Normally when I do one of my history lessons I post something related to war. But today marks a certain historical event that isnt so much a big deal in the wider realm of history but concerns something that I loved as a kid and now love even more because I can appreciate it for what it really is. On this day, October 23rd, 1941, Walt Disneys Dumbo was released to theaters. The film Walt said was his favorite. https://youtube/watch?v=WWyB3Fz26SU&list=UUFf6s_8ARlLmhddn0_8lR4w This film differed from the animated films previously made at the Disney studio, largely due to the difficult circumstances that the studio was in at the time. The two previously released animated films, Pinocchio and Fantasia, had been financial losses for the studio, mainly due to the war in Europe cutting out nearly half of the studios revenue. To recoup the loss, Dumbo was made with simplicity and economy in mind. The film lacks the lavish detail of the previous three Disney animated features (Fantasia, Pinocchio, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs): character designs are simpler, background paintings are less detailed, and a number of held cels (or frames) were used in the character animation. Although the film is more cartoony than previous Disney films the animators brought elephants and other animals into the studio to study their movement. But with less time being spent on the backgrounds, the animators could focus on the most important thing; the characters. Each character was given more detail and attention, the facial expressions of Dumbo himself being especially praised. The film was also extremely short, at just 64 minutes long. Disneys distributor, RKO, initially refused to release the film as an A grade feature because of this, but eventually relented. Although the film was indeed a Happy Picture as Walt described, the development was not exactly the same deal as it was made during the 1941 Disney Strike. At the time the film was being made, various film and cartoon studios were under attack by unionists. Although the Disney staff were payed the highest wages and worked in the best conditions, many animators thought that Walt was giving the, the short straw. On previous films, he had given bonuses to employees that he believed had done exceptional work, but due to the financial trouble the studio was in, he could no longer afford to do so and was also forced to cut wages and lay off some employees. Many members of the Disney staff went on strike demanding higher wages. Walt, like many businessman of the time, was extremely suspicious of unions, seeing them a front for communism. The strike ended after five weeks, many staff members leaving the studio (although some would later return) and Dumbo was finished and released. Ironically, a number of the strikers are caricatured in the feature as clowns who go to hit the big boss for a raise. Although things at the Disney Studio became amicable once more, Walt remained quite upset over the strike, believing it damaged the family atmosphere that they had created together. Walt felt he had been betrayed and became more careful of who he truly considered to be his friends but recovered for the most part. When Dumbo was finally released, it was a box office hit and reviewed well. Many critics who thought Fantasia had been too high brow appreciated the return to simply story telling and animation. The films simplicity, made for the sake of economy, became its trademark appeal and considered by many to be the greatets animated feature ever made. The New York Times summed it sums it up perfectly. Dumbo is the most genial, the most endearing, the most completely precious cartoon feature film ever to emerge from the magical brushes of Walt Disneys wonder-working artists It is my favorite out of all the classic Disney animated films. As I already said, it was also Walt Disneys favorite film. I suspect that it is because of this scene in particular that that is why this was the case, because I can tell you it the same reason why is it my favorite. https://youtube/watch?v=calHOKucYMw
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 09:08:46 +0000
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