Observations and Thoughts While Watching Disney in Chronological Order

[BadPinkTink]

Its been 8 months since Disney+ launched in my country. Up until now I binged on old favorites and random documentaries and all the new content.

Now that the initial OMG there's so much to watch here excitement has died down, I have decided to start watching things in chronological order. Going through the various sections I noticed there there is so much I have never seen.

I started with the animated feature films from Sword In The Stone To Oliver and Company.

This section of animation was 1963 to 1988.
Most of these I had watched as a child. The new to me ones were

• The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh
• The Rescuers
• The Black Cauldron
• The Great Mouse Detective
• Oliver and Company

It was really interesting watching this section of animation. I have watched Waking Sleeping Beauty and The Imagineering Story and now watching all the films from this time period I can really see just how much the animation side suffered after losing Walt. They really just plateaued, the stories and soundtracks were great but the actual drawings, animation and production just were not there any more. You could see the decline of The Nine Old Men and how the innovation of the younger animators was just stifled. Every film had basically the same look, the same flat style of animation and drawings. Even the stories, so many had a UK / European theme, adapted from existing books, just like Walt had done in the early years. I know it was mentioned in either Waking Sleeping Beauty and The Imagineering Story or both, how the general feeling was What Would Walt Do and you could really see how the animation department were so resistant to change.

The next section starts at The Little Mermaid, so I will come back with my thoughts on that.

I have also gone back and started watching the Live Action / Hybrid feature films in chronological order.

I have just watched The Reluctant Dragon and now I'm watching Melody Time. Both of these are new to me and I have the Wikipedia pages open as I watch. As I watch The Reluctant Dragon and the behind the scenes tour of Walt Disney Studios, I'm struct with the comparison between 1940's America and 1940's Ireland. I'm starting to understand how people of my parents generation in America have such a nostalgic connection to the Walt Disney Company and people of my parents generation in Ireland don't. While cinema in Ireland was widespread, these films probably were not shown in Irish cinemas. Also in the 1940's and 1950's in Ireland, going to the cinema would have been something not everyone could afford. TV in Ireland at this time was almost non existent. The only TV content available was from the BBC and most homes would not have a TV set. Irish TV broadcasting began in 1961 with 1 channel , a second was only started in 1978. TV content was very regulated and controlled. Even up to the late 1980's, many Irish homes only had access to the 2 Irish TV channels.

So while American children in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's had mainstream access to Disney animation and feature films, and then Disneyland, Disney really only became mainstream in Ireland in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

It would only really be when video players became mainstream in the 1980's that Disney films would have become accessible to the majority of Irish people. By then, Disney would have been seen as something for the kids, the adults like my parents would have had no interest in Disney films other than watching what we children were watching.

I'm off to watch the rest of Melody Time and I'll come back and update with my thoughts on the next films.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I have just watched The Reluctant Dragon and now I'm watching Melody Time. Both of these are new to me and I have the Wikipedia pages open as I watch. As I watch The Reluctant Dragon and the behind the scenes tour of Walt Disney Studios, I'm struct with the comparison between 1940's America and 1940's Ireland. I'm starting to understand how people of my parents generation in America have such a nostalgic connection to the Walt Disney Company and people of my parents generation in Ireland don't. While cinema in Ireland was widespread, these films probably were not shown in Irish cinemas. Also in the 1940's and 1950's in Ireland, going to the cinema would have been something not everyone could afford. TV in Ireland at this time was almost non existent. The only TV content available was from the BBC and most homes would not have a TV set. Irish TV broadcasting began in 1961 with 1 channel , a second was only started in 1978. TV content was very regulated and controlled. Even up to the late 1980's, many Irish homes only had access to the 2 Irish TV channels.

So while American children in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's had mainstream access to Disney animation and feature films, and then Disneyland, Disney really only became mainstream in Ireland in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

I thought this was so interesting! In America really from the mid-20's and beyond going to the movies was a huge part of life, and the sort of thing most people found a way to afford.

In Ireland are the classic characters popular? I ask because in Asian Parks a lot of the focus is on newer princesses and Pixar; as audiences especially in China do not have much of a connection with classic characters.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I thought this was so interesting! In America really from the mid-20's and beyond going to the movies was a huge part of life, and the sort of thing most people found a way to afford.

I asked my mom TV and cinema when she was growing up. She came from a middleclass background, not wealthy but most defiantly they had things that my dads family would not have had. My mom is 68 for reference. She said that going to cinema was seen as something adults did, date nights mainly, and not not something you would do as a family. Her town did not have a cinema so they would have to go to the next town over. The films shown would be things like the Pathe Newsreels and the big budget mainstream films. The cinemas back then were all independent so they would only shown films which would guarantee a full house so that they could afford to get the films.

