Classic movie site with rare images, original ads, and behind-the-scenes photos, with informative and insightful commentary. We like to have fun with movies!
Archive and Links
grbrpix@aol.com
Search Index Here




Wednesday, September 06, 2006

A Turbulent Year For Disney --- Part One

Walt Disney was always for enriching his audience. He opted for science fact rather than science fiction. Historical Americana was the genre he preferred over westerns. When ABC applied pressure for Disneyland to program more cowboy fare along the lines of Texas John Slaughter, Disney bailed for another network rather than sell out to accommodate a current fad. His total creative control reflected commitment to a level of quality beyond what other feature and television producers dealt in at the time. The Disneyland series had gotten its start in 1954 with programming heavily weighted toward vault favorites. Alice In Wonderland had an early television bow here, only three years after theatrical release, along with comparatively recent features So Dear To My Heart, Treasure Island, and portions of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Original segments included Davy Crockett and the remarkable Man In Space, a science entry with special effects at least as good as anything the major studios were doing for their own theatrical sci-fi efforts. Disneyland was first and foremost a promotional tool for the company’s theatrical releases. Viewers fortunate enough to have grown up during the fifties recall the intense television saturation that accompanied every Buena Vista offering. Thirty and sixty second promos burned images into the minds of youngsters that, for many, resonate today. By 1959, Disney had a system in place to guarantee every child’s awareness of what he had to offer in theatres. It was mere matter of translating that awareness into ticket sales. A product ad above lays out studio product for that year. Most would prove commercial disappointments, despite the televised push. Only one broke out and became a major hit, its success by far a most unexpected. Tonka was a minor western that had been released in the final month of 1958. A vehicle for teen idol Sal Mineo, it was the sort of product one might see on Disneyland, as its director, Lewis R. Foster, had lately supervised a number of Daniel Boone and Andy Burnett episodes for the network. Such an inexpensive venture could still be profitable if only a fraction of Disney’s TV audience bought tickets to see it (and Tonka would indeed find its own berth on Disney’s TV schedule barely three years later in February 1962 under the title Comanche). Sleeping Beauty was something else. This was a six million-dollar investment set for roadshow openings in January 1959. As far back as April 30, 1958, there had been a Disneyland segment devoted largely to it. An Adventure In Art opened with Walt reading excerpts from a book as he hosts this straightforward primer on the history and technique of drawing and animation. Remarkable that a home audience sixty years ago sat quietly for a sober examination of art and its application, likelier content for one of Disney’s classroom subjects than a TV program designed for a mass audience. An Adventure In Art is a monument to Disney’s integrity and refusal to simplify or ignore a complicated creative process --- but how much did it help Sleeping Beauty, despite generous clips from same? The picture had just opened when Disneyland broadcast The Story Of Peter Tchaikovsky, a thirty-minute pocket bio of the composer whose ballet was heavily utilized in the score for Sleeping Beauty. That January 30, 1959 episode also featured an extended preview of the new animated attraction, and in what was billed as a television first, the hour was simulcast in stereo as well (here’s a shot of Grant Williams as Tchaikovsky --- and check THIS previous Greenbriar posting for more about that historic broadcast).
Roadshow engagements of the seventy-five minute Sleeping Beauty were buttressed with a half-hour featurette entitled Grand Canyon. This True-Life derivation sans narration featured only a classical score by Ferde Grofé as background. It’s an oppressively arty subject, though beautifully photographed. No doubt the Technirama projection in a flagship palace would take one’s breath away, but that thirty minutes goes slow. Walt may have envisioned this as a live-action Fantasia using nature subjects instead of animation. There is wildlife, but no lonesome cougars or way-out seals --- consequently, no laughs. Grand Canyon wouldn’t have been a very tasty appetizer for Sleeping Beauty, unless you were that kid on the block that looked forward to his daily violin lesson. The lofty intent seems to have been maintained for the feature ---Sleeping Beauty is by far the coldest animated pageant I can recall seeing from Disney. Having watched it again this week, I was surprised at the weaknesses inherited from rival producer Max Fleischer’s own Gulliver’s Travels (all that labored comedy with would-be in-law kings). Within ten minutes, the whole story, including its resolution, is spelled out. Princess Aurora will prick her finger on the spinning wheel and sleep for eternity --- unless awakened by love’s first kiss. It reminded me of a contemporary movie trailer where they give away the whole story before it begins. Another thing is those three fairies. For some reason, I really gag on them. Always have. They’re not funny, ever. They look alike, act alike, and are so sweet and dithery as to make you wish villainous Maleficent would finish them off in the opening reel. One big highlight of the show is a chase and battle with the dragon at the end, but that’s after an hour where very little happens. I’ve read how Disney recognized problems in padding out this fairy tale to feature length. I’m informed too of distractions with Disneyland (the park) and other projects leaving less time for focus on Sleeping Beauty. The Tchaikovsky music is dynamic, and maybe youngsters in the audience were inspired to seek out classical records rather than a latest Ricky Nelson, but aiming upwards toward your public is a perilous direction to take, hard truth Disney pondered over disappointing receipts from Sleeping Beauty.

