Disney in Film and Culture

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The name "Disney" has achieved nearly mythic status in U.S. and international film and culture. For many, the name evokes treasured childhood memories of watching the The Lion King or The Little Mermaid or of discovering Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck for the first time. Among film scholars, Disney cartoons stand as some of the finest examples of carefully crafted, naturalistic, character-centered animation. For business majors and professionals, The Walt Disney Company has come to symbolize a modern, competitive corporation that seeks to leverage its stories and characters across a variety of media platforms in a global marketplace. While many love Disney films, and see Walt Disney as an American icon, his popularity and "American-ness" have sparked controversy in other countries and in various historical periods. This class examines Walt Disney, Disney films, and the Disney Company from a variety of perspectives that will help us understand both Disney's enduring popularity and the kinds of suspicions its worked has raised. Our readings will draw from biographies of Walt Disney; histories of the Disney studio and of the animation industry in general; critical analyses of the films; and cultural studies of Disney merchandising, theme parks and theatrical productions. Screenings will include the classic films of the studio era, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Cinderella, and Peter Pan, as well as more recent works such as Mary Poppins, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. Requirements include weekly reading responses, exams, and an extended research paper.