They did have a TV in their house from about 1962, and she said they were the first house in the town to get a TV set. She does not remember watching much TV in the 1960's, mainly just news. She said there was defiantly no programs for children shown on Irish TV. She remembers going on school trips to the cinema but the films they were brought to had very religious tone, she remembers going to see The Sound of Music and The Song of Bernadette.

It was really only after she was married and me and my sister were born that she became aware of Disney. Both of my parents were big into reading, so Disney books would have been our first introduction to Disney. Then when we were older, and Disney cartoons were on TV we were allowed to watch them, and then when video players came along, thats really when we started to really know about Disney.

In Ireland are the classic characters popular? I ask because in Asian Parks a lot of the focus is on newer princesses and Pixar; as audiences especially in China do not have much of a connection with classic characters.

Yes most people would know the classic characters, as thats what would have been shown on Irish TV in the 1980's. It was really only with the introduction of the 2nd Irish TV station in 1978 that programs for children such as cartoons were shown on TV. Also the classics such as Snow White, Cinderella, Bambi, Peter Pan, Dumbo would be known in Ireland, mainly due to the Disney VHS home releases in the 1980's.

The princesses from The Little Mermaid onwards are generally only known by my generation, as we would have have been introduced to them in real time. My mom only knows about Anna and Elsa as my 5 year old is Frozen obsessed. I went to see Frozen in the cinema. My mom has only seen Frozen from watching it with niece.

My generation, children of the 1980's video player era are basically first generation Disney fans. We are the first generation in Ireland to know about Disney in real time, as things were created and released.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Ok, this weekends viewing done, Melody Time and The Little Mermaid.


The Little Mermaid I think is really where my Disney love took hold. Many things combined just made this MY film.

I had a mermaid obsession at the time, Splash was my go to film. I had read the Hans Christian Anderson original book many times at this stage and knew the story very well.
I was a teenager and just connected with Arial, the whole wanted to go out and explore, the disconnect between my parents, it was all me at the time.
It was the first Disney animated film I identified with. All the more recent ones up to then, I liked but they never really made an impression on me. This was the first one that made me think, wow, she is so much like me.
Cinema in Ireland was changing. Many of the old independent cinemas were closing and in 1990 the first multiplex chain opened in my local mall. The arrival of the multiplexes in Ireland made cinema going a lot more affordable. I don't actually remember ever going to the cinema before the multiplex. My parents couldn't justify the cost of bringing us to see a film once when it would be available on home video a few months later.
I loved Broadway style musicals.

The Little Mermaid also just reminded me very much of the classic Disney films, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White.

Looking at it now, in the context of knowing all the behind the scenes, what was happing at Walt Disney Animations, it just seems everything came together finally. The animation and drawings are so very different from the flat drawings of the previous 15 years to 20 years. The Broadway style music, again a total change from the music style of the previous films, just worked so well, giving it a fresh new sound. It was like they had shaken off Walts ghost and instead of anticipating his disapproval, they just forged a new path for themselves.

Back in time to Melody Time now.
This was new to me. The music and songs seemed familiar but I don't ever remember seeing any of the animations. Growing up my parents bought us lots of records and tapes, so I guess I maybe know some of the songs from compilation albums. It was interesting to see how much the Cowboy and Indian themes and the Old West themes were popular back then. Its the first time I watched something that the advisory warning about the outdated depictions. Watching the animations you can see how skilled they were back then and how it all just came together, the production, the drawings, the animations and the songs. Its very much what the stereotypical Disney sound and look that people have nostalgia for.

 

[Micca]

I think Disney history is fascinating, I too sometimes open wiki pages for the movie I'm viewing just to check the names and seek out their other contributions. It's a fun rabbit hole to explore

 

[BadPinkTink]

Meant to update this sooner. So the next 2 on my list were DuckTales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp and Treasure Island.

DuckTales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp
This was new to me. I was aware of Ducktales the TV series but never really followed the series. I might have watched one or two every so often but that would be about it. This would not have been something I would have gone to the cinema to see and I had no idea who Webby or the other characters were. I loved the Indiana Jones start but then it switched to a genie in the lamp focus. That I thought was a bit odd, knowing that Aladdin was being worked on around the same time.
Its a fun film, that I defiantly apricate more now, than I would have in 1990.

