Early Disney Productions
Disney animation all began in 1928 with Steamboat Willie (Disney, 1928), the first animation that was distributed specifically for sound during the period where ‘talkies’ had dominated over the silent era (Crafton, 1982, p.221). It was from the popularity that this short had received that Walt Disney attracted a vast, global audience that allowed the production of many full length feature films to be distributed worldwide successfully (Crafton, 1982, p. 214) starting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Cottrell, 1937).
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first Disney film to be produced in Hollywood and distributed globally. (Kemp, 2011, p. 146) Perhaps a reason why it was so successful was as it was a known fairytale recognized worldwide, and therefore audiences, no matter what their nationality, could enjoy the film. It could be seen as transnational as it was an adaptation of a folk tale written by Brothers Grimm, German authors who also wrote the tales of Cinderella, the Frog Prince, Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel, all later adapted by Disney. The initial purpose of these tales were to celebrate German culture, however these literary tales could not be enjoyed by everyone, as at the time many people were not privileged with an education that allowed them to read well, unlike folk tales which were passed down through voice (Bell et al, 1995 pp. 23-24). Therefore Walt Disney was able to make these fairytales be heard globally regardless of level of education through the marvel the most transnational form of storytelling, film.
In 1940, Walt Disney Productions released Fantasia (Ferguson, 1940), an animated film interpreting the visuals of classic western music. Although well into the ‘talkies’ period of film, the silent film was a great success over the globe, as it eliminated the language barrier of American film, therefore could be enjoyed regardless of nationality.
In 1940, Walt Disney Productions released Fantasia (Ferguson, 1940), an animated film interpreting the visuals of classic western music. Although well into the ‘talkies’ period of film, the silent film was a great success over the globe, as it eliminated the language barrier of American film, therefore could be enjoyed regardless of nationality.
Disney Rights to Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animated studio founded in the 1980's, producing popular films such as My Neighbour Totoro (Miyazaki , 1988) and Spirited Away (Miyazaki, 2001). Disney recognised the level of popularity the films that Studio Ghibli had produced were receiving, so in the 1990's, Disney obtained the distribution rights to the Japanese company, enlarging the reputation of these films further by hiring popular Hollywood actors to voice the English dubs in order for the films to appeal more to an American audience (Thompson, 2013). This deal with a foreign production company enhances the extent that Disney is a transnational enterprise, allowing Japanese culture to be portrayed through the Walt Disney company via films made in Japan, rather than an American interpretation of Japanese culture.