Disney Closing Miramax?

dagobert · January 30, 2010, 05:34:26 PM

It looks like that Disney is closing Miramax. Although officials denied, Disney is closing some offices and will consolidate Miramax with the Disney Studios. There will only be three films released each year.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010 ... sed-disney

So Disney will never receive an Oscar anymore.

pussinboots · February 16, 2010, 10:44:30 PM

Another stupid decision from Disney. Miramax would still be the goldmine Oscar whore it was in the 1990s if they still produced good movies. When you have something like that in your hands, you try to make it work, you don't just close it.

It's a very American thing, isn't it. They'll have something that has been hugely successful for decades, something that defined a generation and is a household name, but the second it threatens to lose a little money they'll gladly raze it down it and replace it with a Starbucks. They did it with most of Vegas, they did it with Route 66, they did it with every department store but Macy's, they did it with all of their railway stations and movie theaters, with the Burma-Shave signs... It's a crying shame.

dagobert · August 23, 2010, 04:22:48 PM

A few weeks ago Disney sold Miramax. Do you know if they sold the whole movie library, which included movies like "Finding Neverland"? Miramax has released many great movies and most of them have won an Academy Award. Now it looks Disney will never win an Oscar again.

davewasbaloo · August 23, 2010, 04:36:36 PM

I do wonder what Iger's "vision" is. I am very worried about the company as a whole. It seems he just wants to be a distribution channel rather than create quality content. Parks, Movies, TV, Music - look at what happened. If it wasn't for Pixar, what things have they done that make you go Whooooaaaaa. in a long time?

Although Eisner did some stupid things, he did so many more amazing things in his time.

dagobert · August 23, 2010, 04:43:15 PM

Quote from: "davewasbaloo"I do wonder what Iger's "vision" is. I am very worried about the company as a whole. It seems he just wants to be a distribution channel rather than create quality content. Parks, Movies, TV, Music - look at what happened. If it wasn't for Pixar, what things have they done that make you go Whooooaaaaa. in a long time?

Although Eisner did some stupid things, he did so many more amazing things in his time.

I really lost trust in the management, especially in Iger. I thought he is the right person to succeed Eisner, but unfortunately he is not. Until now he made only two great decisions. First he brought Pixar back to Disney and second he acquired the rights of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

In my opinion Frank Wells was the person that kept the whole company on track during Eisner's tenure. Without hin Eisner would have made bad decisions earlier.

davewasbaloo · August 23, 2010, 04:45:11 PM

No doubt that Eisner and Wells were a dream team, but ironically before Frank died, Michael was the ideas man and Frank was the money man. It is like when Frank died, Michael lost his mojo. So sad. I would say 1992 was probably the finest time to be a Disney fan, so many cool things were going on.

dagobert · August 23, 2010, 05:00:01 PM

Maybe without the mistake of building more hotel rooms than needed at DLP, Eisner would have been better in his last years. After DLP's failure he decided to save money and he didn't do the things he should have done.

I'm sure you have read "Disney War" by James B. Stewart. It is such a great book and covers Eisner's time at Disney.

davewasbaloo · August 23, 2010, 05:03:43 PM

The Disney War and also Eisner's Biography are both excellent books about the history (over and above the necessary reading about Walt, Retlaw etc.)

dagobert · August 23, 2010, 05:10:05 PM

After reading the book, I think that TWDC wouldn't exist in the way the company exists today. In my opinion the most important person in the newer Disney history is Roy E. Disney. Without him there wouldn't be Animation anymore and maybe the company as a whole wouldn't exist anymore. It is so sad that he died last year and that no member of the Disney Family isn't part of the company anymore.

davewasbaloo · August 23, 2010, 05:29:11 PM

Exactly, and there is where I think there is huge trouble. It is now just a corporation, pretty much. There is nothing really personal there any more, and synergy is all the vision we have. It such a shame. I was hopeful when Lassetter and Jobs came on board, but still, their impact has been less than positive.

It really is very upsetting after a lifetime of dedication.

dagobert · August 23, 2010, 06:42:54 PM

Disney has lost its soul. IT's just a corporation that is interested in maximizing the profit. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong in making the most money out of a business, but now they are only responsible their shareholders. During Roy E. Disney's time at the company, TWDC was of course responsible their shareholders, too, but he had an eye on everything that happened and I think that with having him in the company the Disney Family still had some influence. I don't understand why other family members didn't want to be involved in TWDC.

When did it happen that the Disney Family sold all their shares? Do they still have shares of the company? I know that Roy E. Disney's Shamrock Holdings holds about 1%.

davewasbaloo · August 23, 2010, 07:06:22 PM

Well Ron Miller (Diane Disney's husband) was CEO when Disney was going to the toilet in the 1970's early 80's. Tokyo and Epcot nearly bankrupted the company and the Studios was not doing very well at all. That is when Roy Jr. brought in Micheal Eisner to overthrow Ron. There was a huge family rift and only Roy Jr retained any shares (or interest) as far as I am aware. Then when DCA was being built and animation was closed down after Roy Jr concentrated on his yachting, he started save Disney and tried to oust Eisner and bring Iger in. I heard he was so disgusted with the company he sold the large share holdings (he had the largest amount) retaining only 1%. When the Pixar deal happened, Steve Jobs became the largest shareholder and between issues with Apple and his health, he has not been very active with the company lately.

dagobert · August 23, 2010, 07:16:20 PM

Don't you think it is sad that the company was started as a family business and is now without any family member. Maybe without the conflict between the two sides of the Disney family, TWDC would still be under control of the family. Nevertheless I don't understand, why they sold all their shares. Maybe they regret it now.

I think that I read in "Disney War" that Roy wanted to bring someone from outside the company to replace Eisner. He thought that Iger would still do what Eisner would tell him. In the book Roy is quoted, that Iger is Eisner's Lieutenant. If I'm not mistake, he considered the former Ebay CEO as a successor.