"Walt Disney Treasures 2010"? - Disney Documentaries

[Whitney]

While not a DVD, but in the same vein as many of these documentaries, the graphic novel Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow by Brian Fieso takes a look at Walt's ventures into building the perfect, futuristic society. It explains how he hired nuclear scientists and other professionals to help him realize his vision.

Even if the main topic isn't animation, it offers a wonderful glimpse into how people viewed the future based on their present circumstances from varying decades.

[Ben]

I didn't compare these to being bona fide Treasures, but suggested that Disney has "filled the gap" left open by not having any Treasures this year, by offering these three rarely seen films.

Yes, they might otherwise be "bonus features" on other Treasures, in the way that Hand Behind The Mouse was, but they're also standalone films in their own right. And with the amount of extras each gets - with the uncut Saludos Amigos in check - I'd say they're more than just a "step down", even if they're not fully blown Treasures-like releases.

Although having said all that, it seems the announcement of these has done the job...unlike the last two years, I don't hear anyone really complaining that we're not getting any Treasures this year. I guess most people are content and excited enough.

[ohmahaaha]

I think you're right there - haven't seen too much complaining about the lack of Treasures myself. Perhaps "coming back from the dead" once before, people thought we were lucky to get the last few waves??

[EricJ]

I've heard complaining, but mostly from the people who weren't aware of the documentaries.

(And frankly, think the Treasures just suffered a bad image rep near the end and sales numbers were misinterpreted:
They started out balanced--one Vault History, one Compleat toon collection, and one TV Classics--but their insistence on Mickey Mouse Club sets sank the sales numbers. Spin & Marty maybe, but don't know how much of an audience was waiting for "Annette: the Complete Series".
I'd seen "Your Host, Walt Disney" reduced to being sold as a Movie Rewards prize--which means they wanted to get rid of a backlog of unsold surplus--and bet a lot sites giving it bad reviews as "unnecessary recycled material" back then would be glad to have that set around today.)

[Ben]

Loved that set. I'm thinking of getting a second copy from the Rewards, actually.

Yes, the Treasures "tailed off" for those that didn't wallow in the goodness until the end, but that only makes these more of a decent "substitute". And my basic point is that I hope this sparks more of the same still to come around the same time of the year, annually. Whatever the low numbers, they know there are genuinely excited fans out there lapping this kind of thing up.

[ShyViolet]

Another great interview with Don Hahn, as WSB came out on DVD today. Also, they briefly discuss Frankenweenie.



http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEvXYs1h4ZTSzA

EDIT: wrong link, corrected now.

[Ben]

Can't believe there hasn't been much interest here in these films: they're excellent! For what it's worth, perhaps my extensive review will sway those on the fence:

http://animatedviews.com/2010/walt-el-g ... mentaries/

[Randall]

I'm waiting for mine to ship from that one website offer ($54, with free 8x10 lithos). Looking forward to them all, though, especially El Grupo!

[estefan]

Disney Movie Collections rejected my perfectly legitimate credit card so many times, I just gave up.

I will probably rent them, when I get the chance or maybe wait until they go on sale (Disney DVDs seem to very quickly dropping in price lately. I saw the new James and the Peach DVD for only $10 the other day. Didn't it just come out?).

[EricJ]

For the (stateside) cheap who have Netflix, Starz has been showing the Boys and El Grupo for free on Instant Streaming.
(No word yet on Waking, although Disney may be holding that one back from TV for Oscar qualifications)--

The Boys is good (although it skims over all the non-Disney work), but El Grupo feels a little long and unsatisfying: They tease us with stories about the strike and South America's shaky leanings toward Germany, and then once the trip sets off, just recaps the itinerary of the trip, shows us the locales and the sketches, talks with the survivors and reads letters home.
We unfortunately feel like we're on the trip with the artists--Looking at more and more scenery and sketches, cut off from news of what's happening at the studio, looking at too many gaucho folkdances, and wishing they were home already.

