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Poster Description: The tagline is “100 years of Disney magic comes together.” A white wall has eleven pictures in three columns - four on the left and right, and three in the middle. Various Disney characters are leaning out of the frames, and some are balanced on top, including Jiminy Cricket and Pascal the chameleon. Minnie watches in the centre frame as Mickey drops out of his frame and clutches his yellow hat. Once Upon A Studio hovers towards the skirting board, where the date and ABC logo sit on dark floorboards. |
Disney Studios celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, so something special was bound to surface. When I found the trailer for Once Upon A Studio while browsing YouTube one evening, I couldn’t help feeling sceptical. I’ve already expressed how I feel about Disney and how the quality of their work just isn’t what it used to be in many of my reviews. Yet, I still can’t shake the rush of excitement whenever they announce a new project – Marvel, Star Wars, and the animated collection make up a significant chunk of my childhood and adolescence, and that’s hard to shake off. So, I approached Once Upon A Studio with uncertain anticipation. How far would it explore the studio’s history?
Running over nine minutes, the short begins poignantly; a young black woman gushes about the 100th anniversary with an old white man as they leave the Disney studio. It should be pointed out that the man is Burny Mattinson, one of the studio’s longest-running animators. He leaves us with the line, “If these walls could talk…” Yes, it’s corny, but what comes next warmed my sceptical heart. All the characters Disney Animation Studios had created came to life to take a group photo. Oh, boy! Did you read that in Mickey Mouse’s voice? Because I just did.
Image Description: We’re looking at seven Disney characters’
reflections in the mirror of the men’s bathroom. As Robin Hood’s Prince
John primly adjusts his crown, The Aristocats’ Thomas O Malley
licks a paw, and Chicken Little strains to see himself brushing his comb. Milo
from Atlantis: The Lost Empire looks frustrated as he
straightens his large, red bowtie, but Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)
smirks at himself. No surprise, Happy the dwarf seems pleased, too. It’s hard
to know what the Headless Horseman feels while straightening his high collar
with both hands. 
Don’t expect any Marvel or Star Wars references because this is all about the animation. Once Upon A Studio is so cute and charming, giving us moments I never knew we needed. Moana asks for Merlin’s help to stop Flounder the fish from drying out – then he uses the Mad Hatter’s hat to contain the water (voiced by Disney’s “magic charm” Alan Tudyk). Donald Duck’s temper gets well and truly tested, holding the lift for Flash the Sloth from Zootropolis and Baymax from Big Hero 6. Stromboli shaking a vending machine in a fit of snack-deprived rage. My favourite moment was Rapunzel “persuading” Kaa the python to cease hypnotising Clarabell with her frying pan. However, Hades’ weary response to the whole gang bursting into song at the end is a close second. I love how most original voice actors return, and those no longer with us are brought back with archive recordings – most notably, Robin Williams as the Genie.
Yes, this was as wholesome as it looks. Image Description: In a white office with big
windows, Olaf smiles up at Genie, who grins and makes a friendly gesture with
his finger. There’s a poster of Aladdin on the wall and a 3D model of
the lion’s head (The Cave of Wonders) on top of a cabinet.
It’s a shame Once Upon A Studio is exclusively on Disney+. With Wish, the studio’s latest release, coming soon, I hope it features before the film because it is worth a watch…and another and another to make sure you didn’t miss anyone. My opinion of Disney remains resigned and weary, but their legacy looks pretty marvellous here.
My Rating: 4 STARS OUT OF 5
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My Sources:
Once Upon A Studio poster - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28035641/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_q_once%2520upon%2520a%2520
Who is the old man at the start of the film? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Studio
Who was Burny Mattinson? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burny_Mattinson
Image: Disney characters get ready for their photo - https://attractionsmagazine.com/disney-gathers-hundreds-of-characters-for-once-upon-a-studio/
Image: Olaf and Genie - https://ew.com/movies/robin-williams-genie-once-upon-a-studio/
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