The African Lion

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland

Michael's Movie Grade:B
Year Released:1955

                                           History
In Disney's 3rd feature-length True Life Adventure, and their 10th True Life Adventure of any kind, the series took it's first trip out of the U.S. and went to Africa, and is given the appropriate title of The African Lion.

This film featured much of the same crew who had worked on the two previous feature-length True Life Adventures. This includes director (and writer) James Algar, narrator (and writer) Winston Hibler, Producers Ben Sharpsteen and Walt Disney (of course), writers Ted Sears and  Jack Moffitt, and composer Paul J. Smith. However this did not feature the same photographers as those two previous films. The photographers for this movie were husband and wife team Alfred and Emla Milotte. Alfred had previously been a photographer for some of Disney's True Life Adventure shorts. However Emla had not done photography for Disney before by helped with researching on Disney's first True-Life Adventure, Seal Island. This is the first time either of them had worked on a feature film (for Disney or anybody else). These two photographers spent 3 years getting the footage needed for The African Lion.

The African Lion differed from previous Disney nature documentaries in more ways than just taking place outside the U.S.. This was the first True-Life Adventure not to feature any staged footage. While the previous films had been mostly honest footage, they also contained some footage that was faked rather than found in nature. However that is not true of The African Lion, where all the footage was completely real. Also the humor was toned down a lot. Critics had complained a lot about the comedy element in previous Disney nature documentaries. Walt didn't just brush off this criticism, he took it to heart, and therefore The African Lion has much less comedy than previous entries in the series.

Unlike Disney's previous two feature-length nature documentaries The African Lion was not nominated for an academy award. However it did win for best documentary feature at the Berlin International Film Festival. When released this film was a box office success, and critics loved it and some felt that it was the best Disney nature documentary yet. Bosley Crowther for The New York Times called it "The purest of Disney's Nature Films". This isn't the last time the studio would visit Africa and it's wildlife for a nature documentary. In 2011 the studio would make another feature-length nature documentary called African Cats.

Review

 Very good True life adventure and one of the best of the series. 

What really works about this film is it doesn't talk down to it's audience, but treats them with respect. Though there is some humor, much of the film does not even try to sugarcoat reality, or hide just how cruel nature can be at times. 

The photography is incredible. It is amazing and beautiful to look at. It really is awe inspiring to think how the Milottes manged to capture what they did on camera, and it is easy to assume none of their three years in Africa were wasted.  

As I've said before I'm not a fan of the humor in this series, so I'm very happy that there is a lot less of it here, and when it does appear it doesn't distract to much from the rest of the film. I could still do with less narration, but it is done much better here. Though it can sometimes be a little dry. It tries hard to sound exciting, without resorting to too many bad jokes, and it succeeds at this more often than the film's predecessors. I still however think Paul J. Smith's music can be too over the top and distracting at times (something that happens in these nature documentaries that doesn't seem to happen in other films he scores), and this still is a pretty big fault.

Overall this is quite a good movie, and one of Disney's best nature documentaries.

Film Credits

Director: James Algar

Writers: James Algar, Winston Hibler, Ted Sears, and Jack Moffitt

Narration: Winston Hibler 

Producers: Walt Disney, Ben Sharpsteen

Music: Paul J. Smith

Editor: Norman R. Palmer

Photographers: Alfred Milotte, Elma Milotte

Production Manager: Erwin L. Verity

Sound Director: Robert O. Cook

Effects Artists: Ub Iwerks, Joshua Meador, Art Riley

Resources Used 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047803/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/African%20Lion%20%28The%29

http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9806EFDD113AE53BBC4D52DFBF66838E649EDE

-Michael J. Ruhland

Lady and the Tramp

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland

Michael's Movie Grade:A+
Year Released: 1955

                                              History
The history of Lady and the Tramp dates back to 1937. In 1937 Disney animator and writer Joe Grant drew a picture of a dog, that he called Lady. Walt was interested in this character and so he told Joe to make a storyboard involving this character. The storyboard while quite different included some similar story points like Lady being afraid that she would be replaced by a baby, and some evil cats. Walt was not satisfied with this storyboard, and so the idea was shelved. However Joe continued working on this idea. Frank Tashlin (who had a very brief career as a Disney writer) remembered working on an early version of the story in 1940. You can see some of the early work for this film in the background of the live action studio tour section of Disney's 1941 feature The Reluctant Dragon. Like many of Disney's animated features, this film work would also be delayed by World War Two. Joe Grant would leave the Disney studio in 1949, so he would unfortunately not receive any credit on the film. After he left he would have his own greeting card business. However he would return to the Disney studio in 1989, and work on such films as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan, Fantasia 2000, Pocahontas, Monsters Inc., and UP.  

