Forever Magical
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The next step was live-action and Disney moved closer with the film So Dear to My Heart, which is one of Maltin’s favorites. Walt Disney is known for his love of miniatures and one of the first he created was Granny’s cabin from the film. Bobby Driscoll, who starred in So Dear to My Heart, portrayed young Jim Hawkins in Disney’s Treasure Island. According to Leonard Maltin the film was storyboarded which allowed Disney to quickly film all the sequences involving Driscoll as he could remain in England for a short time only.

One of my favorite stories from the presentation revolved around one of my favorite Disney live-action films, Darby O Gill and the Little People. Disney was the master of promoting his upcoming films and this particular film was no different. You’ve probably seen the special "I Captured the King of Leprechauns". Apparently the young Maltin was terribly perplexed by this episode, which featured Walt Disney and the King of the Leprechauns, but he was unwilling to ask anyone if the little people really existed. According to Maltin some of the amazing visuals in the film were created with such simple effects as placing one character closer to the camera while others were in the distance creating an optical illusion.

Next we were treated to scenes from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Absent Minded Professor. Maltin said The Absent Minded Professor, with its bouncing ballplayers, was filmed in black and white as it was believed color would expose too many of the effects used.

Following a clip from that feature, Maltin announced the next set of Walt Disney Treasures. These include Mickey Mouse in Black & White (vol 1), the Complete Goofy, Behind the Scenes at the Studios (a collection of the various Disney tv shows including the Reluctant Dragon), and Wartime Disney including Victory through Air Power.

The next clip received the biggest applause of the afternoon. The audiences attachment to this character gave me a brief glimpse into what it must’ve been like in the 50’s when the Crockett Craze took over the nation. As Maltin explained, the word fad is too small, too trivial a word for Davy. It was a phenomenon. And Disney didn’t see it coming. The song, sung by Fess Parker, played for weeks on the Hit Parade. In talking about the phenomenon, Maltin explained that unlike other western of the time, Davy Crockett was filmed on location in Tennessee which provided it with a richness those filmed on soundstages lacked. He also pointed out the portrayal of Native Americans was more respectful than in previous films and television. As the clip ended and the Crockett theme played many in the audience joined in.

The final clip of the presentation was from Mary Poppins, which was a great triumph for Walt Disney. Maltin shared some stories of the film’s development and then it was time for the clip. Tim O’Day informed us that in selecting this clip he had chosen his favorite sequence, so we were treated to I Love to Laugh. While the clip played I noticed O’Day fighting back the laughter despite the fact I’m sure he has seen the film dozens of times.

Now the floor was open to questions. It was obvious that people were interested in hearing what Leonard Maltin’s feelings were about recent films and the company’s current path. In answering the questions he commented on the difficult situation the Disney Company is in as was illustrated with Atlantis. He explained that if they try something new critics often say it doesn’t look like Disney enough, but if they don’t they're criticized for looking the same. He expressed a desire that people "take a film for what it is and not for what it isn’t." When asked about Shrek vs. Monsters, Inc he said that Shrek had a better screenplay, it was sharp and funny, but he seemed to enjoy Monsters, Inc more.

Maltin also tackled the topics of political correctness stating he felt the removal of the cigarette from Pecos Bill was "idiotic" and talked about the Company’s decision to not release Song of the South. He has stated previously he is not opposed to its release but doesn’t wish to trample on the sensitivities of others. I would’ve loved to have heard him elaborate on this, sharing his ideas for how it could packaged in such a way to smooth some of the contention its release would certainly create. In fact, that is what I kept thinking throughout the presentation…I want to hear more. Not only was it an opportunity to see the Disney classics on something larger than my television but I was able to view them through new, much more educated eyes. Growing up I dismantled toys because I loved to see how they worked. (most times I was able to put them back together so my parents didn’t stop me), so I thoroughly enjoyed hearing more about what makes the Disney films great. The presentation was great but only made me hungrier for similar events. I hope that this is only the first of many more.

Group leader Ray hands out complimentary copies of the latest edition of
Leonard Maltin's Disney Films book to all convention attendees.

There’s a small sample of the Disney magic that was had at the Walt Disney Art Classics convention this past weekend. Later in this and next week you’ll hear about the other activities and the merchandise that was featured. And if you’re interested in attending the next convention it is going to be held on the Disney Cruise Line, May 15 - 18, 2003. Starting in July, you can call (407) 827-7600 for information.

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-- Rebekah Moseley

-- Posted April 24, 2002