Disniversity Podcast

Pens down, everyone – there’s no lecture this week, and no required viewing. In our first bonus Study Group episode, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers take a pause to look back on the Walt Disney Animation Studio’s legendary golden run of first five features – Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi. This week, we discuss our favourite sequences, songs, and characters so far, offer our personal rankings of the five movies, and tee up the historical context behind where Disney goes next in a very different era for the studio. Next week: Saludos Amigos / The Three Caballeros Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Frozen II. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

Soaring away from their night at the circus, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers venture deep into the forest with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ heartbreaking natural fable: 1942’s Bambi. In class 105, we talk the cyclicality of nature, Disney’s most ambitious technical shots yet, the events of home video sequel Bambi II, and discover the live-action Bambi Cinematic Universe (BCU). Next week’s films: Saludos Amigos / The Three Caballeros. Plus, bonus episode coming soon! Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Frozen II. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

Returning from the realm of classical collaborations, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers take a trip to the circus with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ big-eared elephant classic: 1941’s Dumbo. In class 104, we talk the film’s ‘fast and cheap’ approach, trip out on the legendary Pink Elephants sequence, discuss how it improved the studio’s fortunes, and attempt to reclaim our hero’s rightful name: Jumbo Jr. Content warning: contains discussion of racist depictions and stereotypes in Dumbo between 14:35 and 27:12. Next week’s film: Bambi. Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Frozen II. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

With the trauma of Monstro and Pleasure Island behind them, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers head into trippier territory with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ audio-visual extravaganza: 1940’s Fantasia. In class 103, we talk about the genesis of Disney’s audacious animated experiment, why it riled classical music heads, how it might have inspired Jurassic Park, and the hard-as-nails Sega Genesis video game of the movie. Sadly, we were unable to present this episode in Fantasound. Next week’s film: Dumbo. Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Frozen II. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

After surviving their encounter with the Seven Dwarfs, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers revisit Walt Disney Animation Studios’ hugely ambitious second feature: 1940’s Pinocchio. In class 102, we talk about the visceral terror of Monstro the whale, the major technological leaps in Disney’s animation style, and are forever changed by our trip to ‘Pleasure Island’. No lies, we promise. Next week’s film: Fantasia. Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Frozen II. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Frozen II. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today. In class 101, we begin with the feature film that started it all, 1937’s Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs – talking about the rising profile of Walt Disney, the arrival of the multiplane camera, the very first Disney princess, and the popularity of Dwarf shenanigans. Next week’s film: Pinocchio. Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney.