Shrek, based on William Steig's character (but not his book!), was one of their first successes, a rather crude—by today's standards—CGI film, that battled awkward movement and the Uncanny Valley, but managed to surpass that with such humor and a very snarky attitude towards anything with a sentimental past, that to gripe about the animation seemed...ungrateful.
Speaking of which, Katzenberg's former employer got a lot of tsouris in Shrek, most notably in the introduction to the town of DuLoc (that's how it's spelled in the script), with its themed parking lot segregations, serpentine rope lines (embarrassing when no one's waiting), bobble-headed crowd referees, surprise insta-pics, and most cleverly, one of their attractions, the "it's a small world" ride,** created by Disney for the UNICEF pavilion (sponsored by Pepsi) for the 1964 New York World's Fair*** to promote world brotherhood (in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis). It's the best zinger at Disneyland's expense since the "Sleeping Beauty" episode of "Fractured Fairy Tales" from "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" (included here)****, over which Uncle Walt nearly sued producer Jay Ward (Ward's usual reply to lawsuits was "Go ahead. We need the publicity!").
But the final punch-line: after making comedy hay out of the concept, they un-apologetically created their own "Shrek 4-D" ride at Universal Theme Parks...because, evidently, they don't understand irony when it comes to themselves...or making money.
The Set-Up: Shrek (voiced by Mike Meyers) is an ogre, living in a swamp outside Duloc, run by the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow), who has been cracking down on all the "fairy-tale things" that have been besmirching his perfect kingdom's rep (and property values no doubt—although I'm not sure why, as they're all in the public domain). Anyway, they're all squatting in Shrek's swamp, and that he does not like. So, of he goes with the recently en-chatted donkey named Donkey (Eddie Murphy) to give the Lord Farquaad a piece of his mind.
Action!
EXT. FIELDS OUTSIDE DULOC - DAY
Shrek and Donkey emerge from the cornfield by the gates of DuLoc. They look up at Farquaad's tower, erected in the center of the city, looming above them.
Donkey takes off after Shrek, who's passing through a parking lot dotted with carts. Signs on stanchions read "You Are Parked in Lancelot 17" and "You Are Parked in Percival 12."
Donkey catches up, breathless.
Donkey stops as they reach the entrance, a velvet rope crowd-control maze, and see a life-size cut-out of Lord Farquaad waving; a sign reads "45 minute wait from here."
At the far end is a turnstile;
Donkey follows Shrek through, and gets stuck.
They stop and look around. Muzac plays from medieval speakers.
The place is deserted.
Donkey spots a Mall style 'Information' booth with a large handle on the side that says "Pull."
...then clunks into action.
The doors fly open...
SLAM! The doors close.
Donkey and Shrek are a little stunned.
Then Donkey steps forward.
SHREK No.
(O.S.) Donkey and Shrek hear trumpets and cheers. They turn to see a stadium.
Shrek
Words by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Joe Stillman and Roger S.H. Schulman (plus Cody Cameron, Chris Miller and Conrad Vernon)
Pictures by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson and the Dreamworks animation department.
Shrek is available on DVD from Dreamworks Home Video
*
**
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| "The Happiest Place on Earth" |
****
* The updated lyrics for the DuLoc song from "Scared Shrek-less" are:
Welcome to DuLoc/Such a creepy town
What was once pristine/Now is all run down
We will chop off your head/and then laugh when you're dead
DuLoc is a creepy place.
Come on in/What the heck
Fall right down/break your...face
DuLoc is
DuLoc is
DuLoc is a creepy place!
** At an introductory get-together at a job, the new recruits were asked to introduce ourselves, give some brief background and...as a bonus question tell the group what our favorite...or least favorite...ride was in Disneyland. When it got around to me, I answered that my least favorite was "It's a Small World" "but if you play Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" while you're in it, it improves it a 1000%."
*** To movie fans, it is now the site of the Stark Expo 2010 (from Iron Man 2), and, according to Men in Black, was designed to cover up the first landing of extra-terrestrials: "Why else would they hold it in Queens?"
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