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WHAT WAS DISNEY THINKING? |
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"I'll Just Promote
The Film Myself" |
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A Richard Propes Column
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January 9th. 2006 |
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What was Disney thinking? |
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It seems like an odd way
to promote a film.
This past Saturday night, I had the privilege of attending a special
invitation only showing of Disney's upcoming film "Glory Road," the
inspirational story of Texas Western's upset of the University of
Kentucky in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.
The evening was put together as the opening event for the NCAA's
national convention in Indianapolis, and was a partnership between the
NCAA and the Indianapolis based Heartland Film Festival, an annual film
festival that seeks to promote "truly moving pictures" that inspire and
empower.
Per Heartland Film Festival Executive Director Jeffrey Sparks, Disney
provided the underwriting for the event including equipping the Murat
Auditorium with appropriate film and sound equipment.
Sparks is the definition of a class act. During the annual Heartland
Film Festival, it's not uncommon to see Sparks working theatre after
theatre as if everyone he meets is family. This evening was no different
as he mingled with city officials like Mayor Bart Peterson, benefactors
like Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Racing League owner Tony
George, sports legends like Hall of Fame basketball coach John Wooden,
and a few of the common folks such as myself.
Yet, one basic question kept entering my mind as the evening's
festivities unfolded...What was Disney thinking?
Okay, Okay, Okay. I get the basic concept. Let's build a partnership
with a positive, inspiring film festival. It's an outlet for films, and
a natural way to market typical Disney fare. Of course, I also get the
concept of tying in with the NCAA national convention, but I have to
question how much thought really went into the night's festivities.
First, there's the setting itself.
The Murat Centre is a magnificent concert hall. It's an older building
that formerly served as a Murat Shriner's Temple. It's ornate, majestic
and truly beautiful. It is NOT, however, a movie theatre. The Murat
Centre is reminiscent of turn of the century (1900's silly) concert
halls with its upper balcony, numerous overhangs and magnificent columns
throughout the building. In being outfitted as a concert hall,
auditorium seating is in place...the older kind with squeaky, cushioned
chairs that make funny noises each time you move. Thus, those sitting in
the back half of the auditorium had their view of the movie screen cut
in half and, quite literally, had to duck to see the entire movie
screen. That, coupled with the endless squeaking of chairs in the
half-full auditorium made for an interesting evening of ducking and
squeaking.
What was Disney thinking hosting an inspirational, high energy film in a
theatre where the audience, filled with influential city leaders,
athletes, and benefactors has to strain to see the screen?
Then, there's the matter of the post-screening Question and Answer
period featuring four members of the actual Texas Western Team that won
the NCAA Championship.
Now, don't get me wrong. I've become accustomed to the inevitable
dramatic license that nearly every studio and filmmaker takes with a
"true story." Yet, I had to chuckle as I listened to comment after
comment from the original players including David Lattin, Nevil Shed,
Jerry Armstrong and Assistant Coach Ross More as they shared their
stories, insights and experiences being the first all Black team to win
the NCAA Championship back in 1966.
"Glory Road" is an inspirational film in the way it displays the
strength of this coach and these players in confront the racism and the
hatred that was still so prevalent, especially in the South during this
time. The film is frequently painful to watch as we watch the abuse, the
hatred, the violence inflicted upon these young men, all of whom would
become outstanding civic leaders, businessmen, athletes and role models.
The story itself is powerful and inspiring, yet as the players shared
their experiences during the post-screening Q&A Session, it was
impossible not to chuckle as we learned, time and again, how much of the
film, while "inspired" by a true story, is largely constructed by
manufactured events.
All three players agreed, for example, that the film made it seem as if
all the events happened within one year while, in fact, it developed
over four years.
Likewise, Assistant Coach More acknowledged that "certain game dynamics"
weren't true. He used as an example that in the film, it is not until
the championship game that Coach Don Haskins starts five Black players,
while in real life he had done so multiple times throughout the season.
Each team member talked about the abuse they endured in traveling to
colleges with entirely White teams, of the taunts they endured, the
spitting, the harassment, and the overt racism. Yet, again, they
acknowledged that the specific incidents in the film, including
blood-covered hotel rooms in one city and a physical assault in another
were, in fact, not based upon real events but "inspired" by events that
had occurred with them and Blacks during that time period.
Of course, it is only fair to say that the film is not labeled a "true
story," but a film inspired by a true story. In essence, it is a
fictionalized account of a true story. There are, in fact, events that
played very close to the truth within the context of the film.
First, there's a scene where a player's mother comes to the school to
address her son's academic failings. This did, apparently, happen in
real life. However, unlike the movie, she never actually attended his
class but did, according to the players, get him motivated and back on
track.
The players also shared that a scene where one of the teammates spies on
his roommate with a girl in their room. Even in this case, however, the
details of the scene were clearly dramatized.
Other examples of dramatic license? The drama of the final game itself
is manufactured drama. In the film, the lead goes back and forth...in
real life, Texas Western never trailed and won the game rather
convincingly, though it was still a surprising win.
What was Disney thinking?
I love the Heartland Film Festival. I love basketball. Heck, I even tend
to love these "rah rah" Disney films that many critics find so
irritating. What bothers is me I can't figure out what Disney was
thinking by holding such an incredibly important screening in such a
challenging setting for the audience. What was Disney thinking by
bringing in these real life inspirational figures to discuss the film
only to have them nearly completely invalidate the actual events in the
film we'd just seen? What were they thinking? I mean it, really...I
can't see the logic here.
Truthfully, "Glory Road" may be a much better film than I'm giving it
credit. It's certainly an inspirational, heartwarming and life-affirming
story. Yet, after attending this special, invitation only screening of
the film surrounded by celebrities and athletes and civic leaders I
found myself leaving the Murat Centre thinking only one thought...
What an odd way to promote a film. |
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© Written by Richard Propes |
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