Animation fans:Why did the quality of Disney's productions dip post-WWII?

[DerekG]

Walt Disney certainly deserves to be lauded as one of the 20th century's great artists: his company's shorts (such as Silly Symphonies) and first five features--Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi--are nothing short of visionary. Yet in the post-war era, there is an obvious dip in quality: the likes of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty paled in comparision to, say, the aforementioned Fantasia. Though always enjoyable, Disney's work would be commodified (much like Lucas's Star Wars films, starting with Return of the Jedi).

What accounted for this?

[lazarus]

1. from what I recall

They chased off most of their animators with brutal working conditions. So the talent all left for Warner Brothers.

[mac56]

2. Come join us in the Animation group!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=286

[NV Whino]

3. That really fine animation of Fantasia

was enormously expensive. And Fantasia, although now a classic, was a flop when released. I have heard (from an animator who worked during those years and with whom I later worked) that there is a half finished Fantasia 2 on the shelves, but it is not cost effective to finish it.

To understand cost, think of number ofdrawing to complete an action. In Fantasia there could be hundreds of drawing for a character to make a move because all parts of the character moved to replicate natural action. In the newer animations limited parts of the character move at the same time. Prior film a head turn alone might take 15 to 30 drawings, newer films a head turn could be done in 5 to 7 drawings. Fewer drawings = less time = less cost. I'm sure you can follow the formula from there.

[mac56]

4. Don't forget "Fantasia 2000"

http://www.sfsite.com/~silverag/fantasia.html

Apparently Walt planned to update "Fantasia" on an ongoing basis, but lost interest before long and focused on his amusement parks.

[Kablooie]

5. Lots of factors

After the war the studio was almost broke. They had donated much of their efforts to support the war, gratis.

They had to get some income fast so they made a few quick compliation films. Melody Time, Make Mine Music, etc.

Cinderella was the first full feature but they still didn't have a lot of money so it was done quickly and cheaply using a lot of rotoscoped live action for reference.

Around this time Walt saw Disneyland as the new exciting future for entertainment and shifted his energies there.

Sleeping Beauty was supposed to be the piece de resistance of animation and was very expensive, but flopped completely.

Walt was ready to dump animation altogether at this time but Woolie Reitherman talked him into trying one more time with a very quick, cheap movie. This was 101 dalmations.

From then on, Walt was not very close to the animation department. On his death bed he had one final meeting with all the department heads.

Animation was not invited.

[Touchdown]

6. Agreed with Kablooie, but also.

If you are talking of the quality of the animation itself, and not just the storytelling that would be lacking, then you also have to factor in Kodak.

Starting with 101 Dalmatians, Disney used a new Kodak developed drawing process which was a marriage of painting and photography. The process's name escapes me now, but it goes like this... Before, Animators drew, painted and inked every frame in a film, which is why Lady and the Tramp and Bambi were so pastoral and beautiful in their look. They were also very expensive to make. Disney wanted a cheaper way to make animated films. 101 Dalmatians used a new photographic process, that made the resulting prints less refined, and lacked color and warmth, which is fine for a stark film as that, but for The Rescuers, Aristocats, Fox and Hound, etc, there was something lacking in the look of the animated features of the 60s and 70s. They were going to shut the animation dept. down after the dismal returns of The Black Cauldron, when Jeffrey Katzenberg took over and resurrected the dept. The late 80s and 90s used computers to eliminate that photo "thistle" look of the process, which started with Oliver and Company and improved in Little Mermaid. The Lion King got the computers right though.

Examples...Look at the sharpness and fit of the lines, also the colors from Sleeping Beauty...



Now look at the jagged edges that this photo process has done to the Aristocats. Notice that all the outlines are black, and not a supportive color as in SB?