Thursday, July 01, 2010

Disney Ephemera: Civil & Social Engineering 101

THE NEW SPIRIT (1942)


REASON AND EMOTION (1943)


More Disney life lessons...


CLEANLINESS BRINGS HEALTH (1944)


"I'M NO FOOL... HAVING FUN" (1956)


THE CALARTS STORY (1964)

From 24700, the official blog for CalArts, this interesting historical gem from 1964 has been found in their video vaults. “The CalArts Story” was a short film (about 15 minutes) that was originally presented at the gala premiere of Mary Poppins. It’s long and drawn out—much like the live action short films produced by Disney during that time, but it’s a fascinating look at what Walt Disney had in mind for the future of the school.

WALT DISNEY'S EPCOT (1966)

In this promotional film from October 1966, Walt Disney explains his plans for Disney World in Florida. In his introduction to this feature, Maltin states that this is the first time it has been seen in its entirety by the general public. Disney speaks with excitement about EPCOT as "an experimental prototype community that will always be in a state of becoming." The film details transportaion plans for EPCOT, calling for three levels of transporation, with a high-speed monorail and a WEDWAY People Mover at the highest level. Sadly, Walt Disney died just two months after this was filmed.

STEPS TOWARDS MATURITY AND HEALTH (1968)

There is a focus on the need for physical, mental and social health to be fully developed in order for humans to function properly within society. The film is aimed at an adolescent audience who are independently confronting developments in these aspects of their well-being for the first time.

NOTE: Possibly the first and only time sexual reproduction is demonstrated in animation from the Disney studio!

THE SOCIAL SIDE OF HEALTH (1969)

This late 1960's produced film uses an equilateral triangle to demonstrate the need for social belonging. Within the superb animation lies a subtle form of propaganda that attempts to keep young adults in line with society as a whole. The film includes a hilarious pill popping scene, classic animated graphics and a dancing triangle.


THE "WHAT SHOULD I DO?" SERIES (1969-70)

THE FIGHT

When two boys play an unwelcome practical joke, they learn how easily it can get out of hand. Then they learn practical ways to apologize and to prevent a fight.

THE GAME


THE PROJECT


7 comments:

Unknown said...

Reason and Emotion has some of the best animation. I watch it over and over just for the awesomeness of it.

Chris Sobieniak said...

I have too. That one in particular impressed me in explaining those parts of our brain and how they function. If it wasn't for the Hitler/WWII bit, it probably would've been quite usable for years (though they could had revise it to suit a Cold War-era sensibilities if the Hitler sequence is positioned as a historic situation).

I could only find one of those "I'm No Fool" bits on YouTube, but I remember those from The Disney Channel back in the day when they had on Mickey Mouse Club and other programs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jiminy_Cricket_educational_serials

The more rarer of these I bother to highlight is "What Would You Do?". Produced between 1969-70, it gives us a random situation, pauses at a certain point, and then gives several possible conclusions that could develop from the incident, but then just leaves us hanging (since we're supposed to have a classroom discussion after that). Episodes of this also showed up on The Disney Channel (care of Donald Duck Presents). One of the episodes I had managed to save from someone else who had it up on YouTube before, while two others came from my personal collection, have to look for more of these someday. It's an OK series, and gets the point across without using too much animation that we come to except from the Mouse House.

Chris Sobieniak said...

"The CalArts Story" and that Epcot thing is probably a little out of the theme, but I liked the whole future expansion scenario these people were dreaming of for it's time (CalArts though ended up in Valencia than being positioned near the Hollywood Bowl in this film).

Unknown said...

Now there's a thought. Yeah, as I remember, whenever they played Reason and Emotion on the Wonderful World of Disney they'd always end before the Hitler part.

"Please turn off the projector and discuss with the class."

Chris Sobieniak said...

Tohoscope said...
Now there's a thought. Yeah, as I remember, whenever they played Reason and Emotion on the Wonderful World of Disney they'd always end before the Hitler part.


That's how I remember it too. That version had Ludwig von Drake (Paul Frees) narrating the thing. Some of the reports coming over the radio were redubbed to sound less dated, and the Hitler bit was nixed.

"Please turn off the projector and discuss with the class."

It's always hard watching those type of films alone since I often like being open to opinions than to have one myself that I share to nobody. But then, it would mean spending more precious minutes in class dragging that into the mud without a clear answer!

Dr. Mila said...

Our brains are inhabited by the Odd Couple?

Dr. Mila said...

Having watched it, I now desperately want to remix the Donald Duck radio sequence with some Glennnnnnn Beck.