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The Sweatbox

Play trailer The Sweatbox PG-13 2002 1h 26m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Documentarian Trudie Styler takes animation fans behind the scenes of Disney's whimsical feature "The Emperor's New Groove." With her husband, renowned rock star Sting, serving as chief songwriter for the musical buddy comedy, Styler gains unparalleled access to the inner workings of Disney's legendary animation studios. With it, she reveals the winding road that takes a script called "Kingdom of the Sun" and transforms it into a critically acclaimed addition to the Disney collection.

Critics Reviews

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Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy 03/26/2012
8/10
Deserves comparison to the masterpieces of the form, films like Hearts of Darkness and Burden of Dreams, where the focus is on the human toll of the process and not the end result. Go to Full Review
Jason Gorber Film Scouts 06/21/2007
B+
The film presents an absolutely fascinating behind-the-scenes picture of just what's behind the story and production process of major animated pictures. Go to Full Review
Eric Lurio Greenwich Village Gazette 11/29/2005
4/5
Chances are that it's only going to be in a couple of film festivals and vanish into the ether. What a bummer because it is a treat! Go to Full Review
Rory L. Aronsky Film Threat 03/31/2005
3.5/5
Something like this is not likely to happen again. Go to Full Review
Film Threat 06/24/2003
3.5/5
Mark R. Leeper rec.arts.movies.reviews 05/15/2003
6/10
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Audience Reviews

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Taylor H @thearne 04/29/2024 A true documentation on the creation of a major motion picture from beginning to end— and the creative differences that come with collaboration. See more Jacob B 07/22/2023 A refresher from the more PR-friendly documentaries you usually find on Disney DVDs, The Sweatbox offers an intimate look at the production of what could've been the next Lion King into a goofy slapstick comedy that doesn't compromise on some of the issues in production such as executives being shown an early test screening being unimpressed. I did like seeing the unfinished animation and unused songs from the cancelled Kingdom of the Sun and I do wonder if it could've been an amazing film in its own right were it not for the strict 2000 deadline and even Disney themselves growing tired of the Broadway formula by this point. Maybe they should make the scrapped Incan epic into a live-action remake seeing how the original film's Looney Tunes shenanigans are a bit too out-there to be recreated in a realistic environment. I like The Emperor's New Groove but it was saddening that the original director never got to have his story see the light of day. Given how Disney really doesn't want people to see this documentary, I was honestly expecting something much more vitriolic. This didn't depict you guys THAT badly, calm down. The moral of the story? No matter how badly Disney tries to keep this under wraps, the Internet will always find a way to uncover your dirty little secrets. See more 05/23/2020 Have not seen it. Based on his behavior on the Connors, John Goodman is an ass! I have no interest in watching him play anymore television/movie games. He is a bad friend and an ass! See more 03/22/2020 "The Emperor's New Groove" will always be entertaining, and at its release the zaniest Disney film ever produced, but there's a fascinating baggage packed with untold history that was affected by bureaucracy, or in another preferable term, based on recent cases, studio interference. The banned documentary unveiled what the film was originally envisioned as with the similar cultural backdrop that we most likely haven't explored and couple of primary characters, while in a different direction underneath the shared sun that shone "The Lion King". You'll adore what that film was going to be, especially the music Sting created, but sadly the studio went back on their promise of free-range projection direction due to lack of confidence. You'll hope for the original result next to the production crew in resonance, then put into the mix when the seemingly more positive studio interference is compromising and hope for the best, even though the final result is already known. It's a valuable insight that serves as a lengthy featurette that you won't find on the DVD's bonus features, which is a shame because it's fascinating and makes up a legacy behind the film as some of the unveiled concepts s been returned as it stretches into a mini franchise. (B+) See more 05/14/2015 "The Sweatbox" is one of those documentaries that shows the original meaning of the original film idea. See more 09/21/2013 I finally found a copy ONLINE....Disney should release this documentary!!!! See more Read all reviews
The Sweatbox

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Movie Info

Synopsis Documentarian Trudie Styler takes animation fans behind the scenes of Disney's whimsical feature "The Emperor's New Groove." With her husband, renowned rock star Sting, serving as chief songwriter for the musical buddy comedy, Styler gains unparalleled access to the inner workings of Disney's legendary animation studios. With it, she reveals the winding road that takes a script called "Kingdom of the Sun" and transforms it into a critically acclaimed addition to the Disney collection.
Director
John-Paul Davidson, Trudie Styler
Producer
John-Paul Davidson, Trudie Styler
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 26m