Whether it be birthday parties or theme parks, Disney has shaped our generation’s childhood through its legacy in animation. From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Mufasa: The Lion King, Disney has been creating extraordinary movies for its audience since 1927 when Walt Disney Studio was first established. Disney has a significant role in shaping the childhood of an entire generation while also attracting older audiences with its more recent productions such as Marvel. In this article, we will discuss iconic movies and moments where Disney gained traction!
How it All Started:
Disney was an idea Walt Disney had in 1920 when he first entered the animation industry through Kansas City Film ads. In a few years, other animators and friends collaborated to create the first animated/live-action movie by Disney which was Alice in Cartoonland (1923). As soon as they released this movie Disney declared bankruptcy however the movie piqued the interest of the audience and demanded for more. Upon this success, the team made more movies related to the Alice theme in Hollywood. Afterwards, Disney made its first fully animated movie (with the character of Oswald) however, contract issues with Universal Pictures led to the creation of the iconic Mickey Mouse!
Disney’s First Hits:
One of the first successful creations of Walt Disney, after setting up the first impression of Disney Studios with Mickey Mouse was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. An animated movie which released in 1937 and was an instant success as it paved the road for future animations. This movie was presented in the new three-strip technicolor technology which essentially made the colours brighter in which the cameras presented red, green and blue. What makes this movie even more iconic is the fact that it received lots of hesitation and hopelessness from Walt’s surroundings. Despite the barriers, Walt never gave up;
“I think [Snow White] is one of the more perfect plots – I mean, basic all the way through. From the very start you have sympathy.” -Walt Disney
Leópold Kristjánsson
Another famous movie from Disney is Pinocchio! The filmmakers started this project as soon as Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs was released. The purpose of Pinocchio was to experiment with 3D models as well as establishing water effects in animation. The production of Pinocchio involved frequent use of the multiplane camera technology ( a camera which adds depth and creates illusions).
Thirdly, Disney released Fantasia in The Broadway Theatre in 1940. Unlike the previous movies, Fantasia focused on sound while also reinstating Mickey Mouse. The audio system which was integrated into theatres was called Fantasound. Fantasound was the building block of modern spatial audio. The sound system incorporates multiple channels of sound rather than one single source hence, producing a realistic experience.
“Fantasia, to me is a whole new opportunity. For my medium it opens up unlimited possibilities. Music has always played a very important part since sound came into the cartoon.” –Walt Disney
While both Pinocchio and Fantasia are classified as iconic in today’s era, the movies did not profit in the 1940s therefore, Disney went into a financial crisis. Upon such difficulties the film Dumbo released in 1941 became the next profit for Disney. Additionally, the production of Dumbo occurred around the time of WW2 in which Disney had a low budget. The success of this movie proved Disney’s animation capabilities even at lower budgets and shorter timespans. Furthermore, the movie’s budget was $950,000 while its grossing was a whopping $1.3 Million
The Impact of Disney Theme Parks:
Walt Disney’s vision with animation and creativity didn’t stop at theatres in which he felt the need to expand Disney. When taking his kids to entertainment spots he realized how unsatisfied the adults feel. His vision was to create something every age group can enjoy while further establishing Disney characters through tourism. On July 17, 1955 the first Disneyland was opened. The construction of this particular theme park was under the direct supervision of Walt Disney making it authentic. Notably, the opening was supposed to welcome 11,000 people however the park was overcrowded with 28,000 people! The rising fame of Disneyland attracted national tourists but also international political authorities including queens and prime ministers from countries such as India, Nepal, Iran, European nations, Africa and South America! Soon after Walt Disney’s focus shifted towards land in Florida where he initiated the globally recognized EPCOT theme park. Nevertheless, Walt Disney was not the only individual behind the success of Disney in which many famous businessmen and artists were a part of the journey of Disney.
Mauro Lima
TL;DR
- Disney was established by Walt Disney and his peers in 1920
- Its first film was Alice in Cartoonland (1923)
- Soon Disney went into Bankruptcy in which Mickey Mouse was crafted
- Disney experienced a rollercoaster of situations in the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo
- The company developed its technology and animation style in this journey
- Walt Disney thought of theme parks as a great family experience and established the world’s first Disneyland in 1955