Customer Reviews

Dream On Silly Dreamer

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"DREAM ON, SILLY DREAMER" tells the story of the Walt Disney Company dismantling its historic animation department, the very foundation on which the company was built. It still seems incomprehensible.

The world loves classic Disney animation. This great American art form speaks to the child within each of us. And behind each classic Disney film are the artists who created them. This is their poignant story.

Everyone who loves animated films must see this film, which documents the destruction of the Disney animation studio and its legacy which spans seven decades.

I'll admit it - I am far from a casual viewer. I am a passionate student of the classic Disney style of animation. I am in awe of the technique required for real, full-blown animation. But as much as I respect the technique, I am moved by the investment of the artists' hearts in the medium. It is the power of drawings that come to life, and animation's ability to move us, that I find so compelling.

With that preface, let me tell you about "DREAM ON, SILLY DREAMER."

It is a WONDERFUL film. Everything I hoped it would be... and even more.

It contains a wellspring of sentiment. It captures the passion of the animation artists for their art form and its heritage, and their sense of community.

The film strikes a remarkably delicate balance. We witness the shock, disbelief, and numbness of the artists on leaving Disney. Yet, the film doesn't wallow in sadness, self-pity or anger. The focus of the film is the genuine respect the artists have for classic style Disney studio animation, and their elation at having been part of it... their simple joy at moving a pencil over a piece of paper - and ultimately creating magic.

From the opening title card (a visual parody of the old Buena Vista logo), there are clever graphic references to Disney. The opening and page-flipping of the animator's sketchbook recalls many an animated feature opening; this time around it tells of a fairy tale without a "happily ever after" ending. Particularly striking is the animation of a dark storm cloud overtaking the Animation Building, marked by a scream! (It vaguely reminds me of Ward Kimball's quirky 60s work.) Animation depicting this transition was the perfect use of the medium. It made me laugh - and yet, the dark reality was still apparent.

In the DVD extras, I was particularly moved by the Florida animators reminiscing about their first animation scenes, while saying goodbye. The scene of director Dan Lund writing a check to purchase his animation desk was particularly gutwrenching. The grief on his face was obvious. The studio selling discharged artists their own animation desks seems analogous to sticking a knife in someone, pulling it out, then charging them to have it for a souvenir. While I'm glad artists had a chance to save their desks, and rescue their own piece of animation history, I found the transaction painful to watch. We can hardly imagine what it was like for the artists themselves.

Also, I found myself profoundly affected by Dan Lund's emotional on-stage commentary at the film's premiere. Like his film, he bravely acknowledges the emotions of the moment without being overcome by them.

Artists are governed by their hearts. Every once in a while, in spite of the callous indifference of the "real world," they experience something special as a reward for their talent: transcendental moments of magic.

In "Dream On, Silly Dreamer" we experience the same kind of movie magic Walt Disney himself created, from animators once employed by his studio. You will enjoy clever animation, and experience great storytelling about people living life with passion, experiencing traumatic setbacks and surviving. You will laugh, and, inevitably, you will feel a familiar tug at your heartstrings.

It's a wonderful film, and will be a treasured part of your DVD library.

If you were at all affected by the Walt Disney companys decision to close down its 2D feature animation department, then Dream On Silly Dreamer is the film for you. If you could care less about 2D animation, the history of Disney animation or studio politics, then this is NOT the film for you.

This very short documentary (the film itself sans bonus features runs just under 40 mins) attempts to capture the feelings and emotions of Disney's odd move to close down it's 2D feature animation unit, thus ending a historic part of the studio. Let's face it, it IS the studio. The entire empire that Disney has become was because of 2D animation. It all started with the historic release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a daring and bold ARTISTIC endeavor that made Walt Disney a global phenomenon. It ends with failed BUSINESS endeavors, an uneven mix of art and commerce that resulted in Atlantis, Treasure Planet and Home On The Range - utterly forgettable films from a company that we expect more from. But blaming the medium seems a funny scapegoat. 'Dream On...' the documentary, in it own rambling way, passionately attempts to explain just what happend on the way to the end. Utilizing extensive interviews with Disney artists, both past and present (most notably Andreas Deja), the film talks about the final days leading up to the layoffs of thousands of artists. While the interviews are extremely personal and emotional they seem to only scratch the surface. There is still anger and resentment, as would be expected. It seems the artists are too close to the situation, the wounds still too fresh, to put a more philosophical spin on what happened and how they reacted. That is both a strength and a weakness of the film. While the emotion feels fresh and raw, some of the more juicy details are left out. In its immediacy, we lose some of the perspective. The film forgets that, most of us at leat, were not there to watch this unfold. For employees of Disney affected by these events I am sure it means so much more. But for a general audince it can be, at times, like looking thourgh photos of people we don't know, parties we weren't invited to. With the exception of Deja and a few oldtimers from the days of Walt, eloquence is not the strong point of the interviews. Watch the Super Sized bonus features for more in depth talk about the process and what went wrong. There are some interesting descriptions of story meetings that seem to verify what Disney fans have always suspected was the moutning problems of the Disney features. While I wish there was more - more details about what went wrong on specific pictures, who was to blame for what details, etc - it is a captivating slice of the reality of Disney animation nonetheless. Seeing these artists speaking so genuinely about the company is extremely interesting. The fact that this film exists, that Disney let it be is in intself a miracle. The execs, in general, don't come off all that well. But name calling and finger pointing are kept to a surprising minimum. Katzenberg even comes off rather well.

