additional robot mouse
August 3, 2010 9:50 AM Subscribe
I'm a bit confused about the context here. Video one is definitely an animatronic, video three is definitely a human in a suit, and video two seems to be somewhere in between. The only thing I'm particularly impressed by is the design of the Muppet Mobile Lab. That's pretty slick, and it's the least 'uncanny valley' of the three.
posted by lholladay at 10:15 AM on August 3, 2010
posted by lholladay at 10:15 AM on August 3, 2010
I saw Ratatouile for the first time Saturday night and loved it.
I wish I could unsee the first link and the big reveal of shackled zombie Remy surrounded by barely amused humans. I wish so hard.
posted by maudlin at 10:15 AM on August 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
I wish I could unsee the first link and the big reveal of shackled zombie Remy surrounded by barely amused humans. I wish so hard.
posted by maudlin at 10:15 AM on August 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
That Muppet Mobile Lab makes me wish there was a Muppet-themed real-time strategy video game. Presumably called "Muppetcraft."
posted by lore at 10:20 AM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by lore at 10:20 AM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
What's up with all the adults, sans kids, dining in the restaurant in the first video? Do people actually go to Disney World if they don't have to? Like, for fun?
posted by phunniemee at 10:21 AM on August 3, 2010
posted by phunniemee at 10:21 AM on August 3, 2010
So, is your premise, then, that "mouse + muppet + mouse = pants!"?
posted by NoMich at 11:15 AM on August 3, 2010
posted by NoMich at 11:15 AM on August 3, 2010
I seriously thought the third link was of a robot Mickey (for, like, a minute). That illusion reminded me of a time I visited Universal Studios with my folks in the early 80's. There was a robot Abe Lincoln that apparently was having some bugs worked out. For instance, he would stand up and unintentionally hook his hand through the spindles in his chair. Then, turning to face the other side of the auditorium, he would fling the chair most of the way across the room. When I saw (faux)-robot Mickey touch that child, my heart leapt.
posted by klausman at 11:53 AM on August 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by klausman at 11:53 AM on August 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
You know what, I think that was actually Disney Land, but the terror was the same.
posted by klausman at 11:54 AM on August 3, 2010
posted by klausman at 11:54 AM on August 3, 2010
Mouse
Muppet
Mouse
Pants!
that's how I read it on the front page anyway
posted by davejay at 2:16 PM on August 3, 2010
Muppet
Mouse
Pants!
that's how I read it on the front page anyway
posted by davejay at 2:16 PM on August 3, 2010
The last time I saw robot pants (and the best time) it was an Aardman production, not Disney or Pixar.
Robot Remy was rather disappointing. No independent arm/front paw movement and no Patton Oswalt (or attempted simulation) voice.
The remote-control muppetteers operating the Mobile Muppet Labs were very skillful (the highlight of this post) but they need more scripts (not computer, dialogue) to keep Bunsen Honeydew from running out of things to say.
With all due respect to the generations of past performers in the Mouse Suit, I WANT to see a truly robotic Mickey.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:31 PM on August 3, 2010
Robot Remy was rather disappointing. No independent arm/front paw movement and no Patton Oswalt (or attempted simulation) voice.
The remote-control muppetteers operating the Mobile Muppet Labs were very skillful (the highlight of this post) but they need more scripts (not computer, dialogue) to keep Bunsen Honeydew from running out of things to say.
With all due respect to the generations of past performers in the Mouse Suit, I WANT to see a truly robotic Mickey.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:31 PM on August 3, 2010
Ugh, it drives me crazy how little effort Disney puts into getting voices right. That didn't sound like Bunsen at all. I don't think of myself as someone with exceptional voice recognition, but it's like they don't think kids will notice that Mickey just sounds all wrong.
Disney has been working on more personal and realistic interactions between characters and guests for years, though. I remember a talking trash can that was a huge hit at WDW several years ago now, which would approach unsuspecting guests and crack garbage-related jokes. Probably my favorite is the Mr Potato-Head robot who barks outside the Midway Mania ride at DCA. They've got a controller someplace who's watching the crowd waiting in line and making good-natured fun of their outfits, facial expressions etc in between musical numbers. At one point a couple weeks after the ride first opened, I went to the park. I'd read that the robot could actually remove his own ear, which I thought was too cool to be believed, so my friends and I asked him to do it with a combination of hearty shouting and gesture. Sure enough, Potato-Head went for it, took off his ear - and promptly dropped it on the ground, a few feet from the platform on which he was perched. Clearly, this wasn't well planned for, and the robot just froze, what felt very much like an expression of horror on his face, looking at the ground where his ear lay. He stayed like that for several minutes until his human assistant came and retrieved the missing ear for him.
I knew he was a robot, but I still felt a little guilty.
posted by little light-giver at 11:06 PM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
Disney has been working on more personal and realistic interactions between characters and guests for years, though. I remember a talking trash can that was a huge hit at WDW several years ago now, which would approach unsuspecting guests and crack garbage-related jokes. Probably my favorite is the Mr Potato-Head robot who barks outside the Midway Mania ride at DCA. They've got a controller someplace who's watching the crowd waiting in line and making good-natured fun of their outfits, facial expressions etc in between musical numbers. At one point a couple weeks after the ride first opened, I went to the park. I'd read that the robot could actually remove his own ear, which I thought was too cool to be believed, so my friends and I asked him to do it with a combination of hearty shouting and gesture. Sure enough, Potato-Head went for it, took off his ear - and promptly dropped it on the ground, a few feet from the platform on which he was perched. Clearly, this wasn't well planned for, and the robot just froze, what felt very much like an expression of horror on his face, looking at the ground where his ear lay. He stayed like that for several minutes until his human assistant came and retrieved the missing ear for him.
I knew he was a robot, but I still felt a little guilty.
posted by little light-giver at 11:06 PM on August 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 10:13 AM on August 3, 2010