We are all familiar with the stories of Snow White and Peter Pan. And while these films are considered classic by many, it is not uncommon to think of Disney characters and films when movies such as these are mentioned. Disney is a name that is known worldwide; one that everybody knows and one that brings nothing but sheer joy to children and adults alike. From films that put smiles on audiences' faces to theme songs that are too memorable to forget to exhilarating theme parks for everyone to experience, Walt Disney has built the ultimate, most desirable empire.
Born on December 5th, 1901 in Chicago Illinois, Disney's interest in art started when he was just a little boy. Ever since he was a teenager, he wanted nothing more than to take his drawings and his artistic abilities to new heights and that is exactly what he did. It was his dream and he never gave up hope. And he did all he could in order to make that dream a reality. Like all heroes' journeys, Disney's quest to fame and fortune was not an easy one, but he never let anything bring him down. After a small company that he started called Laugh-O-Grams fell bankrupt, Disney headed to Hollywood in hopes of starting a fresh, new career. He was not even twenty-two.
Although Disney was not your typical Hollywood star, his talents did not go unnoticed. Plane Crazy, Disney's first debut cartoon, introduced the world to Mickey Mouse, a simple talking Mouse which eventually became Disney's trademark. Soon after, the invention of Disney characters such as Donald Duck, Minnie and Goofy, only made Disney's popularity soar. He was the first artist to introduce the idea of Technicolor in films, allowing him to make the first and only color cartoons. In December, 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered in Los Angeles and became the first full-length animated musical feature. And five years after that, many other full-length classics were created including Pinocchio, Fantasia and Bambi.
It was at this time that Disney was becoming successful all over the world. In July of 1957, Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim California, attracting individuals from all over the world. Without hesitation, it is the most successful amusement park in history, with 6.7 million people visiting it only 6 years after it opened. Disney's idea for the park was inspired primarily by his children. He would love taking them to amusement parks and watching them have fun on the rides and he wanted to build a park where the entire family could have fun together, both children and adults. In 1971, Disney World in Orlando, Florida was finally opened and since then, Disney theme parks have opened in Tokyo and Paris. In addition, Disney theme parks only continued to grow with the creation of Disney- MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom.
Although Walt Disney died on December 15th, 1966, his traditions live on even to this day. He was ambitious and courageous and was successfully able to combine the animation and cinema worlds into one. He turned his simple artistic drawings into a world known kingdom and thus established his own creative culture that we have all come to know and love. Like any hero, a lot of Disney's ideas and actions were criticized and many deemed him to fail. But they were wrong. It is because of Walt Disney that kids are able to watch movies with nothing but smiles on their faces and laughter in their hearts. He changed the course of the film industry and created an empire that does nothing but entertain both adults and children around the globe.
Here is a short clip, in honor of Walt Disney, that shares with audiences how Walt Disney cartoons are made. Enjoy 🙂[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/mhfp6Z8z1cI" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Walt Disney is the perfect example of a transforming hero whose actions did not save lives or prevent crime, but instead created a new era of entertainment for children and adults alike. His legacy has lasted long after his living days, and his name is one that is known throughout every household in the United States. As this blog entries explain, he influence surpassed the world of cinema and cartoon. His creations have allowed children to achieve their childhood dreams and meet their favorite Walt Disney cartoon characters at amusement parks across the world and watching Disney movies has become a tradition for many young American children.
I would like to argue that -Walt Disney did "transform" the lives of countless people especially kids by teaching them how to be kind, fair, and just. The Disney ending of all stories are happy and fairytale like -" those that did good were rewarded in the end- although they had to endure a time of suffering like all heroes." . Walt was modeling for kids the idea of do good onto others and good would be done onto you almost the opposite of the Bandura Bobo Doll Study.
I definitely agree that Walt Disney is a hero! We all grew up with Mickey and Minnie, watched the movies, sung the songs, were jealous when our friends got to go to Disney World before us – it was a worldwide phenomenon experienced by everyone, in some way or another. Disney had a vision and he built upon it. His dreams became a reality – and it was with this that he touched the lives of both children and adults across the globe. Inspiring, motivating, entertaining, charming, or, just putting a smile on people's faces – Walt Disney achieved all of this with his audiences. He did not save lives, he did not fight villains, he did not put his own life on the line for the safety of others. Instead, with a sketchpad, a pencil, and, an idea, he was able to make dreams come true and touch the lives of people worldwide. I mean, why else would Super Bowl M.V.P.'s be rewarded with a trip to Disney World? There has to be a reason for this, right?
Disney was certainly a hero. He inspired many to go into the cartoon business. He brought joy and happiness to countless families between his movies and theme parks. Even over forty years after his death, Disney still has a strong influence on American culture. Even today Disneyland is thought of as the place where dreams come true.