USA:THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY TAKES OVER MIDTOWN MANHATTAN FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEWEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM "HERCULES"

Record ID: 687670

  • Title: USA:THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY TAKES OVER MIDTOWN MANHATTAN FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEWEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM "HERCULES"
  • Date: 13th June 1997
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JUNE 13, 1997) (REUTERS) JOHN MUSKER SAYS, "WE JUST THOUGHT IT'D BE GREAT TO DO A FILM INVOLVING GREEK MYTHOLOGY. DISNEY HAD NEVER DONE A FEATURE WITH THAT WHOLE MILLIEU AND JUST THE DIFFERENT SETTINGS, DIFFERENT FANTASTIC CREATURES YOU KNOW, GRIFFINS, HARPIES, SATYRS, JUST SEEMED LIKE A RICH FIELD THAT HADN'T BEEN TAPPED AND ONE RIPE FO
  • Embargoed: 28th June 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5ACUID2GGI2OMQXSAN4PZO6KO
  • Story Text: The Walt Disney Company took over midtown Manhattan -- one of the busiest pieces of real estate in the world -- for the world premiere of its newest animated feature film,"Hercules".
    As part of Saturday's (June 14) festivities, Disney screened the film for a VIP crowd at the newly-renovated New Amsterdam theatre on 42nd Street in the heart of New York's Broadway theatre district.
    Built in 1903, the New Amsterdam was one of Broadway's crown jewels until it was closed down more than 15 years ago. Disney and the city and state of New York pumped millions of dollars into the renovation to return the venue to its former glory.
    Following the screening, Disney transplanted the world famous Electrical Parade from Disneyland in Southern California to the streets of Manhattan.
    Thirty floats decorated with half-a-million light bulbs travelled almost two miles down 42nd Street and onto 5th Avenue.
    In all, Disney shut down close to 100 square blocks of Manhattan for the event.
    Disney's newest animated epic follows the adventures of legendary Greek mythology hero, Hercules.
    John Musker and Ron Clements are writer/directors on the film -- the same team responsible for the Disney hits "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin." This one tells the story of "Herc," the mighty son of Zeus, who is taken from his Mount Olympus home and raised on Earth -- half man, half god.
    The fiery figure behind Hercules' disappearance is Hades, the hot-headed God of the Underworld who has grown tired of looking after a "bunch of deadbeats" and sees Zeus' son as an obstacle to his plans to rule the universe.
    Tate Donovan supplies the voice of Herc, whileOscar-nominee James Woods is the voice of Hades.
    When Herc discovers the truth about his origins, he sets out to prove himself a hero, with the help of a veteran hero-training satyr named Phil, voiced by Danny DeVito.
    But Hades has other plans for our hero and arranges a catalogue of calamities such as a multi-headed Hydra, a Minataur, a Cyclops and an army of Titans. Along the way, Herc discovers that a true hero is not measured by the size of his strength but the strength of his heart.
    Adding to the film are new songs from eight-time Oscar winning composer Alan Menken and Tony Award-winning lyricist David Zippel, who won his award for his work on "City of Angels." Other actors providing voices for the film include Susan Egan, Matt Frewer, Bobcat Goldthwait, Paul Shaffer, Rip Torn and Charlton Heston.
    The premiere ended up with a gala party at the Chelsea Piers, a newly-opened sports and entertainment complex along the Hudson River. Michael Bolton performed his version of "Go The Distance," the song he sings in "Hercules." "Hercules" is the 35th full-length animated feature from Walt Disney.
    The film opens across the United States next week (June 27).
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