Stephen Smith 🇺🇦
I am a long-time advocate of space exploration, settlement and commerce. Migrated from @WordsmithFL on Twitter.
Joined Nov 2022
The #Tomorrowland creators had fleshed out an incredible universe, with history that went back to the late 19th Century, and had plans for much more. But Disney killed it all.
I started work on a fanfic sequel to "Before Tomorrowland," posted it online, but no one was reading it. I ran with the notion of all these brilliant minds playing God and the consequences. It was to show what was possible with the universe. (4/x)
Six weeks before the movie came out, a prequel novel was released, "Before #Tomorrowland." You can still find it on Amazon (link below).
That tale takes place in 1939. Many historical figures are in the novel, prominently Nikola Tesla and Amelia Earhart (who didn't die in the Pacific; that was a +U experiment gone wrong.)
It's a fun and light read, in the style of an old young adult novel. It adds a lot to the +U universe. (3/x)
https://www.amazon.com/Before-Tomorrowland-Jeff-Jensen/dp/1484704215/
Disney also pulled all the merchandise and the T-pin logos from the parks. Six months after the movie's release, I couldn't find one #Tomorrowland-related item of merchandise in WDW's Tomorrowland.
The movie isn't available on Disney+. Although it was shot in UHD 4K, a UHD 4K version was never released.
Our Blu-Ray version pops with visual and audio goodness. One can only imagine what a UHD 4K version would be like. (2/x)
Why did #Tomorrowland flop?
Disney did a terrible marking campaign. Long story. Confusing trailers, then pulled the marketing a week before release to save money.
The studio suits ordered reshoots with Clooney explaining everything in retrospect. That made it worse. They thought the audience needed to see Clooney first and not wait for an hour.
The studio downplayed Walt's role in +U. The deleted scenes leaned into Disneyland being a recruiting cover. That was all taken out. (1/x)
For all my years lecturing at #KSCVC, my fondest memories were the times I destroyed impressionable young minds. 🤣
I mentioned that children thought the #Tomorrowland #NASA #KSC T-pin was real. One example ...
I was escorting a group through an exhibit. One family was the parents with a seven-year old girl. I heard her whispering to her mom, pointing at my pin.
I kneeled down to let her touch the pin and said, "I'm not the only one. If you keep your eyes open, you might see more."
When we got to the other side of the curtain, a supervisor was there, wearing the pin.
The girl gasped, totally bought it.
The #Tomorrowland #NASA #KSC T-pin went through several variants. A friend in SoCal who had befriended the producers and graphic designer was making limited-design T-pin variants. I suggested a NASA variant and chipped in to cover the cost.
The final version got to the right NASA blue, but mixed in glitter so that it sparkled in the Florida sunshine.
Yesterday was the anniversary of the #Tomorrowland movie release ... The film ends at #KSC, implying +U has restarted here. That scene inspired us to create a secret chapter at #KSCVC. You wore the #NASA variant T-pin (second pin below) as a wink.
We said nothing unless a guest spotted it and asked what it was. If you knew, you knew.
The movie's fans got it. Children thought it was real! I had children point and gasp. For the right "dreamer" I'd hand them the pin and say, "You're recruited."
Stephen Smith 🇺🇦
boosted
@WordsmithFL
Forgot to post this from last week.
Taken from the Pineda Inn on US1.
The 2 dots a re the Payload Fairing halves. The third dot is the First Stage.
#Space #SpaceCoast #NASA #Boeing #Starliner
The latest from Eric Berger at Ars Technica on Zombie Twitter.
#Space #Russia From #SpaceNews:
"The Pentagon is coordinating with #SpaceX to identify and disable Starlink satellite internet terminals that have been illicitly acquired by Russian forces for use in their invasion of #Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official told Congress."
This was the show the night before, May 21, 1992, the last show with guests. At Johnny's request, the final guests were Robin Williams and Bette Midler.
The final episode of "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson was 31 years ago tonight. Here's the complete telecast that I videotaped that night.
#Space #SpaceCoast From #FloridaToday:
"Inspiration4 astronaut and billionaire Jared Isaacman is giving the U.S. Space Force Historical Foundation the largest private donation in the nonprofit's 35-year history, funding the future meticulous restoration of rare missile-related artifacts and other museum upgrades in Brevard County."
Space media are posting this text from #NASA confirming that the #Boeing #Starliner crewed test flight is postponed indefinitely.
#Tomorrowland Times has posted on YouTube an interview with Clint Schultz, who designed the iconic T-pin for the movie. Lots of behind the scenes stories about the film's production.
The movie strongly implies that the secret society is at #KSC building a better tomorrow. It inspired some of us to start our own little chapter with a #NASA version of the "T" pin, which you'll see in our recruitment film.
(This was before Elon turned evil ... Which the antagonist does in the movie ...)
(3/3)
The Disney suits edited the director's version to add George Clooney wrap-arounds explaining the story. But ...
A Disneyphile befriended the producers, obtained the original script, and edited it back to the original vision, restoring the deleted scenes where he could.
It's out there for HD download, if you know where to look. 😉
(2/x)
Nine years ago today, the movie #Tomorrowland was released. It flopped at the box office, mostly because of Disney indifference. The suits dropped all marketing just before the film came out because they convinced themselves it was going to be a flop. And so it was.
Nonetheless, "Tomorrowland" blew my mind. In a toxic world, someone was preaching optimism! (1/x)
Stephen Smith 🇺🇦
I am a long-time advocate of space exploration, settlement and commerce. Migrated from @WordsmithFL on Twitter.
Joined Nov 2022