[GeorgeC]

Can't believe there hasn't been much interest here in these films: they're excellent! For what it's worth, perhaps my extensive review will sway those on the fence:

http://animatedviews.com/2010/walt-el-g ... mentaries/

Ben,

You've swayed me. I blame you for the money I will probably spend at Disney Movie Club getting these documentaries!

*********




But seriously, they sounded cool. Like the idea of getting the original uncut version of Saludos Amigos as a bonus, too.

I can't for the life of me understand all the PC-nonsense through Hollywood and Disney-ville now. I can understand not having smoking in newer films but why tamper with classics because an adult -- let alone an animated character -- is smoking or not living up to the standards of Mickey Mouse? That's why people LOVE the other Disney characters like Donald and Goofy. They are NOT Mickey and can get away with things the Mouse can't!

Wish these documentaries could have been Blu ray releases but I still buy DVDs of things that aren't on Blu ray.

Contrary to other people, I've always found Walt charming and interesting in the old Disneyland TV series and those films he made to promote Disney films and behind the scenes looks... We can only wish Disney pays attention to HARD-CORE collectors and release more of the backlot and historical Walt material!

There are very few people in the last century who were historical figures who have fascinated me. Albert Einstein is one, and Nikolai Tesla, who I consider the GREATEST engineer/scientist/physicist to date in history, the smartest fellow I've heard about AND vastly underrated and misunderstood, is another.

There's a very fine line between true genius and lunacy. Read the personal histories of both Einstein's and Tesla's quirks and that becomes almost a Law of Behavioral Science! From what I've read of Walt, that is true to an extent, too. He definitely had his eccentricities like any of the long-term Disney Studio associates.

Walt's definitely in good company, there. I sure think he was the greatest genius in entertainment history to date. Considering all he accomplished in 40 years, nobody's been as prolific since.

[Sid Philips]

"Ub Iwerks’ daughter, Leslie, wrote a book and directed a feature-length documentary on her father,"

No. Leslie is Ubbe Iwerks' GRANDdaughter.

FYI.

[Ben]

Oops...I of course knew this, just a slip of the hands in the excitement of typing up my notes at two in the morning! But thanks, Sid, for the (embarrassing!) catch: I've updated the review with a couple of other little fixes I noticed after re-reading it in the cold light of day!

For those that don't have them...Amazon is offering for around $23 each, and that offer website Rand linked to is down to under $50 for all three.


It's funny that Eric bemoaned "feeling like we're on the trip with the artists"...when that's the very intention of Walt & El Grupo! I did mention the strike isn't referenced that much, but also that this wasn't the focus of the film. As such, it does what it does excellently: put you on the trip with the staff in 1942 via the only means available to them - lots of well animated stills and archive footage. If you don't want to go on that trip, that's down to you!

I think all three of these films should have been considered for serious Oscar potential, but as I said in the review, "it’s perhaps their “lightweight” (read: non-political or environmental) subject matter that didn’t see these films competing for major awards consideration". As for Waking Sleeping Beauty, it's too late for that film too: it came out in 2009 and would have been eligible for last year's awards...

[EricJ]

It's funny that Eric bemoaned "feeling like we're on the trip with the artists"...when that's the very intention of Walt & El Grupo! I did mention the strike isn't referenced that much, but also that this wasn't the focus of the film. As such, it does what it does excellently: put you on the trip with the staff in 1942 via the only means available to them - lots of well animated stills and archive footage. If you don't want to go on that trip, that's down to you!

Liked to have known a little more connection about what came out of the trip:
Think at one point there's a mention of the Brazilian who inspired Jose Carioca, and South America's reaction to the movie is briefly mentioned--Chile says "All we got was a plane?", and we hear Walt's interview fading out of the end credits saying "Chile thought there was too much Brazil, Peru didn't like Chile being in it..."
A little larger perspective than just the trip would've been nice, but like the artists, after a while if you've seen one gorgeous Rio-scape, you've seen them all.