In 1943 Ward Greene wrote a short story called Happy Dan, The Whistling Dog. This story had as it's main character a cynical male dog. Walt read this story and felt that a similar character would be just what the Lady story would need. Walt Disney remembered Ward Greene and when a fairly complete story was completed in 1953, Walt would hire him to write a novelization of the story to be released before the film as Walt was nervous about making an animated Disney feature not based off a well known book. Despite the opening titles saying "From the Story by Ward Greene" the book was based off of the story of the film not the other way around. The name for the new cynical dog character was not come by easily. Various names thought of for him were, Homer, Rags, and Bonzo. The name Tramp was controversial, because unlike when Charlie Chaplin had his little tramp character, this was the 1950's and the term had already gained it's other sexual meaning. However this was the name Walt wanted, and this was the name used. Similarly Jim Dear and Darling originally had the names, Jim Brown and Elizebeth. This was changed of course to make the story told from more of Lady's perspective. Also similarly the two Siamese cats were originally to be called Nip and Tuck, but the names were changed to Si and Am. Another change to the original script was that Aunt Sarah was originally going to be much meaner, instead she became a character, who simply was doing what she felt was best.

Based on their success with directing Cinderella and Peter Pan, the directors once again would be Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske. The original main background artist was going to be Mary Blair, however she left the Disney studio to become a children's book illustrator in 1953, so much of this work was handled by Eyvind Earle. Earle would later be the principle art director on Sleeping Beauty. 7 of Disney's Nine Old Men worked on this film. They were Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, Eric Larson and Les Clark. They were all supervising animators on this film.

To write the musical numbers Walt hired singer/songwriter Peggy Lee, and her song writing partner Sonnny Burke. They wrote all the songs except for Peace on Earth, which was written by Oliver Wallace, who wrote the score for the movie. Since they all ready had her working on the film it was deiced that she would do some voices as well, these voices included, the Siamese cats, Darling, the singing voice of Lady (Lady's speaking voice was done by Barbara Luddy, who would later do the voices of Meriwether (in Sleeping Beauty), and for Kanga (in the Winnie The Pooh films) for Disney), and of course Peg.

Lady and the Tramp was the first Disney animated feature to be done in Cinemascope, and the second Disney feature to be done in this process (the first was the live action 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea). This made animating much harder and longer work for all the animators, and raised the production cost up. On top of this not every theater was equipped with Cinemascope, and therefore the animation had to be shot twice. Because of all this the animation alone took three years to complete.

The most famous scene in Lady and the Tramp is definitely the spaghetti scene. However this scene almost didn't make it into the film. Walt was convinced that this scene just could not work in the animation stage. Because of this the scene was almost cut. However Frank Thomas was convinced it would work, and animated a rough version of the scene himself. Walt liked Frank Thomas' work and deiced to keep the scene in the film.

Lady and the Tramp was disliked by critics, who found it below par for Disney animation and that for an animated movie about dogs it was too mature and for adults (I am not making that up), however audiences loved the film and it was a huge box office success. Today it is still considered a classic AFI named it 95 on their list of the greatest love stories, and Tony's Restaurant from the film exists in Walt Disney World. The song number Peace on Earth has also become a Christmas classic.

                                         

                                                Review

One of Disney's loveliest animated features.

Everything just works in this classic film. The music is great. The characters are great. The animation is amazing and the whole film just has such a lovely perfect feeling to it. This is just such a great film to look at. While I miss Mary Blair, Eyvind Earle is more than up to the task, and the backgrounds are just lovely all the way throughout. The romance is one of Disney's best, it is fully believable and perfectly handled. This may be one of my favorite movie romances of all time. Of course the songs are classics, and they enhance every scene they are in.

By the way with how perfect the opening scene is, with it's amazing artwork and beautiful music all revolving around Christmas, this film has become a must watch every Christmas season for me, despite it not actually being a Christmas movie.

Overall this is a great classic and again one of Disney's loveliest films.

                                               Film Credits

Directors: Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson

Writers:  Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Ralph Wright, Don DaGradi

Based off ideas by Joe Grant and Ward Greene

Voices: Peggy Lee (Darling, Si, Am, Peg), Barbara Luddy (Lady), Larry Roberts (Tramp), Bill Thompson (Jock, Joe, Bulldog, Dachsie, Policeman), Bill Baucom (Trusty), Verna Felton (Sarah), George Givot (Tony), Lee Millar (Jim, Dog Catcher), Stan Freberg (Beaver, Clerk), Alan Reed (Boris), Dallas McKennon (Toughy, The Professor, Pedro, Hyena, Old Sailor, Polar Bear)

