Disney’s

Colin Wells Sherry Minkowski Government 12 26 March 2000 Disney’s Influence on American Culture How does one begin to describe a king? As generations change, society calls for new leaders and kings, that will continue to push the boundaries. Steven Watts describes it as: Hollywood’s leading fantasy factory… (187) Disney is much more prominent in society, its impact now lives in every household, as well as a place in everyone’s soul. Behind it all is a thriving business that will out live most humans now and in the future. Steven Watts breaks it down quite simply: Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck embodied a collective desire to escape the pressures of modern life and return to childhood. (127) The escape from reality, which Disney has provided over the years, comforts people of all ages. Disney has revolutionized family entertainment, and Walt himself would want people to remember one thing: That it was all started by a mouse. Walt Disney began his legacy with Steamboat Willy on November 18, 1928, at the Colony Theater in New York. Dave Smith wrote: Wells 2 This was the first synchronized sound cartoon, and it was a huge success. Reviewers commented on the cleverness of the cartoon, the advantage that sound brought to the medium, and the fun personality of Walt Disney’s new character, Mickey Mouse. (25) The success of Mickey Mouse was the start of an unbreakable alliance that has and will always remain synonymous. A brilliant creator and a lovable creation joined forces to become the most powerful influence on American culture. It is inevitable, that every child will be brought up with Disney. What began inside one man’s head has now made a huge contribution to the way life is lived. It seems as though Disney is embedded in every child’s mind, the second they are conceived. Carl Hiaasen writes: The secret weapon is trust. Disney is the most trusted brand name in the history of marketing. It hooks when we’re little and never lets go, this unshakable faith that Disney is the best at knowing what’s best. (13) As long as Disney doesn’t lose their hard earned trust, there is no stopping its dominance in entertainment, advertising, marketing, and the economy in general. Again, Carl Hiaasen writes: At the core of Disney’s platinum mine is entertainment. No other corporation has the capacity to crank out enough product to gorge the public maw. (11) Throughout history there has always been opposition to every giant, and Disney is no exception. Its ability to reach nearly every human on earth frightens some people. Carl Hiaasen expresses the other side as well: Disney touches virtually every human being in America for a profit. That is rapidly becoming true as well in France, Spain, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Australia, China, Mexico, Brazil, and Canada. Disney will devour the world the same way it devoured this country, starting first with the youth. Disney theme Wells 3 parks have drawn more than one billion visitors, mostly kids. Snag the children and everyone else follows---parents, politicians, even the press. Especially the press. We’re all suckers for a good cartoon. (10-11) Not everyone on the planet wants G-rated fare. When Disney targets adult tastes, it’s careful to leave Walt’s name off the credits. The same folks who brought you 101 Dalmatians, a movie about adorable puppies, also brought you Pulp Fiction, a movie featuring junkies, hit men, and bondage freaks. The same folks who produce Home Improvement, a program about a wisecracking TV handyman, are also responsible for Ellen, a program about a wisecracking lesbian. (11-12) If anything is more irresistible than Jesus, it’s Mickey. (12) Corporations have always had a dark side, just as Disney does. Balance is needed in life; there is a downside to everything. Nothing, not even Disney can be perfect. Disney benefits society far more than it harms it. The joy a child gets from seeing Peter Pan flying over Neverland can’t be bought, it is already inside, waiting to be let out. Disney provides a way for those emotions to be set free. Necessary steps needed to take place in order for Disney’s magic to flourish. Disney’s influence technologically cannot go unnoticed. Leonard Maltin writes: It is impossible to overstate the impact that Walt Disney had on the development of animated cartoons. He did not invent the medium, but one could say that he defined it. Disney innovated and perfected ideas and techniques that dramatically changed the course of cartoon production. Some were utterly simple while others were awesomely complex. (29) Dick Huemer, a former rival and employee of Walt Disney states: Wells 4 “I had never seen a storyboard until I came to Disney’s in 1933. We outside of Disney’s had always thought that he had some great secret that made his cartoons so perfect. When I saw the storyboards, I thought Aha! This is it! Well that was only part of it---the rest was his genius and perfectionism.” Today, the storyboard