Monday 16 February 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.

The Disney franchise is immense and covers a wide range of businesses which produces movies, TV channels, shops, merchandise, spectaculars and adventure parks. Everybody at some point in their life has had some interaction with Disney as a corporation whether it is watching a movie, visiting a resort or purchasing company merchandise.

Since the start of the twenty-first century Disney as a brand has sky-rocketed, opening numerous amusement parks and stores. Additionally the Muppets, the virtual world for kids, Club Penguin, Pixar Animation and Lucas Film and the Stars Wars brand have all been acquired by the Disney company. There is also a Disney cruise line with two ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy making their first journeys in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

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 a grumpy duck, Donald was included in the Disney repertoire. A few months later in 1935 Mickey had his debut in colour. The studio possessed the patent for Technicolor for a short amount of time and therefore was the only studio producing colour cartoons. In the Karnival Kid in 1929, Mickey did another 'first', and that was to talk saying the important words 'Hot Dog!'.

Such classic and popular characters as Mickey and Donald have also found themselves in cameo roles in later movies. For example for those experts with a keen eye watching the Little Mermaid you may spot Goofy, Mickey and Donald in the background of the introductory scenes. Don't worry, you have time to go and check.

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.

Even Walt Elias Disney, the founder of the company, liked to appear in his own movies, albeit surreptitiously. For example he appears in the 1940s classic, Fantasia. The sorceress, Yen Sid was Disney's name backwards. His name is also referenced in the 2008 film Wall-E, the name of a loveable robotic garbage collector.

Throughout his lifetime, Walt Disney won 53 awards, including the largest number of Academy Awards, at twenty-six won. He was also given an Oscar with seven dwarf Oscars for Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1938). This history of award winning animation will only continue as the studios continue to grow.




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