Producers: Walt Disney, Erdman Penner

Music: Oliver Wallace

Songwriters: Oliver Wallace, Peggy Lee, Sonny Burke

Editor: Don Halliday

Sound Department: C.O. Slyfield, Harold J. Steck, Robert O. Cook

Effects Animators: George Rowley, Dan MacManus

Other Special Effects: Ub Iwerks

Supervising Animators: Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, Eric Larson, Hal King, Les Clark

Layout Artists: Ken Anderson, Tom Codrick, Al Zinnen, A. Kendall O'Connor, Hugh Hennesy, Lance Nolley, Jacques Rupp, McLaren Stewart, Don Griffith, Thor Putnam, Collin Campbell, Victor Haboush, Bill Bosche

Background Artists: Claude Coats, Dick Anthony, Ralph Hulett, Al Dempster, Thelma Witmer, Eyvind Earle, Jimi Trout, Ray Huffine, Brice Mack

Animators: Ed Aardal, Hal Ambro, Jack Campbell, Bob Carlson, Eric Cleworth, Hugh Fraser, John Freeman, Jerry Hathcock, George Kreisl, Don Lusk, Cliff Nordberg, Ken O'Brien, John Sibley, Harvey Toombs, Marvin Woodward


                                              Resources Used 
http://www.bcdb.com/cartoon-characters/31-Lady-And-The-Tramp

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Lady%20and%20the%20Tramp

http://norlinreelhistory.blogspot.com/2011/07/disneys-lady-and-tramp.html

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/lady-and-the-tramp-spaghetti-scene-121119404577.html

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons By Leonard Maltin

-Michael J. Ruhland

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland





























Michael's Movie Grade:B
Year Released: 1955


                                  History
On October, 27th 1954, the Disney company had started a weekly TV show called Disneyland. This show was created to promote Walt's new theme park also called Disneyland. This show would feature previous Disney films (sometimes clips and sometimes shown all the way through), both animated and live action, but it would also feature some new material as well. Each episode would center around one or more theme. These themes were based off of Disneyland's different areas. The theme could be Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Fantsyland, and where our subject for this post comes from Frontierland. On December 15, 1954 from Frontierland, came Davy Crockett. This story would be made up of three episodes and it is considered by some to be the first TV miniseries. Davy Crockett, took off like no one not even Walt, thought it would. Crockett and the actor who played him became household names, and every kid who was any kid needed a coonskin cap. Audiences were begging to see these episodes again, and so Walt came up with the idea of editing all three episodes into one theatrically released feature film called Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier. He also made some prequel episodes for the Disneyland TV show.

The director for the episodes and the film was Norman Foster. Norman Foster was the director of various Mr. Motto films (staring Peter Lorre), and Charlie Chan films (starring Sydney Toler). Norman Foster would go on to direct the next Davy Crockett episodes, and film, and he would also direct Disney's Zorro TV series and the feature film edited from that show The Sign of Zorro. The writer for the film and TV episodes was Tom Blackburn, who also wrote the lyrics to the theme song. Tom Blackburn had written various western novels such as Tumbleweed with Spurs, Range War, and Broken Arrow Range. He had also written movie screenplays for various film westerns, and later scripts for western TV shows. Blackburn, would later write screenplays for the Disney films, Johnny Tremain, Westward Ho! the Wagon Train, and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (and of course the episodes those would be based off of. Fess Parker, who played Davy, would later appear in the Disney films, The Great Locomotive Chase, Old Yeller, The Light in the Forest, and of course Davy Crockett and the River Pirates. He would also star in (not for Disney), a TV series called Daniel Boone, which was obviously inspired by the success of his role as Davy. The role of Davy was originally going to go to actor Buddy Ebson, but Walt changed his mind when he saw Fess Parker in the 1954 film Them!. However Ebson would still play the role of George Russell, Davy's close friend here.

The premiere of the film was on May 25th 1955, six months after the first Davy Crockett episode of Disneyland. However despite this the film was still a big financial success. It show just how popular, Disney's version of Davy Crockett was. That so soon after they had just seen the same thing on TV. However this did bring something that the TV episodes didn't bring. The episodes were shot  shot in color, but aired in black and white. Because of this these episodes would be shown in color for the first time to the public. However this film ran only 93 minutes, while the original TV episodes put together ran 150 minutes, meaning of course that audiences would not get the whole story as told in the TV episodes.

Disney's version of  Davy Crockett was too successful to leave at just three TV episodes and one feature film. Walt stated that if he knew how popular the character would be Davy would have survived the Alamo. However more Davy Crockett episodes of Disneyland were still made, but they took place before the previous three, and these episodes were edited into another feature film to be called Davy Crockett and the River Pirates. Disney's version of Davy, of course also had a big impact on the Frontierland portion of the Disneyland park.

