Newsies (1992)

[jinewlin 3]

About 1/2 of this movie is kids in period costumes doing cartwheels to the tune of extraordinarily forgettable songs. The rest of the film is dominated by a young Christian Bale's horrible Nyoooooh Yaaaawk accent (that kind of makes him sound like he's disabled) and Robert Duvall wearing a stupid beard. Ann Margaret is in it too, playing whatever the PG-equivalent of a prostitute is.

[SlidePocket 707]

We know it has a cult following now, but back when it was released in 1992, it was slammed by critics and bombed hard at the box office, making it Disney's lowest-grossing live action release ever.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

Any movie with a character called Crutchy is worth being discussed.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

I cant believe they still do live music numbers based on this movie in the California Adventure Park at Disneyland. Cause even through all the song and dance numbers throughout the movie its hard to not be a little depressed watching a movie about very young indentured servants.

[sillstaw 414]

I recall when we were forced to watch this in history class, and the assistant teacher asked us what we learned from it. My response was, "Child labor is okay, as long as you pay them enough."

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

Well why should the adults take it easy on the kids, their playgrounds were capable of more harm than any workplace risk or hazard.

 

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/scary-playground/

[CaptainAmazing 127]

I cant believe they still do live music numbers based on this movie in the California Adventure Park at Disneyland. Cause even through all the song and dance numbers throughout the movie its hard to not be a little depressed watching a movie about very young indentured servants.

 

I swear that the parks must pour money into these things before the movies are out, or at least before they're totally through the "denial" phase of how they were received, and then refuse to eat the costs of replacing them when it's become obvious that it's a mistake. Universal Studios Hollywood also has a very elaborate live Waterworld show, the in-park promos for which still describe as "based on the hit movie," which everyone knows is a lie.

 

That said, the Waterworld park show is supposed to be really good, which is why they've cloned it in their parks in Japan and Singapore. Don't think you can say that for the Newsies one.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

Yea it's a trip, The downtown area of California adventure is clearly based on Art deco design. But they have the newsies dancers going up down the street despite the fact that Newsies was set in the 1890's.

 

So in terms of the age gap between the design of the park and that movie it would be like having 1930's flappers and guys in zoot suits walking around in a 70's era disco and attempting to blend in.