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Posts from the ‘1940’ Category

Feb 4

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Fantasia

Fantasia is one of those rare Disney films that actually lives up to the magic of the myth. The 1940 movie is just the third of the feature-length animated classics and is, in my humble opinion, one of Disney’s best. The idea for it came about, at least partly, because Walt wanted to revive Mickey Mouse. The character, the foundation for everything Disney, was in decline at that point and pouring some new life into Mickey was considered a top priority. Walt Disney Productions was, after all, the House the Mouse built.

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Oct 30

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Pinocchio

original_pinnochio_poster

The second feature animated film from Walt Disney was 1940’s Pinocchio. Following up on the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio took the Carlo Collodi story of Pinocchio: Tale of a Puppet and brought it to life as a colourful, adventurous vision of animation. Watching it now, it still remains a classic film with a brightness and an energy that can’t be beat.

It is said that Disney halted early production of the film to resurface it with “better” ideas that deviated from Collodi’s story. Pinocchio was originally supposed to be a sort of wise guy puppet, like in the original novel, but Disney discarded that in favour of a good ol’ boy with lessons to learn and a more boyish appearance than originally designed. In the end, the version of Pinocchio that Disney put to screen was probably more palatable for its intended audience.

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Feb 24

The Great Dictator

the-great-dictator

Timely, as always, was Charles Chaplin:

I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible – Jew, Gentile – black man – white.

We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness – not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there’s room for everyone and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men’s souls – has barricaded the world with hate – has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

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