Tag Archives: disney renaissance

Waking Sleeping Beauty

“The real heartbeat of this company was, is, and will always be, the film business.” – Roy E. Disney A few months ago I caught wind of a Disney project that’s excited me more than I can remember in years, more so even than hearing that Disney was to return to its hand-drawn fairy tales with “Princess and the Frog.” Any of my anticipation for upcoming Disney projects is always tempered by wariness; I know that due to nostalgia it’s unlikely that I will ever feel the same way about new Disney films as the ones with which I grew … Continue reading →

A Tribute to Alan Menken

When the Academy Award nominations were announced a few weeks ago, I discovered some surprises in the “Best Original Song” category. Two songs from “Princess and the Frog” made the list. I didn’t hide my lack of enthusiasm for Randy Newman’s work on Disney’s latest animated feature. I found nothing particularly repellant about the songs in the movie, but almost more importantly, I especially didn’t find anything memorable about them. As I said before, I couldn’t recall a single song from the movie even as I walked out of the theater minutes after the credits rolled. Do I just have … Continue reading →

Roy E. Disney Dies, Aged 79

On December 16, 2009 Roy Edward Disney, a powerful and fundamental force in the Disney company, succumbed to his year-long battle with cancer. Though his face bore a strong resemblance to his famous uncle Walt, Roy’s continuance of Walt Disney’s legacy involved far more than looks. The son of Walt’s brother Roy O., who co-founded the entertainment company with Walt in 1923, Roy didn’t join the family business right away. After attending Pomona College and then Harvard University, Roy first became a film editor on the television show “Dragnet” in 1952. Before long Roy did follow in his family’s footsteps … Continue reading →