Disney: Socialist Perspectives
932548
As authors Mike Budd and MAX KIRSCH along with contributors Lee Artz, Sean Griffin, Dick Hebdige, Radha Jhappan, Daiva Stasiulis, and Susan Willis show in this collection of eleven  interdisciplinary essays, the Walt Disney corporation has grown far beyond its origins in animated films and theme parks to become a BIG multinational corporation with global cultural programming power. Although the authors purport to take an economic approach to corporatism's "Disney-sized" problems, they do little more than show their confusion on corporations and capitalism.  Corporations are creations of the state and do not arise spontaneously in a free market, but the authors seem to know little about the origins of these "artificial persons".  Here are the topics that they do cover:

INTRODUCTION: "Private Disney, Public Disney" by Mike Budd

PART ONE: ALTERNATIVE HISTORIES

"Dis-Gnosis: Disney and the Re-Tooling of Knowledge, Art, Culture, Life Etcetera" by Dick Hebdige;

"Disney's Bestiary" by Susan Willis;

PART TWO: CAPITALISM, COMMODIFICATION, GLOBALIZATION

"Monarchs, Monsters and Multiculturalism: Disney's Menu for Global Hierarchy" by Lee Artz;

"The Lion King, Mimesis, and Disney's Magical Capitalism" by Maurya Wickstrom;

PART THREE: HIERARCHIES: RACE, CLASS, GENDER, SEXUALITY

"Curiouser and Curiouser: Gay Days at the Disney Theme Parks" by Sean Griffin;

"Anglophilia and the Discreet Charm of the English Voice in Disney's Pocahontas Films" - Radha Jhappan and Daiva Stasiulis;

PART FOUR: REPRESENTATION, SIMULATION, APPROPRIATION

"Everybody Wants a Piece of Pooh: Winnie, from Adaptation to Market Saturation" by Aaron Taylor;

"Truer than Life: Disney's Animal Kingdom" by Scott Hermanson;

PART FIVE: URBAN PLANNING AND THEMED ENVIRONMENTS

'Saying No to Disney: Disney's Demise in Four American Cities" by Stacy Warren;

"Synergy City: How Times Square and Celebration are Integrated into Disney's Marketing Cycle" by Frank Roost;

"Disneyfication, the Stadium, and the Politics of Ambiance" by Greg Siegel.

I thought the difficult economic issues were avoided as well as the analogy of the corporation to a Roman General and his army. Part Three was the best on Class and Heirarchies with all three authors contributing works in the section providing a superb and vitally important introduction to cultural theory and cultural programming.

With Tony Blair ever-whispering into Bush's ear, the British empire now American-powered, and Disney too a victim of Anglophilia, it is difficult to believe that American Yankees ever fought a war against the British, let alone two wars!

In short, a concise socialist critique of a certain corporation.
1204369
I like it!  A retro ecology film.  Adults don't want to save the world, but kids take on the job.  Just like the college Ecology movement in the 60s.  However, the presentation is more of an adult theme, which makes it not as desirable to Disney fans.
Great special effects and flying by kids.  Like the tie in with the 1964 NY Worlds Fair.
4335802
I find it fascinating that the recent made-for-TV film was done by Disney, considering that Disney was behind a series of "experimental community projects" in the 90s that were somewhat vaguely reminiscent of Camazotz, where the houses were identical and people were closely monitored.  In any case, the film adaptation is bolstered by beautiful, psychdelic visual effects that do end up approximating the feel of the original novel to some extent.  When I first read this at the age of nine, I found the book absolutely chilling; the fact that places similar to Camazotz exist right here on Earth today (North Korea?) make this a sort of Orwellian fable with a mystical slant; that it was written in the 1950s could even have been a subtle poke against McCarthyist paranoia.  Fortunately, the ending is positive, as befits a children's novel, providing one with an appropriate breath of fresh air.  Certainly not the be-all-and-end-all of literature, but as a starting point for pre-adolescent children, it is seminal and looking back on it as an adult, I still find it highly enjoyable and timely.
2970788
I was given this book when I was a child (which I suppose would be considered the "good old days" by many a contemporary child) and found it both intersting and informative. It is sort of like a non-narrative version of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle", which led to sweeping changes in regulation of food products in the United States.

