The Disney Film Archives (A Shifted Disney Canon)

[MrCarioca]

That's a shame that Bambi doesn't have any songs, but I can see that happening considering an adult themed Bambi would have a way darker tone.

 

[The British President]

Chapter Fifteen: The Reluctant Dragon (1949)

(William Edward Phipps: The Voice of Billy)​

Some films are beloved, some are hated, and some become so bad they are good. Well, others are just okay. That was the case with the reluctant dragon. The film followed a young boy named Billy (voiced by William Edward Phipps), who discovers a hidden secret in his village. One day, while exploring the countryside, he stumbles upon a hidden cave that leads him to a realm inhabited by dragons, fairies, and other fantastical creatures. At the heart of this hidden world is a peaceful and kind-hearted dragon named Desmond (voiced by Robert Benchley). Desmond has no interest in terrorizing villages. Instead, he spends his days reading poetry, painting, and playing soothing melodies on his flute. When Billy discovers Desmond's true nature, he is overjoyed to have found a friend who shares his love for creativity and imagination. The existence of the dragon and his friends is threatened when news of a ferocious dragon spreads throughout the village. With Billy's determination and Desmond's peaceful nature, they must find a way to bridge the gap between the human world and the realm of magic. They embark on a mission to bring understanding and harmony between the villagers and the magical creatures they have come to know and love.

To the Studio, the reluctant dragon stood out as a film they were proud of. By now the animators had settled into a pattern, the worries of the Second War slowly fading away. Men worked alongside women, setting a new precedent for Hollywood and animation studios. The film was also a success at the box office, with critics calling the film a charming adventure. This is the reputation the film holds today. It’s a charming if not forgettable adventure film for families who need to waste some time. The question that persists today is, why did the film not do better? It had elements other films had, it had decent animation and a good voice cast. The answer to that question is to look at events that happened around the same time.

Before the reluctant dragon was Bambi, a film that caused uproar for its darker nature, a film that would go on to be the main catalyst for the foundation of the motion picture code. The film is remembered much more fondly today and is often picked as a highlight by some in this early golden age. 1949 was also a busy news year which overshadowed a few Hollywood films. President Wallace was sworn in as president for a full term, the Korean War continued and Walt Disney announced the creation of Disney Land. The film was missing from many major news reports which hurt it, but the film that came after would hurt it even more. 1950 would be the year Walt Disney sought revenge, a movie which would accidentally or on purpose shift Disney firmly onto the side of civil rights. As plans for Disneyland got drawn up and a film that was going to send shockwaves through Hollywood, the reluctant dragon was slowly forgotten. Today it has a dedicated, loyal fanbase, but nobody is ever going to call this film. The greatest of the golden era

 

[MrCarioca]

a movie which would accidentally or on purpose shift Disney firmly onto the side of civil rights.

I'm guessing the 1950 film is Song of the South.

 

[The British President]

Now we are solely in the 1950s, a whole new era with a whole new set of films and changes.
Talking of changes, you will get two chapters per day now so we can speed thing's up a little.
So far, one chapter being written a day is working well.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

I'm glad you're increasing your workload, because it was fun reading all these.

As for The Reluctant Dragon itself, it's fine. A fair bit better than the OTL movie, which shouldn't have been called The Reluctant Dragon, but between Bambi and the 1950 feature, at least it has some sort of following.

Also, the announcement of Disneyland in 1950? Does this mean it launches a year earlier or something?

 

[MrCarioca]

Personally, I'm excitied as to how the remaining Golden Age films would turn out.

 

[The British President]

the workload has gone up slightly but to be truthful
this is the most fun I have had with Disney in a while.
I can't exactly tell why, maybe it's because the focus is small. It help's that I am thinking about movies well going about my day so that when an idea happens
it gets written down.
As of right now, I am 9 chapters ahead of the released chapters.
I will explain Disneyland in the coming days.

 

[The British President]

Chapter Sixteen: So Dear to My Heart (1950)

(Voice of Romeo James Edwards alongside Ilene Woods, the voice of Juillet )
​

It’s true Walt was unhappy after the Southern boycott of Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier, though many overstate his anger. Despite some overstating his anger, unbeknownst to those around him, Walt was seeking revenge. Nobody in the studio quite knew how far Walt was going to go with his plan to get revenge on the South, but they would soon learn. Well, the other team worked on the ending to a beloved trilogy. Walt and his team turned to what would become their first release of the 1950s. The film should have been a simple affair, as the studio once again turned to existing material for adaption. This time they turned their gaze specifically towards Shakespeare and, after a debate between Hamlet and Romo and Juliet, the studio landed on the latter. Walt found himself occupied with the construction of Disneyland and still took the time to work on the film.

