Thoughts on Walt
Page 7 of 26
Jeff Kurtti on Walt Disney
December 11, 2001
| I also love his oft-proven ability to gauge what people would be interested in, and never patronizing or "pre-consuming" product for his audience the way many producers do today. |
Film historian and Disney authority Jeff Kurtti is the author of several books and magazine articles, a writer-director of documentaries, and a frequent public speaker, host, and panel moderator.
Kurtti was a producer of the acclaimed DVD editions of The Sixth Sense, A Bug's Life, Tarzan, Toy Story, Fantasia, Dinosaur, The Emperor's New Groove and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He was the writer of the multiple award-winning laser disc edition of Toy Story, as well as the laser disc collector's editions of Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
He has written, directed, and produced documentaries on the making of Sleeping Beauty, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and The Jungle Book, and his Fantasia documentary was nominated for the 2000 Video Business Best Documentary Award. His video work has been seen on "The Academy Awards(tm)" and "The Wonderful World of Disney."
Kurtti recently joined forces with filmmaker Michael Pellerin to form a Hollywood-based production company specializing in the production of DVD Collector's Editions. He is also at work on several books and a documentary film.
LaughingPlace.com: What was your first exposure to Walt Disney?
Jeff Kurtti: I was born in 1961. Like most kids, I had an exposure to the name Walt Disney before I connected it to a human being. My first clear memory of a Walt Disney production is seeing my first movie in 1965. It was Mary Poppins, and I was hooked. My mother tells me I sat in rapt silence, and the first thing I said after the houselights came up was, "Can we see it again?"
My other clear memory about a knowledge of the man Walt Disney is from December 15, 1966. I was barely five years old and found my mother watching television and crying softly. When I asked her what was wrong, she tried to explain gently that Walt Disney had died. I am told that I pondered this for a few minutes and then asked her, "Is Mickey Mouse dead, too?"
LP: What do you admire the most about Walt Disney?
JK: Having studied the man and his work for many years, I really appreciate his doggedness. His confidence that his vision was worth pursuing, and his ability to get other people to buy into that vision wholeheartedly. I think the Davy Crockett song, "Be Sure You're Right, Then Go Ahead" said a lot about Walt!
I also love his oft-proven ability to gauge what people would be interested in, and never patronizing or "pre-consuming" product for his audience the way many producers do today.
LP: What is the greatest gift Walt left to the Company?
JK: A great philosophical foundation that is highly "gettable." It has created an enormous resource for the Company, coupled with an enormous responsibility. And it's a philosophy that Walt himself might have been unable to articulate, and that people still discuss and debate--and that's why Disney has a stronger culture than ever.
LP: In your opinion, what is the greatest gift Walt left to the world?
JK: All of the stories that he merged into the Disney culture repeatedly contain vital positive elements: curiosity, optimism, confidence. Certainly all of the "collateral" of his career--films, consumer products, theme parks--are important, but they are really reminders of an underlying philosophy that continues long after the houselights come up or the car has left the parking lot.
LP: Any additional comments you'd like to add.
JK: I'm truly honored and blessed to have had a life and career so enhanced and informed by this great man and his work. His creative heirs had a giant shadow to stand in, and they often get slammed for their mishandling of Walt's legacy. But look around--Disney is still here and still strong, and it's because of a strong sense of identity and culture that Walt created. He was an amazing man, and my years of studying him and his works have only made him more fascinating.
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