Robert Iger, YOU HAVE FAILED THIS COMPANY!!

Just as the title of the blog says, I am paraphrasing what Green Arrow says when he confronts those who use Corporate Meddling for their base ends, except rather than saying "You have failed this city," I use the word "company" instead of "city."  Which is the case of the blog I writing to you now.  My first one under my new username, RekkaDragonJay. My username is more that just that, I am a firebrand when it comes to dealing with the subject of Corporate Meddling, the art of "Screwing the Rules" when it comes to destroying the fabric of what a company use to be for the sake of greed, politics and corruption.  Which is the case of the very person that I am talking about, the current president and CEO of Disney, Robert Iger.

It all began with a man, a man named Michael Eisner. Eisner was the former head of the Walt Disney Company.  He came around the 1980s when he joined Disney as its CEO.  Because of him, he turned the company around, and save the company from bankruptcy, which began with a mermaid named Ariel (more on that later). During that time, Disney, under Eisner's guidance, enjoyed relative peace for the next decade around the 90s.  But like most executives, he was letting his power corrupt his decisions, including the use of Direct to Video sequels, which didn't do too well, except for those from Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, those I like. Because of that, Eisner was getting bashed by most of the Disney staff, including Roy E. Disney. Aware that power is getting to his head, Eisner resigned as CEO and gave that position to Robert Iger.

Back then, he was not much of a threat. When he became CEO, Iger saved the CGI company known as Pixar from uncertainty, due to financial problems around Eisner's time as CEO.  Then, many years later after that, things went downhill from there.  Let's start with Disney Channel.  Back then, it was a great channel with those of Disney's heritage, past and present.  Now, it has been replaced with those of the teeny-bopper variety like Hannah Montana, and the constantly milked Zack & Cody.  And Mickey Mouse, the face of this company, has been pushed to the wayside and reduced to being a character for preschoolers and not the icon of animation that we know today. Same thing goes with Toon Disney, now called DisneyXD. And I was enjoying Tron: Uprising, which got cancelled, by the way. Why do good cartoons in the modern age get cancelled so much?  Corporate Meddling, much?

Next, we got the monopoly of buying other companies.  Let's start with the famed comics company, Marvel, the home of heroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk and such.  At first I was skeptical about Iger's decision to buy it, fearing that it will be kiddized in their image.  But, safe to say, Marvel remained the same and its doing well, especially with the Avengers movie.  Now, the Marvel engine is slowing down with not only Ultimate Spider-Man but also with the new Avengers Assemble cartoon.  Unfortunately, the Marvel heroes are slowly being ignored in favor of constant marathons of Zack & Cody.  I don't need Spider-Sense to tell me that Marvel is slowly falling apart.  Now, the subject of Lucasfilm.  I am not surprised that Disney bought George Lucas's movie company, cause if I recall, the Disney Parks have both Star Wars and Indiana Jones themed attractions.  However, no sooner after Lucasfilm was bought, the layoffs happen when the its gaming division, Lucasarts, known for their Star Wars games including Rebel Assault, Rogue Squadron and Battlefront, was closing down for good.  "Power Corrupts" as they say.  I don't think the Force isn't with Lucasfilm after this, despite plans for a new trilogy of films.

