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March 16

Posted on March 16, 2014 by disneydetail

March 16, 1961 – The Special Short Film The Saga of Windwagon Smith is Released to Theaters

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“The prairie is just like the ocean, only greener and drier, you see, and the billowing waves of buffalo grass make sailing quite easy to be.”

On March 16, 1961, the special short film The Saga of Windwagon Smith was released to theaters. The short was released near the end of the golden age of Disney short films, and at a time where the art was becoming more experimental. Jasper and Horace from One Hundred and One Dalmatians make a cameo appearance in this short. The short itself was directed by Charles Nichols, with story by Nichols and Lance Nolley. It features the voices of Rex Allen and the Sons of the Pioneers.

The story takes place in Westport, located at the start of both the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. Most of the town is seen sleeping in the Kansas sun, but they are startled awake by a strange cloud running down Main Street. They hear a strange voice bellowing from the cloud, and as an anchor is tied to a hitching post, the town sees a covered wagon with a deck and a mast with a tiller attached to it. The man inside steps down and greets the town, and when asked by Mayor Crum where he is from, the man explains his name is Captain Smith. He had sailed the seven seas, he continues, and wishes to sail the prairies.  The town assumes that, as he has no oxen to pull his wagon, the wind must make it move, and Smith tells them that this is the case before hurrying into the nearest saloon for a bite to eat. When he takes a look at the waitress in the bar, the mayor’s daughter Molly, it’s love at first sight for Smith. Molly has also fallen for Smith, but her father soon sends her away so he and Smith can talk business.

Smith and the mayor talk business about the windwagon, with the mayor wondering if it can hold cargo

Smith and the mayor talk business about the windwagon, with the mayor wondering if it can hold cargo

The mayor asks if Smith’s windwagon will haul freight, and Smith confirms this, as the hull can hold a full cargo. He then makes the grand claim that he can sail from Kansas to Santa Fe in only two weeks, as opposed to the two months it would take a regular covered wagon with oxen. The accountant of the town figures this would be a quarter of the time, with four times the profit. The town gets excited about the financial prospects of windwagon use, and decide to build a super windwagon with Smith’s help, creating a new company called The Prairie Clipper Company. Building soon begins, and every night after work, Smith and Molly meet on the unfinished deck to continue their romance. The mayor is furious at Molly’s romance with Smith, and warns her to stay away.

The day the windwagon is finished, everyone comes out to admire it before the roll it to the edge of town. Molly christens the ship, and everyone gets on inside, except for Molly, who is told by her father that this cruise was for men only. Smith climbs on board and gets ready to set sail. The windwagon heads off on the Santa Fe Trail, and the men inside start getting seasick. The men demand to be let out, and Smith begins to take them back to town, when the wheel gets stuck. As the windwagon passes town, the men jump out as fast as they can, leaving Smith all alone. As he vows to go down with the ship, he is surprised to find Molly on the deck. She had stowed herself away on the ship, and as a hurricane fast approaches the ship, Smith tries to convince her to leave, but she wishes to stay with him. The windwagon is swallowed by the hurricane, and after Smith fixes the tiller, the two sail on top of the hurricane, heading west, and the two are never heard from again. Legend has it when the sunset turns gold, you can see the wagon in the sky, with Smith steering the wagon with Molly by his side.

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March 15

Posted on March 15, 2014 by disneydetail

March 15, 2005 – The Pixar Short Film Jack-Jack Attack is Released

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“Well, it started out like any normal sitting gig, you know, with the reassuring of the parent and all.”

On March 15, 2005, the Pixar short film Jack-Jack Attack was released on the DVD release of the animated feature film The Incredibles. It was based on the film, exploring the powers of the youngest Parr, Jack-Jack. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, with story by Teddy Newton, Mark Andrews, Rob Gibbs, and Bosco Ng, and starred Bret Parker as Kari, Bud Luckey as Rick Dicker, Eli Fucile as Jack-Jack, and Jason Lee as Syndrome.

The short begins with Violet’s friend Kari being interrogated by government agent Rick Dicker. He asks her about the “incident,” and she starts relaying the story of her babysitting gig for the youngest Parr, Jack-Jack. She is seen on the phone reassuring Helen that everything’s just fine, for surely a baby like Jack-Jack couldn’t get into any trouble. She then starts playing Mozart and having him play with educational toys, but when Kari turns around after placing the CD in the player, she finds Jack-Jack missing, only to find him on the kitchen table. As she chases after him, he disappears from there and is found at the fridge, drinking a bottle of milk. She remarks on how weird this is, and calls Helen again, leaving her a message about a question she has about Jack-Jack. As she is leaving the message, Jack-Jack starts floating, and sits on the ceiling. Kari looks for him, and when Jack-Jack opens his bottle of milk, the milk falls out and lands all over Kari.