Review

Very fun western adventure. This film has a lot to recommend. As a fan of country music, I must say that Tom Blackburn and George Burns songs are top notch, and really enhance the film. The acting is also top notch.This is especially true of Fess Parker's performance, which brings Davy himself to life. The look of this film is as great and vivid as you would expect from Disney. Most of all the film is just filled with fun.

On the downside you can really feel, the fact that parts of the TV episodes had been cut. Because of this the film seems quite rushed at times, and has alack of some needed quiet moments. You can just simply tell, that this film would have been better had more of scenes been left in.

Overall this is a great really fun film. While watching the original TV episodes would be better, that doesn't change the fact that this film is very enjoyable and well worth watching.

                                Film Credits
Director:Norman Foster

Writer: Tom Blackburn

Cast: Fess Parker (Davy Crockett), Buddy Ebson (George Marshall), Basil Ruysdael (Andrew Jackson), Hans Conried (Thimblerig), William Bakewell (Tobias Norton), Kenneth Tobey (Jim Bowie), Pat Hogan (Red Stick), Helene Stanley (Polly Crockett), Nick Cravat (Busted Luck), Don Megowan (William Travis), Mike Mazurki (Bigfoot Mason), Jeff Thompson (Charlie Two Shirts), Henry Joyner (Swaney), Campbell Brown (Bruno), Robert Booth (Congressman), Eugene Brindel (Billy Crockett), Benjamin Hornbuckle (Henderson), Jim Maddux (Congressman), Ray Whitetree (Johnny Crockett), Hal Youngblood (Speaker)

Producers: Walt Disney, Bill Walsh

Music: George Bruns, Edward H. Plumb

Songwriters: George Bruns, Tom Blackburn

Cinematographer: Charles P. Boyle

Art Director: Marvin Aubrey Davis

Editor: Chester W. Schaeffer

Set Decorators: Patrick Delany, Emile Kuri

Makeup Artist: Louis Phillipi

Production Manager: Henry Spitz

Assistant Director: James Judson Cox

Special Artwork Artists: Ken Anderson, Joshua Meador, Art Riley

Sound Department: Robert O. Cook, Ub Iwerks

Stunt Artist: Joe Canutt

Camera Operator: Harvey Gould

Costume Artist: Norman Martien

Script Supervisor: Dolores Rubin

                                      Resources Used
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047977/?ref_=nv_sr_2
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Davy%20Crockett%3A%20King%20of%20the%20Wild%20Frontier

-Michael J. Ruhland

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland










Michael's Movie Grade:A+
Year Released: 1954

                                                         History
In the early 1930's Disney's biggest competitor was the Fleischer Brothers studio. Their Popeye and Betty Boop cartoons equaled and often surpassed the popularity of the Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoons. So what is strange about 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is that it was directed by Richard Fleischer, who was the son of Max Fleischer the head of that studio. This was towards the beginning of Richard's directorial career, he had mostly been doing low budget B pictures at this time, such as The Clay Pigeon, so this was a big change for him. However after this he would go on to direct such films as Tora, Tora, Tora, Soylent Green, and Conan the Destroyer. Richard Fleischer remembered being very surprised when Walt asked him to direct the film, because of who his father was. He wanted to ask his father if it was okay before he accepted Walt's offer. His dad told him that it was okay, but he said he wanted his son to tell Walt that he had a great taste in directors. Walt invited his old rival to lunch, and the two ex-rivals became good friends.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was the first time a live action Disney film had this big name of a cast. The cast included Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, James Mason, and Peter Lorre. In fact Charles Boyer was originally considered for that part that would be offered to  Paul Lucas. Kirk Douglas in fact learned to play the guitar for this film because his screen character here played guitar. Peter Lorre played a role that differed from his normal screen persona. In fact he said that the giant squid that attacked the ship, got the role that he would usually get. This was also the first Disney film to be shot in Cinemascope. After this nearly all Disney films would be in Cinemascope.

Director Richard Fleischer remembered that that 20000 Leagues Under the Sea was not an easy book to translate to film, because it did not have much in the way of a traditional story. Richard suggested that the studio give the job of writing the script to Earl Felton, who had previously worked with him on such films as The Narrow Margin and The Happy Time.

