Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, the feature films that resulted from Walt Disney’s goodwill tour through Latin America don’t often come to mind when you think of classic Disney Feature Animation. And yet, these two films were both nominated for Academy Awards. Each film… Read More »The Classic Caballeros Collection: Saludos Amigos / The Three Caballeros
In the 1960s Walt Disney had one rule for Annette Funicello, the leading lady of all Disney beach franchise films, she could wear a swimsuit, but she could never show a bare midriff. To do so would risk Annette’s brand as the wholesome girl next… Read More »Miley Cyrus jeopardizing her career with leaked photos?
Bob Logan has some amazing up-close portraits of the audio-animatronics from Disneyland’s Pirates Of The Caribbean attraction. Elisabeth reports back from her trip to Disney World as part of the Disney Mom’s Panel. She dishes on the one thing that really excited her… the food.… Read More »Linky Disney Goodness – Thursday Roundup
(Editors note: I’m the process of writing the review for the recent re-release of “The Three Caballeros” and “Saludos Amigos” on DVD. That DVD has a wonderful extra that just skims the top of Walt’s famous 1941 trip to Latin America. It has always left me wanting to know more about that trip. Now “Walt & El Grupo” has answered that call. I hope they’re able to bring it out to Central Florida for a screening sometime soon.
I want to thank Leo Holzer for sending in this great article about what sounds like an exciting new documentary concerning a very critical moment in Walt’s career. “Walt & El Grupo” is premiering at the San Francisco International Film Festival on Saturday, April 26, 2008. – John)
By Leo N. Holzer
Special to The Disney Blog
The loss of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and the birth of Mickey Mouse in 1928. The creation and release of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937. The development of Disneyland and its opening in 1955.
All of these were important and challenging periods for Walt Disney and his company.
But there was another time when life as Walt Disney knew it would forever change, both personally and professionally. The year was 1941, months before Pearl Harbor, when Walt and his studio were embroiled in labor unrest with an animators’ strike and challenged by the shrinking international box office returns as the war in Europe expanded.
It’s this period of Walt Disney’s life — and the “godsend” he found with a U.S.-government-sponsored working trip to Central and South America — that documentary filmmaker Ted Thomas (“Frank and Ollie”) explores in his new film, “Walt & El Grupo.”
Read More »“Walt & El Grupo” documentary to premiere this Saturday in San Francisco
The Walt Disney Studios has issued a long tribute to Disney Legend Ollie Johnston’s life in the form of the traditional press obituary. It contains many deserved and heart felt tributes from luminaries in the very field Johnston helped define as well as details of Johnston’s richly lived life. Roy E. Disney, John Lasseter, Glen Keane, Andreas Deja and John Canemaker all have tributes.
The full press release is below the cut:
Previously: List of online tributes to Ollie Johnston, Legendary Disney Animator.
Read More »Walt Disney Studios honors Ollie Johnston 1912-2008
This is the story of how Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK) came to its end and how and why it doesn’t have to be that way.
The year is 1959. Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom of Disneyland is just about to enter its third year of operations. Disneyland has been very successful not just in attendance, but in creating a new type of community; a remaking of Main Street America in Walt’s image. Walt calls Disneyland his great experiment. He uses it to cross-promote his movies, television shows, and his growing interest in urban planning.
However, something is not quite right. The surrounding area has penned his magical kingdom in with cheap looking motels and tourist traps. Disneyland really needs to grow, add new attractions, even remake whole parts of the theme park that just aren’t working. Walt has got grand ideas, add a steel roller coaster hidden inside the Matterhorn, bring online a monorail system (even extending to Downtown Los Angeles), remake parts of Fantasyland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland and even Main Street. Perhaps to open even a whole new city where urban blight will be a thing of the past.
All that will cost money, take time, and talent. Those are resources Walt could use elsewhere in his growing company. So he decides that his ‘experiment’ in 360 degree themed entertainment has been a success. But he wants those customers go enjoy one of his other projects where there is a higher margin so he can afford his future plans.
So, shocking everyone who has come to love and enjoy Disneyland, worked there, made friends there, even come to regard its wide avenues and wondrous attractions as part of Americana itself, Walt Disney decides to end his experiment and set up shop elsewhere (perhaps Florida, where he’ll have more room).
Disney has fired another salvo in defense of the goofy changes coming to Walt Disney’s classic attraction “it’s a small world.” This time the weapon of choice is Disney Archivist Dave Smith. In an email sent to LaughingPlace.com* Dave Smith defends the changes arguing again… Read More »Disney fires another salvo in defense of “it’s a small world” changes
Editor’s Note: Disney provided this letter written by Marty Sklar Executive Vice President Walt Disney Imagineering and Imagineer Ambassador as a response to the controversy surrounding the addition of Disney characters to Walt Disney’s classic attraction “it’s a small world.” I’ve included it in its… Read More »It’s A Small World – Imagineer Marty Sklar Letter to Disney Fans