The Story of the Animated Drawing

BEING THAT OUR generation of "Baby Boomers" numbered yours truly as a member in good standing of that first wave of post WWII rug-rats, we were there at ringside when this installment of the DISNEYLAND Show first bowed in. The show's being run on TURNR CLASSIC MOVIES Cable Channel along with some other programs and theatrically released movies proved to be a real nostalgic treat. It is amazing just how much we can and do recall about a show that aired 60 years ago.

MUCH AS WAS the case for all DISNEYLAND installments, it was presented in a very intelligent and straightforward manner. Our host, Walt Disney (himself) was the MC and guide for every episode. This one was just a little different, as he had much more on-screen time; being his job was to function as the conduit and narrator for every aspect and development of the animated cartoon were discussed.

TO THIS END, our favourite honorary Uncle Walt gets high marks. His skills are the combination of a seasoned stage performer, college level instructor and modern day infomercial pitch-man. He gets every little detail covered and makes it understood. All is done as naturally as could be inspected, or even more so.

WE OBSERVED IN the credits that as Director, we have the name of William Beaudine. Known by the handle of "One Shot Bill", Mr. Beaudine had gotten a reputation as being skillfully economical in delivering his assignments either on time or ahead of schedule and within the constraints of budgetary considerations.

ALTHOUGH SOME MAY attach the handle of "hack" to his name, the same could not ever be associated with the name of Disney; who was never cheap nor extravagant in his ventures. The two men must have gotten along as the Beaudine name is present in so many episodes of DISNEYLAND, ZORRO and THE MICKEY MOUSE Club's serialized adventures.

THE CONTENT OF animation history, inventions and innovations is really much more than adequate for his hour long format. The story traces the roots of the attempt of homo sapiens in achieving the sensation of motion all the way back to the Cro-Magnon and Neanderthal cave artists; who had to decorate their walls without benefit of the spray paint cans. They did it the old fashioned way.

THE EGYPTIANS' USE of hieroglyphics and sequential art is mentioned as a fine example of advancing the tradition. Several 19th Century spinning devices are displayed, used and explained. Mr. Disney even makes mention of his greatest rival (in business only); being Max Fleischer and his brother Dave. The Fleischer's OUT OFBTHE INKWELL series is highlighted as being the best example of early combining animation and live action. The INKWELL cartoons featured the animated Koko The Clown's adventures in the real world. Disney's ALICE IN CARTOONLAND Series would be the flip-side; as the live action girl, Alice, had her escapades in the cartoon frames.

THE SHOW WINDS up with a sort of overview of the in-house history of Walt Disney animations. There is no plugging of any of Walt's current or pending cartoon shorts or animated features. But all was not lost a brief trailer for his True Life Adventure, THE African LION, appears at show's end.

ATTA BOY FOR you, Uncle Walt; we knew you could do it!

The first half of this is absolutely fascinating, starting with pre- film animation sequences, including an absolutely brilliant one on the beach that is an animated movie in every way except the technology involved.

When it moves into silent film, there is also a wonderful Fleischer film with an old-school organist showing how it was done back then.

But once Disney films get into the picture, the history of the animated drawing is suddenly a partial history of Disney animation. Cautious, I assume, about claiming too much, they don't describe Steamboat Willie as the first real sound cartoon but just Disney's first, and then do the same thing with Snow White, describing it as "their" first feature. Both are certainly important milestones, but it's an odd transition from the history of animation in general to a very specific Disney history (never a word about Warner Bros.).

Also, there is only a little of Steamboat Willie and none of Snow White shown. Instead, there's the full Skeleton Dance short, which has less historical significance than either (although it is part of the technological history). I also personally thought it was the dullest animation shown.

The final piece is a scene from Fantasia. Since this was shown on TV before the days of VCRs, it was probably wonderful at the time to see this, but now it's a beautiful colored scene shown in black-and- white, and it's rather disappointing.

For animation fans, the first half of this is required viewing; I just wish the second half wasn't such a let down.