Part Two of this column is HERE.

5 Comments:

Blogger J.C. Loophole said...

I grew up watching the Wonderful World of Disney and find myself excited when I see an episode included as an extra on a Disney DVD. The True Life Adventures bored me a little as a kid, but I was endlessly fascinated by Walt's episodes that focused on science, history, magic and animation. Now that I am older I know that some of these shows were precursors to "HBO first looks" or "Making of..." specials, but darn if Walt's weren't more entertaining and informative. I never knew I was watching an hour long promo piece for a film, and quite frankly still don't. The man was a storyteller and knew how to entertain and inform. If you collect the Disney Treasures series on DVD, then you know there is plenty of good stuff out there like the "Man and the Moon" science episodes on DVD( that one is on the Tomorrowland DVD). Great stuff.
By the way, Disney is now releasing the True Life Adventures on a series of DVDs similar to the Walt Disney Treasures series. I did grow to like those as I got older.

8:58 AM  
Blogger Rich D said...

Oh man, I can't believe you brought up TONKA. I saw it in elementary school on one of those days near the end of the year where they herd all the kids into the gym to see a movie. I think I was in 3rd or 4th grade. Man, was that almost 30 years ago?

2:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

After dinner Sunday nights at my grandparent’s house all the little ones huddled around the TV for a weekly dose of Uncle Walt Disney. (We used to have huge arguments over which one of us Tinkerbell was waving at with her wand.) Walt could have told us the sky was green and no one would question it. Fast forward to my college years when I found out the truth about Uncle Walt. Bigot, racist, union buster, anti-woman, red-baiter and lead snitch at the HUAC. He testified against the animators that made him rich in an effort to bust their union. He lied and said they were communists. All were eventually exonerated of all charges but many careers and lives were ruined. With the truth about Walt tainting the past and the cynical marketing strategies aimed at children today by Uber-Disney/Cap Cities et. al. I can’t think of Disney with out feeling sad.

2:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

About SLEEPING BEAUTY not being the best Disney film: I have to strongly disagree as it is my favorite one next to BAMBI and PINNOCHIO. Both of those classics lost money by the way. A Disney animmated feature losing money the first time out was not unusual and is not a basis for declaring the film a poor one. I also think that it is blindness to say that the three fairies are exactly alike. They actually have distinct personalities and I have often delighted at their character differences. They are far more defined than the 7 dwarfs. And have you ever seen the actual SLEEPING BEAUTY ballet? Woof! Mr. Disney and his team knew how to tell a story and they tell this fairytale better than it has ever been told before or since. I go to the ballet often because I love the score, but I always walk away thinking that Walt Disney knew how to use that music the best.

4:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous,
RE: "I found out the truth about Uncle Walt. Bigot, racist, union buster, anti-woman, red-baiter and lead snitch at the HUAC." I know which unauthorized book you read. You should look at a film called WALT DINESY: THE MAN BEHIND THE MYTH. All the key people alive who worked with him are interviewed and they tell, overall, a very different story. The documentary was not made by the Disney Studio, but by the grandson who wanted to get the story straight.

