Wednesday, November 12, 2008

“Don for the Count” – a Senseless Census of Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald Volume 4 (1951-1961)!


I can officially confirm that the press run for Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald Volume 4 (1951-1961) is 39, 500 copies (as I warned HERE).

So, given my two purchased copies, and one each known to have gone to friends David Gerstein and Chris Barat, that leaves a potential of 39,496 still up for grabs. Get yours before the speculators move in, as has been the case with previous sets of Walt Disney Treasures.

Considering there were 165,000 copies of Volume One, and a diminishing number with each successive volume, it’s possible that there are persons who might (should they someday desire to do so) never be able to complete the series. 165,000 to 39, 500 is quite a decline even when spread over four volumes.

Shifting gears, the documentary feature Donald Goes to Press appears to have turned out very well. How can you not love a chronology that takes you on an artists’ tour from Al Taliaferro (featured) to Flemming Anderson (briefly glimpsed) and beyond! (THAT, my friends, is a LOT of ground covered!) Your thoughts on it – and the set in general – are welcome in my Comment Space.

The 45 minutes of my interview session were nicely distilled into a small portion of the feature’s approximately 13 minute running time. I see no cuts beyond the rough cut I’d seen earlier.

…Maybe one day, after you ALL watch it, I’ll list some of the things I discussed that didn’t make it in.

2 comments:

Chris Barat said...

Joe,

I just watched "Donald Goes to Press" -- and found myself mentally recording how long it would take for them to allow you to speak more than one full sentence! :-) But that was finally rectified, thank goodness.

Given the limitations inherent in constructing a video narrative around static comics panels, I thought the final product was excellent. I'm especially glad that they tributed Tony Strobl with a still pic. Was that your doing?

Joe Torcivia said...

Chris:

Most appropriately, given the subject matter, the finished product sometimes had us completing sentences begun by one another – just like Huey, Dewey, and Louie! I wonder if it was intentional!

The photo of Tony Strobl was not “my doing” (nor were ANY of the visuals) – but purposely mentioning him certainly was. I couldn’t imagine any tribute to the comic-book Donald Duck NOT referring to Tony Strobl in SOME WAY! I’m glad I was able to do it! Some of my similar references to other important figures in Donald comics history, alas, did not end up in the final product.

…But, I’m VERY PLEASED with what did!

Joe.