BEYOND THE MARQUEE

DIAGNOSIS: THE CHRISTMAS BENDS!

January 3rd, 2014

Steven D'Arcangelo

Suicide rates are allegedly the highest of the year during the holidays. Winter’s shorter daylight hours afflict people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (*). Elvis Presley sings about having “a blue Christmas without you.” These conditions, the unfortunate by-product of such a happy time, should be taken seriously. Yet no one ever talks about the hidden epidemic. No one ever talks about… THE CHRISTMAS BENDS.

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What’s that you say? You don’t know about the Christmas Bends?! Yes, you do. You just don’t know it by that name, mostly because I just invented it (shhhh). As with the diagnosis of any major outbreak, I’m sure your minds are racing with questions — What is this ailment? What are its causes and symptoms? Can it be treated? Can it be cured?! And what medical pedigree gives you (meaning me) the right to educate the public about such a devastating contagion?

Full disclosure #1: I’m not an M.D. I’m not even a WebM.D. I’ve never gone to med school or taken the hippopotas oath. To paraphrase Leonard McCoy, “Damn it, man. I’m not a doctor, I’m a pop culture connoisseur!” And that should be pedigree enough.

It’s Here! Check out the Official Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Slate for 2014

December 31st, 2013

Beyond the Marquee

2014 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Slate

This morning we were sent an update of synopses and information for the upcoming 2014 release schedule from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. With the various branches of the company extending to Marvel, Dreamworks, Muppets Studio, Disneynature, Disney Toon Studios, Studio Ghibli, Walt Disney Animation Studios and more, you can expect this to be an exciting year of Disney magic! Click ahead for all the details and drop us a line below and share which films you’re looking forward to the most!

On a side note, as of today, The Walt Disney Studios has reached the $3 billion mark at the international box office for the first time in its history. In 2013, the studio broke its previous domestic, international, and global box office records and surpassed $4 billion globally for the first time ever. Global box office total through December 30 is an estimated $4.7 billion. Year-end totals and highlights will be available on Thursday, January 2. Congrats to the Mouse House!

TRAILER TUESDAY: Million Dollar Arm, Draft Day, Transcendence, Ride Along, Sabotage and MORE!

December 31st, 2013

Beyond the Marquee

Coming Soon!!!

Instead of bouncing around the net trying to find the latest trailers for the hottest films, just drop by Beyond the Marquee on TRAILER TUESDAYS and we’ll load you up with what you need. Whether it’s the latest Hollywood blockbuster movie or mind-provoking independent film, we always have a fun mix of the best of what’s to come.

So click ahead to check out this week’s trailers …

THE TIME OF THE DOCTOR – Lindalee’s Doctor Who Review (Christmas Episode)

December 27th, 2013

Beyond the Marquee

5 1/2 year old Whovian; Lindalee Rose provides her own stylized recap and review of the 2013 Christmas Episode of Doctor Who. In this installment, Matt Smith portrays the infamous time-lord one last time before handing over the reigns to the next Doctor; Peter Capaldi. When the Doctor spends his last remaining days protecting a planet against an onslaught of Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans and other evil villains, you can be sure that an adventure in space and time can be had. What did you think of the climactic final episode? Leave your comments below!

Lindalee’s Christmas Fan Art Review (Episode 10)

December 25th, 2013

Beyond the Marquee

Lindalee celebrates the Christmas season with a look at holiday themed Fan Art sent in from her viewers around the world. So pour some egg-nog, light the fireplace and check out this latest episode.

Plus there’s still time to register to win an autographed limited edition print of “The Doctor is In” from Artist Tom Richmond. Just send Lindalee an email at Lindalee@BeyondTheMarquee.com with your name, your favorite Doctor and where in your house you’d hang the print if you won it. Only one winner per household, one entry per email and anyone under 18 must get their parents permission to enter. Contest ends on Sunday January 5th 2014. No purchase necessary. Good Luck.

HOW THE DICKENS DID YOU SCROOGE UP A CHRISTMAS CAROL?!

December 24th, 2013

Steven D'Arcangelo

There’s a reason Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is one of the most adapted stories of all time, more so than Sherlock Holmes, Shakespeare, or Superman. The reason is simple — It’s a perfect example of dramatic storytelling.

Its three-act structure is personified by three ghosts representing the past, present, and future, which in turn represent beginning, middle, and end — elements necessary for any compelling narrative. It’s filed with social commentary, yet never forgets to entertain. Its message of hope

Ebenezer through the years.

won’t ever go out of style. The protagonist’s extreme character arc offers thespians more emotions to play than a pregnant woman with a handful of mood rings. No better ticking clock exists than December 25^th for one to clean up their act, and no higher stakes than eternal damnation if one fails to do so.

The tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is flawless. Every ingredient is there without an ounce of fat. So all an adaptation has to do to succeed is remain faithful to the text, right? Not necessarily.

The Filming Locations of Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks ~ An East Wind Trip to the West ~

December 24th, 2013

Kevin Stern

Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks landed at theaters in wide release on December 20^th and if you haven’t yet seen this remarkable film, definitely make your way to the theater soon. The movie details the real-life story of how Walt Disney courted author P.L. Travers to allow him to option the rights to her book, Mary Poppins, for a silver screen adaptation.

One of the remarkable aspects of the film is that the filmmakers were able to utilize many filming locations where the actual events of the story took place – namely The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California in addition to several other locations throughout Southern California. What follows is a comprehensive look at the locations the filmmakers used to bring Saving Mr. Banks to life.

In order to visually recreate many aspects of the movie’s 1961 era, the Saving Mr. Banks production team was provided with full access to the Disney Photo Library collection in which more than 500 photographs were examined. In addition, the Walt Disney Archives were on hand seven days a week to answer any questions that might come up about minute details concerning Walt Disney, the Studio and Disneyland. The end result is a faithful recreation of that time during the development of Mary Poppins – one of the last of several crowning achievements in Walt Disney’s career.

Feel free to click on the pictures for a better look and they’ll open in a new window. Now grab your umbrella and let’s take off on the tour!