You’re Not Alone #003
“Hooray for Hollywood!”
I’m sure by now you’ve all heard and weighed in on the Disney-MGM name change. Come January 2008 we’ll all be able to enjoy Disney’s Hollywood Studios. From what I’ve read around the web, there are two main opinions regarding this change. Those in the first camp think the new name is a cop-out, a generic and unimaginative alternative. The second camp is one of indifference, a group that can see both sides of the decision and could care less.
I say to those above, a pox on your house! Why aren’t you excited that the suggested is now boldly proclaimed?
Have you ever wanted to hobnob with George Clooney and Jack Nicholson at Musso & Frank’s? Have you ever wanted to walk down Grauman’s red carpet with Scarlet Johansen on your arm? Have you ever glanced at a supermarket tabloid to read the latest Brangelina headline?
I’ll bet most have.
Have you ever watched someone’s well-produced home movie and complemented him or her by saying, “Wow! That looks so Hollywood?” Have you ever said, “Next stop, Hollywood” to a budding actor? Ever blithely said, “I’m ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille”?
Who hasn’t, right?
Here’s my favorite. Have you ever turned up your nose at or blamed ‘Hollywood’ for corrupting our culture and youth with its violent and lascivious content?
If any of the above rings true, you’ve recognized — and built upon — the power of the brand.
Say what you will about the Hollywood/LA/West Coast collective, but I’ll argue that everyone has, at one time or another, been seduced by her celluloid-driven fantasies. And that’s exactly what Disney is selling through Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the idea — our idea — of fame. Forget about the dull specifics of highlighting a single studio (MGM or Pixar) and its limited properties; we’re going for universal allure.
Old, new, Golden, modern — the dream, as well as the ‘movie buck,’ has and always will start and stop in Hollywood, CA. (Heck, ‘Hollywood’ signs my paycheck. And nothing is more satisfying than having the bold letters of the Hollywood sign stare back at me from my office window.) Let’s celebrate this self-made, American industry by using its well-earned global hallmark. It’s what The Disney-MGM Studios were about from the beginning. After all, there is only one place where the naïve girl from Iowa can become a star overnight: ‘Hollywood!’
So, if you want to window shop with Cary Grant, dine with Audrey Hepburn or dance with Fred Astaire, and you think that Disney is the right company to create the experience, you’re not alone.*
–Chris
RetroDISNEY
“Celebrate the future of Yesteryear!”
*And let’s hope this name change is a catalyst for future park improvement.
