Let’s Talk about the Latest Disney Animation Masterpiece
Throughout the past century, Disney animation has pulled off some unbelievable feats.
The company’s latest achievement may surpass them all, though.
Disney has created an animated short that somehow refines 100 years of animation into less than nine minutes of pure perfection.
Let’s talk about the latest Disney animated masterpiece, Once Upon a Studio, or, as I will always call it, Disney Animation’s Greatest Hits.
Meet Burny Mattinson
Sometimes, kismet comes in the unlikeliest forms.
For longtime Disney employees, Once Upon a Studio may prove bittersweet, but it’s actually the perfect capper to an extraordinary life.
A person who joined The Walt Disney Company in 1953 lived long enough to appear in a centennial celebration of the art of animation.
Meet Burnett “Burny” Mattinson.
After graduating high school, Mattinson needed work and hoped that Disney would have a job opening in its animation department.
While nothing was available there, Disney hired Burny for the traffic department.
After a few months of working with Disney traffic, Burny capitalized on a serendipitous opportunity. He joined the production of an upcoming Disney film.
You know that title as The Lady and the Tramp. It was Burny’s first of many hits.
His staggering resume includes many other titles like Mary Poppins, Jungle Book, and The Aristocats.
Most importantly, Disney credits Mattinson with the creation of one of its unforgettable villains, Maleficent.
Mattinson’s impact on Disney was still being felt in 2022, as his ideas led to the creation of a character in Strange World.
In many ways, Burny Mattinson WAS Disney animation. He watched Walt Disney create something special, wanted to join in, and eventually became a Disney Legend.
Sadly, Mattinson died in early 2023, months before the debut of Once Upon a Studio.
However, Disney thoughtfully cast Mattinson in Once Upon a Studio. He’s the elderly gentleman exiting the animation building.
History will remember Mattinson for his countless roles within the studio, but he’ll also claim the significant historical footnote of saying, “If these walls could talk…”
Fittingly, one of the many people who define Disney animation.sets the table for Once Upon a Studio.
When You Wish Upon a Star…
After Burny recites his line of dialogue, the doors close and leave no humans in the building.
What follows is a Toy Story-esque premise that Disney’s animated characters all spring to life once the humans have gone.
They hop straight out of their movies and into the Roy E. Disney Animation Building.
The symbolism of Burny handing off the story to Mickey Mouse shouldn’t be missed, either.
Before his death at the age of 87, he’d been the one who had witnessed the creation of more Disney characters than any other living person.
As Burny’s statement about talking walls lingers in the air, the story changes from an artist to his living will, his art. And the art has a LOT to say.
Mickey Mouse grabs his beloved Minnie Mouse, and the two go on a grand adventure through the animation building.
Along the way, they are joined by 541 of their closest friends, starting with Tinkerbell and ending with Jiminy Cricket, who sings a song you may know.
In between those bookends, Disney throws the book at you. Really, it’s dozens of books, each one containing many unforgettable Disney characters.
A Veritable Who’s Who at Disney
When you watch Once Upon a Studio for the first time, every familiar face will warm your soul.
However, upon rewatching, I challenge you to determine how many Disney characters you can name.
I write about Disney for a living, and I was still wracking my brain to remember dozens of them.
That’s partially because the Disney characters come at you so quickly and, in many instances, fleetingly.
I’ve previously mentioned my devotion to the Prep & Landing series, a holiday staple in my household.
Even as a superfan, I definitely didn’t expect Wayne and Lanny to appear.
Some of the characters appear in cameos, while others, like Flounder from The Little Mermaid, get little throwaway gags on the fly.
Have you ever disliked a family member’s ex? So has Elsa! And that’s why Hans doesn’t get to leave his wall.
Virtually everyone in Disney animation does, though. As a Bolt fanatic, I was thrilled to recognize Mittens and Rhino hanging out with Minnie Mouse.
The animations have done a wonderful job with Bolt, and the same statement applies to characters from Zootopia as well.
Respecting Disney’s Legacy
That brings me to an important note here. As a point of pride, Disney states that roughly 80 percent of this story features hand-drawn animation.
Obviously, that’s exactly what Walt Disney would expect, as it’s all he ever knew.
Since most of Disney’s recent works prioritized computer animation, that’s far from the norm today, though.
Disney has chosen the respectful, and I would argue vital, animation style that honors its storytelling roots.
Also, Disney has brought back many of the illustrators and voice actors from these titles.
In this week’s Disney Headlines, I chronicle the inclusion of Robin Williams as Aladdin’s Genie.
On a personal note, I’d like to mention the appearances of a social media friend, Mark Walton, who voices Rhino, and Chris Sanders, the voice of Stitch.
Both individuals previously worked at Disney but no longer do today.
Disney didn’t replace them in-house, which would have been cheaper, but instead welcomed them back. It’s a fitting tribute to their contributions.
The production team responsible for Once Upon a Studio has made an effort to honor everyone who has had a hand in Disney’s century of animated excellence.
I commend them for doing the hard thing, which is also the right thing.
What the Walls Say
Remarkably, the people telling this story have found the ideal usage of countless characters.
The Mad Hatter gets to quip, Baymax gets to squeeze into an elevator, and Fix-It Felix Jr. gets to, well, fix something.
Perhaps the funniest (and most extended) gag involves Flash, the sloth from Zootopia.
But the walls say the most when Walt Disney notices one picture that never comes alive.
Mickey Mouse pays tribute to his best friend before explaining why he must leave. “On with the show…”
The structure of this scene is impeccable, as it starts with two sight gags but then packs an emotional wallop, seemingly out of nowhere.
That’s what Disney has accomplished with Once Upon a Studio. It’s a distilled version of decades of storytelling excellence.
At some point, someone involved with this production thought, “Do you know what Mr. Toad would love?” Then, they ran with the idea. And it’s brilliant!!!
I’m gushing over this because any diehard Disney fan should.
Once Upon a Studio invites the viewer inside the Roy E. Disney Animation Building and then holds a masterclass in visual artistry.
Disney even pulls the Mary Poppins trick of meshing live action and illustrations.
What Disney Says
Disney punctuates the hypnotic short film with a final message to fans. It states:
“To all who have imagined with us, laughed with us, and dreamed with us, thank you.”
No, Disney. Thank you.
At its heart, Once Upon a Studio works as a love letter from Disney animators to Disney animation. It’s simply perfect.
I’ve already watched it multiple times, and I expect that number will eventually pass 100 over the years.
Disney’s finest storytellers have created one warm hug of a nine-minute video clip. It’s pure Disney magic.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below, and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!
Feature Photo: Disney