The Jungle Cruise (fictitious film)

The Jungle Cruise is the name of a fictional film connected to the Jungle Cruise attraction which originates from the defunct Magic of Disney Animation at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

History

Background

"The Jungle Cruise" film was a film made by Walt Disney Pictures in the 20th century. The film was shot in, "Disneycolor" on-site in Zanzibar, Tanzania and Calcutta, India with permission and assistance from the Jungle Navigation Company who also supplied their boats the Amazon Belle, Ganges Gal and Congo Queen for production. The film was directed by one H. Goff and directed by one B. Evans along with set-design by M. Davis.

The film had cartoon Disney performers Mickey and Minnie Mouse in its starring roles alongside Jungle Navigation Company affiliate Trader Sam and company, "Skippers", Skipper Brennan and Skipper Lasseter. The film's plot and premise are unknown but it shared its title with the Jungle Navigation Company's tourism-service of the same name started in the year 1931. Mickey Mouse seemingly portrayed a riverboat pilot with the film's tag-line being, "Explore the Mysterious Rivers of Adventure", referencing the supernatural Jungle Rivers of Adventureland. The film also seemingly involved a large ship exploding, hostile hippos, man-eating piranhas and at-least a reference to Jungle Navigation Company founder Dr. Albert Falls.

The film made a debut in an unknown year on a Sunday, July 17th and premiered in the Theatre of the Stars, an outdoors theatre on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood LA. The film's release came with the tag-line, "Discover our two-for-one deal!". Minnie Mouse would keep a poster from the film in her Hollywood dressing-room for years to come.

Development history

This is a fictional film referenced in the defunct Minnie Mouse meet 'n' greet area of Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is an homage to the Jungle Cruise attraction of the Disney Parks. The fictitious film's poster also alludes to imagineers and cast-members behind the Jungle Cruise including Harper Goff, Bill Evans, Marc Davis and John Lasseter. The Theatre of the Stars referenced on the poster is a reference to the Sunset Boulevard area of Disney's Hollywood Studios in-which the theatre is used for Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage.

The poster itself is a parody of the poster for the 1951 non-Disney film The African Queen with Mickey assuming the role of character Charlie Allnut and Minnie in the role of Rose Sayer, replacing actors Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. H. Goff replaced producer S.P. Eagle/Sam Spiegel (1901-1985), B. Evans replaced director John Huston (1906-1987), the placement of M. Davis' name replaced director of photography Jack Cardiff (1914-2009), Skipper Lassetter's name replaced the name of actor Robert Morley (1908-1992) who played Rose Sayer's brother Reverend Samuel Sayer, Skipper Brennan replacing Peter Bull (1912-1984) who portrayed the captain of the Königin Luise, Disney pictures replaced Horizon Romulus productions and Disneycolor replaced Technicolor.

Appearances

Magic of Disney Animation

The film's poster was hung up in Minnie Mouse's Hollywood dressing-room.

Trivia

• This film was referenced years before the production of the 2021 Jungle Cruise film.
  • Incidentally, both films parallel the African Queen with the 2021 Jungle Cruise film using Frank Wolff in place of Charlie Allnut and Lily Houghton in place of Rose Sayer.
• Minnie Mouse's dressing-room posters had other references connected to the Jungle Cruise's mythos.
  • The poster, "Mouse Pacific" featured the Enchanted Tiki Room and the Orange Bird.
  • The film Casamousa is a tribute to Casablanca, a film connected to the Jungle Cruise. It had Mickey in the role of Rick Blaine, a character likewise connected to the Jungle Cruise.
  • The film Bride of Frankenollie was screen-written by Harrison Hightower IV, an implied relative of evil colonial explorer Harrison Hightower III.
  • Ludwig V. Drake's Cleopatra and Mouse Antony referred to Cleopatra as the, "Queen of Denial", a pun about the Nile river often used in the Jungle Cruise along the African veldt.
  • Minnie Poppins was a parody of Mary Poppins.
• In 2023, a telegram was added to Alberta Falls' office in the Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise, referencing JNC member Skipper Shaun travelling to Hollywood to pitch a Jungle Cruise motion picture. While an easter-egg allusion to the Jungle Cruise film which came out in 2023, it is possible that this is the origin of the fictional Jungle Cruise film.

Gallery

The poster of the African Queen which serves as the Jungle Cruise's basis.