for ‘Don’t Let Me Down,’ and he just rocks it. And the minute he plays, you can feel the energy in the room lift. So I don’t agree with the long-told account that Billy Preston ‘made everyone behave themselves.’ What Billy Preston did is, he gets them all highly excited. Certainly, his presence provides an energy, and there’s a renewed excitement they get for this project. It’s real, and you feel it. It’s fantastic.”
On some of the technical wizardry you can expect to see and (especially) hear: “[Restoring] the film part of it was something we had, in various ways, done before,” admitted the filmmaker. “We did They Shall Not Grow Old just before [The Beatles: Get Back] with 100-year-old World War I footage, which is pretty pasty-looking stuff. And we tried to make that look as modern and nice as we could. In doing that, we developed a whole lot of software and code. So when it came time to put the 16-millimeter negative of the Get Back sessions through our pipeline, we had done it before.”
“But the audio was the big breakthrough. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard ‘bootleg’ recordings of the Get Back sessions, but they’re interminable—you’d be trying to listen to conversations and there’d be twanging guitars, and you’d get annoyed because you half-hear the conversation… and that’s what we got; we got these Nagra [mono reel-to-reel audio] tapes that the film crew were recording on… So what we ultimately did, here in New Zealand at Park Road Post Production—we’ve got these very clever people [who] developed an artificial intelligence machine-learning program where we can take this mono tape, digitize it, put it in the computer, and teach the computer what a guitar sounds like; teach the computer what a human voice sounds like; teach it what a drum sounds like… so we developed this technology that allows us to ‘de’-mix [and] split all the audio components of these mono tracks. Musically, that allowed us to actually balance these songs—especially in the first half [of the series], at Twickenham Studios. But the other thing it did was… we were able to get rid of all the guitars [and other sounds] and we are revealing 50-year-old conversations that they’d deliberately drowned out, that no one’s ever heard before… By revealing all these conversations—these clear, clean conversations—we were able to have The Beatles tell their own story through these 22 days [of the Get Back sessions].”
On the unique feel of this sure-to-be-memorable event: “I was thinking about this the other day,” Jackson recalled. “We screened the entire thing in a [movie theater], just to look at it, and at the end of it I was thinking it almost feels like a [narrative] drama. It almost feels like Disney+ decided to ‘dramatize’ the famous Get Backsessions; they’ve got someone to write the script, they’re gonna have a modern film shot—because it looks modern—and they’re gonna show what happened in these sessions. Except, they haven’t got four actors playing The Beatles; through some magical time-travel thing, they’ve got the 1969 Beatles playing themselves… The ‘actors’ are The Beatles playing themselves. It’s pretty cool.”
The Beatles: Get Back, a Disney+ Original docuseries, will debut exclusively on Disney+ November 25, 26, and 27.
This Thanksgiving, Nat Geo WILD is once again recognizing the professionals who work to keep our animal friends healthy with its Vetsgiving programming block. In addition, on Wednesday, Hawkeye will take aim with two episodes on Disney+. Speaking of Marvel Super Heroes, both Miles Morales and Peter Parker will swing onto FX Wednesday for a Spider-Man movie marathon. On Thursday, ABC will present something for the whole family to enjoy with the spellbinding one-hour special The Magic Maker. That same day, the first episode of The Beatles: Get Back docuseries will begin streaming, only on Disney+.
Vetsgiving—Begins Monday, November 22, on Nat Geo WILD The network’s annual Vetsgiving celebration returns with an expanded lineup of programming from Monday, November 22, through Sunday, November 28. Each night, feast on four-hour helpings of the veterinarian shows viewers can’t get enough of, such as Heartland Docs, Dvm; Critter Fixers: Country Vets; Hatcher Family Dairy; The Incredible Dr. Pol; Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet; and Vets on the Beach. And, because every feast needs a dessert, the lineup includes a special sneak preview of a new series: Pop Goes the Vet with Dr. Joya!
Hawkeye—Wednesday, November 24, on Disney+ Clint Barton, meet Kate Bishop. Set in post-blip New York City, Marvel Studios’ new original series debuts with two episodes. Former Avenger Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. But after a threat from his past shows up, Clint reluctantly teams up with 22-year-old Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), a skilled archer and his No. 1 fan, to crack a criminal conspiracy.
Thanksgiving Eve Spider-Man Movie Marathon—Wednesday, November 24, at 11:30 p.m. ET on FX Our Spidey senses are tingling! FX is giving us four more reasons to be thankful with an all-day movie marathon. The fun starts with Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse and is followed by The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spider- Man: Homecoming, and Spider-Man: Far from Home.
The Magic Maker—Thursday, November 25, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC Famed magician Adam Trent breaks the No. 1 rule of magic and puts magic in the hands of everyday people to help them with the biggest and most emotional moments of their lives. Whether it’s helping a U.S. soldier “magically” reappear to his family after serving overseas or teaching a nervous young man to “walk on water” for a marriage proposal, Trent spends this Thanksgiving astonishing viewers and making dreams come true as “The Magic Maker.”
The Beatles: Get Back—Thursday, November 25, on Disney+ Directed by three-time Oscar® winner Peter Jackson, this docuseries takes audiences back in time to The Beatles’ January 1969 recording sessions, which became a pivotal moment in music history. Each episode showcases The Beatles’ creative process as they attempt to write 14 new songs in preparation for their first live concert in over two years. Faced with a nearly impossible deadline, the strong bonds of friendship shared by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr are put to the test. The docuseries is compiled from nearly 60 hours of unseen footage shot over 21 days, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg in 1969, and from more than 150 hours of unheard audio, most of which has been locked in a vault for over half a century. The docuseries features—for the first time in its entirety—The Beatles’ last live performance as a group, the unforgettable rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row, as well as other songs and classic compositions featured on the band’s final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be. The three-part event—continuing Friday and Saturday—includes never-before-seen, restored footage that at times includes explicit language, mature themes, and smoking. Viewer discretion is advised.
