Customer Reviews

Disneywar: The Battle for the Magic Kingdom

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am a huge James B Stewart fan (loved The Prosecutors and Den of Thieves) and an ex-Disney exec (I was there for five of the years discussed) so I was looking forward to this book. My net feeling is that it was fun, not a bad choice for the beach bag this summer, but (a) it takes a relentlessly negative point of view, even more than I think is justified, (b) there are some weird gaps in the story which I attribute to rushing to out to press (but maybe there's some other reason), and (c) finally and most importantly, it fails to rise above the facts it portrays to make any larger point. What does it tell us about or times, about corporations, about America, about the people discussed...? Unclear. Somehow Stewart didn't get enough perspective on it or insight into it to make the narrative into something more memorable and insightful than a solid recounting of some important events in Disney's recent history. That's too bad. I hope that in Stewart's next book he finds some larger meaning.

But, that being said, a lot of the events are nevrtheless quite fascinating:

It's unbelievable how Eisner burned Ovitz straightaway after hiring him. Just completely hung him out to dry when only weeks before he had been the most powerful man in Hollywood. Brutal and horrible.

The details with Katzenberg were awful too. That must have been the worst deal ever made (next to the Ovitz deal). And Eisner's carping about Roth, Iger and Wells behind their backs? He really comes off as a psycho freak you wouldn't want to work for.

Some of his problems were legitimate though. Katzenberg was equally psycho at least. What do you do with an employee who is good at producing animated films, has failed to create a profitable live action motion picture division, advocated a failed strategy of producing 40-50 films per year and now wants to be the President and COO of a Dow 30 company? Developing animated films is no better preparation for being the COO of a major corporation than being an agent is. So what was Eisner to do with this jumped up producer? Tough one. But what he did do was probably not the right choice. Katzenberg is in the right job now as head of a free standing Animation studio.

The parts that are somewhat mysteriously left out are the massive increase in value at the Disney Channel and ESPN. I suppose it doesn't fit the "Eisner is an idiot" theme, but if he's such an idiot how did all that happen? That's why I feel the book is a little unfair. Also, the fact that Eisner didn't lose his *** on some horrible internet deal like Gerry Levin probably deserved more emphasis.

I was surprised at a few negatives that were left out: why wasn't there more discussion of the talent exodus -- Dean Valentine, Gerry Laybourne...? I don't know. Also, what about some of those sketchy investments -- magazines? Professional sports teams? I guess the book could only be so long.

I also wish that Stewart put more data in the book. If Eisner's reign was a failure, let's see a bar chart with actual cash flow. Why not? There was essentially no data, which I thought was odd for a business book.

But, again, I wish that Stewart had gotten some insight out of all this. Let's just stipulate that Eisner's a smart guy who accomplished a lot. So why did he make all these horrendous difficulties managing other people? That 'Rosebud' answer is what we don't get here.

I live in Burbank, CA, just up the street from the Disney corporate headquarters. When I heard the DisneyWars was coming out today, I rushed down to the local bookstore to get my copy. As I was making my purchase, the cashier mentioned to me that earlier today, the Disney Company had come to the store and bought out their entire stock of the book. There were a lot of copies on display, so it must have been quite an effort. But then a couple of hours before I came to buy my copy, they returned them all. What strange behavior. The must be afraid of what the Stewart wrote. Their apparent paranoia made me even more eager to read the book.

From what I've read so far, they should be afraid. It's quite a scathing expose. So far, it is proving to be an excellent book. What Walt Disney accomplished through the power of his genius and ability to tap into the genius of others is simply amazing. But this book is a stark revelation of the damage the current management has done to the Disney Company. If you are a Disney fan, I HIGHLY recommend this book.

Pulitzer prize winner James B. Stewart paints a portrait of Michael Eisner that has more in common with a totalitarian dictator than with most CEOs. Stewart is careful, though, to trace the Walt Disney Company's growth and success under Eisner, even though he was really running Disney for the benefit of just a handful of people - including himself. And, just as carefully, Stewart traces the company's spiraling internal chaos. The pluses: the author tells an instructive, intricate corporate saga in intriguing detail. Minuses: He is no expert on the film industry and the narrative doesn't build much momentum. Frustratingly, although no doubt for sound reportorial reasons, he also mostly refuses to draw conclusions until the short final chapter. We recommend this troubling portrait of corporate excess and misbehavior to all managers and to students of entertainment and media as a lesson on the pitfalls of untamed corporate politics and unbridled CEO power.

