Did Walt Disney Feel Typecast?

[I Am Clark Kent]

I've been reading "Disney War" by James Stewart and on page 45 there's a qoute by Walt Disney concerning the 1962 movie "To Kill A Mockingbird"

When he watched that movie with his wife and daughter he said:

"I wish I could make movies like that" - Walt Disney

And in one outburst:

"I've worked my whole life to create the image of what 'Walt Disney' is. It's not me. I smoke, I drink and all the things we don't want the public to think about." - Walt Disney

During the early 1960s, movies were undergoing a transformation in terms of increased ussage of violence and sex. One such movie which incorporated both of those elements wonderfully was "Psycho" by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960.

Another movie, "To Kill A Mockingbird" was done in 1962, and delt with rape and violence within a community.

Those are two examples of how powerful an impact movies can have on our way of life. And Walt Disney was recognizing the fact that movie audiances were changing. I guess in a way, his audiance, somewhat betrayed him when they didn't want him to change.

Do you think that's one of the chief problems with the company since Walt Disney died in 1966? To preserve the persona of Walt Disney, when it really wasn't him to begin with.

And with the direction of the company and movies, etc.

That Mickey Mouse is forever bound to the cute cartoon face on t-shirts?

And never knowing the emotional aspects behind the character?

I think that's one thing that we all have to really think about. It takes us a lifetime to create the person that we are and our childhood is the shortest part of that.

In order for Disney to survive in the 21st century, it now has to grow with us as we age. Don't preserve one man's vision, build on the memories of that vision. Anyone agree?

[Mr. Toad]

Umm, Touchstone and Hollywood pictures have been around for 20 years to serve those markets. Eisner and Wells took care of that a long time ago. But your right it was something they were totally unable to do in the Miller years, which came very close to killing the company.

[Sailor Eric]

Well, I just hope Disney keeps making wonderful, innocent, touching and inspiring movies like Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White etc...

[2099net]

I do find it interesting that people keep bringing Walt into the Animated movies of today/sequels debates. Why? Because there is a lot of evidence that Walt was loosing interest in animated movies towards the latter years of his life.

In fact, I think it would be fair to say that Walt had more interest in the live action Disney movies. Who knows what would have happened to the animated movies division had Walt lived. (I don't mean it would have been shut down, but I certainly think the films made would have been different to Disney's early animated films).

[Walt Forever]

I think that at the end of his life (maybe after Mary Poppins 1964) Walt was even losing interest in the live action films, too. I read a lot of biographies and watched documentaries like "Walt the Man behind the myth"; it is very often said that Walt was spending most of his time on other projects like Walt Disney World and EPCOT.

He knew that both his live action staff and his animation staff were trained enough to do those movies without him. There´s a lot of proof that he didn´t like sequels or repeating something he had done in the past. And when you watch Walt in the "EPCOT"-film on the Tomorrowland TT which was filmed only months before his death, you see him as enthusastic as in the golden era of his animation features.

[Sunset Girl]

Forgive me, for I am about to ramble, LOL.

Hmm. Well, let us not forget that he initially went out to Hollywood in hopes of becoming a director of live-action films.

I think that Walt Disney was very gifted as to recognize what would be universally appealing, but as mentioned here, times do change. The average audience member becomes less and less innocent as time goes on, don't you think?

I've always thought there were some understated but mature undertones to some of Walt's animated films (Lady and the Tramp, especially), but nothing to the degree of To Kill a Mockingbird, of course.

In later years, Walt was interested in making an animated film about Reynard the fox, but I think he was smart enought to realize most people would want an animated film from Disney about a bad guy! Disney had a higher image to maintain than any other studio, probably because their style has been unique to Hollywood for decades.

On the other hand, many criticized Walt for creating films that were "bland" or "cookie cutter," although in my opinion they are anything but. You can't please everyone. However, there is something to be said for a Disney "formula." A big part of that is catering to the child in all of us. And that's fine with me.

On a personal note, I love Disney films as they are, but I would also be interested to see more adult subject matter tackled in Disney animation. I guess that's kind of happening as we speak. Especially with what has been happening at another studio (which shall remain unnamed here), I think the public almost expects it now.

We'll see what happens.