The New Trend in Corporate Biopics

[Mysterian]

Months ago we talked about the Nike movie, Air, which is not the first film about a corporation at the time of it's release. Now there seems to be an ever-growing number... Blackberry, Beanie Babies, Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Tetris, you name it. It's interesting getting this new insight and context on products that have become fairly popular, with varying levels of accuracy. (I never bothered fact-checking Air, but I'm sure there's going to be some artistic license.)

I'd like to see a film cover one or more eras of Disney, particularly either the original Walt beginnings or the Eisner era. I'm not sure if this could be done objectively by Disney, or could it even be made outside of Disney's hands.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

One of the most interesting of these types of films I've seen recently was the "biopic" (I use that term loosely) on the McDonalds Monopoly Game. It is called "McMillions" and is available on Max. It basically tells the story of how the popular game was a giant fraud orchestrated by...you guessed it, the mob.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Ohhh, I would love to see something on WDW in the 90's! Eisner really got what people wanted in a fan experience and that was white glove customer service regardless of how much you could afford. To me the 90s were Disney's gilded age and when most of the fan base fell in love with the parks. I mean who doesn't want to feel like a princess for a week to ten days a year?

 

[Mysterian]

One of the most interesting of these types of films I've seen recently was the "biopic" (I use that term loosely) on the McDonalds Monopoly Game. It is called "McMillions" and is available on Max. It basically tells the story of how the popular game was a giant fraud orchestrated by...you guessed it, the mob.

I remember this in the news! All I ever won was a small fry and drink. I made a biopic about it, but nobody saw it outside of Malaysia and one Alaskan territory. It’s called Ham Burglared: How I Lost Tens of Dollars at McMonopoly.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I remember this in the news! All I ever won was a small fry and drink. I made a biopic about it, but nobody saw it outside of Malaysia and one Alaskan territory. It’s called Ham Burglared: How I Lost Tens of Dollars at McMonopoly.

I won a Yugo. You got the better deal.

Where is your film streaming? I'll add to your royalty coffers.

 

[NotUrsula]

Ford vs. Ferrari was excellent, though now it's a few years old. I also liked The Social Network, but I'm a fan of Aaron Sorkin.

Technically, Saving Mr. Banks is a sort of corporate biopic, though it's heavily embroidered and made much more folksy with Hanks as WD. (Walt was greatly admired, but he ruled the company with an iron hand; SMB soft-pedaled that aspect.)

Dramatised films like this either cover one groundbreaking one-time triumph, or one embarassing major failure; a period of several years doesn't hold enough dramatic tension, I don't think.

There was a good documentary made a couple of years ago about Howard Ashman's life and his role in the Disney animation renaissance; it's called Howard.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

Ford vs. Ferrari was excellent, though now it's a few years old. I also liked The Social Network, but I'm a fan of Aaron Sorkin.

Technically, Saving Mr. Banks is a sort of corporate biopic, though it's heavily embroidered and made much more folksy with Hanks as WD. (Walt was greatly admired, but he ruled the company with an iron hand; SMB soft-pedaled that aspect.)

Dramatised films like this either cover one groundbreaking one-time triumph, or one embarassing major failure; a period of several years doesn't hold enough dramatic tension, I don't think.

There was a good documentary made a couple of years ago about Howard Ashman's life and his role in the Disney animation renaissance; it's called Howard.

The one thing I thought interesting was that SMB didn't shy away from portraying Disney himself as a heavy smoker (which of course he was), yet in the many of the classic Disney reels at the parks, his smoking is edited out.

 

[Mysterian]

Ford vs. Ferrari was excellent, though now it's a few years old. I also liked The Social Network, but I'm a fan of Aaron Sorkin.

Technically, Saving Mr. Banks is a sort of corporate biopic, though it's heavily embroidered and made much more folksy with Hanks as WD. (Walt was greatly admired, but he ruled the company with an iron hand; SMB soft-pedaled that aspect.)

Dramatised films like this either cover one groundbreaking one-time triumph, or one embarassing major failure; a period of several years doesn't hold enough dramatic tension, I don't think.

There was a good documentary made a couple of years ago about Howard Ashman's life and his role in the Disney animation renaissance; it's called Howard.

I loved Howard! I’ve seen many if not all the core documentaries on Disney Plus, along with the Ub Iwerks one which is unavaliable on D+.
I have to wonder if it’s absent because Walt gets the credit for some things that Iwerks accomplished, and maybe Disney wants to perpetuate this illusion? The classic story of Walt on a train creating Mickey Mouse, just after losing Oswald, is right there on a Disney site without any mention of Iwerks.

And the Walt image is exactly what I was talking about regarding how Disney would approach any corporate biopic with him. Disney the company seemed to polish his image in some of the documentaries and SMB.

Eisner‘s a figure they would be far less restrictive about, since his name’s not attached to the company. His era was one of the most interesting and important sea changes to occur to Disney, it’s perfect for a movie.