Kari has taken desperate measures to keep Jack-Jack in one place

Kari has taken desperate measures to keep Jack-Jack in one place

Kari calls Helen again, this time having kept Jack-Jack trapped in his playpen, with a recliner and several large books on top of the playpen to keep him caged. As her message starts to get more panicked, Kari turns around to find that Jack-Jack has bitten his way out of his cage, and is on the bookshelf. She notices him start to fall, but when she goes to catch him, he seemingly disappears, leaving only his diaper behind. She runs down the stairs, and finds him floating and transporting himself through the walls. Kari finally catches him, and ties him to a weighted barbell so he won’t disappear again. As she attempts to do a calming activity of flashcards, when she shows him a flashcard of a campfire, Jack-Jack is suddenly set ablaze. He runs around the house as a giant flame, and she finally is able to pick him up with tongs and extinguish him in the bathtub.

In the morning, the house is a shambles, as Kari is on the verge of collapsing, holding a fire extinguisher and extinguishing Jack-Jack every so often. He shoots lasers out of his eyes, but Kari holds up a mirror to deflect the rays, leaving a mark on the ceiling. Suddenly, the doorbell rings, and Kari answers it to find Syndrome. Nearing the edge of insanity, Kari nearly frightens Syndrome, and she assumes he is her replacement, handing him the baby. She asks him what the “S” on his outfit stands for, and he quickly tells her that it stands for “sitter.” He goes on to say that he was originally going to have the initials for “babysitter,” but that would have been “BS,” and that wouldn’t have been a great idea. Agent Dicker then interjects with the statement that Kari believed him, and she erupts, and asks if he’d ever seen an exploding baby before. He stands up, grabbing a box with a red laser on the front, and asks her if she told anybody else about the incident. She says she told her parents, but they thought she was being funny. She asks if Agent Dicker believes her, and he says he does. She then wishes aloud that she could forget the whole thing, and he tells her that he will before using the box to wipe her memory.

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March 14

Posted on March 14, 2014 by disneydetail

March 14, 1948 – Actor, Writer, Producer, Comedian, Director, and Disney Legend Billy Crystal is Born

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“When we thought of Billy Crystal, we thought, this was going to be great. Of course, he just added his own unique spin to it.” – Pete Docter, Director of Monsters, Inc.

On March 14, 1948, William Edward Crystal was born in New York City. His father was a music promoter, and his uncle was Milton Gabler, a legendary music producer. Displaying a love of performing at an early age, Crystal and his older brothers would perform their own variety show for family members and at local events. After graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1970, Crystal began his career in improv comedy, leading to a sketch on the first season of Saturday Night Live!. His breakout role was as Jodie Dallas on the sitcom Soap, which he played from 1977 through 1981. He rejoined Saturday Night Live! as a cast member during the 1984 – 1985 season, and then had an appearance in the series All in the Family, where he would meet actor and director Rob Reiner. Reiner hired Crystal for small parts in two films, This is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride, which led to his being cast as the lead in When Harry Met Sally…. This film gave Crystal his first Golden Globe nomination for best actor.

Crystal was asked to be the voice of Buzz Lightyear in Pixar’s first full-length computer animated feature Toy Story, but he passed on the role, calling it one of the biggest regrets of his career. When he was offered the role of Mike Wazowski in Monsters, Inc., he jumped at the chance. He has since reprised the role in a short film, a cameo in Cars, and the prequel film Monsters University. Crystal also voiced the character Calcifer in the film Howl’s Moving Castle. Crystal continues to be active in entertainment, hosting the Academy Awards nine times, directing a made-for-television movie, and writing and starring in a one-man play called 700 Sundays. Crystal was named a Disney Legend in 2013.

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March 13

Posted on March 13, 2014 by disneydetail

March 13, 1960 – Animator, Storyboard Artists, and Disney Legend Joe Ranft is Born

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“Joe was really a major part of Pixar’s soul. He was one of the key players who made all the films what they are.” – Director Pete Doctor

On March 13, 1960, Joseph Henry Ranft was born in Pasadena, California, and grew up in Whittier. He had a strong interest in movies, magic, and performing, all things that would impact his career. In 1978, Ranft enrolled in the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied Disney-style animation alongside future collaborators John Lasseter and Brad Bird. In 1980, Ranft accepted a job offer from Disney, and earned a quick reputation as an outstanding story artist. He contributed to the story of several films, including Oliver and Company, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Fantasia 2000. In 1991, Ranft began working for Pixar, working on the story for their first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story. His knack of performing and impressions got him hired as the voice of Heimlich in the studio’s second film, A Bug’s Life; he would continue writing and performing on Toy Story 2, voicing Wheezy the penguin, and had writing credits for Monsters, Inc. and Cars. Unfortunately, Ranft was killed in a car accident on August 16, 2005, leaving behind a legacy of storytelling and a reputation as a “story giant of our generation,” as relayed by director Henry Selick. Ranft was named a Disney Legend in 2006.

