Archive for the 'Disney' Category
What would happen today if an animation studio were to release a cartoon with absolutely no dialogue, a running time of more than two hours and an all-classical music soundtrack? “Blockbuster-esque box office popularity” might not be your first guess, but Disney’s Fantasia was an achievement like none other, appreciated much more over time than it was upon release in 1941.
Pixar made a splash last year with “Wall-E,” a movie that runs a mere 20 minutes without dialogue. It just goes to show how much today’s films rely on exposition and blustery words rather than genuine feeling and storytelling. As a memento of Mickey Mouse’s classic turn as the sorcerer’s apprentice, Armani Disney figurines have captured the roll in a unique collectible.
Growing up in Southern California, visiting Disneyland became commonplace for me. I can still visit the theme park without needing any sort of map or guidance. Although the rides and attractions are amazing—especially Star Tours—my favorite part of the trip was, ironically, always when we left.
As anyone who has visited Disneyland knows, the entrance and exit to the park lead you right down Main Street. This may sound like the hub of activity at the park, but it is essentially the gift shop section. Every time we went to Disneyland my parents would allow me one small trinket, and I would always choose one of the Disney figurines from the glass shop on the corner.
As most people of a certain generation would agree, they just don’t make movies like they used to. In the case of animated features, this is true in a literal sense. Major film studios like Pixar and DreamWorks create most of their animation with computers – only the brainstorming sketches are hand-drawn. These practices stand in sharp contrast to Disney Animation Studios, which pioneered hand-drawn animation techniques.
Disney figurines serve to remind us of the simpler times, when each new picture was an event. Beginning with the opening frames of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and continuing through the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, nearly every feature Disney released became an instant classic. Carefully crafted figurines make excellent collector’s items, and they transport us back to a golden age of cinema.