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Fantasia (1940)

One of the very first films ever produced by Walt Disney, “Fantasia” explores the idea of making classical music more entertaining. To this end, the animators listened to several pieces of music and drew what they saw in their minds as they listened. Some of the segments were a little dull. The conductor of the orchestra speaks between each piece, explaining what we’re about to see, and that did drag on a bit. Some of the musical numbers also failed to entertain. But we also saw some very clever interpretations. I’m sure you’ve seen “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” with Mickey enchanting … Continue reading →

The 1941 Walt Disney Animators Strike

The Walt Disney Corporation has such a good family-friendly image.  It really styles itself as an ideal place to work.  We can only imagine that things were even better in Disney’s golden era, when the man himself was still running things.  But that wasn’t always the case; in fact, in 1941 hundreds of Disney animators went on strike. The Business Insider has some fantastic photographs of and other images from the strike, and of the materials the strikers were circulating.  But it’s a bit lacking on the specific details of why animators would go on strike, especially so soon after … Continue reading →

It’s Walpurgis Night – So What’s That?

Six months ago I profiled Chernabog in my Halloween list of the most frightening Disney moments. Chernabog is a Slavic deity; not much is known about him, but as Christian traditions took over the pagan ones in Europe he was seen as a black god, even sometimes associated with or as the devil. The Night on Bald Mountain sequence from “Fantasia,” which contains Chernabog, is according to the conductor who introduces the segment set on Walpurgis Night. I’d never heard of Walpurgis Night, or at least it never registered as I watched “Fantasia,” so I thought I would research it. … Continue reading →

Most Frightening Disney Moments

In honor of my favorite holiday I’m going to look at the scariest moments in Disney movies. I’m not as well-versed in all of their live action flicks, so I’ll limit my focus to the animated features. The first movie that immediately popped into my head was “Pinocchio.” Believe it or not, it wasn’t the mammoth Monstro that most frightened me. It was anything to do with Pleasure Island, particularly the donkey transformations. Even at my young age I sensed something sinister about the crowds of boys pushing and scrabbling at one another to get at the attractions on Pleasure … Continue reading →

Turner Classic Movies Film Festival

Fans of Disney and classic films alike should consider attending this year’s Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival. Stitch Kingdom reports that for 2011 TCM joined up with D23, the official Disney fan group, to dedicate a portion of the festival to the works of Walt Disney. The Disney films and shorts presented all fit into this year’s theme of Music and the Movies. Thus the only feature length Disney movie shown at the festival will be a recently restored copy of 1940’s “Fantasia.” The four-day event will also include a screening of select Silly Symphonies shorts introduced/curated by film … Continue reading →

Most Controversial Disney Films Pt. 1

As an adult I’ve gone back and re-watched many of my favorite Disney films. They’re as wonderful as ever, but in some cases I am disturbed by the content I find in them. I realize that many of these movies were made in a different era, but part of me wants to believe that Disney was always squeaky-clean and welcoming to people of all backgrounds. In this two-part article I’d like to address how we might approach the controversial material in Disney films, both as adults and as parents. Here’s a rundown of some of the more controversial Disney films: … Continue reading →

Is It Time for Mickey Mouse To Get a Facelift?

Can an icon still be an icon if its image changes? That’s the question Disney officials are asking themselves as they begin to consider a reinvention of Mickey Mouse. That’s right; the trademark mouse in Disney’s house might be getting a makeover. Disney executives are concerned that the younger generation doesn’t care about Mickey. In 2009 only 20% of Mickey’s $5 billion merchandise sales came from the United States. Consequently, the folks at Disney fear that Mickey is nothing more than a corporate mascot to American children, and that’s the issue they want to address. Other than saying considerations are … Continue reading →

How Old Are Your Favorite Disney Films?

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I have a special little cupboard where I keep all of our Walt Disney children’s classics. OK, it is a pretty big cupboard and it is loaded with both DVDs and VHS tapes. Truth be told, I started collecting Disney movies long before I ever had children. Heck, I was collecting them long before I ever met my husband! I love the Disney classics and even some of the more recent children’s movies made by Disney/Pixar and I love that my kids are enjoying them too. The funny thing about Disney movies is that I could probably tell you where … Continue reading →