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March 12

Posted on March 12, 2014 by disneydetail

March 12, 2000 – The Live-Action Television Film Model Behavior Premieres on ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney

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“Let’s just say, I’ve officially clinched my status as junior class spinster.”

On March 12, 2000, the live-action television film Model Behavior premiered on ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney programming block. The movie was based on the book Janine & Alex, Alex & Janine by Michael Levin, who helped to co-write the film with David Kukoff and Matt Roshkow. The film was directed by Mark Rosman, and starred Maggie Lawson as Alex Burroughs/Janine Adams, Justin Timberlake as Jason Sharpe, Jesse Nilsson as Eric Singer, Daniel Clark as Josh, Karen Hines as Monique, and Kathy Lee Gifford as Deirdre Adams.

Shy teenager Alex Burroughs is attending a party on a mission: to ask popular athlete Eric Singer to the Fall Ball. Her best friend Sharon is there for moral support, although Alex has taken to hiding in the bathroom. Alex finally leaves the bathroom and runs into Eric, but the encounter is rather awkward, and she soon leaves the party to head home, embarrassed. Her father lectures her on breaking curfew, but she doesn’t seem to care. Before she goes to sleep, she reads her fashion magazines once again, wishing she were the model on the cover. Meanwhile, the model on the cover, Janine Adams, is trying to order Chinese food, but her mother nixes the order and changes it to her usual “steamed broccoli and brown rice.” Janine thinks her mother is overbearing, and wishes she could just be a normal teenage girl. She watches television in her room and comes across a program about herself, including an “exclusive” about her being involved with fellow model Jason Sharpe, although in reality Janine wants nothing to do with him.

Alex tries to talk to her father about her ideas for new catering uniforms, showing a glimpse of her unsatisfactory life

Alex tries to talk to her father about her ideas for new catering uniforms, showing a glimpse of her unsatisfactory life

The next morning, Alex gets ready for an event for her father’s catering company, and finds out that she’s a finalist to get into a summer program for fashion and design, with an interview occurring in two weeks. Janine is preparing for her day, snapping at everyone and everything around her, including her assistant Monique. Janine has to go to a launch for her book, which Alex’s dad’s company is catering. At the party, Janine and Alex run into each other, and Janine takes Alex into the bathroom to show that the two look uncannily alike. Janine starts questioning Alex about normal life, and then offers to have Alex trade places with her, just for a week. Alex is unsure, but finally agrees. The two quickly change outfits and head back to the party in their new roles. Janine is excited to head home and begin a “normal” life, while Alex is thrilled to live the life of a supermodel.

Alex’s family and Janine’s assistant Monique are confused at the girls’ behavior, but they run with it. Janine heads to Alex’s school, and is unusually excited about the experience. She runs into Alex’s friend Sharon and starts walking the hallways. Janine confidently says hello to the cutest guys in school, but Sharon reminds her that they don’t exist on the social radar. Janine refuses to accept this, and also refuses to take the abuse from popular mean girl Mindy. Alex then attends a photo shoot in a bikini, and is noticeably uncomfortable in front of the camera. Although the photographer is annoyed at first, he is soon taken with her “new” shy look. Back at school, Janine talks back to the teacher, earning the respect from several of her fellow students. Alex walks the streets after her shoot, and runs into Jason Sharpe, who apologizes for the recent article calling them a couple. He promises to make it up to her, and quickly leaves. Monique tells Alex that she should want nothing to do with him, but Alex tells Janine that, just for this week, she’ll reconsider. Janine finds some eye candy of her own in the form of Eric Singer, and decides to approach him, although Mindy is hanging all over him. She pours Eric’s carton of milk all over Mindy, and certainly catches Eric’s attention before heading back to her table.

