Bambi

Walt Disney's 5th animated feature, Bambi, did not recoup its production costs during its original release, however it now stands out as one of the most iconic animated features ever made.

Bambi premiered in 1942 and runs just over an hour.  The movie tells the story of a young fawn growing up to be the Great Prince of the Forest.  His journey involves fun and friends as well as danger and tragedy.  The real villain of the film is man and his violent intrusion into the forest.  Man, the hunter, wreaks havoc in young Bambi's life and is the perpetrator of Bambi's greatest losses.  (Please note, that young children will most likely find aspects of Bambi very distressing; please also note, that adults are not immune to this distress.)

 

As a film Bambi moved away from the Disney focus on magic and fantasy and focused instead on telling a story along the lines of reality.  Ergo, the film's forestry, scenery and imagery are simply beautiful.  The forest and animal depictions in the film are quite realistic.

There are also some wonderful scenes of happiness and fun tucked into Bambi's 70-minute run time  Bambi's first friend is a zippy, full of life rabbit called Thumper.  One of the most beloved scenes from Bambi has to be Bambi and Thumper's first frolic through snow and over an icy pond.  Bambi also makes friends with a skunk in a flower bed who soon earns the moniker of Flower.  Talk about irony. ;)

My favorite part of the movie was the arrival of spring and watching the now grown, Thumper, Flower and Bambi get "twitterpated" (fall in love).  Musically, the stand out moment for me was "Little April Shower."  (If you ever have a chance to see World of Color at Disney's California Adventure Park, be on the lookout for this song.  It's fabulous!!!)

This week I'll leave you with a quote from Walt himself about facing hardship and adversity:

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.

 

 

Coming Up Next Week: Saludos Amigos



Dumbo

Dumbo- “The ninth wonder of the universe!”

While Dumbo is classic Disney fare, it was not one of the movies I grew up on… however I have always enjoyed a spin on Dumbo at Disneyland!

Dumbo is a simple tale (produced with a small budget in Disney’s leaner years) with great heart.  The story opens with deliveries by a flock of storks.  One of the storks delivers a beautiful baby elephant to Mrs. Jumbo (a performing circus elephant) who could not be more pleased and names her babe Jumbo Jr.  The baby elephant’s unnaturally large ears, however, earn him the moniker of Dumbo.  The story follows Dumbo’s journey from ridicule to greatness, from clown to stardom.  The oversized ears that everyone laughed at turnout to be Dumbo’s greatest asset- they allow him to fly, to soar above his critics and mockers.  What makes him different makes him great.

  

Interestingly enough, Dumbo actually doesn’t say a word throughout the entire film.  (This is the only Disney film in which a title character does not have a single line of dialogue.)  This makes his sidekick very important.  And once again, I found myself thoroughly enamored with the sidekick – the one and only, Timothy Q. Mouse.  He’s cute, funny and has a heart of gold.  You have to believe in Disney magic when you consider that he’s made me downright fond of a cricket and two mice.  That would never happen in real life.  Any creature of the creepy, crawly variety and I are NOT friends.  But alas, I digress…

The music of Dumbo once again shines through as a testament to the greatness of Disney.  My favorite songs were “Look Out for Mr. Stork” and “When I See an Elephant Fly.”  (I love me some puns!)  Fun Fact: Cliff Edwards sings both “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio and “When I See an Elephant Fly” from Dumbo.  The Casey Jr. Circus Train number was also very fun though beware its propensity for getting stuck in one’s head.  Hands down, the most poignant moment of the movie has to be when Mrs. Jumbo sings “Baby Mine” to Dumbo from solitary confinement. 

Dumbo was a wonderful foray into Disney past.  I love that time has not made the movie irrelevant or ridiculous.  In fact, it’s as heart-warming and lovely as ever.

This week I’ll leave you with a quote of hope from none other than Timothy Q. Mouse:

The very things that held ya down are gonna carry ya up, and up, and up!

Coming Up Next Week: Bambi

Fantasia

Fantasia.  A movie with no plot.  No main characters.  No dialogue.

And yet, it's still a beautiful, compelling movie. 

Fantasia  premiered in 1940 and runs just over two hours long.  The film is a compilation of famous musical pieces paired with imaginative animations.  Composers featured include Bach, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and Beethoven.  The score to the movie was provided by the Philadelphia Orchestra lead by illustrious conductor Leopold Stokowski.  Each piece is well introduced by the likable Deems Taylor.