Romeo and Juliet should have been a simple adaptation from the studio, by now they had found a rhythm, a way of doing things that worked. Yet some speculate they should have seen Walt’s grand plan coming after he helped Jerry Voorhis defeat Richard Nixon during California's 12th congressional district election in 1946. The first change was a small one. Romeo and Juliet was chosen not to be the film’s title, with the studio instead of the option to adopt the name so dear to my heart, and so production began and soon it became apparent what was going on.

Walt once again hired African-American performer and writer Clarence Muse to write the script, again causing outrage in the South, but this time it was just the start. The setting was shifted from Europe to the Southern State of Georgia. And to the horror and shock of some in the studio, Romeo’s family were made into African Americans. This information was kept secret as casting began. James Edwards was cast as Romeo alongside Ilene Woods as Juillet. Luis van Rooten joined as Friar Lawrence with Harry Belafonte as Mercutio, Verna Felton as The Nurse, Bobby Driscoll as Tybalt, James Dean as Benvolio, Hans Conried as Capulet, Heather Angel as Lady Capulet, Hattie McDaniel as Lady Montague and James Baskett as Montague.

Despite knowing what was likely going to happen, the studio pushed on, dedicated not to making a movie that would break boundaries but to make a movie that would make money and also meet the standards they had come to set themselves. Nevertheless, when the South found out about the film, uproar ensued to the point that a burning cross was left outside the home of James Edwards. Still, Walt and the nine old men pushed on with Walt overworking himself once more as he also pushed on with the construction of Disneyland. The South outright refused to show the film and began to remove other Disney movies from circulation.

Yet once again, the outrage had a different effect when the film was released on March 4, 1950. African Americans turned out in droves to see the film, as did Northerners who opposed Southern segregation. Not only that, but the European market was slowly starting to open, allowing the film to fully make use of overseas cinemas again. The film was Disney's greatest box office success since Dinosaur and, despite some complaints about the animation, the film was reviewed quite well. Yet this is nothing compared to the impact the film had.

The film, despite being an animation, was the first to show an interracial kiss on the big screen and the first interracial couple on the big screen. It was a monumental moment for the growing civil rights movement though Walt insisted he never did it for them. Despite this, today the film is highly viewed as a standout film in the studio’s golden era. It was also the beginning of the end, as this was the second to last movie that all 9 old men would work on. Yet abuzz was around the studio, Disneyland was about to open its doors for the very first time.

 

[PGSBHurricane]

I haven’t really come to reading this in a while so it’s interesting to see how Wreck It Ralph, Toy Story, and their sequels play out in a 1940s setting. And Snow White and Bambi being darker than their OTL counterparts is interesting too. Although I will say that I’m going to miss there being less emphasis on package film through much of the 1940s. On a different note, I wonder if Davy Crockett and So Dear to My Heart are better received in the South in TTL’s 2023 (and even in the 1940s and 1950s I think the backlash against them wouldn’t be equal in all Southern states). Keep up the good work.

 

[The British President]

If any state is going to go though some form of Change in terms of how they view Disney
it's going to be Florida first. Disneyworld gave it tourism.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

The Streisand Effect at work, play, and sleep.

(For those who don't know, it's basically when something has the exact opposite result of your intention.)

 

[The British President]

First time hearing that but it does make sense.
Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day, an update you don't expect is coming and
i get to write out a movie that saves live-action films.

 

[The British President]

Chapter Seventeen: Westward Ho the Wagons (1950)

(The Film's Title Card)​

Not every film can have a lasting impact, nor be the greatest. They can still be enjoyed and be well-liked, however. That was the case for Disney’s second live-action film, Westward of the Wagons. The second live-action film was made without Walt’s involvement due to his commitment to building Disneyland. Unsure of what to do, the team behind the film turned once again to the books in order to find something to adapt. Speculation arises that they did this in order to try to replicate the success of Davy Crocket, unsure of how to move forward. In the end, after much searching, the team (which consisted of producer Bill Walsh and director William Beaudine) settled on adapting Children of the Covered Wagon: A Story of the Old Oregon Trail. They chose to change the name to Westward Ho the Wagons.

