Did childhood make nostalgic shows so magical? Or do we outgrow the content with time? Perhaps it’s what Disney is doing with their stories.
With sequels and prequels of the Disney classics and the move from beloved animated movies to live-action versions like “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” Disney is rewriting cinema for upcoming generations.
Disney is still going strong, with $91 billion in revenue as of September 2024. Children, teens and adults are watching their films. However, people want new stories to provide them with the same comfort they rely on Disney to provide.
Undeniably, Disney’s animation hasn’t faltered. In 1939, Disney initially hand-drew scenes and animated them. They experimented with new methods like Technicolor, where a special camera split light into red, green, and blue, capturing it on film, then dying and recombining it to create motion pictures on the screen. Rotoscoping, tracing over a live-action frame, was incorporated in “Snow White.” These were just the first innovations.
In less than 50 years, Disney was using computer and live-action animation, 2D and 3D, morphing objects, and of course: CGI (computer-generated imagery).
More recent releases like “Mufasa: The Lion King,” animation was taken to a new level. Although VFX (visual effects) were part of the animation world for years, the Mufasa team had performers in character costumes like Mufasa, Sarabi, Taka, Rafiki, and Zazu mimic their movements and capture them with motion sensors to bring the beloved characters to life.
The fantasy elements and stories transported audiences to a world painted by imagination and endless possibilities. But somewhere along the way, fans seem to have lost the awe that Disney brings.
Walt Disney was renowned for his creativity. With today’s mission to be more inclusive and diverse, people may wonder where the Disney charm has gone. Snow White’s aspirations to become a leader instead of finding true love have audiences debating whether it is worth ruining the former Disney world of wonder and fantasy in favor of reality.
The next time you browse Disney Plus, consider this: has Disney lost its originality, or does it still have that magic that was such a big part of our childhood?