2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the 30th full-length animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios: Beauty and the Beast. Produced by Don Hahn and directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, let’s take a look back at how this enchanting story of love and inner beauty became a “tale as old as time.”
David Ogden Stiers (voice of the Narrator and of Cogsworth), Disney Legend Angela Lansbury (voice of Mrs. Potts), and Jerry Orbach (voice of Lumiere)
Although the film had its general release on November 22, 1991, the idea for a Beauty and the Beast film at the Disney studio dates back to at least the 1940s. According to documents from 1943 preserved by the Walt Disney Archives, this early take on the classic story was described thusly:
“Fairy tale of girl who learned to love a beast who had inner sweetness despite his ugly exterior.”
The 1991 version certainly expanded upon this idea, and as a result, gave us a beloved film of beautiful visuals, captivating characters, and unforgettable songs and score. In fact, it took around 600 animators, artists, and technicians to produce over a million drawings, 226,000 cels, and 1,300 backgrounds to bring this modern-day classic to the big screen!
Beast sketch.Belle and Beast cel.Opening sequence still frame.
Gorgeous colors and visuals are seen throughout the film. But when you think about it, much of the story takes place in a cold, dark castle. Artistic supervisor Lisa Keene recounts that the film’s production team had to come up with ways to counteract that darkness: “‘Be Our Guest’ was certainly one example and here the backgrounds were like confetti, very loud and punchy.” And for the scene featuring the title song, she explained that in order to “create the right emotion for the romantic ballroom scene, we used a very soft gold interior with a very satisfying vibrant blue on the outside.”
Scene from “Be Our Guest”.Ballroom scene.
Color also became a big part of the characters themselves. Ink and Paint manager Gretchen Albrecht remembers the complexity of colors on the main characters, some of which impressively had up to 17 paint colors and seven inked outline colors. To further the unique look of the characters, art director Brian McEntee explains how they “used color to visually set Belle apart from the rest of the village by making her the only one dressed in blue.” And as the frenzy of townspeople call back and forth about bacon, cheese, and bread, she certainly stands out!
Scene from “Belle”.
But taking a look back, the final product we see today is not what the filmmakers started with: the film was initially planned with more serious, dark tones, and it was not a musical. But during a 1989 trip to France’s Loire Valley, Hahn and a group of artists found inspiration to develop the story and characters in a different way. Additionally, it was Disney Legend Howard Ashman who really spearheaded turning the script into a musical and who aided another important step in the film’s character development: he suggested the objects in the enchanted castle be individuals with their own personalities! Where would we be without Lumière and Cogsworth’s banter, or Mrs. Potts’ kind words of assurance?
Supervising Animators. Back row, L to R: Chris Wahl, Will Finn, Russ Edmonds, Ruben A. Aquino, Disney Legend Glen Keane. Front row, L to R: David Pruiksma, Disney Legend Andreas Deja, Nik Ranieri, James Baxter.Roger Allers (story), Brenda Chapman (story), and Linda Woolverton (screenplay).
The film features six songs by Ashman (lyrics) and fellow Disney Legend Alan Menken (music), as well as a gorgeous score by Menken. From the mystical Carnival of the Animals-inspired instrumental prologue, to the showstopping “Be Our Guest” spectacle, the music moves the storytelling along just as much as any action or dialogue. Screenwriter Linda Woolverton recounts: “[Howard] had a real genius for knowing when and where to place songs and he knew that a song can leap you much further into the plot than any dialogue possibly could.” Hahn adds: “Howard and Alan are brilliant at taking a piece of story that works well in the script and turning it into a musical moment that works so much better.” And frankly, this music has provided us with enjoyable earworms for three decades! (How often does “I use antlers in all of my decorating” just pop into your head? Anyone? Just me?)
Richard White (voice of Gaston) and Disney Legend Howard Ashman (lyricist and executive producer).Danny Troob (orchestrator) and Disney Legend Alan Menken (composer).Jesse Corti (voice of LeFou), Rex Everhart (voice of Maurice), Richard White (voice of Gaston), Disney Legend Paige O’Hara (voice of Belle).
Even before it’s formal release, Beauty and the Beast was met with great acclaim. Roger Ebert talks about one of its earliest screenings, a work-in-progress version at the New York Film Festival: “I had heard reports that it played at the New York Film Festival to a standing ovation and I questioned those reports. I said, ‘I can’t see the New York Film Festival standing up and applauding anything.’ Then I saw this movie and I heard it interrupted by applause again.” Wise validates this with his own experience: “I remember just being absolutely slack-jawed, stunned, knocked over, goggle-eyed with astonishment. They applauded like they were at a live Broadway show. And I had never seen anything like that in my life.”
The film was eventually awarded the Golden Globe® for Best Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy and was also the first animated feature film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards®. It received six Academy Award nominations in total, three of which were for Music (Original Song) alone, and walked away with two wins: Music (Original Song) for “Beauty and the Beast” and Music (Original Score). But despite all the awards and recognition, one of the highest accolades of the animated Disney musical, of whose legacy Beauty and the Beast is now a part, comes from Ashman, who very simply but poignantly said: “I just don’t think anything is quite as magical as a Disney cartoon fairy tale. There’s just nothing like that.”
Beauty and the Beast playing at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California.
Looking for more animated Disney musical magic? Well, you’re in luck! Next up is the 60th animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Encanto, coming to a theater near you on November 24, 2021—almost 30 years later to the day of the release of Beauty and the Beast!
