Disney turns 100: When its founder visited Peru and how his franchise became a leader in global entertainment | EC Stories | ARE

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The anniversary forces us to analyze what Disney means in the worldview of Western culture by reviewing Disney’s past and present. And it has no starting point other than history. And there, in Hollywood, it all began. But in Peru, a country that has eagerly consumed what has been received from the conglomerate’s various arms for generations: movies and TV series, theme parks, cruises, tourism services, editorial and consumer products, and more.

Once upon a time…

Walter Elias Disney, along with his brother Roy, founded The Disney Brothers Studios on October 16, 1923, as the company was originally called. It would begin a clear rise after comics tied to “Alice in Wonderland” and the creation of characters like Oswald the Rabbit and Mortimer the Mouse, which would become Mickey Mouse. The first milestones would come with “Steamboat Willie” (1928), the first animated short with sound; and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937), now The Walt Disney Company’s first film.

In Peru, on the other hand, the word Disney was heard for the first time in 1930. The first sound pieces presented here belong to this company. “One of the first short films I saw was ‘When the Cat Wasn’t’ starring Mickey. Disney was already famous when he disembarked from the steamer Santa Clara in Gallo in 1941 as part of a Latin American tour with his cartoonists. .

The visit to the capital, he continues, was short: “He attended receptions at the Bolivar Hotel and La Cabana, where he signed autographs, painted for fans and drank pisco sours. He also visited the country club. The next day, he visited the National School of Fine Arts, José Sabocal’s studio, the printing press of the newspaper El Comercio, and the Museum of Anthropology. finished”.

Part of the group that traveled with him was in Puno, and from the whole experience in these countries was derived part of the film “Greetings, Friends” (1942), in which Donald Duck is seen ‘touring’ Lake Titicaca. There he chatted with peasants, suffered from sorghum and humorously fought a llama.

Today’s conspiracies

Our country’s love and affection for the world through Disney remains strong in the 21st century. Let Cami Bonetto (24), a collector and content creator dedicated to the event, tell us.. “My love started with the little toys that came in cute boxes. My dad encouraged me to put together everyone from ‘Finding Nemo’ or ‘The Incredibles.’ Then they bought me VHS and DVDs, and I watched ‘Movies’ or the Disney Channel over and over again on cable. From then on, I I go to sleep with them. They are my safe place. “All of that universe connects me to my inner child.”, recounts who fulfilled every child’s dream of generations at age 9: a visit to Disney World in Florida. By her count, she returned 13 times.

The idea of ​​Disney happiness rooted in society has another reading from the Academy. Less dreaming, more criticism. “Whistling to work is a very American product of the ‘Baby Boomer’ era. After World War II, people no longer wanted to focus on hard work and survival, but on comfort, which later became pleasure. According to social psychologist George Yamamoto, “Disney The epitome of the happiest face community to date. In the process, it created all kinds of stereotypes, including racism and materialism, which were corrected over time.

Meanwhile, over the past few years, the company has faced both praise and criticism for changes in its narrative. While today’s princesses are celebrated as more empowered and warrior-like, another faction rejects the inclusion of characters from the LGTBIQ+ community.

“In the framework of ideological and emotional tensions of this time, Disney was placed in an uncomfortable center, in which there were two options: follow the conventional course or turn the helm. They chose the latter, because the brand, after all, was familiar. And today the concept of family is more extensive than before. Do? Position yourself and see your market shrink or do you want to be inclusive? The bottom line of this decision is business. ‘Ticket’ sales must continue. Disney’s main source of income is theme parks and merchandising. “The movies and their content are the levers that drive the public there.”, argues Professor Giancarlo Cappello of the University of Lima. It emphasizes that children do not go to parks alone, but with their parents, so that families are represented in their diversity to continue to benefit.

Controversies aside, centenary celebrations in parks and theaters will continue till 2024. Two more film pieces win them over: ‘Once upon a time there was a studio…’, a nine-minute short film. More than 400 characters appear all the time; And the much-anticipated film ‘Wish’, which releases in Peru on November 23. No doubt there are stories for a while. //