Alex surprises everyone by giving her chauffeur Tony the day off, and spending the day seeing the city with Monique

Alex surprises everyone by giving her chauffeur Tony the day off, and spending the day seeing the city with Monique

Alex decides to go see the sights of New York, and gives her chauffeur the day off. Janine cooks breakfast for her family, and shows a real talent for cooking, although Alex’s brother Josh is suspicious of “Alex’s” new behavior. Alex and Monique go rollerblading through Central Park, and Alex hears about Janine’s habit of talking down to the people around her. Alex decides to be kind to those around her instead, and decides to take Monique shopping. At school, “Alex’s” social standing has improved substantially thanks to Janine, and Eric starts talking to her, although she acts nonchalant about it. In New York, Alex is asked out on a date by Jason. She wants to accept, but the night he proposes is the night that Alex and Janine are supposed to switch back. Janine soon calls Alex, and the two agree to postpone the switch back for another week. Josh overhears the conversation, and realizes that he’s got a huge scandal on his hands. Although Alex is warned to stay away from Jason Sharpe, she ignores Janine’s advice and goes on a date with Jason. Janine then goes on a date with Eric, although she is less than impressed with his car. Eric plans on taking Janine to Les Gourmand, a fancy French restaurant, which is where Alex and Jason are also going.

Alex and Jason show up at the restaurant amid a sea of reporters, although the reporters ignore Janine when she shows up with Eric. After finding out that the restaurant lost Eric’s reservation, they leave, but Eric decides to take her around the back. Alex and Jason start to bond, especially when Jason admits that he’s only modeling to save up money for grad school so he can study astronomy. He invites Alex to see a meteor shower later that night, and she accepts. Josh sneaks into the restaurant to film the evidence of the two girls. Meanwhile, Eric is more and more impressed with how Janine handles herself. Janine and Alex excuse themselves to the bathroom, and, unaware that the mirror is actually gone, think the other is their mirror reflection. They finally realize that they are at the same restaurant, and Janine is angry to the point where she tries to break up the date between Alex and Jason, while Alex tries to break up Eric and Janine. The two then switch back, although they both have a lot of explaining to do. Eric then takes Janine go-karting, and they have a much better, more normal evening; Jason takes Alex to see the meteor shower, and the two share a kiss. After Eric takes Janine home, she admits that this is the most fun she’d had in a long time, and he calls her his girl before he kisses her.

Janine arrives home from her date with Eric, unaware of how much trouble she's in

Janine arrives home from her date with Eric, unaware of how much trouble she’s in

When Janine gets home, Alex’s father reminds her that she missed the wedding event she was supposed to cater, and is grounded. Alex arrives home to find Janine’s mother waiting for her. Alex then wakes up for an early morning workout the next morning, while Janine gets in trouble for using her cell phone in class, among other things, and is sentenced to do the laundry for the school. Alex then has to walk in a show, although she doesn’t do very well, as she has never walked a runway before, and rips the dress before running into another model. At school, Janine snaps at Sharon, and arrives home to find the admissions adviser for the summer program Alex wants waiting for her. Not knowing where Alex’s portfolio is, she creates a mishmash of pictures and scribbles, and Alex is not accepted into the program. Back at Janine’s, Josh shows up to blackmail Alex. Josh then gives her the idea of telling Jason who she really is, and asking him to the fall ball, and calls him to meet her that night. Janine tries to sneak out of the house to meet Eric, but gets caught and is sent back to her room by Alex’s father. Alex shows up at the high school to meet Jason, and before she can ask, he tells her that he’s heading to Paris and wants her to go with him. As Alex ties up her hair and puts on her glasses, she gives Jason the tape and asks him to kiss her. Eric spots them, and the two guys think that she’s been two-timing them.

When Janine and Alex speak on the phone, the two yell at each other for ruining each other’s careers, and decide that they need to switch back right away, and plan it for the next morning in front of the school. The two have a tearful goodbye, and sadly return to their lives. Janine starts snapping at everyone and everything again, and Monique sadly states that Janine was so different the past week. Alex’s parents are surprised at how different Alex is, as her attitude has done a complete 180. At Janine’s photo shoot, the photographer wants her to be shy and coquettish as Alex was, and Janine is frustrated that she can’t do it. While doing through her bag, she finds the pictures of her and Eric, and gets an idea. Alex resumes life at school, although it seems that everything is now worse after Janine’s stint. Suddenly, she gets an idea, and smiles. At the apartment, Janine refuses to go to her agent’s party, instead choosing to go to the Fall Ball. Alex plans to go get Jason, and actually gets brother’s help for once. She calls Jason, but it appears that he’s already left for Paris.

