Do Walt Disney And Rugby League Have A
Connection?
BIG-STEVE'S
RED & BLACK SITE - 9/9/04
It seems the current ills of the sport
of Rugby League are nothing new.
This Saturday night Channel Seven will be showing a satirical comedy
from 1961 called "The Absent Minded Professor". Produced by Walt
Disney, directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Bill Walsh the
film boasts Academy Award nominations for cinematography, art direction
and
special effects. But beyond it's technical achievements the film is a
good example of the way the Disney writers were able to create
characterization and themes that said something about society while
still attaining a level of entertainment that appealed to a general
audience.
The film contains a number of interesting references not all of which
relate to rugby league. Deliberately filmed in black and white the film
is a conglomerate of 2 well known horror films "Frankenstein" and "The
Blob". The main characters laboratory resembles that which created
Frankenstein's monster while Flubber the substance he discovers is
green and gluggy like the Blob.
However to understand the connection with League you must think of
League in
terms of characters in a film.
Professor Brainard (the main character) is a hard working principled
man who teachers at a not so well to do college with a long and
historic
tradition - could he be the ARL during the super league war?
Alternatively is he George Piggins during the Souths court case.
Alonzo Hawk (the baddy) is big business gone feral. So jaded is his
view of the world that he can't even muster a decent relationship with
his son who attends the college he is trying to close down and turn in
to a commercial development. His son is also the star player in the
college basketball team which Alonzo Hawk illegally bets against. Is he
News Limited or simply Rupert himself?
The substance discovered by the professor, Flubber is possibly the
sport of Rugby League. While Brainard attempts to preserve tradition
and history with his new find (although government red-tape and the
Armed Services get in the way), Hawk attempts to commercially exploit
it.
Shelby Ashton (the second string baddy) is a head teacher at a well to
do college. Yes well to do arrogant and conceited, attempting to win
over one of the other sides players, Betsy (Brainards girl). He
[Ashton] is clearly Manly and Betsy one of the many North Sydney
players who Manly have stolen over the years.
While the direct references were never intended the principles
are clearly familiar. So if you've nothing else to do have a look on
Saturday night and if
you miss it just email me and I'll lend you a copy.
By the way do yourself a favour and turn down the colour when you watch
it. The version to be shown has been colorized very badly. So much for
the Academy Award nomination for black and white cinematography!