Walt Disney: A Life in Films

BBC Radio 4
  • 4.5 (24)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

Mel Giedroyc steps into the magical world of Walt Disney, exploring his extraordinary life through the stories of ten of the much mythologised genius's best-loved works.

Episodes

  1. 17/08/2023

    10. The Jungle Book & EPCOT

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In this final episode, Mel explores Walt’s final years. Despite chronic health problems, Walt was a whirlwind of activity. As he drew towards the end of his life he reflected on his legacy, “Fancy being remembered around the world for the invention of a mouse”, he once lamented. It turns out Walt had other ideas. Not content with his domination of the entertainment industry, Walt decided he was going to take it upon himself to reimagine the modern American city. It would be the culmination of his entire life’s work. The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow or EPCOT, was to be a truly utopian antidote to the trials and tribulations of modern urban living. Out of all his achievements, it was EPCOT Walt believed he would really be remembered for. Alongside his audacious plans to revolutionise the city, Mel reveals that Walt also had time for one final film, his classic take on Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    29 min

  2. 10/08/2023

    9. Mary Poppins

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In this episode, the “practically perfect in every way” Mel descends from the clouds to tell the tale of Mary Poppins. The film is a colourful, joy filled romp, but its creation was far from a jolly holiday for Walt Disney. Mel reveals the lengths Disney went to secure the rights to Mary Poppins and the highly antagonistic relationship he had with the author of the original book upon which his iconic film is based. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    28 min

  3. 03/08/2023

    8. Disneyland

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In this episode, Mel tells the tale of Walt’s most outlandish project to date, a project that would see his magic leap off the screens. This is the story of Disneyland, one of Walt’s most personal triumphs. During the construction phase, Walt applied a “spare no expense” approach, determined to create a magical kingdom that was truly extraordinary. A building project like no other, Disneyland would revolutionise the idea of the American amusement park, make the Disney company financially viable at last and allow fans from all over the world to engage with and celebrate Walt’s creations. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    29 min

  4. 27/07/2023

    7. Alice in Wonderland

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In this episode, Mel leaps through the looking glass into the delightfully surreal world of Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. Walt had long been a fan of Lewis Carroll’s classic story and was hell bent on adapting it into an animation. He was confident he could create a fantastical viewing experience that would be box office dynamite. Hookah smoking caterpillars, talking flowers, Mad Hatters, troublesome twins Tweedleedum and Tweedledee - they were a gift to any animator - it would be an easy lift from page to screen. Or would it? As we discover, the project became an immense creative challenge. The end result might have been a critical and commercial flop upon release, but over the decades the film has emerged as a countercultural classic. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    28 min

  5. 20/07/2023

    6. Cinderella

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In this episode, Mel explores Cinderella, one of Walt’s most revered animations. The movie magically appeared on screens in 1950, emerging not from a pumpkin carriage, but from a period of the Disney studio’s most profound instability yet. Walt had unwavering faith that salvation was just one Snow White-sized mega hit around the corner and in Cinderella he delivered it. It’s a film filled with romance and wonder, but as Mel discovers, Walt’s own love life wasn’t always a fairy tale. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    28 min

  6. 13/07/2023

    5. Bambi

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In this episode, Mel invites you into the woods to explore Disney’s Bambi, a deeply moving film following the story of an orphaned deer as he discovers the joys of nature and faces the dangers of hunters and the harshness of winter. We hear how Walt obsessed over the realism of the animation, bringing live animals into the studio to act as models for his staff. At one point a rutting stag broke loose, causing havoc, but the end result is a sumptuously beautiful film. Under the surface however, Walt endured a torrid time, taking out hefty bank loans in order to finance the project which massively overran. It has since been acknowledged as a classic, but Bambi received a muted response from the critics. Hugely impacted by the ongoing Second World War, Bambi didn’t even come close to breaking even on its initial release. Clearly, Walt needed a new approach if his studio was to survive. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    29 min

  7. 06/07/2023

    4. Dumbo

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In this episode, Mel examines the seismic impact of World War Two on Disney’s company. We’ll hear how soldiers swarmed Disney’s LA studio and discover that Disney animations made a remarkable contribution towards the war effort. Dumbo is a film with a controversial legacy, with problematic racial language and instances of cartoon blackface. Mel uses the troubling elements of Dumbo as a launching point for a wider examination of Walt’s views on race and the accusations of racism that have followed him over the decades. Walt Disney: A Life in Films is produced by Novel for BBC Radio 4

    29 min

  8. 29/06/2023

    3. Fantasia

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In this episode, Mel invites you to explore the surreal musical world of Walt Disney’s Fantasia, a film which saw Walt attempt to elevate his animations to the status of high art. Fantasia was meant to be the movie that proved Walt’s remaining doubters wrong. Instead, the stress of bringing it into being would land him in hospital. It also plunged the Disney company into financial disarray once again, risking his studio’s future. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    29 min

  9. 29/06/2023

    2. Pinocchio

    Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of Walt Disney, a much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. His name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? In her second episode, Mel immerses herself in the story of Pinocchio. We might think of it as a sweet and innocent tale, but Disney's film is based on a dark fable by author Carlo Collodi and is a lot less sugary than you might remember. The film was a box office flop, ramping up Walt’s financial woes, but would later go on to be recognised as a classic. Pinocchio was a project that saw immense creative ambition butt up against huge financial pressures. Mel reveals the challenges the animators had in nailing the movements of the titular puppet and the struggles to draw Pinocchio’s sidekick Jiminy Cricket in ways that didn’t leave him looking like a grotesque monster. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    28 min

  10. 29/06/2023

    1. Snow White

    Walt Disney - the name is truly iconic, but how much do we really know about this titan of the entertainment industry? Who was the real Walt and why did a man who moulded Western pop culture in his image end up on his deathbed, afraid that he’d be forgotten? Through the stories of ten of his greatest works, Mel Giedroyc examines the life of this much mythologised genius. A man to whom storytelling was an escape from an oppressive father and a respite from periods of depression. Our story begins with the turbulent creation of Walt's very first feature film, the iconic Snow White. Walt wanted to deliver animation on a grand scale, pushing his cartoons into exciting new territory. The naysayers said he should "stick to shorts", the financial pressures were almost unbearable and yet Walt produced a masterpiece that would shape popular culture forever. A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

    28 min

  11. 22/06/2023

    Introducing - Walt Disney: A Life in Films

    Mel Giedroyc steps into the magical world of Walt Disney, exploring his extraordinary life through the stories of 10 of the much mythologised genius’s best loved works. A Novel Production for BBC Radio 4.

    2 min
  • 11 Episodes

4.5
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Mel Giedroyc steps into the magical world of Walt Disney, exploring his extraordinary life through the stories of ten of the much mythologised genius's best-loved works.

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