Animation : The American Experience by Laurie Ashbourne

Great share, Laurie. Have to check that out. Thanks!

SOOO interesting. Just curious, what do you think of the new Disney Marry Poppins Film as well as the live action Jungle Book?

A friend of mine did viz dev on Jungle Book, and I like Favreau but I had reservations because that was my introduction to Disney as a child, I loved that movie. BUT -- the trailer looks pretty good. Mary Poppins, I thought the idea was ridiculous, but if you saw that portion of the doc, you can see just how much that movie meant to the company so in that regard I get it, I just don't think that story will play to today's families. There's some other remakes on the stove that I'm not too keen on, but we'll see.

One last bit to this, here is a quick review from one of the old animators who was interviewed briefly in the film. http://floydnormancom.squarespace.com/blog/2015/9/17/my-review-of-the-wa...

Thanks, Laurie -- I grew up on Disney and found the PBS documentary both entertaining and instructive.

I'm glad you enjoyed it Brian. There has been a social media uproar over how Disney was portrayed (as evidenced in the review I posted). I have to say having worked in those trenches (not with Walt) but with a few of the people in the video, it really does just scratch the surface. There is no way to describe the atmosphere of a workplace like that and sweat and soul that goes into creating that type of content. The combination of so many hours and so many temperaments and personal artistic expression drawn out (literally over years at a time for each project) -- It's not even something your own family can understand. The prolific producer, Don Hahn, who was in the video, sent this note yesterday and it really sums the whole experience up best: The PBS documentary on Walt Disney has been thought provoking for me: Walt has been gone for fifty years next year. Yet social media is buzzing with rigorous debate about his life. I didn't know Walt. He seems to me to be a big hearted Midwesterner, sincere in his approach, with flaws like all mankind, but tenacious and persistent beyond belief. Others who have long passed, like Buster Keston, Montgomery Clift, Lenny Bruce, all gone for fifty years just like Walt...they seem distant and forgotten. Walt seems relevant, perhaps now more than ever, and very much alive in our thoughts and hearts. PBS and this film has given us a forum to discuss and debate the details of his life, and there have been passionate postings from every corner of the web expressing valid points of support or dissent about the film. But more importantly, the film has cracked open some deep feelings inside of us to reexamine the life of this man, and his spirit, and draw from it inspiration for our own lives.

Laurie, Thanks for your thoughtful reply -- and congrats on a terrific piece of work. I thought you covered a lot of ground in an even-handed way. As to the hubbub... I'm reminded that Peter Jackson wisely engaged in a dialog with fans of the LOTR books. People become emotionally invested in works they love to the degree that they feel they 'own' them and ... I guess I don't see much point in fighting it. And then, this kind of passion suggests all kinds of fascinating things about who and what we are. I always think of Joseph Campbell in this connection, whose works on mythology directly informed the 'Star Wars' saga, and who's often required reading in script writing classes. But no doubt you know all that. I don't doubt for a moment all the time and effort required to create those classic animations. Circling back, I guess the payoff arrives when audiences break down and cry over the sleep-death of Snow White. And then there's the box office receipts.