Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Don Hahn | ... | Narrator (voice) | |
Ron Clements | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Peter Schneider | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Roy Edward Disney | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Rob Minkoff | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Glen Keane | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Michael Eisner | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Jeffrey Katzenberg | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Mike Gabriel | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Roger Allers | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
David Pruiksma | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
Gary Trousdale | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
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George Scribner | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) |
John Musker | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) | |
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Thomas Schumacher | ... | Self (voice) (archive footage) |
The story of the Disney Renaissance, an incredibly prolific, successful and prestigious decade lasting from 1984 to 1994 that saw the fallen Walt Disney Animation Studios' unexpected progressive triumphant return to excellence.
I was at a showing of this film at the Toronto International Film Festival last night followed by a short Q&A session with producers Don Hahn and Peter Schneider. Exclusively using archival footage, much of it home video quality, it tells the story of Disney animation between the years 1984 and 1994. This period started with the studios almost being closed down and ended with classic and successful animated films like 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'The Lion King'. As Don Hahn said last night "We are trained so well in the disciplines of animated films that we made another movie that is 82 minutes long and includes a laugh and a cry". The business side of the industry is examined, warts and all, while looking at the relationship between Roy Disney, Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenburg, with Katzenburg probably coming off worst. Recent audio interview clips are used but the film has no 'talking heads' sequences. The film gives an insightful glimpse behind the scenes at Disney animation during this particular time period. We get to see a depressed looking Tim Burton working at a drawing board in the mid-eighties and at least two live action 'pies in the face', which must be a good thing. The bad news is that this will not be on general release until next April at the earliest. It will be shown at more film festivals this year and the producers did say last night that they will personally deliver and show the movie to appropriate interested groups in the early months of 2010 to try and create word of mouth publicity. Get your friends together and give them a call.