17 février 2015

The Whole World's A Disney Expert

By Katina Brady


Throughout the world Disney has been a fundamental part of childhood memories, with programmes on television, movies released regularly, and the ever-popular merchandising often creating demand that out-strips supply. This means there is a Disney expert in each town, maybe in each street with viewpoints, knowledge and reminisces about the Disney of their childhood and if they are being honest their adulthood as well.

Disney is a super-brand reaching all corners of the earth. They have their fingers in many pies including TV and movie production, merchandising and retail, entertainment and amusement parks. It would be an unusual person indeed who had not come across Disney at least once in their lives.

Over the last 14 years the brand has extended at a rate of knots. The studio acquired the Muppets brand, Pixar Studios, the virtual world, Club Penguin and rather controversially Lucas Film Ltd, the studios responsible for Stars Wars. This ensures they will be part of the childhoods of many generations to come. They also launched a cruise line, with the first boat Disney Dream sailing in 2011 and Disney Fantasy's first trip in 2012.

The history of Disney is a long one starting in 1923 when the Disney Brothers Studio, as it was called then, signed a contract to produce Alice Comedies. Most self-styled experts know that Mickey Mouse, originally Mortimer Mouse, appeared a little later in 1928 in the first short, Steamboat Willie, which also starred Minnie Mouse. Mickey Mouse was himself considered a major celebrity and was the first animated character to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1934 the grumpiest and most difficult to impersonate duck on the planet, Donald was introduced to the Disney family. The next year, in 1935, Mickey appeared in colour for the first time. The studio held the Technicolor patent for a couple of years and was therefore the only cartoonist making colour shows. Mickey was the very first animated character to speak with his first words being 'Hot Dog!' way back in 1929 in the episode called The Karnival Kid.

The original classic characters also appear in the background of more modern movies; almost like celebrity guests. In the opening shots of the Little Mermaid (1989) an eagle-eyed Disney aficionado may notice Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald in the king's court. I know, I had to go and check too.

In the background of The Rescuers (released 1977) in an original copy there was an image of a naked woman. 3.5 million copies were very quickly withdrawn from sale and it was removed from the scene. In the movie 101 Dalmatians(1996) there are a number of characters from Lady and the Tramp (1955) in the pet shop window.

Walt E. Disney, the founder of the studio and all round fun guy also makes celebrity appearances in some of the films. Just a little more subtly. The sorcerer in the 1940s classic, Fantasia was named Yen Sid. If you have the inclination read it backwards. In 2008, an entire movie was named after the big boss albeit in the disguise of an adorable garbage collector, Wall-E.

Walt Disney won the record for most Academy Awards won in history at a total of twenty six. Additionally he received three Golden Globes and was presented with the honorary Oscar and seven miniature Oscars for the 1938 movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Throughout his career Walt won over 50 awards for his animation career. Such recognition is likely to be maintained as the studios enlarge and they release bigger and more innovative movies.




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