Sleeping Beauty (1959) Directed by Clyde Geronimi Synopsis: A holiday is proclaimed to celebrate the recent birth of King Stefan and Queen Leah’s daughter Aurora, and everyone is invited. Well, almost everyone: the evil fairy Maleficent got snubbed. As the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merriweather, are bestowing the newborn with gifts of beauty … Continue reading Sleeping Beauty
Disney
Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp (1955) Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson Synopsis In 1909, “Jim Dear” gives his wife, “Darling”, a Christmas gift of a cocker spaniel puppy. Given the name Lady, she enjoys being doted on by her upper-middle-class owners, and her friendship with the local dogs Jock and Trusty. Soon … Continue reading Lady and the Tramp
Peter Pan
Peter Pan (1953) Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson Synopsis Upset when the antics of his children disrupt his party preparations, Mr. Darling orders his oldest daughter Wendy to stop telling her brothers stories about Peter Pan. He also declares that she’s too old to keep living in the nursery, something that … Continue reading Peter Pan
Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland (1951) Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson Synopsis The young Alice, bored by her history lesson, wanders off and encounters a talking, clothed rabbit. She follows him down a rabbit hole and into the strange world of Wonderland. There she encounters a series of bizarre and nonsensical characters, while … Continue reading Alice in Wonderland
Cinderella
Cinderella (1950) Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson Synopsis After the deaths of both of her parents, young Cinderella is forced to work as a servant in her own family home for her stepmother and two stepsisters. When the king announces a ball with mandatory attendance from all eligible women in the … Continue reading Cinderella
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) Directed by Jack Kinney, Clyde Geronimi and James Algar Synopsis Two longer shorts again, each about thirty minutes long. The first is an adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows, in which Mr. Toad becomes obsessed with the new invention of automobiles in 1909 England. He’s … Continue reading The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Melody Time
Melody Time (1948) Directed by Jack Kinney, Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson (supervisors) Synopsis Our tour of Disney’s 1940s package films continues. This time, we have a follow-up to Make Mine Music, with another seven shorts set to various popular and folk songs. Unlike the earlier package film, this one has Fantasia-style introductions … Continue reading Melody Time
Fun and Fancy Free
Fun and Fancy Free (1947) Directed by Jack Kinney, Bill Roberts and Hamilton Luske (animation) and William Morgan (live-action segments) Synopsis Another week, another package film. This time there’s just two longer segments, with some connective tissue involving Jiminy Cricket and a live-action sequence with ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his puppets. The first, “Bongo”, is … Continue reading Fun and Fancy Free
Make Mine Music
Make Mine Music (1946) Directed by Jack Kinney et al (supervisors) Synopsis Much like Fantasia before it, this is a collection of shorter animated segments, each inspired by and incorporating a piece of music. This time around, the theme was the popular music of the day instead of classical works (with a couple of exceptions), … Continue reading Make Mine Music
The Three Caballeros
The Three Caballeros (1944) Directed by Norman Ferguson (supervisor) Synopsis Donald Duck receives a bunch of wrapped presents for his birthday. The first contains a film projector, which shows him three Latin American-themed shorts. Upon opening the second, he finds a pop-up book of Brazil, containing a miniaturized Jose Carioca. Carioca shrinks Donald, and they … Continue reading The Three Caballeros
Cinematic Nostalgia 