STUDY GROUP: The First Five Features

Pens down, everyone – there’s no lecture this week, and no required viewing. In our first bonus Study Group episode, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers take a pause to look back on the Walt Disney Animation Studio’s legendary golden run of first five features – Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi. This week, we discuss our favourite sequences, songs, and characters so far, offer our personal rankings of the five movies, and tee up the historical context behind where Disney goes next in a very different era for the studio.

Next week: Saludos Amigos / The Three Caballeros

Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney.

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Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Frozen II. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.