For the reader who has been to any of its theme parks or enjoyed any of the Disney films over the past two decades, this book is required reading. James B. Stewart has won the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the corruption and hubris of the business community (for Mr. Stewart's writing at its best, see his "Den of Thieves"). "Disneywar" is his history of the 20 year reign of Michael Eisner as CEO of the Disney Company, culminating in a corporate high noon showdown between Mr. Eisner and Roy Disney.

Though the book could have been trimmed a bit, Mr Stewart presents a thorough account of how the finished Disney product that the reader knows (whether it is "The Lion King", the theme parks, et al) came to be. Why Mr. Eisner should granted such unprecedented access to Mr. Stewart is still unclear to me, for his public image will take a further tumble with the release of this book.

The reporting is impressive, the writing is clear and the behind the history tale is interesting. It is a fun read with the financial details make understandable for the non-MBA reader. A prequel of sorts is "Storming The Magic Kingdom" by John Taylor (1987) which tells the story of the corporate raiders who attempted to take over the Disney Company in the early 1980's.

Having grown up in the eighties and remembering first-hand movies like "The Little Mermaid" and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and whats more gaining an affinity and admiration for their creators I plunged into DisneyWar. Having landed a job while in college at The Disney Store just after the Ovitz fiasco I first learned of the darker side to 'Uncle Eisner' that Disney character that played himself on T.V. Sunday nights.

Stewart's book is a juicy chunk of details involving Eisner and his (in his mind) bit players including Katzenberg, Ovitz, and Roy Disney. Each of these men in their rise within the Disney corporate structure and the chance at the coveted presidency threaten Eisner. A cycle of corporate double-speak and false promises ensues and with each one cost face and money. Michael Ovitz' record severance package, Katzenberg's infamous 2% clause that Eisner disputed and delayed to the tune of $280 million. Ovitz' hiring was among scores of conflicts of interests of which include the offering of a seat on the board to a fundraiser for the Gehry-designed Disney Concert Hall. (Eisner wanted her to stop asking the company for money to help pay for it. Eisner himself never personally donated any money for it.)

That none of the characters are infalliable and essentially it comes down to battle of the millionaire's egos is not suprising. It is daunting to learn of Eisner's perception of power. True, he revitalized a dying brand but since then he has allowed pettiness or just plain lack of innovativeness to control his decision making. How else to explain not acquiring Pixar when he had multiple occasions? To pass on various projects such as 'Lord of the Rings'? Worst of all, to think that his ideas have a place anymore in creative places such as his embarassing 'Pomp and Circumstance' suggestion in "Fantasia 2000". The book itself reads like a listing of facts with no particular voice...like a Vanity Fair article turned into a book. It spends a little too much time on the ABC acquisition and not enough on animation. For a book on a man that controls a company with such vast departments Stewart does maintain a good balancing act of addressing Eisner's approach to each. Indeed it becomes clear that Eisner's inability to see that he may be overextending himself and thus impair his judgement (especially after his heart surgery) is Machivellian to say the least.

Ironically the conclusion is that he is the kind of executive that he hates...he creates bad publicity and is risky in the wrong places. Disney movies, particularly animation continually lose money and the brand itself is tainted: the name synonymous with greed. Read the book and see just how the magic faded.

Certainly the author researched the book well and the reader felt a part of the inner machinations of the company, but after 200 pages, I felt thoroughly disgusted with all the characters, feeling little empathy or sympathy. After a while it was hard to get excited about millions, billions or zillions of dollars and stock options and I felt Walt Disney and the creators of Snow White, Fantasia and Pinocchio must be turning over in their graves at the current crop of Disney leaders.

I'm at the beach in Cabo San Lucas and although this book is heavy, still hard-back, and what some might think dry for beach reading, I am completely loving it. Never have I been so intrigued by the business practices of any company. It helps that I am a Disney fanatic, but I find myself more wrapped up in the dramatic aspect of this story as opposed to a love for the company. It's very interesting to see how a monolithic corporation like Disney has an affect on our daily lives and why they have been so tumultuous in recent years.

I would reccommend this book to anyone and if you love Disneyland, this will give you even more reason to as their is so much passion found in most of the people working for Disney. It is also good to know that people make mistakes and we can learn from them. Please read if you have some time!

