For those unware of Disney lore, the company has had a long and tumultous history (and the lackluster release of the past fall’s The Princess and the Frog is just the most recent evidence of this). For a company that is legendary for the magic it produces (see Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, do you want me to continue?), it’s also one deep in betrayal, infighting, and corporate maneuvering. Behind the facade of “the Happiest Place on Earth,” Disney is, in reality, just another American corporation looking for profit. However, unlike other corporations – Disney specializes in making the world a happier place – and it does it pretty damn well at that.
If you are lucky enough to live in LA this weekend, you have a chance to check out a documentary behind the walls of the Enchanted Castle. Waking Sleeping Beauty is it the story of Disney’s “renaissance” in the early 90’s after a slow decline through the 70’s and 80’s. If you’ve read Disney War, then you’ve heard this story before. Of all the stories Disney’s ever told, their own tale may be the most interesting. And, like anything Disney, this is a story better told on the screen than in words.
Check out local play times here. Be warned, it’s a very limited engagement, so don’t let it slip by.
-MK
Contact the author at mksmogger@gmail.com.
Smogger 