Janine tries to explain everything to Eric at the Fall Ball, but he is soon pulled away by Mindy

Janine tries to explain everything to Eric at the Fall Ball, but he is soon pulled away by Mindy

Janine pulls up to the Fall Ball, pretending to be Alex, and looks for Eric. Although she tries to talk to Eric, Mindy pulls Eric away and insults her. Alex then shows up to the dance, although her parents soon discover that she has snuck out. The Prince and Princess of the Fall Ball are announced, and it’s Eric and Mindy, which crushes Janine. As Eric and Mindy dance together, Janine watches on sadly. Meanwhile, Alex and Janine’s families show up at the dance, and Alex is surprised to see Jason show up at the dance. As Alex walks to Jason, and Janine walks to Eric, the two girls collide and everyone is surprised to see the two of them. When their families walk in, the two finally explain the entire situation. Their parents finally start listening to them, making them both very happy. Alex wishes Jason goodbye, but Jason refuses to let her go, and asks her to dance. Eric then goes over to Janine and asks her to dance. The dance continues, and everyone is happy, including Monique and Alex’s chauffeur, who pair up as well.

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March 11

Posted on March 11, 2014 by disneydetail

March 11, 1938 – The Donald Duck Short Film Donald’s Better Self is Released to Theaters

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“Why did I do it? Oh, why did I do it?”

On March 11, 1938, the Donald Duck short film Donald’s Better Self was released to theaters. The short was directed by Jack King.

Donald is snoozing in bed, when his alarm goes off. He rolls over, but his Angel self happily gets out of bed to enjoy the day. He then goes over to wake up the sleeping Donald, letting him know that it’s time to get up. As Donald slowly makes his way out of bed, his Devil side pulls him back in. Donald wastes no time in falling back to sleep, much to the annoyance of the Angel; seeing his work is done, the Devil sneaks out the window. Angel finally gets Donald awake and ready for school, and Donald follows behind him on the road. On the way to school, however, Donald gets distracted by Devil, who hands him a fishing rod; Donald, of course follows along eagerly.

Devil convinces Donald to skip school and go fish, where they share jokes and waste the day

Devil convinces Donald to skip school and go fish, where they share jokes and waste the day

Down at the fishing hole, Donald and Devil are having a great time, with Devil offering Donald a pipe of tobacco. Donald doesn’t want to smoke, but after being asked if he’s afraid, he takes the pipe and smokes it. Devil teaches Donald how to “smoke like a man,” but Donald is unable to do it correctly, and starts feeling ill. Meanwhile, Angel has been looking for Donald, and finds him on the ground while Devil laughs hysterically. Devil cowers in fear, but Angel reassures him that he won’t fight. Thinking this is weakness, Devil wastes no time in beating up Angel. Angel then takes matters into his own hands and attacks Devil, leaving him as a battered pulp in the ground. Donald cheers for Angel, but Angel is angry at him too. Donald grabs his schoolbooks and immediately goes with Angel to school.

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March 10

Posted on March 10, 2014 by disneydetail

March 10, 1996 – The Fulton Crab House Restaurant Opens in Walt Disney World’s Pleasure Island

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“Savor fresh seafood flown in daily from ports around the world on board this authentic riverboat replica.”

On March 10, 1996, the Fulton Crab House restaurant opened in Walt Disney World’s Pleasure Island part of Downtown Disney. The restaurant was built on the former Empress Lilly riverboat, which was a moored riverboat that featured three restaurants and was considered the most elegant dining experience in the park. Fulton’s features a decadent seafood menus, as well as the choicest cuts of beef; the restaurant is also an 11-time winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, with their wine cellar holding over 2,000 bottles.

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March 9

Posted on March 9, 2014 by disneydetail

March 9, 2009 – The Crime Drama Television Series Castle Premieres on ABC

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“Mr. Castle, this whole ‘bad boy charm’ thing that you’ve got going might work for bimbettes and celebutants. Me, I work for a living, so that makes you one of two things in my world: either the guy who makes my life easier, or the guy who makes my life harder. And trust me, you do not want to be the guy who makes my life harder.”

On March 9, the crime drama television series Castle premiered on ABC as a midseason replacement. The show quickly gained popularity, and has been nominated for, and won, several awards, including the People’s Choice Award for Favorite TV Crime Drama and Favorite TV Drama Actor for lead actor Nathan Fillion. Several books have been released as tie-ins with the show; Castle’s first novel about character Nikki Heat, titled Heat Wave, was released in September of 2009 and peaked on the New York Times Best Seller list at number 6. The television series was created by Andrew W. Marlowe, and stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle and Stana Katic as Kate Beckett.

The first episode, “Flowers for Your Grave,” begins with flowers being placed over a young woman’s body, before quickly switching to the book launch for author Richard Castle’s new book, Storm Falls. Meanwhile, detective Kate Beckett is called to a homicide – the body seen from the beginning. She quickly deduces that the murder is reminiscent of a book she’d read – Richard Castle’s, to be exact. Castle is chastised by his publisher and ex-wife for killing off his best-selling main character, but he felt he had to as he no longer found him inspiring. She threatens to take back his advance if he doesn’t give her a book in the next three weeks, but he is plagued by writer’s block. Just as he wishes for something new, Beckett approaches him to ask him a few questions about a murder.

