In the wonderful world of Disney

A mouse that puts a smile on your face!

Yellow shoes, red shorts, white gloves and two big black ears – doesn’t that remind you of something? That’s right, it’s Mickey Mouse. This world-famous and increasingly popular mouse has been making children and adults dream for almost 100 years.

The famous rodent was created in 1928 by Walter Elias Disney, better known as Walt Disney. Born in the USA in 1901, he was a jack-of-all-trades who began working in advertising design in the 1920s. At the same time, he began creating animated films, the first lasting 1 minute and dealing with local problems(Newman Laugh-O-Grams). Later, Disney reunited with his brother Roy in Hollywood, where they set up the Disney Brothers Studio, a company specializing in animation. The company had its ups and downs, and was renamed Walt Disney Studio (1926), then Walt Disney Productions (1928).

From Mortimer to Mickey
Mickey Mouse didn’t first appear in the form we know him today. In 1927, Walt Disney and his team created theOswald the Lucky Rabbit series. But following a falling-out with Charles Mintz, Walt learned that he did not own the rights to this new hero.

He then decided to create another character based on Oswald’s model. One thing led to another, and the hero was transformed into a mouse. Initially called Mortimer Mouse, she was eventually renamed Mickey by Walt’s wife, Lilian Disney. On the strength of his previous experience, Walt Disney took the opportunity to register a trademark for Mickey Mouse, thus protecting his rights to the rodent.

The latter made his first appearance in the silent film “Plane Crazy ” (1928). In this 6-minute short, we see Mickey inspired by Lindbergh and wishing to become an aviator. It was also in this film that Mickey’s fiancée Minnie was seen for the first time. Mickey’s second appearance was in “Steamboat Willie ” (1928), a short film combining sound and image – a first for the time!

Audiences flocked to the films, and Disney’s mouse quickly became a star. As the films progressed, new characters appeared, such as Mickey’s famous companion Pluto (1930). Among the best-known were Goofy (1932), Donald (1934) and Daisy (1940). This success soon led to other characters getting their own series.

Animation and much more
But Disney Studios isn’t just known for the adventures of Mickey Mouse and friends. In the late ’30s, Walt began making feature films. The first of these was ” Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs “, released in the USA in 1938. The 1-hour 23-minute film was a hit. After that, the studio went from strength to strength, releasing several feature films in the same year. The “Disney machine” was off and running, and the studios never stopped producing, galvanized by the ever-growing audience for their works. Indeed, even today, every year audiences eagerly await and clamor for “the new Disney”, the latest being “Encanto”, released on November 24, 2021.

Over the years, a large number of his works have won Oscars. In 1932, for example, Walt received an honorary Oscar for the creation of Mickey Mouse, and for Fantasia in 1940. As proof of his success, Walt Disney was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

Mickey and his friends, enjoying great popularity, will also find themselves doing propaganda work during the war. Minnie explained to American women how to make ammunition for soldiers at the front. Donald appeared in 1942 in Der Fuehrer’s Face. This film, used for anti-Nazi propaganda, won the Oscar for best animated short in 1943.

The Disney empire
Walt Disney’s many successes led him to diversify and expand. By the 1950s, the Disney name was no longer confined to animation, with the opening of the first Disneyland park in California. A new concept was born with this first “theme park” in history. This was followed by 5 others, including one in Paris, which opened in 1992. Derivative products were also legion, with Mickey’s diary appearing as early as the end of 1932.

Before long, we’re no longer talking about a simple animation studio, but about the “Disney empire”. This superpower continues to grow and devour everything around it. Today, the number of films produced by the company is countless, and in the process, it has acquired numerous franchises, greatly expanding and diversifying its catalog. Alongside Donald and Pluto, we now find “Jedi”, superheroes and “Indiana Jones”. These days, it’s hard to watch a feature film or animated movie without some link to American society.

A true inspiration
You’d think that over the years Disney films would have gone out of fashion, but the opposite is true. These films are a true trademark of the studio: good versus evil, charismatic villains and songs that stick in your head. All the ingredients are there to draw viewers in and take them on extraordinary adventures! Even if this Manichean vision of life may seem light-years away from the truth, it must be said that Disney’s films have brightened the daily lives of many generations of children and adults alike. The impact of his world on ours is undeniable. Who hasn’t seen a Disney movie or hummed one of its songs?

In addition to technical prowess, Disney’s feature films feature a wide range of heroes and heroines from all corners of the globe and beyond. The values taught are practically always the same, but the studio has reinvented itself by making these characters evolve. Fairies and princesses have given way to warriors and strong women. There’s also the appearance of a homosexual couple in the film “Les Eternels”. But what stands out most in Walt Disney’s universe is the possibility of dreaming, as demonstrated by his slogan “When magic comes to life”. A true source of inspiration, Walter Elias Disney is, and always will be, in everyone’s heart.

So if you’d like to get back to your childhood or discover new titles, BCU Riponne has a selection of documents on the world of Disney.