Show Notes
With Toontown (and the London Podcast Festival) in the rear-view mirror, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers get back to the main curriculum to tackle a tale as old as time, and songs as old as rhyme in 1991’s Beauty And The Beast. In another bumper-sized episode befitting the might of the Disney Renaissance era, we discuss the film’s credentials as a true Gothic Romance, break down the battle of problematic masculinity between Gaston and the Beast, get seriously confused by the actual nature of the curse, and talk about the tragic loss of the legendary Howard Ashman before the film’s completion. Plus, Ben does a terrible impression of a Sondheim song, Sam does an excellent impression of Tim Curry, and minds are blown by the incredible ‘snake-on-a-dancefloor’ Italian version of the Beauty And The Beast story. Be our guest, and get stuck in.
Next up: Aladdin (after a short break)
Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney.
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Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Encanto. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.
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Don’t call it a comeback! Or, do – because film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are back with a new batch of episodes, following Disney into The Comeback Era. And before things kick off properly with The Princess And The Frog, here’s a little warm-up episode teeing up where we left off, where this next batch of films takes us, and covering some very important business: we have a new live show coming up, so get your tickets now! Ben is going to D23 soon! And is Minions & Monsters better than Toy Story 5? See you very soon for our next proper episode…
Bonjour! In a very special (and very long-awaited) episode of Disniversity, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers take a closer look at one of the cornerstones of Disney’s businesses and creative experiments: the theme parks. And what better way to do that than go to Disneyland Paris? Back in August 2023, a field trip expedition took us into the heart of ‘EuroDisney’ (as it was once known). Follow us as we wander around the parks, chatting away about the iconic rides, how Disney translates its features into physical form, all the delicious snacks, our childhood Disneyland memories, and an increasing obsession with Lightning McQueen. Lightning! Lightning! Lightning! Enjoy, and we’ll see you soon for the Comeback Era.