Castle is taken to the station to talk. Although he tries to flirt with her, she doesn’t fall for his flattery, and doesn’t hesitate to let him know. She shows him a picture of the victim, Alison Tisdale, but Castle isn’t sure if he’s ever seen her before. She then shows him a picture of another victim who has been murdered in a fashion similar to another Castle book; Beckett has come to the conclusion that there’s a deranged Castle fan that wants to get his attention through murder. He manages to anger Beckett further by asking for the pictures of the crime scenes, calling it a “red badge of honor” for a mystery writer. Castle goes home, and tells his daughter Alexis that he’s been asked to help the police on a case concerning his books. He tells her that the books the murderer picked are his lesser works, and wonders why the murderer would pick them.

Beckett starts giving assignments to her team, making them well versed in Castle's work

Beckett starts giving assignments to her team, making them well versed in Castle’s work

Back at the station, Beckett gives her team members Detective Javier Esposito and Detective Kevin Ryan a box full of Castle’s works, telling them to familiarize themselves with the murder scenes so they don’t miss another one. Esposito and Ryan tease Beckett about being a fan of Castle, with Esposito asking why Beckett would want to read murder stories after dealing with bodies all day. She counters with wanting to understand why someone would want to commit murder. Esposito reports later that the murderer has left no trace, and there’s no connection between the two victims. Beckett gets more bad news when the Chief tells her that Castle has offered to assist with the investigation. Beckett and Castle then have to go through a mountain of his fan mail, and she asks him why he’s there, as he doesn’t want justice, nor is he outraged. He says that he’s there for the story, and that there’s always a story. He studies her, and deduces that something happened to her to make her become a cop, as women like her become lawyers, not cops, he decides. She isn’t impressed with his trick, and goes silent until she finds the letter that could lead to the killer. When the team hears that it will take a week to get the prints from the envelope, Castle calls in a favor with his friend, the Mayor, which annoys Beckett further.

The team is called out when another body is found, imitating yet another Castle story. Although Castle is told to stay away from the scene, he heads over to the medical examiner before Beckett can stop him. As Castle studies the scene, Beckett gets a call that they’ve gotten a hit from the prints, and the team races to get the suspect Kyle Cabot. Castle is told to stay in the car, but of course, he leaves after Beckett has raced into the building. She enters Cabot’s apartment and finds several Castle books with frightening crayon drawings. In the back room, they find all of the evidence they need, including a layout of Cabot’s plans, and then find Cabot hiding in the closet. Back at the station, it looks as if the case is solved, as Cabot has serious mental problems, but Castle disagrees, saying that it just seems too easy. Beckett brushes Castle off, but his words stick in her head later, leaving her to go through the evidence again. After a poker game with some author friends, Castle decides to keep digging, as he is still unconvinced that Cabot is guilty. He shows up at the police station again, and presents Beckett with a gift of an advance copy of his new book. She begrudgingly thanks him, and he kisses her on the cheek before he leaves. She realizes that he’s gone through the evidence again and stolen her files.

Beckett arrives to have Castle arrested for stealing her files

Beckett arrives to have Castle arrested for stealing her files

Beckett tracks Castle down and has him arrested for felony theft and obstruction of justice. As he is led away by the officers, he lets her know that the type of rose petals used in the crime means Cabot is innocent. The charges are dropped if Castle agrees to leave the case alone, but Beckett is hung up on Castle’s theory, and reopens the case. Castle is convinced that Cabot’s been set up, with the murderer really only wanting to kill one person, with the other two just used as a cover. Beckett and Castle realize that, had Cabot really been the killer, he wouldn’t have gotten several details wrong when copying the murders from the books. Alison is the intended victim, they conclude, although they still don’t know why. The next day, Castle and Beckett show up at Ashley Tisdale’s father’s office, and ask him questions. They find that, should something happen to Mr. Tisdale, the money will go to his son, Harrison. After they question the brother, they find that he was asked to hire Cabot by his sister, and he refused. He has an alibi, but Beckett knows that he’s lying, as he is too quick to provide the alibi. They begin the pursuit to prove the Harrison’s guilt.

After stopping at the court house to get a search warrant, the two head off to Harrison’s residence, although Beckett tricks Castle and handcuffs him to the car. Beckett finds that Harrison has fled, as well as shredded the evidence. Castle is able get out of his handcuffs and chases after Harrison, with Beckett not far behind. Harrison holds Castle hostage, but Castle knocks Harrison out, with Beckett able to cuff him. After Harrison is arrested, Castle invites Beckett to dinner, but she turns him down. He is intrigued by her, enough so that he decides to base his new character, Nikki Heat, on her. The Chief calls Beckett into his office, and announces that Castle will now be joining Beckett on her cases for research, much to Beckett’s dismay.