4:27 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

grbrpix@aol.com
  • December 2005
  • January 2006
  • February 2006
  • March 2006
  • April 2006
  • May 2006
  • June 2006
  • July 2006
  • August 2006
  • September 2006
  • October 2006
  • November 2006
  • December 2006
  • January 2007
  • February 2007
  • March 2007
  • April 2007
  • May 2007
  • June 2007
  • July 2007
  • August 2007
  • September 2007
  • October 2007
  • November 2007
  • December 2007
  • January 2008
  • February 2008
  • March 2008
  • April 2008
  • May 2008
  • June 2008
  • July 2008
  • August 2008
  • September 2008
  • October 2008
  • November 2008
  • December 2008
  • January 2009
  • February 2009
  • March 2009
  • April 2009
  • May 2009
  • June 2009
  • July 2009
  • August 2009
  • September 2009
  • October 2009
  • November 2009
  • December 2009
  • January 2010
  • February 2010
  • March 2010
  • April 2010
  • May 2010
  • June 2010
  • July 2010
  • August 2010
  • September 2010
  • October 2010
  • November 2010
  • December 2010
  • January 2011
  • February 2011
  • March 2011
  • April 2011
  • May 2011
  • June 2011
  • July 2011
  • August 2011
  • September 2011
  • October 2011
  • November 2011
  • December 2011
  • January 2012
  • February 2012
  • March 2012
  • April 2012
  • May 2012
  • June 2012
  • July 2012
  • August 2012
  • September 2012
  • October 2012
  • November 2012
  • December 2012
  • January 2013
  • February 2013
  • March 2013
  • April 2013
  • May 2013
  • June 2013
  • July 2013
  • August 2013
  • September 2013
  • October 2013
  • November 2013
  • December 2013
  • January 2014
  • February 2014
  • March 2014
  • April 2014
  • May 2014
  • June 2014
  • July 2014
  • August 2014
  • September 2014
  • October 2014
  • November 2014
  • December 2014
  • January 2015
  • February 2015
  • March 2015
  • April 2015
  • May 2015
  • June 2015
  • July 2015
  • August 2015
  • September 2015
  • October 2015
  • November 2015
  • December 2015
  • January 2016
  • February 2016
  • March 2016
  • April 2016
  • May 2016
  • June 2016
  • July 2016
  • August 2016
  • September 2016
  • October 2016
  • November 2016
  • December 2016
  • January 2017
  • February 2017
  • March 2017
  • April 2017
  • May 2017
  • June 2017
  • July 2017
  • August 2017
  • September 2017
  • October 2017
  • November 2017
  • December 2017
  • January 2018
  • February 2018
  • March 2018
  • April 2018
  • May 2018
  • June 2018
  • July 2018
  • August 2018
  • September 2018
  • October 2018
  • November 2018
  • December 2018
  • January 2019
  • February 2019
  • March 2019
  • April 2019
  • May 2019
  • June 2019
  • July 2019
  • August 2019
  • September 2019
  • October 2019
  • November 2019
  • December 2019
  • January 2020
  • February 2020
  • March 2020
  • April 2020
  • May 2020
  • June 2020
  • July 2020
  • August 2020
  • September 2020
  • October 2020
  • November 2020
  • December 2020
  • January 2021
  • February 2021
  • March 2021
  • April 2021
  • May 2021
  • June 2021
  • July 2021
  • August 2021
  • September 2021
  • October 2021
  • November 2021
  • December 2021
  • January 2022
  • February 2022
  • March 2022
  • April 2022
  • May 2022
  • June 2022
  • July 2022
  • August 2022
  • September 2022
  • October 2022
  • November 2022
  • December 2022
  • January 2023
  • February 2023
  • March 2023
  • April 2023
  • May 2023
  • June 2023
  • July 2023
  • August 2023
  • September 2023
  • October 2023
  • November 2023
  • December 2023
  • January 2024
  • February 2024
  • March 2024