I'm not sure the people who rated this book 3-stars read the same book that I did. All I can say is that it has been years since I have read a book that kept me as enthralled as this brilliant work by a pulitzer prize winner. I was amazed at how juvenile and insecure the people who ran the company were...the back stabbing and grab for credit was simply amazing.
Eisner comes across as slightly unstable and one has to wonder if he really was the right man to stay and run Disney for 20 years. When Disney hired Eisner it was a sleeping giant with enormous potential that Eisner and his cronies were able to "awaken" with some pretty easy fixes. After the obvious, well, that's when the tough part really began for all of these childish, boorish, and insecure men.
In my mind, Eisner's run as CEO will always be tarnished. Every man has flaws but Eisner has a lot more than his share. This book is one heck of an engaging read. I hated to finish and had trouble getting anything done while reading this engaging book. I'm not sure how anyone could not love this business soap opera. Stewart has always been a cut above and I am grateful that a man of his ability tackled this particular project. The reader is the big winner. 5 very enthusiatic stars!

In the Prologue, the guy shares some of his own experiences as a Cast Member in the late 70s and early 80s.

More interesting, though, is how he describes his pursuit of Michael Eisner to give him access to Disney's inner workings for a full year to write a behind-the-scenes book about the Company.

Only a couple months after Eisner finally agreed, though, was when all the Roy Disney/Stanley Gold/Shareholder Revolt stuff started, and the "behind-the-scenes at Disney" slowly morphed into a VERY intriguing book chronicling the company during Eisner's tenure.

It is VERY well-written, all factual, and manages to stay surprisingly neutral. It may be hundreds of pages long, but I cannot put it down... and I HATE reading!

Yes, Michael Eisner quickly became one of the richest CEOs in America. Yes, he was hell-bent on making money. But everything you don't know about Jeffrey Katzenberg, Michael Ovitz, and his "real" relationship with Roy Disney will truly disturb you. It's acary how much power some people have, and especially scary to learn why some decisions were actually made.

Megalomania has unlikely been put on a more searing plain than what author James B. Stewart has done with Michael Eisner in this fascinating book about the Machiavellian power structure he built at Disney. Having been a big fan of his book on the underbelly of Wall Street in the eighties, "Den of Thieves", I was greatly anticipating Stewart's take on the harsh business realities within the Magic Kingdom. He does not disappoint in what seems almost like an update of "Citizen Kane" by recounting Eisner's "Rosebud" moment when as a 7-year-old, Eisner lost a boxing match to a child twice his size and refused to cry in front of his stern father. Stewart then uses a first-person approach to conversations that he obviously could not have witnessed and even playing something of an investigative role as he spends a day in a Goofy costume at Walt Disney World. More importantly, the author paints a portrait of a complex man who had a track record of turning around failing studios like Paramount but seemed completely at odds with what turned out to be the family-like Disney culture.

Fully empowered as CEO, Eisner was not interested in upholding Disney traditions in filmmaking, according to Stewart, but rather increasing the bottom line to fund the perks and salary for himself and his executives. Granted he expanded the empire to include television channels, Broadway shows and other assorted properties, but he also fumbled badly when it came to key hiring decisions, chief among them was Hollywood über-agent Michael Ovitz, who was admittedly "not sophisticated about matters of corporate management." But Ovitz was savvy enough to know that Eisner was stabbing him in the back the minute expectations dipped with Ovitz. Eisner was certainly not intuitive when it came to potential moneymakers for the studio, bypassing "The Lord of the Rings", "Fahrenheit 9/11" and almost "Finding Nemo", the latter resulting in what looks to be an irreconcilable firestorm with Steve Jobs, head of Pixar. Key talent like Jeffrey Katzenberg left Disney to build their own fortunes leaving Disney in near-financial ruin. Yet, for all the venom spewed at Eisner, justifiable as it may be, Stewart puts second-in-command Bob Iger under an equally unforgiving microscope and sees a problematic CEO-in-the-making, already scarred by the purchase of the precarious Fox Family Channel at a hefty price tag of $5.2 billion. Iger comes across as equal parts toady and mercenary and hardly the inspiration for a Disney renaissance. This is good, dishy stuff, and Stewart is a pro at making all this feel like a cross between penetrating investigative journalism and an episode of "Dynasty". Highly recommended.