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March 8

Posted on March 8, 2014 by disneydetail

March 8, 2002 – The Disney Channel Original Movie Cadet Kelly Premieres

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“Hey, I have always known there are some stories that have to be told, but I never realized my memoirs would be one of them.”

On March 8, 2002, the Disney Channel Original Movie Cadet Kelly premiered. This was the second Disney Channel Original Movie filmed in Canada, and the first to be repeated on ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney. The film was written by Gail Parent and Michael Walsh, and directed by Larry Shaw. It starred Hilary Duff as Kelly, Christy Carlson Romano as Jennifer Stone, and Gary Cole as General Joe Maxwell.

The film begins in New York City, at the New York Middle School for Arts. Student Kelly Collins is a free-spirited teenager who is working on a video-documentary about her family. Her father is a photographer who is travels around the world, and Kelly lives with her mother, as her parents are divorced. Her mother is dating a Brigadier General named Joe Maxwell, and they announce to Kelly that they plan to get married. Kelly is supportive of the engagement, although she feels that Joe is a little too stiff for their family. They soon drop another bombshell on Kelly: they’ll be leaving New York City to move upstate for Joe’s new job as the Commandant of a military school. Kelly will be sent to the military school as a student, and she balks at the news. Although she refuses to go, she is soon enrolled in the George Washington Military Academy.

Kelly arrives at the barracks, amid stares from the other cadets

Kelly arrives at the barracks, amid stares from the other cadets

Kelly soon makes a friend named Carla, and hears about Captain Stone from the other members of her dorm. Stone is “the meanest sixteen-year-old on the planet,” she hears, and Carla warns her to keep to regulation, or she’ll get in trouble. Kelly does not have a good first meeting with Stone, but doesn’t back down. Kelly hates military school from the get-go, and vows to change the school to be a more friendly place. Her first day begins as a disaster, as she doesn’t understand the lingo of military school. Carla offers to teach her everything she needs to know. Kelly also sees Cadet Major Brad Rigby and develops a quick crush on him, but Carla warns her that he belongs to Stone. Kelly then blocks Stone’s attempt to ask Brad to the dance on Friday, making more of an enemy of Stone. Back at the dorm, everyone is showing off their dresses for the dance, except Carla, who didn’t bring anything to wear. Kelly helps Carla get a dress, and admits that the Commandant is her stepfather. Carla says she should tell Stone this information, but Kelly refuses, as Stone is her own battle.

During the obstacle course on the day of the dance, Kelly has problems getting through and is berated by Stone. She remains stuck at the top of one obstacle, as she is terrified of heights, but finally makes it down. Once she is done, Stone makes her repeat the course, which would make Kelly miss the dance. It begins to rain while Kelly does the course again with Stone’s assistant, Gloria. Kelly and Gloria bond during the course, with Gloria giving her advice as to how to get through the course. Kelly then finishes and makes a mad dash to the dance, although she slips down a muddy hill and lands into Stone, covering her dress with mud. Everyone applauds Kelly’s antics, save for Stone, who runs off furiously. She is then called to Joe’s office to be lectured about her performance the first week of school. Kelly accidentally insults Joe, and he lays down the law on her. He sends her home, and she is shocked by his attitude. When she gets home, she attempts to tell her mom that she wishes to leave the military school, but changes her mind when her mother gives her more surprising news: Kelly’s mom is going to have a baby, and surprised her with an art kit. Kelly then decides that she will not only stay in school, but she’ll help Joe become more fatherly.

Stone takes out all of her aggression on Kelly's blanket, tearing it in front of her

Stone takes out all of her aggression on Kelly’s blanket, tearing it in front of her

Back at the dorms, Stone retaliates against Kelly’s antics by stealing her blanket and tearing it up. Kelly tries not to cry, but decides to take revenge instead. Taking her new art kit, she enters Stone’s room while she sleeps and paints her hair to match the tie-dye design of the blanket. The cadets laugh the next morning, and Stone is mortified. She then hands Kelly a court martial summons, and it is later revealed that Joe will be the one to review the verdict and dole out the punishment. Joe thinks that Kelly and her antics are going to blow his career. Kelly overhears this, and is crushed. When her mother admits that maybe they shouldn’t have come to the academy, Kelly tearfully says that they never even asked her. At the court martial, they find Kelly guilty, and Joe gives her the punishment of being the equipment manager of the drill team. She starts off by polishing the drill team’s shoes, and has a chance encounter with Brad, who teaches her how to shine shoes, and then tells her that she makes him laugh. Reinvigorated, she continues to work hard at polishing. The team hopes to win Regionals this year, as they haven’t done well since their third place win in the 1970s. Kelly develops a respect for the drill team. Carla offers to help Kelly with the polishing, and the two become closer after Carla admits that her home life isn’t that great. While polishing, Kelly starts playing around with one of the rifles, quickly picking up on what to do.