The story is set in 1844 and follows seven-year-old orphaned Jerry (played by Tommy Kirk) who is out on the prairie. He has left his home to travel on a covered wagon train captained by his uncle Jim Stephen (played by Patrick Troughton). Also along are his Aunt Beth (played by Gertrude Astor), his eleven-year-old cousin Jim (played by George Disney) and many others. They are all heading over the Oregon Trail toward the Willamette Valley of Oregon. However, with hostile Indians all around, quicksand in the river fords, sudden storms, the threat of buffalo stampedes, and alkali deserts, will they make it?

The film today is classed as one of the forgotten Disney live-action films. Well, animation had its golden age. The live-action films never pushed boundaries, but, never the less still, did well enough to felicitate more being made. Attempts to copy the feel of Davy Crocket failed in part due to the fact the film just didn't have iconic characters like Crocket or Jackson. Despite being the debut of Walt’s Son, one critic summed up the film the best. Walt Disney's latest western adventure contains neither the excitement, the good humour nor the high spirits of his Davy Crockett film.

 

[The British President]

Chapter Eighteen: Disneyland (1951)

(Walt Disney on Opening Day, 1951)
​

Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1951, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company as the company underwent expansion into other media. It was the only park built when Disney was still under contract with RKO Pictures. Disney had initially envisioned building a tourist attraction near to the studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit, but the hostility of Burbank city officials toward the studio project and the size saw that idea quickly canned. The Stanford Research Institute was hired after this announcement to perform a study to find an area for Disneyland. This happened in 1949. They selected a 160-acre site near Anaheim. Disney formed WED Enterprises in order to pick internal and outside talent to help build Disney land. Harriet Burns became the right hand to Walt and would go on to become the first head imaginer. Construction began in 1940 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on the ABC Television Network on July 17, 1951. The Resort has 3 hotels: Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disneyland Resort Hotel. Disneyland today is vital for the local economy as the park supports around 74,700 jobs, including about 20,000 direct Disney employees and 3,800 third-party employees.

Disneyland Park consists of nine themed lands and a number of concealed backstage areas. The park opened with Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland, and has since added New Orleans Square in 1966, Time Traveler's Alley in 1972, and Mickey's Toontown in 1993, and Wild West Junction in 2019.

Main Street, U.S.A: Main Street, U.S.A. is patterned after a typical Midwest town of the early 20th century, and took a lot of inspiration from Walt Disney's hometown of Marceline in Missouri. The street has a train station, town square, movie theatre, city hall, firehouse, shops, arcades, a double-decker bus, a horse-drawn streetcar and a barber shop. Main Street is also home to the Disney Art Gallery, the firework watch pavilion and the Opera House, which showcases Great Moments with Mr Lincoln. At the far end of Main Street, U.S.A. is Snow White Castle and the Central Plaza, which is a portal to most of the themed lands.

Adventureland: Disneyland's Adventureland is based on Walt's famous award-winning nature documentaries on Africa and Asia. However, the plan to have real animals was swapped for mechanical animals. The Land is home to the Jungle Cruise, which is partly based on Disney's award-winning nature documentaries. It is also home to the Swiss Family Treehouse, a version of Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, and the Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition rollercoaster.

Frontierland: Frontierland is based on the first Davy Crocket film. The land contains few attractions, instead focusing on open expanses of wilderness which guests travel through by stagecoach, pack mules, Conestoga wagon, and walking trails. Crocket’s Runaway Rollercoaster was built in 1972 in a Frontier Land expansion alongside Geyser Mountain and two new shows: Country Bear Jamboree and Woody's Roundup.

Fantasyland: Fantasyland is styled in a medieval European fairground fashion. Fantasyland features the Snow-White Castle at its main entrance and a central courtyard dominated by King Arthur Carrousel. Attractions include Journey into Toy Story, Wreck-It Ralph Train Ride, Gremlin Flyers, It's a Small World, The Enchanted Snow Palace, Bambi’s Scary Adventures, Peter Pan's Flight, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Duck Bumps, Cinderella’s Enchanted Carriage Ride and Lilian’s Garden.