As would be excepted from a film like this getting the look just right was not easy, especially with a perfectionist like Walt Disney in charge. Much of the underwater scenes were actually shot off the coast of Nassau in the Bahamas. Though some of the more complicated scenes were shot on a sound stage with a giant tank of water. For some scenes Walt actually paid to use a water tank from Fox, and a back lot from Universal. The fight with the giant squid was especially difficult. The director remembered much trouble with the giant squid. Despite how much money was spent already making this scene, Richard and Walt deiced to save the shooting for later to figure out ways to improve it. After talking with screenwriter Earl Felton, Richard decided to have this scene take place at night during a storm, to both make the mechanics less obvious and to make the scene more exciting. It was much more expensive this way but Walt didn't care he just wanted to make a great film. Probably one of the biggest problems was that the fish would not swim in front of the camera, but they would rather go out of their way to avoid it. This was overcome by using animated fish. Also very important to this film was art director John Meehan. John Meehan had already won Academy Awards for his work on the films, The Heiress and Sunset Boulevard. His sets here were the most extravagant in a live action Disney film at this time. Also important to this film's look is cameraman Franz Planer, who had to both get used to the brand new Cinemascope and lighting on very difficult sets.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was the most expensive and extravagant live action Disney film made at this time, but it was also the most successful. Critics and audiences praised the film, and it made much more money than it cost. The film would also win the Academy Award for Special Effects and Color Art Direction.

An attraction based off this film was in Walt Disney World from 1971 to 1994. Set from the film could be seen in Disneyland from 1955 to 1966. The pie organ from this film can still be seen in The Haunted Mansion ride in Disneyland.

Review

Simply an incredible movie. Even today this still ranks as one of Disney's best live action films.

This film has such amazing atmosphere to it. The look of this film is excellent. The sets are simply breath taking. What is even more important these thing do not distract from the story, but rather add to it, and suck us into the world of this movie. Some of the effects may be dated today, but many of them hold up extremely well.

These characters are very compelling and complex. Captain Nemo is one of the main reasons to watch this film. His character is simply so fascinating. This is due heavily both to James Mason's acting, and a fantastic script. This is a character with so many layers, who you are both afraid of and eager to learn more about. Like the professor we are also afraid of his evilness, but in awe of the man as well. He remains one of the best characters to appear in a Disney film. In fact all the characters are quite fascinating in their own way and very well acted. Both the writing and acting in this film are near perfect.

This film is a masterpiece and remains one of Disney's best live action films.

                                                    Film Credits
Director: Richard Fleischer

Writer: Earl Felton

Based off the book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

Cast: Kirk Douglas (Ned Land), James Mason (Captain Nemo), Peter Lorre (Conseil), Paul Lukas (Prof. Pierre Aronnax), Robert J. Wilke (First Mate of the Nautilus), Ted de Corsia  (Captain Farragut), Carleton Young (John Howard), J.M. Kerrigan (Old Billy), Percy Helton (Coach Driver), Ted Cooper (Mate), Chet Brandenburg (Sailor), John Daheim (Seaman), Jack Gargan (Reporter), Harper Goff (Minister), Fred Graham (Casey Moore), Charles Grodin (Drummer), Harry Harvey (Ticket Agent), Ray Linn Jr. (Sailor), Dayton Lummis (Reporter), Eddie Marr (Shipping Agent), Laurie Mitchell (Girlfriend), T. Monaghan (Crewman), Ron Nyman (Sailor), Gloria Pall (Girlfriend), Jack Pennick (Cannon Mate Carson), Robert Robinson (Sailor), Jack Stoney (Detective), S. Tarnell (Crewman), Herb Vigran (Reporter), Sailor Vincent (Sailor)

Producer: Walt Disney

Music: Paul J. Smith

Songwriters: Norman Gimbel, Al Hoffman

Cinematographer: Franz Planer

Editor: Elmo Williams

Production Design: Harper Goff

Art Directors: John Meehan, Harper Goff

Set Decorator:  Emile Kuri

Makeup Department: Louis Hippe, Emmy Eckhardt, Dan Greenway, Gustaf Norin, Lillian Rader

Production Managers: Fred Leahy, Frederic Leahy, Ed Ralph

Assistant Directors: Tom Connors Jr., James Curtis Havens, Russ Haverick, J. Matane

Art Directors: Bruce Bushman, Adam John Backauskas, Art Cole,Arden Cripe, J.C. Delaney, Juan Esquinta, Sandy Grace, Juan Haquinta, John Harris, John Hench, Roland Hill, De Nunsic, James Owens, Russell Ray, Freddie Stoos, Art Sweet, Karl Wiebach

Sound Department: Robert O. Cook, C.O. Slyfield, G.R. Danner

Effects: John Hench, Joshua Meador, Jim Donnelly, Lou Gray, Robert A. Mattey, Ub Iwerks, Ralph Hammeras, Charles Bovel, Marcel Delgado, Warren Wray Hamilton, Andy Lane, Fred Sersen, Albert Whitlock, Chris Mueller