At the school’s practice meet against a rival high school, Kelly impresses Joe with her quick thinking as the equipment manager. Kelly is even more impressed with the performances of the drill teams, but notices that Joe seems to look disappointed if the school’s performance, as it lacks something. After hearing Brad’s speech at the end about how they need creativity, Kelly tries to cheer him up with a random routine, and he asks her to do it again. Afterwards, she gives Gloria a friendship bracelet as an offering in exchange for coaching so Kelly can join the drill team. Kelly then auditions for the drill team after extensive training with Gloria, and Stone doesn’t want Kelly anywhere near the team. Before Kelly can check the list to see if she made the team, she is called to Joe’s office, where she finds out from him that he made it, and how proud he is of her. She then gives him a lecture on how he needs to soften up for the sake of the baby, and he allows her to help him. She then arrives at the drill team’s locker room and finds her uniform waiting for her. As she walks around campus, she starts following Stone as Stone practices routines for drill team. As she imitates Stone, the two gradually end up working on a routine together. Brad and Gloria notice the two of them having their fun and applaud their efforts, thinking they could work together for the regional competition. Later, Kelly tries to be friendly with Stone, which Stone begrudgingly accepts.”

Kelly enjoys family dinner with Joe, her mother, and her father

Kelly enjoys family dinner with Joe, her mother, and her father

Kelly is excited for her father to stop by for dinner, and Joe notices how Kelly and her father interact, particularly when her father’s schedule allows him to be there for her drill team competition. At the competition site, Kelly’s best friend from New York City appears, and when Kelly calls her “my best and truest friend,” an upset Carla falls behind the rest of the group, not without Joe noticing. The competition starts with the inspection phase. Although they pass the inspection phase, Kelly is upset that her father hasn’t shown up yet. When her phone goes off, the rest of the team is angry, as if it had gone off during competition, they would have been disqualified. Joe finds Kelly as she’s panicking, and she tells him that she thinks something bad has happened to her father. He offers to let her go find him, but she wants to stay with the team as she knows how important this competition is. Joe tells her that she has a duty to her father, and they run off to find her father without telling the team. Kelly and Joe find her father on the rock face, and Joe calls for help while Kelly decides to rappel to meet him. Meanwhile, the team continues the competition without Kelly. After Kelly runs out of rope, she decides to drop the rope to reach the ledge where her dad is lying unconscious. She manages to keep him company as he wakes until the rescue team arrives, and Joe gives her a hug, but also lets her know that she can have two best friends, referencing the incident with Carla earlier.

Back at the competition, the team is down by five points, and Kelly arrives just in time for the last event with Stone. Kelly apologizes to Carla, and the two are friends again. Kelly and Stone compete in the unarmed competition event, complete with ribbon dancing. The duo are met with applause, and it is announced that George Washington Military Academy wins second place, losing the gold by only one point. Although Kelly feels responsible, Stone tells her that without her, they wouldn’t have even made it this far. Kelly says next year they’ll get gold, but Stone tells her there won’t be a next year, as she is moving to Europe, but hopes Kelly will become a platoon leader, so she can teach a maggot just like her, and the two share a hug.

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March 7

Posted on March 7, 2014 by disneydetail

March 7, 2006 – The Soundtrack Album That’s So Raven Too! Is Released Through Walt Disney Records

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“Some call it magic, and I don’t know how, but I know that I have it, and it all works out.”

On March 7, 2006, the second and final soundtrack for the hit Disney Channel Original Series That’s So Raven, entitled That’s So Raven Too! was released through Walt Disney Records. The album featured several songs by lead actress Raven-Symoné, including duets with co-stars Anneliese van der Pol, Orlando Brown, and Kyle Massey, as well as songs by recording artists Jesse McCartney, Aly & AJ, B5, Everlife, and Aretha Franklin. The album peaked at number 44 on the Billboard 200, and has since sold at least 200,000 copies. Songs “Some Call if Magic” by Raven-Symoné, “A Day in the Sun” by Anneliese van der Pol, and “Little by Little (Remix)” by Raven-Symoné and Orlando Brown were released as singles.

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