Now, here is where its personal for me.  Let's start with the subject of The Little Mermaid.  For the past several years, Disney Channel, DisneyXD and ABC Family have been showing our favorite Disney movies.  Every Disney movie except for The Little Mermaid.  It seems that this classic movie and everything that was spawned afterwards is getting a lot of hate and here is why.  For instance, they claim that this movie is nothing like the original story by Hans Christian Andersen, which is a downer, you know, the mermaid dying, turning into seafoam and all that.  It is true, but couldn't they respect this movie in the same manner as the original story.  Second, the subject of the very character in the movie and that is Ariel.  I heard it from the web, from YouTube, and so on and so forth and I hear the same thing.  They bash Ariel because of her characterization.  They say that she is a selfish, whiny, mermaid who forsakes her family and friends for her heart's desire and she did it for a man. Well, those nay-sayers and haters can SIT ON IT, cause they are wrong on all accounts.  Ariel is the most kind, caring, person in the history in animation, whether she's a mermaid or not.  Her actions in the movie was based on her teen-angst.  I know she is headstrong, stubborn, and curious, but she is not perfect, no one is, whether you are a character of fiction or a real person.  Ariel learned from her mistakes, whether she's a teenage mermaid or a nurturing Earth mother to her daughter, Melody.  All Ariel wanted was to explore the human world by becoming a human.  Being with Prince Eric is one part of her goal but its not the main goal.  I know she made bad choices, but like I said, she learned from them.  And its negative feedback like this is why Disney is not showing anything Little Mermaid related on their channels, even around summertime.  And to make matters worse, I was planning to see the 3D re-release of The Little Mermaid this year.  But, due to low grosses from the other 3D re-releases from other Disney and Pixar movies, along with the negative feedback on The Little Mermaid, the 3D re-release was cancelled and was planned to be put in its Diamond Edition of Disney Blu-Rays.  It is not fair, I was going to see it, as a birthday present. Let me make this perfectly clear. Money does not bring magic, putting a smile to kids and those who are young at heart does.  And Ditz-ney had no right to cancel it, just to satisfy their greed. Because of this, I wrote an open letter to Disney, demanding them to put that 3D re-release of The Little Mermaid back in theaters in a later date, that and wanting to see Jodi Benson at the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade, just to see her sing, for old times sake. I lucked out a long time ago. missing out on her singing. I was a kid at the time (more on my reasons later). I have since got no reply, no surprise here.  Doesn't he realize that if it wasn't for The Little Mermaid, Disney would been out of business long ago.  Now, he and his followers treat it like an afterthought and all this negative feedback is only making it worse.  And ordinary person would've like the movie as a kid and hate it years later in their adult years.  Not me, though.  I am the exact opposite.  As a kid, I use to think that The Little Mermaid was "girly stuff," too.  But, when my father died, I have changed.  After getting the Platinum Edition DVD of the movie, all my fears was put away.  And now, only thing that matters to me more than anything is meeting Jodi Benson herself.  And then, only then, I could finally move on and I am not going to let negative feedbacks stop me.  This is my dream, my mission, my...destiny!

Finally, the other part that is personal, too.  This summer, Disney Channel is planning to show their so-called new movie called Teen Beach Movie.  For starters, think of this as High School Musical, but takes place at a beach.  Second, "Teen Beach Movie?" Is that the best title they could come up with.  If they wanted to make a beach-themed movie, they should call it High School Musical: The Beach Edition or something.  I still say it is lame.  And you know what is even more lame and this is most disturbing of all, this movie is nothing but an insult to the memory of the late, great Annette Funnicello, who starred in some of the beach themed movies with Frankie Avalon, starting with Beach Blanket Bingo.  And why she is so special, you say.  Annette was one of the original Mouseketeers of the original Mickey Mouse Club.  When I first heard of this nice, classy lady, I use to see her in the movie, Babes in Toyland, not to be confused with the Laurel and Hardy classic, March of the Wooden Soldiers.  When I heard she died of Multiple Schrosis, it hurt me a lot.  And what is sad about this is I never knew she had M.S.. Annette was a very classy lady and Iger and those under his power had no right to insult her memory with this teeny-bopper trash like Teen Beach Movie.  Iger could've made a fund to support research and find a cure of M.S., in honor of Annette Funnicello.  But instead, he just like to insult the memories of those who have died, by making teeny-bopper movies that make fun of the other movies we like.

Bottom Line, Pixar and Marvel aside, Robert Iger has ruined what Walt Disney and those who follow him have created.  This company was made by the mouse.  But, if we don't save it, it will end, by a guy name Iger.  In times like this, I wish John Lasseter was the head of the Walt Disney Company, not Iger. If he could make magic with Pixar, he could do the same with Disney, in the same way Eisner and even Walt Disney himself did all these years ago.  And even if he retires in 2015, we got enough time to right the wrongs he have cause.  And then, only then, Disney will return to its former glory.

Disney, will become the Happiest Place on Earth once more. But until then, we fight on.

Until next time, folks.  Stay Gold and Godspeed.

*Electrical Communication - Rockman 8 theme plays

*Fade Out