Painter: Peter Ellenshaw

Camera Department: Til Gabani, Charles P. Boyle, Edward Colman, Tom Eddy, John Farrell, Jim Grady, Hadley, Paul Hill, Dick Johnson, Kauffman, James V. King, F. Bud Mautino, Morris Rosen, Charles Russell, Don Stott, Hal Swanson, Anthony Ugrin

Costume Department: Norman Martien, Harrington, Herman, Robert Martien, Robert Olivas, Ottras

                                                       Resources Used
The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046672/?ref_=nv_sr_3
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/20000%20Leagues%20Under%20the%20Sea
2000 Leagues Under the Sea DVD audio commentary by Richard Fleischer and Rudy Behlmer 

-Michael J. Ruhland

The Vanishing Prairie

Review and History Written By Michael J. Ruhland



























Michael's Movie Grade:C
Year Released:1954

                                              History
Right after the shooting finished on The Living Desert, shooting began on a second feature length nature documentary, to be called The Vanishing Prairie. Though The Vanishing Prairie took two years to make it was released less than a year after The Living Desert. This was because work on this film began while the other while the other was just beginning the editing process.

This would be made by much of the same crew as The Living Desert. This included director James Algar, photographer Paul Kenworthy, producer Ben Sharpsteen, narrator Winston Hibler, composer Paul J. Smith and more would return to work on this film. The crew on this film being pretty much the same probably had a lot to do with how close the two movies were being made. While it would slightly change from time to time, this is mainly the crew that would work on most of the feature length nature documentaries the studio did during the Walt era. Again you may notice some of the same people who worked on Disney's animated features in the credits here. Many of these people where surprised by this decision and didn't think they could pull it off but Walt had faith in them, so they did it. This is in contrast with Disney's modern nature documentaries which feature very little to none of the same crew you would see on an animated Disney film (the exception being producer Don Han).

The Vanishing Prairie marked one of the few times Disney had any trouble with the censors. This film had a scene in which a mother buffalo gives birth. The New York Censors hated this scene. Because of this the film was actually banned in the state of New York. Walt was rightfully shocked by this decision. The idea of censoring a Disney film shocked many people and many of them complained quite a bit about this. After enough complaints, the censors reluctantly lifted the ban. A review in the New Yorker stated, "I lived through this scene and I think you will too".

Around 120,000 feet of footage was shot for this film, but only 30,000 were used. This shows perfectly how strong Walt's Demand for perfection could be.

The Vanishing Prairie was a financial success. While there was still some of the humor critics hated in The Living Desert here it was lessened. Walt learned from the critics earlier complaints, and set out to make such improvements for this film. Because of this critics were much kinder to The Vanishing Prairie. This film once again won an Academy Award for best documentary feature.

                                   

Review

The Vanishing Prairie is a film with both great virtues, and huge faults.

The photography is still magnificent, and the ending scene needs to be seen to be believed. This incredible photography is still amazing today, and is just lovely to look at.

The narration and humor may be less intrusive this time, but they still are a big problem, though there is nothing here as cringe-worthy as the dance of the scorpions. I still feel that these films would be better off either without, or with less narration. The attempts at humor are really never that funny, and easily should have been left out. Worse though is the music that plays in these scenes. I am very rarely a fan of how films sometimes accompany what is supposed to be funny with music that tries to sound silly, but rather just sounds obnoxious.

However despite these huge faults, the photography is still amazing, and awe-inspiring. This again is quite faulted, but what works definitely makes it worth a watch.

Film Credits

Director: James Algar

Writers: James Algar, Ted Sears, Jack Moffitt, Winston Hibler

Narrator:  Winston Hibler

Producers: Walt Disney, Ben Sharpsteen

Music: Paul J. Smith, Joseph Dubin, Edward H. Plumb, Al Teeter

Photography: Lloyd Beebe, Dick Borden, Herb Crisler, Murl Deusing , Warren Garst, Cleveland P. Grant, Bert Harwell, Stuart V. Jewell, Paul Kenworthy, Tom McHugh, Olin Sewall Pettingill Jr., James R. Simon

Editor: Lloyd L. Richardson

Production Management: Erwin L. Verity

Sound Department: C.O. Slyfield, Harold J. Steck

Visual Effects Artists: Ub Iwerks, Joshua Meador, Art Riley

Resources Used

The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047642/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