In the end, this film is about innocence lost. These kinds of things happen at companies everyday around the world. But because it is Disney, because so many of us have bought into the pixie dust and magic, including these artists, the decision, the failure, the closure seem that much more tragic and personal. Witnessing that in this DVD makes up for its sloppiness. While I think there was a potential to make this an even more amazing and important film as well as a historical document, it is worth viewing all the same. With a little more focus and direction this could have been an incredible time capsule of a very specific, very dark time in Disney's history. As it stands, it's genuine and heartfelt but under polished. Still, as avid fans of Disney animation know, we will always take what we can get.

As a side note - Very little of Pixar is mentioned. The pending merger is not even addressed at all. While it remains to be seen what Lassetter and Co. will do with Disney animation, the future as of this filming was not optimistic. Only time will tell. Perhaps Pixar will re-open 2D animation at Disney and bring back some of these great talents. Wouldn't a happy sequel to this film be just as amazing?

This short film lets you go behind the pencil and see the brilliant, tireless and devoted animators who grew up wanting to be a part of the greatest storytellers of all: Disney. Even today when companies downsize and corporations "right size," does anyone really care that their product, the next widget, will be made somewhere else? So when Disney sends its most talented group of animators packing - it's more than downsizing, it's the end of artform. I put "Dream on Silly Dreamer" at the end of my Disney DVD collection, it bookends my collection as the closing of one of the finest groups of storytellers. This dvd delivers the story as only the animators could tell it. Bravo.

This is a very well done documentary that offers some insight into the rise and (currently) dramatic fall of Disney animation.

If you follow Disney news at all, the documentary does not reveal anything that you probably do not already know. What the documentary does do, however, is put faces and personal stories to the facts.

My only complaint was that it was a little short. It would have been nice to see what the animator's "post Disney" plans were.

This is an interesting look at the events that transpired within the animation department over at the Disney studios. It is a sad reminder that most of conventional animation is on its way out (at least in the mainstream of movie theaters). The idea behind the documentary is compelling although it is told and pieced together in a somewhat amateurish way. To drive their point the producers should have mentioned the cultish animation movie "The Thief and the Cobbler" aka "Arabian Night" which was truly a labor of love for animators and which took over two decades to get it completed and release (albeit not without its own problems). I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that I agree with the documentary's take in the sense that conventional (not CG) animation is still a valid medium. A medium that should not be pushed away for the sake of cheaper means in order to fatten a corporation's bottom line. Afterall, Disney is what it is today because of animation, no one can argue with that. Regarding the production values of the film, it is shot and edited in a way reminiscent of a school film. It contains interesting information but lacks some "polish" in its delivery. The animated segments are "cute" and somewhat nostalgic to those seen in the early sixties but are not necessarily well animated by themselves. In the producers' defense, the film was put together as a response to the events that changed their lives and not necessarily as a documentary for commercial purposes. It is merely a vehicle for them to share their story with us and, in all respects, it does that. If you are interested in animation or animation history, this film will be useful to you. Otherwise, it may not be your cup of tea.

My company receives communications from all kinds of artists, writers, and other talented individuals who dream about working for Disney... I think this DVD REALLY shows how slim the chances are to acquire work there, and... If you are so fortunate to achieve that goal... this DVD shows you how their key talent is treated. Uncle Walt might be a little bit disappointed about how his company has evolved? Disney is without a doubt... the benchmark to follow (for sure) but it may not be, what a lot of people expect, at least regarding the company vs employee relationship.

Very well done!

Hard to know how to feel about this obviously personal, lovingly crafted "goodbye" to the Disney studios. On the one hand, these newly-unemployed artists speak from their experience, discussing the pain of being unceremoniously dismissed from a studio that was their home, and that's sad. But though the "death of 2-D animation" debate will undoubtedly strike a chord in many viewers, I found the film might have played better had it been more objective. Anyone who's lost a job they needed badly might have a hard time identifying with the underlying sense of entitlement that occasionally pops up. The emotion and the heartbreak are real, but one gets the sense that the Disney employees were insulated in sometimes harmful ways from the realities of the industry, the truth about the corporate mentality, and the significance of their own careers. I'd think this would best be seen as a cautionary tale for anyone who believes their job is guaranteed secure until retirement. Fans of animation should see it, as well as business students, but the point of view is somewhat narrow.

This is a great Documentary and any Disney or Animation fan should see it but why pay so much? If you want all the bonus features then go for it. If you just want to see the film itself you can buy it on iTunes for $1.99.

It's worth seeing either way.

This is a good (but not great) doc about the demise of Disney's traditional 2D animation division.
Lots of sketchbook art given simple animation ( I expected better- especially since its all about how there's a lot of unemployed animators now).

I loved this DVD, anyone in the field of animation or if your just a fan should see this story. Remember that 3D only exists because of the pioneers of 2D art and animation.