Disney's Live Action ambitions and its influence on the animation

It seems somewhat of a stock fact by now that Walt Disney actually wanted to go into live-action; his Alice Comedies featured a real person interacting with animated characters. This seems to be why Disney films strive to be more...realistic than some of their contemporaries.

I think Disney's heart was never that much into animation; I don't doubt he was into it for years, but never to the extent of making it a life lasting passion. I had the impression that, towards the end of his life, with his emphasis on theme parks, live action TV and movies (even those with the extra animation bits that felt like a bone tossed around to hook younger audiences, barely above afterthoughts), he considered animation a sort-of unspoken Old Shame.

Nearly everything I've ever read about Walt Disney contradicts that. He did the Alice comedies because they were novel and different and nobody else was doing anything like them. His live-action/ animation films of the 40's were done for the same reason. Disney started doing live action in the '50's for television, and films like Treasure Island as a means of generating revenue. Walt was the primary story editor on every Disney animated film up to The Jungle Book (during the production of which he died).

From what I've read, his enthusiasm with animation (and his personal involvement in the animated movies) decreased after his lack of satisfaction with Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland particularly.

After as much blood, sweat, and tears as he put into his company and into animation, I don't blame Disney for being a bit disillusioned.

Nonsense, Walt didn't shed sweat, blood and tears. We all know he drank them instead. Well, the latter two anyway.

edited 3rd Nov '12 8:50:33 PM by NapoleonDeCheese

(He did the Alice comedies because they were novel and different and nobody else was doing anything like them.)

The Alice Comedies concept is just an inverted Out Of The Inkwell minus the surreal gags, and they were never a big box office draw. The original pilot didn't even see a theatrical release. Walt didn't start seeing success until Oswald The Lucky Rabbit, and even that didn't reach the success of Inkwell or Felix The Cat.

(From what I've read, his enthusiasm with animation (and his personal involvement in the animated movies) decreased after his lack of satisfaction with Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland particularly.)

It started much, much earlier than that, with the disastrous 1941 studio strike, and the box office flops of his 40's films (sans Dumbo). After that, Walt became much more distrustful of his staff and more controlling over his films personally.

Walt never picked favorites with his crew. During dailies, when animator make something correct and that fulfilled his every goal and beyond, all he would say was, "Good enough. Get on the next one." This would not only prevent animators from growing a big head, but make them know their place in production. He knew how to make a huge production crew work together to create one vision.

Also, he smoked a lot. It was the route of the disease that led to his death.

edited 9th Nov '12 7:58:15 AM by kyun

Actually, Walt was VERY effusive when someone did work he was impressed with, but never directly to their face. He'd talk them up to others, and then let the person in question hear about it second-hand. When speaking directly to the person, he'd only ever go so far as to say something like "I hear everyone else say's you've got the best scene in the film."

Where are you guys getting these views of Walt?

The one I just gave is based on interview with Ward Kimball (one of Disney's Nine Old Men) among others, from a CNBC documentary about Walt Disney.

He apparently was rather nice to the people he met during his trips to Mexico and South America, including the dub actors for his movies at the time.