-Michael J. Ruhland

Rob Roy: The Highland Rouge

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland















Michael's Movie Grade:D
Year Released:1954

                                             History
This would be the fourth and last of Disney's British films. These were live action films made in Britain because Walt Disney had money over there that he could not spend in the U.S.. This one would star Richard Todd, who had stared in two of the previous films, The Sword and The Rose, and The Adventures of Robin Hood. The female lead would be Glynis Johns who had played Princess Mary in The Sword in the Rose. It would also be produced by Perce Pearce, who had produced the previous three Disney British films. Also working here is the painter Peter Ellenshaw, who had previously painted backgrounds for The Sword and the Rose. However not returning would be Ken Annakin, who had directed The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Sword and the Rose. Ken Annakin was originally  set to direct Rob Roy, and would have gladly done it. However the J. Artur Rank Studio where Annakin had been making the majority of his films, refused to let him work on another film for Disney. The studio was all ready to drop Annakin's contract if he refused to comply. Annakin reluctantly agreed, and a new director Harold French was given the job. Harold French was a British director, who had directed such films as Adam and Evalyn, and Encore. This would be the only Disney film, Harold French would direct.

Of note is that Rob Roy was the last Disney feature to be distributed by RKO. For their previous feature, The Living Desert, Walt had created his own production company called Buena Vista, a company that still exists today. However he still had a contract with RKO, one that Rob Roy would complete.

The Studio made certain to state that this film was an originally story and not an adaption of Sir Walter Scott's novel.

Richard Todd liked to tell the story of how soldiers of the Korean War, who belonged to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders infantry regiment, were used for the battle scenes. He says they used the opportunity to get back at some non-commissioned officers. Todd also liked to tell the story of how during the first battle scene filmed, he injured himself by stepping in a rabbit hole.

Rob Roy was a critical success especially in England. Financially it was not a success in the U.S., but it did better in across the sea.


                                         

Review

By all accounts this should be a great movie, but for some reason it just isn't. It is hard to believe that the people who brought us The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men. and The Sword and the Rose, could make a similar film that is simply so forgettable.

This is a slow paced film, yet it never uses this slow pace to it's advantage. There is little atmosphere, or character development that wouldn't work at a faster pace. In fact the characters are all just completely forgettable. Also for a Disney film there is just a complete lack of fun. There are really only two fun scenes, and these are great, but unfortunately these are the only fun scenes in the movie. For most of the film it just drags.

To be fair this film does have some good points as well. The battle scenes are well staged. The backgrounds are lovely and the acting is good. However these attributes have the problem of being hung onto very little, and can by no means save this film. 

Overall this is one of the weakest Disney films from the Walt era, and a sad end to the great string of Disney British films.

Film Credits

Director: Harold French

Writer: Lawrence Edward Watkin

Cast: Richard Todd (Rob Roy), Glynis Johns (Helen Mary), James Robertson Justice (John Campbell), Michael Gough (Duke of Montrose), Finlay Currie (Hamish MacPherson), Jean Taylor Smith (Marget Campbell), Geoffrey Keen (Killearn),  Archie Duncan (Dugall), Russell Waters (Hugh), Marjorie Fielding (Maggie), Eric Pohlmann (King George),  Ina De La Haye (Countess von Pahlen), Michael Goodliffe (Robert Walpole), Martin Boddey (General Cadogan),  Ewen Solon (Maj. Gen. Wightman), James Sutherland (Torcal), John McEnvoy (Nabby), Ian MacNaughton (Callum), Stevenson Lang (Keith),  Charles Hubbard (Alsdair), Campbell Godley (James), Ted Follows (Douglas), Lionel Thomson (Donald), James Stuart (Ian), Lewis Schwarz (Wallace), Hugh Evans (Gordon), Abe Barker (Duncan), Jock MacKay (Neil MacCallum), Howard Douglas (Donald Urquhart), Douglas Bradley-Smith (Bookseller), May Hallatt (Ballad Hawker), Hamilton Keene (Fort Commandant), Henry Hewitt (Lord Parker), Malcolm Keen (Duke of Marlborough), Andrew Laurence (Lord Chamberlain), David Keir (Servant), Rupert Evans (Fencible), Paddy Ryan (Fencible),  Paget Hunter (Earl of Berkeley), Derek Prentice (Viscount Townshend), Middleton Woods (Lord Carleton), Frank Webster (Lord Carteret), Robert Brooks Turner (Viscount Torrington), Rolph Hutcheson (John Treby), Max Gardner (Lord Evelyn),  Kitty MacLeod (Singer),  Marietta MacLeod (Singer)

Producers: Perce Pearce, Walt Disney

Music:Cedric Thorpe Davie,  Muir Mathieson, Clifford Vaughan

Cinematographer:  Guy Green

Editor: Geoffrey Foot

Production Designer: Carmen Dillon

Art Director: Geoffrey Drake

Costume Designer: Phyllis Dalton

Production Manager: Douglas Peirce

Assistant Directors: Gordon Scott, Jeremy Summers

Sound Recordist: Les Hammond

Special Effects: George Blackwell

Paintings: Peter Ellenshaw, Albert Whitlock

Stunt Man: Paul Baxley

Resources Used

The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046246/?ref_=rvi_tt

http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Rob%20Roy%3A%20The%20Highland%20Rogue