Treasure Island
This is another new to me film. Up until Disney+ I had no idea Bobby Driscoll was in other Disney film. I only every associated him with Peter Pan. I read the book when I was a child but I don't ever remember seeing this film on TV. It would not have been a film I would have picked at the video rental store. So this is actually the very first live action feature film from Disney and while it was made before Disneyland opened, you can defiantly see that it was used as a reference for Pirates ride. The sets are great, a mix of on location and studio. The accents are terrible, Long John Silver, especially the hammy accent is all over the place, in parts twee Oirish and in parts twee south England. Also I could see his leg which he just had just bent behind him in some shots. It was actually an ambitious project for the first film, on location in England, with American cast. But it fits with Walts adaptions of European books.

Following on about my observations about the difference in emotional connection to the Disney brand in Ireland. The Wonderful World of Disney or any of the Disney anthology series or The Disney Sunday Movie were never shown in Ireland, maybe not in other European countries either. I have never seen a full episode of any series. I have seen bits and pieces of the shows on various documentaries etc, but I never really knew what the clips were from.

 

[BrianL]

Meant to update this sooner. So the next 2 on my list were DuckTales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp and Treasure Island.

DuckTales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp
This was new to me. I was aware of Ducktales the TV series but never really followed the series. I might have watched one or two every so often but that would be about it. This would not have been something I would have gone to the cinema to see and I had no idea who Webby or the other characters were. I loved the Indiana Jones start but then it switched to a genie in the lamp focus. That I thought was a bit odd, knowing that Aladdin was being worked on around the same time.
Its a fun film, that I defiantly apricate more now, than I would have in 1990.

On DuckTales, the movie is a bit of a rehash of other episodes of the show and not as strong. There had been a genie episode on the show before (the iconic scene in the opening where Scrooge and Glomgold are tugging at a lamp is from that episode). The show was more consistent with the "Indiana Jones" vibe on the episodes that focused on such. Treasure of the Lost Lamp isn't bad really, it's just not as good as the best episodes of the show.

 

[BadPinkTink]

On DuckTales, the movie is a bit of a rehash of other episodes of the show and not as strong. There had been a genie episode on the show before (the iconic scene in the opening where Scrooge and Glomgold aretugging at a lamp is from that episode). The show was more consistent with the "Indiana Jones" vibe on the episodes that focused on such. Treasure of the Lost Lamp isn't bad really, it's just not as good as the best episodes of the show.

Thanks, not having watched the the TV series, I have nothing to compare the movie with. Other than Huey, Dewey and Louie and Scrooge Mc Duck I didn't know any of the other characters.

 

[BrianL]

Thanks, not having watched the the TV series, I have nothing to compare the movie with. Other than Huey, Dewey and Louie and Scrooge Mc Duck I didn't know any of the other characters.

Most of the characters and the general setup come from the old "Uncle Scrooge" comics by Cark Barks. Launchpad was an original character for the show and there were a few others too. Interestingly, some characters that appeared in the movie later appeared in the show, including the final two episodes, which are actually an epic send-off.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Most of the characters and the general setup come from the old "Uncle Scrooge" comics by Cark Barks. Launchpad was an original character for the show and there were a few others too. Interestingly, some characters that appeared in the movie later appeared in the show, including the final two episodes, which are actually an epic send-off.

ok, seeing as you know so much about the TV series, I'm just curious, did you watch it in real time when it first aired or have you just caught up over the years? Im just wondering did I miss the tv show as it wasn't shown in real time or because it was on TV when I was wasn't watching TV. I did a Google search and the TV series was shown on Irish TV during the 3pm to 5pm children's TV time. I wouldn't have been watching TV at that time due to homework and after school activities.

 

[BrianL]

ok, seeing as you know so much about the TV series, I'm just curious, did you watch it in real time when it first aired or have you just caught up over the years? Im just wondering did I miss the tv show as it wasn't shown in real time or because it was on TV when I was wasn't watching TV. I did a Google search and the TV series was shown on Irish TV during the 3pm to 5pm children's TV time. I wouldn't have been watching TV at that time due to homework and after school activities.

I absolutely watched it when it ws on, and recently completed a rewatch of the entire series on Disney+ (as wall as other Disney Afternoon shows - currently on Goof Troop which is the first one I didn't watch when it was on). I was a kid at the time and DuckTales was a huge deal - so huge that they aired the 5-part pilot episode as a movie in prime time and again with several of heir otehr multi-part episodes. I only knew Scorrge as Ebenezer Scrooge from Mickey's Christmas Carol whcih was on TV every year. The show was a real step up in weekday afternoon syndicated children's programming and still mostly holds up well today. It was new Disney on TV which was a new idea - Eisner had decided to launch a TV animation department, but they started with the original IP Gummi Bears and acquisition Winnie the Pooh - both for Saturday mornings. DuckTales raised the bar in every way and was a can't miss show for kids here.