The Mouse Machine: Disney and Technology

by J P. Telotte

Overview

Throughout Disney's phenomenally successful run in the entertainment industry, the company has negotiated the use of cutting-edge film and media technologies that, J. P. Telotte argues, have proven fundamental to the company's identity. Disney's technological developments include the use of stereophonic surround sound for Fantasia, experimentation with wide-screen technology, inaugural adoption of three-strip Technicolor film, and early efforts at fostering depth in the animated image. Telotte also chronicles Disney's partnership with television, development of the theme park, and depiction of technology in science-fiction narratives. An in-depth discussion of Disney's shift into digital filmmaking with its Pixar partnership and an emphasis on digital special effects in live-action films, such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, also highlight the studio's historical investment in technology. By exploring the technological context for Disney creations throughout its history, The Mouse Machine illuminates Disney's extraordinary growth into one of the largest and most influential media and entertainment companies in the world.

Hardbook is unjacketed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780252075407
Publisher:	University of Illinois Press
Publication date:	06/09/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

J. P. Telotte is a professor of film and media studies at Georgia Institute of Technology. He is coeditor of the journal Post Script and author of many books on film and media, including Disney TV, Voices in the Dark: The Narrative Patterns of Film Noir, and The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     vii
Introduction: Main Street, Machines, and the Mouse     1
Sound Fantasy     23
Minor Hazards: Disney and the Color Adventure     42
Three-Dimensional Animation and the Illusion of Life     56
A Monstrous Vision: Disney, Science Fiction, and CinemaScope     81
Disney in Television Land     96
The "Inhabitable Text" of the Parks     117
Course Correction: Of Black Holes and Computer Games     141
"Better Than Real": Digital Disney, Pixar, and Beyond     159
Conclusion     179
Notes     191
Works Cited     203
Index     211

Editorial Reviews

"A fascinating tour through the creation, growth, and development of Walt Disney's company to show how the magic is made and the impact it can have on audiences."—AEJMC: Hot Topics

"A wonderful read. Telotte demonstrates a superb grasp of Disney-related literature."—Technology and Culture

 "The volume is easily approachable for those not familiar with its conceptual sources, while at the same time providing increasing layers of depth to those who are. . . . Highly recommended."—Choice

"Telotte really shines! His passion for analyzing Disney artifacts animates each page. Descriptions are vivid and detailed; analyses are rigorous and insightful, while his engagement with case studies is exemplary. The Mouse Machine is an engaging and intelligent book for those interested in cultural studies, popular culture, media studies, film studies, mass communication, technology and society, American studies, and related fields."—Eileen R. Meehan, author of Why TV Is Not Our Fault: Television Programming, Viewers, and Who's Really in Control

"The Mouse Machine is a copious history of Disney's innovations and preoccupations; it makes clear just how consistently and significantly Uncle Walt used technology to gain an edge on the competition."—Jon Lewis, editor of Cinema Journal and author of Hollywood vs. Hardcore: How the Struggle over Censorship Created the Modern Film Industry

From the Publisher