Tomorrowland: Tomorrowland was the last land to be finished out of all the original themed lands. Walt won out and the idea of making it some kind of a corporate showcase was scrapped. Tomorrowland has undergone major renovations, once in 1985, again in 2000 and more recently in 2015. Arthur Disney, the Grandson of Walt Disney, has stated the company has a mission to keep tomorrow's land relevant and fresh. Attractions include Astro Orbiter, Carousel of Progress, Space Explorers Academy, Mission to Mars, Space Mountain and Galactic Star Cruiser.

New Orleans Square: New Orleans Square is based on 19th-century New Orleans. The land is exclusive to Disneyland. It was the first major expansion to be made at Disneyland. It is the smallest of the areas but includes key attractions such as The Haunted Mansion, The Museum of the Weird, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pirates Arcade Museum and the Disney Gallery.

Time Traveler's Alley: Time Traveler's Alley is Disney’s attempt at an immersive themed land at Disneyland that allows guests to journey through different eras in history and experience the thrill of time travel. It was built next to Tomorrowland. The Land is themed to be reminiscent of a European market square from various historical periods which includes Cobbled streets. The Land was given a makeover in 2007. Attractions include Chrono Coaster, Era Adventures: Time Odyssey, Temporal Treasures, Time Troupe Performances, Chronicle Cinema and Chronicle Plaza.

Mickey's Toontown: Mickey's Toontown is inspired by Mouseton from the Disney comics published by D.C Comics. The land is the hometown of Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle Cow, and others. There are several attractions which include the houses of the characters, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Mickey's PhilharMagic Concert, Jolly Trolley, Fireworks Factory and Chip 'n Dale's Acorn Crawl.

Wild West Junction: Wild West Junction is the most recent addition to the park, opening in 2019. The Land invites visitors to step into a bygone era and is themed to recreate the ambience of a frontier town in its heyday. Visitors are surrounded by weathered wooden buildings and dusty streets. Attractions include Prospector's Gold Rush Coaster, Frontier Fort Adventure, Saddle Up Saloon Spectacular, Stagecoach Expedition, Wild West Wonders and Wild West Train Heist.

 

[omega66]

Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition rollercoaster.

So George Lucas sells to Disney?

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

I figure Westward Ho the Wagons might be more remembered in this timeline, simply for the novelty of being their second live-action feature.

Like many readers, I'm surprised Disneyland opens four years sooner. And yet, it works to its benefit of being another avenue for company profits.

Is it just me, or could you make a cartoon out of the concept of "Snow White's castle being a dimensional portal"?

I actually think the 1972 expansion for Frontierland saved it from redundancy from Main Street and Adventureland.

Despite risking the integrity of the park, I actually would like to see how the "corporate showcase land" would have turned out. Sure, that's what the whole park is at the end of the day, but I'm morbidly curious here.

Time Traveler's Alley feels like a better Tomorrowland in its concept. That said, I wonder what Chronicle Cinema looks like.

Disney gives DC Comics a license for Mickey and friends. Fascinating.

A new Disneyland section? In 2019? More likely than I thought.

 

[The British President]

So George Lucas sells to Disney?

Not decided on that yet but I will say Disney had a star wars ride Long before Disney owned Lucasfilms. In fact they started working together in 1986

I figure Westward Ho the Wagons might be more remembered in this timeline, simply for the novelty of being their second live-action feature.

Like many readers, I'm surprised Disneyland opens four years sooner. And yet, it works to its benefit of being another avenue for company profits.

Is it just me, or could you make a cartoon out of the concept of "Snow White's castle being a dimensional portal"?

I actually think the 1972 expansion for Frontierland saved it from redundancy from Main Street and Adventureland.

Despite risking the integrity of the park, I actually would like to see how the "corporate showcase land" would have turned out. Sure, that's what the whole park is at the end of the day, but I'm morbidly curious here.

Time Traveler's Alley feels like a better Tomorrowland in its concept. That said, I wonder what Chronicle Cinema looks like.

Disney gives DC Comics a license for Mickey and friends. Fascinating.

A new Disneyland section? In 2019? More likely than I thought.

