Distinguished animation historian John Canemaker, nominated yesterday for an Oscar with Peggy Stern for the animated short THE MOON AND THE SON: AN IMAGINED CONVERSATION, will host the opening night panel for LADY AND THE TRAMP in honor of its 50th anniversary at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on Thursday (Feb. 2, 2006).
Other guests include Stan Freberg (who provided the voice of the Beaver in the film), Andreas Deja (to discuss the art and animators) and Richard Sherman (to offer comments about the musical contributions of Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke). Theo Gluck (director, Technology Film Restoration) will give a short presentation on the meticulous frame-by-frame digital restoration of the beloved Walt Disney classic. The panel discussion kicks off at 7:00 pm.
The special two-week engagement of LADY AND THE TRAMP will be held through Feb. 14 and coincides with the Feb. 28 release of the 50th anniversary DVD edition.
LADY AND THE TRAMP, originally released in June 1955, was the first Disney animated feature to be filmed in CinemaScope. Directed by Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi and Wilfred Jackson, the film follows the adventures of a young cocker spaniel from a respectable house, and her romantic escapades with Tramp, a devil-may-care mutt from the wrong side of the railroad tracks. The film features several enchanting songs by Lee (who voices the conniving Siamese cats, Si and Am, as well as the characters Darling and Peg) and Sonny Burke including "Bella Notte," "He's a Tramp" and "The Siamese Cat Song."
Tickets are available at the box office, by phone (1-800-DISNEY6), or online at www.elcapitantickets.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