Caught in the Act by Richard Todd

-Michael J. Ruhland

The Living Desert

History and Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland

Michael's Movie Grade:C
Year Released: 1953
                                                           History
One thing that has to be remembered when talking about Walt Disney was that he was a constant experimenter. One of his biggest experiments was for the Disney studio to make live-action nature documentaries. Nearly everyone but Walt felt that this was a bad idea, but Walt persisted with it anyway. This series was dubbed The True Life Adventures. The first of these films was a short called Seal Island. RKO was not sure how to distribute that film as they felt it was too short for a feature and too long for a short. However this was released and it won an academy award. That short was directed by James Algar. James Algar had been a Disney animator on films like Snow White, and had also directed The Sorcerer's Apprentice segment of Fantasia. He was initially surprised when asked to direct live action nature documentaries, but Walt saw this talent in him. He would direct many True Life Adventures, including the film we are discussing here, The Living Desert. Also to work on True Life Adventures was Ben Sharpsteen, who had directed such animated Disney classics as Pinocchio and Dumbo. He would mainly work as a producer though he did direct some True Life Adventures.

RKO didn't like the True Life Adventures from the start, and didn't want the studio to keep making them. Walt grew tired of trying to please RKO. Therefore he created the Buena Vista Distribution Company. The Living Desert along with it's accompanying short film, a delightful cartoon called Ben and Me, became the first Disney films to be distributed by the Buena Vista Distribution Company. RKO would distribute a few Disney films after this but not many. RKO would close in 1957.

A UCLA student named N. Paul Kenworthy JR. had been studying in the American desert for a doctoral thesis. For this assignment he filmed his subject. Walt saw this film and decided it's photographer and it's subject matter would both be used for the first feature length True Life Adventure. Kenworthy would not only help photograph this film but he would also photograph for the next feature length True Life Adventure, The Vanishing Prairie, and co-direct the Disney feature Perri, which was also the first and only True Life Fantasy, and featured a lot of wildlife photography. He also later helped create the snorkel camera system for Daniel Petrie's 1973 Si-Fi film, The Neptune Factor.

The Living Desert became a huge box office success, and it even received an academy award for best documentary feature. The film also won an award at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival and another award at the Berlin Film Festival. This pleased Walt greatly because he had proven all those who didn't want him to make nature documentaries wrong. However not everybody was happy with the film. Critics were upset by the film inserting comedic narration. They were even more upset by a scene where through trick photography the film makers made it look like two scorpions were doing a square dance. They felt these devices betrayed the whole purpose of a nature documentary. Walt took these criticisms to heart and tried to avoid using these or similar devices in future True Life Adventures.

The Living Desert left a big impact on film history. It helped popularize feature length nature documentaries. It also lead to many more Disney nature documentary features, many of which are still being made today.

                                                              Review
Incredible nature photography, and less than incredible narration, and comedic moments.

Again the photography is incredible. It shows us nature's great artistry very well. It also shows that even in a desert, where one doesn't except to look for beauty it can be found. Certain images in this film are breathtaking, and need to be seen by all nature lovers. It amazes me how they were even able to get some of these incredible shots.

The narration and comedy are very unfortunate. Winston Hibler's narration could have honestly just been dropped. At times it feels like a boring school lecture we have had to sit through. It is just honestly not that entertaining or informative. At other times he is telling really bad jokes. Though these are not as cringe-worthy as the scorpion square dance. It is sad that these were added to what was otherwise a really good film. The photography is excellent and the film really didn't need to add anything to it. Especially since films like Dziga Vertov's The Man with a Movie Camera, have shown that great art can be made simply out of film photography.

Disney would make better feature length nature documentaries in the future, but this was a good if faulted start.

                                     Film Credits
Director: James Algar

Writers: James Algar, Winston Hibler, Ted Sears, Jack Moffitt

Narrator: Winston Hibler

Producers: Walt Disney, Ben Sharpsteen

Music: Paul J. Smith, Edward H. Plumb

Photographers: Robert H. Crandall, Paul Kenworthy, Don Arlen, Jack Couffer, Stuart V. Jewell, Tad Nichols

Editor: Norman R. Palmer

Sound Department: C.O. Slyfield, Harold J. Steck

Special Effects: John Hench, Ub Iwerks, Joshua Meador, Art Riley


                                          Resources Used
The Disney Films By Leonard Maltin
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046008/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Living%20Desert%20%28The%29


-Michael J. Ruhland