It is not at all by any means "anti-american". That is a ridiculous notion, which only the most paranoid reactionary could entertain. If anything, it is a celebration of how much progress the United States has made not only in technology, but in the common cause of food, product, and workplace safety. We have come a long way from "The Good Old Days", and that is a good thing indeed.
1367024
I can only add my very favourable review to the others published here. It's a very detailed and massive tome of technical and other behind-the-scenes information about, arguably, the most ambitious and creative period of the Walt Disney Studio. John Canemaker, a well-known authority on Disney and animation in general, has researched his subject very thoroughly, and presents it beautifully, a sturdy volume with a wealth of fine and informative photographs by Herman Schultheis himself and other studio photographers. His Disney notebook is presented in full, even to the blank pages with their glue stains! Schultheis is certainly an intriguing and multifaceted character on his own, which adds to the sense of wonder and admiration, and goes far beyond the mere technical and tabular aspects of the book. In other words, even if some of the intricate nuts and bolts about optics and chemicals may baffle the average Disney fan, it's also a very entertaining read.

And of course, since most of the Disney movies described in the book are readily available, it's relatively easy to compare all the background paintings, character designs, special effects and set stills shown in the book with the finished product to enhance our appreciation. I did with 'Fantasia' and 'The Reluctant Dragon', and it was extremely enlightening as well as fun.

Definitely recommended if you are a Disney buff or a special effects enthusiast.
4099891
An amazing read for anyone who is a fan of Disney music!  Affectionate and entertaining and very insightful... As one who grew up exposed to Disney music on records, this book really gives an amazing back-story on how The House of Mouse operated in all things musical. during its hey-day.  It's great that such an unsung hero of 20th century popular culture, Jimmy Johnson, is finally being recognized with this publication (although the book itself is pieced together by his editors and heirs, taken from his unpublished journals and other writings).  A must-read for any fan of nostalgic Disney music.
3696516
The book was originally published in 1979, with this new edition coming along in 2002. The feminist interpretations of fairy tales have gained a lot of attention since the book appeared (see most any Angela Carter, my personal choice is&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Infernal-Desire-Machines-of-Doctor-Hoffman/dp/0140235191/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman</a>) and it would be hard to consider that radical today. Still, the discussion of latent fascism ("Might makes right") and Utopian idealism are excellent and thought provoking. The book was originally written at least in part a response to the popularity (late 1960s and early 1970s) of Tolkien and Narnia. The update adds in Harry Potter and reconnects us to popularity of the folk tale in mass market literature.

"In Pittsburgh, PA, a burglar lost his shoe as he fled from the home of Mrs. M., age 43. Patrolmen arrested R.T., age 20, who was sitting shoeless in a nearby bar. Authorities said a shoe matching the one found in the M. home was discovered behind the bar." - Winnipeg Free Press, April 14, 1972

Cinderella is all around us.
1467413
Beautiful, complete, if Disney-centric (but then again, that's the reality, isn't it?) epic of the much-maligned and still underappreciated Hollywood animated cartoon.  Barrier leaves no stone unturned in this  definitive scholarly thesis on his subject, as well he shouldn't: this  thing has been in the works--on and off--for almost two decades.  (Only one  minor quibble: not enough stuff on the Jones-Clampett feud and other  non-Disney political issues.)  Animation scholars rejoice!
4654624
A short and insightful look into how Disney has shaped American culture and changed the Florida landscape forever. I thought it was an interesting concept that was too short; I would have liked to read more from this author about this topic.
4324989
I am not a regular visitor to Walt Disney World, but I have always been interested in behind the scenes information about the park.  The first time I went there, when I lived in Maine, I was sent by my employer with other selected co-workers.  We went on one of the behind the scenes tours, and that was where my interest started.