Confession: I am in no hurry to watch Fantasia again.  Of the eight pieces featured, I enjoyed half of them.  However, as a whole 2-hour spectacle, I found myself a bit bored at times.  Second confession: I do not deal well with the abstract.  Fantasia does not shy away from the artistic abstract.

In spite of the above confessions, I can still say that Fantasia is truly beautiful.  It is a wonderful testament to the creativity, artistry, and quality that define the Disney name.

My favorite piece from Fantasia has not changed since childhood.  I still would pick Beethoven's "The Pastoral Symphony" as my favorite scene.  Beethoven wrote the piece to portray a day in the countryside.  Walt portrayed a day in the countryside... in the time and place of Mount Olympus.  Pegasi power through the sky, fauns frolic, and centaurs cavort about.  It's fun and happy and ends beautifully.

The other pieces that I enjoyed were "The Nutcracker Suite"- a journey through the seasons of nature with fairies bedazzling the scenery, "Dance of the Hours"- featuring a ballet of ostriches, elephants, hippos, and alligators, and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"- perhaps the most iconic role Mickey Mouse has ever starred in.  Mickey continues to win my heart as the Sorcerer's Apprentice every time I see him in Fantasmic.  :)

On a slightly different note, the infamous dance lift made famous in Dirty Dancing by Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey actually happened 47 years earlier... between an alligator and a hippo...

Who woulda thunk? ;)

This week I will leave you with a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche:

Without music, life would be a mistake.

I cannot measure the amount of happiness and joy that I have experienced from music. Disney understood music so well that he was able to make a beautiful movie of imagery and music where words were simply unnecessary.


Coming Up Next Week: Dumbo

Pinocchio

"When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you."

These iconic words are song by the beloved Jiminy Cricket at the beginning of Walt Disney's second full-length animated masterpiece: Pinocchio.  While these words originally represent a humble wood carver's dream for a son, they have come to embody the heart of all that is Disney.

 

Clocking in at an hour and a half and premiering in 1940, Pinocchio tells the well-known tale of a puppet who is given the chance to become a real boy if he can prove to be brave, truthful and unselfish.  Geppetto (the humble wood carver) owns a shop that he fills with all manners of wonderful clocks, dancing figurines, and puppets.  As he prepares for bed one evening, he sees the wishing star and wishes that his newly made puppet, Pinocchio, would become a real boy.  The Blue Fairy (I'm already dreaming of my Halloween costume...) grants Geppetto's wish and Pinocchio becomes a walking, talking wooden boy.  If he is a good boy- brave, truthful, & unselfish- the Blue Fairy will make him a real boy.  To help him on his journey, the Blue Fairy appoints Jiminy Cricket as his conscience.

 

I think my biggest takeaway from Pinocchio (as an adult) is that while dreams come true – they take hard work.  It’s not all magic.  Pinocchio must prove himself brave, truthful, and unselfish for his dream of becoming a real boy to come true- and he's put in some very difficult situations.  He is misled by "Honest John" and finds himself in the hands of the cruel puppeteer Stromboli.  He is lead astray to "Pleasure Island" (a decided misnomer).  And then he must ultimately face Monstro - a very angry, very large, very fast whale who happens to swallow Geppetto...  Pinocchio has to go through some very difficult situations and the repercussions of some bad decisions before proving himself and receiving the gift of being a real boy.  Also Geppetto’s dream of having a family doesn’t come true as a young man.  His dream is realized in his golden years.  Ultimately Pinocchio shows that dreams do come true - with patience and hard work. 

So while there are definitely some good life lessons in Pinocchio, it's also just enjoyable to watch.  My top 3 favorite things from the movie were:

1. Jiminy Cricket singing "Give a Little Whistle."
2. The antics of Figaro and Cleo (Gepetto's cat and goldfish)
3. Gepetto and Pinocchio becoming a family

Pinocchio definitely showcases what makes Disney so great- a heartwarming story, a good dash of humor, and the music. 

In closing this week I will leave you with wisdom imparted by the kind and beautiful Blue Fairy:

A lie keeps growing and growing until it's as plain as the nose on your face.

Thanks for joining me on my journey with Walt!


Coming Up Next Week: Fantasia

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  Walt's first full-length animated feature film!  The film premiered on December 21, 1937 and clocks in at 83 minutes.