Disneyland/Disneyworld are opening earlier. Then From 1971 onward (the OG opening of Disneyworld) the dates of every opening have been kept the same but shuffled.
Is now the time to tell you, the corporate showcase land is what we got OTL, I will quote the wiki now: It became something of a corporate showcase, despite Walt Disney's reluctance. Monsanto Company, American Motors, Richfield Oil, and Dutch Boy Paint were some of the many companies to open showcases in Tomorrowland in the first few years
Snow White And The Adventures Though The Dimsions brought to you by Hanna-Barbera
Maybe one day when i need ai again, I can ask it what the new parts of the park would look like.
Disney partnered with D.C so who will Marvel go to? That gets answered eventually even if they aren't the focus.

 

[TheFaultsofAlts]

Not decided on that yet but I will say Disney had a star wars ride Long before Disney owned Lucasfilms. In fact they started working together in 1986

Good on you to bring that up.

Disneyland/Disneyworld are opening earlier. Then From 1971 onward (the OG opening of Disneyworld) the dates of every opening have been kept the same but shuffled.

Great!

Is now the time to tell you, the corporate showcase land is what we got OTL, I will quote the wiki now: It became something of a corporate showcase, despite Walt Disney's reluctance. Monsanto Company, American Motors, Richfield Oil, and Dutch Boy Paint were some of the many companies to open showcases in Tomorrowland in the first few years

Oh, I thought it was referring to a themed park like what Universal would ultimately create. I'm glad Walt won out, then.

Snow White And The Adventures Though The Dimsions brought to you by Hanna-Barbera

The title needs work, but if Walt's still adamant about not having a TV animation wing, HB could be the next best studio.

Maybe one day when i need ai again, I can ask it what the new parts of the park would look like.

Thank you, but I can wait longer to see it.

Disney partnered with D.C so who will Marvel go to? That gets answered eventually even if they aren't the focus.

I wasn't sure I wanted an answer right now, but thanks for putting that out there.

 

[The British President]

Disneyworld is currently being worked on, after that, it's back on to a bunch of movies!
Some good ones are coming up.
An Old Tale Get's an early debut
An Australian Writer Get's a Change
A Movie Get's a fully different story that fit's in with its name
And A Man Returns for another outing.
And so many more

 

[The British President]

Chapter Nineteen: Toy Story 3 (1951)

(Concept Drawing for Matilda and her henchman)
​

In history, there are very few film trilogies which have a strong start, middle and end. Some would say, including Back to the Future and The Lord of The Rings hit the mark and so does Star Wars, yet none of them was the first to do it. That trilogy would be a toy story, a series which began with Disney’s second-ever animated film. Now 11 years on from Toy Story One, the crew gathered again. The original cast returned alongside the crew with the understanding this was to be the final chapter in the film's story, yet this film would be different for one very simple reason. Walt turned to an old friend to help write the script, wanting his input on the plot, as Walt was far too busy with other projects. So, Roald Dahl joined the project. Dahl would also go on to adapt the plot of the first two films into books.

Toy Story 3 (also known as Toy Story: Timeless Bonds in some markets) follows the toys as they enter the 1950s. As Andy prepares to leave for boot camp, they find themselves once again at a crossroads. In this new era, Woody and the gang navigate the shifting dynamics of their toy community. The rise of new forms of entertainment forces toys to face the uncertainty of their place in children's lives. Andy decides to donate his toys to Sunnyside Elementary School, while Woody and Buzz grapple with their own sense of purpose and belonging. It is here they find what seems to be an idyllic environment under the rule of a charismatic, yet strict, doll named Matilda (voiced by Heather Angel).

The toys soon uncover the darker side of Sunnyside, as Matilda's leadership has become more authoritarian and oppressive. Woody, Buzz, and their new friends must rally the toys from different eras to escape the control of Matilda and restore a sense of unity among the toys. The climactic adventure leads the toys through daring escape plans and heartwarming reunions, and as they navigate the challenges of an ever-changing world. In a poignant conclusion, Woody, Buzz, and their friends return to Andy's home, embracing their unique places in his heart and the memories they've created together.

The film upon release was praised for being a heartwarming tribute to the enduring power of friendship and moving on. Dhal was praised for the story. The animation was reported as being the crispest yet. The film would quickly steal the title of the highest-growing animated film, a title it would keep for decades to come. Disney was most happy with the film, reportedly calling it his favourite in a speech from Florida. Yet the film was more than just an ending to the trilogy. It was the final picture released by RKO Pictures. This may not seem like a big thing, but it was a sign that Disney was growing, confidence expanding. The Disney Media Empire was starting to lay its roots.