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DVD Walt Disney Treasures - Tomorrowland: Disney in Space and Beyond
Before man ventured into space, Walt Disney took the nation there. This set of the Walt Disney Treasures consists of "Science Factual" shows that aired mostly in the 1950s. On the first disc, Ward Kimball, one of the company's ace animators, directs three 50-minute segments on space travel dealing with space flight, going to the moon, and going to Mars. A combination of lecture (by the tops in the field, including lead rocket designer Dr. Werner von Braun), animation, live-action segments, and models, the three segments are still relevant as they effortlessly teach such elements as why rockets are in stages, what is gravitational force, orbiting, air pressure, and even the psychological effects on the mind. It is impressive how easily these Tomorrowland features entertain audiences of all ages. Of course, some of the details are wrong, but the wonder is not, and the final segment--a most poetic survey about what life might be like on Mars--illustrates Disney animated magic at its best.
The second disc takes on weather reporting (including a James Bond-ish way of changing the weather), how satellites work, and the touchstone 1958 short "Our Friend the Atom," a staple of explaining the world of atomic energy. Shown for the first time in its entirety is an informative pitch for EPCOT. It's not a version of the theme park now in Florida, but Walt Disney's lyrical vision of a city of the future, a dream never realized with his death two months after filming in 1966. Leonard Maltin introduces each segment, putting it in historical context and noting some political incorrectness and oversights, like atomic energy having no downside. The programs still entertainingly show the promises of the future: humans on Mars seem so tangible, even though the space program lost its way in the forthcoming decades. --Doug Thomas
Review(s): DVD Walt Disney Treasures - Tomorrowland: Disney in Space and Beyond
Our Friend the Future
My favorite book when I was a kid was Disney's Our Friend the Atom, and I checked it out of the library all the time. I didn't know that visual feast came from a Disney TV show. I had seen the Disneyland TV show of "Mars and Beyond" and loved the animated martians. But I didn't know it was one of three Tomorrowland- themed Disneyland Shows. From these vague recollections I sought in vain to find it again. But now, to steal the slogan of the Boomerang channel, it's all coming back to me.
Since everyone had black and white TV sets in the 'fifties (if they had them at all) it may be surprising that these shows are mostly in color. But Disney was way ahead of his time in using color cameras, and these expensively animated shows were not used once and thrown away. "Man in Space," which aired on TV in 1955, played as a featurette in theaters (in color) in 1956. The second Tomorrowland segment, "Man and the Moon," aired in 1955, but was rerun in 1959 as "Tomorrow the Moon," and tied in with the popular TWA Rocket to the Moon attraction at Disneyland. "Mars and Beyond," which aired on TV in 1957 also hit theaters. The best animated segments were culled for "Cosmic Capers" in 1979.
"We're story tellers, not scientists," Walt announces in the first show. Directed and co-written by Ward Kimball, the story is often told with stunning and whimsical animation in the minimalist/ modernist graphic style usually associated not with Disney but UPA Studios (Mr. Magoo, etc.). The scientists include Heinz Haber, author and consultant for "Our Friend the Atom," and space pioneers Wernher Von Braun and Wiley Ley, who give brief and visionary portrayls of what travel into space, to the moon and mars will look like. Plastic model kits of Ley's space craft were popular at the time (compare his XR-1 to the X-15 of the 1960s as seen in The Right Stuff, or the later Challenger space shuttle).
Walt Disney calls these shows "science factual," but the "science" in these other stories is speculative at best, and decidedly pre-big bang. This two DVD set also includes interviews with sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury (Something Wicked This Way Comes) and Marty Sklar, "imagineer" and Disney consultant. The "Epcot" film is not another theme park PR piece, it's Disney's pitch for funding to build a futuristic city, and as originally envisioned, who wouldn't want to live in this city of the future? As with other Disney Treasures DVDs, film critic Leonard Maltin provides intros (and brief disclaimers, as for "Our Friend the Atom"), and alerts us to other bits of fascinating Disneyana. For instance, the narrator in "Mars and Beyond" is Paul Frees, voice of Prof. Ludwig von Drake, and in "Man in Space," it's Dick Tufield, better known as the "bubble- headed booby" robot B-9 in "Lost in Space."
These films did more to spur the space program than anything else until President Kennedy's post- Sputnik call to beef up science and math in schools (President Eisenhower showed "Man in Space" at the Pentagon). Disney may have expected a small audience for this DVD now that many of these predictions have come true, but anyone interested in the history of the space program or in the Disney of the 'fifties, could do no better than this DVD.
Own some Earth-shaping history
Two of the movies presented on this DVD shaped American history: "Man in Space" and "E.P.C.O.T." The first was used by President Eisenhower to sell the concept of NASA to Congress. The second was used by Walt Disney to sell the Walt Disney World concept to the Florida Legislature. It is arguable that NASA would have happened without "Man in Space." If not for "E.P.C.O.T.," Orlando would probably still be a sleepy little town beside a swamp.
I first saw the "E.P.C.O.T." telecast in 1966--and then Walt Disney died. The energy and enthusiasm that Walt displayed for his vision of urban planning excited my ten year old mind--I didn't forget that show. Never mind that today's Epcot or Celebration isn't what Walt promised--I doubt that Walt's ambition would have been realized even if Walt had lived another 40 years. Walt lived up to "dream big."
Would we have a moon colony and have put people on Mars if we had more people like Walt?
Other films on this DVD shaped American education. The rest of the "Man in Space" series was shown often enough to help produce the astronaut craze of the 1960's. "Eyes in Outer Space" introduced the concept of weather satellites to the American public--before weather satellites were common. Who can forget the ping-pong ball/mouse trap demonstration in "Our Friend the Atom?"
The two interviews were delightful background information. I got to see Ray Bradbury speak on my small screen! Marty Sklar was unkown to me ten years ago--his interview with Leonard Maltin was illuminating. Many people don't like interviews on television--interviews are just some people yakking. If there's any interest in the subject of the conversation, then sitting in front of a screen and watching two or more people occupy chairs is worthwhile. More visuals with voice-overs? Animation is expensive, so I don't hope to see much in future interviews--but it was a treat to see famous faces and hear their voices.
DVD's can break or get scratched up, and "Tomorrowland" won't be available for very long, so I bought two of these DVD sets. There's lots of material for historians, for social scientists, for other scholars--and Disney made learning fun!
A Treat for Lost in Space fans
Cool stuff for LIS fans.
For Christmas I received the Disney Treasures Tommorrowland DVD. This DVD contains episodes of Disneyland broadcast in the mid 50's(the first in 1955). These episodes concentrate on manned space flight and how science at that time perceived it would happen. The shows are quite fascinating and include many of the pioneers of modern rocketry. How does this have anything to do with Lost in Space? Watch the segments on manned space flight, a trip to the moon and mars and beyond. I am convinced Irwin Allen not only watched them, he took notes. You will not only recognize dialogue from the first episode of Lost in Space(The Reluctant Stowaway), you will see technology Irwin Allen "borrowed" (i.e. the bubble in top of the Jupiter 2 for the astrogator).
Now, even if you aren't convinced, do you know who narrated these wonders of "science faction" as Walt Disney called them? None other than Dick Tufeld(the voice of the Robot and LIS narrator). Very cool. Close your eyes and you can "see" Lost in Space take form ten years before the Jupiter 2 took flight in 1965. Highly recommended viewing.
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