Friday, November 28, 2008

Pixie Power: Tinkerbell

By Steve Collins

Tinkerbell is one of the beloved characters in the world. She was created by J.M. Barrie in his play "Peter Pan" in 1904 and first envisioned as a ball of light. Since her debut, she has been featured in copious films and television shows. J.M. Barrie also included her in a novel called "Peter and Wendy" in 1911. Originally, she was little more than a supporting character. That all changed when she was featured in the 1953 animated film PETER PAN. Disney made her a prominent character in the movie despite the fact that she does not say a single word!

Since that time, this sprite has become a symbol for all things Disney. At the beginning of many Disney television shows, you can see her fly across the screen and use her magic wand. If you ever visit Disney World, you will see her fly across the sky during the nightly fireworks show. She has indeed become one of the most recognizable characters in the world.

Recently it was announced that Tinkerbell would star in her own animated film. The project got off to a bit of a troubled start. Some people at Disney talked about shutting it down all together. The budget for the movie had swelled to well over $50 million. These woes eventually led Disney to declare that they would no longer make straight to DVD sequels. However, the project persevered. This version of Tinkerbell features the groundbreaking animation techniques pioneered by Pixar. Not only will Tinkerbell be rendered in 3D, she will also be talking throughout the film.

The cast and crew were changed significantly during the making of the film. Brittany Murphy was originally cast to play the role of Tinkerbell. She was eventually replaced by Mae Whitman. They went through 12 different directors and several supporting actors. Eventually, they settled on Raven Symone, Anjelica Huston, Jesse McCartney, and America Ferrera to name a few.

TINKERBELL the movie is bound to be a tremendous hit for Disney. If you would like to check out this movie, consider the Disney Movie Club. With the Disney Movie Club, you can get the latest Disney releases delivered to your home. You can watch the entire Disney collection from the comfort of your own living room. - 16651

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