Watching business decisions get handed down from on high is always maddening, with the context for such choices being obscured from public view; all that can result is rampant speculation. So it is with the surprising announcement a few weeks ago from the Walt Disney Company that it was shutting down Pixar’s Canadian studio, located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The studio, which employed over 100 animators, had worked primarily in shorts related to preexisting properties, such as the Toy Story shorts Small Fry and Partysaurus Rex, as well as some of the Cars shorts released straight to DVD and Blu-ray. As of now, one of the reasons being bandied about for why the shutdown occurred is that a number of the tax loopholes that existed in the past in Canada have been tightened, giving Disney less profit on this extension of one of their most financially fruitful branches.
Brand New Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales Trailer
The Disney Movies channel on YouTube has posted an all-new trailer for the upcoming Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales Blu-ray and DVD sets. Clips from the various shorts are shown, including first looks at the never before seen Moon Mater and Mater Private Eye. Those two shorts were created exclusively for the home release, unlike the other seven, which have already been shown on television.
Watch the trailer: [Read more…]
Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales Comes To Blu-Ray & DVD
On the same day that we received word about the November 2 Blu-Ray and DVD release of Toy Story 3, there was also news of an impending home release for the short Cars Toons that Pixar has aired on television. Now, on November 2, when you go to pick up your copy of Toy Story 3 (or have it shipped to you), you can also purchase Cars Toon: Mater’s Tall Tales. There will be two variations released: a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack and a DVD set.
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New Cars Toon, Monster Truck Mater, Premieres Friday on Disney Channel
After the release of Cars in 2006, Pixar has been releasing shorts set in the Cars universe, entitled Mater’s Tall Tales. Each story revolves around Mater telling what is seemingly a tall tale about himself. On Friday, July 30, a new “Cars Toon” is set to premiere on the Disney Channel, “Monster Truck Mater”. This is now the sixth episode in the Mater’s Tall Tales series, following such episodes as “Unidentified Flying Mater”, and “El Materdor”. The official description for the episode follows:
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