One of the most talked about subjects over the New Year’s weekend was the Disney property Steamboat Willie, starring its mascot Mickey Mouse, entering the public domain.
According to the parameters of fair use, only the character portrayed in the black-and-white short film has been made available and not Mickey himself.
This hasn't stopped the online community from fully embracing the change over the first two days of the year by lampooning and parodying the character, and larger projects are also being made public.
Two of the three major announcements that are set to use the Steamboat Willie character have come in the form of horror projects. One is a film titled Mickey’s Mouse Trap, and the other is a video game called Infestation 88, with the latter releasing its first trailer on Monday.
Both projects have seemingly been in the works for months, in anticipation of entering the public domain. But one might ask, why is horror the first genre for some of these beloved children’s characters?
Subversion of expectation
Winnie the Pooh and prototype Mickey Mouse a la Steamboat Willie represent the start of what will be more and more children’s characters becoming available for fair use, as a number of copyrights are set to expire in the coming years.
For many, these characters represent the innocence of childhood. Their companies held them closely and carefully for many years, and they are well known for being soft-spoken and happy-go-lucky – the perfect combination to appeal to young children.
Turning that reputation on its head is the exact thing that Disney in particular worked decades to ensure would never happen, which is why this subversion is the first temptation once the restrictions are no longer in place.
These aren’t just any children’s characters either. The image of Mickey Mouse, even in his distinct Steamboat Willie appearance, is ubiquitous around the world. Being an instantly recognisable figure in such an unexpected way is immediately eye-catching for many who are so used to the character's traditional tone.
Cheap to make with high returns
The horror genre is a go-to for the film industry with good reason, as both low and micro-budgeted movies can be competitive at the box office, drawing from the genre's built-in audience.
This has made the space a breeding ground of talent. Some of the biggest directors in history started their careers making films with small budgets that allowed them to showcase their talent and craft, including luminaries such as James Cameron (Piranha 2), Sam Raimi (Evil Dead) and Peter Jackson (Bad Taste).
Of course, financiers of films are in it to make a profit, and what better way to guarantee public curiosity than to use a well-known character to sell the film with zero licensing costs?
Micro-budgets in particular have been a tried-and-true formula for the genre for decades. Found-footage film The Blair Witch Project was made for around $500,000 and made $249 million globally. Paranormal Activity (2007) had a budget of $215,000 and grossed $193 million at the global box office.
Fear is heightened in the familiar
While there is fun in twisting expectations and striking big at the box office, there is one major creative reason as well. One of the primary aims of the horror genre is to scare its audience, and the most effective scare tactic is to take something that makes us feel safe and turn it on its head.
Think of the scariest scenes from the history of film. In Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 movie Psycho, a woman takes a shower after a long day, only to be attacked by a mystery intruder. In Ridley Scott's 1980 film Alien, a routine and friendly dinner is interrupted by a surprise birth. In each, things that are innately comforting in human experience are inverted and harnessed to scare the viewer.
This is exactly why Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh make such ideal candidates for terror, and the 2023 hit Five Nights at Freddy's soared to $295.1 million worldwide, itself inspired by children's restaurants such as Chuck E Cheese.
Nothing is more effective at ruining our childhood than horror, nor better at profiting from that destruction.
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Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
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Contracted list
Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Lexus LX700h specs
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