As Dreamers Do Part Deux
- Thread starter OldNavy1988
- Start date
So the timeline is great, but let's move forward to the movies of July 2000, like Walt Disney Pictures' (OTL Destination Films made the film) Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Columbia Pictures' Loser, TriStar Pictures and Nelvana's (OTL Warner Bros. and 4Kids made the film) Pokemon The Movie 2000, Carolco and Village Roadshow Pictures' (OTL DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox made the film) What Lies Beneath and Universal's Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.
Regarding Thomas, what changes should be made to fix the movie?
The changes made to fix Thomas and the Magic Railroad was:
- Thomas gave them more screentime (compared to OTL, which had only 12% screentime of him)
- The writing, as well as the dialogue has been improved.
- The entire plot has been improved that they would follow the real premise for a TV show.
- Edward was shown in the movie (OTL it was absent).
- The live-action character designs has been more polished.
- Thomas was the movie's main character.
- P.T. Boomer was still kept in the movie, and George the Steamroller was kept.
- It was filmed with a higher quality camera (OTL the same 35mm film camera is still used from the series).
I'm not super familiar with Thomas the Tank Engine but I do remember this movie. Looking at Production notes for the film here as some interesting tidbits for inspiration.
-It is a combination of British and American versions of the Tank Engine characters, both popular in the early 90's, specifically the British Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and the American version Shining time Station, so different elements of both serious could be used. Not sure which though.
-John Bellis was originally to voice Thomas, though amusingly Ewan Mcgregor and Bob Hoskins were also interested in voicing Thomas.
-Michael Angelis, the British Narrator of Thomas and Friends was to play James and Percy
-Keith Scott was originally to play Diesel 10.
-Patrick Breen(narrator for the magical adventures of Mumfie) was to play Splatter and Dodge
I think I said this before, but pretty much drop the whole Magic Railroad theme and go full into being close to the original books.
The plot could be loosely based of 'Enterprising Engines' in which would have the film set in 1968 just as steam in Britain ends and Sodor is the last place for steam. You could have, much like in the book, have Flying Scotsman appear to meet his brother Gordon and IOTL, this story was almost adapted for the show but they ran out of money to build Scotsman's model. With this being a movie they'll likely get it done here.
If you really want to go into the Awdry lore then perhaps if you want villains, bring in the characters 98462 and 87546 who were according to Awdry sent away for their terrible behaviour and it would be interesting to see them make an appearance and yes, it means we butterfly Diesel 10 as the villain but it would be interesting to see a steam engine as villains here.
For the villains plan, likely they return to Sodor after escaping from scrap but want revenge for being banished from Sodor in the first place which could act as a full circle moment for the show. Depending on the budget, you could have the wooden figures replaced by actually actors much like OTL film with Mr Conductor only here far more so (E.G more railway staff, passengers on platforms etc) such as an actor for the Fat Controller, who'd play him though? Finally depending on the budget, maybe some CGI tweaks such as blinking eyes and moving mouths for the faces of the locomotives?
Anyway, that's my rambling but if the film is shot in England and not in Canada then perhaps a better chance of more characters making an appearance or even actually speaking roles? Need a voice cast now...
Well I was thinking McCartney because he would prove to be a good ying Yang for ringo
Thomas and the Flying Scotsman (2000 Film)
Thomas and the Flying Scotsman
Released by Walt Disney Pictures on July 26, 2000
Based on the Railway Series books by
The Rev. W. Awdry
Written, Produced and Directed by
Britt Allcroft
Main Cast
Alec Baldwin as Mr. Conductor
Didi Conn as Stacy Jones
Haley Joel Osment as Dan
Mara Wilson as Becky
Tom Jackson as Billy Twofeathers
Ewan MacGregor as Thomas
Freddie Starr as George the Steamroller
Neil Crone as 87546 and Gordon
Robert Carlyle as the Flying Scotsman
Keith Scott as 98462
Doug Lennox as PT Boomer
Bob Hoskins as Sir Topham Hatt
Narrators
Ringo Starr (International Version)
George Carlin (North American Version)
Storyline
In 1968, British Rail has been phasing out its steam engines. But the Isle of Sodor is the last remaining part of Britain where the steam engine has yet to face its inevitable obsolescence. 98462 and 87546, the villainous steam engines, will stop at nothing to derail Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends in the name of obstructing much needed progress. Through his bravery, Thomas reminds everyone that "...even the littlest engines can do big things!"
ABOVE: The Flying Scotsman, voiced by Robert Carlyle
Reception
"They actually got Gaz from The Full Monty to be a talking train? I'll gladly pay £5 to see that."
- Fan letter to the Radio Times
"Through all the years I followed his work, I never thought George Carlin could be so wholesome."
- The San Francisco Chronicle
"At least the filmmakers made bloody sure not to let the humans dominate the picture. This is Thomas's story after all."
- BBC News
July 2000 Movies
Big Momma's House
Released by RKO Radio Pictures
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Released by Universal Pictures
What Lies Beneath
Released by Carolco
Pokemon: The Movie 2000
Released by TriStar Pictures
English Dub produced by Nelvana
Loser
Released by Columbia Pictures
Chicken Run
Released by Paramount Pictures
Produced by Aardman Animations
The Replacements
Released by Touchstone Pictures
Mickey and Friends Parking Structure
Mickey and Friends Parking Structure
In the summer of 2000, the largest parking structure in North America opened at the Disneyland Resort. The original parking lot that sat in front of Disneyland Park was razed to make way for Disney's Epic Kingdom, which will open in the spring of 2001.
Levels (Same as OTL)
1) Chip N' Dale
2) Daisy
3) Mickey
4) Goofy
5) Donald
6) Minnie
Plans for future parking garages on Disney's Anaheim property are in the works, but in the meantime, there are still a pretty big surface parking area adjacent to the former Emerald of Anaheim, now rebranded as Disney's Paradise Pier hotel.
Well great job with TTL's changes on Thomas film. We'll move forward to the movies of August 2000, which are Touchstone Pictures' Coyote Ugly, Universal Pictures' (OTL Columbia Pictures made the film) The Invisible Man 2 (OTL's title was Hollow Man), Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures' Space Cowboys, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Autumn in New York, Warner Bros./Carolco and Village Roadshow Pictures' (OTL Paramount Pictures and Icon Productions made the film) Bless the Child, Revolution Studios' (OTL Artisan Entertainment made the film) Cecil B. Demented, New Line Cinema's The Cell, United Artists' (OTL Paramount Pictures made the film) The Original Kings of Comedy, RKO Radio Pictures' (OTL 20th Century Fox made the film) Sunset Strip, TriStar Pictures' (OTL Warner Bros., Morgan Creek and Franchise Pictures made the film) The Art of War, Columbia Pictures' (OTL Universal Pictures made the film) Bring It On, and Paramount Pictures' (OTL Touchstone Pictures made the film) The Crew.
Most critics thought Abbott would've worked better as a miniseries.