One of my favorite things about Snow White and Walt Disney is that all of the experts were telling Walt that a full-length animated feature simply could not be done.  People would not be able to handle looking at the bright colors and pictures of an animated feature for too long without feeling sick.  Yet Disney pressed on.  And I'm so glad he did!

Snow White  tells the tale of a beautiful princess who has been forced to work as a scullery maid by her stepmother- the evil queen.  The evil queen's sole purpose in life is to be the "fairest of them all."  She fears Snow White's natural beauty.  Snow White is eventually forced to flee and ends up seeking refuge (and spreading joy) in a small cottage- the home of the seven dwarfs who spend their days working in a diamond mine.  And what story would be complete without a dashing prince to come to the princess's aid?

Before I share my thoughts on this film, I must confess that the dwarfs stole my heart!  From Doc's adorable stutter to Bashful's blushes to Grumpy's "surliness."  They were my favorite part of the movie! 

I think there are certain key ingredients that Disney included in his movies that when put together they make Disney magic!  The ingredients:

• A good story (the heart of any great film)
• A likable hero/heroine
• A little bit of romance
• A scary villain
• Humor
• Music - this is what I really think sets Disney apart!  The movies have all of the other great characteristics and then the music carries them over the top!

 Snow White has all of these ingredients!   A good story - a princess forced to flee the vanity of an evil queen.  A likable heroine - Snow White herself is not only physically beautiful, but her true beauty shines through in her kindness, gentleness and hard work.  A little bit of romance - Did I mention there's a dashing prince?  A scary villain - evil queen equals chills (and that's before her wicked transformation).  Humor - the dwarfs (love them!) and there is this turtle who just can't quite keep up with the animals helping Snow White tidy up the cottage, but watching him try is so much fun!

Finally, the music.  Oh the music!  Before re-watching this film, I would have summed up the music of Snow White with "Some Day My Prince Will Come." (A truly great song!)  But there is so much more!  Snow White begins the film by singing "I'm Wishing" at her Wishing Well.  Thousands upon thousands of people still journey to Snow White's Wishing Well at Disneyland to share their own special wishes and dreams. (It's also a very popular marriage proposal spot!)  And the dwarfs get two show-stopping numbers with "Heigh Ho" and their yodeling song.  Finally, Snow White also sings the merry "Whistle While You Work" while tidying the cottage.  To me music is an instant mood lifter, and if you can apply that to cleaning a dirty old cottage, then there's some definite Disney magic happening.

It was so much fun to visit the story of Snow White again!  A beautiful story- full of adventure, love, laughter with a dash of danger.  I will remind everyone to heed this great advice: Do not eat food from strangers (particularly if the stranger is dressed in a suspicious black cloak and is handing you a shiny red apple).

Finally, I will leave you with this great quote from Walt Disney:

All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. 

 

 Here's to pursuing your dreams in 2014!
 

 

Coming up Next Week: Pinocchio 

Introduction to A Year With Walt

Hi Everyone!

Happy New Year!

I am so excited for 2014!  One of my first adventures for the year (an official bucket list item) is to watch all 53 Walt Disney animated feature films in their order of release.  I have been a Disney fan since before I could talk.  I loved a Mickey and Minnie stuffed animal so well that they didn't make it pass my 2nd birthday.  The stuffing had fallen out of them.  And truthfully speaking, my love of Disney has yet to fade... 

Me and the Great Man himself!

 

I love the magic, the fun, the music, the happiness of the World of Disney- from the movies to a trip to Disneyland!  I even ordered a Disney day-by-day calendar for this year to keep on my desk at work.

Who doesn't love a parade?!

I grew up watching Disney movies, and so I will have seen most of these 53 movies already.  However, I haven't seen most of them for a very long time, and there are a few that slipped through the cracks that I have never seen...  I'm not sure how that happened.  Also, please note that the Pixar films will not be included on this Disney journey.  This is just for the strictly Walt Disney produced animated features.

Yep.  This would be me and Snow White's Wishing Well.

Serendipitously, there are currently 53 Disney animated feature-length films and there are 53 Wednesdays in 2014.  This means every Wednesday this year I will post about the Disney movie of the week.  Today we will start with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and on Wednesday December 31, 2014(!) I will post about Frozen (the latest Disney adventure).

I am so excited to start this journey through Disney film history and magic!

And with that, away we go!!