Sunday, March 26, 2006

I would have kept it too...

This week we are going to take a look at an incarnation of the mansion, which, while not horrible, was no where near as popular as one you could find in any Disney theme park. I am, of course, talking about the Walt Disney Pictures 2003 edition of our Haunted Home.

I can personally say that out of the entire movie, perhaps my favorite parts would be the lavish sets, the illustrious score and some of the most amazing character makeup's created by Rick Baker. However, one thing that brought down the movie for me, as well as many people was the storyline. Most of the storyline had some visible plot but it was really lacking and after various script re-writes and deleted scenes, the story began to develop plot holes.

In the first revised draft script for the movie written 7/19/02, David Barenbaum told a version of the story where the Hitch-hikers and Leota were more involved and it was a "buddy picture." In the end of the story, after the curse was lifted and many of the characters were set free and could ascend to heaven, Edward Gracey gave the deed to the mansion and grounds to the Ever's Family. So far, this is how the movie that we all saw ended. In the alternate script however, the Ever's Family did not go on a long car ride with Leota and the Singing Busts out of Louisiana, but kept the mansion! The end of the movie involved a comical scene where Leota and Jim were in the mansions kitchen, preparing a birthday cake for Michael Evers.



What is more interesting though, is that even though this was in the first revised draft of the script, the set decorators prepared to show us that the Ever's did keep the mansion. The large "G" that adorned the top of the gates was replaced with an "E." Why it is that we never saw this is beyond me. But I can honestly say, if I was given the deed to that mansion, I would have kept it too!

2 Comments:

Blogger NotesfromtheBarn said...

Excellent Blog... I will add a link to our own if that is ok, I am currently trying to get some ride footage together from our DLP trip...

1:24 AM  
Blogger Chris Merritt said...

What I'd like to know is why Marc Davis. Thurl Ravenscroft, et al were removed as the singing busts!

11:03 AM  

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