I have added this book to my small collection on the subject.  It is a Disney-approved book, so of course you will not find any scandals or real negative stuff here, but still, I found that the subject matter was presented in an honest way, not merely as a propaganda piece.  The pictures are great and there are plenty of anecdotes presented by employees through the years.  I found it to be very interesting and a great addition to my books on the subject.
4671365
I'm a big Disney fan, and found myself vehemently disagreeing with many of the essays in this book (academics just don't  "get it"); however, it did force me to think about just why these critics are dead wrong.  Most enjoyable to me were the "behind the scenes" interviews with (mostly) former employees and the architectural commentary.
853966
For a long time I've been fascinated with Russian history. Although my interest lied with early Kievan Russia and into the early Romanov dynasty, I have begun to look into the history leading into the Russian revolution. I must say that some aspects of the socialist/communist ideas are appealing, Karl Marx makes an excellent analysis concerning the time it was written. It's clear to me that Marxism aims for the common people. Even to the non history geeks, it's worth a read.
4633262
Agenda is certainly a must see movie, as it provides insight to understand mislead perspectives in several areas. Three areas of misinformation in this movie include religious principles, political party philosophies (Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism), and Culture - but that is not all. Beginning with religion; if Christianity carries the notion that judgment of others is acceptable, and that deeming others who don't share their religious or political perspectives as "evil" is justifiable, many Christians may consider quickly the need to convert to Hinduism or Islam; both, being religions that share the values of the golden rule - seemingly forgotten in this movie. The second area of misinformation, or delusion, involves the ideas and very definitions of political parties and the philosophies behind it. Agenda claims that Socialism is a first step toward Communism which is horrendously false. Marx, who died in 1883, indeed foresaw that Capitalist governments would later be overthrown by Socialist revolutions. However, many scholars suggest that Marx would have been pleased to see the effect of engaged democratic revolutions that can occur within a capitalist economy of a government, such as that of the United States. Those who actually know anything about Gramsci, other than his name and where he was born, realize that Agenda's sound bite collage leaves out the fact that he was an anti-communist Communist, jailed for writing against the government who he felt was corrupting true ideals of his interpretation of Communism. Revealing this intellectual depth of this piece of reality might not have been appropriate for the cognitive tipping point of the intended audience of this film. The third basic slur on social reality Agenda presents is related to the claims made regarding the nature of cultural change. The movie states that since the sixties there has been an intended political agenda, aiming to destroy the fundamental culture of this country, by a select group of people; furthermore, claiming this country as the best nation of the world. This last claim is not being addressed in this review but needs to be considered as part of the radical, Christian crusader perspective as the view this film wants to deliver - or shape. Culture, by nature, continually evolves; not only in America but everywhere. A critical thinking viewer only needs to look at the cultural shifts that have occurred in the United States alone before the sixties, due to the Industrial Revolution or the American Revolution itself, to see Agenda's claim of intended change of culture as fallacy. Culture, since the sixties through today; in this age of increased flow of economy, mobility, information, and ideology has indeed changed - everywhere! Agenda is a necessary film to see the effects propaganda can play on a population somewhat comparable to Michael Moore films but with less explicit data made available to back up claims made in his films.

From my perspective, government no longer governs the United States National and Multi-National Corporations do. This movie could be reframed placing the label of "Communists" on the multinational corporations and its enslaved unaware consumers.
1242149
The Stern Librarian applauds the fact that there is now a big, serious biography of Walt Disney that she can recommend to patrons.  I cannot help but feel, however, that reading such a book is a difficult endeavor.  Do we really want to know that Walt Disney smoked a lot, drank a little and was a mean boss?  Walt Disney is justly celebrated as one of America's great entrepreneurs and innovators for his creation of Mickey Mouse, the feature length animated film and the theme park.  Gabler's book is best when it explains Walt's quest for a perfect world that he could control, perhaps as a reaction to a difficult childhood in which he never progressed beyond a ninth grade education.  The chapter on the creation of Disneyland is excellent, especially in its description of how its circular layout mimics the comfortable contours of  Mickey Mouse and how Disneyland as a fake place perhaps created our current reality and national self-image.  In Disneyland, one finds only the past and the future--there is no place there for the present.  Similarly, Walt Disney himself has become synonymous with nostalgia and utopia.  Learning about his family squabbles, corporate struggles and personal loneliness is almost an embarrassment that we don't want to look at, sort of like a piece of trash on Main Street U.S.A. before a period-clad sweeper comes along to make it disappear.  Even so, this book is the ultimate comprehensive reference on the man, the films, the Parks, the company and the Mouse.  The Stern Librarian (You're as welcome as can be in my library!).
835156
First, and very important: there's nothing in this book that you can't find already on the Net. But here you'll find a really objective account of the Disneyland's backstage story - something which is quite difficult to see in a world that seems factionally divided into Disney worshippers and bashers.
Also to note: this volume is mostly about the crazy antics going on behind the scenes. The sequel is more oriented toward showing the black underbelly of the park's management.
1408872
Five stars for the discussion of the British angling to force freed slaves to work for wages, since the related arguements apply across capitalistic societies, viz the native american peoples. Ony add the backdrop of Christian monastic socialism and you are spitted on the problem of our age.

It has led me to believe the history of slavery is worthy as a core study
4088451
Just received this brief book from Atlas Economic Research Foundation and Students For Liberty along with a request to donate.  The book is targeted at college age students to help combat the socialist bias in most university cultures.  I thought I'd glance through the book quickly to make a decision if I'd follow up with a donation.  I'd read half the essays in the book before I put it back down.  Wisely, the publishers lead with an essay from the CEO of Whole Foods - certainly a company that most college students and many 'liberals' relate to.  The essays in the book are well written (the Whole Foods essay is actually an invterview, not an essay) and concise with their thesis well articulated.  The book explores ideas such as the difference between free-market capitalism and crony capitalism; the value of creative destruction; how capitalism and competition is about cooperation; etc.

My immediate reaction to the book is to buy dozens more to hand out to both like minded and opposite minded.  I highly recommend this book as well as the organizations