Last year, the animation and entertainment giant Disney celebrated its 100th anniversary. To animation fans and the fans of its many subsidiaries, this was a momentous occasion commemorating the company’s legacy. One of the many ways that they celebrated was with the short Once Upon A Studio.
Upon release, the short was lauded by fans for encapsulating the company’s century-long history. Nearly a year later, the film still receives views and discussions. Here is a breakdown of why Once Upon a Studio is still relevant.
‘Once Upon A Studio’ Was A Celebration of Disney
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The biggest reason Once Upon a Studio was heralded as a proper celebration of Disney’s legacy was how it brought together every character from their animated films. Note that this was just their main animated canon, not their subsidiaries like Pixar, Marvel, Fox, or Star Wars. Despite this, spending hours counting the iconic characters to find throughout the short was just as fun.
From Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to the recently released Wish, every animated film from the canon appeared in even more obscure films such as Chicken Little and Home on the Range. Additionally, there were many background details and skits of these various icons interacting. To many Disney fans, this was a sign that the company had not completely lost its way and had an appreciation for all of its films, regardless of their reputation.
It Was Better Anniversary Gift Than Wish
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That same year, Disney gave its fans another centennial gift: Wish. The studio touted the film as a 100-year celebration of the company. The film follows a young girl, Asha, who tries to save the people’s wishes from the evil king Magnifico. The film had various callbacks and Easter eggs to previous Disney titles hidden throughout.
Despite Disney’s confidence and hype surrounding the project, the film was seen as mediocre. Critics labeled the plot generic, the songs weak, the comic relief goat obnoxious, and the ties to previous titles forced. Additionally, the film’s art style was seen as a poor attempt at mimicking the painted CGI style that had become popular.
Finally, many fans felt the film was a disappointing one-hundredth anniversary gift. The studio released a shockingly bland and mediocre product for a grand occasion that didn’t have the same magic as its status implied. This was the thanks they got. As such, it’s no surprise that fans were more impressed by this short than they were with Wish.
Disney: The Legendary Company
In the century since Walt Disney founded his company, the conglomerate has expanded beyond animated films and has become a definitive megacorporation. Every kid growing up in the past century can name at least one iconic film they loved. Additionally, the company has expanded into other mediums, such as video games with the iconic Kingdom Hearts series and theme parks, which have become pilgrimage sites for American families.
Unfortunately, their reputation has waned in the past few decades. They continually purchase more and more huge IPs, such as Marvel and Star Wars, with the latter’s reception sinking in recent years. Additionally, they have lost sight of their status as an animation studio with their lucrative yet poorly received live-action remakes. Furthermore, many believe the Disney Plus model has clouded their creative vision. Through Once Upon a Studio, their dedicated animators gave one ray of hope, even including a salute to Walt himself from Mickey near the end.
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